Lawrence of Arabia
by David Lean
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins, Omar Sharif, Peter O'TooleDirector: David Lean
Brand: O'TOOLE,PETER
Producer: David Lean
Producer: Jim Painten
Producer: Robert A. Harris
Producer: Sam Spiegel
Writer: Michael Wilson
Writer: Robert Bolt
Writer: T.E. Lawrence
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); Chinese (Subtitled); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Korean (Subtitled); Portuguese (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language); French (Dubbed); Portuguese (Dubbed); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Limited Edition, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Running Time: 216 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-04-03
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
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Movie Reviews of Lawrence of Arabia
Movie Review: The Masterpiece of Cinema!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the greatest movie I have ever seen. Not only is it superb filmmaking, but the film touches on a personal level I never expected to feel. David Lean's WW1 epic follows the both heroic and tragic military campaign of T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole in an Oscar-nominated role). When we first see Lawrence interact with others, he comes off as a bumbling fool, but his encyclopedic knowledge of the world earns him his first significant mission --- find Arab Prince Feisal, and learn of the Arabs' intentions. Whatever he learns will help the British campaign function more effectively for their own purposes. However, after meeting Feisal and his Sherif Ali, Lawrence instead becomes the central figure in the campaign by uniting the Arabs against the Turkish Empire, rather than report back to his British superiors.
Make no mistake - "Lawrence of Arabia" is NOT a war film. There is glory of combat here; the battle sequences are brief and not very well-choreographed. But that's because Lean doesn't want us to see Lawrence's aim-and-shoot techniques. No, instead Lean smartly stays on his facial expressions -- O'Toole's behavior tells the story better than a battle's body count. When an enemy fort is overtaken, the "battle" is simply a camera pan of horses charging in. We don't need to witness an elaborate sequence because we only need to know that the Arabs defeated the Turks. "Lawrence of Arabia" is almost 4 hours, but is stripped to its essentials like those who dwell in its deserts.
The film features a wonderful cast of supporting characters. Alec Guinness reteams with David Lean to play Prince Feisal, a leader of patient wisdom and admiration for Lawrence's passion. Omar Sharif made a star-making American debut (and Oscar-nominated performance) as Sherif Ali, whose strong loyalty to Lawrence also brings him immense pain when his friend is also suffering. Lawrence and Ali are as equal as they are opposite; Sharif's chemistry with O'Toole is perfect.
The most obvious acheivement of "Lawrence of Arabia" is the cinematography and Lean's direction. Orson Welles "Citizen Kane" is a brilliant piece of filmmaking, but Lean overshadows that classic with more color and vivid imagery. There are too many genius shots to praise. The mirage sequence is the most famous, in which Ali's figure begins as a speck, but then rides ever so closer on a camel with no music...but haunting silence! Or when Lawrence is just assigned his mission: he looks at a burning match, exhales so gently...and the camera quick-cuts to a beautiful sunset in the Arabian desert. We witness the harsh realities of desert warfare, but don't actually see much blood or corpses. Instead, stirring dialogue and tracking shots get a strong enough reaction that the guns and casualties don't really matter.
The dialogue is sharp enough to rival "Casablanca" or "Pulp Fiction". Screenwriter Robert Bolt's dialogue is so truthful, poetic, and eloquent -- it's a thrill just to hear these characters 'speak'. The scenes involving strategy and tactics aren't glorious declarations of brilliance; instead, they're more like verbal chess matches between stubborn parties. For example: an Arab Bureau liaison, Dryden (Claude Rains at his smarmiest), is devilishly manipulative. However, Rains' tonation is neutral yet wicked. When a reporter asks Dryden what happened during a secret meeting, he casually replies "Oh...nothing...nothing at all." His lies are so obvious, telling us he intentionally rubs the secrecy in his adversaries' faces.
Another remarkable acheivement is Maurice Jarre's music score. Simply put, it's amazing and legendary! Thankfully, the DVD keeps the 4 and 1/2 minute Overture, Intermission, and Exit Music. For those unfamiliar, when cinematic epics played in movie theatres, music was played before the movie began. It helped audiences settle in and get ready for the film to begin. There were no images on the screen, but the music just played. The filmmakers took great pride in the best presentation possible for a film that took about 2 years to make. "Lawrence of Arabia" is as much as pleasure to listen to as it to watch it.
