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Romanzo Criminale [2005]


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Editorial
Synopsis

A master criminal has his sights on conquering Rome’s underworld in this exciting gangland saga, spanning more than 25 years of criminal activity in Italy. ROMANZO CRIMINALE follows Libano from hoodlum to kingpin, tracking his rise to power, and the struggles that arise within his gang of ruthless cohorts. However, this isn’t just another variation of the classic gangster film formula, as it becomes evident the gangs activities are intrinsically linked to the darker episodes of the country’s history, with police and governmental corruption, kidnapping plots and even romance broadening the canvas of this epic film.


Romanzo Criminale
Review date: 2008-08-02 Rating: 8 out of 10

Don't be mislead by the tacky cover. Although this begins as a cheaper, poorer quality version of The Godfather, it develops into to a quite sophisticated and controversial take on Italian crime and politics. A previous reviewer laments the fact that the characters were cheap, humourless scumbags compared to the more likeable and funny murderers of Goodfellas. Well, that's because Hollywood, even at its best, will always make its characters sympathetic, whereas here we see the characters as they are - ruthless, fairly stupid, nasty, brutal and unpleasant. Killers are like that. Based on real events and ultimately worthwhile, the film certainly made me want to read the book it's based on and find out more about the issues raised here. Entertaining too.

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Reviews


Empty And Pointless
Review date: 2007-10-18 Rating: 4 out of 10

I've heard this film being compared to Goodfellas, but there's one crucial difference: Goodfellas has a sense of humour. It's true that both movies are sprawling crime dramas with stylish direction and brutal violence, but the repellent characters in Scorcese's film were far more watchable and entertaining because they were funny aswell as murderous. In Romanzo Criminale we're invited to sympathise with the gang members, but I found it impossible to care whether these cheap scumbags lived or died. There's plenty of talent behind the camera and the performances are fine, but I could have quite happily switched off half way through and not regretted it. Incidentally, despite one viewers comments about the running time, it's nowhere near three hours long. More like two hours and twenty minutes.

Fantastic
Review date: 2007-05-15 Rating: 10 out of 10

If you're a fan of Scorcese and the Godfather this movie will be right up your boulevard.Telling the story of a a group of working class kids who become a criminal gang that controls the city of Rome ,its a visceral,thought provoking great movie with uniformely great performances and an epic scale that gives it a scope that makes it an even better movie watching experience.
Based on the Magliani gang who did control Rome,it spans about 20 or so years and from the early days of kidnapping local bigiwgs into drug dealing and prostitution it shows that not even the tightest relationships can survive the phrase'absolute power corrupts absolutely'as the members of the gang,Lebanese,Ice,Dandy etc begin to fall to pieces because of love,paranoia,drug addiction and the dogged efforts of the police commissioner who wants to bring them down.

Watching this i was reminded of the likes of Goodfellas,Casino,The Godfather and if you are even a passing fan of good movies this is a must .

Top Notch Organised Crime Film
Review date: 2007-04-23 Rating: 10 out of 10

This film can actually be considered a history of the recent Italian history. Although set us a conventional crime film, it tells a very unconventional real life story about a group of "street kids" from Rome that became the crimelords of the city and whose stories intertwine with national and international politics and interests. Although a very long film, clocking in at nearly three hours, the story flows and we are sucked into the lives of the characters of the film, feeling empathy and compassion for their fates. The film begins in the mid 60s with the first arrest of the boys who became the "Banda della Magliana" and ends with the fall of the Berlin Wall, encompassing all the terrorism and collusion between Mafia and politics in which the "Banda della Magliana" supposedly played a part, and for this at least the film should be cherished. Although not a great fan of recent Italian cinema I could not help but be mesmerized and overawed by this film that, had it been made in Hollywood, would have maybe rivalled the Godfather films, nevermind the Scorsese films on Mafia.
I recommend this film to anyone reading this review, hoping they might spread the word of this little gem of a film.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Stefano Accorsi
Kim Rossi-Stuart
Claudio Santamaria
Anna Mouglalis
Pierfrancesco Favino

Creators:
Anna Mouglalis (Primary Contributor)
Kim Rossi-Stuart (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Icon Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Icon Home Entertainment
EAN: 5051429101057
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, PAL,
Release date: 2007-05-07
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 147 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2005
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: Italian (Original Language)

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