- 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 (14 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B000HD100O
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 45,710 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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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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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
64 of 65 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An essential DVD release,
By
This review is from: Oh What A Lovely War: Special Edition [1969] [DVD] (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.
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Oh! What a Lovely War,
By
This review is from: Oh What A Lovely War: Special Edition [1969] [DVD] (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.
95 of 98 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
AT LAST !!!!!!!!!!!,
By
This review is from: Oh What A Lovely War: Special Edition [1969] [DVD] (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.
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