• Excellent Cadavers

  Two heroic martyrs of Italy’s postwar era are Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino.

  “Excellent Cadavers” is a riveting documentary about the harrowing and courageous work of Falcone and Borsellino. Noted author and journalist Alexander Stille narrates the documentary that is based on his book. He holds nothing back in recounting the savage rise of Cosa Nostra in Sicily and its dark effects on Sicily.
  The film shows footage that few, if any Americans, have ever seen. Much of it is based on the stark black and white photographs of photojournalist Letizia Battaglia, who becomes central to the film because of her understanding of Sicilian culture and the true history of the mafia.

  How Falcone and Borsellino succeeded where other law enforcement officials failed is nothing short of extraordinary. The documentary details their exhaustive investigation to outsmart mafia members and the bureaucrats, judges and politicians who gave criminals safe cover. Their work led to the mass convictions of mafia members, many of whom received life sentences and are in prison today.

  “Excellent Cadavers” provides a fascinating glimpse into modern Italy. We see the courageous acts of Falcone and Borsellino in the foreground of Italy’s complex legal and political systems. “Excellent Cadavers” is a film not to be forgotten. Buy the DVD today!

   

Buy the DVD "If Stone Could Speak" today! Yours for only $22.95! Free shipping and handling included.

• TIME SCANNERS COLOSSEUM

Filmed for PBS television in 2016, “Time Scanners: Colosseum” takes viewers on a tour of the Roman Colosseum. World renowned structural engineer Steve Burrows and a team of scientists lead us through the structure’s interior and exterior. The latest computer and laser-scanning technology are used to fill in missing parts of the Colosseum. They show what the structure may have looked like when first built almost 20 centuries ago.

The Roman Colosseum might be the model for today’s sports stadiums and arenas, but just how well does the Colosseum stack up against contemporary structures? Avatar simulations and other computerized displays compare the Colosseum with Beijing Bird’s Nest stadium, as designed by Burrows. Tests and analysis show that the Colosseum is not only equal, but in many ways, better than today’s offerings.

“Time Scanners: Colosseum” is an informative and entertaining documentary that reaffirms the greatness of ancient Rome.

Buy “Time Scanners: Colosseum” today. Just $22.95! And, as always, free shipping!

Please buy "Black Sabbath" today!
Yours for only $21.95! Free shipping and handling.

Buy "Christopher Columbus" today!
Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling.

• Christopher Columbus:

Few films about Christopher Columbus have been made.

Of those, only one stands out as worthy of viewing. That would be "Christopher Columbus," the 1949 epic produced by Gainsborough Pictures, under the umbrella of the Rank Organization, one of England's biggest film companies.

Now on sale through PRIMO, "Christopher Columbus" is an informative and entertaining film about Columbus and his discovery of America. The film can be watched by the entire family as a means to inspire Italian pride and reconfirm the greatness of the Genoese explorer.

Columbus is played by none other than Frederic March, one of Hollywood's greatest actors, a two-time Oscar winner. March does not overplay the role and, as such, Columbus becomes more approachable and human. Viewers connect with the explorer and share his feelings of determination, frustration and success.

"Christopher Columbus" is based on the novel by Rafael Sabitini, an Italian born British writer. The film opens with Columbus in Castille lobbying the Spanish monarchy, a most difficult task considering the intrigues and politics associated with the Spanish court. Later, comes the voyage, as depicted in a realistic light: A  complex effort where navigation depends on the shifts of winds for a journey's success or failure. The discovery of America comes from the explorer's faith in himself and his belief in the well-reasoned science of his day.

Columbus was truly an extraordinary figure, no doubt one of the greatest in world history. "Christopher Columbus" is a film that brings his well-earned reputation to light. Buy it today from PRIMO!

Buy "The Bicycle Thief" today!
Yours for only $22.95! Free shipping and handling.

Ginevra's Story

Ginevra d’Amerigo Benci was just 16 years old when Leonardo da Vinci painted her portrait in 1474.

The painting hangs today in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and remains the only painting by Leonardo in North and South America.

“Ginevra’s Story” is a dvd documentary issued by the National Gallery of Art that gives a complete account of this extraordinary painting. Who was Ginevra? Why did Leonardo paint her portrait? And…how did the master create such a flawless painting?

Seen up close at the National Gallery of Art, the portrait of Ginevra confounds onlookers for its lack of…lines. The painting consists of gradations of color; a meticulous blending of shades and tints to forever capture the young Florentine woman.

“Ginevra’s Story” comes in both English, as narrated by Meryl Streep, and Italian as narrated by Isabella Rossellini. Commentary by artists and historians provide insight and expertise on how the painting was done by Leonardo and the life of the woman portrayed.

“Ginevra’s Story” is a fascinating documentary! Buy “Ginevra’s Story” today!

Buy "Two Women" today!
Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling.

Please buy "A Bay of Blood" today!
Yours for only $21.95!
Free shipping and handling included.

