Customer Reviews

Great Expectations [VHS]

5 star:		(100)
4 star:		(38)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(19)

 

 

Upon theatrical release this film received many bad reviews, mostly by people who thought they were protecting the reputations of the novel and the 1946 cinematic version. Unfortunately, these reviews unfairly criticized what is a fine film and one that faithfully recreates the central themes of the book. Let's face it, in many ways, Great Expectations can be a dreary book. The many plot twists and turns, while typical of Dickens, merely provide a framework for the core concerns of the book: class inequities, the allure and dangers of retribution, the pain of unrequited love, the human heart's capacity to harden itself, the conflict between the environment and the innate, society's willingness to sacrifice its children, and the power of loyalty and forgiveness, to name a few. This adaptation deals directly with these issues and forsakes unnecessary plot devices. Remember, Dickens published his novel serially for a public who anxiously awaited new installments and wanted many of them. A modern film audience has no interest in such prolonged dramas. This movie wisely does away with what it does not need. And yet, many of the criticisms point to these omissions as evidence of a failed narrative. What these criticisms reveal is their critics' misinterpretation of the novel's strengths and misunderstanding of modern cinema.
This is a fine film, and it is well worth watching for reasons outlined in other positive reviews: the performances, the cinematography, the soundtrack, and the emotional impact.

"Great Expectations" (1998)

This film is a cinematic masterpiece due to its colorful scenes that seem to be painted onto the screen in a perfectly precise style. "Great Expectations" is rich with imagery and a wonderful story line based on Charles Dickens' classic tale. It strays from the novel enough to make the story a more visual experience. The time period is changed to present day, but this adaptation works for the best. It allows a modern audience to identify with this classic tale in a way that would be impossible if the film were set in the 19th century. Finnegan Bell falls hopelessly in love with Estella from the first moment he lays eyes on her and proceeds throughout his life in continual pursuit of her love by attempting to become "worthy" of her. He is an orphan raised by his abusive sister and her fisherman husband, Joe. Estella is the niece of the richest lady in the state, Ms. Nora Diggers Dinsmoor. Ms. Dinsmoor requests Finn's presence at her mansion, Paradiso Perduto, on a weekly basis as a playmate for Estella and to entertain herself. Ms. Dinsmoor was left at the altar by her fiancée in prior years and has become a bitter old lady who scorns all men and believes none can be worthy of a woman's love. She schools Estella in this manner, which explains Estella's cold behavior and her rejection of Finn as anything more than a toy for her to play with his emotions. The story is told through Finn's eyes and from his perspective on what occurs as he grows up and learns about life. He has the ability to paint fabulously, a gift he has had since birth, and he uses this gift to express himself and his emotions throughout his life. It becomes a road to success and to Estella, but he loses sight of his joy and love for the art. Success becomes a trap for him when he realizes that there is more to life than himself and his own feelings. He truly grows up and even though he always loves Estella, learns what he wants out of life and how to accomplish it. "Great Expectations" is wonderfully cast, with Ethan Hawke doing an extraordinary job as the lovelorn Finn. He is believable and invokes much sympathy from the audience. Gwyneth Paltrow is superb as Estella, who conjures some hostility because of her rejection of Finn, but at the same time is capable of evoking sympathy. The way she acts is not her fault because she does not know any better. Robert De Niro puts in an excellent performance as the escaped convict who scares Finn as a young boy and has a major influence on his life. Anne Bancroft is wonderful as the eccentric Ms. Dinsmoor who acts out her hostility towards men through Estella. This film is one of the most picturesque and beautifully cinematic films I have ever seen. From the first scene until the last, each shot is carefully stylized to make the most of the scenery and the story. The theme of Finn's paintings is begun in the opening credits, with his paintings as the background and the credits appearing on the screen as if in rippling water. Each shot is precisely stylized to evoke certain emotions from the audience and to tell the story as Finn remembers it. The film looks as though many different paintings were put together to create a coherent story. The film is very peaceful, as seen through Finn's paintings and the slow, romantic musical background, but at times is jarred to reality by the people coming into Finn's life who influence him. The film can appear as if in a dream state while Finn is thinking about certain occurrences in his life, but then an event happens that shows him just how large and threatening the world is capable of being. This gives him to a new understanding of the world and his place within it. This tragic tale is given an optimistic Hollywood ending, but in my opinion, this is appropriate. It leaves some hope, even though small, of Finn reaching his ultimate goal in life of finding himself and being free of the past, "like love, completely undeserved".

