Rating: 
Summary: An inspiring motion picture
Review: Like most moviegoers, when I heard Bill Murray was taking on the serious role of Larry Darrell in "The Razor's Edge," I was skeptical. I was a Bill Murray fan, but I couldn't imagine how the same goofy actor from "Saturday Night Live" and "Caddyshack" was going to portray a young man transformed by war to become a globetrotting seeker on a quest for a way of life that would satisfy both his heart and his head. The novel by W. Somerset Maugham had been filmed before, in 1946, with Tyrone Power as Darrell, and it was considered a pretty good film capitalizing on the Eastern-spirituality craze that swept Hollywood in the '40s. Why do it again?, I thought. But the more pre-film publicity I read about this 1984 version, the more I became interested in what the "SNL" alumnus would bring to the role. It was obvious that Bill Murray--who signed on to do "Ghostbusters" only after Columbia Pictures agreed to let him do "The Razor's Edge"--was committed to this story of spiritual transformation. While most film critics don't like Murray's performance, seeing him as a comic actor out of place in a drama, I see his Larry Darrell as a serious man with a sense of humor. Even before he witnesses the horrors of World War I, we see his lose-limbed, happy-go-lucky persona (which is true to the character Maugham created). Upon returning home to America, Darrell is a changed man, but one who has not lost his sense of humor; indeed, it is all the more important to him, as he uses it to deal with his post-war life. Sure, there is some anachronistic dialogue. Yes, the script differs from the novel. But the key elements are there: loyalty, forgiveness and most importantly, one man's search for himself.This new DVD, which is short on extras, allows us to see the film in its original widescreen format, and that's bonus enough for me. It's certainly a big improvement over the pan-and-scan VHS cassette we've had to endure. Jack Nitzsche's sweeping score both captures the period and adds to the drama, and it sounds great here. The movie--much of which takes place in Paris and India--makes excellent use of location shots (conspicuously absent in the 1946 version), and with the DVD we get some spectacular views of Kashmir, India, an area now entrenched in terrorism. Interestingly, this version has Larry Darrell converting to Buddhism, giving audiences a chance to see the mountainous region of eastern Kashmir called Ladakh. (Sometimes called "Little Tibet," Ladakh is a lot like Tibet was before the Communist Chinese invasion, and "The Razor's Edge" gives us some inspiring views of this remote land.) On the down side, though, the DVD transfer does not look as sharp as it could have. There are many specs of dirt visible, and the film looks grainy at times. This is disappointing, but not surprising for a film that made a mere $6 million at the box office back in 1984. Perhaps Columbia/Tristar felt this movie was a flop, so why bother giving audiences the best DVD they could. Still, this is an inspiring movie, and it's great to finally have it available on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Can't Wait For This DVD
Review: I swear that this is my favorite movie ever. I am SO LOOKING FORWARD to seeing this on DVD. I must have watched this movie 50 times. I have read the book several times...probably about once a year. I was debating if I should buy an iMac and burn this movie to DVD myself, it it wasn't going to be released in disc. It is that good! Get this disc when available. You will not regret it!
Rating: 
Summary: Missing something
Review: A good film version of the Maugham classic with gorgeous cinematography ,excellent casting and acting, this Razor's Edge is very entertaining and thought provoking. Bill Murray seems a strange choice to play Larry but ultimately plays him to perfection . The other actors all do quite well in their character portrayals. This is an admirable effort to transfer a complex and unusually structured work of fiction to the screen that succeeds to an extraordinary extent.However I felt that the ommission of the author's veiwpoint and narration as written in the novel distorted the story to a degree.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful movie about Life
Review: A wonderful movie about Life, with a big 'L' - i.e., how people do or do not cope with everyday existence & search or not search for the meaning of it/way to achieve balance in it. I liked Bill Murray's portrayal - he had the right amount of levity at the right time imho. Going through life in a perpetual dour mood is assuredly not fun to watch nor fun to be around. Movies like this, and books on similar topics, are far more likely to help break the ennui of existence than yet another trip to Disney or yet another action flick.
Rating: 
Summary: OK adaptation
Review: This movie was poorly reviewed by critics when it came out in 1984, and I had little interest to see it until I recently read the novel by W. Somerset Maugham. Bill Murray plays Larry, a young man who fights in WWI and comes back a changed man. Following the war, he begins a spiritual quest for the meaning of life, which leads him to Eurpoe and Asia. He later meets up again with some of his American friends in Paris, where the film's denouement takes place. It's always a pretty interesting movie; however, Murray is severely miscast. In the book, Larry is a very genial and sincere guy, but Murray plays him as a bit of a clown. His performance makes the film too erratic in tone. Fans of the novel will also likely be disappointed by several changes - the author is not present in the film and Elliot's role is greatly diminished. Overall, fans of Murray and the novel are likely to be let down.
Rating:
Summary: Great way to start your search
Review: I recently had the pleasure of seeing this film on one of those pay channels that was having a free viewings for a couple of days. I knew nothing about it and it was one a.m. so I stuck a tape in the VCR and called it a night. How fortunate for me. It was delightfull and I watched it more than once. ...While their were signifigent differences between the book and the film the things the film included added were well thought out and touching... [And] the tranference of the narative from the author and some of his sceans ( the book was largly a first person narritive of the author with various long monologs by other characters) worked very well. Oddly enough (considering the years each came out) the film lacked some degree of the sexuality of the book but over all it was a true rendition. ...The rest of the acting was fair. Theresa Russell was as good as she usually is ( but not up to her role in Insignifigence) and Cathrine Hicks was as bad as she usuallyis....
I recommend this movie whole heartedly. Other than Hicks the only real weakness was that it was rather unclear if Murry followed the Buddah or Hinduism, but as both embrace the transmigration of souls, temples, yoga, etc, from the film stand point it really didn't matter. One thing this film did for me was creat an interest in exploring eastern philosophies. ...
Rating:
Summary: The Razors Edge
Review: A medium paced movie about the meaning of life;or the lack there of. All in all I walked away with a pluthra of ideas about different streams of consciousness.
Rating:
Summary: Another sleeper, apparently NOT undiscovered...
Review: GREAT movie! Has kept me thinking about it since it was released in video MANY years ago. This is the movie that entrapped Bill Murray into all those other "comedy" flicks the studio wanted him to do... as he REALLY wanted to make this film above all others. I only wish it was in DVD.
Rating: 
Summary: Murray fan seriously disappointed
Review: This is one of the most wonderful stories, and the original movie with Tyronne Power was excellent. I was excited to see this remake because I'm a Murray fan. However, Murray comes off as a smirking smart mouth instead of the sensitive man the role requires. I gave it two stars because the story is so good, and there are some scenes with provocative interpretations somewhat different from the original.
Rating:
Summary: The Razors Edge/Bill Murray/Drama
Review: if you are a romantic, love classic novels, and can forget
how blind and short-sighted most professional critics are,
you will love this movie..bill murray proves beyond any doubt
that he can do serious drama..catherine hicks is talented above
and beyond seventh heaven, although i adore her in this recurring
WB network role, and theresa russell is unsurpassed in her portrayal of sophie..read the novel, by somerset maughm, then watch the 40's version with gene theirney, very good but too hollywood and misses some of the depth of the novels characters, then see this version and i think you will agree that it is a winner...it tugs at your heart in a special way..bill murray is wonderful, deep, sensitive, absoulutely convincing as larry darrell...i want to own it if santa is listening!!!
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