Paths Of Glory DVD

Advantages: A masterpiece! Meaning everything contained in the film is superb!
Disadvantages: None, nada, nicto! Don't let the fact it was made in 1957 put you off!

PATHS OF GLORY When a director of the stature of Stanley Kubrick dies unexpectedly, film critics and audiences are forced, even if many were critical of what they considered a cold and unemotional filmmaking style, to recognise how much modern-day cinema owes to him. Whilst he only made 11 feature length films in 33 years, each bestows an undeniable quality in style, story-telling, impact and imagery which few other director’s today, or even beforehand, ...
...of Hollywood studios. Paths of Glory is one of Kubrick’s lesser known works, although it is perhaps one of his greatest cinematic achievements. An undeniable classic about the barbarity and ridiculousness of war, it is very much the equal of his similarly themed Full Metal Jacket, and knocks the spots off most recent offerings featuring anti-war motifs (usually stuffed down the audiences throats with their overt imagery and symbolism) such as Platoon, ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent story with a strong performance from Douglas
Disadvantages: Very few - maybe not as much action as you might expect

...earlier and lesser known films, Paths of Glory is a powerful anti-war film starring Kirk Douglas. Whilst it did not receive any awards at the time, it has since become a classic, and is currently rated #44 on the IMDb chart - Kubrick's second highest film. Set on the French frontline in 1916, Douglas plays Colonel Dax - an idealistic man who is ordered to lead his French troops on a seemingly impossible mission. Although he reluctantly does so, ...
...a very good film. You can buy Paths of Glory from www.amazon.co.uk for £3.98. I'm reviewing the film only, not the DVD. Directed by: Stanley Kubrick Classification: PG Running time: 87 minutes Year: 1957 My Rating: 9/10 ... Read review

Advantages: Simply stunning and emotionally loaded.
Disadvantages: Lack of special features on current DVD release.

...In many ways Stanley Kubrick’s Paths of Glory is a pre-emptive strike in the investigation of core themes, themes that would feature prominently in all subsequent Kubrick pictures until his death. Though it can be argued that his earlier heist feature The Killing displayed a certain clinical panache in its dissection of an unsuccessful robbery (and the subsequent fall of the hoodlums) it is with Paths of Glory that the real work begins. The film ...
...distant character studies, Kubrick loads Paths of Glory with excruciating pathos. Without consciously thinking the audience is drawn into the cold construct of the plot, gripped by the tight anticipatory drag of the story and the heartrending fate of the central characters. The dialogue is sparse, another trademark, but more than merely functional. This sparseness increases towards the climax of the film robbing the characters of their essential ... Read review

Advantages: The director
Disadvantages: Harrowing

This film is perhaps not as well known as it should be! - It perhaps deserves to be more famous than it is with a Director Like Stanley Kubrick at the helm - who also wrote the screen play. The film is set during world war one and stars Kirk Douglas as Colonel Dax a French Commander who is ordered by his General on a suicide mission to try and capture one of the German occupied hills. Although the orders are followed the mission goes quite wrong ...
...forward for court martial for the crime of cowardice. When this film was released in 1957 it was an unfortunate flop - although the critics liked it! - I think that the audiences just weren't ready for this harrowing style of film - which sits nicely amongst todays Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red line to name a couple. Although at times depressing this film is worth a watch the acting is of a good standard with a good supporting cast and as ... Read review

Advantages: Great Transfers
Disadvantages: Not all Films Included And Few Extras

...and worth watching. The box set includes A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Full Metal Jacket, Eye Wide Shut, Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, The Shining and A Life In Pictures. All films are digitally re-mastered and tweaked wherever possible to make this a great set of film transfers. The price of this collection of masterpieces is fairly pricey. Amazon sells the box set for around £80, on DVD, which is a good price. Most shops on the high street ask for about £100. If you’re willing to buy it on VHS video, which I strongly discourage because the quality is lacking compared to DVD, then it’s in the region of about £60. Note that several of Kubrick’s films are not included in this box set, most notably ‘Spartacus’ and ‘Paths Of Glory’. I recommend you buy these separately to complement the box set. Criterion does a wonderful... Read review

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