Omnibus/compilations films are rarely, if ever, consistent and Aria is not an exception. It is a fun and interesting film to watch though, and while there are a few misfires it is to me better than the IMDb rating and some reviews suggest. It is understandable why there'll be people who won't like it, especially for those looking for faithful plots to the operas featured or those who don't like classical music but those who love great music, great visuals, great singing and some interesting ideas will find a lot to enjoy.
As expected, Aria is very uneven but actually of the ten segments only three didn't work at all from personal opinion. Those three were Roeg's Un Ballo in Maschera, Godard's Armide and (surprisingly) Altman's Lea Boreades. Un Ballo in Maschera has Verdi's wonderful music and the singing of Robert Merrill, Carlo Bergonzi, Leontyne Price, Reri Grist and Shirley Verrett going for it. Otherwise, it had ideas that weren't nowhere near explored enough; it was convoluted(Verdi's opera may have an implausible story but it was much easier to follow); it is one of the least accomplished looking segments in the film; Theresa Russell with a moustache and as a male fascist ruler was something that was quite distasteful and weird and it was directed in a way that I had no idea what Roeg was trying to do and because of the chaotic feel of the whole segment Roeg probably had no clear idea what he was doing either. Les Boreades is an example of something with an okay if strange idea that has nothing interesting done with it. Altman is a great director but he directs with little imagination or interest here(it feels very music video-like), not much happens and when something does you don't have much of a clue. And it's pretty much the same with Armide, the second-silliest of the segments after Rigoletto(though that was actually funny) but also manages to be duller and more incoherent than Les Boreades and it's very repetitive. Plus it's at odds at with the music and the story of the opera, the opera I consider a tragedie en musique but here Godard does it the opposite, except apart from the odd funny moment it's like a comedy with nowhere near enough laughs.
However, there are some very strong high-points. Personal favourites are Roddam's Liebestod and Russell's Nessun Dorma sequences. Liebestod is an absolute wonder visually and matches Wagner's magnificent music brilliantly, of all the segments it's the segment that matches the music the most effectively. The tragic love story is beautiful and moving and Bridget Fonda makes for a highly credible debut. Leontyne Price's rich, powerful voice gives a very haunting quality as well. Nessun Dorma is wonderfully surreal and of the segments is the most imaginative visually. It is a wonderful-looking segment that while having Russell's very marmite style all over it it doesn't feel too over-excessive like some of Russell's films have been prone to. The aria is the most well-known of the ones featured and Jussi Bjorling's rendition with that thrilling top B is one of the best along with Corelli's and Pavarotti's. Sturridge's La Virgine Degli Angeli also looks stunning with a hypnotic dream-like quality, it's not as imaginative as Nessun Dorma but is a very, very close second to Liebestod as the most striking segment. It's also very touchingly done and Price also sings the aria and it's heavenly, one of the best of the aria there is. Wonderful also is Jarman's Depuis Le Jour, the most emotional and reflective of the bunch story-wise. Like Les Boreades there is a music-video feel in places but it's actually in an interesting way.
Regarding the other three segments they are neither masterpieces or disasters and on the whole work well. Temple's Rigoletto is highly entertaining, wonderfully filmed and cleverly shot. But it is a very acquired taste, if you dislike vulgar you will dislike this. The farcial comedy shows actor with good comic timing, and the segment is worth it for Beverly D'Angelo who is hot with a capital H. As well as Verdi's music and the singing of Robert Merrill, Anna Moffo and Alfredo Kraus. Bryden's Pagliacci is not convincing lip-synching-wise but has a very moving performance from John Hurt and the segment is both intimate and subtly dramatic. There couldn't have been a more perfect choice of aria, and who better to sing it than one of the most beautiful tenor voices ever Enrico Caruso? Beresford's Die Tote Stadt is beautifully shot, especially the shots of the flying doves, the scenery is magical, Korngold's music is predictably fabulous as is the singing and Elizabeth Hurley is entrancing. It's also charming and touching. It is very slight though and Carol Neblett's voice does not fit Hurley at all, angelic it is but it's too mature.
