Product Description

SLEEVES IN PORTUGUESE Can be seen on your DVD player is a regiona ALL DVD

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #84414 in DVD
• Published on: 2007
• Formats: NTSC, Import, Letterboxed
• Subtitled in: Spanish, Portuguese
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

A DARK, HORRIFYING JOURNEY INTO THE MIND OF A MAN TRYING TO KEEP HIS SANITY
'Johnny Got His Gun' is a 1971 movie directed by Dalton Trumbo based on his own novel written in 1938(published in 39).

Our story starts off with the main credits with WWI era photos and film footage with a military score. These scenes are used to let the viewer know that this a period piece, taking place at the close of WWI.
The next scene We hear breathing, then see an up-shot of ghostly looking doctors commenting on a paitent. We learn that a soldier, Joe Bonham(Timothy Bottoms), was hit by an artillary shell and has had severe damage done to his body to the point that he has had all 4 of his limbs removed, as well as his facial features(nose, eyes, mouth and ears)although he still has respitory function, he can breathe through a hole in his neck. The doctors say that he has brain damage and cannot think, feel, nor comprehend what is happening. "This young man will be as unfealing and unthinking as the dead, until the day he joins them", is what one doctor said about him. They are keeping him hooked to a feeding tube to keep him 'alive' to observe and learn about how the brain controls the body(per 1918). As the nurses finish up, they shut off the light and close the door to the room. After a few seconds of darkness, We here Joe's thoughts! We learn that he is very much 'awake' and is self aware. As the movie progresses Joe learns the horror of his 'unique' situation and as time moves on, It becomes his goal to comunicate with the outside world, and a struggle to maintain his sanity.

I first learned about this movie like many others my age. The metal band Metallica used footage as well as dialoge in there epic song 'One' that was written around the movie. Not to long after seeing the video, I tracked down the movie, and it's images were forever burned into my mind! Many, many years have gone by since I have last seen it and it's become something of a cult rarity. I watched another movie recently that made me think of it after many years.

This movie explores unimaginable fear!! The story is very passionate, emotive, and all to real. You'll lose yourself in the movie after the first few minutes. There are underlying themes such as war, religion, family values, and youthenasia in the movie, but it is open to interpretation(I don't want to get political).

The acting is well done. Timothy Bottoms is fantastic!! He uses only his head to express his emotions as he's lying in bed. He appears in his own dream sequences, sometimes talking in the 3rd person. Jason Robards plays his detached father who seems like he cares more about his fishing pole than Joe, but ultimatly helps him communicate. Donald Sutherland makes an apperance as Joe's 'personal Jesus' in scenes that have religious themes.

The dialoge is great! T. Bottoms has to do voice overs because his face is covered in many scenes, but is able to convey the emotion. In a few scenes, he converses with his mother(imagined) and the dialoge is very thought provoking.

The editing is perfect. The real-time(with Joe in the bed) is black and white, while the color scenes are of his memories as well as his dreams and fantacies. Some of the black & White scenes are powerfull and hard to sit through, but Trumbo knows when it's to much, and changes gears to a memory or fantacy that raises the mood(if for a short time only).

The music and score is good, but a little dated(given it's a period piece). The movie starts out with a military beat and coninues off-and-on for the first few minutes.

'Johnny Got His Gun' is a tragic story about one man's struggle to maintain his sanity and to communicate with the world. Like I mentioned earlier, this movie has STRONG undertones of war, politics, religion, and youthenasia, but the movie doesn't preach. The story is more about Joe than any political agenda.
This movie has caused much controvercy in the past, but that is to miss the point; This is a powerfull artistic expression about the horror and reality of war, no less, no more. If this movie draws attension in the future, it should be to demonstrate what service people go through after they serve their time.

As a side note: I got my copy in 4 days and the DVD is a great qaulity, but has one 20-30 sec. bad spot where the contrast goes up and gets a little fuzzy. It's a 2007 Portugese import so there are sub-titles, but can be removed. It's a region free DVD, so it will play in all DVD players(watched my copy in an X-Box). Until this movie is re-released in America, this is the best version to get!!!

Brilliant psychological masterpiece depicting the extreme horrors of war
This astounding DVD still isn't available in the United States. I had to order this imported version(for an American film?)and it was worth every penny.
This has got to be the most powerful anti-war statement ever created. It puts you inside the mind of a U.S. soldier killed in battle. Well, actually, he suffered an unimaginable fate FAR worse than death...

"Landmine, has taken my sight...taken my speech...taken my hearing
taken my arms...taken my legs...taken my soul...
Left me with a life in hell."

Clips of this movie appear on Metallica's video "One". The magnitude of these devastating injuries is impossible to comprehend. The soldier can't decipher his reality from his nightmares. He is kept alive, slowly going mad, just for the doctors to study for future cases.
I really love how this movie was shot, using B&W film for the soldiers day to day suffering, and color sequences to pull you inside his memories, nightmares, and subconscious. At moments you'll also feel trapped inside this surreal sort of desperation.
A tragic and extraordinary movie "they" don't want you to see.

Johnny Got his Gun Is a masterpiece that needs to be renewed
First before review this product, I have to say that I was very pleased with my purchase and "ALLMEDIAFUN" was very prompt and very reliable. Shipment came on time and everything was in good order. Note to buyer, this is an ALL REGION DVD meaning that it will work on any DVD player you have. Also the text on the DVD BOX is in Portuguese, as well as the menu. But the the film is in English.

This movie may never see the light of day because of its story. It's about a soldier in WWI that gets blown to pieces and lays in a hospital bed. The entire film you have WAVE after WAVE of emotion. You learn the back story of this soldier as well as what is happening. The back story is in Color while the present is in Black and White.

After seeing this movie, I truly recommend that you pick up the Novel of this outstanding story. and the writer directed this movie.

Now there is another movie that just came out recently and it's the PLAY VERSION of this story. And from what I have read from Imdb.com It's not all what this version is.

So go watch it and you will enjoy it to its fullest. It's a masterpiece that Americans should see. The tragic events that lead us to War. and the outcome of it!