Stars:
Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Mel Ferrer, Vittorio Gassman, Herbert Lom, Oscar
Homolka, Anita Ekberg, and John Mills
Based
On The Novel By: Leo Tolstoy
Director:
King Vidor
Feature
length: 208 minutes
Extras:
Theatrical Trailer-Behind The Scenes Of War And Peace, Re-release Theatrical
Trailer
Languages:
English Monaural Sound
Subtitles:
English Captions and Closed Captions
Packaging:
Amaray Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 27
Sound:
Monaural Sound
Year
of Theatrical Release: 1956/DVD Release: 2002
Theatrical
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Home
Video Distributor: Paramount Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: PG
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Set
against the backdrop of Napoleon’s 1812 invasion of Russia, “War And
Peace” stars Henry Fonda as Pierre Bezukhov and Audrey Hepburn as Natasha
Rostov, two close friends who live in Russia during the crucial years between
1805 and 1815. Mel Ferrer stars as Prince Andrei Bolonsky, one of many men
called off to fight in the war against the French. Disenchanted with the
un-heroic nature of war, Andrei seeks solace in his newfound love for the
enchanting Natasha and it is only in this love that Andrei is able to find truth
and meaning in life that he sought for so long.
I
have never read “War And Peace” and I doubt I ever will. I have read some
Tolstoy in college, but nothing like “War And Peace.” So taking the film at
face value I found this epic dramatization to be somewhat reminiscent of “Gone
With The Wind” complete with star-crossed lovers, pomp, and circumstance as
well as various social intrigues and a huge cast of extras. They do not make
films like this in quite the same way anymore.
I
mean despite the advancements in film stocks as well as the high end digital
video technology employed by filmmakers like George Lucas, there is a quality to
the Technicolor and Vista Vision films like “Gone With The Wind,” “The
Adventures Of Robin Hood,” and “War And Peace” that is just so beautiful
to behold that I feel that the vivid colors and the craftsmanship behind the
production design for films such as these brings me to another world just as
vivid as the worlds modern filmmakers create and dazzle viewers with today.
Audrey Hepburn is like a siren with her waif like appearance. Her husband at the
time Mel Ferrer gives an honorable performance, though somehow Henry Fonda
appears out of place in this film. I mean he is good in the role, but while
Fonda would go on to surprise audiences with his villainous turn in Sergio
Leone’s “Once Upon A Time In The West,” here I think he just doesn’t
blend in as well with the rest of the cast in the context of the film. I
understand that this is an abridged dramatization as well, but at more than 3
hours, I think the only people who will notice will be those who have seen other
live action adaptations or read the book.
Paramount
Home Entertainment’s DVD release of “War And Peace” presents the film in a
beautiful anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) aspect ratio with solid colors that
highlight the wonderful costume designs as well as a mix of location and studio
sets. There are a few scratches here and there, but they are of little
consequence. “War And Peace” looks beautiful on DVD and believe me when I
reiterate they don’t make films quite the same way anymore. A clear
two-channel English Monaural Soundtrack is provided with optional English
Captions and Closed Captions for the hearing impaired.
A
combination theatrical trailer and behind-the-scenes promotional spot is
presented in a black and white (1.33:1) aspect ratio complete with the Director
King Vidor addressing the viewers. He looks like he is struggling to read from a
teleprompter and comes off rather strange as his voice slows down and throws the
pacing of the trailer completely off. The trailer has a running length of
3-minutes and 36-seconds. The theatrical re-release trailer (3:17) is presented
in a color widescreen (1.85:1) aspect ratio. Both trailers feature two-channel
English monaural soundtracks. The menus are standard interactive still frames
that are easy to navigate.
“War
And Peace” is available on DVD-Video now from Paramount Home Entertainment.
©
Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.