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Lawrence of Arabia


Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean, 1962)



I've seen Lawrence of Arabia on the big screen a few times, and having watched it at the Big Newport, I recommend seeing it on the largest one you can possibly find. The film paints its characters as very flawed (but most are understandable) and the story is rather unpredictable, sorta like the viewer is a grain of sand blown by the desert wind. Lawrence is undoubtedly the most enigmatic character and perhaps the most enigmatic lead character and hero of any major motion picture. Peter O'Toole plays him fascinatingly. His eyes seem to convey so much without any dialogue, but ultimately what and why he feels the way he does is not explained, nor is it necessary. The entire visual aesthetic of the film is such a powerful experience that it does most of the explaining. The film and locations are mesmerizing. You just get engulfed in it and let it take you where it does. Hopefully, you will be rewarded with a cinematic experience unlike any other. In that way, Lawrence of Arabia reminds me of 2001: A Space Odyssey. The desert seems almost as huge as outer space.