The Blue Max [DVD] [1966]

I bought this film as a tribute to Jeremy Kemp whose work I have always enjoyed. I saw him is this film an awfully long time ago when it first came out. It is a film of the highest quality. Extravagant indoor sets beautifully lit very good acting by a large cast including many british actors including James Mason, Anton Differing, Harry Towb, and Jeremy Kemp. The star is George Peppard the American film star. He has several scenes with Jeremy Kemp who totally outshines him . His is a lovely character, an extravagant playboy who is also an ace flier. Oh and of course the planes play a huge part in the film. The flying scenes are absolutely excellent. Ursula Andress is the love interest and really is very beautiful. The only problem for me is that it is shot in Ireland when it is supposed to be occupied northern France - an area I know well and the buildings and the landscape bear no relation to this area. But then this is not reality, it is a story so I have accept this and it was probably alright for the time it was made. It is a very long film with an intermission with music played for quite a while even on the dvd going into the break and then coming out of it and into the action again. It really is a lovely film and shows the work of exceptionally talented technicians and really is a hugely enjoyable film to watch again after all these years.

Very confusing amazon review. Discusses a dvd under the blu-ray release.Is this one of those blu-rays that comes with a dvd also which would only be good if it contained extras the blu-ray doesnt as is often the case with dvds. No extras here either way. The description beneath the dvd header states quadrophonic sound,which would be nice but is seems even the later release with George Peppard standing in the foreground is just a new sleeve cover and the dvd with 149 minutes is the best cut you will get but all in very SD quality,NO quad sound (as you get on dvds of WATERLOO) Its stereo.So the advice from another reviewer for the TWIGHLIGHT production version of the blu-ray is the best you can get but iIl gather no cleaned up restored image.Lazy perhaps.Amazing that restored dvds can trump blu-rays.Hoping the quad sound at least refers to the blu-ray,which beats the stereo but it doesnt help when amazons own review for a blu-ray is headed by a dvd description

This DVD came from overseas and so it took some time to arrive, about 3 weeks I think. This was OK. Obviously I am not reviewing the movie. It looks and plays like a new DVD. No problem at all. Except that the picture is small. On my 46 inch screen, it is about half size with a black border around it. I can live with that but I was not expecting it and do be aware of this.

One of the best war films of all time. Authentic in so many details even the march tunes. Actually mirrors a real life event. regarding the development of a monoplane and the subsequent misfortune. Have seen this film so many times since it came out but never tire of it, What a shame all the principal great actors in the film are no longer with us.

Time was, in the 1970s, this film was omnipresent on British TV when sport or other programmes were cancelled (this, and 633 Squadron). So a certain weariness set in about seeing it - but then, it disappeared and has rarely been shown since. The tale is of an infantryman from 'the lower orders' who, seeing an aerial dogfight determines to join the fliers and gain Germany's highest award, the Pour Le Merite - or the Blue Max of the title - for 20 aerial kills. En route he treads on many toes and makes many enemies, which may be his undoing. Filmed in the big style of 60s blockbusters, Peppard glows as the anti-hero, but the limitations of his acting style are evident later, especially up against masters such as James Mason as the opportunist General who sees propaganda uses in this upstart - but only so far. Ursula Andress (dubbed as always) is Mason's younger, trophy wife who adds to the tension. The aerial sequences are well done for the time. An unusual 'extra' is the inclusion of the full 'Intermission' - so do go make a cuppa - accompanied by elements of Jerry Goldsmith's excellent score. A rare WW1-themed movie on the large scale; well worth adding to a collection.

An excellent film with great actors of the old school who ,make the present day 'actors' seem woefully inept at their job. The flying sequences were superb and wonderfully filmed and quite a number of the aeroplanes were genuine reproductions but to the practiced eye, a number of Tiger Moths could easily be seen. A wonderful film, which I have watched many times with interest for many years. A slight problem with the Intermission which became somewhat protracted.Highly recommended.

A very good war movie of the WW1 era, great dogfight sequences of aerial warfare.The cast includes James Mason, Ursula Andress, George Peppard and Jeremy Kemp.Peppard stars as Stachel, a German fighter ace who desperately wants to win the coveted Blue Max, one of Germany's highest military awards.I really enjoyed the film, a good storyline and plenty of action, it should also appeal to anyone who likes war movies.

A great film you can watch over and over again. Excellent flying sequences and a good story with an excellent cast.