Amazon.co.uk Review
In 1962 Lawrence of Arabia scooped another seven Oscars for David Lean and crew after his previous epic, The Bridge on the River Kwai, had performed exactly the same feat a few years earlier. Supported in this Great War desert adventure by a superb cast including Alex Guinness, Jack Hawkins and Omar Sharif, Peter O'Toole gives a complex, star-making performance as the enigmatic TE Lawrence. The magnificent action and vast desert panoramas were captured in luminous 70mm by Cinematographer Freddie Young, here beginning a partnership with Lean that continued through Dr Zhivago (1965) and Ryan's Daughter (1970). Yet what made the film truly outstanding was Robert (A Man For All Seasons) Bolt's literate screenplay, marking the beginning of yet another ongoing collaboration with Lean. The final partnership established was between director and French composer Maurice Jarre, who won one of the Oscars and scored all Lean's remaining films, up to and including A Passage to India in 1984. Fully restored in 1989, this complete version of Lean's masterpiece remains one of cinema's all-time classic visions. --Gary S Dalkin
On the DVD: This vast movie is spread leisurely across two discs, with Maurice Jarre's overture standing in as intermission music for the first track of disc two. But the clarity of the anamorphic widescreen picture and Dolby 5.1 soundtrack justify the decision not to cram the whole thing onto one side of a disc. The movie has never looked nor sounded better than here: the desert landscapes are incredibly detailed, with the tiny nomadic figures in the far distance clearly visible on the small screen; the remastered soundtrack, too, is a joy. Thanks are due to Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg who supervised (and financed) the restoration of the picture in 1989; on disc two Spielberg chats about why David Lean is his favourite director, and why Lawrence had such a profound influence on him both as a child and as a filmmaker (he regularly re-watches the movie before starting any new project). Other features include an excellent and exhaustive "making-of" documentary with contributions from surviving cast and crew (an avuncular Omar Sharif is particularly entertaining as he reminisces about meeting the hawk-like Lean for the first time), some contemporary featurettes designed to promote the movie and a DVD-ROM facility. The extra features are good--especially the documentary--but the breathtaking quality of both anamorphic picture and digital sound are what make this DVD package a triumph. --Mark Walker
Customer Reviews:
fantastic timeless entertainment.......2008-01-04
Cant think of many (if any) movies that can make the desert a nice place to be, but the sunrise shots really caught my eye and certainly appealed to me. yes its an old film, of which I am actually glad they kept the intermission in the dvd release for the reason of listening to glorious piece of music that identifies the film instantly. This film certainly deserved the praise its received. timeless entertainment for the family.
A LONG EPIC THAT DESERVES TO BE SEEN BY EVERYBODY.......2007-12-11
David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" is one of the few films that legitimately deserves to be called great... It appears on virtually all "ten best" lists and reveals deeper layers of meaning with repeated viewings...
Lean, a man devoted to the art, gives "Lawrence of Arabia" its spectacular values... He unifies the sand and the sun to flame out the silver screen... Maurice Jarre's terrific music escorts the appearance and disappearance of the sun below the horizon in the sleepy desert...
"Lawrence of Arabia" is a prodigious labor, a masterful mixture of fact and artistry, a masterpiece of intimate moment and spectacular largesse, a film that literally excites the senses... In a visual sense, Lean combines a sure sense of place with an approach to the action that he borrows from an unlikely source--John Ford... Lean turns his vast desert canvas into another Monument Valley, and when his Bedouins ride across it, they are not far removed from Ford's cavalry... In many of the early scenes, the stately gait of the camel's walk gives the film a slower pace, and this is precisely what Lean is trying to achieve... Lean even manages to surpass Ford with his understanding of the relationship between his characters and the landscape; how the desert changes those who go into it...
The film is the story of a solitary adventurer who always knew he was different, but in Arabia he discovers that his proportions are heroic... Perhaps this is the secret of Lawrence of the legends -- that at the bottom of all the violent action is a protagonist about whom one cares... A puzzling personality whom one glimpses but never fully understands... Throuhout the picture one has a sense of a man discovering his own unique dimensions...
Lawrence's mission, largely his own creation, is to unite the feuding Bedouin tribes under the leadership of Prince Feisal (Alec Guinness), and to keep the British politicians, as personified by Mr. Dryden (Claude Rains), from putting the Arabs under their colonial thumb after World War I is over... It is accomplished through a semi-episodic series of battles and raids where Lawrence is sometimes accompanied by Ali (Omar Sharif) and Sheik Auda (Anthony Quinn), and equally difficult bureaucratic struggles he faces with Gen. Allenby (Jack Hawkins).
All the conventional elements of the genre are at peaks of excellence here: The stretch desert with its white golden sands; peril, anywhere and everywhere; danger-for Lawrence of Arabia is a film about guerrilla warfare; prowess-Lawrence crosses Sinai on foot; physical torture-Lawrence in the hands of the Turkish bey; impossible mission- Lawrence takes the seaport of Jordan from behind; ruthlessness-Lawrence shouting 'take no prisoners' leading his men to put to death a Turkish column...
Every component is here, everything one needs for a great adventure film, many spectacular sequences, each of them so perfect: Lean cuts to the sun again and again, turning it into a character; the scene in Feisal's tent when Lawrence first talks with the king; Lawrence striding on top of a captured train, parading before rows of cheering Arabs; the scene between Lawrence and Ferrer illuminating Lawrence's strange perversity, a mixture of masochism and repressed homosexuality; the scene when a Beduin prince appears on his camel, an exceedingly long take in which a strange figure is first resolved out of waves of heat and then, as he approaches, becomes a frightening threat to Lawrence's escort at the desert well...
The photography, the script and the acting are so superb that "Lawrence of Arabia" becomes a lavish epic winner of 7 Academy Awards for Best Picture, Directing, Color, Cinematography, Sound, Muscial Score and Film Editing...
