| There are probably
three films that I have seen more than any other... "Die Hard", "The
Hunt for Red October" & "The Great Escape". I will grant that
they are all quintessential 'guy movies'... But hey, I'm a guy... So
sue me! Steve McQueen is also the premium example of a big screen
hero. Despite his untimely death of lung cancer in 1980, McQueen
remained my childhood hero. There was just something about him
on the silver screen that made me want to be just like him. He
was cool... detached... brave... intense... thoughtful. He was
also a ladies man without ever seeming to try. He was THE man.
This film also engaged my enormous preference for escape movies.
I have loved them since I was a little boy. It is probably a
deep rooted psychological trait manifesting itself in film taste.
Heck, my favorite film of all time is "The Shawshank Redemption".
Any kind of story arc that involves escape in one form or another
peaks my interest.
Add one of the supreme casts ever assembled in a true-to-life plot
and you have "The Great Escape", a flawless film that is endlessly
rewatchable and consistently maintains a spot near the top of my
All Time Favorites List.
Filmed in that gorgeous 35mm Panavision (2.35:1) widescreen, this
mesmerizing film tells the story of 250 men tunneling their way out of
a WWII German prison camp. The films focuses on the exploits of
McQueen's Captain Hilts (The Cooler King) but takes enough time to
really explore each and every detail of the attempted escape, from
planning, to set-up, to deception, to the escape itself. There are
quite literally dozens of memorable characters to root for and care
about.
I am sure that almost everyone reading this review has already seen
this classic. It is universally beloved, still consistently
making Top 100 fan polls and magazine lists. I feel comfortable
claiming that it is categorically impossible not to like this film.
"The Great Escape" boasts more than fifty images, moments and scenes
that will forever be burned in your memory... Including a deft final
moment that will have you chuckling and anticipating the next time
you'll run across the film on TV. I can very rarely turn it off
when it comes on.
The only thing I would love to see from this film is a re-release
in theatres so that I could experience it on the BIG screen. Now
if you will excuse me... I have to go about my day whistling the theme
to "The Great Escape" without ever getting tired of it. |
