The Flight of the Phoenix (1965) (Masters of Cinema) (Blu-ray) [UK Import]

It seems so long since I've reviewed what I consider to be a 5 star film...maybe too long, so I decided to review one of my favorites in The Flight of the Phoenix (1965), a tense and wonderfully entertaining, character driven film about a small, yet diverse, group of men struggling to not only overcome the adversity of a harsh and deadly environment, but also having to come to terms with each other, the strengths and flaws inherent within themselves, to complete a nearly impossible task, one that will determine their very survival.Based on a popular novel by Elleston Trevor, the film is incredibly well directed by Robert Aldrich (whom I'm a big fan of), who also did Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1965), The Dirty Dozen (1967), and The Longest Yard (1974), to name a few. The film boasts an impressive cast, including James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, and Peter `I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!' Finch. Also appearing are Ernest Borgnine, Hardy Krüger, George Kennedy, and Ian Bannen.As the film begins, we see a small group of men, some military men, but mostly crewmembers who work on an oil field located somewhere in the Sahara Desert, preparing to leave by plane, one piloted by Captain Frank Towns (Stewart), a world weary airman who's found himself in the position of shuttling men and equipment between outposts in rickety contraptions that resemble airplanes, along with his navigator (who has a penchant for the booze), Lew Morgan (Attenborough). The flight begins well enough, but soon a sandstorm disables the engines, and the plane is forced to crash land in the desert, miles away from any type of civilization, including that precious commodity many of us take for granted being water. After a few days, and hopes of a rescue dwindle away, a German engineer named Heinrich Dorfmann (Hardy Krüger), returning from visiting his brother at the oil field, proposes a completely fantastic and equally outlandish plan of building another plane from the wreckage of the first. The idea is not well received, especially by Captain Towns, due to its' seeming absurdity, but soon it becomes obvious that this one in a thousand chance is the only one they have, as the alternative is to do nothing and allow the desert to consume them slowly, as they suffer from heat and water deprivation. Now it's a race to complete the insurmountable task of constructing a workable aircraft before their limited water reserves run dry, fighting not only the elements within the desert, the burning heat during the day, the freezing cold at night, murderous nomadic tribes, and the ever present sand (don't you hate it when sand gets in your clothes? I do...), but they must also face their own weaknesses, those now magnified as the ever present threat of death looms so very close.While this film is listed as an action/adventure/drama, the main element that holds it together is the character driven aspects of the plot featuring those played by Stewart, Attenborough, and Krüger. Stewart's character seems locked in a tense battle of wills against Krüger's, as the realistic captain, concerned with the welfare of his charges, feeling the weight of responsibility, fights for control against Dorfmann, the pragmatic, analytical, and logical engineer with Attenborough's character squarely in the middle, trying maintain the peace and keep hope, along with themselves, alive. The rest of the cast does am extremely fine job in their supporting roles, and I especially enjoyed that of Ian Bannen, as the jovial pessimist, who could nearly always be counted on to provide a bit of harsh levity no matter the situation. The one thing I really enjoyed within this film, and reminded me a little of the Humphrey Bogart film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1946) in that as the story progresses, we see the characters stripped of all the superficial aspects they possess, as their true natures are revealed, for better of worse. Aldrich's direction is impeccable, giving the right amount of attention to all the various aspects of the story, and just generally really putting the viewer within the story, feeling not only the disparity of the situation as the characters do, but the hope and faith the men manage to maintain, qualities I believe to be brought forth from our own instincts of survival and self preservation. One thing I noticed is that the film has no qualms about killing off various characters, regardless of the actor's prestige. So often I've seen films populated with seemingly pointless characters, only to watch them predictably perish, but that's not the case here. There are a number of deaths, and not all of them anticipated. Not only that, but also a few characters who normally would have been marked for death in other, more traditional stories, made it through to the end. The film runs nearly 2 ½ hours, and some would consider that too long, but I really didn't notice as the time was used well developing the characters and creating a sense of empathy for their plight, and ultimately a genuine concern for their well being and a desire to see them succeed in their impossible task.Presented here is a beautiful widescreen anamorphic picture, with the choice of either Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, Dolby Digital 1.0 audio tracks, both of which sound clear and crisp. There's little in the way of special features, as all that's included are three versions of theatrical trailers for the film, one in English, another in Spanish, and a third in Portuguese. I've noticed there's a remake scheduled for release later this year, starring Dennis Quaid, Giovanni Ribisi, Hugh Laurie, and someone named Sticky Fingaz (I'm serious...that's his name...I later found out he was a member of the hip hop group Oynx, and has since appeared in quite a few films). All I can say is they've got their work cut out for them...Cookieman108