• A Bay of Blood

  Today’s horror films are based on the template provided by Mario Bava’s “Bay of Blood.”

  “Halloween,” “Friday, the 13th,” and “Nightmare on Elm Street,” just to name a few, evolved from Bava’s pioneering horror achievement. Originally titled, “Ecologia del delitto,” (Ecology of Crime) the film was released in Italy in 1971, and, a year later, in the United States under the revised title, “Bay of Blood.”

  Graphic violence coalesced with a significant sub-plot of young adults partying and misbehaving by a body of water, only for each to be stalked and killed by a homicidal maniac. Sound familiar?

  The creative slayings thought up by Bava and his script collaborator, Dardano Sacchetti, were used, later, in many American horror and action films.
  
  As Italy is a land of innovators; so too does this reputation extend to horror films and the cinematic master, himself, Mario Bava. Please buy “Bay of Blood” today!

  Please buy "A Bay of Blood" today from PRIMO!

Buy the DVD "Django"
Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling included.Included:

• Django:
  

  "Django" is a must for all film buffs.

  It showcases the exemplary work of the other Sergio of Italian cinema, not Sergio Leone, but Sergio Corbucci. In many ways ahead of his time, Corbucci was actually the first in Italy to make what has been termed “Spaghetti Westerns.” He was a friendly rival of Leone's. Each sought to be the first in Italy to tackle the western genre with Corbucci making his a few months prior to Leone's "A Fistful of Dollars." 

  "Django" is Corbucci's second western, made in 1966 and named after the main character played by Franco Nero. "Django" has a stunning opening, its title song sung with Django dragging a coffin through the mud. The story is set some time after the Civil War in an unnamed area near the Mexican- American border. The plot centers on a race war between the Americans and Mexicans of the region. The loner Django arrives in a sleepy town ruled over by Major Jackson, a feudal lord of the Wild West. Although he is one man versus many, Django has a secret weapon that evens the odds while takes Jackson and his men and a rival group of Mexican outlaws.

  In seeing "Django," one cannot get over how much ahead of his time was Corbucci. An intensely dark and cynical premise for his western was exploited further by other directors in later years. As for style, his scenes were models for later action films by other directors, including Leone, but also Sam Peckinpah and Arthur Penn. Corbucci's exploration of racism seems the overriding influence in Quentin Tarantino’s remake of “Django” where the titled character is changed from a Wild West gunslinger to a freed black slave of the Deep South bent on rescuing his wife from servitude. 

  "Django" is the perfect DVD for your collection of Italian films. It stands as another example of the profound vision of Italians in postwar cinema. Please purchase "Django," the original screen version, made in 1966 and directed by Sergio Corbucci. Buy “Django” today from PRIMO!

Please buy the DVD, "The Agony & The Ecstasy" one of Italy's greatest films. Yours for only $22.95! Free shipping and handling included. 

• The Agony & The Ecstasy

  The 1965 film was based on the novel, of the same title, by Irving Stone.

  It was directed by one of the most profound yet overlooked directors in Hollywood, Carol Reed. The lead role of Michelangelo is portrayed with expertise by Charlton Heston while Rex Harrison gives another great performance as Pope Julius II.

  The story centers on the conception and painting of the inside ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo chose to depict the Book of Genesis with his most famous image The Creation of Adam in the ceiling’s center. Perhaps, the greatest work of art in the world, the masterpiece came together from a mixture of creativity by Michelangelo and determination by Pope Julius.

  “The Agony and the Ecstasy” ranks among the great religious epics of Hollywood’s yesteryear. Count it equal if not better to “The Ten Commandments,” “Ben-Hur” or “Quo Vadis.” For Italian Americans, the film is especially important for it brings to life the greatness of Michelangelo. The artist and sculptor possessed one of the most creative minds in history and the world is a better place for it. Buy this DVD today.

Italian Fascism in Color:

The rise and fall of Benito Mussolini is shown in never-before-seen footage, culled from raw and unedited material taken from the movie cameras of the 1920s and 1930s that used color film at the time, a rarity. Interwoven is a docudrama that tells the story of participants in Mussolini’s ascension.

Documentaries on Mussolini and Fascism are almost always done from black and white newsreel footage. As such, we may not fully grasp why Fascism became so popular. By showing historical footage in color, the documentary conveys the grand side of Fascism we do not normally see.

“Italian Fascism in Color” is refreshingly fair in dealing with its subject. Not all things Mussolini did were bad, as the film quickly points out. Indeed, Mussolini won praise all over the world for improving living standards for Italians and making peace between Italy and the Vatican. A strong case is made that the Fascists were not as repressive in Italy as were the Nazis in Germany and Communists in Russia. The film shows Mussolini’s downfall came when he grasped for more power. As dictator, he went unchecked and began making disastrous decisions regarding Italy’s economy and entering the war on the side of Hitler.

