A Room with a View | | Cast : | Maggie Smith | | Director : | James Ivory | | Studio : | BBC | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | April , 1986 | | DVD Released Date : | April 06, 2004 | | Language : | Spanish (Dubbed), English (Original Language), French (Original Language), French (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | Unrated | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 02, 2005 | | Summary | Classic movie of the times | Content
 | This was one of the outstanding movies of the times. It features one of the greatest stories showing the moving from Italy to England back to Italy. It captures the blossoming of a girl in Italy and features one of the greatest cast. Every one of the persons from Helena Bonham Carter to Daniel Day Lewis as the insufferable Cecil Vyse did a wonderful job. Maggie Carter was superb as "poor Charlotte" as was Simon Callow as reverent Mr. Beebe. Judy Dench was also great as Miss Lavish, the ubiquitous novelist. Forster took a trip to Italy in 1901 and the book came out in 1908 after considerable rewriting. This was one of the best romance novels that was made into a movie and the screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala rightly won the oscar.
Even the humor is unusual and understated. When the English chaplain in Florence, Mr Eager, takes people to see a chapel, Denholm Elliot, as Mr Emerson, shows Lucy Honeychurch around. At one point, Mr Eager remarks "Remember that this chapel was built in faith during the full fervor of medievalism". This prompt Mr Emerson to retort "Built by faith indeed. It simply means that the workers were not paid enough". Scenes were the brother and sister are together are especially wonderful. One of the best scenes is the one in the lake where the three take a bath and are discovered. Forster was always not one to go with the flow of the era and this story captures the essence of a person who is engaged to a rich person but is in love with a free spirited person, George Emerson. It shows how she is in a quandary and decides to break the engagement and marry George which would have been scandalous in those times.
This movie is a shining example of maximum Merchant-Ivory ability to achieve maximum quality and opulence at minimum cost. A winner of three Academy Awards, A Room with a View is not what one could call fast-moving, but fans of the Merchant-Ivory team will enjoy luxuriating in the film's leisurely pace and stimulating cast of characters. I for one feel that the DVD is well made and the problems are minor. Despite issues pointed out by previous reviewers, this is still one of the outstanding movies made. Unlike a number of movies, this movie will never age due to its quality, ageless story and innocence. It also touches people across all ages. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 11, 2005 | | Summary | NOT a "must see"... Actually quite a drag. | Content
| I was so looking forward to watching this movie. Many people have complemented it and some have said it is one of the "greatest romances captured on film"... I found that was not the case. The story line was uncompelling, the characters quite boring and clichéd, and in the end I didn't quite care if the hero and heroine got together or not. Perhaps this was because the movie was based on a book and there just wasn't enough time for character development. I really hope that was the case. Because I felt nothing in my heart for the heroine's plight. She behaved with all the grace of an arrogant little upper class... mouse? The words sort of escape me at this point. All I know is that she really bothered me with all her huffing and puffing and the fact that she seemed not to have a mind of her own. The hero, played by Julian Sands, was barely interesting with his little quirks. Most of the time he just stood there smiling in a rather cute and befuddled manner, not saying or doing much at all. Again, I will point out that good character development was NOT accomplished.
Okay, now that that is out of my system, I will speak of the merits of this film. It was serious eye candy. The scenery was pretty, some of the cast quite beautiful (Rupert Graves and Julian Sands for example), and the costumes well put together. And there was the little scene in the pond when we got to view upon, ahem-ahem, full frontal nudity. That part was altogether surprising to me since it doesn't seem to fit the slow pace of the movie. (Perhaps someone should consider rating this film for nudity before unsuspecting parents watch it with little children around.) Other than that there was an excellent scene in Italy of when a fight breaks out. I replayed that scene because I felt the acting and filming there was superbly done. There were several other interesting scenes... nothing quite spectacular though.
Overall, this period piece was not the "must see" people make it out to be. I suspect the real reason this film was so popular was because of the nudity. Otherwise, because of the lukewarm story line, it was quite the drag.
(*If you want a must see period piece, check out BBC's Pride and Prejudice... it was simply perfect.) |
| Rating | | | Date | May 29, 2005 | | Summary | Sexy, wonderful and a joy to behold | Content
| What's so bad about naked men running around a swimming hole? Of course, one has to hide in the bushes because his mother and sister and have just arrived on the scene...
Rejoice in this wonderful movie of love, Italy, "digestive biscuits," men named Cecil, and "poor Charlotte." |
| Rating | | | Date | May 28, 2005 | | Summary | PAL master | Content
| Sadly this was PAL Master transfer.
So, running time is 112 min and frame is 1:1'85.
But original was 117 min, and 1:1'66.
(If you have Kiri Te Kanawa's Puccini CD... sounds different)
This was not released from Criterion's Merchant Ivory Collection...
That's the tradegy.
So this is worth to get for Bonus disc.
Very very sad... (about Ismail Merchant's sudden death too...).
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| Rating | | | Date | May 07, 2005 | | Summary | 5- Stars for the movie. 3-Stars for the 2004 Two -Disc | Content
| Movie Review- This is a praise-worthy film about Edwardian society and the story of a young woman experiencing romance. "A Room with a View" was nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture. It was considered an art house crowd pleaser, and it shows. The cast was incredible (especially Maggie Smith as the annoying "poor Charlotte"). In addition, the directing, writing, and technical values are all note-worthy. This movie is a good example of a period piece that delights yet at the same time remains true to the spirit of the era it depicts and the source material.
DVD Review- Unfortunately some complaints about the audio track (only for the 2004 Two-Disc) are valid. I remember watching it and hearing Dame Judi Dench sounding more high pitch than normal (I thought, "She definitely doesn't talk like that"). Actually, I found the problem a little strange only when Judi Dench and Maggie Smith talked. For some it might not be a problem. However, for those who have heard the earlier editions (on DVD and VHS), it could be a distraction. However, for some reason by the middle of the film I didn't notice it anymore. I hope BBC who I believe released this edition will address this. |
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