Rating: 
Summary: I love this movie!
Review: This is the funniest movie ever made. This version is about 160 minutes including about five minutes for the intermission. This is the only version that I know from personal experience having seen it in theaters in the 60s and again on VHS. I have never seen the scenes described by the guy from Brooklyn so I can't really comment on that aspect. There are parts of this movie that never fail to have me rolling on the floor with laughter and I wish that they could make movies this good today. Thank you.
Rating: 
Summary: GREAT film. Bummer DVD
Review: Count me in as one of the millions that think this is one special movie. 'Seen it at least 50 times since the mid 60'sand couldn't wait for it to arrive on DVD. But hold onto your VHS widescreen copies. This is not the 3 1/2 hr. Cinerama presentation that played in '63-'64. It's not even the partially restored 188 min. version that's been out for awhile now. It's the same old hacked up 155 min. version that's been in existance for some 30 years now (albeit with the intermission and exit music tacked on, but with the overture and opening song dropped!). Someday somebody IS going to find the complete version. But until then, I've been happy, no, make that grateful, that the 188 min. version is around, even though the extra footage isn't up to the visual standards of the "protected" 155 min. print. What's the difference between the two? As United Artists kept shortening the film for second-house and third-house runs ( a common practice back then when films ran over three hours, it gave the local houses an extra showing) what was left was a very streamlined story, with the emphasis very much on the STORY. Gone were those "little" magic moments that contained some of film's funniest bits: Dick Shawn, after the telephone call, telling his zombie-like girlfriend his Mama is in trouble, working himself into an Oedipal frenzy with the cry, "...maybe even RAPE!" ; Terry Thomas trying to "press on" with the exit line, "I'll just have to say Ta-Ta" ; Mike Mazurki grabbing a startled Phil Silvers by the collar with a threatening, "Now look, pal..." and forcing Silvers to drive him home. As the scene now stands it looks like Silvers is doing this out of the goodness of his heart, which, of course, is the one thing he doesn't have; When Spencer Tracy bumps into Merman in the parking lot sending her sprawling, he does this twice. The first time it's a perfectly executed sight gag that produces a hearty belly laugh. The second time though, the timing is off, and only a smile is generated. Only the second bump survives in this cut. And on and on and on...For those who have written they can't see the sense in this film being any longer, plug in any classic 3+hr. movie (The Godfather, Godfather II, Once Upon A Time in America, Gone With The Wind, The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur, A Star is Born, The Deer Hunter, Lawrence of Arabia, Schindler's List, heck even The Sound of Music). Now cut any 45 minutes from any one of those movies. You might still have an entertaining movie, but a classic...? (Check out the original cut of Once Upon A Time in America on VHS, then look for the 2 1/2 hr. version that was released to U.S. Theaters when it plays on t.v. It's an incomprehensible mess, while the original cut ranks as one of the best films ever made.) The funny thing about ...MAD WORLD is that it is not a particularly funny script. Hell, this script could be shot straight and you'd have a searing indictment of how greed can kill the human soul and infect the morals of society. And the finale could be played for horror. The beauty of ...MAD WORLD is that this cast is so damned talented they wring some of the best laughs out of straight lines through the pumped up exageration of real human behavior, something that's much harder to do. (Check out the overlapping dialogue of the reporters in His Girl Friday). This is what makes the film so endlessly watchable. The schtick, in my opinion, is just the icing on the cake. As far as the picture quality goes, maybe I'm suffering from DVD burnout, 'cause while the picture looks beautiful (it's crystal clear) it just doesn't feel "right". There's something ice-cold about the way the movie moves. Is there such a thing as overproducing a transference of film to DVD? In looking at the trailer on the DVD however, the film looks "right". It breathes. I can "feel" the motion of the zaniness, and it "looks" more like film. It doesn't have that "videotape" feel that movies on DVD have. Hang on to your less detailed VHS copies..
Rating: 
Summary: Wanted to like it.
Review: I really wanted to like this DVD. I have the movie on VHS and enjoy it a lot. My reason for rating it so low was that it had almost 23 minutes missing from what was on the restored DVD version, including several memorable Phil Sivers moments. I see no reason why a DVD should offer less than the VHS. Shame on the producers of the DVD. What could they possibly have been thinking?
Rating:
Summary: doesn't hold up to my childhood memory; 5.1 mix troublesome
Review: I was really looking forward to seeing this again because it was one of my favorite films when I was a young child. Unfortunately I didn't find it as engaging now as I did during my multiple viewings in the 60's. I guess many here feel that this film's length is fine, but I really think it would have been funnier with some editing. I cannot imagine an even longer version!!! Still, with so much great talent on screen, it's hard not to like this film. I agree with the other reviewer that Ethel Merman steals the show.I didn't see anyone else comment on the sound yet, and perhaps this has more to do with my system (though I haven't had this problem on any of the other 75 or so dvd's I've seen): The dialog isn't consistently clear due to the loud sound effects (car and airplane engines). The mix doesn't seem to be well balanced; one moment I want to turn it down because the airplane noise is too loud and then I have to turn it up to hear what the actors are saying.