“Italian Fascism in Color” is one of the top documentaries on Mussolini and Fascism. By seeing Mussolini in the context of today’s viewer, we know more about Fascism’s rise and what democracies can do to overcome it in the future.

Buy the DVD “Sacco and Vanzetti,” a documentary film that covers the cast and trial that shook the nation - of two Italian immigrant anarchists convicted of murder. Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling included.

• Sacco and Vanzetti

The story of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti is brought to life in this critically acclaimed documenatry.

Sacco and Vanzetti were two Italian immigrants who settled in the Boston region and took on the cause of Anarchism in the United States.

In 1920, they were arrested for the murder of a paymaster and security guard of the Slater and Morrill Shoe Company in Braintree, Massachusetts. It was part of robbery scheme to help finance the duo's anarchy revolution, according to police.

What followed was a trial of the century as the case against the two Italians was weak. Evidence was minimal and the prosecution turned to deep seated prejudices and bigotries among judges and jurors to convict and put to death the accused.

Today, the names Sacco and Vanzetti garners outrage among social activists as they symbolize the great flaws of American justice.

"Sacco and Vanzetti" is an exraordinary documentary that highlights a number of issues ranging from the rights of immigrants to the abuses of justice, rooted in bigotry and ethnocentrism. Buy the DVD today!

 

Buy the DVD “La Rabbia (The Anger),” never before shown in the U.S., an Italian documentary on how the Right and Left viewed societal changes of the 1950s and 1960s. Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling included. 

• La Rabbia

Two of Italy’s most celebrated and influential writers and filmmakers of the postwar era were Pier Paolo Pasolini and Giovannino Guareschi.

Pasolini was of the Left, a self-proclaimed Communist, and Guareschi was of the Right, a cartoonist, essayist and filmmaker.

“La Rabbia” gives rise to the divergent political and societal views of Pasolini and Guareschi in the Cold War era. The film comes in two parts, containing documentary footage and the separate commentaries of Pasolini and Guareschi on topics ranging from racism and civil rights, the revolutions in Cuba and Algeria, the post-colonial era of Africa, the death of Josef Stalin, the atomic bomb, the Middle East and Israel, and the dramatic changes that occurred in culture and lifestyle during the postwar era.

“La Rabbia” is almost two hours in length, in Italian with English subtitles. An added bonus is a documentary on the making of the film with biographical information on both Pasolini and Guareschi. The film is in Italian with English subtitles.

For those interested in contemporary Italian history and culture, “La Rabbia” is not to be missed. Buy it today to further your understanding of the Italian language and postwar Italy.

Buy the DVD "Michelangelo," today!
Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling included.

• Michelangelo

This documentary gives you the facts about Michelangelo’s life and artworks. The DVD provides insight as to what makes Michelangelo so extraordinary to the world of art.

Michelangelo's life seems uncanny when one considers his many achievements. The sculptor of "David" and the "Pieta," the painter of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and a participating architect in the design and construction of Saint Peter's Basilica, just to name a few of his remarkable feats, makes Michelangelo one of the greatest men in history.

The DVD does not embellish or dramatize the events in Michelangelo's life, rather it conveys the artworks he completed with the facts of his biography.

"Michelangelo" the DVD brings home the greatness of Michelangelo to you and your family. Buy the DVD today!

Buy the DVD "If Stone Could Speak (Se La Pietra Sapesse Parlare)," today!
Yours for only $21.95! Free shipping and handling included.

• If Stone Could Speak (Se La Pietra Sapesse Parlare)

Italy is synonymous with sculpting and stone cutting.

And Barre, Vermont is synonymous with America's premier source of granite and marble.

This exceptional documentary recounts the story of Italian Americans in Barre, Vermont, "Granite Capital of the World." Thousands of stonecutters emigrated from Northern Italy to Barre. This documentary follows the artisans and their families from quarries, workshops, and schools in Italy to granite carving sheds in New England. We see the distinctive community of Italian immigrants in Barre, and their continued ties with their native regions in Italy.

"If Stone Could Speak" chronicles the magnificent monuments of these master carvers, and their life and death struggle with silicosis. The story takes us to the present, as stonecutter families continue to move between the two countries and seek their own identities, choosing what to keep and what to cut away from their Americans and Italian legacies.

"If Stone Could Speak" is a documentary to inspire pride in all Italian Americans for the greatness of our stone cutting tradition. Buy this DVD today!

• House of Strangers

A poor Sicilian immigrant rises to wealth and becomes a powerful figure in the burgeoning prewar Italian community of New York, only to face a downfall when his illegal practices are discovered by authorities.

Does the plot sound familiar? If you are thinking this is "The Godfather," made in 1972, then you are 23 years too late. "House of Strangers" was a film in 1949, starring the great Edward G. Robinson, Richard Conte and Susan Hayward.
The film contains many of the plot elements later adopted by "The Godfather," except it's not about gangsters. The main character is Gino Monetti, the family patriarch, played by Robinson, who is part Amadeo Giannini, founder of Bank of America and part Charles Ponzi, founder of the Ponzi Scheme.

