Rating: 
Summary: Interesting Island Love Story
Review: "Swept Away" is an interesting italian 1974 release about a greedy woman who expects her male servent to accommodate her with anything she pleases in all costs. Her cruelty takes an unexpected turn once they become trapped on an island together. Then the job roles turn around, and her trials return to haunt her. The war that erupts between each other takes an unusual turn.This creative plot was written wonderfully. They combine drama, comedy, romance, and slight erotica to make this unforgettable movie. Its conflicts and its trials keep audiences watching closely at what will happen next. The love story theme is one of the most unique in cinema history, though cruel. Twists and turns arise in various scenes giving it the added edge, leading to a surprise and powerful conclusion. Though there are some flaws not relating to the writing, namely the woman managing to keep her make-up on throught the entire island stay without reapplying, the interesting storyline greatly makes up for it. The acting is interesting, especially the two lead actors: Giancarlo Giannini and Mariangela Melato. Though Melato occasionally overreacts some words, she keeps her character interesting with her unique charisma. Giannini keeps his aggressive edge intact in every moment. All other actors also perform their roles wonderfully. "Swept Away" is a great film for those looking for something unforgettably unique. This will surely keep audiences entertained. Those who like this film should stay away from the 2002 American remake, starring Madonna. It's not nearly as good.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Island Love Story
Review: "Swept Away" is an interesting italian 1974 release about a greedy woman who expects her male servent to accommodate her with anything she pleases in all costs. Her cruelty takes an unexpected turn once they become trapped on an island together. Then the job roles turn around, and her trials return to haunt her. The war that erupts between each other takes an unusual turn. This creative plot was written wonderfully. They combine drama, comedy, romance, and slight erotica to make this unforgettable movie. Its conflicts and its trials keep audiences watching closely at what will happen next. The love story theme is one of the most unique in cinema history, though cruel. Twists and turns arise in various scenes giving it the added edge, leading to a surprise and powerful conclusion. Though there are some flaws not relating to the writing, namely the woman managing to keep her make-up on throught the entire island stay without reapplying, the interesting storyline greatly makes up for it. The acting is interesting, especially the two lead actors: Giancarlo Giannini and Mariangela Melato. Though Melato occasionally overreacts some words, she keeps her character interesting with her unique charisma. Giannini keeps his aggressive edge intact in every moment. All other actors also perform their roles wonderfully. "Swept Away" is a great film for those looking for something unforgettably unique. This will surely keep audiences entertained. Those who like this film should stay away from the 2002 American remake, starring Madonna. It's not nearly as good.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Island Love Story
Review: "Swept Away" is an interesting italian 1974 release about a greedy woman who expects her male servent to accommodate her with anything she pleases in all costs. Her cruelty takes an unexpected turn once they become trapped on an island together. Then the job roles turn around, and her trials return to haunt her. The war that erupts between each other takes an unusual turn. This creative plot was written wonderfully. They combine drama, comedy, romance, and slight erotica to make this unforgettable movie. Its conflicts and its trials keep audiences watching closely at what will happen next. The love story theme is one of the most unique in cinema history, though cruel. Twists and turns arise in various scenes giving it the added edge, leading to a surprise and powerful conclusion. Though there are some flaws not relating to the writing, namely the woman managing to keep her make-up on throught the entire island stay without reapplying, the interesting storyline greatly makes up for it. The acting is interesting, especially the two lead actors: Giancarlo Giannini and Mariangela Melato. Though Melato occasionally overreacts some words, she keeps her character interesting with her unique charisma. Giannini keeps his aggressive edge intact in every moment. All other actors also perform their roles wonderfully. "Swept Away" is a great film for those looking for something unforgettably unique. This will surely keep audiences entertained. Those who like this film should stay away from the 2002 American remake, starring Madonna. It's not nearly as good.
Rating: 
Summary: That's Amore!
Review: "Swept Away" is, first and foremost, about Italians! The class and political conflicts portrayed are rooted in Italian life and culture. To be sure, the basic male-female rich-poor antagonism is universal, but the specifics of their struggles and their very personalities are as Italian as, well, pasta! Those politically-correct types who would focus solely upon the scenes of Giancarlo Giannini smacking around Mariangela Melato seem also not to notice that, leading up to it, he is subjected to the worst kind of verbal cruelty and less-than-human treatment from Melato's character. They also come away with the notion that the film propagates the idea that a woman can only be happy if a man cruelly dominates her. I would think this superficial understanding is innately absurd, since a woman directed the film! Of course, this is not at all what the film is about. Both characters are deeply flawed, but their conflicts with each other and within themselves are wonderfully funny and sweet and sad. I would say that Wertmüuller ultimately wants us to believe that Melato's character (and women) are the more moral (and less hypocritical) by having her recognize that, in spite of her newly developed (and I think genuine) feelings for Giannini's character, she must ultimately let him go - quite simply because he (and she) are married to other people! Melato's character truly learns something, while Giannini's character looks upon it all as just more evidence that you can never trust a woman - all while his own wife awaits him.
Rating:
Summary: Get A Clue!!
