Bridge on the River Kwai, The (1957)    Running time: 2:42    MPAA rating: Not Rated (Edit)
Exclusive Limited Edition (2 discs)		All Movie Guide
Date DVD Released	11/21/2000	Internet Movie Database
Genre(s)	War, Drama
Studio	Columbia Pictures
Director	David Lean
Cast	William Holden, Alec Guiness, Jack Hawkins, Sessue Hayakawa, James Donald, Ann Sears
Synopsis
One of the most-loved war movies of all time opens in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in Burma in 1943, where a battle of wills rages between camp commander Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa) and newly arrived British colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness). Saito insists that Nicholson order his men to build a bridge over the river Kwai, which will be used to transport Japanese munitions. Nicholson refuses, despite all the various "persuasive" devices at Saito's disposal. Finally, Nicholson agrees, not so much to cooperate with his captor as to provide a morale-boosting project for the military engineers under his command. The colonel will prove that, by building a better bridge than Saito's men could build, the British soldier is a superior being even when under the thumb of the enemy. As the bridge goes up, Nicholson becomes obsessed with completing it to perfection, eventually losing sight of the fact that it will benefit the Japanese. Meanwhile, American POW Shears (William Holden), having escaped from the camp, agrees to save himself from a court martial by leading a group of British soldiers back to the camp to destroy Nicholson's bridge. Upon his return, Shears realizes that Nicholson's mania to complete his project has driven him mad. Filmed in Ceylon, Bridge on the River Kwai won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for the legendary British filmmaker David Lean, and Best Actor for Guinness. It also won Best Screenplay for Pierre Boulle, the author of the novel on which the film was based, even though the actual writers were blacklisted writers Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson, who were given their Oscars under the table. — Hal Erickson (All Movie Guide)
Notes/Features
SPECIAL FEATURES: DISC ONE Digitally Mastered Audio & Anamorphic Video Widescreen Presentation (2.55:1) English 5.1 (Dolby Digital) and 2-Channel (Dolby Surround), French, Spanish, Portuguese Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai Isolated Music Score DVD ROM COMPONENTS Trivia Sabotage: Experience Building the Bridge Maps and Military Strategy Screensavers from Original Movie Art SPECIAL FEATURES: DISC TWO Exclusive Documentary - Adaptation of Boulle's novel, casting, history of production, score, release, restoration, and more Original Featurette: Rise and Fall of a Jungle Giant USC Short Film Introduced by William Holden An Appreciation by Filmaker John Milius Photo Gallery Theatrical Trailers Talent Files Interactive and Animated Menus Scene Selections COLLECTIBLE INSERTS Insert features text of original 1957 souvenir book
Date Acquired	01/13/2001
Place Purchased	Fry's Electronics
Loan Date
Loaned To