Review of Fahrenheit 451 (1966) by Richard B — 12 Nov 2014
4.0 out of 5 stars Montag, Montag, 12 Nov 2014.
By The Outsider "Muso" (London) - See all my reviews.
This review is from: Fahrenheit 451 [DVD] [1966] (DVD).
The film version of Ray Bradbury's classic sci-fi is nearly as good as the book, thanks to Francois Truffaut and a host of helpers. The look of the film is a blend of Truffaut and Nic Roeg (who shot it), the sound track by the incomparable Bernard Hermann, and a beautiful, true to the novel (mainly) script.
The odd thing - which results in a star removed - is moving the setting out of the USA into a Europe that doesn't exist. This is a clear McCarthy era paranoia tale, and without this, the film seems even weirder. Casting the German Oskar Werner is just plain bizarre. He is blank, speaks with a thick German accent while everyone else is RADA English, don't you know chaps. Montag is pretty hard to fathom as a character, but multiply this times ten in this version. I do love Julie Christies dual role as Montag's wife (now called Linda, not Mildred, for some strange reason) and his literate future girlfriend Clarisse.
All that said, this film is still a treat and a unique one at that. You will never see another one like it - it is like a film made by aliens.
This review of Fahrenheit 451 (1966) was written by Richard B on 12 Nov 2014.
Fahrenheit 451 has generally received positive reviews.
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