Subway

Rating:
Summary: "The Drummer, he won't tell us his name."
Review: Stylish, funny, and a marvel to look at, Luc Besson's SUBWAY finally gets an excellent DVD Transfer with Columbia Tristar's DVD, though featureless, it's worth the buy just to see this movie.
The story is about a man named Fred (played by Christopher Lambert in his first role after Greystoke, starting his very not-mainstream carreer) who robs a woman because he doesn't like her safe. Her rich husband's thugs are out to kill him, she's out to get her merchandise back, and the police are after Fred's saviours: small time thieves and nuts who live in the Paris metro system, coming out at Subway stations to say hello to the rest of the world every now and then.
More fun than your average movie.

Rating:
Summary: Overpraised and Underwhelming...SKIP IT
Review: First off, I am a big fan of Luc Besson's work. With that said, I bought this movie based on all the hype I've read (back when the name was still "Metro"). But sorry, this movie is garbage!! Total waste!!! I rarely fall asleep during a movie (which is why I was forced to re-watch this movie 3 times, I though I missed something), this movie is pointless.

It's all over the place. The story (or lack of) is totally unengaging since you never really understand what's going on. I like movies that keep you guessing, but the only thing this movie had me guessing was "when are the credits gonna roll."

If you're a fan, this is probably the best you'll ever see it. I checked out the English Dub of the movie and was surprised that Chris Lambert actually did his own lines English as well as French...a nice touch. Still there's really not much here (in the way of extra's or otherwise) to warrant a purchase.

If you want to see Luc Besson at his best, save your money and get Le Femme Nikita, Leon: The Professional, or The Fifth Element!!! All are great movies, although Leon: The Professional gets the most love as far as DVD treatment goes (nice extras, great deleted footage that's actually part of the movie!!!), the other two are bare bones DVD's (but still great movies).

SKIP SUBWAY...

Rating:
Summary: Finally ¿ French Language and Widescreen!
Review: Go for the new DVD from Columbia Tristar and you'll finally get "Subway" the way it was meant to be seen--in anamorphic widescreen and in French with English subs (there's also a dubbed English track if you have to listen to it that way).
The video and audio quality is fantastic.

Rating:
Summary: Finally!
Review: This film is very enigmatic. Unlike Besson's later films, it relies less on atmoshpere and cinematic appeal, and focuses solely on the characters. Despite the fact that this film obviously had a low budget and was fairly primitive in its production values, the power of the acting and the story is more than enough to carry you through.
Of course Luc Besson would not make a movie that was not purely based on the theme of love--philanthropic love--and this is no exception. The entire film is a sermon on the values of acceptance and tolerance; however, it avoids taking that subject to the extremes of sexual liberation, et cetera. It puts an emphasis on socio-economic diversity and on personality conflicts.
Although intrinsically '80s and difficult to take seriously with all the cultural change of the past twenty years, the film's message is more necessary today than when it was made.

Rating:
Summary: At Last! A Decent Version of Subway on DVD!!!
Review: To any Luc Besson fan out there, I thought Subway would never be released on DVD in it's proper widescreen image. But anyone who follows his work knows that lately many of his films have seen the special treatment : Director's Cut of The Big Blue, Internation Version of Leon aka The Professional, and The Fifth Element is being released in a Superbit version (with no extras, sadly).

Subway is one of my favorite Besson films. It's a film either greatly loved or greatly despised. From the opening scene of Christopher Lambert cursing and swearing because he can't get the tape deck in his car to work, you're swept away into an underworld filled with many bizarre characters. The opening car chase is quite fun as the music propells the chase while seeing Lambert with a huge smile on his face...that is until the tape deck breaks again and he decides to seek refuge in the Subway, running into those bizarre characters I mentioned on the way. And any Luc Besson film that includes Jean Reno in it is extra special. Here he plays "Sticks", a drummer. Not as noticeable a part as his later roles like in La Femme Nikita, but still noteworthy. And Christoper Lambert looks completely zany (in a good way) with that blonde hair. Only regret about Isabelle Adjani's performance is that the woman who dubbed her doesn't do her enough justice. Thank goodness Christopher dubbed himself in English.

