La Luna (1979)
Genre: Drama
Duration: 142 minuten
Alternative title: Luna
Country:
Italy / United States
Directed by: Bernardo Bertolucci
Stars: Jill Clayburgh, Matthew Barry and Veronica Lazăr
IMDb score:
6,3 (5.897)
Releasedate: 29 August 1979
This movie is not available on US streaming services.
La Luna plot
"Between a mother and son. Between the delicate boundaries of love."
Caterina Silveri is an opera diva who leaves for Italy with her teenage son after the sudden death of her husband (his stepfather). The boy makes the wrong friends, becomes addicted to heroin and is abused by an ice cream parlor owner. When he returns to his horrified mother during rehab, she sexually seduces him in an attempt to ease his pain.
Actors and actresses
Caterina Silveri
Joe Silveri
Marina
Communist
Douglas Winter
Giuseppe's Mother
Arianna
Man in Bar
Upholsterer
Director of Caracalla
Reviews & comments
wendyvortex
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- 5196 messages
- 7279 votes
In the revision!
I'm not quite sure yet what Bertolucci's masterpiece is...Novecento...it's too obvious...beautiful masterful epic of course, but too epic for the masterpiece.
La Luna perhaps?
The first hour and a half is a sometimes bizarre mix of beautiful scenes with also somewhat hysterical scenes that go off the rails.
The last hour is certainly the most beautiful hour in the entire Bertolucci oeuvre.
Flawed masterpiece, but a masterpiece nonetheless and, because of everything that goes wrong, at least intriguing at first.
The only other contender would be Il Conformista...so they may try to win the title again soon.
Translated from Dutch · View original
eRCee
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- 13449 messages
- 1981 votes
Since L'Assedio I knew I had to work on Bertolucci. I am not that impressed by the stories he tells, but the way he tells them is always fascinating and sometimes downright astonishing. This is also the case in La Luna. Not many directors can captivate you as much as Bertolucci can purely with the camera work. A lot of variation but still within a consistent style and without it becoming too flashy. Sometimes static (a long shot, a close-up), sometimes dynamic where the camera surrounds Caterina like a kind of halo, sometimes it is straightforward and other times you are misled with a beautiful trick. The lighting is also very beautiful, the soft use of color, the often perfect framing, you name it.
As mentioned, Bertolucci's themes fascinate me less. I don't mind that the story contains quite a few holes and is illogical, that's part of the style, but the whole subject of attraction between mother and son hardly appeals to me. This also applies to the characters in La Luna, Joe in particular mainly causes irritation.
However, just as in L'Assedio, Bertolucci has another trump card: the masterful way in which he can use music. He almost always does this intra-diegetically and although it is constructed, it is also very daring and certainly not as easy as starting a band with classical repertoire. I love that last performance, even though I'm not an opera fan at all. Closing your film in this way, completely focusing on the style and slightly blending in the conclusion between the characters. I agree with wendyvortex and ThomasVV: a flawed masterpiece.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Fisico
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- 10039 messages
- 5398 votes
A strange but also tragic film by Bertolucci who does not shy away from being provocative in his films. A classic story of a wealthy family where the career comes first and the child is emotionally neglected. A bit clichéd, but quite well developed. I wasn't really into the character (Joe) or the actor (Matthew Barry) who played his role, but I was into the story and its developments.
I don't get much information about the mother (Jill Clayburgh). A fairly egocentric to even narcissistic character. Very striking at times how she always wants to attract attention to her. After her amazing performance on stage, during her son's birthday party, ... she always manages to do or say the wrong things. Supposedly to please others, but especially themselves. Bertolucci then goes one step further and creates a Oedipus storybetween mother and son.
A bit surprised that this film has been viewed so little and is not one of Bertolucci's best-known works. All in all a strong film with an excellent Clayburgh and excellent cinematography and lighting by Bertolucci. The opera pieces also brought an extra vibe to the film. Nice, but uncomfortable at times.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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