Customer Reviews

Circus World

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

The copy of Circus World I had taped off the air more than 15 years ago was really starting to wear out and I was really glad to find this DVD. When I got it, I noticed the Chineese text underneath all of the English on the cover. I found the DVD had sub-titles you couldn't turn off, only an OK picture and sound that was out of phase. At times the audio sounded like it was at the bottom of a barrel. Since I can't find anything better out there, I'll keep it, but "let the buyer beware" on this one. It's really only better than no copy at all of what is otherwise a really good John Wayne movie.

Circus WorldThis dvd isn't even worth the small amount of money I paid for it. I would have paid a better price but this was all that was available to me. The quality of the sound, plus the speaking was out of alignment with the mouths moving. Over all I was displeased with this product. What is so terrible that we here in USA have far more ablity to re-product such great classics but don't. It makes no sense to me that we can't buy GOOD quality producted dvd's of great movie classics. How about doing much more about this! We are going to loose such fine entertaining movies such as this one! K. M. Kemp

From all of the complaints about the quality of THIS Korean import release, may I suggest you check Amazon for availability of the alternate Korean version. I just purchased it, and it has an excellent fully synchronized clean sound track, presented in its original wide-screen cinamascope, and transferred from a fairly clean original print. I only saw some minor dust during the opening credits. Maybe some day Hollywood will do a much deserved full restoration on this circus classic, throw in some bonus features, and even English sub-titles for the hearing impaired and those who have a problem with Claudia Cardinale's Itallian dialect. But until then, the alternate Korean version is probably your best way to view this classic! Region "0" NTSC is playable in US and Canada.

Samuel Bronston producer of epic productions such as "El Cid" and "55 Days at Peking" turns to the circus for his setting of "Circus World." John Wayne plays Matt Masters who brings his exciting Wild West show to three rings under the Big Top across Europe. Veteran director Henry Hathaway applies his reputation for atmosphere and characterizations to make this more than just another formula movie. Dimitri Tiomkin's score lends just the right touch of melancholy often associated the circus. The ship disaster and the climatic fire sequences are truly spectacular. The film also features Rita Hayworth, Claudia Cardinale, Lloyd Nolan, John Smith and Richard Conte. This was originally filmed in single lens Cinerama Super Technirama 70.

I remember seeing circus world when I was a kid! I really enjoyed seeing it again. John Wayne is one of my all time favorites. He played in alot of westerns and military movies, it was great to see him play in something different. If you have kids it's a great circus movie to show them and they will remember it like I did. I highly recommend this movie to all ages.

I watched this movie a couple of days ago, and I was really very surprised. I LOVE John Wayne's movies, and have seen around 90 of them. (The number is steadily increasing!) *Circus World* was a good movie, but I didn't think it was quite as impressive as the rest of Duke's movies, especially his later ones. The filming quality seemed a bit poor, and the storyline wasn't the best. Don't get me wrong, I think this movie's a great one-timer! Just not my favorite. Watch it, enjoy it, and see if you agree!

If you like John Wayne but you've watched all the really good ones over and over there are a couple that you may not have seen that are worth taking a little trouble to get. This is one of them. I have no idea why it's not better known, probably because for some reason it hasn't been shown on tv three times a year for the last thirty years. I saw this as an adult about seven years ago and thought it was very, very good.

It is a little off beat, but I liked that. It's set around nineteen hundred or in the 1890's. John Wayne runs a circus. It's directed by a guy named Henry Hathaway under whose direction John Wayne first began to explore his ability at comic touches and it has some very likeable comedy elements, although it's more a drama. Hathaway also teamed up with Wayne to make "North to Alaska" which was a true comedy. IF you liked North to Alaska, check this out.

Wayne is middle-aged in this--at his peak really--and just the scene of him in the circus wild west show is worth the price of admission. Wayne tended to have younger males in his movies to increase the draw and the guy in this one is an actor named John Smith. I really thought these two guys were so funny together I couldn't believe Wayne never used him again. Really a shame. He was so much better than some of the others Wayne used (who shall remain unnamed--if you like wayne you know who I mean).

Claudia Cardinale also has great chemistry with Wayne. In fact, they all did. Cardinale is totally believable as the daughter of a tragic trapeze family--she's also very funny. Rita Hayworth is Wayne's very believable love interest. She's no longer staggeringly beautiful but definitely still good looking.

I really loved this movie. I don't know why anyone wouldn't at least like it. On the other hand, I like Circus movies. This is like Demille's "The Greatest Show on Earth" only this doesn't have all that really cornball dialogue to ruin it. This is a much better movie than that one. I think this is a real winner.

This is probably a Chinise copy, the picture was good, but the soundtrack like in an echo chamber, or the back seat of an old movie theatre. Maybe it was. I still enjoyed the film.

Circus World has joined the ranks of the much under-rated, and now mostly forgotten, epic films of
the late producer Samuel Bronson who worked magic in Spain during the 1960's with films such as
El Cid and The Fall of the Roman Empire. Circus World is an epic told on that scale and cut from the
same cloth. It features fine performances from John Wayne, in one of his last films, the beautiful young
Claudia Cardinale, and, of course, Rita Hayworth in one of her final good performances, near the end
of her illustrious career. I bought this particular DVD to see Rita in one of her last performances, but
it is the strong screen presence of John Wayne that really carries the film. Claudia Cardinale does a fine
job too with a role near the beginning of her career. While Circus World has been compared unfavorably
by some to DeMille's Greatest Show On Earth, of a decade earlier, I feel that it stands-up well in the
genre of back-stage stories of the entertainment world. Circus World has everything to entertain and
interest the viewer, even those not especially interested in the Circus per se. It has a good story of a
mother-daughter estrangement and reconcillation, human drama of a career comeback, the trials and
tribulations of producing the great circus show, including the climax of coping with a spectacular fire
under the "big tent". The story builds as it moves along and the third act resolves the story problem
with great poignancy for all concerned. Circus World proves that producer Samuel Bronston could still
deliver a dramatic story on an epic scale and that such venerable performers as Wayne and Hayworth
could still deliver magnetic performances.

A movie that I really wanted. It had a bit of a problem with the audio in sections but otherwise no complaints