Review Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)

Majestic desert epic from director David Lean and producer Sam Spiegel, chronicling how enigmatic British mapmaker T E Lawrence became leader of a WW1 Arab revolt. O’Toole delivers an electrifying career break-out performance as the ambiguous hero.
Other vital assets here include the gleaming desert locales, expertly shot by Freddie Young and an outstanding ensemble cast. It’s movie-making of the grandest scale, but also happens to be immensely literate to boot. Spielberg's favourite film, too!

Just incredible all the way 'round. Expert filmmaking on David Lean's part.

Trailer: “Lawrence of Arabia” 70MM Re-Release





If you loved your 70mm in cinema fix with Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk,” then this is for you. David Lean’s iconic epic “Lawrence Of Arabia” is on its way back to cinemas in the original 70mm presentation.

The true story tale stars Peter O’Toole as T.E. Lawrence – an idealistic British officer in WWI assigned to the camp of Arab tribal chieftain Prince Feisal (Alec Guinness) in a revolt against the Turks.

Thanks to a series of brilliant tactical maneuvers, Lawrence leads fifty of Feisal’s men in a tortured three-week crossing of the Nefud Desert to attack the strategic Turkish held port of Aqaba. Further raids lead him to nearly god-like status among his Arab brothers.

The film underwent a three-year digital 4K restoration which saw a re-release in 2012 but that was on regular cinema screens. Now, international distributor Park Circus is showing it the way it was always meant to be seen – in 70mm with the film having originally been shot with Super Panavision 70 cameras with spherical lenses.

Park Circus has not issued any specific release date information at this point, but enjoy the trailer below.

R.I.P. Anne V. Coates





Legendary British film editor Anne V. Coates has died at the age of 92.

Coates is responsible for arguably the most famous single ‘cut’ (specifically a ‘match cut’) in film history with the sudden transition from Peter O’Toole blowing out a match to the Arabian desert at sunrise in “Lawrence of Arabia”. She won an Oscar for her work on that celebrated film.

Coates’ career spanned 60 years running from “The Pickwick Papers” in 1952 to “Fifty Shades of Grey” in 2015. Her filmography includes the likes of “Hotel Paradiso,” “Out of Sight,” “Erin Brockovich,” “In the Line of Fire,” “Chaplin,” “Unfaithful,” “Masters of the Universe,” “The Elephant Man” and the original “Murder on the Orient Express “.

Steven Spielberg on LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

History Buffs: Lawrence of Arabia