The Man in the Glass Booth

Director: Arthur Hiller Arthur Hiller

Overview

"Part of the American Film Theatre series, The Man in the Glass Booth comes to DVD from Kino International. Originally written by Robert Shaw, this play has been adapted to film by director Arthur Hiller in 1975. Presented with a widescreen transfer enhanced for 16 x 9 televisions. Special features start off with ""Robert Shaw and The Man in the Glass Booth,"" an essay by Michael Feingold, Chief Theater Critic at the Village Voice. Also includes the theatrical trailer, stills gallery, and interviews with both director Hiller and Edie Landau, executive of the American Film Theatre. Most of the other special features are vintage AFT promotional materials, like a cinebill, trailer gallery, scrapbook, filmography, and a promotional reel from 1974 entitled ""Ely Landau: In Front of the Camera. """

Product Details

Release Date:	07/22/2003
UPC:	0738329028725
Original Release:	1975
Rating:	PG
Source:	Kino Lorber
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Language:	English
Time:	1:57:00
Sales rank:	39,262

Special Features

An interview with director Arthur Hiller; Theatrical trailer; "Robert Shaw and The Man in the Glass Booth," an essay by Michael Feingold, Chief Theatre Critic, The Village Voice; The AFT Cinebill for The Man in the Glass Booth; Stills gallery; An interview with Edie Landau, Executive in Charge, the American Film Theatre; Ely Landau: In Front of the Camera - AFT promotional reel, 1974; The American Film Theatre trailer gallery - includes a complete list of the AFT films; The American Film Theatre Scrapbook; Enhanced for 16x9 TVs

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Maximilian Schell	Arthur Goldman
Lois Nettleton	Miriam Rosen
Luther Adler	Presiding Judge
Lawrence Pressman	Charlie Cohn
Henry Brown	Jack Arnold
Richard Rasof	Moshe
David Nash	Rami
Martin Berman	Uri
Sy Kramer	Rudin
Robert H. Harris	Dr. Weisberg
Leonidas Ossetynski	Samuel
Lloyd Bochner	Churchill
Norbert Schiller	Schmidt

Technical Credits

Edward Anhalt

Mort Abrahams	Executive Producer
Arthur Hiller	Director
Ely Landau	Producer
Stan Winston	Special Effects
Edward Anhalt	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Although people tend to be in two camps about the ultimate quality of The Man in the Glass Booth, it's hard to deny that the film packs a very powerful punch. Although Robert Shaw decried Edward Anhalt's adaptation of his stage play, the fact is that it's a respectful version of the original; the problem is that, as part of the American Film Theatre series, the film by design and intent has been opened up only minimally. Those who prefer their films to be cinematic will likely find Booth somewhat claustrophobic, but director Arthur Hiller actually deserves a great deal of credit for using his camera in such a way as to make the film feel like it's moving even when it's not. Some will have a bigger problem with the screenplay, feeling that it is too manipulative, achieving effects that shock without really digging into deeper moral and dramatic issues. While there is some validity to this, it's also true that this manipulation is enormously effective. Audiences will also be about two minds concerning Maximilian Schell's Oscar-nominated performance. Detractors will complain that he hits one note too often and for too long, and that furthermore that note is shrill. But there's such intensity, power, conviction, and sheer showmanship in his performance that others will be inclined to overlook these complaints. There should be general agreement, however, that Lois Nettleton turns in a subtly nuanced yet surprisingly strong supporting performance and that Lawrence Pressman provides a nicely shaded Charlie. The Man in the Glass Booth's screenplay and central performance have their flaws, but those flaws are inextricable from and add to the film's ultimate impact.