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Slumdog Millionaire [DVD] [2008]

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Directors: Danny Boyle, Loveleen Tandan
Actors: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Saurabh Shukla, Anil Kapoor, Rajendranath Zutshi
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Category: DVD

List Price: ~~£19.99~~
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Seller: SNOWMAN
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

159 reviews
Sales Rank: 42

Format: PAL
Languages: English (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region: 2
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 116 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.6

EAN: 5060002836439
ASIN: B001JJBC5S

Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: June 1, 2009
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days

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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.co.uk Review
Danny Boyle (iSunshine/i) directed this wildly energetic, Dickensian drama about the desultory life and times of an Indian boy whose bleak, formative experiences lead to an appearance on his country's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" Jamal (played as a young man by Dev Patel) and his brother are orphaned as children, raising themselves in various slums and crime-ridden neighorhoods and falling in, for a while, with a monstrous gang exploiting children as beggars and prostitutes. Driven by his love for Latika (Freida Pinto), Jamal, while a teen, later goes on a journey to rescue her from the gang's clutches, only to lose her again to another oppressive fate as the lover of a notorious gangster.p/p Running parallel with this dark yet irresistible adventure, told in flashback vignettes, is the almost inexplicable sight of Jamal winning every challenge on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?," a strong showing that leads to a vicious police interrogation. As Jamal explains how he knows the answer to every question on the show as the result of harsh events in his knockabout life, the chaos of his existence gains shape, perspective and soulfulness. The film's violence is offset by a mesmerizing exotica shot and edited with a great whoosh of vitality. Boyle successfully sells the story's most unlikely elements with nods to literary and cinematic conventions that touch an audience's heart more than its head. i--Tom Keogh/ip/p span class="h1"strongStills from emSlumdog Millionaire/em (Click for larger image)/strong/span table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" width="100%" p/p p/p tbody tr align="center" valign="top" tdimg src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/fox/slumdogmillionaire/Slum1_S.jpg" / /td p/p tdimg src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/fox/slumdogmillionaire/Slum2_S.jpg" / /td tdimg src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/fox/slumdogmillionaire/Slum3_S.jpg" / br //td p/p /tr tr align="center" valign="top" tdimg src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/fox/slumdogmillionaire/Slum4_S.jpg" //td p/p tdimg src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/fox/slumdogmillionaire/Slum6_S.jpg" //td tdimg height="200" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/fox/slumdogmillionaire/Slum5_S.jpg" width="300" //td br / p/p /tr /tbody /table /p /div /div

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 1-5 of 159

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Hard-hitting fable January 14, 2009
OEJ (England)
40 out of 57 found this review helpful

Slumdog Millionaire is a film that, along with the Booker Prize winning novel White Tiger, attempts to show both sides of India - the light and the dark. It's marketed as a 'feel-good' movie but it doesn't start out that way, as it includes a lot of quite extreme violence, the kind you certainly won't see in feel-good movies like Mamma Mia for example. So the headline in the posters and billboards is a little misleading. What it is is a film that, as with some others directed by Danny Boyle, manages to combine the gritty, earthy reality of life on the streets with an uplifting sense of vibrancy and - in this case - even joy. It's a film about people living in appalling squalour that manages to be exciting and entertaining. The screenplay by Simon Beaufoy, based on Vikas Swarup's novel, is in essence a fabulous tale (or as we tend to abbreviate it, a fable) that is brought to the screen with some excellent camera-work that makes the viewer feel is if they are really down there in the slums of Mumbai. It's made to feel all the more realistic by the inclusion of at least two children who were literally taken from those slums in order to have leading roles in this film. Two brothers grow and develop but while one of them sticks to the straight and narrow, the other crosses over to the bad side, and while they may be living in abject poverty they still have lofty aspirations for the future - one of the many skills director Boyle has is to demonstrate that anybody, no matter how poor, can be ambitious and positive and this is never portrayed in a patronising way. br / br /Mumbai is a city of perhaps 20 million people and most of them want to find not so much a way out, but a way to the top, and the theme of this movie is that of one person's struggle to achieve it (in his own very personal, romantic way) by the somewhat unlikely route of India's version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Basically he wants to find the girl of his dreams, a girl who he has known since childhood in the slums, and the best way to get her attention is to appear on the hugely successful TV quiz show. br / br /I saw this first at the cinema and it was so good I bought the DVD too. It's a fantastic piece of cinematography and direction, there's a real story to it - even if somewhat unlikely - and I think it's one of the few DVDs that is worth owning as opposed to just renting briefly. The film isn't short at exactly two hours, but the deleted scenes on this DVD could all have been included and made it even better. Usually when you see deleted scenes you understand why they weren't included in the final cut; in this case I think the producers decided to stick to a 120-minute limit. If there's ever a 'Director's Cut' version, which could be 150+ minutes long, I would recommend it. br / br /It's not the feel-good movie of the decade, as it is being promoted, but it's probably one of the best movies released in 2009. It fully deserves its 8 Oscars, including Best Picture, and really should not be missed if you haven't seen it already.

