Rating: 
Summary: absolute genius
Review: i was at the video store wanting to get oliver! because i needed to get the dodger's accent for a school performance. they didn't have it so i got this instead and i am soo glad i did. i was palnning to watch up to the bit where the dodger takes oliver to fagin's but ended up watching the entire thing. the directing is absolutley brilliant and so is the acting. i compared this to oliver! and found that this was so mush better. you can belive the acting in this and i can't get over how fantastic robert newton was, and the rest were great as well. if you love dickens novel, as i do, then this is for you.
Rating:
Summary: better than the book
Review: i've seen adaptations of a few dickens' novels - great expectations, david copperfield, martin chuzzlewit, bleak house - and i think this is the best of the lot. the cinematography is wonderful, not just the innovative camera work but the atmospheric lighting. i've read the book also and think this film is better. in fact, this is the only film adaptation that i could even come close to saying this of. david lean's great expectations comes kind of close, but the book is still better. not oliver twist. so see this film. THEN read the book. it will improve your reading experience.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Movie, Great adaptation.
Review: In an age where effects and overpaid actors seem to be the only draw to a movie as opposed to just great storytelling, this is a great example of what a move could be and should be. Maybe some of our contemporary directors should take note here. The cast carefully selected with Great performaces by John Howard Davies as Oliver and Alec Guiness as Fagan. This is a movie that can be watched over and over and still evoke feeling. I applaud Criteron for a wonderful job of preservation. A must have for any dvd collector.
Rating:
Summary: A perfect masterwork
Review: It's hard to know where to start in explaining what makes David Lean's "Oliver Twist" one of the most nearly perfect films ever made. It is a work of art and inspires awe in its every aspect. The black and white photography is brilliant, and the story is told as much visually as in dialog. The music is lively and triumphant one minute, eerie and chilling the next, perfectly augmenting the visual mood. The acting is superb, the characterizations unforgettable. Alec Guinness IS Fagin, Robert Newton IS Bill Sykes, the incredible Francis L. Sullivan IS Mr. Bumble. No other actors have ever come close to delineating those characters as well, nor could they after these hallmark performances. This movie is seeping with art, yet the art is non-intrusive. Rather, the film is an awe-inspiring delight from beginning to end. As for the Criterion DVD, it's a very good transfer from what was probably the best print available -- a pretty good print considering its age. Regarding brightness and contrast, all the beauty of the black & white photography seems to have been preserved, and the sound, although only as good as 1948 standards, is not distorted and does not unduly draw attention to itself. If you like movies, this DVD should be in your collection if only for its fascinating contrast with some of the modern color epics you undoubtedly own. If you have never seen it before, be forewarned that there are scenes in this masterwork that will permanently brand themselves into your brain, to be recalled later by association many times in your life when similar images are seen, and when similar music is heard. This is not just a great movie -- it's an essential and unforgettable experience.
Rating:
Summary: A perfect masterwork
Review: It's hard to know where to start in explaining what makes David Lean's "Oliver Twist" one of the most nearly perfect films ever made. It is a work of art and inspires awe in its every aspect. The black and white photography is brilliant, and the story is told as much visually as in dialog. The music is lively and triumphant one minute, eerie and chilling the next, perfectly augmenting the visual mood. The acting is superb, the characterizations unforgettable. Alec Guinness IS Fagin, Robert Newton IS Bill Sykes, the incredible Francis L. Sullivan IS Mr. Bumble. No other actors have ever come close to delineating those characters as well, nor could they after these hallmark performances. This movie is seeping with art, yet the art is non-intrusive. Rather, the film is an awe-inspiring delight from beginning to end. As for the Criterion DVD, it's a very good transfer from what was probably the best print available -- a pretty good print considering its age. Regarding brightness and contrast, all the beauty of the black & white photography seems to have been preserved, and the sound, although only as good as 1948 standards, is not distorted and does not unduly draw attention to itself. If you like movies, this DVD should be in your collection if only for its fascinating contrast with some of the modern color epics you undoubtedly own. If you have never seen it before, be forewarned that there are scenes in this masterwork that will permanently brand themselves into your brain, to be recalled later by association many times in your life when similar images are seen, and when similar music is heard. This is not just a great movie -- it's an essential and unforgettable experience.
Rating:
Summary: Second to no other version.
