Lawrence of Arabia (Single Disc Edition) Reviews

• The desert is a sea in which no oar is dipped.

  
  By A2J3MR64L567OK on 2003-06-11
  It is unsurprising to me that some people find Lawrence of Arabia boring. If you have the attention span of a hummingbird, this is not a film you will enjoy. It has no car chases, no bikini-clad supermodels, and nary a kung-fu move to be seen. Instead, all it offers is tortured respect for everything it touches. Lawrence of Arabia is a film that elevated the art of cinematic storytelling to new heights, and it shows. It is the journey, not the destination, that the viewer should focus on. In order to enjoy this film, you must make a commitment to watch it. Get comfortable, have something to drink on hand (you'll know why about halfway through), turn off the phone, and put the remote under a pillow. I've seen a lot of films, and some I've liked to varying degrees, and others I've simply been satisfied that Hollywood didn't butcher the underlying work or premise too badly in pursuit of the lowest common denominator. Lawrence of Arabia is different. It is one of those truly rare films that makes you feel grateful for having seen it, for the efforts of all those involved to craft, create, and perserve over the years just so you might have the chance to see it. It is such a fine film that its merits are obvious, and negative statements about it tend to simply reflect back on the critic.

  Why? Many reasons. The actors are likewise gifted with rare talent, and superbly cast. The settings and scenes are invariably breathtaking. The plot is engrossing and entertaining without ever becoming heavy-handed. Film students will while away hours discussing everything from the Christ imagery to the undercurrents of homoeroticism, but they do that with every film. I suggest you simply kick back and enjoy an excellent, time-honored epic about a stranger in a strange land. It is a harrowing, draining journey, but one you will not regret.
  
  

• DVD the best looking version yet

  
  By AO461REE0KA4J on 2001-04-06
  Apart from the slightly soft, washed-out picture quality during the opening credits of the movie, the DVD edition of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA is superb. The movie itself is spread onto 2 discs, with the disc break occurs just before Intermission. The Overture, Intermission, and the exit music are all played to a black screen, as per director David Lean's original wish. The picture quality looks as fresh and clean as, quite frankly, any film made in the 90s. In the dramatic shot where Lawrence appears on the far horizon after he rescued his Arab companion, the higher picture resolution of DVD makes it possible for us to notice his tiny figure whereas on VHS tapes or laserdisc it is so small it is almost impossible to see. Anyone who is serious about watching this film should get this DVD instead of any other version in order to appreciate the opulent cinematography and majestic atmosphere of this epic.

  The disc has over 100 minutes of old and new documentaries and news footage about the making of the film, plus two well-designed DVD-ROM features (for Windows PC only): a interactive map showing the various journeys undertaken by the real T.E. Lawrence, and a "split-screen" feature that simultaneously plays the movie and shows you text of behind-of-scene information of the particular chapter of the movie that is playing. Since the DVD lacks a second audio commentary, being able to watch the film while reading facts about it is not a bad substitute.

  The included "booklet" is a reproduction of the 1961 program given to theater goers, we are told. A nice touch: the disc case resembles Lawrence's diary in the movie.
  
  

• Talk About Character Development !!!!! What A Classic Should Be!!!!!

  
  By A1IHT31N8RLPN8 on 2008-03-26
  For me this epic film is tied with "A Bridge On The River Kwai" as the best movie ever made. This film had everything & more. The peerless acting of Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Omar Sharif, Jack Hawkins, & Anthony Quinn were perfectly cast for their respective roles. Fine cinematography, direction, action, suspense, special effects, & musical score made this a mammoth production that took two years to complete.
  
  
  Set in world war one in the turbulent middle east, T.E.Lawrence attempts to unite the Arabs to overthrow their Ottoman Turkish rulers. He starts as a mapmaker for British intelligence in Cairo. From the very first frames you can feel the extraordinary WILL of this man. He burns himself with matches saying to his comrade "the trick is not to mind that it hurts." He is sent to spy on King Feisal{Alec Guinness}, but he soon finds that he identifies more with the arabs than with his fellow Brit's. His brutal journey to the king under the scorching desert Sun alone is worth four stars. He develops an unexpected & intruiging relationship with an arab chieftain Sherif Ali{Omar Sharif}, that moves the film ever forward. Without orders he crosses the desert to lead a motley group of fifty men joining Auda Abu Tayi{Anthony Quinn}, to attack the Turks at Aqaba. With the victory comes his fame as US reporter Jackson Bentley{Arthur Kennedy}, brings the story to the media's attention. He moves from one gruelling adventure to another showing an indomitable will that encourages his men to fight above what they thought their own abilities were. Lawrence Of Arabia is an epic that celebrates the empty silence of the arabian desert. the vast clips across the glowing desert show a tiny rider approaching, mesmerizing sunsets, battles, & camp details make this a masterpiece. Peter O'Toole gave the greatest performance ever in this film. I'm not saying that Gregory Peck did not deserve the Oscar for "To Kill A Mockingbird," just that O'Toole deserved it a little more. The former still has never won the Oscar, which for me is an unpardonable sin!
  
  

• Finally! A Superbit "Lawrence" with color corrected video

  
  By on 2003-09-10
  I won't review the movie. That's all been said before. And reading the other reviews will make you aware of the extraordinary restoration effort that was put into this masterpiece for its re-release in 70 mm 15 years ago. But no matter how good that release was, it didn't translate well to home video. I've had a VHS version and also own the DVD release from two years ago. That deluxe disc set had the entire three-hour plus film on one disc and was not properly color corrected. (The second disc IS chock full of newsreel footage and other extras if you enjoy that sort of thing)

  Now comes the Superbit release, which spreads the movie across two discs, dramatically increasing the bit rate. For once, Superbit really comes through and great improves the DVD experience. There are no extras. But the quality of the video is amazing. Key to this was the involvement in this edition of Robert Harris, who worked with David Lean and the film's cinematographer on the 1988 restoration. Mr. Harris details on thedigitalbits.com the time spent on this new DVD release to get everything right.

  The results are excellent. It's like a veil was lifted from the film to fully reveal the magnificent details of the desert landscapes. The 5.1 and DTS mixes are also top notch.

  Whatever you have heard about Superbit, this is the version of the title to own and one of the major DVD releases of this or any other year. If you enjoy this film, you owe it to yourself to rent or buy this version.
  
  

• Film making at its finest. Don't miss it!

