Filmmaker Francesco Rosi was a formidable presence in Italian cinema, especially during his politically charged output in the 1960s and ‘70s. Rosi was a director who wanted his films to tackle perceived corruption in the government in a way that would inspire his fellow countrymen to action. Films such as Hands Over the City and Illustrious Corpses found him inundated with great acclaim due to his propulsive, intelligent explorations of the abuse of power on a municipal and judiciary level. In the late 1970s, Rosi crafted one of his most ambitious projects, Christ Stopped At Eboli, based on the 1945 book of the same name by Carlo Levi. The film would prove to be one of his most critically acclaimed, eventually winning the BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1983. The film has not been the easiest to come by on this side of the Atlantic, but the Criterion Collection has given this film a renewed lease on life with this new home entertainment release.
Christ Stopped At Eboli was released in cinemas in a greatly edited capacity that ran an hour and ten minutes shorter than the intended cut. This new release of the film restores it to the four-part, 3 hour and 40 minute uncut television version that Rosi intended the audience to view. The story at the heart of the film follows the real-life events of Carlo Levi (Gian Maria Volontè) between the years of 1935 and 1936. Levi is a writer and painter from Turin, Italy, who also has a degree in medicine, but has never actually put it into practice. Levi is a free-thinker, and some of his activities have been branded as anti-fascist, which simply will not be tolerated under Mussolini’s regime. With little-to-no evidence at hand to actually punish outright, the powers that be neutralize perceived threats by isolating them in remote villages far from their loved ones under great restriction to the outside world. Levi is sent to Gagliano, a sleepy rural town out of step with modern times eighty-five miles south of the town of Eboli. The title of the film refers to the local saying that the “grace of God” did not extend further than the town of Eboli, which is as far as public transportation reaches. Gagliano is a town untouched by the changing winds of time with a dire lack of hope for a better future.
It is through Levi’s eyes that we get to experience the individuals that inhabit this town. Unlike most citizens of the time, the inhabitants of Gagliano have next to no interest in the political happenings of the country. It is difficult to care about who is in charge when you are struggling to survive on a day to day basis. As far as they are concerned, the government is only noteworthy in that their uncaring nature and irresponsible taxation leaves them distrustful and barely able to survive. The arrival of Levi to town is a joyous one for the impoverished citizen, as his background as a “doctor” is in high demand in the face of pre-existing medical practitioners who are deemed grossly incompetent. Levi is way out of his depth with real medicine, but he has the town’s trust as they are plagued by malaria and other serious issues. Through his work, he gets a new appreciation for the plight of peasants in all of their hard-working glory. While an anthropological study at its core, the way in which Levi grows with each unique conversation is something that is hypnotically compelling. There is nearly nothing in the way of actual action throughout the runtime. The movie is slow and introspective as it eases into quiet observations and settles there until it feels ready to move on, and not a minute sooner. This is a film that requires an immense amount of patience for those unaccustomed to such contemplative filmmaking.
Rosi does a really impressive job of taking a seemingly unfilmable novel and getting to the heart of the story. The disconnection between the government and its citizens is an infuriating development that is worth shining a spotlight on. Volontè is exceptional as Levi, who masters the pensive gaze rather than deliver anything cheap and overwrought. During the final twenty minutes or so, the subtle emotions being conveyed by his face during a gathering with his old friends tells you everything you need to know about his transformation. The combination of this skilled lead performance and the fascinating exchanges by the town’s inhabitants is enough to keep you invested through the nearly four hour runtime. Every shot within the town of Gagliano tells you something new about the residents, which can often be quite bleak. If you do not have a deep appreciation for history, it may take you a while to get truly invested in what is transpiring within the story. For newcomers, the film may go down easier if you divide your viewing session into the four parts of the uncut presentation. While a universal story at its core, this film will likely prove to be a very niche endeavor reserved for only the most serious cinephiles. Christ Stopped At Eboli is a worthy addition to the Criterion Collection with its somber depiction of political subjugation and perseverance.
Video Quality
Christ Stopped At Eboli comes to Blu-Ray with a new digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.33:1 derived from a 2K scan of the 35mm original camera negative. The presentation is not quite pristine, but the new scan looks quite excellent throughout most of the runtime. There are occasional instances of print damage, especially in the bookend scenes, but overall clarity and detail is admirable. The picture tends to run a bit soft in long shots, but colors are well saturated in a visually splendid way. Skin tones are natural and consistent with subtle facial features easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels hold up well with very little in the way of crush. Due to the length of the film, there appears to be a very minor amount of digital noise due to compression limitations. This new presentation is very impressive considering the quality of the source material.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a remastered LPCM 1.0 mono track in the original Italian with optional English subtitles. The moving, memorable score Piero Piccionie sounds great throughout the duration of the film, as it settles you into the inner turmoil of the characters. There are moments where it threatens to overwhelm the dialogue, but the track maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. Environmental sounds such as animal noises or weather effects are rendered well alongside everything else. There does not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. The Criterion Collection has given this film the perfectly preserved, faithful audio presentation it deserves.
Special Features
The Criterion Blu-Ray of Christ Stopped At Eboli includes a multi-page fold out booklet featuring the essay “Memories of Exile” by Columbia University professor and author Alexander Stille. Anyone who finds it difficult to access this film should definitely read this, as Stille provides a great amount of historical context to the film, analyzes plot points in-depth and gives some background on Rosi’s career. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Michael F. Moore: In this nearly 28-minute featurette translator, interpreter and writer Michael F. Moore discusses his work creating the subtitles for the restoration along with the work of director Francesco Rosi. Moore gives some incredible context to the political era which created this film along with the paintings from Carlo Levi in the film and the homage to Pier Paolo Pasolini. Even if you have a good grip on history, this interview is essential viewing to get all of the nuances at play within the film.
- Reflections On A Political Cinema: A 25-minute documentary from 1978 directed by Bouramy Tioulong for the French program Cine regards which tackles issues facing the Italian film industry featuring interviews with filmmakers Francesco Rosi and Elio Petri along with actor Gian Maria Volontè. There are some very interesting discussions with Rosi explaining why he wanted to make Eboli as a way for audiences to connect with modern political movements. It is great to hear from the filmmaker directly about his beliefs and intentions.
- Bad Earth: A 27-minute segment from the French talk show Italiques in which director Francesco Rosi and Christ Stopped At Eboli author Carlo Levi discuss Italian literature and film, the themes and meaning behind Levi’s book, his journey that inspired the novel and the impact since its release. This is a very ruminative piece in which the real-life locations are explored and lofty ideas are exchanged. It is fascinating to see the pair bounce ideas off each other.
- Unico – Rosi Remembers Gian Maria Volontè: A 13-minute piece with critic and filmmaker Marco Spagnoli conducting the last on-camera interview with Rosi in 2014. The director fondly discusses the creative process of his lead actor from how his journey mirrored that of author Carlo Levi to the seriousness in which he took the role. This is a well rounded portrait of an artist of whom I’m not terribly familiar.
- Trailer: A two-minute trailer which does not give away much in the way of plot, but gives you enough snippets to pique your interest.
Final Thoughts
Christ Stopped At Eboli is a very contemplative film that tackles the insidious nature of government corruption in a really personal way. Francesco Rosi expertly crafted a story filled with natural performances and impressive production design. The film is a lengthy journey, but it is rewarding if you are willing to immerse yourself into the world. The Criterion Collection has delivered a new Blu-Ray with a fantastic A/V presentation and some solidly entertaining extras. If you are a fan of Italian cinema from this era, you are going to want to add this to your wishlist. Recommended
Christ Stopped At Eboli is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
