WAR & PEACE DVD

Condensed classic of epic proportions and sensual sensory splendors! This Italian T.V. mini series is studded with an international cast of brilliant players and enough extras to fill the Cinecitta Rome set five times over. One of the fascinating things about this marvelously accessible version of the story is that it (for us in the USA) is in English. Don't let the Russian Box fool you. An extra added bonus it that the film was shot in Russia so you get the added pleasure of seeing some incredible architecture of the period and the stunning Russian countryside (And a little of Lithuania.) There is in the huge cast some real stand out performances. Brenda Blethyn is wonderful as always, and as Prince Andre's father Malcolm McDowell is chilling and arresting in his approach to the part. In the lead female role we have the lovely Cemence Posey, who is near perfect in a role so associated in the West with Audrey Hepburn. There have been complaints that she is a blond in a traditionally dark haired part, but that seems trivial to me in comparison to her performance. In the romantic lead of Prince Andre is the wonderful Italian star, Alessio Boni. He brings to the role a deliciously tragic gravitas that is so important to the story. He is a brilliant actor who needs more exposure on this side of the world. Just check out his work in "The Best Of Youth" and "Don't Tell". Also the incredibly beautiful Violante Placido plays the wicked Helene with relish and great style. Not since Polly Walker in HBO's Rome has there been such a delicious wicked woman on the screen. She was a delight to watch and I found myself missing her when she was not on screen. Benjamin Sadler (Who was so brilliant in "Augustus" see my amazon review of that film) is on hand to lend his considerable snakey charm and great presence to the role of Dolokov. (Why is this actor not a huge star yet?) Yes there are many other worthy performances to see and savor in this lush and enthralling film, too many to go any further with here. Rather, take the chance and get this film and let the magic of Tolstoy's timeless story take you into a world that is gone with the wind. Yes it is not as huge and epic as the 1968 Russian classic but it is none the less even at times more wonderful! The DVD is splendid with clear beautiful image and great sound. As I said the film is in Enlish with an international cast. It is obvious they are all speaking in English and if any are dubbed that is Not obvious. Very well done in the sound department. And the score by Jan A.P. Kaczmarek is lush and soaring. Most particularly stunning at the end of act two as Natasha descends the grand staircase with the viper Anitole Kuragin (Ken Dunken) on her heals.

The Best Adaptation of Tolstoy’s Novel Widely considered to be the finest novel ever written, Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace is so long and contains so many characters and events that adapting it to film and at the same time retaining the essence of the numerous storylines must be a daunting task. Attempts to film it go back to the silent era with a 1915 Russian version. In 1956 Hollywood came out with a 3 ½ hour epic, directed by King Vidor and starring Henry Fonda, Audrey Hepburn, and Mel Ferrer. In 1968 the Soviet government financed an expensive and much-acclaimed epic of its own, and in 1972 the BBC put forth a 12 hour mini-series that starred Anthony Hopkins. But this 2007 European production, 8 hours in length, is the best of the lot, exciting, entertaining, and capturing the spirit of Tolstoy’s enormous drama by focusing on the three main characters—Pierre Bezukhov, Natasha Rostov, and Andrei Bolkonsky, their families, and the people in their various orbits, as they live their lives amidst the historical upheavals taking place in the world around them. Like the novel, the series is divided into four parts, and covers the years 1805—1812, when Napoleon Bonaparte was rampaging about Europe, overturning the old order and replacing it with one of his own creation. Like another conqueror 130 years later, Napoleon, unable to get his army across the English Channel, decided to turn his guns east, and War and Peace culminates with his invasion of Russia: We see the Battle of Borodino, the capture and burning of Moscow, the agonizing retreat of the French Army from the city and the Russian’s final victory over the French as they drive them back across the Niemen River. The characters are pushed and pulled by this historical tumult: Pierre begins as an admirer of Napoleon, then, as he witnesses the horrors of war, becomes determined to assassinate the man he once held in such high esteem. Andrei, unhappy with the life he is leading as a young aristocrat with a wife and a child on the way, sets out for war hoping to find glory on the battlefield, and, when wounded at the Battle of Austerlitz, comes home just in time to witness his wife dying in childbirth. Natasha, seeking love, becomes engaged to Andrei in the wake of his wife’s death, but in his absence is seduced by Pierre’s brother in law, the rakish Anatole Kuragin. German actor Alexander Beyer is excellent as Pierre, far better than Henry Fonda in the 1956 version. Fonda was too American and too old to convincingly portray a young Russian nobleman, but Beyer conveys Pierre perfectly as he progresses from an illegitimate son to a wealthy young heir, naïve and idealistic, marrying the gorgeous Helene Kuragin (who would not ever deign to notice him before he inherited his father’s fortune) and gradually beginning to realize he has been used and then made a fool of by his wife and her unscrupulous family. Natasha is played by French actress Clemence Poesy—a high-spirited teenage girl who loves life but is unaware of the pitfalls it has to offer. Italian actor Alessio Boni is Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, a brooding, unhappy man who blames himself for his wife’s death and hopes to find happiness with Natasha. But while he is away at the Polish border, strengthening Russia’s defenses against another attack by Napoleon, she falls under the spell of Anatole Kuragin and breaks her engagement with Andrei, and learns when it is too late that Kuragin’s intentions were less than honorable. These personal dramas are overtaken by historical events. When Napoleon invades Russia in 1812, the characters are in the path of his juggernaut. Andrei is wounded again, this time fatally, at the Battle of Borodino, but manages to live long enough to forgive Natasha and say goodbye to her. As Napoleon’s army approaches Moscow the Rostovs have to flee the city, and when they are safely away they see that Moscow is on fire. Pierre, who witnessed the battle, lies in wait in the burning city, hoping to kill Napoleon but is taken prisoner instead. When the French abandon Moscow he is forced to go along, suffering from starvation and cold, eventually freed from captivity by a force commanded by his old rival, Dolokhov, whom he suspected of being his wife’s lover. This is a fine version of War and Peace. My only complaint is that it isn’t longer; I would have enjoyed it if more had been done with Napoleon’s epic retreat from Moscow (here the 1956 version really stood out). German actor Ken Duken is especially good as the womanizing Anatole, and another German, Benjamin Sadler, is equally fine as the roguish Dolokhov. Britisher Malcolm McDowell does his expected best as the elder Prince Bolkonsky. No movie or mini-series could ever do justice to War and Peace; there is simply too much to it—novel, history, philosophy, all rolled into one massive volume. But for entertainment value and a faithful rendition of the basic story of War and Peace, this is one not to be missed.

I have over time obtained several DVD's of War And Peace to compare with my English translation (I do not have Russian and therefore have to trust the skill and veracity of a translator of the Russian authors and their masterpieces). This rendition is my favorite because: (1) It was produced as a mini-series for television and as a result did not have to have "cuts" of portions of the storyline as Tolstoy wrote it. (2) The acting was very good and they brought to life the emotions and portrayed the experiences as Tolstoy wrote them despite the fact that the cast did not include any big name celebrity movie or TV stars. The members of this cast deserve accolades for their performances. And finally (3) I found the cinematography and sound to be of excellent quality. As a result, I found this very enjoyable to view and have rated it as 5-star and do not hesitate to recommend it to anyone who like myself enjoys this genre of performance and entertainment.

Don't want to read the novel? Watch this. Read the novel and loved it? Watch this. Read the novel but didn't finish? Watch this. Thinking about reading the novel but it's so long? Watch this. Oh... just watch this. Well done and true to the Tolstoy,....

I could not help but watch the entire series in one sitting. I thought that it was beautifully done. During the first episode I fell in love with Prince Andrei, and during the second and third episode I was hating Countess Bezukov, her brother Prince Anatole and sometimes even Natasha, and during the last episode... no, I'm not going to tell you about the last episode, you have to see it for yourselves. Overall, I thought that acting was great, costumes and scenery were gorgeous, some scenes were especially beautiful and reminded me of paintings. I understand that some purists did not like this adaptation, but being somewhat a purist myself I still greatly enjoyed these series. Now I am going to read the book again, and I'm sure after that I'll watch this adaptation again. p.s. the only complain would be the lack of English subtitles.