Review: John Howard-Davies as Oliver,Robert Newton as Bill Sykes,and unforgettable is Alec Guinness,buried beneath the make-up,and totally convincing as the villianous,but lovable rouge,Fagin. Dickens' "Oliver Twist",bought to life with a some fantastic on-screen characterizations.The Nineteenth Century London Streets and shops,and Fagins little hideaway,for his little thieves,re-created in rich detail,adds a real depth of atmosphere.An extremely entertaining film with some memorable scenes,including:The demise of Bill Sykes,When Oliver reaches London,and meets the Artful Dodger,and almost every time Fagin appears,or even Bill Sykes Bull Terrier Dog.For the film,5/5. Transfer quality:Because this film was made in 1948,i did expect more than the occasional scratch,and a lot of dirty marks and blemishes.I saw very little of either.Rarely did i see a scratch,and noticed virtually no blemishes,dirt,and on an overall basis,the picture was sharper,and cleaner than i had previously seen.Original Aspect Ratio,1.33/1.,4.5/5. The sound quality:Dolby Digital-(Mono)All sound effects are entirely crisp and clear,some background noise is evident on occasion,and also some popping glitches,but this never really distracted me,being absorbed in the film.Considering the films age,i'd say the sound quality on this DVD,overall,is pleasing,4/5. Conclusion:Great Film,very good picture,good sound.Extras are a little thin on the ground.While i respect the immense,and painstaking work that has gone into this DVD by Criterion,and that the cost and effort to which,must obviously be recovered,i thinkthat ...(the price),is a little excessive.Such a timeless piece of film-making should be made more easily available!?
Rating:
Summary: Second to no other version.
Review: John Howard-Davies as Oliver,Robert Newton as Bill Sykes,and unforgettable is Alec Guinness,buried beneath the make-up,and totally convincing as the villianous,but lovable rouge,Fagin. Dickens' "Oliver Twist",bought to life with a some fantastic on-screen characterizations.The Nineteenth Century London Streets and shops,and Fagins little hideaway,for his little thieves,re-created in rich detail,adds a real depth of atmosphere.An extremely entertaining film with some memorable scenes,including:The demise of Bill Sykes,When Oliver reaches London,and meets the Artful Dodger,and almost every time Fagin appears,or even Bill Sykes Bull Terrier Dog.For the film,5/5. Transfer quality:Because this film was made in 1948,i did expect more than the occasional scratch,and a lot of dirty marks and blemishes.I saw very little of either.Rarely did i see a scratch,and noticed virtually no blemishes,dirt,and on an overall basis,the picture was sharper,and cleaner than i had previously seen.Original Aspect Ratio,1.33/1.,4.5/5. The sound quality:Dolby Digital-(Mono)All sound effects are entirely crisp and clear,some background noise is evident on occasion,and also some popping glitches,but this never really distracted me,being absorbed in the film.Considering the films age,i'd say the sound quality on this DVD,overall,is pleasing,4/5. Conclusion:Great Film,very good picture,good sound.Extras are a little thin on the ground.While i respect the immense,and painstaking work that has gone into this DVD by Criterion,and that the cost and effort to which,must obviously be recovered,i thinkthat ...(the price),is a little excessive.Such a timeless piece of film-making should be made more easily available!?
Rating:
Summary: The most unknown masterpiece this world has yet produced!
Review: Many films have been made, but none in history have matched this one in its all-round technical brilliance. Every last element--Acting: particularly Guinness's richly villanous Fagin, and Newton's terrifyingly larger-than-life Bill Sikes; Direction: David Lean's true masterpiece, a cinematic milestone of such immediacy, it has all the impact and more than any '90's film; Adaptation: distilling the drama and sweep of Dickens' voluminous novel into less than 2 hours; Photography: dazzling the eye with its ravishing camera movements and stunning detail; Music,wondrously witty and almost operatic in its texture by Sir Arnold Bax; & Art direction: a massive studio set that seems all the size of London. Due to controversy, it was shunned its due acclaim, (and devastated this high-budgeted classic's chance at the box-office, contributing to the near-bankruptcy of Britain's film industry soon after) but at first viewing the controversy ends. See it, and wonder not that a 22-year old writes such a glowing review; for truly, "Oliver Twist" is a film for the ages!!! *P.S.: Note Lean's genius in scene where Sikes murders Nancy; without showing any violence, Newton's frightening intensity and Lean's brilliant use of image and sound convey the full shocking violence of the scene.
