Rating: 
Summary: Dickens' Classic With A Twist
Review: Famed British director Carol Reed was more known for his dark psychological thrillers like Odd Man Out and the brilliant The Third Man, so when he was tapped to director the film version of the hit musical Oliver, it seemed like an unusual choice. But the film turned out to be a roaring success. The musical was an adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist which follows the story of a nine-year old orphan, Oliver (Mark Lester), who is recruited by another orphan, The Artful Dodger (Jack Wild), to join a gang of pickpockets working for the unscrupulous Fagin (Ron Moody) and the murderous and reviled Sikes (Oliver Reed, the director's nephew). Mr. Reed does a brilliant job through the first part of the film, relating the story almost exclusively through song and dance numbers including the wonderful "Food, Glorious Food", "Boy For Sale" and "Consider Yourself". The second half of the film gets bogged down by some stilted dialogue and less musical numbers, but overall, the film is charming entertainment. The cast is excellent, led by the young Mr. Wild, who is dead on as the Dodger and Mr. Moody who hits all the right notes as Fagin. Both were nominated for Acting Oscars, Mr. Wild in Best Supporting category and Mr. Moody for Best Actor. In all, the film garnered eleven Academy Award nominations in 1968 and won six including Best Picture, a Best Director award for Mr. Reed and an honorary Oscar for Onna White for her superb choreography which may be the true star of the film.
Rating: 
Summary: You will definitely want MORE.
Review: This movie is an all-time great. Oliver, a workhouse orphan, runs away seeking maternal love. he joins up with a gang of pickpockets, and rubs the rough Bill Sykes the wrong way. Oliver goes to court for getting caught with his hands in another guy's pocket, Even though it wasn't his hand, but the hand of Jack Dawkins, or 'The artful Dodger'. Oliver ends up becoming friends with the man who started the suit, and, after many problems and near-bill-sykes- escapes, Oliver is adopted by the kindly Mr. Brownlow.
The music is awesome, all the songs are great (Except, in my personal opinion 'he needs me'. I have never liked the slow songs. However, everyone to their tastes)After watching this movie 30 or 40 times, I found myself skipping to all the songs, much to my mother's chagrin, as it gets old to constantly hear 'Consider yourself'. A wonderful movie.
Rating:
Summary: Great job on the movie
Review: I thought this movie was wonderful, the character descriptions of the movie were ingenious. The acting was great, and I love the way they changed the Broadway musical and changed it into the movie. You could see the fear in Oliver's eyes when he asked Mr. Bumble for more and it was a fabulous job by Ron Moody the way he played Fagin. If you haven't seen the Broadway musical or the movie you really have to see it. The story's great and the acting is even better. This is one of the greatest movie that was ever created!
Rating:
Summary: Dancing Dickens
Review: I have no idea who read the dark, sad tale of Oliver Twist, and thought "Why, this would make a great lighthearted musical full of precious scamps and good natured bad guys." Whoever that person was, I thank them, because the same thought would have never occurred to me."Oliver!" is that most Hollywood of Hollywood musicals. It is a formal stage adaptation, with little attempt to make the musical scenes natural such as in "Fiddler on the Roof" or even "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers." The cast breaks out into song with abandon, and dances with joy. Several of the numbers are tops, such as "Consider Yourself..." and "I'd Do Anything." Several are mediocre, but still do the trick. Oliver's voice is a little funny, as it was actually dubbed by a young girl to achieve an "innocent" effect. The Dodger and Fagin are the real stars, getting all of the best lines and songs. The story adaptation choices are interesting, removing almost all of the brutal elements of the story, as well as Monks and the convoluted nature of Oliver's origin. Fagin and The Artful Dodger are not only allowed to survive the adventure, as opposed to swinging from the gallows, but they make their merry way into the streets of London. What is left of the plot is still Oliver Twist, and makes a fine basis for the story. Bill Sikes is still Bill Sikes, and Nancy is still Nancy, with all that that entails
Rating:
Summary: I love this musical!
Review: This may just be, sadly, the last great movie musical & what a knockout it is. Starting with the very first song, the stupendous Glorious Food number in the refectory at the orphanage, a bounty of gorgeously beautiful songs sung by an absolutely first-rate cast pours forth for over 2 1/2 hours. Harry Secombe & Ron Moody stand out in particular, the former (Goon) in gorgeous voice & the latter doing one of the most perfect Fagins I've ever seen, conveying craftiness & complexity worthy of Shylock while at the same time singing & dancing like a prince of vaudeville (or the music hall). The dance numbers are fabulous, particularly relishable in this age of danceless musicals (save for the mechanical choreography of Broadway retreads). They are complex, imaginative, bursting with energy & totally integrated with the Dickensian plot & atmosphere, propelling the film along. At no time is the plot subsumed by the music or dance, thanks, I imagine, to the titanic talents of Carol Reed (director of film masterpieces The Third man & Odd Man Out). Every element of this film works - as drama, as history, as musical - and above all, IT IS HUGELY ENTERTAINING!
Rating:
Summary: My Kids Love this
Review: My kids watch this every other month, I can't believe the depth of the performances, I see something new on each viewing. I don't own too many movies that I don't tire of viewing, and this is one of them. The score is magnificent, and the extra material is interesting for one viewing anyway.
Rating:
Summary: You know you gotta 'ave this!
Review: Ahhh Robin Hood...what a crook...gave away...what he took,
Charity's fine subscribe to mine...you've got to pick a pocket or two.
Now I know you were mentally singing that as you read it...good ain't it though. For all those little bleeders out there who point blank refuse to grow up and become 'respekible'...there must be someone who will buy.
Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE BEST
Review: What a performance, music, cinematography. Actors are living the roles. Children are acting as well as the adults if not better. Great, just great.
Rating:
Summary: Consider yourself one of the family!
Review: Oliver! tells the story of a young orphan who suffers much abuse, is taken in by a band of thieves, and eventually finds happiness with his wealthy grandfather. The music for Oliver! is so good you'll want to sing along. Each song is memorable and the grand-scale production numbers are a joy to behold. When the Artful Dodger shows Oliver around the streets of old London singing "Consider Yourself," and when the street vendors sing "Who Will Buy?" you are swept away into a magical world where everyone seems to sing and dance their way through life. Ron Moody, as Fagin, the leader of the thieves, is properly repellant and amusing. Jack Wild, the Artful Dodger, steals all his scenes with his charm and talent. Mark Lester, as Oliver, is a little wooden and not a strong singer, but overall, the film earns 5 stars for outstanding musical entertainment.
Rating: 
Summary: consider it a good movie
Review: this was a pretty good musical version of oliver twist mark lester was great. I espically like jack wild and ron moody as dodger and fagin after seeing this you bound to be hum the songs all night. if you have to read the novel for a class and want to cheat by wacthing a movie dont use this version.
|
