Shadowlands [DVD]

This very underrated movie, which is somewhat based on real events in C.S. Lewis' life (the noted theologian that also wrote the Narnia books), is a real gem. After reading my description below, you'll probably think "this is NOT a feel good movie" and in a way you'd be right - but it is a movie that you will likely not regret seeing one bit and will be glad for the experience. A tearjearker love story (I have found it is impossible for me not to cry in this movie even when I tell myself I won't) that is wonderfully acted by Anthony Hopkins (his best work IMHO), this movie is great because it forces us all to deal with the real issues of life that we all really need to deal with and come to grips with but we really don't want to. Things such as pain, hurt, death, afterlife, and what we really believe. It shows us that it's one thing to declare something as head-knowledge, but when that head-knowledge gets tested in our own personal real-life experiences (i.e. pain) - well, that's where the rubber meets the road. I did find it striking that in the movie they merely seemed to just "accept" the circumstances thrust upon them without even really trying to exercise faith for healing, etc. As someone who has personally witnessed a person (my mom) who was given a serious terminal diagnosis that chose to fight in faith and believe God for healing, defy the doctors and their "diagnosis", I really can't help but wonder what might have happened if they had taken a different approach. There is an interaction between faith and healing - you can see it in the vast majority of healings that Jesus performed in the Gospels. I'm a very very long way from being convinced that every bad thing that happens to us is God's will for us to just accept and submit to, which is an undercurrent to this movie. Nevertheless, this movie is still worthwhile for forcing us to consider the reality of our faith in a clear and straightforward way, especially since there will come a time when we all must leave this world. It does help when watching this movie (because of where they leave the viewer) if you know a bit of the backstory in that after the events depicted, Lewis went on to document his feelings in a unique work ("A Grief Observed") - his faith was strengthened at the end of the day, and that his stepson who is still alive is a fellow believer in Christ and as far as I know really now has the hope which he stated he wished for at the end of the movie. Anyone who has ever loved, and lost, will instantly be able to identify with this movie and the emotions involved. Yes, you can tell from my description that this is a "sad movie" - but it's sad in a good way. Though we frequently try to avoid, we all need to live in reality and address the hard questions of life head on. This movie forces that hand in a very poignant way with an excellent, moving story that is well-acted. I highly recommend it. If you walk away from this movie questioning your faith, that's okay as long as it leads you to look deeper and go deeper with Jesus - just as Lewis did. As believers, we NEED to not only know what we believe, but why we believe it on a deep level. A note about the DVD versions: I have both the U.S. and UK versions. The U.S. version (out of print) isn't very good because it is non-anamorphic and thus the picture looks extra small on modern HDTV's (it's much better on old-style sets). Widescreen + Non-anamorphic = bad news for modern HDTV's. The UK version is anamorphic and thus solves this problem but as a R2 DVD will only play on Region 2 or multi-region/region free players. Note that some R1 (U.S.) players can be made multi-region by entering a special code on your remote - search the net for your DVD model to see if one exists for yours. I really hope this film comes out on Blu-ray, though I suspect I may be waiting awhile. Reviewed by MoviesForChristians laughandlift dot com/moviesforchristians

A beautiful movie at a great price!

Over priced from the seller. Great movie. We didnt watch the dvd and returned. We ordered the Blu-ray for a better price.

Anthony Hopkins is superb in his role of C.S. Lewis! Plays him very well including giving extraordinary lectures and showing the true intellect and personality of Lewis. Having been filmed at Oxford University where Lewis was a professor and Oxford township, the setting is ensconced in beautiful scenery and architecture, where the events actually took place, and are great settings for an endearing, true, love story, as well as a look into one of the greatest lecturers and writers of all time. I have read many of Lewis' books, which are truly intellectual and insightful as well, and they have become my friends, much, as I understand, Lewis' library of books were also friends to him and at his request surrounded him in his hospital room during his last days of life. Movie is a great tribute to a great and forever renowned man, as well as to one of the greatest actors of our time, Anthony Hopkins.

Wonderful movie with excellent portrayal of CS Lewis' life and marriage. Anthony Hopkins captured the essence of this intriguing author. Debra Winger's poignant portrayal of his friend and wife was strong and moving.

An elegant film that posits the existence of life after death, and particularly the existence of heaven. The film is marred by two forgivable shortcomings: (1) British filmmakers crank up the volume of the voices of American characters in their films apparently to imply that Americans are loud and abrupt in their speech patterns, which, of course is not always the case. C. S. Lewis's American wife in the film is subjected to that sort of volume magnification to a degree that is annoying and can cause the audience to wonder how Lewis could bear to spend even five minutes in a room with her. (2) The film's title is somewhat obfuscated by Lewis's vague reference to the word "shadowlands" in speaking with his wife, a reference that does nothing to associate the word, properly, with the final volume of THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. As a result, the meaning of the title of the film remains mysterious from beginning to end to anyone not familiar with THE CHRONICLES. Hopkins and Winger make a convincing if unlikely couple on screen. SHADOWLANDS is probably Ms. Winger's finest work. The portrayal of Joy's son is nuanced and well performed by Joseph Mazzello.

