Rating: 
Summary: A movie for the ages
Review: The film begins with a group of German schoolboys, including the film's main star Paul, listening to a statement by their teacher about why they should join the army. Outside, a group of soldiers are parading down the street to cheering crowds and parading music. Filled with images of the glory and honor of serving in the war, the boys decide to enlist. After their military training, they arrive at the front where they learn all there is for them is hunger, fear and death. They fight rats as well as the enemy and they watch the slaughter of soldiers from both sides and even kill some of them. In one moving moment, Paul kills a French soldier and stays in a blast crater with the dying soldier, asking for forgiveness. Among one of the other powerful scenes is when Paul goes on leave and returns to his town. There, he visits his former teacher, who is giving another lecture to another group of students about why they should join the army. When asked to talk about the war, Paul says 'We live in the trenches and we fight. We try not to be killed. Sometimes we are-That's all'. He is booed at by the boys who see him as a coward. Meanwhile, when he talks with a group of old-timers, he is told to push on to Paris. After fighting for too long, he fells that the only place he is conformable at is at the front. When he returns back to his unit, he finds that only a few remain and most of those are recruits who were once like him: Boys who found the front to be different from what they thought it would be. It is obvious that this movie was made in 1930. 'Talkies' had been around for only a few years, so silent-era acting was still widely present. The special effects in the film are also not as realistic as today. The scenes are filmed in black and white with scratches visible in some scenes. But All Quiet on the Western Front has not dated when it comes to its power. It is (Along with Platoon and Saving Private Ryan) the best anti-war movie ever made.
Rating:
Summary: The Sound of Silence
Review: Winner of the 1930 Oscars for Best Picture and Director, "All Quiet on the Western Front" remains a stunning and timely film. Based on Erich Maria Remarque's classic anti-war novel, the movie follows a group of patriotic German schoolboys as they are urged to enlist in World War II, and shows how their initially idealistic spirits are forever changed by the brutal reality of death and dismemberment, suffering and sorrow. Beautifully acted by its entire cast (with special kudos going to Lew Ayres, Louis Wolheim, and Slim Summerville), the film also features some incredible special visual effects (those two detached hands clinging to the barbed wire fence never fail to shock) and some meticulously staged battle scenes that manage to put the viewer into the heart of the action. Arthur Edeson's cinematography is often truly astonishing in its artistry; his visual choices are impeccable. Worth a special note is the film's soundtrack; how incredible the terrible sounds of exploding ammunition must have seemed to audiences in 1930, who had first heard Al Jolson speak in 1927's part-talkie, "The Jazz Singer"! The very last sound effect in the film, which abruptly and startlingly leads to the close of the movie, is superbly executed and remains an innovative use of sound technology. The Universal DVD release of this film features a great sound transfer: on my six-speaker system, the rumbling explosions, staccato machine guns, and whizzing bullets sounded remarkably nearby. Sadly, the visual transfer was sorely lacking; the source was plagued by jumps, scratches, lines, and breaks throughout the film, and the contrast was sometimes out-of-balance. This cinematic masterpiece demands and deserves to be fully restored, and then remastered and rereleased on DVD. (Are you listening, Universal Home Video?) The DVD extras include production notes; cast and director biographies and filmographies; and a Theatrical Trailer from one of the film's many reissues. Warts and all, this DVD edition is definitely worth a look - the film's brilliance is such that it shines above and beyond this rather shoddy presentation.
Rating:
Summary: The only true anti-war movie
Review: It would be a mistake to think of this movie as a war movie rather it is the only true anti-war movie I've ever seen. Unlike most so-called anti-war movies there is no glory, no heroics and no over-dramatized deaths in this movie, it is perhaps the most realistic movie I've seen about war, or to put it more aptly, the most likely depiction of war. Put that doesn't mean this movie is boring or an escapade of Art, no this movie is both entertaining and chilling and it is definitely a movie you should see before you die, otherwise you'll regret it, as it will probably be one of Gods favorites, lousy hippie.
