1900 (Three-Disc Collector's Edition)

The 2006 DVD edition of this is the best value for the money, given that the bluray isn't much of an improvement on it image-wise.As for the film itself: It could have been a great film, even given its heavy-handed and thoroughly hypocritical pushing of communist propaganda, if not for Bertolucci's ridiculous and cartoonish treatment of the Fascist characters. It's not enough for a clown like Bertolucci to turn the Donald Sutherland character into a child rapist and murderer but he also has to put in that torture-porn scene of Sutherland strapping a cute, furry cat to a wall and squashing it to death with his bare face! Of course, bashing and endlessly demonizing the hugely popular and truly revolutionary (against usury, bankers, freemasons and communists) Fascist movement of Mussolini which practically wiped out the Mafia, was the EASIEST thing anyone could do in the post-war years, and fully embraced by all Western capitalist film studios. This is because the same international bankers that finance the movie studios of the West and have the final say about the propaganda content of EVERY LAST film that is released or given any level of promotion (hence why you'll never see a pro-Fascist or even a pro-Palestinian film from any Western or Eastern film-maker promoted anywhere), also financed communism (Jacob Schiff of Kuhn Loeb financed Russian communism through Trotsky aka Bronstein and the rest followed). All post-war black propaganda was already bashing Hitler and Mussolini and their regimes 24 hours a day and brainwashed artsy-fartsy types like Bertolucci were merely the useful egos/idiots carrying the work forward by taking the path of least resistance while striking angry, rebel poses.Bertolucci's technique is crude and obvious if one only reflects on it for a moment. He uses his true talent in constructing beautiful and poetic cinematic imagery to disguise the intellectually and morally corrupt political ideology constantly being pushed on a subconscious level, similar to the way a salesman sweet talks people into buying a faulty product. That's the fascination of Bertolucci: the fact that such a thoroughly sophisticated master of images that speak an entirely different and quite often truth-packed language of their own can also at the same time be the most heavy-handed and dishonest of propaganda pushers who doesn't even bother to craft three-dimensional characters, especially when it comes to those he wants to portray as villains.So, Bertolucci hates Mussolini and the Fascists so much that he can't even bring himself to give them any humanity at all, lest even a chink in the armor be left open to an honest investigation of the true history of 20th century Italy and Europe? Well, let's quote Igor Stravinsky, an artist and true revolutionary of a stature Bertolucci will never reach, for the other side of the coin:"I don't believe that anyone venerates Mussolini more than I... I know many exalted personages, and my artist's mind does not shrink from political and social issues. Well, after having seen so many events and so many more or less representative men, I have an overpowering urge to render homage to your Duce. He is the saviour of Italy and - let us hope - Europe". Later, after a private audience with Mussolini, he added, "Unless my ears deceive me, the voice of Rome is the voice of Il Duce. I told him that I felt like a fascist myself... In spite of being extremely busy, Mussolini did me the great honour of conversing with me for three-quarters of an hour. We talked about music, art and politics". --- Igor StravinskyAnd if that's not enough, let us quote Ezra Pound, another true individualist and revolutionary, someone who was forced to spend 13 years in a mental institution just for expressing anti-war and anti-usury convictions before and during WWII, while Bertolucci has yet to spend a day in jail for anything, including his much-hyped obscenity trial in Italy over "Last Tango":"I personally think extremely well of Mussolini. If one compares him to American presidents (the last three) or British premiers, etc., in fact one can NOT without insulting him. If the intelligentsia don't think well of him, it is because they know nothing about `the state,' and government, and have no particularly large sense of values. Anyhow, WHAT intelligentsia?" -- Ezra Pound, Letter to Harriet Monroe, November 1925"Mussolini has steadily refused to be called anything save `Leader' (Duce) or `Head of the Government,' the term dictator has been applied by foreign envy, as the Tories were called cattle-stealers. It does not represent the Duce's fundamental conception of his role. His authority comes, as Eirugina proclaimed authority comes, `from right reason' and from the general fascist conviction that he is more likely to be right than anyone else is." --Ezra Pound, Jefferson and/or Mussolini, 1935"Fascism only regiments those who can't do anything without it. If a man knows how to do anything it's the essence of fascism to leave him alone." ~ Ezra PoundSo, why is it that two intellects of the stature of Stravinsky and Pound, who actually lived as adults in Italy during the Fascist era, have such a totally different opinion of this ideology than the future Mr "Get Me the Butter" who was barely out of his diapers in its last four years in power?And how about Mussolini himself? Was he a two-dimenstional cartoonish bufoon?"The nation has not disappeared. We used to believe that the concept was totally without substance. Instead we see the nation arise as a palpitating reality before us! ... Class cannot destroy the nation. Class reveals itself as a collection of interests--but the nation is a history of sentiments, traditions, language, culture, and race. Class can become an integral part of the nation, but the one cannot eclipse the other. The class struggle is a vain formula, without effect and consequence wherever one finds a people that has not integrated itself into its proper linguistic and racial confines--where the national problem has not been definitely resolved. In such circumstances the class movement finds itself impaired by an inauspicious historic climate." -- Benito MussoliniCertainly not.Just remember this: Bertolucci wants very badly for you to be bamboozled through his magnificent imagery to think that only a cat-torturing child-rapist and murderer could write the above words and for you to never reflect upon what they might really mean.