worked in my dvd player

Good movie

Robert Aldrich knew how to make big-box office movies, movies he often produced as well as directed. Among the better know (and most successful): Vera Cruz, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, The Dirty Dozen, and The Longest Yard.Interestingly, many of the financially unsuccessful movies Aldrich made--including Emperor of the North and Ulzana's Raid--were re-assessed and gained respect if not popularity decades after they were made. Flight Of The Phoenix is one of those movies.It's a timeless movie, in many ways, including the understated style in which it was made. Nothing you see tells you this was made in the early 1960s. It could have been made anytime in the 21st century. It's aged extremely well.Moreover, the theme of the movie--how personal bias and failure inhibits individuals, leading to missed opportunity and, worse, outright tragedy--is as valid now as it ever was. Not everybody is going to make it out of the desert alive. The reason some don't is as fascinating to watch as the reasons others do.Aldrich liked to "go against the grain". Imagine! desecrating the reputations and fame of two no-longer-young legendary screen stars, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Aldrich did it with Baby Jane. He does it again here. The audience expects Jimmy Stewart's character to shine as the hero who leads his airplane passengers to safety. He doesn't do that. If anybody's the hero it's an actor few Americans knew anything about: German-born Hardy Kruger, in what was probably his best role (the other contender: the role of the WW II POW escapee, in The One That Got Away.) Was this decision the reason why Phoenix failed to connect with audiences?Whatever the reason, you can discover--and see--this survival-in-the desert tale today and enjoy it enormously.

Très bien réalisé. Tient en haleine jusqu’à la fin.

Genial todo

Adapté d'un roman à l'idée audacieuse de Elleston Trevor, voilà un récit de survie qui m'a vraiment captivé. Il est intéressant d'y voir un pilote expérimenté et un peu bourru qui ne souffre pas d'entendre un jeune blanc-bec lui faire une démonstration de connaissances en "avionnerie"; et de par le fait même démontrer aux autres survivants les lacunes du vieil entêté.Ce conflit de génération est rendu avec force par James Stewart et Hardy Kruger. Un duel qui inquiète le navigateur (excellent Richard Attenborough) ainsi que les passagers encore vivants, et qui aimeraient bien le rester. Tous devront donc apprendre à travailler ensemble pour satisfaire l’ego des deux seuls individus représentant le mince espoir de s'extirper du désert brûlant où ils se sont écrasés.Ce film est à voir pour l’exceptionnel casting d'acteurs mâles...oui, car il aurait été difficile d'y ajouter (à cette époque) un personnage féminin travaillant dans une exploitation pétrolière du Libye. Le "remake" de 2004 avec Dennis Quaid fera place à une femme dans l'équipe œuvrant en Mongolie.Il est amusant d'apprendre dans les bonus, que Robert Aldrich, en bon producteur des années 60, ait pensé à réaliser une bande-annonce avec des femmes qui présentent le film. Un subterfuge pour appâter le public féminin, mais qui ne fut pas utilisé finalement.Pour ce qui est du blu-ray de l'éditeur RIMINI: Qualité de bon niveau pour ce titre de 1965. Et même s'il est indiqué Zone "B", il peut être visionné sur une platine zonée "A". Par contre, côté bonus, seules les bandes-annonce seront lisibles sur un zone A.Merci au vendeur qui a bien voulu m'envoyer ma copie au Québec. :-)

A wonderful story populated by fascinating characters.

Maverick Director Robert Aldrich's Scorching Movie The Flight Of The Phoenix Finally Gets The Blu ray Treatment. Released in 1965 with Hollywood Legend James Stewart Heading an all star cast as a group of oilmen and military men crash land Their cargo plane in The Sahara Desert. The group manage To built an entirely flying aircraft from The Tangled wreckage of Their Doomed plane Though The survivors endure many Hardships before The final escape. Director Aldrich builds His movie on character Tension like it's never been played before. James Stewart The star of many classic Hollywood western is Totally Different in This movie To anything he as ever played before. As Frank Towns The pilot of The plane Stewart plays a bitter character Throughout The entire movie only redeeming Himself at The end of The movie. Our very own Richard Attenborough is The co pilot with The secret past of a local Drunk whom Stewart blames for The crash. in one of His early film roles Hardy Kruger is The Aircraft designer who hinges on The idea of building an entirely working aircraft constantly in conflict Throughout The movie with The James Stewart character who proclaims it can't be Done. The penny drops later in The movie when we learn That Kruger's character is actually a model plane designer But The Designs The same proclaims Kruger. The movie just bursts at The seams with off beat characters Then we have Oscar winner Peter Finch as The Military man who just simply want's To walk out of The Desert. if you can go The Distance of The movies 142 mins running Time Flight Of The Phoenix will keep you on The edge of your seat from beginning To end. when it was released in 1964 The movie was a Huge critical success for 20th Century Fox Though it was not without problems. The movie Had encountered Tragedy with The Death of Then Top Hollywood stuntman in flying Paul Mantz and we are asked To remember This at The end of The movie. Flight Of The Phoenix comes in a stunning High Definition Transfer as sharp as The many sand Dunes we see in The movie. extras include The films Trailer a short essay on The movie by Historian Sheldon Hall an isolated music Track The whole package is rounded out with a booklet Detailing The movie and its cast with many rare photos from The film. And can I just add with The exception of a Dream sequence in The Desert you could say a mirage This is an all Male plane Thriller.