The Manchurian Candidate (Special Edition) | 
| Director: John Frankenheimer
Actors: Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury, Henry Silva
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
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Rating:  207 reviews
Sales Rank: 3610
Format: Ac-3, Anamorphic, Black & White, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 126 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: 027616911131
ISBN: 0792861582
UPC: 027616911131
EAN: 9780792861584
ASIN: B00020X88Y
Theatrical Release Date: October 24, 1962
Release Date: July 13, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
A Korean war hero is brainwashed and used as a tool in a political assassination plot to be triggered by his domineering mother.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 13-JUL-2004
Media Type: DVD
Amazon.com essential video
You will never find a more chillingly suspenseful, perversely funny, or viciously satirical political thriller than The Manchurian Candidate, based on the novel by Richard Condon (author of Winter Kills). The film, withheld from distribution by star Frank Sinatra for almost a quarter century after President Kennedy's assassination, has lost none of its potency over time. Former infantryman Bennet Marco (Sinatra) is haunted by nightmares about his platoon having been captured and brainwashed in Korea. The indecipherable dreams seem to center on Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey), a decorated war hero but a cold fish of a man whose own mother (Angela Lansbury, in one of the all-time great dragon-lady roles) describes him as looking like his head is "always about to come to a point." Mrs. Bates has nothing on Lansbury's character, the manipulative queen behind her second husband, Senator John Iselin (James Gregory), a notoriously McCarthyesque demagogue. --Jim Emerson
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| Customer Reviews: Read 202 more reviews...
 A Classic June 1, 2009
S. Peek (Rocky Mountains, USA)
This is one of the great Cold War thrillers.
It features Laurence Harvey as Raymond Shaw, Frank Sinatra as Major Bennett Marco, Angela Lansbury as Shaw's mother, Mrs. Iselin, and Janet Leigh as Rose.
Although the story is familiar to most people, I'll recap it briefly. Shaw, Marco, and several fellow soldiers are captured during the Korean War. They are transported to China where they undergo intense brainwashing. When they come back, they are all convinced that Shaw (who is well connected politically - his stepfather is a U.S. senator) singlehandedly wiped out countless numbers of the enemy and saved them all. He is awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor based upon their testimony.
After his return to the States, his handlers intend to use him as a political assassin. Prior to that, Marco and some of the others start having nightmares making them think that everything is not as it seems. Maj. Marco is intent on finding out the truth.
I will refrain from telling anymore to avoid spoilers. Suffice it to say, there are lots of psychological machinations and some intense action. This film is very well done. It was made in 1962 so the viewer should not expect lots of special effects, etc. In spite of that, I think that this version is far superior to the more recent one. For those who want to see the movie and don't know which one to get, this is the one.
 Profound, Introspective Movie on Assassination Politics April 16, 2009
Lynn Ellingwood (Webster, NY United States)
The 60s and beginning in the 50s, was the age of political assassination. So many countries including foreign governments used assassination as part of controlling world and national politics. This makes the movie fascinating. There were also instances in the Korean War of attempted brainwashing. All governments were fascinated by the potential of psychological torture and warfare. The Manchurian Candidate is a wonderfully made film about a group of soldiers taken prisoner in Korea then brainwashed into being Communist agents without their knowledge. The American operatives then take hold of them to carry out an assignation of a political leader to gain power. Very clever, wonderful performances and held back from public view for years after it was released. Great film.
 Hugely overrated and somewhat dull; I don't think this aged very well... March 25, 2009
Andrew Ellington (Mulholland Drive)
A lot of people will disagree with me here, and I won't fault them a bit. `The Manchurian Candidate' is considered a classic and so just about everyone and their mother is going to be up in arms when they read this review.
I just didn't get it.
That statement isn't to say that I didn't understand it, it's to say that I just didn't get why this could be considered so grand a film. It is touted as one of the most chilling and suspenseful political thrillers of all time, but quite honestly I found most of the film rather corny and the other half was plain dull. The only aspect of the film that kept me entertained was Angela Lansbury's brilliant portrayal of the evil Mrs. Iselin. She understood how to work with what she was given, stripping away the corn that was so prevalent and delivering a flawlessly chilled performance.
So, the film tells of Bennett Marco who is having strange dreams involving the brainwashing of his platoon, all of it having something to do with Raymond Shaw, a decorated war hero whose new title seems to strike Bennett as odd; since Raymond was no hero. As Bennett starts to unlock the truth, Raymond's dastardly mother Mrs. Iselin gets desperate to have her son complete the task before him.
I can understand why maybe this was considered so great back when it was released, but quite honestly, I do see how this can still be considered great. The plot is simple, yet it is overdone far too much in areas. The acting aside from Lansbury is decent at best, with Laurence Harvey turning in a dreadful performance (and I thought after seeing `A Room at the Top' that he could do NO WRONG) and Frank Sinatra struggles to define himself here. He does a decent job in parts, but overall he appears to be struggling. I also felt that technically the film had some issues, especially towards the beginning, with the voiceover. I thought that some of the major plot developments were a tad corny, some of them not just a tad, and they took away from the `chilling' aspects of the film. I also felt that the pacing in the films center was horrible. It drug out the prose too long and added back story that, if handled properly could have been interesting, but wound up feeling unnecessary.
The film starts off on the low side of decent, takes a dive into mediocre and then struggles to redeem itself with a surprisingly riveting ending that just doesn't have enough to completely save the film entirely.
Like I said, this is not a popular opinion, but it is mine none-the-less, and any of you who are familiar with my reviews know that I am honest always. You may love this movie, and if so feel free to defend it (that's what the comment section is for) but I personally just didn't get it. I adored Lansbury, but as far as political thrillers go, this one lacks any real bite.
The Manchurian Candidate March 20, 2009
JEFFREY SMITH (Los Angeles, CA USA)
A classic movie. Sinatra is great and the drama builds thru the whole movie. Great!
Politics Aside, A Riveting Film March 17, 2009
Craig Connell (Lockport, NY USA)
Suffice to say the movie had messages from both the Right and Left - with both Conservative and Liberal villains, but politics aside, the film boasts an involving story that keeps your interest for most of the two hours and six minutes.
It featured some very interesting characters who are fascinating to watch. That includes the supporting roles. It didn't hurt to have John Frankenheimer direct, either. His films usually were outstanding.
I thought Angela Lansbury and Laurence Harvey had the best parts of the film. The only really stupid and/or annoying character in the movie was played by Janet Leigh. Her romance scenes with Frank Sinatra added nothing to this riveting film. Eliminated, it would have made for a tighter, even better movie. Also, Sinatra found out too easily where Harvey was hiding in Madison Square Garden. Nobody could figure it out that fast! Nonetheless, the ending was a bit surprising and I won't spoil it for anyone who has not seen this.
The movie has endured the test of time and, from what I hear, would have been best left on its own instead of watering down the name of this film with an insipid re-make.
This is "The Manchurian Candidate" version you want to see.
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