Directed by Joseph Mankiewicz, "House of Strangers" is a time capsule. Many outdoor scenes were shot in Manhattan's Little Italy. Set props contain vintages of a bygone era. The story centers on Gino, a well-respected banker who caters to Italian immigrants, while other banker bypass this niche of customers.

However, his practices are behind-the-times, to say the least, and banking investigators accuse him of wrongdoing. Conte plays Gino's son, Max, a young lawyer who must defend his father. What follows is the Old World of Italy facing the New World of Italian Americans. Not just Max, but his three brothers, find themselves in a moral conundrum as to what to do when their father Gino must pay for his past sins.

“House of Strangers” is a great film noir drama that speaks to an Italian American audience. Not just an engaging plot, there are aspects of Italian culture depicted that highlight our mid-century presence. Buy "House of Strangers" today at www.primomagazine.com or call toll free 866-677-7466.

• The Last Victory

Siena makes for a beautiful setting no matter the film.

The medieval village becomes all the more entrancing in a real life story of suspense and redemption such as "The Last Victory," one of the best documentaries of the last 10 years.

The Tuscan countryside comes alive as filmmaker John Appel depicts the time and scope of the Palio horse race, a traditional sporting event in Siena, for over 500 years. The horse race is considered especially dangerous since the streets are amazingly narrow .

The film centers on the struggles of Civetta, a village in the Siena province that has not won the race in 23 years. Can the underdogs finally win one? The film leaves us on the edge of our seats until the suspenseful ending.

What makes "The Last Victory" so attractive are the many shots of Tuscany and the people who live and work in Siena. The village's deep orange homes and green olive groves make for an enchanting locale. How the villagers come together to put on the event is a walk through time. We see Italy as she really is, with people enjoying life while they work. The traditional crafts are put to good use to dress up Siena to welcome horse racers from the entire world.

If you love Siena and the countryside of Tuscany, then "The Last Victory" is the perfect DVD for you. Buy the DVD today at www.primomagazine.com or call toll free 866-677-7466.

• Venice: A Musical Journey

"Venice: A Musical Journey" is a stunning visual tour of the great Italian city of canals.

We see the amazing sights, the legendary landmarks, Venice in all its glory. The documentary comes without the usual narration, commentary and expert analysis…and that may well be why it so good. The city of Venice speaks for itself with one scene of beauty after another.

Instead of scholarly voices, we hear the music of one of the most famous Venetians of all - Antonio Vivaldi. His "Il Cimento dell'Armonia e dell'Inventione," first published in Paris in 1725, is the soundtrack to the DVD. This is Vivaldi's greatest masterpiece, a collection of 12 concertos he wrote while a priest and teacher at the Ospedale della Pieta, a school for girls in Venice.

Vivaldi's sophisticated melodies are fit for the visual tour of Venice. The city, one of the great successes of human civilizations, stands today in contrast to its tradition of technological advancement and innovation. Venice is history captured, a city unsullied by modernity, without the highways, byways, and skyscrapers that dominate today's landscapes.

"Venice: A Musical Journey - Music by Antonio Vivaldi" is a delightful and informative way to see the Most Serene Republic - Venice. The DVD gives your entire family the best way to see Venice and to hear Vivaldi. Buy the DVD today at www.primomagazine.com or call toll free 866-677-7466.

• The Good Pope: John XXIII

In recognition of the recent canonization of Pope John XXIII, now Saint John XXIII, PRIMO has available for sale a film about his life and accomplishments in "The Good Pope."

The late and versatile British actor, Bob Hoskins portrays the pope, born Angelo Roncali, the fourth of 14 children in Sotto il Monte, a rural village in the Bergamo province of the Lombardia region. The film dramatizes his rise through the Roman Catholic Church, from his early days as a knowledgeable priest, to titular bishop of Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria where he saved thousands of Jewish refugees from the holocaust, to his time as pope from 1958 to 1963.

Little was excepted of John XXIII; as he was 76 years old and considered too old and frail to reform the Vatican. Instead, he was one of the most active of popes and initiated the Second Vatican Council, more commonly known as Vatican II. Still controversial, Vatican II was to change philosophical and ritualistic attributes of the Roman Catholic Church. The mission was to make the Church more adaptable and "modern" in its functions and operations.

Hoskins is a good actor who looks a lot like Pope John XXIII and captures the approachable and good-natured personality that made the pope loved by so many people in Italy and throughout the world.

"The Good Pope" is a well-made film that showcases the spiritual and tangible achievements of Pope John XXIII and explains why this pope became a saint. Buy this DVD today!

• Bella Ciao

Fascist Italy is the setting of this dramatic film. A young couple, with two children, in Tuscany face the growing hardships of prewar Italy. They seek to escape to America but wind up instead in Marseilles, France.

