Fun Trip Around The World
Added 9/12/2009
David Niven and Cantinflas embark on a fun trip around the world. They are joined with Robert Newton, Shirley MacLaine and a huge host of big Hollywood names in spot scenes. As a fun excercise, see if you can name the stars before the credits. Do watch the credits at the close as that is a very enjoyable part of the film. The movie garnered 5 well deserved Oscars including best picture. Two music themes dominate the movie, one a song that hit the top ten (Around the World I Searched For You) during its release that held special memories for me as I spent a good part of the year it was made half way around the world from a woman who was to become my wife. The other(Rule Britainia)is still played on classical music radio and was played during Winston Churchill's funeral. The scenery shots are tame by today's standards, but were great at the time of its release. This CD is worth watching more than one time still.
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The movie is long but held my interest. A lot of money must have gone into its production, as there are elaborate scenes throughout the film, which took place across the globe. I have my doubts about the accuracy of the cultural depictions, but that's Hollywood for you. The movie is clean if you don't mind guns and gambling.
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This is not a remake, it is a loosely based on
Added 8/10/2009
This version of Jules Verne's original story "Around the World in 80 Days" takes so many liberties with the story that the only thing recognizable is a few names.
It is shame that we leave our youth with the impression that Disney and Jules Verne have any thing in common.
That being said and ignoring that this is a contrived jumble of clichés and no social redeeming value, every once in a while there is a cute zinger or one liner. One such inference was when Lord Salisbury was told that they were going to name a meat entrée after him.
A major negative for Jules and a plus for Disney is the addition of Jackie Chan. This is probably one of Jackie's best performances as he bloodlessly gets to hop around Chaplin style.
A real plus is the filming location in the former East Germany and Thailand makes for exceptionally interesting visuals.
Bottom line is this is a good time filler and can be amusing but do not get this presentation mixed up with the Jules Verne story of the same name.
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Common Pretense
Added 8/5/2009
Panoramic photography, graphics that charm, special camera technology for the time (1956), plus several recognizable actors (cameos), must have been included in the reasoning behing the Best Picture Award (Academy Awards). Acting is stylized. but consistently so, and as such also very good. Music is average, mostly utilitarian - for effect. There's a fascination with the time element; and it does capture the Industrial Revolution at a particular moment with balloon transportation, trains powered by steam engines, a steamship, a large-wheeled bicycle, and gas lamps.
Why a four-star rating? What is science fiction author, Jules Verne, saying? Arrogance (Passepartout {Cantiflas} repeats the word "Master" overly much), gambling (the bet about 80 days), womanizing (a frivolous joke except for one Indian princess), cultural blindness (several ancient and profound civilzations are dismissed with superficial treatment) - that such behaviors are acceptable, even enviable. The movie is entertaining, but the true big picture is composed of negative standards under an elegant veneer.
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Around the World in 80 Days
Added 6/11/2009
This is a classic that everyone should see. Michael Todd's production is absolutely perfect, from the casting of David Niven and Cantinflas, to the cinematography, to the editing, to the costuming. There is no way that this story could ever be improved on the screen, no matter how many producers and directors try.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Fun Trip Around The World
Added 9/12/2009
David Niven and Cantinflas embark on a fun trip around the world. They are joined with Robert Newton, Shirley MacLaine and a huge host of big Hollywood names in spot scenes. As a fun excercise, see if you can name the stars before the credits. Do watch the credits at the close as that is a very enjoyable part of the film. The movie garnered 5 well deserved Oscars including best picture. Two music themes dominate the movie, one a song that hit the top ten (Around the World I Searched For You) during its release that held special memories for me as I spent a good part of the year it was made half way around the world from a woman who was to become my wife. The other(Rule Britainia)is still played on classical music radio and was played during Winston Churchill's funeral. The scenery shots are tame by today's standards, but were great at the time of its release. This CD is worth watching more than one time still.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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The movie is long but held my interest. A lot of money must have gone into its production, as there are elaborate scenes throughout the film, which took place across the globe. I have my doubts about the accuracy of the cultural depictions, but that's Hollywood for you. The movie is clean if you don't mind guns and gambling.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
This is not a remake, it is a loosely based on
Added 8/10/2009
This version of Jules Verne's original story "Around the World in 80 Days" takes so many liberties with the story that the only thing recognizable is a few names.
It is shame that we leave our youth with the impression that Disney and Jules Verne have any thing in common.
That being said and ignoring that this is a contrived jumble of clichés and no social redeeming value, every once in a while there is a cute zinger or one liner. One such inference was when Lord Salisbury was told that they were going to name a meat entrée after him.
A major negative for Jules and a plus for Disney is the addition of Jackie Chan. This is probably one of Jackie's best performances as he bloodlessly gets to hop around Chaplin style.
A real plus is the filming location in the former East Germany and Thailand makes for exceptionally interesting visuals.
Bottom line is this is a good time filler and can be amusing but do not get this presentation mixed up with the Jules Verne story of the same name.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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