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From Amazon.co.uk
This rousing, explosive 1961 World War II adventure, based on Alistair MacLean's thrilling novel, turns the war thriller into a deadly caper film. Gregory Peck heads a star-studded cast charged with a near impossible mission: destroy a pair of German guns nestled in a protective cave on the strategic Mediterranean island of Navarone, from where they can control a vital sea passage. As world-famous mountain climber turned British army Captain, Mallory (Peck) leads a guerrilla force composed of the humanitarian explosives expert, Miller (David Niven), the ruthless Greek patriot with a grudge, Stavros (Anthony Quinn), veteran special forces soldier Brown (Stanley Baker) and the cool, quiet young marksman Pappadimos (James Darren). This disparate collection of classic types must overcome internal conflicts, enemy attacks, betrayal and capture to complete their mission. Director J. Lee Thompson sets a driving pace for this exciting (if familiar) military operation, a succession of close calls, pitched battles and last-minute escapes as our heroes infiltrate the garrisoned town with the help of resistance leader Maria (Irene Papas) and plot their entry into the heavily guarded mountain fort. Carl Foreman's screenplay embraces MacLean's role call of clichés and delivers them with style, creating one of the liveliest mixes of espionage, combat and good old-fashioned military derring-do put on film, while Dimitri Tiomkin's score is as sturdy as the rock of Navarone itself. --Sean Axmaker
On the DVD: This special-edition DVD gives the modern-day viewer a taste of what movies were like in 1961. Four curious featurettes are included, produced as publicity for the film. James Darren narrates a little ditty at his honeymoon in Malta during filming; Irene Papas narrates a giddy, old-fashioned look at "Two Girls on the Town". There is even a filmed bit with producer-writer Carl Foreman that was shown once at the premiere. The 30-minute retrospective, "Memories of Navarone", made in 1999 has the expected reminiscences from Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn. Director J. Lee Thompson's audio commentary is a bit frustrating; he's now in his 80s, and most of his recollections are slow in coming. A historian could have brought out the film's history (it was the most expensive movie ever made at time of release) and produced a more vital viewing. --Doug Thomas
Product Description
This rousing, explosive 1961 WWII adventure, based on Alistair MacLean's thrilling novel, turns the war thriller into a deadly caper film. Gregory Peck heads a star-studded cast charged with a near impossible mission: destroy a pair of German guns nestled in a protective cave on the strategic Mediterranean island of Navarone, from where they can control a vital sea passage. As world famous mountaineer turned British army Captain Mallory, Peck leads a guerrilla force composed of the humanistic explosives expert, Miller (David Niven), the ruthless Greek patriot with a grudge, Stavros (Anthony Quinn), veteran special forces soldier Brown (Stanley Baker) and the cool, quiet young marksman Pappadimos (James Darren). This disparate collection of classic types must overcome internal conflicts, enemy attacks, betrayal, and capture to complete their mission. Director J. Lee Thompson sets a driving pace for this exciting (if familiar) military operation, a succession of close calls, pitched battles, and last-minute escapes as our heroes infiltrate the garrisoned town with the help of resistance leader Maria (Irene Papas) and plot their entry into the heavily guarded mountain fort. Carl Foreman's screenplay embraces MacLean's role call of clichés and delivers them with style, creating one of the liveliest mixes of espionage, combat, and good old-fashioned military derring-do put on film. In 1978, the sequel Force 10 from Navarone was released, but MacLean fans will prefer to check out the action-packed thriller Where Eagles Dare. --Sean Axmaker
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
51 of 54 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
Gregory Peck plays Mallory, the worlds greatest living mountaineer, linguist and commandoe, picked along with Anthony Quin, to escort a group of sabotuers onto Navarone, where terrifying anti-shipping guns are impeding the rescue of a British garrison. When the vessel sinks in a storm, Mallory is compelled by fate to join and ultimately lead the deadly mission, stirring stuff indeed and highly enjoyable to boot. All of the characters are flawed in that wonderful Great Escape way. Instead of a claustrophobic miner, we get the knief man who's lost his taste for killing. No blind forger hear but a man who's closest comrade will kill him at the end of the war. There's good Germans and bad Germans, a traitor in the camp, Anthony Quayle with gangreen, romance and a surprise ending(well sort of). My personal favourite is where Messrs. Peck and Niven appear to share a cigarette of dubious nature in the closing moments of the film!
