Right, I'm back, and better than ever! Oooh yes, and I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself too, on...
Right, I'm back, and better than ever! Oooh yes, and I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself too, one of my websites got a boxout all to itself in the new issue of .net magazine!
Member since:20.03.2001
Reviews:61
Members who trust:28
Originally released in 1969, the Italian Job has one of the most famous sequences in movie history - the British Mini Coopers escaping from the Italian Fiats. At the end of the day, that was what this film was about, pure unbridled patriarchy.
The plot for the film is simple. Charlie Croaker (Michael Caine) has just been released from prison and is going to "do a job" in Italian. To be precise, he's going to lift $4 million right from under the noses of the Italian Government in Turin. However, to be able to do this he needs some supplies, Mini Coopers, dynamite, the usual sort of thing, so off he goes to visit Mr Bridger (Noel Coward), an extremely influential and patriarchal "gang" leader who he had just served time with. After a couple of false starts, Croaker gets Bridger's backing, and the preparations begin.
The film itself is split into three main sections: The introduction to Croaker, the preparation for the job in Britain, and the job itself. I was surprised on rewatching the film by exactly how much time is taken up by the job itself - just over an hour. Just over half of this is setting up all the traffic jams and arriving at the square (sorry, piazza), with the other half being the famous Mini Cooper escape sequence. And then there's the ending...
During the course of the film, we meet various famous faces, such as Benny Hill (Professor Peach, who has a penchant for "large ladies"), John Le Mesurier (The Prison Governor) and Tony Beckley (Camp Freddie) among many others. These small parts really help to enliven the experience as a whole.
Of course, it's really the cars that are the stars of this film. Using the most beautiful British sports cars, and the wonderfully fashionable Mini Coopers, this film reeks of British class. Of course, something was needed to go up against these feats of British engineering. Step in Fiat. What we get are some rather ugly gray Italian police cars which are fantastic at showing just how superior the British designs were to the Italian ones. Of course, Fiat do get a big thankyou in the end credits for letting their cars be show up like that.
If you're buying this film on video, make sure that you get it in widescreen. If you don't you'll end up with a lot of bad cropping of heads which completely, for me at least, ruins the viewing experience. You just don't get the full experience unless you go for widescreen. Of course, if you were lucky you went to see it on the big screen when it had a limited rerelease last summer.
"The Italian Job" is a classic film with some classic dialogue and some very gorgeous cars. If you haven't seen this film before then now might be a good time to pop down to your local video shop and take it out. Of course, if you haven't seen it yet you've probably been living under a rock for the past few decades - it's on the television most Christmases.
UPDATE: If you live in Leicester you can see this at the Odeon, Freeman's Park on Wednesday 11 April at 10am!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 2007 - Action/Adventure - Director: Paul Greengrass - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen, Edgar Ramirez, David Strathairn, Paddy Considine, Albert Finney
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Great op on a classic film - unfortunately or fortunately (whichever way you look at your op on leicester) i don't live there.
Howiemon 29.04.2001 14:15
Top notch review of a great British classic. Whatever happened to the sequel?
Xyanthe 15.04.2001 00:51
Good op. I have to say this film never really appealed to be before, heard alot about it, but never actually seen the whole film. Might just watch it all next time.
Though it bears little resemblance to the celebrated 1969 original starring Michael Caine, ... more
this 2003 remake ofThe Italian Jobstands on its own as a caper comedy that's well above average. The title's a misnomer--this time it's actually a Los Angeles jo...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Though it bears little resemblance to the celebrated 1969 original starring Michael Caine, ... more
this 2003 remake ofThe Italian Jobstands on its own as a caper comedy that's well above average. The title's a misnomer--this time it's actually a Los Angeles jo...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
This stylish and contemporary update of the 1969 Michael Caine classic sees mastermind ... more
Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) and his team - inside man Steve (Edward Norton) computer genius Lyle (Seth Green) wheelman Handsome Rob (Jason Statham) explosives ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
The plan was flawless. The execution was perfect. Charlie Croker pulled off the crime of a ... more
lifetime. The one thing that he didn't plan was being double-crossed. Now he wants more than the job's payoff...he wants payback. Mark Wahlberg is electrifying a...
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!
Disillusioned 03.08.2001 ·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The Italian Job (DVD)
Advantages: One of my favourite films of all time, an absolute classic film still enjoyed today. Disadvantages: It has taken its time to arrive in DVD format.
hepialid 20.12.2002 ·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The ItalianJob (DVD)
![The Italian Job [DVD] [2003]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78523706.jpg "The Italian Job [DVD] [2003]")
Apr 7th, 2001
very helpful by (98%):
helpful by (2%):
