The real conundrum of this move was that Peter O'Toole didn't win the academy award for best actor. In my humble opinion, one of the greatest acting performances of all time without doubt.

@erepsekahs

3 жыл бұрын

The Academy Awards is American, and it is absolutely no exaggeration to say that is why he did not win. I am certain of that.

@delgustelou-anne4900

3 жыл бұрын

@@erepsekahs completely well said 😶

@gilmer3718

3 жыл бұрын

@@erepsekahs They are a bunch of idiots.

@robertfreedman6651

2 жыл бұрын

@@erepsekahs Please explain then why numerous Brits have won Oscars. Great actors up against O'Toole in 1962. Gregory Peck won for Best Actor as Atticus Finch.

@thewhitestag33

2 жыл бұрын

"Nothing is written." - T.E. Lawrence, 'Lawrence Of Arabia'.

Masterpiece is a greatly overused word in the film industry, but it’s the only appropriate word to describe Lawrence of Arabia

@blackswan4486

2 жыл бұрын

It’s an understatement.

@123rockfan

2 жыл бұрын

I just finished watching Lawrence of Arabia for the first time and I honestly don’t get what the hype is all about. I’ve seen far better epic films from the 40’s and 50’s that are way more emotionally satisfying with better acting and dialogue. LOA left me completely cold, and the muddled comedic tone in the first half irritated me. I’ll have to rewatch it to see if my opinion changes.

@ManBolo5432

2 жыл бұрын

@@123rockfan did you watch it on your phone?

@123rockfan

2 жыл бұрын

@@ManBolo5432 watched it on a large tv screen on blu ray, with surround sound. I don’t have any problems with the direction or cinematography, those elements were quite spectacular.

@richardscally694

Жыл бұрын

Absolutely.

I agree with Mr Spielberg, I think Omar’s first scene in the movie as he rides a camel out of the heat shimmer and ruthlessly guns down Lawrence’s guide is one of the greatest character introductions in cinematic history: “He drank from my well!”

@iancrossley6637

3 жыл бұрын

Pretty fair shot too.

@jimtrela7588

10 ай бұрын

Orson Welles also called it the greatest character intro.

@erichodge567

9 ай бұрын

The long build-up, and then his almost god-like presence when he arrives... It's overwhelming.

@jacktattis

5 күн бұрын

That is how they were and still are today.

I watched this movie for the first time in 2020 during quarantine and I’m overwhelmed by its magnificence

@JayJohnBryce

3 жыл бұрын

Same here. I got it on Blu-ray, and the quality is incredible, as if it was filmed in 2020. It became one of my favorite movies ever.

@Tmanaz480

3 жыл бұрын

@@JayJohnBryce It's from the age of large format widescreen epics. When movies were fiercely competing with television. Shot on 70mm film, the Ultra-HD of its day. Beyond even 4k. If you ever get a chance to see it on a large screen in a proper cinema, don't miss it.

@markwhite6001

3 жыл бұрын

I recommend the movie, man who would be king

@markwhite6001

3 жыл бұрын

@@JayJohnBryce I recommend, the man who would be king,move

@JayJohnBryce

3 жыл бұрын

@@markwhite6001 That's one of my favorite adventures films too! Thank you for recommending though, it's nice to see people with good taste in films.

I met Peter O’Toole, briefly, at a book signing years ago. When he looked at me and asked me my name and how I was, he made me feel like I was the only person in the room. Great actor, loved his movies! Lawrence of Arabia, Lord Jim and The Lion in Winter are my favorites.

@oldcountryman2795

3 жыл бұрын

Cool story bro.

@salemengineer2130

3 жыл бұрын

O'Toole excelled at playing ultra intense, larger than life characters. That's why he was great as Henry II in The Lion in Winter. I love that movie but it is so intense that I always find it exhausting to watch. [Side note: The Lion in Winter was Anthony Hopkins first significant film role as a young Richard the Lionheart.]

@206Seaman

3 жыл бұрын

@@ronanthony5654 Odd comment. It was a “book signing” event so there were 100-150 people in the room.

@MrDaiseymay

3 жыл бұрын

perhaps he was only acting

@cwr8618

3 жыл бұрын

@@206Seaman i believe that was a joke. at least i found it funny and not to be taken offensively

The fact that David Lean mastered both the colosal and the intimate, is at testament to the quality of this film

David Lean is indeed a master craftsman, but let us not forget Robert Bolts screenplay. He brings to life even the smallest characters.

@malafakka8530

4 жыл бұрын

I agree, it certainly was an excellent screenplay.

@deborahsaunders391

Жыл бұрын

@@malafakka8530 He also wrote A Man For All Seasons

@malafakka8530

Жыл бұрын

@@deborahsaunders391 yes, I know. It's quite well written.

@12classics39

Жыл бұрын

Indeed. The role of Majid, in particular, is very minor and yet Bolt’s writing and Gamil Ratib’s magnetic acting make him into a character who you remember and who feels like a real person. Remarkable.

@johnhernan9238

11 ай бұрын

so true…. people often forget how wonderful the dialogue is (My name is for my friends…. my fear is my concern)

I was a teenager when the film was released. EVERYONE went to see it. Years later I have watched it and I am blown away by it every time. Each time you watch it you notice more details that you didn't see before and you get more out of it. In my long lifetime its probably the greatest film ever made.

@jayneneewing2369

3 жыл бұрын

I too was a teenager, and certain scenes are indelibly seared into my memory. Lean did a brilliant job on this masterpiece.

