Steven Spielberg talks about David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia.
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@ffrederickskitty2143 жыл бұрын
Masterpiece is a greatly overused word in the film industry, but it’s the only appropriate word to describe Lawrence of Arabia
@blackswan44862 жыл бұрын
It’s an understatement.
@123rockfan2 жыл бұрын
I just finished watching Lawrence of Arabia for the first time and I honestly don’t get what the hype is all about. I’ve seen far better epic films from the 40’s and 50’s that are way more emotionally satisfying with better acting and dialogue. LOA left me completely cold, and the muddled comedic tone in the first half irritated me. I’ll have to rewatch it to see if my opinion changes.
@ManBolo54322 жыл бұрын
@@123rockfan did you watch it on your phone?
@123rockfan2 жыл бұрын
@@ManBolo5432 watched it on a large tv screen on blu ray, with surround sound. I don’t have any problems with the direction or cinematography, those elements were quite spectacular.
@richardscally694 Жыл бұрын
Absolutely.
@garyfleming51563 жыл бұрын
The real conundrum of this move was that Peter O'Toole didn't win the academy award for best actor. In my humble opinion, one of the greatest acting performances of all time without doubt.
@erepsekahs3 жыл бұрын
The Academy Awards is American, and it is absolutely no exaggeration to say that is why he did not win. I am certain of that.
@delgustelou-anne49003 жыл бұрын
@@erepsekahs completely well said 😶
@gilmer37183 жыл бұрын
@@erepsekahs They are a bunch of idiots.
@robertfreedman66512 жыл бұрын
@@erepsekahs Please explain then why numerous Brits have won Oscars. Great actors up against O'Toole in 1962. Gregory Peck won for Best Actor as Atticus Finch.
@thewhitestag332 жыл бұрын
"Nothing is written." - T.E. Lawrence, 'Lawrence Of Arabia'.
@planetdisco48213 жыл бұрын
I agree with Mr Spielberg, I think Omar’s first scene in the movie as he rides a camel out of the heat shimmer and ruthlessly guns down Lawrence’s guide is one of the greatest character introductions in cinematic history: “He drank from my well!”
@iancrossley66373 жыл бұрын
Pretty fair shot too.
@jimtrela758810 ай бұрын
Orson Welles also called it the greatest character intro.
@erichodge56710 ай бұрын
The long build-up, and then his almost god-like presence when he arrives... It's overwhelming.
@jacktattis9 күн бұрын
That is how they were and still are today.
@xepfeon9 ай бұрын
The fact that David Lean mastered both the colosal and the intimate, is at testament to the quality of this film
@westfield904 жыл бұрын
I watched this movie for the first time in 2020 during quarantine and I’m overwhelmed by its magnificence
@JayJohnBryce3 жыл бұрын
Same here. I got it on Blu-ray, and the quality is incredible, as if it was filmed in 2020. It became one of my favorite movies ever.
@Tmanaz4803 жыл бұрын
@@JayJohnBryce It's from the age of large format widescreen epics. When movies were fiercely competing with television. Shot on 70mm film, the Ultra-HD of its day. Beyond even 4k. If you ever get a chance to see it on a large screen in a proper cinema, don't miss it.
@markwhite60013 жыл бұрын
I recommend the movie, man who would be king
@markwhite60013 жыл бұрын
@@JayJohnBryce I recommend, the man who would be king,move
@JayJohnBryce3 жыл бұрын
@@markwhite6001 That's one of my favorite adventures films too! Thank you for recommending though, it's nice to see people with good taste in films.
@206Seaman4 жыл бұрын
I met Peter O’Toole, briefly, at a book signing years ago. When he looked at me and asked me my name and how I was, he made me feel like I was the only person in the room. Great actor, loved his movies! Lawrence of Arabia, Lord Jim and The Lion in Winter are my favorites.
@oldcountryman27953 жыл бұрын
Cool story bro.
@salemengineer21303 жыл бұрын
O'Toole excelled at playing ultra intense, larger than life characters. That's why he was great as Henry II in The Lion in Winter. I love that movie but it is so intense that I always find it exhausting to watch. [Side note: The Lion in Winter was Anthony Hopkins first significant film role as a young Richard the Lionheart.]
@206Seaman3 жыл бұрын
@@ronanthony5654 Odd comment. It was a “book signing” event so there were 100-150 people in the room.
@MrDaiseymay3 жыл бұрын
perhaps he was only acting
@cwr86183 жыл бұрын
@@206Seaman i believe that was a joke. at least i found it funny and not to be taken offensively
@ZIALANDER635 жыл бұрын
David Lean is indeed a master craftsman, but let us not forget Robert Bolts screenplay. He brings to life even the smallest characters.
@malafakka85304 жыл бұрын
I agree, it certainly was an excellent screenplay.
@deborahsaunders391 Жыл бұрын
@@malafakka8530 He also wrote A Man For All Seasons
@malafakka8530 Жыл бұрын
@@deborahsaunders391 yes, I know. It's quite well written.
@12classics39 Жыл бұрын
Indeed. The role of Majid, in particular, is very minor and yet Bolt’s writing and Gamil Ratib’s magnetic acting make him into a character who you remember and who feels like a real person. Remarkable.
@johnhernan923811 ай бұрын
so true…. people often forget how wonderful the dialogue is (My name is for my friends…. my fear is my concern)
@jimmyj19694 жыл бұрын
David Lean's major films are the proof one can make movies intelligent AND crowd-pleasant at the same time!
@johnvsbear42474 жыл бұрын
not anymore
@carlodave94 жыл бұрын
John VS Bear I really want to argue that, but I'm at a loss for a recent example of a truly intelligent blockbuster. Someone help me out!
@rogerkincaid9314 жыл бұрын
@@carlodave9 - Try Chris Nolan.
@carlodave94 жыл бұрын
@@rogerkincaid931 Thanks. I know what you mean, Nolan's a master filmmaker no doubt, but he mostly applies a puzzle-maker's sort of intelligence. Interstellar, The Prestige, and Inception being prime examples: intricately complicated on the surface without much complexity at the human core. Dunkirk being an obvious exception: non-complex in every aspect but special effects & sound. Since asking my question, Joker struck me as the most thought-provoking "blockbuster" I've seen in ages. Perhaps even Kubrik & Lean might have approved. Gave me some hope. Cheers.
@rogerkincaid9314 жыл бұрын
@@carlodave9 - Alright, I hear you on Nolan, but personally for me, 'Joker' didn't strike me as all that provoking.
@Steve17345 жыл бұрын
I was a teenager when the film was released. EVERYONE went to see it. Years later I have watched it and I am blown away by it every time. Each time you watch it you notice more details that you didn't see before and you get more out of it. In my long lifetime its probably the greatest film ever made.
@jayneneewing23693 жыл бұрын
I too was a teenager, and certain scenes are indelibly seared into my memory. Lean did a brilliant job on this masterpiece.
@abushenob2 жыл бұрын
I was surprised how exactly Spielberg's immediate reaction to seeing the film the first time mirrored my own immediate reaction. I was so overwhelming thrilled and awed by the movie that I just sat in my theater seat speechless. Had I not been with others, I sometimes feel that I would be sitting there still. I lived in the Eastern US and never had seen any desert; I knew I had do so and within a week I had hitchhiked through NM, AZ and Southern CA. I played the sound track over and over - I don't think any soundtrack ever caught the exact feeling of the action of a film as well as this one. It was almost inevitable that one day I would get to Arabia and sure enough, for more than eight years I lived and worked in Saudi Arabia. At the time (80s and 90)s, the film was banned there. Once a Saudi man told me that his grandfather had spoken of Lawrence - he called him Lawrence al-Arab; it was so cool to hear that. I was disappointed at first because where I was the desert looked more like a stony whitish gray parking lot that stretched forever, but eventually I came upon a huge dune of red sand that looked exactly like the ones in the movie, just east of Riyadh. I have loved many movies since, and thought they were amazing, but nothing ever moved me nearly as much as Lawrence. The greatest movie I ever saw.
@ajl12no2 жыл бұрын
Love Steven's childlike enthusiasm for what has to be one of the most inspirational directorial movies ever made.
@notgadot7 ай бұрын
Jesus
@gilmer37183 жыл бұрын
My cousin texted me this one day "Because I am a river to my people!" and I replied, "Oh great Lawrence of Arabia!" and he replied, "No, 'Better Call Saul'. It was in one of the episodes." I just put my head in my hands....
@davidthom71274 жыл бұрын
I too think Dr Zhivago is an extremely underrated movie.
@sedekiman3 жыл бұрын
David Thom-I agree. I first saw it in the 60's and loved it. It may have been disliked by critics but it certainly started a Russian fashion craze!
@musicaleuphoria86993 жыл бұрын
My mom introduced it to me before I discovered Lawrence of Arabia or Bridge on the River Kwai.
@steveb93253 жыл бұрын
I like "Doctor Zhivago " a lot more than Lawrence of Arabia " that's just me. Of course besides the incredible story; I fell in love with Julie Christie at the drive in at 9 years old. I felt these strong feelings grow that turned out to be shall we say: inspiring.....❤
@kennethwayne68573 жыл бұрын
@@steveb9325 Man, I miss drive-ins. Julie Christie is still beautiful, what good taste you have!
@steveb93253 жыл бұрын
@@kennethwayne6857 miss drive ins too!!! Yes!!!, Ms. Julie beautiful as ever!!!
@capismama29225 жыл бұрын
I watch Lawrence of Arabia at least twice a year. I have done this for YEARS. First on VHS, and now on DVD. I NEVER get tired of it, and it ALWAYS amazes me. The sheer beauty of it; the way the story was told; and the amazing actors...I just simply NEVER get tired of it.
@bentonrp3 жыл бұрын
Yes. Movies were made for these experiences so lasting. I cannot wait until the world remembers this and reconsiders selling that out for hyped up commentary from society at the momentum of its hype.
@jessyrai2603 жыл бұрын
Now u can watch it on blu ray and 4K blu ray
@thewhitestag332 жыл бұрын
The true sign of a great film is it never ceases to deliver.
@MsAppassionata2 жыл бұрын
Great acting, great cinematography, great screenplay, great music score! The perfect film IMO. It’s my personal favorite of all time.
@MilciadesAndrion2 жыл бұрын
I got it in 4K UHD and it is a great experience! worth to try!
@skyweimar5 жыл бұрын
In the actual town of "Aqaba" I talked about the film with locals, who did complain about the historical accuracy of the picture, though I think they hadn't actually seen it. To me, it is no more important than the consideration of whether or not Bizet got Napoleonic Seville right in Carmen or Mozart accurately represented the same town in his operas. David Lean created a work of myth inspired by events that becomes a romantic equivalent of the fevered dream of Lawrence himself. The movie remains a landmark of romanticism in the same way as Delacroix's painting of "Liberty Leading the People" represents France in 1830: a work of art summarizing a human vision.
@johnricercato7404 жыл бұрын
Very perceptive comment, thanks
@cattycorner83 жыл бұрын
skyweimar Beautifully put!
@sobebabe71692 жыл бұрын
Wonderfully said.
@carlodave94 жыл бұрын
In high school I had a film teacher (public school) who made us analyze the first 5 minutes. I was the only one to beg my teacher to lend me the VHS cassettes so I could see the rest. Decades later, as a teacher myself, I had my class watch & analyze the first scene in Faisal's tent. Exactly one kid out of 150 begged to borrow my Blu-ray to see the rest. Same ratio of interest. Tiny victories.
@johnricercato7404 жыл бұрын
Great anecdotes, thanks Carlo.
@cattycorner83 жыл бұрын
Carlo Dave You changed that student's life forever, and he will never forget it. Bravo!
@gilmer37183 жыл бұрын
I cannot even remember when I watched it all the way through, but it is a favorite of mine. "I'm the man who broke the bank at Monte CARRRRLOOOOOOOO!!!"
@cwr86183 жыл бұрын
It's important to recognize that interest sometimes takes years to cultivate. Our English teacher had us watch Gattaca when I was young and thought nothing of it. I really appreciate her having us watch it and love the movie now. Same can be said for so many things our older generations introduce us to that we just can't appreciate, yet.