  
  By A17FLA8HQOFVIG on 2002-10-05
  This 1962 film is based on the true story of the unconventional British Lieutenant, who, during WW1, united Arab tribes to fight on the British side against the Turks. How Lawrence did that was the result of his weird combination of charisma and craziness. And how director, David Lean, brought this epic to the screen is a result of pure genius. Filmed on location in Jordan, the desert comes alive for the viewer. It's mile after mile after mile of drifting sand. But it also has places where there are lots of little rocks. And then there are the few and far-between oases and wells. There's danger here too, both because of the bitter tribal rivalries as well as natural dangers such as quicksand. The camel is the accepted mode of transportation. And thirst is something that the Bedouins learned to live with. It's a harsh life. The film is full of adventure. And not just because of the characters or the action. There's the adventure of the desert itself, and how a small speck on the horizon comes out of a mirage and becomes a human being. This all comes alive by a vision, one that had never been done on screen before. It was an ambitious undertaking. And a huge success.

  The acting was outstanding. And so were all the special effects, although the cast of thousands who were real live people. It's a refreshing difference to computer-generated scenes we've become accustomed to. And a type of filming that we will not likely see again. For that alone, the film stands as a testament to human ingenuity. A couple of details bothered me, such as the makeup on Peter O'Toole whose fair skin was supposed to look sunburned, but somehow looked as if he had thick clay on his face. But this was minor. I also thought the film was too long and missed a traditional arc of plot which I've come to expect. I found myself drowsing off during the last half hour as it all seemed repetitive and superfluous to what had come before.

  I watched all the DVD special features the next morning. And they were wonderful. It was then I realized that the print I had watched had been restored in 1989, with 35 minutes added to the epic. Some of the sound had been lost at that time and I found it fascinating as to how they brought back the actors to dub in their own voices again. I love learning about all the background and hearing the actors talk about the experience. Don't miss this wonderful DVD. Just make sure that you give yourself enough time to watch the film in its entirety. And add on another couple of hours to see the special features. You'll come away with an experience of your own that goes beyond merely watching a film. Clearly, it rates one of my highest recommendations.
  
  

• One Of The Ten Most Magnificent Films Of All Time!
  By ALR35EFI69S5R on 2000-07-30
  No one was a more masterful film maker than was David Lean, the British director who brought us such unforgettable classics as "Bridge Over the River Kwai", "Doctor Zhivago" ""Ryan's Daughter", and of course, "Lawrence of Arabia"(see my reviews of all these films). The cinematography is always spectacular and breath-taking, and one has to agree with the comments of a previous reviewer that here the desert plays a well-scripted supporting role in the unfolding drama that was T. E. Lawrence's experience during the First World War in Arabia. Lean always 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 particularly captivating study of the specific dynamics of each such 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 young and bookish Lawrence is faced with the unenviable and unlikely prospect of trying to unite the multitude of Arab Bedouin tribes in support of the Allies in the regional warfare associated with WWI. The film captures this unlikely and somewhat quixotic personal odyssey most memorably, and a very young Peter O'Toole is masterful in his edgy portrayal of the enigmatic Lawrence as a time-trapped romantic caught by whimsy and circumstance in the most mind-boggling adventure of a lifetime, an adventure that broke all the rules of convention and upper-class British expectations.

  He meets his match with other characters played by Omar Sharif, Anthony Quinn, and Sir Alec Guinness. And in capturing the comically mismatched skills, expectations, and romanticism that Lawrence launched into the larger picture of what was going on, by viewing his personal odyssey in the context of the much larger cultural framework of Arab ambitions, jealousies, and cultural differences, we are magically transported into the strange and marvelous world of the desert and all the romance and mystery of that region. Viewing each of David Lean's splendid and classic films is a treat and a privilege; no one was as prolific, as consistent, and as engaging a storyteller as he. Lawrence of Arabia is one of his finest films, and as such represents a wonderful standard of excellence in storytelling and film experiences. Sit down and relax, for you are in a master's hands. Enjoy!
  
  

• Terrific DVD Version OF A Classic Film!
  By ALR35EFI69S5R on 2001-04-05
  This newly released DVD edition of this classic film illustrates just how unusual a movie experience was created with this movie. No one was a more masterful film maker than was David Lean, the British director who brought us such unforgettable classics as "Bridge Over the River Kwai", "Doctor Zhivago" ""Ryan's Daughter", as well as this film. The cinematography is spectacular, even breath-taking, and one has to agree with the comments of a previous reviewer that here the desert plays a well-scripted supporting role in the unfolding drama that was T. E. Lawrence's experience during the First World War in Arabia.

  Lean always 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 particularly captivating study of the specific dynamics of each such 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 young and bookish Lawrence is faced with the unenviable and unlikely prospect of trying to unite the multitude of Arab Bedouin tribes in support of the Allies in the regional warfare associated with WWI. The film captures this unlikely and somewhat quixotic personal odyssey most memorably, and a very young Peter O'Toole is masterful in his edgy portrayal of the enigmatic Lawrence as a time-trapped romantic caught by whimsy and circumstance in the most mind-boggling adventure of a lifetime, an adventure that broke all the rules of convention and upper-class British expectations.

  He meets his match with other characters played by Omar Sharif, Anthony Quinn, and Sir Alec Guinness. And in capturing the comically mismatched skills, expectations, and romanticism that Lawrence projected into the larger picture of what was going on, by viewing his personal odyssey in the context of the much larger cultural framework of Arab ambitions, jealousies, and cultural differences, we are magically transported into the strange and marvelous world of the Arabian desert and all the romance and mystery of that region.

  Viewing each of David Lean's splendid and classic films is a treat and a privilege; no one was as prolific, as consistent, and as engaging a storyteller as he. "Lawrence of Arabia" is one of his finest films, and as such represents a wonderful standard of excellence in storytelling and film experiences. Sit down and relax, for you are in a master's hands. Enjoy!
  
  

• Otherness
  By A1E94T4GW7O149 on 2001-11-04
  The movie is all about T. E. Lawrence. So? Well, the result is a movie centered around the discourse of what Edward Said has defined as "Orientalism". If you re-watch and re-examine the movie within the the framework or Orientalism taking into account such things as the representation of the Arab as the Other, T.E. Lawrence as the Agent for the creation of the Arab identity, the horde depictions, the lack of ability to articulate on their own, the all important negative representation of the Turks the picture will take on a new meaning. Let us examine each topic one by one.

  The pivotal character of Auda abu Tayi (Anthony Quinn), with such memorable lines as:

  Auda Abu Tayi: I am Auda Abu Tayi! Does Auda Serve!
  Crowd: No!
  Auda Abu Tayi: Does Auda Abu Tayi serve!
  Crowd: No!
  Auda Abu Tayi: [to Lawrence] I carry twenty-three great wounds all got in battle. Seventy-five men have I killed with my own hands in battle. I scatter, I burn my enemies' tents. I take away their flocks and herds. The Turks pay me a golden treasure, yet I am poor! Because *I* am a river to my people!

