The Great Escape (1963)

An All Time Classic

The Great Escape is a classic WWII movie that will have you laughing at one moment and on the edge of your seat the next. If you are a fan of WWII movies then this is a must have for your collection.

The all-star cast such as James Garner and Steve McQueen, add a lot of flavor to the movie. Overall though, the whole cast in the movie does a terrific job at playing their part. I would recommend this classic movie to anyone.

Also, the two-disc special edition has some great extras included with it that makes it even more worth while, such as a great documentary on the filming of the movie. September 21, 2008

"Inescapably Good"

This movie about the extremely creative and finally succesful escape plans, from a WWII Nazi POW camp, is beautifully done. The prisoners, a cast of some of our best movie "tough guys" and talented character actors keep us nervously awaiting their next moves. Watching this movie is exciting entertainment at its best. September 21, 2008

All thumbs up

(I post this verbatim review authored by my youthful nephew, Gavin -- a bright kid and discerning viewer).

This is my favorite movie. It is about men held at a German POW camp during WWII. The men dig a tunnel under a fence to freedom. Based on a true story. [Personally, I was mesmerized for years by the motorcycle escape/jump sequence]. September 9, 2008

A Classic WW2 Movie That Defined a Genre

I've read the Brickhill book which formed the basis of this film. It was an excellent book but the film itself really captured the amazing spirit of the Allies in this world conflict. John Sturges does an amazing job in terms of the character development, pacing, action and more. This is an essential World War II film for any moviegoer and especially for a WW2 junkie. This movie defined the Prison escape film.

The ensemble cast with the engimatic McQueen, the stalwart James Garner and the steady of Richard Attenborough was amazing. In addition, the great character represented by Charles Bronson, James Coburn and Gordon Jackson round out one of the most memorable films in film history.
August 6, 2008

A great release of a great film

I shant talk too much about plot and story in this review as detailed explanations and discussions on both are readily available. I shall instead be concentrating on the feel of the film and this particular release.

John Sturges set out to make as realistic and true a portrayal of the largest escape attempt during WWII with "The Great Escape" as possible, so he drafted one of the actual tunneling POW's from Stalag Luft III as a technical advisor, shot entirely on location in Germany, and recreated an almost exact copy of the original POW camp. Enourmous attention to detail was taken, although the timeline was shortened some and American involvement in the escape mission was somewhat exaggerated, and the result is indeed great. Well acted, well directed, never dull, witty, and with a permeating feeling of excitement and danger. In this DVD edition with cleaner pictures and audio, justice is finally done to "The Great Escape".

My only grief, and I'm actually a bit ambivalent about it, is the well known and very chipper title music. It is perhaps a bit too dally-come-spiffy for this kind of film. It is, however, a wonderful song, hence my ambivalence.

The reason you should buy this DVD instead of the single disc version is, that the second disc is packed full of interesting featurettes about the making of the film, which really showcase the care and attention to detail that the filmmakers put into the project. There is also a very interesting piece about the real great escape, featuring interviews with some of the survivors. This documentary is, in my opinion, a goldmine of information and serves as a reminder about the will to fight and dedication to the war effort that these people, who were incarcerated in an escape-proof camp, showed. The escape is perhaps not as glamorous as nighttime raids over Berlin or fighting the frontlines in the Ardennes, but just as spectacular and just as daring.

This is definitely one of the best DVD's out there. Thoroughly, thought through, as it were. Highest possible recommendation. July 5, 2008

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