Life is Beautiful


This triple-Oscar winner is in two distinct half. It begins in Italy, 1939. In the fairytale section, our Jewish hero meets and woos a young woman, eventually marrying her and having a son. Then the real world enters in the form of the holocaust, and the family is sent to a concentration camp. There, dad does his best to protect his young son from the horror of their situation, through various games.
The film comes in at number 11 on the IMDB Top 250.
Italian with English subtitles.

114 minutes.
All ages .
Comedy, Drama

Not currently showing on the local cinema circuit.

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Credits

Cast
Roberto Benignim, Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini, Giustino Durano
Director
Roberto Benigni
ScreenplayVincenzo Cerami, Roberto Benigni
MusicNicola Piovani, Jacques Offenbach
CinematographyTonino Delli Colli
Sound formatsDolby Digital
Made in1997
Produced byMelampo Cinematografica

Official Site




Ratings

Scale (Max)20

What the Critics say

Cape Argus
Adrian Monteath
10
Cape Argus
Owen Williams
15
The Cape Times
Wilhelm Snyman
15
The Star
Joanna Walus
10
The Star
Peter Feldman
18
The Star
Janine Walker
16
Die Burger
Gabriël Botma
20
Sunday Times
Barry Ronge
15
Rapport
Barrie Hough
18
Saturday Wired
Alan Swerdlow
10
eye Weekly
Gemma Files
5
Box Office
Lael Lowenstein
15
Rough Cut
Christopher Brandon
19
Film Review
Alan Jones
20

What the People say

Internet
3250 Netizens
17

Average .. 74%

15

Visitor Ratings

Scale (Max)20
Emilio 20
Theanette Leisse 20
Penny de Vries 16
Sheridon Lambert 20
Arauna Zeelie 16
Alya Bosamnoh 10
Renee Nieuwoudt 20
Chris Shao 20
Reyaaz Hassan 20
Heenie van Tonde 20
Lola Mogaji 20

Average .. 92%

18

Visitor Comments

Isma Manitsa: Simultaneously evoked tears and laughter - certainly worth every oscar it received!

Theanette Leisse: Great! It shows you that Life is beautiful! I definitely want to see it again!

Penny de Vries: Eye Weekly missed the point; there is no way Benigni was poking fun at the Holocaust. If anything his treatment of it highlights the unbelievably subhuman aberrations in a manner more telling than an obvious treatment. One of my all time favourites already!

Sheridon Lambert: I had reservations about the suitability of using humour in the context of the Holocaust. I realize that the film never treats the holocaust as funny. It only shows us that believe in something other than ourselves is life affirming.

Arauna Zeelie: The Holocaust has always facinated me. I knew what I was in for, but the impact was still tremendous. The only problem I had is that the subject matter was treated that litely - it is the Holocaust after all?

Renee Nieuwoudt: Absolutely wonderful!

Chris Shao: I think lots of people missed one point. It said right at the begining that this ''fairy tale'' is from the little boy's point of view. The director surely wasn't ''poking fun at the holocaust'', but what does a little boy know? From the little boy's point of view, the whole story was kinda fun. Very well directed. Full credit to Roberto Benigni. I am going to watch it again tomorrow :)

Reyaaz Hassan: People forget that the movie is told from the point of view of the little boy - it's a fairy tale and at the end he thanks his father for this gift - this gift of laughter and humour in the face of sub-human adversity. Definitely in my top ten of all time - a tear swelling ending. Brilliant.

Heenie van Tonder: Beautiful!!

Lola Mogaji: Life is beautiful is a great movie. If you do not understand affection and protection of family, you can not appreciate it. I even cried!






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