Casablanca (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Not the usual extras on deluxe edition of classic film
Review: Everybody ends up at Rick's. In this case, that's a good thing as Casablanca has been remastered and stocked with an additional disc of extras for this 60th anniversary edition. As far as DVDs go, this ain't just another gin joint. This deluxe edition of Casablanca mirrors The Right Stuff and the recently released The Adventures of Robin Hood as an example of how to do right by a classic film. Directed by Michael Curtiz from a marvelous screenplay written by Julius & Philip Epstein and Howard Koch, Casablanca has transcended the era it was made in. The definition of a classic is exactly that; a film that transcends time and manages to exert its influence beyond the year it was made and viewed.

This is the second incarnation of Casablanca. Originally released just a couple years ago as a single disc DVD, the film has been reborn as a deluxe two disc dual layer baby with the stunning complexion of a model and the sharpness of a MENSA member. There aren't a lot of films worthy of such a recent reissue and expansion but this classic film deserves it in spades.

Set during World War Two Humphrey Bogart plays Rick the owner of a nightclub imaginatively named Rick's Cafe Americain. Rick runs his "gin joint" in French occupied Morocco but German controlled . Waltzing into his club one night is a former lover Ilsa played by a stunning Ingrid Bergman. She and her husband husband Victor (the under rated Paul Henreid) are on the run from the Nazis. Everyone wants a piece of them and their only salvation in this duplicitious town is Rick.

With an outstanding supporting cast including Claude Rains, Sidney Greenstreet (who was so popular that he was teamed again with Peter Lorre in another film shortly after Casablanca), Peter Lorre and Conrad Veidt, everything seems effortless in this classic film..That's the best compliment you can give any film. So many undeserving movies have won Academy Awards that it's amazing when a great motion picture actually does win; Casablanca was recognized for writing, direction and best picture. There were a number of deserving nominations for this film (including Bogart but he was rewarded later for a far less deserving portrayal in John Huston's The African Queen) but the Academy elected to share the rest of the wealth with other films.

A nearly flawless print and beautiful transfer have been used to produce this remastered edition. The crisp, black and white images look amazingly sharp given the age of the film. The bright and clean look of the film is probably due to significant digital clean up and it was well worth the effort. Although there isn't a huge improvement in terms of image over the previously released DVD from a couple of years ago, the generous extras more than make up for purchasing the film again.

Since the original film was recorded and shown in mono, there's not much beyond clean up that can be done here. That said, the film still suffers from the same limited range typical of a film from the same time. The documentaries included on the second disc sound terrific though.

There's two strong commentary tracks one by film critic Roger Ebert and the other by film historian Rudy Behlmer. Of the two, I found Ebert's track the most fun and informative at the same time. Behlmer's commentary is fine and provides lots of interesting background and trivia for the viewer but Ebert is the better entertainer.

Luckily the usual suspects weren't assembled for this deluxe edition. While the documentary You Must Remember This appeared on the previous edition, the other extras are, for the most part, new and exclusive to this edition. It's inclusion allows fans of the film to replace the earlier edition.

Bacall on Bogart provides quite a bit of insight into Bogart. Having Bogart's widow and fellow actor Bacall host the special that was original produced by Turner Entertainment and WNET was a savvy move. Lauren Bacall manages to provide insightful observations about Bogart's career and how he ended up doing Casablanca. Directed by David Heeley and written by John L. Miller, the documentary is breezy and information. The use of clips and stills also benefits the program making the documentary less static than most.

A little known fact is that Casablanca also gave birth to a short lived television series. The premiere episode entitled Who Holds Tomorrow? Is an interesting alternative to the film. While the characters and some of the situations are familiar, the pilot provides enough minor surprises to make it worth viewing. Without DVD and the resurrection of Casablanca again, many fans might have been deprived of the chance to see this interesting bit of television history.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, than Criterion must be blushing. Warner also presents the original radio broadcast by the Screen Guild Players a feature frequently found on many of Criterion's discs of vintage films. What's most interesting is the fact that the trio of top billed stars in the film (Bogart, Bergman and Henreid) perform their parts in this broadcast. It wasn't uncommon during the 30's, 40's and 50's for actors to reprise their roles in special radio adaptions of current films. It's fun having this bit of history included.

