- Format: PAL
- Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: PG
- Studio: Paramount Home Entertainment
- DVD Release Date: 30 Oct 2006
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B000HD100O
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 9,874 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Reviews
Amazon.co.uk Review
It's a product of its Vietnam era just as surely as Robert Altman's M*A*S*H, and like that film Oh! What a Lovely War is ostensibly about a different war. Based on a celebrated anti-war stage piece produced by Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop, the film chronicles the various madnesses of the First World War. Along with vignettes involving the members of the fictional Smith family, the movie lands its punches with a two-pronged attack: by using the songs of the war, mostly patriotic; and by using the real-life words of various figures from WWI. You can see how this would have fit a stylised stage show; in the more literal, realistic realm of film, it mostly comes across as heavy-handed pretentiousness. Richard Attenborough, who would later explore the lives of Gandhi and Chaplin, first made his way to the director's chair here, and he enlisted a staggering who's who of his fellow British actors for roles in the large ensemble: Olivier, Gielgud, and Richardson among them. John Mills plays the most bull-headed of the generals, blithely measuring out yards of territory gained by the thousands of casualties involved. The songs are a historically fascinating lot, mostly given an ironic or sinister treatment in this incarnation, as jolly patriotic tunes that mask the utter carnage at the front. Among the high points is Maggie Smith singing (well, declaiming) an ode to recruitment, promising war as a grand adventure. The blending of arch content with Attenborough's realistic staging of trench warfare just doesn't take, but what does hit home are the actual quotes and the statistics of killing; World War I set a bloody standard for sheer, blind slaughter. --Robert Horton
DVD Description
The tragedy of World War I is redefined in bawdy music-hall terms, presented as the "new attraction" at the Brighton Amusement Pier, complete with syrupy cheer-up songs, shooting galleries, free prizes and a scoreboard toting up the dead The Story focuses mainly on the members of one family (last name Smith) whose five sons enlist and end up as cannon fodder Much of the action in the movie revolves around the words of the marching songs of the soldiers, and many scenes portray some of the more famous (and infamous) incidents of the war, including: the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand the Christmas meeting between British and German soldiers in no-mans-land the wiping out by their own side of a force of Irish soldiers The final image is a veddy proper British picnic on a graveyard. Of the many fleeting satiric images parading past the camera, one of the most indelible is the sight of several generals playing leapfrog as the world all around them goes to hell in a handbasket.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
65 of 66 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
At last - a most eagerly awaited DVD release, and it's no disappointment. The packaging, menus, and print quality are all top notch. Extras are limited to a 45 minute documentary (helpfully divided into three parts) and director's commentary - I believe it's only Lord Attenborough's first.
The print is simply wonderful - widescreen never looked better, and it's far more bright and clean than anyone will have seen for years. It has be one of the highest quality pictures I have seen for a long time.
As a film experience, it has everything to recommend it - all those huge stars, the beautiful cinematography, and those remarkably touching (and witty) songs. You could say this is a musical for people who normally don't watch musicals, because these are all authentic WW1 songs, popular, sacred and profane.
The whole film is dotted with poignant moments, but the definitive one is right at the end, and truly breathtaking. Especially when you learn that it was filmed for real! A real pleasure to own this reinstated masterpiece.
The print is simply wonderful - widescreen never looked better, and it's far more bright and clean than anyone will have seen for years. It has be one of the highest quality pictures I have seen for a long time.
As a film experience, it has everything to recommend it - all those huge stars, the beautiful cinematography, and those remarkably touching (and witty) songs. You could say this is a musical for people who normally don't watch musicals, because these are all authentic WW1 songs, popular, sacred and profane.
The whole film is dotted with poignant moments, but the definitive one is right at the end, and truly breathtaking. Especially when you learn that it was filmed for real! A real pleasure to own this reinstated masterpiece.
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is a long overdue release of a classic anti-war film. Although the serious student of military history will have long moved on from the iniquitous 'Lions led by donkeys' view of the Great War, this film does show the disconnection between the jingoist home front and the reality of the front line. Particularly effective is the scene in the ruined church with the nurses singing 'The churches' one foundation' and the soldiers singing their own lyrics. The final scene is particularly touching.
96 of 99 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Well, I can't review the DVD as it's not released yet, but firstly thank God to whoever managed to finally overcome whatever obstacles were in its way. A 1969 film finally makes it to DVD in 2006...
And what a film. It struck me that many people will never have even seen this masterpiece (and there are very few films I would call that) before. For those who haven't, be aware that the title is ironic. This movie shows how most of Europe, then other continents, were drawn into the carnage of World War 1 by old alliances. And then, how the slaughter went on, and on... But also be aware that it's a musical, where the musical numbers comment on the madness of the war, and underline the black humour necessary to keep everyone going. Songs like 'When This Lousy War is Over', 'Good-bye-ee' and 'We Don't Want to Lose You ( but think you ought to go)' stick in the mind long after seeing the film.
