The Big Sleep (DVD)

...growing up, I graduated from the cutesy tomes of 'The famous Five' and 'Biggles', almost seamlessly into the gritty darkness of Raymond Chandler. Similarly, around the same time my tastes in films went from cowboys-n-injuns whoopin' and a hollerin' in glorious technicolour, to the black-n-white, oppressive darkness of film noir. One of the best of the film noir genre was...and still is, THE BIG SLEEP starring Humphrey Bogart. Adapted from Raymond ...
...creation was undoubtedly Philip Marlowe, the wise-cracking, world-weary, dryly cynical private detective - and many would say that, of all the actors who have portrayed this character, Bogart was the best. Personally, I think Dick Powell was closest to the Marlowe of the novels, but that's not to say Bogie wasn't excellent. Marlowe's investigation involves clearing up a simple case of blackmail for old man Sternwood involving his nymphomaniac, doped-up ...

proxam 16.07.2004 (01.09.2004) · Read full review
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Review of The Big Sleep (DVD)

...As a recent convert to the work of writers like Raymond Chandler and James M Cain, when I saw this DVD was going free with last week's Mail on Sunday, I didn't hesitate to get hold of it. This is a re-make of the original film based on Raymond Chandler's work, which stars Humphrey Bogart and was made in 1946. This particular version, made in 1977, was directed by Michael Winner, who apparently took precautions to change the setting of the film, so ...
...have a copy of the original on video, but unfortunately my video player has broken, so I cannot comment first-hand on the differences. However, I understand that this version of The Big Sleep is very faithful to the original story, although some liberties have been taken with Philip Marlowe. The director Few will not have heard of Michael Winner, most recently because of those dreadful e-sure adverts, which isn't really much of a recommendation. ...

sunmeilan 21.02.2006 · Read full review
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Review of The Big Sleep (DVD)

First off let me say The Big Sleep looks magnificent in all its DVD glory. The picture is crisp and all those annoying crackling sounds we can remember from the VHS version have gone. So set it up on a big TV, turn off the lights, close the curtains and you’re as close as you’re ever gonna get to seeing it in the cinema without the effort of getting to one (though the effort is certainly worth it). OK, the packaging is kinda ordinary and there are ...
...TV plugs that regurgitate all the usual nonsense and are generally nothing better than extended commercials. Anyway, a film this good doesn’t need extras to make it appealing. At a general RRP of about a tenner the price isn’t gonna put you off either. But that’s not the point is it. The point is the Big Sleep itself. Let me say right off that I love this film. It is my favourite film alongside the great Pandora and the Flying Dutchman. Everything ...

No_name 22.11.2003 · Read full review
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Review of The Big Sleep (DVD)

From the outset let me just be clear - this film is bafflingly confusing but wonderful at the same time. Plot explanations would be long winded and confused. In a nut shell: the film is based on a Raymond Chandler Philip Marlowe novel. Humphrey Bogart plays the cynical private eye Philip Marlowe and is hired by General Sternwood Marlowe to investigate a blackmail plot on his naive childlike daughter Carmen (Martha Vickers). Marlowe encounters Carmen’s ...
...various complications along the way including a murder of a dealer in pornography. The plot is generally confusing owing to many editorial cuts when released to emphasise Bacall's part. this doesn't really overshadow what is a great film noir as the performances and chemistry from Bogart and Bacall are electric. I can't think we've seen anything like this since. The greatest strength is the dialogue performed with precision timing by the leads. It ...

Nixu1980 16.10.2009 · Read full review
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Review of The Big Sleep (DVD)

...which never lets up all the way through. ......Very complexly plotted ...so you'll need to have your wits about you when watching........in fact this is so complex that even the writer ....when asked who killed the butler...didn't know the answer! There's a great teaming up again with Lauren Bacall and excellent character actors along the way such as Elisha Cook Jr . Also Dorothy malone in that wonderfull scene in the bookstore. By the way the scene ...
...idea and not John Hustons. The dialogue crackles and this is one film i've seen so many times and enjoyed it even more on each repeated viewing..........this is definitely one of my favourite film noir's of all time. As a matter of interest Dick Powell the former crooner turned actor also played Phillip Marlowe in the film Farewell My Lovely and very near as good it was too.......some say better........but for me there's only one Bogart!!!!!!!!!!!! ...

zeroid 14.05.2004 (15.05.2004) · Read full review
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Review of The Big Sleep (DVD)