Before I visited Tuscany I didn't know what the hype was about. Now, I know.

I think it might be the way the hills recede into the distance, ever lighter in shades of purple... or maybe it's the way the morning light slips lazily into the day and overlays the afternoon with such sweetness... maybe it's the taste of mulberries picked gently from the tree... or the sound of the breeze in the tall cypress trees that line the long avenues toward the strong, yellow stone villas.

I would like to know more about the architecture of the villas in Tuscany -- the evolution of the style, and when they became what we know and fall in love with today. When I finish my research I wll be back with more information. And if you have suggestions of what to read, or have information about these wonderful buildings, please let me know!

Until then, dreams of those long avenues and the sound of the breeze will fill my nights...

Teresa

I spent just every summer in Toscana, by Pistoia, in the bucolic rolling hills, among olive trees and sheep herds and tractors and cheese making, hiding and playing with my cousins in this huge and stinking wine crags (botti) iin which we could fit a small table and a couple child size chairs and a big pillow and play house.... I didn't know how good i had it ... my dreams would take me so much further than the campagna of Pistoia...

I thought I'd share a few of my favorite books on Tuscan/Italian design. Everytime I open one my heart soars....

Tuscany Interiors by Paolo Rinaldi

La Dolce Vita by Catherine Fairweather

Restoring A Home in Italy by Minchilli

Get a glass of chianti & enjoy!

Carolyn
essenceofitaly.net

Spent over a month in Umbria il cuore verde d'Italia last summer and traveled in Tuscany come ho fatto molto anni fa.
Umbria seems like a wilder and even more interesting version of Tuscany.

Cosa pensate di questo? What do you think of that? Saw a book that said something like "Umbria the little sister of Tuscany."
After all Tuscany and Umbria are right next to each other.

Mi piace anche dove c'e meno gente o meno turisti.

In Italy Online - UmbriaWhen we think of Umbria we think of the Italian word ombra. Shadow. One of Italy's smallest regions, Umbria lies in the shadow of its more illustrious ...
initaly.com/regions/umbria/umbria.htm - 10k - Cached - Similar pages


Now, I must admit Florence is one of the most beautiful cities che ho visto in la mia vita. And I'm not even talking about the art that's there.

No Villa - cheaper maybe, but not better:D

Marky, Have you been to Perugia, Assisi, Spoleto, Spello, Gubbio,
Orvieto, Terni, Todi, Lago Trasimeno or anywhere else in Umbria?

Hi Villa - been to Perugia - I liked it. Trouble is it's a four hour drive each way from here, so it doesn't make for a relaxing day. Still exploring the local area - probably go to Volterra next.

Marky, Have you seen the Italian TV program Don Matteo?
It was filmed mostly in Gubbio and other parts of Umbria.

YouTube - Don Matteo 6x01 - Bentornato Don Matteo - 1/6
http://video.google.it/videosearch?q=don+matteo+6&am... 4.
10 min -






www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U3LHcUNX_k&feature=related


YouTube - Don Matteo 6x01 - Bentornato Don Matteo - 5/6
Sites linking to this video (5). Clicks. URL. 3. http://www ...
10 min -






www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfcCE67eXEo

Marky, Have you seen the Italian TV program Don Matteo?
It was filmed mostly in Gubbio and other parts of Umbria.

DON'T MATTEO ?!!!! :):):):) Trash by trash... I hope one day you will know the good products of Italy.

DON'T MATTEO ?!!!! :):):):) Trash by trash... I hope one day you will know the good products of Italy.

Max, This is my list of movies in Italian I'm getting.
Can you tell me which ones are good and what order I should
put them in for delivery? Grazie.

