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All rights reserved.Witness (2005, DVD)
Top Reviews
A Perfect Film from Hollywood.
4 of 9 people found this review helpful.
Witness is a pretty decent film. The story begins with a young Hamish boy witnessing a brutal murder on his first visit to a big city. John Book (Ford) then enters the story, a tough city cop who has to protect his witness.
The film examines the class of two cultures, the Amish and city folk. Book slowly begins to be influenced by the Amish way of life and begins to fall for an Amish girl. The idea of a cop going being influenced by foreign values has been done since (Black Rain, Red Heat) but never as well. At times you feel like you're watching two separate films, one about the Amish and a fairly conventional cop thriller.
Witness is very well written (Raymond Frensham refers to Witness as a template in his book Teach Yourself Screenwriting). Barely a scene is wasted and all of them work within the story. The soundtrack and the film in general is very eighties. Due to the stories simplicity and audience expectations I don't think Witness would get made today.
The DVD contains a short documentarily which is fine. Witness is not the kind of film you want to analyse but a film that tells a story well.
The film examines the class of two cultures, the Amish and city folk. Book slowly begins to be influenced by the Amish way of life and begins to fall for an Amish girl. The idea of a cop going being influenced by foreign values has been done since (Black Rain, Red Heat) but never as well. At times you feel like you're watching two separate films, one about the Amish and a fairly conventional cop thriller.
Witness is very well written (Raymond Frensham refers to Witness as a template in his book Teach Yourself Screenwriting). Barely a scene is wasted and all of them work within the story. The soundtrack and the film in general is very eighties. Due to the stories simplicity and audience expectations I don't think Witness would get made today.
The DVD contains a short documentarily which is fine. Witness is not the kind of film you want to analyse but a film that tells a story well.
Review ID: 10000000001253369
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great purchase!Review created: 04/06/08
by:
I got my DVD in perfect condition, exactly what was discribed within just a few days. I couldn't have asked for more!
Review ID: 10000000006547789
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A film with staying power / GREAT DOCUMENTARYReview created: 04/06/08
by:
I'm reading a book on screenwriting, and it refers several times to this film. It had been at least 20 years since I watched it. I first saw this GREAT film in the summer of 1985 when I was in school in Europe, like in Austria or Germany I think. Because the dialogue starts in Dutch I thought it was going to be in a foreign language, like it had been dubbed. I was so glad when it turned out to be in english. It is a great film, but on this special edition is a 5 part DOCUMENTARY that is just fab. It interviews the actors, director, and its worth the price of the dvd. The actors are all much older now, but their love for the film and colaborative film art is enchanting. A must for film students. Don't pass up this special edition. Blessings, Max Rainet.
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Review ID: 10000000006547064
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WittnessReview created: 02/03/08
by:
Had this Movie on VHS for many years. Glad to get it on DVD.on E-Bay, at Christmas time and already watched it quite a few times.This is a real classic. Everyone who enjoys Harrison Ford, would enjoy this movie.Great Action.
Review ID: 10000000005389263
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Kelly McGillis is sexyReview created: 09/03/07
by:
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.
While Harrison Ford rates as my most favorite American actor (along with Warren Beatty Robert Redford and Paul Newman) I should point out that there is a magic in seeing this movie for the "shower moment" with Kelly McGillis who is very sexy and lovely indeed. Too bad she is left behind in the tale of this movie and in this we must comprehend a real tragedy. Certainly a well worth seeing movie with conspiracy theory themes. I think youll have some enjoyment with it.
Review ID: 10000000004286499
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ANOTHER GREAT WITH HARRISON FORD.Review created: 06/07/07
by:
THE AMISH LIFE STYLE HAS ALWAYS FASINATED ME SOMEWHAT, THIS TAKES YOU INTO AN
AMISH FAMILIES LIFE. AN AMISH BOY WITNESSED A MURDER, AND NOW, SOMEONE WANTS
TO KILL HIM. BEFORE HE CAN TESTIFY. HARRISON FORD STAYS WITH THEM TO PREVENT
THIS FROM HAPPENING. (IT'S TERRIFIC.) HE FALLS IN LOVE IN THE MEANTIME WITH THEM.
THE ONLY THING I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE MOVIE IS, HE LEAVES AT THE END, AND I
WANTED HIM TO STAY WITH THEM SO BAD, THAT DISAPPOINTED ME, BEING I LIKE THE
ROMANCE THERE IS IN A MOVIE. SHAME ON HIM!!! IT'S A WONDERFUL MOVIE THOUGH.
AMISH FAMILIES LIFE. AN AMISH BOY WITNESSED A MURDER, AND NOW, SOMEONE WANTS
TO KILL HIM. BEFORE HE CAN TESTIFY. HARRISON FORD STAYS WITH THEM TO PREVENT
THIS FROM HAPPENING. (IT'S TERRIFIC.) HE FALLS IN LOVE IN THE MEANTIME WITH THEM.
