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Summary: Seven Pillars of Wisdom
Review: Watching this movie multiple times in inspired me to borrow a book based on the life of T.E. Lawrence and read it. If you are a fan of Lawrence of Arabia or curious as to some of the unanswered questions the movie poses, I highly recommend reading the book, even if you come from a "fat" country with "fat" people.
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Summary: One of the greatest films of all time gets star treatment
Review: Avid fans of Lawrence of Arabia probably won't need persuading when it comes to buying this package. For the rest of you, let me say that the treatement given to the film is well worth the price of the set. This is easily the most beautiful of all the video versions I've seen. (Beta and VHS versions tend to be dark and not terribly crisp. Laserdisc is far better than tape, but for me it lacks something in depth that the DVD brings out. Nothing will ever replace seeing it on a big screen, of course.) The special features are truly excellent. Those who have seen the Criterion collection laser version will have seen some of the video extras, though not all, but the DVD-ROM material is all new to me, and well worth exploring. There is material about the film, and material on Lawrence himself and the desert campaign, making this one of the most comprehensive DVD packages I've ever seen. The interview with Steven Spielberg, who was involved in the restoration of the film, is so good, you'll wish it was twice as long. For those who have never seen this film, or have only seen the older version on tape, now is a chance to see it in its best possible light, short of seeing it on the big screen. Lawrence is a monumental film, probably Lean's finest work, arguably one of the finest films ever made, with a justifiably famous score and one of the best screenplays ever written. The effects will dazzle, even in this digitized era, and the performances are amazing. This film made stars out of Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif, and underscored the reputations of actors such as Alec Guiness, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins and Claude Raines. It's a film about a war, an era, a legend and finally about a man who remains one of the most intriguing figures of his time.
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Summary: A great movie in a great package!
Review: This presentation of Lawrence of Arabia is a shining example of how great the DVD format can be and should be! The movie is (Of course) great! The special features are entertaining and interesting. The comments by Steven Spielberg are very nice. For me, a movie collector, this package is a gem! This is how a classic movie should be packaged. This package would look good on a bookshelf along with your best literature. Thank You Columbia!
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Summary: fantastic
Review: A tremendous wonderful movie and the DVD version does it justice. This is my favorite movie and the DVD is so much better than the video. I can watch this movie many many times and each time I see something different. A masterpiece.
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Summary: David Lean's Masterpiece
Review: David Lean, we all know him from"The Bridge on the River Kwai". But Lawrence of Arabia is his best movie. Lawrence played by Peter O'Toole is a British Officer who serves in Arabia. The Britsh are in war with the Turks. The Arbians are helping them, Lawrence gathers all the Arabian Tribes together to fight the Turks and he wants the independance of Arabia. What follows is a 4 hour during view on the life of this man. You shall lover the dessert and you will love the wonderful music of Maurice Jarré. The movie has a stars-cast with Omar Sharif, Alec Guiness, Anthony Quinn. What's very strange on the movie is, that there are no women in speaking roles.
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Summary: DVD the best looking version yet
Review: Apart from the slightly soft, washed-out picture quality during the opening credits of the movie, the DVD edition of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA is superb. The movie itself is spread onto 2 discs, with the disc break occurs just before Intermission. The Overture, Intermission, and the exit music are all played to a black screen, as per director David Lean's original wish. The picture quality looks as fresh and clean as, quite frankly, any film made in the 90s. In the dramatic shot where Lawrence appears on the far horizon after he rescued his Arab companion, the higher picture resolution of DVD makes it possible for us to notice his tiny figure whereas on VHS tapes or laserdisc it is so small it is almost impossible to see. Anyone who is serious about watching this film should get this DVD instead of any other version in order to appreciate the opulent cinematography and majestic atmosphere of this epic. The disc has over 100 minutes of old and new documentaries and news footage about the making of the film, plus two well-designed DVD-ROM features (for Windows PC only): a interactive map showing the various journeys undertaken by the real T.E. Lawrence, and a "split-screen" feature that simultaneously plays the movie and shows you text of behind-of-scene information of the particular chapter of the movie that is playing. Since the DVD lacks a second audio commentary, being able to watch the film while reading facts about it is not a bad substitute. The included "booklet" is a reproduction of the 1961 program given to theater goers, we are told. A nice touch: the disc case resembles Lawrence's diary in the movie.
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Summary: Worth the wait!
Review: So much has been written, and so well, that I won't try to summerize this masterwork of a film here, and will instead confine myself to some technical details in case you're interested. Don't be too confused by the "2.2:1" aspect ratio that Amazon quotes. Rest assured, the film image on the dvd represents the full Panavision frame and it hasn't been cropped (!). The aspect ratio of Panavision (as well as Cinemascope) has heretofore been expressed as "2.35:1". It may be that, 2.2:1, with respect to either of these two film processes, is now considered "more correct" for whatever technical reason. Either that or it's some sorta typo...don't axe me. The good news is there's simply no reason not to buy this dvd! It's outstanding in every way. There are many extras including interviews with some of the cast (Sharif, O'toole, Lean) and others as well (Spielberg, Bogdanovich). Did you know they considered giving the title role to Brando? I like him okay as an actor, but gimme a break - Marlon Brando as "El Aurens"!? "...the horror!...". I give the sound five stars and the picture at least four and a half stars. It's as sharp or sharper than the laserdisc version. For those who care, the chroma noise and the chroma delay both seem to be much less than on the l.d. So if you've got a reasonably good display device you can turn up the color without the usual oversaturation or color-bleeding - cool. I guess the closest thing to a flaw in the presentation is a slight shimmering of fine details (but only at times). But I must say it never distracted me from the movie. This effect too is more easily seen on the l.d. Come to think of it, the l.d. version required so many disc/side changes that I seldom ever watched it! I sold it well over a year ago in hopes it would soon be on dvd, but how was I supposed to know it would take this long? But, it was definitely worth the wait! A genuine masterpiece of a film finaly on dvd. If you are new to this movie or haven't yet seen it in widescreen, you're certainly in for a magnificent experience.
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Summary: The Epic is Brought to Life on DVD
Review: I just recently received my copy of "Lawrence of Arabia" on DVD. When the images came up on my television screen, I was amazed. The picture was very clean, details sharp, and colors vivid. The sound was clean and my Dobly Pro-Logic system handled the surround mix well. Though, I can't wait until I get a Dobly Digital Receiver to see how the sound is processed. I also own this title in widescreen on Laserdisc, and the image and sound on the Laserdisc is very impressive. However, I do feel that the picture on the DVD is slightly sharper. Though, I enjoy both formats. The screen play was well written and there is execellent character development (Something which a number of newer films tend to lack). I don't wish to get into the films content, since I feel that anyone who views this film will tend to agree that it is a true master piece. Though, if you plan to rent this film on VHS before deciding whether this is a film to be added to your DVD collection you will not be giving yourself the true scope of this film. As far as I am aware, the VHS copy is in Pan & Scan which cuts out most of the image of the film. You need to see it in Widescreen to get the true sense of the EPIC. The only downfall of the new 2 DVD Box Set is the Box itself. It is a very neat looking DVD Clam Shell (looks like a old book), however, it is very difficult to get the DVDs out. You end up bending the DVD slightly in order to pry it out. I had a number of my friends try to get the DVDs out, and they all had a struggle in doing so. I purchase a couple DVD/CD Jewel Boxes to put my new "Lawrence of Arabia" DVDs in. If you do decide to purchase this classic film on the new DVD Collector's Edition, you will not be dissappointed (except for the Box).
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Summary: Lawrence of the Digital Age
Review: This is one of those Deserted Island movies; the ones you don't even need to think twice about taking with you. The long-awaited DVD release of David Lean's epic is well worth the wait, and then some. The video transfer is immaculate, and is the best-looking edition of the film to date. Everything ,from the package design down to the menu screens, gives this masterpiece the respect and treatment it richly deserves. As with any restored film, sometimes the restored elements aren't quite as clean as the original-edition elements, but these are rare and only noticeable to A/V diehards and LAWRENCE fans. The vast majority of this film shows just how glorious Panavision Super-70 mm truly was (is?), and seeing it this format truly does it the most justice short of a theatrical screening of a newly-minted print. The sound quality is bright and clear, and shows the best that can be done with a 40-year-old film that was never intended for an unimagined digital format. The supplemental materials on disc 2 are fun, entertaining, and copious. Also, the correct placement of the Intermission music, before the second part on disc 2 and NOT after the end of the 1st part on disc 1(as on the previous laserdisc releases), is a welcome surprise that helps recapture a bygone era of cinema. In short, this is the best edition of one of the greatest films ever made, and belongs in everyone's home video library.
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Summary: Terrific DVD Version OF A Classic Film!
Review: This newly released DVD edition of this classic film illustrates just how unusual a movie experience was created with this movie. No one was a more masterful film maker than was David Lean, the British director who brought us such unforgettable classics as "Bridge Over the River Kwai", "Doctor Zhivago" ""Ryan's Daughter", as well as this film. The cinematography is spectacular, even breath-taking, and one has to agree with the comments of a previous reviewer that here the desert plays a well-scripted supporting role in the unfolding drama that was T. E. Lawrence's experience during the First World War in Arabia. Lean always focused his films on the ways in which individuals and their personal characteristics clash and meld with the larger social,cultural, and historical surround in which they are located, and so each film is a particularly captivating study of the specific dynamics of each such situation. Each of these films is also a well-choreographed and photographed excursion into the topography, climate, and landscape of the geographic location in which the drama unfolds. The eyes and ears are always delighted by what Lean displays. Here young and bookish Lawrence is faced with the unenviable and unlikely prospect of trying to unite the multitude of Arab Bedouin tribes in support of the Allies in the regional warfare associated with WWI. The film captures this unlikely and somewhat quixotic personal odyssey most memorably, and a very young Peter O'Toole is masterful in his edgy portrayal of the enigmatic Lawrence as a time-trapped romantic caught by whimsy and circumstance in the most mind-boggling adventure of a lifetime, an adventure that broke all the rules of convention and upper-class British expectations. He meets his match with other characters played by Omar Sharif, Anthony Quinn, and Sir Alec Guinness. And in capturing the comically mismatched skills, expectations, and romanticism that Lawrence projected into the larger picture of what was going on, by viewing his personal odyssey in the context of the much larger cultural framework of Arab ambitions, jealousies, and cultural differences, we are magically transported into the strange and marvelous world of the Arabian desert and all the romance and mystery of that region. Viewing each of David Lean's splendid and classic films is a treat and a privilege; no one was as prolific, as consistent, and as engaging a storyteller as he. "Lawrence of Arabia" is one of his finest films, and as such represents a wonderful standard of excellence in storytelling and film experiences. Sit down and relax, for you are in a master's hands. Enjoy!
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