FemaleFirst.co.uk: DVD: The Insider [DVD] [2000]

The Insider [DVD] [2000]
enlarge	Director: Michael Mann Actors: Russell Crowe, Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer, Diane Venora, Philip Baker Hall Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm Category: DVD List Price: ~~£15.99~~ Buy New: £2.95 as of 21/11/2009 17:11 GMT details You Save: £13.04 (82%) New (20) Used (13) from £2.50 Seller: halfpricedvds Rating: 27 reviews Sales Rank: 4492 Format: Dubbed, PAL Languages: English (Subtitled), Italian (Subtitled), Polish (Subtitled), English (Original Language) Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over Region: 2 Discs: 1 Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Number Of Discs: 1 Running Time: 151 Minutes Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2 Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.4 x 0.6 EAN: 7321901346824 ASIN: B00004WCM4 Theatrical Release Date: November 5, 1999 Release Date: January 8, 2001 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days


Similar Items: Insomnia [DVD] [2002] People I Know [DVD] [2004] City Hall [DVD] [1996] Two Bits [DVD] A Bronx Tale [DVD] [1993]


Editorial Reviews: Amazon.co.uk Review As revisionist history, Michael Mann's intelligent docudrama IThe Insider/I is a simmering brew of altered facts and dramatic license. In a broader perspective, however, the film (co-written with IForrest Gump/I Oscar-winner Eric Roth) is effectively accurate as an engrossing study of ethics in the corruptible industries of tobacco and broadcast journalism. On one side, there is Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), the former tobacco scientist who violated contractual agreements to expose Brown Williamson's inclusion of addictive ingredients in cigarettes, casting himself into a vortex of moral dilemma. On the other side is I60 Minutes/I producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino), whose struggle to report Wigand's story puts him at odds with veteran correspondent Mike Wallace (Christopher Plummer) and senior executives at CBS News. p As the urgency of the story increases, so does the film's palpable sense of paranoia, inviting favourable comparison to IAll the President's Men/I. While Pacino downplays the theatrical excess that plagued him in previous roles, Crowe is superb as a man who retains his tortured integrity at great personal cost. IThe Insider/I is two movies--a cover-up thriller and a drama about journalistic ethics--that combine to embrace the noble values personified by Wigand and Bergman. Even if the details aren't always precise (as Mike Wallace and others protested prior to the film's release), the film adheres to a higher truth that was so blatantly violated by tobacco executives seen in an oft-repeated video clip, lying under oath in the service of greed. --IJeff Shannon, Amazon.com/I