@abushenob2 жыл бұрын
@@gilmer3718 Ha! Every so often I find myself singing that line out loud!
@robertcatesby84203 жыл бұрын
The greatest film ever made and the best performance by an actor ever. O'Toole was in almost every scene of this 4 hour epic and if he hadn't been brilliant the film would bombed. I agree with Mr. Spielberg about "The Bridge On The River Kwai" and "Dr. Zhivago"; both are stunning masterpieces.
@RFED2O10 ай бұрын
No... The greatest film 🎥 in history is and always will be Ben Hur... But LOA is definitely in my top ten for sure !!!!
@1959Berre6 жыл бұрын
Peter O' Toole, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif and Alec Guinness, such a wonderful combination of supreme actors.
@machinetaker5 жыл бұрын
Am I missing something or are there no women in this classic?
@knave_pt82725 жыл бұрын
It is the account of a celibate who was able to bring together separate Arab tribes to throw off the yoke of the Turks during World War I. Considering their religion and culture, and the circumstances, no. No, there were not any women factoring really to any degree in the events. I am a feminist, but this was the situation in that part of the world at that time.
@machinetaker5 жыл бұрын
Understood, and I knew this. But Hollywood being what it is/was I thought they would throw in a little sex...@@knave_pt8272
@frederickj.71365 жыл бұрын
@ Jim McNamara... There was the homoerotic bit in Lawrence's captive interrogation that was brutishly censored from the original release. This made a dogs dinner of continuity and meaning at this point. When I attended the premier of the restoration in New York, this corruption of art was reversed and that segment restored, as far as I know or could tell at the time, to what David Lean had originally intended.
@jslasher15 жыл бұрын
The best ever cast assembled for a motion picture hands down.
@chrismorrison28052 жыл бұрын
Music, screenplay, direction, acting, production design, make this the finest film ever made.
@brucekuehn403110 ай бұрын
Have you seen an old photo of T.E. Lawrence? A striking resemblance and a towering performance from Peter O’Toole!
@CraigBickerstaff6 жыл бұрын
It's such a shame they couldn't record that audio commentary, how great would that have been to hear David with Steven Spielberg doing an audio commentary.
@doctordank4 жыл бұрын
Uh would rather hear it without Spielberg's commentary.
@Transfixed3 жыл бұрын
That's what I was thinking. What a lost treasure!
@jameskolan91956 жыл бұрын
I love Mr. Spielberg's excitement in listening to David Lean provide live commentary on the movie. You only get a few moments like that in your lifetime. "Lawrence of Arabia" truly is one of my favorite films: disturbing and inspiring in turns.
@scottbarron29346 жыл бұрын
Lawrence of Arabia is one of my favorite films. I was too young to see it in theaters but discovered it later. What I love is that it was filmed in the days before CGI so every thing you see was real life. Some of the panoramic shots of the Arabian dessert are breathtaking. Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Sir Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins, Claude Rains, and Jose Ferrer make this cast one of the best ever assembled. It is a classic, must see.
@robertfreedman66512 жыл бұрын
And Arthur Kennedy.
@MsAppassionata2 жыл бұрын
And Sir Anthony Quayle
@cmpe434 жыл бұрын
I love how Spielberg was influenced by past artists to create his masterpieces which creates something familiar to us and we can connect quickly.
@nathancruz91724 жыл бұрын
1:03 me too.
@jamespfitz3 жыл бұрын
Um...I think a couple other artists have also done that, Imjustsayin
@elizabethcsicsery-ronay16333 жыл бұрын
@@ronanthony5654 Lincoln.
@arnavlokhande94483 жыл бұрын
@@ronanthony5654 then ur not a movie lover, his films are blockbusters + masterpieces(before 2000s) His greatness is mostly overshadowed by boxoffice
@peterdagata16103 жыл бұрын
@@ronanthony5654 I honestly think Raiders of the Lost Ark is a masterpiece. There’s nothing I would change about that movie other than the effects at the end on the Greek Island when the ark is opened. Sure, there aren’t many deep themes explored, but the film achieves what it set out to do perfectly, while leaving a lasting impression on the viewer. I think that’s the mark of a masterpiece.
@coleparker3 жыл бұрын
I live and have worked in the Desert for over 35 years; so when Lawrence says ITS CLEAN, I can sympathize with his feelings.
@skyweimar5 жыл бұрын
What a pleasure to hear Spielberg's introduction to Lawrence. While I never met David Lean, I was lucky enough to know many of his key collaborators on this picture, including the co-writer, the director of photography, the production designer, the property master/location scout, and even Peter O'Toole himself. They were all among the most remarkable people I ever had the privilege to meet. But, seeing the film again, it is clear that the movie exists on a higher level even than that of the people who made it, because it was all dreamed up in the mind of a genius director.
@thankyouforyourcompliance73863 жыл бұрын
This movie was seriously a miracle. Seen it so many times and it still captures me.
@DursunX4 жыл бұрын
watch this film and you'll get a better understanding why the Middle East is the way it is now... good film sad history
@donna258714 жыл бұрын
Dursun Sahin watch Kingdom of Heaven and you’ll get an even deeper understanding.
@rino19ny4 жыл бұрын
"Lawrence of Arabia" is about how the different tribes in the mideast got together (or broken up) during WW1 whereas "Kingdom of Heaven" is how each tribe despite their subtle differences can form into one of God's mightiest army on earth.
@gayleklein72433 жыл бұрын
The Howietat lived (and still live) on the West Bank. I cannot even begin to imagine how betrayed they feel when their ancestors fought and died for their current persecution by the zionists.
@DursunX3 жыл бұрын
@@gayleklein7243 thank you, i just looked up their history... a very long history at that. we live in an odd world, the past means nothing and money buys 'freedom'.
@gayleklein72433 жыл бұрын
@@DursunX Agreed. It's rather beyond ironic that the zionist movie producer/director who made 'The Last Days' (of the big lie) admired this film about Arab independence. There's some footage on YT featuring Auda abu Tayi (the Anthony Quinn character) and his people. They were and remain fearsome and canny fighters.
