Search - Barabbas on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Violence, Questionable for Children Movie Release: 1962 DVD Release: 03/05/2002 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Restored/Remastered Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 17 mins Studio: Columbia TriStar Total Copies: 2 Genres: Epic, Religious Epic, Sword-and-Sandal See Also: Barabbas [with CD Sampler]

This 1962 Biblical epic was adapted by Christopher Fry from the novel by Pär Lagerkvist. Anthony Quinn stars as Barabbas, the thief who was pardoned in place of Jesus. For the rest of his life, the guilt-ridden criminal tries to justify his existence and to determine his place in the scheme of things. Along the way he encounters the self-righteous pomposity of Pontius Pilate (Arthur Kennedy), the stoning of Sara (Katy Jurado), the gladiatorial sadism of Torvald (Jack Palance), and the burning of Rome. The film's unbilled Christ is played by Roy Magnano, the brother of Quinn's second-billed costar Silvia Mangano. Watch for the genuine solar eclipse during the Crucifixion sequence, an effect that director Richard Fleischer spent several days preparing for. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Anthony Quinn - Barabbas
Silvana Mangano - Rachel
Arthur Kennedy - Pontius Pilate
Katy Jurado - Sara
Jack Palance - Torvald
Harry Andrews - Peter
Vittorio Gassman - Sahak
Ernest Borgnine - Lucius

Richard Fleischer's biblical drama Barabbas comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 4.0. English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include the theatrical trailer. Columbia/TriStar deserve credit for doing such a fine job with the picture quality for this older film. Fans of the film and genre enthusiasts will not be disappointed with this disc. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide