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Death In Venice Reviews

1971

60
from 2867 members

Luchino Visconti's striking adaptation of Thomas Mann's DEATH IN VENICE follows the sickly composer, Gustav von Aschenbach (Dirk Bogarde). As the film begins, Aschenbach is arriving by steam boat in Venice from Munich. He is deeply distracted, nervous, uncomfortable, and conflicted. Nonetheless, he settles into a breathtaking .. Read more

Starring	Dirk Bogarde, Bjorn Andresen, Silvana Mangano, Mark Burns
Director	Luchino Visconti
Genres	Gay/Lesbian

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Critic's review of Death In Venice
View all critics' reviews (2)
- Bogarde's appearance was based on Gustav Mahler, whose behaviour had helped inspire the novella. His part was a gruelling one, almost silent and requiring everything to be expressed by the eyes. Mahler's music adds a depth to this extended fable, enriche
- 33160
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:43
Write your own review »
Most helpful member's review of Death In Venice
View all members' reviews (37)
- - 14
  - 1
  Beautifully done
  
  'In this adaptation of the Thomas Mann novel, avant-garde composer Gustave Aschenbach (loosely based on Gustav Mahler) travels to a Venetian seaside resort ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 8727
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Bruce M
  - Oxford, England
  - 01 Jul 2004 at 12:12
Most recent members' reviews of Death In Venice
View all members' reviews (37)
- - 0
  - 0
  A Rather Slow Death in Venice
  
  Thank goodness for good health services (less plague) and liberal values (less messed repressed lives). The film's age is beginning to show but a heroic ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1097920
- - Limpy
  - 1 review
  - 29 Feb 2012 at 20:59
- - 0
  - 0
  A visual masterpiece
  
  A visual masterpiece, painted with a delicate, sensitive touch, Death in Venice presented a challenge for both Visconti, who had to convey meaning in long ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1086287
- - Double0sable
  - 2 reviews
  - 28 Jan 2012 at 13:46
- - 0
  - 0
  Beautifully done
  
  Very beautiful, a poignant vision of a treasure of a city. Lovely music. You will remember this film for a long time. Very sad portrayal of a troubled mind in ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1069000
- - a customer
  - 30 Nov 2011 at 20:22
- - 0
  - 2
  For fans of Venice and Bogarde only
  
  Dirk Bogarde puts in a stirling performance and the views of Venice alone are worth watching the DVD foe. However, I must agree with other reviewers that there ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1002559
- - a customer
  - 09 Jun 2011 at 12:16
- - 0
  - 0
  Superb
  
  Superb music by the greatestcomposer who has ever lived, pity the sound track was not better. Seen before, but well worth a second viewing.
  
  Report this review
- 921719
- - Keith Jones
  - Burntwood, ENGLAND
  - 08 Sep 2010 at 11:28
- - 0
  - 0
  Mime and Mahler, Mostly
  
  Dirk Bogard is given so much time (and music) to wallow in the delicate and ailing composer von Aschenbach. With so little dialogue his performance is ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 921020
- - Seedyvee
  - 135 reviews
  - Grantham
  - 05 Sep 2010 at 21:09
- - 2
  - 0
  One of the best ever
  
  There isn't much you can say about this that hasn't been said before. One of the most beautiful films ever made. Been years since I last watched this ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 892565
- - Bill B Badger
  - Edinburgh
  - 19 May 2010 at 12:46
- - 1
  - 1
  Death on the couch too
  
  Overlong, tedious, over-rated. An unpopular view of this 'classic' perhaps but that was my honest finding. I'd never seen it before and believed all... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 874549
- - HDX
  - 124 reviews
  - Barry, Wales
  - 20 Mar 2010 at 12:36
- - 0
  - 2
  The Pestilence of Youth
  
  If I had realised beforehand how little dialogue and how little plot there was going to be in this film, I may have been reluctant to add it to my list, which ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 816924
- - Deditos
  - 15 reviews
  - Reading
  - 02 Oct 2009 at 13:45
- - 0
  - 0
  Considerable patience required
  
