Rating: 
Summary: Great Movie... Great DVD!
Review: I had seen this movie once on a black/white TV when I was young with my dad. As I remember, I was shocked and thought provoked by this movie at that time. With this memory, I just watched it again in almost 25 years now in color and even on DVD. Again with my dad, trying to recollect the old experience.Wow... The transfer to DVD was more than great. I thought the quality is even better than The Matrix. Thank you WB for the sincere efforts. I and my 71 year old dad really had sweet hours with this movie on DVD, which also has good extras. I think this movie is a forever classic and the DVD is Da Bomb. If you think you're a movie lover, this is definietly worth getting without hesitation. Good price also.
Rating: 
Summary: Worth collecting
Review: This new DVD is worth collecting. It is the best prints I have seen so far. The quality of video and audio is better than Japanese Import version ( leaserdic ). It is in widescreen which is a MUST for this movies. The extra featuring the real Papillon is very interesting. The film is 5 star; Video/Audio/Extra: 4 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent film mais adaptation incomplète du roman
Review: Sans aucun doute, c'est l'un des meillers films de son temps. Mais il m'a toujours laissé un goût d'inachevé. Car si le roman est un chef-d'oeuvre, le film lui, se contente souvent de quelques clichés et de longues minutes de silence qui ajoutent rarement de l'intensité au film. À quand la suite du film (Banco)?
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: Absolutely amazing movie. Not very voilent but still a rough picture. Both Mcqueen and Hoffman does a superb job on the screen with the moving storie about the two prisoners. A " must see movie", in other words, best drama film ever seen.
Rating:
Summary: A must see Classic!
Review: Imprisoned on infamous Devil's Island, Papillon ( Steve McQueen) is obessed with the idea of freedom. Together with his freind Dega (Dustin Hoffman), Papillon ceaselessly works on means of escape, his spirit refusing to be broken by savage and humiliating treatment from their captors. One of the few epic films which more than lives up to the promise of the great best seller on which it is based - aided by memorable performances of Hoffman and McQueen.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Although a less-than-accurate adaption of the book, this film is nonetheless an excellent adventure story. McQueen and Hoffman are both excellent, and the sets, direction, and pacing are superb. Well worth watching again and again.
Rating:
Summary: Pure mcQueen
Review: Hoffman and McQueen are together looking over that big cliff with the sea below.. Hoffman Says" You,ll die......you know..." McQueen: Does it matter"? Pure Escapism Pure McQueen.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best
Review: Papillon is a moving story, although not for the faint of heart. Understanding one man's injustice in a corrupt world is the captivating stronghold of the film. Both McQueen and Hoffman do an excellent job in this biographical portrayal of Henri (Papillon). I would suggest the purchase of this movie, however catching it on the late-late show is a thrill in itself. (Who says noone reads the after-midnight section of Readers Digest?!)
Rating:
Summary: On my top ten all-time favorite movies
Review: The struggle of man and how he can be thrown into unfair circumstances. The hot tropical setting, and Mcqueen with Hoffman make this an extrordinary film. Buy it!, Rent it, don't wait!
Rating:
Summary: Butterflies aren't Free
Review: When this movie was released, McQueen was back like a bullitt in superstardom from his last hit, The Getaway. He SHOULD HAVE won the Oscar for this role. Dustin Hoffman was a star, but for a couple of years he had not had a knock-out role and was beginning to look like the peak of his quirky popularity was over. Hoffman did get the Oscar for best supporting actor, although the size of his role is more in the best actor realm. Academy Awards aside, the two actors have great charisma and their respective characters' friendship is sincere and well-developed. Team-ups of two big stars for your money was popular at this time and the McQueen/Hoffman pairing is surprisingly effective. This is crucial to the success of the movie, but several other ingredients make it quite an extraordinary film.
The cinematography is gorgeous, capturing the tropical locations with big, sky-filled scenes. Many angles give a sense of Hitchkock, using various architecture to create mood. The score is excellent: subdued, haunting, and nostalgic. The credits at the end of the film with pictures of the abandoned Devil's Island prison add to Papillon's sense of triumph over adversity. And finally, there is the story itself.
Certainly this should have an Oscar for best adapted screenplay.
I was thankful to be spared the 5 year solitary confinement of Papillon after enduring the 2 year sentence in detail. McQueen is truly the "Cooler King" from just the episode in solitary. How can you entertain and show a man in solitary confinement? McQueen and Schaffner succeed in this tough assignment brilliantly. Papillon is not for everyone. If you want an adventure movie that lets you think and reflect, then you will treasure it. This is probably the last great performance of Steve McQueen in his all too brief career. Some people compare Kevin Costner to him, but I would say if you want to see his successor, watch Mel Gibson. Gibson shares much of McQueen's physical mannerisms and facial expressions. I'm not saying he's as good, but there is a great similarity. Just imagine Steve McQueen doing "Payback" and you'll realize not much would change.
The DVD is in a sharp case, but it doesn't have enough extras for such an outstanding film. Certainly there are some deleted scenes hanging around somewhere? OK, Dustin, this film was pivotal to your reaching superstar status, so give back. Just add an audio commentary and I'll be satisfied.
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