CLEOPATRA [1963 / 2013] [50th Anniversary Edition] [Deluxe Limited Edition DigiBook] [Blu-ray] [USA Release] One of the Grandest Cinematic Spectacles of All Time!
This epic masterpiece has never been more glorious. Meticulously restored with a stunningly vivid picture and breath-taking sound, the scope and scale of this legendary cinematic treasure is brought to life like never before. This 2-disc 50th Anniversary Edition includes an incredible DigiBook that provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at this 4-time Academy Award® Winning Film.
Elizabeth Taylor stars as Cleopatra, the cunning queen of Egypt who seduces the rulers of Rome, only to meet her match with Mark Antony [Richard Burton]. Their passionate romance could decide the fate of the world’s greatest empires. Ben Wright (Narrator voice) (uncredited).
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1963 National Board of Review, USA: Win: Best Actor for Rex Harrison. 1964 Academy Awards®: Win: Best Cinematography in Color for Leon Shamroy. Win: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration in Color for Boris Juraga, Elven Webb, Herman A. Blumenthal, Hilyard M. Brown, Jack Martin Smith, John DeCuir, Maurice Pelling, Paul S. Fox, Ray Moyerand Walter M. Scott . Win: Best Costume Design in Color for Irene Sharaff, Renié and Vittorio Nino Novarese. Win: Best Effects and Special Visual Effects for Emil Kosa Jr. Nomination: Best Picture for Walter Wanger. Nomination: Best Actor in a Leading Role for Rex Harrison. Nomination: Best Sound for Fred Hynes (Todd-AO SSD) and James Corcoran (20th Century-Fox SSD). Nomination: Best Film Editing for Dorothy Spencer. Nomination: Best Music, Score for Substantially Original for Alex North. 1964 Golden Globes: Nomination: Best Motion Picture in a Drama. Nomination: Best Director for Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Nomination: Best Actor in a Drama for Rex Harrison. Nomination: Best Supporting Actor for Roddy McDowall. 1964 American Cinema Editors: Nomination: Best Edited Feature Film for Dorothy Spencer. 1964 Grammy Awards: Nomination: Best Original Score from a Motion Picture or Television Show for Alex North. 1964 Laurel Awards: Win: Golden Laurel Award for Top Roadshow. Nomination: Golden Laurel Award for Top Male Dramatic Performance for Rex Harrison.
FILM FACT No.2: The film achieved notoriety during its production for its massive cost overruns and production troubles, which included changes in director and cast, a change of filming locale, sets that had to be constructed twice, lack of a firm shooting script, and personal scandal around co-stars Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. It was the most expensive film ever made up to that point and almost bankrupted 20th Century Fox. The music of ‘CLEOPATRA’ was scored by Alex North. It was released several times, first as an original album, and later versions were extended. The most popular of these was the Deluxe Edition or 2001 Varèse Sarabande album. ‘CLEOPATRA’ ended up costing $31 million, making it the most expensive film ever made at the time, and almost bankrupted 20th Century Fox.