Before they came to America, many Italian immigrants settled along France's coastline. Marseilles, France's second largest city, became an Italian enclave. In "Bella Ciao," we see - what is an overlooked historical account of migration - of how Italian immigrants lived and worked in Southern France, quite often the victims of social and economic injustice.

The film is reminiscent of Italy's second golden age of cinema in the early 1970s where Fascist Italy was fully examined. Stephane Giusti is an old school director where he fuses a dreamlike setting to soften the hardships of persecution and poverty.

"Bella Ciao" is the story of an Italian family that faces the challenges of a failed political system, bigotry and economic dispossession. The film is a bittersweet saga, not unlike those faced by our own immigrant grandfathers and grandmothers, albeit in a different location and time. Buy "Bella Ciao" today!

• The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance

The glories of the Italian Renaissance are recaptured in this extraordinary documentary, hailed by the critics, when it first aired on PBS in 2003.

The Medici family is the topic, and rightly so. They were catalyst patrons of 15th and 16th century Florence, the lead city-state of the Renaissance. Great innovations in art, architecture, science and engineering were funded by the Medici. The likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and Galileo, just to name a few, were recipients of this family's extensive patronage.

The documentary recounts the rise, sustenance and patronage of the Medici. Their beginnings were strictly mercantile. They were the last standing merchant bankers of Italy's economic collapse of the 14th century. They seized the opportunity to leverage their wealth to win control of Florence and later the Vatican. As such, they faced formidable rivals among other Italian families where clandestine attacks and counter attacks became common.

Assassinations, murder and kidnappings were a means of gaining and maintaining control in Italy. Generation after generation of Medici patriarchs sought the heights of wealth, power and influence. What made the Medici different than other families, however, was their vision to go beyond the crude struggles of survival. Along the way, they supported great feats in art, architecture and science.

The documentary introduces viewers to Medici family members. We see their interaction among the titans of Italian history such as the great Leonardo, Michelangelo and other famous artists. Recounted are extraordinary achievements of this period in history and the figures that made them.

"The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance" is the rare jewel among excellent documentaries in being both informative and entertaining. To understand the great works of art and science of the Italian Renaissance is to understand the patrons that made it all possible. The Medici are key figures in understanding the greatness of Italy. Buy this DVD today!

Buy the DVD "The Agony and the Ecstasy" today!
Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling included.

• The Agony and the Ecstasy

The 1965 film was based on the novel, of the same title, by Irving Stone. It was directed by one of the most profound yet overlooked directors in Hollywood, Carol Reed. The lead role of Michelangelo is portrayed with expertise by Charlton Heston while Rex Harrison gives another great performance as Pope Julius.

The story surrounds the conception and painting of the inside ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo chose to depict the Book of Genesis with his most famous image The Creation of Adam in the ceiling’s center. Perhaps, the greatest work of art in the world, the masterpiece came together from a mixture of creativity by Michelangelo and determination by Pope Julius.

“The Agony and the Ecstasy” ranks among the great religious epics of Hollywood’s yesteryear. Count it equal if not better than “The Ten Commandments,” “Ben-Hur” or “Quo Vadis.” For Italian Americans, the film is especially important for it brings to life the greatness of Michelangelo. The artist and sculptor possessed one of the most creative minds in history and the world is a better place for it. Buy this DVD today.

 

Buy the DVD "The Bankers of God" today!
Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling included.

• The Bankers of God

Giuseppe Ferrara is a director well-known in Italy for bringing to the screen political and financial intrigues that rocked the country.

More than a decade ago, Ferrara brought to Italian television, "The Bankers of God," the story of Roberto Calvi and the collapse of Banco Ambrosiano, the second largest bank in Italy. The title relates to Calvi and the bank's close ties to the Vatican. The Holy See was a major shareholder and was consumed by the scandal.

"The Bankers of God" provides an insider's view to the complex intrigues of Italy's largest financial and business organizations. The film is in Italian with English subtitles. Buy this DVD today.

 

Buy the DVD "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" today!
Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling included.

• Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni star in the great comedy from Italy, “Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow.” The film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1964. Three stories take place in Italy, as directed by Vittoria de Sica and produced by Carlo Ponti. Some of the most memorable scenes in Italian cinema occur in this one film.

"Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" shows Italy in a funny and heartwarming light. Buy this DVD today.

 

• The Conformist

The 1970 film "The Conformist" written and directed by renowned director Bernardo Bertolucci is an elegant portrait of the death throes of Italian Facisim and a triumph of pure style. It was adapted upon by Bernardo Bertolucci from the 1951 novel written by Alberto Moravia.

The story revolves around the life of a secret police functionary Marcello Clerci, who is sent on a mission to assassinate his former teacher, Professor Quadri, a leftist activist in exile in Paris. Clerci uses his honeymoon with his new wife as a cover for the job, but he soon becomes entranced by Quadri's sensuous, haunted wife Anna, and the facist tennents he once accepted without question begin to waver his mind.

