Russian director Sergei Bondarchuk's epic version of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace (Voyna i Mir) was the most expensive European film ever made for many years. It certainly had one of the longest gestation periods, with Bondarchuk spending seven years filming the project (the actors noticeably age from scene to scene). In relating Tolstoy's complex tale of Napoleon's invasion of Russia, Bondarchuk helmed some of the most graphic battle scenes ever seen, one of which runs nearly 45 minutes. So many horses were killed in these ...
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Russian director Sergei Bondarchuk's epic version of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace (Voyna i Mir) was the most expensive European film ever made for many years. It certainly had one of the longest gestation periods, with Bondarchuk spending seven years filming the project (the actors noticeably age from scene to scene). In relating Tolstoy's complex tale of Napoleon's invasion of Russia, Bondarchuk helmed some of the most graphic battle scenes ever seen, one of which runs nearly 45 minutes. So many horses were killed in these sequences that the film was loudly boycotted in some American cities by the ASPCA. While Bondarchuk is slavish to the source material, he does make a few Hollywood-like concessions to popular appeal; his leading lady Lyudmila Savelyeva looks exactly like Audrey Hepburn, the star of King Vidor's 1956 filmization of the Tolstoy novel. Originally clocking in at 507 minutes, War and Peace was pared down to 373 minutes for American consumption. It became a surprise theatrical hit, and a ratings bonanza when it was telecast on the ABC network in four parts from August 12 through 15, 1972. A big film, to be sure -- but few modern critics consider Bondarchuk's War and Peace a great film, citing its many deadly dull passages and its sappy, operatic finale. The dubbed American version is narrated by Norman Rose. The full Russian-language version with English subtitles is now available on video. Hal Erickson, Rovi
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Vasiliy Lanovoy, Anatoliy Ktorov, Nikolay Kodin, Kira Golovko, Viktor Stanitsyn, Vyacheslav Tikhonov, Sergey Bondarchuk,... Very good. 2019 Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Digital copy/codes may be expired or not included. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
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Irina Skobtseva, Anatoliy Ktorov, Nikolay Kodin, Kira Golovko, Viktor Stanitsyn, Vyacheslav Tikhonov, Sergey Bondarchuk,... New. 2019 Buy with confidence-Satisfaction Guaranteed! Delivery Confirmation included for all orders in the US.
Russian director Sergei Bondarchuk's version of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace (Voyna i Mir) was the most expensive European film ever made for many years. Originally clocking in at 507 minutes, War and Peace was pared down to 373 minutes for America. In it we marvel at the musical scores, the nobility who close their eyes to misery and lower classes in this Napoleonic time of struggle. It was well dubbed, and beats hands down the American version of earlier years.