It is gratifying to see that this film is finally receiving the recognition it deserves. The United States market never understood this film. First put off on the length distributors cut and slashed the film to a length they thought movie-goers would tolerate and produced an inferior product that made no sense. The movie-goers themselves were not of a mind-set to appreciate the themes and content of the film. It was released during the height of the disco period when the movie-going public wanted to see Saturday Night Fever and not a politically charged film. There would have been a different result if the film had been released ten years earlier, but even that possibility is doubtful. The film is unabashedly leftist and proudly exposes the virtues of Marxism, so much so it has been called the Marxist Gone With the Wind. Finally, the historical issues portrayed in the film, while familiar to European watchers, are totally unknown to American movie-goers, who never had much interest in history anyway.Still, with all of these drawbacks, its was on its release and remains widely popular in just about every other country in the world and a film of incredible beauty.I watched the 2-DVD release years after first viewing this movie in Europe when it was first released. Little did I know I was watching the European uncut, five hour plus, version, which was not available in the United States. The 2-dvd version loses little of the effect and Bertolucci does not hide his political sympathies. Some may believe that the political message detracts from the film. Far from it. Its message is more relevant today than when it was first released. Burt Lancaster and Robert de Niro took reduced fees for acting in the movie, they believed in the vision so much. De Niro made this movie immediately following Godfather II and could have demanded a higher fee, but didn't.Other reviews have taken exception to the candid depictions to the coming of age scenes, and the scenes depicting the killing of animals. While this may offend PETA sensibilities, and as difficult it is to see the slaughtering of the pig --- or any animal --- there was a point to this part of the movie. One of the purposes of this movie, Bertolucci says in the bonus features, is to remind modern day Italians where they came from. He states that the Italian viewer watching this film in the 70's was only one or two generations away from the lifestyle reflected in the movie. It is faithfully recording everyday life of Italian peasantry, a practice which lives on today in villages in Southern Europe. Nothing was wasted because they could not afford to waste anything.Folks, this is not post-modern urban life in America. American viewers in the early stages of the 21st Century may be farther removed from the practice of slaughtering livestock and scrounging for a meager existence, but as the day laborers in 1990 lived, but I can assure you that there was a day when that was precisely how Americans lived. It is how people lived their lives, until very recently, for hundreds and hundreds of years.American viewers should be more disturbed on seeing how fascism took hold in pre-WWII Italy. It is a reminder how it can happen, here or anywhere, but, ... "It Can't Happen Here" ....As difficult as these scenes are to watch, Bertolucci's 1900 is actually a rather accurate reflection of political trends in Southern Europe in general, and Pre- and Mid-WWII Italy and Greece in particular, and an accurate depiction of post WWI Italy.A particularly accurate account is the scene late in the movie, when, after the war and after the trial of Berlingheri, partisans come moving in, notifying the mob that a new government was installed, and requested everyone turn in their firearms, which they did. Roughly the same post-WWII events occurred in Greece.Whatever one may be the political predispositions of anyone viewing 1900, Bertolucci has created a film of great and exquisite beauty, with a powerful message as relevant today as when it was released. Every frame is suitable for framing, and matches the magnificent the oil painting which opens the film.

By far the best most absorbing Italian film I've seen. The rural life depicted stands for any European country. 1900 still serfdom in rural districts. Covers both WW1 & WW2 in its scope. The rise of Fascism and the effects of its downfall. Plenty of action and class hatred coupled with sex and friendships. The films scope is writ on a large canvas, well directed by B. Bertolucci, starring Robert De Niro, Gerard Depardieu, Donald Sutherland, Burt Lancaster, Sterling Hayden-1977, new print 2005. Length in Italian, but long, over 2 DVDs. History+great gripping film. So buy and enjoy.

Excellent experience. I am fully satisfied with the seller but I would like Amazon to improve their record on ethical issues such as staff management, tax contribution and environment-friendly conditioning. As a customer, I am ready to pay a bit more for that to happen.

Clocks in at over 5 hours but should be seen at least once by all movielovers. The title says it all: Italy during the first half of the Century seen trough the eyes of two childhood friends. Feels like 5 hours to, but it is without doubt an important part of modern cinema. Great bluray release with english subs.

Superb cinematography, brilliant script and tremendous cast of some of the top acting talent of the period. Lots of Red Flags, loads of simply brilliant diaglogue. At four hours in length this DVD is outstanding value for money too!

Everything about this edition is a fiasco. From the rambling, self-indulgent and incoherent plot to the awfully dubbed panto-like acting. The intermittent flashes of cinematic genius were for me, insufficient to sustain interest. Technically, it's an embarrassment too. Exhibited as pan and scan which should have no place at all in any classic cinema reissue, this is inexcusable. Give this one a miss.