Customer Reviews: Showing reviews 1-5 of 27 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next » Highly intelligent and relevant September 8, 2003 J. Humphreys 21 out of 22 found this review helpful To say that anyone outside the US won't fully understand this film rather misses the point. This isn't just a film about CBS, nor is it only about the evils of the tobacco industry. It is about how ruthlessly profit-driven business firms can bully, threaten and ultimately destroy the life of the little guy. It is about how they can use their financial power to manipulate the media into presenting the public with a distorted version of the truth. Such themes apply to far more than mere American domestic issues - they are problems inherent in big business and the media worldwide. This makes 'The Insider' a very important film. There is a classy director at the helm in Michael Mann, and a pair of live-wire lead actors in Al Pacino and Russell Crowe, who both give sympathetic portrayals, but are never cardboard cut-out heroes. This is a must see: it will change the way you think about the way in which corporations and the media work. As good as any 70s conspiracy flick February 26, 2003 7 out of 7 found this review helpful These kind of films (ie Parallax View, All the President's Men, The Conversation etc) were staple parts of the halcyon days of Hollywood in the 1970s, but died out somewhat in the 80s onwards.pSo it's nice to see Michael Mann pick up the reins and show that in these days of exploding White Houses and strangely attired superheroes that he is the most sensitive and character focussed director around.pBased on an article that appeared in Vanity Fair, centred around the plight of 'whistle blower' Jeffrey Wigand, the film centres on the efforts of both Wigand and Lowell Bergman in exposing the unsavoury practices of the so called 'Big Tobacco' companies in increasing nicotine levels in cigarette produce to keep 'users' buying. When Wigand - essentially an executive chemist at one of the big companies - began questioning the ethics of such practices, he was hounded out of his job and tied up in legal tape to prevent him spilling the beans. Bergman, a producer on 60 minutes attempts to untie the tape . . .pStunning visuals and a brilliantly direct script, allied to Crowe's mesmerising performance as Wigand and a more-measured-than-of-late performance by the legendary Pacino, mean this film flies past - quite an effort when it's three hours long.pOne of Mann's strengths is, as I have said, characterisation, and he is careful not to deify either lead. Wigand in particular is presented as a flawed, lonely man, generally untrusting and uncomfortable around others. Crowe certainly merited his Oscar nomination and should feel robbed in not winning the award. Gladiator should be regarded as pay off for The Insider.pThe set pieces are, as we have come to expect from Mann, sublime. In particular, the scene where Wigand locks himself in the hotel room overlooking Brown Williamson's legal dept is absolutely beautiful. The music, the visual effects in the wall appearing to 'move' intercut with Bergman trying to phone Wigand from his holiday retreat, create, in my view, the best individual scene of any film I can remember.pA clearly heavy handed subject is dealt with sensibly, avoiding sentimentality and schmaltzy conclusions. Perhaps this contributed to the film's worryingly poor box office return in America. The film fared better in Europe, perhaps due to Mann avoiding preaching from the moral high ground.pInterestingly, Mann is a heavy smoker (and smoked constantly while writing the script with his associate Eric Roth) but there is not one cigarette smoked in the entire film.pYour DVD collection is not complete without this - although the outrageous lack of extras suggest that an update should be forthcoming (ie with the original 60 Minutes program etc). superb,captivating and intelligent filmmaking October 9, 2001 jonty rodes- oav14493634@aol.com. (northants,england) 6 out of 6 found this review helpful I saw this film with my girlfriend at an afternoon showing at my local multiplex,there were not a great deal of people watching,and the majority were restless or sleeping by the end. these people missed an astounding film.brThe main performances are very powerfull- with Russel Crowe showing just what an amazing actor he is.brIt is one of those films you dream about, a film that draws you in and for the lenghth of the film-the only the thing that matters.It is brilliantly directed by Michael Mann-very stylish as always,and although long at nearly 3 hours,you never get tired of watching.brPacino and plummer add great performances in an unforgettable film.brTruly worth watching. Full marks all round December 11, 2000 5 out of 5 found this review helpful Just when you thought that Hollywood had given up making quality films altogether, out comes this first class piece of film-making.pExcellent performances all round. This is the sort of part that Al Pacino can play with his eyes shut, but it is Russell Crowe who steals the show for his portrayal of a man caught between a legal obligation to turn a blind eye to what he has seen in the tobacco industry and a compulsion to tell the world what is really going on.pEven though Kevin Spacey's Lester Burnham in American Beauty was certainly a worthy winner of the best actor Oscar, Crowe's performance in this film out-ranks it and in my opinion should have won it.pWhile this is a long film, it's not over-long because of it's ability to keep your attention and take the audience along with the story it is telling.pThis film is taken from real life events and it shows, because it has a definate sense of authenticity about it. It makes you believe what is really going on.pThis is, quite simply, the best film I have seen in ages. Full marks. Outstanding piece of Cinema September 11, 2000 bfarrell_uk@yahoo.co.uk (Scotland) 4 out of 4 found this review helpful Al Pacino gives his best performance since the Godfather Part II and Serpico. Over the years his performances have taken a theatrical tone, which works well in overblown films such as The devils Advocate, but I found brought a state of unrealism to his films. Not so in The Insider, it is so understated, that you forget that it is Al Pacino, he becomes Lowell Bergman. pRussell Crowe puts in a career best performance, I'm glad I saw this before Gladiator, because as much as I love that film, I dont know if Crowe will be able to give as much credence to these types of roles(see L.A. Confidential, Romper Stomper, Virtuosity, for an idea of this guys range). pIn any other year this film would have won all the oscars, except it was up against the magnificent American Beuty, which only won it by a hair width. pI dont know how this film will transfer on to the small screen, because the photography has a very epic feel, and the Soundtrack has to be experienced in full digital surround sound. Showing reviews 1-5 of 27 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next »

CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON EU S.à.r.l. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.