The Thief of Bagdad

Although there are earlier and later versions of the film in existence (the 1924 silent film with Douglas Fairbanks, and the 1960 Italian version with muscleman Steve Reeves), Ludwig Berger and Michael Powell's 1940 Technicolor production is the live-action crown jewel (special mention in the animated realm goes to Lotte Reiniger's 1926 The Adventures of Prince Achmed and Disney's 1992 Aladdin). A pastiche of Arabian Nights tales, the film stars 15-year-old Sabu as Abu the Thief, who tries to help King Ahmad (John Justin) regain his throne from the evil magician Jaffar (Conrad Veidt), even as Ahmad struggles to prevent Jaffar from wedding his own true love, the Princess of Basra (June Duprez). While there was heavy competition for the Special Effects Oscar in 1940 (14 nominations!), Lawrence Butler's team took first honors for their work--including a magic horse, a flying carpet, and a stories-high genie played by Rex Ingram--in this family classic. Although extra-less, the DVD release of The Thief of Bagdad is notable for its gorgeous, color-saturated transfer. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)[DVD Review—June 10, 2008—Criterion, 2 discs, 106 min., not rated, $39.95—Making its second appearance on DVD, 1940's The Thief of Bagdad features a stunning transfer and Dolby Digital mono sound. DVD extras include two audio commentaries (one with filmmakers Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese; the other with film and music historian Bruce Eder), the 75-minute “The Lion Has Wings” English war propaganda film created by producer Alexander Korda during a production hiatus, a visual effects featurette with interviews of special effects masters Ray Harryhausen, Dennis Muren, and Craig Barron (33 min.), audio excerpts from co-director Michael Powell's autobiography, audio excerpts from a 1976 radio interview with composer Miklós Rózsa, still galleries, a booklet featuring new essays by film scholars Andrew Moor and Ian Christie, and trailers. Bottom line: an excellent extras package for a classic favorite.]