What do people think about the movie REDS?

[liberalpragmatist]

I saw this recently, for the first time. The film was made before I was born and I hadn't heard a lot about it since, but having taken courses on the Russian Revolution and the history of the U.S. left, I wanted to see it.

I really liked it. I don't think it had the kind of emotional impact on me that some films have, partly due to its understated style. And the film is VERY long and quite slow-paced in certain parts. I can see why it wasn't a mass hit. But on the plus side - and what ultimately gave me a favorable impression - is the terrific acting, the intelligent script, the dialogue, and the storytelling. The interviews with elderly "witnesses" to the events were fascinating themselves, even if they lent the film a somewhat "documentary" feel.

What do others think?

[undeterred]

1. Its a good movie, but its too damn long

Watch it at home with someone who likes that kind of thing. Have popcorn and good drinks and pillows, and give yourself 4-5 hours to watch it. Then its enjoyable. Anything that takes 3 hours in the theatre is not going to do well except with eggheads, and there aren't enough of us.

[libnnc]

9. My feelings too. Great movie, but whew too long!

It's one I need to own on DVD for sure.

[Critters2]

2. I loved it!

I'm still struggling to get past the "made before I was born" comment, though. I saw it during graduate school, and found it powerful. Emma Goldman and others in the film had long been personal heroes of mine, so it was great to see them portrayed well on film. I liked the romantic plot line. And yes, I liked the "witnesses" as well.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. My dear liberalpragmatist...

It has been a very long time since I saw this movie, but I do remember how very impressed I was!

I felt that it did portray the Communist revolution quite faithfully......

And I was truly disillusioned as to the nature of that revolution. Seems as though all those "liberators" wanted to gain power and to hell with the people they were supposed to be helping...

As the saying has it...Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely...

I felt it succeeded as a history lesson, and as cinema...

[Vidar]

4. Loved it. Beatty, Keaton, Stapelton & Nicholson all gave

superb performances. Will & Ariel Durant, extremely prolific historians were among the elderly cameos.

[CTyankee]

7. Also Roger Baldwin, founder of the ACLU whom I had met prior to

the film being made. I was working at ACLU headquarters in NYC and Baldwin would occasionally drop in. He was ancient then of course. I enjoyed seeing his cameo in the movie. I'm glad Beatty included those people when he made the movie. They were all so close to the end of their lives...

[Vidar]

12. I agree.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

5. It's one of my favorite all-time movies. n/t

[QMPMom]

6. Absolutely hated it. First movie I ever walked out on.

[Rabrrrrrr]

8. Probably a wide range of opinion from hate it to love it, like any movie.

:shrug:

[mike_c]

10. I loved it....

Great movie.

[LuckyTheDog]

11. I liked it... what I actually saw of it

I saw it with my college girlfriend. And there was a lot of back-of-the-theater making out. Ahhh... to be young again.

[Radio_Lady]

13. Thousands of people have rated it 7.2 out of 10 at the Internet Movie Database site.

http://www.us.imdb.com/title/tt0082979/

I actually don't recall seeing it in 1981. I was heavily involved in my own organization of Mothers Without Custody, Inc., and not reviewing movies that year. However, Producer and Film Editor Dede Allen is the wife of my ex-husband's former boss at ABC.

Ms. Allen is now in her eighties and it's a true shame that she never received an Oscar for her outstanding and groundbreaking work.

http://www.us.imdb.com/name/nm0020441/