Love Steven's childlike enthusiasm for what has to be one of the most inspirational directorial movies ever made.

@notgadot

7 ай бұрын

Jesus

I was surprised how exactly Spielberg's immediate reaction to seeing the film the first time mirrored my own immediate reaction. I was so overwhelming thrilled and awed by the movie that I just sat in my theater seat speechless. Had I not been with others, I sometimes feel that I would be sitting there still. I lived in the Eastern US and never had seen any desert; I knew I had do so and within a week I had hitchhiked through NM, AZ and Southern CA. I played the sound track over and over - I don't think any soundtrack ever caught the exact feeling of the action of a film as well as this one. It was almost inevitable that one day I would get to Arabia and sure enough, for more than eight years I lived and worked in Saudi Arabia. At the time (80s and 90)s, the film was banned there. Once a Saudi man told me that his grandfather had spoken of Lawrence - he called him Lawrence al-Arab; it was so cool to hear that. I was disappointed at first because where I was the desert looked more like a stony whitish gray parking lot that stretched forever, but eventually I came upon a huge dune of red sand that looked exactly like the ones in the movie, just east of Riyadh. I have loved many movies since, and thought they were amazing, but nothing ever moved me nearly as much as Lawrence. The greatest movie I ever saw.

David Lean's major films are the proof one can make movies intelligent AND crowd-pleasant at the same time!

@johnvsbear4247

4 жыл бұрын

not anymore

@carlodave9

4 жыл бұрын

John VS Bear I really want to argue that, but I'm at a loss for a recent example of a truly intelligent blockbuster. Someone help me out!

@rogerkincaid931

4 жыл бұрын

@@carlodave9 - Try Chris Nolan.

@carlodave9

4 жыл бұрын

@@rogerkincaid931 Thanks. I know what you mean, Nolan's a master filmmaker no doubt, but he mostly applies a puzzle-maker's sort of intelligence. Interstellar, The Prestige, and Inception being prime examples: intricately complicated on the surface without much complexity at the human core. Dunkirk being an obvious exception: non-complex in every aspect but special effects & sound. Since asking my question, Joker struck me as the most thought-provoking "blockbuster" I've seen in ages. Perhaps even Kubrik & Lean might have approved. Gave me some hope. Cheers.

@rogerkincaid931

4 жыл бұрын

@@carlodave9 - Alright, I hear you on Nolan, but personally for me, 'Joker' didn't strike me as all that provoking.

I watch Lawrence of Arabia at least twice a year. I have done this for YEARS. First on VHS, and now on DVD. I NEVER get tired of it, and it ALWAYS amazes me. The sheer beauty of it; the way the story was told; and the amazing actors...I just simply NEVER get tired of it.

@bentonrp

3 жыл бұрын

Yes. Movies were made for these experiences so lasting. I cannot wait until the world remembers this and reconsiders selling that out for hyped up commentary from society at the momentum of its hype.

@jessyrai260

3 жыл бұрын

Now u can watch it on blu ray and 4K blu ray

@thewhitestag33

2 жыл бұрын

The true sign of a great film is it never ceases to deliver.

@MsAppassionata

2 жыл бұрын

Great acting, great cinematography, great screenplay, great music score! The perfect film IMO. It’s my personal favorite of all time.

@MilciadesAndrion

2 жыл бұрын

I got it in 4K UHD and it is a great experience! worth to try!

My cousin texted me this one day "Because I am a river to my people!" and I replied, "Oh great Lawrence of Arabia!" and he replied, "No, 'Better Call Saul'. It was in one of the episodes." I just put my head in my hands....

I too think Dr Zhivago is an extremely underrated movie.

@sedekiman

3 жыл бұрын

David Thom-I agree. I first saw it in the 60's and loved it. It may have been disliked by critics but it certainly started a Russian fashion craze!

@musicaleuphoria8699

3 жыл бұрын

My mom introduced it to me before I discovered Lawrence of Arabia or Bridge on the River Kwai.

@steveb9325

3 жыл бұрын

I like "Doctor Zhivago " a lot more than Lawrence of Arabia " that's just me. Of course besides the incredible story; I fell in love with Julie Christie at the drive in at 9 years old. I felt these strong feelings grow that turned out to be shall we say: inspiring.....❤

@kennethwayne6857

3 жыл бұрын

@@steveb9325 Man, I miss drive-ins. Julie Christie is still beautiful, what good taste you have!

@steveb9325

3 жыл бұрын

@@kennethwayne6857 miss drive ins too!!! Yes!!!, Ms. Julie beautiful as ever!!!

Lawrence of Arabia is one of my favorite films. I was too young to see it in theaters but discovered it later. What I love is that it was filmed in the days before CGI so every thing you see was real life. Some of the panoramic shots of the Arabian dessert are breathtaking. Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Sir Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins, Claude Rains, and Jose Ferrer make this cast one of the best ever assembled. It is a classic, must see.

@robertfreedman6651

2 жыл бұрын

And Arthur Kennedy.

@MsAppassionata

2 жыл бұрын

And Sir Anthony Quayle

Peter O' Toole, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif and Alec Guinness, such a wonderful combination of supreme actors.

@machinetaker

5 жыл бұрын

Am I missing something or are there no women in this classic?

@knave_pt8272

5 жыл бұрын

It is the account of a celibate who was able to bring together separate Arab tribes to throw off the yoke of the Turks during World War I. Considering their religion and culture, and the circumstances, no. No, there were not any women factoring really to any degree in the events. I am a feminist, but this was the situation in that part of the world at that time.

