Current release: THE CONFORMIST

Not a new film, but qualifies as a current release since a brand new print is doing the rounds at the moment courtesy of the British Film Institute. Well, either a new print or a new digital projection, depending on where you view it.

Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, IL CONFORMISTA is obviously a rather personal film. Unfortunately it's also a bit of a muddle. Granted, I'm clearly in a minority judging by the praise bestowed upon it by critics, but it just seems to me like it can never make up its mind what it's supposed to be about.

Fascism? Love? Sexual repression? The story bounces about all over the place and ends up being a bunch of admittedly impressive set pieces linked together by a fairly dull story.

The film's star Jean Louis Trintignant is always watchable though, the score by Georges Delerue is terrific and this new presentation does full justice to the visuals. It leaves me cold though.