Lawrence of Arabia (3 disc)

Bol Partner

Often hailed as one of the greatest films of all time, this remains a marvel of cinema, the likes of which we seem unlikely to witness again. In modern film making, led by the likes of James Cameron and Peter Jackson, the term 'epic' has become a byword for expensive CGI. Yet the sum of the work of those two doesn't cut a scratch on this real epic. Instead of thinking about this in terms of its financial expense this film is immensely rich in that matters most in cinema: artistic value. With that said, the film is not without its flaws. Like some of Lean's other work (and here, I am thinking of the ending of The Bridge On The River Kwai) some historical accuracy has been sacrificed to make way for good film-making. Some aspects of the film haven't aged welll; in particular some of the racist language used and the use of 'blacking up' of actors such as Alec Guiness to portray them as Arabs, which would be unthinkable in today's cinema.The scope of the film is breathtaking and Peter O' Toole's performance is brilliant, all the more so when you consider it was his first major film role. At three and a half hours, it's not a film you would generally choose to watch on a whim on a Saturday night. The politics of the time plays an important role in the film, and it is well worth investing a little time looking at this in order to understand the context in which the film is set. David Lean was not afraid of allowing the film to take place, rather than forcing it along as could be tempting. There is no greater example of this than one of the early scenes, when Omar Sharif makes his appearance by coming very slowly over the horizon and across a desert plain.This is a great lesson in filmmaking and a classic that needs to be seen. Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ English, Arabic, Turkish Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ French, Italian, English

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Lawrence D'arabie (edition Prestige 3dvd)