@machinetaker

5 жыл бұрын

Understood, and I knew this. But Hollywood being what it is/was I thought they would throw in a little sex...@@knave_pt8272

@frederickj.7136

5 жыл бұрын

@ Jim McNamara... There was the homoerotic bit in Lawrence's captive interrogation that was brutishly censored from the original release. This made a dogs dinner of continuity and meaning at this point. When I attended the premier of the restoration in New York, this corruption of art was reversed and that segment restored, as far as I know or could tell at the time, to what David Lean had originally intended.

@jslasher1

5 жыл бұрын

The best ever cast assembled for a motion picture hands down.

The greatest film ever made and the best performance by an actor ever. O'Toole was in almost every scene of this 4 hour epic and if he hadn't been brilliant the film would bombed. I agree with Mr. Spielberg about "The Bridge On The River Kwai" and "Dr. Zhivago"; both are stunning masterpieces.

@RFED2O

10 ай бұрын

No... The greatest film 🎥 in history is and always will be Ben Hur... But LOA is definitely in my top ten for sure !!!!

In high school I had a film teacher (public school) who made us analyze the first 5 minutes. I was the only one to beg my teacher to lend me the VHS cassettes so I could see the rest. Decades later, as a teacher myself, I had my class watch & analyze the first scene in Faisal's tent. Exactly one kid out of 150 begged to borrow my Blu-ray to see the rest. Same ratio of interest. Tiny victories.

@johnricercato740

4 жыл бұрын

Great anecdotes, thanks Carlo.

@cattycorner8

3 жыл бұрын

Carlo Dave You changed that student's life forever, and he will never forget it. Bravo!

@gilmer3718

3 жыл бұрын

I cannot even remember when I watched it all the way through, but it is a favorite of mine. "I'm the man who broke the bank at Monte CARRRRLOOOOOOOO!!!"

@cwr8618

3 жыл бұрын

It's important to recognize that interest sometimes takes years to cultivate. Our English teacher had us watch Gattaca when I was young and thought nothing of it. I really appreciate her having us watch it and love the movie now. Same can be said for so many things our older generations introduce us to that we just can't appreciate, yet.

@abushenob

2 жыл бұрын

@@gilmer3718 Ha! Every so often I find myself singing that line out loud!

In the actual town of "Aqaba" I talked about the film with locals, who did complain about the historical accuracy of the picture, though I think they hadn't actually seen it. To me, it is no more important than the consideration of whether or not Bizet got Napoleonic Seville right in Carmen or Mozart accurately represented the same town in his operas. David Lean created a work of myth inspired by events that becomes a romantic equivalent of the fevered dream of Lawrence himself. The movie remains a landmark of romanticism in the same way as Delacroix's painting of "Liberty Leading the People" represents France in 1830: a work of art summarizing a human vision.

@johnricercato740

4 жыл бұрын

Very perceptive comment, thanks

@cattycorner8

3 жыл бұрын

skyweimar Beautifully put!

@sobebabe7169

2 жыл бұрын

Wonderfully said.

I love Mr. Spielberg's excitement in listening to David Lean provide live commentary on the movie. You only get a few moments like that in your lifetime. "Lawrence of Arabia" truly is one of my favorite films: disturbing and inspiring in turns.

Music, screenplay, direction, acting, production design, make this the finest film ever made.

@brucekuehn4031

10 ай бұрын

Have you seen an old photo of T.E. Lawrence? A striking resemblance and a towering performance from Peter O’Toole!

This movie was seriously a miracle. Seen it so many times and it still captures me.

It's such a shame they couldn't record that audio commentary, how great would that have been to hear David with Steven Spielberg doing an audio commentary.

@doctordank

4 жыл бұрын

Uh would rather hear it without Spielberg's commentary.

@Transfixed

3 жыл бұрын

That's what I was thinking. What a lost treasure!

What a pleasure to hear Spielberg's introduction to Lawrence. While I never met David Lean, I was lucky enough to know many of his key collaborators on this picture, including the co-writer, the director of photography, the production designer, the property master/location scout, and even Peter O'Toole himself. They were all among the most remarkable people I ever had the privilege to meet. But, seeing the film again, it is clear that the movie exists on a higher level even than that of the people who made it, because it was all dreamed up in the mind of a genius director.

I live and have worked in the Desert for over 35 years; so when Lawrence says ITS CLEAN, I can sympathize with his feelings.

I couldn’t agree more about the scene where Omar Sharif’s character rode, and rode toward the camera. Brilliant. Just brilliant. Cinematically the most amazingly beautiful film I’ve ever seen. I’d love to see the restored version in a big theater like I saw it in when the film was originally released in Los Angeles.

Unbelievable film... I remember going with my parents and sisters and driving over an hour to the lone theater that was showing it in our area. I was 6 in 1962 and still recall vividly the theater smells and excitement from our family. Dad was a history professor and mom, a librarian. Even at my young age I knew of Lawrence. Like Spielberg, I was enthralled by Jarre’s soundtrack. I still have the original album and booklet but I listen to the iTunes version. I have read Seven Pillars of Wisdom and Lawrence of Arabia. It remains one of my favorite movies. In this day and age of remakes and seemingly very little original work, I sincerely hope somebody doesn’t try to remake it. Nice to hear that Spielberg is in it’s corner...

