Customer Reviews

Razor's Edge [VHS]

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

If you are an intelligent viewer who is looking for a significant and possibly mind expanding movie event then "The Razor's Edge" is for you. It has remained one of my favorite films for fifteen years, and I have owned it and replayed it many times. If you look at the viewer feedback for this film you will find that the vast majority of people rate is as "Excellent" (76% of imdb raters give it a 10/10 rating) those who fail to see it's qualities can be divided fairly equally into the "don't get it" camp (Unlike the typical Hollywood lowest denominator flick, the minimum IQ for viewing is Razor's Edge is probably 100, and that leaves ½ the population out) and the "disappointed" crowd, who have so typecast the star (Bill Murray) that they wanted "Caddyshack" and just can't allow him to be a serious actor. You must set aside you prejudices and give the man a chance-Bill Murray is a Harvard grad, he co-wrote the screen play-this was a labor of love for him. Just because he has a sense of humor does NOT make him a lightweight, as this film demonstrates for anyone with the eyes to see it. Based upon the 1942 W. Somerset Maugham novel, it follows the evolution of a spoiled upper class boy from Illinois (Larry, Bill Murray), who volunteers to be an ambulance driver in WW I for a little "fun and adventure" and instead gets a dose of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). His world was forever changed by the events he experienced. He literally could not go home again after the war. He tried, and found the lives of those around him to be shallow and meaningless, and their pursuits and interests just trivial. There had to be a reason why he was here, and this sets the stage for the real point of the movie, which is an exploration of the meaning of life. (I told you it wasn't Caddyshack!) Obsessed with these existential issues, and finding that alcohol did not make the need go away, Larry travels to Paris, and starts to read, serious books on philosophy and religion, supporting himself as a laborer. He does not care much for his surroundings-his lack of materialism is in marked contrast to his peers and friends from before, whose dreams are to grow wealthy in the stock market. An early Bohemian. I found this particularly poignant: to watch this movie that foreshadowed the tech boom and bust, and realize a whole new crass materialistic generation's world was just as rocked by a stock market crash AFTER this movie was made! His fiancée could not deal with this, and left him, to marry someone she did not love but who had money. Another contrast to the shallow and materialistic, which is a recurring theme throughout the film-what brings happiness to a man? Larry's journey took him to India, and Hindu religion, and then on to Tibet to discover Buddha-the scenes filmed there are absolutely breathtaking, so I hope you can find a letterbox laserdisc or they finally bring this out on DVD-it is worth it to see the whole screen. There is romance, and love, and loss. I won't reveal the ending, which is truly bittersweet, and a bit nihilistic. This is truly the best thing this fine actor ever accomplished, and I rate it a strong "10". This should have won many awards, and should also be considered a true classic; I am disappointed in my fellow man that they so typecast the star that they could not see what a great contribution he made with this effort here. Not light fare, and a long film, but one worth seeing.

...Seems impossible? While Bill Murray might be best known for films like Ghostbusters, he deserves much greater recognition for his role in The Razor's Edge; as much for his acting ability as his ability to adapt the script to his unique stage presence. While it is a favorite of mine, it should be recognized as one of the best films ever made (am I oveselling it?).

For those who have read Maugham's novel, the stuffiness and pretense are replaced with life, vibrance, and cinematic scope. This is one of those movies that struts films occasional superiority to the written word. Grand vistas, poignant staging (the final staircase exit), and again Bill Murray.

The movie retains all that is essential from the novel. Yet somehow, by not taking itself too seriously, Larry Darrel (Murray) is a more effective protagonist and philosopher. At each viewing I'm tempted to flee my cubicle for good and go in search of the meaning of life. Now that's power!

Ultimately, it seems a shame that such worthwhile films as this gather dust while Ghostbusters airs weekly on TBS and the like. Buy the DVD now (even with its shortcomings). You will at least be entertained by Murray's wisecracks (and a funny if brief performance from his brother Doyle). More significantly, movies like this are able to transcend mere entertainment and teach us something about what it means to be human.

Much has been written and documented about what has now become known as "The Lost Generation".These were the the American upper crust who,being disillusioned after "The War to End All Wars",World War 1, struggled vehemently in many ways to find meaning to their lives upon returning to peacetime America.Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald,Ernest Heningway are among some of the most famous authors to write on the shallow and meaningless existence of their society, and Somerset Maugham did the same in his THE RAZOR'S EDGE.

