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Casablanca [1942]
from Warner Home Video
starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt
directed by Michael Curtiz

Features:

• Black & White
• Dubbed
• Full Screen
• PAL

Editorial Review:

A truly perfect movie, the 1942 Casablanca still wows viewers today, and for good reason. Its unique story of a love triangle set against terribly high stakes in the war against a monster is sophisticated instead of outlandish, intriguing instead of garish. Humphrey Bogart plays the allegedly apolitical club owner in unoccupied French territory that is nevertheless crawling with Nazis; Ingrid Bergman is the lover who mysteriously deserted him in Paris; and Paul Heinreid is her heroic, slightly bewildered husband. Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Conrad Veidt are among what may be the best supporting cast in the history of Hollywood films. This is certainly among the most spirited and ennobling movies ever made.--Tom Keogh

This generously filled two-disc special edition presentation of Casablanca features the film itself in an impressively clean new digital transfer on the first disc, with hiss-free mono sound. It's prefaced by a rather pointless introduction from Lauren Bacall (it would surely be churlish to point out that Casablanca was made two years before Bacall met Bogart) and accompanied by two full-length and fact-packed audio commentaries, one from film critic Roger Ebert, who hardly pauses to take a breath, and the other from film historian Rudy Behlmer, who provides in-depth background detail.

The second disc features a plentiful collection of sundry archival features and more from Bacall, who hosts the two documentaries: You Must Remember This: The Making of Casablanca and a retrospective of Bogie's career, Bacall on Bogart. Of minor interest are two very short deleted scenes--Laszlo and Rick at the jail, and a German officer's pratfall--which in lieu of any surviving audio track have been subtitled from the original script; there's also five minutes of silent outtakes. An audio-only sample of Max Steiner's music-scoring sessions features Dooley Wilson singing "Knock on Wood" and "As Time Goes By". There are brief reminiscences from Stephen Bogart and Pia Lindstrom (son and daughter of Bogie and Ingrid Bergman, respectively); Bugs Bunny and pals in Carrotblanca; a curious 1955 Warner Bros TV version of the movie; audio excerpts from the "Screen Guild Players Radio Production" featuring the principal cast; plus the usual static galleries and other trivia. All in all, it's a valuable two-disc set that really does provide everything you always wanted to know about one of the most famous movies ever made. --Mark Walker

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

• Not what it was
  This used to be my favourite. I went to see it at a cinema in the 70s, when it was distinctly arthouse. Times change, though. Now the racism grates too much. When it was made I'm sure it was meant to be radical. Rick saying he does not sell human beings when offered a price for Sam might have been cutting edge in '42. Not now.
  It does not matter how captivating Ms Bergman is, I cannot see past her using that American racist insult, 'boy'.
  Sam, of course, does not even have two dimensions to his... more info

• As Time Goes By . . .
  . . . This film simply gets better and better. How can it miss with such a cast? Not only Humphrey Bogart as Rick and Ingrid Bergman as Ilse, but also the ensemble group of minor characters. Who can forget oily-voiced Peter Lorre smuggling the letters of transit? Or rotund Sidney Greenstreet swatting flies at the Blue Parrot? My very favorite, however, is Claude Raines as Louis, the (lovably) corrupt Prefect of Police, whose heart is his "least vulnerable spot," and whose lines, which include "Round up the... more info

• A Genuine Special Film and Special Edition DVD
  This is a truly unique edition is the size of an old bible, with more treasures inside that an Aladdin's cave, well at least for classic movie fans. One of the greatest and most iconic films ever, winner of 3 Academy Awards, Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay, it surely show us how they used to make them in the "good old days". No wonder at the time I wrote this, out of 33 review there were 31 five star rating and two four star rating, maybe the four star raters were having an off day!.more info

• "Round up the usual suspects"
  A truly superb movie, the 1942 Casablanca still wows viewers today, and for good reason. Its unique story of a love triangle set against terribly high stakes in the war against a monster is sophisticated instead of outlandish, intriguing instead of garish. The script is filled with tasty classic lines you'll really enjoy hearing in the context of the film. "Here's looking at you, Kid..." "round up the usual suspects" etc. Part of what makes all of it work is the vocal treatment by the actors in their... more info

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