@charlieross-BRM

3 жыл бұрын

I wonder if you remember the clamour at intermissions to get a cold drink, ANY cold drink. Not me, but mostly folks my parent's age. All that sun and sand got to them.

@cattycorner8

3 жыл бұрын

@@charlieross-BRM lol

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA was filmed in Jordan when my dad was posted in Amman. I was there part of the time, but the location shooting was finished while I was at a boarding school in France. The production camp was where my family never traveled (Wadi Rum), but a building in Amman was identified as production headquarters. I first saw the movie in Washington, D.C., and came out of it with a headache, but I saw it again when I was visiting a friend in Kentucky, and that's when I fell in love with the picture. My dad's next foreign post was Alexandria, Egypt, and I saw LAWRENCE OF ARABIA again there. The Egyptian audience audibly enjoyed the movie, much more than I'd heard American audiences enjoying it. Now the film seems a part of my experience of growing up in Middle Eastern countries. It's fascinating to hear a famous director, Steven Spielberg, talk about how the movie influenced him.

@albanymike

6 жыл бұрын

WTH!

@Sam-fo5ts

6 жыл бұрын

Yeah, it's also fascinating for me! Several sequences were shot in my home town too, Almeria.

@cmdrrgh

6 жыл бұрын

Kirsten I. Russell I

@malcolmharris5277

6 жыл бұрын

V interesting, Kirsten

@jake105

6 жыл бұрын

Kirsten Russell - I care. Fascinating. Was your dad in Government or the Oil biz?

I love how Spielberg was influenced by past artists to create his masterpieces which creates something familiar to us and we can connect quickly.

@nathancruz9172

3 жыл бұрын

1:03 me too.

@jamespfitz

3 жыл бұрын

Um...I think a couple other artists have also done that, Imjustsayin

@elizabethcsicsery-ronay1633

3 жыл бұрын

@@ronanthony5654 Lincoln.

@arnavlokhande9448

3 жыл бұрын

@@ronanthony5654 then ur not a movie lover, his films are blockbusters + masterpieces(before 2000s) His greatness is mostly overshadowed by boxoffice

@peterdagata1610

3 жыл бұрын

@@ronanthony5654 I honestly think Raiders of the Lost Ark is a masterpiece. There’s nothing I would change about that movie other than the effects at the end on the Greek Island when the ark is opened. Sure, there aren’t many deep themes explored, but the film achieves what it set out to do perfectly, while leaving a lasting impression on the viewer. I think that’s the mark of a masterpiece.

I saw this film when it first came out in a big screen cinema. It was literally stunning on the big screen. The locations and cinematography were amazing. The casting was outstanding. Easily the most memorable movie I have ever seen.

@ashleighjaimaosborne3966

3 жыл бұрын

I would love to have seen this movie on the big screen. Two others I happily caught on the large screen were Dances with wolves and Gladiator. 😊🇨🇦

I had a similar experience to Spielberg when I saw Lawrence of Arabia. I was stunned and amazed by the locations, effects and actors. What a story! I knew that I was watching film history. It is still my favorite motion picture and I watch it at least once or twice each year. Spielberg is right about digital effects. It was very interesting to hear his comments. Thanks for posting this.

@cattycorner8

3 жыл бұрын

John We all have the same reaction.

Lawrence of Arabia, a highly mesmerising film, the long lonely scenes, I love being in the desert, it is the same for me, It is so clean and pure.

Lawrence of Arabia has that wonder, that magic, that when watched for the first time, more so if you're young, transports you and leaves an indelible impression on you, a lot like E.T., Indiana Jones and many Spielberg movies. One of those rare movies that makes you feel alive for the ride.

I was also raised in Phx and see this movie as the greatest ever made, and O'Toole's performance as far and away the greatest ever on film. I also understand the "clean" comment about the desert and never realized before now the impact. My end of life choice is to be thrown to the wind in a remote part of the desert and I now see it is because of the pristine peace I believe can only be found there or possibly the ocean. I have watched Lawrence I guess 10 times now and it is one unreal piece of visual artwork after another. It is a perfect film.

the greatest movie of all time... IMHO...

@jjfossum113

4 жыл бұрын

Correcto mundo

@GodSpeedYouSparkster

4 жыл бұрын

100%

@lukakavteli9441

3 жыл бұрын

12 angry men is the best, greatest...

@randywhite3947

3 жыл бұрын

Mrs. Phyllis Stephens Schindler’s List isn’t even a top ten film of the 90s let alone better then Lawrence of Arabia

@randywhite3947

3 жыл бұрын

Luka Kavteli only 18 year olds who surf IMDb think 12 angry men comes close

The greatest compliment I can offer this artistic production is that there are very few films one can watch repeatedly and not feel tired of and this magnificent film is one such film.

There, right at the end, he said it: Maybe the greatest screenplay ever written for a motion picture. Certainly David Lean wrought a miracle, but he could not have done it without Robert Bolt's writing. As for the charges of revisionism, read Seven Pillars of Wisdom several times. Study it, learn it by heart. You may find that the revisionism began long before the movie was created, not by Bolt, but by critics of the book who all but called Lawrence a liar, because he dared to tell his own story as he saw it. Many Brits still deny the events at Deraa and the massacre on the road to Damascus. None of them were there.

watch this film and you'll get a better understanding why the Middle East is the way it is now... good film sad history

@donna25871

4 жыл бұрын

Dursun Sahin watch Kingdom of Heaven and you’ll get an even deeper understanding.

