#1 - Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Starring: Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn
Directed by: David Lean
'Lawrence of Arabia' is a true epic in every sense of the word. Be it the scope of the story, the exotic locations and visuals, the phenomenal score, the skill of the actors, or the vision and daring of the director. While it could rightfully be called a war epic, a rousing adventure film, or an incredible autobiography, it is much more than these descriptions. It is a film that transcends genre and entrenches itself firmly in the realm of masterpiece.
The movie follows the ascension of T.E. Lawrence (O'Toole) to his role as commander of the British-allied Arab tribes during World War I, and their struggle against the German-allied Turks for control of the desert. But the film is more concerned with T.E. Lawrence, the man, and the inner-conflicts he dealt with during this time. We are given an intimate portrait of a great man in deep turmoil, who all the same, was able to unite a conflicted people and lead them to an incredible victory against terrific odds.
But the plot of the movie becomes secondary to the grand and sweeping desert imagery upon the screen. The magnificent sand-swept vistas that blanket the film are utterly gorgeous to behold, as the cinematography, by Freddie A. Young, is, simply put, the most incredibly breathtaking ever committed to film.
The movie is also epic in length, clocking in at just under four hours, but the story is not jam-packed with action, dialogue, and crazy twists.
'Lawrence' is a film to watch, to luxuriate in the images upon the screen, and much of the movie contains passages of sparse dialogue and action, where we are invited to simply stare in awe at the beauty and grandeur of the forbidding desert landscape.
The cast is quite possibly the greatest ever assembled for a single production. We are treated to the debut of the magnificent Peter O'Toole, the greatness of the incomparable Alec Guinness, the brilliance of Omar Sharif, and the fiery talent of Anthony Quinn.
We are also given an amazing score by the wonderful Maurice Jarre, who creates music perfectly suited to the wonder of the desert and the complexities of T.E. Lawrence.
On top of that, we get a director, in David Lean, who was at the very peak of his craft ('Lawrence of Arabia' followed Lean's 'Bridge on the River Kwai' and proceeded 'Doctor Zhivago'). His concern with every aspect of the movie - the acting, writing, cinematography, score, and editing - is clearly evident in the incredibly high level all those elements achieve.
The film is an epic masterpiece - unmatched in vision, unsurpassed in craft - a movie filled with haunting images of beauty that remain in the viewer's mind long after the credits have rolled. They simply don't make them like this anymore.
Directed by: David Lean
'Lawrence of Arabia' is a true epic in every sense of the word. Be it the scope of the story, the exotic locations and visuals, the phenomenal score, the skill of the actors, or the vision and daring of the director. While it could rightfully be called a war epic, a rousing adventure film, or an incredible autobiography, it is much more than these descriptions. It is a film that transcends genre and entrenches itself firmly in the realm of masterpiece.
The movie follows the ascension of T.E. Lawrence (O'Toole) to his role as commander of the British-allied Arab tribes during World War I, and their struggle against the German-allied Turks for control of the desert. But the film is more concerned with T.E. Lawrence, the man, and the inner-conflicts he dealt with during this time. We are given an intimate portrait of a great man in deep turmoil, who all the same, was able to unite a conflicted people and lead them to an incredible victory against terrific odds.
But the plot of the movie becomes secondary to the grand and sweeping desert imagery upon the screen. The magnificent sand-swept vistas that blanket the film are utterly gorgeous to behold, as the cinematography, by Freddie A. Young, is, simply put, the most incredibly breathtaking ever committed to film.
The movie is also epic in length, clocking in at just under four hours, but the story is not jam-packed with action, dialogue, and crazy twists.
'Lawrence' is a film to watch, to luxuriate in the images upon the screen, and much of the movie contains passages of sparse dialogue and action, where we are invited to simply stare in awe at the beauty and grandeur of the forbidding desert landscape.
The cast is quite possibly the greatest ever assembled for a single production. We are treated to the debut of the magnificent Peter O'Toole, the greatness of the incomparable Alec Guinness, the brilliance of Omar Sharif, and the fiery talent of Anthony Quinn.
We are also given an amazing score by the wonderful Maurice Jarre, who creates music perfectly suited to the wonder of the desert and the complexities of T.E. Lawrence.
On top of that, we get a director, in David Lean, who was at the very peak of his craft ('Lawrence of Arabia' followed Lean's 'Bridge on the River Kwai' and proceeded 'Doctor Zhivago'). His concern with every aspect of the movie - the acting, writing, cinematography, score, and editing - is clearly evident in the incredibly high level all those elements achieve.
The film is an epic masterpiece - unmatched in vision, unsurpassed in craft - a movie filled with haunting images of beauty that remain in the viewer's mind long after the credits have rolled. They simply don't make them like this anymore.