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Catch - 22 [1970]
![Catch - 22 [1970]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/417MG1FDRZL._SL160_.jpg)
RRP: £15.99
Our Price: £2.98 (subject to change)
Pretty decent movie
Review date: 2008-02-03 Rating: 6 out of 10
The best thing about this off centre satire is that tries to be something different, it gets some sort of point across about the insanity of war, and it certainly has charisma. I honestly thought it would be getting better marks from reviewers here, but apparently the film fails to impress generally. It is quite a difficult movie to analyse I think, because it is clearly trying very hard to crystalise the essence of the famous book, if not include all the details of it, and I believe it must have at least in some measure been a success in this (although I admit to not having read it). It has good cinematic moments and a top performance by Arkin. I actually think it's a better than average satire and has some good surreal scenes defining the chaos that ensues when normal life is turned upside down by war. I assume its main trouble as a coherent movie is its loose, discursive narrative, but that doesn't stop most film makers putting out movies, and usually far less charismatic than this.
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Reviews
great film
Review date: 2007-06-25 Rating: 8 out of 10
I think that if someone had written this as a screenplay, and the book had never have existed it would have received far more acclaim than it has, and wouldn't have half as many negative reviews as it does (on this site at least, generally amongst critics the film has become universally acclaimed, though all admit it is flawed, which is to be expected when it had to follow up to Heller's book). It would take a 5 hour film to do the book justice and to expect a visual duplicate of the book i think would be madness.
Mike Nichols created a film as good as i ever could have expected. The scenes in the book which I found to be either the most funny, or most moving, were in my mind portrayed perfectly by Mike Nichols (just as Yossarian was portrayed perfectly by Alan Arkin) and i strongly urge any fan of the book to watch the film.
Terrible Film
Review date: 2006-04-24 Rating: 2 out of 10
How this film got an average of 4 stars out of 5 I'll never know. The book is one of the best and funniest things I've ever read so I was sorely disappointed with the screen version.
I do think that this film should be remade sometime in the future, with the right script adaptation and director it could be superb!
Dissapointment, but i guess watch it anyway.
Review date: 2006-03-17 Rating: 6 out of 10
Just watch the film after finishing the book last night. As soon as i opened the package and saw that it was a 15 certificate i new i was going to dissapointed.
The book was graffic, disturbing and moving and the film missed the point completely.
Pointless slow dialogue scenes and missing story lines instead of screaming insane realism has almost ruined the memory of book for me. I'm almost afraid to replay it for my husband because i've been raving about the book for a couple of weeks!
Big name actors would be an atraction but i reckon they must have signed up after reading the book and thinking they were goin to be part of something great....sorry lads.
Worth watching if you've read the book but ortherwise i'm not sure you'd get it. You certainly wouldn't rush out to buy the book afterwards.
If ever there was a re-make needed doing this is it. Ok, so it would have to be five hours long and not get a cert, but i'd buy it.
Should never have been made
Review date: 2006-01-08 Rating: 4 out of 10
Having read the novel, which I thought was very well written, I was curious to see whether it could translate to the big screen. It couldn't. It deserves 5 stars for the acting alone which is superb, but the film as a whole is a sprawling, disjointed mess. A classic case of the novel being better than the film.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Paula Prentiss
Richard Benjamin
Martin Balsam
Martin Sheen
Bob Newhart
Creators:
Martin Balsam (Primary Contributor)
Bob Newhart (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Paramount Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Entertainment
EAN: 5014437818836
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2002-10-07
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 116 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1970
Language: English (Original Language)