This film is a classic, and has always been well regarded, but is it worth buying on DVD? Now to be fair this movie is long in the tooth, and has long been the staple fair of Sunday matinees and video-store bargain bins. So is it worth forking out for? Simple answer:yes!
Long answer: Aside from a great tranfer, where the day-for-night shots are printed as night,its in widescreen, with Dolby digital sound! To boot, there is a plethora of extras. Not many forty year old movies come with a directors' commentary, but this does. As J. Lee Thompson was a studio gun-for-hire, this was just another job rather than a personal obsession, so dont expect great personal insights. For me the real goodies are the bizarre promo films thrown in for good measure. Publicity films date faster than calenders and theses are excellently silly, fun, pathe style newsreels.
... Read more ›9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By James
Format:Blu-ray
Blu-ray all zone
Ratio of the feature film:
2.35:1
Languages of the feature film:
DTS Master Audio 5.1: English
Dolby 5.1: German, Italian, Japanese, Castilian Spanish
Dolby 2.0: 2 commentaries
Subtitles for all the videos:
English, German, Italian, Japanese, Castilian Spanish
Extra subtitles only available for the feature film:
Danish, Finnish, Greek, Hindi, Norwegian, Swedish, Turkish and English for Hard of Hearing
Verdict:
Very good picture and sound for this master-piece which was well restored.
A true pleasure to watch this film again in such fantastic conditions.
The colours were corrected and balanced and clearly it makes a difference as explained in the restoration documentary.
Thanks to the Blu-ray, we can not only watch the film with (or without) the intermission as originally released in 1961
With intermission -> 161 minutes
Without intermission -> 156 minutes
But we can also see some details we were not meant to see !
- Model of the island exploding at the end at the film is quite obvious especially when the cannons are falling into the sea.
- We can even see the join of paint on the "wallpaper" imitating the skyline during the explosion scene.
- Pictures added in post-production are not that unobtrusive, for instance the "citadel" of Navarone and the island where the citadel is supposed to be or when the team is supposedly being climbing, for all the shot, the sea was added in post-prod.... Read more ›
Ratio of the feature film:
2.35:1
Languages of the feature film:
DTS Master Audio 5.1: English
Dolby 5.1: German, Italian, Japanese, Castilian Spanish
Dolby 2.0: 2 commentaries
Subtitles for all the videos:
English, German, Italian, Japanese, Castilian Spanish
Extra subtitles only available for the feature film:
Danish, Finnish, Greek, Hindi, Norwegian, Swedish, Turkish and English for Hard of Hearing
Verdict:
Very good picture and sound for this master-piece which was well restored.
A true pleasure to watch this film again in such fantastic conditions.
The colours were corrected and balanced and clearly it makes a difference as explained in the restoration documentary.
Thanks to the Blu-ray, we can not only watch the film with (or without) the intermission as originally released in 1961
With intermission -> 161 minutes
Without intermission -> 156 minutes
But we can also see some details we were not meant to see !
- Model of the island exploding at the end at the film is quite obvious especially when the cannons are falling into the sea.
- We can even see the join of paint on the "wallpaper" imitating the skyline during the explosion scene.
- Pictures added in post-production are not that unobtrusive, for instance the "citadel" of Navarone and the island where the citadel is supposed to be or when the team is supposedly being climbing, for all the shot, the sea was added in post-prod.... Read more ›
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The Guns of Navarone is one of the best of the 'Boys own' style war movies I've ever seen. The plot is simple. Two giant cannon on the isle of Navarone are sinking all the allied shipping passing through an important bit of the Aegean. Six ships on the way to evacuate another island before the 2000 troops on that island are wiped out in a devastating German attack will pass through soon, before they arrive a team of commandos have to penetrate the German fortress on Navarone and spike the guns. A nice simple premise, around which is hung a magnificent tale.
