Lawrence of Arabia (Restored Version)

This is the greatest movie I have ever seen. Not only is it superb filmmaking, but the film touches on a personal level I never expected to feel. David Lean's WW1 epic follows the both heroic and tragic military campaign of T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole in an Oscar-nominated role). When we first see Lawrence interact with others, he comes off as a bumbling fool, but his encyclopedic knowledge of the world earns him his first significant mission --- find Arab Prince Feisal, and learn of the Arabs' intentions. Whatever he learns will help the British campaign function more effectively for their own purposes. However, after meeting Feisal and his Sherif Ali, Lawrence instead becomes the central figure in the campaign by uniting the Arabs against the Turkish Empire, rather than report back to his British superiors. Make no mistake - "Lawrence of Arabia" is NOT a war film. There is glory of combat here; the battle sequences are brief and not very well-choreographed. But that's because Lean doesn't want us to see Lawrence's aim-and-shoot techniques. No, instead Lean smartly stays on his facial expressions -- O'Toole's behavior tells the story better than a battle's body count. When an enemy fort is overtaken, the "battle" is simply a camera pan of horses charging in. We don't need to witness an elaborate sequence because we only need to know that the Arabs defeated the Turks. "Lawrence of Arabia" is almost 4 hours, but is stripped to its essentials like those who dwell in its deserts. The film features a wonderful cast of supporting characters. Alec Guinness reteams with David Lean to play Prince Feisal, a leader of patient wisdom and admiration for Lawrence's passion. Omar Sharif made a star-making American debut (and Oscar-nominated performance) as Sherif Ali, whose strong loyalty to Lawrence also brings him immense pain when his friend is also suffering. Lawrence and Ali are as equal as they are opposite; Sharif's chemistry with O'Toole is perfect. The most obvious acheivement of "Lawrence of Arabia" is the cinematography and Lean's direction. Orson Welles "Citizen Kane" is a brilliant piece of filmmaking, but Lean overshadows that classic with more color and vivid imagery. There are too many genius shots to praise. The mirage sequence is the most famous, in which Ali's figure begins as a speck, but then rides ever so closer on a camel with no music...but haunting silence! Or when Lawrence is just assigned his mission: he looks at a burning match, exhales so gently...and the camera quick-cuts to a beautiful sunset in the Arabian desert. We witness the harsh realities of desert warfare, but don't actually see much blood or corpses. Instead, stirring dialogue and tracking shots get a strong enough reaction that the guns and casualties don't really matter. The dialogue is sharp enough to rival "Casablanca" or "Pulp Fiction". Screenwriter Robert Bolt's dialogue is so truthful, poetic, and eloquent -- it's a thrill just to hear these characters 'speak'. The scenes involving strategy and tactics aren't glorious declarations of brilliance; instead, they're more like verbal chess matches between stubborn parties. For example: an Arab Bureau liaison, Dryden (Claude Rains at his smarmiest), is devilishly manipulative. However, Rains' tonation is neutral yet wicked. When a reporter asks Dryden what happened during a secret meeting, he casually replies "Oh...nothing...nothing at all." His lies are so obvious, telling us he intentionally rubs the secrecy in his adversaries' faces. Another remarkable acheivement is Maurice Jarre's music score. Simply put, it's amazing and legendary! Thankfully, the DVD keeps the 4 and 1/2 minute Overture, Intermission, and Exit Music. For those unfamiliar, when cinematic epics played in movie theatres, music was played before the movie began. It helped audiences settle in and get ready for the film to begin. There were no images on the screen, but the music just played. The filmmakers took great pride in the best presentation possible for a film that took about 2 years to make. "Lawrence of Arabia" is as much as pleasure to listen to as it to watch it. Another point on the main character - credit for the portrayal of T.E. Lawrence belongs equally to the entire production team. Bolt knew how to write him, Lean knew how to shoot him, Jarre knew what music to write for him, Anne Coates knew how to properly edit and pace his character, and O'Toole knew how the play him. This strong collaberation of artists results in a rarity: we, the audience, can relate to a historical figure who a total 'enigma'. As presented in the film, T.E. Lawrence was a man of dual-willed dilemmas. He keeps unfathomable promises, but lacks the heart to be satisfied. He's a central war figure who inspires many, but eventually rejects his talents. As I said earlier, the character is collaborative effore - I forgot to mention the supporting characters who give their take on this bizarre man. They, I believe, is the heart of the film. One of the opening scenes reveals differing opinions on Lawrence's legacy. A reporter calls him a "shameless exhibitionist", while a British soldier calls him "a very great man". But is there any truth is what any of these men say? And if so, do they have enough credibility to even have an opinion? T.E. Lawrence (according the film) never really knew who he was or what he really wanted. Because of that confusing shell, his outcast reputation strengthed his ego to accomplish daring feats like crossing an endless desert, but also deeply hurt those closest to him (and those who only wanted his talents). "Lawrence of Arabia" is a one-of-a-kind experience. It has powerful music, unforgettable camera shots, beautiful dialogue, jaw-dropping images, spectacular sequences, stellar acting, and historical significance! There will never be a greater cinema epic than "Lawrence of Arabia"... DVD NOTES There are two versions of this movie on DVD. 1) A One-Disc version that has no Special Features. That is worth a purchase alone, because you can watch the film in one sitting. 2) This Limited Edition DVD splits the movie into two halves. The video and audio quality appear to be the same, but the 2-Disc release has full-motion menus with music, whereas the other version only has freeze-frame menus. The second Disc includes an outstanding making-of documentary, some comments from Steven Spielberg on the restoration, and a few neat promotional materials. Seeing thses artists work themselves tirelessly for 2 years will only further your appreciation for this movie. Even if you don't share my praise for the film, you will admire the patience and hard work that everybody invested into it. This was not one man's vision; "Lawrence of Arabia" is collage of brilliant filmmakers and artists composing an unforgettable tale! I've often heard people say one film is their 'favorite', but then they say another is the 'greatest'. To me, my all-time favorite and standard of greatness are the same film. Watch this film immediately!

