The Great Escape (2-Disc Collector's Set)
by John Sturges
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Charles Bronson, James Donald, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Steve McQueenDirector: John Sturges
Brand: GREAT ESCAPE
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; Spanish (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; Spanish (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Anamorphic, Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, DVD-Video, NTSC, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 172 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-05-18
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Movie Reviews of The Great Escape (2-Disc Collector's Set)
Movie Review: A great release of a great film
Summary: 5 Stars
I shant talk too much about plot and story in this review as detailed explanations and discussions on both are readily available. I shall instead be concentrating on the feel of the film and this particular release.
John Sturges set out to make as realistic and true a portrayal of the largest escape attempt during WWII with "The Great Escape" as possible, so he drafted one of the actual tunneling POW's from Stalag Luft III as a technical advisor, shot entirely on location in Germany, and recreated an almost exact copy of the original POW camp. Enourmous attention to detail was taken, although the timeline was shortened some and American involvement in the escape mission was somewhat exaggerated, and the result is indeed great. Well acted, well directed, never dull, witty, and with a permeating feeling of excitement and danger. In this DVD edition with cleaner pictures and audio, justice is finally done to "The Great Escape".
My only grief, and I'm actually a bit ambivalent about it, is the well known and very chipper title music. It is perhaps a bit too dally-come-spiffy for this kind of film. It is, however, a wonderful song, hence my ambivalence.
The reason you should buy this DVD instead of the single disc version is, that the second disc is packed full of interesting featurettes about the making of the film, which really showcase the care and attention to detail that the filmmakers put into the project. There is also a very interesting piece about the real great escape, featuring interviews with some of the survivors. This documentary is, in my opinion, a goldmine of information and serves as a reminder about the will to fight and dedication to the war effort that these people, who were incarcerated in an escape-proof camp, showed. The escape is perhaps not as glamorous as nighttime raids over Berlin or fighting the frontlines in the Ardennes, but just as spectacular and just as daring.
This is definitely one of the best DVD's out there. Thoroughly, thought through, as it were. Highest possible recommendation.
Summary of The Great Escape (2-Disc Collector's Set)
A stirring example of courage and the indomitable human spirit, for many John Sturges's The Great Escape is both the definitive World War II drama and the nonpareil prison escape movie. Featuring an unequalled ensemble cast in a rivetingly authentic true-life scenario set to Elmer Bernstein's admirable music, this picture is both a template for subsequent action-adventure movies and one of the last glories of Golden Age Hollywood. Reunited with the director who made him a star in The Magnificent Seven, Steve McQueen gives a career-defining performance as the laconic Hilts, the baseball-loving, motorbike-riding "Cooler King." The rest of the all-male Anglo-American cast--Dickie Attenborough, Donald Pleasance, James Garner, Charles Bronson, David McCallum, James Coburn, and Gordon Jackson--make the most of their meaty roles (though you have to forgive Coburn his Australian accent). Closely based on Paul Brickhill's book, the various escape attempts, scrounging, forging, and ferreting activities are authentically realized thanks also to technical advisor Wally Flood, one of the original tunnel-digging POWs. Sturges orchestrates the climax with total conviction, giving us both high action and very poignant human drama. Without trivializing the grim reality, The Great Escape thrillingly celebrates the heroism of men who never gave up the fight. --Mark WalkerThe true story of 76 allied airmen who plot a massive escape from Stalag 3, a maximum security prison in World War II.
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Media Type: DVD
Artist: GREAT ESCAPE
Title: GREAT ESCAPE
Street Release Date: 05/18/2004
Genre: ACTION / ADVENTURE
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