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Enemy at the Gates [2001] [DVD] | ![Enemy at the Gates [2001] [DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41FREHD5EQL._SL160_.jpg) | Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Actors: Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz
Studio: Pathe Distribution
Category: DVD
List Price: £19.99
Buy New: £2.50
as of 25/11/2009 03:49 GMT details
You Save: £17.49 (87%)
New (16) Used (23) from £1.17
Seller: enigmadirect
Rating:  72 reviews
Sales Rank: 2931
Format: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), German (Original Language), Russian (Original Language)
Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region: 2
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 131 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5060002830802
ASIN: B00005OLA6
Theatrical Release Date: March 16, 2001
Release Date: November 19, 2001
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
IEnemy at the Gates/I opens with a pivotal event of World War II--the German invasion of Stalingrad--recreated in ISaving Private Ryan/I-like epic scale as ill-trained Russian soldiers face German attack or punitive execution if they flee from the enemy's advance. Director Jean-Jacques Annaud captures this madness with urgent authenticity, creating a massive context for a more intimate battle waged amidst the city's ruins. Embellished from its basis in fact, the story shifts to an intense cat-and-mouse game between a Russian shepherd raised to iconic fame, and a German marksman whose skill is unmatched in its lethal precision. Vassily Zaitzev (Jude Law) has been sniping Nazis one bullet at a time, while the German Major Konig (Ed Harris) has been assigned to kill Vassily and spare Hitler from further embarrassment. There's love in this war, too, as Vassily connects with a woman soldier (Rachel Weisz), but she is also loved by Danilov (Joseph Fiennes), the Soviet officer who promotes his friend Vassily as Russia's much-needed hero. This romantic rivalry lends marginal interest to the central plot, but it's not enough to make this a classic war film. Instead it's a taut, well-made suspense thriller isolated within an epic battle, and although Annaud and cowriter Alain Godard (drawing from William Craig's book and David L Robbins' novel IThe War of the Rats/I) fail to connect the parallel plots with any lasting impact, the production is never less than impressive. Highly conventional but handled with intelligence and superior craftsmanship, this is warfare as strategic entertainment, without compromising warfare as a man-made hell on Earth. I--Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com/I PBOn the DVD:/b with a choice of Dolby 5.1 or DTS the sound is suitably spectacular (James Horner's Prokofiev-inspired score comes up well amid whizzing bullets and explosions), while the 2.35:1 anamorphic picture makes the best of the epic battle sequences. "Through the Crosshairs" is a standard 20-minute behind-the-scenes documentary, which is complemented by "Inside Enemy at the Gates", a 15-minute montage of interviews with the stars and director. There's also a 25-minute French-made documentary (with English subtitles) about the real battle that includes a short interview with the real Vassily Zaitsev. Eight brief deleted scenes can be played separately or neatly inserted into the movie by pressing Enter when the gun sight icon appears on screen. The commentary by director Jean-Jacques Annaud is as informative as might be expected from a director who always seems passionate about his film projects. Storyboards, posters, a trailer and filmographies round out an excellent disc package. --IMark Walker/I
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 72
 A compelling war drama which is a must buy December 8, 2001
24 out of 30 found this review helpful
I first saw this film at the cinema and was blown away by the quality of the performances, the storyline and the amazing reality of the sets.pThe film is set during the battle for Stalingrad in the winter of 1942, and as with all good war films has a very personal story line set in the midst of this massive confrontation. There are several fine performances from key British actors, especially from Jude Law in the main role of Soviet Sniper - Vassili Zeitsev.pI especially enjoyed the lack of American or British armed forces involvement, as films such as Pearl Harbour and Saving Private Ryan have taken much away from the massive contribution the Russians gave to the World War II effort.pI was keen to purchase the DVD as soon as it was made available, and I would recommend this as a worthy addition to any film collection.
move over saving private ryan October 22, 2001
matither@hotmail.com (Westcountry (oohh ahh))
11 out of 16 found this review helpful
This is very, very good. Its a shame it didnt do so well in the box office because it deserves to. The sets are amazing and the acting is brilliant, thanks to a predominantly british cast and an Ed Harris (apollo 13) who makes a very good German. No Americans and no glamour in this film, its back down to the gritty, war is hell type film that makes this such a breathe of fresh air. It just shows how the Americans didnt win the war by themselves.
