Mediterrâneo

A squad of Italian soldiers arrives to occupy a remote Greek island during WW2, but soon goes native as the immediacy of the war slowly recedes from their island paradise. I enjoyed this film immensely. I hope this is only available in the original Italian with subtitles. The dialog among the soldiers is so quintessentially Italian and funny, that a dubbed version would lose almost everything in translation. The locations are terrific, the plot development is subtle but never boring, and it's a joy to watch a film that encourages you to lean forward and savor it, rather than one that pins you in your seat with technology and effects.

"Mediterraneo", which we saw during its debut run locally, has stayed fresh as when we first saw it. This small, endearing film has a lot going for it. In fact, it makes a perfect statement against WWII, or any war, for that matter, without being in one's face. The subtlety of this film stays long in the viewer's mind.

We are presented a group of Italian soldiers on a mission to set a base in a small, and apparently uninhabited island in the Aegean Sea, not too far from Italy, but millions of years away in the way it has stayed primitive enough to offer anything to these men. As soldiers, under the command of Raffaelle, these are not the typical professional soldiers. In fact, these men discover themselves and a world they didn't know existed during their time in the island.

What surprises the soldiers is not to encounter anyone living in the village facing the sea, where they disembark. It becomes clear everyone is hiding from them. When the populace discover these men are harmless they return and embrace the invaders with open arms. After all, they feel the Italians share a lot in common with them.

The men, obviously abandoned, and lacking means of transportation, get stuck in the island. In fact, they don't realize, but when the Italian aviator arrives in his one engine plane, he is amazed how many years have passed since they arrived at that remote spot.

This small film is a delight to watch. Diego Abatantuono makes a great Lorusso. Claudio Bigati, is Raffaele, the man with an artistic eye, who sees the beauty of the classical Greek design. Vanna Barba plays Vassilessa, the local whore who falls in love with the shy Farina(Giuseppe Cederna). The rest of the cast does a good job under Mr. Salvatores' direction.

Watch this film as it will delight fans of Mr. Salvatores and the Italian cinema.

An outstanding movie. The film flows like water, masterfully directed.Watching this film was enjoyable and it seems like an escape from reality.In them we can identify our desires and our feelings. Escape from the world of war. Shows how little is enough to be happy. Luzers in the war are actually winners and lucky people. People who would kill other peoples yesterday, show us real face, ordinary people with same wishes like ours. This movie proof that is not necessary to spend millions of $ to make great movie. For me personally it is a pleasure to watch this movie any time, sometime I feel that I would like to find similar place today to escape from our modern, hectic life. All in all, great movie, I wouldn't change anything.

I am not one for Italian movies but this was a cracker. If you have to go by the sub-titles then pay attention at the beginning when the soldiers are in the process of securing the town and they engage a chicken.....its a bit of humour that has stayed with me for years since watching it.

It is one of those feel good movies that you just don't want to end...highly recommended.

In an age where any discerning movie goer struggles to find a decent movie at a video shop because of all the crassy Hollywood type movies that are churned out, this is a must watch movie.

It was a very good Italian film I've seen along with Cinema paradiso and Barnabo delle Mongtagne. On the island they forget everything, just enjoy peace and simple jolly life. 30years later,a few people left the island come back, because they couldn't adjust themselves in the world. Only place to return to was the island. On watching the film, I was quite saddened, because our life is like a dessert where Utopia is nothing but a mirage. Director's words "I'd like to dedicate this film to people who want to run away" says all. Very memorable film!!!