Lawrence of Arabia - November 13 Collector's Edition - Review

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by garyrc

You may want to take a look at (T.E.) Lawrence's book The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, upon which the movie was partly based. It has a little more detail about this incident, and several others. It is no doubt at your local library.

We (primarily the British and the Americans, especially the British) won very few friends in the Middle East back then, and the effects ripple forward to this day. As I remember the book (read about 40 years ago, so all bets are off), Feisal was moved around like a pawn. Or did I read that somewhere else?

Very true! Heck the Brits can roll that clock back almost 1000 years. One would think that after such a lengthy time, somebody would posit the idea that maybe this whole Jihad thing isn't working out as speedily as we'd hoped.
Oh the things we do for our various religions.

[Rizor]

Originally Posted by zahinn

You also see Ali make a big GASP right after that scene...i never figured why he did that. He wasnt even looking at Lawrence. He was looking at the opposite direction.

Another question:

When Prince Faisal was talking to Bently, its obvious that some of Faisal's lines were dubbed. Anyone has any idea whta were the lines when it was shot on set?

I'm not sure if the lines were dubbed originally, or if the two actors had to re-record their lines for the 1989 restoration because the dialogue was lost. Either way, it's the most notable scene where the dialogue sounds out of place (taken from two different sources) and it's not in perfect sync.

[Ben_UK]

I watched this for the first time the other day. It was an epic piece of cinema, probably a slower film than I am used to. However the performances were great and the cinematography was outstanding. I think compared to films of the modern era, it does feel slow, but its from a different era, so you can't really fault the film for that. I loved the intermission too! I have ordered Bridge On River Kwai, another one I have never seen.

[mdonovan]

Originally Posted by Ben_UK

I watched this for the first time the other day. It was an epic piece of cinema, probably a slower film than I am used to. However the performances were great and the cinematography was outstanding. I think compared to films of the modern era, it does feel slow, but its from a different era, so you can't really fault the film for that. I loved the intermission too! I have ordered Bridge On River Kwai, another one I have never seen.

Love me some KWAI ... In many ways I prefer that film to LOA.

[mdonovan]

Originally Posted by RJ Smoove

Got this during the BB Save Station BOGO, and have yet to watch it. As soon as school is out, I'm pumped to visit this epic classic for the first time. I was sold by the trailer. The scale of the battle in the trailer looks NUTS. To see this on an IMAX screen must be magic.

True ... But trust me its not about the Battle ...it's an inner journey, discovery and transformation film rolled inside of an epic unlikely adventure.

[zahinn]

Originally Posted by Rizor

I'm not sure if the lines were dubbed originally, or if the two actors had to re-record their lines for the 1989 restoration because the dialogue was lost. Either way, it's the most notable scene where the dialogue sounds out of place (taken from two different sources) and it's not in perfect sync.

how much of dialogue was actually lost prior to the 89 restoration ? i didnt know that until very recently.

[garyrc]

Originally Posted by mdonovan

True ... But trust me its not about the Battle ...it's an inner journey, discovery and transformation film rolled inside of an epic unlikely adventure.

All of my favorite epics are, in part, inner journeys. In The Structure of Literature, Paul Goodman argues that one difference between an epic and a historical romance is that in epics the main character, or an important character, turns the page of history -- rather than the characters just interacting against a historical background. Something causes the character to turn that page, and it is often the changes occurring in their inner world.

Goodman also stresses the larger context in a way that relates not only to ideational and emotional changes not developing in a vacuum, but (in my mind) to the experience of epics filmed in wide screen: "... by the object of sight, Aristotle meant the oval of vision."

[mdonovan]

Originally Posted by garyrc

All of my favorite epics are, in part, inner journeys. In The Structure of Literature, Paul Goodman argues that one difference between an epic and a historical romance is that in epics the main character, or an important character, turns the page of history -- rather than the characters just interacting against a historical background. Something causes the character to turn that page, and it is often the changes occurring in their inner world.

Goodman also stresses the larger context in a way that relates not only to ideational and emotional changes not developing in a vacuum, but (in my mind) to the experience of epics filmed in wide screen: "... by the object of sight, Aristotle meant the oval of vision."

Nice ... I'm a literature major ... love this insight.

[RJ Smoove]

Originally Posted by mdonovan

True ... But trust me its not about the Battle ...it's an inner journey, discovery and transformation film rolled inside of an epic unlikely adventure.

I would hope so. Just can't help but acknowledge the scope of it, but it isn't my main draw.