Aria (1987)

Ten short pieces directed by ten different directors, including Ken Russell, Jean-Luc Godard, Robert Altman, Bruce Beresford, and Nicolas Roeg. Each short uses an aria as soundtrack/sound (... See full summary »

Directors:

Robert Altman, Bruce Beresford

Writers:

Robert Altman (segment), Bruce Beresford (segment)

Stars:

John Hurt, Theresa Russell, Stephanie Lane

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Theresa Russell	...	King Zog (segment "Un ballo in maschera")
Stephanie Lane	...	Baroness (segment "Un ballo in maschera")
Roy Hyatt	...	Chauffeur (segment "Un ballo in maschera")
Sevilla Delofski	...	Maid (segment "Un ballo in maschera")
Ruth Halliday	...	Companion (segment "Un ballo in maschera")
Arthur Cox	...	Major (segment "Un ballo in maschera")
Dennis Holmes	...	Colonel (segment "Un ballo in maschera")
Paul Brightwell	...	Assassin (segment "Un ballo in maschera")
Frank Baker	...	Assassin (segment "Un ballo in maschera")
Christopher Hunter	...	Assassin (segment "Un ballo in maschera") (as Chris Hunter)
Nicola Swain	...	Marie (segment "La virgine degli angeli")
Jackson Kyle	...	Travis (segment "La virgine degli angeli")
Marianne McLoughlin	...	Kate (segment "La virgine degli angeli")
Marion Peterson	...	Les Jeunes Filles (segment "Armide")
Valérie Allain	...	Les Jeunes Filles (segment "Armide")

Storyline

Ten short pieces directed by ten different directors, including Ken Russell, Jean-Luc Godard, Robert Altman, Bruce Beresford, and Nicolas Roeg. Each short uses an aria as soundtrack/sound (Vivaldi, Bach, Wagner), and is an interpretation of the particular aria.

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Plot Keywords:

rigoletto | muscleman | singing in the nude | assassination attempt | female nudity | 

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Taglines:

Ten great directors. One unforgettable film. The most sensual experience you'll ever have in a movie theater.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

Italian French German English

Release Date:

30 October 1987 (UK)

Also Known As:

Ária

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$1,028,679

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lightyear Entertainment,Virgin Vision,A Don Boyd Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Federico Fellini was attached to this project in the beginning. He worked with Producer Don Boyd in Rome, and only dropped out because he was ill. He was making his much delayed Intervista (1987). Like everybody else who saw this movie, he loved various sections of it, particularly those of Franc Roddam and Julian Temple.

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Quotes

Les Jeunes Filles: [Armide segment] He looks like he's made for love. He hasn't found my eyes charming enough. He hasn't found my eyes charming enough.
Les Jeunes Filles: O how I'd love to hate him.

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Connections

Referenced in Serial Mom (1994)

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Soundtracks

Vesti la giubba
from "Pagliacci"
Music by Ruggero Leoncavallo
Sung by Enrico Caruso
Baritone voice by Fernand Dumont
segment "I Pagliacci"

User Reviews

Uneven, but worth seeing

10 respected directors each shot a short film with operatic arias as the inspiration (and music). I'll do each one separately:

Nicolas Roeg (dir)--Giuseppe Verdi (music). A story about an assassination attempt in 1931 Vienna. Theresa Russell (Roegs wife) plays a man! Not bad--very beautiful and exotic. Russell is great.

Charles Sturridge--Verdi. No story but there is some haunting black and white imagery that fits perfectly with the music.

Jean-Luc Godard--Jean Baptiste Lully. Horrendous. Pointless, boring, no plot, no nothing. Filled with gratuitous female nudity. The worst!

Julien Temple--Verdi. Buck Henry, Beverly D'Angelo and Anita Morris star in this funny, if obvious, story about a cheating couple. Pretty good.

Bruce Beresford--Erich Korngold. Short, lush and romantic. Very good.

Robert Altman--Jean-Philippe Rameau. Dull. A yawner.

Fran Roddam--Richard Wagner. This has Bridget Fonda in her film debut. Beautifully done love story with a fairly explicit sex scene.

Ken Russell--Giacomo Puccini. Really strange but OK.

Derek Jarman--Gustave Chapentier. Lyrical look at youth and old age. Very sweet.

The last is by Bill Bryden doing "I Pagliacci". He has John Hurt (!) dressed as a clown lip-syncing to Caruso (!!!).

When this came out it almost got an X rating (for the abundant nudity and the sex scene). It was given an R with a strict warning attached saying the R rating would be heavily enforced. After the film bombed that warning disappeared.

The idea isn't bad and 6 out of the 10 segments were worthwhile. Worth seeing even if you don't like opera. Just avoid the Godard segment. I'm giving it an 8.