Finally Warner pulls a rabbit out of its hat. The Bugs Bunny cartoon Carrotblanca with Bugs as Bogie is also included. This hilarious short was produced back in 1995. Although it is missing the breezy direction common to the better classic Warner cartoons, it can more than hold its own against most of them. Carrotblanca looks colorful and vivid in a terrific transfer. If this is what Warner has done to their stable of classic cartoons set for release later in October of 2003, then Looney Tunes fans are in for a treat.

Although many fans of the film have probably purchased Casablanca previously on DVD, this deluxe edition has extras galore making it essential. The new print and transfer are vivid and vibrant besting even the earlier edition (which looked very good, indeed).Most film fans would pay a king's ransom to get their special movie treated with as much class and respect as this one. Sure, the usual suspects are present but there's also a whole lot more for fans to view in this top notch DVD.

Rating:
Summary: Casablanca 2 Disc Special really is!
Review: Finally we have a serious 2 disc set with interesting material gathered for the true fan of this classic movie. This is the most perfectly cut movie ever made. Every scene is memorable and no film is wasted. If the film has a weakness, it is that too many drinks are served to characters who never drink them!Included in the special DVD are musical cuts of "Sam" working on tunes to be used in the movie and also a few that were not included. There is an interesting commentary by Roger Ebert but incredibly he blunders during the "Flashback" as he can't correlate Ilsa's husband being discovered in a railroad car still alive with her strange behavior toward Rick in "Le Belle Aurore"! Either he has not been around women enough to recognize the symptoms or it went over his head. (I am not sure which)He is too engrossed with Ilsa when she appears again in Casablanca and requests Sam to play "As Time Goes By" and the facial expression that Rick displays upon laying his eyes on her again. (He mentions this at least twice and perhaps a third time) We also get a good dose of the children of the stars and Lauren (bogey's real wife,well at least the last one)Bacall gives us a nice introduction. The art on the DVD's are great! Also exposed at last is that the advance info of Ron Reagan for the role was FICTION. The deleted scenes are a disappointment. There is no commentary and only two of the same scene are shown. Namely, the prison set-up of Lazlo with Rick agreeing on the money for the highly sought papers. Good for advocates of this movie and if you have the time to delve into the special Disc it will be an interesting experience.

Rating:
Summary: Most Enjoyable American Movie of All Time
Review: The turn of the century produced a lot of lists including "Best Movies". I noted that "Casablanca" ranked right up there with the best American movies of all-time. Many would argue that it is the BEST movie of all time. I certainly have in in my top-ten because it is one of those classics where everything came together just right. The acting is superb and there is a great chemistry between the main characters. The story-line was exciting, believable, and emotional. The audience is drawn into the emotion and no one but the hardest boiled eggs among us gets away without a heart-warming or heart-breaking reaction. The directing is great, the music is memorable, the supporting actors terrific...what else am I missing? It has it all.

For some the message may be diluted somewhat by time but most of us know from hindsight that this movie takes places in a time of upheaval. Lives are at stake. The casino setting is an excellent metaphor for the twists of fate that have affected so many in this corner of the world. Into this crossroads of humanity come two former lovers who meet unexpectedly. Their lives have changed since they parted but their love was strong. What will happen now that they meet again? This mixture of romance and adventure makes "Casablanca" a movie for everyone.

The greatness of "Casablanca" might be best appreciated by speculating on what if the movie HAD been made with Ronald Reagan instead of Humphrey Bogart. That was supposedly the person the studio initially had in mind for the role of Rick. Opinions vary on Reagan as President but as an actor he was strictly "B movie" quality. Make that change or any other of a number of possible changes in the acting, the script, the directing etc. and you would end up with a lesser movie. That is why "Casablanca" is so loved even after all these years. It works so well because everything came together just right. If you have not seen this movie, you must do so. I recommend that you watch it with your spouse or significant other. You'll probably always remember the night that you did.

