MovieChat Forums > Anna Karenina (1997) Discussion > Glad I found it!

Glad I found it!

posted 18 years ago by weeKnightingale
3 replies | jump to latest

Received the DVD from Hong Kong and it is an excellent item. I was a little concerned that it might be defective or at best a poor copy. I did't want to buy illegal copies. Here in the USA I could not find this film in English for region 1. Why?
I read all the reviews here and I agree with some of what was said about this production. I was not disappointed! It was a good film! The film could have been better in terms of the characters. I wanted more of the characters- More reflection more passion! THE MOVIE WAS TOO SHORT-I WANTED MORE! I wish it had been a mini-series! I wanted more development in the characters. Sophie Marceau was cute but did not have the depth that one would expect from the Anna Karenina. I am a Sean Bean fan so he can do no wrong; he was a very handsome Vronsky. I enjoyed the locations, costumes, the cinematography and the sets. Also I really enjoyed the Russian spoken in parts, the church scenes and the rural country scenes.
It could have really been a fantastic film if only they had more character development. No loss, however, I can watch it again and still enjoy the overall film for what it is and its attempt at being a grand epic. Overall Anna Karenina was an enjoyable short 108 minute film.

~thoughts through my looking glass~
KAROLYN

[–] weeKnightingale 18 years ago

I had read that MGM had edited the film! What a shame!

"Rose directed 1995's Immortal Beloved

and 1997's Anna Karenina. Warner

Brothers banned him from the editing

of the latter film and "severely

butchered" Anna.Sources: Naomi

Pfefferman

Interviewed by Stephen Applebaum

Driven by his own experiences with the Hollywood machine, Brit director Bernard Rose has created a damning look at life in Tinseltown with "ivans xtc"...

What made you adapt Tolstoy's "The Death of Ivan Ilyich"?

I shot this pretty straight adaptation of "Anna Karenina" [in 1997], and when I ran it for Warner Bros, they looked at it and said, "Jeez, she cheats on her husband. She's so unsympathetic!" They then proceeded to put the film through the lawnmower, and, whatever bits were left on the floor, they picked up and stuck together in any order they felt like. What they ended up releasing is a travesty of the novel, and deserves to be put in the trash. Partly as an apology to Tolstoy, I embarked on "The Death of Ivan Ilyich".

WHAT A SHAME!

Karolyn Greengaze
thoughts through the looking glass

[–] Gonzo_Knight 18 years ago

What a shame indeed! It a testament to the great job Bernard Rose did on the movie that even after it was cut and altered it was still enjoyable.

"Left is Right and Right is Wrong".

[–] nutsberryfarm 12 years ago

what?

His name...was Julio Iglesias!