I Knew Her Well (1965)

[Scottie]

I Knew Her Well (1965)

This prismatic portrait of the days and nights of a party girl in sixties Rome is a revelation. On the surface, I Knew Her Well, directed by Antonio Pietrangeli, plays like an inversion of La dolce vita with a woman at its center, following the gorgeous, seemingly liberated Adriana (Divorce Italian Style’s Stefania Sandrelli) as she dallies with a wide variety of men, attends parties, goes to modeling gigs, and circulates among the rich and famous. Despite its often light tone, though, the film is a stealth portrait of a suffocating culture that regularly dehumanizes people, especially women. A seriocomic character study that never strays from its complicated central figure while keeping us at an emotional remove, I Knew Her Well is one of the most overlooked films of the sixties, by turns hilarious, tragic, and altogether jaw-dropping.

New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
New interview with actor Stefania Sandrelli
New interview with film scholar Luca Barattoni about the career of director Antonio Pietrangeli
Trailer
New English subtitle translation
PLUS: An essay by journalist and author Alexander Stille

[filmmusic]

If anyone finds any trailer of this film, please post here.
I only find scenes from the film.

[Scottie]

Criterion's description of this film as a female version of La Dolce Vita has sold me on it.

[javi92]

Never seen this, and don't really know anything about it, but from the description I think this is the title I am most excited about for this month's slate.

[pro-bassoonist]

Magnificent film, Javi. You will enjoy it

I am a big admirer of Stefania Sandrelli and think that her best performance is in this film.

There was a very nice Italian DVD from the same series as Rocco and His Brothers but it wasn't English-friendly, so this really is a big release for English-speakers.

Also, not only I expect the film to look magnificent, but it should sound terrific as well. It has a great soundtrack.

Hopefully, we will see Zurlini's Violent Summer and Girl with a Suitcase transition to Blu-ray in the U.S. soon -- great soundtracks there as well.

Adriano Celentano - Impazzivo per te - YouTube

***
Antonio Pietrangeli's Adua and Her Friends is also out via Raro. It deals with a similar subject, though I Knew Her Well is definitely a much more serious film. It should have gone to Criterion because they would have done a 4K transfer. Fantastic cast.





La Visita/The Visitor

Also a very strong film, with sexy Sandra Milo. If you like Pietrangeli's style, definitely consider getting the Italian DVD. It is English-friendly, anamorphic (unlike the U.S. release), and even has a booklet in English.



And The Queens (collection of shorts), which is out on MOD DVD, via Sony. Again a terrific cast.



Pro-B

[silverlakephil]

I never heard of Antonio Pietrangeli before Criterion's announcement of I Knew her Well. Youtube has a English friendly upload of The Visitor if anybody is curious. Sandra Milo is the lead actress..wow... You'll know what I mean.

[Banned User]

Never seen this before, but the plot sounds similar to Darling (1965) which came out the same year.

[AlexIlDottore]

I only know Il Magnifico Cornuto from Pietrangeli and that's pretty damn good. Coupled with Stefania Sandrelli...count me in

[AlexIlDottore]

Pre-order http://www.amazon.com/I-Knew-Her-Wel...+knew+her+well

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by silverlakephil

Sandra Milo is the lead actress..wow... You'll know what I mean.

She looks very elegant here. Not quite as elegant as in Fellini's 8 1/2, but still very attractive. During the initial encounter she does look a bit like Carla. (See the photo on the booklet below). Very funny film





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[pro-bassoonist]

I Knew Her Well Blu-ray REVIEW



There are so many things that I want to say about this magnificent film

First, I must say finally, because a film from Antonio Pietrangeli is finally in the Criterion Collection. It was such a shame that he -- and until recently the late Ettore Scola -- was ignored. Hopefully, very soon we will also see a film from Mauro Bolognini in the collection.

The film is an absolute masterpiece -- phenomenal atmosphere; great, great performance from Stefania Sandrelli, arguably her best; tremendous supporting cast, a giant list of European stars, really; a master cinematographer working with Pietrangeli; and a soundtrack from one of the biggest Italian composers from the era, plus a long list of hits.

The restoration: It is a stunner. I don't know how many people have seen the old Italian DVD, which was also from a remaster/restoration, but this release is on an entirely different level. And what a treat to finally hear the music pitched properly.

Please add this film to your collections. I guarantee you will see it many, many times in the years to come.

Io la conoscevo bene - Toi (Gilbert Becaud) - YouTube

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[AaronJ]

This looks and sounds so good. I have a feeling that I'll be watching this multiple times in the first few days during which I possess it.

[monorail91]

This will be a blind buy but definitely sounds like the kind of movie I'd like. Thanks for the review!

[pro-bassoonist]

ORIGINAL TRAILER

I Knew Her Well

I KNEW HER WELL - Trailer - YouTube

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[pro-bassoonist]

Hello guys,

Here are the packaging photos for I Knew Her Well. Additional photos can be seen in the review, linked above. (Click on the covers).

We are also plan to have three new reviews for Criterion releases this week.

Have a great week everyone







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[javi92]

Really looking forward to this title. Release day can't come quickly enough for me.

[pro-bassoonist]

The Criterion Collection has released a clip from an exclusive video interview with actress Stefania Sandrelli which is included on the new Blu-ray release of the 4K restoration of Antonio Pietrangeli's film I Knew Her Well.

Stefania Sandrelli on I KNEW HER WELL - YouTube

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[pro-bassoonist]

And if you enjoyed it, a reminder that Darling is already out via StudioCanal





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[joie]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

She looks very elegant here. Not quite as elegant as in Fellini's 8 1/2, but still very attractive. During the initial encounter she does look a bit like Carla. (See the photo on the booklet below). Very funny film

[Show spoiler]

Pro-B

There is an interesting scene in "8 1/2." The director, his wife and her sister are at an outdoor cafe. Carla arrives in a carriage. The director's wife sneers at Carla, then, later, after her sister disappears, the director's wife goes over to Carla's table and tells her how elegant she looks. Carla then says she's trashy looking and that her outfit is only something she found in a fashion magazine. They then dance away from Carla's table.