starring: Marlene Dietrich, John Lodge, Sam Jaffe, Louise Dresser, C. Aubrey Smith directed by: Josef von Sternberg
Genre: Drama, Romance, History
A flawed masterpiece. Arguably the most extravagent, audacious collaboration between Marlene Dietrich and her mentor, director Josef von Sternberg, THE SCARLET EMPRESS brings to life a colourful chapter in Russian history. Ok. I had great expectations for Scarlet Empress, but I found myself skipping forward in the movie. Not as bad as stated. first and foremost, let me say that i am a very large fan of Marlene Dietrich, and I was overjoyed to discover one of her Von Sternberg films was released on DVD. Curious. I purchased this one only out of curiosity, seeing how a film was made before the hayes office took over with film vetting,telling us what we should and should not watch. Finally. I was so happy to find this movie! No evidence of the 'bad' print reviewers warned about. I asked for this DVD for my birthday, because I was afraid to purchase it due to so many negative reviews about the picture quality. Garishly Ornate, Complex, Vision of Surreal Decadence. Two gnarled statues of grotesque beasts make love in the garden, a perverse cuckoo clock exposes female bodily organs, a skeletal figure shot through with arrows twists its face in a silent wail towards heaven. Very good and strange sternberg/dietrich collaboration. Sternberg's love affair with dietrich is probably at its zenith with this strange and delightfully over the top version of the story of Catherine the great. Visually stunning and deliciously evil. The highest achievement of Von Sternberg as a filmmaker, and his greatest fruit of achievement with Marlene Dietrich, THE SCALET EMPRESS reign over film history like the terror of Catherine the great still curse Russian history. Catherine was Great and so is Miss Dietrich in the film! Here is a film that is so original it was ahead of its time when it was released!
Don't believe the hysteria - the quality is quite acceptable. This is a DVD of a 67-year-old-film, of which the negative has simply deteriorated over time. Sumptuous. Josef von Sternberg was a master of detail and cinematography and his films, especially those with Marlene Dietrich, are a visual feast. Forget the plot, just watch! The booklet that accompanies this Criterion DVD contains a short essay on Sternberg by the late avant-garde filmmaker Jack Smith, to the effect that Sternberg wasn't very interested in the stories he filmed, and we shouldn't be either. This classic deserves better. Von Sternberg's masterpiece is a visual feast, but this DVD seems to have been made from a grainy sixteen millimeter print. Inferior transfer from Criterion compromises masterpiece. You'll hear no disagreement from me that The Scarlet Empress is Von Sternberg's masterpiece, abounding in stunning imagery. Baroque, superbe film. It's unfortunate that it's currently difficult to get hold of Josef von Sternberg's films starring Marlene Dietrich from the 1930s. A visual delight. Oops. Great Disappointment. I can not describe how disappointed I am with the print quality of Criterion's Scarlet Empress. A great film...a lousy transfer. After seeing this film On Turner Classic Movies, several months ago, I became a big fan of its grotesque imagery, and the mysterious, surreal, and almost comical, world it created for the viewer. Quite impressive for its time. This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.
Great Film, Terrible Print... Of all the Sternberg/Dietrich films this is my favourite, a perverse and decadent vision of history with performances to match the stunningly bizarre art direction. Big. This movie is obviously a showcase for Marlene. Glorious Excess. "The Scarlet Empress" may be the most over-the-top spectacle ever filmed, and at the time, it was certainly the costliest. A Film of Great Style And Innuendo. The Scarlet Empress is one of the most bizarre, opulent and sexually suggestive major movies around. My favorite Marlene movie! This is her best. My first exposure to von Sternberg. This is the first film von Sternberg film that I've seen, so I would hardly presume to call it his best work. Is it or isn't it? In a previous review I remarked on what a terrible print of the film was used for this DVD - GREAT FILM, terrible print. A visual delight. Marlene Dietrich as Catherine II (not Catherine the Great). So cool. If you did not see it till now . Only for film buffs. It's hard to rate a movie like this.
Marlene Dietrich is Incredible. This is a decent enough transfer--- and most importantly the best one that you'll come across today. ANOTHER DISAPPOINTING DVD TRANSFER FROM CRITERION. Long-awaited DVD release is another disappointment from CRITERION. HIstory lesson, Hollywood style. As one watches this film, keep in mind one should follow this one visually, not through the words of the charctors or dialogue panels. A stunning cinematic achievement! The progressive transformation of a na?ve country girl and the unwilling bride of the imbecile Tsar Peter, her Darwinian adaptation through the abrasive and poisonous Court intrigues, her alluring profile to become the Empress of all the Russians. Disturbing, Beautiful, Just Amazing. What an incredible film. The Scarlet Empress (Marlene Dietrich, Josef von Sternberg dir.) The names of Marlene Dietrich and Josef von Sternberg (born Jonas Sternberg) are inextricably entertwined. Marlene Dietrich Is Incredible. This is a decent transfer. Why no commentary? This is a fantastic film and with so many film historians out there, I'm surprised that Criterion did not seek someone out to do a commentary for this film. Extraordinary Film - So-So Transfer. This is such a fascinating work of art and so extraordinary visually that I ranked this as a 5-star item despite some qualms over the transfer. A movie for film historians and students. Sternberg/Dietrich is a match made in heaven.
FASCINATING FANTASIA ON THE LIFE OF CATHERINE THE GREAT! This movie is justly famous for it's bizarre visual style; it's a fascinating excursion into the life of one of history's most notorious women.
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