@rino19ny

4 жыл бұрын

"Lawrence of Arabia" is about how the different tribes in the mideast got together (or broken up) during WW1 whereas "Kingdom of Heaven" is how each tribe despite their subtle differences can form into one of God's mightiest army on earth.

@gayleklein7243

3 жыл бұрын

The Howietat lived (and still live) on the West Bank. I cannot even begin to imagine how betrayed they feel when their ancestors fought and died for their current persecution by the zionists.

@DursunX

3 жыл бұрын

@@gayleklein7243 thank you, i just looked up their history... a very long history at that. we live in an odd world, the past means nothing and money buys 'freedom'.

@gayleklein7243

3 жыл бұрын

@@DursunX Agreed. It's rather beyond ironic that the zionist movie producer/director who made 'The Last Days' (of the big lie) admired this film about Arab independence. There's some footage on YT featuring Auda abu Tayi (the Anthony Quinn character) and his people. They were and remain fearsome and canny fighters.

I remember seeing Schindler's List for the first time and being equally dazzled by certain things. Especially the cutting. The STYLE of editing that David Lean made famous, Spielberg uses quite a bit in his arguable masterpiece Schindler's list. In Schindler's opening bit, going from a candle's smoke, to a steam engines smoke and the cut happens right on a clank of the steam engine. Cutting on sound was a David Lean trait. David Lean's directorial style of letting a dialogue scene play for a long time in a two shot. Watch Schindler's List and Lawrence of Arabia in the same week, you'll see Spielberg's most obvious influence is Lean imo.

O'Toole was nominated,but was overlooked for the Oscar. His acting was superb and an amazingly magnetic performance. One of the real travesties in Oscar history.

@Concernedviewer01

3 жыл бұрын

Agreed. I think the award shows now are so out of touch of their original purpose. I don’t give them the time of day, they are now irrelevant & by the declining audience they get many agree. This movie, the way it was filmed etc, opened my eyes to what great cinematography can do & take you.

@cattycorner8

3 жыл бұрын

fifthof you have got to be kidding! Who won instead??

One of the greatest films ever made. It affected me in ways I didn't realise until years later, including my love for the desert. Peter O'Toole made that film what it is - a masterpiece.

It does my head in how he clearly loved getting a 'director's commentary' on all the film-making aspects of one of his favourite movies ever, but refuses to do the same with his own films. Personally, I'd love to watch Jaws, Close Encounters, Raiders of The Lost Ark and E.T. with a retrospective Spielberg commentary.

What a huge treat to hear Spielberg revealing his own visceral reactions to a great film by a great director. Wonderful video for any movie buff.

@cattycorner8

3 жыл бұрын

rod mact But I loathe his politically correct attack on history.

@SonoftheAllfather

3 жыл бұрын

​@@cattycorner8 So do I. "Some areas of history are too important to revise like da shoah, 0Y VEY" "Absolutely authentically honest" = his tribe's narrative about the Holocaust. Absolutely disgusting how people like him can be so blatantly biased and not get called out on it.

@robertsullivan7080

2 жыл бұрын

Spielberg is a gentleman and his good breeding is obvious. Obvious also is Spielberg's acute awareness that Sir David Lean is much Spielberg's superior as an artist.Although rumor has it that Sir David will lower his standards AGAINST raw commercialism and make a movie about the English favorite Kit-Kat Bars hopefully doing for them what Spielberg did for Reese's Pieces. Spielberg in truth, has wasted reels of film making trashy movies for stupid kids.In a century Spielberg will be forgotten. Not so with Francis Ford Coppola. "Apocalypse Now' is Conrad's masterpieces, "Lord Jim" as seen through Coppola's eyes, even naming Brando Kurtz, the same name as Joseph Conrad's antihero. New Yorker film critic Pauline Karl had an interesting insight into why Scorcese, Coppola, Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, Frank Capra & many others attempted great film on matters of importance was their background as Catholics, mornings in church odd & frightening iconic carvings of the sacred.and after 2,000 years still Mother Church stands! Borgia's became Popes, Medici's became Popes, Napoleon kidnapped a pope and set him in Arles,France. He and subsequent popes stayed at Arles for 100 happy years. We suffer when we listen to secular advice.When those in authority asked about the high number of homosexual entrants Boston (meaning Harvard) therapists flatly stated "A homosexual priest is no more apt to seek a male boy for sexual pleasure than a heterosexual nun.Get this small bit of logic right: true, most homosexual priests have no interest in man-child sex, BUT, those tittalated by then thoughts ARE 100% HOMOSEXUAL . The devil is real and Jesus said, "The GATES OF HELL WILL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST MY CHURCH"

Somebody wise and witty (maybe Rex Harrison) said that if Peter O'Toole was any prettier it would have been called Florence of Arabia.

@georgegoodyear9631

4 жыл бұрын

I think it was Nöel Coward who made that whimsical observation.

@myimorata7678

4 жыл бұрын

Social media strikes again! That's an old story and one that never deterred from the brilliance of the performance or the film.

@spockboy

4 жыл бұрын

LOL Thanks for that.

@paulhicks3595

3 жыл бұрын

Michael Bowes it was Noel Coward.

@michaelbowes9894

3 жыл бұрын

@@myimorata7678 yes you are quite right. But funny all the same.

