The Third Man - Zavvi Exclusive Limited Edition Steelbook (Ultra Limited Print Run)

This is a review of the 1949 film ‘The Third Man’, which we watched on the 2015 Region B2 Blu-ray from Studiocanal. The film has been restored in 4K, and appears in 1.37:1, and HD standard 1080p. The B&W picture is deliciously clear, sharp, bright and rich, and free of imperfections. The sound, in 2.0 Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, is somewhat less impressive, tending to be rather too low, and slightly variable. However, this is a superior edition, allowing the viewer to admire Robert Krasker’s magnificent neo-expressionist cinematography to the full. It comes with masses of extras. We bought it to replace the 2002 Region 2 DVD (in 1.33:1) from Studiocanal/Warner Brothers, which is significantly less sharp and clear, with quite a lot of imperfection.This film is based on a screenplay by the great British writer Graham Greene. Greene wrote novels and film scripts. In this case, he wrote the novella and screenplay pretty well together, and the result is one of the greatest, most memorable, most instantly recognisable of all British films, arguably of any film. BFI listed it as the British No 1 in 1999:Time Out placed it behind ‘Don’t Look Now’(1973) in 2011 ~ which is rubbish!The director was another towering figure ~ Sir Carol Reed. He'd served in an Army film unit during WW2, and then directed the superb ‘Odd Man Out’ with James Mason in 1947. Krasker had been the cinematographer, in another majestically atmospheric work of shadows, dark streets, street lights and confined places.The story, of the naive American, Holly Martins, and his street-wise old pal Harry Lime, is brilliantly written. The characterisation is sublime, with a smorgasbord of morally dubious ‘mittle-Europeans’ and some well-crafted Brits, led by Trevor Howard, playing it absolutely straight. Joseph Cotton, as Holly, is excellent, with just the right mix of obstinate Yank, and dawning realisation. Orson Welles, immense as Harry, manages to create a spellbinding, scene-stealing, persona, even though he is not often on screen.But the real star, dominating the action, consuming our attention, is the wrecked, bombed-out Vienna where the action takes place. The film was shot on location in Vienna in November and December 1948, and the dark, dank streets, the bomb sites and ruined buildings loom. Scenes shot in the sewers were finally completed at Shepperton, after Welles complained!Filming was not entirely stress free. Welles was a major figure, and a director himself. In later years, Welles hinted that he had taken a role in the direction of the film, but this is refuted by all others involved. He and Reed got on well, and the only known Wellesian addition was a famously improvised and very funny little speech from Harry Lime, about cuckoo clocks. You will know it when you hear it! The other slight flurry was over the film’s ending. Greene and the producer, David O. Selznick had one view, Reed another, which was slightly different from Greene’s novella. Reed won, and in retrospect, Greene considered Reed to have been proved “triumphantly right”.Reed was also responsible for the unique and instantly recognisable zither music, having spotted the player whilst in Austria. It is yet another mark of how extraordinary this film is. Everything about it is classy and extraordinary, and it truly is a 6 Star film, if I could grant it.

