Rating: 
Summary: Great movie - Equally great DVD
Review: I think that most of the good things that can be said about this movie have been said, so if you want to learn more about the movie, simply scroll down. I can say that this is one of favorite movies ever. My dad first showed me this movie when I was a little kid, and whenever they showed it on TV we would watch it. As soon as I got my DVD player, it was one of my first purchases.As for the DVD, it sastisfies almost all of my wishes. The picture is widescreen( almost extrememly so, the picture is very, very wide and thin, but hey, the mnore picture the better). Image quality is fairly clean and strong, and the quality seems extremely good for a movie made so long ago. However the fleshtones seem to be a little off, but it's not much of a problem. The only other thing I could ask for is anamorphic widescreen, which it doesn't have, but since I don't have the setup for that, it doesn't bother me. The audio on the disc is pretty good as well. There is no 5.1 mix, but this disc doesn't really neeed it. The sound is strong, and does exactly what it needs to do, which will satisfy all Great Escape fans. When it comes to extras, the disc isn't exactly a 2 disc special edition, but it definitly serves the purpose. It comes with a half hour documentary onn the making of the movie, which I think is one of the best i've seen. It is extremely informative, and I will watch it again and again. The disc also comes with a badly beat up trailer, whbich is kind of cool to watch. Like I said, this doesn't have the depth of supplements of some films, but, on most of those movies, i'll never watch the extras a second time. On this movie, I'll be sure to watch them many times over. Plus, just having this movie on DVD is great. All in all, this disc is very good, and while it is missing a few things, such as anamorphic widescreen, a 5.1 audio mix and a wide variety of extras, it still stands as my favorite DVD that I own. I highly reccomend it.
Rating:
Summary: Good performances, very interesting and entertaining
Review: This is one of the all-time classic war movies. The story of how the Nazis put "all the bad eggs in one basket": they built a special camp in which they incarcerated the Allied pilots shot down over occupied Europe who had made escape attempts from other camps. Filmed on location in Germany (although the real-life camp was in Poland), the film has an authentic feel, with quaint German cottages and the foothills of the Alps rising in the background. Add in the plethora of nationalities (there are American, English, Scottish, Polish, Aussie, and Canadian prisoners among the inmates, all with authentic accents), the well-researched uniforms and camp layout, and some great cinematography, and you have a classic WWII film that stands the test of time. The performances are outstanding. Notable examples are James Gardner as a scounger and Charles Bronson (virtually unrecognisable) as the tunnelling expert. The big name (at the time) is, of course, Steve McQueen, here his usual brash self, fleeing a German squad on a merry motorcycle chase in one of the movie's most famous scenes. More interesting for me, however, is the care the actors, directors, and screenwriters took to set up the escape - we are brought through the division of labour in the camp, the problems that must be overcome (such as incompatible dirt colours), and the clautrophobia of digging. (This seems to be proof that 10 screenwriters can occasionally produce a good movie, in spite of Roger Ebert's "law" that quality of a screenplay is inversely proportional to the number of people working on it.) Finally, the musical score is rousing, sombre, or lighthearted when called for. It might be a little overbearing, but no more so than in The Empire Strikes Back, for instance. The DVD quality is low, hence the 4-star rating I'm giving to the movie in this format. The picture quality is okay - clear and crisp, but the sound is not particularly good. Why is it that video is always cleaned up so much better than sound? There are few extras on the DVD, but the "Making of" featurette contains a lot of information in its 24 minutes. For example, James Garner reveals how he was a scrounger in real life for his unit in Korea, the cinematographer talks about scouting locations, building sets, etc. One of the most useful featurettes I've seen.
Rating: 
Summary: Memorable Tribute
Review: I read the Paul Brickhill novel and than watched the film. It is a beautiful piece of work that could not be duplicated. Some of the characters in the film are compressions of several men in the book, but I am sure that Brickhill was quite satisfied with the final product.
It is wonderful to see such actors as James Coburn and David McCallum in their prime. But my favorites and McQueen and most definitely James Garner as "the Ferret"...oh baby!
The writing is crisp, the music sparkles and the photography stunning and the final scene with McQueen in the cooler playing "ball" unforgettable!!!