I was a usher in jr. college when it came out. I probably saw it over 100 times. The beauty of it the perfection of its execution never left me. 😊

My mom was always a fan of this film so I bought her a remastered copy on VHS, Super 70MM which even on small 32" TV's at the time "worked" - I wish more young inspiring creative folks will watch this. The Cinematography is nothing short of incredible if you are a fan of video and audio. A pure masterpiece of cuts and workmanship

Laurence of Arabia is the Greatest Film of all Time! A Timeless Masterpiece! ❤️

@jjhpor

10 ай бұрын

As Speilberg said "Dr. Zhivago" is in the same category.

Great interview; lovely to hear Stephen articulate what many of us felt at a subliminal level at the time.

This movie had an impact on me. The beauty of it, visually. I did read T.E. Lawrence's, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Not a light read.

@BobSmith-dk8nw

4 жыл бұрын

Good for you!!!!! I thought about it but ... never did. .

@sandspar

4 жыл бұрын

I read it while training to deploy to Iraq. It absolutely reset my awareness and context. They know way more about us than we about them, or ourselves.

@reshpeck

4 жыл бұрын

Fantastic book. So much is revealed about Lawrence that he surely did not intend to express. But also a beautifully written book. You can tell he was strongly familiar with the classics. Great humor and acute insight into the human condition yet ironically blind to his own self. Lawrence was a brilliant man, and the film-among the greatest ever made-is no substitute for reading Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

@sandspar

4 жыл бұрын

You just hit on a fundamental of quantum physics as applied to the intangible human condition; the more you know about others, the less you know about yourself.

@malafakka8530

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, not a light read, and I read it while not really being in the mood. I need to read it again at some point. Lawrence was a talented writer as well, that much I was still able to discern when reading it.

Wow, I have new found respect for Steven Spielberg. I didn't realize Lawrence of Arabia was such an influential film on him. It is also my favorite film. I agreed with everything he said in this interview except that I would say David Lean's second best film was Dr. Zhivago, not Bridge Over the River Kwai.

@bighands69

3 жыл бұрын

The order would be hard to stack.

in the last 51 years I have watched and appreciated 'Aurence!' dozens of time, impressed every time.

@malafakka8530

4 жыл бұрын

I watched it after 10 years (I had a reason, not because I wouldn't have liked to watch it) on blu-ray and it once again blew me away. I would like to see it someday in a theater if possible, but I doubt/don't know if that will/does happen here in Germany.

Watching this tonight for the first time... rented it in 4K. I’m excited!

@supertramp9333

3 жыл бұрын

4k as it should be 👌

@TommyLellan

3 жыл бұрын

@@supertramp9333 Hated the bloody thing. The ego on that man (T. E. Lawrence). Bah! Still, possibly the most gorgeous film ever made. I can see where Spielberg got his inspiration from. Even the score is very pre-John Williams!

@supertramp9333

3 жыл бұрын

@@TommyLellan yes..i heard that Spielberg watches this movie several times every year and inspiration in his movies is obvious

@TommyLellan

3 жыл бұрын

Supertramp 93 Also T. E. in Lawrence is E. T. backwards

@supertramp9333

3 жыл бұрын

@@TommyLellan good one never noticed that

Still my favourite film.. The visual aspect is mind blowing, the music is awesome and great acting. What I love is that I saw this in 1970 as a boy and got the Blu Ray a few years back and the disc still has the Intermission like in the Cinema when you would go to the toilet and get ice cream.

I didn’t see it until 1988 in my college Art of the Film class. I was struck by the grandeur that by comparison was already much different from the films of the 80’s.

@cattycorner8

3 жыл бұрын

Nate Gerard I think it's grandeur is matched by only a few films in history. It is a true epic.

I recently saw the film on Netflix, and it was incredible. Certainly one of the greatest films ever made. Great soundtrack. Great cinematography. Great performance from the amazing Peter O’Toole. I can see why Spielberg was drawn to this film, heck, you can see this film’s influence in many Spielberg films, such as the awe and wonder he imbues in certain films, especially in the Indiana Jones films.

Spielberg is brilliant, amazing director. It's cool that this superb film was one of his inspirations.

Lawrence left the British Army and then re enlisted in the RFC (RAF) as an Airman, in the 70's I was Based at an RAF Training camp at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire England, I was working in an Old Building At Cranwell which was an earlier Concrete Hut, Circa 1920 and came apone an old inscription scribed on a bunk wall..."Lawrence of Arabia" to this day I can see him....

@cattycorner8

3 жыл бұрын

Great story!

@ashleighjaimaosborne3966

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing that. 😊🇨🇦

When this film opened in my town I went to see it and experienced much of what Mr Spielberg defines here. I had never seen anything like it. It was the first "extended run" at the theatre. I went to see it there so many times that after awhile they just waved me in gratis. Such an amazing film and such an amazing director. I salute David Lean

@raymonda5476

6 жыл бұрын

Same thing happened to me at the Criterion Theater in NY. After 7 viewings I was outside the theater and didn’t have money to see it again. The ticket taker asked why I wasn’t coming in and when I said I had no money, he waved me in.

@carlomezzatesta4659

3 жыл бұрын

I got in free my mate paid to get in while I stood outside near the exit door and then casually walked in.

I love this movie. I cannot put my finger on one thing. The overall effect it has on you is difficult to describe.

A fantastic film. The colours of the landscape and true sense of the vastness still blow me away every time I watch it. Pure quality.

I already know that the score is magnificent and beautiful even though I've only seen bits and pieces of the movie, but now that I've heard Steven Spielberg speak so highly about "Lawrence Of Arabia" in this video, I MUST watch it in its entirety!! And "Bridge On The River Kwai" too.

My all time favourite film. Nothing else comes close.

