TRAPEZE STUNTSJust watch when the acrobatic perfromer is real actor and look-like stunts. The techinique used in this film can now be the basic of stunts.
EYE MOVEMENTS OF CAMEO ACTOR/ACTRESSESThis is another challenge for Hollywood. How spectators not seeing the real act react as if they did. A number of cameo actors/actresses including child actor/actresses did the job quite well.
ANIMAL ACTOR/ACTRESSESWell-trained Elephant played a key role in this movie. This movie might prompted using animals as movie actors in the movies afterward.
REALITY/VIRTUAL REALITY
This movie mixes the preparation and performance of real circus and use this scene quite effectively. Mixture of reality with virtual reality is what this movie shines.
SAFETY NET OR NO SAFETY NET?This is quite a big dabate for a long time. Performers might not like safety net particularly top-artist like Sebastian.But as a manager safety net is necessary for the lives of performers. This film described this age-long dilenma into drama quite well.
TRAIN CRASHThis is the state-of-the-art SFX techinic at this time. It was several years before THE BRIDGE OVER RIVER KWAI. Creating such scene might be the directors' challenge in 1952.
This movie lifted the art of movies into another height. Though the drama might be a bit soapy and the techinique a bit outdated. This movie still can entertain us.
Recommended for classic movie fans.
Why so popular picture in 1952? Director DeMille captured America's heart by a very behind the scenes, up-close life of the circus in eye popping TECHNICOLOR!!!! Every child dreamed of running away to join the circus. Families couldn't wait for their annual visit to the Big Top. The 1950's was about family, fun and entertainment.
Ringling Brothers - Barnum & Baily Circus was known as "The Greatest Show on Earth" so they joined Hollywood, DeMille and an ALL-STAR cast; Charlton Heston (first major starring role), Betty Hutton (trained for months to due many of her own aerial stunts), Jimmy Stewart (as Buttons the Clown), Cornel Wilde, Dorthy Lamour (from the Hope & Crosby Road Pictures) and Gloria Grahame to give us a taste of the circus magic. Filmed in gorgeous TECHNICOLOR this film is pure eye candy fun. Demille shows us all these colorful characters and the massive circus army that supports them. How hundreds of circus personell and their exotic animals live the circus life. Saw dust in their veins they entertain us twice a day rain or shine. This is fun stuff.
Never mind the story and the Hollywood corniness. Enjoy this brief colorful journey into the world of the canvas tent circus. A must have movie for your family DVD library. Revisit the era of the circus under the "BIG TOP". Let the kids see & experience the days gone by and relive the fun of "THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH". Enjoy!
The transfer is full frame, as it should be. Colors are rich, bright and bold. Age related artifacts crop up now and then but do not terrible distract. Shadow and contrast levels are bang on. There is a slight hint of edge enhancement and some pixelization, particularly on scenes that have been shot with rather obvious matte paintings standing in for background, but again, these do not distract. The audio is a big fat mono but nicely balanced. There are no extra features on this disc. Still, this one's a vintage necessity for your film library!
