Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

best movie i've ever seen.

As Good As It Gets

85 years ago was released a film that was visually outstanding and completely unbelievable and that film was Napoleon. This great spectacle was achieved by completely new camera techniques, color and really ambitious crowd scenes. The film was an instant masterpiece. This was proved when the film was restored in 1970s and the film was as good as it was 50 years earlier.I must say I saw that Napoleon had become a victim of the fang of time even though many people don't want to confess it. Bad picture quality and fastened scenes made this film a bit boring in some places (particularly Revolution scenes). Another thing that showed Napoleon's age was the music. The film had some five pieces that were repeated all over again. Even though they were pretty good, they began to test my nerves after 3 hours.Even then the weaver may see what he wants and if one concentrates enough these faults don't bother. At times I forgot the the outlook and just watched great art direction, acting and great story. The film offers a very deep look into Napoleon's early life, a period rarely talked today.Ironic as it is this film would be terrible if it was released today because it would be too talkative and slow. This is something why Gance's Napoleon is a good and very important film. It benefited the whole film industry by introducing technology that was superior even when compared to 50s. What I expected was a boring film that was too ambitious but it turned out that I was wrong. The film is extremely potent and should be more known. Because of a dated look and weak moments this film receives a score of seven.

I thought I had entered a review, but I can not find it. . This movie came to Sacramento, California, as a premier in 1983 prior to my transferring to Germany. I do not know if it came with the new sound track, as I seem to recall that the piano down front was played, maybe only for the before the movie begins. I had difficulty with the costuming, as I was of the opinion that Josephine liked filmy dresses, so I thought the costuming was more 1890 than it should have been. But after watching the actors and actresses for a bit, the viewers get caught up into the beleiveability of each actor. One could only wonder what colorization would do for it. The final battle scenes were awe inspiring. The three screens tended to give a three dimensional effect, and let the audience be almost in the middle of the battle. As I recall in the write-up, the camera man tied his camera to a rope and spun it over his head, while on a horse to film those scenes. I do not understand why this film is not available to the public. I am unable to find a copy. Arne Sampe, Paul, Idaho,

Upon completing this film for the very first time, I had an experience I had never had before. I was breathless. For the first time, I can honestly say that a film took my breath away. The word "awesome" isn't awe-inspiring enough to describe how I felt. Every passing second of this nearly four hour long film brought new surprises and pulled my interest and attention closer and closer. I never wanted it to end. I'm sorry, but I just can't put into words exactly how I feel about this film. It's remarkable, groundbreaking, and the fastest four hours you're ever likely to spend watching a film. I watched it in one sitting, and it was over before I realized it.Okay, let me pause for a moment, catch my breath, and explain a little bit about the film itself.Originally, Abel Gance wanted to make a series of films about the French leader, but this is as far as he got. Therefore, the film mainly covers Napoleon's younger years, up to his first Italian campaign, just after his marriage to Josephine. What makes the film so groundbreaking is its many varied techniques, most of which are utilized today and taken for granted. For example, Gance used many different filming techniques, from hand-held cameras, to strapping the camera onto a horse, to hanging the camera on wires, to rapid-fire style editing, to overlapping images, and most famously, to the mind-blowing climax. Napoleon marks the first appearance of "widescreen". By setting three cameras side-by-side-by-side, Gance shot simultaneously, creating a 3.99:1 widescreen image. In original theatrical showings, the final 20 minutes of the film were projected on to three separate screens, expanding the image, and consuming the audience. As I said before, though, words can not do the film justice.So, do yourself a favor and buy a copy of this film. It's not easy to come by, but go on ebay, half.com, Amazon.com, or somewhere and buy a VHS or laserdisc of this film. It's an essential film for any film collection, especially for the film buff. The word "masterpiece" is just to puny a word.

I saw this film in its restored original form, with 3 projectors for the triptych scenes, and with the original Arthur Honegger score played on one of the few surviving giant theater organs. It is still an unforgettable cinematic experience. Eisenstein and other Russian filmmakers were dazzled by Gance's technique when a print of the film found its way to Moscow. Gance re-edited Napoleon as a sound film in 1934, using the original actors to dub in the voices and adding some new scenes. The lip synch is perfect, because Gance (unlike most silent film directors)made his actors speak all their lines. The DVD (which is long overdue)should include both the silent and the sound versions of the film, and use Honegger's score. He was a major 20th Century composer, contemporary with Gance, who spent most of his career in France; so his music really belongs with the film.