Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Water For Elephants - On DVD on My Anniversary November 1st

LIFE IS THE MOST SPECTACULAR SHOW ON EARTH

Witness The Epic Tale of Forbidden Love Starring
Academy Award® Winner Reese Witherspoon and
Robert Pattinson On Blu-ray and DVD November 1


Take a journey back in time with the romantic tale based on Sara Gruen’s New York Times #1 Best-Seller novel of the same name, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, coming to Blu-ray and DVD on November 1st from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.  Starring Academy Award®-winner Reese Witherspoon (Walk The Line), Robert Pattinson (Twilight series) and Oscar®-winner Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds), the film presents an epic tale of forbidden love in a magical place filled with adventure, wonder and great danger. Showcasing the decadence of a bohemian circus and the majesty of its animals against the backdrop and beauty of a bygone era, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS makes the ideal holiday gift idea for your favorite film buff, fashionista or book-lover!

Devastated by the sudden death of his parents at the height of The Depression, a young dreamer from the wrong side of the tracks, Jacob Jankowski (Pattinson), abandons his veterinary studies at
Cornell University. With no other family, no house, and no money, Jacob stows away on a train carrying the circus performers of The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth.  Hired as a veterinarian to care for the troupe’s animals, Jacob is temporarily filled with the promise of an exciting life that comes with a traveling circus troupe. However, as he builds a rapport and falls in love with the star of the show, Marlena (Witherspoon), they become prey to the circus’s owner, Marlena’s violent and abusive husband August (Waltz). As the circus begins to crumble from within and against all odds, Jacob and Marlena come together and fall in love through their compassion for a special elephant. With their love on the line, Jacob and Marlena come to a crossroads that will forever change their destiny. 
Directed by critically-acclaimed filmmaker Francis Lawrence (Constantine), WATER FOR ELEPHANTS features fantastic supporting performances from Paul Schneider (Lars and the Real Girl), Jim Norton (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), Mark Povinelli (The Polar Express), Richard Brake (Batman Begins), and Academy Award®-nominee Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild).

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS Blu-ray + Digital Copy 
·         Feature Film
·         Special Features
o   Robert Pattinson Spotlight
o   Feature Performer Reese Witherspoon
o   The Traveling Show: From Page to Screen
o   Working Without A Net – The Visual Effects of Water for Elephants
o   The Star Attraction
o   Raising the Tent
o   Secrets of the Big Top
o   Audio Commentary with Director Francis Lawrence and Writer Richard LaGravenese
o   Theatrical Trailer
·         Live Extras
o   Exclusive: Stars of the Circus
o   Blu-ray Highlight: The Traveling Show: From Page to Screen
o   Theatrical Trailer
o   Live Lookup
o   Digital Copy

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS DVD 
·         Feature Film
·         Special Features
o   Robert Pattinson Spotlight
o   Feature Performer Reese Witherspoon
o   The Traveling Show: From Page to Screen
o   Audio Commentary with Director Francis Lawrence and Writer Richard LaGravenese
o   Theatrical Trailer 

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company. Representing 75 years of innovative and award-winning filmmaking from Twentieth Century Fox, TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions on DVD, Blu-ray Disc Digital Copy, Video On Demand and Digital Download. The company also releases all products globally for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce throughout the world.


In My Personal Opinion:
WELL where should I start. First, I would put Robert Pattinson's name before Reese but if you are a reader of my blog, you know I love my Pattinson!

As someone who has never read Water for Elephants (and I know there are many who did), I loved it!

We start with an older man standing in a parking lot. He is asked if he is with the nursing home and taken in until someone can find out where he comes from. He explains he was looking for the circus and starts telling his story....I loved the voice narration of the older Jacob actor and the younger Jacob blending until we are in flashback...

Rob's character, Jacob has a loving mother and father who never let their son see how bad the depression was. When they are killed in a car accident, he learns that the bank owns his house. His loving parents mortgaged their home to finance Jacob's education at Cornell. He is so close to graduating and getting his veterinary license but never finishes. He has nothing, his parents are gone and so is his home! He heads out unsure where he is going. A train goes by and he jumps on. Close to being beaten and roughed up he is taken under the wing of a circus worker who promises him work if he can hack it.



He is introduced to August the Ring Leader and owner of Benzini Brothers Circus. Christoph Waltz does a fantastic job as the damaged, egotistical, violent ring leader.Jacob passes himself off as a vet and tells August that Ringling Brothers has their own. August hates Ringling Brothers as a struggling circus. Jacob is told he will have a job if he can save the prized, top horse who is ridden by August's wife, Marlena (Reese).  When the horse is put down, Rosie the elephant is purchased.  This gentle giant and Rob steal the show for me.

Jacob and Marlena fall in love, it would be hard for her not to, she is constantly thrown at him by her husband. Jacob is the opposite of August. August uses force and Jacob uses gentleness.

The scenes are brilliantly lit to create a depressive sideshow feel. You are praying for August to suffer and for Marlena to get away from him. The scenes of two victims thrown from the train were hard not because of the graphic nature but because of the characters. There were also moments of violence toward Rosie that were hard to watch too! The movie made me want to read the book. It is something I will be picking up if I don't have it on my preloaded Kindle (thanks Susan, you are the bestest).

You will love this movie even if you are not a Pattinson fan but if you are, you will savor every moment. I can't wait to watch it again!





Disclaimer: I received a copy of this movie for my honest opinion from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

1 comment:

  1. I forgot all about this movie! I wanted to see it when it was in theaters but never did. I didn't read the book, but after reading your review, I really can't wait to see it!

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