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The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

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(Laserdisc)

This information is for the Laserdisc release, not a DVD release.

NOTE: This commentary track is only available on the Criterion Collection laserdisc release.

Commentaries on this disc:

Commentary 1: Orson Welles historian Robert Carringer Rating:6.3/10 (3 votes) [graph]Login to vote or review
Reviewed by kevkevkev on April 11th, 2009:Find all reviews by kevkevkev
i have this on the 2 laserdisc cav set but i think the commentary is also on the one disc version. the audio essay on the criterion laserdisc is by robert carringer, an expert on orson welles and his films. this is a great track. as the film was heavily cut before release it's really helpful to hear how certain scenes were cut and reshot. don't expect alot of laughs or excitement, carringer is a serious commentator who explains every shot of the film in great detail. 8/10
Reviewed by Buldrebisk on July 12th, 2009:Find all reviews by Buldrebisk
I don’t know why this movie is so loved. For me it’s one of those that were good for its time. In other words it’s not good now. It’s not that it’s that bad, but I just don’t see the brilliance. Maybe I would like the no longer existing 131 minute version. But even this commentary doesn’t make me like it any more. It’s a very dry and analytical commentary where he points out camera angles and cuts and things like that. All of which are there to praise Welles for being brilliant in some way. I did like the commentary better than the movie, because as a movie I just didn’t see it. But as a historical example which is how it’s presented in this commentary I might appreciate it more. But like I said, very dry and analytical. 5/10