Rating: 
Summary: Terribly Dated
Review: It's time they made another updated movie version of this great book, because this movie version is terribly dated. I'm a teacher and I found this movie wouldn't even hold the attention of my 10th graders when we were studying the book.
And another thing which mystifies me: Why did they pick an actor with a THICK German or some other undecipherable accent to lead? I don't get that.
The special effects in this movie are almost non-existent (they simply cut out most of the parts in the book which would've required special effects, like the mechanical dog).
Rating: 
Summary: Utopia run by Fire-Department -- Disturbing Story
Review: Ray Bradbury's society in which all rules and regulations are dictated by the Fire-Department shows obvious comparisons to Nazi dictatorship. Controlling entertainment and leasure time, indoctrinating children with chanting exercises, as well as determining secular aptitudes for citizens, providing "happy pills" and wall-screen TVs, a mono-rail transportation system and much more, is done all "for the better of society". The obcession with books as the enemy (they needlessly confuse people and must be banished) compares to Hitler's obcession with ridding the world of "undesirables".The film cleverly shows glimpses of selected pieces of literature, including a split-second view of Hitler's "Mein Kampf", accompanied by the Chief Fireman's admonishing words about the negative effects of books on people. The main character Montag, a confused "aspiring" Fireman, is seen favoring a few "special" books among the ones he is hiding (at great risk to himslef) in his home. Observant viewers can see him slip "Casper Hauser" into his back pocket. His loyalty to his government is tested by a few "special" neighbors, who defiantly refuse giving up books. The final scenes show Montag, now a reformed ex-member of the "dark age" society in a new world, where books are committed to memory and verbally passed down to others. The initial "Utopia" had many material comforts, as well as a sense of security. The "New World" seems to have freedom, yet no material advantages at all. People are aimlessly pacing through wooded areas, visibly impoverished and seemingly in a perpetual daze. The viewer may wonder which of the two societies is actually the better one. Perhaps the message is that good and evil exist in all societies. There is no perfect society, there never was, there never will be. "Fahrenheit 451" is a frightning look at two worlds, both with different kinds of goods and evils. Giving up some good things is inevidably opening the door to evils and vice versa. This is an effective film, true to the author's intentions. Long a favorite among required High School reading, this film should be seen and discussed along with the reading. Bizarre and disturbing, yet open for discussions. Recommended.****
Rating: 
Summary: A temperature when paper burn...
Review: Fahrenheit 451 is based on Ray Bradbury's novel with the same name, which sends a chilling message to the audience. Most civilizations have fallen and have often been followed by a dark age. This story takes place sometime in the future when one civilization is in the middle of its dark age and where the written word is banned in all forms. These laws are being carried out by the fire department that has a reversed role in society compared to our present time fire departments. Its main function is to find and burn books at all costs. Meanwhile, people are being kept happy through pills and interactive TV among other things. On one occasion, a neighbor asks the main character, Montag (Oscar Werner), if he has ever read any of the books before he burned them. This question plants a seed of curiosity within Montag and he is about to break the law through reading. This then leads to the rebirth of Montag. Fahrenheit 451 is a superb story that offers many excerpts from written pieces delicately handled in the film, which enhances the atmosphere of the story. Moreover, there are several lessons to be learned from the film. These lessons come from dialogue, cinematography, directing, and the mise-en-scene, which leaves the audience with a terrific science fiction experience.
Rating:
Summary: Very good story. I enjoyed it.
Review: What
if
you
had
no
right
to
read? Fahrenheit 451 takes place in the not-too-distant future where books are completely forbidden. Based on the novel by Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451 is about choice. Each choice made by the characters could destroy society. We first see a man who hears sirens. And during the sirens, the phone rings and a woman's voice tells him to get out of his apartment and to run far, far away. He does and when we explore his apartment we discover the cause of this man's trouble: books. Everywhere there is a hiding place, there is a book. A team of "firemen" (note: they aren't called "fire fighters" becuase in the future, fires are started by them and the idea of fighting a fire is absurd.) take all the books to the parking lot and burn them. Their badges say "Fahrenheit 451" becuase that is the tempature used to burn books. We focus on a man: Montag. He and his wife live "happily" in their home next to his "friend" Clarisse (both women are played by Julie Christie). One day, Clarisse asks him if he had ever read the books he's burned. Simply put: no. But that strikes an interest in him. He takes a book: David Copperfield and starts to read it. His wife and friends worry and one of them begins to cry after he reads a passage. Her reason: she doesn't like those feelings anymore. It appears that books offend and dehumanize rather than bring goodness and brilliance into the world. In order to make everyone happy they burn books so no one feels sad and people don't become shut-ins because what they read is so facinating. When Montag's secret comes out, he becomes a fugitive and must make a decision: give up books or his life. Fahrenheit 451 is a classic that everyone should read (ironically, it was a novel) and see. (If you didn't see this version, don't worry: a remake is due in 2004/2005) The idea that no one could read the printed word is surprisingly realistic in the sense that readers are treated as common outlaws. The film makes sense and uses the fact that no one can read to it's advantage: the opening credits are read aloud instead of written out. Cartoons have no captions and life has no meaning. RECCOMENDED TO FANS OF:
Ninteen Eighty Four (1984)
The Running Man (1987)
Pleasantville (1998) CAST
Oskar Werner...Guy Montag
Julie Christie.....Clarisse/Linda Montag
Cyril Cusack......The Captain
