Rating: PG13
Genres: Culture & Society Film TV & Radio
Theatrical Release: 10/19/2001(USA
Release Date: 07/06/2004
SubTitles: English
Dubbed: English/Italian
Sound: DDS
Run Time: 246 min
Flags: Violence, Questionable for Children, Sexual Situations
Distributor/Studio: Miramax

The son of Italian-American parents who had a strong pride in their national heritage, filmmaker Martin Scorsese grew up watching Italian films with his family, and while he contends that the American cinema was always the most important to him, he also has many powerful memories of the classic period of the Italian cinema (the early '40s to the late '60s). A companion piece to his earlier documentary series A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through American Movies, Il Mio Viaggio In Italia offers Scorsese's perspective on Italian film of the past, chronicling the influence and impact it had on him, as well as the rest of the world. From historical epics like Cabiria (1914) and Fabiola (1949) through neo-realist masterpieces such as Roma, Cittą Aperta (1945) and Ladri di Biciclette (1948) to the masterworks of Luchino Visconti, Federico Fellini, and Michelangelo Antonioni, Scorsese offers a knowledgeable take on Italian filmmaking, offering background on the artists who made the films as well as a perspective on what made these films so special (analyzing their importance both as art and as social and political documents of their place and time). Il Mio Viaggio In Italia was originally produced as a series for Italian television and given a special screening at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival; Scorsese announced at the time that he planned a companion film that would follow his interest in Italian cinema up to the present, investigating a number of lesser-known filmmakers.

~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Filmmaker Martin Scorsese continues his highly personal survey of film history for a new generation with Il Mio Viaggio In Italia, a four-hour documentary that never fails to engross. Less an encyclopedic chronicle than a selective tour of Scorsese's favorite Italian movies and directors, the documentary offers novices an indispensable primer on a national cinema that has profoundly impacted the art. The personal nature of the project becomes clear early on in Scorsese's earnest affirmation of the power of movies "to interact with life and to fortify the soul." Highlighting the films of such titans as Roberto Rossellini, Vittorio De Sica, Luchino Visconti, Federico Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni (though Visconti's The Leopard is a curious omission), Scorsese occasionally slows down to highlight certain scenes and offer insights on mise-en-scene, cinematography, acting, among other noteworthy aspects of a movie. At times, the comments can be revelatory, giving the audience a glimpse of how Scorsese's own artistic vision was influenced by the films on view. For seasoned film buffs, Il Mio Viaggio In Italia may prove a nonessential, if still enjoyable, viewing experience. Aspiring filmmakers and rookie film buffs, however, would do well to seek out this film. Rich and rewarding, it's nothing less than a perceptive, even touching, expression of movie love from one of the best filmmakers the art has produced.

~ Elbert Ventura, All Movie Guide

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Cast:
Martin Scorsese