Review of Lawrence of Arabia (1962) by Tommy H — 21 Apr 2015

An incredible film. None of the locations seem real, instead it looks like you're watching the largest and most expensive stage play ever produced. The quality makes the film even more marvelous to look at. The camera lingers on each location with sweeping visuals and panoramic shots, adding to the theatrical effect.

Peter O'Tool is the perfect choice for Lawrence. He has a humble savoir complex but you can admire him for it. Even when he isn't good, he's portrayed in an innocent way instead of violent. He approaches death and the act of killing with a morbid curiosity and not obsession or indifference. When he shoots several Turks later on in the film it's like he's completely removed from the moment. He's like that through the whole film. In every scene he seems both crazy and sane, like he's always on the verge of a nervous breakdown but he has the strength of character to never cross the line. A very dramatic performance supported by the brilliant and poetic dialogue.

Every actor is good in this. The most important supporting actors, in my opinion, were the two teenagers who journey with him at the beginning. I think that relationship more than any other established Lawrence as someone worthy of the praise he gets later on in the film.

What really makes the movie great for me is how you get carried away by how epic and important the experience feels, like a a big budget WWII production, but for most of the film it's just men wrapped in sheets riding through the desert on camels. It kind of has a post-apocalyptic vibe to it, like the setting of Fist of The North Star. Also worth mentioning is the memorable theme song. many filmmakers underestimate the importance of a catchy song for a movie about a hero. Look look at James Bond and Indiana Jones.