To conclude, very interesting and fun, it mostly looks great and is faultless musically, but is very much variable. It was difficult as to rate it either a 6 or 7 but because although the three misfires really bring Aria down to a considerable degree the music, singing, most of the visuals and four high-points segments were so good that I'll award Aria a 7/10. Bethany Cox
As expected, Aria is very uneven but actually of the ten segments only three didn't work at all from personal opinion. Those three were Roeg's Un Ballo in Maschera, Godard's Armide and (surprisingly) Altman's Lea Boreades. Un Ballo in Maschera has Verdi's wonderful music and the singing of Robert Merrill, Carlo Bergonzi, Leontyne Price, Reri Grist and Shirley Verrett going for it. Otherwise, it had ideas that weren't nowhere near explored enough; it was convoluted(Verdi's opera may have an implausible story but it was much easier to follow); it is one of the least accomplished looking segments in the film; Theresa Russell with a moustache and as a male fascist ruler was something that was quite distasteful and weird and it was directed in a way that I had no idea what Roeg was trying to do and because of the chaotic feel of the whole segment Roeg probably had no clear idea what he was doing either. Les Boreades is an example of something with an okay if strange idea that has nothing interesting done with it. Altman is a great director but he directs with little imagination or interest here(it feels very music video-like), not much happens and when something does you don't have much of a clue. And it's pretty much the same with Armide, the second-silliest of the segments after Rigoletto(though that was actually funny) but also manages to be duller and more incoherent than Les Boreades and it's very repetitive. Plus it's at odds at with the music and the story of the opera, the opera I consider a tragedie en musique but here Godard does it the opposite, except apart from the odd funny moment it's like a comedy with nowhere near enough laughs.
However, there are some very strong high-points. Personal favourites are Roddam's Liebestod and Russell's Nessun Dorma sequences. Liebestod is an absolute wonder visually and matches Wagner's magnificent music brilliantly, of all the segments it's the segment that matches the music the most effectively. The tragic love story is beautiful and moving and Bridget Fonda makes for a highly credible debut. Leontyne Price's rich, powerful voice gives a very haunting quality as well. Nessun Dorma is wonderfully surreal and of the segments is the most imaginative visually. It is a wonderful-looking segment that while having Russell's very marmite style all over it it doesn't feel too over-excessive like some of Russell's films have been prone to. The aria is the most well-known of the ones featured and Jussi Bjorling's rendition with that thrilling top B is one of the best along with Corelli's and Pavarotti's. Sturridge's La Virgine Degli Angeli also looks stunning with a hypnotic dream-like quality, it's not as imaginative as Nessun Dorma but is a very, very close second to Liebestod as the most striking segment. It's also very touchingly done and Price also sings the aria and it's heavenly, one of the best of the aria there is. Wonderful also is Jarman's Depuis Le Jour, the most emotional and reflective of the bunch story-wise. Like Les Boreades there is a music-video feel in places but it's actually in an interesting way.
Regarding the other three segments they are neither masterpieces or disasters and on the whole work well. Temple's Rigoletto is highly entertaining, wonderfully filmed and cleverly shot. But it is a very acquired taste, if you dislike vulgar you will dislike this. The farcial comedy shows actor with good comic timing, and the segment is worth it for Beverly D'Angelo who is hot with a capital H. As well as Verdi's music and the singing of Robert Merrill, Anna Moffo and Alfredo Kraus. Bryden's Pagliacci is not convincing lip-synching-wise but has a very moving performance from John Hurt and the segment is both intimate and subtly dramatic. There couldn't have been a more perfect choice of aria, and who better to sing it than one of the most beautiful tenor voices ever Enrico Caruso? Beresford's Die Tote Stadt is beautifully shot, especially the shots of the flying doves, the scenery is magical, Korngold's music is predictably fabulous as is the singing and Elizabeth Hurley is entrancing. It's also charming and touching. It is very slight though and Carol Neblett's voice does not fit Hurley at all, angelic it is but it's too mature.
To conclude, very interesting and fun, it mostly looks great and is faultless musically, but is very much variable. It was difficult as to rate it either a 6 or 7 but because although the three misfires really bring Aria down to a considerable degree the music, singing, most of the visuals and four high-points segments were so good that I'll award Aria a 7/10. Bethany Cox