I'm not certain if this DVD will include anything other than a token trailer, but I don't care at this point. Just to have a cleaned up, crisp widescreen picture in Dolby Surround is enough to make me happy. Oh, and if you're lucky enough to happen upon a copy of the Subway soundtrack on CD like I was, grab it and never look back. It's gottan extremely rare since it went out of print many years ago. Composer Eric Serra has done pretty much all the scores for every Luc Besson picture and this one, in my opinion, is one of his best because it not only heightens those exciting moments as well as the sad ones in the film, it actually helps create the atmosphere of the films surroundings that gives it an extra added dimension.

So, if you're into Luc Besson or Christopher Lambert, I highly suggest you pick this up. The price is not too bad, which is always important. Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Sweet
Review: This is a movie without MUCH plot but a lot of style and some substance. Only see this movie in French AND don't rent the dubbed version from Blockbusters--the dubbed version is garbage so remember to see it in French.

Isabelle Adjani, French's premier actress ("Story of Adele H"; "The Tenant"; "Nosferatu", "One Dangerous Summer"; "Queen Margot"; "Ishtar (in English); "Diabolique" (in English)) and Christopher Lambert ("Highlander" series) are two star crossed lovers who end up in the Paris Metro system with a group of vagabonds, tramps and pickpockets. Lambert wants to put together a rock band even for "just one performance" and the breathtakingly beautiful Adjani has just run away from her bourgeoise life up top, a life replete with a fat rich husband, jewelry, all the designer clothes she can wear and servants. She threw a fit in the middle of one of her husband's dinners, told everybody to "F-off" and ran away to the undergrounds, the "subway" presumably to find what really matters.

There is a scene in the movie where Lambert is holding a baby picture of Adjani as she really was as a child. He had stolen the picture along with her (Helena) character's jewelry as Lambert is a thief. Well, he stole more than her jewelry and picture as you will see: he stole a bit of her heart and soul and gave back some sweetness and tenderness.

The soundtrack is haunting and beautiful as a bonus, including the song "It's Only Mystery."

I think I will buy this one, it's a keeper: sweet and charming.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT MOVIE
Review: I don t usually watch french flims the only thing that made me watch this was that chris lambert was in it see im a fan of highlander.It starts of with a car chase which is good the only bad thing in this movie was that it was in french i had to read the subtitles and it was funny to see chris in a tux with blonde hair sticking up.ill give it 4/5

Rating:
Summary: Great movie, but DON'T buy the Gemstone DVD!!!!
Review: This movie is worth seeing for the song "It's only mystery" all by itself. But the Gemstone Entertainment DVD that (...) is selling at the time this is written is AWFUL! The video quality isn't even as good as a decent videotape, and the English dubbing is ATTROCIOUS. Wait until an ethical outfit comes out with a real DVD: This one was made by some kids in their basement who got a DVD burner for Christmas.

Rating:
Summary: The movie is great BUT...
Review: Do not, I repeat, do not buy this specific version of this otherwise great (i'd rate it 4) movie - someone has put english voiceovers on this french movie. All nuances are missed - try to find another version, with french still intact.

Rating:
Summary: interesting movie, really bad dvd.
Review: besson's "subway" is very arty, slick in an amteurish way and somewhat meandering in its story. but it is cool to watch. and interesting to see the early versons of all these "besson-trademark" shots, devices and actors that seem to crop up in subsequent films (i.e.: serra's music, Anglade & Reno, camera moves, etc.) there is an early car chase that predates the pulse-quickening ones in "Ronin", and eerily mirrors the tragic tunnel car accident that claimed princess di. lambert gives a typical lambert performance, smoldering yet somewhat off balance. the dvd quality is amazingly bad but it's really not that different than watching a well-worn vhs cassette, which i got rid of when i bought this disc. definitely one of the most "euro" feeling of besson's momvies. americans might feel lost sometimes.