Cleopatra

For me this film is a bit of a blast from the past. I remember it from the 70s and early 80s when it was the topic of conversations for a week after every TV screening. The DVD version I purchased (3 disc set) presents it with a run time of just over four hours (which apparently is longer than the original theatrical release) but just right for another long lonely night in during the current lockdown situation. The feature film comes on disc one and two, and in this case it's a good thing it's split. There is an entracte around the two hour mark and it's a welcome chance to get refreshments before you insert disc two. Also, it's a natural break in the story. Part one tells the story of Cleopatra and Caesar, in part two it's the more complicated and vastly more interesting story of Antony and Cleopatra. Elizabeth Taylor is dazzling as Cleopatra. For me this will forever be her most iconic role. I'm even prepared to forgive the incongruous high heels she wears. Rex Harrison makes for a dignified if rather theatrical Caesar. But whereas in my younger days it was all about the glamourous leading lady, on this recent revisiting of the film it was Richard Burton's performance as Antony that impressed me most. He really was a wonderful actor. Also nice to see Martin Landau in a very substantial supporting role as Rufio. And if you look closely, and at the right time, you can even spot Desmond Llewelyn (Bond's Q) as a Roman senator. Visually the film is dazzling with grandiose sets, costumes and make up. A real spectacle on an epic scale. The high point must surely be Cleopatra's entrance in Rome on that immense Sphinx throne pullled by Egyptian slaves. It's mindboggling. And back in the 60s in the years before cgi this was all built and done for real. The film is presented in widescreen format. Picture and sound quality are very nice, the colours are vibrant and subtitles are available for those who may need them. The bonus material on the third disc is plentiful and for me a welcome addition to a film I fondly remember from my youth. There may be better and historically more accurate films about the iconic Egyptian queen, but for me this is still the most enjoyable version. Loved seeing it again.

If you're searching for the best ever Cleopatra movie, then your search ends right here. This just happens to be the greatest CLEOPATRA of ALL-TIME!!! Why? Not just for the lavish and outstanding sets, cinematic effects, exotic eye-catching costumes but because of the all-star cast, headed by Dearest Respected Elizabeth Taylor and Dearest Respected Richard Burton, the best looking married couple in Hollywood. If there's ONE EPIC I watch this Christmas, it will be this one. I love and respect both Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. I am a HUGE FAN of theirs, even today. Superb actors! Thank you to Amazon and to the Seller.

Cleopatra is an epic, historical, drama, spanning over four hours. It was the most expensive film made up to that point, almost bankrupted 20th Century Fox and won many 1963 Golden Globes and Academy Awards, including 'Best Picture'. The film stars Elizabeth Taylor and her ex husband, now also deceased, chronic alcoholic, Richard Burton. Having seen her biography on Amazon Prime Video, which details how Taylor met Burton filming Cleopatra, in which they played the lead role and her lover, Marc Anthony, I bought the film. She almost died from a serious illness during the production and they had to take a break. You can see a scar on her neck, from a life saving operation she had to have. As the cost suggests, it really is a theatrical masterpiece, in colour. So vivid and ahead of its time in cinematography, I would liken it to Baz Luhrman's, Romeo and Juliet in atmosphere and wow factor. I also like how Taylor and Burton genuinely fell in love, leaving their real life spouses as a result of acting together and creating this magnificent, real life, fairy tale. The film clearly captivated and moved them, which is quite special and a privelidge to see. I am a fan of true love, people who pursue it, making mistakes, becoming almost Shakespearean tragedy characters in the process. After all we are only human and if we all stagnated society would never evolve and adapt; art would cease to shock and amaze it would merely exist like a meal of meat and three veg. I believe from a historical perspective, Cleopatra will remain a revered and respected piece of art, because not only does it give you a glimpse of the past and a real look at the clothes people wore, food people ate, architecture, festivities, attitudes towards sex, marriage, children, war, global control and the role of women 48 BC, but the methods of filming and use of cinematography are fascinating and different to see, evoking a sense of childhood nostalgia, I miss when inhaling Rom Coms on repeat. A masterpiece I shall watch many times more.

A classic if ever there was one when the lovers of the story actually did fall in love. Richard Burton over acting and Elizabeth Taylor showing just how beautiful she was. The film cost a fortune and lost money. Get the full version with overture and interval.

Nice film

Un film, un cast e una produzione che sono ormai entrati nella leggenda, inutile aggiungere altro. In questa edizione blu ray, "Cleopatra" torna al suo antico splendore e alla sua durata massima disponibile (essendo perdute le versioni integrali montate dal regista). Ottimo il restauro, che restituisce colore e definizione alle immagini di una pellicola dal budget faraonico. Per un film di 50 anni fa il risultato è superbo, specie per far risaltare i magnifici costumi e le imponenti scenografie. Per contrasto, naturalmente, spiccano i fondali dipinti che non erano pensati per l'alta definizione. Ottimo il comparto extra, esaustivo, sui retroscena e il dietro le quinte di questa opera ancora oggi monumentale. Imperdibile per gli appassionati.

