Search - Marlene on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Movie Release: 1984 DVD Release: 09/14/1999 Format: DVD Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 31 mins Studio: Image Entertainment Members Wishing: 3 Genres: History, Biography See Also: Marlene

The fifth directorial effort of German film star Maximillian Schell, Marlene is an unorthodox documentary of the legendary Marlene Dietrich. After years of resisting Schell's entreaties, Dietrich finally agreed to participate in this project-but refused to appear on camera. Thus, a tape recording of a Dietrich-Schell interview is heard throughout, while the screen is filled with images of Marlene culled from stills, dramatic films (The Blue Angel, Shanghai Express et. al.) and newsreel footage. Still far from cooperative, Dietrich ignores Schell's questions, preferring to spin her own version of the Marlene mystique. Despite her efforts at self-protection, we are left with a fuller and more honest portrait of the actress than might have been possible in a traditional question-and-answer format. Originally released in Europe in 1984, Marlene was given its first wide American distribution in 1987. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One of the more unconventional movie-star biography documentaries ever made, Maximilian Schell's Marlene comes to DVD with a standard full-frame 1.33:1 image. The English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Mono. There are neither subtitles nor closed-captions. Although the disc lacks any special features, just being able to own this engrossing, bizarre, and utterly fascinating documentary is reason enough to own the film. Fans of the actress or people interested in the creation of a cult of personality will find this release quite watchable. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide