Search - Cyrano de Bergerac on DVD

Disappointment in long-awaited release.

K. Bowden | Richmond, CA United States | 03/25/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I'd been waiting years for this to be released on DVD, it's a fabulous movie, my absolute favorite adaptation of the original play - however, MGM messed up. This edition is a matted letterbox, which means that it's actually a 4:3 TV image with the full image reduced to fit on the screen of a traditional TV screen and has black mattes on the top and bottom. However, it should have been presented in anamorphic widescreen - which gives the same presentation on a 4:3 TV but also fits a widescreen television set. As it is, it will not display properly on a widescreen tv - the image is either stretched out (so that everyone and everything is flat) or is enlarged beyond the border of the tv screen - thus cutting off the subtitles! My wide television has 6 separate display formats but I cannot format a full image on my screen that is not warped or severely cropped. Extremely disappointing. I'm hoping for a new true anamorphic widescreen edition to be released eventually, but at least I have the film for now."

I Take Only My Panache

K. Bowden | 01/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a movie about honor, unrequited love and the best swordsman in all of France. It is set in Rennaissance France and concerns the love that Cyrano de Bergerac holds for the lovely Roxanne, and the love she bears for Christian, a soldier in his troupe. Roxanne asks Cyrano to help her begin a relationship with Christian, and out of love Cyrano promises to speak to Christian, who enlists Cyrano's aid to woo Roxanne. Cyrano helps Christian by writing beautiful letters. The lovers tale plays out, even as they are surrounded by intrigue, threat of war, and some great swashbuckling action. Edmond Rostand wrote an incredible tale of honor and this version starring Gerard Depardieu is one of the best presentations of the tale I've seen. Depardieu makes the tragic/heroic character of Cyrano so real that you feel you've lived the story by the end."

Restore your respect for Depardieu ...

Miyo K Geddes Wratten | 02/09/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"and watch Cyrano de Bergerac. I was a French major in university, and am not a fan of any of the "classics" in any language. But this film made me run out and read the play -- in French -- three times. I did a special senior project on the film and the written play ... Depardieu's training in stage plays comes through strong in this movie, and so does his passion as well as the passion of the author who wrote the original play. Depardieu's massive energy in this role as Cyrano serves only to accentuate the beautiful words he uses to express his love for Roxanne. Beautifully acted, beautifully filmed, you'll never see Depardieu the same again."

""We All Have Our Wounds" ~ A Romantic Film For The Ages

Brian E. Erland | Brea, CA - USA | 06/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Note: French with optional English and Spanish subtitles.

This French language film adaptation of the classic 'Cyrano de Bergerac' released in '90 is without question the most enjoyable 138 minutes in front of the television screen I've experienced in quite some time. Everything about this production is absolute perfection; cinematography, settings, music, screenplay and of course acting.

Gerard Depardieu is an unstoppable force of nature as the eloquent but hot-headed Cyrano. He thunders and rages about one moment only to suddenly turn ethereal and wax poetic the next. The lovely Anne Brochet is a wonderful complement to the blustering Cyrano as his unattainable Roxane and Vincent Perez delivers a strong performance as the handsome but slow tongued Christian.

The dialogue is crisp, textured and witty, however if you're French impaired as I am you'll probably have trouble keeping up with the subtitles. But that's OK, you'll just catch the missing parts the next time you watch and you will definitely watch again and again."