Rating:
Summary: Superb version of a timeless story
Review: Of all the many fine versions of Charles Dicken's immortal story "Oliver Twist" this excellent David Lean production surpasses all others in sheer excellence of presentation and in bringing to life the sad little tale of the young waif left to survive on his own in Victorian London. It would of course be totally pointless to retell what the story is about as doubtless all readers would be totally familiar with what is probably Dicken's most famous and well loved work. David Lean in his own unique style has here brought Dicken's words to life in a rich tapestry of excitement, danger, tragedy, menace and sentiment that can't be equalled. A stellar British cast has been assembled here and they literally become the characters as depicted in the pages of Dickens. Little John Howard Davies in later times a highly successful producer/director at Thames television is the absolute epitome of how Oliver should be. His performance is astonishingly mature and heartfelt and he brings just the right note of fear and longing for a better life into his interpretation of Oliver. I always in my mind think of him when I think of the character of Oliver Twist just as I would think of Vivien Leigh when describing Scarlett O'Hara, so convincing is he. The rest of the performances are top rank. Alec Guiness almost unrecognisable as the wily Fagin is spot on in his portrayal and his interpretation ranks as one of his finest performances ever. Robert Newton brings just the right level of menace and repulsiveness to his portrayal of Bill Sikes and Kay Walsh, a superb British actress with many memorable roles to her credit, is excellent in the sympathetic role of Nancy who in her own way tries to protect Oliver from a terrible fate among London's pickpockets. Henry Stephenson, long performing in some of the classic productions in Hollywood came home for the role of Mr Brownlow who is revealed as Oliver's grandfather and he is wonderful in one of the few sympathetic male roles in the film. Anthony Newley also is a standout in what proved to be probably his most famous role as the Artful Dodger. He has the correct cheeky and unflappable quality that Dicken's painted so vividly in the novel and he makes a wonderful contrast to Oliver's refined persona in their scenes together. Also look closely in the early tavern scenes for Diana Dors in a very early role as Charlotte the barmaid. The look of this production also has a real "Dickens" feel about it. The vivid black and white photography, the ghastly depiction of the grimy workhouse, the stark settings in the undesirable sections of London, the dark lighting in many of the scenes and the crowded closed in feel of many of the scenes all combine to create just the correct sense of unease and undesirability that Dicken wanted to get across in this story. While the story of Oliver Twist is not really for the squeamish I feel most members of the family will enjoy the story and the film does bring in a very lovely ending when Oliver is finally reunited with his Grandfather. David Lean's "Oliver Twist" is a masterful achievement and is rightly regarded as a true classic today. I never tire of it and appreciate more and more things about this quality production with each viewing . If there is one version of this story that you get for your video collection make sure it is David Lean's 1948 version of "Oliver Twist"
Rating:
Summary: Great Film - With Reservations about Racism
Review: Oliver Twist is the great tradition of restoration and revenge stories that include The Count of Monte Cristo, Cinderella, Robin Hood, and many other myths. The aristocrat born in squalor, abused, betrayed and otherwise forced to live as a member of the lower orders never fails his blood. Dickens used this theme in other works such as Nicholas Nickelby and Great Expectation, but Oliver Twist remains the most satisfying of these excursions into the lower depths. David Lean's version of the book is one of the great post-war British films. Shot in expressionist black and white, Oliver Twist doesn't shy away from the nasty bits of the underworld life that Oliver is forced into. Robert Newton's Sykes gleams with a psychotic edge, and Anthony Newley's Dodger leaps from the screen like Dicken's makes him rise from the page. James Newton Howard, as the poor but blonde lad, looks wan, pathetic, and suitably aristocratic among the unwashed. (Howard survived the experience and grew up to produce the well-beloved Monty Python) The sets are spectactular and well-detailed. I should like you to notice the street band that appears in several scenes looking moldy and playing with resigned anger. The claustrophic slums of London are dark, dusty, and muddy all once, and when the sun pentrates the mire, it is so strange that it transforms the squalor into beauty. This is Lean's black and white masterpiece. The sequence where Sykes beats Nancy to death is one of Lean's best. The terror of Bulldog is moving, and after the beating, when Sykes opens the window and the morning sun bursts in is filmmaking at its best. Lean also manages to cut the book without losing the essense of the story: the plot against Oliver by a userper who stands to inheirit Brown's estate if Oliver is surpressed. This greedy man conspires with the Beadle and with Fagan to get rid of the Oliver. Lean compresses this material well; the best scenes remain. The fall of Bumble and his wife is still one of the great scenes of all times. "The Law, sir, is an ass. The law, sir, is a bachelor." Now to Alec Guiness's Fagan. Anti-semiticism was so ingrained in Britian that neither Lean nor Guiness saw anything wrong with making Fagan into a Nazi's dream of a Jew. Made up in a fright wig and a nose that longer than anything outside of a puppet show, Guiness presents Fagan's charm and evil as he would have played Shylock, the uncious cheat, liar, and villian, corrupter of children and receiver of stolen goods. Indeed, in the catalog of villians in English literature Fagan is second only to Shylock. So outrageous did post-Holocaust audiences find this Fagan, the film's distributor cut some of the more disturbing close-ups for American audiences. Even Dickens realized he had gone too far back in the 1830's: he wrote wholly good, kind, and emasculated Jewish characters in later books, but the damage was done. Fagan is at no time presented as a relious Jew; even as he awaits hanging, he refuses to see Rabbis who come to him. Fagan is also somewhat psychotic, and collapses mentally the night before he hangs. To many people in the Europe Fagan and Shylock represented the Jewish People, not Moses, Albert Einstein or Moses Montefiore. This is a legacy of misunderstanding and hate with with we Red Sea Pedestrians must deal with every day. This is great filmmaking and one of my favorite films. "Oliver Twist" is one of Lean's great films, and certainly the finest interpretation of Dickens on-screen, but the sorrow, the pity, the death camps, the suicide bombers, and 2000 years of violence against my people cannot be ignored simply because this is a work of art. I watch it and weep.
|
