"Beautifully re-created. Anthony Hopkin's Pierre Bezuhov is a fascinating portrait" -- The New York Times
SIR ANTHONY HOPKINS STARS IN THIS EPIC BBC ADAPTATION OF THE TOLSTOY CLASSIC ARRIVING AS A 4-DVD COLLECTOR'S SET THIS OCTOBER
War and Peace
Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, a timeless masterpiece of love and loss during Russia's Napoleonic era, has captivated generations of readers since its publication in 1865. In 1972, the BBC aired an epic, 20 episode adaptation of War and Peace starring a 35-year old Anthony Hopkins as Pierre Bezukhov, a role for which he won the Best Actor BAFTA - the British equivalent to the Emmy®. PBS aired the ambitious miniseries for U.S. audiences in 1973, but the program has yet to be available in the U.S. on DVD until now. On October 9, Koch Vision will release the complete, nearly 15 hour WAR AND PEACE miniseries as a 4-disc DVD collector's set for $49.98SRP.
The BBC adaptation of WAR AND PEACE is considered by many to be the most accurate representation of Tolstoy's novel. The large cast, most from BBC stock, also included Morag Hood (A Shot at Glory, Wuthering Heights) Alan Dobie (Hedda Gabler, White Mischief), Joanna David (The Soul Keeper, Shades of Darkness), and Sylvester Morand (Pride & Prejudice, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen). But, for Hopkins, WAR AND PEACE was truly the introduction of the actor to American audiences.
The story of War and Peace follows five aristocratic families, focusing particularly on the Bezukhovs, the Bolkonskis and the Restovs during the years 1805-1813, principally during Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812. The family members are portrayed against the vivid background of Russian social life, and the entanglement with the history of the era. If there is a central character to the sweeping tale, it is Pierre Bezukhov (Hopkins), the illegitimate son of a wealthy count who receives an unexpected inheritance and must forgo his carefree life in exchange for the responsibilities of a Russian nobleman. The huge cast of characters combines both fictional and historical figures, and many of the characters were based on actual people in Tolstoy's life. War and Peace is considered one of the Russian author's two great masterpieces, the other being Anna Karenina.
Format: DVD 5-Pack
Run time: 14 hrs., 50 mins.
Price: $49.98
Prebook/Street: September 11/October 9