This 1984 adaptation of Maugham's 1940's novel really captures the essence of the intense inner and outer struggles that the wealthy and privileged of that generation had to endure.Lots of hopes and expectations were radically altered in what seemed like an instant after the War,and either the rich retuned to what they had known before in their upper stations in society,a pampered,opulent,insular and quite predictable road, or they turned to an existential journey that frequently lead down the path to ultimate ruin due to alcohol and opium in Bohemian society of Paris, or to travel to Greece, India or Tibet to find "God".No matter which path was chosen,whether opting for life back in the comforts of American wealth ( eventually ruined at The Great Depression),or "mind-expanding"wandering from the streets to the Temples, each group found it treacherous to walk "the razor's edge" and survive it all.

Other reviewers have marvelously set forth the plot of Bill Murray's own adaptation of THE RAZOR'S EDGE (so I won't improve on their writings).No one could have played his character better. Too bad that the critics of 1984 did not see it that way ( much like the similar difficulties that Robin Williams and Adam Sandler first had in doing "serious roles").Murray KNEW and UNDERSTOOD Maugham's Larry and he performed the role to utter perfection.There is so much to commend Murray's rendition over the previous version,such as the outstanding cinematography, the Stanley Black musical score and the outstanding performances of Theresa Russel,Denholm Elliott and Catherine Hicks.....but most of all it is Murray's true understanding of the heart of the material and message that Maugham
intended.Could the film have been better? Probably only in the editing where vital scenes possibly were deleted in order to compact the film.But, even with that, this is a true masterpiece that seems to be appreciated so much more as the years go by (even by myself who was rather ambivilent about the film at the "know-it-all" age of then 29!!!).

Having since read Maugham's novel and learned so much more about this aimless and disheartened generation of dreamers,THE RAZOR'S EDGE has to be one of the finest expositions ever written or filmed on this subject. Anyone with an interest in "THE LOST GENERATION" will improve their knowledge vastly by watching Murray's THE RAZOR'S EDGE.

Other excellent companion films on "THE LOST GENERATION" would be THE MODERNS,THE GREAT GATSBY,SCOTT AND ZELDA, TOM AND VIV and A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY,NORA,WAITING FOR THE MOON,MODIGLIANI as well as the play THE VIOLET HOUR.

Did a tour as a FAC with a TACRON (Navy) back in 70/71. I'm now an educational counselor (after a 30 yr Navy career)for the military and have contact with combat vets constantly. Got someone who's been in combat? WATCH THIS MOVIE! I relate to the character and numerous others I've loaned this movie to have come back in tears - but good tears. Bill Murray is the perfect Larry because of the fact that the humorous little boy continues to shine through, THAT'S WHO HE IS, in spite of what he's endured, the experience of watching friends die and knowing human nature in a manner of which only combat veterans and law enforcement people ever experience. Larry stays Larry, he just changes in a manner that only another PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) victim can relate to. It's my opinion that many people miss the depth of the character Larry and see only the exterior of the character. Do you have to act like Budda or Ghandi to seek the meaning of life, the reason for you existence? The whole point of the movie is that Larry is just an average person tossed into circumstances and situations that preclude him from returning to what his existence was "planned out" to be (work in an office/firm, get married, kids, summer home, etc, etc)- life's experiences and fate dictated his new journey - a journey he obviously was forced travel, with truth always just steps further away.

Hey, could go on forever about this movie. Just to say I understand my feelings and thoughts about Vietnam (and other experiences) in a completely different light after watching a man that reminds me of me going through the same emotions.

