Customer Reviews

J'accuse [VHS]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

As of this writing the only home format available for this particular film is this mediocre offering from Video Yesteryear which is derived from a print of inferior quality made worse by the fact the company chose to hastily transfer an existing VHS copy (tracking lines and all) to DVDR.

The film itself is masterful and worth every penny; so this is why viewing it in this sad state has motivated me to call upon the original rights holders in an effort to remaster the original French negative (assuming it still exists) and release an official DVD.

In my opinion this 1938 remake is better than the original in terms of execution; with the help of sound and added atmospheric cinematography it taps into nerves the 1919 silent film cannot.

La Fin du Monde; another forgotten Abel Gance film has also yet to see an official DVD release in its original French form.

At some point the studio who owns these films should really consider putting together a box set of Gance's work.

The original "J'accuse" stands on it own for the period in which it was filmed 1918-19. This is exceptional in its own right - but the tragedy is the horrid copy of what appears to be one of the greaest anti-war films of all time.

There is nothing worse than captializing on an inferior product and this has to be the worst transfer that I have ever purchased.

Hopefully, Criterion or Kino will do something about this and bring forth a restoration worthy of this great film on dvd.

Before Orson Welles, Fritz Lang and Buñuel...there was Abel Gance! Before Dr. King, Mandela, Gandy, Solyentizin, Romero or Manchú...there was Gance. If you really love good movies this is a must in your very private collection; the "kind of" you will see again and again, the "kind of" make you think a lot. Abel Gance took the post from Erich Remarque and Henry Dunnant and very well ahead of his time spoke his mind asserting that in wars eventually, even weapons makers and weapons traders, bloodthirsty beligerant people LOST! Gance was not only clever but brave to make this beauty...the interesting thing is that even when the firs version was lost, Gance start working and made it again. Is a legacy for those who don't belive war has ever solve the problems of the world. A real masterpice from a time when special effects were in diappers. Bertollucci, Lean, Costa Gavras and Orson Wells himself acclaimed this movie. Get it you will not regret.

I haven't viewed the movie in quite a while, but for people who HATE WAR, this is a "must have movie". As I recall, this movie was made in 1939 just before the beginning of WWII. If people had only taken the warning in this film seriously---there might never have been a WWII! At least Mr. Gance made a valiant effort to warn everybody! But, for us, maybe he's still warning us...about the NEXT war! The scene that sticks with you indelibly in your mind is when....(don't read this if you already intend to buy a copy....).........is when the dead soldiers from the previous war, WWI, arise from their graves en mass....marching, marching by the hundreds and thousands----30,40, 50 abreast----- onward and onward to "give a warning" to try to "give a warning" to mankind now living to stop another carnage...to stop another useless slaughter.....to stop another war. That scene of the "dead soldiers coming out of their graves and marching to give warning to mankind" will stay indelibly in your mind forever! Try to see this movie if you can. I have seen it for rent at online mailorder movie rental places which specialize in older films. (Another anti-war "messenger" was the songwriter and folk singer, Phil Ochs..and his wonderful song "I ain't a marchin' anymore"---get that on CD if you can find it.) Email:boland7214@aol.

In this 1930's film Victor Francen stars Jean Diaz,the inventor of a device that's suppose to make war obsolete.However,his country has other plans and uses the invention against it's enemies which drives Diaz into insanity.This is a Superb Anti-War Movie!!

Although this is a very old movie, it deals with the topical issues of today...
I would strongly recommend to see it, especially for the war hawks.