Casablanca (Snap Case)
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Movie Reviews of Casablanca (Snap Case)
Movie Review: amazing how it lasts
Summary: 5 Stars
My wife walked into the room this weekend as I was watching the last scenes of CASABLANCA. 'Isn't it amazing how it lasts ...?', she observed of the Bogey-Bergman film that had moved me so. Indeed.
She grew up with movies and Hollywood. I did not. I'm just catching up with cultural slice of Americana. There's a reason why CASABLANCA routinely appears in the top ten on lists of the greatest films ever made. 'Amazing how it's lasted.
Bogey is superb in his wit and cynicism. As a newcomer to his films, I can't discern whether this accrues to Bogart as actor or, alternatively, to Bogart as beneficiary of superb writers. One thing for sure, after this film I'll have opportunity to form an opinion on that. CASABLANCA will *not* be my last Bogey film.
Bergman in soft focus nearly makes the cameraman tremble. In a day when a woman's beauty had to be portrayed by means other than having her remove her clothes, Bergman comes across as irresistible, compelling, a woman worthy of waiting at a train station when everyone except you knows she won't show. Perhaps even the kind of woman who could entice a man like Bogey's Rick to abandon his practiced and protective cynicism. A woman, even, worthing sticking his neck out for. Rick, it is observed more than once, sticks his neck out for no one. It is one of the film's ironic and pivotal lies, for in fact he does.
The casting, as many reviewers have observed, is arguably perfect. There is not a slow movement in this film, remarkable in a motion picture with very little of what we would today call 'action'.
CASABLANCA is one for the ages. It's astonishing, as the good woman might have said, how it lasts.
Movie Review: What a Transfer!
Summary: 5 Stars
Absolutely the best black and white transfer I have ever seen of a DVD. There are no drop outs, blips, hairs, tears, burns, noise, or anything that shouldn't be on this film. Warner must have had a pristine original negative sealed away for this DVD to look so good. The lighting is rich, luminous, and the grays beautifully scaled lending excellent depth to the picture. After seeing "Casablanca" on TV and video this DVD is a revelation. The picture is presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1.The sound too is crisp and marvelously preserved. There are no pops, blips, buzzes, drop outs, or volume changes. Instead we are given a soundtrack, that while still monophonic, is the best yet heard. If any complaint could be made of digital audio it's that the sound is too forward and harsh for some ears though on the DVD it is only slightly so and those of you with Cinema EQ on your home theater equipment won't have a thing to complain about.
Extras like the Lauren Bacall (Bogey's widow)-hosted special, "You Must Remember This" and the original trailer (in poor condition compared to the feature), are better than average and the documentary includes interviews with people who were involved with making "Casablanca". The production notes are actually interesting to read but then they would be given the twisted production history of the film.
All in all Warner has produced a lovingly-crafted DVD edition of a movie loved by millions all over the world and nothing about it disappoints.
Time may go by, but "Casablanca" has become digitally-fixed and now, finally, physically ageless.
Movie Review: Flawless classic cinema. DVD transfer A++
Summary: 5 Stars
So many others have done justice to this outstanding movie, I will focus on technical quality of this DVD. I do love this movie, I've seen it perhaps 15 times in as many years. And of course Casablanca is one of the most quotable movies ever!The DVD transfer of this B&W classic is OUTSTANDING!! I watch this on my 2200 lumens front projection system. I have an enormous screen measuring 14.5' diagonal! I can easily see the quality of the digital transfer on every DVD, and I am astonished at the high quality of this transfer for Casablanca.
The film noire aspect is perfectly captured in high resolution sharp detail (but not excessively so). You can see absolutely everything ... the patterns on ties, Ingrid's jewelry and beautiful hair, incredible detail on wardrobe and props, etc. If you are used to seeing Casablanca on VHS, then viewing this DVD on a nice home theater system will be like seeing the movie for the first time ... it is so rich in detail.
The quality of the contrast calibration is great! Deep black, crisp white and an excellent transfer curve in between. All the cast look great. They really did an excellent job in transferring this classic film. I know I sound impressed, but I am not exaggerating in the least about the quality ... my home theater screen is huge and this film looks great, as good as anything you would ever see in a cinema. I am not easy to please, and this disc is so well done that this great film is a joy to watch, again and again and again.
The dolby digital 2.0 mono audio transfer is excellent as well. It's hard to believe that this disc is of a film made 61 years ago.
Very well done DVD. Enjoy!
Movie Review: A classic that lives up to its reputation
Summary: 5 Stars
If you were to read my reviews you would see that I often comment that a classic movie or book isn't as great as it's cracked up to be. For example, Citizen Kane is a mediocre movie, and 8 1/2 is nothing. Shakespeare comedies are often little more than stupid, sorry re-runs of each other, with the same stupid tricks in them. The Scarlet Letter by Hawthorne is silly garbage, as is the rest of Hawthorne's writing. I'm an iconoclast. I don't do it to be different. I do it because I believe it. I call them as I see them.
Casablanca is in the running for the greatest movie ever made. It is uplifting and emotional. You can't ask for more.
One of my favorite scenes is the one in Rick's when the Germans begin singing their song, and Laszlo decides not to take it. He orders the band to play the Marseillaise, and the crowd at Rick's drowns out the Germans.
The symbolism is obvious rather than subtle, but I like it that way. I like the way the French police captain tosses a bottle of Vichy water into the trash and kicks it. It's not a little "in" joke for the initiated. It is as subtle as a rap in the head. That's the way it should be.
World War Two was the single most important event in human history. You can't get emotional about other wars. They are all controversial. This one isn't. This was the only war I know of that was really good vs evil. Other wars are shades of gray against each other, with both good and evil on both sides.
I'm sure you know the plot. I just need to cast my vote and reward this wonderful movie with the highest rating.
Movie Review: Flawless in every way!
Summary: 5 Stars
What can be said of Casablanca that has not already been said? This may be the most perfect movie ever. Ingrid Bergman is luminous as Ilse. She loved Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) when the two were in Paris (Rick didn't know at the time that Ilse was married) but when Hitler invaded, they had to escape quickly. Ilse promised to meet Rick at the train station, but never showed.Years later, "out of all the gin joints in the world, she walks into mine" laments Rick. He is still in love with her, but her husband must leave the country and needs papers that Rick may have. Without the papers, he will die in Casablanca.
In addition to Bogart and Bergman, Claude Rains is great as the policeman. He brings several moments of levity to the film. My favorite is when he shuts the bar down because he is "shocked, shocked to discover that gambling is going on", and in the next moment an employee hands him his winnings for the night.
Of course, all the cliched lines are very famous from this film. It should be noted that the line "Play it again, Sam" never was actually spoken by a character in the film. However, lines like "Round up the usual suspects" and the film's closing line are so common that they have become part of everyday lexicon. Incidentally, if you have never seen the film and don't know what the last line is, believe me, when you see it, you'll know what I'm talking about.
I don't know if I could recommend a movie more. One hour forty minutes has never gone by so quickly. I have seen it at least a dozen times and I never tire of it. Easily on my short list of the best movies I have ever seen.