... Certainly, that’s how he ended his days, but “The Aviator” is more concerned with his life as a young man. Hughes had three passions; movies, women and (as the title suggests) aviation. All three are covered here as he makes movies and planes and a variety of women swoon. This is a film about ... Read review
Christopher Reeve (Superman) and Rosanna Arquette (Pulp Fiction) star in this thrilling ... more
post-World War I drama about survival, romance and the resilience of the human spirit. Co-starring Oscar nominee Jack Warden (The Replacements) and Tyne Daly (Judgi...
Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic), Cate Blanchett (The Lord Of The Rings trilogy) and Kate ... more
Beckinsale (Pearl Harbor) soar in this true story of the legendary rebel billionaire. Howard Hughes (DiCaprio) grew famous for his Hollywood movies, aviation records and glamorous women. He held a bold vision of the future and lived his dreams believing nothing could stop him. From director Martin Scorsese, also featuring Alec Baldwin (The Cooler) and Jude Law (Cold Mountain).
Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic), Cate Blanchett (The Lord Of The Rings trilogy) and Kate ... more
Beckinsale (Pearl Harbour) soar in this true story of the legendary rebel billionaire. Howard Hughes (DiCaprio) grew famous for his Hollywood movies, aviation records and glamorous women. He held a bold vision of the future and lived his dreams believing nothing could stop him. From director Martin Scorsese, also featuring Alec Baldwin (The Cooler) and Jude Law (Cold Mountain).
Postage & Packaging:Free! Availability:Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your credit card will not be charged until we ship the item....
Drama - Director: Kevin Smith - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, George Carlin, Jennifer Lopez, Jason Biggs, Matt Damon
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Advantages: Fantastic performances, good script, great direction Disadvantages: It's long and Hughes' motivation isn't always clear
...passions; movies, women and (as the title suggests) aviation. All three are covered here as he makes movies and planes and a variety of women swoon. This is a film about glamour, excess and obsession.
Born into a nouveau-riche Texan family (his father made his fortune from drill bits), Hughes came from nowhere to make “Hell’s Angels”, the most expensive and daring film of the early talkie period. Taking three years to finish, it was ... ...test pilot experimental planes for the military, design a bra for Jane Russell and build an airline.
Martin Scorsese is believed by many to be the greatest living director. You might describe him as an “epic” film-maker and not just because the majority of his films are so long. Even in his smaller auteur-style films from the seventies’ you get the impression that if you could just see beyond the borders of the screen that there would ... more
Mention Howard Hughes and most people will imagine a bearded, bedraggled old recluse scared of germs. Certainly, that’s how he ended his days, but “The Aviator” is more concerned with his life as a young man. Hughes had three passions; movies, women and (as the title suggests) aviation. All three are covered here as he makes movies and planes and a variety of women swoon. This is a film about glamour, excess and obsession.
Born into a nouveau-riche Texan family (his father made his fortune from drill bits), Hughes came from nowhere to make “Hell’s Angels”, the most expensive and daring film of the early talkie period. Taking three years to finish, it was originally shot as a silent and featured some of the most stunning aerobatics ever filmed. He had a voracious sexual appetite and was said to have had affairs with Katharine Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Jean Harlow, Bette Davis and Lana Turner to name but a few. He also found time to build and test pilot experimental planes for the military, design a bra for Jane Russell and build an airline.
Martin Scorsese is believed by many to be the greatest living director. You might describe him as an “epic” film-maker and not just because the majority of his films are so long. Even in his smaller auteur-style films from the seventies’ you get the impression that if you could just see beyond the borders of the screen that there would be an entire world, populated by thousands. His worlds feel complete and are so deftly drawn that they have their own sense of reality and he really cares about his characters. I think that’s how he gets such amazing performances from his actors.
Having been snubbed by the Academy, “The Aviator” feels like his most obvious push for Oscar glory in years. Sharing Hughes’ mania for film, the movie feels like a love letter to the golden age of Hollywood, basking in the reflected glory of a decadent era. The attention to period detail throughout is superb, with scene after scene packed with sumptuous sets and costumes; each perfectly rendered adding depth to each sequence. The detail extends to the shooting styles, the overall look of the film stock and the soundtrack. Scorsese has embraced shooting conventions of the era and has used digital post-production to recreate the look of the early colour films of the time. It is this reproduction of Cinecolor and two-strip (as opposed to the later three-strip) Technicolor processes that makes foreground colours so vivid and backgrounds so de-saturated, explaining why Hughes is eating blue peas at the Cocoanut grove. One of my favourite aspects is the recreation of original newsreel footage that has either had DiCaprio spliced into it or has been re-shot to incorporate him. Of course the movie is filmed with great energy and impeccable camerawork as you would expect from a man of Scorsese’s standing. It is this energy that means the film clips along at a steady pace never feeling like it’s almost three hours long. Of course a film about a life as colourful as Hughes’ would be hard pushed to be dull.