Those who say that this movie is an insult to the spirit of the book by Dickens are completely missing the point. Textuality dictates that reciting the same story that was amazing in print will turn out contrived and vacuous in celluloid. It shows the spirit of Dickens' work - completely loss in spite of danger, the loss of heart and being. It's a story that hinges on that great tragic moment in love which Romeo and Juliet made so clear to us all (esp. in Shakespeare in Love).

The movie is rich in narration and exploits a directorial narrative. The ebb and flow of visions, places, people, and unrelated occurrences turn into a melange which has all the warped lucidity of one's best and most painful memories.

The direction is fantastic as is the cinematography. The greatest genius of this movie is the use of the hauntingly frozen Life in Mono by Mono. Regrettably, this portishead-ish band's other songs didn't have quite the presence of this song that gave the movie its icy ambience.

Especially loved the Dinsmore character. Much more batty and manipulative than the simply grotesque and warped Havisham of the book.

Additionally, the recounting of Gwyneth (Estella) may seem flat and one-dimensional; however, isn't that the way one remembers the players in one's memories - as automata which reacted to us singularly in the stage of life?

It's an amazing film.

This movie was a work of art in itself with a gorgeous sountrack, breathtaking cinematography, beautiful artwork, and perfect timing. However, if you are looking for a movie that stays true to the original novel or deep character development, look elsewhere. Great Expectations the movie is simply a very slicked over and glossed up layman's version of Dicken's masterpiece. In any case, I enjoyed it very much and think it is worth purchasing.

Better than average Gwyneth Paltrow movie based on the Dickens novel of the same name. Though the purists may howl it is not a bad effort at a contemporary retelling of this old victorian favourite. All the better for having such an exemplary cast led by Robert de Niro as the magwitch character and Anne Bancroft playing it for all its worth as the senile and eccentric Nora Dinsmoor. A worthy successor to the aged and abandoned Mrs Haversham. I just loved her...and pitied her. What a tragic sight.

Director Cuaron transfers his story from the misty and fog bound moors to the sunny ambience of 1997-Miami. Funnily it works. Ethan Hawke as Finn the central character and whos acting skills I had serious doubts about manages to age effortlessly here from inadequate teenager to confident but lovelorn adult. So maybe the man can act!. Chris Cooper also does a wonderful portrayal as Joe, Finn's kindly brother-in-law, abandoned by Finn's faithless sister he captures an image of pathos when he finds himself out of place at Finns first gallery opening. A first rate actor who is in no danger of being typecast. In the end Gwyneth carries the movie as the distantly cold and enigmatic Estelle. She gives new meaning to aloofness. Amazingly in her brief career she has yet to play two similar types in any of her films. A recommended film for those nights when nothing better is on the box. Enjoy.

The concept is simple:
1. Transform the British Classic from Charles Dickens into an American story
2. Transform this classic into modern times.
Overall I would say, very clever, and at least partially successful.
Many of the actors work very well. The sound and music is great. Many scenes are beautiful.
For me, somewhat slow paced, did not always work, perhaps could have been better conceived.
I liked the movie, enjoyed many scenes, and was impressed with some of the actors and sound/music. This is a movie to watch.

I have to admit, I'm one of the only Dickens fans I know that actually enjoyed this retelling. For me, the intense focus on the relationship between Stella and Finn (Pip) urged me to re-read the novel for a fourth time, in an entirely new light.

