An enormous, sincere thank you to our phenomenal Patreon supporters! Your unshakable dedication is the bedrock that keeps DVDBeaver going - we’d be lost without you. Did you know? Our patrons include a director, writer, editor, and producer with honors like Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director, a Pulitzer Prize-winning screenwriter, and a Golden Globe-winning filmmaker, to name a few!

Sadly, DVDBeaver has reached a breaking point where our existence hangs in the balance. We’re now reaching out to YOU with a plea for help.

Please consider pitching in just a few dollars a month - think of it as the price of a coffee or some spare change - to keep us bringing you in-depth reviews, current calendar updates, and detailed comparisons.
I’m am indebted to your generosity!

 


 

Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka 'La terra trema: Episodio del mare' aka 'The Earth Trembles')

 

Directed by Luchino Visconti
Italy 1948

 

In the fishing village of Aci Trezza, Sicily, the Valastro family dream of a better life. Living modestly thanks to merciless wholesalers, eldest son Ntoni takes matters into his own hands and - with the help of a bank loan - starts fishing alone. The venture is initially a success but an unexpected shipwreck means the family must soon fend for themselves. Originally commissioned as propaganda by the Communist Party, master filmmaker Luchino Visconti (The Leopard, Death in Venice) used the real villagers of Aci Trezza as his stars to craft a docu-fictional melodrama about the difficulties of rural life post-World War II. La terra trema was nominated for the Golden Lion at the 1948 Venice Film Festival and is considered one of the finest examples of Italian neorealist cinema.

***

Luchino Visconti’s La Terra Trema (1948) is a neorealist masterpiece that chronicles the struggles of a Sicilian fishing family in the impoverished village of Aci Trezza, focusing on their doomed attempt to break free from economic exploitation. The film follows ‘Ntoni Valastro, a young fisherman who, frustrated by the oppressive control of wealthy wholesalers, mortgages his family’s home to buy a boat and work independently. Despite initial hope, harsh weather, market manipulation, and social pressures lead to financial ruin, forcing the family into deeper poverty and despair. Shot on location with non-professional actors, the film’s stark black-and-white cinematography by G.R. Aldo and Visconti’s meticulous direction capture the grueling realities of post-war Sicilian life, blending documentary-like authenticity with poetic tragedy. A powerful critique of class oppression and capitalist greed, La Terra Trema remains a haunting, visually stunning testament to human resilience and systemic injustice, running approximately 160 minutes.

Posters

 

Theatrical Release: August 18th, 1948 - Venice Film Festival

Reviews                                  More Reviews                        DVD Reviews

  Review: Radiance - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Bonus Captures:

Distribution Radiance - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime 2:40:24.239        
Video

1.33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 44,699,235,962 bytes

Feature: 39,660,100,992 bytes

Video Bitrate: 29.98 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio Italian 1358 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1358 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)

Subtitles English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
Radiance

 

1.33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 44,699,235,962 bytes

Feature: 39,660,100,992 bytes

Video Bitrate: 29.98 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• New interview with critic Christina Newland (10:17)
• Interview with Italian politician and journalist Pietro Ingrao (9:22)
• Interview with assistant director Francesco Rosi (13:58)
• Interview with Turi Vasile (3:06)
• Gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
Limited edition booklet featuring new and archival writing


Blu-ray Release Date: June 23rd, 2025

Transparent Blu-ray Case

Chapters 14

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Radiance Blu-ray (June 2025): Radiance have transferred Luchino Visconti's La Terra Trema to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "2K restoration of the film by Cineteca Nazionale". We reviewed the Entertainment One DVD in 2012 HERE., where I stated (13 years ago) "This film is an absolute masterpiece and it REALLY deserves better - a Blu-ray would be appreciated. It looks like the source elements are decent but this SD transfer is... unfortunate." So we have a Blu-ray. Thank you Radiance. It's easily apparent to see the superiority of the 1080P transfer. G.R. Aldo’s (Senso, Terminal Station, Umberto D., Miracle in Milan) cinematography merges neorealist authenticity with Visconti’s operatic sensibility. Shot entirely on location in Aci Trezza, Sicily, the visuals capture the raw, unadorned beauty of the coastal village while conveying the oppressive weight of its inhabitants’ struggles. Visconti’s use of long takes and extended sequences immerses viewers in the community’s world, while the episodic pacing allows for a detailed exploration of both individual and collective experiences. The Blu-ray transfer preserves the film’s gritty neorealist texture, with rich contrasts that highlight the stark beauty of Aci Trezza’s rugged landscapes and weathered faces, from the blinding whites of the sea to the shadowy grays of cramped interiors. Fine details - such as the salt-crusted nets and the villagers’ worn clothing - are rendered with exceptional sharpness, while the natural film grain enhances the authenticity of Visconti’s vision. This restoration breathes new life into the film, making its poetic realism more immersive than ever. There is minor warping at the end of some scenes - but I didn't find it intrusive.