The script by John Logan (of “Gladiator” fame) is surprisingly snappy despite its tortured subject. There are plenty of quips and quotable lines like “Are you telling me you listen to my phone conversations?” “No, I just read the transcripts.” Apparently taking many of the film’s famous denizens’ own work as inspiration, the characters banter in the same way as their on-screen personas. Whether this is true to their off-screen personalities is by-the-by as each character acts in a consistent manner and their emotions seem real. The screenplay never skimps on action, with the shoot and premiere of “Hell’s Angels”, Hughes own aeronautical exploits and two horrific crashes included.
Oddly for a bio-pic the subject of the film often seems fictional because Hughes was larger-than-life. That being said, the fictionalised real-life players are played believably by a starry modern cast that includes many present-day luminaries. Leonardo DiCaprio excels as the young billionaire; a whirling dervish of charisma and energy, convincing as a man that thrived on the challenge of getting his own way, no matter what. It’s such a committed performance that you can barely take your eyes of the young lead. Even when you can’t see his face, you can see the quality of his acting through the back of his head. He embodies not only Hughes’ drive, but also his obsession and inner turmoil. His paranoia is visible from when he makes his entrance at the “Hell’s Angels” premiere, visibly flinching every time a flashbulb pops and patently uncomfortable as walks over a carpet of broken glass. It is to DiCaprio’s credit that he engages the audience even in the depths of Hughes considerable obsessive behaviour, managing to sidestep hamminess in favour of intensity by the narrowest of margins.
Cate Blanchett puts in an astonishing performance as the late, great Katharine Hepburn. I must admit to being sceptical when I heard she had been cast, but I’m glad my apprehension was unfounded. Her portrayal of the wilfully eccentric three-time Oscar winner is note-perfect. From the clipped, New England accent to her habit of talking as nervous response, to the jutting chin and narrowed eyes the performance is uncanny. We see her as a strong but vulnerable woman with a carefully constructed veneer of calculated indifference that cannot entirely hide the gawky and awkward naïf underneath. Come Oscar season I’ll be very surprised if she isn’t at least on the nominations list.
John C Reilly adds to his already impressive roster of reliable supporting roles as Hughes’ right-hand man Noah Dietrich. He is superb as usual, refining his turn as loyal, downtrodden numbers man, who is only too willing to please. The rest of the cast includes a cornucopia of the great and good of Hollywood. Some would say Kate Beckinsale is underused as Ava Gardner, I’d suggest she’s over-hyped. As far as I’m concerned, she’s not ballsy enough to do the role justice. Alec Baldwin is fishing for an Oscar in another solid turn as Juan Trippe, head of Pan-Am Airlines and Hughes’ arch-enemy. He is ably assisted by Alan Alda as calculating Senator Ralph Owen Brewster, the man who tried to ground Hughes permanently. Ian Holm pops up in another small but perfectly formed role as Hughes’ personal meteorologist Professor Fritz. Willem Dafoe cameos as a corruptible scandal sheet journalist. Gwen Stefani makes her perfectly cast acting debut as starlet Jean Harlow and Jude Law makes the most of his two minutes as legendarily smarmy womaniser and rabble-rouser Errol Flynn.
The costumes by Sandy Powell are fantastic. The women’s frocks are particularly stunning, making the most of beautifully draped, sumptuous fabrics to accentuate the female form. They are especially accomplished when you consider that some are historical reproductions of outfits worn by the screen sirens of the time.
The score is a rousing affair by Howard Shore, on bombastic form once more. His soundscapes occasionally threaten to overpower the visuals, but he generally manages to reign in his excesses. The soundtrack comprises many standards and popular numbers of the time and it is easy to follow the passage of time through the music playing in the background. Band leaders Artie Shaw and Glenn Miller both make appearances, as does jazz maestro George Gershwin, while pivotal moments in the film are covered by works from Tchaikovsky and Bach. Though varied, the soundtrack never feels out of place, adding to the depth of each scene. The decision to use original mono recordings of many of the tunes adds to the feeling of authenticity.
The make-up throughout is spot on and helps to evoke the fashions of the period, with plenty of matte lipsticks for the ladies and hair pomade and moustaches for the chaps. The scarring make up for Hughes after an horrific air crash is also disturbingly realistic.
