Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details
|
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
49 of 50 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
If you're after a copy of Scott of the Antarctic starring John Mills, with the superb filmscore by Vaughan Williams, this Optimum Classic is the transfer to get. Given the age of the film (released 1948), the colour photography is vibrant, and the sound crisp and clear in this transfer. Don't make the mistake I made of ordering 905 Entertainment's cheaper but very inferior transfer available from Amazon.com (this looks as if it was trasferred from a video copy, with colours washed out - looking rather like coloured-in black and white - and a soundtrack that sounds both muffled and harsh).
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Whilst more recent documentaries might be more accurate and better told, technically, this just-after-the-war Technicolor British 'Pride' docu-drama is both stirring and patriotic.
With one of the best cinematographers that ever lived behind the camera, the great, late Jack Cardiff, the snowy wastes (actually filmed in Norway) are a far cry from the cheeky, monochromatic East End comedies of other Ealing's.
The much-loved John Mills plays and narrates as Captain Scott, whilst there's rousing support from the familiar faces of Kenneth Moore, John Gregson and James Robertson Justice. The stiff upper lip is never far away as bravely, first Scott rallies for funds to pay for the trip and then undertaking it.
There's humour, comradeship, sadness and glorious spectacle in this and I'm sure the at-times dastardly and enthusiastic playing was more for cinematic appeal than the original trek must have been. When it was originally shown, the film must have seemed like a breath of fresh air, being so different to what was normally in the cinema. Location shooting being expensive, abroad more so and in such a hostile environment, a real achievement.
We all know the outcome but it's the journey getting there and this film, very well made and entertaining to watch, does the memory of Scott and his endeavours, proud.
With one of the best cinematographers that ever lived behind the camera, the great, late Jack Cardiff, the snowy wastes (actually filmed in Norway) are a far cry from the cheeky, monochromatic East End comedies of other Ealing's.
The much-loved John Mills plays and narrates as Captain Scott, whilst there's rousing support from the familiar faces of Kenneth Moore, John Gregson and James Robertson Justice. The stiff upper lip is never far away as bravely, first Scott rallies for funds to pay for the trip and then undertaking it.
There's humour, comradeship, sadness and glorious spectacle in this and I'm sure the at-times dastardly and enthusiastic playing was more for cinematic appeal than the original trek must have been. When it was originally shown, the film must have seemed like a breath of fresh air, being so different to what was normally in the cinema. Location shooting being expensive, abroad more so and in such a hostile environment, a real achievement.
We all know the outcome but it's the journey getting there and this film, very well made and entertaining to watch, does the memory of Scott and his endeavours, proud.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The Brits love nothing so much as their heroic failures, and Scott of the Antarctic is pretty much the poster boy for Imperial underachievers, thanks in part to the publishing success his very heavily edited diary (none of those crabby bits blaming everyone else for his own mistakes that you'll find in the more recently published unexpurgated version made the initial cut) and a neat bit of mythmaking from J.M. Barrie, who crafted a more noble heroic death for him. Surprisingly, although it doesn't dare to criticize and does play down Scott's awkwardness and snobbery, Ealing's beautifully lensed color epic holds back from deifying him despite acknowledging his undoubted courage, offering a more sober portrait than you might expect. Amundsen is purely an offscreen presence here, despite proffering the sneaking suspicion that he's a bit of a bounder and a cad for getting there first by being competent (not the British way of exploring at all!), and legendary Norwegian Arctic pioneer Nansen only gets a brief look in, but then this is more a film about stoic endurance in the face of `bad luck' (rather than bad leadership, bad decisions and bad planning) than the race for the South Pole. John Mills is surprisingly good casting for Scott, his slight awkwardness with others suggesting he'd done his homework (his gutted reaction to reaching the Pole second is convincingly bitter), and the supporting cast is full of welcome mainstays of the British film industry - Kenneth More, James Robertson Justice (without a beard for once!), Reginald Beckwith et al. Although the integration with the studio work isn't always entirely convincing, the location photography is genuinely staggering and Vaughn Williams score is impressively forlorn.
The extras-free UK DVD is only an okay transfer that could be improved by a remaster but it's significantly better than the US verson
The extras-free UK DVD is only an okay transfer that could be improved by a remaster but it's significantly better than the US verson
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Scott of the Antarctic
We bought this classic DVD as our sons were learning about Scott of the Antarctic in History at school. Read more
Published 3 months ago by 25JEM
great
what a great story and classic well put together film great price great value worth buying if you like history of scott and his brave men and their epic journey
Published 5 months ago by shidoshi
Scott of the Antarctic - DVD
I was brought up in the late 40's/early 50's and we regarded people such as Captain Scott, "Titus" Oates and other members of the expedition as heroes and as such I thoroughly... Read more
Published 11 months ago by GoldenGem
Scott
Arrived quickly, the film is a classic as far as Im concerned and although it can seem dated in parts you soon forget all that and get into the story. Read more
Published 15 months ago by brad stephen lee
Another John Mills Classic
I have to admit that I am a fan of John Mills and this is one of his classics. I am not sure how accurate the film is but it captures the story perfectly and has some excellent... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Wednesday Special
Scott of The Antarctic
A classic story which will become even more as we approach the centenary in 2012
Published on 18 Feb 2010 by Mr. Graham H. Laurie
Scott of the Antarctic
The classic story and no doubt will become even more popular as 2012 is the centenary of Scott's expedition.
Published on 18 Feb 2010
Not sure
Captain Scott (John Mills) sets out to be the first explorer to reach the South Pole. He recruits his team, eg, Wilson (Harold Warrender), Oates (Derek Bond), Bowers (Reginald... Read more
Published on 28 July 2009 by Alex da Silva
scott of the antartic
ordered the dvd for my soninlaw,wasnt able to buy in the shops,amazon always comes to the rescue thankyou.
Published on 23 Mar 2009 by Mrs. E. Aldridge
Makes you feel the cold just watching.
Another great John Mills film this time as the explorer Robert Scott.The film was brillant great cinematography.The movie makes you feel cold just watching it. Read more
Published on 10 Dec 2007 by Mr. Terry D. Jarvis
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
