Search - Once Upon a Time in America on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Graphic Violence, Rape & Sexual Abuse, Not For Children, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 1984 DVD Release: 06/10/2003 Format: DVD - Soft-Matted WSE for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Edition: Dual Layered,Restored/Remastered,Special Collection Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 2 Number of Discs: 2 Run Time: 3 hrs 49 mins Studio: Warner Home Video Members Wishing: 19 Genres: Crime, Period Film, Gangster Film, Ensemble Film See Also: Once Upon a Time in America [Classic Collection]

Though some viewers might be put off by its length, graphic violence, and absence of likable characters, Sergio Leone's final film is also a cinematic masterpiece. Spanning four decades, the film tells the story of David "Noodles" Aaronson (Robert De Niro) and his Jewish pals, chronicling their childhoods on New York's Lower East Side in the 1920s, through their gangster careers in the 1930s, and culminating in Noodles' 1968 return to New York from self-imposed exile, at which time he learns the truth about the fate of his friends and again confronts the nightmare of his past. The acting, the re-creation of the time period, the cinematography, and the music are all superb. However, even more important is Leone's ability to make the film work on so many different levels: it's both a criticism of gangster-film mythology and a continuation of the director's exploration of the issues of time and history. Strange as it may seem, the violence and gore in the first half of the film turn into a sad elegy about wasted lives and lost love. The film's strengths emerge only in its full 229-minute version -- the 139-minute and other edited versions don't make nearly the same impact. ~ Yuri German, All Movie Guide

Robert De Niro - David "Noodles" Aaronson
James Woods - Max
Elizabeth McGovern - Deborah
Treat Williams - Jimmy O'Donnell
Tuesday Weld - Carol

Director Sergio Leone's final film is presented in its original director's cut for the first time since screening at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival on this two-disc release. Presented in a new digital transfer that preserves the films original 1.85:1 widescreen aspect ratio, the film also features a remastered Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack in addition to a French-dubbed soundtrack and subtitles in English, French, and Spanish. The bonus features include a feature-length commentary track by film critic Richard Schickel, the Once Upon a Time in America segment from the documentary Once Upon a Time: Sergio Leone, film highlights from the director's career, and a photo gallery. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide