Cyrano de Bergerac

As usual, Amazon is being massively counter-productive by collating reviews for completely different versions of this title under the details of this latest bfi release. WHY do you do this Amazon? After 25 years you STILL.can't get this simple, basic thing right?!Regardless, this is the release we've all waited for. A good HD transfer and the much requested Burgess subtitles at last. Highly recommended in February 2020.

As others have said, this version has NO English language or subtitles at all, despite what it says here and on the disk packaging. The packaging states that it has English language and French subtitles, but neither the Bluray or the DVD have either.It's a real shame because the Bluray picture quality looks very good, but it's only for French speakers.

The book is one of the world's great classic stories and this film enhances its greatness with a superb rendition of poetic drama and visual beauty. I think everyone should see it at least once. I used to enjoy it on both VHS and DVD but when wishing to buy the Blu-Ray, I fear that there isn't one with the beautiful English subtitles by Anthony Burgess. As the language of this film is an essential part of its art, to suffer poor subtitles or worse DUBBING (I made the sign to ward off evil when I wrote that), I would be grateful for any further information from those who can tell me more than Amazon's website.

Cyrano de Bergerac was originally a verse-play, written by Edmond Rostand in 1897. This story set in seventeenth-century France of the ugly man who helps another in his suit for the woman that the former loves has found fame ever since. But when Roxane declares to her beloved Christian that she no longer loves him for his looks but rather for the soul that he has bared to her in the daily letters that actually Cyrano in his stead has penned from the field of battle, Christian knows that he stands no chance.This is a lush and beautiful production. There is superb attention to detail in this film, whether at the theatre or on the battlefield. The production even rented a field and sowed it with genuine seventeenth-century wheat seed so that the grain was as high as it should be for the period.It is when watching such films as this that one hankers to be more fluent in the French language, as so much depends on the power of language in this story. The French is written in poetic style, and thankfully much of the subtitled English translation adopts the same form in rhyme. The poetry actually makes watching the film more enjoyable and watching the DVD more than once is an advantage as one is made aware of just how cleverly the script has been moulded. But, alas, there is something missing as well in watching this film through subtitles, more so than usual. For example, as he fences with the Vicomte de Valvert outside the theatre, Cyrano composes a poem replete with mordant wit. Somehow the English translation of the subtitles fails to live up to the bite of the original.A word or two about the extras. There is an eight-minute interview with the director, in which he relates how he received inspiration from a silent-movie version of 1923, of which excerpts are shown. Jean-Paul Rappeneau declares that, "Some people say it should always be played in its original verse, but that's untrue because the story works even in a silent movie. It even works in Japanese."There is a very good eleven-minute interview in English with the wonderful Gerard Depardieu, and an equally good sixteen-minute interview in English with the screenwriter jean-Claude Carriere. Here we learn more about the original playwright Rostand and about the real Cyrano (though not if he had a big nose).

The French language is just so beautiful and Gerard Depardieu's delivery of speech is perfect.The story is a well known classic and the scenery, sets and costumes bring this period in French history beautifully to life.Amusing, funny, sad. Enjoyable to watch.

WARNING: NO ENGLISH SUBTITLES IN THIS VERSION. It's a sublime piece of cinema, but once again Amazon are selling product generally not suitable for the UK without a clear indication in the description that that's the case.

Not up to the standard of ‘Horseman on the roof’ in my humble opinion. Service from Amazon was, of course, excellent

The heroic play of Cyrano de Bergerac was written by Rostand in 1897, echoing the much earlier classic French romantic works of Hugo, Gautier and of course Dumas. It managed to touch the imagination of everyone ever since and the heart of anyone who has one. Unfortunately it has also been poorly represented in many movies.Not so in this production! This edition is wonderfully engaging, flowing and beautifully played. The performance of Depardieu is just outstanding, possibly the best I have seen of this great actor. This is a masterpiece to be enjoyed in its original language.