Rating:
Summary: The Sound of Silence
Review: Winner of the 1930 Oscars for Best Picture and Director, "All Quiet on the Western Front" remains a stunning and timely film. Based on Erich Maria Remarque's classic anti-war novel, the movie follows a group of patriotic German schoolboys as they are urged to enlist in World War II, and shows how their initially idealistic spirits are forever changed by the brutal reality of death and dismemberment, suffering and sorrow. Beautifully acted by its entire cast (with special kudos going to Lew Ayres, Louis Wolheim, and Slim Summerville), the film also features some incredible special visual effects (those two detached hands clinging to the barbed wire fence never fail to shock) and some meticulously staged battle scenes that manage to put the viewer into the heart of the action. Arthur Edeson's cinematography is often truly astonishing in its artistry; his visual choices are impeccable. Worth a special note is the film's soundtrack; how incredible the terrible sounds of exploding ammunition must have seemed to audiences in 1930, who had first heard Al Jolson speak in 1927's part-talkie, "The Jazz Singer"! The very last sound effect in the film, which abruptly and startlingly leads to the close of the movie, is superbly executed and remains an innovative use of sound technology. The Universal DVD release of this film features a great sound transfer: on my six-speaker system, the rumbling explosions, staccato machine guns, and whizzing bullets sounded remarkably nearby. Sadly, the visual transfer was sorely lacking; the source was plagued by jumps, scratches, lines, and breaks throughout the film, and the contrast was sometimes out-of-balance. This cinematic masterpiece demands and deserves to be fully restored, and then remastered and rereleased on DVD. (Are you listening, Universal Home Video?) The DVD extras include production notes; cast and director biographies and filmographies; and a Theatrical Trailer from one of the film's many reissues. Warts and all, this DVD edition is definitely worth a look - the film's brilliance is such that it shines above and beyond this rather shoddy presentation.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite movie of ALL TIME.
Review: All Quiet On the Western Front is my all time favorite movie. Lew Ayres stars as Paul Baumer with Lewis Wolheim as Katczinsky or "Kat". This has some pretty good battle scenes for 1930, but the sounds of the shells hitting the ground isn't that realistic, but like I said it's 1930. This film won 2 Academy Awards including Best Picture(1929-1930). When director Lewis Milestone went up on stage to receive the award, some guy (don't remember his name) told Milestone that the next award the film would win would be the Nobel Peace Prize, because the film is anti-war. This movie is also #54 on AFI'S 100 Greatest Movies of All Time. I have now seen this 17 times and still counting and I'm not one bit tired of it. Every single scene, even though I've seen it a million times, still holds my attention whenever I see it. I would recommend this on DVD over VHS, because the bonus features contain the original theatrical trailer, and has short bios about the stars who played in it, and production notes. I love this movie so much I could run down the streets telling everyone I see to go see this film. Well now that you know about it go buy it NOW.
Rating: 
Summary: Way ahead of its time
Review: Long before Platoon and Saving Private Ryan, a pacifist antiwar film dedicated to the soldier's point of view had them queuing round the block. An enormous critical and financial success, All Quiet On The Western Front was made in 1930 for the then enormous sum of $1.25m. The story of the inglorious fate of young German soldiers in the trenches of the Great War, it was made at a time when the actors and the public could remember the panic and the enormous numbers of dead. Thoroughly sensible and honest, this story claims to be 'neither an accusation, nor a confession, and least of all an adventure'. How many other war films have the guts to wear such a broken heart on their sleeve?
Rating:
Summary: A Classic That Must Be Experienced..
Review: This review refers to the Universal DVD edition of "All Quiet on the Western Front"(1930)....
I feel privileged that we are still able to view this beautiful film from 1930. It is a moving story of soldiers bonding through the horrors of war. The soldiers are German, the war is WWI, but it doesn't really matter what country they are from or which war it is, it is baby faced boys, going off to kill or be killed, and the physical and emotional scars they are left with. "All Quiet on the Western Front" won the Academy Award(1929/1930) for Best Picture and it was well deserved. Everything about it is amazing. The acting, the story, the photography, all combined for a film that will stand the test of time and will continue to mesmerize audiences always. Even without all the graphic effects used in today's war movies,Director Lewis Milestone and photographer Arthur Edeson, manage to convey a chilling look at the atrocities these soldiers must endure.The film's stars, Lew Ayres, Louis Wolheim, John Wray and Slim Summerville are all exquiste in their portrayals, making us feel the emotions and anguish they are going through. They are characters you will really care about.Some of the immortal scenes, will touch you and stay with you for quite a while after the view. The film does show it's age. Although the picture itself is fairly sharp, there are many scratches and lines throughout.