Rating:
Summary: The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship....
Review: Because I've been reading Michael Walsh's novel As Time Goes By, I recently decided to watch Casablanca again on DVD. I was amazed to see how this 1943 Oscar-winning film remains powerful and moving 60 years after its release.

Almost everybody knows its plot of of wartime intrigue and its doomed romantic triangle of bitter American saloonkeeper Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), the beautiful Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), and her idealistic husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). This trio is supported by a wonderful and varied cast of characters, including Police Prefect Louis Renault (Claude Rains), Rick's faithful friend and piano player Sam Waters (Arthur "Dooley" Wilson), the conniving Ugarte (Peter Lorre), the Russian bartender Sacha (Leonid Kinsky), and the loveable maitre d' Carl (S. Z. Sakall).

The heart of the movie revolves around the conflict created in Rick's heart by World War II. When his former flame Ilsa arrives in Casablanca, does he help her and her husband Victor escape to Lisbon, or does he allow German Major Strasser (Conrad Veldt) to capture the fugitive Czech resistance leader so Rick can take Ilsa to America himself? Or do his natural good instincts surface and get Rick to do the honorable thing?

This movie has a little bit of everything: suspense, drama, comedy, an exotic setting, and lots of music, including renditions of "It Had To Be You," "The Very Thought Of You," and a thrilling duel between Germans singing the "Watch On The Rhine" and the Allies belting out "The Marsellaise." Other songs heard in the film include "Knock On Wood," and the unforgettable "As Time Goes By."

Another crucial element is the snappy and memorable dialog written by the Epstein twins and Hal B. Wallis for this movie:

Rick: I came here for the waters.
Louis: Waters? What waters? We're in the desert.
Rick: Obviously, I was misinformed.

Ilsa: (to Sam) Play it. Play "As Time Goes By."

Rick: (to Sam) Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.

Louis: (pretending to be surprised) I'm shocked, shocked to find gambling in here!
Casino Dealer: (handing Louis some money) Your winnings, sir.
Louis: (takes the money) Thank you.

Rick: (to Ilsa) Now, now...here's looking at you, kid.

With all these ingredients, director Michael Curtiz and producer Jack Warner came up with a recipe for a movie that became a beloved classic, a status recognized when the Library of Congress named Casablanca as one of the most important American films.

Rating:
Summary: You'll play it again... and again and again and again!
Review: Casablanca represents the Hollywood studio system at the summit of its creative powers. Michael Curtiz directs an excellent ensemble cast that is dramatic, hilarious and visually stunning (usually in the same scene). The acting, the writing and the pacing is excellent and puts the vast majority of Hollywood's output (before and after) to shame.

As far as the new DVD is concerned Warner Brothers really pulled out all the stops. Its packed with extras that you will actually want to see and hear (unlike most DVD's). It is well designed and visually appealing. The only dud is the premiere episode of "Who Holds Tomorrow?", which is a small screen adaptation of the film that rightfully faded into obscurity. But, it is worthy, if for nothing else, as a historical footnote.

If you haven't seen this classic yet, trust me, you need to. If you have an aversion to "old movies", don't worry, the fast pacing, clever writing and double entendre's are perfect for more modern sensibilities. What are you waiting for? Run (or drive really fast) to the local video store and buy it now!

Rating:
Summary: a classic love tale
Review: Humphrey Bogart is one of the best actors all time and his role as Rick solidifies that statement. Rick must choose between love or doing the right thing or helping himself and it plays out as a great movie and it deserves the acadamy award it won in 1943 as best picture besides guys how often do you get a chick flick you can watch with your girlfriend and still enjoy

Rating:
Summary: You'll Always Have Paris
Review: What can I say about Casablanca that's new? Nothing. My words would only repeat the millions already written or spoken about this classic film, so I'll spare you. Only the film remains new, fresh and exciting with every viewing.

