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Amazon.co.uk Review
Two years after 20th Century Fox released its melodramatic disaster film Titanic in 1953, Walter Lord's meticulously researched book A Night to Remember surprised its publishers by becoming a phenomenal bestseller. Lord had an intuition that readers craved the reality of the Titanic disaster and not the romantically mythologised translations (like Fox's film, starring Barbara Stanwyck), which relied on fictional characters to "enhance" the world's worst maritime disaster. Lord's book proved that the truth was far more compelling than fiction, outlining the many "if onlys" (if only the iceberg had been spotted a few minutes earlier, etc.) that lent sombre irony to the loss of 1,500 Titanic passengers. Three years after Lord's book appeared, it was brought to the screen with the kind of riveting authenticity that Lord had insisted upon in his own research. The 1958 British production of A Night to Remember remains a definitive dramatization of the disaster, adhering to the known facts of the time and achieving a documentary-like immediacy that matches (and in some ways surpasses) the James Cameron epic released 39 years later. The film erroneously perpetuates the once-common belief that the Titanic sunk in one piece (instead of breaking in half as its bow began to plunge), but many other misconceptions are accurately corrected, and the intelligent screenplay by thriller master Eric Ambler is a model of factual suspense. By making Titanic the star of the film, director Roy Baker emphasises the excessive confidence of the booming industrial age and creates an intense you-are-there realism that pays tribute to Walter Lord's tenacious quest for truth. --Jeff Shannon
Amazon.co.uk Review
The story of the Titanic has been visited, to differing degrees, on the small and big screen many times. But there’s a strong and compelling argument that 1958’s A Night To Remember, based on Walter Lord’s novel, is the best of the lot. For several reasons.
What most sets A Night To Remember apart is the sheer humanity of it. Approached in a documentary style, and with the story told mainly from the perspective of Kenneth More’s Charles Lightoller, it’s less epic in physical scale than, for instance, 1997’s Oscar-magnet Titanic. Yet there’s a core of authenticity here that’s never been beaten, on big screen or small.
A Night To Remember may not be the most obvious candidate for a Blu-ray upgrade, though, primarily due to the age of the film itself. Commendably, then, real effort has been put in to justifying it. The film has benefitted from a beautiful remaster, which has spruced up the picture and audio quality, and unleashed surprising levels of detail. It’s a respectful piece of work, and that so much attention has been lavished on an older production is very welcome. It’s an example others should follow.
It might lack the big special effects budget, then, and it might also have been a little shyer in attracting awards, but A Night To Remember is a conscientious, quality piece of film making, that stands up extremely well, aided by a solid Blu-ray release. --Jon Foster
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
76 of 77 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This 1958, black and white film tells the story of the ill fated Titanic. Unlike the Oscar winning James Cameron version, there are no high tech special effects, and, more importantly, no made up romances to detract from the story. Instead, what you have is a true story, produced in a straight forward manner that is far more gripping than any fiction.
An important omission in the Cameron version is the proximity of another ship, The California, and it's inability, (or refusal), to help the stricken liner, an issue that is addressed in this version. This is a film that has focused more on the actual events of that fateful night in 1912 rather than on the relationships between various passengers. It certainly pumps up the tension, even though everyone knows the outcome. There is always a part of you hoping that this time the Titanics desperate calls for help will be answered.
Starring Kenneth More, Honor Blackman and a young David McCallum, this movie has stood the test of time and is well worth a viewing.
An important omission in the Cameron version is the proximity of another ship, The California, and it's inability, (or refusal), to help the stricken liner, an issue that is addressed in this version. This is a film that has focused more on the actual events of that fateful night in 1912 rather than on the relationships between various passengers. It certainly pumps up the tension, even though everyone knows the outcome. There is always a part of you hoping that this time the Titanics desperate calls for help will be answered.
Starring Kenneth More, Honor Blackman and a young David McCallum, this movie has stood the test of time and is well worth a viewing.
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I first saw this film many years ago and have seen it many times since. Its definetly a great British movie of a terrible disaster when 1,500 people lost their lives when unsinkable Titanic hit an iceberg and sank on a bitterly cold April night during 1912. I bought the vidoe version some years ago, and the DVD version quite recently. Overall, the DVD version is a better picture and contains a fascinating documentary "The Making of...." However, I noticed some slight cuts in the DVD version and also through part of the film, a vertical dark line from top to bottom of the film which is noticeable in the dark scenes. This is a pity cos its such a fine film. Nevertheless, its still worth a buy cos of the extras available on the disc.
26 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is the original classic story of the sinking of the Titanic. It was filmed in 1958 in black and white in a big tank at Pinewood Studios with no CGI but despite this the filmakers have portrayed the sinking very well with a lot of details and great performances. The black and white images instead of being a problem or a minus I feel add to the film, after all its set in the freezing North Atlantic at night, not a lot of colour there! Still very moving and powerful and if you liked Cameron's Titantic then you should like this too but no Rose or Jack though! I am sure Cameron must have watched this film as there a lot of similairities. Anyway its a good film and deserves a watch. Enjoy, if thats the right word!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A night to remember
The best Titanic film ever made .Kenneth Moore is great.Much better than later Remakes .I would reconmend this to everyone.
Published 4 days ago by Gerry
The Definitive Titanic Film
A Night to Remember is simply the best of all the portrayals of the 1912 Titanic disaster. I usually take the expression 'digitally remastered' with a pinch of salt but in this... Read more
Published 4 days ago by Camerafour
A very good and accurate film
A Night to Remember, based on the book my Walter Lloyd, Is famous for being -accurate- and not having made up people and relationships here and there. Read more
Published 14 days ago by M. Berto
A Night to Remember (1958) - DVD dig remastered
I bought the book saw the film, now have the DVD. It may have whiskers but then so do I.
Published 17 days ago by graham f glover
An excellent and accurate adaptation of the Titanic disaster
This film, based on the Walter Lord novel also called A Night to Remember, was by far the best and most accurate adaptation of the Titanic disaster I ever saw. Read more
Published 18 days ago by Mr. A. J. Tennant
A DVD Scam
I purchased as I thought the Kenneth More version of "A night to
Remember" I was told this would be sent to me from the USA. Read more
Remember" I was told this would be sent to me from the USA. Read more
Published 19 days ago by MJT
the best just got a lot better
ive seen this film on various tv channels over the years and the most recent was on bbc2 one saturday to mark the 100th year since the sinking of the mighty ship that was... Read more
Published 20 days ago by maxlob
Not Region Locked!
Although the Blu ray is described as Region B/2, it plays beautifully on my region A player here in the States. Read more
Published 22 days ago by richard olson
Still streets ahead after all these years
Incredible isn't it?,...after all these years, this is still by far the best telling of this terrible tragedy. Read more
Published 23 days ago by spib
Titanic sinks again!
A superb film, far better than 'Titanic' - Kenneth Moore's stiff upper lip is awesome! Quality of image much improved - have only watched it on video up until now. Brilliant!
Published 1 month ago by joyspens1950
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