Customer Reviews

The Blue Angel

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

 

 

This set only contains the English version of the film. You still need to shell out $31.00 for the earlier KINO release of the film that has both the German and English versions. If the superior German version had been included, this set would have received a 5 star rating.

I have owned and watched several versions of this film. I even have the film script. I would say that the Kino two DVD versions is the best presentation so far. I watched both the English and German versions I find the story depressing but the telling of it and the acting fascinating.

A real added plus is the commentary by German Film Historian Werner Sedendorf. He brought up information directly relating to the film at the time it was relevant. Then he left some berating room so you could absorb and experience the information. To many commentaries turn into soap-box discussions or rill in slow times with useful information that however is irrelevant to the film at the time. The film has so much hidden death and lost culture that after the commentary you will have to watch it again.

The English version is not really entirely English. Enough English is presented that the German in-between is clear enough to follow the story. However the German version is spoken clear without mumbling and lacks any slang that would force the casual follower to rush for a dictionary.

The basic story is as Federico Garcia Lorca describes in his play, "The butterfly's Evil Spell", death in disguise of love. Prof. Immanuel Rath (Emil Jannings), a person afraid of life, starts out to save his students, who want to embrace life, from a fate worse than death. In the process he meats an entertainer, Lola Lola (Marlene Dietrich). She inadvertently is the instrument of the Professors downfall from grace.

The magic of the film is more in the telling of the story through acting, sound, and symbolism than the story its self.

The Ufa Story: A History of Germany's Greatest Film Company 1918-1945

Blue Angel, The (Class. Film Scripts S)

I have owned and watched several versions of this film. I even have the film script. I would say that the Kino two DVD versions is the best presentation so far. I watched both the English and German versions I find the story depressing but the telling of it and the acting fascinating.

A real added plus is the commentary by German Film Historian Werner Sedendorf. He brought up information directly relating to the film at the time it was relevant. Then he left some berating room so you could absorb and experience the information. To many commentaries turn into soapbox discussions or rill in slow times with useful information that however is irrelevant to the film at the time. The film has so much hidden death and lost culture that after the commentary you will have to watch it again.

The English version is not really entirely English. Enough English is presented that the German in-between is clear enough to follow the story. However, the German version is spoken clear without mumbling and lacks any slang that would force the casual follower to rush for a dictionary.

The basic story is as Federico Garcia Lorca describes in his play, "The butterfly's Evil Spell", death in disguise of love. Prof. Immanuel Rath (Emil Jannings), a person afraid of life, starts out to save his students, who want to embrace life, from a fate worse than death. In the process, he meets an entertainer, Lola Lola (Marlene Dietrich). She inadvertently is the instrument of the Professors downfall from grace.

The magic of the film is more in the telling of the story through acting, sound, and symbolism than the story its self.

The Ufa Story: A History of Germany's Greatest Film Company 1918-1945

Blue Angel, The (Class. Film Scripts S)

This is on the Synergy item only. It is NOT a DVD and Amazon is getting worse and worse about disclosing this. In search results, Amazon says DVD. Under Format, Amazon says DVD. Not disclosed anywhere in the main info. Well down the page, in small italics, Amazon finally admits that it is only a DVD-R. Evil bad Amazon! Please email Amazon and show them your displeasure.

Movie, by the way, is pretty good. I'd give it three stars.

Nice clean print, pretty good audio for such old maaterial. I am a happy customer.

My German wife and I have watched the Blue Angel many time over our 42 years together - always in the original German version. This "Synergy Entertainment" rendition of that classic film is the worst that we have ever seen. To be fair, we received a copy of a movie that retained very fine video. Unfortunately, the DVD also has a horrible audio track that is primarily in badly dubbed English topped with bits of the original German voices peeking through at odd times. This audio is unbearable. There are no toggles to listen to the film in the original German. There are no subtitles should one wish to read them. The DVD shows only the film, and it's screenplay wanders completely from the original German storyline. My wife insists that it is not even the original performers - that it is actually a remake with a substitute playing the Marlene Dietrich role of "Lola". My own thought is that this was a non German version of the movie that has extra scenes and script changes made to play to a U.S. audience of the time. Whatever the case, after about an hour of watching the nonsense in this version, my wife told me to stop the DVD and throw it in the garbage.

I recommend that anyone seeking this great classic look to procure it from another vendor.