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The Bridge On The River Kwai [DVD] [1957]
 
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The Bridge On The River Kwai [DVD] [1957]

DVD ~ William Holden
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
RRP: Ł22.99
Price: Ł3.98 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Frequently Bought Together

The Bridge On The River Kwai [DVD] [1957] + Lawrence of Arabia - Two Disc Set [DVD] [1962] + Doctor Zhivago [1965] [DVD]
Total RRP: Ł61.97
Price For All Three: Ł13.84

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Bridge On The River Kwai [DVD] [1957]
92% buy the item featured on this page:
The Bridge On The River Kwai [DVD] [1957] 4.7 out of 5 stars (31)
Ł3.98
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Product details

  • Actors: William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Sessue Hayakawa, James Donald
  • Directors: David Lean
  • Writers: Carl Foreman, Michael Wilson, Pierre Boulle
  • Producers: Sam Spiegel
  • Format: Anamorphic, Box set, Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
  • Language English, French
  • Subtitles: English, German, French, Hindi, Turkish, Danish, Icelandic, Bulgarian, Swedish, Hungarian, Polish, Arabic, Dutch, Finnish, Czech, Greek
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: PG
  • Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: 4 Dec 2000
  • Run Time: 155 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00004YN4L
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 2,088 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

    Popular in these categories:

    #13 in  DVD > Classics > War and Westerns
    #32 in  DVD > Action & Adventure > War
    #41 in  DVD > Classics > Drama

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Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

Based on the true story of the building of a bridge on the Burma railway by British prisoners-of-war held under a savage Japanese regime in World War II, The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) is one of the greatest war films ever made. The film received seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Performance (Alex Guinness), for Sir Malcolm Arnold's superb music, and for the screenplay from the novel by Pierre Boulle (who also wrote Monkey Planet, the inspiration for Planet of the Apes). The story does take considerable liberties with history, including the addition of an American saboteur played by William Holden, and an entirely fictitious but superbly constructed and thrilling finale. Made on a vast scale, the film reinvented the war movie as something truly epic, establishing the cinematic beachhead for The Longest Day (1962), Patton (1970) and A Bridge Too Far (1977). It also proved a turning-point in director David Lean's career. Before he made such classic but conventionally scaled films as In Which We Serve (1942) and Hobson's Choice (1953). Afterwards there would only be four more films, but their names are Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Dr Zhivago (1965), Ryan's Daughter (1970) and A Passage to India (1984).

On the DVD: Too often the best extras come attached to films that don't really warrant them. Not so here, where a truly great film has been given the attention it deserves. The first disc presents the film in the original extra-wide CinemaScope ratio of 2.55:1, in an anamorphically enhanced transfer which does maximum justice to the film's superb cinematography. The sound has been transferred from the original six-track magnetic elements into 5.1 Dolby Digital and far surpasses what many would expect from a 1950s' feature. The main bonus on the first disc is an isolated presentation of Malcolm Arnold's great Oscar-winning music score, in addition to which there is a trivia game, and maps and historical information linked to appropriate clips.

The second disc contains a new, specially produced 53-minute "making of" documentary featuring many of those involved in the production of the movie. This gives a rich insight into the physical problems of making such a complex epic on location in Ceylon. Also included are the original trailer and two short promotional films from the time of release, one of which is narrated by star William Holden. Finally there is an "appreciation" by director John Milius, an extensive archive of movie posters and artwork, and a booklet that reproduces the text of the film's original 1957 brochure. --Gary S Dalkin

Video Description

DVD Special Features

The "Making Of" Bridge on the River Kwai (60 minutes)
Three Featurettes
Photo Gallery
"Build The Bridge" Set-top Game
Set-top Map and History of Events
Isolated Soundtrack
Screensavers
Original Theatrical Trailer

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Customer Reviews

31 Reviews
5 star:
 (24)
4 star:
 (6)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (31 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Praise, glory, admiration, adoration, and honour forever!!!!, 23 Mar 2002
By A Customer
This is simply THE BEST MOTION PICTURE EVER MADE. It is the example that all directors should seek to adhere to. Its complex characters, outstanding screenplay and cinematography make this film PERFECT. Alec Guiness is so good that there are no words to describe him. Moreover, thanks to the producers of this excellent DVD, "Bridge" has never looked and sounded better. The image quality is absolutely STUNNING! The documentary on disc two is very interesting, and it's a delight to be able to watch the original 1957 trailer. Very charming how they promoted films 44 years ago. Don't worry about the fact that it's a WW II drama. It focusses on characters and story, not action scenes, and could therefore be set in any period or location. It deserves the 7 Oscars it got in 1958, and it's really a DVD you will want to have in your collection. But don't put it together with your other DVDs, put it somewhere where it's well stored and where people can see it. It'll make YOU look good!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Still my favourite, 2 Sep 2006
By Sarakani (Harrow United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   
I can't name my favourite book - there are too many. But my favourite film has to be this. Principally I am attached to its depiction of Sri Lanka including waterfalls, rivers and a sense of jungle even if some of the film was filmed in pretend jungle in botanic gardens. I think this film is so incredibly well packaged and the script is so good and the visuals are stunning - that I can return to it again and again.

