Product Description

Studio: Starz/sphe Release Date: 11/11/2008 Run time: 125 minutes Rating: Nr

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22252 in DVD
• Brand: STARZ HOME ENTERTAINMENT
• Released on: 2006-10-17
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Full Screen, Mono, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 105 minutes

Amazon.com
Something of a cult item among British war movies, The Dam Busters turns a minor World War II incident into a heroic saga in the classic British style. A bombing raid is proposed on a strategically vital dam, but its position is inaccessible. Enter eccentric inventor Dr Barnes Wallis (Michael Redgrave in best daffy professor mode) who comes up with a genius idea--a bomb that will bounce on water like a skimmed pebble. Naturally the top brass dismiss it, but gallant Wing Commander Guy Gibson (Richard Todd) is persuaded, and he and Wallis forge ahead. The touches of carefully understated emotion now verge on self-parody, but it's hard not to get caught up in the narrative sweep, especially when the bombers take off on their mission and Eric Coates' stirring march hits the soundtrack. The model work, state-of-the-art for its early 1950s period, still looks impressive, and a moment involving a pet rivals the shooting of Bambi's mother. --Philip Kemp

Customer Reviews

Excellent Movie, Very Good DVD
Anchor Bay Entertainment did an excellent job of transferring this British WWII classic to DVD. Scratches and blemishes in the picture are virtually nonexistent. And it IS Region 1, so it WILL play in just about any DVD player in the US and Canada (for those of you in the US and Canada).

If all you care about is having a good copy of this movie, then I highly recommend this DVD. If you also want special features like trailers, "Making of" documentaries, deleted scenes, etc., then you may want to wait until someone puts out a "special edition." All this DVD offers apart from the great transfer is scene selection (that missing star is actually half a star for not having more in the way of special features).

In the meantime, I recommend also getting Paul Brickhill & Guy Gibson's books ("The Dam Busters" and "Enemy Coast Ahead," respectively) upon which the movie is based along with the DVD of the PBS documentary "Secrets of the Dead: Bombing Nazi Dams" (which incidentally uses footage from this movie though uncredited). If you can find it, you might also want the audio cassette version of Brickhill's book read by the film's co-star, Richard Todd.

TRUE LIFE WW2 ADVENTURE
This is a review of the movie only but past experience with Anchor Bay tells me the quality will be pretty good. This is the story of the planning and execution of the raid that led to the destruction of the Ruhr Valley Hydroelectric Dams during WW2 by the RAF. Very well acted and details the incredible engineering that went into the design of the bombs and the flying skill of the aircrews to be able to complete the mission. Outstanding WW2 movie. Semi-documentary in style but none the less a great piece of history. Don't miss this one.

This is the one to buy...
As with the Congress Entertainment DVD, this is a straight dub of the 1954 British film, including all the original video and audio. The story is very interesting, historically important, and well acted. I saw it not very long after its original release and enjoyed it then, and still do.

Given the very high regard the British have for Wing Commander Gibson, who was awarded Britain's highest military honor (Victoria Cross) for this raid and died in action just over a year later, I'm sure that - in 1954 - they were being very careful about accuracy, and left in historically accurate details which some will find offensive.

By "modern" (pre computer graphic animation) standards, the special effects are a bit primitive, but quite well done for 1954. Unlike the Congress Entertainment DVD, the audio and video quality are excellent, and the presentation is quite professional. Both may have been taken from the same original, as they both have a momentary frame freeze at one point.