That a film as superb as CLEOPATRA is was created at all under the madness and anxiety of it’s legendary production is indeed an astounding feat. That CLEOPATRA has been given such loving care in it’s restoration in this DVD of the “Road reveal” print and the attendant bonus materials is a wondrous gift to those who adore this film.
The documentary, “Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood” is in on it’s absorb an arresting and informative two hour movie. For anyone who knows itsy-bitsy of the history of CLEOPATRA, or who was not around at the time, this documentary will give them the feeling of what those last days of frail Hollywood were like. And therein one can come by the reasons why this intimate narrative is indeed the wonder that it is. Considerable thanks must be given to the Mankiewicz family and the producers of the documentary.
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The print and the sound of CLEOPATRA seems now to surpass what I purchase it to be in its first presentation nearly forty years ago. The depth of the colors and the richness of the shadows are indeed heavenly. In it’s expose earn it is hard to possess this film is as stale as it is. The commentary track is like finding the lost treasures of the long humdrum monarch. For there are incredible recollections by Martin Landau, Tom and Chris Mankiewicz, and even Jack Brodsky gets to read sections from his book “The Cleopatra Papers”. But I must give special mention to Landau’s piece. With his interested glimpse for the art direction of John DeCur one sees things in the background and along the edges of the scene that one never noticed before. Such lovingly detailed sets and interiors will never be seen again. The costs today are unbiased too prohibitive. Also his insights into what was sever from the film, particularly his and Richard Burton’s contributions in the second act give one the view of what Mankiewicz was intending. Terrible Richard suffered the unkindest nick of all. The presentation of the DVD menus are so clever and exotic and are to be commended in their art direction. At last we now know what is gradual the massive 20th Century Fox logo!
The film itself remains what it has always been, a genuine film that might have been spacious if only Zanuck had but trusted Joe Mankiewicz’ modern vision. In the documentary it is stated that Fox is looking for the missing film, one can only hope that they succeed.
The performances range from obliging to great. Particular praise must go to Rex Harrison, Richard Burton, Martin Landau, Robert Stephens, Andrew Keir, and Roddy McDowall. Lastly in this department there remains Elizabeth Taylor’s performance as Cleopatra. At the films release she got the brickbats and for reasons that had nothing to do with her performance. It is always hard to separate the history of the lady from her film roles. But here in this film is where she became the ELIZABETH TAYLOR she has remained in the mind of the world to this day. In this fact alone she is perfect in the role. She is at once regal and commanding, strong and tender, soft and hard. The contradictions that have always been at the heart of Cleopatra herself, the public enigma wrapped within a mystery. In her performance as written by Mankiewicz she is probably not too far off from the historical Cleopatra.
Ever since Judith Crist gave CLEOPATRA the needle in 1963 and in the act made her name, the public, for the most fraction, has viewed this film a failure. But today, stripped of the scandal, hype and hysteria of its release in June of ‘63 it is now possible to thought CLEOPARTA as the astounding film that it is. Historically this is an notable DVD and I recommend it highly. CLEOPATRA remains as seductive, glowing, and lustrous as it was in Walter Wanger’s modern understanding.
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Despite the legendary excesses and scandals that went on during the making of this unjustly maligned movie, it has three of the most vital foundation stones any work of this scope needs to succeed:
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1) . A unified vision or point of thought, extending from the development of location and characters to the physical glimpse of the production itself.
2) . A literate and compelling script that could play irrespective of the opulence of its surroundings.
3) . Four leading actors who instinctively understand how to work their material, making the seams between performer and character invisbile to the spectator.
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#s 1 & 2 were supplied by director / screenwriter Joseph L. Mankiewicz, #3 by Taylor, Burton, Harrison, and McDowell.
This is a film that easily bears repeated viewings, and, again, thanks to Mankiewicz and his actors, functions simultaneously on a variety of levels. For example, there are the like stories:
Caesar & Cleopatra / Antony & Cleopatra.
The tender scenes are written and played almost poetically, but there are also political manouverings going on as each uses the other to accomplish or augment their power. This is made even more titillating in that these are obviously incandescent, witty, charming, pretty, ruthless, and influential people whose calculations shape nations and Empires.
Given all of the above, the movie also looks like the mountainous sum it cost, has a knowing earn by Alex North, an accomplished supporting cast (in particular, Martin Landau, Pamela Brown, Hume Cronan, Cesare Danova), and spectacular “plot pieces” that though fully integrated into the spot, almost play as “movies within the movie” – Cleopatra’s Entry into Rome, Cleopatra’s Barge & Banquet, the Battle of Actium.
In sum, Mankiewicz and cast succeed in bringing off the gargantuan “world stage” themes significant to this genre of historical film. Their greatest achievement however lies in making an audience understand that these passe archetypes were human beings trying to fill the weight of both history and their emotions.
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