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Venice Critics Eyeing 'Zatoichi'
2003-09-07
VENICE, Italy - The 60th Venice International Film Festival nears its close Saturday with the main competition wide open and only a couple of movies generating any sort of consensus among critics and the public.Chief among the competition entries is "Zatoichi," veteran Japanese director Takeshi Kitano's portrayal of a blind samurai slashing his way through a gang of bandits. The film has proved one of the most popular movies to unspool, largely because of a dazzling tap-dance number that comes out of nowhere at the end of the movie. It has so far scored the highest approval rating with a panel of local critics and selected public that is published in the festival's daily paper. Miramax co-chairman Harvey Weinstein attended the gala screening and is known to have liked the film, but sales company Celluloid Dreams plans to screen "Zatoichi" in Toronto before accepting any offers for U.S. rights. Another buzz title is the Russian film "The Return," directed by Andrej Zvjagintsev, with number of U.S. distributors understood to be circling. As Saturday's awards ceremony approaches, there is much expectation surrounding Focus Features' "21 Grams," from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, which has its gala screening here Friday night. The film stars Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn and Naomi Watts, who are all expected on the Lido. The week got off to a sluggish start, with several pictures from major directors failing to live up to expectations. Few had such a rough ride as "Imagining Argentina," starring Antonio Banderas and Emma Thompson. The film was roundly booed at its first press screening, but received a warm ovation at its subsequent gala screening. By midweek, star wattage was at full power, with George Clooney, Nicolas Cage, Naomi Watts, Kate Hudson and Sam Rockwell all dropping in for a beach party to mark Bernardo Bertolucci's out-of-competition title "The Dreamers." Organizational problems have at times marred the otherwise relaxed Venice experience. Festival attendees have been frustrated by ticketing and badge problems, screening delays and a poorly spaced schedule that has sometimes made watching movies and eating mutually exclusive propositions. Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
'Godfather' Star Marlon Brando Dies at 80 (2004-07-02)Chinese actor Ying Ruocheng dies at 74 (2003-12-28)Venice Critics Eyeing 'Zatoichi' (2003-09-07)New Bertolucci erotic film to be edited for U.S. (2003-09-01)REVIEW/FILM: 'Last Emperor' reigns again (1998-11-24)
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