What's new

HTF REVIEW: "Uprising" (highly recommended) (1 Viewer)

Ronald Epstein

Founder
Owner
Moderator
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 3, 1997
Messages
66,558
Real Name
Ronald Epstein
23067.jpg


UPRISING

"We will live our lives with honor and we
will die by honor -- Jewish honor
"
I have a feeling that not many of the other
fine review sites have given this new release
by Warner Home Video the attention that it deserves.
I wanted to be certain I did. Uprising is an
original TV movie made for what appears to be one of
the cable networks (due to the nudity and graphic
violence portrayed). I had never heard of it until
I received a screener from Warner Brothers about
a week ago.
I wanted to review this film, because I have
great interest in the Holocaust period. While
there are some fantastic documentaries available
on DVD (INTO THE ARMS OF STRANGERS and
THE LAST DAYS), it is encouraging to see more
programming slowly surfacing. While many of us
still patiently await the release of Spielberg's
Schindler's List, the masterpiece film about
a man who saved 1100 Jews, I think audiences will be
just as inspired by Jon Avnet's Uprising, a
powerful story of Jews saving themselves. This
is a remarkable film featuring a powerful cast.
This is the true story of a large group of Polish
Jews, who starting in 1940, built a resistance known
as the ZOB (Jewish Fighters Organization) and fought
against the invading Germans upon the Warsaw ghetto.
Led by Mordechai Anielewicz (Hank Azaria), the ZOB
take such dangerous duties as smuggling arms and
explosives, and even infiltrate the Aryan side of
the city. Though they lack the cooperation of
Jewish Consulate, Adam Czerniakow (Donald Sutherland),
it is the growing atrocities by the Germans that bands
this underground group together.
The story remarkably tells the story of Jewish
heroism through characters such as Tosia (Leelee
Sobieski), and Yitzhak (David Schwimmer). These
are people whom the Germans refer to as a "small
group of bandits" who held off German military for
longer than the entire country of Poland.
In 1943, as the Germans proudly marched into
the Warsaw ghetto singing songs, it is this band
of Jews who held their ground through days of
battles that ultimately shamed Major-General
Jurgen Stroop (Jon Voigt).
Warner has done an incredible job of presenting
this movie in a handsome 2-disc Collector's set.
Packed in a large cardboard case, an insert slides
out and opens up to a 3 panel gatefold that
holds the 2 discs in plastic housing.
The film itself looks and sounds great. Presented
in enhanced widescreen, the picture looks very clear
and clean throughout. The 5.1 Dolby Surround sounds
excellent -- especially in the many assault scenes
that make up the 3rd hour of this film.
There are 2 feature-length commentaries: one with
Director/Co-Writer Jon Avnet and the other with
stars Hank Azaria, David Schwimmer, Leelee Sobieski,
and Jon Voigt.
Disc 2 is packed with Special Features that
begins with Breaking down the wall, a
post 9/11/01 behind-the-scenes documentary on the
making of the film. Director Jon Avnet wanted to
make this film because this is the very first
Holocaust film that tells the story of Jews fighting
back rather than resisting. There are interviews
with all the major actors (Azaria, Sobieski, Schwimmer,
Sutherland) who reveal the spirit of the characters
they play.
Resistance is an extraordinary historical
look at the 1939 Jewish ghetto resistance. Using
archival footage, still photos and with interviews
from surviving resistance fighters, we get a
first-hand look at period and lives this film
was based upon. What I found to be astounding was the
fact that the Jews of this period wanted the memory
of what was happening to them to be preserved. They
documented everything around them and hid them in
milk containers and buried them underground. The
documentary also looks at the strength of film as a
propaganda machine the Germans used in gaining
support for Jewish extermination. This is a powerful
documentary that is even more moving than the film
itself as it shows the reality in pictures and words
from the people that survived it.
Rounding out the Special Features is a Cast
and Crew filmography, 2 trailers, and enhanced
features for your PC DVD-ROM.
Final Thoughts
It bothers me that this title is going to be
overlooked by most, and ultimately overshadowed
by Schindler's List, when it makes its way
to DVD in a few months.
Although this was never a major theatrical release,
I am surprised at just how well made this was for
a television release. It's a powerful fact based
saga that thrives on the spirit of the Jewish
heroism in the face of death. It was the spirit of
their deaths that shaped a new generation of Jews.
Rent this -- purchase this -- but above all, see it!
2-disc deluxe set available Now for under $15
 

Scott McGillivray

Supporting Actor
Joined
Sep 20, 1999
Messages
932
Sounds really interesting, Ron. I will have to give it a spin. When and where did it originally play on T.V.?