Portrays Lawrence well, but its a really boring film :(.......2007-10-24
Ok, before people start having a go at me i thought it was made well and stuff. But the film is far to dragged out (so dragged out that there is and interval in the middle). The film was also really really boring and uninteresting.
and there's more!!!........................2007-07-15
An all time classic and more of course & a long film yes but just Brilliant!!.
If you enjoyed watching this film and find yourself watching it over and over again then you MUST see Ralph Fiennes in the sequel to this film called "A Dangerous Man - Lawrence After Arabia" on VHS. A rare and hard film to get a hold of but worth every penny.
and there's more!!!........................2007-07-15
An all time classic and more of course & a long film yes but just Brilliant!!.
If you enjoyed watching this film and find yourself watching it over and over again then you MUST see Ralph Fiennes in the sequel to this film called "A Dangerous Man - Lawrence After Arabia" on VHS. A rare and hard film to get a hold of but worth every penny.
Amazon.co.uk Review
A truly perfect movie, the 1942 Casablanca still wows viewers today, and for good reason. Its unique story of a love triangle set against terribly high stakes in the war against a monster is sophisticated instead of outlandish, intriguing instead of garish. Humphrey Bogart plays the allegedly apolitical club owner in unoccupied French territory that is nevertheless crawling with Nazis; Ingrid Bergman is the lover who mysteriously deserted him in Paris; and Paul Heinreid is her heroic, slightly bewildered husband. Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Conrad Veidt are among what may be the best supporting cast in the history of Hollywood films. This is certainly among the most spirited and ennobling movies ever made.--Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews:
still magic after all these years.......2008-02-15
Even now, after all these years, you can still see that this film was an absolute classic.
Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) is the owner of 'Ricks', the best saloon in town. When escaped resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) and wife Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), who is also Rick's ex lover, turn up at the saloon, closely followed by a Nazi Officer (Conrad Veidt), things get very complicated.
The relationship between Bogart and Bergman, is part of the magic of the film. Claude Raines, who is the local French Cheif of Police, is wonderful in the part and is involved in most of the moments of humour and his relationship with Bogart also provides some magic moments.
Peter Lorre, Sidney Greenstreet and Dooley Wilson (who as piano player Sam, sings 'as time goes by'), all contribute to the atmosphere of the film.
A spell binding storyline, with a surprise ending. Even the cast did not know how the plot ended until the final scene was filmed. So, if somehow you have not seen this before, you are in for a real treat. If you have already seen it, enjoy it once more.
Won many acadamy awards and is said to be America's best loved and popular film. You will understand why.
The only rom com I will happily watch.......2008-02-08
This wonderfully ripe romantic comedy should have been the last rom com ever made. Alas it only inspired many more, which were to get progressively worse until we got to the level of dire we are at today. Rom com makers, if you must make your money by exploiting the public's bad taste in movies and desires for emotional pick me ups, please stop following the current formula and go back to this marvellous template for original if corny romantic comedy. Let this classic be a lesson to you.
That special something.......2008-01-17
Love - some might say, should not hurt! A lovers song " As time goes by" of Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) and Rick Blaine (Humphery Bogart)still lingers with bittersweet memories for both. A love torn by war and circumstances. A man with patriotism and vision Victor Laszlo ( Paul Henreid) is married to the lovely Ilsa. The couple arrive in Casablanca to escape from oppression and make their way to America to start a new life, a new future. The happenings in Casablanca add to their strength of character, love, nationalism and their story touch our very hearts? A beautiful movie, a splendid story, a true classic movie with something special.
A TRUE MASTERPIECE.......2007-12-09
Spoilers ahead, but then again, who isn't familiar with Casablanca, even if one hasn't seen it?
I've been watching 'Casablanca' over and over again since I bought the Special Edition DVD, and is there any film out there one can watch again and again without ever being tired of it? And does any film appeal to a broader audience? Just everything about it seems to be as close to perfection as it only can be.
But what exactly is so special about it? Is it its great genre mix, never equaled by another film? When we think of 'Casablanca' first, we remember it as a romantic film (well, most of us do). But then again, its also a drama involving terror, murder and flight. One can call it a character study, centering on Rick. And there are quite a few moments of comedic delight, just think of the pickpocket ("This place is full of vultures, vultures everywhere!") or the elderly couple on the last evening before their emigration to the US ("What watch?").
But 'Casablanca' is not only great as a whole, it still stands on top if we break it apart and look at single lines of dialog, scenes or performances alone. Is there any other film which has more quotable dialog than 'Casablanca'? 'Pulp Fiction' is on my mind here, and 'All About Eve' and 'Sunset Blvd.' come close, too, but still I think 'Casablanca' tops everything else. And not only is the dialog great, it's unforgettably delivered, especially by Humphrey Bogart ("I was misinformed.") and Claude Rains ("I am shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on here"). Many of scenes have become a part of film history; the duel of 'Die Wacht am Rhein' and 'La Marseillaise' is probably one of the greatest scenes ever shot (the only I can think of that would rival it for the #1 spot is Hynkel and the globe from Chaplin's 'The Great Dictator'), and the last scene is probably even familiar to the few people who've never seen 'Casablanca'. Am I the only one who is absolutely convinced that the film wouldn't have become what it is today if Rick and Ilsa would have ended up as the lucky couple?
About the performances: So much has been said about the uniqueness of Humphrey Bogart's and Ingrid Bergman's chemistry as Rick and Ilsa, about Claude Rains' terrific turn as Renault, about the scene-stealing performances by Peter Lorre (one of the 10 all-time greatest actors) as Ugarte and Sydney Greenstreet as Ferrari and about Dooley Wilson stopping the show as Sam. I'd love to emphasize here two other performances, one that is not mentioned quite as often and one which is blatantly overlooked: Conrad Veidt as Major Strasser had a really difficult task here, as his character is the only evil one, but still Strasser is not a one-dimensional character, and it took more than 50 years until another actor gave an equally (maybe even more) impressive performance as a Nazi, Ralph Fiennes in 'Schindler's List'. But why no one ever mentions S. K. Sakall, who plays Carl, the jolly waiter at Rick's Café Américain, is beyond me. He has definitely more screen time than Lorre, Greenstreet and Wilson, and probably about as much as Veidt, and he's a joy whenever he's on the screen. I simply love his reaction when the pickpocket ("Vultures everywhere!") accidentally bumps into him, or the reaction to the "What watch"-dialog. Or how he says he gave Strasser the best table, "being a German, he would have taken it anyway". His performance is simply criminally overlooked.