After nearly 50 years since the release of CLEOPATRA, it's time we got past the scandal and hype about how it nearly sank 20th Century Fox and appreciate the film for the monumental masterpiece it is. The combination of intense drama with eye-popping pageantry and spectacle has never again been seen in motion pictures, and never will. No, I'm not forgetting James Cameron's CGI shortcuts TITANIC and AVATAR, which I don't for a minute put in the same league with CLEOPATRA, a film that literally took blood, sweat and tears to create. No expense was spared, everything was built to size, and you see it all on the screen. When CLEOPATRA was released in 1963 it was the most expensive movie ever made up to that time, and probably still is in today's adjusted dollars. Yet, even with its massive scope and opulence, CLEOPATRA's human story doesn't get buried. This is due to the intelligent script and direction, both courtesy of Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and to the excellent performances of everyone in the cast, from leading to supporting players. Elizabeth Taylor is pure perfection as the ambitious, seductive Queen of the Nile who uses her wiles to achieve her goals. She's breathtakingly beautiful, oozing with sexuality, and brainy to boot. It's simply one of Liz's best EVER. As Marc Antony, Richard Burton delivers a super-charged performance that's in total harmony with the character's complexities and grandeur of the film. He also includes plenty of his characteristic sarcasm and self-loathing, without which a Burton performance would be incomplete. The fact that he and Taylor fell in love during production worked to good advantage toward fueling the on-screen drama. In his superb portrayal of Julius Caesar, Rex Harrison brought a distinguished, world-weariness and vulnerability to the role that's so potent, his presence is felt even in the second half in which he doesn't appear. A standout is Roddy McDowall as Octavian - he's really a lot of fun to watch and almost steals every scene he's in. The screenplay was based on several sources and takes some historical license, but most of it is factual and the political situation that existed between Rome and Egypt at the time is accurately and intricately played out. Indeed, it's fair to say that one can learn something about the ancient world from watching CLEOPATRA. Noteworthy too is that with a running time of four hours and eleven minutes, the narrative is remarkably tight. There aren't any redundant scenes or silly diversions thrown in just to eat up footage; all the action has a definite purpose, which is to serve the story. THIS is how a long movie should be made. Not to be overlooked is Alex North's lavishly exotic musical score. While it contains the necessary epic style - plenty of pomp and grandiose fanfares - the score is also multi-layered with delicately orchestrated themes. There's a slinky, snake-like quality to the music that fits the film like an Egyptian headdress. The art direction/set decoration and costume designs are spectacular, among the best in film history and add immensely to the viewing pleasure. In fact, CLEOPATRA won Oscars in those categories as well as for cinematography and special effects. 20th Century Fox's Blu-ray edition of this phenomenal film is flat-out gorgeous. The image is razor sharp so that the most minute details in fabrics and backgrounds register clearly. Colors are rock steady and vibrant. The 70mm format is reproduced faithfully in 1080p resolution. It really is a joy to watch this stunning presentation of such a visually rich movie. The audio is also the best it's ever been, well balanced and channeled properly so that voices are crisp and sound effects aren't overbearing. The music is clear without any distortions, making the subtler textures, muffled in previous editions, more noticeable. The extras are the same as Fox's 2001 DVD, minus the stills gallery and foreign issue trailers. There are, however, some new features: Cleopatra Through the Ages: A Cultural History; CLEOPATRA's Missing Footage; Fox Movie Channel presents Fox Legacy with Tom Rotham; and The CLEOPATRA Papers: A Private Correspondence. With the release of CLEOPATRA the era of grand scale, epic filmmaking was coming to an end, never to rise again. Treat yourself to a sterling example of the kind of high class entertainment Hollywood was capable of dishing out once upon a time - it'll make you forget the gossip and marvel in the artistry. My highest recommendation.

久しぶりに 懐かしい「クレオパトラ」の映像を楽しみました。 映像が素晴らしく奇麗になって昔見た映画よりも迫力が有りました。

Ein wirklich sehr schöner Film. Allerdings ist zu beachten, dass der Film auf Dieser Blu-ray einen guten Player benötigt, weil er aufwendig vertont ist! Da sollte man einen Player haben, der audiophile Eigenschaften hat, denn diese Blu-ray lässt sich nicht mit einem Panasonic Recorder fehlerlos abspielen. Nur ein koaxialer Digitalanschluss reicht nicht aus! Da bleibt er stumm.