Cleopatra - Award Series (2 Disc DVD Set)

After nearly 50 years since the release of CLEOPATRA, it's time we got past the scandal and hype about how it nearly sank 20th Century Fox and appreciate the film for the monumental masterpiece it is. The combination of intense drama with eye-popping pageantry and spectacle has never again been seen in motion pictures, and never will. No, I'm not forgetting James Cameron's CGI shortcuts TITANIC and AVATAR, which I don't for a minute put in the same league with CLEOPATRA, a film that literally took blood, sweat and tears to create. No expense was spared, everything was built to size, and you see it all on the screen.When CLEOPATRA was released in 1963 it was the most expensive movie ever made up to that time, and probably still is in today's adjusted dollars. Yet, even with its massive scope and opulence, CLEOPATRA's human story doesn't get buried. This is due to the intelligent script and direction, both courtesy of Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and to the excellent performances of everyone in the cast, from leading to supporting players. Elizabeth Taylor is pure perfection as the ambitious, seductive Queen of the Nile who uses her wiles to achieve her goals. She's breathtakingly beautiful, oozing with sexuality, and brainy to boot. It's simply one of Liz's best EVER. As Marc Antony, Richard Burton delivers a super-charged performance that's in total harmony with the character's complexities and grandeur of the film. He also includes plenty of his characteristic sarcasm and self-loathing, without which a Burton performance would be incomplete. The fact that he and Taylor fell in love during production worked to good advantage toward fueling the on-screen drama. In his superb portrayal of Julius Caesar, Rex Harrison brought a distinguished, world-weariness and vulnerability to the role that's so potent, his presence is felt even in the second half in which he doesn't appear. A standout is Roddy McDowall as Octavian - he's really a lot of fun to watch and almost steals every scene he's in.The screenplay was based on several sources and takes some historical license, but most of it is factual and the political situation that existed between Rome and Egypt at the time is accurately and intricately played out. Indeed, it's fair to say that one can learn something about the ancient world from watching CLEOPATRA. Noteworthy too is that with a running time of four hours and eleven minutes, the narrative is remarkably tight. There aren't any redundant scenes or silly diversions thrown in just to eat up footage; all the action has a definite purpose, which is to serve the story. THIS is how a long movie should be made.Not to be overlooked is Alex North's lavishly exotic musical score. While it contains the necessary epic style - plenty of pomp and grandiose fanfares - the score is also multi-layered with delicately orchestrated themes. There's a slinky, snake-like quality to the music that fits the film like an Egyptian headdress.The art direction/set decoration and costume designs are spectacular, among the best in film history and add immensely to the viewing pleasure. In fact, CLEOPATRA won Oscars in those categories as well as for cinematography and special effects.20th Century Fox's Blu-ray edition of this phenomenal film is flat-out gorgeous. The image is razor sharp so that the most minute details in fabrics and backgrounds register clearly. Colors are rock steady and vibrant. The 70mm format is reproduced faithfully in 1080p resolution. It really is a joy to watch this stunning presentation of such a visually rich movie. The audio is also the best it's ever been, well balanced and channeled properly so that voices are crisp and sound effects aren't overbearing. The music is clear without any distortions, making the subtler textures, muffled in previous editions, more noticeable.The extras are the same as Fox's 2001 DVD, minus the stills gallery and foreign issue trailers. There are, however, some new features: Cleopatra Through the Ages: A Cultural History; CLEOPATRA's Missing Footage; Fox Movie Channel presents Fox Legacy with Tom Rotham; and The CLEOPATRA Papers: A Private Correspondence.With the release of CLEOPATRA the era of grand scale, epic filmmaking was coming to an end, never to rise again. Treat yourself to a sterling example of the kind of high class entertainment Hollywood was capable of dishing out once upon a time - it'll make you forget the gossip and marvel in the artistry.My highest recommendation.