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Bizet's Carmen [1985] [ English subtitles ]


RRP: £15.33
Our Price: £24.99 (subject to change)

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

This movie version of Bizet's popular opera Carmen was filmed on location, conveying a kind of atmosphere, a sense of space, movement, and presence that's hard to achieve in a staged performance. It takes the action out of doors for many scenes, with the opening titles superimposed on the bloody conclusion of a bullfight. Elsewhere the changing of the guard, the crowd scenes, the dance number that opens Act 2, and the panoramic scenery of the smugglers' mountain hideout all benefit from the freedom granted by movie cameras.

It's an exciting Carmen, too, with a young-looking Placido Domingo in top form for a role he has sung hundreds of times. For Julia Migenes, though, it was her first performance in a role she would have trouble performing in an opera house. Her voice does not fit easily into Carmen's range, and she spent months training it, very successfully, before singing the role in a recording studio where the soundtrack was taped before the film was shot. Casting her in the role was a gamble, but it worked; she is a convincing actress. Unlike most opera-house performances this movie version uses the opera's original opera comique form with some spoken dialogue rather than recitatives.--Joe McLellan, Amazon.com


Stunning operatic cinema
Review date: 2008-01-13 Rating: 10 out of 10

This film is a marvelous combination of cinematic drama and wonderful music. Operatic experts quibble about the quality of the singing, but I think most people will hugely enjoy this emotional roller-coaster.

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Reviews


Real life Carmen
Review date: 2007-06-24 Rating: 10 out of 10

This Carmen was my first opera. I always liked opera music, but didn't like opera itself. Carmen was a surprise! Julia Migenes-Johnson is not playing Carmen. She IS Carmen! The story is beautifully filmed in south Spain. Carmen is a very real life girl. Challenging towards the officer who orders her arrest. Challenging towards Don José when he says he must go back to the appeal. Francesco Rosi uses the entr'acte music very well in the film. This opera is a must have! Together with Aida from Claes Fellbom Carmen is my absolute favorite opera. And yes, I do watch other opera's now.

A marvellous film of Bizet's masterpiece
Review date: 2007-03-04 Rating: 10 out of 10

The opera itself is one of the greats, full of great tunes and colourful writing. This film adds to it the gorgeous colour of location shooting in Spain. In Domingo we have a top singer who is also a top actor and in Julia Migenes, we actually have a Carmen who looks the part of the sultry temptress. It all adds up to a big success and marvellous enjoyment.

An operatic masterpiece!
Review date: 2007-02-27 Rating: 10 out of 10


Carmen has to be the greatest opera ever written! This cannot be disputed when even those people who do not like or understand opera are so familiar with so much of its music - even if they don't know where the music comes from! This was the one and only opera I ever got my parents to watch - I don't think they ever understood opera, but they were able to sit through this two and a half hour gem! I've watched 'Carmen' sixteen times to date, and therefore can watch it with the subtitles turned off - after so many viewings, I'm so familiar with the story and dialogue, and they only serve now to distract. I remember being so pleased at the time that Placido Domingo got the part of 'Don Jose'; not only because he was such a great opera singer, but it was a time in his life when he was SO handsome, and had the acting ability to carry it off. My only criticism would be though her acting and singing were tremendous, I thought the character of 'Carmen' should have been better-looking to play opposite such a handsome man. I thought it amazing how the character 'Don Jose' changed so dramatically from a conscientious and responsible soldier, into what can only be described as a 'good for nothing' criminal - and all because of this horrible woman who seems to turn every man's head whom I hated...

This film is flawless (minus the torture and killing of the poor innocent bull that I simply cannot stand and have to look away every time) In my opinion, I preferred the killing of the 'second' bull, that was done by 'Don Jose', at the end of the movie!!

Watch and enjoy!

Well done
Review date: 2007-02-18 Rating: 8 out of 10

I have to say that this is not my favorite carmen, but it is a nice one.. Julia miguenes Johnson is fabulous in the role of a very hot, sexy and gipsy minded carmen,, Pladico Domingo, who by the way, is SPANISH , and not at all italian ( no matter what the paper inside the DVD folder says,,) is amazing as a jealous, passionate Don Jose..

and yes. it works.. carmen takes your heart and , even if there s some differences with the orioginal operas (some recitatives have been turned into dialogues..) the whole experience is great and enjoyable .

i m glad i bought that DVD

It really confirmed what I suspected : Carmen was one hell of a hot floozy ...

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
François Le Roux
Julia Migenes
Plácido Domingo
Faith Esham
Ruggero Raimondi

Creators:
Julia Migenes (Primary Contributor)
Plácido Domingo (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Gaumont
Manufacturer: Gaumont
EAN: 3333297505307
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2000-06-20
Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
Region code: 2
Running time: 149 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1984-03-14
Language: French (Unknown)
Language: Czech (Subtitled)
Language: Dutch (Subtitled)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: Finnish (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: German (Subtitled)
Language: Hungarian (Subtitled)
Language: Norwegian (Subtitled)
Language: Polish (Subtitled)
Language: Portuguese (Subtitled)
Language: French (Original Language)

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