Product Details

• Actors: Judi Dench
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, Black & White, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 1.0)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: BBC Worldwide
• DVD Release Date: March 27, 2007
• Run Time: 260 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000LV6OKI
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #81,416 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Cherry Orchard (1981 and 1962 Versions)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

CHERRY ORCHARD - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chekhov brought to life, July 9, 2007

By 

nyc_tm (US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cherry Orchard (1981 and 1962 Versions) (DVD)

The cast in both versions handle Chekhov's material with the utmost care. The direction in the 1962 M. St.Denis version is rather beautiful. One can't really go wrong with a cast like Gielgud, Ashcroft, Dench, Tutin, etc. They all just give the most stunning performances of this material. Chekhov is actually incredibly timeless, and the cast is absolutely thrilling to watch. Richard Eyre's 1981 version is a bit more stoic, but his choice to bring Judi Dench on as Mdme. Ranevsky was like finishing a luxurious necklace with the Hope Diamond. Judi Dench has the unbelievable ability to let a story and character filter through herself like an incredibly adept translator. Both of these versions are magical. The more theatrical version of 1962, and the "made for film" version of 1981. Both should not be missed, if even only for the experience of the remarkable performances, but certainly for the well handled telling of the genius Chekhov.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the astonishing growth of a great actor, May 12, 2007

By 

Deborah Peifer (San Rafael CA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Cherry Orchard (1981 and 1962 Versions) (DVD)

Watching Judi Dench play Anna in the earlier production and then Madame Ranevsky twenty years later offers an opportunity to see a good actor become great. Her mature skills are extraordinary, but her ability twenty years earlier to play with such art is truly amazing. Also, each production of The Cherry Orchard is great, entirely worthy of Chekhov's greatest play.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars To those who love theater, April 21, 2010

By 

Marisa F. Gouvea - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Cherry Orchard (1981 and 1962 Versions) (DVD)

The two productions of The Cherry Orchard, last play written by Chekhov, presented in this DVD: the first one, by The Royal Shakespeare Company (1962) and the second, by BBC (1981)are a blessing to those who love theater. It's interesting to compare the way the productions dealt with the text and the great number of characters on stage,(Once upon a time, it was possible to do so) in a gap of almost twenty years of technology. We are talking about a play performed to a TV audience, anyway. It's also an opportunity to observe the peculiarities of the performances of each actor/actress. The way each one creates his/her own character. The black and white version - that could bore us - on the contrary exactly for being less distracting, highlights the performances.
It's a pleasure to see Dame Judi Dench as a beautiful young lady in her twenties giving her first steps in what would be a great career, showing from the beginning the same dramatic vigour that characterizes her. Late, already a more mature actress, she comes out with this rhythm of her, a balance between inner and outer strengh of saying things, a gift of telling much with less or no effort. Beautiful indeed! As a bonus, a very good interview she gave to Richard Eyre, the 1981's version's director. I wonder if someday we could have a series like this here in Brazil.