Product Description

Starring Roberto Benigni (Life is Beautiful, Down By Law), this is the rare Marco Ferreri "family film," where a fun-loving and highly unorthodox school teacher brings some magic into the lives of the young children when he takes a job at an unusually strict preschool. A visually stirring and emotionally riveting treat.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #108153 in DVD
• Released on: 1999-05-18
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: Italian
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 112 minutes

Amazon.com
Young Roberto Benigni plays a nonconformist kindergarten teacher who brings his brand of creative chaos to the classroom in Marco Ferreri's comic drama. This is a much calmer Benigni than the hyperactive rubber-face we're used to, but though he manages to play the entire film reigned in at second gear, he takes just as many wild turns. In one scene he tries to convince his young charges that he's pregnant. In another he drops them off at the gate of the factory where their parents work and skedaddles out of sight to watch the fun. The title refers to a young runaway Roberto "adopts," but it could just as easily apply to Roberto himself, who seems to seek refuge from the real world in his little child-like paradise--in one scene he guiltlessly extricates himself from any responsibility when he gets his girlfriend pregnant. At times it comes off like an episodic sketch comedy as directed by John Cassavetes: comic scenes drag out into uneasy character dramas and uncomfortable confrontations, only to jump into the next lighthearted segment. Benigni cuts a cheerfully sincere (if indulgently irresponsible) figure in this pre-hysterical period of his career and pulls together this offbeat character drama with good humor and plenty of heart. Fans of the bouncing-off-the-walls Begnini may be better served with the slapstick Johnny Stecchino or his two collaborations with American director Jim Jarmusch: Down by Law and Night on Earth. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews

Decent
For all of you die-hard Benigni fans out there, this is a must have. However, don't expect to see the same sort of acting style that has made Roberto famous. This is an offbeat film where Roberto plays a cooky kindergarden teacher. Benigni's character experiments with his teaching by amusing the children in crazy ways, like bringing in a donkey as their class mascot. Nonetheless, Benigni plays it straight whithout the witty humor we have grown to love Benigni for. It is a lovely tale with various side plots. I wouldn't reccomend this film to somebody who is just getting to know Benigni, because it will turn him off. But if you are already a fan, this may interest you. Just be aware that the visual and audio quality of this low-budget 1979 film is poor.

Benigni, e la sua bomba
This movie was horrible. If you are expecting to see the same Roberto that we all love in Life is Beautiful, The Monster, and Johnny Stechino this movie is not for you. Seeking Asylum was very slow moving with very little humor what so ever. In fact, this movie is so bad that it will turn you off on Benigni. So if you are a Benigni fan skip this one for your own good.

Difficult to watch
Being a Benigni fan, I purchased this video on faith. The film and sound quality are poor and the plot difficult/impossible to follow. With three of us watching, we had to stop the tape to discuss what was going on; not because we were enthralled, but because we were lost.