Lawrence Of Arabia (1962) *****
At 3 and 3/4 hours long, few movies are as captivating as Lawrence Of Arabia (1962). Hell, few movies are as captivating at half that length. I've watched David Lean's not-so-lean desert epic three times now, if memory serves correct. The previous viewing was 10 years ago for the film's 50th anniversary, when it was released to Blu-ray. The time before that was a year shy of the 40th anniversary, when the film was released to DVD. Now I've watched LOA on a third format, 4K UHD, looking the best I've ever seen it (I haven't gotten around to seeing a 70mm print yet).
It's difficult to explain what is so fascinating about this film, outside of the obvious—the impressive technical achievements. Through a 2022 lens, there are obvious flaws but they are easy to overlook. The central figure is captivating, even if he is a sadistic colonialist with a fractured psyche. LOA is rightly considered one of the greatest films ever made for many reasons, which I won't attempt to list. It's not a film I watch often, as mentioned above, largely due to the time commitment involved (pro tip: when viewing the film at home, watch the first part, take a nap, then watch the second part), but it's one that leaves a mark every time.
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