“The Conformist” is without question one of Bertolucci's best films to date. With a fantastic score by Georges Delerue, and incandescent performances by a star-studded cast, "The Conformist" will truly be a treat to watch. Buy this DVD today from PRIMO!

• The Organizer

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay, the 1963 film "The Organizer" is worth watching. Presented by The Criterion Collection, the film is presented to the viewer like never before, restoring the film and bringing it to its peak of performance.

In turn-of-the-twentieth-century Turin, an accident in textile factory incites workers to stage a walkout. But it's not until they receive unexpected aid from a traveling professor, played by the illustrious Marcello Mastroianni, that they find their voice, unite, and stand up for themselves.

"The Organizer" is a timeless film that will shake your senses in many wonderful ways. This historical drama by Mario Monicelli, brimming with humor ad honesty, is a beautiful and moving ode to the power of people. Buy it today from PRIMO!

• Eurocrime!

"Eurocrime!" is a documentary concerning the violient Italian, "poliziotteschi" cinematic movement of the 1970s. It is an imformative, as well as engaging film to watch, and will take you into the cinematic movement with style.

At first glance, they seem like a bunch of sleezy rip-offs of American crime films like "Dirty Harry" or "The Godfather" upon closer inspection, these films were really adressing distinct Italian issues, like the Sicilian Mafia, as well as red terrorism. The Eurocrime movies offer a tough, gritty world full of mustached, macho menkilling each other brutally, and this documentary goes in depth to what those movies were meant to be.

"Eurocrime!" is a fascinating documentary film about the Italian genre of cinema that lasted through the 1970s. Buy it today from PRIMO!

 

Buy the DVD "Francis of Assisi" today!
Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling included.

• Francis of Assisi

New from PRIMO is the DVD “Francis of Assisi” starring Bradford Dillman, Dolores Hart and Stuart Whitman. The film was made in 1961 and directed by the great Michael Curtiz, who also directed “Casablanca” and a host of other great films from Hollywood’s classic era.

Dillman delivers a gripping performance in the lead role of Francis, born into a life of privilege, the son of a rich silk merchant in Italy. The film recounts a change of direction in his life from Italian playboy and adventurer to a humble priest who rebuilds churches, blesses farm animals and begins one of the great orders of Catholic priests. Filmed on location in Italy, “Francis of Assisi” captures the drama and glory of one of the great religious figures of history - Saint Francis.

Buy “Francis of Assisi” today…A film to inspire and entertain the whole family.

 

Buy the DVD documentary series "Pompeii: The Doomed City" today!

Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling included.

• Pompei: The Doomed City

It remains one of the great natural catastrophes of history.

Pompeii

At one time, a rival to Rome, Pompeii, the city and its people, were destroyed in 79 A.D. A massive volcano eruption from Mount Vesuvius burned and suffocated city inhabitants. Covered by pumice and volcano ash, Pompeii ruins and artifacts remain intact and make up an archaeological showcase that attracts visitors from around the world, year after year, in Italy.

New from PRIMO is the DVD documentary series, originally aired on the History channel, titled “Pompeii: The Doomed City.”

The DVD is more than two hours long and consists of three documentaries: “Digging for the Truth: Pompeii Secrets Revealed,” “History’s Mysteries: Pompeii,” and “Mega Disasters: The Next Pompeii?”

The ruins of Pompeii, as well as other ancient villages near Naples, are explored. We see the destruction by Vesuvius. We learn the cultural history of Pompeii and its importance to the Roman empire. Interviews with today's scientists tell us of the geophysical wonders and dangers of Naples and Italy’s South. Other volcanoes, such as Mount Stromboli in Sicily, for instance, are examined up close by the series narrator Josh Bernstein. He takes an in-depth look at the chances of another Vesuvius explosion and a Pompeii-like disaster in Italy's future.

“Pompeii: The Doomed City” is a thoroughly informative and entertaining DVD documentary series. It reminds us all of the greatness of the Roman Empire, the details of archaeology and the dangers and wonders of Italy’s geology.

Buy “Pompeii: The Doomed City” today.

 

Buy the DVD "The Whole Shebang" today!

Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling included.

• The Whole Shebang

A  charming romantic comedy that confirms Italy's leadership in fireworks and pyrotechnics industries. The film stars Stanley Tucci, Bridget Fonda, Giancarlo Giannini and Talia Shire.

In the opening credits, the film claims inspiration from Fireworks by Grucci. An Italian American success story, the company services today many of America's municipalities in skyrocket celebrations for July 4th and other holidays.

In "The Whole Shebang," the Bazinni family is at a crisis when an accident destroys their fireworks factory in southern New Jersey. From Naples comes the bumbling yet goodhearted Giovanni (Tucci) to assist family patriarch (Giannini) to rebuild the business.

