War & Peace (1968)
by Sergei Bondarchuk
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Anatoli Ktorov, Boris Zakhava, Lyudmila Savelyeva, Sergei Bondarchuk, Vyacheslav TikhonovDirector: Sergei Bondarchuk
Brand: Koch International
Writer: Sergei Bondarchuk
Cinematographer: Aleksandr Shelenkov
Cinematographer: Anatoli Petritsky
Cinematographer: Yu-Lan Chen
Editor: Tatyana Likhachyova
Writer: Leo Tolstoy
Writer: Vasili Solovyov
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Original Language); German (Original Language); Russian (Original Language)
Format: Box set, Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 427 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-03-13
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Hurricane Int'l
Movie Reviews of War & Peace (1968)
Movie Review: Same as the widescreen (letterbox) but different!
Summary: 5 Stars
When I purchased this film, I wasn't paying proper attention, thinking that I was buying yet another version of Tolstoy's famous work; however, it is, in fact, the 1968 Bondarchuk epic which I already owned in widescreen (letterbox) and which has now been packaged and edited by another distributor. Yet, in the end, it's quite a different film!
First of all, this version has been "panned and scanned" to better facilitate a regular screen television -- so, this product is what we generally refer to as "full-screen". Second, there are a few editing differences including some scenes that were not in the widescreen (letterbox) version and misssing a few scenes that were. This does not radically change the film but it was certainly interesting to observe.
Finally, the voiceovers and subtitles are COMPLETELY different, being superior to the original widescreen (letterbox) version. Many more conversation parts are picked up in this version and the translation is far superior. In some cases, the two translations are quite different, this one aligning more with the highly recommended Maude translation of the original book.
In the end, I'm glad to own both versions, as each has its advantages and disadvantages. In picture quality, this one cannot compare to the widescreen (letterbox) version as the clarity was somewhat compromised by the blow-up of the negatives during the "pan and scan" process. Still, it's quite watchable.
As far as the story goes, this is one of the finest war films ever produced. The Hollywood version of War and Peace starring Henry Fonda is a pathetic joke compared to this Russian masterpiece. You can reference my further descriptions of both the book and the widescreen (letterbox) film version on this site for more details concerning the actual story.
I have two final comments: 1. Read the book prior to watching either version of Bondarchuk's epic and you'll be much more gratified in your understanding of the story of Napoleon's invasion of Austria and later of Moscow. 2. If you own a regular TV then this is the version that you want. If you have a widescreen TV and already own the widescreen (letterbox) version, I highly recommend that you grab this one too!
Summary of War & Peace (1968)
WAR AND PEACE - DVD MovieLike Tolstoy's novel, this epic-length War and Peace is rough going, but worth the effort. Winner of the 1969 Academy AwardŽ for Best Foreign Language Film and widely considered the most faithful adaptation of Tolstoy's classic, Sergei Bondarchuk's massive Soviet-Italian coproduction was seven years in the making, at a record-setting cost of $100 million. Bondarchuk himself plays the central role of Pierre Bezukhov, buffeted by fate during Russia's tumultuous Napoleonic Wars, serving as pawn and philosopher through some of the most astonishing set pieces ever filmed. Bondarchuk is a problematic director: interior monologues provide awkward counterpoint to intimate dramas, weaving together the many classes and characters whose lives are permanently affected by war. Infusions of '60s-styled imagery clash with the film's period detail; it's an anomalous experiment that doesn't really work. Undeniably, however, the epic battle scenes remain breathtakingly unique; to experience the sheer scale of this film is to realize that such cinematic extravagance will never be seen again. --Jeff Shannon
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