Like most moviegoers, when I heard Bill Murray was taking on the serious role of Larry Darrell in "The Razor's Edge," I was skeptical. I was a Bill Murray fan, but I couldn't imagine how the same goofy actor from "Saturday Night Live" and "Caddyshack" was going to portray a young man transformed by war to become a globetrotting seeker on a quest for a way of life that would satisfy both his heart and his head. The novel by W. Somerset Maugham had been filmed before, in 1946, with Tyrone Power as Darrell, and it was considered a pretty good film capitalizing on the Eastern-spirituality craze that swept Hollywood in the `40s. Why do it again?, I thought. But the more pre-film publicity I read about this 1984 version, the more I became interested in what the "SNL" alumnus would bring to the role. It was obvious that Bill Murray--who signed on to do "Ghostbusters" only after Columbia Pictures agreed to let him do "The Razor's Edge"--was committed to this story of spiritual transformation. While most film critics don't like Murray's performance, seeing him as a comic actor out of place in a drama, I see his Larry Darrell as a serious man with a sense of humor. Even before he witnesses the horrors of World War I, we see his lose-limbed, happy-go-lucky persona (which is true to the character Maugham created). Upon returning home to America, Darrell is a changed man, but one who has not lost his sense of humor; indeed, it is all the more important to him, as he uses it to deal with his post-war life. Sure, there is some anachronistic dialogue. Yes, the script differs from the novel. But the key elements are there: loyalty, forgiveness and most importantly, one man's search for himself.

This new DVD, which is short on extras, allows us to see the film in its original widescreen format, and that's bonus enough for me. It's certainly a big improvement over the pan-and-scan VHS cassette we've had to endure. Jack Nitzsche's sweeping score both captures the period and adds to the drama, and it sounds great here. The movie--much of which takes place in Paris and India--makes excellent use of location shots (conspicuously absent in the 1946 version), and with the DVD we get some spectacular views of Kashmir, India, an area now entrenched in terrorism. Interestingly, this version has Larry Darrell converting to Buddhism, giving audiences a chance to see the mountainous region of eastern Kashmir called Ladakh. (Sometimes called "Little Tibet," Ladakh is a lot like Tibet was before the Communist Chinese invasion, and "The Razor's Edge" gives us some inspiring views of this remote land.)

On the down side, though, the DVD transfer does not look as sharp as it could have. There are many specs of dirt visible, and the film looks grainy at times. This is disappointing, but not surprising for a film that made a mere $6 million at the box office back in 1984. Perhaps Columbia/Tristar felt this movie was a flop, so why bother giving audiences the best DVD they could. Still, this is an inspiring movie, and it's great to finally have it available on DVD.

Having seen the original Tyrone Powers version of this movie from the 30's I approached this movie with some trepidation. For some reason I could not visualize Bill Murray fitting into Powers' shoes, and yet Murray has filled his character with even more sensitivity and power. I must now say that this is a VERY WORTHY remake of the film. Murray's performance is impeccable, sensitive and truly belies heartfelt emotion. The cinematography is of the highest caliber - it is lush, sensual and with impeccable detail. I also must commend the soundtrack as it is wonderful with some excellent period renditions of popular 30's era French songs. There have been very few films of this caliber to ever come along; clearly that it is not a mass market favorite is understandable; The film it is dealing with matters related to the soul and the awakening of a profound awareness in man; there are many hidden truths that are alluded to in this film which a student of esotericism or platonic philosophy would find much to chew over here. It is a warm, leave the movie and feel good film. It actually lacks some of the hard edge that the original has, and leaves the viewer with a warmer and more more optimistic outlook than the original 1930's version did. Exquisite viewing and a fine conversation starter afterwards! I must say that this Murray's strong desire to make this film, and Murray's others work, Ground Hog Day are packed with esoteric issues, which lead me to conclude that Bill might be a man of profound philosophy.

Bill Murray's 1984 remake of the 1947 Tyrone Power vehicle based on W. Somerset Maugham's 1944 possibly fact-based novel of the same name, THE RAZOR'S EDGE is a consistently underrated film. By and large this is because Murray, universally considered as one of the finest comics of his generation, is cast (for the first time) in an unfamiliar dramatic role, a shift in paradigm not well accepted either by the critics or a large portion of the moviegoing public. Those who choose to penetrate their preconceptions will find that THE RAZOR'S EDGE is an intelligent and sensitive movie about generational dislocation and personal values.

Larry Darrell has returned from 1918's Western Front carrying a vast burden: That of a human life given up to save his own. Returning to his affluent American family and fiancee Isobel (Catherine Hicks) he finds that he simply cannot adopt the thin produce-and-consume values of the burgeoning Jazz Age, and so returns to 1920s Paris. After sampling the Moveable Feast, Darrell works as a laborer, living in pensions and devouring anything in print in his exploration of the life of the mind and the malady of the spirit. Eventually, he vanishes into the Orient.