THe script is quite intelligent for this type of war movie. I've always liked it as it seemed a bit more 'grown up' than most. The heroes are presented as real people, with their own fears and moral doubts about what they are doing. They even have qualms about killing enemy soldiers at times. Though one of the German officers is presented as the typical comic book villainous Gestapo officer, most of the other enemy characters are shown in an almost sympathetic light, especially Oberst Meusel, played by Walter Gotell.
This is an all star production, with 6 or 7 really big names on screen. The director manages to give them all plenty of screen time, and there is a very balanced feel between the performances. Outstanding is David Niven as Miller, in what I consider to be one of the best performances of his career (right up there with 'A Matter Of Life And Death'). For once he doesn't play his standard character, the laid back urbane English socialite, but presents us with a very real character, with a fear of 'being responsible', a dry wit and shrewd intelligence. The scenes where he clashes with Gregory Peck's implacable team leader, Mallory, over his treatment of Miller's close friend, are the best in the film.... Read more ›
THe script is quite intelligent for this type of war movie. I've always liked it as it seemed a bit more 'grown up' than most. The heroes are presented as real people, with their own fears and moral doubts about what they are doing. They even have qualms about killing enemy soldiers at times. Though one of the German officers is presented as the typical comic book villainous Gestapo officer, most of the other enemy characters are shown in an almost sympathetic light, especially Oberst Meusel, played by Walter Gotell.
This is an all star production, with 6 or 7 really big names on screen. The director manages to give them all plenty of screen time, and there is a very balanced feel between the performances. Outstanding is David Niven as Miller, in what I consider to be one of the best performances of his career (right up there with 'A Matter Of Life And Death'). For once he doesn't play his standard character, the laid back urbane English socialite, but presents us with a very real character, with a fear of 'being responsible', a dry wit and shrewd intelligence. The scenes where he clashes with Gregory Peck's implacable team leader, Mallory, over his treatment of Miller's close friend, are the best in the film.... Read more ›
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4.5 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Quintessential War Adventure.
Made in 1961.Its always an interest to the viewer when you have a team of specialists put together for a mission as was the previous years"Magnificent Seven!". Read more
Published 15 hours ago by Malcolm McDonald
2.0 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray quality
I am sure most will know what a fantastic film this is, 'The Guns of Navarone'. I first saw this classic when I was at school and I want to see it again in all its splendour in... Read more
Published 1 month ago by BobRambo
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's one of the Good movies
It gets 5 stars from me for brilliant acting and direction of a thrilling story. Better than most action movies of today.
Published 2 months ago by John
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent acting.
I enjoyed it immensiously but apart from Gregory Peck the other leading actors including Dabid Niven, Anthony Quinn were too old for such a gruelling escapade. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Karim
5.0 out of 5 stars
The guns of navarone blu ray
Good film and and great actors and would recommend and bought for my two sons on blu ray with other blu rays
Published 2 months ago by Sandra Bush
4.0 out of 5 stars
Birthday Present
The DVD is great but took a long time to arrive. My dad was very please with his birthday present.
Published 2 months ago by Mrs. Wendy J. Wood
4.0 out of 5 stars
Does not work
I have had two of these films and neither one will play and messes my dvd player yet the bonus feature disc works.
Published 2 months ago by The Cat Lady
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great.
Highly recommended. Really good. I Haven't tried the DVD yet as was a present so don't know if it works.
Published 3 months ago by Kim
5.0 out of 5 stars
True Classic .
Guns of Navarone is one of those Classic War Films Where the story is Complete With Superb Performance right across
The Board from PECK NIVEN QUINN QUAIL etc scenes just keep... Read more
The Board from PECK NIVEN QUINN QUAIL etc scenes just keep... Read more
Published 3 months ago by paul hill
4.0 out of 5 stars
Absolute Classic Film
I have loved this film ever since I first saw it on it's very first cinema release, it is probably one of the best ever war films dealing with very courageous resistance movements... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Keith Phillips
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