One of the all-time great war films, THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI is yet another classic from the marvellous David Lean (LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, DR. ZHIVAGO). The film is an... more
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prisoners-of-war held under a savage Japanese regime in World War II,The Bridge on the River Kwai(1957) is one of the greatest war films ever made. The film received seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Performance (Alex Guinness), for Sir Malcolm Arnold's superb music, and for the screenplay from the novel by Pierre Boulle (who also wroteMonkey Planet, the inspiration forPlanet of the Apes). The story does take considerable liberties with history, including the addition of an American saboteur played by William Holden, and an entirely fictitious but superbly constructed and thrilling finale. Made on a vast scale, the film reinvented the war movie as something truly epic, establishing the cinematic beachhead forThe Longest Day(1962),Patton(1970) andA Bridge Too Far(1977). It also proved a turning-point in director David Lean's career. Before he made such classic but conventionally scaled films asIn Which We Serve(1942) andHobson's Choice(1953). Afterwards there would only be four more films, but their names areLawrence of Arabia(1962),Dr Zhivago(1965),Ryan's Daughter(1970) andA Passage to India(1984).On the DVD: Too often the best extras come attached to films that don't really warrant them. Not so here, where a truly great film has been given the attention it deserves. The first disc presents the film in the original extra-wide CinemaScope ratio of 2.55:1, in an anamorphically enhanced transfer which does maximum justice to the film's superb cinematography. The sound has been transferred from the original six-track magnetic elements into 5.1 Dolby Digital and far surpasses what many would expect from a 1950s' feature. The main bonus on the first disc is an isolated presentation of Malcolm Arnold's great Oscar-winning music score, in addition to which there is a trivia game, and maps and historical information linked to appropriate clips.The second disc contains a new, specially produced 53-minute "making of" documentary featuring many of those involved in the production of the movie. This gives a rich insight into the physical problems of making such a complex epic on location in Ceylon. Also included are the original trailer and two short promotional films from the time of release, one of which is narrated by star William Holden. Finally there is an "appreciation" by director John Milius, an extensive archive of movie posters and artwork, and a booklet that reproduces the text of the film's original 1957 brochure. --Gary S Dalkin
prisoners-of-war held under a savage Japanese regime in World War II, The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) is one of the greatest war films ever made. The film received seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Performance (Alex Guinness), for Sir Malcolm Arnold's superb music, and for the screenplay from the novel by Pierre Boulle (who also wrote Monkey Planet, the inspiration for Planet of the Apes). The story does take considerable liberties with history, including the addition of an American saboteur played by William Holden, and an entirely fictitious but superbly constructed and thrilling finale. Made on a vast scale, the film reinvented the war movie as something truly epic, establishing the cinematic beachhead for The Longest Day (1962), Patton (1970) and A Bridge Too Far (1977). It also proved a turning-point in director David Lean's career. Before he made such classic but conventionally scaled films as In Which We Serve (1942) and Hobson's Choice (1953). Afterwards there would only be four more films, but their names are Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Dr Zhivago (1965), Ryan's Daughter (1970) and A Passage to India (1984). On the DVD: Too often the best extras come attached to films that don't really warrant them. Not so here, where a truly great film has been given the attention it deserves. The first disc presents the film in the original extra-wide CinemaScope ratio of 2.55:1, in an anamorphically enhanced transfer which does maximum justice to the film's superb cinematography. The sound has been transferred from the original six-track magnetic elements into 5.1 Dolby Digital and far surpasses what many would expect from a 1950s' feature. The main bonus on the first disc is an isolated presentation of Malcolm Arnold's great Oscar-winning music score, in addition to which there is a trivia game, and maps and historical information linked to appropriate clips. The second disc contains a new, specially produced 53-minute "making of" documentary featuring many of those involved in the production of the movie. This gives a rich insight into the physical problems of making such a complex epic on location in Ceylon. Also included are the original trailer and two short promotional films from the time of release, one of which is narrated by star William Holden. Finally there is an "appreciation" by director John Milius, an extensive archive of movie posters and artwork, and a booklet that reproduces the text of the film's original 1957 brochure. --Gary S Dalkin
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music, sport and celebrity. Our exclusive photographs are professionally produced by our in-house team. All our photographic prints have perfect bright vibrant colours or wonderful black and white tones so you can display them in your home or office with pride. Our images are produced from genuine original negatives and slides held in our vast library. We have been in business for over 20 years so you can buy with confidence. Our guarantee: if you are not fully satisfied with any print from MovieMarket we will gladly refund your money!
music, sport and celebrity. Our exclusive photographs are professionally produced by our in-house team. All our photographic prints have perfect bright vibrant colours or wonderful black and white tones so you can display them in your home or office with pride. Our images are produced from genuine original negatives and slides held in our vast library. We have been in business for over 20 years so you can buy with confidence. Our guarantee: if you are not fully satisfied with any print from MovieMarket we will gladly refund your money!
