A 45 year old movie, it may be hard to put it’s acclaim into perspective, if you don’t give credence to its age.
In 1970 when this film came out, its visuals alone and sumptuous use of the camera… was unequaled, ground breaking even. This slightly surrealist and absurdist tale of mores in a time where lunacy was sanity, and sanity lunacy, directed by the great Bernardo Bertolucci, still has its dna in so much that has come to be European cinema and transcendent cinema.
Let’s put it this way, every film Danish director Lars Von Trier has tried in the 21st century (the bulk of his 17 film output), to my mind has been his inferior take on the themes of the CONFORMIST. Lars Von Trier movies of the 21st century being very much Bertolucci movies done by someone with none of Bertolucci’s talent or vision. The only exception to this being Lars Von Trier’s first movie, and in my opinion only really great movie 1984’s ELEMENT OF CRIME; which like THE CONFORMIST is a flawed but must see film.
I don’t think THE CONFORMIST itself necessarily holds up, I don’t think it was ever a masterpiece, there’s is something to cold in it, to fully engage, too rambling, and unfocused, but there is much in the film, in its construction that was and remains… masterful.
Definitely a film deserving of watching and I think owning in the highest quality possibly, to fully enjoy its visuals and camera-work. Grade: For fans of surrealism and beautiful cinematography, it is a must own. All others may be content with catching it on Netflix.
Heroic Times 