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Colditz


RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £2.30 (subject to change)

Neither Fish Nor Fowl: Three-and-a-Half Stars
Review date: 2008-07-27 Rating: 8 out of 10

First of all, any movie that includes Lawrence Fox is worth watching (I haven't seen him in anything I haven't liked, so far.); next, I found this well-acted two-part series absorbing from beginning to end. Damian Lewis is also excellent in the role of the charming rogue who almost gets away with his villainy.

The problem with the story, it seems to me, is that it couldn't quite make up its mind as to genre: Escape yarn? Love story? Murder mystery? Espionage thriller? It is all of these, but, given the name of the film, I can see how anyone expecting the first might be disappointed, since the narrative passes so quickly over many of the riveting details of the great escape stories that emerged during the 1950s, which concentrated both on life in the camp and on the ingenuity of the prisoners in their plots to escape. The story of Colditz Castle, the impregnable prison camp to which incorrigibly persistent officer-escapees of the allied forces from other camps were sent, is thrilling in its own right, and any film bearing the name, "Colditz," deserves a treatment as thorough as the one it got, for instance, in the old film with John Mills and Eric Portman.

Perhaps, if the film had been given another name--and try as I might, I cannot think of one--it would be accepted on its own merits, which given the high quality of the cast, which includes Timothy West, are considerable.

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Reviews


Rubbish
Review date: 2008-07-25 Rating: 4 out of 10

I am sorry, but this was rubbish. I have seen quite a few 'old' things about Colditz, and they captured the spirit of the place very well. Also, I have been there and walked freely around the grounds and ze castle. With a little knowledge the place does come alive, especially when you stand above one of the frog tunnels and marvel at their sheer graft and balls. This has too much melodrama and Hollywood, although Lewis does it again: a very fine acting performance! If ons really wants to know what the awful life behind the wire was like, stick to the old stuff.


the old order doesn't change
Review date: 2008-04-22 Rating: 10 out of 10

I give this film 5 stars -- but only for the first of the two discs. Not that in the second half the acting and settings don't continue to be first class but the story takes a nose dive into a banally reactionary conclusion with the young lovers walking away hand in hand in the sunshine.
The hero is a flamboyant Scotsman, Nick McGrade, played with terrific panache by Damian Lewis, who by the luck of the draw escapes from a prison camp. His fellow escapees are "officers and gentlemen" who despise him, not understanding that he is tougher and more quick-witted; they are recaptured, he makes it to Switzerland. The British officer in charge in the Swiss border town sees the potential for propaganda in this "semi-criminal rogue" and sets him up for a fight, the consequence of which is that he is forced to return to London, where he is given rank, a dashing uniform, an office in MI9, to enjoy the prestige of being the first escapee to make it home. In short, the circumstances of war, with bombs falling all around them in London and the war going badly, make it possible for Nick to enjoy life as he never could have otherwise and he loves it. He looks forward to a future when class barriers and the snobbery he has endured will be swept away by the destruction of the old order and people like him will be appreciated for their personal qualities, not for going to the right school. This is exemplified by the upper class girl he falls in love with. He is good-looking, charming and really a decent man but he has survived so far by his wits and sees he can only get her into bed by taking advantage of the uncertainties of life and death in war. At first reluctant, she sees that if she doesn't take him as a lover she may never know what love is, so they have a brief period of happiness while the world around them disintegrates.
So far so good. Here is a great story with the potential for all sorts of psychological developments. Unfortunately the second strand of the story which is the repeated attempts of the other two to escape from Colditz becomes somewhat tediously repetitive and finally with a sinking heart one realises that nothing has changed; there is no redemption, Nick has been set up to perform for the establishment and when they don't need him any more he descends back into his criminal past.
This is a futilely missed opportunity to make an optimistic social statement that would have been in keeping with the spirit of 1945. Or else the director miscast Nick by giving the part to an actor as convincingly sincere and witty as Damian Lewis.

Great!
Review date: 2005-03-30 Rating: 10 out of 10

I thought when I saw the write up for this show that it wouldn't be my sort of thing, but as I enjoyed Tom Hardy's creepy performance in Star Trek Nemesis so much, I thought I'd give it a try and I am glad that I did.

The characters were well portrayed and the actors compelling to watch.

I felt for the young lovers at the beginning, having so much to say but being unable to say it, but fully understood why our heroine was so easily swayed by the character that Damien Lewis played so convincingly. (He does have a very infectious smile!!).

I am glad, in a way, that although it is entitled Colditz the scenes inside the castle were kept toned down, the focus being more on the prisoners and their attempts to escape rather then the punishments that were no doubt given out to attempted escapees. This was more a tale of love and betrayal set in a time where every day counted.

I enjoyed this thoroughly and am looking forward to seeing it again

brilliant
Review date: 2005-03-29 Rating: 10 out of 10

i watched this as a two part drama on easter sunday and monday. and i have to say it was breathtaking. i couldnt move away fom my television it was so good i went on amazon the next day to purchase the dvd. damian lewis was brilliant his acting as mc grade was superb although the villian of the piece the touch of softness that was required was perfect. the chemistry between him and sophia myles was perfect. i recommend this for anyone who loves a good romance or has a keen interest in world war two.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Sophia Myles
Tom Hardy
Damian Lewis
James Fox
Laurence Fox

Creators:
Damian Lewis (Primary Contributor)
Sophia Myles (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Contender Entertainment Group
Manufacturer: Contender Entertainment Group
EAN: 5030305102920
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 2
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2005-03-28
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 240 minutes
Language: English (Original Language)

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