The two-disc DVD release is a must for Casablanca fans. In my opinion, the special features most worth having on it are the two separate film commentaries by Roger Ebert and Rudy Behlmer, interesting and informative without being academic; the sparkling Screen Guild Players radio play starring Bogart, Bergman and Henreid, which has been digitally cleaned and enhanced; the hilarious homage cartoon Carrotblanca; and the filmed comments of the stars' children, Pia Lindstrom and Steven Bogart, about their parents' collaboration on the film.

Get Casablanca. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship for you with the film, or the renewal of an old and unforgettable love. Either way, you'll be delighted that you'll always have Paris.

Rating:
Summary: The more you watch ¿ the better it gets.
Review: Casablanca - The more you watch - the better it gets.

This movie is just so great! And it gets better each time you watch it!

Rating:
Summary: Can't Wait for the Sequel!!
Review: Seriously though... "Casablanca" is virtually critic-proof: so stirring and entertaining that even its myriad implausibilities (you'll never see a swankier set of war refugees in your life) add somehow to its charm. I've seen the film dozens of times - mostly on rainy nights with a glass of Chablis trembling in one hand - and I've never stopped marveling at how Curtiz and his team transcended all the hide-bound elements of the studio system without even trying. If they had been trying - like in "Passage to Marseilles" - the film would've been a disaster.

The special sublimity of the film comes from, I think, the fact that it shouldn't work, really - based on a second-rate (and never produced) play, the movie combines broad comic farce mixed with romantic melodrama stirred up with wartime jinogism. Yet the screenplay and efficient direction distills out the limitations of each of these elements -the comedy never becomes silly or strained, the romance never weepy, and the sloganeering never obnoxious - and produces an happy and effervescent concotion.

Enough about the film - what about this new DVD release? Well, the outtakes aren't especially relevatory (two cut scenes - both inconsequental; a couple of extended shots); the second disk extra are ok (two Bacall documentaries - one on Casablanca which was on the previous disk, another older feature outlining Bogart's film career); and, in descending order of interest, the 1943 Lux Radio program, a mediocre Bugs Bunny take-off, and a thoroughly soporific mid-1950's attempt to make it into a t.v. show (although Marcel Dalio shows a bit of panache in the Renauld role).

If you don't already own the film on DVD, get this version. The transfer is excellent and the commentaries are better than average (plus you get a soundtrack extra featuring Dooley Wilson doing several takes of the songs). After watching the film and all the assorted supplements, you'll get a strong sense of why "Casablanca" was so unique - and why neither Curtiz nor anyone else ever managed to pull off such a coup de theatre again.

Rating:
Summary: Flawless in every way!
Review: What can be said of Casablanca that has not already been said? This may be the most perfect movie ever. Ingrid Bergman is luminous as Ilse. She loved Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) when the two were in Paris (Rick didn't know at the time that Ilse was married) but when Hitler invaded, they had to escape quickly. Ilse promised to meet Rick at the train station, but never showed.

Years later, "out of all the gin joints in the world, she walks into mine" laments Rick. He is still in love with her, but her husband must leave the country and needs papers that Rick may have. Without the papers, he will die in Casablanca.

In addition to Bogart and Bergman, Claude Rains is great as the policeman. He brings several moments of levity to the film. My favorite is when he shuts the bar down because he is "shocked, shocked to discover that gambling is going on", and in the next moment an employee hands him his winnings for the night.

Of course, all the cliched lines are very famous from this film. It should be noted that the line "Play it again, Sam" never was actually spoken by a character in the film. However, lines like "Round up the usual suspects" and the film's closing line are so common that they have become part of everyday lexicon. Incidentally, if you have never seen the film and don't know what the last line is, believe me, when you see it, you'll know what I'm talking about.

I don't know if I could recommend a movie more. One hour forty minutes has never gone by so quickly. I have seen it at least a dozen times and I never tire of it. Easily on my short list of the best movies I have ever seen.