Carmen

Julia M-G is amazing! Despite not being the most physically stunning of women, she radiates such fire that you cannot help but see how every man she walks by falls in love with her version of Carmen. Placido Domingo, of course, is superb (and it's cool to see him when he was young and relatively slender). The movie is shot beautifully, on location in Spain, and the little details of the setting add to the pleasure of watching this wonderful film. I'll admit up front that I'm not a real opera connoisseur. In fact, there are not that many operas I really like. This movie is pretty much the entire reason I started enjoying opera at all, and it has become for me the standard against which I judge all renditions of Carmen. Obviously, most Americans won't like this movie, but then again, it wasn't made for them.

I am no opera fan. I first saw this years ago, simply because I was dating someone at the time who enjoyed opera, so we went to a local cinema which was showing it, and I instantly fell in love with it. As others have pointed out, it has it's flaws, but so what? To me it is absolutely gorgeous, and it's plus points more than make up for it's flaws. When I had the opportunity to do so, I bought a VHS tape of it (which I recall was a lot more expensive than your run of the mill VHS tape), and I have it now on DVD (which was a good deal cheaper). I still enjoy watching it now and again.

I want to comment on the review of Mike. The fact that he writes: "the vast armpit hair on Carmen" and that he finds the subtitles annoying doesn't make a movie awful. He watched the movie against his will at school. But if you do enjoy opera, and realise that in the time this movie is shot or represents the ladies didn't shave there armpits this is a pretty good movie. Good sets, deep, classic story and the camera work is okay but what can you aspect from an opera that is written to be watched from just 1 angle, the audience in front of the stage. This movie is a French classic with all the good singing of an opera, good sets, average camerawork and good stage acting. (An opera is always more body language because of the fact it used to be in a hard language to be understanded from the "normal" people.). So, enjoy this movie!

Musically, dramatically and operatically excellent. The leads indeed exhibit a chemistry that is hard to resist. Julia Migenes, in addition to her wonderful voice, is completely irrestible as Carmen. What fun it would have been to have seen this cast in a similar production live at the Paris Opera!

It would appear I have seen a totally different film from the previous reviewer who thought this awful. Compared with the performances in most opera houses, this version of Bizet's masterpiece was a true revelation allowing one to get the genuine feel of Spain and to see the drama unfolding in realistic locations. Everyone performed very well indeed, the singing was magnificent, the scenery unbelievable and the atmosphere perfection. The only complaint is the inclusion of the appalling bullfight (slaughter) scene during the overture which was quite unnecessary and much to be deplored. Any other viewer who shares my sensitivities will do the same as I do and miss out the Overture (which is a pity) and go straight to chapter 2 of the DVD. A very silly and pointless move which does not give atmosphere, only repulsion. A shame to have spoilt the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar, as they say here in the UK.