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Touch of Evil [DVD]
 
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Touch of Evil [DVD]

 Suitable for 12 years and over   DVD
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
Price: Ŗ4.00 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Customers buy this item with The Night of the Hunter [DVD] [1955] Ŗ4.19

Touch of Evil [DVD] + The Night of the Hunter [DVD] [1955]

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Product details

  • Format: PAL
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: 12
  • Studio: Universal Pictures UK
  • DVD Release Date: 24 April 2006
  • Run Time: 111 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B000E3LIOU
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 5,656 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)

Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

Considered by many to be the greatest B movie ever made, the original-release version of Orson Welles's film noir masterpiece Touch of Evil was, ironically, never intended as a B movie at all--it merely suffered that fate after it was taken away from writer-director Welles, then reedited and released in 1958 as the second half of a double feature. Time and critical acclaim would eventually elevate the film to classic status (and Welles's original vision was meticulously followed for the film's 1998 restoration), but for four decades this original version stood as a testament to Welles's directorial genius. From its astonishing, miraculously choreographed opening shot (lasting over three minutes) to Marlene Dietrich's classic final line of dialogue, this sordid tale of murder and police corruption is like a valentine for the cinematic medium, with Welles as its love-struck suitor. As the corpulent cop who may be involved in a border-town murder, Welles faces opposition from a narcotics officer (Charlton Heston) whose wife (Janet Leigh) is abducted and held as the pawn in a struggle between Heston's quest for truth and Welles's control of carefully hidden secrets. The twisting plot is wildly entertaining (even though it's harder to follow in this original version), but even greater pleasure is found in the pulpy dialogue and the sheer exuberance of the dazzling directorial style. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

This Dvd Is Brand New & Factory Sealed - Another Dvd Is Now Becoming Very Collectable.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The greatest "B movie" of all time.

What started out as a contractual obligation of Orson Welles grew into the creation of a finely directed and competently acted masterpiece of cinema history. Adapted from the book "Badge of Evil" this is a story of police corruption along the Mexican border. This film has everything! The opening sequence illuminates the flawless cinematography (this is the five minute tracking of the car), superb acting (Of course, Orson Welles and Charlton Heston are in the picture) and genre defining one liners that have become cinema history (the final word from Marlene Dietrich - need I say anymore?). This is film noir at its most bewitching. Savour every second from one of the greatest films from cinema's golden age.

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32 of 33 people found the following review helpful
By Alejandra Vernon TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
A wild, quirky ride of corruption and intrigue, this noir thriller is brilliantly acted by Orson Welles and Charlton Heston, where Welles, as an American sleazy police chief investigating a murder in a Mexican border town, tangles with Heston, as his counterpart in the town. Welles was originally just slated to act in this film, but at the insistence of Heston, he was also made director.
The critical and box office response was poor however, and so disappointing to Welles, that he never made another film in Hollywood.

The cast is terrific: Janet Leigh plays Heston's naīve bride, and Akim Tamiroff one of the town's major bad guys. It also has a number of interesting cameos (though if you blink you might miss some of them), including Joseph Cotton, Keenan Wynn, Dennis Weaver, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Mercedes McCambridge, and best of all, Marlene Dietrich, who looks up from her tarot cards to tell Welles "your future is all used up".
Russell Metty's cinematography is unique and innovative, and Henry Mancini's jazz score outstanding.

Peculiar and bizarre, this film needs more than one viewing to fully appreciate, and to sort out its complex plot of many crooked paths. Welles also wrote the script, and it is spoken in a realistic manner, with dialogue overlapping, and people talking at once.
Heston thankfully does not have accented English, but instead looks handsome with dark makeup and a mustache, on the other hand, Welles has a speech pattern that fits his seedy character, as he slurs and sputters through his words.
This is a stupendous, one-of-a-kind piece of filmmaking, now acknowledged as a classic noir.
DVD extras include Welles' memo, theatrical trailer, production notes, cast and filmmakers. The film has been beautifully restored, and total running time is 1 hour and 51 minutes.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Mr. G. C. Stone VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
Dark, entertaining, messy, but very rewarding. My favourite Welles. Dietrich, Leigh & Heston on top form too. Sweaty, steamy, dark view of human falibility and complicity. But if it's not for you, this is a must see simply for the opening sequence: a complex, perfectly timed, almost balletic tracking shot as we follow a car through a mexican border town. Sit back and marvel at the genius who had the vision and the audicity to pull it off. Here's you money's worth already - regardless of the delights to follow. If you ever wondered what all the fuss was about with Welles, just invest your pennies in this and enjoy a mini masterclass.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Work of Art
Touch of Evil is a perfect demonstration of how even a modest small scale genre such as film noir can become a work of art in the hands of a genius, especially when that same... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Brian S. Meredith
Still A Great Movie
Welles wrote the screenplay for this, which is based on the novelBadge of Evil. Originally just going to be an actor in this film he was eventually also made the director. Read more
Published 2 months ago by M. Dowden
Welles' Noir Masterpiece
This 1958 noir masterpiece is (by far) my favourite Orson Welles film, not only from the standpoint of his direction, but also in terms of the bravura acting performance he... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Keith M
Touch of Evil DVD
Great film, the quality of the DVD is very good, as far as I can tell it was an original DVD and the seller delivered the item quickly so nothing at all to complain about. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Roy
Not easy, not fast, something different
This movie is hard to define. I guess you like it or you don't. I personally liked it, and despite many decades have passed since it was projected in movie theatres, I still find... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Zazā
The OW touch of genius
One of the greatest opening sequences - especially given the period - all done in one shot. Trivia . . . Read more
Published 9 months ago by Squeeze my Pips
Los Robles-Bizarro Baroque Border Town.
The thought of writing down the back story to Touch of Evil has me feeling like some redundant preacher to the converted, so I will not do it. Most cineastes know it and if not? Read more
Published 9 months ago by Spike Owen
Not bad, but not so good either!
I enjoyed this film to a point, but felt that in some ways it was a bit overblown and didn't quite pull off the promise it had. Read more
Published 12 months ago by T. S. Hughes
Out of sync
This movie should have five stars as it is one of the great films of it's time but, unfortunately, the copy being sold is out of sync by a second or two which is unfortunate and... Read more
Published 12 months ago by James Clark
Mr Welles, you look terrible
This is a film about police corruption. The main story focuses on Mike Vargas (Charlton Heston) trying to expose the corruption of Captain Quinlan (Orson Welles) while Captain... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Alex da Silva
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