Stanley Donen Arabesque Sophie Loren

Directed by Stanley Donen
USA 1966

Stanley Donen's follow-up to Charade is not quite the tour de force the earlier film was, but even with Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren standing in for Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, it's a slick and satisfying entertainment. Watch for the unforgettable Eisensteinian moment when Donen cuts from Loren's mouth to a steam shovel.

Excerpt from Dave Kehr's capsule at the Chicago Reader located HERE.

Professor Peck, who knows a thing or two about Arabic hieroglyphics, is enlisted to decipher messages, which may provide a vital key to foiling a plot to assassinate a Middle Eastern Prime Minister. All this is merely an excuse for jetting from one spectacular setting to the next, chalking up several murders and chases on the way. Then it just leaves Peck to decide whether he can trust Loren, the mistress of one of the ring-leaders and his inadvertent sidekick, to help him lead the whole shebang towards a happy conclusion.

Excerpt from Channel 4 located HERE

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Theatrical Release: May 5th, 1966

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DVD Review: Universal - Region 2,4,5 - PAL

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Universal Home Video (Europe) - Region 2,4,5 - PAL
Runtime	1:41:00
Video	2.35:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.30 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0) DUBs: French, German, Italian, Spanish
Subtitles	English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Hungarian, Polish, Czech, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Universal Home Video Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 2.35:1 Edition Details: • none DVD Release Date: May 8th, 2006 Keep Case Chapters: 16

Comments:

Another decent dual-layered DVD from Universal Europe, set to sell across the continent and in Australia (Region 4) and Russia (Region 5). There are multiple subtitle and DUB options. It is anamorphic and progressive in the impressive 2.35 widescreen ratio - colors are a shade dull, but look un-manipulated. Dialogue is clear and audible. Subtitles well rendered with a thicker-than usual font.

The film is typical Donen fun with many adventurous camera angles and inventive shots. I can't image anyone who enjoyed Charade not also enjoying Arabesque. Loren is her usual sexy, stunning self and Peck is strong as the academic egghead with some street sense. We recommend this DVD.

Gary W. Tooze

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