Doctor Zhivago (Two-Disc Special Edition) [DVD]

What a wonderful surprise to discover this film as finally been released in the DVD format. Indeed, absolutely no one was a more masterful film maker than David Lean, the British director of such classics as "Lawrence of Arabia", "Bridge Over the River Kwai", "Ryan's Daughter" and, of course, "Doctor Zhivago" (see my reviews of all these films). Lean's cinematography is always spectacular and breathtaking, for he had a special appreciation for how the nature of one's natural surroundings set the stage and influenced the dramatic proceedings. Thus, Lean characteristically focused his films on the ways in which individuals and their personal characteristics clash and meld with the larger social, cultural, and historical surround in which they are located, and so each film is a uniquely captivating study of the specific dynamics of each particular individual situation. Each of these films is also a well-choreographed and photographed excursion into the topography, climate, and landscape of the geographic location in which the drama unfolds. The eyes and ears are always delighted by what Lean displays.Here the beauty and innocence of nature is constantly contrasted with the ugliness, artificiality, and depravity of man's environs both under the Czar as well as under the brutally repressive communist regime. Omar Sharif turns on a wonderful performance as young Yuri Zhivago, by turns an orphan, poet, and medical doctor sponsored by the family he will soon marry into. The character of Zhivago is that of an unrepentant innocent, a true Russian peasant transported by situation and circumstance away from his rural origins into the bustling aristocracy of Moscow before the October revolution. All Zhivago wants is to immerse himself wholehearted in the life he has made for himself and his family, yet again and again he is forced by circumstance to serve for forces beyond his doorstep. Unfortunately for Yuri, he is caught in a time and place in which such personal extravagance and private self-absorption is no longer tolerated. Indeed, in the violent and tumultuous Russia of the first half of the 20th century, such a private life was impossible.When war comes, he is pressed into service as a field doctor. Later, after returning to the streets of Moscow, which is in turmoil and difficulty associated with the social changes forced by the Bolsheviks, he decides to escape the political madness by fleeing with the family to the country estate in the Urals. Once there, however, Yuri is forced once more into medical service by the Reds in their running civil ware against the Whites raging throughout Russia. In all this, he collides fatefully with the beautiful Lara, who is played by the very young and beautiful Julie Christie. In their love affair Zhivago finds the emotional inspiration and solace he has sought through all this but has denied himself for the sake of his wife and family. Against this backdrop of the personal odyssey of Zhivago, the events of the Russian revolution and its aftermath are brilliantly depicted. As in all of the Lean movies, the ways in which each character's nature, individual characteristics, and personal foibles project themselves into the larger social circumstances provides the focus of the unfolding story.The cinematography here is absolutely breath-taking, and the many spectacular action sequences and memorable musical score by Maurice Jarre (for which he received an Oscar) all contribute to make this one of the most popular and memorable films of all time. The cast is wonderful, with terrific performances by Sharif, Christie, Geraldine Chaplin, Rod Steiger, Tom Courteney, Rita Tushingham (as Zhivago's bastard daughter with Lara), and a number of notable others, including a small part by Sir Alec Guinness as Zhivago's half-brother Yevgrav, who acts as the narrator of the film. By the way, the film has aged very well, and as a piece of history and as a piece of popular entertainment it is easily one of the top ten of all time. Enjoy!

From BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI to LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, and on to DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, Director David Lean not only knew his epic film genre, but he knew how to garner Best Picture Academy Award nominations and wins. On its theatrical release Dr Z was one of the highest earning cinema tours ever (accounting for cost of inflation variables over time, it currently ranks around #8 in all time ticket sales).For some reason Dr Z took a while to be released on DVD and this 2001 Special Edition was the spectacular result. I purchased it in 2007 a full ten years ago before it became superceded by the "Anniversary Edition" which is essentially the same release with all of the stunning refurbished film elements perfectly transferred to digital. Since this version of the film is only available through third party sellers on Amazon, if you want to purchase directly, search for that version.There are very few classic films this beautiful in cinematography and sound. The story, as pretty much everyone is aware, is a somewhat political love story by Boris Leonidovic Pasternak, banned in the USSR and best seller everywhere else in the world. The movie is quite faithful to the book, both are historically accurate as the background overarching plot unfolds. There are some top reviewers here who have concisely presented the story and I won't repeat their well defined efforts. But in regards to my comment above about finding the Anniversary Edition to replace this issue, bear in mind that professional critics have noted some warts in the new transfer, probably due to the compression of the film onto two sided disc and adding bonus features to it instead of leaving all the bonus material on the second disc. If this is a concern to you, then you might want to purchase this 2001 Doctor Zhivago (Two-Disc Special Edition) instead.Maurice Jarre's incredibly beautiful (and sometimes haunting) score is simply awesome in Dolby Digital 5.1 and the sound engineering for the entire movie is spectacular.If you have somehow never seen this movie, it is one of those classic films that should be in every movie buffs collection, one of the great cinematic achievements of the film industry's history. Some critics feel it fell short of his previous two Best Pictures (indeed it lost that title to The Sound Of Music but picked up just as many other Oscars as SOM did) but bear in mind that the cinematography in Dr Z is technologically better and more sweeping than those earlier wins. It is a gorgeous film to look at, the story is engaging (though has some slow curves), and when the heart-pounding scenes arise, they deliver in truckloads. Great acting, terrific screenplay, and astonishing spectacle.

I've watched this movie over and over and am always entranced by the story, the characters, the acting, the music and the photography. Based on a Pulitzer prize winning book by Boris Pasternak. A real classic.

This is a superb epic of a film by David Lean - one of the masterpieces of the 20th Century Literature, Doctor Zhivago. Boris Pasternak deserved his Nobel Prize for this novel.Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin, Rod Steiger, Tom Courtenay, Alec Guinness, Ralph Richardson, Siobhan McKenna, Rita Tushingham - what a cast and what a great performance.A love story set in the era of WW1 and the Russian Revolution, it brings out the reality of life in Russia in those tumultuous times. The scenic settings are realistic and most beautiful,even though if was filmed in Spain and Finland. Also " Lara's Theme " by composer Maurice Jarre - what a beautiful melody.It is lengthy, but none the less a great movie. The additional disc gives more than ample info on the background of the film and the actors.

Excellant movie. Wide screen with an extras disk. I ordered this one to replace the 45th anniversary dial set that skipped. Compliants by a few others in the review of that disk set also.

Not used to double sided DVD.Extra DVD about the actors and production very interesting considering the relationship of the West with the old USSR.

Awesome if a bit dated. Thought that the love affair was a bit dragged out and after so much minor detailing of their progress to find each other the ending makes you want to scream. It should have had more detail.

Donné en cadeau, bien aimé, je n'ai rien à dire!