Just Dreaming of a Coloured Sleep
Added 2/7/2010
The Big Sleep
I hear the objections. How can you tamper with the virtual perfection of such a classic. The point is well taken because this is my favourite film though it diverges quite a lot from Chandler's masterpiece in some respects. But what a stunning film portrayal. Great actors, great music, great editing, great script...but no colour. I chanced to see the four big Bogart classics of the 40's, The Big Sleep, Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon and Key Largo in what I believe was a Turner initiated digitally enhanced and colourised format many years ago...and it was like seeing these classics in a new dimension. Instead of the rather grey foggy reproduction we are used to, the picture was sharp and I began to see things I hadnt seen in the black and white version. I fell in love again with these classics and treasure the video copies I've retained.
Now I know the objections to this process all too well. Sacrilege they say. Destroying the whole tone of these Film Noir classics. But a few comments in response. Firstly, no one in 1939 objected to the newly available technicolour processes that produced the masterpieces Gone with the Wind and Wizard of Oz. We'd all be horrified to have to watch them in monotone. Ah, but these are not film noir productions they say. Well what about Chinatown, a modern classic of that genre. Would you want to see it only in black and white. Hardly! Secondly, the Bogart films were produced on a limited budget and the only reason we arent seeing these classics in colour is because THEY COULDNT AFFORD TO PAY FOR THE COLOUR PROCESS WITHIN THE AVAILABLE BUDGET. Nobody at that time or today though would be complaining if they had been produced in colour. And I suggest that those who first saw the film would have appreciated them more in a coloured form. Certainly the producers thought so, otherwise why did they produce coloured film posters to promote the films.
Thirdly, the problem is that we get used to seeing things in a certain form through habit...doesnt make them better only comfortable like an old lounge vs a new lounge. But despite our feelings of loss we quickly get used to the new lounge after many sittings and I suspect most people would get used to the 'superior' qualities of the colourised Bogart classics after a few sittings. Or are we going to have the African Queen decolourised because we like Bogart's films that way.
I love the Bogart classics, but I love them more in colour and plead with those who release these classics to DVD to release the colourised versions. Those who want to keep watching the monotone versions can still buy their own preferences. For me though, please make mine a coloured Sleep.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Rather light DVD for one of the greatest private-eye mysteries
Added 1/13/2010
Don't be fooled by the DVD cover: This IS a private-eye noir, complete with a tangled web of murder and mystery. The cover art only shows Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in each other's arms, with their names taking up most of the cover, but this isn't some sappy romance. It's an all-time classic noir.
Bogart plays private investigator Philip Marlowe in this film based on Raymond Chandler's novel. The crime plot is complicated, but the movie is a lot of fun, nonetheless. Bogart is terrific in the cynical detective role, with his quick wit and fedora. Lauren Bacall plays the romantic interest in her second of four films with Bogart. (The two were later married.)
The DVD is fine, but nothing fancy. It's a double-sided disc that comes in an eco-case (with the "recycle" symbol cut out of the plastic). The disc includes two versions of the film. On one side is the first version (the "pre-release version"), which was screened for the military during WWII. On the other side is the more familiar theatrical version, which includes alternate scenes reshot after the first version was screened. The big differences are Bogart's scenes with Bacall, which were reshot to dial up the sexual chemistry between the two. The theatrical version is the best version to see.
Also included on the disc are a behind-the-scenes text feature, the theatrical trailer, and an interesting video explaining the differences between the 1945 pre-release version and the 1946 theatrical version.
Sometime in the future I'd like to see a special edition DVD with maybe an audio commentary, interviews, and some making-of featurettes, but right now this rather light DVD is the best there is. THE BIG SLEEP is certainly a great movie (if you're into film noir, mysteries, 1940s classics, or Humphrey Bogart), and the DVD is pretty good. Especially if you can get it for a great price. Amazon offered the DVD for quite a bargain (five bucks), so I snapped it up. Well worth it.
