The Dreamers (Original Uncut NC-17 Version)

This production is a masterpiece. Elegant, provocative, enticing and erotic. Somehow things such as history, revolution, love, eroticism, all mix together very well in this unique film.

What a disappointment. By this point in his film career, unfortunately, Bertolucci had lost the plot, could barely direct and certainly had problems casting this film. Some of the worst performances I've seen in a film by a 'major' director. Only Eva Green shows potential, which this film most likely killed because, as her agent feared, she became another Maria Schneider.

The story is good, and in more capable hands, could have made an excellent film.

Grim and pointless. Left me wanting to strangle all three actors. Do they still sell the foam TV brick? Well, if I had a real brick it would be worth the price of a new television. I'm so grateful no one dragged me to this when it played in the theaters, or else I would have demanded my money back.

In case anyone wonders why the stunning Eva Green speaks perfect, unaccented French, it's because she's French. The scene where she appears as Venus de Milo, dressed accordingly (ahem), and what follows after that, are worth the price of admission. Come to think of it, you're probably better off fast forwarding through all the scenes in which she does not appear because all you'll get is radical-chic chit chat from Eva's twin brother, a spoiled brat with a head full of nonsense about revolution and Mao and the little red book and all that guff, and the rather wimpy American kid from California who tries to set him straight but without much luck (surprise!) Well, it's the 60s dontcha know, rebellion was in the air, or something like that, let's hit the streets carrying the communist flag and slug it out with the police. That'll fix what's wrong, you bet. Tell it to Tianamen Square.

Of course, you're supposed to identify with the American kid in Paris (I did) who runs into the adorable Eva and her bro, shacks up with both, has a great time, falls in love with Eva (who wouldn't?), can't keep his hands off her or stay out of her or off her or whatever (who could?) and is very much down in the dumps at the end when Eva dumps him because her bond with bro is just too strong. I would have written a different ending, with Eva achieving liberation -- it is the 60s after all -- but that's just me.

There are lots of movie quotes (an idea from Godard), though Bertolucci does his best to deflate the facile left-wing politics we get from Godard, and pretty much succeeds. Paris looks wonderful, the mad dash through the Louvre was a lot of fun to watch (would never be allowed to be filmed today), and being in Paris in your 20s with not care in the world except how to make Eva happy, even for a brief time, sure is a version of paradise ... or something.

The "Dreamers" by Bernardo Bertolucci is a beautiful story about three young people who are on a sensual voyage of discovery. Their common interest in cinema brings them together in an era prior to and during the labor unrest of May 1968 in Paris. Michael Pitt (Matthew), Eva Green (Isabelle), and Louis Garrel (Theo) are the principle characters of this engaging tale that takes us through the streets of Paris and into the home of Matthew and Isabelle. Bertolucci's sensual story takes us through the warm spaces of friendship, and love.

The video transfer is excellent for DVD. The colors are very rich and vivid, and the clarity sharp.