There is no other word to describe the experience of viewing the 2012, 5Oth Anniversary, Blu-ray edition of Lawrence of Arabia, David Lean Great epic. For TV viewers, though, it requires the largest screen your money can buy, for this epic was made at a time when no VHS, laser, or DVD were even envisioned. For those lucky to have seen it in the large screen, either in its initial release (as I have), or the 1989 re-mastered, "Director's Cut," then the general release in select theaters, even the new Blu-ray edition will not do. But it is the best compromise possible, for the 4-disc version offers so much extra material, not available in the best biographies and critical works on David Lean's works. For those already familiar with the the 2008 Collector's Edition, on David Lean's 100th birthday, of "Lawrence of Arabia" and the not so different in contents than the 2000 leather-bound box 2-disc edition by Columbia Pictures, the new 2012 Sonny Picturesd Blu-ray 4-disc edition will easily fill some of those gaps with lively narratives and comments from the likes of Peter O'Toole, at 80, Martin Scorsese, or Eddie Fowlie. There is plenty here to enjoy. The "coffee-table" book is distinguished for its stunning, high definition stills of the adventure in the desert, and the many quotations from the likes of Steven Spielberg's, Robert Bolt, and many others, while the essay by Jeremy Arnold and and the Preface by Leonard Maltin provide good information, if not for the Lean scholar, to whom details of production are familiar, but to the general reader who wishes to be informed on the production of this giant project that took more than two years to complete. The book features the actual notes from from Maurice Jarre's theme of "Lawrence," reviews from the time the epic movie was released (1962), and a sources/bibliography section that mentions such important works by scholars on Lawrence as Robert Morris's and Lawrence Raskin's "Lawrence of Arabia," and Adrian Turner's "The Making of Lawrence of Arabia," along with works by Kevin Brownlow, Sandra Lean, and Gene D. Phillips. But the real bonuses come in the high definition Blu-ray edition of the movie, based on the recent work of the Sonny Pictures Technologies studios. Disc #1 features the film, all in one disc,stunningly clear, in the proper aspect ratio of the original of 65mm original negative, painstakingly restored after many months of work in the Sonny labs. Disc #2 opens with a contemporary narration of Peter O'Toole, whose memory at 80 seems to be flawless, and his sharp wit adds to the variety of recollections of the epic adventure of filming. O'Toole pays tribute to Lean as a great director and leader as only he can; adding that he could have been great no matter what he had chosen to do. The rest of Disc #2 contains familiar material from the two previous editions, Adrian Turner narrating "The Making of Lawrnce of Arabia," with Norman Spencer and Omar Sharif adding recollections of the venture of their own. Disc #3 is the real treasure trove for both collectors of trivia, film buffs and scholars. First, is the feature showing the "Deleted Balcony" scene, narrated by Anne V. Coates, the original editor of the film, who also helped Lean and Robert Harris to put together the 1988 version of the restored film. She explains that the balcony scene is placed there only for "historical" purposes, since the voice of Jack Hawkins, who was dead at the time (1988), could not be recovered. This is the famous "seduction scene," where Allenby persuades Lawrence to resume his campaign to take Damascus,a vital piece that explains Lawrence's sudden change to reverse his decision after the Derea indident, where he was tortured. The next feature is an impression by Martin Scorsese, who gives his insights about Lawrence's enigmatic personality, as Scorsese only could. Next s is an analysis by Sonny executives involved in the Blu-ray edition of the film, Chris Cookson, President of Sonny, Grover Crisp, vice-president, and Scott Ostrowski, digital colorist. Wipes show the difference between previous picture quality and the undeniable clarity of the Blu-ray version they produced. The disc contains other features, the most endearing of which is a 120-minute recollection of Eddie Flowlie, made in 2000 (and thence not in high definition) the Lean prop-man and factotum, who travels to Jordan, Spain and Morocco, in the actual spots the film sequences where filmed. It is informative and fun to watch and hear. There is also a disc with Maurice Jarre's music, where the entire composition is recorded. Yes, the 4-disc edition costs--perhaps too much at $67 (down to #57 since), but, for me, it shines, and I got my money's worth.

