Callas Forever (2002)

The Age of Commercialism

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Fantastic!

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Zeffirelli, director of many great operas and personal friend of Callas, develops in an artistic and sensitive way the last months of her life when she suffers from her temperament, from the abandonment and subsequent marriage of Onassis, from her loss of voice and from her addiction to tranquilizers. Larry (Jeremy Irons) manages to convince her to film Bizet's opera, which never represented on stage, taking advantage of technological advances that combine her performance at age 53 with the audio recordings in their moments of glory at age 30. A great operatic performance with high quality, wonderful music and excellent acting of all participants. Fanny Ardant (Maria Callas), manages to represent the tough but sensible character of the great diva of the twentieth century. Worth watching and enjoy.

This one is to buy and keep on DVD. Exceeding all expectations, Callas Forever moved me to a place far beyond tears. I watched it alone because my husband has little interest in music, less in musicians or singers, an exceedingly practical, professional man who knows how to persuade and organize people while making lots of money and friends. Then I watched a second time at his insistence. He, too, was transfixed.Callas Forever is a labor of love. Many labors of love. The famed director, Franco Zeffirelli counted Maria Callas as a close friend for decades. In this film he recounts "fantasy and memories" of their great fellowship. It's fascinating to watch this platonic relation work cinematic magic.Fanny Ardant playing Maria Callas is sublime. Jeremy Irons is empathetically strong. And Joan Plowright is as funny and formidable as ever.See this film if you're not afraid to feel deeply.

Franco - pure genius to bring this film to the world - his vision of her life, or at least, the latter part of it, is nothing short of brilliant. Fanny - Superb as Maria! The emulation, and respect she shows to Maira in her portrayal of her is spot on! From the hair, the makeup, the way she moves her body to sing like Maira (or at least pretend to sing like) is quite perfect. Opera is a hard thing to do to one's body, you not just project the voice, you use your body to project the voice and the emotion behind it...and when they show Fanny (as Maria) in the studio, you get this eerie sense that she is a woman possessed with the spirit of Maria! Bravo to you Fanny! Jeremy Irons - ever the consummate actor - the perfect gentleman and a joy to see as the fiery friend and confidant of Maria. The relationship on screen between Jeremy and Fanny is well-done. They make beautiful friends on screen and must have been a riot off-screen.Joan Plowright - Franco continues to use her in his films, and with little wonder - she's one of the best of the best mature women working in film today. She was the logical choice to play Aaunt Clara in the Bewitched movie, but no one saw the beauty of that role for her. But Franco gives us another view of this wonderful actress. She is a breath of fresh air each time she speaks. She is the grandmother that we all wish we had in our lives. Even her voice-over work makes you smile when you think of her name. Not many actresses today can say that about their work.Overall - a perfect movie that gives you a glimpse of what could have been had Maria agreed to it. The music, simply stunning. The soundtrack to the movie barely touches on the voice of an angel come down from heaven. The movie is passed well, directed with such love for the characters, and a pure joy from start to finish. It's a shame that American directors can't do this quality of a film in the states. One of the reasons why I love "foreign cinema" - I'm never disappointed when it comes to Franco's works....such a Maestro to his craft - Bravo

An excellent exhilarating masterpiece - well conceived, excellently executed and wonderfully acted. A fantasy about the last years of Maria Callas in Paris - who feels she is just a shadow of her glory days - what if she had made movies, using her voice from the golden days? A challenging concept which Zeffirelli brings to vibrant life. He weaves a great tale of Callas making a movie on Carmen, encouraged by her friends. He clearly knows what he is doing, what he wants from the actors as well as the technicians - the details are great, the overall picture is also beautiful.What strike the viewer most are the performances - in a movie such as this - they can make or break it. The camera knows this and focuses closely on the two main characters - Callas herself (portrayed by Fanny Ardant) and Larry Kelly, her friend and 'agent' (Jeremy Irons). Ardant is mesmerizing as the talented, willful singer - her face manages to express a multitude of emotions - she lives the enigma that was Callas. Irons balances the scales with a powerful performance as the equally stubborn but loving Kelly, who ends up losing everything - money, love, career - in helping Callas.Joan Plowright is strong and dependable as always as Sarah - a journalist friend. Jay Rodan as Michael - an artist and Larry's boyfriend and Gabriel Garko as Carmen's love in the movie and an actor who ends up 'loving' Callas also turn in good performances.All in all - a must see gem sadly neglected by audiences and critics.