1. The Best of Youth: Disc 1 Average rating: 4.3Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Shipping Wednesday

DVD Queue (30)
See Queue tipsList Order Movie Title Instant Star Rating Genre Expected Availability Remove
The Best of Youth: Disc 2 Foreign Now
Good Morning, Night Average rating: 3.2Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
The Last Kiss Average rating: 3.4Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
I'm Not Scared Average rating: 3.6Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Uno Bianca Average rating: 3.4Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Seven Beauties Average rating: 3.5Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
The Way We Laughed Average rating: 2.9Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Incantato Average rating: 3.0Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Lamerica Average rating: 3.4Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Cheeky! Average rating: 3.2Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Frivolous Lola Average rating: 2.9Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
The Embalmer Average rating: 2.6Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Farinelli Average rating: 3.4Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Primo Amore Average rating: 2.6Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Without Conscience Average rating: 2.9Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Family Flaw Average rating: 3.4Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
The Star Maker Average rating: 3.3Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Saint John Bosco: Mission to Love Average rating: 3.8Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Faith & Spirituality Now
Tickets Average rating: 3.2Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
My Mother's Smile Average rating: 2.9Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
The Nymph Average rating: 2.9Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Children of Hannibal Average rating: 2.6Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Sacred Silence Average rating: 2.8Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Night Train Murders Average rating: 2.7Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Horror Now
The Spectator Average rating: 2.3Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Bad Inclination Average rating: 2.1Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Saint Anthony Average rating: 3.6Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now
Mussolini: Italy's Nightmare Average rating: 3.0Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Documentary Now
The Italians Average rating: 2.7Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Documentary Now
Princesa Average rating: 3.0Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Foreign Now

Well, Villa... THE EMBALBER (L'IMBALSATORE) by Matteo Garrone is a excellent movie. It's based on a true story but the issue is how this young talented director decided to shoot: he let actors free in front of the camera. The story is a real "dark drama" and Matteo succeeded in making a movie that deeply involves spectactors' emotions and ethical principles: at the end you are so misplaced that somehow you justify the murder. You also have to listen carefully to the soundtrack that is performed by one of our best Jazz bands. THE EMBALBER is considered a masterpiece of new Italian cinema.

I'M NOT SCARED is a mediocre movie based on a breathtaking book by Ammaniti. Ammanniti is a very talented young Italian writer: his writing catches the reality of some Italian scenarios. Their books are a "must". I'M NOT SCARED the movie is well done but I'm sure Salvatores could do much better: the film looses early the children's point of view (which is the strenght of the book) at the end all characters are shallow and very "stereotyped".

THE BEST YOUTH is a very controversional movie. It was born like a TV-series and quickly shifted for the big screen but it still maintains the limits of the TV language. In Italy it unchained the wrath of all those who lived across 60's and 70's. It was to supposed to picture two Italian generations but it failed in describing characters' minds and its behaviors. I make you an example (I could do hundreds):

At one point the blond terrorist must quit her family to go and deliver a pistol. She tells her husband: "I must go and buy some milk..." and he answers: "We have enough milk...". She replies: "Well, I need to breath a bit of fresh air..." and she quits followed by her husband's worried glaze. We all know that Italian terrorists where perfectly structured and moved like a very efficient army. Failure was not admitted and they used to plan their actions for months... every single step was precisely planned. When I went to the prémiere of the movie I heard people laughing at that scene: nobody could believe that a true terrorist behaved like that.
In 1991 I shot a short movie about the true story of a Italian terrorist: they were forced to quit their families, they were obliged to have no contact with their relatives, they used to live in complete isolation and used to repeat the same actions every single day. They were not 'ordinary' citizens with revolutionary purposes: they were true soldiers programmed to kill.

In addition to that all dialogues of the movie are extemely shallow: 70's youth had complicated minds and made very complicated speechs. If you read what they wrote in those years you'll be estounded by their arguments. Spontanaety was quiet rare.

GOODMORNING NIGHT is a kind of "inside a criminal mind" story around Aldo Moro's kidnapping. Marco Bellocchio refuses to face the historical truth to give his psichoanalytical interpretation to the fact. That's a good movie: it doesn't enter the chronicle but enters characters' dreams, fears, goals, moods, ambitions, failures and whatsoever. You'll appreciate it if you don't expect the historical truth.

BAD INCLINATION is a ridiculous B movie: cheap and idiotic (I still don't figure out how a American major like Columbia Tristar decided to invest on it). FARINELLI is a historical boring 'drama' taking strengt from costums and scenarios. PRIMO AMORE is another movie by Matteo Garrone: a boring, vicious maniacal 'love-story' that has nothing to do with his previous one 'The Embalmer'.
Anyway... Paolo decided to make me write some articles about the history of Italian cinema for the new site. Very soon you'll have some threads about Italian cinema from 30's up to today.

In the meanwhile if you wanna see something good, try to find 'MONDONUOVO' (New World) or "RESPIRO" (breath) by Emanuele Crialese.

Grazie Max. A proposito, I have Respiro and have watched it many times.

augustus augustus

Best of youth.....

Or, "La meglio gioventu'".
This is an incredible Italian mini-series that it's sometime shown on the Sundance Channel but also available on DVDs or Netflix.