While working to develop new firework colors and displays, Giovanni falls for Val (Fonda), his cousin's widow. Yet, he must first win the trust of his aunt, Contessa Bazinni (Shire) who keeps a close eye on Val and her grandson Bobby. The film builds towards an exciting conclusion when Giovanni is put to the test in a fireworks contest in Naples that could make a break the family.

"The Whole Shebang" is a humourous tale of love, family loyalty and the pursuit of dreams.

It is a wonderful film to watch with the whole family.

Buy “The Whole Shebang” today.

 

Buy the DVD "Baarìa" today!

Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling included.

• Baarìa

"Baarìa" is 2009 film from one of Italy’s best filmmakers, Giuseppe Tornatore. Most famous for his two masterpieces “Cinema Paradiso” and “Everybody’s Fine,” Tornatore revisits his home region of Sicily to make this, another one of his outstanding films.

"Baarìa" is the nickname for Bagheria, the small city where Tornatore was born and raised in Sicily. The film covers five decades in the Sicilian commune, beginning with the rise of Fascism in the 1930s and ending with Italy’s modern transition in the 1980s.

The central character is Peppino, a young adult who joins Italy’s Communist Party after he witnesses the oppression of Sicilan farm workers. He falls in love and marries Mannina, a beautiful Sicilian woman. The film follows the couple as they raise a family and suffer the political struggles of Peppino while Italy changes both economically and culturally.

"Baarìa" captures the dynamic culture of Sicily. The film conveys the people of the region as one with Italy; yet, also separate and distinct. "Baarìa" is a wonderfully made film by Tornatore. The director’s eye for historical detail is brought to life through the impressive cinematography of Enrico Lucidi and the superb production design of Maurizio Sabatini. The film features an all-star cast with Francesco Scianna playing Peppino and the stunning Margaret Madè playing Mannina. The film’s score is by Ennio Morricone. Many scenes were shot on location in Bagheria and other places in Sicily. One landmark featured in the film is the Villa Patagonia and its famous monster sculpture.

"Baarìa" is an excellent Italian film! Buy it today!

Buy the DVD "The Battle for the Mediterranean" today!

Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling included.

• The Battle for the Mediterranean

The BBC documentary series "Battlefield" takes a fascinating look at the World War II sea, air and ground battles throughout the Mediterranean.

Italy was at the forefront in a series of engagements between Axis and Allied forces in the beginning of the war. Both Benito Mussolini of Italy and Winston Churchill of England saw the Mediterranean as the key area for the war's success...and failure.

"The Battle for the Mediterranean" analyzes the strategies and weaponry at play as the Italian navy fought the British navy in the Battle of Cape Spartivento, near Sardinia; the Battle of Taranto in the Adriatic and the Battle of Malta. Also appraised are ground battles between Italy and Britain in Egypt and Ethiopia and Greece. 

Much of what later occurred in the war was modeled by what happened between Italian and British forces. For instance, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was modeled on the suprise air attack by Britain against Italy in the Battle of Taranto. This and other insightful details make up this extraordinary documentary.

"The Battle for the Mediterranean" is a little more than 90 minutes in length comprised of extensive archival footage, profiles of key military figures and interactive graphics that highlight strategy in the war.

Buy "The Battle for the Mediterranean" today.

 

• Primo Levi's Journey

A  moving and picturesque documentary, originally made for RAI Cinema, that recounts Primo Levi's release from Auschwitz and his journey back by train to his home in Turin, Italy.

Primo Levi is celebrated today for his poems, essays and books, especially one he wrote in 1947 about his time in Auschwitz, titled “If This is a Man.”

In January, 1945, Russian troops liberated Auschwitz, freeing Levi and other Jews who had been imprisoned inside the camp. The Russians, however, did not transport Levi back to his home in Italy by going west. Instead, they took him east, by train, to the Ukraine, Belarus; looping south and west through Moldavia, Romania, Hungary, Germany, Austria and then finally to Italy, first to Verona then to Turin. It was an 8 month trek by train and recorded by Levi for his book, titled "The Reawakening."

Thus, is the premise of this Italian documentary. Levi's journey through Eastern Europe is recounted in present-day footage, juxtaposed by the author's recorded observations, brought to life by actor Chris Cooper. What we see is a changed Europe still stung by the clash of political ideologies and folkways that never seem to die.

"Primo Levi's Journey" is an intelligent and picturesque documentary that reaffirms the prohetic yet sorrowful prose of one of Italy's greatest modern writers.

Buy "Primo Levi's Journey" today!

 

• Time Scanners Colosseum

Built in 70 AD, the Roman Colosseum, at 157 feet, remains one of Rome’s tallest buildings. Puzzlement and curiosity greet today’s historians and scientists in understanding the Colosseum’s advanced engineering at a time of antiquity. How was the Colosseum built? What did the Colosseum look like when first completed? How did the Colosseum function in the gladiator battles of bread and circuses? How does the Colosseum compare with today’s sports stadiums and arenas?