  Lawrence: My friends, we have been foolish. Auda will not come to Aqaba. Not for money...
  Auda Abu Tayi: No.
  Lawrence: ...for Feisal...
  Auda Abu Tayi: No!
  Lawrence: ...nor to drive away the Turks. He will come... because it is his pleasure.
  [Pause]
  Auda Abu Tayi: Thy mother mated with a scorpion.

  What do we read? I read that Auda is in effect the representative Arab leader (purposely placing aside the Sherif Ali role played by Omar Sharif) who is a shallow tribal overlord whose primary motivation is money, who leads a band of faceless and greedy Arabs. Despite the claims to the contrary, Auda does not come "for his pleasure" but for the promised gold. Later, upon realization that he had been duped by Lawrence, Auda proceeds to make a new agreement with the same on the promise - but this time with English gold. Does this really give the Arab agency? No. Is the Subaltern speaking here? No. Is this Bolt and Lean restructuring and confirmation of Arab stereotypes. Absolutely. What were they thinking?

  Another curious aspect of the movie is that Lawrence is the only agency the "Arabs" (a notion which he singlehandedly creates) and is the prime mover - no, the only mover. The movie plays out yet another dangerous stereotype of the Arab who cannot think, create, nor motivate himself - they need Lawrence. The Arab needs outside agency to create himself. Don't you find that just a bit ironic? If this was your only encounter with the Arab world you will have hitherto been convinced that the Arab is motivated solely by money and cannot articulate the creation of a state - much less even cares about it.

  The depictions of the Arabs on Camels and the horde of mercenaries will linger as the dangerous and mysterious Arab and he is beginning to be unmasked. However, this chimera and those I mentioned above serve to reinforce false stereotypes and leaves the Arab as the Other. Lean and Bolt try to effect an out through the characterization of Feisal as the Same:

  Prince Feisal: 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.

  However, he is always remote, always aloof and always between his elite guard of black clad Bedouin. Mysterious, always mystery. It does not work.

  What in effect David Lean has accomplished is a classic of modern cinema shrouded in seductive of the mysterious Orient, in epic scale and proportion coupled with music to accompany the grandeur -- what we are really left with is the dehumanizing of the Arab and the escalation of T. E. Lawrence to the status of Messiah.

  What about the encounter of Lawrence of the Turks - what message did that leave you with. If anyone is really a victim in this movie it is not the Arabs but the Turks. Are they lurking about as is suggested with homo-erotic suggestion and potential for violence. What about Turkish complexity, culture and agency. Lean could have placed a counter to this representation or left it out altogether.

  The object is not to finger point as that leaves us within the framework of colonialism and further away from a much needed liberation. We can take up the unfinished project of Frantz Fanon, move away from the politics of blame to a politics of liberation - but only through analysis. As much as was I was seduced by the movie for the longest time, a revisit has allowed me to gain perspective and see it thus. All this however, does not detract from the great cinematography and does not detract from its greatness and that is its greatest weakness.

  Miguel Llora
  
  

• Don't read the book before seeing the movie
  By A16QODENBJVUI1 on 2002-05-25
  The old expression that the book is always better than the movie is oh! so true! The less you know about T. E. Lawrence, the more enjoyable this movie is. Unfortunately, I have recently been reading both about Lawrence (both biographies about him as well as his own masterpiece, SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM). There is always controversy regarding the extent to which the accuracy of the presentation of a historical figure should impact one's assessment of a work of art. Unfortunately, I did find myself enjoying this film vastly less on a reviewing of it after actually knowing something about the subject matter.

  Even after having looked somewhat into Lawrence's life, there are many things to laud in the movie. It is unquestionably one of the most beautiful films ever made, with inconceivably gorgeous cinematography, one of the great musical scores in movie history, and one magnificently epic vista after another. In no movie is the desert as beautiful and as alluring as in this one (just as Lawrence's own SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM is the great paean to the desert, excepting only Charles Doughty's great classic TRAVELS IN DESERTA ARABIA, which Lawrence took as his literary model). And while there are some unfortunate casting decisions (at this point in history, one is always disappointed to see non-Arabs playing major Arab roles), Peter O'Toole dominates the screen in every shot in which he appears, with the most piercing blue eyes one can remember. He is perhaps a tad too good-looking. One is reminded of Noel Coward's quip to O'Toole, "If you'd been any prettier, it would have been Florence of Arabia."

  But if you have read about Lawrence or read Lawrence's own book, certain things will disappoint on a reviewing. First, one is disappointed by the presentation of Lawrence himself. Although Peter O'Toole is unbelievably charismatic as Lawrence, he is on physical grounds terribly unqualified for the role. One of the central factors in Lawrence's life was his height: he was so short he had enormous difficulty getting into the military, only managing it after several high level friends pulled strings for him. Great care was taken to disguise Lawrence's height, but the guess is that he was between 5'3 and 5'6, and probably towards the shorter figure. O'Toole is a long, lean 6'3. Despite some rough physical resemblance, O'Toole's height seriously hurts his ability to portray Lawrence accurately.

  I was also somewhat disappointed, upon reviewing, that the gigantic complexity of Lawrence's personality was not better reflected onscreen. This is probably inevitable. Lawrence was easily one of the most complex personalities of the 20th century. Even after having read a pair of biographies, I feel that I know next to nothing about him. His feelings about the Arabs, his attitudes towards the conflict he was involved in, his goals for himself in the Arab peninsula after the conflict, his masochistic asexuality (he deplored being physically touched by any human being, male or female, yet took delight in his ability to absorb enormous physical brutality, sometimes asking people to beat him with their fists in later life), and, perhaps most of all, his strange relationship to his own fame. After the Arab conflict, he retreated first into the RAF and then into the Army as anonymous private under a fictitious name (in the army becoming Private T. E. Shaw, the "Shaw" homage to his friend Charlotte Shaw, wife of George Bernard).

  The movie also contains many historical inaccuracies, but this is more forgivable in that Lawrence's own book contains perhaps even more inaccuracies. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that it contains many embellishments and exaggerations.

  Still, this is a great movie. If you don't know much about Lawrence, see the movie before learning more about him. You'll love the movie a great deal more if you do.
  
  

• The Superbit version really is better
  By A1EAFFJQ2NDHGC on 2006-11-03
  There are two DVD versions of LoA. The Limited Edition contains extra documentaries and "making of" features. However, the Superbit Collection release (now out of print, but readily available) offers no extras but higher picture quality.
  
  I have owned both versions. The extra features on the limited edition are nice, but you'll probably only watch them once. The film is the thing, and the Superbit edition really does offer an improved picture quality. If you are watching DVDs on a small TV, it won't make a real difference. If you are watching on a high definition computer monitor or projection TV, I would recommend the Superbit version. If you want to see the documentary features of the Limited Edition, rent it from Blockbuster or Netflix.
  
