A still undervalued descendant of the Italian neorealist movement, The Bandits of Orgosolo (Banditi a Orgosolo) is the most important film by Palermo-born filmmaker Vittorio De Seta, not to be confused with Vittorio De Sica (though he often is!). Using real Sardinian shepherds as his cast members in the best postwar Italian cinematic tradition, the film expertly weaves arthouse aesthetics, slice-of-life docudrama, and low-key crime film together into a compelling work that's ripe for rediscovery.

In the rocky terrains of the less hospitable areas of Sardinia, brothers Michele and Peppeddu (using their real names) carry on the family tradition of shepherding and cheese selling. One day their lives are torn apart by the arrival of three bandits who camp out with them for an evening only to kill a police officer who comes across them. Deeply suspicious of the law, Michele believes he will be blamed for the crime and goes on the lam, pulling Peppeddu and their sheep into an ill-advised plan to get their livelihood to safer ground. In the process Michele realizes how radically his life has changed overnight and the lengths he may have to go to in order to survive.

Made the same year as milestones like Pasolini's Accatone, Elio Petri's The Assassin, and Pietro Germi's Divorce Italian Style, De Seta's film sits at an intriguing crossroads where its naturalistic performances and mundane details contrast with the incredibly beautiful cinematography, including naturally lit landscape shots that demand this be seen on the largest display possible. The story has a powerful lived-in quality with the sense that these characters have long histories before we meet them and long after, which is a testament to how such a simple concept can play out so perfectly in the right hands.

Essentially out of circulation outside of Italy apart from a DVD release (which wasn't English friendly), Bandits of Orgosolo made its Blu-ray bow in 2024 from Radiance Films featuring a new 4K restoration from the original camera negative by The Film Foundation and Cineteca di Bologna at L’Immagine Ritrovata, in association with Titanus with funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation. The presentation here is immaculate and makes for a perfect way to make this film's acquaintance, with the textures of rocks, wool, grass, and clothing looking exceptionally clear. The LPCM 2.0 Italian mono track is also perfectly restored and features optional English subtitles. Extras kick off with a new interview with cinematographer Luciano Tovoli (27m48s) of Suspiria fame, who worked as a camera operator on the film, about his path to becoming a director of photography, the impact of neorealism and the French New Wave, and memories of '60s Italian production. A new interview with curator and filmmaker Ehsan Khoshbakht (11m16s) discusses the asset reality proved to be in Italian cinema and an inspiration to filmmakers in works like this that provided endless visual potential, as well as the necessity of dubbing the finished product with actors including Gian Maria Volonté and the obvious structural similarity to The Bicycle Thief. A restored Italian trailer is also included with English subtitles. The U.K. release also adds a second disc, The Lost World, featuring ten restored De Seta short films: Islands of Fire (1954, 11m), The Age of the Swordfish (1954, 11m), Golden Parable (1955, 10m), Sea Countrymen (1955, 11m), Solfatara (1955, 11m), Easter in Sicily (1955, 10m), Orgosolo’s Shepherds (1958, 11m), Fishing Boats (1959, 11m), A Day in Barbagia (1958, 11m), and The Forgotten (1959, 21m), all with a docudrama approach that makes them perfect accompaniment to the main feature.An insert booklet features an appreciative essay by Roberto Curti laying out the film's influences and importance in the Italian film canon during this major, transitional decade.

Reviewed on July 18, 2024