@jayneneewing23693 жыл бұрын
I couldn’t agree more about the scene where Omar Sharif’s character rode, and rode toward the camera. Brilliant. Just brilliant. Cinematically the most amazingly beautiful film I’ve ever seen. I’d love to see the restored version in a big theater like I saw it in when the film was originally released in Los Angeles.
@easy56wedge4 жыл бұрын
Unbelievable film... I remember going with my parents and sisters and driving over an hour to the lone theater that was showing it in our area. I was 6 in 1962 and still recall vividly the theater smells and excitement from our family. Dad was a history professor and mom, a librarian. Even at my young age I knew of Lawrence. Like Spielberg, I was enthralled by Jarre’s soundtrack. I still have the original album and booklet but I listen to the iTunes version. I have read Seven Pillars of Wisdom and Lawrence of Arabia. It remains one of my favorite movies. In this day and age of remakes and seemingly very little original work, I sincerely hope somebody doesn’t try to remake it. Nice to hear that Spielberg is in it’s corner...
@charlieross-BRM3 жыл бұрын
I wonder if you remember the clamour at intermissions to get a cold drink, ANY cold drink. Not me, but mostly folks my parent's age. All that sun and sand got to them.
@cattycorner83 жыл бұрын
@@charlieross-BRM lol
@kirsteni.russell59036 жыл бұрын
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA was filmed in Jordan when my dad was posted in Amman. I was there part of the time, but the location shooting was finished while I was at a boarding school in France. The production camp was where my family never traveled (Wadi Rum), but a building in Amman was identified as production headquarters. I first saw the movie in Washington, D.C., and came out of it with a headache, but I saw it again when I was visiting a friend in Kentucky, and that's when I fell in love with the picture. My dad's next foreign post was Alexandria, Egypt, and I saw LAWRENCE OF ARABIA again there. The Egyptian audience audibly enjoyed the movie, much more than I'd heard American audiences enjoying it. Now the film seems a part of my experience of growing up in Middle Eastern countries. It's fascinating to hear a famous director, Steven Spielberg, talk about how the movie influenced him.
@albanymike6 жыл бұрын
WTH!
@Sam-fo5ts6 жыл бұрын
Yeah, it's also fascinating for me! Several sequences were shot in my home town too, Almeria.
@cmdrrgh6 жыл бұрын
Kirsten I. Russell I
@malcolmharris52776 жыл бұрын
V interesting, Kirsten
@jake1056 жыл бұрын
Kirsten Russell - I care. Fascinating. Was your dad in Government or the Oil biz?
@The_Cali_Dude_884 жыл бұрын
the greatest movie of all time... IMHO...
@jjfossum1134 жыл бұрын
Correcto mundo
@GodSpeedYouSparkster4 жыл бұрын
100%
@lukakavteli94413 жыл бұрын
12 angry men is the best, greatest...
@randywhite39473 жыл бұрын
Mrs. Phyllis Stephens Schindler’s List isn’t even a top ten film of the 90s let alone better then Lawrence of Arabia
@randywhite39473 жыл бұрын
Luka Kavteli only 18 year olds who surf IMDb think 12 angry men comes close
@theenglishman95965 жыл бұрын
Lawrence of Arabia, a highly mesmerising film, the long lonely scenes, I love being in the desert, it is the same for me, It is so clean and pure.
@salemengineer21303 жыл бұрын
I saw this film when it first came out in a big screen cinema. It was literally stunning on the big screen. The locations and cinematography were amazing. The casting was outstanding. Easily the most memorable movie I have ever seen.
@ashleighjaimaosborne39663 жыл бұрын
I would love to have seen this movie on the big screen. Two others I happily caught on the large screen were Dances with wolves and Gladiator. 😊🇨🇦
@juanaltredo29744 жыл бұрын
Lawrence of Arabia has that wonder, that magic, that when watched for the first time, more so if you're young, transports you and leaves an indelible impression on you, a lot like E.T., Indiana Jones and many Spielberg movies. One of those rare movies that makes you feel alive for the ride.
@Bgoods2 жыл бұрын
I remember seeing Schindler's List for the first time and being equally dazzled by certain things. Especially the cutting. The STYLE of editing that David Lean made famous, Spielberg uses quite a bit in his arguable masterpiece Schindler's list. In Schindler's opening bit, going from a candle's smoke, to a steam engines smoke and the cut happens right on a clank of the steam engine. Cutting on sound was a David Lean trait. David Lean's directorial style of letting a dialogue scene play for a long time in a two shot. Watch Schindler's List and Lawrence of Arabia in the same week, you'll see Spielberg's most obvious influence is Lean imo.
@Andysw64 жыл бұрын
The greatest compliment I can offer this artistic production is that there are very few films one can watch repeatedly and not feel tired of and this magnificent film is one such film.
@TheRowlandstone735 жыл бұрын
It does my head in how he clearly loved getting a 'director's commentary' on all the film-making aspects of one of his favourite movies ever, but refuses to do the same with his own films. Personally, I'd love to watch Jaws, Close Encounters, Raiders of The Lost Ark and E.T. with a retrospective Spielberg commentary.
@timothyburke70884 жыл бұрын
I was also raised in Phx and see this movie as the greatest ever made, and O'Toole's performance as far and away the greatest ever on film. I also understand the "clean" comment about the desert and never realized before now the impact. My end of life choice is to be thrown to the wind in a remote part of the desert and I now see it is because of the pristine peace I believe can only be found there or possibly the ocean. I have watched Lawrence I guess 10 times now and it is one unreal piece of visual artwork after another. It is a perfect film.
@Hopeless_and_Forlorn3 жыл бұрын
There, right at the end, he said it: Maybe the greatest screenplay ever written for a motion picture. Certainly David Lean wrought a miracle, but he could not have done it without Robert Bolt's writing. As for the charges of revisionism, read Seven Pillars of Wisdom several times. Study it, learn it by heart. You may find that the revisionism began long before the movie was created, not by Bolt, but by critics of the book who all but called Lawrence a liar, because he dared to tell his own story as he saw it. Many Brits still deny the events at Deraa and the massacre on the road to Damascus. None of them were there.