5 out of 5 stars

Slumdog Millionaire April 12, 2009
C. MacLellan (Glasgow, Scotland)
10 out of 14 found this review helpful

When it debuted on 4 September 1998, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire redefined the gameshow genre, brining with it a slickness and glamour which had never existed before. At its peak, it drew in 19 million viewers, aired in over 100 countries and saw millions of people annoyingly asking "Is that your final answer?" Then Judith Keppel (of Eggheads fame) won the million, and nobody could really be bothered watching it anymore. Viewing figures plummeted and it's been bumped to any random slot that can be found for it in the schedule. After watching Slumdog Millionaire though, you may just feel a yearning to give it another chance...but only if Anil Kapoor is hosting! br / br /The titular `slumdog', Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), somehow manages to fly through round-after-round of India's version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? At the last question, and on the verge of winning 20 million rupees, he is arrested by the authorities for cheating and tortured. During his (brutal) interrogation, he reflects on his tumultuous life, with each chapter having played a crucial part in his current fortune. br / br /With Slumdog Millionaire, genre hopping Brit director Danny Boyle has created three things - an edge of the seat thriller, a compelling drama and a work of art. Boyle's direction style, getting right down to street level, gives the film a breathless and exhilarating tempo, with the initial chase through the Mumbai slums reminiscent of the opening scene from Trainspotting and is deserving of comparison with the brilliant City of God. Boyle, along with cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, brings to life the slums of Mumbai, giving the film a vibrant and energetic tone. The feature also chronicles the transformation of Mumbai into the global city which it is has become. This is captured perfectly when Jamal is sitting with his older brother Samal (Madhur Mittal) in an incomplete skyscraper which is built on the site of their old slum. A.R. Rahman's Bollywood infused soundtrack maintains the energy of the film and also helps drive it. br / br /The adapted screenplay by Simon Beaufoy has come in for criticism, with accusations that it's completely impossible that anything like Jamal's story could actually happen. This criticism is completely unfounded, and maybe these same critics should also be reminded the lions don't talk and barbers don't slice people's throats. Instead, what Beaufoy has created is a multi-layered, contemporary Dickensian parable, full of depth, twists and turns. The main message of the film is that most people don't learn the facts of life through sitting down and reading books; they are taught them through experience. The claims of `feel-good' film of the year should be taken with the pinch of salt though; there is much slumdog to get past before you reach the millionaire. The three fractured narrative strands of the film are also brought together well by editor Chris Dickens into one gripping story which flows seamlessly. br / br /Dev Patel, former star of Skins, has Danny Boyle's daughter to thank for his current superstardom. After encountering trouble finding a lead in India - all of the male actors are buff, strong young men - Boyle's daughter suggested the young actor, and he fills the role of the `chia-wallah' brilliantly, making Jamal someone the audience wants to root for. The younger Indian children, who portray Jamal and his brother when they are younger, bring their slum dwelling experience to the fore, and fill the role entirely. Special praise must go to Anil Kapoor - aka Bollywood legend - as WWTBAM? host Prem Kumar, who acts as ringmaster for the entire proceedings. br / br /The Verdict br /An energetic, engaging, spirited and exhilarating modern day parable, told by a director at the top of his game - Boyle's hit the jackpot!!!

5 out of 5 stars

Two life paths perfectly portrayed August 4, 2009
Edwin Page (Cornwall, UK)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Slumdog Millionaire is a superbly filmed and acted movie. The early chase scenes are a great way to introduce us to the slum environment, one not simply filled with strife, but also moments of happiness. Using the Who Wants to be a Millionaire formet as the fixing point of the movie is a brilliant stroke which creates a central focus we can all recognise whilst at the same time being the end point of all the flashbacks we are shown. br / br /Boyle's expert flourishes bring out the best in this movie and the best in the actors. The two paths open to the brothers are clearly shown. One seeks power and money, the other is guided by love and human connection. These two journeys entwine and are juxtaposed with each other as we follow Jamal's story. br / br /This is a wonderfully vibrant film given greater impact by its necessary touches of darkness. br / br /If you want to know more about Slumdog Millionaire and Danny Boyle's other feature-length films then why not check out my book Ordinary Heroes: The Films of Danny Boyle which is available on this site.