Cast: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Pamela Brown, George Cole, Hume Cronyn, Cesare Danova, Kenneth Haigh, Andrew Keir, Martin Landau, Roddy McDowall, Robert Stephens, Francesca Annis, Grégoire Aslan, Martin Benson, Herbert Berghof, John Cairney, Jacqueline Chan, Isabel Cooley, John Doucette, Andrew Faulds, Michael Gwynn, Michael Hordern, John Hoyt, Marne Maitland, Carroll O'Connor, Richard O'Sullivan, Gwen Watford, Douglas Wilmer, Vanoye Aikens (uncredited), John Alderson (uncredited), John Alderton (uncredited), Ronald Allen (uncredited), Audrey Anderson (uncredited), María Badmajew (uncredited), Michèle Bailly (uncredited), Marina Berti (uncredited), Salvatore Billa (uncredited), Omero Capanna (uncredited), Bruna Caruso (uncredited), Leo Coleman (uncredited), Finlay Currie (uncredited), Rod Dana (uncredited), Marie Devereux (uncredited), Peter Forster (uncredited), John Frederick (uncredited), María Luz Galicia (uncredited), John Gayford (uncredited), Peter Grant (uncredited), Rosalba Grottesi (uncredited), Rupert John (uncredited), John Karlsen (uncredited), Jeremy Kemp (uncredited), Margaret Lee (uncredited), Desmond Llewelyn (uncredited), Calvin Lockhart (uncredited), Loris Loddi (uncredited), Barry Lowe (uncredited), Jean Marsh (uncredited), Kathy Martin (uncredited), Luigi Martocci (uncredited), Gesa Meiken (uncredited), Furio Meniconi (uncredited), Simon Mizrahi (uncredited), Violeta Montenegro (uncredited), Boris Nacinovic (uncredited), Laurence Naismith (uncredited), Kenneth Nash (uncredited), John R. Pepper (uncredited), Paola Pitagora (uncredited), Michela Roc (uncredited), Del Russel (uncredited), Sandra Scarnati (uncredited), Corinne Skinner-Carter (uncredited), Mike Steen (uncredited), Jack Taylor (uncredited), Larry Taylor (uncredited), John Valva (uncredited), Meri Welles (uncredited) and Ben Wright (Narrator voice) (uncredited)
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Producers: Walter Wanger and Peter Levathes (uncredited)
Screenplay: Joseph L. Mankiewicz (screenplay), Ranald MacDougall (screenplay), Sidney Buchman (screenplay), Appian (histories), Plutarch (histories), Suetonius (histories), Carlo Maria Franzero (book) and Ben Hecht (uncredited)
Composer: Alex North
Cinematography: Leon Shamroy (Director of Photography) and Jack Hildyard (Director of Photography) (uncredited)
Image Resolution: 1080p (Color by Deluxe)
Aspect Ratio: 2.20:1 [Todd-AO]
Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
English: 4.0 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
Spanish: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
French: 5.1 DTS Surround Sound
Spanish: 5.1 DTS Surround Sound
Português: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French, Castellanos, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Portuguese [Brazil], Swedish, Hebrew, Iceland, Chinese, Portuguese, English Audio Description, French Audio Description, Spanish Audio Description, Danish Audio Description, Dutch Audio Description, Finnish Audio Description, Norwegian Audio Description, Swedish Audio Description and Chinese Audio Description
Running Time: 1st Blu-ray: 1:56:56 and 2nd Blu-ray: 2:14:11
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 2
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: How could the film ‘CLEOPATRA’ [1963] become one of the year's highest grossing films and still manage to be widely regarded as one of Hollywood's biggest flops of all time? Perhaps if a film's budget surges from around $2 million to over $45 million (some reports say $60 million) and takes years rather than the allotted time to shoot, then you have a good justification. Add Elizabeth Taylor's near-fatal illness, director and cast changes during filming, and constant rewrites to the mixture. Then top it all off with an adulterous love affair between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, and you have a perfect recipe for disaster. Well, either that, or just enough scandal and publicity to garner Oscar® acclaim and entice curious moviegoers to the theatre. This is exactly what happened when 20th Century Fox released ‘CLEOPATRA’ in 1963. It isn’t essential to know the tempestuous tale of its making to revel in Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s spectacular ‘CLEOPATRA’ feast of literary insight and melodramatic extravagance. It should neither help nor hinder delight in the film to know that it cost more to make than any film to date and reportedly, forty-four million dollars (which would be more than three hundred and thirty million dollars today). But, as with other unduly derided personal and visionary masterworks, such as ‘Heaven’s Gate’ and ‘Ishtar,’ that arose from extended and expensive productions, the budget is often the first thing that is always mentioned, and now with the splendid new restoration Blu-ray release of ‘CLEOPATRA,’ which should help to galvanize much more interest into this classic Hollywood film and its deserved place in history, especially when it comes to Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s career and in the cinematic firmament of our imagination. After two years in the making, and $7 million spent, Fox had ten minutes of useable footage. Rouben Mamoulian subsequently resigned before shooting resumed, and Taylor suggested Joseph L. Mankiewicz to take his place. Joseph L. Mankiewicz had directed her in ‘Suddenly, Last Summer,’ for which she earned an Academy Award® nomination. He had also directed Shakespeare's Julius Caesar in 1953, proving his keen sense of classical history. Thus, Joseph L. Mankiewicz seemed like the perfect choice. 20th Century Fox paid out $3 million dollars to secure the director and buy him out of previous obligations.