Another point on the main character - credit for the portrayal of T.E. Lawrence belongs equally to the entire production team. Bolt knew how to write him, Lean knew how to shoot him, Jarre knew what music to write for him, Anne Coates knew how to properly edit and pace his character, and O'Toole knew how the play him. This strong collaberation of artists results in a rarity: we, the audience, can relate to a historical figure who a total 'enigma'. As presented in the film, T.E. Lawrence was a man of dual-willed dilemmas. He keeps unfathomable promises, but lacks the heart to be satisfied. He's a central war figure who inspires many, but eventually rejects his talents.
As I said earlier, the character is collaborative effore - I forgot to mention the supporting characters who give their take on this bizarre man. They, I believe, is the heart of the film. One of the opening scenes reveals differing opinions on Lawrence's legacy. A reporter calls him a "shameless exhibitionist", while a British soldier calls him "a very great man". But is there any truth is what any of these men say? And if so, do they have enough credibility to even have an opinion? T.E. Lawrence (according the film) never really knew who he was or what he really wanted. Because of that confusing shell, his outcast reputation strengthed his ego to accomplish daring feats like crossing an endless desert, but also deeply hurt those closest to him (and those who only wanted his talents).
"Lawrence of Arabia" is a one-of-a-kind experience. It has powerful music, unforgettable camera shots, beautiful dialogue, jaw-dropping images, spectacular sequences, stellar acting, and historical significance! There will never be a greater cinema epic than "Lawrence of Arabia"...
DVD NOTES
There are two versions of this movie on DVD.
1) A One-Disc version that has no Special Features. That is worth a purchase alone, because you can watch the film in one sitting.
2) This Limited Edition DVD splits the movie into two halves. The video and audio quality appear to be the same, but the 2-Disc release has full-motion menus with music, whereas the other version only has freeze-frame menus. The second Disc includes an outstanding making-of documentary, some comments from Steven Spielberg on the restoration, and a few neat promotional materials. Seeing thses artists work themselves tirelessly for 2 years will only further your appreciation for this movie. Even if you don't share my praise for the film, you will admire the patience and hard work that everybody invested into it. This was not one man's vision; "Lawrence of Arabia" is collage of brilliant filmmakers and artists composing an unforgettable tale!
I've often heard people say one film is their 'favorite', but then they say another is the 'greatest'. To me, my all-time favorite and standard of greatness are the same film. Watch this film immediately!
Summary of Lawrence of Arabia
Director David Lean follows the heroic true-life odyssey of T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole) in this dramatic portrait of the famed British officer's journey to the Middle East. Assigned to Arabia during World War I, Lawrence courageously unites the warring Arab factions into a strong guerrilla front and leads them to brilliant victories in treacherous desert battlefields where they eventually defeat the ruling Turkish Empire.There's no getting around a simple, basic truth: watching Lawrence of Arabia in any home-video format represents a compromise. There's no better way to appreciate this epic biographical adventure than to see it projected in 70 millimeter onto a huge theater screen. That caveat aside, David Lean's masterful "desert classic" is still enjoyable on the small screen, especially if viewed in widescreen format. (If your only option is to view a "pan & scan" version, it's best not to bother; this is a film for which the widescreen format is utterly mandatory.) Peter O'Toole gives a star-making performance as T.E. Lawrence, the eccentric British officer who united the desert tribes of Arabia against the Turks during World War I. Lean orchestrates sweeping battle sequences and breathtaking action, but the film is really about the adventures and trials that transform Lawrence into a legendary man of the desert. Lean traces this transformation on a vast canvas of awesome physicality; no other movie has captured the expanse of the desert with such scope and grandeur. Equally important is the psychology of Lawrence, who remains an enigma even as we grasp his identification with the desert. Perhaps the greatest triumph of this landmark film is that Lean has conveyed the romance, danger, and allure of the desert with such physical and emotional power. It's a film about a man who leads one life but is irresistibly drawn to another, where his greatness and mystery are allowed to flourish in equal measure. --Jeff Shannon
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