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| Immortal Beloved | 
 enlarge | Actors: Michael Culkin, Gary Oldman, Rory Edwards, Hannes Flaschberger, Christopher Fulford
Studio: Sony Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.94
Buy New: $8.25
You Save: $6.69 (45%)
New (54) Used (22) from $7.03
Avg. Customer Rating:  177 reviews
Sales Rank: 2631
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Special Edition, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 120
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
DVD Layers: 2
DVD Sides: 1
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.5
MPN: COLD74769D
ISBN: 0767821424
UPC: 043396747692
EAN: 9780767821421
ASIN: B00000K3TN
Theatrical Release Date: January 6, 1995
Release Date: October 5, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW, Factory Sealed items direct from the Studios. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Quick International Airmail!
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| Customer Reviews:
 Not so great July 23, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
While watching this, I couldn't help feeling that the director was TRYING to make a masterpiece, rather than actually produce one. The acting is good, but not extraordinary. As far as the actual shots and music editing, I felt as though I was watching a made-for-TV movie. Many times throughout the movie, Beethoven's glorious music was just playing in the background, with no connection to the story. Absolutely poor music editing! Come on now, Beethoven deserves nothing less than brilliance...
 Great "demo disc" for showing friends 1080p at it's best. July 19, 2008
This blu-ray disc is a must have for any fan of classical music. I was pleasantly surprised at how extremely good the hi-def picture looks and the music is amazing in surround sound. Highly recommend.
 Amazing movie and awesome quality July 18, 2008
The level of detail in the Blu Ray version is amazing. The sound and picture is so clear and crisp. Many have raved about this movie, and it is a spectacular movie. Do yourself a favor and watch it in hi-def, you will enjoy this great movie even more.
amazing May 25, 2008
I first bought this movie for my late father who loved Beethoven music. When I knew it was available on bluray I didn't hesitate and bought it. The image is beyond words. the music.... also
Fictionalized biography and a mystery still unsolved in my mind. May 10, 2008
After seeing this film, I feel uncertainty. Is what I saw biography or fictionalized biography with considerable literary license? I think it is the latter and thus only a few comments will be made regarding historic and biographical accuracy and I will focus more on the work of art produced by director, writer, producer Bernard Rose.
We don't know who the mysterious Immortal Beloved was in the life of Beethoven. Historians identify 5 possibilities, of which three are presented here: Austrian Countess Giulietta Guicciardi; Hungarian Countess Erdody; and Beethoven's German sister-in-law, Johana Reiss.
Beethoven's secretary, Anton Felix Schindler, is portrayed as the ever faithful servant who tries to find the mysterious Immortal Beloved since she is the inheritor of Beethoven's musical scores.
Countess Guicciardi is an early lover of Beethoven, a woman who discovers his deafness. Countess Erdody is in many ways his soul mate and the woman he should have remained with. Johana Reiss was his bitter rival and he took her son away from her in a nasty custody battle. This child is a major influence on Beethoven. He dedicates his later years to teach nephew Carl, a mediocre talent who feels tortured by the hours of piano practice.
The cast of the film is very good with the most convincing performances coming from Marco Hofschneider as nephew Carl; Johanna ter Steege as Johana Reiss; and the wonderful Valeria Golina as Countess Guicciardi. A somewhat overly dramatic performance is given by Jeroen Krabbe as Schindler. After all, we know now that Schindedler's biography of Beethoven was greatly fictionalized. That seems to be the tradition with Beethoven. Gary Oldman is able to play Beethoven under a broad range of conditions but his rages seemed a bit over the top. Rossellini as Countess Erdody is stunning to look at but a bit melodramatic when she shows emotions or flat when she is suppose to be non-emotive.
The music by Sir George Solti was good and integrated into the narrative well.
Can Beethoven's music be linked to the tragedies in his life? Rose seems to think so and makes a very convincing case when he connects Ode to Joy to Beethoven's abuse from his father and his escape from his father's home. But was Johana the Immortal Beloved? The jury is out and the film portrays coincidences and facts that are not part of the historic record. Thus you must enjoy the film as fictionalized biography but not accept Rose's premise and conclusions at face value.
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