Days of Nietzsche in Turin (2001) User Reviews

Only for fans of Nietzsche

[luiza do brasil · 7/10 · 22 April 2002]

This is an unusual, rather radical film about a very radical philosopher. To follow the film, and to appreciate it, one must be very familiar with Nietzsche, late 19th century West European History, and its culture. (selected Wagner music is played throughout the film.)

The film has no real plot. It is a composite of well-known Nietzsche writings voiced over in Brazilian Portuguese to situations in Turin (Italy) and to location shots of Turin, where Nietzsche spent a period of about nine months late in his life. It was a time when Nietzsche was at the height of his delirium, so many of his writings confirming this mental state are especially included.

The director of this film spent a lot of time both in Brazil and in Turin preparing the film. He was helped by his wife - the distinguished professor of philosophy Rosa Dias, who obviously influenced the film greatly.

Between 1995 and 2000, the director shot images of Turin for the film. Unfortunately, these are generally of bad quality (even if for effect - they don't work), and are contemporary, showing Turin today. All the movement towards the sky to avoid cars and skyscrapers being seen are not effective either.

The film is for Nietzsche scholars only. Anyone else, even insomniacs, will surely sleep right through it. The director deserves credit for having taken the chance on such an unusual film, and such an "un Brazilian" theme for a Brazilian movie.

But, the film is ultimately (predestined by its theme) a big bore of a tribute, perhaps even to those interested in Nietzsche and his texts.

An epistolary movie

[dangom8 · 7/10 · 9 February 2015]

Days of Nietzche in Turin (Dias de Nietzche em Turim) is a considerable attractive movie if you are into Nietzche's work, his life or gorgeous texts combined with strong takes of beautiful sights - and terrific music as well. Because, really, that's about all of it: it is an absolutely actionless movie without a single dialog, just for imagine. Basically, there is no plot, besides of the portrait of Nietzche's life at that period, with his own impressions and Turin's landscapes. Oh, of course, it depicts also Nietzsche's enormous mustache, making you, while getting lost amid the reading of his letters - despite being a very good monologue-like experience -, wonder how he used to ate with that dark bush beneath his nose.

In short, a cult fans and Nietzsche's admirers only. Even so, you might doze off.

A very bland, jejune and uncinematic effort with little to offer beyond narration of Nietzsche's texts.

[ruedesursulines · 3/10 · 16 January 2006]

Overall, this is a very disappointing film that attempts to be an evocative portrayal of Nietzsche's days in Turin, just before his impending collapse. While there are some pleasant architectural backdrops here and there, the pace of the film is so excruciatingly slow and the camera work so contrived and pointless that it feels like the work of a novice. Largely, the film depicts an actor walking around aimlessly, not saying or doing much of anything, for great lengths of time, with occasional narrated quotations.

The best the film has to offer is the content of Nietzsche's writings, although the film is quite ambiguous in its use of Nietzsche's works and the viewer never has a clear sense of whether some of the lines being said were actual quotations from Nietzsche or merely the invention of the filmmaker.

In particular, the scene where Nietzsche embraces the horse had zero dramatic effect and didn't even depict what really happened. According to historical accounts, the horse was being beaten and the film didn't show this at all, it just showed a horse standing there quietly while the actor playing Nietzsche lets out a sort of frightened yelp and falls to the ground in one of the worst pieces of acting I've seen in a long time.

I rated this film a 3 only because it could serve as a useful introduction to Nietzsche's life and ideas, albeit a dismally bland and mediocre one. Otherwise, I would have given it a 2. Nietzsche was a deeply profound and influential philosopher who deserves much better treatment than this.

Slow and Sleepy

[Jose Guilherme · 4/10 · 26 July 2002]

Read Luizas comments. Insomniacs will be cured. Some parts of course are more interesting than others of course. Many of the scenes are shot in old Rio buildings in a way to make it look like europe/italy. I like nietshce... but hard film to digest.