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on February 19, 2009
The butchered theatrical version is in 1080p - the (flawed, but admirable, and definitely superior) reconstructed version is NOT! Admittedly, the hi-def screencaps of the feature look great, miles ahead of the DVD, but the decision to offer only the theatrical cut in hi-def is a mystifying and deeply frustrating one. This movie deserved a lot better and Warner usually does a lot better, but this just reminds me of the lack of respect they've shown Ken Russell's catalogue.
TBRO is "semi-autobiographical," so how biographical is that? While Fuller represents himself over a quartet of fictional characters, all the major campaigns and incidents are represented in his autobiography 'A Third Face' - an essential read, by the way, as it's like having Fuller at your elbow telling story after story from his very full life in his inimitable, instantly identifiable and endlessly entertaining way. So until someone does this the right way, I recommend picking up that book and reading it to get the story behind this film. The novelization of The big Red One is also worth reading.
I was hot to purchase this until I found out that the reconstruction was in standard def. Forget it.
TBRO is "semi-autobiographical," so how biographical is that? While Fuller represents himself over a quartet of fictional characters, all the major campaigns and incidents are represented in his autobiography 'A Third Face' - an essential read, by the way, as it's like having Fuller at your elbow telling story after story from his very full life in his inimitable, instantly identifiable and endlessly entertaining way. So until someone does this the right way, I recommend picking up that book and reading it to get the story behind this film. The novelization of The big Red One is also worth reading.
I was hot to purchase this until I found out that the reconstruction was in standard def. Forget it.
Buyer Beware...you may not be getting what you think you've ordered due to a manufacturer packaging error.
on March 30, 2016
I love the movie and was so looking forward to watching the extended version. This review concerns "The Reconstruction" 2011 single disc version and it's faulty packaging. I did not receive the movie as described, ordered or expected. There was one dvd inside the case titled DISC 2 and it only contains special features...not the movie. It appears to be the fault of the manufacturer during packaging. Amazon has accepted my request for a return with refund. Thank you and good luck.
on June 11, 2015
The Big Red One is one of the best WWII movies ever made based on director's (Samuel Fuller) firsthand accounts as a soldier in the war. During its initial release in 1980 the movie was butchered by the studio to make it PG. Years of complaints finally gave us Fuller's film as it was meant to be. The result? It won a Cannes award in 2004. Now released on Blu-ray only the original 1980 film is in HD. Not the 2004 version. The disk is atrocious. Warner Brothers has a habit of putting out crap copies and then later on releasing a far better product afterwards. It is shameful to treat customers so poorly. Knowing Warner Brothers is capable of so much better.
on August 20, 2015
I was really surprised and VERY disappointed by this release. First off there are two versions on the disc but only one is in bluray: And that is the awful butchered up version that was originally released in theatres which for all intents and purposes should not even exist.Why would they think anyone would want to watch it is beyond me. They restored version(a great film!) is in standard def and is terrible. maybe some day they will release the restored version in blu ray. lets keep a good thought. DO NOT WASTE YOU'RE MONEY!
on May 13, 2017
Turned it off after 20 minutes..it was terrible. Perhaps I shouldn't have viewed it right after watching "The Longest Day"...
on May 18, 2015
Great movie, but the disc froze during play. At first it didn't play at all, so I bought an entire new, high-end disc player that did much better, but the movie still froze (just after Omaha Beach). By this time, the return deadline had expired, so I'm stuck with a bad disc. I'll probably buy another one eventually -- from somebody else.
on January 19, 2014
Yes, there is more footage, more time in this reconstruction of one of my favorite movies. It seems that movie editors actually earn their pay. The added footage isn't any new major scene, but extensions of existing scenes that add NOTHING to either the story or the drama of the story. It's clear they tried to add "human" elements to the war story but it just doesn't work. It's seems contrived and forced and even detracts from the original. I could not recommend this version of a pretty good movie for it's time.
