♥ I'm now a humanities student in Bristol and almost a doctor. Yay! Esther x ♥
♥ I'm now a humanities student in Bristol and almost a doctor. Yay! Esther x ♥
Member since:05.05.2005
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This item was originally sold for £9.99, but Amazon prices it at £5.97. The DVD is a single disk containing the film, no extra features which is a little disappointing.
* * * * * I'm doing lots of World War 1 literature for my English A-level. But among all the videos, poems, biographies, and documentaries, this is one of my favourites. 'All Quiet on the Western Front' first grabbed my attention because it sounds so poetic, so familiar. However the deepest irony is that the front was never quiet, constantly bashed into craters by heavy shell-fire.
Before this DVD (a 1979 remake of the classic black and white film) I had no idea what the trenches were really like. What is somewhat unique is that this story is seen from the German perspective. What is heartwarming and depressing is that it is very much like our own story on the allied side.
This is based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque and tells the story of a class of German boys, fresh out of school who troop off to 'glorious war' and find a world of rats and mud and gas attacks. Paul Baumer tells the story. He is played by Richard Thomas who also played John-Boy Walton in 'The Waltons' which is a bit distracting.
I read some other reviews which seemed to think that this film missed out a lot of the original novel. I would therefore say for people wanting authenticity to read the book instead. However, judging the film on its own merits I found it adequately horrific, the flashbacks emotive but not over-sentimental, and the friendship between the main characters in the trench amazing to see amidst the horrors of war on both sides.
Most striking are horrible moments such as when a boy new to the war falls down a crater into the gas, leaving their captain repeating the phrase "He was only a baby". Shell-shock is again very well portrayed. The characters were memorable and 3-dimensional. But if you were watching for entertainment value I would suggest a more recent film, as this one lacks the kind of special effects, 'bangs' and action that made "Saving Private Ryan" and "Black Hawk Down" such sucessful films.
* * * * * Actors: Richard Thomas, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence, Ian Holm, Patricia Neal, Dai Bradley Director: Delbert Mann Genre: War Classification: Parental Guidance Produced: 1979 Running Time: 2 hours 3 minutes
DVD Region: Region 2 (Europe) Release date: 14/04/2003 No of Discs: 1 Catalogue No 37115 04893 Barcode 5037115048936 Special Features: Interactive Menus, Scene Access Aspect Ratio: 4:3 Full Frame
* * * * * In conclusion, this is a good film. However, it isn't what would interest everybody, and some people may find it depressing as the war goes on and on for several years, and as hinted on the front cover not everyone survives.
"THEY LEFT FOR WAR AS BOYS NEVER TO RETURN AS MEN"
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Taken from the novel by Erich Maria Remarque,All Quiet on the Western Frontis a ... more
devastating portrait of a small group of German soldiers during World War I. In this 1979 made-for-TV version the star-studded cast is lead by Richard Thomas (The Waltons) ...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Taken from the novel by Erich Maria Remarque,All Quiet on the Western Frontis a ... more
devastating portrait of a small group of German soldiers during World War I. In this 1979 made-for-TV version the star-studded cast is lead by Richard Thomas (The Waltons) ...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
A devastating story of war and a generation destroyed. In 1914 a group of German ... more
schoolboys idealistic and inflamed with youthful patriotism set off to fight in the "glorious" war. During their brutal basic training disenchantment begins. Then board...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
All Quiet On The Western Front is an acclaimed version of Erich Maria Remarque's ... more
devastating story of a generationdestroyed.In 1914 a room full of German schoolboys, fresh-faced and idealistic, are goaded by their chauvinistic schoolmaster to troop off...
![All Quiet On The Western Front [DVD] [1979]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78545578.jpg "All Quiet On The Western Front [DVD] [1979]")
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