So is there a weakest link in 'Casablanca'? Every film, no matter how close to perfection, has a minor flaw or two, so one can find them in 'Casablanca', too, if one really tries hard. So yes, one might ask how much sense the entire mumbo jumbo about the letters of transit makes. One might point out that Paul Henreid, although his performance is certainly good, doesn't come close to the greatness of any of his co-stars. However, the film is so close to perfection that I'm almost ashamed that I'm so desperately trying to find less-than-perfect elements.
So whatever films will come, how many sequels will overflow the screen, and how much junk we will have to sit through, one thing is certain if we're desperate to see a great film: We'll always have Casablanca!
A True Classic.......2007-10-07
If you have never seen this this movie, then u must!
Humphrey Bogart stars as Rick Casablanca, a shady New York private detective on the trail of Nazi scientist Victor Laszlo and his evil wife Ilsa.
George Lucas (in his directorial debut) does a fine job maintaining the suspence throughout the 168 minute running time.
The song and dance routines weren`t to my liking, but everything else is first class. Olivia de Havilland was particularly excellent in the role of "Sam", Ricks girlfriend who famously declared "I love the smell of napalm in the morning."
Casablanca is a true classic. 5 stars!
Amazon.co.uk Review
Confirming that art and commerce can co-exist, 2001: A Space Odyssey was the biggest box-office hit of 1968, remains the greatest science fiction film yet made and is among the most revolutionary, challenging and debated work of the 20th century. It begins within a pre-historic age. A black monolith uplifts the intelligence of a group of apes on the African plains. The most famous edit in cinema introduces the 21st century, and after a second monolith is found on the moon a mission is launched to Jupiter. On the spacecraft are Bowman (Keir Dullea) and Poole (Gary Lockwood), along with the most famous computer in fiction, HAL. Their adventure will be, as per the original title, a "journey beyond the stars". Written by science fiction visionary Arthur C Clarke and Stanley Kubrick, 2001 elevated the SF film to entirely new levels, being rigorously constructed with a story on the most epic of scales. Four years in the making and filmed in 70 mm, the attention to detail is staggering and four decades later barely any aspect of the film looks dated, the visual richness and elegant pacing creating the sense of actually being in space more convincingly than any other film. A sequel, 2010: Odyssey Two (1984) followed, while Solaris (1972), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), The Abyss (1989) and A.I. (2001) are all indebted to this absolute classic which towers monolithically over them all.
On the DVD: There is nothing but the original trailer which, given the status of the film and the existence of an excellent making-of documentary shown on Channel 4 in 2001, is particularly disappointing. Shortly before he died Kubrick supervised the restoration of the film and the production of new 70 mm prints for theatrical release in 2001. Fortunately the DVD has been taken from this material and transferred at the 70 mm ratio of 2.21-1. There is some slight cropping noticeable, but both anamorphically enhanced image and Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack (the film was originally released with a six-channel magnetic sound) are excellent, making this transfer infinitely preferable to previous video incarnations. --Gary S Dalkin
Customer Reviews:
the next stage of human consciousness.......2008-01-31
Kubrick's seminal masterpiece is a true work of art - the cinematic equivilent to Beethoven's 5th symphony or Picasso's Guernica. What Kubrick managed to convey so exquisitely is man's seemingly eternal quest for truth crystalized through the development of human consiousness and evolution - from the dawn of humanity in pre-history through to space exploration, culminating in humanities apparent conquering of technology and, by extension, mortality itself.
Having been removed of his technological armoury by HAL in the final act, man races towards infinity to face his ultimate challenge - death. For what is man without technology?
Finally, man confronts himself on the stage between mortality and beyond. This stage is represented as a white room. Man knocks to the floor a glass of red wine represented as the spirit of man. The wine remains in the glass, therefore the spirit of man continues. The light does not die and man is ready for the next stage of his evolutionary leap. The star child is born.
Kubrick's meditation on the quest for the meaning of existence simply has to be seen.
A space Oddity.......2008-01-23
I can't express how disappointed I am with this much respected and written about science fiction movie. I never saw the film when it was released and have never seen it advertised for showing on any of the tv channels since. So, I was looking forward to something rather special when I purchased a copy recently.
I can't honestly say that I am a sci-fi buff but I have always been interested in a good story and man's advancement in space. My number 1 'encounter' film which 2001 A Space Oddysey can be classified as, will always be Spielberg's 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' (1977).
Okay, 2001 was made in the 60's and we're now forty years on - please don't try and convince me that the ape scenes or the space scenes are as realistic as a film made today - they're not. For the 60's, I would agree that the quality and detail of the space scenes is very, very good though.
The pace of the film is incredibly slow (even for an old guy like me!) and would even put a glass eye to sleep. To stop you falling asleep, the images are backed by incredibly annoying vocals from a choir similat to that now employed on the Honda advert! Occasionally, we get a nice bit of classical music such as the Blue Danube, but even this is taken to the extreme and I'm sorry but I had to turn the sound down!
Towards the end of the film we get the psychadelic images - which would have made those of the flower power era when the film was made feel 'way out man'. I'm sorry, it didn't do anything for me.
The plot - oh yes! Is there one? Well, let's try - some superior planet hopping intelligent beings leave a monolith on earth x billion years ago which is discovered by a pack of apes who learn how to knock hell out of each other by touching it. From that time on man evolves, and eventually travels to the moon to find another monolith. Curious to know more, they set up a mission to find another on Jupiter in a spacecraft with a super intelligent computer HAL. Of course, it all ends in tears when the astronauts threaten to shut down HAL because it has made a mistake, and it trys to bump them all off! Fortunately, one astronaut - Dave who is still more intelligent than the computer and the only one left alive, outwits HAL, and does in fact shut it down whilst it (yes, HAL) sings "Daisy, Daisy, tell me your answer do"!!! How does it end - God knows or should I say ET knows.