Rating: 
Summary: A great comedy...an OK DVD
Review: "Mad World" is one of my all time favorite films, so naturally I was quite excited when it was announced on DVD. I must say I was mildly disapointed when it did arrive. The sparse amount of features is the worst part. Yeah, there is a cool animated menu, and the "making of" documentary that was released with the video is here, along with some "extended scenes". Unfortunately the scenes are on the other side of the disc (it's a "flipper") So, essentially we get the regular version of the film on side A. There is no "overture" as on the video, no booklet, nothing that special. Quite disappointing as MGM usually does it up right. I was hoping for the ultimate version as was premeiered at the Cinerama Dome back in '63. This DVD does include the intermission and entre acte, however. So, it's well worth the money, but not the "special edition" I was hoping for. I'll have to hang onto my video version for the full experience.
Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest comedies of all time, but...
Review: ...what is this with MGM DVD? I have a tape of this wonderful movie that is the restored version, about 20 minutes longer. Why was this version not used for the DVD? Why not a 65mm copy? I guess we'll see this come out later as a "Special Edition." MGM has been doing this lately, the most recent example was "The Greatest Story Ever Told." Although created from a beautiful 65mm interpositive, it was advertised as "restored" but turned out to be the same old cut version with some additional music. I would think twice about purchasing any more of these classics from MGM. This film is excellent and we play it on a regular basis. I would have rated it five stars if it was not the cut version.
Rating:
Summary: Watch that aspect ratio !!
Review: This is indeed a hilarious movie. However, be aware that this film on DVD is letterboxed at 2.55:1. Unless you have a widescreen television, this film will appear as a VERY NARROW BAND across your screen. It would have been feasible to compromise at 1.85:1 and still preserve much of the director's original vision. If you have a regular 36" screen or smaller, you will have to get very "up close and personal" to view this film. Unfortunate.
Rating:
Summary: Every man, INCLUDING the old bag, for himself!
Review: I first saw this movie when I was a child, and I loved all the physical humor and car chases then. Watching it years later, I still love all the slapstick, but I'm also able to appreciate the more subtle aspects of the movie. It's amazing to see all of these comedy legends working together. You would have a very difficult time pulling something like this off today with all the prima donnas in the business now pulling down 20 million per movie. As for the special features, I'd skip the deleted scenes. You're not really missing anything, and they were deleted for a reason. It was nice to see more of some of these great stars, but the scenes aren't set up to scroll through, and after 45 minutes, I turned it off. There is a good interview portion that turns into a lovefest, but it really reveals a lot of information about the movie and the stars. I espcially liked how they talked about Milton Berle and his knack for always being the last one in the scene. I was surprised to see no insert in the case, but no big deal. One of the best, ... comedy movies ever made!
Rating:
Summary: Very important...NOW!!
Review: I saw this film in 1963 in its initial CINERAMA release...the first film to do Cinerama with one camera (the other narrative films in Cinerama--The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm & How the West Was Won--were done in the original 3 camera process). This is not only historic in that sense, but that it's Stanley Kramer's first comedy and that it has practically every GOOD comic of its generation, and many from before. The extras on this DVD also include interviews suggesting that everyone in Hollywood wanted to be in this film. Kramer's only other comedy was "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" and he retired shortly after. Stanley Kramer is so often criticized for being simplistic and relying on the powers of a good cast & script; mostly, I think, because film purists want him to be Orson Welles. Script & cast is enough for me. Few people can deny that "The Defiant Ones", "Inherit the Wind" and "Judgment at Nuremberg" are among our finest American films.I'm annoyed with this DVD that the Overture isn't included (the title song, originally, is sung during a dark screen, not a great song, but Oscar nominated--I remember Sammy Davis, Jr. singing it in '64 for the '63 Academy Awards).I was in high school. I thought the film was very funny. It still is. The DVD has no end titles, but, if you see the extras, it'll not be a big deal. This is one of the only chances you'll have, captured on "film" to see Jonathan Winters in his original full glory. Rooney, Hackett, Caesar, Berle, Durante, etc.It's a joy to behold.In this horrible time of tragedy and the depression that it may encompass, we need a classic comedy. This may not be the classic comedy of all time, but the stellar cast provides examples of what American comedy has been all about from the beginning.I ordered this film from Amazon before the awful attack. When I received it, I was never so happy to get this simple, yet significant, film in the mail.(A 2.55:1 Widescreen is better than the VHS version which is only 1.85:1).These afterthoughts are good, because it means, I guess, that my mind was taken away for 3 hours and this is a good thing. Slapstick craziness, classic comic actors, Jonathan Winters...see this film. Life seems less serious and you'll have fun.Go America!!
Rating:
Summary: Good quality DVD
Review: It is a tribute to Stanley Kramer's genius that, while this is by no means his best movie, it is nonetheless widely regarded and hailed as a comedy classic. Most of the actors do a passable job, but the real mainstays of the production are Ethel Merman and Jonathan Winters. Their performances are just brilliant and they completely steal the show. The DVD quality is excellent. The documentary, which is also on the VHS, is definitely worth watching. One warning, however: this is not the "full" feature presentation that is on the VHS. The overture music was left out entirely, and certain bits of pieces were left out and relegated to the special features. The resulting movie is about 21 minutes shorter.
|
