Gaslight
by George Cukor
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Angela Lansbury, Anton Walbrook, Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, Joseph CottenDirector: George Cukor
Brand: Warner Brothers
Writer: A.R. Rawlinson
Writer: Bridget Boland
Writer: John L. Balderston
Writer: John Van Druten
Writer: Patrick Hamilton
Writer: Walter Reisch
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Black & White, Color, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 114 minutes
Published: 2004
DVD Release Date: 2004-02-03
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Movie Reviews of Gaslight
Movie Review: "Because I Am Mad, I Hate You! And Because I Am Mad, I Am Rejoicing In My Heart, Without A Shred Of Pity!"
Summary: 5 Stars
If you like old movies (and especially if you like Ingrid Bergman), then you'll have no choice but to fall in love with 1944's version of "Gaslight" (directed by George Cukor). This is good old-time filmmaking at its very best.
Ingrid Bergman is magnificent as "Paula Alquist Anton", who recently married the suave and sophisticated "Gregory Anton" (played by Charles Boyer, who was never better, and never more sinister and underhanded than we find him here).
Little did Paula know when she married the dashing Mr. Anton -- who is 16 years her senior (based on the ages of the actors portraying these characters; Bergman was 28 when she made the film; Boyer was 44) -- that Gregory had a conniving little scheme up his devious sleeve the whole time; a scheme to slowly but surely drive the new Mrs. Anton out of her mind. It's a story that's been done before in the cinema, to be certain; but "Gaslight" sends this plotline to a different (and better) plateau. It plays out very nicely and effectively in this film. And you gotta love Ingrid in the final act when she confronts her plotting husband. She's just great here, in a terrific finale to the picture.
Bergman and Boyer are both just right for their parts here; and I doubt if Miss Bergman ever looked better through the probing camera's eye than she does in her many close-ups in "Gaslight". She is simply ravishing on screen in this motion picture. The supporting cast is ideal as well, including the always-first-rate Joseph Cotten, plus Dame May Whitty in a humorous role as a neighborhood busybody, and Angela Lansbury in her very first movie role (she turned 18 while the film was being made).
"Gaslight" did quite well in the "Oscar" department too -- earning several Academy Award nominations, including two winning nods (Miss Bergman won her first Oscar trophy for "Best Actress" and the film also took the award for "Best Art Direction"). Boyer and the teenaged Lansbury also received nominations (for "Best Actor" and "Best Supporting Actress", respectively). Lansbury plays "Nancy", a sassy and frisky house servant of the Antons; and she is delightful in the part too.
Set in London, England, in the 1870s, "Gaslight" oozes Victorian-era atmosphere, as well as the misty and foggy dampness of London. The set design and costumes, to my eyes, are authentic-looking in all respects. It's filmed in black-and-white, enhancing the movie's oft-times dark and shadowy surroundings all the more.
The film transfer to this Warner Brothers' DVD looks excellent. Very clean and clear, with a pleasing Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono soundtrack as well. Video is in the intended Full-Frame ratio, as it was originally seen in theaters beginning on May 4, 1944.
And for those fans who can't get enough "Gaslight", WB has even included the entire 1940 U.K. version of the movie on Side B of this dual-sided DVD. So, this disc is literally a "Gaslight Double-Feature". The '40 version (also a B&W film) stars Anton Walbrook and Diana Wynyard in the two leads. I'm partial to the U.S. adaption of the film done four years later; but the 1940 variant has many die-hard supporters as well. A tip of the cap to Warner's DVD division for seeing fit to place both versions of the movie on the very same Digital Disc.
And WB didn't stop there either -- in addition to the second full-length movie on Side B of the disc, some other nice extra features are presented here too. .... There's a 13.5-minute featurette entitled "Reflections On Gaslight", hosted by Ingrid Bergman's daughter. Angela Lansbury is also on hand to provide a few personal insights about her first-ever experience on a movie set. A nice little featurette, with several behind-the-camera "Gaslight" tidbits being revealed.
Other DVD bonus items include an Academy Awards Newsreel (1:31 in length), where we get to see three Oscars being awarded for 1944 excellence, with awards being handed out to Ingrid Bergman, Bing Crosby, and 8-year-old Margaret O'Brien. Very good video quality on this short extra, too. ... And there's also the Theatrical Trailer for the 1944 edition of "Gaslight" (1:53).
More DVD data ..... The Main Menus are not animated, but do feature underlying theme music from the film. ... Three Subtitle options available (English, Spanish, and French). ... A secondary audio track available for the 1944 version (French Mono). ... Chapter Stops: 33 for the 1944 film; 25 chapter breaks for the 1940 version. ... Snap Case (cardboard) packaging. ... DVD Release Date by Warner Home Video: February 3rd, 2004.
"Gaslight" Trivia Notes -- The 1944 edition of "Gaslight" is also known as "Murder In Thornton Square", which was the title used for the film in the United Kingdom. ... The earlier '40 "Gaslight" also had an alternate title (two of them in fact) -- "Angel Street" and "A Strange Case Of Murder".
1944's "Gaslight" works very nicely as a thriller, a suspense drama, a love story, and a murder mystery. No matter which specific category you want to slide the movie into, there's one label that can be placed above all others when categorizing it (the one that makes this motion picture a sheer joy to watch time and time again) -- "Classic". With this cast of actors, how could it be anything else? So turn down the (gas)lights in the living room, and then turn on "Gaslight" on DVD.
Summary of Gaslight
Lights flicker and dim. Footsteps sound from a sealed-off attic. Mysterious events only vulnerable young Paula sees and hears make her fear she's losing her mind - exactly what treacherous spouse Gregory hopes... DVD from 2004 includes original 1940 version starring Anton Walbrook and Diana Wynyard plus 1944 version starring Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman and Joseph Cotten. Additional extras include: Reflections on Gaslight (Angela Lansbury), A Reminiscence by Pia Lindstrom on her mother Ingrid Bergman and 1944 Academy Award Ceremonies Newsreel (Bergman-Best Actress, Boyer-Best Actor, Lansbury-Best Supporting Actress).Similar DVD Movies
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