Stromboli (1949) (UK Import) auf DVD

Wien, Ende der 70er Jahre; Die junge Amerikanerin Milena Flaherty wird nach einer Überdosis in die Notaufnahme gebracht, ihr Zustand scheint hoffnungslos. An ihrer Seite der etwas ältere Psychoanalytiker Dr. Alex Linden, zu dem sie offensichtlich eine obsessive Beziehung unterhalten hat. In Rückblenden erfahren wir, dass er offenbar nicht der einzige Mann in ihrem Leben war. Zwischen Glück und Verzweiflung tun sich hier seelische Abgründe auf, die ihren Spiegel in den Fin de siècle-Dekors von Wien finden dürfen.

Stromboli, Land of God follows Karen (Ingrid Bergman), a young woman from Lithuania who marries fisherman Antonio (Mario Vitale) to escape from a prison camp after being promised a great life on his home island of Stromboli. Karen soon discovers the island is harsh and barren, with the locals acting in a hostile manner towards this strange, foreign woman, Karen increasingly becomes despondent, looking for ways to escape this new life.

This Italian neorealist classic is famously the result of a letter from Bergman to Rossellini, in which she spoke of her admiration for his work and how she wanted to make a film with him. The letter also sparked the infamous affair between Rossellini and Bergman which began during the production of the film.

This digitally remastered edition also contains Francesco Patierno’s 2012 documentary The War of the Volcanoes which explores, through the use of rich archive footage, the intense and dramatic love story which took place during the production of Stromboli, Land of God.

Special features

• Newly remastered presentation
• Bergman & Magnani: The War of the Volcanoes (Francesco Patierno, 2012, 52 mins): documentary charting the scandal of the Magnani-Rossellini-Bergman love triangle, told against the backdrop of their rival film productions in the Aeolian islands
• Ingrid Bergman at the National Film Theatre (Chris Mohr, 1981, 36 mins): archival Guardian lecture with the legendary actress
• Living & Departed (Tag Gallagher, 2015, 18 mins): visual essay on Rossellini and Bergman’s collaborations by film scholar Tag Gallagher
• Fully illustrated booklet with essays by Tag Gallagher, Adriano Aprà and Paul Fairclough, and full film credits

Rezensionen

"Meisterwerk des Kinos, das echtes Leben atmet" (Cinema)