Review of Fellini`s Casanova

Introduction

I have been dreading writing this review and making every excuse to myself not to sit down and make a start. I watched intently and tried to absorb every detail but I was beginning to wonder what the fuss is about. Makes you feel a bit like the guy from Decca who didn`t like The Beatles.

Of course I completely respect the fact that everyone has different taste and my palette is no doubt far too unsophisticated to fully understand the fine artistic qualities in this film. But then I watched the extras, then the film again and finally something clicked.

I`m too unfamiliar with Fellini`s work to give an informative opinion on his interpretation of Casanova, but as Sutherland says, "To fully understand the film you would have to be familiar with what life was like in Italy in the 1970s when it was made."

At least I can now appreciate it though and at the risk of offending every Fellini fanatic I`ll try and explain what I witnessed.

So here goes.

Giovanni Giacomo Casanova (Donald Sutherland) is introduced to us in 18th Century Venice amid a bizarre carnival scene.

He is summoned to a clandestine rendezvous with a nun to perform his main talent in life - pleasuring women. He approaches this as if he`s about to give an award-winning performance, especially this time as he`s aware of being spied on by the nun`s lover who is some kind of political big shot.

This is a strange sex scene to say the least. Casanova unveils a gold mechanical bird that whirrs and beeps throughout while he performs horizontal cartwheels on top of his partner.

The bird can become a bit annoying but when I realised the significance of it is to portray Casanova`s approach to lovemaking and the fact that it was specifically created to project this message to the audience I thought it was brilliant.

Fellini`s big talent was mentally and then physically bringing characters to life in completely over-the-top fashion and this is apparent when you first lay eyes on Sutherland as Casanova. He`s an androgynous character with too much make-up, fake nose, fake chin and a forehead the size of Canada.

At first I was slightly bemused by this look but realised that it`s actually a bold and deliberate move from Fellini as he despised everything about the character and the extravagance of that particular period in Italian history. He obviously wants the audience to view him as the pathetic, not so attractive person he believed him to be.

Casanova can`t help bragging about his achievements and his unhealthy interest in the occult and this leads to his imprisonment and the unjust robbery of his youth and liberty. Incarceration is basically the end of life to a young swordsman such as he and here the story takes a turn and is narrated retrospectively by Sutherland.
It was at this point in the film that I thought the film changed. I felt sorry for him, in a similar way that I did as a kid for Richard Chamberlain after he was imprisoned in the Man In the Iron Mask - left to rot in a filthy cell.

Visually the film took a turn for the better also, the set looked real, instead of black plastic bin liners inflated by a wind machine to create a stormy ocean scene, we had a convincing jail cell.

Sutherland does very well in making you feel for him, as all that`s left for him is the onset of madness induced by his barren environment and his unquenchable lust for the female form.

His performance in this film is unbelievable. I am a big fan of his work anyway but knowing he brought this character to life so convincingly without the luxury of a script is something else. Anyone with a faint knowledge of the character and how he chose to lead life will appreciate this and realise that Donald Sutherland truly is a master of his craft.

The story continues with Casanova venturing throughout Europe to indulge with 18th Century high society and fulfil his endless physical needs.

Every sex scene is punctuated with the mechanical bird whirring and bleeping in the background and Sutherland flouncing in some kind of flamboyant garb.

The way that the 18th Century is brought to life through the characters is fantastic. I can`t ever remember seeing such a convincing portrayal of a particular period. Maybe this is why Fellini insisted on using plastic bags as an ocean, the period is already brought to life by the characters and in his head - this crass interpretation is simply irrelevant. It`s thoroughly believable that you are watching people from all those years ago, the magnificent costumes deserve the Oscar they received and the performances from all involved are deliciously decadent.

By far the best and most powerful scenes are the ones with Isabella the automaton (Olimpia Carlisi). Casanova`s desire reaches fever pitch and he has sex with the robotic woman and subsequently falls in love with her. You can see the warm contented look in his face as he lovingly embraces her on a rooftop as a young man and in his eyes as an old man as he reminisces from his prison cell.

The film is not for everyone though. It`s more of an opera than a film. I could never imagine recommending this to some of my friends, I`m afraid I would be nursing a large bruised area at the bridge of my nose as it was returned at high speed.

For a chance to witness the work of a true visionary though this is what`s required - just maybe not too often. Sometimes you have to get back to reality.

Now where`s my Die Hard box set?

Video

Decent picture quality although it can be a bit grainy at times.

Audio

There`s a handy language option on the disc where you can choose to have the audio dialogue in English, French or Italian.

Features

Casanova, Fellini and Me is a 45-minute interview with Donald Sutherland punctuated with old footage of Fellini himself and stills and clips from the movie.

It`s a fantastic interview, Sutherland takes his time to candidly explain what it was like to film the movie and work with Fellini.

It`s very entertaining. He explains everything from their first initial meeting to how Fellini got the best from his actors and the unique approach he took to his work.

The Magic of Fellini is a 53-minute documentary featuring interviews with actors and actresses who worked with Fellini and those who have studied his work. Donald Sutherland is very entertaining again in this. He regales an audience with amusing anecdotes about his time working on Casanova.

Anthony Quinn who worked with Fellini on his 1954 film La Strada also tells a very funny story about a conversation the two had regarding his fee for the film.

Conclusion

It`s the performance of Sutherland and the unbelievable talent and vision Fellini had for bringing a period of time to life that makes this film. It makes you think and work hard to enjoy it but if you can be bothered taking the time to do this and find out a little about the director and what he was all about then it`s worth it.