Rating: 
Summary: Masterpiece ruined by flawed transfer to DVD
Review: The re-mastering of this great 1945-46 film to DVD is flawed by frequent flickering on the right side of the screen, causing a loss of contrast so that a portion of the picture looks slightly greyish and washed-out. You can already spot this going on during the opening credits of the film, both in the 1946 version on Side A and in the 1945 "pre-release" version on Side B. Although this flaw comes and goes in both versions -- now you see it, now you don't -- it might prove particularly annoying to Bogart fans who've been waiting for this classic to finally be presented in as perfect a way as possible, which was certainly the intention, I'm sure, of the Warner Bros. arm of Turner Entertainment in packaging the two versions together with a little documentary that outlines the differences between them. So, we've all been let down a bit here by some technical carelessness which, nevertheless, could have been corrected if someone in Turner's quality control dept. had taken the trouble to look at the final product before giving it to the public! [Note: For definite places to spot the washed-out flicker problem, check the DVD by going to Chapter 7, 23:20 or so, Bogart's first visit to Geiger's house; chapter 13, at Geiger's house again in wonderful scene between Bogart and head-draped Martha Vickers; chapters 23 through 25, the stuff with Harry Jones and Canino, and chap. 31, the final showdown at Geiger's house.]
Rating: 
Summary: Truly a classic
Review: Watching this movie is paradoxically a breath of fresh air compared to most movies today. Outstanding performances by Bogart and Bacall (along with the rest of the cast), coupled with an intelligent, tense plot, and heavy atmosphere make The Big Sleep a great movie. The plot is intricate, and has been criticized by some people. While it can be hrd to follow, it is enjoyable. Unintelligent viewers need not apply. I've not yet seen this DVD; hopefully it's better than other classics on DVD (in terms of video/audio quality).
Rating: 
Summary: WHO KILLED WHAT?
Review: Howard Hawks' THE BIG SLEEP (1946) starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall(right) is a very complicated film. It was originally shot in December 1944, a few months before the two stars married. THE BIG SLEEP was based on the Raymond Chandler detective mystery of the same name. Warners decided to improve THE BIG SLEEP, adding more of the snappy, sultry dialogue between Bogart and Bacall (most notably, the horse racing conversation). Unfortunately, while this made THE BIG SLEEP into a true film-noir classic, Warners also decided to cut a few scenes from the original (1945) version of the film to keep its length manageable, and the result is a plot that, even after repeated viewings, is almost incomprehensible. Six people are killed in the course of the film, and one before the action begins. A few of the murders are easily explained, but others remain a mystery, either with regard to the murderer, the motive, or both. Though most people could probably guess who did what and why many come out asking, "So did that blonde one kill the first guy… why would she do that?†It is impossible to understand everything based on what is given in the film itself. I have heard that reading the book is really the only way to completely grasp the whole of the plot. However, a movie is never exactly a representation of the book from which it is taken. All in all it is a movie to watch at home on rainy night. I have seen it once yet one should see it many times to understand the entire plot. A pretty long movie by most people's standards and boring in parts. I wouldn't write home about it nor would I see it again. perhaps it is due to the fact that the film is in black and white which does not hold the viewers attention or simply because the viewer does not understand what the film is about.
Rating: 
Summary: Great movie, excellent 2-fer, poor mastering
Review: A classic film, done remarkable justice in this DVD release where we get both of the known versions, and supporting material.There is one major problem with the DVD transfer, in that the lower right of the screen is washed out in many scenes. For example, outside Eddie's place, on side A (the 1946 version) the blacks in the lower right are gray, while they are black on the left of the screen. Other than that re-curring glitch, this is the sort of release that we rabid fans have been waiting for.
Rating:
Summary: The Big Sleep is Double Pleasure!
Review: "Two...Two... Two Movies in One," could be the ad line for this wonderful DVD. Warner clearly understands that DVDs should offer the customer something new other than just a new play format. Here we get a two-sided disc containing both versions of this movie: a pre-release cut from 1944, seen mostly by servicemen oversees; and, the 1946 release, recut with reshot scenes to promote the chemistry between Bogart and Bacall (she had become a star between '44 and '46). This would be enough to justify buying this DVD, but Warner goes even further, providing an insightful documentary explaining the cuts and changes between the two movie versions--it's like being in a very good film appreciation class. While most DVDs seem overpriced to me, this one may be underpriced--especially considering it's one of the most intriging movies ever made. After watching both versions of the film, and also the documentary, I still don't fully understand the plot, but this movie really is all about atmosphere, dialogue and great acting. A wonderful addition to any movie collection.
