The Italian Job DVD

Advantages: Good Action, Enjoyable, Well Staged
Disadvantages: Wahlberg

...announced that they were re-making The Italian Job. The Michael Caine classic was distinctly british and never failed to entertain. It’s influence on things such as Britpop and general culture has always been clear to see. The big question was for the re-make was “why bother?”. I was also gritting my teeth when I heard Mark Wahlberg was taking the lead in the film, apart from Boogie Nights, this was an actor who seemed to suck the life out of anything ...
...do with the excellent TV show Boomtown. Anyway it turns out that it was all just a storm in a teacup as you can’t really call this film a re-make. Sure it has some things in common with the sixties version but ultimately it’s a different film. It has the mini’s, it has the gold heist and it has the same title but that’s where the comparisons end. Surprisingly The Italian Job 2003 turns out to a very enjoyable little romp. The film opens in Venice ... Read review

Advantages: A good tribute to the original, well written and directed
Disadvantages: The casting choices are a little dodgy. It would never be as good as the first

...with a lot of people the Italian Job is one of my favourite films. From the first time I saw the mini’s flying around Turin I knew that it would be a film I’d always love. So imagine my reaction when I heard they were going to remake it. I had visions of Get Carter flashing through my head, Sly Stallone ruining a classic film. But I thought I’d give it a change, I mean it can’t be that bad surely. The short answer is no it wasn’t. Shortly before ...
...be a different film using the ideas and concepts of the original. Yes the characters were the same and yes they were planning to steal a lot of gold but that’s where the similarities really ended. And what your left with is a pretty good heist film that actually exceeded my expectations. The plot is fairly simple, we start in Venice where Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) and his team are pulling off a daring heist using the cities vast waterways. ... Read review

Advantages: Brilliant cast, superb soundtrack, funny moments, well-written script
Disadvantages: The original might be spoilt if Hollywood suceed in making a modern remake of this. The Italian Job without Michael Caine would suck!

...out of jail and has the biggest job he will ever come across lined up. $4,000,000 of gold is being transported as payment for Fiats construction of a factory in China. With the help of the patriotic and royalist Mr. Bridger a top criminal Charlie pulls off their big job, nicking a fortune worth of gold under the noses of the police and the Mafia. Two thirds of the Italian Job is taken up with careful planning for the heist and various funny moments. ...
...a line out of the Italian Job I can instantly recall and has became very well-known and famous which you can tell by many of the other opinions on the Italian Job being titled that. The last third of the Italian Job however is taken up with the greatest car-chase in any film. What perhaps makes the car-chase in the Italian Job in my opinion the best is that the cars are not flash Ferraris or Aston Martins but plain and ordinary Minis. Though flash ... Read review

Advantages: A feel good film
Disadvantages: Let down by poor characterisation

...be big. In fact, the bigger the better in my book! Believability isn’t really the name of the game. The original version of this film (1968) was good. Fantastic car chases, good humour-filled acting and a decent story made the film into a classic and I for one really hoped that the “remake”, as it was billed, was not going to destroy the fun and magic of the original and that it would achieve, as Ocean’s Eleven did, something more. Boy, am I pleased! ...
...in others provides just what the movie-goer wants. Action, fights, chases, romance (just a touch) and humour gel together to provide a perfect whole. I would not class this as a remake, more of a tribute to the original. It doesn’t have the feel of a new blockbuster, yet neither does it feel dated. In a nutshell, it’s good! *** THE PLOT *** No spoilers here. Suffice to say that this is very much your traditional heist movie. There’s a hint of ... Read review

Advantages: Caine, Coward, Minis
Disadvantages: Seen too many times

The Sixties ... The Swinging Sixties .... aaah, the nostalgia kick, how lovely! Let's play a game - name ten things you associate with the Sixties. My list would be as follows - Carnaby Street, The Beatles, Julie Andrews, Dr Zhivago, England's World Cup win, London, George Best, Minis, hippies and Michael Caine. What about yours? Oh, what an extraordinary coincidence this is! I've named three things which you'll find in 'The Italian Job' in an ...
...'The Italian Job' is just THE archetypal British film from the Sixties. It's also the archetypal Michael Caine in the archetypal wide boy movie - plus an absolute bleedin' delight, altogether now, "YOU’RE ONLY SUPPOSED TO BLOW THE BLOODY DOORS OFF." Catchphrase a-go-go, not many people know that. It was a wonderful combination of Sixties romanticism - an England football team at the height of their powers used as cover by a bunch of English ... Read review

Advantages: A classic, great script
Disadvantages: has dated a little

...The Italian Job is one of my absolute favourite films. A classic piece of British film-making. I'm a big fan of Michael Caine, although he has made some very poor films, and he's excellent in this. Noel Coward is also very good as the crime boss running his enterprises from his prison cell. Benny Hill's performance is priceless as the somewhat twisted computer geek. Now, obviously, the best moment in the film is the classic Mini chase through Turin. The script has provided some enduring quotes, "you're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off" is probably the one most people know. If you haven't seen it, watch it, watch it now!... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: "You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off"
Disadvantages: It inspired a tragic American remake

...Michael Caine, Noel Coward and Benny Hill! Never before has so many cult actors been involved in such a production. The film which brought such classic lines as, "You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off" and "I like 'em big you know...BIG!" is a must see for any age and the DVD package contains special never before seen footage and extras to tempt the appitite of film lovers anywhere, no exageration... even women. Charlie Croker (Caine) is out of jail five minutes and already he's in a hot car and on the make with an ingenious plan for the heist of the century. Aided and abetted by top criminal mastermind Mr. Bridger, Charlie sets off with an ace team of villains including handsome Dan and three very special minis to lift $4,000,000 from under the noses of the Turin Police in a massive traffic jam. The trouble is... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: It's British, It's a classic, It has Minis, It's Very Funny, and unforgettable.
Disadvantages: That they tried to copy the original in the new one but failed miserably.

...This film is just unbelievably good. I have been waiting for the original film to come out onto DVD for what felt like an eternity, and when I finally got it I could not have been happier. Unlike most other films this lives up to all expectations and then impresses you more. The car really is the star of the film, and what stars the red, white and blue mini coopers are. Even if you are not remotely interested in cars this is still an amazing film to watch. Charlie Croker hatches a plan to heist a lot of gold, and carries it off with style, humour and intelligence. I have not watched another film since this one where everyone is chanting as loud as they can "WE ARE THE SELF PRESERVATION SOCIETY!" it is something which is very hard to explain but can be summed up by just getting you to watch it. The extras are a worthwhile treat too... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful