Che (The Criterion Collection) [DVD]

Steven Soderberghs Che is a modern day masterpeice of a complex individual and idealist.While the film may be considered slow going by todays hollywood standards of action packed films it is a throwback to old time filmmaking.The documantary syling is great much of it filmed with hand held cameras.The cast is excellent.It is a surprise this film was even made and probaly wouldnt have if not for Benicio Del Toros backing as Producer and lead actor.While many people are detractors of Che characterizing him as a murderer I never hear them talk about the butcher Batista.The rampant poverty ,corruption,illiteracy,lack of healthcare.poor living standards,no political parties( i could go on and on)under Batista. While today Cuba has the most doctors per Capita in the world,everyone is literate and most of all Cuba is not a pawn of some imperialist giant like the US.It seems to be overlooked by most people the influence of the US and its embargo.The US tryed to assassinate Fidel over 200 times over a 40 year period.Now imagine if American leaders were the subject of Assasintaion attempts by a foreign power over 40 years. How would that influence our election and domestic life?Imagine a foregn power staging attacks on American soil trying to disrupt our food supply.In the 60s and 70s Several CIA officers left the CIA in disgust over the activities carried out by the CIA some in Cuba.People like Phillip Agee and Ralph Mcgee.Phillip Agee ended up living and dying in Cuba.Arguably things were better for the Cuban people under Fidel then ever before and would have been even better if not for the US embargo which has been denounced by most of the countries in the world as illegal and unethical.Which is why everybody else is allowed to visit Cuba but us.Cuba is the most popular Carribean vaction spot for Canadians but we wouldnt know that from the US corporate media system.Which also barrages us with every negativity about Canadian healthcare finding any disgruntled Canadian to mouth off about their system while not telling us in polls that over 90% of Canadians are happy with their national healthcare system.Sure Cuba is not perfect but its the first time poor Cubans got any consideration at all, that never happened under any other leader.And didnt happen under US tutelage.So Viva la Revolucion..And thanks Che for your idealism and attempt at making the world a better , fairer place for the worlds poor.

product was excellent.

In having seen the Criterion Collection Blu-ray edition of the 2008 motion picture of "CHE," I was quite very impressed with the scope of the two-part semi-biographical epic on the legendary Ernesto Che Guevara, the Argentine-Cuban revolutionary, politician, philosopher, and gifted writer during the period of the late 1950's and the 1960's when Che's journey began with having joined Fidel Castro in 1955 in taking up the cause of the Cuban Revolution which then succeeded to its ultimate victory in 1959. In Part One, on the first Blu-ray disc, was based on one of Che's books about the Cuban Revolution in stages and how it showed where Castro has been leading the struggle against Batista's armed forces in a number of places around the island of Cuba with some difficulties as well as some gains at the same time. I also liked the balance of some of the scenes in both black and white as well as color in certain moments, too. In Part Two on the second Blu-ray disc, it focuses on Che's difficulties of expanding his revolutionary cause in Bolivia, which had an another balance of both some gains and failures at the same time especially with the role of the right-wing Bolivian forces constantly fighting against Che's multi-national band of rebels in the country, with some help from a CIA agent named "Ramirez," a character that I believed was based on the real-life individual named Felix Rodriguez, a Cuban exile and the man who had his picture taken with the captured Che Guevara in 1967, right before Che was murdered, execution-style by a Bolivian soldier. I would like to give praise to the performances of the cast in the two-part epic of "CHE," led by Benicio Del Toro, and they gave their very best in making the people that were part of Che Guevara's life coming to celluoid life as unique as ever. I also enjoyed the music by both Alberto Iglesias and some various artists that had contributed to the two-part film such as Silvio Rodriguez and Mercedes Sosa. I also would give credit to the screenwriters that brought their vision to the two-part "CHE" as excellent in their very best. Furthermore, I want to give Steven Soderbergh plenty of kudos for having been the best director that he gave it all in his unique approach to his vision for "CHE" as well. They really impressed me to the way this two-part motion picture had turned out in a cinematic way! I would like to add further, however, and with much disappointment, that there were no photos or film footage of the actual Che Guevara at the very end of "CHE: Part Two" and that was unfortunate because such an important use of adding real-life historical figures in the end of some, IF not at least all, epic biographical movies and TV films, would have meant to show to the curious viewers of what they want to know about such known figures of history. Like that of Malcolm X, from Spike Lee's 1992 epic movie of the same name. In contrast to the very awful, dreadful, and even very CINEMATICALLY INFERIOR, 1969 version of "CHE!", which had starred Omar Sharif as "Che" and Jack Palance as "Fidel Castro," that movie was completely wasted in terms of how it was produced, directed, and with a very shoddy screenplay, and along with the performances that were either second- or perhaps third-rate, the movie was intended to capitalize on the legacy of both Che Guevara and the 1960's when revolution was all the rage in that decade. IF I had to choose between the 1969 and 2008 versions of the semi-biographical epic on Che Guevara, I would definitely choose the 2008 version because it was a uniquely grand-scale type of movie just like about the other films from previous years as well. While I would admit to some of what the complicated aspects of Che Guevara had been in history to most people. He may have been somewhat divisive and even controversial, too. But I would NEVER think of Che as a completely negative force in the world when there are ongoing problems that are still needed to be changed for the better and certainly in the name of true social justice. As for the detractors of Che, particularly from the viewpoints of Cuban exiles, they can say whatever the heck they want about Che and Fidel Castro, but I know that NOT EVERYONE would agree with them in the end because of all the misperceptions about Che, Fidel, and the Cuban Revolution that still continues to be questioned and debated for a long time to come. So therefore, in this review of the 2008 two-part epic biographical feature film of "CHE," I highly recommend it for those who want to learn about what Che Guevara and others had meant to people in history and for movie-lovers everywhere.

A masterpiece! A fantastic film, beautifully shot with amazing video quality. Definitely one to add to your collection. Originally bought when it was not as expensive though. Highly recommended.

Ótimo -

Divided lots of viewers but all I can say is buy this film ( Criterion if possible) and make up your own mind. It's also a stunning bluray with extras coming out of it's ears and I advise anyone thinking of holidaying to Cuba to go now before the Americans turn it into Disneyland, the rot has already started.....

Excellent Service. Very Quick. The product itself is amazing. Well worth it.

One of my favorite movie(s) of all time by Criterion the best special editions releases. Can't go wrong