It's A Wonderful Life

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Just finished watching this movie...at the ripe old age of 41 it's the first time i have seen it, what a fantastic film. if you have never seen this film ,try to find the time :thumbsup:

one of the best Christmas films of all time
 
I was 41 when I first watched it 2 years ago... not quite a thrilled however.. it's just OK.
 
Just finished watching this movie...at the ripe old age of 41 it's the first time i have seen it, what a fantastic film. if you have never seen this film ,try to find the time :thumbsup:

one of the best Christmas films of all time


I've always loved Xmas movies so when the first ever retail VHS titles were released in 1986 from The Video Collection I spotted a trailer for IAWL on the Invasion of The Body Snatchers tape.

It showed the sequence of George running through the streets near the end shouting "Merry Xmas Bedford Falls" and I knew I had to see it.

I've watched it at least once every 2 years ever since.
I got the R1 dvd about 6 or 7 years ago and although the picture is a typical below par Republic release its never been improved.

If you like IAWL I would also recommend The Bishops Wife with Cary Grant and David Niven,made about the same year.
 
There was a 60th Anniversary R1 edition released last month with a beautifully remastered picture. Saving it for Xmas but popped it on when it arrived and the picture is excellent. A gem of a movie! :smashin:
 
There was a 60th Anniversary R1 edition released last month with a beautifully remastered picture. Saving it for Xmas but popped it on when it arrived and the picture is excellent. A gem of a movie! :smashin:


But reviews on sites comparing the Republic original to the new one and the R2 one indicated that the new edition offered no significant improvement in picture quality
 
Great movie, that people start talking about near xmas, i was telling me mate about it, she has never heard of it. I hope to see it very soon again.
 
I had a R2 Universal edition and this new one is a huge improvement. Not seen the Republic version but DVD Beaver said...

I wasn't sure what to expect in this 60th Anniversary release - I anticipated the exact same transfer as the Republic with some added extras. Good news is the transfer is superior - although these screen captures may not give it the credit it deserves. Of course, I can't be positive that either the Republic has had some contrast boosting or the Paramount some black level boosting, in fact - it might be a little of both. Regardless, the Paramount looks cleaner (less speckles), less digital noise, smoother and blacks are significantly more piercing. The boosted blacks bring up the detail to a small degree as well. Although there is some frame movement - generally speaking the 60th Anniversary shows more information - most notably on the side edges (in most sequences). Overall a better release in regards to image.
 
i've never seen it myself despite having it on dvd. doesn't it top some of these top 100 movies ever lists? i like to get all those movies for the collection, don't necessarily get round to watching them tho...

maybe i'll wait till i'm 41 till i see it, unless i get bored at xmas
 
ye i'll wait to i'm 41 as well{seems to be a good age to watch it:rolleyes: }few years yet:D hopefully be on hd-dvd by then:thumbsup:
 
Can't believe you waited that long before you saw it. I have to agree, my favourite Christmas movie and stands really well to repeat viewings!
 
Watch it NOW! Never mind waiting till you're 41. You'll just regret all the years you missed out on watching it. I saw it first when I was a kid and fell in love with it then.

Got my first VHS recording of it in '78 or '79 on a BBC2 series called "My Kind of Movie" where a different celebrity introduced their favourite movie each week (Kenny Everett chose this one). I have watched it every Christmas since and look forward to it every year. :thumbsup:
 
Never seen it myself, so you guys have inspired me to go and try and pick it up :thumbsup:
 
I had a R2 Universal edition and this new one is a huge improvement. Not seen the Republic version but DVD Beaver said...
I have the Universal on and once compared it to a recording I had of it off TV just before I wiped it and the recorded one had a lot better contrast and was a lot brighter, the DVD was more in shades of grey than black and white.
 
Watch it NOW! Never mind waiting till you're 41. You'll just regret all the years you missed out on watching it. I saw it first when I was a kid and fell in love with it then.