Take my advice - only watch this film with a large box of Maltesers and a suitable bottle of something - your choice.
Kubrick's Masterpiece. In my top ten (of everything!).......2008-01-22
The first time I saw it I hated it but I was only about 9 or 10 years old. I rediscovered it as a teenager and it actually changed me as a person. If you saw it like me originally as a youngster and didn't enjoy it, give it another go, even if you don't like Scifi. This is a true masterpiece and even now it hasn't aged or dated. People are still inspired by it, not just film-makers but scientists.
One interesting point the most "human" character in the film is HAL (an artificial computer intelligence). You'll understand what I mean if you've seen it - maybe you disagree?
MIND-BLOWING.......2008-01-17
The greatest science-fiction film ever made.
You've seen it, you sort of know the plot: extra-terrestrial guidance, via ANCIENT MONOLITH, shapes Mankind in preparation for his next stage of evolution. For many, it's the quintessential love-it or hate-it experience.
And since we haven't been able to catch STANLEY KUBRICK's masterpiece in a cinema - much less a digitally-equipped one - for over thirty years, I'm assuming that you already possess a HIGH-DEFINITION WIDESCREEN TV, a PS3 (or similar) and want to know if this BLU-RAY edition of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY lives up to expectations, yes?
Well, it does. The picture is fantastic, the level of detail is incredible. THE DAWN OF MAN sequence has astonishing depth of field, which is all the more amazing when you discover that the skyscapes were in actuality stills, or plates, front-projected onto the backdrops of an outdoor studio near Shepherd's Bush. A place, or a moment, in 'pre-historic' 1968 where the ordinary became truly extraordinary.
As we reach outer space, and fractured bone becomes brushed metal, pinpoints of stars twinkle like never before, the exterior cladding of ships, satellites and moon shuttles rendered with similar clarity to allow us the ultimate space vehicle inspection tour. And isn't THE USS DISCOVERY the most beautifully designed ship of them all?
JUPITER AND BEYOND THE INFINITE is where we get to take the ultimate trip in every sense. This is where the high-definition image really earns its money, as far as I'm concerned, and it's the showcase moment let loose in all its glory, a sequence that had much the same effect when I saw it in 70mm Cinerama. Completely mind-blowing.
Soundwise, the film has a very centre-speaker feel but don't be put off too much by that. The dialogue is well placed and significantly superior in uncompressed 5.1 to the regular DVD, right down to the oft-present oxygen hiss in the EVA sequences or the infamous moment when DAVE BOWMAN literally pulls the plug on the "incapable of error" HAL 9000 series. I wonder whether Daisy would have had such a heartless response to his distortion of information?
Music is used sparingly but to brilliant effect. For example, STRAUSS's THE BLUE DANUBE and KHACHATURIAN's haunting GAYNE'S ADAGIO sound wonderful and complement perfectly their out-of-this-world setting (a quite audacious leap of faith on the director's part, incidentally, seeing as both pieces were only intended for use as guide tracks on the rough cut).
Whichever way you look at it, this REGION FREE BLU-RAY DISC is a stunning example of what the format stands for.
Did I also mention that the film's pretty good, too?
UNRESERVEDLY RECOMMENDED
Unique.......2008-01-04
This film won't be everyone's cup of tea especially if your looking for loads of action. There is not much dialogue but there is a lot of amazing images set to some great classical music. If you've seen this film you will know what its basically about. If you haven't I'm not going to spoil it for you. But you will come away with some questions. This film has got to be the first realistic Sci Fi and certainly one of the best. If your planning to see this beautiful and unique film watch it in the dark on the biggest screen possible.
Amazon.co.uk Review
Decades before the Hollywood film industry became famous for megabudget disaster and science fiction spectaculars, the studios of Southern California (and particularly Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) were renowned for a uniquely American (and nearly extinct) kind of picture known as The Musical. Indeed, when Sight & Sound conducts its international critics poll in the second year of every decade, this 1952 MGM picture is the American musical that consistently ranks among the 10 best movies ever made. It's not only a great song-and-dance piece starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and a sprightly Debbie Reynolds; it's also an affectionately funny insider spoof about the film industry's uneasy transition from silent pictures to "talkies". Kelly plays debonair star Don Lockwood, whose leading lady Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) has a screechy voice hilariously ill-suited to the new technology (and her glamorous screen image). Among the musical highlights: O'Connor's knockout "Make 'Em Laugh"; the big "Broadway Melody" production number; and, best of all, that charming little title ditty in which Kelly makes movie magic on a drenched set with nothing but a few puddles, a lamppost, and an umbrella. --Jim Emerson
Customer Reviews:
Unforgettably Charming.......2007-11-17
This is such a feel-good, always-fun movie. Who could dismiss Gene Kelly's spectacular performance of the title song? Or the enthusiasm of 'Make Em Laugh'? Or the stellar cast? Or the endearing script? Age has nothing on this.
A Truly Classic Musical Chronicling Hollywood History!.......2004-07-04
Not only is this a truly classic musical and a wonderful comedy, it is also a piece of Hollywood history, cataloguing (albeit tongue-in-cheek) the mayhem that ensued when silent pictures gave way to the new-fangled 'talkies,' suddenly putting stars whose voice and face didn't match permanently out of work!
The story opens at a film premiere in Los Angeles' famous Chinese Theatre. Silent film stars Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) arrive for the opening of their latest film - and Don tells the waiting audience how he and Lina first met. Throughout, Lina remains enigmatically silent. Later, the studio boss announces that their next film will be a talkie - and finally the beautiful Lina speaks, revealing the horrible truth: she has a voice that could strip paint and crack teapots!
On his way to the post premiere party, Don meets Kathie Seldon (Debbie Renolds). She is a wannabe actress - and refreshingly unimpressed by his big screen star persona. Don inevitably falls in love with her - but things don't go quite according to plan. Lina is convinced that her on-screen romances with Don are, in fact, the genuine article.
