Once Upon A Time In America

[valhalla]

A sprawling, unlikeable movie with unmotivated, unlikeable characters. Most unbelievable is that, even after 4 hours of the movie, there are countless loose ends left over. While there are a few good moments, those alone are countered by the dreadfully exploitative sex scenes, while the baffling plot and sappy score will drain away any further interest. I love the other five Sergio Leone movies I've seen, and this was actually a bad movie.

If you want to rent an incredibly long film, rent "Gone with the Wind." If you want to see something where characters have no motivations, rent "Othello." If you want to see Robert DeNiro at his most gross and repulsive, rent "Raging Bull." This movie is best left unseen.

[PoochJD]

Valhalla,

I have to confess, that having watched the film over the weekend (all in one go), it's actually a pretty terrible film.

The first half (or two hours) is very good, and well-acted. But the remainder, is dire. Up to the point when the gang have become adults (and gone their separate ways) it's okay, but after this, the film just doesn't know what to do or where to go.

The ending is awful, and makes no sense. Warner's DVD presentation is also pretty bad.

1) The break in the film is badly positioned. Hell, there's a damn Intermission part-way through the film. This would have been far more sensible to break the film up at.

2) Disc two is awful. The picture is scratched and blotched all over the place. It's almost as if Warner's said to themselves:- "Well disc one looks fine, and by this point, no one'll notice the problems with disc two."

3) The documentary is actually part of a longer doc. Why couldn't we have seen the whole thing, not just the part.

4) All 96 photos! At least they could have been made a sensible size so that we could view them, as well as being displayed at the right angle.

5) The main menu starts the film automatically, if you don't select anything. Bad! Bad! Bad!

The only saving grace was the Gheorge Zamfir music, like the main theme that appears throughout the film, and inbetween Ennio Morricone's stuff.

Overall though, I wasn't too pleased. I will be selling or swapping my copy soon.

Very disappointed, considering this was supposed to be the definitive version, and the definitive release of a seminal film. Not a patch on half a dozen other mafia-type films. A shame really.

Pooch

[bobbles]

For what it is worth I think it is an outstanding film. One of true great gangster epics.

[Mr.D]

One of the best films ever made.
I'd put it in the top 10 maybe even the top 5.

As for the ending there is more than one interpretation and that is something that should be celebrated.Its a fairy tale of sorts just as most of leone's other films are.

[GrahamC]

One of my top 10 as well.

[buns]

cant say i dislike it either!

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[Gorshin]

Originally Posted by valhalla

A sprawling, unlikeable movie with unmotivated, unlikeable characters. Most unbelievable is that, even after 4 hours of the movie, there are countless loose ends left over. While there are a few good moments, those alone are countered by the dreadfully exploitative sex scenes, while the baffling plot and sappy score will drain away any further interest. I love the other five Sergio Leone movies I've seen, and this was actually a bad movie.

If you want to rent an incredibly long film, rent "Gone with the Wind." If you want to see something where characters have no motivations, rent "Othello." If you want to see Robert DeNiro at his most gross and repulsive, rent "Raging Bull." This movie is best left unseen.

Some people have no taste at all You give Troy an '8' then this a '6' What next: give Blade Runner a '4'

[Gorshin]

Sappy Score???? More like sheer bloody genious mate. Possibly Leone's best, and thats saying A LOT Get with the plot ;-)

[Kevo]

Great film, one of my all time faves too.

Agree with Gorshin on the score....'Sappy'?....Sappy how?

One thing that does look poor is the ageing make-up, doesn't look very convincing.

Even to this day Hollywood make-up/fx artists still struggle with the most natural thing in the world....Getting old!

[GrahamC]

That's because it's against all the natural laws in Hollywood, they can make moldy bread look like it's fresh from the oven but make someone look old......

[Rad]

I have to go with the on this one, I've had this film for years now (I think I actually got it imported from Brazil or something for about £27) and think it's a classic.

There may be a couple of versions out there as my mate watched it with me and thought that the version I had was different from the one he'd seen.

R

[Kevo]

Originally Posted by GrahamC

That's because it's against all the natural laws in Hollywood, they can make moldy bread look like it's fresh from the oven but make someone look old......

Al Pacino in Godfather 3 and Mel Gibson in Forever Young are a couple more examples.

[superhuman]

Might as well get my two cents in, deffinately a film for the top ten list!!!

[Plump]

Originally Posted by Mr.D

One of the best films ever made.
I'd put it in the top 10 maybe even the top 5.

As for the ending there is more than one interpretation and that is something that should be celebrated.Its a fairy tale of sorts just as most of leone's other films are.

Definitely within top 5 of all time.

[Marv]

I Think its a good film , but you've really gotta be in the mood to watch it. I've watched the film once on dvd since i bought it when it came out. The film has some good parts but to me its over long and drags in some places.