Anyone who loves the knowledge of Almighty God's Providence in establishing and nurturing a Sanctified People can appreciate that Russian history has included many who pleased our Creator and Father and King. The fall of Tsarist Russia can be understood clearly by many of the behaviors chronicled in Tolstoy's classic story; debauchery and dysfunctional irreligiosity in the intelligentsia was a favorite theme of 19th century Russian literature. But there is something far more important than the tails side of the coin . . . on the upside a few of us are moved so deeply by the beauty of a society where an ecclesiastical knowledge of God is a dominant force among millions of people. The distinctive of Russian heritage is so profoundly revealed by characters in War and Peace whose maturation, dignity and sense of nobility is illustrated in a beauty that leaves one awestruck. This film starring Poesy and Boni and Beyer is a collage of thousands of beautiful, beautiful portraits with music of the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, with much of the presentation filmed on location in Russia. This 2007 presentation is a glimpse of the splendor of a future that will be the way of life for Russia's resurrected and restored saints (Revelation 7:9), and for so many others who will join them. This is a MUST SEE film for all who understand the Monarchy of God as King of this Universe, and for all who empathize deeply with a planet tormented by the failings of weak and sinful people. AMEN.

Never expect a screen treatment of Tolstoy's work to be as profound as the original. Any film version is best approached as a kind of comic book illustration. That being said, War and Peace in this "Golden age of TV" should be filmed as a multi-season show, not a miniseries, to even begin capturing the novel's depth. This 2007 adaptation has better overall casting than the '56, '67, or '72 productions. Filming on location in Russia also helps. The Rostov family, Price Andrei, Old Bolkonsky, Helene, Dolokhov, and others are well-realized and well-acted (albeit dubbed into a rather stale English). Pierre is a quite bit leaner than Tolstoy's creation, but appropriately awkward, and a big improvement over the pretty-boy Fonda in '56 or the aging Bondarchuk in '67. As for Natasha, I got over her portrayal as a blonde pretty quickly, and thought Poesy does a serviceable job channeling the young Rostova's Manic-Pixie-Dream-Girl qualities. The "War" scenes are duly enhanced by cgi, but are clearly not the main reason to see this version. The series fares better with the far more budget-friendly "Peace" portion of the Novel. Some of the sequences are remarkably faithful (most of the Bolknosky family narrative, for example), but many others were altered for dramatic effect, or to suit modern audiences: Natasha's friendship with Pierre and acquaintance with Prince Andrei prior to 1811 has been considerably strengthened. Pierre's Masonic brotherhood is omitted, and here he's merely "studying the Gospel". Anatole is given a grudge against Andrei to start courting Natasha. The lively and very cinematic scene with Balaga and the gypsies is cut. Part 4 is the weakest, as there are many deviations from Tolstoy's plot to wrap up the story threads even more neatly, and a lot of it feels like by-the-numbers soap opera. Still, for fans of the book, it's a worthwhile visualization of Tolstoy's characters and their world. With all the flaws, it's not much worse than the previous versions, and even superior in some ways (mostly the authentic sets and the good looking cast). Just don't set your expectations too high.

I am not sure what to really say except that it is beautiful in the settings and costumes. I think they attempted to fill in the behind-the-scenes parts that I don't recall being a part of the original book or any of the adaptations that I've seen. I believe they tried to make it their own original adaptation. but the intricacy of such characters not fulfilling their normal roles as in the book this movie really did not make a lot of sense. The acting was really only worth 2 stars but I gave it a total of 3 stars due to the effort and the beauty of the settings and costumes. if you really wants to see the best adaptation of we are told stories war and peace I recommend the 1970s version with Anthony Hopkins.