Filming of Don and Lina's new romance, 'The Duelling Cavalier' is soon halted when it become obvious to all that Lina's voice will ruin it. Don's best friend, Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor) suggests transforming the film into a musical and dubbing out Lina, using Kathy's beautiful singing voice instead. It seems the perfect solution - but is it a recipe for disaster?
This fabulous musical has possibly one of the best scores of all time. Every song is truly memorable, including: 'All I do is Dream of You,' 'Fit as a Fiddle,' 'You Are My Lucky Star,' 'Broadway Melody,' 'Good Morning,' Make 'em Laugh,' and of course the wonderful title piece 'Singing in the Rain.'
The comedy scenes are a delight; in particular those showing the teething problems with sound-recording and the risible on-screen results are hilarious - especially when the sound goes out of sinc with the film.
Anyone with an interest of Hollywood history knows that these scenes are uncomfortably close to the truth. Even the featured characters: a gossip columnist, exotic femme fatale star, ineffectual studio boss, etc., are based (albeit loosely on real characters). The character of Kathy, (forced by studio bosses to sacrifice her own career to dub the voice of others) might possibly remind many of Marni Nixon, who several years later spent her career dubbing the singing voices of non-singing stars for such famous musicals as 'The King & I' and 'My Fair Lady' - and all without screen credit.
Sound and picture quality on the DVD are greatly superior to the old VHS.
Grab this now - and the next time it rains, you won't be able to resist bursting into song too!
Captures a lovely time in Hollywood history........2004-05-09
I won’t lie. As I put the video in the machine I was a little sceptical. I was thinking ‘ come on, grown men bursting into song at the slightest dramatic provocation, I don’t think so.’ However, and I write this with extreme sincerity, it was very good, very very good. In fact my only qualm was that some of the numbers were a little too long.
The film was made in 1952 but is set in the 1920’s, which gives the picture a nostalgic sense of how Hollywood used to be before the watch-hunts and blacklists began. So it can be described as a sort of homage to better times.
In 1927, Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) are a famous on-screen romantic pair. They are loved and adored by the all. Lina, however, mistakes the on-screen romance for real love while Don sees it for what it really is, an act. Behind the scenes she is seen to be as dim witted as she is beautiful. When another studio puts out a talkie to great success, Don realises that his latest project ‘The Duelling Cavalier’ must be transformed into a musical. However Lina’s voice is not up to par and so the studio decide to bring in help, in the form of Kathie Seldon (Debbie Renolds). Don inevitably falls in love with Kathy…and the rest is history.
Singin’ in the Rain is now considered to be one of the best musicals ever made. It has all the ingredients needed to make a great film. It’s very funny, gritty, fantastical and of course love wins out in the end. What more could you ask for?
Singin' In The Rain-The Greatest Musical.......2004-02-17
MGM had a certain gift of knocking outstanding musicals up, but Singin' in the Rain has to be the very best. The partnership of Kelly and Reynolds is mesmerising. The feel good comedy script is expertly helped by Donald O'Connor's character. The film which produced one of the most famous dance scenes in film history is a must buy for any fan of musicals. When it comes to musicals, audiences usually know what to expect, but Singin' in the Rain gives more than what is expected.
This film has it all!.......2003-11-07
This is a wonderful introduction to all that was great about the musicals of the 50s and earlier. It has fantastic numbers from the plaintive love song 'You Are My Lucky Star' to the comedic duet 'Fit As A Fiddle' and the hugely ambitious 'Broadway Melody' set piece which demonstrated the range and ability of Gene Kelly's talent.
The film tells the story of the period when Hollywood was making the change from silent films to 'talkies' and it does so by relating the difficulties that some stars had in doing so. For those viewers who know a little of Hollywood history it is amusing to try to recognise the real-life inspirations for some of the characters; the venomous gossip queen, the sultry foreign star, the bumbling studio head and so on. Essentialy though, we never lose sight of the three central characters played by Kelly, Reynolds and O'Connor. This is a musical, love story, comedy and documentary (of sorts) all in one and, as such, it will have something that everyone will like.
Keep an eye out for the 50th anniversary edition on 2 discs as it has an excellent commentary as well as 2 documentaries on musicals in general and the making of Singin' in the Rain in particular.
Amazon.co.uk Review
Singin' in the Rain is probably the most treasured musical in the history of cinema. It is essentially a satire on the dawning age of talking pictures, but that description doesn't begin to describe its importance in the hearts of film lovers, even those who can't otherwise stand musicals. Given its origins--producer Arthur Freed wanted a framework on which to hang a selection of the hits he'd written in the early part of his career with Nacio Herb Brown, many of which had themselves featured in early talkies--it should have been a mongrel of a picture. But somehow, with its combination of endearing performances, the razor-sharp script of Adolph Green and Betty Comden, instinctive direction from Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen and those delightful songs, it is triumphantly greater than the sum of its parts.
Kelly's dance sequence, conceived for the title song, is an undiluted joy and remains an iconic cinema moment. But there is so much more to savour: Donald O'Connor's knockout vaudeville, Jean Hagen's hilarious Bronx-voiced leading lady and the honest charm of underrated Debbie Reynolds, crowned by Kelly's choreography for the Broadway Melody suite. No collection is complete without this.
