Bertolucci "Before" He Found His Voice
Bernardo Bertolucci is one of the all-time great directors. His films have an unmistakeable quality to them that just cry out Bertolucci.

For the next two weeks there is going to be a Bernardo Bertolucci fest in town playing all of his feature films. Today I went to see this one. It was one of two films directed by Bertolucci I haven't seen (The other is "La Luna", which I also plan on seeing).

At the time "Before the Revolution" was made Bertolucci was only 24 and had only directed one previous movie, "The Grim Reaper".

While watching this movie one can gather Bertolucci is struggling for a style of his own. In his first film he burrowed from Kurosawa (Namely "Rashomon") here Bertolucci is influenced by Jean-Luc Godard, and would further explore this "experiment" in his next film, and one that I prefer over this "Partner". The first half of the movie is Godard and by the second half Bertolucci seemed to find his own rhythm. The movie contains that element of sexuality we expect from Bertolucci, but, it doesn't have the impact. He uses it in a more subtle context and not in the frank way he would later do in films such as "Last Tango in Paris", "Stealing Beauty", and his most recent film "The Dreamers".

Another problem I had with the film is one that has already been addressed by reviewer "R Jess" who was correct when he said the movie carries a monotone feel to it. It does. The movie never quite goes from point "A" to "B", but instead seems stuck in first gear. The plot doesn't go anywhere.

The movie is about Fabrizio (Francesco Barilli) a member of the Communist party and an affair he has with his aunt played by Adriana Asti after a friend named Agostino (Allen Midgette) meets an unfortunate fate.

You're probably thinking I've given away too much just now, but, don't worry. That's just used as a springboard for where the film ultimately wants to go. Only I'm not convinced it reaches its destination.

For one reason, and perhaps the most important, the politcal message of the film is not strong enough. The script written by Bertolucci and Gianni Amico doesn't devote enough time to this aspect of the film and no point is really made. The movie is not as clearly defined as should be.

Bertolucci would later work with similiar material in his masterpiece "The Conformist". There Bertolucci is able to balance the sexuality and the politics of his story. "Before the Revolution" had the makings of a great film. I walked into it with very high hopes, but "Revoltion" was made by a director who was trying to find his voice. He would later find that voice and when he would few directors would be able to match his talent.

But I've spent so much time telling you what I disliked about the film I haven't explained why I'm recommending it.

The movie has beautiful cinematograpy by Aldo Scavarda. It's shot in black&white and adds a tenderness to the story. The performances are fine, not entirely convincing, but not bad either. And finally I'm a sucker for Bertolucci. The talent was there but not put to its full effect.

Bottom-line: This is one for fans of art films and Bertolucci buffs. Has a monotone feel to it and never quite takes off. The story doesn't go anywhere though Bertolucci does his best.

Great director, monotonous story-line.
Cutural shifts haven't been kind to 'Before The Revolution'. Its hyperactive camera work, its moody characters pronouncing pretentious aphorisms about life and it's lack of even rudimentary physical action all conspire to make it look like a parody of what a 1960's European movie should look like. The story, even though it was adapted from Stendhal fails to arouse even a tinge of interest - the person I was watching it with fell asleep after 20 minutes -to the point where I stopped reading the subtitles half-way through and just concentrated on Bertolucci's direction instead.

For although Bertolucci can be quite hit and miss when he comes to choosing stories, his inventive cinematic style always shines through and its that which kept me engaged for this movie's full 2 hours. Bertolucci began life trying to follow his father's footsteps as a poet. But when he realized he couldn't step outside his father's shadow, he turned to film instead, keeping his poetic instinct intact. He has guided his career by the nouvelle-vague question 'What is cinema?'. 'Before The Revolution is technically astounding giving no quarter to traditional forms of film-making.

In an interview about this film Bertolucci has stated that he remembers much more about the lighting of the film than the storyline. All too often that has been the case with his career, where wonderful cinematic skill has been tarnished by lame plots & below-par scripts.

a masterpiece
Bertolucci's flame burned intensely at the early age of 23 and he created this perfect film. Then sadly his flame burned out and every single film from then on--including 1900 and Last Tango and even the Conformist and reaching his nadir with Luna--fails. It is a classic case of the failed romantic who drifts into nihilism, despair, cynicism, decadence, and self-indulgence. What a waste of talent. Nonetheless, as bad as all his other films are, Before the Revolution more than makes up for it. The intelligence and the perfection of emotion that Bertolucci brings to this story are exquisite and miraculous. And the use of music and the camera work are dazzling. I have seen it ten times and I look forward to watching it ten more times.

And so, Amazon, please please please do everything you can to get this masterpiece reissued to video and dvd.

Bertolucci's early literary efforts
This is an early Bertolucci near masterpiece, directed in 1965 when he was 22. It is based on the novel Charterhouse of Parma by Stendhal. Its lead character Fabrizio like the novels character has an affair with his aunt. But the movie takes place in the 1960's and instead of fighting with Napolean at Waterloo as the earlier Fabrizio did this Fabrizio toys with communism. Of course anyone who knows Bertolucci knows he himself has toyed with communism(most notably in the film 1900)and the film is perhaps an autobiographical one in part. What prevents the film from rising to a higher level is the theatricality, perhaps artificiality, of certain scenes, but the overall feeling of student idealism is convincing probably because Bertolucci is still young. Fabrizio, like Bertolucci, is more artist than revolutionary and this film is dedicated more to beauty and music and artistic possibility than to social revolution. Not as great nor as sure footed an effort as the fully realized 1971's Conformist or 1972's Last Tango in Paris but if you love those films you will want to see this interesting and formidable though imperfect early effort as well. Spiders Stratagem is also available and recommended, a 1970 made for Italian television story of an anti-fascist murdered during a performance of Rigoletto based on a Borges story. The Partner, 1968, (which I would not recommend) is also available, a confused telling of a Dostoyevsky story, "The Double".

Subtle and beautiful.
This is, to me, one of the most beautiful films made by the renowned director. It exhibits a lot of emotions but is presented with subtlety, control, and sensitivity. Intense and artistic presentation of personalities and contexts. Scenery of Parma should just please you.