In the interim, the jilted and angry Isobel has married Larry's friend, Gray Maturin (James Keach). Their mutual friend Sophie (Theresa Russell) has also married, in the wake of her unexpected pregnancy.

Their carefully arranged lives collapse suddenly as Isobel and Gray are left penniless after the Crash of '29. They flee to Paris, where they are sheltered by Isobel's wealthy, snobbish, but kindly uncle Elliott Templeton (Denholm Elliott).

Sophie is involved in a terrible auto accident that claims her husband and young son. Consumed with survivor's guilt, finding her values bankrupt, and with no internal compass to guide her, she turns to alcohol, opium and prostitution.

Larry suddenly reappears after a decade spent beyond the Lost Horizon. By chance, he reacquaints himself with Isobel and Gray, and soon after discovers the dissolute Sophie living on the streets. He gently guides her back toward life. As his relationship with Sophie grows, the vengeful Isobel sets out to destroy it.

Excellent performances are given by all the principals. Larry Darrell's character as created by Maugham has often been described as the prototype of the socially alienated seeker. Darrell may well be the inspiration for the Beats and the hippie counterculture of the 1950s and 1960s, but with a difference---he seems to have found a sense of himself, and in the end, grown comfortable in his own skin. Bill Murray does a fine job of showing us Larry's evolution from a spoiled and overindulged young man raised and existing in complacency, to the desperate quester of knowledge in books and unfamiliar places, and then to the quiet everyday yogin in wingtips that he becomes, living in society but not of it.

James Keach, in his limited role as Gray, is the quintessential American optimist. Denholm Elliott is the presumptuous American expatriate who can never quite leave his Midwestern roots behind (and although consumed with appearances, regards Larry with a peculiar respect). Isobel (Catherine Hicks) is a shallow and destructive [...], unable to accept Larry and abide his life, but intolerant and unforgiving of his choices. Theresa Russell (typecast as usual but still one of my favorite actresses) plays the fallen and redeemed Sophie with both gentleness and bemusement, the doppleganger to Larry's singleminded spiritual explorer.

A much finer film than it's limited exposure would indicate, THE RAZOR'S EDGE is not just about a man in search of himself---it is about a world that has not found itself.

This adaptation of Somerset Maugham's novel is probably the best movie ever made dealing with the WWI generation and their attempts to make sense of their lives after experiencing the horrific slaughter of that senseless, brutal conflict. Bill Murray is amazingly effective in the lead role, his first dramatic film appearance. Yet he still has that wise-guy, sly humor charm that shows through to good effect. Denholm Elliot, Theresa Russell and the rest of the cast are marvelous, as well. The cinematography is masterful, giving a very authentic period feel to the production. This one of the very few films I've ever seen that I never tire of watching.

I saw this movie on what can only be called a dare by an English teacher. If I hated it, and could tell him that, he'd pay for the movie and not make me read the book. I liked it I had to pay for my admission and I had to read the book and to the report, as I was supposed to, but school was, well, optional for me. As the movie rolled along, I got it, okay, not too subtle, war sucks, okay, then the scene in the fox hole, and I got it. I got the juxtaposition of what Murray was doing, why he was doing it, the way he was eulogizing Belushi, but basing it in this character. He was weaving. Old story, with new lines, he time on the mountain, he turns in Paris with Sophie, his forgiveness of Isoldore, implied, not spoken, his epiphanies, making up the punctuation of the story. Up until this time, my movie experiences had been Star Wars and other pop culture movies, but this was different. Movies it turned out could be subtle, not just Proky's and 48 Hours. This was the definition of juxtaposition, subtle, subtext, all those words English teachers had been saying to me for years, this is what it meant. This was craft, art, story telling. This was the meaning of learning, philosophy, of why you should try and make yourself better. I paid, I read, I wrote the damn paper and I have been reading books and trying to make myself at least a little better person as a once in a while.

In my opinion, this is the most beautiful movie ever made. The mixture of humor and drama truly make it relative to real life. To watch Larry, a man on a journey to discover, not only himself, but also the meaning of Life, is what makes this movie special. What is remarkable is that the tragedy that Larry must face at the end is what actually leads to his final understanding of what the gift of life really is. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who appreciates the beauty that can be found in life, even during dark times.