  It appears that all the reviews for LoA are being placed in the listings of both the Limited Edition and the Superbit Collection. I am adding this info so that hopefully people can choose wisely in their purchase. Even the Superbit version has some flaws in mastering, but it is cleaner and clearer, so bear this in mind.
  
  As for the artistic and entertainment quality of the film itself, suffice it to say that I believe it is in a tie with the Lord of the Rings trilogy for the best movie ever made. But whereas the Lord of the Rings had to rely on digital trickery for its vast battle scenes, Lawrence shows real people, hundreds if not thousands, in a story that is both a sweeping epic and a personal journey. (Much like Lord of the Rings.)
  
  Whichever version you buy, buy and study this wonderful film -- more relevant than ever now, with our intense involvement in the Middle East.
  
  
• Single-disc edition: Excellent movie, bad encoding...
  By A2FLNNRDTCCMYP on 2007-01-21
  Amazon's rating engine is stupid, stupid, stupid. I've added this rating for the single-disc edition of Lawrence of Arabia, but the review appears for all versions of the movie. So let me clarify: my single star has nothing to do with the quality of Lawrence of Arabia; it's one of my favorite movies. I purchased the single disc edition and found that my DVD player couldn't decode the content from chapter 52 on. This is because the content had to be so heavily compressed to fit on a single DVD that ... it just didn't work. I know it's an additional $20 for the dual-disc version of this film, but, since the single-disc edition doesn't work in the first place, if you're going to buy Lawrence of Arabia, you'll find the additional money worthwhile.
  
  
• DISMAL, DISMAL, DISMAL - TRANSFER QUALITY CONTINUES TO LACK
  By A1M9DQDGE07Q0U on 2003-09-10
  "Lawrence of Arabia" is the sweeping, grand and brilliantly conceived fictional account of the life of T.E. Lawrence. The plot follows Lawrence from his modest beginnings as a somewhat backward British officer, to his rise as a cult figure and finally, his downward spiral and death. In his debut film, Peter O'Toole delivers a tour de force performance. Omar Shariff is ideally cast as Ali. The evergreen chameleon, Alec Guinness is marvelous. Claude Raines and Jack Hawkins are their usual stellar best.

  THE TRANSFER: Film restorer, Robert A. Harris was called back in to color correct the original restoration negative he had previously worked on. The result is a much smoother, more vibrant print of this immortal classic that truly exhibits the film's rich texture.

  Unfortunately, Columbia (after promising that they would remove it) has left in all of the previous edge enhancement that was contained on the orginal DVD transfer. Fine details shimmer excessively. Much of the latter half of the film is plagued by an incredibly large amount of edge enhancement that creates harsh halo effects around much of the background information. These effects are terribly distracting.

  Despite Superbit's claim to offer the best picture quality available to the home consumer - this disc simply does not hold up! Also, the break in the film DOES NOT come at the intermission, where one might expect it. While the Superbit doctrine claims this is in order to preserve the integrity of the image quality, it's really hard to take them serious when DVD transfers like "Hello Dolly!" have their full 144 min. running time crammed onto one side of a disc with no discernable traces of edge enhancement or shimmering included!

  The audio has been corrected and, for the most part, sounds wonderful - but, on occasion - particularly during the duped segments - where before the over all characteristic was strident, it is now muffled instead (improvement? - you decide).

  Extras: Nothing of course - this is Superbit, what did you expect?

  BOTTOM LINE: Mr. Harris has my deepest admiration for his restorative efforts on this disc. However, the edge enhancement on "Lawrence" is a visual blemish I am not willing to overlook, precisely because it is NOT limited to a few scenes but plagues the transfer throughout and distracts from all the hard efforts Mr. Harris has put forth on this disc. Columbia has my greatest disdain!
  
  

• A Compelling Character Study
  By A3HAIQAPJCTOSH on 2000-01-24
  David Lean and Peter O'Toole combined to produce one of the greatest character studies in cinema history. O'Toole captures the tortured mind of T.E. Lawrence, a man conflicted by personal ambition and a romantic image of the Arab cause. While the historical accuracy of English involvement in Arabian politics may be questioned, the depiction of one of history's most complex characters is beyond reproach. Lawrence is at once a reflective scholar, a reluctant warrior, and driven messiah. He is a man consumed by personal drive, ego, and arrogance in the vortex of war.

  The production values of the movie are impeccable. The acting and direction are outstanding; yet they pale before the cinematography and musical score. The music and visual images blend together to portray the haunting beauty of a vast, harsh, and unforgiving desert upon which this epic unfolds. This movie is without peer, a masterpiece for the ages!
  
  

• Columbia really botched this one bad. It needs a recall.
  By A14RZ09CIT1OKM on 2001-04-11
  First of all, Columbia did not even ask Robert Harris, the person who knows this film the best, to participate in the mastering of this title because he was too much of a "perfectionist." That is a crime in and of itself. Lawrence is a piece of film history, some consider it the greatest film of all time. Secondly, the colors are wrong in many spots. Music cues are terribly wrong on the second disc in the 5.1 soundtrack. But, if you switch to the other language tracks it is fine. Lastly, there are many "jump" cuts that were not present in other formats version of the film. This DVD is a bunch of errors. For the music screwups alone, the disc should be recalled. You are making a mistake ordering it if you care about the film at all.
  
  
• Great movie, questionable history
  By A7PSZY9MKT18L on 1999-11-22
  This movie deserves five stars because it is an epic in true fashion. It is filmed beautifully, the actors are amazing, and the story is compelling. However, it must be remember that the story is very much told from Lawrence's point of view. While he may have thought he was giving the Arabs their freedom and bringing them into the modern world, an Arab would disagree. The Arab Revolt was not Lawrence's, but rather the manifestation of a half century of pan-Arabist thought. In reality, Lawrence is a footnote--though quite an exciting one--in Middle Eastern history.
  