I got Lawrence Of Arabia because I heard people say it was an exceptional legendary movie and that it had wonderful music in it. I did not know that Lawrence Of Arabia was a real person before I heard the people on the DVD say so, and according to them there was the usual contempt and bashing for historical inaccuracies that always happens whenever anyone does a fictionalized dramatized story inspired by the existence of real persons. Steven Speilberg appears on the DVD saying that it's all right to do that with obscure history that most people don't know about but if you're dealing with well-known history that's taught every day in school, then it's not all right to put inaccuracies in it. I don't agree with that judgemental statement and I really don't understand why people make such a big judgemental deal about historical inaccuracy. As long as a movie is not professing to be a depiction of the truth, then the moviemakers have a right to tell the story however they want, if they think some fiction will make it more interesting than the real events. Most people know that even when a movie is "based on a true story" there will always be some details that are fictionalized. Just don't ever watch a movie assuming that everything in it really happened and then you'll be all right. I actually think that inaccuracies in movies can inspire viewers to do research and learn more about the real events. That's the point--if you wanna know what really happenned with some historical characters, find out from other sources besides movies made about them. Now, if a history book was written and was claiming to be the truth and contained a bunch of glaring inaccuracies, then I would understand people getting upset about that, cuz a history book is SUPPOSSED to be an education about the truth and if a history book is not true then it is fooling people. But to me, if someone insults and bashes a movie for nothing but historical inaccuracy, that just means it's a bitter person always looking for things to get mad about and it means they didn't like the movie anyway and they use the historical inaccuracy as an excuse to justify their hatred of the movie. I get very tired of hearing criticisms about inaccuracy and hearing people call movies awful and worthless just because they're inaccurate. So, as for the DVD, I found it educational to listen to the people talk on the DVD (educational about how humans view things and how humans think, I mean) and the movie itself is an intriguing story about a man trying to find out who he is and what his place is in the world, shifting his loyalty back and forth between the Arabians and the English military, and I believe there are real people that go through that kind of identity crisis, and I believe any movie about someone who tries to help make a difference in a bunch of oppressed people's lives is valuable, regardless of what is inaccurate about it. There is always constantly something happening in the story and so every scene is informational to the plot and every scene matters despite how long the movie is. They said this DVD was an extended director's cut version with a bunch of scenes that were not in the theatrical release, and I cannot imagine the movie without any of the scenes that are here. If David Lean considers this his best movie, he has good reason to think so because the movie deals with so many human interest issues. Peter O'Toole gives a sympathetic performance and it is easy to see why this movie made him a star. There's too much that goes on in the movie for me to have time to really comment on the plot, but this is a moving drama about respecting people of other civilizations and I think it has a message that can extend to other issues besides the Arabians. This is a very worthwhile movie and anyone who cares about people should see it. It has no shortage of entertainment either.

