Search - A Room with a View on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Mild Violence, Nudity, Adult Situations Movie Release: 1986 DVD Release: 07/04/2000 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 56 mins Studio: Image Entertainment Members Wishing: 49 Genres: Comedy Drama, Romance, Comedy of Manners, Romantic Drama, Period Film See Also: A Room With a View [Special Edition], A Room With a View [Special Edition] [Amaray], A Room with a View [HD DVD], A Room with a View [Blu-ray]

Adapted by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala from the novel by E.M. Forster, A Room with a View is a shining example of Merchant-Ivory's ability to achieve maximum quality and opulence at minimum cost. Set during the Edwardian Era, the film stars Helena Bonham Carter as Lucy Honeychurch, who like all proper young British ladies is compelled to tour Europe in the company of an older chaperone -- in this instance, her spinster cousin Charlotte Bartlett (Maggie Smith). While in Italy, the ladies make the acquaintance of a wide variety of personalities; the most fascinating of their fellow tourists -- at least in Lucy's eyes -- is free-spirited George Emerson (Julian Sands). Aware that her cousin is becoming too familiar with Emerson, Charlotte demands that Lucy return to England posthaste. Lucy complacently settles for the tiresomely traditional courtship of nerdish Cecil Vyse (Daniel Day-Lewis) -- and then Mr. Emerson moves into the neighborhood. Lucy now finds herself on the horns of a dilemma: Should she opt for a safe, proper marriage to Cecil, or the bohemian unpredictability of the charismatic Emerson? A winner of three Academy Awards, A Room with a View is not what one could call fast-moving, but fans of the Merchant-Ivory team will enjoy luxuriating in the film's leisurely pace and stimulating cast of characters. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Maggie Smith - Charlotte Bartlet
Helena Bonham Carter - Lucy Honeychurch
Denholm Elliott - Mr. Emerson
Julian Sands - George Emerson
Daniel Day-Lewis - Cecil Vyse

Image, which released A Room With a View, has not given this film the treatment that it deserves. First of all, while the image quality is very good, with nice contrast and no overly distracting elements, it lacks the kind of definition that is standard on quality discs these days. The picture seems rather soft and the detail a bit low at times. Still, it's probably never looked better, at least not on any other video format. In its favor, Image has presented the film in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, though it is not anamorphic. The sound on this disc is the real surprise. A 5.1 Dolby Digital track seems a bit unnecessary for a film like this. There are some directional effects, mainly the sound of thunder from a storm and horses clopping, but this just doesn't seem like the kind of film that needs an enhanced soundtrack. The fact is that the original theatrical soundtrack would have been preferred, with the image enhanced for widescreen televisions. Unfortunately that is not the case. The disc also has a decent, but less impressive Surround Dolby Digital track, but is lacking in any subtitles. A Room With a View is the kind of film that demands a special edition, something that Image has chosen not to do. There is nothing on this disc, not even a trailer, which should be the absolute minimum for any disc. ~ Trent Fordham, All Movie Guide