  
• Some Details Which May Alter Your Vision...
  By A3F7RHVPZ3I75 on 2000-09-06
  I have read several biographies of Lawrence. This film, of course, is the best ever made (in my opinion). But instead of my going on and on about it with rants and raves, I think that some points can be pointed out that will enhance your viewing and even help you to wear a different pair of glasses (a more accurate pair) as you watch this film. Lawrence loved castles. Before World War I, he would bicycle all around Europe examining castles. Making maps and writing details about them. Then an opportunity arose. Oxford offered him a chance to be a real archeologist! To go to Arabia and dig up Sumerian pottery. He did so and loved it. Because of his experience, "Ned" (what his friends called him) was therefore sent to Egypt to be, of all things, a spy! I'm sorry to say, he was not like James Bond. This was hard "detail" work. Decoding. This is what he is doing in the beginning of the movie. And you can tell from his history, he didn't like it! He wanted to be active like his brothers (2 out of 4, I believe, died on the front). The movie is an entirely accurate portrayal of Lawrence. Even the blood. War is a little different than a John Wayne movie. The torturing that he received at the hands of the Turks would stay with him until the end of his days. There were no abberations in regards to his being "a violent man". When people start killing, it has a "herd" effect. Everybody goes crazy. He does seem to have done the entire Arab Revolt alone. There is one slight "flaw" in the movie. Not really a flaw. But it is easily viewed as such. Lawrence liked Allenby and Fiesal. If you can view this movie again, try to look through their eyes. Fiesal knew that Lawrence could go English at anytime. Allenby knew that Lawrence could go Arabic anytime. He was a threat. But he met the challenge. He worked as an aide for Winston Churchill after the war. Then he joined the ranks as an ordinary soldier. He was offered the Victory Cross. He turned it down and gave it to the Arab Republic. He was offered a knighthood. He turned it down, and once again, dedicated it to the Arab Republic. He was not gay. He was celibate from the day he was born until the day that he died. Except for many incidents afterwards. After Arabia when he joined the armed services for the rest of his life. He always made friends through kindness. He would have friends in the service beat him until he had an orgasm. Oddly enough, this was almost an exact enactment of what happened in Arabia when he was tortured. They would whip him hard on the back under the directions of an "alledged uncle" who would send him letters. The soldiers loved Ned. Not in a "carnal fashion". But because of his kindness and generosity. So they would follow the orders at Ned's requests. To be punished. They, of course, were written by Lawrence himself. Lawrence was very short! About five feet and he had a "high-pitched" giggle. O'Toole and director Lean do an uncanny job with his characterization. In one of the early scenes of the movie, I could swear that they had gotten rid of O'Toole and put Lawrence in as a stand-in. The resemblence is remarkable! O'Toole even handles the high-pitched giggle well. Listen carefully throughout the movie. O'Toole will have a "high-pitched" giggle (actually a middle "range statacco laugh") to measure Lawrence properly. For all purposes, the movie is flawless. No. He was not illegimate. That part is very complicated. But you can be sure that from the beginning of the film to the entire end, the portrayal of Lawrence as a man during this period is 100% accurate. View it again. And if I helped increase the movie's enjoyment for you, this review was well worth writing. Thank you.
  
  
• "The Trick Is Not Caring That It Hurts."
  By A141HP4LYPWMSR on 2005-07-28
  Of all the movies that really don't need another review, this one probably heads the list. However since 'Lawrence of Arabia' is one of my all-time top ten films I wanted to add my two cents anyway.
  
  Seldom in cinematic history has there ever been so grand a tale told as the story of T. E. Lawrence and his miraculous accomplishments in the deserts of Arabia. A man of truly mythic proportions whose interior vision was so powerful it forever changed the course of world politics. By an act of pure, concentrated willpower ("Nothing is written unless I write it") Lawrence defied all the odds and experts, uniting the ever-feuding semitic tribes of the Middle East under one flag in a battle for Arab independence. This was a daring project to commit to film and it paid of, becoming one of the most honored and studied films of all-time.
  
  Columbia pulled out all the stops in bringing this true life adventure to the screen. Nothing but the best was required. Director David Lean, complimented by one of the most skilled casts ever assembled; Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Claude Rains, Arthur Kennedy, Jack Hawkins and Jose Ferrer brought the story to life as nobody else could. Coupled with Maurice Jarre's epic soundtrack, we have been graced with as perfect a film as you will ever see.
  
  
• Deadly masterpiece
  By A3RELXSKSDJB9C on 2001-03-30
  "Lawrence of Arabia," one of the most compelling character studies ever captured on film, is the story of T.E. Lawrence, the eccentric British spy who was the prime architect for the destruction of the Ottoman Empire during World War I. The story unfolds in the haunting beauty of the vast, harsh, and unforgiving deserts of the Middle East.

  Maurice Jarre, through eloquent musical composition, gives voice to both the man and the desert. Lawrence was a man conflicted by personal ambition and a romantic image of the Arab cause. In real life, Lawrence was a homosexual who had relations with his beduoin slaves.

  Jarre's crisp, syncopated musical rhythms vividly portray the exotic Arabian culture that so appealed to Lawrence. The majestic moments of the score, however, are reserved for the desert. Jarre's sweeping orchestrations blend with David Lean's expansive visual images to evoke the raw, physical power of the desert. This unforgettable synergy of sight and sound is perhaps the finest ever recorded on film.
  
  

• A Grand, Thrilling Epic.
  By A3N3SN2DDD4HCJ on 2001-04-25
  "Lawrence of Arabia" is one of the great epics. A film that is captivating in its scope and grandeur. Director David Lean has here his best film. It is a remarkably well-made film with a fantastic screenplay by Robert Bolt and dynamic performances by Peter O'Toole, Anthony Quinn and Omar Sharif. But what makes the film a masterpiece aside from the great dramatic elements, is the incredible visual quality. The vistas are breathtaking and it will be a very long time before anyone films the desert like Lean did with this film. It is even more breathtaking a movie to watch when you know this was released in 1962, long before computer graphics were essential to visuals. Everything is REAL, alive and thundering. And whatever beautiful visual side-effects we see in the sand or caused by the heat caught in the background by the lenses, is quite natural too. The action sequences are also great to this day. This film is epic and grand, heroic and exhilarating yet beautifully artistic. And there is of course, the romantic, wonderous musical score by Maurice Jarre. It is one of the great masterpieces of the cinema. A true classic that still stands the test of time. This new DVD edition is fantastic and the making-of documentary is fascinating and very informative. It is a worthy treatment. Here is one of the truly great films.
  
  
• The two best movies ever made
  By A1NSMQIF1C2VCE on 2000-12-07
  "Lawrence of Arabia" was made at a time when films still had intermissions and with films as long as this, they needed it.

  Here, though, that inevitable break in the movie is put to good use: "Lawrence of Arabia" is really two great movies. The first is about how an ordinary guy becomes a hero, with derring do that's an unacknowledged precursor to both the Indiana Jones and Star Wars movies as much as it influenced more "serious" works.

  For my money, though, the second half is where it really gets interesting, because I don't recall seeing many other films that actually tackle what happens when someone has to live up to being a hero -- especially a film that will take the question seriously, rather than use it as a chance for Movie of the Week schmaltz. The decline and fall of Lawrence is as gripping as any other film I've seen, and would stand on its own as a film classic even without the lead-in.

