Product Details

• Actors: Alan Arkin, Martin Balsam, Richard Benjamin, Art Garfunkel, Jack Gilford
• Directors: Mike Nichols
• Writers: Buck Henry, Joseph Heller
• Producers: Clive Reed, John Calley, Martin Ransohoff
• Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Paramount
• DVD Release Date: May 22, 2001
• Run Time: 122 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (130 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005ASGC
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,602 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Catch-22" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Joseph Heller's novel was one of the seminal literary events of the 1960s, but Mike Nichols's film ultimately proved too literal in its attempt to bring Heller's fragmented fiction to the screen. Still, Nichols, who made this on the heels of The Graduate, seemed the ideal candidate to tackle this Buck Henry adaptation. The story deals with bomber pilot Yossarian (Alan Arkin), who has flown enough missions to get out of World War II but can't because the number of missions needed for discharge keeps getting raised. The satire and absurdity of Heller's book get lost in Nichols's effort to give screen time to the members of his all-star cast, which includes Orson Welles, Jon Voight, Bob Newhart, Anthony Perkins, Richard Benjamin, and Martin Sheen, among others. --Marshall Fine

Product Description

Author Joseph Heller's classic anti-war novel was spun into a gargantuan, surrealistic discourse on the madness of army life by director Mike Nichols. Yossarian (Alan Arkin), a WWII bomber pilot feigning insanity to stop being sent on flying missions, leads a colorful gallery of characters, portrayed by Bob Newhart, Orson Welles, Martin Balsam, Richard Benjamin, Jon Voight, and Paula Prentiss. 121 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English; audio commentary by Nichols; photo gallery; theatrical trailer.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

100 of 108 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "It's the Best There Is!" June 23, 2001

By Solo Goodspeed

Format:DVD

Finally ...... one of those DVD re-releases I've been practically holding my breath for, and was not disappointed. This criminally overlooked gem was trashed by critics upon its release in 1970, and never enjoyed a video transfer worthy of the filmmaker's effort, not even on laserdisc! And as you can see from the varying reviews, the controversy rages on. Which just proves how alive and well and timely a film Catch-22 truly is.

Mike Nichols captures the essence of Joseph Heller's defining anti-war classic quite admirably, with a faithful adaptation by Buck Henry (who can be seen along with a veritable Who's Who period ensemble cast), with an eye as removed and objective as Kubrick, yet at times very visually subjective ..... an approach used to great advantage in his previous hit film The Graduate. All the verbal and ethical contradictions of the book bring its dark humor to demented life, through a kaleidoscopic cavalcade of archtypical characters who make up the living nightmare of one Captain Yossarian, who has decided he can no longer bear to fly the combat missions his superiors have made it impossible to get out of. To get out of flying, he has to be officially diagnosed as "crazy", and must request to be grounded ..... but if he requests to be grounded, then he's not really crazy, and is therefore eligible to keep flying missions. That's some catch, that Catch-22.

This film, like the book on which it's based, is not so much an indictment of the insanity of war as it is a look at how the corporate mentality can find its way into the noblest of causes, and how beurocratic manipulations devaluate basic human principles, which take a back seat to merely "looking good". A timeless theme indeed. This skewed logic is cheerfully accepted by all the story's characters ..... until our Yossarian's eyes are opened to the product of that logic literally disemboweled at his fingertips (yes, that scene was put back in!), and suddenly he is the outsider whose prime mission is to avoid any more missions. Which is not an easy thing to do when Brass keeps adding more after you've completed your tour of duty.

As far as the transfer itself: It has probably never looked better since the original theatrical release over 30 years ago, especially being the first widescreen release of this title, which is the only way to experience it as intended. The transfer team did the best they could with the mono soundtrack, I'm sure, which does get compressed and distorted at times, something we enthusiasts of early films live with.

Mike Nichols' Catch-22 may only enjoy cult status, but it is DVD releases like this (and that other oddball, star-studded 60's curiosity Candy) that make one truly appreciate what is being done with this revolutionary medium. Hey, not all movies can be for everybody. Long live the Anti-Blockbusters!

49 of 56 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I love this movie! November 18, 1999