Rating:
Summary: Between Two Worlds
Review: The New York City opening of The Big Sleep in 1946 was one of the few events (recalling that this opening occurred over a half-century ago) wherein movie goers could likewise purchase the original novel, with movie stills incorporated into the center of the book, as part of the opening's hype. Director Howard Hawks and novelist Raymond Chandler were not surprised to have this film's opening accompanied by such a book. (I am fortunate to possess one of the few surviving copies of this book.) Chandler's The Big Sleep was the only one of his detective novels to enjoy overwhelming success. Written late in his biological life, Chandler had retired and was experimenting with his hobby of writing when he developed this story. The script has been called "torturous," while I would call it simply a puzzle within which to frame your own characters. When Howard Hawks would ask Chandler during shooting, "OK, so who really did this (act)?", Chandler would reply, "I don't know. Who do you think should 'do it'?" The movie version is not perfectly "faithful" to the novel's storyline - something that in many ways helps the film deliver a balance between humanity and mayhem. The novel tells a darker tale, almost devoid of human spirit beyond survival -- explaining many of the detailed dynamics that the movie seems content to "leave it up to the viewer to fill in the blanks," as to "Who did what to whom, and when?" or "Where is who, and why?" The romance between Bogart and Bacall in the movie, as well as the scene at the movie's conclusion that seems to cry out "Sequel!", belongs to the movie alone. The fate of the father's former "companion" is clearly spelled out in the book - almost luridly so - but is less than a lost footnote in the movie. Besides the dark background of the movie's characters, most of the scenes were dramatized during the night, thus adding to the feeling of human neglect and unrequited need. The humor between Bogart and Bacall, beset throughout the script, as well as the use of multiple scenes -- the movie runs through a collage of backdrops and situations that would allow a person to begin watching the movie in the middle of the story, and still be entertained -- are the mainstays of this film. If the viewer knows anything about the "real" love story of "Bogart and Bacall," such knowledge adds significantly to the power of this tale to make you wish for the ending that the movie exhorts - not the novel's ending to be sure. Bogart made two serious mistakes in his real life: First, that he did not meet and marry Bacall until later in his life -- Bacall arrived into his life only after he had suffered through a well-publicized and self-destructive first marriage - and by some accounts, "saved" him, literally. Second, that both he and Bacall did not persevere in their efforts against "McCarthyism" - that when faced with losing contract offers from major studios, they back down and abandoned their highly effective, rational attacks against McCarthy's discriminatory hearings - not real "Philip Marlowe" stuff. In precursor to the insanity of the McCarthy Era, The Big Sleep demonstrates the values of rational insight, energetic perseverance, and individual unselfishness in confronting forces of evil effectively. In the case of Bogart and Bacall, such confrontation would forever be a team affair.
Rating:
Summary: the rock, the fifth element
Review: sence sensibility good will hunting city of angel legend of the fall leaving las vegas singles little sister far and away the other sister
Rating:
Summary: Perfect entertainment you don't need to fully comprehend
Review: This film is so much fun, I've never minded the fact that I can't follow the plot. The characters are so fascinating, the dialogue so wonderful, and the casting so perfect, I defy anyone to dislike it. How can you not love a film with lines like, "You're not very tall"/ "Well, I try to be".
Rating:
Summary: INCREDIBLY COMPLEX MYSTERY WITH A TOP NOTCH CAST
Review: THE BIG SLEEP is a classic on many counts. It's a cult favorite on television, college campuses and at art houses. The film is a classic of the private dectective genre and is the best example of the type of mystery in which no one knows (or cares) about the intricacies of who did what to whom. The movie is a classic Warner Bros. production expertly directed by Howard Hawks taken from the popular novel by Raymond Chandler (Chandler himself was pleased with the film). The plot of the film really makes no sense; just sit back and enjoy the complexity of it all along with the variously perverse characters. Humphrey Bogart's portrayal of Phillip Marlowe is a screen classic and he and Bacall were hot stuff together (she was 22 here and his real-life spouse).
Rating:
Summary: Who needs special effects when you have a cast like this?
Review: Unbelievable acting and masterfully executed directing make this a true classic. The play of words between Bogart and the various costars and extras is sheer genius. This movie takes you back to a time when film-making was based on solid scripts and top-notch casting instead of explosions, guns, and bad language. A must-see for all lovers of the crime drama genre.
|