  Together with beautiful vistas -- not seeing this in letterbox is a flat-out crime -- the greatest moments of some classic actors (see why Omar Sharif actually deserves his big name recognition) and amazing set pieces decades before "Braveheart," "Lawrence of Arabia" has something for everyone: It's a serious art piece, it's an action movie, it's an adventure.

  And it's a well-deserved classic that should be seen by everyone.
  
  

• A Film with Real Depth
  By A3BV9E9XSA4Z73 on 2001-08-24
  

  As many previous reviewers have done an excellent job of describing the DVD-specific aspects of this item, I'd like to comment on the film itself rather than the physical presentation.

  Firstly, it has to be said that T.E. Lawrence was a bastard - in several senses of the word.
  He was the illegitimate son of a well-to-do Englishman who contributed financially to Lawrence's upbringing - but never had the faintest intention of formally recognising their relationship.
  This, at time when class and parentage were key pillars of a totally hypocritical social system, goes a long way to explaining Lawrence's ambiguous feelings about his own identity (he used several different names at one time or another), and even, perhaps, his *allegedly* wavering sexuality.

  It may also help to explain why Lawrence was so drawn to the vast emptiness of the Arabian Desert, despite his upbringing in England's "green and pleasant land".

  In England, Lawrence had little option but to be whatever society made of him. In Arabia he was able to be whatever he cared to make of himself. (Which was no doubt why he had been in the Middle East for quite some time before WW1 started - mainly engaged on archaeological activities.)
  The exchanges between Sherif Ali (Omar Sharif) - who starts out taking the traditional view that "It is written..." - and Lawrence's (O'Toole) retort that: "Nothing is written unless I write it" - have several levels of significance. Lawrence's return into the searing heat on 'The Anvil' to rescue Gasim (though indeed based on a real-life incident) also stands as a metaphor for man's place in the universe, the social outsider making his own rules, the contrast between the values of the Arabs and of their European allies, and provides a commentary on the self-made nature of the true 'leader'.

  The subsequent episode in which Lawrence executes Gasim, in order to prevent a re-emergence of inter-tribal hostilities, likewise has a number of facets. On the one hand it asks again the metaphysical question of how far our lives are predetermined by "fate". And it also refers us back to the other considerations I just mentioned. To what extent are we all bound to conform to social pressures in the end? How far can any leader, however charismatic, afford to confront the basic beliefs and values of his followers, etc.
  It seems to me that the film depicts Lawrence's time as leader of the Arab Revolt as being a major journey of self-discovery, and that this brilliantly understated 'sub-text' is one of the primary reasons why the film has remained so popular for so long.

  A second, though less subtle, sub-plot is linked to the nature of British Imperialism.

  When this film was made, most people living in Britain still remembered at least a part of the age of the great British Empire. At the same time, however, with lands and colonies being stripped away at an ever-increasing rate, we were already entering the unknown 'territory' of post-Colonialism.

  In part this meant a lingering pride in our previous power - when "half the world was coloured red" - but also a growing belief, in some quarters, that our main contribution to the countries we'd ruled had been to rip them off for as much of their wealth as we could lay our little hands on.

  In Victorian times we had justified our behaviour by elevating Darwinism - and particularly "the Survival of the Fittest" - to the level of both scientific and moral absolutes, thus excusing virtually any amount of disrespect to the natives of those countries we ruled over.

  With this idea in mind it is interesting to watch the interplay between the quintessential 'white man', Lawrence (even down to the colour of his robes) and the Arab 'hordes'. Note, for example, Lawrence's several announcements that the Arabs shall have this or that because *he* will give it to them.
  

  In reality, of course, it was Lawrence who was utterly dependent upon the Arabs for his success.
  This contrast of Arab and Westerner hits home hardest, I think, in the scenes in Damascus, both in the Arab Parliament and in the Turkish hospital.

  The degree to which Lawrence was indeed a tool of the "puppet masters" is made patently obvious as the film draws to a close. In the final scene in Allenby's office we find the General, the Machiavellian civil servant 'Mr' Dryden (brilliantly portrayed by Claude Raines) and King Feisal (Alec Guinness) in conference. It is they who will discuss and determine the future of Arabia, whilst Lawrence is 'bumped up' to Colonel - and shipped home to England (where he can no longer cause any problems).

  By the way, although, in the film, Lawrence's funeral follows straight on from his return from Egypt, there was in reality a gap of approx. 18 years between the two events, during which he tried hard to escape from his fame by joining the RAF (1922) as J H Ross, a mechanic, then the Tank Corps (1923) as T E Shaw, and back to the RAF in 1925. By the time of his fatal accident he had retired to a country cottage in Dorset.

  As a Brit. I find the film endlessly enthralling.
  The screenplay, by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson, and David Lean's direction are as profound and intelligent as you will find in ANY film from any country at any time.

  I wonder how it looks to non-Brits 8)
  
  

• great movie, bad history
  By on 2001-11-21
  I won't comment on the cinematographic value of this movie as I don't think that I have anything to add to the reviews already posted. What I will say is that although this movie is truly a work of art, it is deeply flawed because of its dangerously false account of history. Generally speaking, for the most part the arab characters in the movie are made to appear simple, cruel, greedy, ie the usual treatment for arabs in Hollywood. But that isn't really what bothers me; the worst comes at the end of the movie, when the arab army headed by Lawrence reach Damascus. In the movie they are shown to argue for a total of two days after which they return to desert having achieved nothing. Supposedly they were unable to govern the city themselves, basically leaving the door open for France to move in with clean hands.

  In reality however, the arab administration lasted not for two days but for two years. The nomads from the desert didn't try to run the city themselves - they were uneducated, but they weren't that stupid. They made use of the inhabitants of the city who had been running the place before and who did just as good a job under arab governance. The only reason they left the city was because they were forced to... by the French army. Hence the film didn't get it quite right, which is a problem and a great shame. I know it seems absurd, but maybe the best solution would be for this film to continue being shown and respected as much as it is, but for it to run a proviso at the beginning mentioning that its account of history is inaccurate, seeing as it purports to be a film based on actual historic events.
  
  

• "When God Made You a Fool, He Gave You a Fool's Face"
  By AD2BIAIH78QI5 on 2001-09-01
  The line I always remembered best, from David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia", is said neither by nor to the eponymous Lawrence played by Peter O'Toole. No, it's Anthony Quinn to Anthony Quayle, only two of the remarkable cast assembled for this desert epic tale. Who else is in this film? Besides O'Toole, Quinn, and Quayle, try Omar Sharif, Jose Ferrer, Claude Rains, Jack Hawkins, Alec Guinness, and Arthur Kennedy. How can you miss with a cast like that? Dead on perfect, every actor.