@IIVVBlues6 жыл бұрын
I had a similar experience to Spielberg when I saw Lawrence of Arabia. I was stunned and amazed by the locations, effects and actors. What a story! I knew that I was watching film history. It is still my favorite motion picture and I watch it at least once or twice each year. Spielberg is right about digital effects. It was very interesting to hear his comments. Thanks for posting this.
@cattycorner83 жыл бұрын
John We all have the same reaction.
@raykleiner31512 жыл бұрын
One of the greatest films ever made. It affected me in ways I didn't realise until years later, including my love for the desert. Peter O'Toole made that film what it is - a masterpiece.
@fifthof17953 жыл бұрын
O'Toole was nominated,but was overlooked for the Oscar. His acting was superb and an amazingly magnetic performance. One of the real travesties in Oscar history.
@Concernedviewer013 жыл бұрын
Agreed. I think the award shows now are so out of touch of their original purpose. I don’t give them the time of day, they are now irrelevant & by the declining audience they get many agree. This movie, the way it was filmed etc, opened my eyes to what great cinematography can do & take you.
@cattycorner83 жыл бұрын
fifthof you have got to be kidding! Who won instead??
@michaelbowes98944 жыл бұрын
Somebody wise and witty (maybe Rex Harrison) said that if Peter O'Toole was any prettier it would have been called Florence of Arabia.
@georgegoodyear96314 жыл бұрын
I think it was Nöel Coward who made that whimsical observation.
@myimorata76784 жыл бұрын
Social media strikes again! That's an old story and one that never deterred from the brilliance of the performance or the film.
@spockboy4 жыл бұрын
LOL Thanks for that.
@paulhicks35953 жыл бұрын
Michael Bowes it was Noel Coward.
@michaelbowes98943 жыл бұрын
@@myimorata7678 yes you are quite right. But funny all the same.
@robertbohnaker98984 жыл бұрын
I was a usher in jr. college when it came out. I probably saw it over 100 times. The beauty of it the perfection of its execution never left me. 😊
@jonfklein3 жыл бұрын
Wow, I have new found respect for Steven Spielberg. I didn't realize Lawrence of Arabia was such an influential film on him. It is also my favorite film. I agreed with everything he said in this interview except that I would say David Lean's second best film was Dr. Zhivago, not Bridge Over the River Kwai.
@bighands693 жыл бұрын
The order would be hard to stack.
@KrasherJack3 жыл бұрын
Lawrence left the British Army and then re enlisted in the RFC (RAF) as an Airman, in the 70's I was Based at an RAF Training camp at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire England, I was working in an Old Building At Cranwell which was an earlier Concrete Hut, Circa 1920 and came apone an old inscription scribed on a bunk wall..."Lawrence of Arabia" to this day I can see him....
@cattycorner83 жыл бұрын
Great story!
@ashleighjaimaosborne39663 жыл бұрын
Thank you for sharing that. 😊🇨🇦
@benstevinson764 Жыл бұрын
Laurence of Arabia is the Greatest Film of all Time! A Timeless Masterpiece! ❤️
@jjhpor10 ай бұрын
As Speilberg said "Dr. Zhivago" is in the same category.
@leisastalnaker37904 жыл бұрын
This movie had an impact on me. The beauty of it, visually. I did read T.E. Lawrence's, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Not a light read.
@BobSmith-dk8nw4 жыл бұрын
Good for you!!!!! I thought about it but ... never did. .
@sandspar4 жыл бұрын
I read it while training to deploy to Iraq. It absolutely reset my awareness and context. They know way more about us than we about them, or ourselves.
@reshpeck4 жыл бұрын
Fantastic book. So much is revealed about Lawrence that he surely did not intend to express. But also a beautifully written book. You can tell he was strongly familiar with the classics. Great humor and acute insight into the human condition yet ironically blind to his own self. Lawrence was a brilliant man, and the film-among the greatest ever made-is no substitute for reading Seven Pillars of Wisdom.
@sandspar4 жыл бұрын
You just hit on a fundamental of quantum physics as applied to the intangible human condition; the more you know about others, the less you know about yourself.
@malafakka85304 жыл бұрын
Yes, not a light read, and I read it while not really being in the mood. I need to read it again at some point. Lawrence was a talented writer as well, that much I was still able to discern when reading it.
@paulgannon32613 жыл бұрын
Still my favourite film.. The visual aspect is mind blowing, the music is awesome and great acting. What I love is that I saw this in 1970 as a boy and got the Blu Ray a few years back and the disc still has the Intermission like in the Cinema when you would go to the toilet and get ice cream.
@douglarsen48015 жыл бұрын
My mom was always a fan of this film so I bought her a remastered copy on VHS, Super 70MM which even on small 32" TV's at the time "worked" - I wish more young inspiring creative folks will watch this. The Cinematography is nothing short of incredible if you are a fan of video and audio. A pure masterpiece of cuts and workmanship
@TommyLellan3 жыл бұрын
Watching this tonight for the first time... rented it in 4K. I’m excited!
@supertramp93333 жыл бұрын
4k as it should be 👌
@TommyLellan3 жыл бұрын
@@supertramp9333 Hated the bloody thing. The ego on that man (T. E. Lawrence). Bah! Still, possibly the most gorgeous film ever made. I can see where Spielberg got his inspiration from. Even the score is very pre-John Williams!
@supertramp93333 жыл бұрын
@@TommyLellan yes..i heard that Spielberg watches this movie several times every year and inspiration in his movies is obvious
@TommyLellan3 жыл бұрын
Supertramp 93 Also T. E. in Lawrence is E. T. backwards
@supertramp93333 жыл бұрын
@@TommyLellan good one never noticed that
@NateGerardRealEstateTeam4 жыл бұрын
I didn’t see it until 1988 in my college Art of the Film class. I was struck by the grandeur that by comparison was already much different from the films of the 80’s.
@cattycorner83 жыл бұрын
Nate Gerard I think it's grandeur is matched by only a few films in history. It is a true epic.
