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Rating:  -
I absolutely loved this film and it's pagentry and intrigue and dialogue...but how on earth with the crass competition of cleavage and Doris Day venue did ANYONE sit thru this compelling drama??? Were they just trying to impress their colleagues that they were interested in 11-12th century ENGLISH history??? This film is slow moving and you actually have to pay attention enough to appreciate the suffering of Henry II's love for Becket and hence, I continue to persue the venue of how this film succeeded in this era...I am impressed with those that were able to appreciate the path less taken and applaud anyone who comprehends the afflictions of kings and counterparts in history...
Rating: -
I don't think this is a great movie, but it's a very good one.
With the elaborate costumes and sets, the movie really benefits from the hi-def treatment -- with only a couple exceptions, the Blu-ray looks far superior to the DVD. (The exceptions are places where enhanced clarity makes film tricks like matte paintings more obvious. I still prefer the hi-def image without reservation.)
I tend to imagine Peter O'Toole as too big a star to give his attention to DVD commentary tracks, but he does a commentary track here and is fully engaged, interesting and informative.
The Blu-ray supplements are missing two archival interviews with Richard Burton that appear on the DVD. (The interviews are interesting, but there is no mention of Becket in either of them.)
Rating:  -
I saw this movie back in the 60s when I lived in the UK. Then I thought Burton and O'Toole seemed unbeatable as actors, now I think they are even more so. For them not to BOTH share the Academy awards that year seems like a travesty, though I must admit I do not know who beat them out (whomever it was it must have been one helluva performance). Becket is a movie for all times and the performances of these two fine actors are just EVERGREEN. Reminds me of the Tudor series on Showtime....also fine performances.
Rating: -
We waited years for this film to appear on DVD and when MPI finally released it on standard DVD I was delighted to see and hear it so well restored considering the film's apparently bumpy history. Then it seemed, before one could take a breath, out it came on Blu-ray. Since this is probably my favorite of all films, at least in this genre, I immediately ordered it. The beautiful rendering of sight and sound of this film brought tears to my eyes. I had difficulty believing that this forty-five year old movie could have been brought to this level of excellence. MPI must be given great credit for caring so much for this film.
The cast for this film is essentially a who's who of British acting excellence, many, of course, whom are no longer with us. Peter O'Toole's achievement in "Lawrence of Arabia" notwithstanding, his performance in "Becket" is, for me, his tour de force -- the epitome of screen acting. I think the most moving moment in the entire film is the final scene when he is looking down at the image of Becket on his sarcophagus, following his final lines: "Is the honor of God washed clean enough? Are you satisfied now, Thomas?" His face then, within a few seconds, conveys a series of expressions that I have difficulty describing -- from gladness (that Becket has now been finally canonized a saint) to grief (that the man he admired and loved is gone). But it was done with such subtlety! How O'Toole could have accomplished such a thing with a camera grinding a few feet away from him is something I can't fathom. But it is terribly moving.
Only a few years ago we couldn't have dreamt of having something like this disc sitting on a shelf ready to bring this and other classic films to life again whenever we wish it. If MGM still has the rights to "The Lion in Winter" it would be wonderful to see a similar restoration of that classic.
Rating:  -
I remembered "Becket" from its movie release ('66?), recalling it as a wonderfully powerful film of conscience with robust contributions by Burton & O'Toole. When it came to DVD I immediately ordered it. However, I found that the film did not stand up to the memories of a 14 year old. Shot almost as a play -- though there are good location scenes -- it came across as overly dialogue-driven ... again, great theater but not-so-great cinema. Also, and unfortunately, the acting now seems over-the-top almost to the point of over-wrought hysteria, and this in more than a few places. So, some things age well like wine while others regrettably turn to vinegar.
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