I found myself so caught up in the story though, that these things didn't really bother me,The sound in DD2.0(MONO) is at times a bit muffled but very decent. I think the DVD is absolutely worth having for anyone who appreciates fine filmmaking, or any lover of good war(or anti-war) stories.The price now is more than reasonable for this classic treasure.
There are very informative production notes included on the making of the film, and the author(Erich Maria Remarque) of the book the film was based on. There are some biographical notes on a few of the stars as well. The DVD includes subtitles in English, French and Spanish.Universal has done a nice job in bringing this important piece of ciematic historty to DVD for all to enjoy. A must have for your classic film collection and one to view during the up coming Oscar season....Experience this beautiful film for yourself...Laurie
Rating:
Summary: Cinema at its best
Review: I can only re-iterate the comments passed by most of your other reviewers, a real master piece. Dated? maybe, the acting is of another age. but for all that the story and cine-matic quality reigns amongst the greatest of all time. The 1st world war is seen through a young, ordinary lad at first enthusiastic to serve his nation after a barrage of lecturing led by his school master on how glorious to wear a uniform with the girls flocking at your feet, the pride of the nation,ect,ect. He and most of his school mates join up only to be confronted with the reality of trench warfare.The story is quite straight forward but interwoven are really great episodes eg: we digress from the characters to follow a pair of boots as they are worn by various soldiers each one loosing them through death.
There are no glorious deaths no famous last words just the passing of a few young men out of the 9,000,000 who's lives ended between 1914 and 1918.
The final scene is a classic in film history.
The anti war message is as strong now 73 years after its release as it was then.
For those who have not seen this film and are real art lovers
this is a must buy for any film collection.
For me i just think it,s in the top 5 best films of all time and definately the best war movie ever made.
Rating:
Summary: Should have been 5...
Review: ...but for the flaws of the DVD (although I've seen much worse, and the price is fair), and the missing part ending the book (which was giving the full meaning of the title, and I found this omission unforgivable), the 'communiqué', announcing both the armistice and "All quiet on the Western Front": the death of the soldier who was at the center of the story did not have any meaning neither importance for the cannon fodder accountants (especially since the war was over). Lew Ayres, although doing a fine job as the central character, is way beyond Louis Wolheim who is perfect as the veteran who knows better, especially that the first worry for a soldier is not about glory but plain survival. Boris Vian wrote(about 45 years ago):"War is made by people who don't know each other and fight, for the benefit of people who know each other very well but don't want to fight together"...But they give you some choice, either you die as a hero if listening to them, either as a 'coward desertor' if you refuse to comply to 'military law'; the worst (and it's very well exposed in this movie) being the one who are not fighting but know perfectly what should do those who are.I hope some day we'll see no more of military court-martialing civilians who refuse to go, but civil courts treating military as criminals. What is most interesting is, the best 2 movies (in my opinion) depicting war as it is AND as it should be seen are this one from a book by a german writer (but an american movie), the 2nd, "Die Brucke, aka The Bridge" in 1959, having been made in Germany by a german director, Bernard Wicki; the main difference being the teacher who's trying (unsuccessfully) to calm down the young ones who want to fight for the "Vaterland": 1914 (when nothing done yet), they had to con them in; 1944 (when it was already lost), you couldn't reason them out.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a classic...
Review: I've seen the film twice now, and it is dated. A classic stands the test of time: what had been called naturalistic acting in this film is today melodrama. Of course, this is a landmark film, but it does not hold up "suprisingly well." The second time I saw this film was in a film appreciation class, and people litteraly laughed at the movie and couldn't wait for it to end. It's a time capsule film and nothing more: it's important for the time it was made and the effect it had then, but it doesn't hold up. "Grand Illusion" is a classic war film and should be seen as the quintisential WWI film. The only reason to see "All Quiet..." now is for film history.
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