In association with

Malena [2000]
from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm
starring Monica Bellucci, Giuseppe Sulfaro, Luciano Federico, Matilde Piana
directed by Giuseppe Tornatore

Features:

• PAL
• Widescreen

Editorial Review:

When 12-year-old Renato, riding through his small Italian town on his new bicycle, sees the voluptuous Malèna, little does he know he's beginning an infatuation that will carry him through the tumultuous days of World War II. Malèna begins as an enraptured depiction of Renato's adolescent mind--chronicling the way he stares, hypnotised, at Malèna's garters pressing through the material of her tight skirt, or his frustrated rebellion against the indignity of wearing short pants--but soon transforms into a portrait of small-town prejudice. Malèna's looks spark lust and envy in the townspeople; when her husband dies in combat, the gossip only intensifies, to the point where Malèna is dragged into court to defend herself against accusations of adultery. When the women of the town refuse to sell her edible food at the market, Malèna has little choice but to become what she's been unjustly accused of being. At the end, a twist of fate turns this tale of longing and jealousy into a heartbreaking love story. Monica Bellucci exudes the can't-help-it eroticism that makes Malèna such a lightning rod for everyone's desires with a beauty reminiscent of Isabelle Adjani. The movie seems to wander at times, but the ending has a powerful emotional impact. From the director of Cinema Paradiso.--Bret Fetzer, Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

• Intense and powerfully moving darma
  I cried through out this movie it was absolutley breathtakin. the movie explores the brutality and consequences of gossip and betrayal but is able to throw in a bit of humour.
  i recommend this movie to every one

• Don't understand the interest of this movie
  I watch it as a friend lend me the DVD. As far as I am concerned I do not understand the interest of this movie, I was almost stopping it. I do not understand why the first love and pulsions of a young guy are interesting, and furthemore the way they describe malena is a cliché...
  The pretending historic background has no interest since it is not developed at all.
  The movie take so much time for saying nothing.
  As a conclusion, I prefer paying for stupig movie which will distract... more info

• Powerful and Harrowing
  For once, the first few reviews posted here are of a very high quality indeed and I can do little but to commend them to a potential purchaser.
  In a smallish town in Sicily in WW2, 12 year old Renato is experiencing all sorts of sexual pangs, focussed largely around Malena (Maddalena), the young wife of an Army officer absent on duty in Albania. All the men of the town openly lust after her, all the women envy, hate or pretend to despise her, despite her apparent virtue (in which both men and women... more info

• Beautiful
  Anyone who's seen 'Citizen Kane' remembers the wonderful speech given by an elderly man reflecting on the memory from his youth of seeing a woman in a white dress; though she never saw him, and they never spoke, he remembered her for the rest of his life. Essentially, 'Malena' is that story writ large.
  This may well turn out to be Monica Bellucci's signature role. Not only did this film launch her as a leading lady to international audiences, but it also confronts head-on the manner in which she, and... more info

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