JAKOB THE LIAR (DVD/P&S/WS 1.85/DD 5.1/DSS/ENG-SUB) DVD

Jakob the Liar
This remake of the 1975 German film Jakob der Lügner stars Robin Williams in a dramatic role as a man who uses his active imagination to bring a ray of hope where hope was all but unknown. Jakob Heym (Robin Williams) is the owner of a small café during the Nazi occupation of Poland; he has little money and is struggling to keep body and soul alive in the shadow of the Third Reich. One day, he overhears a radio broadcast, forbidden to Polish ears, that reports a major victory for Russian troops over the German army. Enthusiastic about this good news, Jakob begins spreading word of the Russian army's progress through the Polish ghetto. He notices that the story gives people hope and makes it easier for them to get through the day. So Jakob begins inventing stories and passing them along, creating fictional war reports that suggest that the occupation may soon be ending. However, when the occupation troops get wind of these stories, they become convinced that someone has communications equipment stashed away somewhere, and they're determined to find both the radio and its operator at all costs. Jakob the Liar was the first American feature for director Peter Kassovitz; the supporting cast includes Armin Mueller-Stahl, Alan Arkin, Bob Balaban, and Liev Schreiber. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Cast Robin Williams as Jacob Heym Alan Arkin as Frankfurter Bob Balaban as Kowalski Hannah Taylor-Gordon as Lina Michael Jeter as Avron Armin Mueller-Stahl as Dr. Kirschbaum Liev Schreiber as Mischa Nina Siemaszko as Rosa Mathieu Kassovitz as Herschel Mark Margolis as Fajngold Gregg Bello as Blumenthal

Crew Grzegorz Piatkowski - Art Director Tibor Lazar - Art Director Branamir (Bane) Babic - Art Director Suzanne Smith - Casting Billy Hopkins - Casting Kerry Barden - Casting Nick Gillott - Co-producer Wiesa Starska - Costume Designer Mark Egerton - First Assistant Director Peter Kassovitz - Director Claire Simpson - Editor Robin Williams - Executive Producer Ed Shearmur - Composer (Music Score) Luciana Arrighi - Production Designer Elemer Ragalyi - Cinematographer Marsha Garces Williams - Producer Steven Haft - Producer Ian Whittaker - Set Designer Clive Winter - Sound/Sound Designer Peter Kassovitz - Screenwriter Didier Decoin - Screenwriter Jurek Becker - Book Author

Jakob the Liar
(not reviewed)
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: English Subtitle Options: English Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel Additional Features: Digitally remastered audio & anamorphic video Presented in widescreen and full screen versions Audio: English 5.1 [Dolby Digital] Director's commentary "Making of" featurette Isolated music score Production notes Interactive menus Talent files Scene selections DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1: Theatre Wide-Screen 1.33:1: Pre-1954 Standard MPAA Rating: PG13 DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 2 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 120 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1- Widescreen 0. Scene Selections 1. Start [6:22] 2. Special Bulletin [2:34] 3. Sneaking Back In [6:46] 4. Kowalsky [4:48] 5. Mischa [4:03] 6. Matrimonial Plans [4:16] 7. "Everybody Knows" [4:55] 8. Talking Potatoes [6:26] 9. Truth Can Kill [1:11] 10. What's New [8:25] 11. Prof. Kirschmaum [3:14] 12. "Look for the radio" [2:35] 13. A Miracle [3:27] 14. Mischa's Idea [7:59] 15. London Calling [5:12] 16. Gleaning the news [3:19] 17. Sports update [3:31] 18. Rosa's Trousseau [1:32] 19. The Resistance [3:06] 20. Gestapo [3:00] 21. Defying the General [5:59] 22. "All Lies" [7:02] 23. Giving Himslef Up [1:05] 24. Emptying the Ghetto [3:05] 25. Mischa's mission [1:46] 26. "That is my radio" [3:21] 27. Never giving in [3:03] 28. The Russians arrive [7:41] Side #2- Full Screen 0. Scene Selections 1. Start [6:22] 2. Special Bulletin [2:34] 3. Sneaking Back In [6:46] 4. Kowalsky [4:48] 5. Mischia [4:03] 6. Matrimonial Plans [4:16] 7. "Everybody Knows" [4:55] 8. Talking Potatoes [6:26] 9. Truth Can Kill [1:11] 10. What's New [8:25] 11. Prof.Kirschmaum [3:14] 12. "Look for the radio." [2:35] 13. A miracle [3:27] 14. Mischa's idea [7:59] 15. London calling [5:12] 16. Gleaning the news [3:19] 17. Sports update [3:31] 18. Rosa's trousseau [1:32] 19. The Resistance [3:06] 20. Gestapo [3:00] 21. Defying the General [5:59] 22. "All Lies" [7:02] 23. Giving Himself Up [1:05] 24. Emptying the ghetto [3:05] 25. Mischa's mission [1:46] 26. "That is my radio" [3:21] 27. Never giving in [3:03] 28. The Russians arrive [7:41]