It's hard for the small screen to do justice to such a sweeping cinematographic epic, but there is much more to this film than its visual majesty. The film has one of the most beautiful and recognized scores in the history of cinema, a fascinating subject in the person of T.E. Lawrence himself, one of the most literate screenplays ever written, and a wonderful supporting cast nearing perfection. It is a shame that unless you take the time to buy the DVD and invest the almost four hours it takes to watch it, you are likely to miss out on one of the best films ever made. It is precisely because of its length that it is seldom seen on TV anymore. The backdrop of the film is that the British, in the midst of fighting World War I, are aiding the Arab struggle for independence from the Turks since anything that ties up the Turks accomplishes the British goal of destroying the Ottoman Empire and thus aids in the war effort. T. E. Lawrence is first enlisted to help advise the Arabs in their military goals, but goes on to lead them in a series of stunning military victories that goes way beyond what the British expected of the Arabs, and quite frankly, way beyond what the British wanted. You see, the British had designs on claiming Arabia for themselves after the war ends, years before it was discovered that Arabia was sitting on the world's richest oil supply. However, this is really an oversimplification of a very complex film. This movie is so multi-faceted that you could tackle reviewing it from several angles. To me one of the most fascinating aspects of the film is the complex relationship and contrast between Sherif Ali (Omar Sharif), fellow tribesman and counsel to Prince Feisal, and T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole). When the two first meet Ali shoots down Lawrence's Arab companion who is taking him to first meet Feisel because the man is drinking from Ali's well and does not have permission to do so. An outraged Lawrence chastises Ali citing that Arabia will never be great as long as they war amongst themselves and that he is "barborous and cruel". Towards the end of the film, though, there is a reversal of roles as Ali tries to stop a massacre that Lawrence is not only allowing his troops to participate in, but seems to be genuinely enjoying. Ali is a man who has a good bead on who he is and what he believes. Not having this quality is Lawrence's greatest shortcoming. Lawrence either believes he is much less than he is or much more, depending on his latest exploits and who has talked to him last. Ali clearly sees this problem, and by the end of the film Ali is Lawrence's fast friend - in fact his only true friend. You see, Lawrence is being used by both the Arabs and the British. This becomes immensely clear when at the end of the film Prince Feisel, who has always seemed to be genuine towards Lawrence, says during negotiations with the British "Lawrence is a double-edged sword - We are equally glad to be rid of him, are we not?". By the way, the role of Ali has to be Sharif's finest hour as an actor. I always thought Dr. Zhivago was that finest role, and it is still a great performance, but this one is even better. There are so many other themes going on in this film - the thin line between madness and heroism, the worth of a single human life versus the welfare of an entire army or a nation, the sometimes less than honorable motives behind those fighting for the honorable goal independence, the contrast between western and Arab values - that you could go on forever. That is why I strongly recommend this film. You'll probably come away with something a little different on each viewing.

