Nicholas and Alexandra

Director: Franklin J. Schaffner

Overview

Franklin J. Schaffner's epic about Russian aristocracy comes to DVD with a widescreen transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Mono. English, Spanish, and French subtitles are accessible. This disc offers the original full-length version of the film, talent files, a theatrical trailer, never-before-seen footage, and an interesting featurette made at the time of the film's production. Anyone with a taste for epics will want to take a look at this fine disc.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/27/1999
UPC:	0043396032958
Original Release:	1971
Rating:	PG
Source:	Sony Pictures
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[monaural]
Time:	3:09:00
Sales rank:	6,180

Special Features

Digitally remastered audio & video; Production notes; Interactive menus; Langauge: English [mono]; Subtitles: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Thai; Theatrical trailer; Scene selections; Talent and filmographies; Original featurette

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Michael Jayston	Nicholas II
Janet Suzman	Empress Alexandra
Harry Andrews	Grand Duke Nicholas
Irene Worth	Empress Dowager Marie Fedorovna
Jack Hawkins	Count Fredericks
Laurence Olivier	Count Witte
Curd Jurgens	German Consul Sklarz
Alexander Knox	American Ambassador Root
Michael Redgrave	Sazonov
Alan Dalton	Flautist
Ralph Neville	British Ambassador Buchanan
Gordon Gostelow	Guchkov
Ian Holm	Yakovlev
Martin Potter	Prince Yussoupov
Georges Rigaud	French Ambassador Paleologue
John Forbes-Robertson	Col. Volkov
Penny Sugg	Young Opera Singer
Timothy West	Dr. Botkin
David Baxter	Young Bolshevik
Tom Baker	Rasputin
Michael Bryant	Lenin
Eric Chapman	Plekhanov
Brian Cox	Trotsky
Maurice Denham	Kokovtsov
Roy Dotrice	Gen. Alexeiev
Lynne Frederick	Tatiana
Fiona Fullerton	Anastasia
David Giles	Goloshchekin
Candace Glendenning	Marie
Julian Glover	Gapon
Stephen Greif	Martov
John Hallam	Nagorny
James Hazeldine	Stalin
Leon Lissek	Avadeyev
Ania Marson	Olga
John McEnery	Kerensky
Eric Porter	Stolypin
Diana Quick	Sonya
Guy Rolfe	Dr. Fedorov
Katherine Schofield	Tegleva
Ralph Truman	Rodzianko
Richard Warwick	Grand Duke Dmitry
Alan Webb	Yurovsky
John Wood	Col. Kobylinsky
Steven Berkoff	Pankratov
Vernon Dobtcheff	Dr. Lazovert
Jean-Claude Drouot	Gilliard
Roderic Noble	Alexis
Vivian Pickles	Mme. Krupskaya
John Shrapnel	Petya

Technical Credits

Franklin J. Schaffner	Director
Ernest Archer	Art Director
Richard Rodney Bennett	Score Composer
Yvonne Blake	Costumes/Costume Designer
Edward Bond	Screenwriter
John Box	Production Designer
Antonio Castillo	Costumes/Costume Designer
Vernon Dixon	Production Designer,Set Decoration/Design
Andrew Donally	Producer
Eddie Fowlie	Special Effects
James Goldman	Screenwriter
Jack Maxsted	Art Director
Gil Parrondo	Production Designer
Neville Smallwood	Makeup
Sam Spiegel	Producer
Ernest Walter	Editor
Freddie Young	Cinematographer

Scene Index

Side #1 --
1. Start [3:11]
2. "I Have a Son" [12:19]
3. Mama's Birthday [1:51]
4. Fantastic Holy Fellow [6:29]
5. Hemophilia [8:01]
6. "My Baby's Dying" [2:05]
7. Sending for Rasputin [5:02]
8. Winter Palace Massacre [5:37]
9. Summer Vacation [7:49]
10. Rasputin Says Goodbye [1:08]
11. "Bring Him Back!" [6:41]
12. Opera Shooting [6:38]
13. Severe Attack [9:19]
14. Rasputin Returns [6:36]
15. Germany Declares War [15:53]
16. Dismissed [9:47]
17. Assassination Party [9:20]
18. Chaos Comes to Russia [8:06]
19. The Tsar Abdicates [2:47]
20. Nicholas Returns Home [8:55]
21. A Hero's Welcome [8:02]
22. Siberia [3:22]
23. Grand Duchesses' Defense [2:05]
24. A Hero's Welcome [2:57]
25. Siberia [1:59]
26. Alexis' Desperate Act [11:18]
27. Imprisoned [15:38]
28. In the Cellar [5:08]

Menu

Side #1 --
   Play Movie
   Subtitles
      English
      Spanish
      Portuguese
      Chinese
      Korean
      Thai
      None
   Special Features
      Original 1971 Featurette
      Theatrical Trailer
      Talent and Filmographies
         Franklin J. Schaffner
         Michael Jayston
         Janet Suzman
         Tom Baker
   Scene Selections

Editorial Reviews

In this 1971 Academy Award-winning film, the cinematography of Freddie Young contrasts the pomp and ceremony of the Russian court of Czar Nicholas II (Michael Jayston) and his beloved wife, Czarina Alexandra (Janet Suzman), with the misery and despair of the czar's poverty-stricken subjects. The result is a visual triumph that captures the supreme elegance of a Russian ball and the abject horror of a czarist assault on ragged peasantry. Although the film's three-hour length and methodical development displeased many critics, aficionados of history, epic spectacle, and larger-than-life characters may find this production an exciting journey through an age in turmoil. The history is accurate, the settings and costumes authentic, and the acting excellent. Jayston is appropriately handsome and haughty, and Suzman both regal and human. Tom Baker is mesmerizing as Rasputin, although his sharp wit and urbanity are historically inaccurate. The film gets an extra kick from old pros Laurence Olivier as Count Witte, Jack Hawkins as Count Fredericks, and Michael Redgrave as Sazonov. The film won Oscars for art and set direction and for costume design. It won Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress (Suzman), and Best Cinematography.

All Movie Guide - Mike Cummings