Rating: 
Summary: The Most Beautiful Film Ever Created
Review: This movie is worth seeing for the cinematography alone. The music is also spectacular. The best part of the movie, however, is the acting. The interaction between Lawrence (O'Toole) and Ali (Omar Sharif) is nothing short of mesmerizing. It becomes clear in later scenes that they are meant to be opposites: Lawrence is slightly feminine, pale, blond, flamboyant, and a political schemer. Ali is dark, intense, angry, and while he is also beautiful (In my opinion, one of the most gorgeous men in history) it is a much more masculine type of beauty. Whenever Lawrence is falling apart, Ali is completely in control, getting everyone through the crisis. Even their clothes are opposites. Lawrence wears flowing white robes, while Ali is always in head-to-toe black. Watching those two brilliant actors play off one another in such a gorgeous movie-there is no other film like it. I would not alter a single scene. Perfect.
Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant Film--very flawed DVD!!
Review: As the editor and publisher of Davidlean.com I can say with a high degree of confidence that Lawrence of Arabia remains one of Lean's most treasured films--and with good reason. It is a film that can be analyzed and appreciated on all artistic fronts: an exceptional screenplay by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson; ground breaking and stunning cinematography by Freddy Young; flawless editing by Anne V. Coates; and one of the great scores from any film by Maurice Jarre. The film's placement as one of the greatest films ever made is not hyperbole, it is truly an original film that will never be equaled.Unfortunately I cannot recommend the deluxe edition released on DVD despite its wealth of additional features. The transfer in this DVD is terribly flawed. The Main Titles are smeared and the color is off in many of the scenes. Additionally, Columbia decided to fiddle with the audio tracks by re-editing or remixing a few important scenes. These include the infamous scene of Lawrence walking atop the railroad cars, and the scene right before the intermission as Lawrence is walking back towards the officers to be congratulated. Both contain misplaced audio cues that, had David Lean still been alive, would have endured a thorough verbal lashing from him. They are ill timed and poorly done. (The correct audio cues can be found on the Portuguese audio track.) Given the film's history of tampering, it is appalling that the studio continues to "mess" with the film's contents rather than release the film as Lean desired. Hopefully the next (third) release of the film as a SuperBit edition will correct these errors (I have been assured by someone close to this production that they will be).
Rating:
Summary: A Great Film...and So Much More
Review: How fortunate to be able to see to this editor's cut (221-minute) version of this 70-mm film in DVD format. With all due respect to the superior acting provided by all members of the cast, the desert remains the central character because of the exquisite care with which director David Lean presents it. How insignificant human activities seem when set within the context of the endless, timeless sand. Nonetheless, occasionally an exceptional leader emerges who -- for whatever reasons -- eventually acquires mythic stature. Such a leader was T.E. Lawrence, author of The Seven Pillars of Wisdom on which Robert Bolt's screenplay is based. Paradoxically, we know a great deal about his relatively brief life and career and yet in so many ways he remains an enigma. Like a force of nature, perhaps he can never be fully understood. This film traces his military career from Cairo in 1917 until just before his death in 1935 at age 47. Most of the film focuses on his efforts to help the Arabs to achieve their independence, leading their revolt against the Turks and then trying (without much success) to get the leaders to trust and cooperate with each other. (Given the circumstances in the Middle East today, this is an especially interesting subject which Lean examines in some depth.) The cast includes a number of distinguished actors such as Omar Sharif (Sherif Ali ben El Kharish), Alex Guinness (King Feisal), Anthony Quinn (Auda Abu Tayi), Jack Hawkins (General Allenby), Claude Rains (Dryden) and Jose Ferrer (Turkish Bey). However, O'Toole's commanding presence dominates each scene in which he appears just as Lawrence's force of will overcomes Arab doubts about his leadership. For me, this film has lost none of its impact since I first saw it in 1962. Yes, it is an epic in so many ways but Lean wisely includes a number of intimate moments which remind us that these are human beings whom his cast members portray. To both the British and to the Arabs, Lawrence was an enigma...and so he is to me. I am reminded of Whitman's observations in Song of Myself: "Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself. I am large. I contain multitudes." The same can be said of O'Toole's Lawrence. Even by the conclusion of this almost three-hour film, we still do not fully understand the motives which drive Lawrence's behavior nor the demons which probably help to explain his immensely complicated personality. He seems to me to be -- like the vast dessert across which he establishes his celebrity -- a force of nature which is what it is, in some respects beyond our comprehension.
Rating:
Summary: Film Masterpiece
Review: This is one of the greatest films ever produced. Follows Lawrence, a British soldier in WWI stationed in Arabia, as he struggles to fit in and eventually unite the warring tribes of the desert. This is a phenomenal movie not to be missed!
Rating:
Summary: The desert is a sea in which no oar is dipped.
