The American Film Theatre: Collection One [6 Discs]The American Film Theatre: Collection One [6 Discs]

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MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

    The brainchild of producer Ely Landau, The American Film Theatre was a bold and revolutionary enterprise dedicated in the belief that a great segment of the movie audience do not want "to escape into sex and violence but want to think and feel." The great talents of Braodway and Hollywood were enticed to join him and the result was fourteen magnificently crafted film productions based on the best plays of the 20th century. They represent a treasure trove of provocative stories, brilliant cinematography and towering performances from the most important film directors and biggest stars of the period. Long unavailable, all fourteen American Film Theatre productions have now been rediscovered, restored and are ready for a new generation of theatre and film lovers.

DVD FEATURES:
  • Number of Discs: 6
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Theatre Wide Screen)
  • Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
AWARDS
  • National Board of Review
  •     Won Best Actor - 1973 (Robert Ryan)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
REVIEWS:
  • Butley is not a satisfying film experience, but it is valuable for capturing the electric and captivating performance of star Alan Bates in the title role. Bates gives a tour de force performance, but one in which the actor is at all times serving the character and the needs of the material rather than simply using a flashy part to show off his considerable range and skill. Bates is firmly onscreen throughout and is called upon to create a presence that can hold the entire film together; to make things more difficult, he is given a not very likeable character, self-centered and given to barrages of cruel (if terribly witty and amusing) insults. That Bates makes the audience interested in the character, and even care for him to a sufficient extent, without making Butley sympathetic, is an incredible achievement. A bold, edgy, at times scary performance, it makes the film worth watching, despite flaws such as pedestrian direction that does not do enough to disguise the film's stage origins, an over-extended length, and a cast of characters that often compete with each other for unpleasantness. The supporting cast is excellent, but even as accomplished an actress as Jessica Tandy must take a back seat to Bates' astonishing performance. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi
  • Like many of the entries in the well-intentioned American Film Theatre series, The Maids tries to remain true to both its theatrical origins and the different requirements of the cinema. It straddles the fence rather too severely, unfortunately, and, as a result, comes across as rather muddled and unsatisfying. Jean Genet's script has been faithfully recreated onscreen, but it's a transfer rather than an adaptation. As a result, dialogue that was stylized and dramatic on-stage often becomes stilted and ponderous onscreen. Genet's "Theatre of the Absurd" treatment of the story also needs a cinematic re-thinking; it cries out for a looser, more fluid lensing than it receives from director Christopher Miles. Instead, Miles has concentrated his efforts on his cast, and while this may make the film, as a whole, less than enthralling, it does provide viewers with some highly charged, occasionally overly theatrical, but always engrossing, performances from Glenda Jackson and Susannah York. No one can be as frighteningly acidic or embody evil as convincingly as Jackson, of course, but the surprise is how well York holds her own against this formidable presence. The chemistry between the two is electric and disturbing, and the intensity they bring to their parts is fascinating to watch. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi
  • Luther is a flawed but still very powerful adaptation of John Osborne's meditation on the 16th century religious leader whose condemnation of certain Catholic Church practices precipitated a revolution both religious and secular. The flaws are those common to many other entries in the American Film Theatre's productions -- mainly, it's an uneasy blend of cinema and stagecraft that falls between the two poles. It's not really satisfying as a straight-ahead filming of a stage play, nor does it satisfy as a cinematic adaptation. The stage-bound nature is perhaps more pronounced in Luther because it deals with a subject that had a profound effect upon the entire world; excluding that outside world from the film negates Luther's impact somewhat and makes him seem a bit smaller than the character warrants. If one can accept this flaw, however, Luther is a richly rewarding experience. Osborne's words have been diluted in a few cases by adapter Edward Anhalt, but they still maintain astonishing power. His portrait of Martin Luther is compelling yet disturbing, a finely detailed portrait that shows a man constantly in conflict with himself, with God, and with the actions he initiates in the name of faith. Stacy Keach's performance in the title role is nothing short of marvelous; he conveys the intense power of this darkly conflicted man yet doesn't resort to showboating. He underplays, he understates, and the character comes across as more powerful as a result. Yet he also lets the depths of his passions surface when necessary, to startling effect. Keach dominates the film, and the character he creates is overflowing with life -- and with bile. He is well supported by an excellent cast, with special mention for a superb Patrick Magee, an excellent Hugh Griffith, and an impressive Leonard Rossiter. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi
  • The Iceman Cometh is a towering, powerful stage play that inevitably loses some of its impact when transferred to the screen, even in as fine a production as this. Part of the reason is that Eugene O'Neill's beautiful language is theatrical in nature and therefore doesn't come across as well in the more naturalistic milieu of the cinema. But a bigger problem is that Iceman is all about a group of people who are trapped with each other; they are not just individuals, they are also all part of a group that has its own character and personality. On-stage, where the camera cannot cut away and zoom in or out, Iceman gains a great deal of its power from the force that the group exerts upon the proceedings, and from the reactions of each member of the group to what is going on. On screen, this is lost, and the loss is felt, even if only subconsciously. In addition, O'Neill's mammoth script has been of necessity pared down; while this has been done in a very admirable manner, it still has an effect. Finally, in Lee Marvin, Iceman has an exceptional actor whose inner raw power and authority, along with his considerable skill, are tremendous assets; however, Marvin lacks the spellbinding charisma that the part demands, that is crucial to its success, and the absence of which leaves a small hole at the play's center. Fortunately, Iceman also has exemplary performances from Robert Ryan and Fredric March, along with solid support from Tom Pedi, Moses Gunn, Jeff Bridges, and Martyn Green. If The Iceman Cometh is not the triumph that it is on-stage, it is still a powerful and frequently mesmerizing piece. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi

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