The Dreamers

For anyone wanting a crash course in the foundations of Bertolucci's major film influences, or the importance of the French New Wave to cinematic history, the two short documentaries that this DVD offers are a great place to start.

Outside The Window gives an interesting glimpse into the backdrop that is Paris in the late Sixties and all of the social and political turmoil that seemed to be exploding around the characters in the film. Although it is not very long, it certainly gives enough historical tidbits to pique the interest, if not encourage further research into this surprisingly "not talked about" part of France's history.

Similarly, the cinematic insights offered in the Making Of documentary offer not only the chance to watch one of film's greatest artists in his element, but also further explanations as to why this is a story so close to the director's heart. One gets the impression that Bertolucci's own experiences and love of film are exemplified even more so with these two documentaries, as they finally give voice to a period in time that was so obviously influential for him and for the art of cinema.

The music video could be done without. Michael Pitt's singing is kind of painful and the video itself is little more than an amateurish attempt at trying to contemporise a Sixties anthem with a singing actor and textbook montage editing. For the die hard cinephile, watching the DVD with the commentary on will prove rewarding: Bertolucci is a guy who knows what he's talking about, and you won't hear any empty stereotypical Hollywood talk here.