Cross of Iron (Widescreen Special Edition)
by Sam Peckinpah
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: David Warner, James Coburn, James Mason, Klaus Löwitsch, Maximilian SchellDirector: Sam Peckinpah
Brand: Henstooth Video
Producer: Alex Winitsky
Producer: Arlene Sellers
Producer: Lothar H. Krischer
Writer: James Hamilton
Writer: Julius J. Epstein
Writer: Walter Kelley
Writer: Willi Heinrich
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Unknown; English (Original Language), Unknown; French (Original Language), Unknown; German (Original Language); Russian (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Special Edition, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 132 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-04-18
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Henstooth Video
Movie Reviews of Cross of Iron (Widescreen Special Edition)
Movie Review: 'Where the Iron Crosses Grow'- A Great World War II film
Summary: 5 Stars
This film is really Sam Peckinpah's last truly great work. I like his movies because films with guts aren't made a lot in Hollywood these days. His best films could be brutally honest and gut wrenching. I like this film because I like Peckinpah as a director and have studied for many years the Russian front and like watching World War II films. And the first time I watched 'Cross of Iron' I was kinda blown away. Are there flaws? Yes. But the film really captures a bit of the essence that was the Eastern front. The opening credits with footage and a children song playing in the background is great. The footage of Hitler, the Eastern Front, the cheering crowds is pretty overwhelming. One of my favorite opening credit sequences. The remarkable thing was that 'Cross of Iron' was accomplished with a budget of around 6 million dollars. In comparison from the same year, 'A Bridge Too Far', had a budget of 26 million dollars. 'Cross of Iron' truly has very good battle scenes including a very gripping sequence of a attack by Soviet T-34 tanks that is one of the highlights of the picture. Also, I love the detail of the scene with a water cooled machine gun. Really excellent military detail.
The film also has a scene that shows how death was so casual on the Eastern front where millions died. A dead German soldier has been ground into the road by trucks and other vehicles running over him and no one cares. This is a very strong but quick scene in the movie
James Coburn is very strong as Steiner and pretty much anchors the picture. Schell, Mason, and Warner are very good also. The uniforms and the equipment are pretty good representations and as mentioned before the scene where Steiner and his men try to hold off the T-34s seems to be a precursor to similar scenes in 'Saving Private Ryan.'
The Special Edition DVD while expensive is at least in the near proper aspect ratio and enhanced for widescreen TVs. It is a nice improvement over the previous DVD. The picture is good but the sound could be better. There is a informative commentary track by Stephen Prince who also did the commentary track for Peckinpah's 'Straw Dogs'. The commentary track is quite good and manages to cover the real World War II history behind the film, differences with the novel, and the actual making of the film quite well. It is really worth a listen. The only other extras are viewable lobby cards and a hyperbolic trailer.
Fans should pick up the novel too by Willi Heinrich. It is interesting to compare the two and see how different they are.
One of my favorites films from one of my favorite directors! Highly recommended!
This ranks with my other favorite theatrical war films about WWII: 'A Bridge Too Far', 'Downfall', 'Stalingrad', 'Das Boot', 'Letters from Iwo Jima' and 'Saving Private Ryan'.
Summary of Cross of Iron (Widescreen Special Edition)
Studio: Henstooth Video Release Date: 04/18/2006 Run time: 132 minutes Rating: RSimilar DVD Movies
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