Search - Oliver! on DVD

MPAA Rating: G Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Suitable for Children Movie Release: 1968 DVD Release: 08/12/1998 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Restored/Remastered,Special Collection Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, French SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 33 mins Studio: Columbia TriStar Members Wishing: 36 Genres: Musical, Musical Drama, Childhood Drama See Also: Oliver! [DVD/CD]

Inspired by Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist, Lionel Bart's 1961 London and Broadway musical hit glossed over some of Dickens' more graphic passages but managed to retain a strong subtext to what was essentially light entertainment. For its first half-hour or so, Carol Reed's Oscar-winning 1968 film version does a masterful job of telling its story almost exclusively through song and dance. Once nine-year-old orphan Oliver Twist (Mark Lester) falls in with such underworld types as pickpocket Fagin (Ron Moody) and murderous thief Bill Sykes (Oliver Reed), it becomes necessary to inject more and more dialogue, and the film loses some of its momentum. But not to worry; despite such brutal moments as Sikes' murder of Nancy (Shani Wallis), the film gets back on the right musical track, thanks in great part to Onna White's exuberant choreography and the faultless performances by Moody and by Jack Wild as the Artful Dodger. The supporting cast includes Harry Secombe as the self-righteous Mr. Bumble and Joseph O'Conor as Mr. Brownlow, the man who (through a series of typically Dickensian coincidences) rescues Oliver from the streets. Oliver! won six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and a special award to choreographer Onna White. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ron Moody - Fagin
Shani Wallis - Nancy Sikes
Oliver Reed - Bill Sikes
Harry Secombe - Mr. Bumble
Hugh Griffith - The Magistrate
Mark Lester - Oliver Twist
Jack Wild - Artful Dodger

Carol Reed's 1968 Best Picture Oscar winner Oliver! comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. A closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1, while a French soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Surround. Subtitles are available in both of these languages as well. Supplemental materials include a featurette and a photo gallery. The quality of the picture and sound on this disc make it worthwhile for any film enthusiast. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide