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Italian Job, The [1969]
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In his final screen appearance, Noel Coward joyfully sends up his own patriotic persona, and there are small though priceless cameos from the likes of Irene Handl and John Le Mesurier. But The Italian Job's real stars are the three Mini Coopers--patriotically decorated red, white and blue--that run rings round every other vehicle in an immortal car-chase sequence, which preserves forever the British public's love affair with the little car. Quincy Jones provided the irreverent music, naturally, while the cliffhanger ending thumbs its nose at anything so un-hip as a resolution. It's all unashamedly jingoistic--ridiculously, gleefully, absurdly so--but the whole sums up the joie de vivre of the 1960s so perfectly that future historians need only look here to learn why the decade was swinging. On the DVD: The Italian Job disc contains three all-new documentaries--"The Great Idea" (conception), "The Self-Preservation Society" (casting), and "Get a Bloomin' Move On" (stunts)--which dovetail into a good 68-minute "making of" featurette. Contributors include scriptwriter Troy Kennedy Martin and Producer Michael Deeley, who also crops up on the sporadically interesting commentary track with author of The Making of The Italian Job, Matthew Field. The deleted "Blue Danube" waltz scene is also included, with optional commentary. The print is a decent anamorphic transfer of the original 2.35:1 ratio, and the soundtrack has been remastered to Dolby 5.1. The animated Mini Cooper menus set the tone perfectly. --Mark Walker
RRP: £15.99
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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
The greatest Brit-flick crime caper comedy of all time, 1969's The Italian Job towers mightily above its latter-day mockney imitators. After Alfie but before Get Carter Michael Caine is the hippest ex-con around, bedding the birds (several at a time) and spouting immortal one-liners ("You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!"). The inheritor of a devious plan to steal gold bullion in the traffic-choked streets of Turin, Caine recruits a misfit team of genial underworld types--including a lecherous Benny Hill and three plummy public-schoolboy rally drivers--and uses the occasion of an England-Italy football match as cover for the heist.
A British Cinematic Classic
Review date: 2008-09-28 Rating: 8 out of 10
Michael Caine stars as Charlie Croaker, a newly realised prisoner, who sets about putting into motion a plan to steal a fortune, $4,000,000, in gold bars from the Italians. Until certain events come to pass, he is unable to set the plan into motion. He sneaks into the prison, where he interrupts Mr Bridger's nightly toilet break. Once undue reparations have come to pass onto the unfortunate Charlie Croaker, Mr Bridger finds an interest in the scheme. Once he, Croaker, has selected the team, and carried out rudimentary training he transports them to Italy; where they encounter the Italian Mafia. The Mafia, take it upon themselves to re-enact the credible incident that had befallen Croaker's predecessor's, who had planned the Job in Italy, untimely demise. From here the plan, is put into action tremendously carefully, by Croaker and his team.
The cardboard case is of good quality, but is starting to wear around the sides, after years of ownership, which is around five.
The extras or special features, includes: Audio Commentary Matthew Field and the producer Michael Deeley, a Deleted Scene, the Deleted Scene with commentary by Matthew Field, Documentaries, and the Theoretical Trailer.
Audio Commentary can be subtitled in either English or Deutsch (German).
Deleted Scene: a dance of cars, the crooks against policia Italiano, whilst the first part of the scene is a complaint by the Mafia chief; as the crooks planned the traffic problems, they must have planned their way-out.
There are three documentaries: The Great Idea, The Self[-]Preservation Society, and Get a Blommin' Move On.
The Great Idea: the documentary discusses where the Idea for the `Italian Job' stems from: a script for the BBC, based on Regent Street, but couldn't take off as it was stuck in a studio; so the idea was sold and transferred to Italy.
The Self[-]Preservation Society: discusses the casting of the actors, and discusses who played whom, how they changed from the original type of character desired.
Get a Blommin' Move On: discuses the use of the Minis and their famous stunt driver, Remy Julienne, who gave the Minis a personality almost comparable to a member of the cast. The documentary also discusses the problems the filmmakers encountered during the making-of the film.
