Product Details

• Actors: Donatas Banionis, Regimantas Adomajtis, Vladimir Emel'yanov, Karl Sebris, El'za Radzin'
• Directors: Grigorij Kozintsev
• Format: Import, Black & White, Widescreen, NTSC
• Region: All Regions
• Number of discs: 1
• Studio: Lenfilm, Krupnyj Plan
• Run Time: 132.0 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000ALNMYU
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #259,352 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

This is a screen adaptation of the Shakespeare tragedy. King Lear had three daughters: Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. One day he banished and repudiated his youngest and most loved daughter. But the evil elder sisters betrayed their father and blinded him. Having lost not only his kingdom, but even a plain shelter, the old Lear, accompanied by his loyal jester, had finally seen the light of truth and was reunited with Cordelia who was not afraid to share her father's fate... Awards: Grand Prize, Special Prize for Best Actor (Yuri Yarvet) at the Teheran IFF, 1972; Silver Hugo at the Chicago IFF, 1972; Gold Medal of Milan Municipality at the Milan IFF

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Foreign Film, August 26, 2004

By 

Howard Ross "Howard Ross" (Ocean City, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: King Lear / Korol Lir (DVD)

I saw this film mentioned with Kozintsev's Hamlet in a film book - i was so happy its finally out on DVD - its a masterful film -equal to Bergman - i also have Olivier's Lear - this one is much better in my opinion - this one is engaging throughout - its filmed in very beautiful black and white - the picture quality is great - the set is very bleak - really giving a forbidding mood to the film - i felt that much of the plot is absurd watching the Olivier version - this everything seems natural - the motives make sense - its a true tragedy because all the characters behave in a way that they feel will further their lives but the noose is tightening steady - sorry to dwell on Olivier's version but in it he seems like a dottering old fool from the beginng - reducing the tragic sense - in this version its pausable how Lear goes mad - you can feel his growing emotion trauma as the film unfolds ----- the translation was made by Pasternak and the music by Shostakovich - two geniuses of their age - this film works on all levels

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NO SUBTITLES!, November 22, 2005

By 

renaissance "renaissance" (CT, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: King Lear / Korol Lir (DVD)

Kozintsev's version of King Lear is not only one of the most extraordinary film adaptations of Shakespeare but one of the most extrarodinary films, period. Take care, though: This particular DVD is only in Russian--NO SUBTITLES. Amazon sells a different DVD of Kozintsev's film that does have subtitles.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an amazing film, November 1, 2004

By 

piotr@andromeda - See all my reviews

This review is from: King Lear / Korol Lir (DVD)

I fully agree with Howard's opinion. This is an unquestionable masterpiece. Bleak, human and very painful. After watching Kozintsev's film Olivier's version will seem like a classical 19th century Shakespearian excercise - proper, somewhat overacted and without a touch of a true emotion. If you want to feel Lear, see this one. Possibly one of the best films ever made.