Production designer Dante Ferretti deserves recognition for his incredible work, cramming each frame with period detail and making me yearn for the lifestyle of the rich and famous during the thirties. Occasionally the side is let down by some noticeable computer generated effects, like the obviously CG Spruce Goose. But these are evened out by the stomach-wrenching effects used in an earlier crash.
This is a film for those who want to see a bunch of fine actors at the top of their game. The performances alone make it a must see, though the attention to detail and getting a peek into the lives of some of the most influential people in Golden Age Hollywood is pretty satisfying too. For a maker of movies Hughes feels like the sort of character that only the movies could make; from playboy to hermit in one lifetime is an amazing story. The only criticism I have of the film is that we are never shown where Hughes’ desire to conquer the skies comes from. Watch, digest, be impressed. And if you get bored you can always do a spot of star spotting.
Advantages: A insight into the life, work and illness of Howard Hughes Disadvantages: Omits important facts. Drags in places.
...died a reclusive billionaire. For the last two decades, very little is known of his life. Not surprising as Hughes had bought himself a room which he never left. In fact, so changed was his appearance at his death fingerprints had to be taken to confirm his identity. Yet prior to this, Hughes was renowned as a dynamic moviemaker, aviator and playboy.
So what happened to cause Hughes to withdraw from society and his famous lifestyle? “The Aviator” ... ...his achievements and disasters illustrating the impact these had on Hughes. The film hints (oh so well) at Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Toretts Syndrome through a combination of superb filming, perceptive acting and an astute script. The film opens with a flashback of Hughes as a young boy being gently washed clean by his mother whilst she warns him about a cholera epidemic and the necessity of cleanliness to forestall infection making the young ...
MAFARRIMOND 18.02.2005
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Aviator (DVD)
Advantages: A cut above the standard Hollywood blockbuster Disadvantages: Below par for a Martin Scorsese picture.
...review written for university in the style of Sight and Sound magazine. Please excuse the sniffy attitude (and general lack of journalistic ability.)
Martin Scorsese’s latest picture The Aviator marks certain continuing trends in his work specific to the last decade. The first (and most significant to the box office) is his collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio, a collaboration which began with Gangs of New York (2002), and is set to continue with ... ...Robert Richardson, also part of the director's circle since Casino. Richardson’s visual flourishes and design make The Aviator Scorsese’s most uniquely stylish film to date. It is however the third trend that best classifies the real significance of the movie: Scorsese, over the course of a decade, has gotten progressively worse with every film he makes.
That’s not to say that The Aviator is a bad picture; it certainly has merit when viewed as a ...
everyplatewebreak 04.03.2005
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Aviator (DVD)
Advantages: Some outstanding performances, excellent visually, like the usual Scorsese epic Disadvantages: Di Caprio got weaker in the lead role as the film went on, half an hour too long, poor ending
It was going to be the film that finally won Martin Scorsese the Oscar he had been longing for so long. He was of course beaten to it by Clint Eastwood and Million Dollar Baby. So having seen Eastwood’s contribution I had to see The Aviator and find out the reason for myself. As amazing as Eastwood’s film was I had a feeling that Scorsese would have bettered it. You just have to look back at the other films he’s had overlooked to see that someone ... ...on a large scale and the story of historic Businessman and movie tycoon Howard Hughes is no exception.
Starting off with Hughes (Di Caprio) as a small child the film quickly fast forwards to the late 1920’s, shortly after Hughes parents have both died. He’s now in charge of the family business and rather than stay at home in Huston, Texas he’s headed to Hollywood to make a war film. Well before his time Hughes uses multiple cameras to create “Hells ...
Andy.mack 06.04.2005
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Aviator (DVD)
Advantages: Some wonderfully filming Disadvantages: Too long, some poor character portrayals
== THE AVIATOR ==
=== DIRECTED BY MARTIN SCORSESE ===
=== 2008 DVD FORMAT ===
=== FILM FACTS ===
Rating: 15 Format: Colour Director: Martin Scorsese Producers Leonardo DiCaprio, Charles Evans Jr., Graham King, Sandy Climan, Michael Mann Screenplay/Writing Credits: John Logan Cinematographer Robert Richardson Release Date: December 17, 2004 Movie Length: 170 Minutes === DVD DETAILS ===
Format: PAL Region: Region 2 Number of discs: 1 Classification: ... ...- Ludlow === THE FILM ===
When 'The Aviator', directed by Martin Scorsese, was fist released in 2004 I quite fancied watching it but just never got round to doing so. While ordering some books from Amazon I looked up the DVD and as it was only £1, I added it to my order. In retrospect - I'm glad that it was only £1!! The story follows around twenty tears in the life of the infamous, eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes from his making of his epic ...
