Product Description

Reds is the story of the love affair of John Reed and Louise Bryant in a war-torn world and how the Russian Revolution shook their lives.System Requirements:Running Time: 195 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: PG UPC: 097360133141 Manufacturer No: 013314

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5742 in DVD
• Brand: PARAMOUNT PICTURES
• Released on: 2006-10-17
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Color, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French, German, Russian
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .35 pounds
• Running time: 195 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Warren Beatty's lengthy 1981 drama about American Communist John Reed and his relationships with both the Russian Revolution and a writer named Louise Bryant (Diane Keaton) is a compelling piece of little-known history told in a uniquely personal way. Beatty plays Reed as he did the title gangster in Bugsy and Senator in Bulworth, as a visionary likely to die before anyone fully recognizes the progressiveness of the vision, including those who are supposed to be on the same page. Jack Nicholson has an interesting part as fellow intellectual Eugene O'Neill, and the late author Jerzy Kosinski--himself a refugee from then-Soviet-controlled Poland--makes a strong impression as Reed's problematic Russian liaison. --Tom Keogh

Amazon.com
In some ways, Warren Beatty's 195-minute film about the radical movement at the beginning of the 20th century is the last Hollywood studio epic. A peerless reporter, John Reed, mixes with the intellectuals of the time who see socialism as the answer to end what would become the First World War. As with epics, we go on a journey--from Portland to New York to Europe and finally Russia--just in time to witness the revolution that would make Reed famous upon publishing "Ten Days That Shook the World." But Reed had more ambition, and Beatty's ambition is splendidly captured on the screen, matched by a tremendous cast and stunning visuals (shot by Oscar-winner Vittorio Storaro). Reds doesn't have the action or vistas as a David Lean epic, but travels on the road less taken--here, seeing the birth of communism. Beatty and Trevor Griffiths lace their talky script of ideas with plenty of humor and fashion a poignant love story. Reed's infatuation with the rebel without a cause, Louise Bryant (Diane Keaton), turns into a love triangle with playwright Eugene O'Neill (Jack Nicholson at his most sublime). As Brooks becomes more complex and stalwart, the love story becomes something more. Keaton is perfect in following the arc of Brooks, just another spot-on casting decision by Beatty. Also impressive is Oscar winner Maureen Stapleton as feisty activist Emma Goldman and author Jerzy Kolinsky (Being There) as a Russian diplomat. The boldest stroke is hearing from real "witnesses" talking about the times. They are funny, poetic, deft, provide musical accompaniment and, most importantly, expertly set up scenes. The uninitiated will learn about this time in remarkable fashion; the cineaste can marvel in the ground Beatty covers, never better then a montage ending first half as Reed and Brooks are literally swept up in the revolution.

Beatty states at the top of the DVD extras he's not a big fan of talking about a movie (and did no publicity for the film upon its release in 1981). So there is no commentary track, just an expertly produced 90-minute retrospective with interviews from most of the major players, minus Keaton. We find out why Beatty's best performances are the ones he doesn't direct, while Nicholson provides the reason why Beatty had to star. Beatty talks about the process to interview the witnesses, and when we see bits of unused footage, it whets the appetite for more. Certainly, an hour of witness outtakes would have been something special, and would allow Beatty not to speak about his masterpiece. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews

Apologia for Evil
This movie features some fine acting, particularly by Jack Nicholson and Paul Sorvino. It very realistically portrays an important era in history that isn't usually tackled by Hollywood, and vivifies a set of significant but repellent people- mainly morally degenerate upper class WASPS and lower class Jews- who tried to overthrow our government but merely managed to corrupt our culture. It's beautifully filmed, but nothing really happens. Its protagonist, John Reed, writes some newspaper articles and a short book, gives some speeches, sleeps around, does some traveling, agitates for Communism, dies and is posthumously used as a propaganda tool by the Soviet Union. There's no personal development, no awareness about the evil system he served- merely some minor stylistic differences with one of its functionaries. Since there's no epiphany involved, all this movie amounts to is a documentary at best and Communist propaganda at worst. Another criticism is that Diane Keaton is the most annoying woman to ever appear on film. How the 1970s ever considered her to be some sort of feminine ideal is beyond me.

A Great Historical Film
"Reds" is a film rarity as an historical, non-documentary film about real characters (e.g., Jack Reed) and real events that includes interviews with people who actually knew the principal characters involved. This film was nominated for 12 Oscars, including Best Picture, but won only one (Warren Beatty, Director), I suspect as much for political reasons as anything else. I had been waiting YEARS for this to come out on DVD, or even to just be re-released on VHS. The DVD looks excellent, and sounds great as well. We have loaned it out to friends who had never seen the film before, and they have come back praising it. Enough said.

GREAT STORE
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