Cleopatra (50th Anniversary Limited Edition 2-Disc + Book) (1963)

It is likely that the US edition of CLEOPATRA on Blu Ray will be identical in most respects to the "All Region" edition released in the UK last year. (I'm guessing that this will apply to the bonus features as well.)

Assuming that the US edition mirrors what's available in the UK, viewers are in for a terrific experience. This particular transfer yields what is quite simply the most spectacular Blu Ray I have ever seen. More than any other studio, Fox has lavished a great deal of time and money on preserving its widescreen films of the 50's, 60's and 70's. Nowhere is the success of that campaign more evident than on CLEOPATRA.

I would note that, as part of the restoration process on its widescreen epics, Fox has struck new 35mm and 70mm film prints. Here in New York, and elsewhere, these prints have been screened theatrically in retrospectives of various sorts. As wonderful as the new CLEOPATRA Blu Ray is, I can only hope that everybody with an interest in this movie will one day have a chance to see it in 70mm on a giant screen. If you have that opportunity, it is not to be missed. It's an experience you'll remember for a long, long time.

Cleopatra may be the most opulent motion picture of all time and is a testament to Elizabeth Taylor and the other actors and artisans from this pre-computer generated image era. It was a high point for the magnificence of Todd-AO 70mm and the unique richness of De Luxe Color all beautifully and faithfully transferred by 20th Century Fox to this new Blu-ray edition. I saw Cleopatra in its first run and recognized it's short-comings possibly caused by the severe cuts made to Joseph Mankiewicz's original vision to release Cleopatra, it is said, as two films telling the Caesar story in one film and the Anthony story in the second. One can only imagine how much of the story and character development got left on the cutting room floor. Cleopatra's legacy has moved far beyond earning the label as the most expensive film ever made due to waste and mismanagement that nearly caused the demise of Fox Studios. There are "extras" on the Blu-ray version that expose many of such myths. I invite you to see this Cleopatra a beautiful example of what Blu-ray can do for home viewing and the potential for visually jaw-dropping moments that show the art of motion pictures. This Cleopatra is perhaps more relevant than ever today with efforts to depict (at least Hollywood-style) a well-rounded view of one of the most famous female characters in history, as portrayed by Elizabeth Taylor, an icon of her times. I purchased my Blu-ray copy of Cleopatra in February, 2012 from amazon.co.uk after finding out it would play on U.S. players. This spectacular Blu-ray version of Cleopatra will soon be available to purchase in the U.S. Highly recommended to all film buffs.

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Like other reviewers here, I've purchased the Blu-ray which has been widely-available in the United Kingdom and Australia for many, many months. I've no idea why it's taken so long to be released in the States, but for those who've been reluctant to import, it will be well worth the wait.

Quite simply this is the best CLEOPATRA has ever looked on home video and that is no small feat considering that the title also received raves 10 years ago when it debuted on standard-definition DVD. Restored from original 70mm Todd-AO elements, the High Definition picture brings out all the hidden detailing in sets and costumes, and Alex North's haunting score glistens in full DTS Master audio.

The one thing I criticise is the placement of the film's Entr'acte. Just like the earlier DVD presentation, it has been placed at the end of Disc 1, when it should ideally be on the second disc before launching into the final portion of the film. Whether or not this will be corrected on the American Blu-ray release I've yet to discover* hopefully it has, but it's a very minor quibble on what is an otherwise comprehensive package.

The fascinating feature-length documentary "Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood", the vintage featurette "The Fourth Star of Cleopatra", and audio commentary with the brothers Mankiewicz, Martin Landau and Jack Brodsky are all ported over from the original DVD release.

New extras commissioned for this Blu-ray release include "Cleopatra's Missing Footage" (a brief look at the search, which continues to this day, for the elusive material culled from the shoot); "Cleopatra Through the Ages: A Cultural History" (just as the title implies), and "The Cleopatra Papers: A Private Correspondence" (an interactive gallery of letters and internal documents which chart the making of the movie). "Fox Legacy with Tom Rothman" is a 30-minute look at the film's stormy production but simply re-covers what was told in greater depth in the "Film That Changed Hollywood" documentary.

Run don't walk to grab your copy of this Hollywood classic. It's like discovering CLEOPATRA for the very first time, all over again.

*Update I've since read that the Entr'acte has been re-positioned in its correct place at the start of Disc 2.

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I did a side by side comparison of the UK all region and the new US version. Here are a few of the improvements.

