Death on the Nile
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Bette Davis, David Niven, Lois Chiles, Mia Farrow, Peter UstinovBrand: LIONS GATE HOME ENT.
Cinematographer: Jack Cardiff
Composer: Nino Rota
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 140 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-01-27
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Lions Gate
Movie Reviews of Death on the Nile
Movie Review: Oh, cripes! Never have I seen such a reptile in a first-class cabin!
Summary: 5 Stars
DEATH ON THE NILE (1978, directed by John Guillermin, music by Nino Rota) is Sir Peter Ustinov's grand first appearance as Hercule Poirot - and what a salvific decision on Ustinov's behalf! He would go on to play Poirot five more times (three on television). Somehow, he got shoehorned into playing Charlie Chan ... in CURSE OF THE DRAGON QUEEN and another I cannot recall and does not seem to exist anymore ....
Anyway! Here it all is, on the massive, old-fashioned scale and filmed on location, star-studded, with a rousing, penetrating soundtrack by the immortal Nino Rota. This marked the end of the Classy films, believe me. We're not likely to see this kind of work again anytime soon.
Aside from a disastrous casting error (the miserable and untalented Lois Chiles as Linette Ridgeway Doyle), this thing is as star-happy as one could get. Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, Dame Maggie Smith (not her only grand appearance in a Poirot film), Angela Lansbury (who would go on to do some Christie of her own), George Kennedy, David Niven, Jack Warden ... wow!! One could go on for an eternity, and many of these stars went on to do other Agatha Christie-adaptation films.
This great murder mystery, as usual surrounding a hell-hound everyone loves to hate and her subsequent doing-in, chugs along happily on the Nile. If you think the locations in Egypt are breathtaking, if you think the ship's goofy captain is hilarious as hell (Mr. Chaudhry, "manager" and captain of the Karnak steamboat, played by I. S. Johar) ... if you love the deep mystery punctuated by drama and hilarity, then this is your ticket.
Recall it was just a couple of years earlier that Albert Finney agreed to do MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS for Sydney Lumet; he refused to do more films and Ustinov stepped into those Belgian patent leather pumps. Sadly, every single Poirot adventure with Ustinov sagged more and more; in the end it was pathetic. Then he handed the torch to David Suchet, and ... well, just get this and see how all this Poirot madness really got its start after Finney abandoned him.
This film was definitely a sequel to Lumet's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, planned and executed by the same producers. Agatha Christie sent them her own theater version of DEATH ON THE NILE - a play which did not even include Poirot originally - but she died before production began. Therefore, Ustinov did his part and moved as far from Finney as possible: everyone was anxious not to try to copy Finney.
The most astonishing thing I learnt about this film is that the Karnak at night, the entire Nile complete with its banks and the horizon with night sky were constructed at Pinewood studios! As the cinematographer said, it was impossible to shoot at night on the Nile because the lighting would not be in synch with the camera shots. At all other times, well, they had five amazing weeks on the Nile and near Cairo bobbling around on that magnificent steamship. That is Old School!
When it comes to Hercule Poirot, I've seen them all (and though I'd say you also have to get EVIL UNDER THE SUN and THIRTEEN AT DINNER) this is the Ustinov classic to see if you see no other. Better than Suchet - is that heresy? Although to be clear: this film (more than EXPRESS) gave America its Poirot craze which persists to date.
Though she started out hating the Poirots that came before, Agatha would have loved the end results.
Summary of Death on the Nile
Synopsis:Item Type: DVD Movie
Item Rating: PG
Street Date: 01/27/09
Wide Screen: yes
Director Cut: no
Special Edition: no
LanguageENGLISH
Foreign Film: no
Subtitlesno
Dubbed: no
Full Frame: no
Re-Release: no
Packaging: Sleeve Please note: This supplier will be closed on 11/24, 11/25, 12/26, 1/2 for the holidays. The shipping cut off is 12/10 to try and have the products delivered by Christmas.
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