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Torn Curtain [DVD] [1966] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]
 
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Torn Curtain [DVD] [1966] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

DVD ~ Paul Newman
3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

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Region 1 encoding (requires a North American or multi-region DVD player and NTSC compatible TV. More about DVD formats.)

Note: you may purchase only one copy of this product. New Region 1 DVDs are dispatched from the USA or Canada and you may be required to pay import duties and taxes on them (click here for details). Please expect a delivery time of 5-7 days.


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Torn Curtain [DVD] [1966] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]
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Product details

  • Actors: Paul Newman, Julie Andrews, Lila Kedrova, Hansjörg Felmy, Tamara Toumanova
  • Directors: Alfred Hitchcock
  • Writers: Brian Moore, Keith Waterhouse, Willis Hall
  • Producers: Alfred Hitchcock
  • Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Colour, DVD-Video, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language English, French
  • Subtitles: Spanish
  • Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) (US MPAA rating. See details.)
  • Studio: Universal Studios
  • DVD Release Date: 6 Mar 2001
  • Run Time: 128 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B000055Y16
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 163,021 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

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Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

Paul Newman and Julie Andrews star in Torn Curtain, what must unfortunately be called one of Alfred Hitchcock's lesser efforts. Still, sub-par Hitchcock is better than a lot of what's out there, and this one is well worth a look. Newman plays cold-war physicist Michael Armstrong, while Andrews plays his lovely assistant-and-fiancée Sarah Sherman. Armstrong has been working on a missile defence system that will "make nuclear defence obsolete", and naturally both sides are very interested. All Sarah cares about is the fact that Michael has been acting awfully fishy lately. The suspense of Torn Curtain is by nature not as thrilling as that in the average Hitchcock film--much of it involves sitting still and wondering if the bad guys are getting closer. Still, Hitchcock manages to amuse himself: there is some beautifully clever camera work and an excruciating sequence that illustrates the frequent Hitchcock point that death is not a tidy business. --Ali Davis

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews
5 star:
 (2)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:
 (5)
2 star:
 (3)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.4 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A late great from Hitchcock, 20 Mar 2009
This review is from: Torn Curtain [DVD] [1966] (DVD)
1966, and Paul Newman and Julie Andrews are nuclear scientists defecting to East Germany in a film that seems somewhat influenced by John Le Carre's The Spy Who Came In From The Cold.

Standing against this film is some poorly judged incidental music, some lame background film, and a complete lack of chemistry between Newman and Andrews.

In its favour are half a dozen imaginative and extraordinary scenes that would stand out in any Hitchcock movie. The film takes a while to warm up, but when it does the tension is outstanding. My favourite is the 'dual of the blackboards'.

Don't let anyone say that the man's last good film was The Birds. Hitchcock's talents were fading, but he still had it.
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12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Nice film, shame about the casting!, 30 Sep 2001
This review is from: Torn Curtain [DVD] [1966] (DVD)
Although this Cold War thriller (which was Alfred Hitchcock's 50th film) was made in the mid-sixties, it could easily be interpreted as a Hitchcock film from the early fifties. Some scenes in the film do actually have quite a "corny" look about them. The scene on a hill where Paul Newman reveals to Julie Andrews the main reason why he defected to East Germany is just one example of this.
Paul Newman and Julie Andrews are both wrongly cast in this film. Although, no doubt, good at their profession, the parts they play are just not for them. Paul Newman looks far too young to play the part of a professor, and Julie Andrews is just too nice to play a serious role like this. I always get the feeling that at some point in the film that Paul Newman will pick up a pool cue and Julie Andrews will burst into a rendition of "A Spoonful of Sugar"! However Wolfgang Kieling, who plays the part of Gromek is superb. Like most Hitchcock films, I think that Torn Curtain needs to be seen at least twice to be fully appreciated.
This DVD version is shot in 1:33 frame and has a mono soundtrack. Special features include a theatrical trailer, art gallery (which includes over 130 impressive photos), musical score by Bernard Herrmann (this feature is disappointing as it is NOT a music only score) and a documentary about Torn Curtain. The documentary is actually quite good. It is packed with information about the film. In parts of the documentary it actually criticizes some of the movie. I think this makes a change from the usual movie documentaries which only ever seem to praise the film.
Overall, I think Hitchcock's previous efforts like The Birds, Psycho and Vertigo were such hard acts to follow, makes Torn Curtain look quite mediocre, when actually it is quite a reasonable film.
Certainly a "must" for any Hitchcock fan.
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8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Not the best but pretty good, 30 April 2005
By S. M. Myers "steve7k" (England, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Torn Curtain [DVD] [1966] (DVD)
This is an odd film - neither Paul Newman nor Julie Andrews are the perfect choices for a Hitchcock, but it does work in the end. In fact it probably contains some of Hitchcock's lesser known but brilliant sequences.