Anton Diffring....Fabian/Headmistress THE MOVIE: 4/4 THE PICTURE QUALITY: 8/10. 1.85:1 Anamorphic widescreen. Clean except for some scenes (the opening scenes for example) where there are some noticable specs and dirt. Other than that, it's A-OK. THE AUDIO QUALITY: 5.5/10. This is where the disc looses credit. Presented in 2.0 Mono, it was extreamly hard to hear so I found myself turning the audio all the way up then being startled when I switch from dvd to vcr because the volume is so loud. THE SPECIAL FEATURES:
-The Novel: A Discussion with Author Ray Bradbury featurette
-The Making of Fahrenheit 541 featurette
-Commentary with Julie Christie
-The Music of Fahrenheit 541 featurette
-Original opening sequence
-Photo gallery
-Trailer
-Reccomendations SUBTITLES: English, Spanish and French
Rating:
Summary: Burning Brightly in the Night: Fahrenheit 451 as a Warning
Review: The movie "Fahrenheit 451" has always been regarded as a strange, stiff movie, curious not only in the casting, but also in the stilted feelings of the main character and abrupt changes in pacing. I think that is part of its appeal. Ever since it's release in the mid 1960's the film has had a special appeal to the 10 year old in me. From the afternoon movie appearances on WXYZ TV 7 4:30 pm Movie (edited for time, commercial content, and any suggestion of sexual content) to the occassional late night replay, it's a facinating look at a future society of rules, regulation, control and totalitarianism run rampant. True, it is difficult to understand Oscar(Montag)Werner's speech at times, and you wonder how he ever linked up with Linda/Julie Christie in the first place... but I think that only helps to underscore his growing sense of not-fitting it, not belonging, alienation, and loneliness. His dying love for her is evident in his frantic attempts to save her, but even in that effort, while the technicians work to casually revive her in the next room, he can only listen in... not actually DO anything to help save the woman he married... as she is restored to a participating member of 'the family'. There are many images that stay with me, some 35 years since I first saw the film. I frequently remember the run for darkness in front of the apartment complex/condos... and the errie predictive precursor to "America's Most Wanted" program.... "Let every citizen stand at his front door and watch for...Guy Montag..." In this modern day of MTV, the obsession with mindless reality shows like "Dog Eat Dog", "Fear Factor" and "The Real World"... we have to wonder how close we have grown to this futuristic world of mind-numbing cable television. As the 80s rock band "The Tubes" said, "What do you want from Life? To get cable TV and watch it every night?" This movie, as awkward as it is and always has been, should be required viewing for every high school literature class... in the hopes that some of the brighter students will recognise their classmates and the dangers of becoming one of the "family". By the way, did you hear that the new plazma wide screen TV's are coming down in price? If you rush now, you can buy a second one for Christmas and install it in your family room... then you'll only need two more before you are completely immersed in cable TV 24/7..... Think about it. Thank you Mr. Ray Bradbury, Mr. Francis Trufau, Mr. Bernard Hermann, Mr. Guy Montag...
Rating:
Summary: Misses the Idea of the Book
Review: A large fan of the book 451 may watch this movie in hopes for a deeper and more potent film, but be presented with a tangent. The book made the reader truely feel for the characters through simple dialogue, but the movie skewed from that and edited large important portions/characters/ideals from it's presentation. Though a movie is subjected to mpaa/budjects/deadlines it could have used them to thier advantage. Not to say this film is dissapointing, but it just doesn't feel right compared to the book. If someone asked me If I had seen the movie, I wouldn't be able to tell them I had, because I wouldn't quite want to put the creators down who did a moderate film, but as a fan of the book I would simply say I hadn't seen it - to prevent any explanations.
Rating:
Summary: Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
Review: Sci-fi drama from the classic Ray Bradbury novel about a future civilization that bans the written word, burns all books and punishes readers. The film is a curiously touching and visually haunting masterpiece (lushly photographed by Nicolas Roeg) with an excellent score by Bernard Herrmann. Oskar Werner and Julie Christie are the lovers who attempt to preserve a part of history by memorizing whole novels. In a dual role, Christine also plays the ignorant wife who collaborates with the authorities. The final scene of the recitation of "David Copperfield" in snow-covered woods will linger in your mind for a long time. Director Francois Truffaut's first film in English.
Rating: 
Summary: Hard to understand!
Review: I think that this movie was very hard to understand because of the characters' accents. The charaters in the movie hardly talked, but when they did, they talked very fast. The background of the story was good, but the movie wasn't. I really suggest that you read the book. I understand that it was made a long time ago, but I think that the special effects need to be updated by a director of this time making a new production of Fahrenheit 451, the movie. If you do not like reading, then you will get the basic idea of the story, but I strongly encourage you to read the book!
Rating:
Summary: good but not as great as the book
Review: this movie was good but the book was better. a lot of my friends think it was to hard to understand but since i have lived my entire life living with my mom who is italian with an accent so i am used to this.i suggest this book more than the movie but if you absolutley hate reading then you can watch the movie but if you are not english like my friend then i dont suggest this
Rating:
Summary: very well thought out
Review: yes they did have help from the book but it doesnt matter because it is in the 60's and it is what happened in the future because the houses are like the future but not our future i think it was very well thought about what it would be like in the future i thought it was excellent but after i read this book i thought it was just ok because it is not following the book. well a lot of people i know couldnt understand because of the accents but i have had to live with my mom who is italian and with an accent and my friend is english so i am used to accents so i understood it very well i do suggest the book over the movie and they should make a new version
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