After the fall of Napoleon, the Restoration begins. Fulvio (Marcello Mastroianni, La dolce vita), an aristocrat who has dedicated his life to the revolution has become disillusioned and his cowardice keeps him from joining his comrades. As he struggles to manage his evasion and lies he gets swept up in a suicidal uprising in Southern Italy. Stunningly photographed with lush period detail and featuring the Taviani brothers’ trademark magic realism and absurdist irony, Allonsanfàn has Mastroianni on top form as the reluctant insurgent and one of Ennio Morricone’s finest scores. Radiance Films is proud to present this essential film on Blu-ray for the first time in the world.

For thoughts on Allonsanfàn, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/aPEnqs3FnYU?si=178DxITvLBE9JaFN&t=3508]

Video Quality

Allonsanfàn debuts on Blu-Ray courtesy of Radiance Films with a 2K restoration of the Original Camera Negative conducted by Surf Film and Luce Cinecittà. The new transfer maintains the natural grain structure that preserves the gorgeous visual palette. This allows for robust textures in the clothing and production design. The colors are saturated favorably with a great amount of depth to the hues. The contrast is defined in all environments with firm highlights and no major instances of black crush. The shadowy enclaves present some admirable depth to the image. There is a soft, dreamy quality to the photography that never compromises the clarity. A few stray specks of damage remain with the new transfer, but it appears as if the source has been cleaned up faithfully to restore it to its full potential. Radiance Films has delivered a strong visual presentation that should impress any fan who has been waiting for this one.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with an LPCM 2.0 mono track in the original Italian (with optional English subtitles) that is executed very well. The film is something of an odyssey for the main character that takes him to several different environments that are brought to life well sonically. Outside of the distinct details of the locale, this is more of a dialogue-focused feature that keeps individuals clearly distinguished for an enjoyable soundscape. Conversations never get overshadowed by competing sound effects or the score. The music comes through with a strong fidelity. Everything element seems natural with very little in the way of age-related wear and tear. This audio track does everything you want it to.

Special Features

The first-pressing of the Radiance Films Blu-Ray of Allonsanfàn includes a booklet featuring new writing on the film by Italian cinema expert Robert Lumley and a newly translated contemporary interview with the Taviani brothers. These provide a great analysis of the film through an exploration of its themes, the talent involved, and more. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: Critic Michael Brooke provides an informative commentary track in which he delves into the history of the feature, the production of this film, the careers of the Taviani brothers, the shooting locations, the state of the film industry at the time, the background of the performers, the history depicted in the story, and more.

Gideon Bachmann Filmmakers Interview: A 57-minute audio interview from 1966 is provided featuring Paolo Taviani, Florestano Vancini, Nelo Resi, Anna Gobbi, and more in which they discuss the place of directors in Italian cinema, the facets that define their work, how their work plays with social responsibility, their relationship to critics, the future of cinema, and more.

Trailer: The nearly five-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Allonsanfàn is an effort that keeps you are arm’s length at first, but, as you go along the journey with the character, a rich world is unveiled and you come to understand the layers it is trying to tackle. The pacing is somewhat inconsistent, but there are distinct sequences that make the slower moments feel essential in retrospect. This is certainly a movie that will grow in one’s appreciation upon multiple viewings. It is a unique effort that is worthy of discovery for a new audience. Radiance Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation and some nice special features. Those interested in exploring more hidden gems of Italian cinema should make this a priority. Recommended

Allonsanfàn will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on February 27, 2024.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Radiance Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.