One of the all-time great war films, THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI is yet another classic from the marvelous 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 ...
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 ...
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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 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
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
Advantages: excellent acting, great story, thought-provoking Disadvantages: historically inaccurate
Bridge On The River Kwai, made in 1957, is an outstanding film, which unlike most WWII films does not choose to take sides, giving the viewer an unique insight into both the Allied and Japanese beliefs, as well as including a strong anti-war undercurrent. The story was based on a 1952 novel "La Pont de la Riviere Kwai" by Pierre Boulle (better known for his screenplay for the Planet Of The Apes), who had been a POW in Thailand. The book won France's ... ...including Best Picture.
The setting is deep in the Thai jungle, the year 1943. The film focuses on Camp 16, a few grass huts set up by the Japanese at Tamarkan, with the objective to use Allied Prisoners Of War to build a bridge over the River Kwai, part of the notorious Bangkok-Rangoon 'Death' Railway, the building of which cost the lives of 16,000 POWs and 100,000 Asian labourers.
The film opens following the passage of a soaring hawk through ...
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21.10.2005
(12.07.2006)
alec the builder Review ofThe Bridge On The River Kwai (Wide Screen)by
oclumhain
Advantages: good story, conflict between systems and personalities Disadvantages: --
A tale of the building of a bridge for the Japanese forces in WWII Burma by Allied POWs.
It is an enjoyable story. Given the time that it was made it is not as gory as it would have been had it shown the true extent of the suffering inflicted. One of the criticisms of this film has been the fact that it has ignored the even greater suffering of the non-whites who were forced to take part in the construction.
Alec Guinness plays the commanding officer ... ...the bridge should be finished to high standards to reflect upon British workmanship. Of course the thing to do would be to hamper your enemy's progress I would have thought, especially given the sadistic nature of the opponent.
William Holden (whom I don't normally enjoy watching) acts well in this film. He plays an escapee who returns to the bridge as part of a commando unit intending to destro the bridge. Both his and Guinness' incredulity at ...
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05.03.2001
Kwai Me A Wiver Review ofThe Bridge On The River Kwai (Wide Screen)by
jimbuck
Advantages: Good war film Disadvantages: Full of propaganda
The British at war, again. Actually in The Bridge Over The River Kwai 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 River Kwai.
Having captured thousands of Allied forces in Burma and neighbouring countries, the Japanese force the prisoners to build a railway ... ...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 much to the annoyance of the Japanese guards but the Colonel decides that to build a proper bridge would show the Japanese what the ...
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Advantages: Great adaptation from the high quality novel. Disadvantages: None.
Bridge on the River Kwai(1957): Great adaptation from the complex novel written by Pierre Boulle.Its subject shows us the question:Respect to work or love of nation must come first?The director put his style to this film and make it one of the big films of century.The story is;the British P.O.Ws ,who is under control of Japan army in a camp,are forced to build a crucial bridge at that time a commando team plans to destroy it.What is decision of British ... ...Holden and Alec Guinness help the movie to get many stars.The movie gets 8 Academy Awards nomination and wins 7 Academy Awards including Best Director and Best Actor-Alec Guinness. Cast: Director:David Lean Star:William Holden ,Alec Guinness ,Jack Hawkins ,Sessue Hayakawa ,James Donald ,Geoffrey Horne ,Andre Morell ,Peter Williams ,Percy Herbert ,Harold Goodwin ,Ann Sears ,K. Katsumoto ,Henry Okawa ...
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Advantages: A Great Historical Movie Disadvantages: Bombing of the bridge
The Bridge Over The River Kwai 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 ... ...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 Best Picture
Best Cinematography
Best Score
Best Film Editing ...
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Actor(s): Alec Guinness, William Holden, Jack Hawkins, Geoffrey Horne, Andre Morell, Sessue Hayakawa, James Donald, Percy Herbert, Ann Sears, Peter Williams, Harold Goodwin, K. Katsumoto, Henry Okawa
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: 04/12/2000
No of Discs: 2
Catalogue No: CDR 10001
Editor: Peter Taylor
Barcode: 5035822000131
Production Designer: Don Ashton
Screenwriter: Calder Willingham, Michael Henry Wilson, Carl Foreman
One of the all-time great war films, THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI is yet another classic from the marvelous 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.
Technical information
Special Features: Disc One Wide Screen Presentation, Trivia Sabotage, Maps And Military Strategy, Isolated Score, Animated Menus, Disc Two Animated Menus, The Making Of Documentary, Two Featurettes, Filmographies, Gallery, Screensavers, Theatrical Trailer, Web Link
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