Plot: What’s it about?
As World War II begins to shift against his forces, Adolf Hitler (Billy Frick) sends down orders to maintain control of Paris, no matter what the cost. His trusted man General Dietrich von Cholitz (Gert Frobe) is stationed there and Hitler has sent specific demands on how to deal with matters that concern Paris. If Cholitz is unable to keep a handle on things, whether from the local resistance or the Allies, he has orders to demolish the entire area. His troops are to burn Paris to the ground, all the utilities, private homes, and landmarks. So if the Germans are to be driven from Paris, the cost to France could be immense. The freedom fighters in Paris are staging a bold resistance however, even as the Germans attempt to tighten the hold on the area. At the same time, the German forces have mined a lot of ground in the city, so dynamite has been placed in numerous locations, awaiting detonation on Hitler’s command. The resistance fighters are unsure of when to launch a full assault on the Germans, but soon the decision is made for them. Local police throw caution to the wind and fire the first shots, which sparks a powerful wave of resistance. With these forces gaining momentum and the Allies closing in, Hitler orders the explosions to begin. Cholitz is conflicted, but can he refuse the orders of his Nazi leader?
This war movie has a lot of big names attached on both sides of the camera, so Is Paris Burning? is a star studded production. The cast is loaded with talent, with such names as Orson Welles, Kirk Douglas, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Robert Stack, Alain Delon, Anthony Perkins, and numerous other well known performers. The script was penned by a couple of gents you should know, Francis Ford Coppola and Gore Vidal, so you know this was a high profile project. But even with all this talent involved, is this movie as good as it should be? This is by no means a bad movie, but I expected a lot more from Is Paris Burning? The film runs almost three hours in length and could use some trims here & there, as the material is stretched too thin in this version. Maybe with some cuts made to tighten up the storyline, Is Paris Burning? could have been more focused and by turn, more effective. So Is Paris Burning? often comes off as rushed and disjointed, especially the assorted cameos and vignettes. I don’t need every strand to mesh with the central plot, but in this movie, too much content is loose from the core. A number of good scenes are found here, as well as some solid performances, but its not enough. So unless you’re a war genre completist, you can leave Is Paris Burning? on the shelves.
When the name Orson Welles is mentioned, most people think of one of the most talented men in the history of cinema. After all, he created the film that is hailed as perhaps the greatest motion picture of all time, not to mention several other impressive projects. But if you watch him in Is Paris Burning?, you might have some second thoughts. Welles is out of his element here and seems to be sleepwalking through every scene. I am unsure if he needed the paycheck or just didn’t care about his performance, but you can tell he isn’t into his role. And in a movie loaded with small roles, you might not think it would impact the picture much, but sadly, Welles has a substantial role and that lessens the experience. I suppose the filmmakers were just so pleased to have him on board, as it doesn’t seem like he was given much direction. Perhaps if he would have been on his game, or another actor was given the part, the movie itself could have been a little better. Other films with Welles include Catch-22, Touch of Evil, Three Cases of Murder, Citizen Kane, The Third Man, and The Magnificent Ambersons. The cast also includes Jean-Paul Belmondo (The Professional, Le Magnifique), Gert Frobe (Goldfinger, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse), and Kirk Douglas (The Man From Snowy River, The Final Countdown).
Video: How does it look?
Is Paris Burning? is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This looks much better than anticipated, as the previous laserdisc edition was unremarkable. The proper framing is present here and the image is much cleaner, much sharper than before. The print is in terrific shape given the material involved, so grain isn’t an issue and print flaws are minor at worst. A hint of softness comes in at times, but nothing too serious and all things considered, we should rejoice that the film looks as crisp as it does here. As this is a black & white movie, contrast is of utmost importance and I found no reason for concern with this treatment. The black levels are well refined and consistent, though the archival footage shows a slight drop off. So a great catalog transfer from Paramount, one which should delight fans.
Audio: How does it sound?
This was an international production, so the cast spoke a variety of languages, then it was all dubbed into English. These days, we’d see this kind of movie with subtitles where needed, but for some reason, this movie opts to be in all English. As with any dubbed soundtrack, synch issues arise and unintentional humor is sometimes present. At least some of the actors dubbed their own voices, which leads you to wonder, why didn’t they just speak English in the first place, since their native language was to be axed in the film? The new Dolby Digital 5.1 option found here is more than solid in most respects, but you can tell this is a remix, as some scenes have a hollow presence. This never proves to be much of an issue however, as surround use is limited and as such, most of the elements remain in the front channels. I found the musical score to be well presented also, while dialogue is smooth and clean throughout. This disc also includes a 2.0 surround option, a French language track, and optional English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes no bonus materials.