Got my first VHS recording of it in '78 or '79 on a BBC2 series called "My Kind of Movie" where a different celebrity introduced their favourite movie each week (Kenny Everett chose this one). I have watched it every Christmas since and look forward to it every year. :thumbsup:

I remember seeing that one. It was my favorite as well. saw it as a child and remembered the stars at the beginning and the movable floor with the swimming pool. It was not till a few years later and more mature did I actually appreciate the film and became my favorite.

The end of the film gets to me every time.
 
It's perfect.
 
We watch it every Christmas Eve without fail, best Christmas film by a mile. I have the original Region 1 release and have just picked up the Region 1 60th Anniversary release and the PQ is superior.
 
We watch it every Christmas Eve without fail, best Christmas film by a mile. I have the original Region 1 release and have just picked up the Region 1 60th Anniversary release and the PQ is superior.

me too. (R2) :)
 
Myself and the missus sit down to watch it every Xmas on DVD. Fantastic feel good film!! Perfect for Xmas and everyone should see it at least once.
 
One of my all time favorite films. The ending always seems to put a lump in my throat, no matter how many times I've watched it. :( Highly recommended :smashin:
 
Must add my praise for this film - a superb piece of work.

I'd also stress for those who are thinking of picking it up, the new 60th Anniversary R1 release is the only one to go for. Pic quality is way better than my old R2 disc, which is soft and murky in comparison.
 
Just finished my annual viewing.

Merry Christmas everybody! :hiya:
 
Just watched it again tonight;

Firstly Donna Reed is stunning ;)
Jimmy is great as always.

Now the script is not great, this is backed up by the fact it did not do well at all when it was released, and also up for 7 awards, it won none. But the movtivation and sentiments behind the story make up for the script.

My gripe is that Georgre (Jimmy) for me had a very short fuse in a very little time, and one we did not see during the film, he was always charming and positive on his outlook, but soon as the pressure was on him to find the missing money, he took it out on his family, but maybe the idea was that he was human after all, he was vunerable, the pressures of running the loans house caught up with him. But then to go and try to commit sucide, without even talking to his friends, asking for help seemed very very harsh and again out of character.

At the end, i felt because he was too tired and drained, for when everyone came to his rescue, he would off been far too proud for any handouts to save him at times he looked embrassed. And also getting £25k from his friend seemed out of tune, but again i think the story is saying sometimes there are good people out there, luckly for George, Sam was not bitter he married the girl he once loved.

Watching the documentary was very interesting, and the fact at that time, they built the biggest town set for a movie, and had huge oak trees brought over and planted. Also the fx guys won awards for the creation of a new technique to make snow. Also the fact whilst making this film, you really feel like its a wintery night, the actual real place was going thorugh one the the hotest heatwaves, and the director gave people a day off to recuperate.


...
 
i finally watched it last week, and i just didn't get it. it's not like it's a bad movie, it's just that it's so obvious the guy's life isn't so bad, he has his health and wive and kids, house and car, and business, etc, so he has plenty going for him. but to watch the movie and not have the wife, the kids, the car and things generally going well for you, it just doesn't work. it's only a feelgood movie if your life is generally fine, perhaps moreso if you life is fine and you don't always appreciate it. i've seen other movies with similar themes, but people who are genuinely worse off, people who are poor, who have lost homes and jobs, had family members killed, etc, and you can feel better for them, altho perhaps not relate unless you have experienced similar things

personally it's not a bad film, but perhaps a bit overrated to appear so high in best film lists. you have to watch it to form your own opinion however, and one guy saying it's not all that when 100s say it's great, should not put you off viewing it. not everyones life is so empty and unfulfilled
 
i finally watched it last week, and i just didn't get it. it's not like it's a bad movie, it's just that it's so obvious the guy's life isn't so bad, he has his health and wive and kids, house and car, and business, etc, so he has plenty going for him.

Hence the title ..."Its a Wonderful Life"

I think its the fact that he could never do what he wanted to do - he had to give up everything (travelling, college, architect's job) and he always helped everyone else. Then when it got tough for him (i.e. people had let him down again) killing himself to save his family seemed the answer!

I don't think its meant to be too deep after all...its a feelgood Capra movie that's meant to tug on the heart strings around Xmas!!
 

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