Rating: 
Summary: A Great New Look At An Old Classic
Review: There are so many great old films that suffer due to scratched and inferior video copies. The Third Man is such a film. My old VHS copy of the film had numerous splices, dirt marks, etc. In addition, the sound was muddled and murky, making it hard to understand what the characters were saying. Anton Karas' unique zither score was ruined, and Graham Greene's unforgettable dialogue was almost unintelligible.The DVD edition, however, is pristine with crystal clear sound. The dialogue is distinct and the musical score sounds great. The DVD details the restoration and shows before and after clips that make you truly appreciate the work The Third Man's restorers put into it. In addition, the DVD features many extras about the making of the film as well as newsreel footage about the film at the time of its release. It took fifty years, but The Third Man now has the quality home video version it deserves. Switzerland may have only given us the cuckoo clock, but Criterion has given us a new and beautiful at one of the greatest films of all time.
Rating:
Summary: A DVD Masterpiece
Review: Surely one of the top five movies of all time gets one of the best DVD treatments I have seen. Absolutely flawless print, and great sound makes this an unforgetable cinematic experience. Great special features, including production photos, overlapping narrative by author Graham Greene, a video of Anton Karas playing the zither, and a rare radio serial of Orson Welles as Harry Lime! The first appearance of Orson Welles in this film ranks as one of the greatest in cinema. At no other time has an actor so dominated a movie while only having about 15 minutes screen time. Valli is beautiful, and Trevor Howard has never been better. While I still rank Citizen Kane as No. 1, The Third Man is a near equal. Your DVD collection is incomplete without this incomparable addition.
Rating:
Summary: Orson Welles is magnificent
Review: This is Orson Welles' movie, lock, stock and barrel. His masterful performance as Harry Lime ranks with one of the most memorable film characterizations in cinema history. To think that Selznick didn't want Welles in the role. Had anyone else played Lime, "The Third Man" would not be the classic movie that it is. The greatest scene is between Welles and Joseph Cotten (miscast, should have been played by Jimmy Stewart) on the Prater ferris wheel. Welles improvised his dialogue here and you can see it from Cotten's disjointed replied and surprised countenance. But it works... and it's a brilliantly-acted scene by Welles. Be sure and rewind to watch this scene again and again. The haunting, lilting zither music by Anton Karros is another reason this film is a classic. Rarely has music been so solidly integrated into a film's plot. "The Third Man" is Carol Reed's tour de force and is truly one of the great films in history.
Rating: 
Summary: Quantitative Evaluation
Review: Audio Merits:7/10; Video Merits:9/10; Scenario Merits:8/10; Overall Artistic Performance:10/10; Musical Merits:7/10; Cinematographic Merits:10/10;DVD Extras:9/10;Recording Total Quality:8/10. Professor's Comment: Great artistic performance and splendid cinematographic assets on a borning and very simple subject. A classical reference reflecting the evolution of movie making.
Rating:
Summary: Peerless
Review: You often hear about the films that got away. Actors who didn't get to work with a particular director; a director wishing he'd had the opportunity to work with a certain screenwriter, and so forth. "The Third Man" is what happens when it all comes together. Carol Reed, Graham Greene and (as an actor only) Orson Welles are damn near at the peak of their talents in this stunning work. Fifty years has done nothing to soften the hard brilliance of this film. And too much praise cannot be heaped upon this beautiful restoration job. If your only memories are of a faded video or 16mm print version, this will take your breath away. Cannot recommend this film too highly!
Rating:
Summary: Classic Film looking incredible on DVD
Review: There is a tendency to believe that DVDs benefit mostly newer, action oriented films like Aliens or the Matrix. Older films tend to get the short shrift when it comes to DVD's. People who own Criterion Collection films know better! This DVD has substantial extras that will keep you viewing over and over again. The Bogdonavich interview, the restoration footage, the voice overs, the photos, and the radio readings are just some of the fascinating highlights of this loaded disc. The actual film is gorgeous, with the black and white film appearing to be made especially for DVD. The Shadows cast in the final sewer chase are just breathtaking. I've always loved this film with its amazing views of Vienna and it's artistic, stylistic cinematography. After seeing this DVD, it's like seeing the film for the first time. For those who feel like a DVD can add little to a black and white film, this DVD will prove you wrong. If you own plan to own very few DVDs, this needs to be one of them. The sequence where you see Welles in the light for the first time, as well as the climax in the sewer are two of the finest individual shots in the history of film. I can't think of a finer supporting actor performance than this one from Welles. Buy it!
Rating:
Summary: Roger Ebert may be right
Review: I once heard Roger Ebert say that this was one of the ten best movies ever made. If it isn't it sure is close. The shadows and the camera angles are vintage Welles. Unlike modern day Hollywood where everything is done for you, this film makes you think and really gets you involved. The way this movie builds you up to the final scenes is a thing of beauty. This movie will forever stand on it's own.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Review: The remastered edition of this movie is flawless. This is the perfect movie for DVD. Half the time I found myself wandering mentally from the dialogue to focus on the picture itself. I don't know if there is a name for this quality of black and white movie but it is stunning. The story itself is very good and the acting superb but I always find myself watching it again just to see cinematography.
Rating:
Summary: Wow!
Review: Except for the plot being dated, all aspects of this release are a 5. Photograhy and directing demonstrate economy & art. There are lots of DVD extras, though I do not think the reading of the abridged version of the book added much to the film. Welles' part is limited, but how much he packs into so little time! And yes, the music is not only good on its own, but its melding with the film is even better.
Rating:
Summary: My high expectations were met -- and surpassed!
Review: Call me ignorant, but I had never heard of THE THIRD MAN until its recent rerelease in some theaters. Unfortunately I missed it and I'll bet it's an incredible experience on the big screen. Still, based on reviews I've read (including the ones on amazon.com), I bought the DVD version. My expectations were pretty high since it has been named one of the greatest films of all time. And they were surpassed. What a great film! The story, the acting, the cinematography were flawless. The zither soundtrack added a mood that a typical soundtrack with an orchestra could never match. The movie gets better the more I watch it. The DVD also has a lot of great features, including an alternate beginning narrative, as well as a version done for radio. You could spend a whole weekend discovering new things on this DVD. The Criterion Collection definitely gave me my money's worth.
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