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Transylvania [2008]
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calm down, Asia
Review date: 2008-04-01 Rating: 6 out of 10
The story of Transylvania is very simple. A strange French/Italian (who knows?) has come to Transylvania looking for her gypsy lover who was deported from France. She is pregnant and she's brought along her friend, who is slightly less strange. The Gypsy theme continues as the girl, called Zingarina, goes in search of freedom, love and err...doing nothing, wandering through the villages, bars and country roads of Transylvania.
What really irritates me about this film is not how oversimplistic the Romanian/Gypsy way of life is portrayed but how absolutely, incredibly annoying Asia Argento's character is. She wails and screams her way through at least half the film so that she's merely being hysterical in her mellow moments (and people accuse Al Pacino of overacting). Personally, her performance puts a dampner on the whole thing.
Otherwise, what you have is a beautifully shot film with some standout moments (see the one-man party) but a fantasy of sorts. Like Tony Gatlif's previous work, Transylvania yearns for the spiritual freedom of Gypsies (or Roma) which seems to be found by music, alcohol, pain and not caring what anyone else thinks. Just don't expect to learn anything about Transylvania.
Bogdan Tiganov - author of The Wooden Tongue Speaks- Romanians: Contradictions & Realities
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Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Asia Argento
Creators:
Asia Argento (Primary Contributor)
Recording label: Petit Peché
Manufacturer: Petit Peché
EAN: 5060018659015
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, Dolby, PAL, Surround Sound, Widescreen,
Release date: 2008-03-04
Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 100 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2006
Language: English (Unknown)
Language: French (Unknown)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: Romanian (Original Language)
Language: French (Original Language)