Heart Stopping November 21, 2001
tomcbeast@yahoo.co.uk (UK)
8 out of 12 found this review helpful
An amazing film that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. Very life-like acting and some of the special effects and scenes are fantastic. Jude Law plays te part of the sniper very well. I reccommend this film to anyone, this is a gripping WWII film.
The Song of the Volga Gunmen December 11, 2005
Louise Stanley (Reading, Berkshire United Kingdom)
8 out of 12 found this review helpful
An absolutely incredible film, one of the best and better than Stalingrad. The DVD is also packed with stuff - including three documentaries (the Making Of one, the raw historical background, and one shot during filming by what sounds like the guy who does voice-overs for cinema trailers). pZaitsev (Jude Law) and Danilov (Joseph Fiennes) are comrades in arms at the battle of Stalingrad. pI remember thinking when it came out that it looked like a Fatherland style counter-factual film. Although that would have been pretty cool, the actual story is intense - and tense - enough to be thrilling without any speculation as to what might have happened had the Germans won in Stalingrad.pThe three main characters create a love triangle that although might be a bit corny for some is tastefully done and Rachel Weisz manages to look suitably dishevelled to be a realistic female soldier. Dana Vavrova in the German film Stalingrad managed it just as well, but she still looked a bit too picture perfect. The civilians too are well-rounded characters, again stealing a march on Stalingrad, in which the civilians seemed rather pathetic figures. pThe director of course explains that most of the mud and dust that you see is real, so there is more realism than in some films where despite the external violence and chaos, the leading lights always look immaculate. In fact much of the film was shot without assistance from CGI - though unfortunately when it does occur, it looks rather phoney and detracts from the rest of the gunge - and the documentaries and commentary go into detail about the choices of shot and set. Some of the less muddy scenes do look a bit awkward though, particularly the portrait of Stalin at HQ, having seen many photographs of that era, the painting would have been a massive oil painting worthy of Rembrandt rather than a more stylised portrait. However I'll let that pass, since the scenes provide a welcome respite from all the mess and squalor.pI also admire the director's passion for making the film - shot with an incredible number of extras - a big-budget, maximum exposure production rather than a minor art-house release, and although Stalingrad may be more linguistically realistic with its use of the Russian language, it manages to end on a positive note. Although this might be selling out, it ensured that the film was widely circulated and helped the director to promote it. The only weak link is Ron Perlman (Kulikov), who comes across as an Aussie tough as much as anything else - although to be honest it fits his hard-living character well and doesn't detract much from the atmosphere of the film.pAlthough not essential viewing and with a happy ending that belies the utter misery and exhaustion of the historical setting, nonetheless this is a good afternoon's entertainment and can be watched more than once and still be interesting. The DVD itself has a good mixture of special features and an interesting approach to menus etc, though some of the filmography text can be difficult to see on smaller TV screens.
accurate, shocking, thought-provoking December 3, 2003
6 out of 9 found this review helpful
Impressed. A refreshing change to the "flat-packed" war movies with an American bias and lots of explosions to keep Uncle Sam happy. An historically accurate portrayal of a battle so commonly forgotten in favour of D-day and Pearl Harbour. This film invoked emotion. I was genuinely outraged having seen the opening scene where Soviet conscripts were shot by their own officers. The script wasn't brilliant and the accents unconvincing but this was compensated for with a great srotyline and well-integrated sub-plots and political theory. The role of a young Russian boy who plays the role of a double-agent adds even more emotion. This film is a gem. There was a real risk taken by those who funded it as it would have been so easy to have produced a dull, stereotypical war film.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 72
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