Death in Venice (film)

Death in Venice original Italian title Morte a Venezia is a 1971 ItalianFrench drama film directed by Luchino Visconti and starring Dirk Bogarde and Bjrn Andrsen. It is based on the novella Death in Venice, first published in 1912 as Der Tod in Venedig by the German author Thomas Mann.

While the character Aschenbach in the novella is an author, Visconti changed his profession from writer to composer. This allows the musical score, in particular the Adagietto from the Fifth Symphony by Gustav Mahler, which opens and closes the film, and sections from Mahlers Third Symphony, to represent Aschenbachs writing. Apart from this change, the film is relatively faithful to the book, but with added scenes where Aschenbach and a musician friend debate the degraded aesthetics of his music.While Aschenbach attempts to find peace and quiet, the rest of the city is gripped by a cholera epidemic, and the city authorities do not inform the holidaymakers of the problem for fear that they will leave. As Aschenbach and the other guests make daytrips into the city centre, they begin to realize that something is seriously wrong. Aschenbach decides to leave, but in a moment of impulse decides to stay. However, he himself is dying. Rejuvenated by the presence of Tadziothough they never actually conversehe visits the barber who, in his words, returns to you merely what has been lost, dyeing his grey hair black and whitening his face and reddening his lips to try to make him look younger. As he leaves the barbers shop the barber exclaims And now Sir is ready to fall in love as soon as he pleases. Aschenbach continues to gaze at Tadzio from afar, the latter more aware that he is being gazed at. In the climactic scene, Aschenbach sees Tadzio being beaten up on the beach by an older boy. When released, Tadzio walks away from him alone towards the horizon. He suddenly turns back to look at Aschenbach, then turns away to face the sun, and stretches his arm out towards it. Aschenbach too, stretches his hand as if to reach Tadzio, and at that very momentheightened by the crescendo in Mahlers Adagiettohe dies from the cholera infection. A few people notice him collapsed on his chair and alert the hotel staff. They carry Aschenbachs body away. ........

Source: Wikipedia