The CLARITY in the US version is like looking through a plate glass window. Not just in selected scenes, but through the entire movie. You'll know in the first 30 seconds of the pop up menu as it roams through a few scans until you hit the play button.

Example#1 the blue dress that Liz is wearing on the barge as she stands under a canopy, now shows the PATTERN of the dress better than before.

Example#2 the slaves that carry Liz down off the black sphinx had SILVER colored paint that looked like lighting bolts got COLOR CORRECTED and now show the true color of GOLD lightning bolts that MATCH the GOLD BRACELETS, that match the GOLD throne Liz sits on that match the gold dress THAT LIZ WEARS. All previous disks don't have it right with the silver color.

Example #3 On the barge that meet Marc Anthony, at the banquet, Liz shows up wearing a sheer white gown on all the old disks.The new US disk now color corrected, shows the there is a lovely pale pink of the most delicate shade and the white sheer is actually a overlay kind of see through cape?( Sorry I do not know what it is called in fashion lingo.

Example#4 in a battle scene, where the roman legions make what is called "the turtle" formation ( Men on the inside, shields and spears on the outside) You see amazing clarity on the designs on the shields. And this is in a scene filmed IN LOW LIGHT!

Example#5 in the entry into Rome The African dancers have straw fringes on their arms and legs. The GREEN color now pops in new clarity, To be fair the old disks showed some color ,but not like this.

ODD? because of this new clarity, I noticed that there are TWO white pyramids in the background. You see the first after the semi nude lady dances. then a group of females appears with gold colored wings and behind that is the pyramid with the pigeons getting released. After Liz bows to Cesar, the camera cuts to a background shout of the arch of Titus? look quick and notice TWO of the identical pyramids. To me this suggests that something was cut from the entrance procession. because you never see the second pyramid enter and you see BOTH at EACH SIDE of the arch. Hummmmmmmmmmmm makes me wonder what else was cut from the procession. Was it not enough time?

PS: I'm writing this from memory so if there are a few misstatements I invite corrections. Just don't be so G.D. haughty in your comments. Oh, and don't bother pointing out grammar or spelling.

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First let us clear up about the length. According to International Movie Data Base (IMDB.com) this movie existed in three lengths. There was the original length 5 hours and 20 minutes. That was the director's cut and only survived the premiere run. Then there was the theatrical release length the version reviewed here. Apparently to enable more showings per day and possibly to supply drive-ins, there was a shorter version yet.

Roddy MacDowell made the comment in print that eliminating 82 minutes from the movie shortened his role a great deal. I think the cuts focused the movie on the loves of Cleopatra and avoided the immensely complicated politics of the time. For that reason, I've always found the end of the movie (the disgrace of Antony, leading up to his suicide) jumbled.

Second no movie deserves HD more than this. The movie was made before digital scenery was invented, so all of the immense Alexandria sets are really there. The costuming is glorious, and the huge moments (such as the entry into Rome) do not disappoint. (For connoisseurs, compare that with the closing scene of Star Wars Phantom Menace.) The bigger the screen the better. The choreography provided for slave dancers is still of the Cecil B. and not Agnes DeMille variety.

The script was being written as they filmed. That created the immense problem of portions of the script being bloated and unwieldy.

This becomes obvious when you realize that the acting styles of the stars don't jibe at all. Elizabeth Taylor, when she isn't burdened with pseudo-monumental monologues, does a good job. It is professional acting at its best, and if it doesn't move us, I believe the fault lies with the script itself. Richard Burton at the mature peak of his Shakespearean powers gives a detailed account of Antony, but he allows himself to chew scenery at times. In contrast to Ms. Taylor, this contrast is awkward and becomes almost hammy. Rex Harrison is restrained and brilliant. More than one critic said that the movie became must less interesting after intermission (Caesar dies just before that PAUSE.) Hume Cronyn, Roddy MacDowell, Martin Landau, and all the other actors give great performances that might have been even greater with the extra 80+ minutes in place.

Joseph Mankiewicz always wanted to restore the full length for video release. VHS would not have worked. At the time it was "pan and scan" instead of letter-box, and you are lucky to have the actors even on screen. In an argument between Cleopatra and Antony, the width of the image was so large that only noses and mouths appear.

Apparently the missing footage hasn't been found. This review is based on the DVD, but I look forward to the Blu-Ray edition with great anticipation. It may not be 382 minutes long, but it is still the last, truly great spectacular movie, made before it became cheaper and easier to accomplish the impossible. (Now if only we can find the full-length Cleopatra.)

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