ULYSSES (SPECIAL EDITION)

an enjoyable film

This is a very nice movie narrating the adventures of the Greek king Odysseus on his home voyage from Troy after the sacking of the city. The part of Odysseus is played by the brilliant actor Kirk Douglas(Spartacus). A true asset to the Dvd- collection of any real fan of adventure movies based on Greek mythology....

I was completely unaware of this 1954 Italian-American co-production of Homer's Odyssey before I came across it while web surfing the other day doing research into 1950s-1960s epics (a genre I'm very fond of). Seeing it starred Kirk Douglas, I was immediately keen to see it and found this German edition. Variously titled 'Odysseus' or 'Ulysses' depending on release territory, this is a fairly faithful adaptation of Homer's epic poem that acts as a sequel to 'the Iliad' (which of course follows the Trojan War with Greece). All the major plot points are covered, starting with Odysseus' destruction of the statue of Neptune/Poseidon after the successful Trojan Horse Gambit, followed by the long hegira that Odysseus and his crew suffer as they are subject to the sea-god's wrath and blown off course beyond Crete (where Odysseus' is king, his wife Penelope waiting his return while numerous suitors beseech her to marry them), Encountering Polyphemus the cyclops, the Sirens and witch-goddess Circe, who offers to make Odysseus immortal (his name would then by Ulysses), our hero manfully makes his name in the classical world of the Mediterranean. Arguably the film isn't really an epic as it's relatively short compared to the likes of 'Ben Hur', 'The Ten Commandments' and 'Fall of the Roman Empire' and it clearly has a smaller budget. However, it predates all of these - it is presented in 1.37:1 and was release in 1954, at which point I think widescreen was not an option or had only just appeared. It is, however, very entertaining despite being quite literal and being without modernistic acting/dialogue being used, so it retains a charming fabular, mythic flavour. Interestingly, this teaming of Douglas and Anthony Quinn of course predates their magnificent pairing in 'Lust For Life' and of course this is KD in swashbuckling mode long before 'The Vikings' and 'Spartacus'. While not on the same level as these, it's a fun film and should be seen by all of KD's fans. Generally speaking, the Italian actors are not in the same class as American and British character actors who would have fulfilled the supporting roles had this been less of an Italian production, but Silvano Mangano (who plays Odysseus' abandoned wife and Circe) is actually billed above Quinn as the excellent gallery of poster art and lobby cards on the bluray reveals. She is a great looking actress and as Circe really excels - she's very otherworldly, seductive and imperious and very good-looking to boot. This 2 disc edition presents the film in a 105 minute theatrical cut on the BD in a stunning 4K restoraation -one of the finest I've seen in a feature of this vintage. Lovely colours, great locations, excellent costumes and imaginative sets and lighting give this gem the polish it deserves, despite as I've said some of the supporting actors lacking gravitas. Audio options are in German, Italian and English with removable subs for all three in German and English. The English audio when the Italian actors are speaking isn't as good as the Italian audio but if going for the latter option one loses Douglas and Quinn's fine voices, so I watched in English. As Italian films were always dubbed later until quite recently, there's the usual minor lip-synth issue whatever option one takes. Now and then on the English version, the odd subtitle pops up unbidden for one line, but this isn't too annoying. The DVD - which I haven't watched yet - is 4 minutes longer at 109 minutes and apparently includes scenes cut from the theatrical release before the film was premiered, so I guess they're being seen here for the first time. Overall the film felt long enough at 105 minutes, the Polyphemus sequence seeming quite slow and literal. On the fantastic aspects of the film, it;'s worth comparing the encounter with Polyphemus with the opening Cyclops scenes of '7th Voyage of Sinbad', the celebrated Ray Harryhausen dynamation feature made some years later. While the effects can't hope to match Harryhausen's stopmotion genius, it is interesting to see how the pure classical source of the Cyclops influenced the script and shooting of the Sinbad vehicle. Sadly we don't get to see the Sirens - only hear them - but Mangano's stunning performance as Circe in her lair is superb: all black veils, the kind of florid costuming and lighting that the likes of Bava and Argento would bring to giallo thrillers and horror a decade after this film are hinted at here. Mangano really looks gorgeous in this sequence and is as chilling as she is beautiful. While this is never going to be regarded as one of the best epics ever, it is a reminder of the power of Homer's storytelling genius, characterisation and emotional impact, even if at times this feels like a children's film. Shame that Harryhausen never attempted a version and that the definitive cinematic Homer is yet to appear. Overall, a superb 2 disc set that all fans of 50s cinema, epics and Italian movies will want to own. 4 stars only as the film itself isn't quite as classical as its source!

My dad saw this dvd cover in London and said he saw this movie when it was first out! I had never heard of Kirk Douglas doing a Ulysses movie so I bought it for dad's birthday for us both to enjoy. It is the basic Odyssey story with Ulysses lost on his way home to his wife Penelope. In this version there is a curtailing of his adventures due to budget constraints but he does meet the Cyclops and is seduced on an exotic island. The photography and colour are good for the 1950's, some scenes are filmed in the islands of the Med where Ulysses was suppossed to have got lost. Kirk Douglas makes a great hero, not entirely sympathetic as he is a hard nosed battle hardened warrior. Anthony Quinn is in a very small part but it makes the Italian production seem a bit more Hollywood style. A good budget film with sadly no extras.

Arrived in perfect condition brilliant movie with great performances and effects as well and a great cast well worth buying

This was a film i always wanted but being region two i could only get it to play on my computor no problem it is a great film.

