“This frigging game is ruining my life!” moans Sly Stallone midway through John Huston’s cult classic.
And if you’re not a fan of the beautiful game you’re likely to experience the same feeling over the next month as World Cup fever takes over the nation.
In a shameless attempt to cash in on this year’s tournament (which starts on Friday for anyone who has been in outer space for the last month) Huston’s soccer spectacular has been given a timely “limited edition” re-release.
For anyone who hasn’t seen the film - and there can’t be many of you seeing as it crops up on the TV schedules every six months - POWs Michael Caine and Stallone use a World War II exhibition football match between a rag tag Allies XI and an all star German team as cover for a daring escape attempt.
They say:
Empire: “The pitch antics of Pelé and co. aren’t exactly high art, but this tale of POWs staking it all on a match against the Nazis is energetic, irresistably silly and thoroughly feelgood.”
We say:
Normally, we would have given such a memorable movie a far better rating but the paucity of extras included in this “special edition” is shocking.
Apart from the original film -which true fans will probably already have on DVD as the last special edition was released only six months ago - the sole extra you will receive for your hard earned cash is a tacky England flag.
Having said that, while the portrait of life in a prison of war camp isn’t exactly realistic and Stallone’s attempts at goalkeeping make David “Calamity” James look like Gordon Banks, ETV is still probably the best football film ever made.
Also, seeing the world’s finest players – Pele, Ardilles, err…John Wark – engaging in full blooded tackles with Hollywood A Listers is unlikely to ever be repeated in an era of crammed schedules and over protective clubs.
CAST
Michael Caine, Sylvester Stallone, Max von Sydow, Pele,
Daniel Massey, Tim Pigott-Smith, Julian Curry, Maurice Roeves, Bobby Moore, John Wark, Ossie Ardiles, Mike Summerbee
DIRECTOR
John Huston
TIME
110 mins
POSTED...
Mon 5 Jun 2006 at 10:46am