NOTE: We have added 52 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Radiance use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original Italian language. The audio transfer of La Terra Trema offers a clean and dynamic presentation that honors the film’s naturalistic sound design. The crashing waves, creaking boats, and village chatter are crisp and evocative, immersing viewers in the sensory world of Aci Trezza, while the Sicilian dialect spoken by the non-professional actors carries an authentic, raw emotional weight. Willy Ferrero’s (his only composition credit although he worked on other films, like Bicycle Thieves, in the 'music department') sparse, folk-inspired score is delicately balanced, its mournful tones enhancing the tragedy without overpowering the environmental sounds. Though the Italian voice-over narration can feel slightly intrusive, the lossless audio restoration ensures every sound - from the rhythmic labor to quiet moments of despair - resonates with clarity and impact. Radiance offer optional, newly translated, English subtitles on their Region 'B'-locked Blu-ray.

The Radiance Blu-ray offers supplements that deepen appreciation for La Terra Trema. A new interview with critic Christina Newland (She Found it at the Movies: Women Writers on Sex, Desire and Cinema,) running about a quarter of an hour, provides a compelling overview of the film’s genesis, production, and its ties to the Communist Party and neorealism movement, recorded exclusively for Radiance in March 2025. An archival interview from 2003 with Italian politician Pietro Ingrao (who participated in the Italian resistance movement,) lasting around a dozen minutes, offers a personal reflection on his long friendship and collaboration with Visconti. Another archival piece from the same year features director and screenwriter Francesco Rosi (Illustrious Corpses, Salvatore Giuliano, Christ Stopped at Eboli, Hands Over the City,) also around a dozen minutes, recalling his first job in cinema as Visconti’s assistant director on the film. A brief interview with filmmaker and journalist Turi Vasile (Fellini's Roma,) spanning a few minutes, shares memories of attending the premiere alongside the cast. Additionally, a gallery of archival images and a reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow add visual flair, while a limited edition booklet with new and archival writing provides further scholarly context, making this a robust package for cinephiles.

Luchino Visconti's La Terra Trema is a cornerstone of Italian neorealism, a sweeping yet intimate epic that portrays the struggles of a Sicilian fishing family against systemic economic oppression. Rooted in the principles of neorealism - location shooting, non-professional actors, and a focus on the working class - the film transcends documentary realism to achieve a poetic, almost operatic tragedy. The exploration of class, community, and resilience offers a universal yet specific critique of systemic injustice. This Radiance Blu-ray release is a must-own for fans of Italian cinema, celebrating La Terra Trema as a timeless, gut-wrenching portrait of class struggle and resilience, its visual and sonic effectiveness matched by a thoughtful array of supplementary materials that honor its legacy. It's the definitive digital release of Luchino Visconti’s neorealist masterpiece. It includes insightful interviews with Christina Newland, Pietro Ingrao, Francesco Rosi, and Turi Vasile, alongside a gallery, reversible sleeve, and a scholarly booklet, provide a rich exploration of the film’s historical and cinematic significance. Our highest recommendation.

Gary Tooze

 


Menus / Extras

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

1) Entertainment One - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Radiance - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Entertainment One - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Radiance - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Entertainment One - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Radiance - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Entertainment One - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Radiance - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Entertainment One - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Radiance - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Entertainment One - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Radiance - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Entertainment One - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Radiance - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Entertainment One - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Radiance - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 
The DVD has combing indicating that it was from an interlaced transfer
 

 


 

More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE

 

 

 
Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Bonus Captures:

Distribution Radiance - Region 'B' - Blu-ray


 


 

Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

Hit Counter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DONATIONS Keep DVDBeaver alive:

 CLICK PayPal logo to donate!

Gary Tooze

Thank You!