Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3449 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-12-10
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 164 minutes

Synopsis
Based on Thomas Hardy's tragic 1891 novel TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES, TESS follows the hard life of a beautiful young Wessex peasant girl, who seeks her fortune with the wealthy D'Urbervilles, whom her family believes to be distant relatives. Tess's tragic fate is sealed the moment the manipulative son of the house, Alec, seduces and impregnates her. She returns home, bears the child--who dies shortly after--and her ashamed family banishes her from their home. Tess finds work and shelter on a dairy farm, where she falls in love with Angel Clare, the pastor's son. The two are soon engaged to be married. However, the evening before the wedding, Tess tries in vain to reveal her sordid past to her beloved Angel, so they wed nevertheless. On hearing the truth he flees to Brazil, leaving Tess alone once more to find work in the fields, only to be dealt further blows to her fragile life. Ultimately, when Angel unexpectedly returns she seeks to kill Master Alec--vengeance for sparking this series of tragic events--and solemnly she faces the gallows.
With stunning evocative photography and fine acting, with a particularly sensitive and fragile performance from Kinski, this languid tragedy won Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Art Direction and Costume Design, and also a BAFTA for photography.

Customer Reviews

Sumptuous, exquisite and achingly beautiful
I first saw this film at Easter 1987, I was studying the novel for 'A' level. Over twenty years later, I can see so much more in it. First the strength and pain of Tess, and what a sublime literary heroine she is. At 18 you don't realise how tough and painful life can be, but by middle-age you can appreciate how betrayals and disappointments come about. Tess faces some terrible blows.

Nastassja Kinski is one of the most beautiful creatures you've ever seen on film, and the costumes in this film are out of this world. After watching this the first time, I proposed a debate in school, "This House believes that Nastassja Kinski should become Head of Modern Languages." As part of my case I got the video and showed the strawberry scene, which has to be one of the most erotic in cinema.

The film lasts for three hours, and I watched it over three sessions. It brought back that profoundly sad English vision of the world so particular to Thomas Hardy. Polanski adds his own creepiness in parts and he evokes village life in flux. I'm usually bored by costume-drama adaptations, but this film has utterly beguiled me this week.

Beautiful and Haunting!
When this film first came out I watched it, having been a fan of the book. It's been many years now, and I decided to buy it on DVD as I was inspired by the new BBC version.

Polanski has shot a truly beautiful version of Tess of The D'Urbervilles. Nastassia Kinski is stunning and so innocent as Tess. Angel is played by a very young Peter Firth (Harry in Spooks), and both portrayals are sensitive and believeable. The way it is shot shows Polanski's talent for cinematography and some scenes just take your breath away.

I do feel this film suffers because of it's length. The end comes too quickly and seems to be rushed. There's no doubt that this film is beautiful and haunting, but it is not emotional enough to make me cry.

Incredible
Kinski is so perfect as TESS. The film transports you to that time, in that you are not watching it-you get lost in it
Sad that this was Georfry Unsworths (MBE) last DOP work