Monday 27 December 2010

The Bridge on the River Kwai [1957]


Bridge on the River Kwai is an epic action/adventure movie based during World War II, and is a magnificent viewing experience. A classic American film without a doubt, the film comprises of lavish set pieces and packs quite a punch through its thrill-quotient. Based mostly in a Japanese POW camp, the film has on one hand a group of captured British army, led by the disciplined, principled and stoic Col. Nicholson (played brilliantly by Alec Guinness), building a magnificent bridge across River Kwai, while on the other it has a smooth-talking but tough escaped American convict (played with élan by William Holden) having to volunteer a small team of British Soldiers based in Ceylon back to the treacherous island to blow up the bridge. Though the film can be divided into separate acts, David Lean’s masterful direction has fused them into an intense, thrilling and captivating whole that combined visual splendor and terrific conversations with implosive action. The movie was also extremely well-paced, so that despite its long length, none of the scenes seemed out of the place. The film also happens to be a terrific study of disparate and complex characters. The music too forms an integral part of the movie’s rousing package.

p.s. I'm very thankful to Clumbia Classics for contacting me and sending across this classic in a collector's edition box-set. Apart from exemplary picture and sound quality, the blue ray discs also boast of a host of extra features. And the box-set, with its booklet, pictures and postcards, is worth ogling at.








Director: David Lean
Genre: Epic/War Drama/Adventure/Ensemble Film
Language: English
Country: UK

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