music, sport and celebrity. Our exclusive photographs are professionally produced by our in-house team. All our photographic prints have perfect bright vibrant colours or wonderful black and white tones so you can display them in your home or office with pride. Our images are produced from genuine original negatives and slides held in our vast library. We have been in business for over 20 years so you can buy with confidence. Our guarantee: if you are not fully satisfied with any print from MovieMarket we will gladly refund your money!
music, sport and celebrity. Our exclusive photographs are professionally produced by our in-house team. All our photographic prints have perfect bright vibrant colours or wonderful black and white tones so you can display them in your home or office with pride. Our images are produced from genuine original negatives and slides held in our vast library. We have been in business for over 20 years so you can buy with confidence. Our guarantee: if you are not fully satisfied with any print from MovieMarket we will gladly refund your money!
Actor(s): Alec Guinness, William Holden, Jack Hawkins, Geoffrey Horne, Andre Morell, Sessue Hayakawa, James Donald, Percy Herbert
Director(s): David Lean
Genre: War
Classification: Parental Guidance
Production Year: 1957
Running Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
Video Category: Feature Film
Country Of Origin: United Kingdom
Plot: Set in Burma during World War II, the story follows British P.O.Ws forced to build a large bridge for the Japanese, while Allied commandos are sent to destroy it. Winner of seven Academy Awards.
Release details
DVD Region: Region 2 (Europe)
Studio(s): SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT; CINRAM LOGISTICS
Release date: 08/08/2005
No of Discs: 1
Catalogue No: CSB 24483
Barcode: 5035822448360
Screenwriter: Calder Willingham, Carl Foreman
Composer: Malcolm Arnold
Producer: Sam Spiegel
Author: Pierre Boulle
Writer: Pierre Boulle
Languages
Main Language: English
DVD Description
One of the all-time great war films, THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI is yet another classic from the marvellous David Lean (LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, DR. ZHIVAGO). The film is an outstanding, psychologically complex adaptation of Pierre Boulle's 1952 novel, a classic story of English POWs in Burma forced to build a bridge to aid the war effort of their Japanese captors. British and American intelligence officers conspire to blow up the structure, but Col. Nicholson (a fabulous Alec Guinness), the commander who supervised the bridge's construction, has acquired a sense of pride in his creation and tries to foil their plans. Although credited to screenwriter Carl Foreman, the script was actually written by blacklisted writer Michael Wilson. The film garnered seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor (Guinness). The climax is one of the great finales in film history.
Award information
OSCAR: Best Director 1958 (David Lean)
OSCAR: Best Screenplay Based On Material Previously Produced Or Published 1958 (Michael Wilson, Carl Foreman)
OSCAR: Best Actor In A Leading Role 1958 (Alec Guinness)
Advantages: Good war film Disadvantages: Full of propaganda
...The British at war, again. Actually in The Bridge Over The
RiverKwai the British are no longer at war as such although
the prisoners try to carry out their war to the best of their
abilities.
This is a true if dramatised tale of the deadly and infamous
Burma railway and in particular one portion of it at the RiverKwai.
Having captured thousands of Allied forces in Burma and
neighbouring countries, the Japanese force the prisoners to
build a railway through the hot, steamy and disease ridden
jungle without the aid of the Geneva Convention. That is the
reality. The film strays a little from the truth.
The British stiff upper lip is provided by the master in
portraying this trait, Alec Guinness, as he and selected
officers supervise the building of the bridge. To begin with
the troops do their best to sabotage the project...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: A Great Historical Movie Disadvantages: Bombing of the bridge
...The Bridge Over The RiverKwai came out 1957. It was a box office hit. It's a true story that happen during WWII. The real life character of Lieutenant Colonel Philip. Played by (Alec Guinness) refuses to allow his officers to work, which brings on harsh treatment.
After a month of this, Commandant, Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa) decides to let Lieutenant Colonel Philip out of the sweat -box, because he is running behind building this bridge, They build this bridge, only for the English to blow it up.
The acting is done very well, and I never get tired watching this movie. I just love it when they come marching into camp, whistling. There are a lot of twist in turns in this movie.
Eight Academy Award nominations
Seven Seven Academy Award:
Best Actor (Alec Guinness)
Best Supporting Actor Sessue Hayakawa, he lost.
Best Screenplay...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: A world war II classic. Disadvantages: Tedius at certain points.
...This film is definately one of the best films to come out the the world war II genere.
It is definately a brilliant yet harrowing accout of the construction of the bridge over that fateful river and more generally of the hardships faced by men taken prisoner by the Japanise in the pacific campaigns.
Despite sometimes becoming tedious in its portail of the day to day labour of the prisoners it is still a fascinating film and in my opinion one of the best of the World War II films. The escape and its careful planning help to add spice to the film and rase it to another level of film.
The daring commando assult at the ending stage of the film and its bizzare conclusion really works well to cement the film as a classic in its own right....
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
somewhat helpful 11.06.2003
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