  The audience is left by and large to decide for themselves whether Lawrence was a mystic, a fanatic, a rogue, a meglomaniac, or anything else that comes to mind. We see his start, from an obscure British army officer merely delivering a message to Prince Faisal to a commander of an arab army sweeping the Turkish Empire back as World War I rages in the Middle East as well. Here's a movie that really is a feast for the eyes, as nearly every few minutes there's an incredible shot of desert caravans or looting armies or a triumphant Lawrence ego-tripping out as he parades atop a derailed train. "Lawrence of Arabia" made the careers of both O'Toole and Sharif, and deservedly so. If you haven't yet seen this granddaddy of all epics, hoist yourself onto a camel and hunt it down.
  
  

• A Soul Divided: Lawrence's story.
  By A1Y87E22UVYCE6 on 2004-12-17
  This film is a well deserved 7 Oscar winner. A huge production effort, 10 M dollars in 1962 was a record. To fully appreciate this opus, you should see it in a theater, no doubt, but if that is not possible don't miss it. VHS or DVD will allow you to taste many of the great features of this movie.
  
  First: a collection of actors performing in an unusual high level: Peter O'Toole as Lawrence, Omar Shariff as Sheriff Ali, Jack Hawkins as General Allenby, Anthony Quinn as Auda abu Tayi, Alec Guinness as King Feisal.
  Not only those performances are outstanding, lots of secondary characters are also paramount: the two kids that followed Lawrence, Michael Ray as Farraj and John Dimech as Daud; the uncredited Turk soldier that holds Lawrence while he is whipped, gives an unforgettable expression, in a scene that takes no more than three minutes; the first Bedouin guide to Lawrence (Zia Mohyeddin); the British officers showing their elitist attitudes; almost all performances are remarkable one way or the other.
  
  Second: the music score of Maurice Jarre with some remarkable compositions that remain as a trade mark of the movie.
  The more than beautiful photography from Freddie Young (with an extended career that include more than 130 films), desert pictures are overwhelming, both winning Oscar.
  
  Third: the film director, David Lean (also Oscar winner), directs with the same allure mass battle scenes and intimate dialogues between Ali and Lawrence, Feisal and Lawrence among others. No doubt he influenced the generalized high quality of actor's performance.
  
  Fourth: the story a forceful recreation of a critical war period with its political implications (still unresolved after almost 90 years). The intimate description of Lawrence divided loyalties: to Arab Cause and to British Empire. Of Lawrence's spiritual suffering: he was an intellectual and a mystic thrown in the middle of a bloody war conflict and having to lead human beings to death, suffering and destruction. Lawrence's internals contradictions: he enjoyed killing a man; afterwards, he was incapable to refrain his vengeance desires. His failure to fulfill his promises. All this kaleidoscopic emotions are shown by Peter O'Toole with a compromise rarely seen; he gives real flesh and blood to his historical character.
  
  There are some minor historical inaccuracies (poetic licenses may we say?), King Feisal is shown as an elder man; in reality he was only a couple of years older than young Lawrence. Peter O'Toole was (approximately) 6 feet high (or 1.80 meters) and Lawrence was (approximately) 5 feet 3 inches high (or 1.65 meters), this is in a way minimized by how O'Toole managed his corporal demeanor.
  An unforgettable film!!!
  Reviewed by Max Yofre.
  
  
  
• A Desert Myth: Perhaps The Finest Epic Film Ever Made
  By ACIBQ6BQ6AWEV on 2005-01-23
  To understand the Middle East as it presently exists, one must understand World War I and its consequences for those who live in the region. In making such a study, one inevitably and repeatedly encounters the name T.E. Lawrence, then and now one of the most controversial military figures of the 20th Century, a remarkably complex man who combined an unassuming manner with an astonishing flair for self-promotion.
  
  Lawrence authored an account of his Arabian adventures following the war. Titled THE SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM, it has the very unusual distinction of being extremely famous before it was widely available: originally printed in a limited edition of 120 copies, it was widely praised, but it was not given a further printing until after Lawrence's death--at which point both those who served with Lawrence and historians alike noted that the work was much less accurate, much less factual than its first readers supposed. Still, between the press coverage and the man's own gift for self-mythology, it was enough. T.E. Lawrence was enshrined in memory as Lawrence of Arabia, and in the late 1950s and early 1960s David Lean set out to make a film about him, using THE SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM as primary source.
  
  A great deal has been made of the film's factual inaccuracies; a great deal more has been made of the film's failure to explicitly portray Lawrence's covertly sadomasochistic personality and homo-erotic edge. But LAWRENCE OF ARABIA is not a film of mere fact; we must turn to documentary for that. It is the myth, a vision of Lawrence as he himself wished to be seen, and the covert indications of his hidden nature adds greater depth to both his character and the film as a whole: as the story progresses we become acutely aware that there is much more that we do not know, a fact that lends a tremendous sense of mystery to the film. Factual, no; explicit, no. But in its entirety, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA achieves an artistic truth that transcends any mere notation of fact pure and simple.
  
  It is, in my opinion, the single finest film of epic scope to ever reach the screen. The episodic story, scripted by Robert Bolt (author of A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS), casts a remarkably wide net, not only following Lawrence's adventures but placing them within a finely drawn context of diplomacy as well. The cast is superb. Led by Peter O'Toole in the title role, virtually every actor involved not only brings the various historical figures to vivid life, but transmutes them into archetypes as well. David Lean's direction is flawless, as is the astonishingly beautiful cinematography, artful yet unobtrusive editing, and truly memorable score.
  
  It is true that LAWRENCE OF ARABIA is best seen on the big screen, where its visual power may be seen a full power; even so, it fares remarkably well on the small screen, much more so than epics that rely on visual power to the exclusion of all else. There have been several releases to the home market, including a double cassette VHS and a two disk DVD with a host of extras--but this single DVD release, a "no frills" release without significant extras, offers a near-pristine picture and excellent sound, and I recommend for those who are not greatly interested in the history of the film itself. Mercifully, the release also preserves the film's original ratio; I flatly state that pan-and-scan versions do a tremendous disservice to both the film and the viewer. An unedited presentation of overture, intermission, and exit music is also included to great effect.
  
  Alternatively languid and violent, beautiful and disquieting, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA is a remarkably fine film that deserves every praise heaped upon it since its 1962 release. I cannot recommend it too highly.
  
  GFT, Amazon Reviewer
  
  
• A sideshow of a sideshow
  By A1KMPJH17TJJ4R on 2008-06-18
  This 2008 2 disc set is a disaster. The only thing new it accomplishes is to prove, once and for all, that Columbia studios is run by men (and women) with curdled brains. Releasing something like this set of such poor quality is at odds with some of their other dvd releases. Close Encounters is an outstanding set, and David Lean's A Passage to India is as perfect as one could ever ask for.
  