Lawrence of Arabia has to be one of the most magnificent cinematic achievements of all time. True, the story wasn't historically accurate in many ways, but that does not take away the achievement IMO. Also, Lean was a master no doubt, and I also thought Doctor Zhivago was very underrated, and it is one of my all time favorites.

Since I first saw this film years ago in my small, home-town theater, this has always been my favorite film. It simply blew me away and I could barely articulate the how and why. I don't know if I love the desert or the main character more, but I think they were the same thing.

@eyescandeceive

6 жыл бұрын

yes. the desert WAS the main character is the movie

@tonybennett4159

6 жыл бұрын

The interesting thing is that before the intermission, when Lawrence still has his integrity intact, the movie allows the desert to be seen in its full aesthetic beauty. After that, when Lawrence becomes compromised, no longer do we get sweeping unbroken vistas, but untidy rock-strewn patches much darker in colour. We are not given the release of majestic sweeps of dunes. This was masterful.

@frederickj.7136

5 жыл бұрын

That desert is beautiful and awesome, Faisal Abdualaziz. We in the west do not get to see this part of the natural world and similar in their full aspect as associated with current events. But scenes from this film, which I have been lucky to see twice under absolutely optimum conditions in Paris and then restored in New York, stay with me always. This is my personal favorite film.

Ryans Daughter - 1970 is just as great as any other epic film by David Lean.

I visited his home in dorset and saw his personal belongings, and spoke with the Lady looking after the place who knew Lawrence and had a interesting talk about him!!!--also check out his grave sight and his little church he went to with its stunning stained glass windows!

@cattycorner8

3 жыл бұрын

lady must have been ancient.

David Lean was a great director. Three of my favorite movies growing up. It’s easy to see where Spielberg got his inspiration. Schindler’s list, private Ryan, band of brothers, all remind me of those films. Another great one is the sand pebbles with Steve McQueen.

I like the bit where Lawrence is pondering the Aqaba problem, sitting alone at the base of a sand-dune, and one of the two 'worshipper' servants above and behind him rolls a stone down the sand towards him, and it hits him in the back . . . and that's how he gets the idea to cross the Nefut Desert and take Aqaba from the landward side. From behind. Simple, but brilliant.

Loved the way this " incredible" film maker and intellectual..had given us a superb commentary on one of the finest films ever made.. thanks so much for sharing...!!!

I was very lucky to view this movie for the first time in 70mm at a theatre after it was restored. Awe inspiring movie. A must see if it comes back to the theaters. In fact, the bigger the screen, the better to be overwhelmed by the beauty of the scenes \ shots. The movie is a perfect rare gem.

@abushenob

7 ай бұрын

Absolutely! It is too big for a small screen. The vast landscapes and the sweep of attacking forces is overwhelming on a big screen.

What an absolutely fabulous 'interview.' It is wonderful to hear and see someone so respected and so thoughtful expressing what I love to tell people....but I do not have the stage to do it from.

"Ryan's Daughter," my fav. Lean film ...lots of poetry in film ...actor performances brilliant

In a world of computer digital graphics, green screen, et cetera, every shot in this film is the real deal. I love when Guiness says, " My father is old and I, I long for the vanished gardens of Cordoba. " What a treat for Spielberg to have live commentary.

I was 8 years old when I first watched this, its one my deepest memories that I cherish. I was 8 in 2008. Think my favorite quote was when Lawrence shows William Potter the match trick, and says "The trick William Potter, is not minding that it hurts." Ive used that quote throughout life, this film has alot to give.

@bighands69

3 жыл бұрын

I seen it as a kid myself on TV and years later in the cinema. If you ever get the chance see it on 70mm at a theatre. That will have a resolution of 18k.

@cattycorner8

3 жыл бұрын

@@bighands69 I saw the restored 70mm in a theater in 1989.

@noelnicholls1894

3 жыл бұрын

Read his Seven Pillars of Wisdom and some biographies and find out just how accomplished and strange he was.

@shillian4770

2 жыл бұрын

@@noelnicholls1894 I will indeed thank you for the suggestion. I have been reading Winston Churchill’s “My Early Life” which is quite fascinating reading about how things were back then.

I also love Lawrence of Arabia and Dr. Zhivago and all of David Lean's films really. Thanks for showing this video of clips from this wonderful film.

The best thing about Steven Spielberg is that he's still the teenager film nerd from way back. Talking and raving about movie legends - while already being a legend himself.

A truly wonderful movie, an example of the art at the highest level.

Amazing amazing film, I watched it 15 times and Peter O Toole has been my screen idol since I first saw it.

I had the great good fortune to see the director's cut at the old Cooper theatre in Minneapolis, a theater made for films shot in 75mm. It was there for 6 weeks, and I saw it once a week for 6 times. Found something new to appreciate in it every time.

Thanks for posting. It's illuminating to get this kind of insight.

Davie lean made dr shavago holy fuck....I love that movie

An absolutely superb film. And this 7 minute talk by Spielberg is helpful and informative. Well done.

Last time I watched it was in 2004 at an EbertFest (then the Overlooked Film Festival) 70mm showing - one of the pristine prints via a CinemaScope projector. I had not seen it in a theater since the 1960's and had forgotten the experience of seeing the wide screen desert shots - with those slowly evolving images. Robert Harris - one of those who carried out the restoration was the guest speaker after the film was shown. Back in those days Roger Ebert led the discussion after each film showing in the 3-4 day festival. It was astounding to see again - properly restored in a large 1500 seat theater with a properly sized screen - via excellent projector and shown by a projectionist who know what they were doing.

