Really Surprised!

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Valentino Garavani, a giant in the Italian fashion scene, looms larger than life in this wonderful documentary by Matt Tyrnauer, a writer for Vanity Fair magazine. Valentino, as he was known professionally, rose above the rest of his competition because of his sheer determination to succeed, his sense of beauty and most of all because of his association with Giancarlo Giametti, his business and sentimental partner. As with other fashion designers, Valentino shows qualities of being a demanding critic of his own work. He is seldom happy with the work he is preparing for the fashion shows where the clothes will be presented to the public and buyers. At the same time, another side of the man, gives us a sense of how egotistical and proud he can be. It is something that probably goes with the territory in which this man excelled throughout his creative years.Valentino lived the high style associated to his work and the people he catered to. A villa in Rome, a castle in France, yachting in a magnificent vessel, skiing in Gstaad, Switzerland. Decadence is seen with the high fashion man catering to his five pug dogs, spoiling them rotten, and even taking them on private planes. Valentino lived a sort of fairy tale life surrounded by the same society people that saw in his clothes a reflection of themselves.Unfortunately, there was a reality. Fashion is a big business, run by people that have no concept of what creative people are trying to do. The association with a business man, Matteo Marzotto, something that begins on a friendly level, turns sour toward the end of Valentino's career. The firm which was his pride and joy suffers greatly as the genius that created the label steps down.In spite of being seventy five at the time of his leaving his house of haute couture, Valentino shows a lust for life unequaled by his peers. The final party in Rome was one of those amazing displays of good taste, and recognition of Valentino's work. A weepy man accepts his being given France's top honor, the Legion of Honor, where he publicly tells of his gratitude to Mr. Giammetti, something one never heard throughout the documentary. The director, Matt Tyrnauer captures the essence of the man who rule a world most of us do not even get a chance to see except in films like this, or in glossy magazines.

This portrait of Valentino shows a vain aging giant and his devoted business partner, who provides the center of the film, as Valentino does not seem to be very interested in participating in this feature-length glamour-shot. The clothes are lovely--Valentino is an extremely talented designer, wedded to a solid, if traditional, notion of female glamour.The main problem with this film is I didn't learn anything from it--the portrait of Valentino in the New Yorker a couple of years back was far more revealing and informative. While this film has its entertaining moments, anyone who has seen documentaries about, or witnessed first-hand the fashion world has seen it all before. The film should have gone into more detail about Valentino the man, rather than just giving us a superficial portrait. Assolutamente not essential viewing.

A wonderful portrait, displays several sides of Valentino from Emperor to flawed human like the rest of us. The artist, the opulent lifestyle, the dedicated partnership with his lover, the changing of the fashion business and its ramifications on this aging lion and the reality he created.Music for the movie was perfectly selected, very well executed, edited and beautiful cinematography. This film was inspiring, funny, and touching. If your lucky enough to have Valentino in your city, hurry to the theater as it is a must see. What comes after Valentino? As he says, "The flood".

The film is not so good, I 've to say. It' s a documentary but not really a well done documentary, considering the good one made for Armani by Scorzese or by Lagarfield for Chanel...or Sophia Coppola for Dolce e Gabbana....It's 'bad done' I would say. The title is MORE than PRETENTIOUS. Poor Bertolucci...Bad thing people who does not know humility... The director, Matt Tyrnauer, is not a director and you can well see it. But it seems he has not ideas as well. It' s a mess of situations with non sense. The plot, if we could call it in this way, is the persona of Valentino and his partner Giameto in private life, but it seems they are not spontaneous, that they want to appear in front of the camera not for their beautiful work but just to appear in front of the camera. It' s a little bit embarrassing to see a designer acting in this way instead of going on with his job. It seems he can' t live without being a celebrity even if his reality movie could make him looking a little bit ridiculous. To me awful movie.