L'Italo-Americano

24 www.italoamericano.com L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013 Movies set in Italy – A different way to enjoy the Stivale SIlVIA PE Italy is known as a hot spot for celebrities and actors, but it has also starred itself as the backdrop to countless films set along its towns, villages and gorgeous coastline. From Venice to Rome to Amalfi, the jewels of Italy have been a popular setting for movies from great classics to Hollywood blockbusters. Here is a top selection of films set on the peninsula capturing its alluring beauty, history and romance. Besides offering some quality entertainment, a movie set in Italy can make you dream of places you wish to visit. Il  Postino  -  The  Postman  – Sicily It is a story of friendship and love, a plot whose leitmotivs are poetry and politics. The postman is Mario Ruoppolo (Massimo Troisi) who daily delivers Pablo Neruda's letters (Philippe Noiret), exiled to a small islet in the Aeolian Islands for political reasons. Their friendship will help Mario express his love for Beatrice (Maria Grazia Cucinotta) through poetry. Thanks to the main character and his bike-rides, you can get a taste of Sicily. The film is set and was shot on the islands of Procida and Salina in the northern coast of Sicily. It is still possible to visit the "Postman Beach", the restaurant of Beatrice and the house where the movie was filmed, located in Marina Corricella. Here are some other movies set in Sicily: The Talented Mr. Ripley and Baarìa A good woman – Amalfi Coast Starring Helen Hunt, Scarlett Johansson and Tom Wilkinson, this movie is set in the 1930s on the Amalfi Coast. With scenes filmed in Amalfi, Atrani, Ravello and other spots on the Amalfi Coast, it is an enchanting reproduction of Oscar Wilde's satirical commentary on strength of love and the virtues of marriage. A Good Woman, a 2004 remake of Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan, should definitely not be missed by lovers of the Amalfi Coast. Here are some other movies set in Campania: Beat the devil, Only you Under  The  Tuscan  Sun  – Siena and Positano The 2003 hit Under The Tuscan Sun is a must see for all Italophiles, especially for Tuscany lovers, who will get an extra thrill from the scenes filmed in Cortona. It is a lighthearted and romantic movie about how true love can be possible at all ages and in any circumstance. The main character is an American writer (Diane Lane)who impulsively buys a Tuscan villa in order to transform her life and is little by little pulled into the endearing social and geographic landscape of Tuscany. The panoramic scenes set in Positano are worth a mention too. Here are some other movies set in Tuscany: Stealing beauty, Room with a view. Jack  Frusciante  Has  Left  the Band – Bologna It is a love story with Rock 'n' Roll. It is based on the best-seller by Enrico Brizzi, one of Italy's most popular young writers, whose title refers to the guitarist of the American alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, who left the group after some years. It takes place in Bologna and Alex is the main character, a teenager musician who plays Shipwrecked on a desert island, they become the protagonist of an unconventional love story against the backdrop of the Sardinian "blue sea of Scarlett Johansson and Stephen Campbell-Moore in A Good Woman. Photo credit: Sergio Strizzi punk rock music. Alex falls desperately in love with Aidi and the viewer is plunged into their tumultuous relationship, accompanying Alex and his bike along the winding roads of the stunning Bologna hills. Swept Away  - Sardinia For this movie, you can even choose between two different versions: the original one of 1974 and the new one starring Madonna. This comedy shows the beautiful colors of some Sardinian beaches as Cala Fuili, Cala Luna, Capo Comino. In the first movie, Mariangela Melato plays an arrogant wealthy capitalist while Giancarlo Giannini is a communist sailor. August". Here are some other movies set in Sardinia: Giarrettiera Cult Spaghetti Western. 007  Quantum  of  Solace  – Lake Garda and Siena Gargnano, Tremosine, Limone sul Garda, Torbole, and Malcesine are the towns on Lake Garda chosen for the 22nd James Bond movie. James Bond (Daniel Craig) has to capture his new enemy, the Quantum organization. From this romantic getaway James Bond (Daniel Craig) moves to Siena and you can easily recognize the old town, Piazza del Campo and The Rialto Street. The scenes during The Palio are instead not real at all. The Sony Pictures filmed the Palio Di Siena the year before and the reckless actions around Piazza del Campo were then shot in the studies. To Rome with Love – Rome To Rome with Love is a comedy, by Woodie Allen, one of cinema's greatest storytellers, set against a picture-postcard backdrop of Rome. This movie's backdrops are so breathtaking that Rome has been considered the real protagonist instead of a dozen supporting characters appearing in this multi-narrative movie. You can see Rome through the eye of love and the scenes are often shot in the evening light. To Rome with love doesn't show a new face of the Eternal city, but the one that everyone knows: Piazza di Spagna, Piazza Navona, Piazza del Popolo, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Campidoglio just to name a few. Here are some more movies set in Rome: Roman Holiday, The Bicycle Thief, Ocean's Twelve, Eat Pray Love. Please note: Without even realizing it, these movies could be just what you need to inspire your next adventure in Italy. You can read guidebooks, look at pictures, but nothing sets the mood for an Italian visit better than watching an evocative film featuring sympathetic characters and stunning Italian landscapes. Buona visione! Silvia Pe is an Italian travel enthusiast and compulsive reader. She works in the tourism field, runs the blogs CharmingItaly.com and CharmingTuscany.com

• Cover