Petulia
|
List Price: Our Price: $7.40 You Save: $7.58 (51%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.65 (click here) Category: VHS Video See more movie releases |
|---|
Buy this VHS video movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
VHS Movie Reviews of Petulia
Movie Review: Richard Lester at his best
Summary: 5 Stars
Petulia happens to be one of my favority Richard Lester films and very cutting edge for its time. I love Julie Christie and she glows in this movie. George C Scott gives one of his best performances. They play out an unusual love story - she is supposedly something of a "Kook" (it is based on the novel, "Me and the Arch Kook Petulia" but she is really something more than she seems. Scott is a doctor whose marriage has ended and is at odds with his new life. Richard Chamberlain plays Petulias husband, a handsome success who hides a deeper secret.
All this plays out in swinging San Franciso in 1968. A higlight
of the film is the use of Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company. The ending will leave a bittersweet taste.
Hightly REcommended!
Movie Review: Redefines the Possibilities of Cinema
Summary: 5 Stars
I was really taken aback about how groundbreaking a film "Petulia" is but I really shouldn't have. Richard Lester introduced some innovative techniques with "A Hard Day's Night" in 1964 but that gets overlooked because it was in the service of a musical comedy. "Petulia" is a terrific marriage of acting, storytelling, and technique. The title and cover art suggest a story about a mysterious woman named Petulia (Julie Christie). The real puzzle that has to be unraveled is that of an emotionally remote doctor named Archie Bollen played by George C. Scott. Combined with the cross-cutting and a superb performance by Scott we begin to unravel the essence of Archie. There are terrific performances all around including Christie as the empathetic Petulia, Richard Chamberlain as her abusive husband, and Shirley Knight as Archie's neglected ex-wife. Lester has provided great atmosphere here by capitalizing on the faces,places, and colors that were late sixties San Francisco. Lester is aided by top-notch craftsmen in lensman Nic Roeg, a haunting score by John Barry, and also of note is the contribution of associate art director Dean Tavalouris who later worked extensively with Francis Ford Coppola. It should be noted that "Petulia" received no Oscar nominations in 1968. Movie Review: Interesting, humane, but not as great as advertised
Summary: 3 Stars
George C. Scott was quoted in a long ago publication called "Memories," as saying he "didn't understand a line of 'Petulia,' but the director seemed to know what he was doing." "Petulia" is worth seeing, but more as an artifact than as a lasting work of art. It's simply too stilted, with too much artifice, especially with the often unnecessary cuts to images that, as critic Pauline Kael rightly points out, really add next to nothing to the drama we are witnessing. Despite Julie Cristie's incredibly beautiful presence, welcome in any film, the best scene in the film is between George C. Scott and Shirley Knight, as a just divorced couple. The scene builds to a believable, heartbreaking conclusion on Scott's bed with him kissing her in a way we see she's always wanted to be kissed by him - we see two people who left too much of themselves out of their marriage and now, at the end, realize it. Knight is first rate in this film - beautifully nuanced, but with a hard core to her that she can't quite break free of. This is true for all of the characters, in one way or another, and there are many marvelous touches of dialogue that go a long way to making this a worthwhile film. But the central coupling of Scott and Christie is simply not fully explored enough - we don't really SEE either the physical or the mental or spiritual attraction - and we have to. The dialogue between them doesn't really build. And the chemistry between Scott and Christie is odd and off putting (check out the lack of kissing - when Christie does kiss him, they're just pecks). There is an outstanding film waiting to get out here, but this is not it. It's diverting, interesting, but ultimately unsatisifying - and, in its choice of somewhat cheap jump cuts, and the absolutely awful acting by those in bit parts - not worthy of being considered a great film.Movie Review: Its about time!
Summary: 5 Stars
I am so happy to see this wonderful film finally make it to dvd! "Petulia" is such a rich, poignant, mesmerizing film. I have watched it many times on tv and it never fails to cast a spell on me. Like many other people have remarked, you must see it more than once to get the full depth of it, due to the innovative editing and time line manipulation. George C. Scott is at his all-time best and Julie Christie is stupendous. I would have rather seen her win an Oscar for her haunting performance here than for "Darling", but of course the Academy did not even nominate her, in their infinite wisdom (or Scott either). Now if only they would go ahead and put out "Far From the Madding Crowd" and "The Go-Between" on dvd, I would truly be a happy camper!Movie Review: Two ships passing in the night
Summary: 5 Stars
"Petulia" is the all-time top film about the power a brief relationship can generate in two confused lives. George C. Scott is utterly convincing as the surgeon whose "comfortable as an old shoe" life is poisoning his soul. His brief liaison with the beleagered Petula (Julie Christie)brings him to life. Disapproving but secretly envious friends and relatives add a modern Greek chorus to this tale.
Watch this one more than once - it fascinates, but does not have total impact, on the first viewing