  So why, when they are this close to releasing Lawrence on BluRay, would they simply re-re-re-release the same lousy HD transfer over again? Oh, that's right, no imagination, and slavering, grasping execs who still stink at the end of the day like everyone else.
  
  The set contains the corrected film from the Superbit release with all the special features of the original cloth-bound Limited Edition release, but the tards at Columbia Home Video have opted to keep the Superbit break in the film, which means disc one is all over with at "Due west!" a full twenty minutes before the intermission. This means cramming the remaining two hours of Lawrence PLUS the nearly two hours of special features onto disc two.
  
  And to add insult to injury, THE MOVIE IMAGE ITSELF STILL SUFFERS FROM UNWATCHABLE SHIMMERING AND EDGE FRACTURING. It is impossible to absorb oneself into the film when highlights - tent poles, belt buckles, edges of rocks - jiggle and flicker maddeningly.
  
  Bottom line: splitting the film in half before the intended intermission is unacceptable. Distracting edge shimmer in the 21st century is also unacceptable. Releasing a world renowned classic like this four times and still getting it wrong is utterly criminal. It seems the studios are firing all the wrong people. I know, I work at one.
  
  So, one feels, after this excretory fourth release, like Lawrence after Deraa, sodomized and left in the mud. Good thing I got this junk for free, from a buy-two-get-one-free deal at Barnes and Noble. Otherwise I'd be asking for my money back. Actually, I would be demanding it.
  
  
• : )
  By A17NFLRFTMYXF5 on 2000-12-09
  T.E. Lawrence lived

  Life enough for twenty men

  Blue eyes and desert
  
  

• An Unlikely Masterpiece
  By A3CIYAHOSN4F0Z on 2008-07-26
  I find it amazing this movie was ever made. A three-and-a-half hour epic about a strange, masochistic, messianic, probably gay, possibly mentally disturbed British military officer having an identity crisis while going native & riding a camel back and forth in the desert in the wrong theater of a major war. I wonder how David Lean pitched this thing to Columbia Studios in the first place.
  
  There is not one word of dialogue spoken by any female in the entire movie. The movie was made by a major American studio but is a decidedly British movie made by a bunch of Brits about a bunch Brits and Arabs in North Africa. The only American character is unnecessary, poorly written and poorly acted, almost as if on purpose. Certainly David Lean had a certain cache thanks to the success of The Bridge on the River Kwai and he used at least a few important actors in co-starring roles. However, his two main characters were played by two nearly unknown actors, Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif. Both made their careers with their performances in this movie.
  
  The script is a fictionalization of Lawrence's memoir, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, in which he gives his side of the story of his involvement in the North African theater in WW1. His account has been summed up by many historical scholars & contemporaries as debatable at best and simply a pack of lies at worst. In other words, a fictionalization of an unreliable source. As the title makes clear, the movie is about T. E. Lawrence in Arabia and not so much about the Arab revolt against Turkey.
  
  O'Toole had very little screen acting experience when he starred in this movie. He had been a stage actor for some time & had appeared in a few movies. His performance as Lawrence is routinely cited as one of the greatest performances in any movie ever and often as the greatest performance in any English speaking movie. Not a bad day's work, eh? His blue eyes, reedlike frame and not particularly handsome but interesting face are arresting. O'Toole owns the screen and scenes not featuring him are noticable by his absence. He lost the Academy Award to Gregory Peck's model father in To Kill a Mockingbird. David Lean, the music and the Cinematography won. So did the sound, art direction, and the editing. The whole shebang won the best picture award. Omar Sharif was nominated and so was the screenplay. The script is astonishingly intelligent and thoughtful for a Hollywood movie.
  
  If the movie suffers at all, it is from uninteresting and poorly delineated minor characters. Lawrence of Arabia concerns itself almost exclusively with a few major characters and lets the rest fight for the scraps. Fortunately, O'Toole, Sharif, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Quayle, Jack Hawkins, Alec Guinness, Jose Ferrer and Claude Rains deliver excellent performances.
  
  The cinematography is stunning. The desert is the other major character besides Lawrence. It's vastness, beauty, danger and mystery are every bit as fascinating as the title character. The desert is a vast wasteland and a home to millions. A primordial landscape only somewhat tamed by a primordial people.
  
  An epic that sprawls over thousands of miles of desert and features a cast of thousands, Lawrence of Arabia ultimately boils down to a fascinating character study and beautiful cinematography.
  
  
• Brilliant Film--very flawed DVD!!
  By AN1YBZJFBCGMK on 2003-07-21
  As the editor and publisher of Davidlean.com I can say with a high degree of confidence that Lawrence of Arabia remains one of Lean's most treasured films--and with good reason. It is a film that can be analyzed and appreciated on all artistic fronts: an exceptional screenplay by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson; ground breaking and stunning cinematography by Freddy Young; flawless editing by Anne V. Coates; and one of the great scores from any film by Maurice Jarre. The film's placement as one of the greatest films ever made is not hyperbole, it is truly an original film that will never be equaled.

  Unfortunately I cannot recommend the deluxe edition released on DVD despite its wealth of additional features. The transfer in this DVD is terribly flawed. The Main Titles are smeared and the color is off in many of the scenes. Additionally, Columbia decided to fiddle with the audio tracks by re-editing or remixing a few important scenes. These include the infamous scene of Lawrence walking atop the railroad cars, and the scene right before the intermission as Lawrence is walking back towards the officers to be congratulated. Both contain misplaced audio cues that, had David Lean still been alive, would have endured a thorough verbal lashing from him. They are ill timed and poorly done. (The correct audio cues can be found on the Portuguese audio track.) Given the film's history of tampering, it is appalling that the studio continues to "mess" with the film's contents rather than release the film as Lean desired. Hopefully the next (third) release of the film as a SuperBit edition will correct these errors (I have been assured by someone close to this production that they will be).
  
  

• The Greatest Film Ever
  By A1GX4R797QZZP8 on 2004-04-07
  I am of the unwavering opinion that this film has no equal either before or since it was released. The Wizard of Oz, Citizen Kane, Casablanca, On the Waterfront, Singin' in the Rain, and The Godfathers all come in fighting for second place after LAwrence of Arabia.

  Regarding the numerous DVD editions, I prefer the cloth-covered Columbia Tri Star release. The image quality is excellent (if not quite the superbit), but the film's division per disc occurs at the more natural intermission point, it has subtitles in some seven languages, and it has a nice bit of extras which are interesting enough (lacking on the single disc edition as well as the superbit).
  
  

• The Bridge on the River Kwai
• Citizen Kane (Two-Disc Special Edition)
• Ben-Hur
• On the Waterfront (Special Edition)
• Sunset Boulevard (Special Collector's Edition)