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The Mystery of Oberwald (Il Mistero di Oberwald) (1980)

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Average Rating: 5.8/10
Reviews Counted: 7
Fresh: 4 | Rotten: 3

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Critic Reviews: 1
Fresh: 0 | Rotten: 1

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Movie Info

One of director Michelangelo Antonioni's more obscure works from the 1980s, this psychological period piece reunites the filmmaker with one of his favorite performers, Monica Vitti. Shot on video and based upon the play The Eagle Has Two Heads (Jean Cocteau made his own film version of the work in 1947), the film casts Vitti as a queen who squares off against an anarchist poet who has come to her castle to kill her. Due to his remarkable resemblance to the long-dead king of the land, the queen

Unrated, 2 hr. 9 min.

Drama, Romance, Art House & International

Directed By: Michelangelo Antonioni

Written By: Michelangelo Antonioni, Jean Cocteau, Tonino Guerra

In Theaters: Sep 3, 1981 Limited

On DVD: Nov 14, 2000

Polytel International Film

Cast

Monica Vitti
The Queen
Franco Branciaroli
Sebastian
Paolo Bonacelli
Count of Foehn
Luigi Diberti
Willenstein
Elisabetta Pozzi

Critic Reviews for The Mystery of Oberwald (Il Mistero di Oberwald)

All Critics (7) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (4) | Rotten (3)

The choice of the Cocteau play seems more arbitrary than inevitable, which raises the form-versus-content issue even more than in most Antonioni features.

July 31, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

This opulent made-for-Italian-TV production is a must-see for both for fans of Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni and of legendary surrealist Jean Cocteau.

August 29, 2006 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

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TV Guide's Movie Guide

The visual play is interesting, but it doesn't make the director's case that video is as viable as film for artful storytelling.

June 4, 2001 Full Review Source: AV Club

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Noel Murray

AV Club

The Mystery of Oberwald marked a brave experiment from the great director.

May 21, 2001 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid

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