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La Strada - Criterion Collection | Year: 1954 Classification: Foreign Film - Italian Directed: - Federico Fellini Actors/Actresses: - Anthony Quinn - Giulietta Masina - Richard Basehart La Strada & Nights Of Cabiria, 2 personal favorites on DVD. I have long anticipated the Criterion Collection DVD release of La Strada, and now its available on an excellent two disk set, and it doesn't disappoint. This film was Fellini's first successs, and won best foreign film Acadamy Award. Picture Quality on this DVD is breathtaking; virtually no grain, dust, or scratches. Audio is clear in both original Italian or English, and it also features informative commentary. Other great features include the English trailer and a documentary on the life Of director Fellini. Another fine entry in the Criterion Collection that will remain in my permanent personal collection.<BR> La Strada is the heartbreaking story of Gelsomina (played with great subtlety and tenderness by Giulietta Masina) who is sold to the mean and unloving performer Zampano (a fine preformance by Anthony Quinn). Then the story follows the two performing artists through their many adventures and misadventures, and that is what becomes the brillance of La Strada. A classic neorealest tale of compassion and of how everything and everyone has its purpose in life. A great film from one of the greatest, eccentric, and most versitle directors of all time, Federico Fellini, before his work became extremely outrageous and surreal (like Roma and Satyricon). La Strada is not one of those indulgent films, which, in their own way are brilliant, but don't think that La Strada is one of those, and don't let Fellini's later work deter you from seeing his better earlier masterpieces.<BR> Finally I would like to highly reccomend Fellini's Nights Of Cabiria, also staring Masina and available on a great Criterion DVD. Cabiria is one of my top 20 favorites and should be seen with La Strada not for their similarities, but for the fact that they complement each other extremely well. Masina will make you laugh at her silly dancing and emotional outbursts and make you cry (as I always do) at her misfortune. She is a survivor who believes in love and life even after her greatest let downs. A character unlike the unconfidant but lovable Gelsomina in La Strada. Both films are true classics that must be seen by any film lover. Is there a "glitch" in the "English" audio element? I agree with almost all of my fellow reviewers, that this is probably one of the greatest films ever made. Since DVD's came about, I've been writing letters to Criterion (the company which restored it), asking that "La Strada" be released (especially by them). First of all, the picture quality is 10 out of 10, it's wonderful. The original "Italian" audio track is a joy to my ear, from beginning to end. BUT....the "English" audio track seems to be flawed (at least with this, the first release). In the beginning of the film, when Gelsomina is introduced to Zampano, about 3:30 min into the film, until 4:04 min into the film, there is a complete loss of sound. And once again from 4:20 min into the film, until 4:35 min into the film, there is another complete loss of sound. From then on, the audio is flawless. I contacted Criterion about this problem, and I was advised that it was probably a bad copy, and to contact AMAZON for a replacement. I did this, and AMAZON sent out a new copy within 2 days. Unfortunately, the replacement disk was flawed in EXACTLY the same places on the "English" track. Please check YOUR copy, and if it IS flawed, please contact Criterion about it. I tried BOTH of my copies on THREE DIFFERENT DVD players, and it was SAME problem on each machine, and at the same times that I mentioned. What are the odds of that? I'm a HUGE fan of Criterion and their work, and I think it's just a bug that needs to be worked out. Other than that, their restoration is a jewel in my collection. La Strada's English Soundtrack In response to Stephen Lopez:I,too,contacted <BR>Criterion regarding the English track.I received <BR>the same reply.However,I can't accept their <BR>answer because some years back,Criterion released <BR>La Strada on laserdisc (a now-defunct video medium <BR>used mainly by videophiles before the advent of DVDs) <BR>which I've owned since its release. The English soundtrack on this LD is flawless...not <BR>a single "dropoff" from start to finish. So...my hunch is that somebody at Criterion fouled up somehow and the result is several minutes of <BR>missing audio. I'm still happy,however,that I purchased the DVD <BR>because the video quality is outstanding! Buy La Strada at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on La Strada Search with the Priority Search Engine on La Strada This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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