DVD Reviews

Nine – DVD Review

By Jeff Swindoll May 6, 2010, 15:07 GMT

A vibrant and provocative musical filled with love, lust, passion and glamour. A world famous film director reaches a creative and personal crisis of epic proportion, while balancing numerous women in his life. With its incredible all-star cast, amazing performances, and stunning visuals, this razzle-dazzle extravaganza will make you long to BE ITALIAN. ...more

Loosely based on Fellini’s 8 1/2, this season’s Christmas musical offering is the tale of a director with writer’s block. He tries to get away from it all, but finds that his troubles only follow him.

It’s 1965 and Maestro Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) is known as one of the best directors in Italy. However, his last two films have been flops and he’s having a midlife crisis. His recently announced film, Italia, has a big name but he’s not written a word down on paper and can’t bring himself to find inspiration. So he decides to run away.

He hightails it to a seaside town and tries to remain anonymous. He calls his wife Luisa (Marion Cotillard) to tell her where he is, but he also calls his mistress Carla (Penelope Cruz) to have her join him.

However, his plans of isolation are scuttled when the whole production shows up in his hotel room. The production includes his confidant costume designer Lilli (Judi Dench); his star Claudia (Nicole Kidman); an American fashion journalist named Stephanie (Kate Hudson); the ghost of his mother (Sophia Loren) and the memory of Saraghina (Fergie) - a prostitute from his youth. All of these encounters are buttressed with musical interludes that take place in Guido’s mind, but will he get that script written in time or will he flop once again.

I have a horrible confession to make. I’ve never seen Fellini’s 8 ½ (or 8.5 if you want). It’s in my collection since I’m a cinema poser and like movies about movies, but I’ve never sat down and watched the flick. There wasn’t time to dig it out before viewing Nine, which is inspired by Fellini not a sequel, so I don’t have burden of comparing the two.

That might be a good thing, as most who adored the Fellini didn’t seem to cotton to the musical. It probably doesn’t help that all the character names and plot is taken from Fellini.

The film, though nominated for four Academy Awards, seems to be two films stapled together. One side is the drama of Contini’s troubles (again from what I gather taken from Fellini) but his thoughts are played out on a theatrical stage and put to big musical numbers. I was just about getting interested in the drama when we’d have to have a musical number. They did highlight the drama, but felt a tad interrupting.

Each of the ladies in the cast gets their chance to perform. Penelope Cruz as the naughty musical mistress perhaps has the most memorable number. Another memorable performer is the legendary Sophia Loren, who is still stunning and cuts a fine figure as Contini’s late mother.

Day-Lewis is also grand as the imaginary Italian director. I found myself investing more in the dramatic side of things than the musical one, but the production numbers do have some gusto. In the end I did enjoy both sides of things.

Nine is presented in anamorphic widescreen (2.40:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Special features include a commentary from director Rob Marshall and producer John DeLuca. The 5 minute “The Incomparable Daniel Day-Lewis” that heaps praise upon the star. The 10 minute “The Women of Nine” looks at the gaggle of famous ladies that make up the cast.

The 6 minute “Director Rob Marshall” praises the director. The 8 minute “Behind the Look of Nine” details the set design. The 4 minute “Dancers of Nine” takes a peek at those that auditioned for the parts. The 4 minute “Choreography of Be Italian” looks at that musical number.

The 3 minute “Making of Cinema Italiano” looks at that number and there’s also an 8 minute look at the choreography of it. There are also 11 minutes of music videos from the film and previews of other Sony products.

If you’re a Fellini fan then you might be annoyed at the concept of Nine, but those that like a good musical (and perhaps Italian cinema or movies in general) will find Nine fetching. It has a grand ensemble cast and every character has a moment in both drama and music.