If you're a CS Lewis fan - you have probably read enough of his writings to have a background for this movie. And if you haven't read much of his work, Shadowlands is a beautiful story, well done, superbly acted, and might help you get into the whole body of work. Whether you read more CSL or not, this is a love story - the world always needs a good love story. Shadowlands fills you in about the personal life of the author of all the stories and essays. Lewis's work includes the seven Narnia books, the Perelandra trilogy, the non-fiction books - start anywhere! Surprised by Joy, the story of Lewis's early life, makes you want to go to Oxford and wear a short scholar's gown and ride a bike and write an essay a day! Many people read Mere Christianity, also a good place to start, as part of their getting serious about practicing the Christian faith in daily life. It helps to have Lewis's books and his life story at hand, when you see Shadowlands - you can start reading right away; I think you're going to want to!

According to Douglas Gresham (one Joy's 2 sons; stepson of C. S. Lewis), the casting of Debra Winger was most appropriate. His mother was by birth and early religious preference Jewish. She and her husband were, as was true of some intelligentsia in the Northeast at earlier times following the creation of the USSR, communists. She converted to Christianity and divorced her unfaithful spouse. All this is fairly well represented in the movie. Gresham says of Winger, "Look, my mother was a former atheist and communist. She once had used language one might associate with a drunken sailor. Winger would not have offended her." While I am a fan of Anthony Hopkins, I actually prefer the portrayal by Joss Ackland in the earlier British film. Ackland, who likely studied Lewis more and had portrayed him on stage, in the pulpit where Lewis preached his "Weight of Glory" sermon, and in other situations. But, I highly enjoyed the movie and will recommend it to my friends and family.

Not many movies deserve to be called Masterproductions, THIS however does. The best movie of modern times.

Hopkins porta sullo schermo un personaggio che non tutti conoscono, che molti hanno snobbato. C.S. Lewis è un uomo speciale, dalla profonda sensibilità, maestro anche nella sofferenza.

This is the biography of CS Lewis from a time after his most famous writting (Narnia stories), during his mature, sedate, academic life. It shows a fine mind stuck in comfortable, safe, routine, being shaken out of his complacency by an intelligent and startlingly frank american, Mrs Gresham. It has at its core an exploration of C S Lewis's life study of one of the great challenges to monotheists: Why does a compassionate God let us suffer? It does it delicately, thoroughly and in a very restrained manner. Of course being a true story, there is great poignancy. There is a great cast of minor characters, an all star cast, a host of insightful scenes and a steady slow narrative pace with very moment usefully filled (though not a hint of hollywood flavour). A great film that will be a classic long after action flics and romantic commedies fade into background nise. Highly recommended

NHKのBS Hi-Visionで本映画を見て「私の最も好きな映画」となりました。ただ、当時、S-VHSでも録画したのですが126minから長時間録画と設定したために画質的に満足できず、「DVDは・・」と思い出す度にamazonでチェックしていたのですが、その姿をみることはありませんでした。そして本映画を製作したRichard Attenborough氏が2014年8月に亡くなられ、本映画のことを思い出し、再び、amazonでチェックしたところ、本DVDが見つかりました。DVDプレーヤー DV-220V（Pioneer）で再生でき、またPC（OS : Windows 7 Ultimate）でも再生できました（私のDV-220Vはリージョンフリー化していますが、PCでも再生できることからリージョンコードは「制限なし」と考えられます）。 頑なに感情を抑え、論理の世界に生きてきた主人公が愛を知り、悲しみに向き合うことで感情を取り戻していく姿に心を動かされます。 なお、他のレビューで「フランス語」などと書かれているものがありますが、白地にANTHONY HOPKINS, DEBRA WINGERの名前が入り、その下に左側にANTHONY HOPKINSが斜め前を向いた顔、右側に横になっているDEBRA WINGERに寄り添うANTHONY HOPKINS、そしてその上に"He never truly found love, ... until he lost it."という言葉が配置された横長の画像が配置され、その下に大きい文字で"Shadowlands"と表記されたパッケージの本DVDは、Distributed by Pamount Home Entertainment (UK) とパッケージの後に記載され、言語は英語のみ、字幕も英語の製品です。

Un film prenant, reprenant l'histoire d'amour de C S.. Lewis (l'auteur du monde Narmia) avec une jeune Américaine qu'il finit par épouser. Très bonne peinture également de l'Angleterre de la fin des années 1950 et de la vie à Oxford. Les deux acteurs principaux sont magnifiques, les décors également (film tourné au Magdalen College d'Oxford, où Lewis a enseigné). Les quelques entorses minimes à la véritable histoire du couple (Joy avait en réalité deux enfants de son premier mariage et non un, le voyage du couple en 1960 se passe en Grèce et non en Angleterre) ne nuisent pas à l'histoire. Un grand film, que je recommande ! A condition de trouver le DVD, assez ancien (je le cherchais depuis plus de trois ans...).