@SnapographyAP6 жыл бұрын
Great interview; lovely to hear Stephen articulate what many of us felt at a subliminal level at the time.
@rodmact65484 жыл бұрын
What a huge treat to hear Spielberg revealing his own visceral reactions to a great film by a great director. Wonderful video for any movie buff.
@cattycorner83 жыл бұрын
rod mact But I loathe his politically correct attack on history.
@SonoftheAllfather3 жыл бұрын
@@cattycorner8 So do I. "Some areas of history are too important to revise like da shoah, 0Y VEY" "Absolutely authentically honest" = his tribe's narrative about the Holocaust. Absolutely disgusting how people like him can be so blatantly biased and not get called out on it.
@robertsullivan70802 жыл бұрын
Spielberg is a gentleman and his good breeding is obvious. Obvious also is Spielberg's acute awareness that Sir David Lean is much Spielberg's superior as an artist.Although rumor has it that Sir David will lower his standards AGAINST raw commercialism and make a movie about the English favorite Kit-Kat Bars hopefully doing for them what Spielberg did for Reese's Pieces. Spielberg in truth, has wasted reels of film making trashy movies for stupid kids.In a century Spielberg will be forgotten. Not so with Francis Ford Coppola. "Apocalypse Now' is Conrad's masterpieces, "Lord Jim" as seen through Coppola's eyes, even naming Brando Kurtz, the same name as Joseph Conrad's antihero. New Yorker film critic Pauline Karl had an interesting insight into why Scorcese, Coppola, Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, Frank Capra & many others attempted great film on matters of importance was their background as Catholics, mornings in church odd & frightening iconic carvings of the sacred.and after 2,000 years still Mother Church stands! Borgia's became Popes, Medici's became Popes, Napoleon kidnapped a pope and set him in Arles,France. He and subsequent popes stayed at Arles for 100 happy years. We suffer when we listen to secular advice.When those in authority asked about the high number of homosexual entrants Boston (meaning Harvard) therapists flatly stated "A homosexual priest is no more apt to seek a male boy for sexual pleasure than a heterosexual nun.Get this small bit of logic right: true, most homosexual priests have no interest in man-child sex, BUT, those tittalated by then thoughts ARE 100% HOMOSEXUAL . The devil is real and Jesus said, "The GATES OF HELL WILL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST MY CHURCH"
@samuelbarber6177 Жыл бұрын
I recently saw the film on Netflix, and it was incredible. Certainly one of the greatest films ever made. Great soundtrack. Great cinematography. Great performance from the amazing Peter O’Toole. I can see why Spielberg was drawn to this film, heck, you can see this film’s influence in many Spielberg films, such as the awe and wonder he imbues in certain films, especially in the Indiana Jones films.
@jggrimm5 жыл бұрын
in the last 51 years I have watched and appreciated 'Aurence!' dozens of time, impressed every time.
@malafakka85304 жыл бұрын
I watched it after 10 years (I had a reason, not because I wouldn't have liked to watch it) on blu-ray and it once again blew me away. I would like to see it someday in a theater if possible, but I doubt/don't know if that will/does happen here in Germany.
@patricktilton53773 жыл бұрын
I like the bit where Lawrence is pondering the Aqaba problem, sitting alone at the base of a sand-dune, and one of the two 'worshipper' servants above and behind him rolls a stone down the sand towards him, and it hits him in the back . . . and that's how he gets the idea to cross the Nefut Desert and take Aqaba from the landward side. From behind. Simple, but brilliant.
@jslasher15 жыл бұрын
My all time favourite film. Nothing else comes close.
@steelbill18343 жыл бұрын
Lawrence of Arabia has to be one of the most magnificent cinematic achievements of all time. True, the story wasn't historically accurate in many ways, but that does not take away the achievement IMO. Also, Lean was a master no doubt, and I also thought Doctor Zhivago was very underrated, and it is one of my all time favorites.
@JavedKhan-hp5su4 жыл бұрын
I love this movie. I cannot put my finger on one thing. The overall effect it has on you is difficult to describe.
@FreyaF...3 жыл бұрын
I already know that the score is magnificent and beautiful even though I've only seen bits and pieces of the movie, but now that I've heard Steven Spielberg speak so highly about "Lawrence Of Arabia" in this video, I MUST watch it in its entirety!! And "Bridge On The River Kwai" too.
@davidbehnke44172 жыл бұрын
David Lean was a great director. Three of my favorite movies growing up. It’s easy to see where Spielberg got his inspiration. Schindler’s list, private Ryan, band of brothers, all remind me of those films. Another great one is the sand pebbles with Steve McQueen.
@cinemaipswich4636Ай бұрын
What I remember most about Lawrence of Arabia was the huge scale of the cinematography. The vast panorama of the scenes, and the magical soundtrack made it one of the greatest movies ever made.
@dogonegone10 ай бұрын
A fantastic film. The colours of the landscape and true sense of the vastness still blow me away every time I watch it. Pure quality.
@rowdyyates42734 жыл бұрын
I visited his home in dorset and saw his personal belongings, and spoke with the Lady looking after the place who knew Lawrence and had a interesting talk about him!!!--also check out his grave sight and his little church he went to with its stunning stained glass windows!
@cattycorner83 жыл бұрын
lady must have been ancient.
@RonRicho6 жыл бұрын
When this film opened in my town I went to see it and experienced much of what Mr Spielberg defines here. I had never seen anything like it. It was the first "extended run" at the theatre. I went to see it there so many times that after awhile they just waved me in gratis. Such an amazing film and such an amazing director. I salute David Lean
@raymonda54766 жыл бұрын
Same thing happened to me at the Criterion Theater in NY. After 7 viewings I was outside the theater and didn’t have money to see it again. The ticket taker asked why I wasn’t coming in and when I said I had no money, he waved me in.
@carlomezzatesta46593 жыл бұрын
I got in free my mate paid to get in while I stood outside near the exit door and then casually walked in.
@thomasley717810 ай бұрын
The best thing about Steven Spielberg is that he's still the teenager film nerd from way back. Talking and raving about movie legends - while already being a legend himself.
@michaelbruns4492 жыл бұрын
Ryans Daughter - 1970 is just as great as any other epic film by David Lean.
@spockboy6 жыл бұрын
I disagree with him on the historical accuracy. Hollywood is CONSTANTLY re-writing history and has never stopped. I don't think reporters care much about setting the record straight. Excellent review of an excellent film.
@nickmitsialis5 жыл бұрын
I thought the director, writers & actors were all "Aenglez"...the yanquis only provided the moolah.
@kenoliver89135 жыл бұрын
Yep, Hollywood teaches far worse - and far more harmful - rewritings of history than Lean's. John Wayne alone won several wars single handedly. And isn't it interesting that neither Lean nor Spielberg note that the betrayal of the Arabs at the end of the movie had in real life a lot to do with the Balfour Declaration? It is a betrayal that has cast a very long shadow.
@jamesmcinnis2085 жыл бұрын
There's a difference between storytelling and documentary, a distinction that seems to be lost on the American public these days.
@IanP19635 жыл бұрын
At least Lawrence supported them even though he wasn't powerful enough to change history totally, he did help to start a new country - IRAQ !!!!
@philippeh39045 жыл бұрын
Have you seen film critics on twitter? They are so far left that if Lawrence of Arabia came out today they’d try and bury it
@parkviewmo6 жыл бұрын
Since I first saw this film years ago in my small, home-town theater, this has always been my favorite film. It simply blew me away and I could barely articulate the how and why. I don't know if I love the desert or the main character more, but I think they were the same thing.
@eyescandeceive6 жыл бұрын
yes. the desert WAS the main character is the movie
@tonybennett41596 жыл бұрын
The interesting thing is that before the intermission, when Lawrence still has his integrity intact, the movie allows the desert to be seen in its full aesthetic beauty. After that, when Lawrence becomes compromised, no longer do we get sweeping unbroken vistas, but untidy rock-strewn patches much darker in colour. We are not given the release of majestic sweeps of dunes. This was masterful.
@frederickj.71365 жыл бұрын
That desert is beautiful and awesome, Faisal Abdualaziz. We in the west do not get to see this part of the natural world and similar in their full aspect as associated with current events. But scenes from this film, which I have been lucky to see twice under absolutely optimum conditions in Paris and then restored in New York, stay with me always. This is my personal favorite film.
@adiosgringo82002 жыл бұрын
I was very lucky to view this movie for the first time in 70mm at a theatre after it was restored. Awe inspiring movie. A must see if it comes back to the theaters. In fact, the bigger the screen, the better to be overwhelmed by the beauty of the scenes \ shots. The movie is a perfect rare gem.
@abushenob7 ай бұрын
Absolutely! It is too big for a small screen. The vast landscapes and the sweep of attacking forces is overwhelming on a big screen.
@MapleSyrupPoet3 жыл бұрын
"Ryan's Daughter," my fav. Lean film ...lots of poetry in film ...actor performances brilliant
@jamesdrynan2 жыл бұрын
In a world of computer digital graphics, green screen, et cetera, every shot in this film is the real deal. I love when Guiness says, " My father is old and I, I long for the vanished gardens of Cordoba. " What a treat for Spielberg to have live commentary.
@shillian47704 жыл бұрын
I was 8 years old when I first watched this, its one my deepest memories that I cherish. I was 8 in 2008. Think my favorite quote was when Lawrence shows William Potter the match trick, and says "The trick William Potter, is not minding that it hurts." Ive used that quote throughout life, this film has alot to give.
@bighands693 жыл бұрын
I seen it as a kid myself on TV and years later in the cinema. If you ever get the chance see it on 70mm at a theatre. That will have a resolution of 18k.
@cattycorner83 жыл бұрын
@@bighands69 I saw the restored 70mm in a theater in 1989.
@noelnicholls18943 жыл бұрын
Read his Seven Pillars of Wisdom and some biographies and find out just how accomplished and strange he was.
@shillian47702 жыл бұрын
@@noelnicholls1894 I will indeed thank you for the suggestion. I have been reading Winston Churchill’s “My Early Life” which is quite fascinating reading about how things were back then.
@gerrymcdonald619410 ай бұрын
When I was about 11 years old, I was a paper boy with a neighbourhood news paper route. There was an old man on my route whom I looked forward to talking to as he had lived an adventurous life and sometimes he would share it with me. One day he showed me a very old photo album. In it there was a picture of two young pilots of WW1 standing in the desert with a Sopwith Camel fighter aircraft in the background. They had their arms over each other's shoulders as friends do, and were wearing British military pilot uniforms. Good friends. I came to learn the other young man in the photo with my newspaper customer was Lawrence of Arabia. I also came to learn that my customer was a much decorated Canadian war hero, who fought in WW1 and barely made, because of age, into WW2. A great man.
@carmanyeung90305 жыл бұрын
Im sure one thing, the CGI today would have ruineD this classic. Please never remake it, hollywood, dont even think about it.
@jelmo84435 жыл бұрын
Yeah because every movie nowadays uses cgi...
@nikolatesla55534 жыл бұрын
I don't believe you have to worry about that. Hollywood stopped making big budget intelligent films with almost a 4 hour running times. (222 minutes for the original release)
@Revelian19824 жыл бұрын
Too late. They're remaking it with an all-female cast, just like The Shawshank Redemption.
@brandonsamano74284 жыл бұрын
@@jelmo8443 It kinda does dummy
@brianketelboeter85224 жыл бұрын
as Arabia is a movie about history and a period that is not in vogue, I suspect no one would be inclined to remake it. Who would you market it to?
@omarkazi32223 жыл бұрын
Amazing amazing film, I watched it 15 times and Peter O Toole has been my screen idol since I first saw it.
@xstensl88233 жыл бұрын
blowing out the match is probably one of the best smash cuts in film history. the making is a fascinating story in itself
@brucezimmerman945110 ай бұрын
Last time I watched it was in 2004 at an EbertFest (then the Overlooked Film Festival) 70mm showing - one of the pristine prints via a CinemaScope projector. I had not seen it in a theater since the 1960's and had forgotten the experience of seeing the wide screen desert shots - with those slowly evolving images. Robert Harris - one of those who carried out the restoration was the guest speaker after the film was shown. Back in those days Roger Ebert led the discussion after each film showing in the 3-4 day festival. It was astounding to see again - properly restored in a large 1500 seat theater with a properly sized screen - via excellent projector and shown by a projectionist who know what they were doing.
@martinstent53393 жыл бұрын
07:12 “Lawrence today would probably cost around 285 million dollars” Now that’s a surprisingly specific number. Like he has actually thought about remaking it and that was his financing estimate. It makes you wonder.
@Joshualbm2 жыл бұрын
I saw this with my dad and sisters in the late 70s at the Varsity Theater in Palo Alto. It was incredible to see it on that screen. Then it was re-released in 1989 and I saw it by myself at a nice theater somewhere in Santa Clara. To think of experiencing this masterpiece by watching it on a 60" TV screen is an exercise in futility.But next time it shows at a proper cinema, I'm there.
@lawrencelewis81053 жыл бұрын
I saw it when it first came out when I was a kid. I loved it! My wife and I saw the restoration at the Paris Cinema in New York City and it was amazing. My friends all said, "Why don't you rent it and watch it at home?" What a bunch of idiots!
@bighands693 жыл бұрын
Our culture has lost so much. MOst do not understand the magic of cinema.
@noelnicholls18943 жыл бұрын
How could you not prefer the size of the cinema. You loose the whole vastness.
@lawrencelewis81053 жыл бұрын
@@noelnicholls1894I once watched it on TV with the idea of just listening to it and not focusing on the action. I swear, it sounded almost like a modern-day report on the Middle East.
@Gary802643 жыл бұрын
Saw it on TV in 1986. Four years later, bought it on tape, unaware that there was a newly restored version.
@moredistractions9 ай бұрын
Spielberg is brilliant, amazing director. It's cool that this superb film was one of his inspirations.
@jacksmith5973 Жыл бұрын
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA is purely and simply the greatest movie ever made, it's the greatest masterpiece in the history of cinema!!
@malcolmscrivener8750 Жыл бұрын
So , you’re saying you liked it ?
@bullrun2772 Жыл бұрын
@@malcolmscrivener8750 isn’t that obvious
@malcolmscrivener8750 Жыл бұрын
@@bullrun2772 Did my attempt at humour escape you , mate ?
@bullrun2772 Жыл бұрын
@@malcolmscrivener8750 lol damn dude you sound triggered
@gemmel31972 жыл бұрын
A truly wonderful movie, an example of the art at the highest level.
@DyenamicFilms2 жыл бұрын
I first watched Lawrence of Arabia in 1989 on VHS. It was the pan and scan version. I thought it was great even on a 25" screen in pan and scan mono sound. I had no idea Spielberg was a huge fan then, but I could tell he was influenced by Lawrence of Arabia a lot after watching it for the first time. It just so happened around that time, Spielberg was helping restore the movie. When a 'letterboxed' VHS version was released, I immediately rented it. By this time, I had my first surround sound system to go with my 25" color TV. It was this viewing that put Lawrence of Arabia in my top five all time favorite movies (Jaws is my number one all time favorite). I just remember being blown away by the sound of the bi plane flying over and the sound going from the front to rear speakers. Incredible. Not to mention the widescreen images. Yeah, it was smaller with the black bars, but I knew I was finally seeing the whole picture. I eventually went to a screening in 70mm a few years later. Though it wasn't the greatest print, I was still blown away.
@ashleighjaimaosborne39663 жыл бұрын
One of my all time favourite movies. Decades ago when dvds came out I spent $35 to buy it. 😊🇨🇦
@WilliamHBaird-eq2hp6 жыл бұрын
Still my favourite film of all time~
@Pazuzu82 Жыл бұрын
Lawrence Of Arabia is probably my favorite film of all time, still not saw Bridge On The River Kwai or Doctor Zhivago yet, im really looking forward to watching them!
@soul17169 Жыл бұрын
They're good. The River Kwai has a certain poetry to it like a Haiku. The other one has a complexity like a Tolstoy novel. :)
@BDCF1003 жыл бұрын
I saw this in 1963 in a huge theater in NYC. Still my all time favorite movie. Has everything: Score, scenery, action, drama, history and great characters. I also bought the score LP.
@bighands693 жыл бұрын
I assume you seen it in 70mm.
@BDCF1003 жыл бұрын
@@bighands69 Haven't a clue. I do remember ushers taking me to my seat and a long intermission. Huge theater and a wide screen. Stunning movie.
@bighands693 жыл бұрын
@@BDCF100 I would guess it probably was 70mm projection.
@Maxyshadow6 жыл бұрын
I was about 10 and it effected me too. I think it needs a cinema.
@malikmiah80924 жыл бұрын
Best movie. This is cinema at its finest quality. David lean. Great director
@normanrowe28313 жыл бұрын
I was extremely lucky enough to be taken to all the great movies of David Lean as a small child for Bridge on the river Kwai in the 50s and a young teen for Lawrence of Arabia in the early 60s. I thank my parents for bringing us boys along for what turned out to be a cinematic history and the budding of a love affair with the movies. Thanks mom and dad.
@mikedoll4565 жыл бұрын
Davie lean made dr shavago holy fuck....I love that movie
@sabrinaandhusband7791 Жыл бұрын
My late relative knew the real Lawrence of Arabia 😂 He said he was very much like the movie, but more humble and was very attentive to all details when attend a gathering of Arab kings of his time.
@epicurusone68976 жыл бұрын
Brilliant film Pure genius
@erepsekahs3 жыл бұрын
What an absolutely fabulous 'interview.' It is wonderful to hear and see someone so respected and so thoughtful expressing what I love to tell people....but I do not have the stage to do it from.
@andrewattenboroughtwothumb46973 жыл бұрын
one of my favourite movies love Lawrence of Arabia an incredible masterpiece
@myopenmind5275 жыл бұрын
In my top 10 favorite movies of all time. The cinematography is unrivaled and Peter O’Toole’s performance sublime. He deserved an Oscar for this performance alone. Pity the Academy made home wait almost his entire life to receive it.