- Actors: Dirk Bogarde, Charlotte Rampling, Philippe Leroy, Gabriele Ferzetti, Giuseppe Addobbati
- Directors: Liliana Cavani
- Writers: Liliana Cavani, Amedeo Pagani, Barbara Alberti, Italo Moscati
- Producers: Esa De Simone, Robert Gordon Edwards
- Format: Closed-captioned, Colour, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC
- Language Italian
- Subtitles: English
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.85:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: R (Restricted) (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: Criterion
- DVD Release Date: 28 Mar 2000
- Run Time: 118 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
- ASIN: 0780022823
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 69,246 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
53 of 54 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
When this came out there was outcry, naturally; you've got an ex-SS officer in hiding and a concentration camp victim stumbling upon him. Oh yes, and there's a violent S&M relationship between them. That's your money shot, baby. How could it get anymore crass, right? Not quite.
Set in 50's Vienna (shot in mute, subdued and dank colours), Max is undercover as a night porter in a hotel when Lucia, his captive, turns up with her other half for a stay. They set eyes on each other and fall back into their old relationship. The 'sex scenes' are not quite sex orientated, it's all about the power struggle, which is depicted in unflinching realism. The glass shards in the feet moment is eye watering, to say the least.
Dirk Bogarde is utterly captivating, strong and wormily weak simutaneously as he grapples with the reappearance of Lucia and the fact that he is being interrogated by a group of his fellow SS officers with regards to keeping a lid on their actions and pasts, but indulging in some creepy confessions to one another as a purging tool.
Night Porter is a confusing film. The end comes quickly and suddenly but leaves some very opened ended plot lines. It's political and dark, sometimes beautiful but ultimately sad. Forget the shock tactics of using Nazis, this is really about the complexity and decay of human emotion, and the cruelty of mankind when there is the scent of power in the air.
48 of 49 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I was pleased to find this film on DVD at last, and keen to replace my old VHS video of it. It is a stunning, powerful film,that evolves with every viewing.
It is a classic.
BUT...
This DVD is watchable but the picture quality is awful in some areas.The film becomes very dark, brown and grainy till you can hardly see the actors faces.Sometimes the faces are a blur!
This does ruin the film in places, for me...as I know the film so well.The dramatic power of the scenes is damaged by this in my opinion.
I assume the film stock has decayed beyond repair? Why has it not been moved to DVD with care? Why has such a poor copy been selected for distribution?
And yet I have a video recorded from British television that is pristine! The film is crystal clear, full of light, with sharp contrasts between the reds, whites and blacks. The 'Reunion'scene in the hotel room instead of being a murky-black fog is visible again, the actors faces revealed.
If you love this powerful film I advise recording a TV copy for a good home copy.
As with 'The Dogs of War' and 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'(both edited before DVD release) It looks as if this film has not made its transition to a new format either. I shall be hanging onto my old old VHS copy again!!!!
It is a classic.
BUT...
This DVD is watchable but the picture quality is awful in some areas.The film becomes very dark, brown and grainy till you can hardly see the actors faces.Sometimes the faces are a blur!
This does ruin the film in places, for me...as I know the film so well.The dramatic power of the scenes is damaged by this in my opinion.
I assume the film stock has decayed beyond repair? Why has it not been moved to DVD with care? Why has such a poor copy been selected for distribution?
And yet I have a video recorded from British television that is pristine! The film is crystal clear, full of light, with sharp contrasts between the reds, whites and blacks. The 'Reunion'scene in the hotel room instead of being a murky-black fog is visible again, the actors faces revealed.
If you love this powerful film I advise recording a TV copy for a good home copy.
As with 'The Dogs of War' and 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'(both edited before DVD release) It looks as if this film has not made its transition to a new format either. I shall be hanging onto my old old VHS copy again!!!!
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I was ecstatic at the prospect of a DVD release for this unfairly derided and neglected minor-masterpiece and the DVD packaging certainly gives the impression that great care has been taken with what might be the only DVD release this film is given.
Imagine, then, my disappointment at the picture quality! It is little better than my worn-out 1980s VHS tape and is a great letdown. What a shame! What a missed opportunity!
I would still recommend buying this release but would advise waiting for a more reasonable price.
Imagine, then, my disappointment at the picture quality! It is little better than my worn-out 1980s VHS tape and is a great letdown. What a shame! What a missed opportunity!
I would still recommend buying this release but would advise waiting for a more reasonable price.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Dreadful Transfer
The Anchor Bay release of this film is the worst DVD transfer I have ever seen. I am just amazed that a film could be released in this state. Will be sending it straight back.
Published 2 months ago by CineMan
What possessed Me....?
...to buy The Night Porter? I'd not heard of either it nor its director, Liliana Cavani. Had no idea of the hype, the controversy. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Tim Kidner
Scandanavian Blu-ray review
Great movie, however I would avoid the Scandanavian blu-ray release. Picture quality is terrible, on a par with previous releases, I would suggest it is the worst transfer I have... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr. C. De Mello
lackery
I wish more people would give a review of the product and not of the film, after all critics corner should be elsewehere. Read more
Published 4 months ago by S. Oram
WHERE'S THE BLU-RAY REVIEW?
How about a review of the French released BLU-RAY?
All of the reviews that pan the DVD transfer have nothing to do with the Blu-ray disc, for heaven's sake! Read more
All of the reviews that pan the DVD transfer have nothing to do with the Blu-ray disc, for heaven's sake! Read more
Published 4 months ago by Barbara Siek
Awsome film! Appalling DVD transfer
Dramatically this film still punches a body blow 35 years after it was made!
Surely it deserves a better transfer to DVD than has been done? Read more
Surely it deserves a better transfer to DVD than has been done? Read more
Published 11 months ago by Caro S. Liddell
Hakenkreuz Hokum
Although I usually find Dirk Bogarde to be an outstanding multi-talented actor, his portrayal of a Nazi SS officer is unconvincing and some of the flashback scenes are little... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Hugh "Tab Lloyd" Otterburn
Appalling Transfer - AVOID
This superb, ground-breaking film has been given a very poor DVD release by Anchor Bay. Not only is the transfer soft, but it is edge-enhanced and over saturated to compensate for... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Synclavia
And Now! Put your Hands Together for...
For all its intellectual pretences and controversies, a supposed examination of obsession, represession, possession, guilt and countless other things, the Night Porter fails to... Read more
Published on 4 April 2010 by Eddie
interesting and powerful
'The Night Porter' is an extremely interesting film, raising unusual questions. The more experienced actor, Dirk Bogarde, is here outshone by a young actress, Charlotte Rampling. Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2010 by S. Ramsey-Hardy
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