I saw this with my dad and sisters in the late 70s at the Varsity Theater in Palo Alto. It was incredible to see it on that screen. Then it was re-released in 1989 and I saw it by myself at a nice theater somewhere in Santa Clara. To think of experiencing this masterpiece by watching it on a 60" TV screen is an exercise in futility.But next time it shows at a proper cinema, I'm there.

I disagree with him on the historical accuracy. Hollywood is CONSTANTLY re-writing history and has never stopped. I don't think reporters care much about setting the record straight. Excellent review of an excellent film.

@nickmitsialis

5 жыл бұрын

I thought the director, writers & actors were all "Aenglez"...the yanquis only provided the moolah.

@kenoliver8913

5 жыл бұрын

Yep, Hollywood teaches far worse - and far more harmful - rewritings of history than Lean's. John Wayne alone won several wars single handedly. And isn't it interesting that neither Lean nor Spielberg note that the betrayal of the Arabs at the end of the movie had in real life a lot to do with the Balfour Declaration? It is a betrayal that has cast a very long shadow.

@jamesmcinnis208

5 жыл бұрын

There's a difference between storytelling and documentary, a distinction that seems to be lost on the American public these days.

@IanP1963

5 жыл бұрын

At least Lawrence supported them even though he wasn't powerful enough to change history totally, he did help to start a new country - IRAQ !!!!

@philippeh3904

5 жыл бұрын

Have you seen film critics on twitter? They are so far left that if Lawrence of Arabia came out today they’d try and bury it

When I was about 11 years old, I was a paper boy with a neighbourhood news paper route. There was an old man on my route whom I looked forward to talking to as he had lived an adventurous life and sometimes he would share it with me. One day he showed me a very old photo album. In it there was a picture of two young pilots of WW1 standing in the desert with a Sopwith Camel fighter aircraft in the background. They had their arms over each other's shoulders as friends do, and were wearing British military pilot uniforms. Good friends. I came to learn the other young man in the photo with my newspaper customer was Lawrence of Arabia. I also came to learn that my customer was a much decorated Canadian war hero, who fought in WW1 and barely made, because of age, into WW2. A great man.

Brilliant interview and thank you

07:12 “Lawrence today would probably cost around 285 million dollars” Now that’s a surprisingly specific number. Like he has actually thought about remaking it and that was his financing estimate. It makes you wonder.

I saw it when it first came out when I was a kid. I loved it! My wife and I saw the restoration at the Paris Cinema in New York City and it was amazing. My friends all said, "Why don't you rent it and watch it at home?" What a bunch of idiots!

@bighands69

3 жыл бұрын

Our culture has lost so much. MOst do not understand the magic of cinema.

@noelnicholls1894

3 жыл бұрын

How could you not prefer the size of the cinema. You loose the whole vastness.

@lawrencelewis8105

3 жыл бұрын

@@noelnicholls1894I once watched it on TV with the idea of just listening to it and not focusing on the action. I swear, it sounded almost like a modern-day report on the Middle East.

Lawrence Of Arabia is probably my favorite film of all time, still not saw Bridge On The River Kwai or Doctor Zhivago yet, im really looking forward to watching them!

@soul17169

Жыл бұрын

They're good. The River Kwai has a certain poetry to it like a Haiku. The other one has a complexity like a Tolstoy novel. :)

Brilliant film Pure genius

Still my favourite film of all time~

I was about 10 and it effected me too. I think it needs a cinema.

I've already seen it too many times, but now after listening to Speilberg's enthusiasm over it, I'm fired up to watch again soon.

one of my favourite movies love Lawrence of Arabia an incredible masterpiece

blowing out the match is probably one of the best smash cuts in film history. the making is a fascinating story in itself

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA is purely and simply the greatest movie ever made, it's the greatest masterpiece in the history of cinema!!

@malcolmscrivener8750

Жыл бұрын

So , you’re saying you liked it ?

@bullrun2772

Жыл бұрын

@@malcolmscrivener8750 isn’t that obvious

@malcolmscrivener8750

Жыл бұрын

@@bullrun2772 Did my attempt at humour escape you , mate ?

@bullrun2772

Жыл бұрын

@@malcolmscrivener8750 lol damn dude you sound triggered

I first watched Lawrence of Arabia in 1989 on VHS. It was the pan and scan version. I thought it was great even on a 25" screen in pan and scan mono sound. I had no idea Spielberg was a huge fan then, but I could tell he was influenced by Lawrence of Arabia a lot after watching it for the first time. It just so happened around that time, Spielberg was helping restore the movie. When a 'letterboxed' VHS version was released, I immediately rented it. By this time, I had my first surround sound system to go with my 25" color TV. It was this viewing that put Lawrence of Arabia in my top five all time favorite movies (Jaws is my number one all time favorite). I just remember being blown away by the sound of the bi plane flying over and the sound going from the front to rear speakers. Incredible. Not to mention the widescreen images. Yeah, it was smaller with the black bars, but I knew I was finally seeing the whole picture. I eventually went to a screening in 70mm a few years later. Though it wasn't the greatest print, I was still blown away.

Haha Spielberg sounds just like a fan boy! Good for him.

@bighands69

3 жыл бұрын

It is hard not to be a fanboy of that masterpiece.

@ecurb10

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, he has always seemed to preserve his humility, and gratitude towards his mentors.

A Master Filmmaker and a Masterpiece. What's not to love