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Once Upon A Time In America [1984] | ![Once Upon A Time In America [1984]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41HZ0BRVF0L._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: Sergio Leone
Actors: Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth Mcgovern, Tuesday Weld, Treat Williams
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: £13.99
Buy New: £3.92
You Save: £10.07 (72%)
New (28) Used (9) Collectible (1) from £2.49
Rating:  54 reviews
Sales Rank: 1791
Format: Box Set, Dubbed, Pal, Special Edition, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Italian (Original Language)
Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Region: 2
Discs: 2
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Items: 2
Running Time: 220 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.4 x 0.5
EAN: 7321931200264
ASIN: B0000934BA
Theatrical Release Date: June 1, 1984
Release Date: June 23, 2003
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: 2Disc Special Edition - Dispatched in one working day
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
Once Upon a Time in America has a chequered history, having been chopped from its original 229-minute director's cut to 139 minutes for its theatrical release. The longer edition presented here benefits from having the complete story (the short version has huge gaps) about turn-of-the-century Jewish immigrants in America finding their way into lives of crime, as told in flashback by an ageing Jewish gangster named Noodles (Robert De Niro). On the other hand, it's almost four hours long, and this sometimes-indulgent Sergio Leone film is no Godfather. Still, it is notable for the contrast between Leone's elegiac take on the gangster film and his occasional explosive action, as well as for the mix of the stoic, inexpressive De Niro and the hyperactive James Woods as his lifelong friend and rival. --Marshall Fine
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| Customer Reviews: Read 49 more reviews...
 Over-rated epic August 25, 2008
N. R. Jones
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
I was rather disappointed with a film that went on far too long (during the last hour I was continually fast forwarding the action). It is always a good idea to enable the viewer to empathise with the main characters - in this film there was actually nothing to like about any of the main characters. At times the dialogue plodded along and I was waiting for something of note to happen - it very rarely did! Boring and not a patch on the Godfather or Goodfellas.
 Worst gangster Film you will ever see-- garanteed. July 28, 2008
R. Ahad
1 out of 10 found this review helpful
Before i get a slashing for my review, i would just like to say i love most films especially gangster ones!
This movie is possibily the WORST gangster film ever made, and in my view also the worst movie ever made. A lot of effort was put into it and a lot of amazing cast for what? -- a painfully bad film .
I seen the good reviews it got from the masses and thought id give it a 2nd try so i watched it again-- horrible waste of time. I thought maybe i didnt have taste -- now i have realised that all of you cheer leaders that have given it 5 stars have none-- or maybe you dont understand what a good film is?
This is not a masterpiece, this is not a classic , classics are films like the godfather or scarface or goodfellas -- This film is a pile of nonsense -- period. Im not going to go into details because there are just too many flaws -- what was the director thinking? -- even a 5 year old kid with no cinema experience could of made a better film with the resources sergio had.
It really annoyed me a lot because i love de niro and James woods
 Overrated July 28, 2008
A viewer
2 out of 6 found this review helpful
'Once Upon A Time In America' is hailed by many as a masterpiece. The 'Godfather I and II' are hailed by many as classics. The latter lives up to its claim, whereas the former falls way short. And here's why:
Both the Godfather/s and 'Once Upon A Time In America' display impressive cinematography, but that is where the similarities end. The narrative in 'Once Upon A Time In America' is fragmented and ultimately ambiguous. The protagonists, despite reasonable performances from Robert De Niro and James Woods, evoke little concern as to what will become of them. They are hollow and heartless criminals devoid of any redeeming feature that may have endeared them to the audience in some small way. This is a very important point, especially since I found myself genuinely sympathizing at times with Michael and Vito Corleone in the Godfather I and II, and Daniel Plainview in the recent film 'There Will Be Blood', all of whom are sinister megalomaniacs. Noodles (De Niro) and Max (Woods) on the other hand failed completely to stir any such feelings within me. The more of the film I saw, the less I cared about the characters.
Furthermore, I have some gripes with the soundtrack. The music in itself isn't bad, but it is poorly executed and incongruous with the mood of some scenes. Alas, the quintessential film making depicted in Leone's spaghetti westerns are not apparent in this film.
 The best film of all time July 12, 2008
Ms. Harriet L. Fisher (brighton, england)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
THIS IS THE GREATEST FILM EVER MADE!!! BOLD STATEMENT I KNOW, BUT IT REALLY IS !!! MY FAVOURITE DIRECTORS ARE: STANLEY KUBRICK, INGMAR BERGMAN, SERGIO LEONE, QUENTIN TARANTINO, ROMAN POLANSKI, STEVEN SPEILBERG (ONLY "SCHINDLERS LIST", "JAWS" AND "SAVING PRIVATE RYAN" AND THE BRILLIANT DAVID LYNCH. IF YOU LIKE THESE DIRECTORS FILMS, YOU WOULD BE AN IDIOT NOT TO WATCH AND LOVE THIS. THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD THROUGH CINEMA DIRECTED IN THE CLEVEREST WAY, AND A SOUNDTRACK TO MATCH.
Leone's final epic March 24, 2008
S J Buck (Kent, UK)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
OUATIA is an epic film in every sense. It follows the life of 'Noodles' (Robert De Niro) from early adolesense to adult and then as an older man discovering the truth about his past that he thought was dead and buried.
The cast are superb with DeNiro and James Woods as Max (at his most charismatic) playing the two leading roles roles. In the fact if anything the sections with the younger actors playing the adolesent Noodles and Max were probably even better.
Leone's view of the American gangster era is a little more poetic than say Goodfellas and The Godfather. The pace of this film is more measured. Its beautifully shot and a wonderful looking film. When the violence happens though, it is as viseral as anything you will find in those other two great gangster films. In particular there are two rape scenes, which whilst not that explicit tell you a lot about 'Noodles' attitude to women.
One of the characters in the film is called James Conway O'Donnell (as displayed in the cast list), but he is referred to as Jimmy Conway in the film. Interestingly Jimmy Conway was DeNiro's character in Goodfellas.
For me its just short of 5 stars. The reason is the length. At three hours and 40 minutes its just too long. I felt that it could have been trimmed a little (say 20 mins) and the film would have a little sharper. But this is a very minor critcism of what is otherwise a superb film.
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