The product is as described and the transaction of high standard.Many many thanks.

Great film and really glad to have this in my home collection at last! Thank you seller.

The item was shipped very quickly. The product, movie, and vendor are great. Thank you

昔観て、なかなか痛快で面白かったのに、その後テレビでも放映されず、観たかったので良かったです。

Great classic movie

Kirk Douglas als antiker Held Odysseus in einem seiner - meiner Meinung nach - besten Filme der 50iger Jahre. Endlich ist dieser Film auf Blu Ray erschienen. Zum Film: Nachdem Odysseus (Douglas) damals mit dem hölzernen Pferd in Troja einfallen konnte, wurde er von einer dortigen Hohepriesterin dazu verdammt, zusammen mit seinen Gefähren für immer über die Meere zu fahren. Nach sehr vielen Jahren strandet Odysseus mit Gedächtnisschwund auf einer Nachbarinsel seines Königreiches Ithaka. Er wird vom dortigen König willkommen geheißen und genießt ein angenehmes Leben. Während seine bildhübsche Frau Penelope (Silvana Mangano) daheim in Ithaka von sehr präpotenten und eingebildeten Männern (u.a. Anthony Quinn) genötigt wird, sich einen Nachfolge-Ehemann für den totgeglaubten Odysseus zu wählen, beginnt Odysseus auf der Suche nach seiner Identität übers Meer zu blicken. Und seine Erinnerung kommt langsam wieder, an seine Fahrten übers Meer, an den Kampf gegen den widerlichen Zyklopen Polyphem, den Widerstand gegen die lieblichen Sirenen einer Insel und den Abstieg in die Unterwelt zu Circe (Silvia Mangano in einer Doppelrolle). Und mit der Erinnerung kommt für Odysseus die Zeit der Rückkehr und schließlich der Abrechnung.... Also,ich finde den Filme einfach großartig!! Die Erzählstruktur, das Zusammenspiel der einzelnen Charatkere, die tollen und großart formulierten Dialoge, toll. Auch die Besetzung, Kirk Douglas, die bildhübsche Silvana Mangano als Penelope und Anthony Quinn als arroganter und selbstherrlicher Anwärter auf den Platz als Nachfolge-Ehemann.... Zum Bild: Auf dem Cover steht auf der Rückseite, das hier eine 4K Ultra HD-Abtastung vom Original-Negativ vorgnommen und das Bild restauriert wurde, und die Bildqualität macht diesem "Kennzeichen" alle Ehre. So gut und so schön wie auf dieser Blu Ray habe ich den Film, der hier im Format 1,37:1 vorliegt, noch nie gesehen. Frei von etwaigen Schmutzpartikeln und möglichen Kratzern ist das HD-Bild wirklich ausgezeichnet und teilweise (bis auf wenige Ausnahmen, die jedoch für meine Begriffe - was das Gesamtbild betrifft - überhaupt nicht ins Gewicht fallen) gestochen scharf. Die Konturen der Kostüme und der Gesichter der Schauspieler, die Kulissen etc. sind in einer tollen Schärfe zu sehen. Panorama-Aufnahmen weisen eine sehr große Detailgenauigkeit auf. Die Farbgebung, der Kontrast und der Schwarzwert sind ebenfalls ausgezeichnet. Auffallend ist, das das Filmkorn - vermutlich durch die Restauration - auf das Minimalste weggefiltert wurde. Hier kamen vermutlich extreme Rauschfilter zum Einsatz. Filmkorn ist jedenfalls kaum zu sehen, wodurch das Filmbild die meiste Zeit über extrem glatt aussieht. Mich stört das aber überhaupt nicht(ist Geschmackssache!) Also ich bin mit dem HD-Bild sehr zufrieden!! Mit in dieser BD-Hülle ist auch die Langfassung auf DVD enthalten, die 4 Min. länger dauert als die Kinofassung . Die DVD-Fassung habe ich mir noch nicht angesehen, kommt aber vielleicht noch, auch wegen dem Bonusmaterial "Die phantastische Reise des Odysseus", das ich mir irgendwann mal ansehen werde. Mein Hauptinteresse galt und gilt der BD. Die BD hat außer einer Bildergalerie kein Bonusmaterial. Zu den Tonformaten: Deutsch, Englisch und Italienisch in DTS HD MA 2.0 Was den FSK-Flatschen betrifft: Es gibt ein Wendecover! Für diese großartige Veröffentlichung von "Die Fahrten des Odysseus" auf Blu Ray gebe ich eine volle Kaufempfehlung!

La película es un peplum italiano de bajo presupuesto que si bien no se acerca al tamaño de grandes producciones como por poner un ejemplo a Espartaco, si encontramos a un Kirk Douglas soberbio y en plenitud, totalmente espectacular en esta Adaptación de la Odisea de Homero. El episodio con Polifemo, aunque ya le pesan mucho los años, sigue siendo muy memorable. Quede gratamente sorprendido con la imagen, imaginaba iba a estar imposible de ver, llena de granos y brincos de imagen, pero en general esta bastante limpia y se disfruta sin problema. El sonido para reconocerse. Si tú al igual que yo llegaste aqui por una casualidad, no dudes en comprarla, es muy difícil conseguirla y será una buena adquisición a tu colección tanto si eres como no fan de Kirk Douglas o del cine clásico Épico y Fantástico. Por el lado de los extras, no hay mucho, prácticamente nada por parte de Liongate. Viene con audio en Inglés y Subtitulos en Español.