  There are certainly things to like in this film - the acting, the setting (Venice and the Lido are beautiful) and the music - but it is almost unbearably slow-... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 761187
- - NeilWeightman
  - 30 reviews
  - Peckham
  - 22 May 2009 at 13:28
View all members' reviews (37)

- - 14
  - 1
  Beautifully done
  
  'In this adaptation of the Thomas Mann novel, avant-garde composer Gustave Aschenbach (loosely based on Gustav Mahler) travels to a Venetian seaside resort ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 8727
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Bruce M
  - Oxford, England
  - 01 Jul 2004 at 12:12
- - 5
  - 0
  Profoundly sad but elegantly beautiful
  
  It has all been said by other reviewers. I saw the film originally when not much older than Tadzio, so it was interesting to watch again now I'm nearer in ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 96046
- - a customer
  - Glasgow, Scotland
  - 24 Apr 2005 at 15:13
- - 4
  - 0
  A short story is exactly that....
  
  After reading Thomas Mann's short story of the same name I was intrigued to see how a film could be made that was twice as long as it took to read. Well, ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 24978
- - a customer
  - Somerset
  - 10 Nov 2004 at 14:03
- - 4
  - 0
  An excellent film. The...
  
  An excellent film. The agonisingly slow pace allows the slight, but powerful story to unfold with devestating effect. Apart from the intrusive use of zoom, it ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 36744
- - Roland#4
  - HAYLING ISLAND
  - 24 May 2004 at 13:10
- - 4
  - 0
  What was the fuss about?
  
  You kind of want to hurt the bumbling fool, he is so obnoxious. Well acted though, and great scenes of teh Lido
  
  Report this review
- 147344
- - a customer
  - Bristol, England
  - 04 Sep 2005 at 07:33
- - 5
  - 3
  ok
  
  i fell asleep on this one
  
  my opinion it was to slow
  
  Report this review
- 214632
- - paul moore
  - ipswich
  - 05 Mar 2006 at 16:25
- - 4
  - 0
  Ignore the time out review above
  
  This is a genuinely moving film and has intensely beautiful visuals.
  
  I recommend it, can't think of anything else like it.
  
  Report this review
- 318085
- - freelancemermaid
  - cheshire
  - 07 Jan 2005 at 09:08
- - 3
  - 0
  A good steady film
  
  Some may find this a little boring but i enjoyed the sound track that accompanied the film.
  
  Report this review
- 84317
- - a customer
  - Bristol
  - 22 Mar 2005 at 22:15
- - 3
  - 1
  Beautiful movie
  
  This movie is about beauty. Beauty of the photography, landscapes, colours, beauty in the shape of Tadzio for whom the artist Von Aschenbach falls desperately... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 302881
- - Leilajolie
  - West Midlands
  - 24 Apr 2004 at 21:33
- - 2
  - 0
  The best looking film you will ever see
  
  This film is visually stunning, Venice looks fantastic. Dirk Bogart is great as the dying musician, and the young boy is suitably skinny. You really need to ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 6022
- - a customer
  - London
  - 18 May 2004 at 12:21

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Critics' reviews
- Bogarde's appearance was based on Gustav Mahler, whose behaviour had helped inspire the novella. His part was a gruelling one, almost silent and requiring everything to be expressed by the eyes. Mahler's music adds a depth to this extended fable, enriche
- 33160
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:43
- Dire adaptation of Thomas Mann's novella, which turns the writer of the original into a composer, simply so that... read more on Time Out
- 46435
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:16

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Buy from Amazon.co.uk

- - Buy
- Death In Venice
  
  Luchino Visconti's striking adaptation of Thomas Mann's DEATH IN VENICE follows the sickly composer, Gustav von Aschenbach (Dirk Bogarde). As the film begins, Aschenbach is arriving by steam boat in Venice from Munich. He is deeply distracted, nervous, uncomfortable, and conflicted. Nonetheless, he ...