 "Classic film" | 2008-08-09 |
| - Reviewed By mskrisclark |
I was a kid when the film was released.
Seeing it years later I think it is a great film.
Course I was too young so I did not see the impact of the film then.
NOT a great DVD package here.
Old interview with Dustin. Why was there not current interviews with the cast & crew still alive?
Package CLAIMED there was a collectible booklet. Where?
Would have liked to have read it.
Rating for film NOT DVD package
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 "Good Film But Poor DVD!" | 2008-07-27 |
| - Reviewed By fredster5 |
This is as good as black comedies come and Dustin Hoffman shows us just how great an actor he is even all those years ago. I was impressed also with the great direction and especially the way the scenes transition from one to the next; inspired work indeed. In some ways the film is also touching as it reveals that behind the facade of prosperity and family wholesomeness lies some very unhappy and unfulfilled lives.
Hoffman's character feels lost as despite achieving all that society tells him is important i.e. graduating with top honours and a letter in sport from a top university he still feels empty and unfulfilled seeking meaning in life and a way out of a depression that stems from knowing that he doesn't have the answers. Mrs Robinson feels the same way being in a loveless marriage and seeking a way out but has given up not having the strength and courage to go against the mainstream view of what she has to be. The scene at the end when her daughter tells her that it's not too late for her to escape from the straight-jacket of the kind of life her parents want for her is what made the whole film. Hoffman and Ross' characters having the courage to go against the mainstream, to rebel and to live life rather than to be a slave to the mainstream view of what it should be. Very 60s ideology indeed and hence a very apt movie for the times.
This DVD though is poor and you should wait for the inevitable hopefully much better picture and sound quality restored Blu-ray version to come out. Sonically, good surround sound options DTS or Dolby 5.1 at a minimum plus more special features should be included in that release. For now, give this DVD version a miss and save the bucks for the restored version. |
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 "However, upon further review..." | 2008-07-23 |
| - Reviewed By User: A20Z1PKIH0PFUF |
This is an atypical review for me folks. Rather than review this classic film, which most people have already either seen or heard about, I wanted to entice you fans out there to post some commentary on some of the points I have covered below. After all, Amazon does tell us to 'make it fun'!
We all know that this is one of those no-brainer, without-a-doubt comedy classics that is seemingly above reproach (a la "Some Like It Hot", "Annie Hall", "Tootsie", Dr. Strangelove", etc...). However, after viewing this one yet AGAIN the other night (my guess is, I've seen this film over twenty times now), I couldn't help but pose these questions: (spoiler alert)
1) Would the film be as great w/out the music of Simon & Garfunkel? In my opinion, few film soundtracks/scores have had a greater impact than this one (not including musicals of course).
2) What did Mrs. Robinson find so alluring about Benjamin? Why would a woman in her position do something so self-destructive when she didn't even seem like she was all that attracted to Benjamin in the first place? If she was just out for some casual sex w/ a young, pretty boy toy why would she choose to do it w/ one of her best friend's sons?
3) How do you explain the beautiful, intelligent, and wholesome character of Elaine Robinson (Katherine Ross) falling in love w/ the shallow, uncharismatic, aloof Benjamin? They only went on one date and he took her to a strip club for God sakes!!! Then he begins to stalk her! To all you young cats out there, I can tell you that this approach usually will get you thrown into prison and/or getting your butt kicked by the girl's father, brother, or friends.
4) Would any woman, no matter what the circumstances, want to get involved with a guy who just spent the last several months making the beast w/ two backs w/ her mother? Not only is it completely repulsive and vulgar, but how do you ever forget about something like that, let alone forgive it? The thought of it makes my skin crawl.
5) How do you propose to a woman you barely know? How does that woman even remotely take you seriously (we are talking about a beautiful, well-to-do, educated young woman w/ seemingly everything going for her)? And that's not even taking into account Ben's sordid affair w/ mom.
6) Supposedly Benjamin is rebelling against conformity and the conventional, artificial (PLASTICS!) world that his affluent parents and their friends subscribe to. However, he has no problems still living at home, laying on a raft all day in their pool drinking beer and working on his tan. To me, that's not being a rebel, that's being a spoiled, rich kid bum!
7) And last, but certainly not least (for I could go on for days), are there really any endearing characteristics about Benjamin at all? To me, he is a lazy, spoiled, self-absorbed, unambitious, aloof, whiny loner w/ almost zero charisma. The guy doesn't have one friend! For example, at his graduation party there was not one person there his own age. The guy is completely anti-social to everyone he meets.
Yet, despite the contrived love story and illicit romance, this film does work and is quite entertaining, mainly because of the great cinematography, writing, music, directing and acting. In my humble opinion, Bancroft stole the show and I only wish she had more time on screen. And Katherine Ross not only possesses the prettiest brown eyes you'll ever see, but by the end of the film we all can't help but to fall in love w/ her winsome, wholesome ways.
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| "Timeless Work of Art" | 2008-07-16 |
| - Reviewed By User: A27VY7BUVD09I2 |
1967 was a huge year for film. In my opinion, the best film of that year was Mike Nichols' "The Graduate". It was the most unique film of its time and is now considered a timeless classic.
Aside from it's release date, costumes, props and the Simon & Garfunkel soundtrack place this film in the 60s. What makes it a timeless classic is that nothing dates it, we see no Vietnam War and no hippies. Also the themes from this film, coming of age, rebellion (against parents, against the status quo) and alienation all still apply today.
