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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If Only There Were A Ten-Star Rating, October 8, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: The Crucible (Les Sorcières de Salem) [VHS] (VHS Tape)
I am an action movie fan. I like explosions, car chases, gunfights and so on. In Technicolor. And English. "The Crucible" is not a movie I would EVER have seen by choice. First of all, it's in French. Next, it's in black and white. Thirdly, the subtitles are hard to read. But I watched it anyway, and I'm glad I did. I've never seen anything like it. The horror of what happens to the poor people in this film has so many parallels to today's world, it's frightening. The sets and costumes are amazingly realistic; it looks like a settlement in 1692. As you watch this movie, be sure to notice what's going on _around_ the main characters. Look for the prisoners in stocks; notice what's being done to them and who's doing it. I am a full-grown man, but the wrenching ending to this tragic, true tale brought me to the verge of tears. I thought I knew how it would end, but I never suspected what happened. This is the movie to watch if you think you don't like this kind of movie, that's for sure. I now understand why Simone Signoret, Yves Montand, and Jean-Paul Sartre (he wrote the screenplay) are considered to be great artists; it's because they really are. I'm now on the lookout for other movies like this.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
amazing - much better than the english one, December 11, 2006
This review is from: The Crucible (Les Sorcières de Salem) [VHS] (VHS Tape)
i read the crucible and of course loved it, so then i got the movie from the library. it was so bad, i didn't bother finishing it. only a few of the actors deserve to be on camera, and some of them are really annoying. but anyway, my teacher said the french one was better, so i got that one too, and boy was he right. it wasn't just the play brought on screen. the movie starts way before the play, with john and abigail's affair, and his wife's discovery. the proctors also get much more time devoted to their relationship - the tension between them is very good. the woman who plays elizabeth proctor is amazing, and while john proctor wasn't (in my opinion) quite handsome enough for the part, he was also very good. and abigail's role was perfectly cast. in fact, there was not one actor who bothered me. the movie adds a lot that the play didn't have. as i said, it gets more into the protors' relationship and what elizabeth meant at the end when she said "it was a cold house i kept." Giles Corey's sons also make an appearance, trying to organize a rebellion at the end. oh, and the sets. the film is in black and white, and it perfectly captures an old puritan village. the clothing is plain enough and rough enough, the buildings fit in well, down to the rough sort of doorknobs. and there are scenes with john chopping wood or plowing. basically the movie was awesome. and it wasn't just a reproduction, it stood on its own. (and it was nice hearing some French!) definitely the better Crucible movie.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Signoret and Montand Sear the Screen!, September 24, 2000
This review is from: The Crucible (Les Sorcières de Salem) [VHS] (VHS Tape)
This French adaptation of Arthur Miller's play is outstanding!!Both Simone Signoret and husband Yves Montand did a VERY successful stage production, and it transfers to the screen majestically. Set in Salem, in 1692, during the "witch hunts" the film has many horrific moments, as well as heartbreaking. In watching this, I felt like I was watching the "Exorcist", as there are several scenes of possession. However this is all based on BELIEF, and shows what can happen when panic sweeps a community.This film recalls the early days of the McCarthy era, in this country. The kangaroo court, the innocent being imprisoned and hanged. My only complaint is the usual with sub-titled videos, they are too hard to read at times. However don't let that minor detail stop you from buying this!! The performances from the entire cast are red-hot and this is a video for your library!! Don't bother with the remake, when you can have the REAL THING!! A TRUE masterpiece of filmmaking at it's best!
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