“Time Scanners: Colosseum” is a documentary that attempts to answer these and other questions with the help of contemporary expertise and technology.

Filmed for PBS television in 2016, “Time Scanners: Colosseum” takes viewers on a tour of the Roman Colosseum. World renowned structural engineer Steve Burrows and a team of scientists lead us through the structure’s interior and exterior. The latest computer and laser-scanning technology fill in missing parts of the Colosseum. They show what the structure may have looked like when first built almost 20 centuries ago.

The Roman Colosseum might be the model for today’s sports stadiums and arenas, but just how well does the artifact stack up against contemporary structures? Avatar simulations and other computerized displays compare the Colosseum with Beijing Bird’s Nest stadium, as designed by Burrows. Tests and analysis show that the Colosseum is not only equal, but in many ways, better than today’s offerings.

“Time Scanners: Colosseum” is an informative and entertaining documentary that reaffirms the greatness of ancient Rome.

Buy “Time Scanners: Colosseum” today. Just $19.95! And, as always, free shipping!

• Ginevra's Story

Ginevra d’Amerigo Benci was just 16 years old when Leonardo da Vinci painted her portrait in 1474.

The painting hangs today in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and remains the only painting by Leonardo in North and South America.
“Ginevra’s Story” is a dvd documentary issued by the National Gallery of Art that gives a complete account of this extraordinary painting. Who was Ginevra? Why did Leonardo paint her portrait? And…how did the master create such a flawless painting?

Seen up close at the National Gallery of Art, the portrait of Ginevra confounds onlookers for its lack of…lines. The painting consists of gradations of color; a meticulous blending of shades and tints to forever capture the young Florentine woman.

“Ginevra’s Story” comes in both English, as narrated by Meryl Streep, and Italian as narrated by Isabella Rossellini. Commentary by artists and historians provide insight and expertise on how the painting was done by Leonardo and the life of the woman portrayed.

“Time Scanners: Colosseum” is an informative and entertaining documentary that reaffirms the greatness of ancient Rome.

Buy “Time Scanners: Colosseum” today. Just $19.95! And, as always, free shipping!

Buy "Italians In America: Our Contribution" today!
Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling.

• Italians In America: Our Contribution
  
  

  How Italian Americans contributed to America throughout the country's history from the time of settlement to today is captured in "Italians in America: Our Contribution."

  The documentary is well-researched and tastefully presented.

  One cannot help but feel a real sense of pride in so many Italian Americans achieving their heights in a number of endeavors here in the United States, including politics and statecraft, science and engineering, music and cinema, sports and pop culure.

  Along the way we hear commentary from some famous Italian Americans, alive at the time the documentary was made, such as Tommy Lasorda, Robert Loggia, Joe Paterno, and Geraldine Ferraro.

  The importance of Italian traditions, family, and faith are interspersed in recounting the achievements of famous Italian Americans.

  “Italians in America: Our Contribution” is an excellent documentary that provides a thorough review of the presence of Italian Americans. Buy the DVD today!

Buy "Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends" today!
Yours for only $22.95! Free shipping and handling.

• Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends
  
  Still singing, still performing, still painting…Tony Bennett is a living legend of American talent.
  
  “Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends” is a tow-disc, two hour film narrated by none other than Clint Eastwood. We journey to Tony’s past, growing up poor in Queens, New York, son of an immigrant from Calabria. Tony was drafted in the army in World War II and experienced combat in the final stages of the conflict in the infamous Battle of the Bulge. After he was discharged, Tony studied and mastered the bel canto style of singing; which he claims today to have saved his voice after many years of performances.
  
  “Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends” is an outstanding documentary that navigates archival footage with recent recordings by Tony and other famous singers for his “Duets” CD, his best selling to date. The biographical history travels from his days as a headliner in Las Vegas to his time in Hollywood and a comeback he made with son Danny as his manager.
  
  The film is a worthy celebration of one of America’s greatest entertainers.
  
  “Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends” is a marvelous documentary! Buy this DVD today!

Buy "The Conformist," one of Italy's greatest films. Yours for only $19.95! Free shipping and handling included. 

• The Conformist:

  The 1970 film "The Conformist" written and directed by renowned director Bernardo Bertolucci is an elegant portrait of the death throes of Italian Fascism and a triumph of pure style. It was adapted from the 1951 novel, “Il Conformista” written by Alberto Moravia.

  The story revolves around the life of a secret police functionary Marcello Clerci, who is sent on a mission to assassinate his former teacher, Professor Quadri, a leftist activist in exile in Paris. Clerci uses his honeymoon with his new wife as a cover for the job, but he soon becomes entranced by Quadri's sensuous, haunted wife Anna. The Fascist tenets he once accepted without question begin to waver his mind.

  “The Conformist” is without question Bertolucci's best film. With a fantastic score by Georges Delerue and incandescent performances by a star-studded cast, "The Conformist" will truly be a treat to watch. Buy this DVD today from PRIMO!