THE ONLY THING I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE MOVIE IS, HE LEAVES AT THE END, AND I
WANTED HIM TO STAY WITH THEM SO BAD, THAT DISAPPOINTED ME, BEING I LIKE THE
ROMANCE THERE IS IN A MOVIE. SHAME ON HIM!!! IT'S A WONDERFUL MOVIE THOUGH.
Review ID: 10000000003753569
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WITNESS: "Be careful among the English"Review created: 11/23/03
by: cripper -- a member of Epinions
Pros:
Harrison Ford's best performance to date, directing, authenticity
Harrison Ford's best performance to date, directing, authenticity
Cons:
Few
Few
Films about cultural differences have always struck to me as being the more interesting films out in the market today. This is mainly due to the fact that there is always a lot one can pick out from any of these films. Just look at Bend it Like Beckham. The cultural differences were what made the film such a hilarious film. Similarly, a film like The Pianist showed how cultural differences can split a nation apart. The film I just watched on DVD, Witness, also uses cultural differences to portray a thrilling film. Witness, which is set in Pennsylvania in 1984, starts off with the funeral of...
Review ID: 10000000000668132
Witness - Just Plain Lean-n-MeanReview created: 11/29/02
by: millinocket-- a member of Epinions and Lead in Movies
Pros:
Setting, performances
Setting, performances
Cons:
"bad guy" plot line underdeveloped
"bad guy" plot line underdeveloped
The 1985 Peter Weir film Witness remains to this day one of my favorite Harrison Ford movies. The romance, crime drama and fish out of water stories combine quite harmoniously, without the fragmented dissonance that could have resulted. Despite Ford s blockbusters both before and since, I like the quieter tone of this film. Witness opens with beautifully photographed scenes depicting an Amish community in Pennsylvania. The simple ceremony of a funeral, the mix of spoken German and English, and the depiction of daily routines are accompanied by a serene and ethereal musical score that serves...
Review ID: 10000000000668124
When Love And Hate Collide ("Let's See You Review This" W/O)Review created: 09/07/02
by: Simply_Crispy -- a member of Epinions
Pros:
Ford at his best.
Ford at his best.
Cons:
Not your typical romantic thriller.
Not your typical romantic thriller.
For the uninitiated (shame on you), this is an entry into Lynus excellent Let s See You Review This Write/Off, in which Epinions members choose a film for each other to review. The more obscure or interesting the film the better. My particular title - 1985 s Witness - was chosen by the fine reviewer Food_Critic. I last saw this film when I was nine years of age, so it was thoroughly refreshing to be able to go back and revisit it. Kudos also to Food_Critic.for picking a film that, for the first time in two months, I have been able to rate above three stars. Now, less talk, and more... um.....
Review ID: 10000000000668133
Can love bridge the culture gap?Review created: 07/28/04
by: alexdg1-- a member of Epinions and Top Reviewer in Movies
Pros:
Great acting by Ford, McGillis and the supporting cast; fine directing, beautiful score.
Great acting by Ford, McGillis and the supporting cast; fine directing, beautiful score.
Cons:
None.
None.
If the Star Wars and Indiana Jones trilogies proved Harrison Ford could play cliffhanger-serial style action heroes without breaking a sweat, his performance in 1986's Witness as a Philadelphia detective hiding in an Amish community after discovering some of his fellow cops are on the other side of the law proved that he could play more down-to-Earth, believable and even vulnerable leading man roles. Ford plays John Book, a dedicated if rather world-weary detective captain in the Philadelphia police department who is called in to investigate the brutal slaying of an undercover officer in a...
Review ID: 10000000000668131
Just a solid, "must see" movieReview created: 02/07/08
by: HawgWyld -- a member of Epinions
Pros:
Great scenery; solid acting; philosophical musings; fantastic character development
Great scenery; solid acting; philosophical musings; fantastic character development
Cons:
Synthesized soundtrack seems out of place; pacing of the film may bore some people
Synthesized soundtrack seems out of place; pacing of the film may bore some people
I still remember Witness causing a bit of a stir back in 1985 when it was released. Why? Up until that time, Harrison Ford was known for either cracking wise and shooting aliens in the Star Wars trilogy or smacking people with a whip in the Indiana Jones films. Ford, though popular, was perceived as a one-dimensional "action" actor. That all changed in Witness, a truly enjoyable film that established Ford as a "serious" actor with impressive skills that no one had really seen in his earlier movies. Ford has earned a lot of respect over the years, of course, and Witness helped keep him from...
Review ID: 10000000006862525
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