Review: It is unsurprising to me that some people find Lawrence of Arabia boring. If you have the attention span of a hummingbird, this is not a film you will enjoy. It has no car chases, no bikini-clad supermodels, and nary a kung-fu move to be seen. Instead, all it offers is tortured respect for everything it touches. Lawrence of Arabia is a film that elevated the art of cinematic storytelling to new heights, and it shows. It is the journey, not the destination, that the viewer should focus on. In order to enjoy this film, you must make a commitment to watch it. Get comfortable, have something to drink on hand (you'll know why about halfway through), turn off the phone, and put the remote under a pillow. I've seen a lot of films, and some I've liked to varying degrees, and others I've simply been satisfied that Hollywood didn't butcher the underlying work or premise too badly in pursuit of the lowest common denominator. Lawrence of Arabia is different. It is one of those truly rare films that makes you feel grateful for having seen it, for the efforts of all those involved to craft, create, and perserve over the years just so you might have the chance to see it. It is such a fine film that its merits are obvious, and negative statements about it tend to simply reflect back on the critic. Why? Many reasons. The actors are likewise gifted with rare talent, and superbly cast. The settings and scenes are invariably breathtaking. The plot is engrossing and entertaining without ever becoming heavy-handed. Film students will while away hours discussing everything from the Christ imagery to the undercurrents of homoeroticism, but they do that with every film. I suggest you simply kick back and enjoy an excellent, time-honored epic about a stranger in a strange land. It is a harrowing, draining journey, but one you will not regret.
Rating:
Summary: A David Lean Classic
Review: So I'm a sucker for an epic; this one is definitely that. Filmed in Jordan and Morocco, it's the desert in wide screen glory. And there's even a story in there, which, while not at all historically accurate, does occasionally move the desert scenes along. No one gives fanatic looks quite like Peter O'Toole, and the quiet way in which he says something as simple as "yes" is fascinating. This was Omar Sharif's introduction to the western film world, and he's just wonderful. Anthony Quinn is over the top, stealing every scene shamelessly and with panache. In the character supporting roles, Claude Raines is as smooth and elegant as ever. Alec Guiness is, what can I say, he's Alex Guiness -- a man who almost disappears into each role and yet is so distinctive. Maurice Jarre's music carries the movie along; without his genius, this epic would have been rather flat. The soundtrack is well worth your money, by the way. This is one of my husband's favorites. I quite like it, too, as long as I don't see it very often. A long separation between viewings keeps it relatively fresh, and one can spot something new each time.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring in Arabia
Review: Undeniably, the most boring film, other than Quest for Fire, that I have ever sat through. I know it has a loyal following and it's eluded me as to why. A terrific cast, wasted in the wasteland. For 3+ hours we see the camels lope across the desert this way, and then back the other way. It was painful to watch such beautiful scenery and great talent stagnating in a celluloid farce.
Rating:
Summary: Inflated!
Review: It is an epic, of course, but this pushes the limits, as the content within that four hours is sparse. The score is often intrusive. Alec Guiness's Prince Faisal is distracting, as he is obviously not an Arab. Not a word of Arabic is even spoken in the dialogue or subtitled. Peter O'Toole's over-the-top portrayal of Lawrence is a pleasure to watch, but Omar Sharif's charcter is far more affecting. And Anthony Quinn is fantastic. Also, the ending shows the Arabs leaving Damascus after two days! This is a false account of history and in the film, even without an understanding of what really happened, the quick departure of the Arabs seems strange. In any event, it's certainly a good film, but maybe a bit too impressed with itself.
Rating:
Summary: How about Superbit ??
Review: "Lawrence of Arabia" is, of course, one of the finest motion pictures ever made -- no secret there!! The current DVD release offers the highest quality picture on home video to date. Nevertheless, it still doesn't come within a mile of revealing the glorious clarity of this film when it's projected in 70-millimeter onto a huge screen. The audio on this disc -- notably the music -- sounds extremely compressed and nasal to my poor ears. Just as a comparison, check out the music on the Director's Restoration laserdisc. There's a big, BIG difference !! Which leads me to the following: I would gladly support Columbia/TriStar bringing out a Superbit edition of "Lawrence", if only to have Superbit's added visual crispness and its uncompressed audio. And I wouldn't care one bit if Act One had to be split over two disc sides -- its running time alone is longer than most ordinary films anyway. "Lawrence" deserves the best possible treatment no matter what the format. The price of Superbit DVDs isn't significantly higher. Is there anyone at Columbia/TriStar who's listening?
Rating:
Summary: A Marvelous Masterpiece
Review: On a brisk February afternoon, I happened to be flipping through the channels when a mystifying landscape of a sun-baked desert caught my eye. Normally I had never given movies, which were older than I was by twenty or more years, a minutes worth of my time. On that day, I learned that I had been depriving myself of some of the greatest movies that had ever been made. Lawrence of Arabia, my now favorite movie, opened my eyes to the greatness of cinematic epics. For the rest of that February day, me eyes lay transfixed to the screen. A few days later, I ordered the Special Edition DVD of Lawrence of Arabia and eagerly awaited its arrival. When I finally received it, I watched the movie from beginning to end. The cinematography of the movie is astounding. From the haunting beauty of the desert, to the British offices in Cairo, I felt as though I were traveling along with Lawrence. Peter O'Toole magnificently plays Lawrence with a passion and complexity now rarely seen in today's actors. Omar Shariff and Alec Guinness also do a superb job in their individual roles. The subtlety of the scene transition allows the movie to flow through the various stages of Lawrence's travels, and the bold musical score by Maurice Jarre blends harmoniously with Lawrence's complex personality. I vigorously recommend this movie to anyone looking for an excellent movie based on a fascinating man. Hopefully, someone else will discover and enjoy it as I have.
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