Plot: What’s it about?
I can’t give a real synopsis here, as this is not a movie, but a sort of “film class” approach to some classic motion pictures. As in A Personal Journey Through American Movies, famous director Martin Scorsese serves as a guide through some of the greatest movies of all time. The focus in My Voyage to Italy is of course, Italian cinema and without question, Scorsese was influenced by that nation’s most prolific filmmakers. I’ve read endless acclaim for both of Scorsese’s hosted tours of cinema, but I was left flat with each one. I suppose I’d rather just see the actual movies instead, though a shorter take of Scorsese’s thoughts would be nice. I’d prefer an hour long interview perhaps, in which he touches upon how these films influenced him. But with excessive clips, some of which lessen the eventual experience for first time viewers, I can’t help but think this would dull the shine when viewers first encounter these classics. If you’ve seen the movies, then Scorsese’s methods don’t matter, but for first timers, his analysis and comments can alter the way you enter the viewing session, which is not good. But people seem to love these for some reason, so maybe a rental wouldn’t be a bad idea, if you’re interested.
This is an unusual release, one in which famous director Martin Scorsese once again takes on a journey through some of his favorite motion pictures. I know his previous release of this kind was acclaimed, but I was left cold. I mean, if you’re even a casual film fan, then you already know about these great films and the filmmakers that created them. The same holds true with My Voyage to Italy, Scorsese’s trek through Italian masterpieces that follows the same path. The films Scorsese covers are great motion pictures, but then again, we already knew that. I can’t help but think that if someone were interested in Italian cinema, the kind of films examined in My Voyage to Italy would be the first ones on a list of movies to see. Fellini, Rosselini, De Sica, Bergman, Antonioni, these are all well known directors, to both film buffs and casual cinema goers. If Scorsese had chosen the lesser known sides of the nation’s cinema, perhaps then we could have found new treasures, or at least ones that aren’t in everyone’s Blockbuster stores. I admire the thought behind these “film class” type releases, but I have to think we’ve all seen these films at least once. As such, I see no reason to recommend this release, but I do highly recommend the movies featured within My Voyage to Italy, as they’re true classics.
Video: How does it look?
My Voyage to Italy is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a collection of clips from older pictures mixed with new interview footage, so the visuals vary, depending on what material is on screen. The footage with Scorsese is newer, so the print looks clean and sharp, as expected. The film clips look solid on the whole, but some movies look better than others. I am sure the best available materials were used, but if you get the DVDs on some of the flicks, you’ll notice the image is improved over the visuals shown here. But for this kind of presentation, the clips look fine and no one will be disappointed.
Audio: How does it sound?
A surround sound option is present, but there isn’t much need for dynamic presence. The films sound acceptable, just as you would anticipate. All are feature in the original Italian language, which is good, given the film buff nature of the presentation. You can rest easy even if you don’t speak Italian however, as English subtitles are included. I don’t have much else to say here, this is about all we can ask from a documentary of this kind.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This release includes no bonus materials.
