Lawrence of Arabia - David Lean (1962)

I had never seen this movie before. I had heard of it (obviously) but really didn't know much about it.

First, it's 4 hours long......FOUR HOURS!!! Complete with an intermission. So needless to say I wasn't super enthusiastic about seeing this one.

The thing about this film is, it was meant to be viewed on a big screen. (It was one of, if not the last film to use 70mm film vs 35 mm. Which means that it doesn't loose quality when projected on a large screen.) I think it's a disservice to the film to watch it on a television screen. The story is a simple one, with sparse dialogue. Much of the film focuses on the desert and the expanse of it and the desolation of it. And that is so lost on a small screen. It's the visuals plus the audio together that makes this impressive. The soundtrack is pretty amazing. I liked this film, but I am sure I would love it given the opportunity to view it as intended.

The wikipedia entry for this film says: "It is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential films in the history of cinema." I do see that. It is a beautiful film. 

I can see why this film is on the list. And my suggestion is, if you have a chance to see it on the big screen, do so. I definitely will.

One word to describe 'Lawrence of Arabia': Epic.