The London shoot went terribly, due in part to Elizabeth Taylor’s ill health, in part to her dismay with the script, in part due to Rouben Mamoulian’s own lack of command, in part due to London weather. Three months of shooting were scrapped in 1961, when Rouben Mamoulian quit and was replaced by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Amazingly, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who was, of course, both a writer and a director, was hired to do both jobs. He quickly generated a script outline that was intended to yield two three-hour features: one about Caesar and Cleopatra, the other about Antony and Cleopatra. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Taylor’s health got worse, landing her in the hospital, near death from pneumonia. When she recovered, the production moved to Rome and started from scratch in September, 1961 and especially with Joseph L. Mankiewicz writing the script at night for the next day’s action. Meanwhile, the paparazzi (who had only recently been given that immortal name, by Federico Fellini in ‘La Dolce Vita’) were making life for Elizabeth Taylor and her then husband, Eddie Fisher, miserable, and became all the more trouble when she began spending lots of time with her Antony, Richard Burton.
The Roman shoot, which ran through June, 1962, featured colossal sets, enormous manpower especially with seven thousand extras for one scene and, for episodes of naval warfare, actual ships (“We had to get permission from the local government to rebuild some of the town’s bridges.”). The last leg of the shoot took place in Egypt later that summer, by which time the head of the studio that had backed the shoot to the bitter end, Spyros Skouras, was forced to resign. His successor, Darryl F. Zanuck, fired Joseph L. Mankiewicz, then rehired him to shoot additional scenes in March, 1963 and then took editorial control, cutting the film into one four-hour feature.
Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s ‘CLEOPATRA’ is put together with the stuff of legend that the director experienced as personal reality, and he filmed the story as if he had been there. The film may be as close as Hollywood gets, to a cinematic Shakespeare, less in its lucidly incisive, rhetorically reserved images than in its blend of coruscating language, rowdy comedy, and grand yet urgent and intimate performances. The fact that Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton had become an item is obvious from watching the film; the passion that they generate on-screen has a thrillingly spontaneous, electric ardour. The production was cursed and yet, in this regard, it was, perhaps more than any other, blessed. There is so much else that is exciting, like the naval battle of Actium, described with huge dashing galleys and tiny models on a plotting board; the famous orgy on the barge of Cleopatra; the drama of Antony riding out, all alone, deserted by his soldiers, to face the army of Octavian in the final humiliation of himself and his fatalistic love.
There are also so many people who are to be credited with fine work like Roddy McDowall as the sinuous Octavian; Hume Cronyn as the sage Sosigenes, counsellor to Cleopatra; Cesare Danova as her loyal bodyguard; Martin Landau as Rufio, a Roman general, and many more. And there are others to thank like Walter Wanger, who originated and produced the film; Leon Shamroy who directed the photography; and Alex North who wrote the potent stunning musical score.
The dark clouds lingering over the ‘CLEOPATRA’ film production undoubtedly stained its release, overshadowing the actual quality of the film itself. The plot, Cleopatra using her feminine wiles to stabilise her Egyptian power by seducing Caesar and Marc Antony, seemed almost irrelevant. Audiences were more interested in the romance between Taylor and Burton than Cleopatra and Antony. The film's dialogue was smart and the spectacle was stunning, yet never quite seemed worth the price tag. Over time, Fox did eventually make its money back. In 1966, ABC paid $5 million for two showings, finally putting Cleopatra back into the black.
There may be those who will find the length too tiring, the emphasis on Roman politics a bit too involved and tedious, the luxuriance too much. But unless you are one of those sceptics who are stubbornly predisposed to give ‘CLEOPATRA’ the thumbs down. I don't see how you can fail to find this as a generally brilliant, stunning, awesome moving and a totally satisfying film.
