Last Tango in Paris October 16, 2010

1973 France/Italy.
In English and French with English subtitles.
Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci
 With Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider, Jean-Pierre Léaud.

This is the Brando film whose steamy and violent sex scenes shocked Italians (who banned it and revoked Bertolucci’s voting rights); outraged some Americans (exhibitors were arrested and walk-outs were common); titillated others (one New York audience called for more); and largely overshadowed the cinematic achievements to be found among the reportedly pornographic content. Yet even upon its release Last Tango was recognized--by film critic Pauline Kael--as a film that had “altered the face of an art form.”

Master cinematographer Vittorio Storaro’s graceful tracking shots and romantic color palette suffuse the anguished story with poetry; Bertolucci (who received an Academy Award nomination along with Brando) created an unforgettable story of amour fou between a grieving middle-aged man and the young woman (Schneider) who becomes his partner in anonymous, passionate sexual encounters.

Official Website: https://artsemerson.org/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=C036A0D7-F117-4F6D-9FBA-C4E88E1A3487