By A Customer

Format:VHS Tape

Catch-22 is probably my all-time favorite novel and favorite movie. I constantly read reviews of the film version claiming that it doesn't quite reach the level of insanity the novel elevates to and that it is clouded and too literal. I know, there are a lot of things that one just cannot believe are not in the movie, like General Peckem or ex-P.F.C. Wintergreen or Hungry Joe screaming in his sleep whenever he is off combat duty again or Chief White Halfoat waiting to die of pnuemonia and threatening to slit Flume's throat ear ot ear or the chaplain's morbid, introverted struggles or Yossarian censoring letters as Washington Irving. But you can't put EVERYTHING in a movie. I love this movie a lot. I think it sort of becomes its own thing, apart from the novel. Plus, it does bring across the main points and feelings of the novel. In fact, I'm surprised how understandingly Mike Nichols directs and the actors act and the dialogue is executed. Just watch the scene near the beginning where Yossarian is arguing with Dobbs, Orr, McWatt, Milo, Aarfy, and Nately about his persecution complex. It comes off like a ballet of words. I don't think this movie is too heavy, as Leonard Maltin reviews in his book, because the novel is heavy. The novel is not JUST a cute farce (which is what makes it so great). I think the movie has the right tone. I also think the actors are brilliant. Alan Arkin, to me, is the only man who could ever play Yossarian. He is Yossarian. The moment of his performance that stands out for me is right at the start when he's stabbed in the side. He gasps, almost comically, in a disbelief, in such a pure shock that he has just, to his knowledge, been killed (and that's the last thing he wants to happen to him ever, literally). He stumbles to the ground wide-eyed after the disbelief and denial fades and stretches on the ground as if the eventual prophecy of his impending doom has been answered and there's finally nothing to do but accept it. Dying isn't an option for him, but they finally got him. He practically looks at the audience and asks "Do yo believe this?" It's like all of Yossarian's contradictions that were written in the novel are mimed in one brilliant moment of acting. And the rest of the cast is great, too. Orson Welles as Dreedle, Bob Newhart as Major Major (his single greatest performance), Charles Grodin as the slimey Aarfy, Art Garfunkel as Nately, Sheen as Dobbs, Bob Balaban as Orr, Buck Henry (who adds some very funny dialogue of his own. "I've never caught a piece of shrapnel...") as Korn, Norman Fell, Richard Benjamin, Jon Voight, Peter Bonerz, and, my favorites, Jack Gilford as Doc Daneeka, Martin Balsam as Cathcart, and Anthony Perkins (forget about Norman Bates) as Chaplain Tappman (name-change). Just listen to Perkins when he tells Cathcart's receptionist who he is, like he detests saying his own name and he doesn't like admitting he's him. "I'm...Chaplain Tappman." Overall, this is a great movie, despite the literary omissions. I think it's a forgotten classic that was never once remembered, and I feel it should get its classic status as a great film adaptation. Let's have a 30th anniversary next year and re-release it in the theaters. Whaddya say, fellas? (I'd give it five stars, but I just don't believe in the five-star system.)

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Improving Over Time June 5, 2006

By Travis A. Holland

Format:DVD

This is a film about military absurdity and entrepreneurial creativity. If you have no military experience, watch it as a documentary. I received my indoctrination in the 1950's when I arrived in Korea as a Private. Upon arrival, we were sent to the Supply Room and given a long list of equipment and supplies which we were required to have immediately. We were also informed that there was a small problem. These items, normally furnished by the Supply Room, were currently out-of-stock and expected to remain so. Fortunately, an old woman just outside the fence had all the items in quanity, but if we purchased anything from her, we would be buying from the Black Market, which was illegal. The old woman liked a certain brand of soap, however, and would trade each item for an established number of bars of the soap. Fortunately, we could legally purchase unlimited bars of this soap (3 at a time) at the Post Exchange at a very reasonable price. For a few bars extra, she would arrange for all our new patches to be sewn onto our uniforms. All we needed to do was sign a receipt for advance pay which the Army would give to help us feel welcome and get settled in. We could use the money to purchase things like soap, for example. Did we all understand our duty? Yeah, Sarge. We got it!
We had a 24 hr Mess Hall, but the food consisted of large vats of things like powdered eggs, powdered milk, powdered potatoes, oatmeal, etc, which appeared to have been chewed, partially digested, then regurgitated before being served. Choice UDSA steaks, eggs, fresh vegetables, etc, were available in the local village to be traded for cigarettes and alcohol, which we could purchase in unlimited quantities at the Post Exchange at a very reasonable price. For a consideration, cooks in the Mess Hall would skillfully cook the food for us. Did we all understand our dining options? Yeah, Sarge. We got it! And so it went.
The Military Air Transportation Service was extensively used for world-wide distribution for all sorts of contraband. With US taxpayers covering all shipping costs, smuggling boomed.
I read Catch-22 in the 1960's. It was hilarious and insane. Due to my personal experience in the Army, I accepted it as a realistic, highly entertaining, but sometimes sobering, account of World War II in Europe. The subsequent movie was a big disappointment to me, because it left out so many parts of the book. Now, after 36 years, when I watch the DVD, I think the movie is superb and really captures the spirit of the book. Some well chosen special features and more commentaries would have been nice, but the movie speaks well for itself. Had it tried to cover the entire book, the movie would have made Gone With The Wind seem like a featurette.
Perhaps it has just been too long since I read the book, but, be that as it may, to anyone who hasn't read the book or seen the movie recently, I recommend that you ignore the critics and watch this DVD. Then, if you enjoy the DVD, read the book. In fact, I think it's time for me to check out a copy at the local library and read it again myself.