Figure in a Landscape
November 11, 2014
Film Info
- United Kingdom
- 1940
- 106 minutes
- Color
- 1.33:1
- English
- Spine #431
Legendary producer Alexander Korda’s marvel The Thief of Bagdad, inspired by The Arabian Nights, is one of the most spectacular fantasy films ever made, an eye-popping effects pioneer brimming with imagination and technical wizardry. When Prince Ahmad (John Justin) is blinded and cast out of Bagdad by the nefarious Jaffar (Conrad Veidt), he joins forces with the scrappy thief Abu (the incomparable Sabu, in his definitive role) to win back his royal place, as well as the heart of a beautiful princess (June Duprez). With its luscious Technicolor, vivid sets, and unprecedented visual wonders, The Thief of Bagdad has charmed viewers of all ages for decades.
Cast
| Jaffar | Conrad Veidt |
| Abu | Sabu |
| Princess | June Duprez |
| Ahmad | John Justin |
| Djinni | Rex Ingram |
| Sultan | Miles Malleson |
| The Old King | Morton Selten |
Credits
| Director | Ludwig Berger, Michael Powell and Tim Whelan |
| Producer | Alexander Korda |
| Screenplay and dialogue | Miles Malleson |
| Production design | Vincent Korda |
| Editing | Charles Crichton |
| Cinematography | George Perinal |
| Music | Miklós Rózsa |
| Technicolor color director | Natalie Kalmus |
| Costumes designed by | Oliver Messel, John Armstrong and Marcel Vertès |
| Scenic background by | Percy Day |
| Production manager | David B. Cunynghame |
| Special effects directed by | Lawrence Butler |
| Sound director | A. W. Watkins |
| Associate producer | Zoltán Korda and William Cameron Menzies |
Disc Features
SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET:
- New digital transfer, from restored film elements
- Two audio commentaries: one featuring renowned directors Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese, and one with film and music historian Bruce Eder
- Visual Effects, a documentary about the technical achievements of The Thief of Bagdad, featuring interviews with special-effects masters Ray Harryhausen, Dennis Muren, and Craig Barron
- The Lion Has Wings (1940), Alexander Korda’s propaganda film for the English war effort, created when The Thief of Bagdad went into production hiatus
- Excerpts from codirector Michael Powell’s audio dictations for his autobiography
- Excerpts from a 1976 radio interview with composer Miklos Rózsa
- Stills gallery featuring rare images of the film’s production and photos shot in Dufaycolor * Optional music and effects track
- Theatrical trailer
- PLUS: A booklet featuring new essays by film scholars Andrew Moor and Ian Christie
New cover by Caitlin Kuhwald
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Britain’s heraldic coat of arms features two creatures, a lion and a unicorn, which have often been taken to symbolize the qualities of strength and imagination. As Britain stood on the . . . Read more »
Photo Galleries
Announcements
10 Things I Learned
Film Essays
The Thief of Bagdad: Arabian Fantasies
By May 26, 2008
For centuries, a double helix of fact and fiction about the East has spiraled into legend and entered the West’s popular imagination. Inevitably, cinema quickly tapped into a reservoir of . . . Read more »
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By May 26, 2008
Britain’s heraldic coat of arms features two creatures, a lion and a unicorn, which have often been taken to symbolize the qualities of strength and imagination. As Britain stood on the . . . Read more »
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