WAR and PEACE (TV-Series) [ Import ]

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Price: $116.05   

Product Description

Russia released, NTSC (USA and Canada), ALL REGION 2 discs version, WIDESCREEN. AUDIO OPTIONS: Dolby Digital 2.0 ENGLISH (movie is completely in English) and Dolby Digital 2.0 RUSSIAN (voice-over). SYNOPSIS: Originally a European TV mini-series. Robert Dornhelm's latest work is an eight-hour recreation of Tolstoy's literary epic "War and Peace" and was presented in Cannes by the Alchemy Television Group. The eight-hour mini-series, which was produced by Italy's Lux Vide Studios, stars Brenda Blethyn, Malcolm McDowell and Clemence Poesy. The series' 11 week shoot on locations in Lithuania and Russia, is said to be the most expensive ever to have taken place in the Baltic region. This stunning production of "War and Peace", more than any other, explores the connections and parallels of characters, relationships and world events that shine a light on a changing world. From ballrooms and battlefields, from carriages and villas, from gowns and swords, "War and Peace" is a beautifully wrought mirror reflecting our own lives, loves, sorrows and conflicts.

WAR and PEACE (TV-Series) [ Import ] Review

I am a Tolstoy aficionado, have read War and Peace more than once. I say this in order to qualify my review. I have also seen all 4 of the major movie productions.

The first production with Audrey Hepburn was a US made piece and is sadly dated, also it is so short that everything is abbreviated.

The second production, by Bondarchuk, is a magnificent production, but I felt somewhat disappointed with it as to me Tolstoy balances the human and world events in such a profound way, and this production seems to focus mainly on the world events. However, some of the battle scenes are like great symphonies and bring deep emotions and tears to the eyes. There is little depth or development of the stories of the characters, however. Platon Karatayev, for example, is barely mentioned and is a pivotal part of the story of Pierre.

My favorite production to this day is the one produced by the BBC with Anthony Hopkins as Pierre. In this 12 hour series a number of very strong characters create an interwoven story which I have watched a number of times. The characters of Pierre, Natasha, Andrei, Princess Maria, The old Prince Bolkonsky, Helene and all the others are so memorable that I would recommend this production as the greatest thus far produced. Although they did not have the resources to produce the battle scenes, costumes and authentic sets, this is after all fiction. And some of the greatest plays are done with virtually nothing but a few props.

It was with great anticipation that I purchased this most recent production directed by Dornhelm, touted at costing 30,000,000.00 and supposedly involved with the personalities of the book.

I was appalled to see that the actual story has been raped and pillaged to abbreviate events leading to the engagement with Andre. I get the feeling that, typical of so many productions of the late 20th and early 21st century, that there was this big budget to be spent and huge resources to be managed, at the cost of a single artist putting together a cogent and cohesive work of art. Although I felt some disappointment at the rather shallow depictions of the characters in the Bondarchuk production, I feel utter anger and contempt that the characters in this present one are so uninteresting and lacking in any depth.

To have a Natasha running around with a schoolgirl crush on Andre, when in the story she only vaguely sees him, not to show the very difficult relationship between the Countess Rostov and her ward Sonia from the beginning, and the reason Sonia is unwanted as a daughter in law, due to the profligacy of the Rostovs financial decisions, good hearted as they are, all make me angry that so much could be wasted on such an insipid production.

This production has been compared to the one of Napoleon, which I have also watched several times, and I can't see any comparison as in that the characters are all riveting, strong actors. Even though it is involved with a lot of historical events and not even a novel, the characters themselves carry this magnificent production.

To me this latest production of War and Peace is like so much of what is wrong with the present era. Everything is superficial, there is no time to get to deep emotion or profundity, it is all frippery, clothes hung on totally forgettable actors and actresses, and visions of a past whose real glory lives only through great works of literature and great art.

I do not recommend wasting any money on this movie. Just read the book and check out the BBC production from your local library!

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