 | |
List Price: $14.99 | | Label: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
Salesrank: 1834
Released: April 25, 2006 |
| Our Price: $4.89 |
| Used Price: $2.40 |
|
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
Heath Ledger stars as the legendary Casanova the world s most notorious seducer a master of disguise and wit. It was said no woman could resist his amorous charms. But Casanova has finally met his match in the fiery intelligent beauty Francesca portrayed by Sienna Miller. Academy Award® winner Jeremy Irons also stars in this scandalously fun adventure from the director of Chocolat. Set in the stunning city of Venice Larry King raves Casanova is what movies are all about; an absolute delight! Bonus Features:Creating An AdventureDressing In StyleExtended Sequence Hidden In Plain Sight Audio CommentaryVisions of VeniceSystem Requirements:Running Time 111 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA UPC: 786936288858 Manufacturer No: 04064400
Description of Casanova:
A light farce dressed up as a lush 18th century costume drama, Casanova gives a fictional spin to the exploits of history's most rakish seducer of women. As played by Heath Ledger, this Casanova bears no resemblance to Donald Sutherland's unrepentant portrayal in Fellini's Casanova, filmed 30 years earlier. Instead, the great ladies' man of Venice is just biding time by bedding women, waiting for true love (and the return his long-absent mother) to settle down into blissful monogamy. He finds true love in Francesca (Sienna Miller), a feminist who initially resists Casanova's affections while director Lasse Hallström serves up a variety of lightweight subplots including Casanova's flight from the Vatican's inquisitor (Jeremy Irons); a host of mistaken identities involving, among others, the portly "Lard King of Genoa" (played with scene-stealing perfection by Oliver Platt in a blubbery fat suit); and the romantic negotiations of Francesca's mother (played by Hallström’s wife, Lena Olin) and a young bumbler named Giovanni with his own promising future as a lover of women. It all adds up to a good-looking and harmless diversion that barely warrants an R-rating, and it makes a fine double-bill with the more enjoyable Dangerous Beauty, another Venetian lover’s tale that was also blessed by the presence of Platt, who gives this Casanova the majority of its entertainment value. --Jeff Shannon
Casanova Reviews:
I liked this one too.... 
2008-10-01 - just like "a knight's tale"...and "10 things i hate about you", this flick just makes you laugh and feel good. The fact that the star of this flick (Heath Ledger) is more beautiful to look at than most the women in the film is also a plus. After breaking our hearts in Brokeback Mountain, Heath makes up for it cracking us up and making us swoon here. As always, his work in this film is great. Even though it is not a film to be taken too seriously, there is always an intensity in Heath's performances. This is worth the watch!
Heath Ledger as "Casanova" 
2008-08-07 - Released the same year as Brokeback Mountain (2005).
"Casanova" is Rated "R". Running Time: 1 hr, 51 min.
Ah, yes. Casanova! The many loves of Casanova. We see him with Sophia, then a nun, Sister Beatrice (Lauren Cohan) and yet another nun he knows (Danielle Baker).
Signor Giancumo Casanova (played by Heath Ledger) never gets to finish and always has to hide in the closet or make a mad dash at an escape.
This time, he got caught.
He will be hanged tomorrow. But wait! The Mayor of Venice is going to save his life, on grounds of mistaken identity.
You see, no one in the town of Venice really knows for sure who Casanova is, except for the ladies that are mums the word. The town square even makes fun of this Casanova by staging of an outdoors play.
The Mayor is expelling him from Venice. However, their is a reprieve. casanova must find a respectable wife before Carnevale and must be on his best behavior until then.
Casanova's eye is on the virginal francesca (Sienna Miller).
Also in the cast: Olivier Platt, Omio Djalili, Lena Olin, Stephen Greif, Jeremy Irons, Helen McCrory, Leigh Lawson, Charlie Cox, Natalie Dormer, Eugene Simon.
Bryan Korenberg is the scene stealer as the man in the brothel.
Actually filmed in Venice on location.
DVD Special Features: (12 minutes) "Creating An Adventure" featurette
(5 min.) "Dressing in Style" featurette
(3 min.) "Visions of Venice".
Audio Commentary by Director Lasse Hallstrom.
The real-life Casanova lived 1725-98.
Other "Casanova" movies:
Casanova's Big Night (1954), with Bob Hope, Vincent Price.
Casanova '70 (1965 FrenchItalian)
Casanova and Co. (1976 Australian-Italian-French-German), with Tony Curtis.
Note: Health Ledger unexpectedly died January 22, 2008 from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. He had finished The Dark Knight (2008) and was filming The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009). Ledger will still be seen in "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" with Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell continuing his changing character.
Very Pleased
2008-06-26 - I was very pleaed with the shipment of this order. I will certainly come back next time. Thank you
Heavenly Heath
2008-04-22 - Love that Heath Ledger. Really played the romantic/fool to a "T". Excellent movie for all Heath fans!
Mistaken identity and other comical devices
2008-04-15 - This is an entertaining film, a light comedy of errors and mistaken identity, complimented by a talented cast, superb art direction and costume design.
The comical plot device of mistaken identity is ancient, showing up in the myths of the Greeks and Romans and Shakespeare's comedies. This film takes this strategy to the extremes with almost every leading character taking on the identity of other characters resulting in confusion and witty situational dialogue. Casanova takes on the identity of wealthy lard merchant Paprizzio so as to seduce Paprizzio's fiancé Francesca. Francesca takes on the identity of a fictional male philosopher of women's rights. Francesca's clumsy, love-sick brother Giovanni takes on the identity of Casanova. As the film continues the intended lovers find new and more compatible lovers while the evil agents of the Catholic Church, such as Bishop Pucci, are confounded by all the switches and reversals of fortune and plot.
The cast is superb and Health Ledger does a good job of playing Casanova. However he is surrounded by exceptional actors, many of whom steal every scene in which they are placed. Sienna Miller plays Francesca, an early feminist who resists Casanova's attentions. Jeremy Irons shows his comic talents as he overplays the villainous Bishop Pucci. However there were four actors who were exceptional. Lena Olin plays Andrea Bruni, the beautiful widow plotting to have her daughter married to a wealthy man. Oliver Platt plays Paprizzio the wealthy lard merchant, and he steals every scene he is in with his delivery of lines and facial expressions and physical presence. Omid Djalili is superb as Casanova's put upon man servant Lupo, constantly trying to cover-up all the switched identities and double dealings. Charlie Cox is very good as the goofy, clumsy younger brother Giovanni who grows from love sick puppy to legendary lover.
The sets and art direction are exceptional. The re-creation of Venice was outstanding with exceptional attention to the grandeur and architectural details that permeate the city. Costume design was excellent and sumptuous. The sound track was also excellent - containing the light energetic 18th century works for which Venice is known and which perfectly match this comedy.
Overall this is an entertaining film of light comedy, containing enough plot twists to keep your attention, finely acted especially by some of the secondary characters, and beautiful to watch.
