Becket :: Education by Design Store

Customer Reviews

Excellent!

2008-09-30
Great move for a great price. I'm a huge fan of The Lion in Winter, in which O'Toole plays the title role of Henry II. That came out in '68, but the events in Becket are about 15 years or so before TLIW. Great acting, great costuming, good play between O'Toole and Burton. If you like classic movies from the '60s, and you like O'Toole or Burton, give this one a whirl.

Top-notch period drama with great cast

2008-09-15
At last, we can see this top-notch period drama as it was intended to be seen. Restored in high definition, the original Panavision photography looks sharp in an anamorphic transfer, with Dolby Digital sound. Nominated for 12 Oscars, BECKET will be remembered for the first-rate performances by Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole and a superb supporting cast that includes John Gielgud and Donald Wolfit. Bonus features include interviews with editor Anne V. Coates and composer Laurence Rosenthal and archival interviews with Burton. O'Toole contributes an audio commentary.
Excellent period drama (and a great companion to THE LION IN WINTER).

Great Movie Making - Excellent Theme

2008-08-31
Historical drama at its best. An amazing bit of history portrayed by Peter O'Toole and Richard Burton. Nominated for 12 Academy Awards. This is really great stuff. Watch this one ! ! !

Peter O'Toole's finest!!!

2008-06-28
This film is in my opinion OFF the charts on most levels!!! For any fans of ¨Lion in Winter ¨, this is a MUST see!!! For students of film and drama this is a benchmark of pristine, powerful and heartfelt delivery of the director's and the script writers intentions. Furthermore, the film's transfer onto DVD
is gorgeous!!! I would even go as far to say that ALL actors on any level be it stage or film can learn from this epic film which features a STELLAR cast! This was directed by Peter Glenville as well as gracing the New York Stage courtesy of Mr.David Merrick and received a whopping 12 Academy Award nomimations only to lose the Best Picture award to ¨My Fair Lady¨ A popularity contest AT BEST!

Do yourself a favor and see this film ASAP!!!!

Hollywood At It's Best

2008-06-26
Let's face it, Hollywood is in business to make money. Every once in a while they do something that actually goes beyond that and this movie is one of them. For the person who does not know a great deal of history I believe they will be surprised to discover that a King of England would submit to being thrashed by a bunch of monks in penance for anything, including the murder of a priest. Certainly the fact that the primary characters are based on real people might spark an interest, at least to go read a survey of the central characters' biographies. Hollywood can do useful work in this regard in a culture where significant percentages of people cannot answer basic questions of historical fact. The acting and the story line are compelling and the casting is superb.

On the other side of the house, Henry II is depicted as being far too shallow and weak. His angst is much more modern than actual and, then, Becket's transformation is depicted as far more spiritual than are the facts. Becket never stopped being a politician though I believe that he certainly did undergo a fairly extensive "rebirth" upon entering the priesthood. Those things can be forgiven but allow only a four star recommendation.

Good flick, watch it with someone who might be open to conversation about what challenges Henry II really faced and what long lasting influence he had on the English (and thence US) institutions.

Becket

2008-05-30
Made in 1964, but set in 12th-century England, this is the fact-based story of Henry II (Peter O'Toole) and his dear friend, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Richard Burton). When the king appoints his former drinking buddy to the high religious office, he believes he has placed an ally into power. Instead, he learns that Thomas very much takes his job to heart, prompting Henry to ask that fateful question--"Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?"

This won an Academy Award for Best Screenplay, and it is a strong example of finely tuned performances--both leading men received Academy Award nominations for their roles. There is much passion and rage on the screen, but the beauty of their performances is that we always know that love is there as well. The film, shot on location in England, is also visually appealing. Trivia buffs may be interested to know that Peter O'Toole played Henry II four years later in The Lion in Winter. --Rochelle O'Gorman

A masterpiece! 2008-05-26
One of my favorite movies of all time!

There is so much to enjoy in this movie, but for me, two bits of dialog stand out. In the first, King Henry finally realizes that Becket is no longer "his Chancellor" or "his man." The brooding Henry's words cannot help but touch us:

Becket: forgive me (as he hands over chancellor's ring back to Henry)

Henry: You give the Lions of England back to me; like a little boy who doesn't want to play any more. I would have gone to war with all England's might being me -- and even against England's interest -- to defend you, Thomas. I would have given away my life, laughingly, for you. Only, I loved you, and you didn't love me... that's the difference.

Next is the near comic discussion between Henry and his wife:

Queen Matilda: I gave you my youth... gave you your children.

Henry: I don't LIKE my children. And as for your youth... THAT withered flower, pressed between the pages of a hymnbook since you were 12 years old, with its watery blood and stale, incipid scent, you can bid farewell to that without a tear. Your body was an empty desert, madam, which duty forced me to wander in alone... And Becket was my friend... red-blooded, generous and full of strength, oh my Thomas...

There's so much more!

One day, I'm going to wash my face by breaking the ice covering the water. As Thomas Becket always told his friend Henry to do.

John Cathcart
Author Delta 7

A Classic Revived 2008-05-09
Becket is a classic movie with some great actors obviously enjoying playing off each other. The film is a talk-fest most of the time, and certainly lacks some major action scenes, but is still a memorable movie, and this DVD edition has been beautifully restored.

Of the bonus features, the interview with the film's original editor is well worth watching for the extra dimension it gives to the film and acting performances (as well as insight into the actors' liesure activities!)

Two Magnificent Actors at Their Peak 2008-05-05
While watching this DVD presentation of Becket, I became nostalgic for that mid 60s-early 70s period when so many fine movies of this type were made (A Man for All Seasons, Becket, Anne of the Thousand Days, Cromwell, etc.). It was a magical period because there were so many great adapted screenplays available and so many talented, serious British stage actors capable of bringing them to life. Sir Alec Guiness, Sir John Gielgud, Richard Harris, Paul Scofield, Anthony Quayle, Robert Shaw, and other fine actors appeared in these movies, but none were more formidable than Sir Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole starring together. Both were at the pinnacle of their acting careers in 1964. Burton was only a year removed from his controversial turn as Marc Antony in the blockbuster Cleopatra and O'Toole had completed the epic Lawrence of Arabia a couple of years earlier. The movie depicts the familiar story of a worldly and once-debauched Archbishop Thomas Becket, played by Burton, and his late, painful discovery that self-interest and hedonism couldn't compare to love and loyalty in the service of a higher cause. Becket comes into dangerous conflict with his King, patron and former best friend, Henry II, played by O'Toole, when King Henry realizes too late that Becket is taking his job as Archbishop seriously. The King, having cynically given the powerful position to his trusted friend, counts on him to be a willing accomplice to Henry's consolidation of royal power over the Church. It is not to be, and both Henry and Becket are forced to make painful choices. The movie is beautifully filmed in English castles, cathedrals and Shepperton Studios movie sets. Becket is both a great piece of history and a wonderful lesson in character and devotion.

An Historical Goodie! 2008-04-27
Amazing acting performances by Peter O'Toole and Richard Burton. Set in Medieval England where the church and The Kingdom of England fight for control. Henry II (O'Toole) is masterful in his cunning, bed-wenching best. His top counselor and friend Becket (Burton) is a smart, place seeking Saxon underling vying for power behind the scenes. He is devoted to his king and friend until Henry makes him Archbishop of Canterbury. Henry does this believing that his friend will support him. But Becket goes through a pang of conscience and in a mix of piety and power fights Henry with the power of the church at stake. Gripping Drama with the best Actors and script. A must for those who enjoy historical pieces!