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The Bridge on the River Kwai

 Rating 4
enlarged image: The Bridge on the River Kwai
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80% Recommended by our customers.
Studio: Sony
Catalog: DVD
Release date: 2000-11-21
Media: DVD
released in theatres: 1957
Running time in minutes: 161
DVD aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Picture format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
DVD Region code: 99
DVD layers: 2
DVD sides: 1
released in theatres: 1957
Ean: 9780767853545
Book Isbn: 0767853547
Upc: 043396052789
tip Tip: compare prices with similar DVDs

Director:
David Leansee more Dvds by David Lean
Actors:
William Holdensee more Dvds with William Holden
Alec Guinnesssee more Dvds with Alec Guinness
Jack Hawkinssee more Dvds with Jack Hawkins
Sessue Hayakawasee more Dvds with Sessue Hayakawa
James Donaldsee more Dvds with James Donald

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Current discount:29% off !!
$17.49
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all new55 thirdParty new offers, as low as...$14.99see more ThirdParty new offers
collectible2 collectible offers, as low as...$29.98see more collectible new offers

User Reviews:
 Rating 5   Written on September 24, 2007
   Summary: THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI
GREAT MOVIE, I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. TO BAD THEY DON'T MAKE MOVIES LIKE THIS ANY MORE.

 Rating 3   Written on August 29, 2007
   Summary: Revisionist History of Camp 16
The film shows a tropical jungle, then we see a railroad. There are graves along the railway. There is a settlement, these workers are captured British army men. A new group enters the camp whistling a song. The Japanese Colonel Saito welcomes them and tells how they will build a railroad from Bangkok to Rangoon. Escape is impossible. "Be happy in your work." There will be no escape committee, the odds are against it. The British commander will cooperate with the Japanese since they were ordered to surrender.

There is a crisis when the British commander Colonel Nicholson refuses to order the officers to perform manual labor, even after a deadly threat. They are left standing in the hot sun without water or food until they are sent to the punishment hut. But a few try to escape across the river. Their bodies are brought back, except for one man who fell into the river. Trees are cut to build a timber bridge. The project is behind schedule, Colonel Saito blames the workers. Saito makes an offer to Colonel Nicholson: cooperate or the hospital will be closed.

Commander Shears makes it to a village and is rescued. Colonel Saito proclaims a holiday and gives the prisoners Red Cross parcels (saving them from starvation). There is a problem in building the bridge. Colonel Nicholson is brought to meet Colonel Saito, and they reach a "proper solution" after a dramatic confrontation. An amnesty ends the stalemate. Work will continue with the British officers in charge. [The film claims the British could do a better job than the Japanese through organization and efficiency. The future would tell more about this.] New plans are adopted.

British Force 316 asks Shears for help with their project. Major Warden explains their use of "plastic". This force will parachute a team to destroy the bridge. "Commander Shears" explains himself, and gets another unexpected surprise. "Good Show!" Back at the prison camp they are all happy in their work, morale is high because they are doing a proper job. [Sarcasm here?] Force 316 parachutes into the jungle, but there is a problem. They must take a roundabout route to their destination. [This is also safer than a regular path.] Colonel Nicholson is totally devoted to finishing the bridge, he even asks patients from the hospital to volunteer! Birds fly into the air, the unexpected happens. They arrive at the bridge and plan its destruction. They must wait until the scheduled train arrives on the bridge. The sentries pacing over the bridge add to the suspense. Nature presents a complication. Colonel Nicholson sees a strange object and follows the lead to an ironic ending.

Pierre Boulle wrote many novels. What changes were made for this film? Does the bridge resemble the famous railway bridge on the Firth of Forth?


 Rating 5   Written on July 31, 2007
   Summary: awesome
This is what my husband wanted and he loves it. I thought it was a little pricey.

 Rating 5   Written on July 14, 2007
   Summary: William Holden on the River Kwai
The movie is just as I remembered it. A wonderful movie that won many academy awards. A must see.

 Rating 5   Written on May 5, 2007
   Summary: Best Film Ever, Test Of Wills & Character.
This unique film had everything you could want except romance. Action, suspense, special effects, an intruiging story, themes, cinematography, diection, & locales. This is the story of a Japanese POW camp in Burma in World War two. Commanded by Colonel Saito {Sessue Hayakawa}, the mainly British captives are being used as slave labor for the construction of a railroad bridge that will link malaysia to Rangoon over the river Kwai. The Japanese commander's life depends on it's successful completion. Colonel Nicholson the British commander is a stickler for rules & when Saito declares that officers will work as well as enlisted men, he sites the Geneva Convention restrictions on officers doing manual labor. When they refuse to work, Saito has them thrown into ovens, metal containers that bake in the tropical sweltering heat. After much angst Saito relents since the bridge is behind schedule.

There's a fine mix of camera shots from all possible angles showing the grinding heat draining the overworked & malnurished men, as well as breathtaking panoramas. Above all positives of this excellent film were the performances by all concerned. Alec Guinness as Col. nicholson was beyond "PERFECTION." He totally absorbs the characters essence & then manifests it. I can't think of any actor who deserved his/her OSCAR more. William Holden is also superlative in his scenes, as were stern Sessue Hayakawa & the enigmatic Jack Hawkins. The destruction of the bridge & train was a one shot chance done very well. I saw this film on TV as a young boy. Now seeing it again on DVD, it was as enthralling as ever. Buy it, you won't be disapointed.

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Our price$17.49$9.99$14.99$9.99$11.99$9.99
List price$24.95$14.94$19.98$26.98$19.94$19.98
Lowest used price$12.40$5.99$3.58$8.99$9.99$8.88
Lowest new price$14.99$7.50$4.60$9.89$11.99$9.99
Collectible price$29.98$14.95$19.98$27.77$19.94-
CatalogDVDDVDDVDDVDDVDDVD
Release date2000-11-212002-08-272004-05-182001-11-062000-05-232006-05-23
MediaDVDDVDDVDDVDDVDDVD
discs number---2--
released in theatres195719621963-07-0419651961-06-221970-09
Running time in minutes161216172197158170
DVD aspect ratio2.35:12.20:12.35:12.35:12.35:12.35:1
Audience RatingPG (Parental Guidance Suggested)G (General Audience)UnratedPG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Picture formatAnamorphic Widescreen---Anamorphic Widescreen-
FormatAnamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSCAnamorphic, Subtitled, Color, DolbyAnamorphic, Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSCClosed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSCAnamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Special Edition, Widescreen, NTSCColor, DVD-Video, Special Edition, NTSC
DVD Region code99991111
DVD layers2---2-
DVD sides1---1-
Ean978076785354597807678988059780792860440978079076184897807678217800024543234692
Book Isbn0767853547076789880X0792860446079076184X0767821785-
Upc043396052789043396094314027616905710125695571236043396721296024543234692
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