The cast is like a Who's Who of British acting: John Gielgud, John Mills, Kenneth More, Vanessa Redgrave, Jack Hawkins, Dirk Bogarde.... Much of the film was made on location in, and near, Brighton; the famous pier is used to great effect, as, amongst other things, the control centre for the British generals. In one memorable scene the ever-growing casualty figures are displayed in enormous numbers whilst Field Marshall Haig (John Mills) decides to send yet more men over the top. In fact the film is arguably more a series of set pieces than a running narrative.
And that incredible final shot!!! What a treat for those who haven't seen the film before. I saw this on first release in 1969 at the Lounge Cinema, Headingley, Leeds, and can still remember watching as the entire screen filled with...ahh, wait and see.
For me, this is the most anticipated DVD ever; I just hope that loving care has been taken over the transfer of this, one of the most extraordinary films of all time.
And what a film. It struck me that many people will never have even seen this masterpiece (and there are very few films I would call that) before. For those who haven't, be aware that the title is ironic. This movie shows how most of Europe, then other continents, were drawn into the carnage of World War 1 by old alliances. And then, how the slaughter went on, and on... But also be aware that it's a musical, where the musical numbers comment on the madness of the war, and underline the black humour necessary to keep everyone going. Songs like 'When This Lousy War is Over', 'Good-bye-ee' and 'We Don't Want to Lose You ( but think you ought to go)' stick in the mind long after seeing the film.
The cast is like a Who's Who of British acting: John Gielgud, John Mills, Kenneth More, Vanessa Redgrave, Jack Hawkins, Dirk Bogarde.... Much of the film was made on location in, and near, Brighton; the famous pier is used to great effect, as, amongst other things, the control centre for the British generals. In one memorable scene the ever-growing casualty figures are displayed in enormous numbers whilst Field Marshall Haig (John Mills) decides to send yet more men over the top. In fact the film is arguably more a series of set pieces than a running narrative.
And that incredible final shot!!! What a treat for those who haven't seen the film before. I saw this on first release in 1969 at the Lounge Cinema, Headingley, Leeds, and can still remember watching as the entire screen filled with...ahh, wait and see.
For me, this is the most anticipated DVD ever; I just hope that loving care has been taken over the transfer of this, one of the most extraordinary films of all time.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
war is evil so are the people who wage war
every thing you need to know about the banality of war and the callous, cruel, unfeeling, people who make wars happen.
Published 10 days ago by Mr. Paul Tozer
1969 - 2006 It made it at last.
Alan Clark's 1961 attack on the Great War's generals, "The Donkeys", emerged in 1963 as a satirical play, "Oh, What a Lovely War! Read more
Published 8 months ago by RR Waller
OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR SPECIAL EDITION 1969
THIS DVD WAS REQUESTED IN ORDER TO VIEW FOR A SECOND TIME FOLLOWING THE FILM ON TV MANY YEARS AGO. IDEAL FOR WAR FILM ADDICTS
Published on 4 May 2010 by Mr. Peter W. Colville
Unique little gem
A musical about WW1 ?
Very hard to believe, and I can't imagine how they managed to 'sell' the idea to whoever financed it, but thank goodness they did. Read more
Very hard to believe, and I can't imagine how they managed to 'sell' the idea to whoever financed it, but thank goodness they did. Read more
Published on 27 April 2008 by M. J. Bailey
A excellent satire
This film has not dated since I first saw it in the late 60s, the height of anti-Vietnam war demonstrations. Read more
Published on 15 May 2007 by Edward M. Grayson
60's avant-garde musical revue mangling the Great War
This film (that started as a radio play) takes a bought as long ad the war and mangles the history and substitutes words (one respirator for the four of us) for standard songs. Read more
Published on 18 Feb 2007 by bernie
Oh What a Lovely War
I watched this film years ago on TV and have waited patiently for the DVD to appear. It really is a fantastic film, one of the all time classics. Read more
Published on 4 Dec 2006 by G. M. Collins
Sign up now for The War Game; Oh! What a Lovely War is a fine film...
Genetic testing, I think, would show Oh! What a Lovely War and Paths of Glory to be fraternal twins. Read more
Published on 24 Nov 2006 by C. O. DeRiemer
The best film of it's kind you'll ever see
This is quite simply a brilliant film. I have been fortunate to perform in a rendition of the play this film is based upon, and this is a version that, while not entirly faithful... Read more
Published on 16 Nov 2006 by A. Richards
Extraordinary film, undiminished by the passage of time
This remains one of the oddest, most moving and powerful '(anti-)war' films in cinematic history. Yes, it's take on World War One is deeply flawed, but its understanding of the... Read more
Published on 11 Nov 2006 by R. Mann
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