On the DVD: Singin' in the Rain--Special Edition, vibrant in 1.33:1 fullscreen format with a crystalline mono soundtrack, is the crown jewel in the embarrassment of riches on this 50th anniversary two-disc DVD. The extras just keep coming: "Musicals, Great Musicals" (a documentary about Arthur Freed's legendary production unit at MGM), a shorter documentary about the film itself (much of which is duplicated by the audio commentary, led by Debbie Reynolds), outtakes and audio scoring sessions and extracts from films in which many of the songs originated. There's also a hidden feature in which Baz Lurhmann offers his own testimony to the film's enduring appeal, but it's a tad redundant given the primary sources on offer. --Piers Ford
Customer Reviews:
Sparkles like a diamond.......2007-04-04
This is one of the most brilliant films I have ever seen: it sparkles like a diamond. It is an affectionate, clever and funny look at the history of "talking pictures" - and so much more! As a fan of old movies and musicals and having a keen interest in the history of motion pictures, I find this to be a truly magical, wonderful film. However, aside from the humour, the music, the charming performers and the glorious technicolour, this film is worth watching for two things alone: Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor. Their dance routines are an absolute joy to watch. I watch their routines over and over again. The 'Moses' routine is fascinating as these dancers have very different styles and yet they both compliment each other so well. Their dancing is so fantastic it makes you want to cry. If you are a fan of old movies and old movie musicals and this one has managed to pass you by, invest in this movie now and you won't be disappointed.
A very pleasant comedy musical.......2007-02-26
This is a very comical movie for those who are more drawn to laughs than the music.
The star of the movie, Gene Kelly, is undoubtedly outshone by the amazing Donald O'Connor who steals the whole show when he performs an incredible acrobatic-cum-slapstick, and terribly complicated dance routine which deserved countless awards! Having experienced such a spectacular climax, the movie can seem a little flat thereafter...
A very entertaining picture.
An alltime favorite!.......2006-05-08
I have had this movie on VHS long before DVDs even existed! And watched it countl4ess times, so now my original 2 (!) copies are worn out. This is a wonderful movie, an all-time favourite you can't get tired of!
The humour, the playfulness, the freshness and charm are still intact after so amny years. The songs and dance parts are amazing. This movie is a true legend! Who has never heard of "Singin' in the rain"? *shakes head* everyone has!
The actors are great: Gene Kelly is stunning, Debbie Reynolds is charming in her fresh youth, Donald O'Connor playing Cosmo is extremely funny and Jean Hagen (who plays Lina Lamont) is simply perfect! her voice is so irritating, hehe :-)
This film is a must have, you must have it in your collection, there is nothing that can cheer you up better on a rainy Sunday or after an exhausting week on a Friday night than watching this witty and funny production. This movie is a true gem!
Technicolor brilliance..........2006-01-28
Produced when Technicolor was a revolutionary and seat-filling innovation, "Singin' in the Rain" is, regardless of its many other claims to fame, a stunning example of how to use the medium's clear, saturated colours to incredibly powerful effect. Every scene is meticulously crafted to amplify the contrast, atmosphere & impact of the technology and, on this superbly rendered DVD rendition, they just jump out of the screen at you.
A truly amazing experience for this reason alone. Add-in its wonderful songs - including Gene Kelly's iconic title number, arguably the best song & dance routine of all time - its brilliant comic sequences - including Donald O'Connor's "Make 'em Laugh" slapstick rollercoaster, arguably the slickest & funniest slice of cinema of all time (watch how he catches his hat towards the beginning... incredible) - and its charmingly optimistic, infectiously entertaining story-line and you've got something very special.
They don't make films like this any more; in fact they didn't make many, if any, films as good as this then. Pure cinematic brilliance - sit back and revel in it all.
Priceless and magical musical. An absolute treasure........2005-12-14
In my opinion this film is quite easily the best musical of all time. It glistens with great musical numbers and astounding dance sequences. And of course there's the forever popular and famous title track and dance routine.
Basically it stars the ever watchable Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor with lovely support from Debbie Reynolds. The film is set towards the end of the silent era and moving into the talkies for the first time. And how the actors cope with the major transition.
Gene Kelly performs with such grace and ease that it's an absolute joy to watch. Taking this into account, at the time he performed the "Singin' In The Rain" number in the terrential rain, he had a head cold. You wouldn't know it watching him dance like a demon. One of my favourite musical dance sequences is Donald O'Connor's "Make Em Laugh" routine. It has me in histerics every time I watch it. His movement and comic timing is just genius. And then there's Debbie Reynolds. Her support and singing is a pleasure and a breath of fresh air to the whole movie.
All in all, this musical extravaganza is pure genius through and through. It hasn't dated at all and it looks great on DVD in its new print. The extras on the second DVD are also well worth looking at. There's a half-hour documentary with Debbie Reynolds looking back at the making of the film and what it meant to her and all involved with the project. There are other extras too worth looking in to. Definitely one of my favourite films of all time. A classic gemstone that should be cherished.
Amazon.co.uk Review
This generously filled two-disc special edition presentation of Casablanca features the film itself in an impressively clean new digital transfer on the first disc, with hiss-free mono sound. It's prefaced by a rather pointless introduction from Lauren Bacall (it would surely be churlish to point out that Casablanca was made two years before Bacall met Bogart) and accompanied by two full-length and fact-packed audio commentaries, one from film critic Roger Ebert, who hardly pauses to take a breath, and the other from film historian Rudy Behlmer, who provides in-depth background detail.
The second disc features a plentiful collection of sundry archival features and more from Bacall, who hosts the two documentaries: You Must Remember This: The Making of Casablanca and a retrospective of Bogie's career, Bacall on Bogart. Of minor interest are two very short deleted scenes--Laszlo and Rick at the jail, and a German officer's pratfall--which in lieu of any surviving audio track have been subtitled from the original script; there's also five minutes of silent outtakes. An audio-only sample of Max Steiner's music-scoring sessions features Dooley Wilson singing "Knock on Wood" and "As Time Goes By". There are brief reminiscences from Stephen Bogart and Pia Lindstrom (son and daughter of Bogie and Ingrid Bergman, respectively); Bugs Bunny and pals in Carrotblanca; a curious 1955 Warner Bros TV version of the movie; audio excerpts from the "Screen Guild Players Radio Production" featuring the principal cast; plus the usual static galleries and other trivia. All in all, it's a valuable two-disc set that really does provide everything you always wanted to know about one of the most famous movies ever made. --Mark Walker
Customer Reviews:
Whatever Bogart had, ever actor since has been looking for it........2006-11-07
O.K. so Humphrey Boghart never said 'Play it again Sam' that little movie myth does not stop Casablanca being one of the best two or three films ever made and certainly one of the most loved. Why? Well if film makers knew that they would all make films as good at it. We could start with the actors, everyone perfect for the part they play. The story, a love story set against the background of the war and a man willing to give up the woman he loves for the greater good. The charachers, a cynical bar owners who risks nothing for no one, a beautiful woman torn between two good men, a brave hero of the resistance, a corrupt policeman who has a good side and a faithful retainer. The setting, exotic and dangerous. All these make Casablanca the great film it is. Most of all however it is Bogart as Rick, whatever Bogart had, ever actor since him has been looking for it. He must have been in more truely great films, The Maltese Falcon and The Treasure of Sierra Madre for instance, than almost any other actor.