Blu-ray Image Quality – “You’re in the show with Todd-AO” as they used to say with this striking and magisterial 2.20:1 imagetransfer presented in this stunning and totally awesome 1080p resolution encoded image is so gorgeous that it sometimes seems almost possible to walk right into the picture. Sharpness is superb throughout without any artificial-looking edge enhancement. Colour saturation is spot-on with reds, purples, and golds being especially memorable. Flesh tones do vary a bit seeming sometimes too tan compared to other times, but that could very well have been due to the shooting locations in Rome which may have baked the skin of some of the actors, and most of the time, skin tones look completely natural and authentic. The film has been divided into 53 chapters over two discs which includes the overture, entr’acte, and exit music chapters. Please Note: With Amazon and the Back Cover, it informs us that these 2 Blu-ray discs are Region A/1; well this is false information, as in fact they are All Regions Blu-ray discs.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – The discs offers you the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and the 4.0 Dolby Digital sound mixes, and each is a solid aural achievement. Though most of the surround activity is contributed by Alex North’s celebrated score which gets a nice spread through the fronts and rears and accounts for much of the bass used in the channels, there are occasional uses of panning effects through the sound field, as in the Procession into Rome sequence. Dialogue has been superbly recorded and has been placed in the centre channel. And for those who are interested, the entr’acte music does begin with the Blu-ray Disc 2.
First Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
First Audio Commentary: The commentary starts off with Martin Landau, who talks extensively about the start of the film. He tells us about the different people involved with the film; and it was like a United Nation with all the different nationalists. Martin also informs us that while doing the audio commentary that viewing the film again, that he remembers what went on behind-the-scene, especially how he got on with all the main actors. He also mentions about the way the film is shot, especially where you see the actors sometimes sun tanned and sometimes not, also seeing the actors losing weight and then gaining weight. So all in all this first part of the audio commentary, which ends Martin Landau’s part at 1:31:00 and this actor’s very informative and very intelligent information in telling us the intimate facts on what was involved in the making of ‘CLEOPATRA.’ Next up in this particular audio commentary is Tom Mankiewicz at 1:39:19, who is the son of Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Tom Mankiewicz mentions how Elizabeth Taylor had a lot of control on what actors or directors were to be allowed to work on the making of ‘CLEOPATRA,’ but 20th Century Fox were not keen on having Richard Burton in the film, as they felt at the time he was not film star quality, but of course was totally perfect for the film. Tom Mankiewicz also informs us that his Dad had a love / hate battle with Rex Harrison, but despite this, he had a lot of respect with this British actor. Tom also tells us of when there were in Egypt, he tells of the terrible experience when they wanted the local people for the crowd scenes, but because they were illiterate, they then had to bring in young students and nearly had a riot, but with 5 military guys on camels with machine guns, they were able to quell the riot and he felt that would have been the end of filming in Egypt. Tom also informs us of the total nightmare scenario with the paparazzi that was totally out of control, especially when Elizabeth Taylor left the hotel and when Tom walked out with a lookalike Elizabeth Taylor, it took the pressure off the real Elizabeth Taylor, but despite this, they acted like lunatics, especially in Egypt and Rome and so ends Part One of this fascinating and very interesting audio commentary and especially informing us of the historic information on the making of the most talked about Hollywood film of the 20th Century.
Special Feature: The Cleopatra Papers: A Private Correspondence [1963] [1080p] [1.78:1] Jack Brodsky and Nathan Weiss were publicist for 20th Century Fox during the epic production of ‘CLEOPATRA.’ One was stationed in Rome, the other in New York, and then they switched places. Pre-E-mail, Skype, and Non-disclosure agreements, their private correspondence consisted of detailed letters and telegrams, informing each other about the latest battles between director and studio, set politics, and strategies for how to control the explosive press coverage of the infamous Taylor-Burton romance. Originally published in book form in 1963, their communications reveals the true experience of being inside a cinematic tornado. But what you get to see is a series of still images. To start the process you have to press the ENTER button on your remote control and then to continue viewing the images, you have to press the NEXT button on your remote control. Happy Viewing!
Special Feature: Cleopatra Through The Ages: A Cultural History [2011] [1080p] [1.78:1 / 2.20:1] [7:51] Here we have a fascinating insight into the historic analogy about Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, and we get a nice contribution for the likes of Stuart Tyson Smith [Professor and Chair of the Anthropology at the UC, Santa Barbara]. He also talks about the different portraits of Cleopatra throughout history and mentions William Shakespeare play “Antony and Cleopatra” and also compares the Theda Bara film version against the 1963 film. He also feels that the author George Bernard Shaw’s novel “Caesar and Cleopatra” was a much more accurate portrayal of the real life Cleopatra. So all in all this is a quite a nice extra, that gives you a lot more information about what made Cleopatra the phenomenon she was and why we are all fascinated by this Egyptian Queen.