The criticism is that this film does not relate any reality. Those who want to know about the real Bridge can go to Thailand and do their own research.

This is principally an entertaining "war" film all about face, principles, the British Empire, life in the army with a not unsympathetic portrayal of the Japanese general who in reality would have represented a more brutal oppressor.

Everything about this film resonates with something you can connect with in daily life:

"Without rules commander there would be no civilisation"

"We're under the heel of a man who'll stop at nothing to get his way"

"As for me, I'm just a slave, a living slave"

"someone deserves a medal sir!"

Some excellent speeches and a panoramic look at Life and Sri Lanka, captured at a time a little more pristine than at present. Extraordinary climax at end with tremendous camera shots for a 50s film. Brilliant!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars "Madness... Madness" and Yet, 26 Sep 2005
By Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The Bridge On The River Kwai [DVD] [1957] (DVD)
Directed by David Lean, this film focuses on an attempt by a team led by Major Warden (Jack Hawkins) to destroy a strategically important bridge over the Kwai river in Burma in 1943, a bridge built by British prisoners during World War II. An epic in every possible sense, the inhumanities of the Japanese are probably underplayed somewhat so that we can focus on two essential conflicts of will, one between Japanese Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa) and British Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness) and the other between Warden and Shears (William Holden) who is forced to join Warden's team and thereby avoid a court martial for impersonating a U.S. naval officer. It should also be noted that Nicholson struggles with a conflict between his obligations as a British officer (i.e. to resist his enemy in any and every possible way) and his determination to demonstrate British superiority over the Japanese captors. Colonel Saito has his own conflicts, notably between imposing his will on Nicholson and the British troops and getting the bridge built. At the heart of this magnificent film are several moral dilemmas which help to explain why we become so emotionally involved with its narrative.

One of the many pleasures of seeing this film (especially in its DVD format) is the juxtaposition of lush tropical settings with the raw emotions of those who are building the bridge and those who are determined to destroy it. I am also struck by how carefully Lean develops the semi-adversarial relationships between Nicholson and Saito and between Warden and Shears. Although "Madness... Madness" is frequently quoted as an evaluation of those relationships, I disagree. Saito has been ordered to built the bridge, Nicholson agrees to accomplish that task but on his terms, Warden has been assigned to destroy it, and Shears (who considers all this "madness" but plays a key role in achieving that objective) lacks the circumspection which Lean enables us to have. Of course, war itself is madness...and yet there is (or at least can be) a redeeming if misguided integrity in how adversaries conduct themselves amidst that madness.

The excellence of this film was acknowledged by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, receiving in 1957 seven Oscars for  Best Actor (Guinness). Best Adapted Screenplay (Pierre Boulle), Best Cinematography (Jack Hildyard), Best Director (Lean), Best Editing (Peter Taylor), and Best Score (Malcolm Arnold). Years later, it was ranked #13 among "America's Greatest Movies" by the American Film Institute. I consider it ludicrous that Gone With the Wind (#4) is ranked higher than The Bridge on the River Kwai by the AFI. For those with a sensitive palate, the former is junk food whereas the latter is gourmet cuisine.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars good war film
just got back from Thailand and vivisting the river kwai and walked over the bridge so couldnt wait to see the film
arrived quickly and in good condition
Published 2 days ago by Ms. V. Hyde

5.0 out of 5 stars A hands down classic!
They just don't make them like this any more.
The double disc edition has a fascinating documentary about the making of the film too.
Ticks all the boxes.
Published 1 month ago by H.Randall

3.0 out of 5 stars simpler tastes for simpler times, but in a gorgeous setting
One of the most celebrated movies about WWII, carefully restored
to show the gorgeous cinematography. Read more
Published 3 months ago by B. Moret

4.0 out of 5 stars A good stiff upper lip film.
An enjoyable film even after having seen several times. Good to see a japanese cast as a japanese, Colonel Saito.
Published 4 months ago by Mr. Richard Johnston

5.0 out of 5 stars A good OLD favourite
The Bridge on The River Kwai-made a year before I was born.A good old Favourite.
Published 6 months ago by Everything 50p

5.0 out of 5 stars Strong memories
I bought the film, The bridge on the river Kwai, for my cousin's birthday. She is 85 and has remembered and longed for this film since she first saw it. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Lena Skördeman

4.0 out of 5 stars Management - not a tru ewar film
An interesting situation and comparison between British and Japaneese management and personalities. A Classic with a classic melody. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Per Persson

5.0 out of 5 stars quite simply buy it.
quite unforgettable , i have seen it loads of times like most people have and its still damn good one of the true greats need i say more.
Published 12 months ago by BUBS.

4.0 out of 5 stars A Classic film
This 1957 film is a classic. The fact that it is based on a true story makes it even better.

Very educational of how British POWs were treated under Japanese rule and... Read more
Published 12 months ago by AwakeNow.co.uk

5.0 out of 5 stars A flawless war flm.
This is a an exceptional film, which both entertains and moves you. There is little action -- everything is based on character on careful plotting -- although the action filled... Read more
Published 13 months ago by ric03

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