* * * * *
If you're interested in THE BIG SLEEP, you might also enjoy:
The Maltese Falcon (1941) - Bogart's 1941 mystery classic as private eye Sam Spade
Casablanca (1942) - Bogart and Ingrid Bergman amid WWII tensions in Morocco
To Have and Have Not (1944) - Bogart and Bacall's first film together
Out of the Past (1947) - another convoluted film noir, with Robert Mitchum as the detective
Murder, My Sweet (1944) - Dick Powell plays Philip Marlowe (a little different from Bogart's take)
The Cheap Detective (1978) - comedy spoof of Bogart detective films, starring Peter Falk
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) - Steve Martin detective comedy featuring clips from a number of classic noir films
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
The Big Sleep DVD
Added 11/30/2009
I was very satisfied with the quality of this DVD. I would highly recommend ordering DVDs from Amazon because of the quality, price and prompt delivery of these items.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
"You're trying to find out what your father hired me to find out, and I'm trying to find out why you want to find out..."
Added 11/28/2009
The Big Sleep is certainly an excellent film; but I would be mighty impressed if you could follow one hundred percent of that plot with all those characters getting murdered by the second! Please don't misunderstand; just as others have noted this will be very interesting and even entertaining for you; it's truly one of the better films I've ever seen. The acting is uniformly superb and very convincing; the casting was great; the script is well written with plenty of lines that have more than one meaning; and the choreography shines bright right along with the cinematography. However, the plot meanders quite a bit and so when you watch this just relax and enjoy it without trying too hard to worry exactly who's after whom and why.
When the action starts (and believe me, you're going see a LOT of action), we quickly meet private investigator Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) who is hired by the elderly General Sternwood (Charles Waldron) because a man is blackmailing Carmen (Martha Vickers), one of his two rather pretty and somewhat loose daughters. The General wants Philip to get this guy off Carmen's back so that the family will not be disgraced publicly; Philip also meets the General's other daughter who's already a divorcee, Vivian (Lauren Bacall); and they don't exactly hit it off.
Now of course it all be neat and clean if that was the bulk of the plot; but it isn't. We eventually find out why that man wanted money from Carmen; and we also see the connection between Eddie Mars (John Ridgely) and Carmen as well as Vivian. There is much to speculate about along the way--it isn't all just murder after murder--why are so many people involved in this scenario, all of them trying to get a piece of the action (as in "money") for themselves. We get great performances by Elisha Cook Jr. as small time crook Harry Jones who follows Philip Marlowe in his car; Louis Jean Heydt as Joe Brody, another small time gangster who's in on at least part of the deal; and Sonia Darrin does just great as Agnes Lowzier who is also mixed up in all this.
The DVD comes with two versions of the film: we get the original version of the film and we get the version of the film that was released to mass audiences in 1946. There were changes in the script to enhance Lauren Bacall's character as well as a few other things. There's also a terrific documentary that illustrates the differences between the two versions of the film.
The Big Sleep may have a plot that is rather complicated to follow, but the magic is that it all works anyway and it has some incredibly fine acting with magical chemistry between Bogart and Bacall. I highly recommend this film for fans of the actors in this movie; and people who enjoy film noir will not be disappointed.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
Classic film noir...
Added 11/25/2009
"The Big Sleep" is one of the great film noir films. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall star in this convoluted, and atmospheric, tale of blackmailing and murder. This particular DVD has the 1945 (film noir) and 1946 (movie star/theatrical) versions of the movie on Sides A and B. A year after the film was initially finished it was thought that Lauren Bacall's character could use a little more edge, so before the movie was actually made into prints, scenes with Bacall and Bogart were completely remade. It is believed that these changes have enhanced what was already a great movie. Though a scene, between Marlowe and the Los Angles District Attroney, was also cut out of the theatrical release, which could had aided in the coherence of the story up to that point. Because of a backlog of WWII war films the release of this film was delayed, even though initially it was finished in 1945. The revised film was released in August 1946.
This DVD has an excess of dust spots throughout the entire movie. The film also has diminished contrast on the left side of the frame on numerous scenes of the film. It is surprising that some of these obvious imperfections were not rectified before being released onto DVD.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Just Dreaming of a Coloured Sleep
Added 2/7/2010
The Big Sleep
I hear the objections. How can you tamper with the virtual perfection of such a classic. The point is well taken because this is my favourite film though it diverges quite a lot from Chandler's masterpiece in some respects. But what a stunning film portrayal. Great actors, great music, great editing, great script...but no colour. I chanced to see the four big Bogart classics of the 40's, The Big Sleep, Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon and Key Largo in what I believe was a Turner initiated digitally enhanced and colourised format many years ago...and it was like seeing these classics in a new dimension. Instead of the rather grey foggy reproduction we are used to, the picture was sharp and I began to see things I hadnt seen in the black and white version. I fell in love again with these classics and treasure the video copies I've retained.