If you have never watched Casablanca, where have you been? Go out buy or rent it and get ready for one of the greatest movies ever made.
A must purchase of a great film.......2006-04-17
This must be one of best classic dvds available at any money.
First is the superb digitally enhanced picture,depending on the quality of your equipment especially your scart lead this transfer to disc is almost perfect,and being a black and white film the contrasts and shadows are trully spellbinding.
The most authorative commentaries you are likely to come across provides you with so much detail about the film that any book would appear useless.
You are given a step by step account of Bogards and Bergmans character throughout the film, I am at a loss to tell you how good the commentaries are.
This is a must buy for the sheer quality of one of the greatest films ever made to one of the most accomplished dvds you are likely to watch.
YOU MUST BUY - STEAL - SELL YOUR BODY TO SCIENCE - OR BORROW THIS DISC --IT IS A TOUR DE FORCE A MASTERPIECE
GET IT KNOW !!!
You must remember this..........2006-03-08
NOTE: I am reviewing the film, not the DVD.
I watched this last Xmas on TV, with my family, and not one person thought it was bad (I have a large family, btw): the funny bits were still funny (Rick's cynical line, "I'm the only cause I know", for example), the sad bits were still heart-wrenching ("Of all the gin joints in all the world...") and the characters still captivated (Claude Rains taking his winnings after closing down 'Rick's' because of illegal gambling).
I think the plot is complex and riveting, although it confuses some people: for the record, Bogie and Bergman DO love each other but they sacrifice their relationship for 'the cause' (hence the line, "it doesn't take much to see that the problems of a few small people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world").
All the performances are likeable (esp. Bogie and Rains), and the whole look of the film is so polished you'll swear it was made yesterday (I exaggerate, but only a little). Of course, it's important to remember that this was made during the war, and the film's message is one of comradeship - put aside your personal problems and help your country, you ingrates! Or something like that. It's not all stiff politics, though: when Rick says, "We'll always have Paris" you'll be reaching for your (metaphorical) hankerchief.
It's on TV throughout the year, particularly at Xmas, but buy the DVD anyway. It's unforgettable, true, but you'll still want to watch it again and again, to revel in the beauty of it all: the incredible dialogue, the great performances, THAT ending, etc.
Oh, and btw: anyone who thinks this film's a turkey has no taste in films. It's official!
Wonderful Film.......2006-02-12
I thought that this was one of hte most wonderful films I have ever seen like so many on here who have watched it. The acting is absolutely amazing- Claude Rains in particular is fantastic in his part. I wish scripts were written like this more often as it is superlative. If you haven't seen this and are wondering whether what all the other reviewers have said is true- it is this is flabbergastingly good
This gun is pointed strait at your heart!.......2005-12-22
1942 the Nazi occupation of France. Refugees must take a long and torturers rout Through Casa Blanca on their way to America; there "Everybody comes to Rick's."
Here we also stay for a while to watch a drama unfold. There are overlapping stories. One of a young couple trying to get to America and the girl wondering if a girl should have to do something was wondering what would happen if her husband, "a boy in many ways", would find out? A second rate crook obtains something of value at the expense of two germane curriers. A Police Captain shocked to find there is gambling going on at Rick's. Many other stories surround the main theme of a love triangle that started in Paris and now can mean so much to individuals or the effort for freedom.
Will the Nazi's win their prize?
Will Capt. Renault get the girl?
Will Rick get away with Ilsa?
This film has become quite a classic. There are many quotes and misquotes attributed to the film. You will find your self kibitzing. One memorable seen for all is the showdown where the Germans are singing "Watch on the Rhine" and Yvonne (Madeleine LeBeau) over powers them leading the "La Marseillaise."
Amazon.co.uk Review
No director could ever have hoped to repeat the artistic achievement of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, and nobody knew that better than Peter Hyams, who made this much more conventional film from the first of three sequel novels by Arthur C Clarke. Whereas Kubrick made a poetic film of mind-expanding ideas and metaphysical mysteries, Hyams shouldn't be blamed for taking a more practical, crowd-pleasing approach. In revealing much of what Kubrick deliberately left unexplained, 2010 lacks the enigmatic awe of its predecessor, but it's still a riveting tale of space exploration and extraterrestrial contact, beginning when a joint American-Soviet mission embarks to determine the cause of failure of the derelict spaceship Discovery. Having arrived at Discovery near the planet Jupiter, the American mission leader (Roy Scheider) and his Russian counterpart (Helen Mirren) must investigate the apparent failure of the ship's infamous onboard computer, HAL 9000, as well as the meaning of countless mysterious black monoliths amassing on Jupiter's surface (an interpretation Kubrick originally left up to his viewers). Meanwhile, Earth is on the brink of nuclear war, and an apparition of astronaut David Bowman (Keir Dullea) appears repeatedly to promise that "something wonderful" is about to happen. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
Customer Reviews:
rest of the remake .......2007-12-29
This is the rest of the remake of Assignment: Outer Space. See my comments in 2001: Space Odyssey.
2010: The Year Someone Wrote A Proper Ending!.......2007-09-28
2001 finished on a cliffhanger. Or did it? I don't even have a clue how to describe the ending. Anyway the good news is that as soon as 2010 came on we can tell from the first five minutes that it will be a better movie than 2001.