The murder (for that's what it is) of the agent following Newman is one of his most chilling scenes - it's cold and desperate and very scary. The bus ride is thrilling and has the same kind of edge of the seat moments as the shoe in the pocket from Marnie and the walk to the plane from North by Northwest. And I just love Lila Kedrova wanting her 'sponsor'.

So it's totally unusual, very watchable, with impressive set pieces. Not Hitch's best, but far from terrible.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Too Much Set Up for Too Little Suspense
Michael Armstrong, noted American scientist, (Paul Newman) is in Sweden for a conference where he is to give a big speech. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mark Baker

2.0 out of 5 stars WARNING: Pan-and-scan version of widescreen film
For resons best known to themselves, Universal UK have issued most of Alfred Hitchcock's 1960s/1970s films (The Birds, Marnie, Torn Curtain, Topaz, Frenzy) in pan-and-scan 1. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Kenneth F. Mcara

4.0 out of 5 stars Nostalgia it is today, that Cold War of old
Hitchcock was not brilliantly inspired with this film, even and maybe especially in 1966. It is true it was a very deep period in the Cold War, but because the trap of a war the... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Jacques COULARDEAU

3.0 out of 5 stars I was able to combine mathematical logic with romantic inconsistency
Although originally looking forward to filming this one, it turned out to be little more than an acute disappointment for Hitchcock. Read more
Published 14 months ago by IWFIcon

2.0 out of 5 stars Very poor show indeed
This film is the worst film I have ever seen from the renowned director Alfred Hitchcock. The director is very good, the cast is superb but what do you get from a very poor... Read more
Published on 10 Oct 2007 by Ogun Eratalay

3.0 out of 5 stars "It takes a scientist to pick a scientist's mind"
"Torn Curtain" (1966) is a good Hitchcock movie, it just isn't an excellent one. From my point of view, this film is entertaining, but not something you will remember after... Read more
Published on 11 Dec 2006 by Alcat Garcia

5.0 out of 5 stars No less than 5 stars * * * * *!
I'm surprised so many have been disappointed in the sleek witty stylish cold war thriller? A Hitchcockian masterpiece, easily on par with the spellbinding 'Notorious', and the... Read more
Published on 23 Aug 2006 by Mr. C. Bridgeman

3.0 out of 5 stars Adequate Cold War Thriller
"Torn Curtain" is an enjoyable enough film , but it is certainly not as good as much of Hitchcock's other work. Read more
Published on 16 Mar 2006 by L. Davidson

5.0 out of 5 stars The Iron Curtain
Though regarded as one of Hitchcock's weakest, I happen to beleive it's a very enjoyable and a good use of two hours. Read more
Published on 19 Jul 2004 by Calvin Dyson

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent thriller but don't be expecting Hitchcock genius...
Hitchcock's 50th film is a bit of a strange one.

The story itself is quite unusual for Hitchcock. Set during the cold war, Paul Newman plays the physicist working on a missile... Read more

Published on 10 Mar 2004

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