Action flicks today are long on special effects and very short on the plot. Directors today (yes that includes Speilberg and Lucas) should remember, movies are to tell a story, one that lingers in the memory long after the credits finish rolling.
Rating:
Summary: Still one of the best WWII films ever made
Review: From the spectacular cast (Steve McQueen, James Garner, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Richard Attenborough, Gordon Jackson, David McCallum, Donald Pleasance and many, many other familiar faces) to the rousing score, this film has hardly a false note anywhere. It's based on a true story, and has a heckuva script. The action is fast-paced and gripping, and the depth of characterization is a surprise. This is, in the end, one of the things that makes this film so perfect; you come to know the characters as men, you come to understand what drives them and how far they're willing to go to be free. There's also a wry humor to the script and to the delivery, both of which give depth to the film. If you haven't seen this film, see it! If you have and you love it, this is a great addition to your film collection.
Rating:
Summary: Unfortunately, They Don't Make Movies Like This Anymore
Review: This movie, while a great pseudo-documentary about a real event in World War II, is more a story of the indominitable spirit of America's WWII fighting men than a war movie. The cinematography is outstanding, especially for the tunnel shots. The star-studded cast (you'll recognize many, but they're much younger than you're used to seeing them) seem to understand that the story is bigger than they and refrain from competing for the "lead" position, which augments the story's message about teamwork, self-sacrifice, patriotism, and fraternity. It is likely only surpassed by "Hanoi Hilton" in movies of its type. For people who appreciate substance in their movies, this is a rock solid choice.
Rating:
Summary: All Star Cast + All Star Performance
Review: I would be hard pressed to name a bad thing about this movie. Even the musical score is awesome. The "A" list stars from McQueen to Bronson and all the ones in between earn their "A" in this film. Each step of the way you have the tension of the moment, the plan, the prep, the attempt, the triumphs and losses of the process. All keep you at the edge of your seat. It is a moving movie with moving lessions. A good movie to teach kids what people fight for. If you have kids who are 15 or less watch this with them and they will understand why you laughed even harder at CHICKEN RUN than they did.
Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest stories of WW 2 makes the transition
Review: First off, The Great Escape is one of the greatest stories of all time period. It's taken the move to DVD to finally present this film in it's great glory. Based on a true story, it's a story of Prisoners of War in a Nazi camp who attempt the largest scale escape in the history of war. The acting in this film is great, the story is believable (because it's true). And the DVD brings you features that you never got a chance to see on the VHS versions. There are the original theatrical trailers to the movie. Also, there is a background story to the making of it where they interviewed people who worked on the movie, along with some of the surviving actors. Unfortunately, the director of the film died two years before 'The Making Of' was filmed, so we miss out on the insight of a man who took a great story, and turned it into one of the greatest films of all time.
Rating:
Summary: This movie inspired me to study hard!
Review: When I first saw this film as a kid, what struck me the most was how these real life WWII prisoners of war had to work with what they already knew - there were no reference books or libaries to look up anything. They had to already know quite a bit to devise their clever escape plan - construction, agriculture, foreign languages, sociology, engine mechanics, physics, chemistry, textiles, and more - each was an expert in something. This true story is riveting itself as it is, but the realization to me that their own knowledge and education was the secret to helping them get through - that inspiration has never left me. So if you're looking for a film to inspire some young person to work hard at school - this film will do it! Not to mention that it's clean fare, for once, and a true story from history.
Rating:
Summary: Possibly Steve McQueen's best film
Review: A very good out-of-the ordinary action film (in a good way)about prisoners trying to escape from a Nazi prison camp. How they try to get out is just fascinating to watch. Overall, it's just a root-for-the good guys kind of movie. And Steve McQueen is outstanding as the prisoner who will stop at nothing to escape. You'll definately want to get the DVD of this for the letterboxed format and making-of featturette. Definately worth buying! You won't be disappointed!
Rating:
Summary: Classic
Review: This is a CLASSIC! There are several stars in this film. The best part it's based on a true story. This is a true Classic war type movie, if you like Kelly's Hero's or Dirty Dozen you will enjoy this film.
|