The acting and cinematography make this film a masterful work of art. Dustin Hoffman accurately portrayed a 21 year old college graduate with a life full of uncertainty. He was awkward and dryly funny. Director of photography Robert Surtees added to the uncertainty with inventive cinematography, always placing Ben to the left or right. Not too mention, the always memorable "leg" shot.
"The Graduate" is a must have movie for all film buffs. If you don't have it, I highly recommend you get a copy. |
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| "A very good film" | 2008-07-10 |
| - Reviewed By lighthouselearning |
| As a cultural (and social) historian, I find "The Graduate" to embody many interesting notions of the 1960's counter-cultures. Besides telling us about the 1960s through music and emotion, it is an entertaining film. |
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| "Good movie, Bad DVD" | 2008-05-18 |
| - Reviewed By packers56789 |
| I would like to start by saying the movie itself deserves a 5/5. However, if you have an HDTV at home, this is not the DVD for you. This is a letterbox, non-anamorphic transfer, so it will NOT adjust to the size of your wide screen TV. Buy the other edition, even though it is more expensive. |
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| "What?" | 2008-05-15 |
| - Reviewed By gdeezy |
| What is with the hype for this movie? It was just not good to me. I know most who didn't like the movie, liked the music, but in my opinion that was distracting too. Way too much of it. It was almost like watching a music video with a weak story about a stalking psycopath thrown in between songs. |
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| "A film that graduates at the head of its class..." | 2008-04-22 |
| - Reviewed By User: ANCOMAI0I7LVG |
`The Graduate' is by far one of my favorite movies ever made; maybe top ten, at least top twenty (I never imagined how hard it would be to compile a list of fifty films); the point being that it is pure genius. Director Mike Nichols takes Calder Willingham's screenplay (based off of Charles Webb's novel of the same name) and delivers it to us with a delicate yet subtle brazenness that adds layers of emotional weight and clarity to the film. Couple that with a slew of fantastic performances by just about everyone in the cast and you have a film that is legendary, classic and frankly `important' in the catalogue of cinematic achievements.
`The Graduate' tells us the story of young Benjamin Braddock who is just that, a college graduate. Upon returning home to a life undecided Benjamin finds himself being pursued by the older, beautiful and married Mrs. Robinson. There is no denying that Benjamin is intrigued by the proposition but he is awkwardly hesitant. Temptation can only lay undisturbed for a short time and soon Benjamin is entertaining her pursuits and falls into a full-fledged affair with Mrs. Robinson. His life is finally starting to interest him, and then a corkscrew is thrown in the mix. Mr. Robinson wants Benjamin to take out their teenage daughter Elaine. When Benjamin falls in love with her his world starts to unravel as Mrs. Robinson threatens to expose their affair in an effort to keep him away from her daughter.
What make this movie so iconic are the marvelous performances by the entire cast, Hoffman and Bancroft especially. Anne Bancroft is marvelous as the seductive and manipulative Mrs. Robinson; a woman who knows what she wants and knows how to get it. She very comfortable slides into character and single handedly created a character that will go down in history as one of the most recognizable and memorable screen vixens. Dustin Hoffman is marvelous here, truly outstanding. Benjamin Braddock was his breakthrough and garnered him his first Oscar nomination, which should have been his first win. His handling of Braddock's awkward shyness (even his audition was an awkward mess) was phenomenal. He became Benjamin, lived and breathed him, and really delivered in a way that no other actor could have. I'm often reminded of this performance when I watch Jake Gyllenhaal act, for Gyllenhaal has that same awkwardness about him as Hoffman possesses in this role (maybe that says good things for Gyllenhaal).
The rest of the cast excels as well, especially Katherine Ross, who plays Elaine. She is welcoming and vivacious and everything a man could want, thus adding to the believability that Benjamin would chose her over her aggressive mother. Murray Hamilton is great as Mr. Robinson, even if he is underused and William Daniels and Elizabeth Wilson deliver as well as Benjamin's parents.
`The Graduate' is one of those films that defined a generation. It's a film that captured everything that made the 60's what it was and created a standard for all other films approaching this genre to live up to. The feeling of the film, the fluidity, the casting; everything down to the music (Simon and Garfunkel were a prime choice) come together beautifully to help embellish the riches springing forth from `The Graduate'.
In the end I must declare that everyone should see this iconic film. There are so few true gems in this world, so few films that are undeniably splendid. Even when compiling my list of favorite films I come to realize that many of them are purely of my own opinion; but `The Graduate' is one of those movies that is universally lauded and adored; a film that we call all agree is truly one of the very best. |
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| "One of my all time favorite movies" | 2007-12-06 |
| - Reviewed By gratefuldeb66 |
| I remember seeing this movie on TV (cut to hell) when I was a kid and not understanding it too much. With the advent of cable TV, I viewed it in it's original cinematic form as a young adult. One of the more poignant scenes is when Benjamin is asking Mrs. Robinson about her marriage and how she came to be with Mr. Robinson. The look on her face spoke volumes as she described getting pregnant and having to get married. Things were alot different back then, being an unwed woman was such a social stigma. I would suggest after seeing this movie to also see "Rumor Has It" with Jennifer Aniston and Kevin Costner. It's a dandy follow up to "The Graduate". |
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| "Finally, a deluxe edition" | 2007-08-23 |
| - Reviewed By seashellz2 |
| a great film-this is 2-disc remastered and anamorphic release-and the specail bonus- the Simon and Garfunkle soundtrack disc, the only one of their catalog until now, not yet remastered. |
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