Saturday, February 4, 2012

Day 3: Lawrence of Arabia

Lawrence of Arabia: 1963: 33rd Winner of the Academy Award


Starring:



Peter O'Toole as Thomas Edward "T. E." Lawrence. 
Alec Guinness as Prince Faisal. 
Anthony Quinn as Auda abu Tayi. 
Jack Hawkins as General Allenby. 
Omar Sharif as Sherif Ali ibn el Kharish
José Ferrer as the Turkish Bey. 
Anthony Quayle as Colonel Harry Brighton. 
Claude Rains as Mr. Dryden. 
Donald Wolfit as General Murray. 
Michel Ray as Farraj. 
I.S. Johar as Gasim. 
Zia Mohyeddin as Tafas. 
John Dimech as Daud. 
Fernando Sancho as the Turkish sergeant. 
Jack Gwillim as the club secretary.
Harry Fowler as Corporal Potter
Howard Marion-Crawford as the medical officer. 
Norman Rossington as Corporal Jenkins
Jack Hedley as a reporter


Today I spent about four hours on the most ridiculously long movie ever! Perhaps because I didn't want to watch it in the first place, maybe that's why I really didn't like it. Lets start with problem number 1: the length, unlike some of the other classic masterpieces i.e. "Gone with the Wind"  who have unforgettable lines and unforgettable moments, this movie had neither. Number 2, unnecessary shots of the desert and prolonging unnecessary. for example the whole crossing of the Nefud could have been more interesting if it wasn't thirty minutes long. Number 3, it had a good score but all the characters were gigantic asswipes including Lawerence himself. Call me crazy but how did this movie beat "How to Kill a Mockingbird"? Maybe it won for "Longest Picture EVER".   *Sigh*, maybe I just hate war movies, maybe I didn't understand the whole premise, hey I am not Roger Ebert and am entitled therefore to say this movie ... not to my liking. It was boring, but I will say this the music was beautiful and I am considering buying the soundtrack for it. My opinion, don't bother watching this movie, unless you've accepted a challenge such as this. 


It has also won awards for:



Best Director: David Lean 
Best Art Direction: John Box, John Stoll and Dario Simoni
Best Cinematography: Frederick A. Young
Best Substantially Original Score: Maurice Jarre
Best Film Editing: Ann V. Coates
Best Sound: John Cox

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