Search - Fahrenheit 451 on DVD

Content Advisory: Violence, Adult Situations, Questionable for Children Movie Release: 1966 DVD Release: 03/11/1998 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 52 mins Studio: Image Entertainment Members Wishing: 18 Genres: Science Fiction, Psychological Sci-Fi See Also: Fahrenheit 451

In the future, an oppressive government maintains control of public opinion by outlawing literature and maintaining a group of enforcers known as "firemen" to perform the necessary book burnings. This is the premise of Ray Bradbury's acclaimed science-fiction novel -Fahrenheit 451, which became the source material for French director François Truffaut's English-language debut. While some liberties are taken with the description of the world, the narrative remains the same, as fireman Montag (Oskar Werner) begins to question the morality of his vocation. Curious about the world of books, he soon falls in love with a beautiful young member of a pro-literature underground -- and with literature itself. Critics were divided on the effectiveness of the result; some praised the unique design and eerie color cinematography by Nicolas Roeg, while others found the film's stylized approach overly distancing and attacked the central performances as unnatural. In any case, however, the film inarguably succeeds in making Truffaut's reverence for the written word abundantly clear, especially during the film's justifiably famous finale. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Oskar Werner - Montag
Julie Christie - Clarisse
Julie Christie - Linda
Cyril Cusack - Captain
Anton Diffring - Fabian
Jeremy Spenser - Man with the Apple

One of famed director François Truffaut's neglected masterpieces, Fahrenheit 451 receives a fair DVD release from Universal. A stark, cold work that slowly builds in emotional power as its numbed hero comes to life, Fahrenheit 451 is even more relevant in our "post-literate" age than it was upon its initial release. The movie, which was beautifully shot by Nicolas Roeg, is presented in its widescreen theatrical aspect ratio, but not in the superior anamorphic format. The images seem a little compressed and the stylistically muted color palette appears to be further faded. The print itself is in excellent shape and there aren't any signs of scratches or other flaws. Bernard Herrman's typically note-perfect score is a standout of the Dolby Digital Mono audio transfer. Regardless of the absence of any extras, this DVD is still preferable to previous video versions of the film. ~ Nick Dedina, All Movie Guide