Special Feature: Cleopatra’s Missing Footage [2011] [1080p] [1.78:1 / 2.20:1] [8:12] We get a fascinating insight about the missing footage that was deleted from the longer film version and we get to hear from the likes of Brad Geagley [Author/Film Historian] and Schawn Belston [Fox Film Archivist]. When it was originally shot, it ran for over 5 hours, the head of 20th Century Fox objected, as that way they would only be able to show the film once a day and a total loss of earnings. When it premiered in New York on the 2nd June, 1963 it ran for 4 hours and 6 minutes, but on general release in most cinemas, the film the public saw ran for 3 hours and 12 minutes. The two presenters would hope that the missing footage would be eventually found to bring out the ultimate edition on a Blu-ray release. But the version you get to see on this Blu-ray Release is the running time of 4 hours and 6 minutes. Archive photos courtesy of Roger Marguette.
Special Feature: Fox Movie Channel Presents Fox Legacy with CEO Tom Rothman [2011] [480i] [1.37:1] [29:29] Wow this is a really aggressive in your face, with an equally over the top presenter and I am so glad I don’t have to witness this person being broadcast on our British Television, as he is totally obnoxious. But what this so called presenter tells us is just stating the obvious of information we already knew about the film inside information about the film ‘Cleopatra’ financial disaster. One bonus is you get to see some rare behind-the-scene film clips.
Second Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Second Audio Commentary: With the start of this second audio commentary, we start off where we left off where with the 1st part of the film with Tom Mankiewicz and informs us of his Father arriving at Pinewood Studios in the UK and said they were mad to ever contemplate filming in England, because of the terrible wet and damp overcast weather that the UK is prone to and said Italy should been the preferred location and of course the whole Pinewood Studios project had to be abandoned, despite going over budget. But one big problem when they wanted to film in Egypt was their anti-Jewish attitude and in doing so, would not allow certain people into their country, especially Elizabeth Taylor. But because it was rumoured they would lose $8 million of revenue, they dropped their religious objections. Next up is Christopher Mankiewicz at 00:15:34 and he tells us that he was the second assistant director for ‘CLEOPATRA’ until January 1962 of that year of filming. He also informs us that originally the sets were built in Hollywood, as well as shooting some scenes. Then they decided to move everything to England, where they did some more filming. Then eventually his Dad demanded it should all be filmed in Rome and eventually is it was a third reincarnation. He also informs us being the second assistant he did not get very intimate with the actors, but preferred to be with the dancers, who he eventually married one of the dancers. Christopher also tells us about how his Dad got the best out of the actors, where they would walk off the set and have a quiet word with them. Then precisely at 1:10:44 Martin Landau comes back to the audio commentary. He talks about scenes where he cried, but the studio decided to cut it from the film, as they felt seeing a man crying was not the done thing. With the battle scenes, Martin informs us that the scene with Andrew Faulds was filmed in Malibu. After that information we don’t get much more audio commentary from Martin Landau about the insight into the filming of the battle scenes in ‘CLEOPATRA.’ But precisely at 1:23:20 in comes Jack Brodsky, who informs us that he was the publicist for ‘CLEOPATRA’ from the end of 1961, through the Spring of 1962 and at the time of filming his wife had a difficult pregnancy and had to go back to America and was replaced by his good friend Nathan Weiss. We also hear that his hero was the director Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who was also a good friend to him, as well as a confident. We get to hear a great insight about the saved correspondence with Jack and Nathan sent to each other that were kept with the Editor of the Esquire publication and also tells about Norman Mailer had seen the private correspondence and informs Jack they definitely have a successful book on their hands. Jack also tells us that because of the private correspondence and especially the intimate revelation of the affair between Burton and Taylor were having while filming ‘CLEOPATRA’ that they were informed by 20th Century Fox that this information should not be included when the book is published. Despite Jack and Nathan doing a big publicity junket on ‘CLEOPATRA’ and all what was going on with the filming, but people were only interested in the intimate affair between Richard Burton and Eliazabeth Taylor. Despite working 6 days a week in conjunction with the film, Jack and his wife had a brilliant time in Rome, as they had a really nice flat and also informs us that the Italian Restaurants are the best in the world, even compared to the Italian Restaurants in New York City. At precisely 1:51:06 Tom Mankiewicz comes back into the audio commentary again, and he praises the British Actress Francesca Annis, who of course becomes a great stage and film actress. He also praises the British Actor Andrew Keir, who was of those no nonsense actors who lights up the screen, as also all the other British Actors who appeared in the film ‘CLEOPATRA.’ Tom also eludes to us that when the film was finished, his Father wanted ‘CLEOPATRA’ to be as two separate films and because 20th Century Fox was bankrupt, Darryl F. Zanuck said he would only allow the film to be shown as one film, which broke the heart of Tom’s father, especially that no one would ever get to view the 6 hour version. So ends another informative audio commentary that was fascinating to hear such intelligent audio conversations from the likes of Martin Landau; Tom Mankiewicz; Christopher Mankiewicz and Jack Brodsky. I know that when watches such a long film as ‘CLEOPATRA’ and then to have to again watch the 2 Blu-ray discs again with the audio commentary, we’ll be advised, it is well worth the effort, as you get to hear some many intimate facts at the making of ‘CLEOPATRA,’ especially what went on behind-the-scenes, plus what the actors were like and the inner thoughts of Martin, Tom, Christopher and Jack on their personal experiences with all aspects of the awesome and spectacular ‘CLEOPATRA’ and I give it 10 out of 10 for the professional presentation of especially the audio commentary and one of the best I have heard in a very long time and it has given me so much insight into appreciating ‘CLEOPATRA’ even more, than when I first viewed the film in the cinema.
Special Feature: Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood [2001] [480i] [1.37:1] [1:59:07] This is a Prometheus Entertainment documentary, in association with Van Ness Films; Foxstar Productions; Fox Television Studios and American Movie Classics. This made for American TV Special brings us much more insight into this epic Hollywood classic film ‘CLEOPATRA’ and the very interesting audio commentary is narrated by Robert Culp. But before we get into the actual documentary, we get the infamous words from Robert Culp saying, “It has been called the most expensive motion picture ever made.” “It has been called the biggest flop of all time.” “It is known as a film that nearly bankrupted a Hollywood Studio.” “And a scandal that set the press into a feeding frenzy.” “That had the public begging for more.” Robert Culp also informs us that for nearly four decades, the story of ‘Cleopatra’ has been shrouded in rumour and marred by gossip. It is one of the most famous and infamous stories ever put on film. But behind the spectacle, is a true story as compelling and as tragic as anything seen on the screen. It is a story that changed lives, and a film that changed Hollywood forever. Robert Culp also informs us that to the world outside, Hollywood in 1959 were still the place where dreams and fantasies came true, but behind the façade and backlot, there was a run of insidious run of bad luck, that was eating away at their profits. But as we journey through this nearly 2 hour special documentary. What is really interesting and fascinating about this Special Documentary is all the intrigue surrounding of the making of ‘Cleopatra,’ plus all the gossip and the scandal relating to the so called secret affair between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. We also get to hear about the runaway budget that nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox and no one knew how to stop this rollercoaster disaster from ever happening and whether 20th Century Fox would ever survive the massive debt they incurred because of the bloated budget in bringing ‘Cleopatra’ to the silver screen. But what we also get to see a lot of behind-the-scene rare look at the making of ‘Cleopatra.’ But even better is the very nice dedication near the end of this epic Special Documentary of the main contributors to this epic Hollywood film and it reads as follows: Richard Burton [1908-1990]; Rex Harrison [1908-1990]; Joseph L. Mankiewicz [1909-1993]; Walter Wagner [1984-1968] and Roddy McDowall [1928-1998]. But I think the final comment by Robert Culp, sums up the love and affection we all have for ‘CLEOPATRA,’ when he says, “Cleopatra, is a name that conjures mystery, power and seduction.” “It is also a name that has come to suggest opulence, grandeur and great excess.” “It is the name of one of the most intriguing women who has ever lived.” “In the name of one of the greatest and infamous films, ever made.” Contributions include: Roddy McDowall [Actor/1995]; Mel Gussow [Darryl F. Zanuck Biographer/1995]; Jack Brodsky [Publicist for Cleopatra]; David Brown [Former Executive for 20th century Fox]; Joe Hyams [Co-Author of “My Life With Cleopatra”]; Brad Geagley [Film Historian]; Geoffrey Sharpe [Archivist]; Richard Merryman [Journalist]; Kim Masters [Entertainment Journalist/Author]; Keith Baxter [Actor]; Stephanie Guest [Daughter of Walter Wagner]; Richard Green [Archivist]; Tom Mankiewicz [Son of Joseph L. Mankiewicz]; Hume Cronyn [Actor]; Chis Mankiewicz [Son of Joseph L. Mankiewicz]; Rosemary Mankiewicz [Wife of Joseph L. Mankiewicz]; John Karlsen [Actor]; Brook Williams [Friend of Richard Burton]; Martin Landau [Actor]; Carey Harrison [Son of Rex Harrison]; C.O. “Doc” Erickson [Production Manager for Cleopatra]; Richard Zanuck [Former Production Chief]; Robert Wagner [Actor]; Maureen O’Hara [Actress]; Bill Mechanic [Former President of 20th Century Fox] and Nick Redman [Music Producer].
Special Feature Documentary: The Fourth Star of Cleopatra [2001] [480i] [1.37:1] [9:06] With this special documentary, the commentator refers to who the fourth star is of ‘CLEOPATRA’ and that is the production itself and all the behind-the-scene crew who helped to make ‘CLEOPATRA’ what it is today and the process of all the technical knowhow in bringing this epic film to the silver screen. Narrated by Phil Tomken.
Special Feature: Fox Movietone News: Archival Footage of the New York Premiere [1963] [480i] [1.37:1] [6:00] This is split into two instalments of the 20th Century Fox chronicle of the lavish American premieres of 'Cleopatra.' The first one provides archival footage from the New York opening, and includes appearances by such luminaries as Rex Harrison, Roddy McDowell, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Helen Hayes, Joan Fontaine, Red Buttons, composers Richard Rodgers and Leonard Bernstein, and the 20th Century Fox chief Darryl F. Zanuck, while the second takes us to Hollywood and then Washington, D.C. for their respective premieres. In L.A., Rex Harrison, Malcolm McDowell, Lucille Ball, and Rosalind Russell are among the celebrities attending, while a parade of U.S. senators and diplomatic dignitaries walk the red carpet in the nation’s capital.
Theatrical Trailers: Trailer A [1963] [480i] [2.20:1] 4:39]; Trailer B [1963] [480i] [16:9] [00:45] and Trailer C [1963] [480i] [2.20:1] [4:39] What is quite intriguing is basically Trailer A and C are the same print, but with Trailer C you get a slightly different voice over and a lot more extra wording appearing on the screen.
BONUS: The stunning beautiful Deluxe Limited Edition DigiBook acts as a case that holds the 2 Blu-Ray discs and includes the 28 page booklet which is full of stunning colour printed pages, which is well worth purchasing just for this and also has absolutely fascinating information about the film, as well as the director and some of the main actors in the film.
Finally, all that philosophical hoo-ha aside, the film ‘CLEOPATRA’ 50th Anniversary Blu-ray is a visually-stunning reminder of pre-CGI, cinematic splendour. Every set, costume, and stroke of the makeup brush is visible in gorgeous detail. Each high resolution gleam of the film’s golden gilding explains its $44 million production budget. Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s ‘Cleopatra’ redefined the boundaries of the Hollywood epic, even as it faltered in its storytelling. No matter your opinion on the movie itself, you have to respect that Cleopatra has been cemented into film history. The 50th Anniversary Blu-ray does justice to the film’s complete legacy honouring it while not shying away from its troubled production. This is definitely a must-have for any film for any film buffs out there. This Blu-ray release from 20th Century Fox, it is pure reference quality and you will get total euphoria, that will sure to dazzle 100%. Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
