Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2584 in DVD
• Released on: 1999-05-21
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 129 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
After more than a decade of false starts and several potential directors, the popular Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice musical finally made it to the big screen with Alan Parker (The Commitments) at the helm and Madonna in the coveted title role of Argentina's first lady, Eva Perón. A triumph of production design, costuming, cinematography, and epic-scale pageantry, the film follows the rise of Eva Perón to the level of supreme social and political celebrity in the 1940s. Like Madonna, Perón was a material girl (she was only 33 when she died); she was instrumental in the political success of her husband, Juan Perón (Jonathan Pryce). But Eva was also a supremely tragic figure whose life was essentially hollow at its core despite the lavish benefits of her nearly goddess-like status. The film Evita has a similar quality--it's visually astonishing but emotionally distant, and benefits greatly from the singing commentary of Ché (Antonia Banderas), who serves as a passionate chorus to guide the viewer through the elaborate parade of history. --Jeff Shannon

Video Description
DVD Special Features

Ratio: 2:35
Running Time: 129 mins approx

Synopsis
Madonna tackles the title role in Alan Parker's ambitious recounting of the brief, amazing life of former Argentine first lady Eva Peron. Presented almost entirely in song and narrated by Antonio Banderas as a fictional everyman, the film charts the alternately revered and reviled Evita's rise from poverty to become a film and radio actress; her relationship with President Juan Peron (Jonathan Pryce); and her tragic death from cancer at age 33.
Banderas, a surprisingly moving singer, and the inimitable Madonna, who took voice lessons before filming commenced to expand her vocal range, provide the emotional bedrock for the eminently enjoyable film with their charismatic screen presences. The music, including the Oscar-winning song "You Must Love Me," weaves an entrancing web, and the sets and costumes are awe inspiring. Parker does a fine job of adapting Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical for the big screen. The director's vision shines clearly here: Like PINK FLOYD: THE WALL, EVITA is an enchanting mixture of epic fairy tale and sociopolitical psychodrama.

Customer Reviews

Good Film, Poor DVD
I don’t wish to criticise this film. It’s actually rather good (and much better than you might expect).

My issue is that the DVD itself is rather poor. The non-anamorphic transfer is poor and when blown up to 16:9 is very grainy. The soundtrack seems to be rather low quality – just a poor quality stereo transfer. The region 1 DVD is in 5.1 and much better quality, although that too is in letterbox format.

Let’s see some justice done to this film. It deserves better than this. (But I’ve no doubt that a ‘Special Edition’ will appear one day, so we can all buy this film twice!)

Stunning! Better than one expects!
The film is grand, combining Lloyd Webber's superb music, Hollywood's effects, masterfully direction and surprisingly fine actor's work. Antonio Banderas is a real star in the film; he adds passion, charm and humour to the story. It's a clever invention of Webber and Rice to introduce a narrator and commentator who helps the audience understand events better and makes us think. In fact Banderas does more than this. He portraits a complex character, angry, criticising, witty and even cynical on the one hand and very emotional with deep feelings and "impossible dreams" on the other. He makes Che one of the main heroes of the story. The last scene is very moving and tense, as Che confesses his sorrow for Evita and at the same time warns Peron of the future. Antonio's Spanish good looks and plasticity suit the role exactly. His singing is expressive and pleasant to hear, and the voice is very strong, good even to the hard parts such as The Lady's Got Potential (great moment, impossible for the stage). Madonna acts wonderfully. She really resembles Eva Duarte de Peron, and her performance is so believable and true that I forget sometimes I'm watching artificial scenes. I can't see the death scene without tears (How she lived, how she shined! But how soon the lights were gone!). However I'm not totally satisfied with Madonna singing. I do not mean that she sings badly, I only want to say that Elaine Paige sings much better. Nevertheless, some scenes (I'd Be Good For You, Rainbow High, You Must Love Me) I did like immensely, and her duets with Antonio I simply enjoyed (Goodnight And Thank You is very amusing, Waltz For Eva And Che is so spirited, it's a masterpiece). I also must mention Jonathan Pryce. He did great job as Peron. His every gesture, expression and look are correct, matching moments and situations. All crowd scenes in the movie are impressive and exciting, making you wishing to join the choir (A New Argentina, And Money Kept Rolling In And Out). I decided to watch the movie for the sake of ALW unforgettable music, but soon I found that Evita is more than a musical on the screen - it's classic. Director, producer, operators and actors did everything to create a powerful epic film, revealing struggles, splendour and tragedy of Eva Peron's life as well as giving a touch of unique Argentine 1940s atmosphere. I would earnestly recommend the film to everyone: it's dynamic, without one unnecessary moment, impressive and touching and full of inspiring music.

I thought Madonna suited the role perfectly
I've read some reviews and seen many critical of Madonna's casting in the film version of the musical Evita. Having never seen the stage show I went with no preconceptions at all and was blown away. The score was wonderful but more than anything Madonna was a revelation and I thought deserved her Golden Globe after many years of critical panning. Unfortunately for Madonna she is often bigger than the film she is in and everyone lines up to knock her. Sometimes she deserves it but not this time. It is no secret that she had to beg for the role but she was right, she has much in common with Evita herself which is why, ultimately, she was perhaps one of the few people who could truly pull off the part as the girl from the gutter who does good. On top of that Madonna's own mother died of cancer at a similar age and she doesn't look unlike her either. Eva Peron had both a hardness and a vulnerability about her, driving ambition and used fame to fill a hole in her life that ultimately consumes her. Madonna is her mirror-image. I cannot imagine anyone else playing Evita now. Madonna showed she CAN sing and had vocal coaching to increase the strength and range of her voice, she was pushing 40 when she made the film and had to play a teenager. She doesn't really pull it off but I can't imagine anyone else could have done better. And as for not being able to act - as someone who goes to the movies a lot and doesn't cry, I found myself bawling my eyes out at the end when Evita dies. Her tears seem real and painful. I watched it a 2nd time and the same thing happened. And to me that is a sign that somebody was truly taking me in with their performance. Antonio Banderas is fantastic as Che (who'd have thought he could sing like that!) and did anyone spot the singer from the Corrs as the maid who gets stomped on? All in all a great musical with a great cast and well worth watching.