5 out of 5 stars

Incredible! January 14, 2009
Marlyly (London - UK)
88 out of 135 found this review helpful

It's been a long time since I've seen a film that's affected me as much as this one has. br / br /The film follows Jamal Malik, an 18 year old slum boy in Mumbai who becomes a contestant on the Hindi version of 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire'. Jamal has managed to answer the questions correctly and has won 100,000 rupees, but the show ends before he can answer the final question, and whilst leaving the studio Jamal is arrested by the police who accuse him of cheating, claiming that no Slumdog would know the answers to the questions. The film opens with Jamal being tortured, but once the police officers realise that this is not working the sergeant attempts a more civil approach to get Jamal to talk by asking him how he knew the answer to each question. As Jamal explains to the sergeant the experiences in his life that led to him knowing the answers to these questions, we as the viewer see these flashbacks into Jamal's childhood, following his life from 5 years old to now and are given an insight into the slums of Mumbai, and one child's journey through all of it. br / br /The film is incredible, and pulls at every one of your heartstrings. I cried, I laughed, I was biting my nails with tension, covering my face with my hands unable to watch, smiling, frowning - the film is an emotional rollercoaster but never allows you to ponder on any one emotion too long, jumping from place to place, mixing jokes among tears. The soundtrack is perfect, the actors are all very good (the children especially are amazing), the colours on the screen gorgeous, and for 2 hours you feel like you genuinely are transported to Mumbai - it all feels so genuine. br / br /The films low budget and has a certain charm about it I've only found in other low budget films like 'Juno' and 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'. It fully deserves everyone of the 4 Golden Globes it won and I wish it every bit of luck with the Oscars next month too. A critic said that this is the `feel good film of the decade' and though I've got my reservations about agreeing (for a feel-good film it spent a hell of a lot of time focusing on the darker, more disturbing parts of life in Mumbai for the slum children) there's no doubting that you will leave the cinema in elevated spirits, and it is nice to have a film end on a positive note for a change rather than the doom and gloom directors usually opt for. br / br /An incredible film I would love to watch again and again - I can't wait till this comes out on DVD.

5 out of 5 stars

Original, accomplished, and a tribute, full of cinemagraphic power February 5, 2009
G. Jones (Berlin)
42 out of 65 found this review helpful

As an Englishman living in Germany, where Bollywood films are dubbed and therefore much eaier to understand than with subtitles, I now know a lot about Bollywood, from both the Masala and the Parallel sides. br / br /"Slumdog Millionaire" manages what very few films have done before it,(perhaps Ram Gopal Varma's "Satya" was the closest), in that it combines both the Indian genres. It is a "parallel film" (ie. an Indian Arthouse movie) in its construction, but it has a "Masala Movie" (ie. a Bollywood Blockbuster) feeling in its execution. br / br /In other words, "Slumdog Millionaire" makes you think about the subject matter (which is arthouse), but it also makes you feel good at the same time (which is blockbuster). That is, it has a deep meaning (ie. that the slum people know things too, which could help the country to progress), but also a flashy cinemagraphic execution (for example, when one watches it, one has the feeling that something new in cinema has occurred, just like with Danny Boyle's earlier film, "28 Days"). br / br /As far as the Bollywood influences go, Danny has obviously taken time to study the art-form of Indian cinema closely, and any Indian who doesn't appreciate and respect that aspect of the film is banging his head against a wall for the sheer fun of it. Because at its core, the film IS Indian, full of the lifeforce and charisma of Mumbai. Though interestingly, apart from the Hindi speaking kids, who are FABULOUS, the NRI in the cast seems to understand the subtelty that Boyle is after much better than the Mumbai based actors. It's a shame, for instance, that for the film's balance, SRK did not accept to play the role of the quiz-master, as he would have given, as the character of Fate, a far more inspired and impressive counterweight to the background story than AK does. But nevertheless, AK brings everything he's got to the role, and obviously enjoyed it. br / br /As for Mumbai, and the criticism in India of showing the slums too graphically... Well, I'm sorry, but I know Mumbai, and it looks EXACTLY like it's shown in the movie. Especially North Mumbai, near Juhu. br / br /So, in short, Danny Boyle has done agreat job in capturing the lifeblood of the city, and I'm sure the film's sucess will open up a can of worms in the established Bollywood fraternity, where everything is still extremely caste-based, and where a lot of ingrained filmy-families have a lot to lose if "non filmy people" start having a success. br / br /But the point is, as the film makes clear, that change has already started to happen with the inroduction of TV, so that already the old style Bollywood of the "rich kids with their rich kid's problems" is giving way to the specific concerns of the upper and lower middle classes. br / br /Soon, I hope, the lower classes will have their own TV programs too,(which is not that far away, when one considers that a non-touchable recently won the Indian version of American Idol!). And so, when that happens, let the slumdogs cheer! Because then, just as Gandhi envisioned, India really will become a great democracy br / br /Let us hope, therefore, in solidarity with all the slum dwellers, (who are, by the way, some of the kindest people in Mumbai), that the day of equality will arrive there as soon as possible, so that everyone, no matter what caste they're born into, can filfill their true potential ... as a human being. br / br / br / br / br / br /

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