Mediterraneo

Mediterraneo

Mediterraneo

Mediterraneo

Mediterraneo is all about the sea. It is actually part of a trilogy from Salvatores (with Marrakech Express and Turne') about those who run away. It's about friendships, it's about people living their life in this beautiful planet. Enjoying the stars and the deep blue sea. It's about the stupidity of war, and how soldiers are foremost people and they should never forget that. (Notice the line on how good it would be if you trade weapons for hashish) It's about man being the same over millennia, since what makes him feel alive and happy has not changed a bit. Since what so many people fret about is the ugly uselessness of power. (Notice the ancient Greek poetries that are read at night) This movie is all about the greatest sea there is, the sea that will always be at the center of everyone's life. It's the sea for man. The oceans are not for man's size. It's the sun, it's blue and white.

Honestly I don't know how this movie could have been translated into English or other languages, since I'm referring to the original, Italian, version of it. I never expected any American so-called critic to full understand what European, and specifically southern-European movies can be about, since we never based the quality of a movie on the amount of car chases, shooting, explosions, well polished (but fake) dialogues and so on. Our cinema is far less shiny but more down-to-Earth. The director, through the words of the character of Lt. Farina, in the very beginning of the movie starts telling a story, which could have been truly happened that way. Why? Because in Italian movies actors act like normal everyday people is. So it appears pretty credible what happened in the movie, between acts of humanity, friendship, inner struggles. Of Course there are typical elements of Italian culture throughout the plot, as the soccer matches, the highly informal language, the warm friendship, and of course to whom is totally unaware of Italian culture, these can appear as childish and pretty silly. But if you look deeply into that, if you leave all prejudices aside, you will discover a beautiful postcard which paints a wonderful small Greek island, in which Italian and Greek people (re)discover their common cultural origins. With the WW2 as background (but there are no fights at all). All in all, reading about American reviews about this movie, in which the writers looked at this movie with a smile of superiority, it reminded me about the part in which the two British sailors came to rescue the marooned soldiers, point at them with a sort of disgust and justify their feelings with: "Italians".

I was awake at 3:00AM with insomnia the first time I saw this film. When the English subtitles appeared, I thought, "I don't want to read a movie, I want to watch one." A few minutes later, I was hooked. Now, I own a copy and watch it every few months. It's a story about a group of men, in soldiers uniforms, sent to a Greek Island of no significance, who are forgotten about and left for years. They adapt as humans do when placed in a different environment. Because they are Italian, they do it as only Italians can, with simplicity and grace. I'm glad to have it my video collection.

One of my favorite movies of all time. Every element of the movie is fantastic, the cinematography, the scenery, the acting, the music... It's also always a pleasure for me to watch any movie in Italian. The plot is very beautiful, a group of young and patriotic Italians go to a small Greek island for their country and end up enjoying life as they never had before. One very timid soldier falls in love with a beautiful prostitute and another, who speaks Greek and loves literature and art, gets to paint the frescos on the walls of an old church. They are isolated from all the violence of the rest of Europe and the world, but the viewer still feels all the history of the Mediterranean, the Italians, the Greeks, the Turks. As an Italian and as a lover of history, especially ancient Mediterranean and WWII history, this is an incredible and very touching movie.

I think IMDb explains the plot best: An Italian ship leaves a handful of soldiers in a little island; their mission is to spot enemy ships and to hold the island in case of attack. The village of the island seems abandoned and there isn't a single enemy in sight, so the soldiers begin to relax a little. Actually, the island isn't deserted and when the Greeks understand that those Italians are harmless, they came out of their hiding places in the mountains and continue their peaceful lives. Soon the soldiers discover that being left behind in a God-forgotten Greek island isn't such a bad thing, after all... The film won the Oscar for Best Foreign film in 1991 and I'm pretty sure this wasn't the best foreign film of that year, but I can understand why it won. The film captures something I think many people can relate to or understand...escape. These soldiers find an escape from the war. Which is something anybody who has been in a war can relate to. And, the film also captures the freedom these men have. For the moment they're at the island they can also escape from their everyday responsibilities and do what they like best. That's something most people want. For instance, the lieutenant enjoys painting and at the island he gets the opportunity to paint the church. Instead of fighting a war or worrying about how to pay the bills he is doing what he enjoys best, painting. The film may not be the best foreign film of 1991, but it is a very warm-hearted film that you will enjoy. 3 (***) out of (****)

Gabriele Salvatores "Mediterraneo" won the best foreign film at the Oscars and its hard to believe that the Academy didn't have another film to vote for. Not that this isn't a decent film, it is. It definitely has its heart in the right place and actually has a hard statement to make about post war Italy. Eight Italian soldiers in 1941 are sent to a Greek island to make sure its not invaded (Again) but after a while their ship is destroyed and it appears that they are stranded and abandoned by the country that they're fighting for. Eventually the men blend in and grow a real fondness for the land. One of the soldiers marries a local prostitute. Another admits his love for another soldier and a talented and bright officer is asked to paint the inside of the church ala' Michelangelo. ****SPOILER ALERT**** After a few years a British ship shows up to take them home but the soldier who married the prostitute decides to remain behind. Very simple story told in a very beautiful scenic location that is essential to the film. The location has to be beautiful so that we get a sense of not wanting to leave. Its here that the soldiers can relax a bit and reflect on what they're purpose in life is. They also add cynical comments on their own country and how it has turned their back on them. These are the moments that make up for the simple nature of the storytelling. I have to admit that at the beginning of the film I thought I was watching a comedy on the "Travel Channel". But slowly the film begins to make its little statements and ultimately it becomes reminiscent of "Cinema Paradiso". Nice little film that is well photographed but did it really deserve the Oscar?

A cadre of inept WWII Italian soldiers set up an outpost on a small Greek island where they discover all the young men have left and are quickly assimilated by the population for the duration. A best foreign film Oscar winner, "Mediterraneo" is a serene and amusing picture postcard scrapbook memoir which American audiences may find too understated to make contending with subtitles worthwhile. Recommended for viewers who are into Europics.