Jakob The Liar (UK)
When all hope was lost, he invented it
Certificate: 12
Running Time: 115 mins
Retail Price: £19.99
Release Date:
Content Type: Movie
Synopsis:
When Jakob (Williams) a poor Jewish cafe owner, accidentally overhears a forbidden news bulletin signalling Soviet military successes against German forces, he whispers his secret good news to two despondent friends. As the information spreads, so does a rumour; Jakob must have a radio, an offence punishable by death.
Observing the remarkable lift in spirits, Jacobs continues to relay fictitious news bulletins against the Nazis, despite the obvious danger.
These lies keep hope and rumour alive among the inhabitants of the ghetto and optimism is reborn. When the Germans learn of the mythical radio, however, they begin a search for the resistance hero who dares operate it....
Special Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Behind-the-scenes Featurette
Director`s commentary
Filmographies
Isolated score - Music Highlights
Theatrical Trailer
`Awakenings` Trailer
Video Tracks:
Widescreen Letterbox 1.85:1
Audio Tracks:
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Dolby Digital 5.1 German
Subtitle Tracks:
Hebrew
Icelandic
Polish
Czech
Hindi
Swedish
Finnish
Turkish
English
German
Greek
Hungarian
Dutch
Arabic
Danish
Norwegian
Directed By:
Peter Kassovitz
Written By:
Didier Decoin
Peter Kassovitz
Jurek Becker
Starring:
Alan Arkin
Bob Balaban
Kathleen Gati
Justus von Dohnanyi
István Bálint
Éva Igó
Hannah Taylor-Gordon
Robin Williams
Casting By:
Suzanne Smith
Billy Hopkins
Kerry Barden
Soundtrack By:
Ed Shearmur
Director of Photography:
Elemér Ragályi
Editor:
Claire Simpson
Costume Designer:
Wieslawa Starska
Production Designer:
Luciana Arrighi
Producer:
Marsha Garces Williams
Lew Rywin
Steven Haft
Nick Gillott
Executive Producer:
Robin Williams
Distributor:
Columbia / Tristar
Your Opinions and Comments
Williams` lead in this emotional-comic-tragic film is simply superb.
The film`s 115 minutes go by very quickly and the plot is very well laid out.
The video on the disk is excellent. The transfer is a very nice 1.85:1 with no compression marks at all.
The hues are very unsaturated, which is very appropriate in portraiting the atmosphere of a Jewish gettho during those horrible years.
The 5.1 sound track is very nice as well, giving you that creepy, cranky atmosphere of the gettho.
The musical score (which can also be listened to separately) is excellent. There are some so-called "Jewish tunes" throughout the film, but the music is quite diverse.
A note to my fellow Israelis - yes, this is a good choise of a movie for "Yom Hashoaa". It will leave you crying, but smiling as well.
A final word regarding the obvious comparison to Benini`s film. All I can say is this: Benini - you`ve still got a LOT to learn. A whole lot.