Thanks for the "heads-up" on this title.
 

Steve Tannehill

R.I.P - 4.28.2015
Senior HTF Member
Deceased Member
Joined
Jul 6, 1997
Messages
5,547
Location
DFW
Real Name
Steve Tannehill
It was an NBC miniseries that was first broadcast on November 4...six weeks to DVD release. If only HBO would be so quick with BAND OF BROTHERS.

- Steve
 

Tom Rhea

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 31, 2000
Messages
292
I remember watching Hank Azaria's appearance on the Tonight Show to promote this movie and being really impressed with the clip they showed, but then promptly forgot all about it because right after Hank was David Lynch promoting Mullholland Dr. Thanks for the reminder.
 

Ernest

Supporting Actor
Joined
Dec 21, 1998
Messages
849
Watched this DVD the other night and Ron is right on the money. Uprising is an excellent movie and the DVD looks very good with crisp surround sound in 5.1. This is a very powerful story that should not be missed.
 

Rob Willey

Screenwriter
Joined
Apr 10, 2000
Messages
1,345
Real Name
Rob
I was really impressed with this TV-movie when I saw it on NBC last month. Enhanced widescreen and 5.1 tells me I should revisit it on DVD. Thanks, Ron!

Rob
 

Lance Nichols

Supporting Actor
Joined
Dec 29, 1998
Messages
726
The story intrested me, and I had had it on my radar screens for a while, as I am a big Leelee Sobieski fan. So I was pleasently surprised to see a DVD listed as streeting on 18 December 2001 at Image Entertainment well before teh show aired on NBC. I was busy working during the airing, and missed about a quarter of the production all told.
This disc has been on order since I noticed it, and I am eagerly awaiting it. DVD Boxoffice has not shipped it yet :frowning: and my new favorite local supplier sold out. Thanks for the review. I though everyone handled themselves well in the show, my bias for Leelee aside, she did well, and I was pleasently suprised at that "kid" from Friends. :)
 

KeithAP

Screenwriter
Joined
Feb 4, 1999
Messages
1,236
Location
Sacramento
Real Name
Keith
I had seen an ad for this and thought it looked interesting. I had no idea it was a 16:9 enhanced WS transfer. Will definitely pick this up. Thanks for the heads up.

-Keith
 

SteveGon

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2000
Messages
12,250
Real Name
Steve Gonzales
Sounds interesting. I'll definitely be giving this a rental, if not a purchase.
 

Kenneth Cummings

Supporting Actor
Joined
Aug 7, 2001
Messages
852
Cool, I have to pick this one up next week. I remember my dad watching it last month and liking it I think(he like band of brothers a lot in WIDESCREEN!). If Wallymart doesn't have it tommorow(might pick up Mourlin Rouge in case not), then next week with my allowace after picking up Actraiser for the SNES from Funcoland.
 

Stacy Huff

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 13, 1999
Messages
378
I missed this one on television because I was still into the Band of Brothers miniseries, and to tell you the truth, I think it would have been too much war-time drama to handle at one time. I'm glad to know it is coming out (if it isn't out already). Thanks for the review, Ron, you just made a sell.
 

JohnN

Agent
Joined
Oct 8, 2000
Messages
49
Thanks for the review, Ron.
I had noticed it in a store last week and saw some local advertising hype, but knew little about it.
I will pick it up on my next shopping trip.
Thanks, again. :)
 

AaronJB

Second Unit
Joined
Nov 2, 1998
Messages
460
I really second Ron's recommendation. The film is very intense, very powerful and very well-acted. It's also extremely engaging - it's three hours, but it certainly didn't feel like anywhere near three hours.

The DVD also has one of the best anamorphic widescreen presentations I've seen from Warner Brothers this year.
 

Jeff Adams

Screenwriter
Joined
Dec 13, 1999
Messages
1,549
I also agree with Ron. I just watched this movie on Saturday night and was deeply moved by the film. I had dreams about all night long. Great movie and great performances, but also very disturbing and depressing. Like someone already said, it is 3 hours long but does not feel like it. Now in regards to the quality of the dvd itself, I was also very impressed. Very clean picture and the DD soundtrack was very good. This one is definately worth purchasing for your collection.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Forum statistics

Threads
356,814
Messages
5,123,703
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top