oldchem 17.08.2009
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Aviator (DVD)
Advantages: Interesting story, good acting Disadvantages: Too darn long
...documentary about this film and the life of Howard Hughes just before Christmas and thought it looked like an interesting film, although Leonardo di Caprio seemed like an odd choice for the main character. The length of the film also put me off. Then one evening with absolutely nothing to watch on TV, I got it out. It would be hard to make a bad film about a man with a life like Howard Hughes', but even so, I was more impressed that I had expected ... ...with his own aeroplanes as the stars of the show. His sense of perfection led him to plough millions of dollars into the film and it was many years before the film was finally seen by the public. It was a huge success and solidified Hughes' career as a playboy film maker. He had a series of affairs, two of which with well-known actresses, Katherine Hepburn and Ava Gardner. At the same time, Hughes was battling with mental illness - obsessive compulsive ...
sunmeilan 10.05.2006
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Aviator (DVD)
12 years and over, Parental Guidance, 15 years and over
Production Year
2004, 1985
Running Time
2 hours 43 minutes, 1 hour 32 minutes
Consumer Advice
Contains one use of strong language and a moderate scene of injury
Video Category
Feature Film
Country Of Origin
United States of America
Plot
Dramatisation of the life of Hollywood film mogul and aviation enthusiast Howard Hughes. Focussing on the years between the late 1920s and 1940s, both Hughes' professional and personal lives are explored, including his dalliances with Katharine Hepburn and Ava Gardner.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
WALT DISNEY STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAINM; TECHNICOLOR DISTRIBUTION SERVICES, MGM ENTERTAINMENT; CINRAM LOGISTICS
Deleted Scene, A Life Without Limits The Making Of, The Role Of Howard Hughes, Howard Hughes A Documentary By The History Channel, The Affliction Of Howard Hughes, OCD Panel Discussion With Leonardo DiCaprio Martin Scorsese And Howard Hughes Widow Terry Morre, The Visual Effects Of The Aviator, Constructing The Aviator, Costuming The Aviator, The Age Of Glamour The Hair And Makeup Of The Aviator, Scoring The Aviator, The Wainwright Family, Soundtrack Spot, Stills Gallery, An Evening With Leonardo DiCaprio And Alan Alda, Interactive Menu Screens, Chapter Selections, Collector's Edition Steelbook
Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital Mono, Dolby Digital
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 English German, Dolby Digital Mono English French German Italian Spanish
Award information
BAFTA
Best Supporting Actress 2004 (Cate Blanchett)
OSCAR
Best Actress In A Supporting Role 2004 (Cate Blanchett)
Professional reviews
Review
Leonardo DiCaprio dazzles in Martin Scorsese's biopic (The Daily Telegraph, )
Scorsese's biopic is as successful, if not more, in capturing the spirit of an era as it is in capturing the essence of the man. (The Times, )
DVD Description
Martin Scorsese's THE AVIATOR is a lavish spectacle of a motion picture that harks back to Hollywood's Golden Era in telling the story of Howard Hughes, one of 20th-century America's most pioneering and influential figures. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the eccentric billionaire, Scorsese's biopic concentrates on Hughes's life between the 1920s and '40s, when he made some of his most striking contributions to both the film and aviation industries. At only 25 years of age, Hughes directed the most expensive film ever made up to that point, HELL'S ANGELS (1930), which Scorsese gleefully recreates here in all its sprawling, audacious glory. At the same time, he became known as an unabashed playboy, bedding the likes of Jean Harlow (singer Gwen Stefani), Ava Gardner (Kate Beckinsale), and Katherine Hepburn (a brilliant Cate Blanchett). In the mid-'30s, he turned his attention to the aviation industry, where he quickly became a world-renowned celebrity for shattering speed and distance records. He also continued to test the limits of flight technology, building bigger, faster, and stronger aircrafts. All the while, he struggled with an obsessive-compulsive mental disorder that sent him into a full-fledged tailspin after a near-fatal plane crash. The film concludes with Hughes being called to the Senate in '47 to defend himself against nefarious Senator Owen Brewster (Alan Alda), who accused Hughes of taking money from the United States government during wartime. Stunningly photographed by Robert Richardson, Scorsese's nearly three-hour drama features an impassioned performance by DiCaprio, who is also credited as an executive producer. Although she appears in less than a third of the film, Blanchett delivers a performance that cements her status as one of the finest actresses ever to appear on the big screen.
Compare The Aviator (DVD) to other similar Drama »
![The Aviator [DVD] [1985]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78487905.jpg)
![The Aviator Dvd [1985] | Christopher Reeve Rosanna Arqu](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/106095912.jpg)
![The Aviator [DVD] [2004]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/77913800.jpg)