I bet the person who made 2010 did so because they were so frustrated at the way 2001 ended and wanted more story. LOL. An excellent movie with that guy from Jaws in the lead role.
MY RATING: 2001 goes so slow it almost stops whereas 2010 blows your mind.
9 Years Later-But Where are the extras?.......2007-06-21
2010 picks up where 2001 left of this movie is great dosent outshine 2001 though still a good movie if your a fan of 2001 you will like this the only thing with the dvd is why are there no extras which is rather dissapointing and i hope someday that 2061 and 3001 are made adapted into movies overal this film gets 5 out of 5 dvd gets 2 out of 5.
"Something wonderful!".......2007-02-21
'2010' is the sequel to '2001: A Space Odyssey'. Set nine years after the Discovery's ill-fated mission to Jupiter, the movie follows the combined Russian/American rescue team sent to find out what happened to the crew and hopefully reactivate Hal. But, once there, it quickly becomes clear that they're in way over their heads. Signs of life are discovered on Europa, but the probe is destroyed before it can explore further, and one of the crew is killed while studying the giant monolith in orbit around Jupiter. But when Dr Floyd receives a message from Dave Bowman, one of Discovery's missing crew members - missing, presumed dead - things really get hairy. His message? "You must leave in two days". But their launch window is twenty eight days away ...
'2010' picks up nicely where '2001' left off, despite the gap of nine years between events. The movie meanders along at first, but really gets going once the rescue mission starts. The space scenes truly are awesome, especially the air-braking sequence, with the fiery ship silhoutted against the planet. Alot of time, effort and money went into these space scenes and it shows - every scene screams quality.
The ships themselves actually look capable of travelling in space - none of your stylized, cliched movie spaceships here! The two styles also contrast nicely - the Russian ship (please don't ask me to spell it, I have enough trouble saying it!) - dark and boxy, and the Discovery all sleek and shiny. But both ships actually look functional -press a button and it may actually do what it's supposed to do!
The movie is complemented by an excellent cast, even though some of them don't actually get to say much! The Russian accents are a bit cringeworthy though, especially from Helen Mirren, but this can be forgiven in the light of the excellent story. By far the creepiest voice though is that of the Hal-9000. Hearing those smooth tones again - "Hello, Dr Chandra" - really makes tingles run up your spine!
As sequels go, this one scores quite highly in my book, mainly because of the outstanding space scenes, but also because I think the ending is truly awe inspiring! Although it doesn't really come as a surprise considering what has happened previously, the monolith standing on the virgin planet of Europa must be the most enigmatic movie ending ever!
MY GOD, IT'S FULL OF B-Rated STARS!!!.......2006-08-26
There is no doubt that 2001 is part classic, part prophetic, and it still holds it's own after all these many years.
The fact that 2010 is based on the book, which is itself a sequel to 2001, needs to be taken into account in any review of this film. Why? Well, 2001 was written by Arthur C Clarke as the film was being made, and it is well documented that at times, the imagery of the film helped to write the book as much as the book drove the film. The avante guarde process clearly worked, the result a magical, stunning, creative achievement for all concerned.
This avante guarde process of experimetal creativity was evidently not a part of the writing process for 2010. The book does not have the same magic as it's predecessor, to put it politely. However, this film is a pretty good stab at turning the book into Sc-Fi realisation.
Having said that, there are some things that really do grate on the nerves - Roy Sheider's voice-overs come over as extremely patronising with the way they are used to avoid the need to film key chunks of the story line. Also, they are backed by some infuriating synth string sound effects that are clearly a very budget-level excuse for a soundtrack.
Another gripe is that in 2001, we are given a clear vision of the massive expansion of the human race as it starts to colonise the solar-system, starting with the moon, and all the glittering, pristine technology that this involves. However, in 2010, a mere 9 years later, we are presented with a universe which is strangely devoid of any of this grandeur. It's a bit like the difference between the first Star Wars movie and a 1970's episode of Dr Who... What's happened???? A massive feeling of dissapointment, that's what!!!
But, the film is still an interesting watch. In fact, I have watched it more often than the original, bcause even with it's faults, it's still a damn good story.
Amazon.co.uk Review
Rain Man is the kind of touching drama that Oscars are made for--and, sure enough, the film took Academy honours for best picture, director, screenplay and actor (Dustin Hoffman) in 1988. Hoffman plays Raymond, an autistic savant whose late father has left him $3 million in a trust. This gets the attention of his materialistic younger brother, a hot-shot LA car dealer named Charlie (Tom Cruise) who wasn't even aware of Raymond's existence until he read his estranged father's will. Charlie picks up Raymond and takes him on a cross-country journey that becomes a voyage of discovery for Charlie, and, perhaps, for Raymond too. Rain Man will either captivate or irritate you (Raymond's sputtering of repetitious phrases is enough to drive anyone crazy), but it is obviously a labour of love for those involved. Hoffman had been attached to the film for many years, as various directors and writers came and went, but his persistence eventually paid off--kind of like Raymond in Las Vegas. Look for director Barry Levinson in a cameo as a psychiatrist near the end of the film. --Jim Emerson, Amazon.com
Customer Reviews:
Oscar winning performance by Hoffman.......2007-06-23
This is a wonderful touching film and one that gives the average viewer with little first hand experience a touch of insight into autism.
The plot revolves around the two Babbitt brothers, Raymond and Charlie. After the death of their father, the handsome, materialistic, self absorbed Charlie (Tom Cruise) learns that he has a long lost older brother named Raymond, who's autistic and also the sole beneficiary of his father's fortune. Charlie kidnaps his brother from the mental institution where he is resident, and the pair set out on a cross country journey.
Charlie starts out trying to manipulate some of the inheritance out of his brother. Raymond is an idiot savant with an incredible ability to do mathematical problems in his head. So Charlie decides to take advantage of his brother's remarkable talent by taking him to Los Vegas so he can count cards. Gradually, he starts getting rather attached to his endearing (but sometimes quite difficult to deal ![Lawrence of Arabia - Two Disc Set [1962]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21R412923WL.jpg)
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