The Italian Job epitomises filmmaking of the late `60s, 1969, demonstrating the dark glamorous culture of films which existed simultaneously with `hippieism'. The film is full of cheeky jokes, and is fundamentally important to the history of film; it is just as worthy today.
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Reviews
They don't make films like this any more........ thank goodness
Review date: 2008-04-22 Rating: 4 out of 10
This is harmless enough stuff, I suppose, but what may have been electrifying in 1969 isn't anything like so exciting today, and apart from the famous sequences of the Minis doing their stuff in Turin, this is a rather tedious film, with an ending that is, frankly, a cynical cop-out. Fans of Michael Caine will love it, no doubt, and aging petrolheads everywhere are given a wonderful opportunity to wallow in car nostalgia. Unfortunately, though, the film's weaknesses greatly outweigh its strengths. As nearly always, Michael Caine does no real acting at all, but is simply Michael Caine. Noel Coward's cameo contribution is splendid but all too short. Benny Hill makes a fleeting appearance but is far below par. Apart from the car stunts, the direction is uninspired and by present-day standards a little too indifferent about the provision of quality - but we are of course talking about the Britain of the late 1960s. These days, the only real value of The Italian Job is to remind us of the huge amount of progress that British film-making has made over the last forty years. They don't make films like this any more, and thank goodness for that.
On Days Like These
Review date: 2008-03-02 Rating: 10 out of 10
The Italian Job is a classic film and one of the best in the last 40 years. It has great acting from Michael Caine (Charlie Croker), Noel Coward (Mr Bridger), Benny Hill (Professor Peach), Raf Vallone (Altabani) and others. The storyline is excellent, the film features the famous line 'You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off', it has two great songs in ('On Days Like These' and 'Get A Bloomin Move On') and there are some amazing stunts in it. The Italian Job is definitely worth seeing if you haven't already and the DVD is worth buying also because it has some interesting documentaries about the making of the film.
Best of British.
Review date: 2008-02-18 Rating: 10 out of 10
`The Italian Job' is the quintessential British comedy heist movie. Advertised as `The Car's the Star' due to the use of three Mini Coopers as the ideal escape vehicles which, admittedly, did perform magnificently. However Michael Cane as Michael Cane, err sorry Charlie Crocker, Noel Coward as Mr Bridges and Benny Hill as Professor Peach takes some beating. Event the supporting cast are fantastic Irene Handle as Miss Plum and John Le Messieur as a faultless prison governor.
The biggest star is however the cracking dialogue, the obvious line to quote here is of course `I only said blow the bloody doors off!' however equally impressive is Crocker's tailor on viewing his shirts `What did you do? Life?', and the timeless `The only way to get through it if we all work together and that means you do exactly what I say'
Since it has been recorded elsewhere that you cannot beat perfection then why anyone would want to remake this film beats me. `Hang on a minute, I've got a great idea...'
MiniMiuraMadness!!!!
Review date: 2008-01-01 Rating: 10 out of 10
Nothing beats this old British classic, surely no one could possibly hate this. A thriller for anyone, the cars (especially the Lamborghini Miura in the mountains) are just perfect, the highly British comedy, the car chase, the lines: only supposed to blow the ****** doors off, I hope he likes spagetti, well at least look happy you stupid ******* we won didn't we?, try putting your foot down Tony they're really getting rather close, hello Charlie I'm dead, I'll tell you what I got a great idea. This is the best film ever!!!
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Benny Hill
Raf Vallone
Tony Beckley
Michael Caine
Noel Coward
Creators:
Michael Caine (Primary Contributor)
Noel Coward (Primary Contributor)
Douglas Slocombe (Cinematographer)
John Trumper (Editor)
Michael Deeley (Producer)
Robert Porter (Producer)
Stanley Baker (Producer)
Troy Kennedy-Martin (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: Paramount Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Entertainment
EAN: 5014437808530
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2003-09-15
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 95 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1969-09-03
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: Italian (Original Language)