Now I know the objections to this process all too well. Sacrilege they say. Destroying the whole tone of these Film Noir classics. But a few comments in response. Firstly, no one in 1939 objected to the newly available technicolour processes that produced the masterpieces Gone with the Wind and Wizard of Oz. We'd all be horrified to have to watch them in monotone. Ah, but these are not film noir productions they say. Well what about Chinatown, a modern classic of that genre. Would you want to see it only in black and white. Hardly! Secondly, the Bogart films were produced on a limited budget and the only reason we arent seeing these classics in colour is because THEY COULDNT AFFORD TO PAY FOR THE COLOUR PROCESS WITHIN THE AVAILABLE BUDGET. Nobody at that time or today though would be complaining if they had been produced in colour. And I suggest that those who first saw the film would have appreciated them more in a coloured form. Certainly the producers thought so, otherwise why did they produce coloured film posters to promote the films.
Thirdly, the problem is that we get used to seeing things in a certain form through habit...doesnt make them better only comfortable like an old lounge vs a new lounge. But despite our feelings of loss we quickly get used to the new lounge after many sittings and I suspect most people would get used to the 'superior' qualities of the colourised Bogart classics after a few sittings. Or are we going to have the African Queen decolourised because we like Bogart's films that way.
I love the Bogart classics, but I love them more in colour and plead with those who release these classics to DVD to release the colourised versions. Those who want to keep watching the monotone versions can still buy their own preferences. For me though, please make mine a coloured Sleep.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Rather light DVD for one of the greatest private-eye mysteries
Added 1/13/2010
Don't be fooled by the DVD cover: This IS a private-eye noir, complete with a tangled web of murder and mystery. The cover art only shows Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in each other's arms, with their names taking up most of the cover, but this isn't some sappy romance. It's an all-time classic noir.
Bogart plays private investigator Philip Marlowe in this film based on Raymond Chandler's novel. The crime plot is complicated, but the movie is a lot of fun, nonetheless. Bogart is terrific in the cynical detective role, with his quick wit and fedora. Lauren Bacall plays the romantic interest in her second of four films with Bogart. (The two were later married.)
The DVD is fine, but nothing fancy. It's a double-sided disc that comes in an eco-case (with the "recycle" symbol cut out of the plastic). The disc includes two versions of the film. On one side is the first version (the "pre-release version"), which was screened for the military during WWII. On the other side is the more familiar theatrical version, which includes alternate scenes reshot after the first version was screened. The big differences are Bogart's scenes with Bacall, which were reshot to dial up the sexual chemistry between the two. The theatrical version is the best version to see.
Also included on the disc are a behind-the-scenes text feature, the theatrical trailer, and an interesting video explaining the differences between the 1945 pre-release version and the 1946 theatrical version.
Sometime in the future I'd like to see a special edition DVD with maybe an audio commentary, interviews, and some making-of featurettes, but right now this rather light DVD is the best there is. THE BIG SLEEP is certainly a great movie (if you're into film noir, mysteries, 1940s classics, or Humphrey Bogart), and the DVD is pretty good. Especially if you can get it for a great price. Amazon offered the DVD for quite a bargain (five bucks), so I snapped it up. Well worth it.
* * * * *
If you're interested in THE BIG SLEEP, you might also enjoy:
The Maltese Falcon (1941) - Bogart's 1941 mystery classic as private eye Sam Spade
Casablanca (1942) - Bogart and Ingrid Bergman amid WWII tensions in Morocco
To Have and Have Not (1944) - Bogart and Bacall's first film together
Out of the Past (1947) - another convoluted film noir, with Robert Mitchum as the detective
Murder, My Sweet (1944) - Dick Powell plays Philip Marlowe (a little different from Bogart's take)
The Cheap Detective (1978) - comedy spoof of Bogart detective films, starring Peter Falk
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) - Steve Martin detective comedy featuring clips from a number of classic noir films
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
The Big Sleep DVD
Added 11/30/2009
I was very satisfied with the quality of this DVD. I would highly recommend ordering DVDs from Amazon because of the quality, price and prompt delivery of these items.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