The Third Man (Carol Reed, 1949, 104')Produced by Carol Reed, Uncredited: Alexander Korda, David O SelznickWritten by Graham Greene, Music by Anton Karas.Starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, Trevor Howard.Cinematography by Robert Krasker, Editing by Oswald Hafenrichter.A simple story: American pulp novelist Holly Martins travels to shadowy, postwar Vienna, only to find himself investigating the mysterious death of an old friend, black-market opportunist Harry Lime. The Third Man won the 1949 Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, the British Academy Award for Best Film, and an Academy Award for Best Black and White Cinematography in 1950. A British film noir, and one of the best British films ever. It is particularly remembered for its atmospheric cinematography, musical score and performances, and has been continuously popular ever since. Further, the screenplay by novelist Graham Greene was subsequently published as a novella of the same name.The atmospheric use of black-and-white expressionist cinematography by Robert Krasker, with harsh lighting and distorted camera angles, is a key feature of The Third Man. Combined with the unique theme music, seedy locations, and acclaimed performances from the cast, the style evokes the atmosphere of an exhausted, cynical post-war Vienna at the start of the Cold War. Anton Karas, who wrote and performed the score only using the zither, had its title music "The Third Man Theme" topping the international music charts in 1950, and periodically again beyond. <<<What sort of music it is, whether jaunty or sad, fierce or provoking, it would be hard to reckon; but under its enthrallment, the camera comes into play ... The unseen zither-player ... is made to employ his instrument much as the Homeric bard did his lyre. >>>On top of the international actors, Viennese and/or Burgtheater actors played the local characters, assembling in total a very prominent list for even for the most minor roles. The full cast was▪ Joseph Cotten as Holly Martins▪ Alida Valli as Anna Schmidt▪ Orson Welles as Harry Lime▪ Trevor Howard as Major Calloway▪ Bernard Lee as Sgt Paine▪ Wilfrid Hyde-White as Crabbin▪ Erich Ponto as Dr Winkel▪ Ernst Deutsch as 'Baron' Kurtz▪ Siegfried Breuer as Popescu▪ Paul Hörbiger as Karl, Harry's Porter▪ Hedwig Bleibtreu as Anna's Landlady▪ Robert Brown as British Military Policeman in Sewer Chase▪ Alexis Chesnakov as Brodsky▪ Herbert Halbik as Hansl▪ Paul Hardtmuth as the Hall Porter at Sacher's▪ Geoffrey Keen as British Military Policeman▪ Eric Pohlmann as Waiter at Smolka's▪ Annie Rosar as the Porter's Wife▪ Joseph Cotten as the Narrator (pre-1999 US version)▪ Carol Reed as the Narrator (pre-1999 UK, and all post-'99 versions)Before writing the screenplay, Greene worked out the atmosphere, characterisation and mood of the story by writing a novella. There are various differences to the film, including the nationality of both Holly (named Rollo) and Harry, who are both English in the book. Popescu's character is an American called Cooler. Most relevently, there is also a difference of ending. In the novella, it is implied that Anna and Rollo (Holly) are about to begin a new life together - in stark contrast to the unmistakable snub by Anna that marks the end of the film. Anna does walk away from Harry's grave in the book, but the text continues: "I watched him striding off on his overgrown legs after the girl. He caught her up and they walked side by side. I don't think he said a word to her: it was like the end of a story except that before they turned out of my sight her hand was through his arm -- which is how a story usually begins. He was a very bad shot and a very bad judge of character, but he had a way with Westerns (a trick of tension) and with girls (I wouldn't know what)."Welles fuelled a theory of his influence on the film with an interview he gave in 1958, in which he said that he had had an important role in making The Third Man, but that it was a "delicate matter, because [he] wasn't the producer". In an interview with Peter Bogdanovich, however, he said that his involvement was minimal: "It was Carol's picture". However, Welles undoubtedly did contribute some of the film's best-known dialogue. Bogdanovich also stated in that the whole film would be unthinkable without Welles' films of the '40s. "Carol Reed, I think, was definitely influenced by Orson Welles, the director, from the films he had made."In the United Kingdom it was the most popular movie at the British box office for 1949. In Austria, "local critics were underwhelmed" and the film ran for only a few weeks. Still, the Viennese Arbeiter-Zeitung, although critical of a "not-too-logical plot", praised the film's "masterful" depiction of a "time out of joint" and the city's atmosphere of "insecurity, poverty and post-war immorality"....225 - The Third Man (Carol Reed, 1949, 104') -A long term top - 17/2/2013

J'ai reçu le film dans les délais, la pochette en bonne condition et le disque intact

Buena película, buen costo-beneficio.

100 % OK Goede verzending en besteld item beantwoorde volledig aan de beschrijvingvan de verkoper ( uiterst tevreden ):-):-):-)

uno dei films cult da avere assolutamente. io ne avevo gia' una copia con gli speciali a parte ma in italiano/inglese con sottotitoli in italiano e cosi' ho comperato questo che e' in inglese ma ha anche i sottotitoli in inglese, che e' quello che mi serviva.la musica e' stupenda, la voce di orson wells non ci si stanca mai di ascoltarla. cotten impeccabile, come sempre, alida valli un orgoglio del cinema italiano. tutti bravi. atmosfere e luci spettrali in una berlino distrutta dalla guerra. e' anche documentario essendo stato girati negli esterni post guerra con spezzoni originali. il cimitero proprio come l'ho visto quando sono stata a vienna. la camminata finale lungo uno dei grandi viali del cimitero, con quella specie di cetra in sottofondo, unica, indimenticabile, struggente.

Still would love to see this on the BIG screen, but so glad to add this to our little collection - just one of those perfect movies which I can't imagine would be ever necessary to re-make. If you like movies, mysteries, intrigue, the art of filmmaking then I urge you to watch The Third Man - it's one to watch on several levels, get your film buffs around, turn out the lights, disconnect the phones & enjoy! I wonder what would be the perfect food accompaniment?