The English Patient [Region 2] Special edition |  | Director: Anthony Minghella
Actors: Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Kristin Scott Thomas, Naveen Andrews
Studio: Buena Vista
Category: DVD
Buy New: $63.58
as of 3/20/2010 23:30 EDT details
New (1) Used (1) from $61.38
Seller: PLAYANYWHERE
Rating:  346 reviews
Sales Rank: 301505
Format: Digital Sound, Dolby, PAL
Languages: Arabic (Original Language), English (Original Language), German (Original Language), Italian (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 2
Discs: 3
Running Time: 155 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5017188814683
ASIN: B0002VF5TI
Theatrical Release Date: November 15, 1996
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Similar Items:
| |
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com essential video
Winner of nine Academy Awards and almost every critic's heart, The English Patient (based on Michael Ondaatje's prizewinning novel of love and loss during World War II) is one of the most acclaimed films of modern times. Hana, a nurse (Juliette Binoche), tends to an archaeologist (Ralph Fiennes) who has been burnt to a crisp in a plane crash. As their relationship intensifies, he flashes back to his overwhelming passion for a married woman (Kristin Scott Thomas). Meanwhile, Hana begins a new romance with a man who defuses bombs (Naveen Andrews) and Willem Dafoe almost steals the show as the thumbless thief Caravaggio. The intricately layered flashback narrative, sounding the depths of the lovers' hearts, improves with repeated viewings--especially with the sharp picture and digital sound of the digital video disc.
|
| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 346
 vivid mood and deep themes March 4, 2010
Robert J. Crawford (Balmette Talloires, France)
It is rare to find a film that has such depth - of character, history, and humanity.
First, you have a tragic love story, of a married woman who falls for a charming yet difficult and obsessed man, a scholar explorer who lacks many basic social graces. With perfect success, Fiennes is sensual, austere, funny, full of life, prickly, sensitive, egotistical, lonely, and passionate. Thomas is stunningly beautiful in her prime, a lonely married woman desiring to burst her bounds yet unprepared for the consequences. The chemistry between them is electric and immediate, of the kind that is experienced once in a lifetime - if you are lucky. Their passion is an archetype of hope, momentary fulfillment, and failure. The evocation is truly wonderful.
Second, you have the backdrop of WWII, which erased entire cultures and ruined so many lives. Fiennes and his cohort are explorers dedicated to finding archaeological truth, refusing to believe in nationality and bridging cultures with a naive love of diversity in the declining colonial age. Their ethereal ideals are beautiful, hypocritical, used by intelligence services for their war aims, and yet timeless. All of this is encapsulated in the background, a perfectly realized mood poem. Every image of the film, particularly in the desert sequences but also the ruined monastery, is consistent with this.
Third, there are the ideals and conflicts of humanity. I know this sounds a bit high-faluttin, but the brief romance of the nurse (Binoche) and the Sik (Andrews) brings it into focus: after all the death she has seen, she is ambivalent about life, while her lover is deeply conflicted about his identity as an Asian serving colonial masters. Somehow they find a way to move forward. She also loves the dying Fiennes, whose life she hopes will save her soul. But the evolution of the character of Defoe - the seeker of vengeance for unspeakable war crimes - is much the same, finding brotherhood and some forgiveness while accepting meaningless tragedy. Once again, the film brings this off - causing refection and awe in the viewer - without pretension or a feeling a lugubrious over-plotting.
The non-linear unfolding of the plot is also successful: Binoche is caring for Fiennes in a ruined monastery, mourning while hoping to find light again, when an unwanted visitor appears, the wounded Defoe. He begins to snoop around, asking questions and stealing morphine, while Fiennes indulges in a swirl of memories as he declines. Slowly, a full story of his tragedy emerges, while the younger characters find a way to move on with their lives.
Rarely does a film evoke the passing of life amidst big events so completely. At least, that was my experience of the film. Recommended with the greatest enthusiasm.
 Great Movie, Terrible Copy. Don't Bother December 26, 2009
Sk3ptic (Michigan)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I have always liked this movie. I bought it on Bluray in part because it is beautifully photographed. The print however is terrible. You would think that they could have run down a reasonable copy and perhaps even cleaned off the link off before digitizing it, but apparently not. Lots of white spots and random black crap on the print. The disc does not support 24 fps playback and doesn't even have a top menu. Save your money and stick with the DVD until someone can be bothered to make a reasonable transfer.
Love this movie December 11, 2009
Deborah S. Wilson (Kingsport TN)
I love this movie and got it at a great price -- great service - thanks!
Mediocre Product November 13, 2009
W. Fattig (Hendersonville, NC USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Like other reviewers, I was disappointed that this DVD movie had no subtitles and that it was produced using an inferior video format (1034i). As one with hearing a deficit, I would not have bought it had I known this; maybe it is my own fault for not researching the product more closely; I will be much more cautious in the future, as I am with BBC-produced items which often lack English subtitles. Even my 1997 "English Patient" laserdisc has subtitles. The less-than-ideal DVD sound quality makes Kristin Scott-Thomas's telling of the story of Gyges almost unintelligible unless one has heard it before. I'd think that an ethical seller 13 years later would have made a point of noting the primitive audio status of this product in the interest of service to handicapped persons. Only the Direction of Anthony Minghella and superb acting mitigate this defect.
The English Patient October 25, 2009
Nora Diamond (Sunnyvale, CA)
Ralph Fiennes should have won the Oscar for his performance. Heartbreaking. An incredible film. Superb score by Gabriel Yared.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 346
|
|
|