If you haven't read the book, it focuses much more on Pip's ascendancy to success than on his lovelorn frustrations with Stella.

Yes, concentrating on this relationship was a typical Hollywood maneuver, but the outcome is the creation of an entirely renovated sub-story, definitely one worthy of telling.

Modernized story, great art, and an interesting soundtrack all contribute to a funky paradigm of the original text. I loved it precisely because it didn't try to be the book.

The direction is beautiful, the scenery is gorgeous. The only thing that kept me from giving this movie five stars, was the sappy Hollywood ending. Maybe they should have called this remake "Great Expectations Fulfilled."

Argualbly Charles Dickens' most accomplished novel "Great Expectations" has much to offer; social satire, comedy, thriller, and romance. If you want most romantic film version of this beloved novel, you should watch this one.

Mexican Alfonso Cuaron changed all the settings of the original more radically than in his previous work, excellent "Little Princess." Pip, a lonely boy who is raised by his sister, is now called Finn, who draws pictures for a beautiful but cool girl Estella. Yes, as in the novel, Pip/Finn encounters this woman of fate in the garden of deserted house where eccentric Ms. Dinsmoor (= Miss Havisham of the original) lives her secluded life. There is no muddy marshes of Rochester, England, but the place is changed to Florida, USA, and Finn, who is raised by kind fisherman Joe, unexpectedly gains a chance to be an aspiring artist in New York with a help from unknown benefactor.

The plot change may dismay some fans of the book, but David Lean's acclaimed version of "Great Expectations" has also changed its ending, so let's not talk about it. Cuaron intentionaly dropped all the satrical aspects of the novel so that we can be immersed in the world of romance between Ethan Hawke's Finn and Gwyneth Paltrow's Estella. Both actors hold the center of the romancic relationship well, and we have good help from Anne Bancroft (a bit campy Dinsmoor) and Robert DeNiro. And you also can witness then comparatively unknown Chris Cooper's wide range of acting.

But the greatest merit of the film comes from the team behind these actors; the dazzling photography of Emmanuel Lubezki ("Little Princess") gives life to the director's trademark color green, and Patrick Doyle ("Sense and Sensibility") provides fantastic score for the scenes. And most of all, we must remember the name of the real painter of Finn's drawings, Francesco Clemente, whose uniquely sensual style infuses power and authenticity to the character of Finn. (If you want to see this hugely talented Italy-born genius, watch "Good Will Hunting," where he appears briefly as a hypnotist.)

Naturally, this kind of interpretation of classic novels can be risky, and "Great Expectations" has to pay some price. The film loses its momentum a little in latter half, owing to less amount of romance seen in this part -- this is one of the rare cases in which New York on screen is not as fascinating as it should be. And because of the story's twist concerning DeNiro's character, I am afraid that some may be led to doubt the artistic values of Finn's pictures. Don't be wrong; Finn's (or Clemente's) talent is a real thing.

Who cares about Charles Dickens and David Lean, this version of "Great Expectations" stands alone. Director Alfonso Cuaron (along with his cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki and production designer Bo Welch from "A Little Princess") have created another cinematic work of stunning visual beauty. It is no coincidence that Lubezki and Welch helped to create the distinctive look of some of director Tim Burton's films. "Great Expectations" simply glows on the screen and is a must own on DVD. Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, and a wonderful music score join the trio of aforementioned men to create a film that is absolutely mystical in its impact. I can't wait for Cuaron's next film.

Warning- This is an AVANTE-GARD film. However, you don't have to be a bohemian to appreciate it. This movie in an undeniable visual masterpiece. If the walls of art museum could talk, it'd sound somewhat like this movie. If an impressionist painting were to come life it'd look something like the movie. If you have a sweet tooth for eye candy, you'll fall in love with this movie. However, if you're looking for lots of action, lot's of words, and lots of realism, STAY AWAY FROM THIS ONE. This flick is for the romantic at heart. It's a painting. It's a poem. It's a powerful film.