Now we must pay our respects to T.E. Lawrence, known to most of the world as Lawrence of Arabia. But you don't need to visit London or the desert or Arabia to get a sense of T.E. Lawrence -- all you really need is a DVD player or, better still, movie theatre! David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia is simply one of the most extraordinary films ever made on the topic of human armed conflict. This film was released in 1962 and was awarded seven Oscar awards including best Director and Best Picture. The picture begins with Lawrence's senseless and premature death on a motorbike and then moves to his burial at St. Paul's in London. Here a visitor to London will find his tomb along with those of other champions of human liberty -- The Duke of Wellington and Lord Horatio Nelson to name but two. T.E. Lawrence was an Oxford-educated archaeologist (an assistant at the British Museum's excavation of Carchemish on the Euphrates) who was living in the Middle East at the outbreak of the First World War. He joined British intelligence and served in the Arab division. The Allies were frustrated by the appalling slaughter that was taking place in the trenches of the Western front. Millions of lives were lost for the sake of mere yards of territory. The Allies longed to come up with some kind a flanking strategy that could lead to victory. The decrepit Ottoman Empire ("the sick man of Europe") had allied itself with the Central Powers (Austria and Germany). Winston Churchill, who was the head of the Admiralty at the start of the Great War, won support for the Dardanelles campaign which attempted to knock the Turks out of the war. The French and British landings at Gallipoli proved to be a disaster and Churchill was forced to resign. The allies next strategic idea was to help stir up an Arab revolt against the Turks. They needed someone who was fluent in Arabic, who could cultivate and influence the Arabs in aid of Allied strategic objectives. They needed someone who could 'go native'. They found their man...T.E. Lawrence. Lawrence was a not merely a soldier, a master of espionage and a statesman -- he was a gifted poet. He starts his famous Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph: The Complete 1922 Text thus... "Some of the evil of my tale may have been inherent in our circumstances, For years we lived anyhow with one another in the naked desert, under the indifferent heaven. By day the hot sun fermented us; and we were dizzied by the beating wind. At night we were stained by dew, and shamed into pettiness by the innumerable silences of stars. We were a self-centered army without parade or gesture, devoted to freedom, the second of man's creeds, a purpose so ravenous that it devoured all out strength, a hope so transcendent that our earlier ambitions faded in its glare." The film Lawrence of Arabia simply could not be made by today's filmmakers. Steven Spielberg has estimated that his favorite film of all time would cost in the region of $285 million to produce today while the original production cost was $12 million. This film is too well-written, it has no digital special effects, the pacing is sluggish by contemporary standards and it has no love interest (nor a single spoken female line). It does feature a brilliantly costumed cast of thousands which included soldiers from the Royal Jordanian and Royal Moroccan armies. The clean but brutal desert itself is a major character in the film along with Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Anthony Quinn, Claude Rains, Jack Hawkins and Alec Guinness. Lawrence of Arabia was, in a sense, the First World War prequel to David Lean's The Bridge On The River Kwai . It portrays the sacrifice of youth and innocence in the ravenous maw of institutionalized industrial warfare. It chronicles the outward ascent of Lawrence leading the Arabs to glorious victory over the Turks and his inner descent into near-madness and barbarism. The boyish scholarly Lawrence of the film's opening scenes will be corrupted by war and sadistic torture into becoming a bloody-minded warrior who screams out, "No Prisoners!" in his final attack. The tale of Lawrence mirrors one of the Great War's other warrior/writers -- Manfred Von Richthofen. In his book Der Rote Kampflieger, Von Richthofen starts out taking his dog up for joy rides in his plane and ends as a cold-blooded killer of allied pilots before meeting his own untimely end. The film's plot is a coming of age tale set in the Arabian desert. The film is simply a meditation on the transforming power of warfare. The purity of desert sand is mixed with the blood of hot youth. Consider the eloquence and profound truth of Prince Feisal's (Alec Guinness) speech uttered to a retreating Lawrence from the film's conclusion: "We drive bargains. Old men's work. Young men make wars, and the virtues of war are the virtues of young men. Courage and hope for the future. Then old men make the peace. And the vices of peace are the vices of old men. Mistrust and caution. It must be so. What I owe you is beyond evaluation." With so many films out there today that are a pure waste of time, why not take the time to see or revisit Lawrence of Arabia -- a timeless classic film made by a master craftsman with a stellar cast which continues to be reverberate to this day. If you love Lawrence of Arabia, you may also like America Invades: How We've Invaded or been Militarily Involved with almost Every Country on Earth by Kelly / Laycock Italy Invades

First of all, this movie is a 5 out of 5. The reason I’m giving it a 4 is because as others have said, the screen was black when I pressed play. I was about to just return it, but then I decided to go to scenes and tried playing the very first scene; it did not twork. So, I tried the second scene, and it worked! I just had to rewind it to the beginning. So, it’s inconvenient and annoying but there’s no other 4K blurays out there, aside from that steelcase version that is currently being scalped, so I’ll deal with this annoyance for the time being. Unfortunately, with the way physical media is going, this could be the last version (I hope I’m wrong). In closing, this movie is a masterpiece, the cinematography/photography has aged like fine wine; the image quality is so crisp, that you could literally frame every frame! The only this that gives this movie’s age away is the sound. Also, I watched this on my PS5

This movie looks so stunning. This is a movie that is a must watch in your life. Any historical fiction fans would love this movie.