Review: ...This movie is an excellent movie. The roles in the beginning were her above him, then switched. I didn't hear anyone complaining about "her above him", only "him above her"...They want that. And most people who are totally in control in all aspects of their life are actively looking for someone else to take control in the bedroom. All-in-all, this is a really great movie. It's a great look at role reversal and political undertones, class distinction. And on top of all that, it's pretty good at putting me "in the mood", even if not everyone agrees with that. :) It has great acting and a good storyline, and hey, let's face it, most foreign films are better than American versions.
Rating:
Summary: The "EYES" have it
Review: Any woman who can resist Giancarlo Gianini's eyes is a stronger woman than I am. He has the most expressive eyes of anyone I have ever seen. It almost makes me forget how disturbing the battering of women is throughout this film; I found those scenes difficult to watch. The ending, however, is humorously appropriate.I could watch this actor forever...
Rating:
Summary: Wertmuller is amazing
Review: Director Lina Wertmuller's provocative film takes the class struggle to a desert island where only the man and the woman exist. Wertmuller's scenario is that of the man assuming the role of ruler and the woman one of worker-slave, and this becomes a love relationship. Naturally, the man is the one most reluctant to go back to the society where he is worker-slave and the woman is ruler over him! The black humor is wonderful because it is visual, via the camera angles and shots, and it is beautifully filmed. I'm afraid the new version, from what I've heard,(and I will not pay to see it)meddles with the ending and hence changes the meaning of the film. With a world-class filmmaker like Lina Wertmuller, why fix what isn't broke and do a remake of a perfectly fine work of art?
Rating:
Summary: Get A Clue!!
Review: For those of you who loath foreign films, put that prejudice aside and check out this sensational movie. Giannini and Melato make the best screen couple I've seen since Bogart and Bergman. "Swept Away's" filled with witty, intelligent dialogue, hilarious banter and breath-taking scenes of the Mediteranean. Moreover it's fairly politically literate, which is a rarity in Hollywood these days (and in most other movie making outlets).
The plot sounds as formulaic as humanly possible, but wait! This one's different. It's got a style and panache that barely any other films can match. Sure it was controversial (the misogynistic violence is quite disturbing) but Lina Wertmuller offers up a masterpeice that should not be ignored. It's easily her best (some would argue "Seven Beauties" but I disagree) and most enjoyable movie. They just don't make movies like this anymore, and especially not in Hollywood. When recommending foreign films to your friends you can't go wrong by pushing this video into their hands.
To see this one on a large screen would be quite an experience, just looking at it on my regular television made it seem as if I was cruising the Medeteranean right along with them.
Wertmuller rightly deserves to be considered one of the world's finest directors (a label that often eludes her, as I feel she's somewhat underrated) with this and other fine productions under her belt.
Rating:
Summary: Madonna remake rumor hopefully unfounded
Review: For those of you who loath foreign films, put that prejudice aside and check out this sensational movie. Giannini and Melato make the best screen couple I've seen since Bogart and Bergman. "Swept Away's" filled with witty, intelligent dialogue, hilarious banter and breath-taking scenes of the Mediteranean. Moreover it's fairly politically literate, which is a rarity in Hollywood these days (and in most other movie making outlets).
The plot sounds as formulaic as humanly possible, but wait! This one's different. It's got a style and panache that barely any other films can match. Sure it was controversial (the misogynistic violence is quite disturbing) but Lina Wertmuller offers up a masterpeice that should not be ignored. It's easily her best (some would argue "Seven Beauties" but I disagree) and most enjoyable movie. They just don't make movies like this anymore, and especially not in Hollywood. When recommending foreign films to your friends you can't go wrong by pushing this video into their hands.
To see this one on a large screen would be quite an experience, just looking at it on my regular television made it seem as if I was cruising the Medeteranean right along with them.
Wertmuller rightly deserves to be considered one of the world's finest directors (a label that often eludes her, as I feel she's somewhat underrated) with this and other fine productions under her belt.
Rating:
Summary: Madonna remake rumor hopefully unfounded
Review: For those of you who loath foreign films, put that prejudice aside and check out this sensational movie. Giannini and Melato make the best screen couple I've seen since Bogart and Bergman. "Swept Away's" filled with witty, intelligent dialogue, hilarious banter and breath-taking scenes of the Mediteranean. Moreover it's fairly politically literate, which is a rarity in Hollywood these days (and in most other movie making outlets).
The plot sounds as formulaic as humanly possible, but wait! This one's different. It's got a style and panache that barely any other films can match. Sure it was controversial (the misogynistic violence is quite disturbing) but Lina Wertmuller offers up a masterpeice that should not be ignored. It's easily her best (some would argue "Seven Beauties" but I disagree) and most enjoyable movie. They just don't make movies like this anymore, and especially not in Hollywood. When recommending foreign films to your friends you can't go wrong by pushing this video into their hands.
To see this one on a large screen would be quite an experience, just looking at it on my regular television made it seem as if I was cruising the Medeteranean right along with them.
Wertmuller rightly deserves to be considered one of the world's finest directors (a label that often eludes her, as I feel she's somewhat underrated) with this and other fine productions under her belt.
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