- Actors: Lesley-Anne Down, Frank Langella, Maurice Ronet, John Gielgud, Vic Tablian
- Directors: Franklin J. Schaffner
- Writers: John Byrum, Robin Cook
- Producers: Franklin J. Schaffner, Ariel Levy, Stanley O'Toole
- Format: Colour, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
- Language English
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.77:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: Warner Archives
- DVD Release Date: 2 Mar 2010
- Run Time: 118 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B003ODIUZ2
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 27,762 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD-R
There is murder, mystery, and intrigue in present day Egypt. You can not tell the good guys from the bad. Lesley-Anne Down as Erica Baron is right in the middle of things and she won't "stay in the car". There are some tense moments when she witnesses murder, hides for her life, is interrogated by the local authorities and is befriended by Ahmed Khazzan. Frank Langella is convincing as Ahmed Khazzan the Egyptian authority and friend of those that are legal, but if you are not then watch out.
This is one of those movies that you will be compelled into repeated viewing.
This is one of those movies that you will be compelled into repeated viewing.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD-R|Amazon Verified Purchase
another hard to find lost betamax gem,not a great movie by any standard but has the lovely ann down in it and the top locations going for it.Was for a short time out on beta,then a very poor vhs tape,which was so bad,you thought you had the wrong glasses on,now at last a proper dvd release,don`t be put off by these dvd-r disc`s,they are great,only no chapter`s on the disc`s and basic jewel cover,but apart from that look and play as good as any real dvd movie,also this series of archive film`s are the only way of collecting many hard to find film`s.Plus to my delight and joy this disc has the original dolby stereo soundtrack on it from it`s cinema days incoded into 5.1 dolby surround,ok it`s not hd master audio,but just fantastic,many movie`s from the early 1980`s had just started getting stereo sound at the flicks,such as BEAR ISLAND and THE ISLAND with michael cain,but as with Sphinx when put out on home video just mono sound,so this is a real bonus,all you film buff`s out there like me drop everything and go buy this disc asap.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD-R
One of those it-seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time movies, 1981's Sphinx was one of those pictures that looked so much more promising on paper than it did on screen: based on a novel from the author of Coma, which had been a smash hit a few years earlier, directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, who was responsible for Patton and Planet of the Apes, and dealing with the search for a lost tomb and a deadly trade in stolen Egyptian antiquities, it sounded like it should have made for a smart and glossy thriller. It certainly managed the glossy part, with glorious Scope photography of most of the major ancient Egyptian tourist attractions from the pyramids of Giza to King Tut's tomb as well as a cast headed by Lesley Anne-Down, Frank Langella, Maurice Ronet and John Gielgud. It was just the smart bit it never really managed. When she's not telling everybody she meets that she's an Englishwoman who now lives in Boston to explain away her accent, Down's crop-topped Egyptologist reacts to most situations by screaming, even when it would be infinitely safer to keep her mouth shut, and it's pretty obvious that neither of her leading men is entirely to be trusted even if they're not quite as obvious stage villains as John Rhys Davies' smuggler, who actually kicks a dog in his opening scene just to underline what a swine he is.
Yet throughout there's the suspicion that, faced with a plot that could have done service in a 1930s programmer despite a few modern retouches, Schaffner and co. have decided not to take it entirely seriously even if they are playing it with an admirably straight face. John Byrum's screenplay certainly seems tongue-in-cheek at times: aside from playing on tourist stereotypes in scenes with Saeed Jaffrey's tour guide, a scene where she hides under the bed from an intruder in her room is played for comedy of embarrassment rather than suspense, one truck chase is filled with throwaway sight gags and the location of the tomb itself, hidden in plain sight, could definitely be said to be taking the urine. Take it on that level and keep your brain switched in neutral for its 117-minute running time and it's entertainingly silly and resolutely undemanding old-fashioned hokum. Expect anything more, and disappointment is inevitable.
Although never released on DVD in Europe and only available as a deleted panned-and-scanned video, Warner Home Video have released a pressed-on-demand DVD-R version in the US that boasts a good 2.35:1 widescreen transfer and the original trailer.
Yet throughout there's the suspicion that, faced with a plot that could have done service in a 1930s programmer despite a few modern retouches, Schaffner and co. have decided not to take it entirely seriously even if they are playing it with an admirably straight face. John Byrum's screenplay certainly seems tongue-in-cheek at times: aside from playing on tourist stereotypes in scenes with Saeed Jaffrey's tour guide, a scene where she hides under the bed from an intruder in her room is played for comedy of embarrassment rather than suspense, one truck chase is filled with throwaway sight gags and the location of the tomb itself, hidden in plain sight, could definitely be said to be taking the urine. Take it on that level and keep your brain switched in neutral for its 117-minute running time and it's entertainingly silly and resolutely undemanding old-fashioned hokum. Expect anything more, and disappointment is inevitable.
Although never released on DVD in Europe and only available as a deleted panned-and-scanned video, Warner Home Video have released a pressed-on-demand DVD-R version in the US that boasts a good 2.35:1 widescreen transfer and the original trailer.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Must-have DVD !
As the book is a must-have ; the DVD is too !!
Sorry, it took more than a month to arrive. It is far too long ... must be an other way to send the goods.
Sorry, it took more than a month to arrive. It is far too long ... must be an other way to send the goods.
Published 12 months ago by viviane
Sphinx!
L like watching this film, but it is very difficult to get hold of. What makes matters worse, is when sellers put a high price for the film, £67.o00 and over!
Published on 31 May 2010 by Mrs. C. J. Wilkes
forgotten gem
Why is this not out on DVD.ITs as good fun as The Mummy with the lovely Lesley Anne Down before she went onto Sunset Beach.
Published on 21 Sep 2009 by Alan Butcher
Sphynx
I enjoyed this movie many years ago. It has a good cast including Leslie-Ann Down, Frank Langella and John Geilgud. A good plot with the inevitable twist at the end. Read more
Published on 3 Nov 2008 by Kindle lover
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