I had not seen this until I bought it on Blu-ray. It's a very good old war movie that's based on a true story.

Vincitore di 7 Oscar, "Lawrence d'Arabia" è uno dei kolossal più famosi della storia del cinema e il capolavoro del grande David Lean. Con questa nuova edizione Blu-Ray vedrete il film come non lo avete mai visto: la Sony ha fatto un lavoro straordinario per riportare la pellicola al suo splendore, con un magnifico restauro 4K che esalta la splendida fotografia in Super Panavision 70. Il film è presentato nella sua versione integrale, codifica MPEG 4-AVC ad alto bitrate, su disco BD a doppio strato 50. Il risultato del restauro è strabiliante se si pensa che è un film girato ad altissimo costo sì, ma nel 1962, capace di competere a qualità di immagine a pellicole ben più moderne. Un plauso alla Sony che, evidentemente, possiede il know how per trattare nella maniera migliore possibile i suoi titoli di catalogo. La colonna sonora originale è presentata in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (Dolby Digital 5.1 la traccia doppiata in italiano, sconsigliata per l'alternanza tra due doppiaggi di epoche differenti e la minore qualità) e garantisce un'esperienza d'ascolto totale, con la preminenza della bellissima colonna sonora di Maurice Jarre. Tra gli extra presenti nel secondo disco, un'intervista a Peter O'Toole (in HD) e un documentario sulla realizzazione del film, della durata di un'ora ma a definizione SD. Per un'esperienza più completa è consigliato l'acquisto dell'edizione limitata che, oltre a includere il disco della colonna sonora, presenta anche un altro Blu-Ray di contenuti extra.

I'd decided to play the Blu-ray disc of Lawrence of Arabia this evening as a) there was nothing of interest to me on the box, and b) I had at last bought a bigger TV with far better picture quality, in HD. The transfer of this great film to Blu-ray is superb; above all else I have never seen the picture so sharp, so rich in detail, the colours bright but natural. There is a true feeling of depth to the picture. I can't judge the sound quality well as the TV really needs a sound bar, but that will have to wait. None of this would matter if the film itself were not a masterpiece. Everything comes together: script, direction, acting, cinematography, and - often not remarked on - editing. It's all done to the highest standards. The first fifteen minutes alone are a lesson in film-making. After an overture, played to a black screen, the opening credits are shown whilst we look vertically down on Lawrence preparing his motorbike in Dorset for the journey that will, in fact, be his last. In due course we flashback to Lawrence (Peter O'Toole) in Cairo at British Army HQ. His interview with General Murray (Donald Wolfit) as Mr Dryden (Claude Rains, again wonderful) recruits him for intelligence purposes, is hilarious. The General, a man of action, but clearly not of patience; Lawrence, the intellectual and apparently effete, by appearance perhaps better suited to the Pay Corps. But O'Toole brilliantly demonstrates that Lawrence knows exactly what he's doing, gently winding up the General who gladly lets him go off for a 'bit of fun' in the desert. Claude Rains remarks that it's known that Lawrence has a strange sense of 'fun', just as Lawrence blows out a lighted match. And at that moment we cut to a shot of the sun slowly rising over the desert at daybreak, all rich orange. I tend to run out of superlatives for this film. Freddie Young, the Director of Photography, and Anne Coates, the Film Editor, are as important to its success as the (all-male? I can't remember a single speaking part for a woman) actors. And quite possibly only David Lean could have driven this film through with such perfection. The strange bit is that when the film ended and I switched back to live television, there, on screen, was a clip from the very film I had just been watching. It was, of course, news that Peter O'Toole had sadly died, and this film was, without doubt, his finest hour.

Todo bien.

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