King Rat [DVD] [2005]

This is a great film. As it points out in the beginning, it is a POW story which is not about escaping: it is about survival. I read the book on which it is based many years ago and, as far as I can remember, the film is pretty faithful to it. It is character driven and aptly conveys the squalor and deprivation of the prison camp without laying it on with a trowel and it is also laced with black humour. Were it to be made again today I think the humanity would be lost in a welter of 'gritty realism' and foul language. As it is, it makes you more likely to concentrate on how people behave in such extreme circumstances. Morality is turned on its head. The most upright character is perhaps the least likeable and you can't help having a sneaking admiration for the out and out rogue. This is a film well worth watching.

I saw this film on its release many years ago when I was comparatively young. The fact of my youth probably contributed to the abiding memory of the anarchic spirit and somewhat intimidating character played by George Segal. The theme of the film is that of survival and Segal's character achieves this with style and aplomb in the most terrible of circumstances in a POW camp. His character clearly believes that the best way to survive is to wheel and deal and to exploit everything and everybody. It seems a clear parallel of how to survive in a competitive corporate world. The film has some stunning scenes which emphasise the differences between those who know how to cope with life's challenges and those beyond help. The filmwork also utilises some unusual tricks to add to the effect. The film is shot in black and white and this supports the starkness of the theme. A classic

A good film marred by some poor research, or at least that was my feeling. Firstly, the camp just didn't feel especially Japanese. Not enough bowing and hitting of prisoners.Secondly, if the crucifixion scene in the film To End all Wars jarred, the anti-God rant in King Rat also jarred. What is clear from war memoirs is that some men lost their faith and some had their faith strengthened. There simply wasn't enough religious content in the film King Rat to be true to what happened in the main camps where men had time on their hands. By all accounts there were some well attended religious services.Thirdly, the amount of food consumed towards the end of the film is far too much. The amount would at least make the men ill and, in some cases, even kill them.

My wife - who wasn't even born when King Rat was released - fell in love with George Segal as we watched this film last night. This film really does stand the test of time. Apart from Mr Segal there is wonderful naturalistic work from James Fox and Sir Tom Courtney, fully rounded cameos from Denham Elliot, James Donald and Sir John Mills but for me the treat was the performance of Patrick O'Neal as Max. This American actor was never again put to such use on screen. John Barry's music is spare and works to tighten the edge. It's moving, frightening and dryly amusing. Fans of the novel will not be disappointed in Bryan Forbes adaptation or his sharp, unfussy and unsentimental direction.

This is a terrific film. Well written, well directed, well cast and acted all to a haunting score by John Barry at the top of his game. I was left hungering to read through all James Cavell’s novels. He made KING RAT pert of a sequence about Asia. Curious to see how it fits in.The copy of this film available on Amazon Prime is excellent. Some older films available on the service suffer from indifferent sources and look inferior. Not this one.Recommended.

Super wartime drama -set in a Japanese p.o.w camp with George Segal in one of his best roles was a American prisoner deterred to survive by any means available- black marketeering,, bribery etc. He is countered by a great performance by Tom Courtney as a by-yhe-book sergeant who is determined to bring the "king Rat to book. one of the best movies of its time written and directed by Brian Forbes from the book by James Clavel. cast members includeJohn mills and Denholm Elliot- A truly remarkable effort and very collectable.

Great book and one that is difficult to put down once started. This book isn't so much about the brutality of the Japanese rather the politics and power struggles within a very large prison camp where almost everything revolves around food and a man's ability to get it. It is fascinating to read how the various characters adapt in very different ways to their awful environment where Military rank has little meaning, and only the most cunning intelligent and adaptable survive.

One of the most impressive things about this film is the atmosphere. Just watching it makes you sweat from the temperature (the camp's in Singapore), and from the tension and claustrophic feel. The acting as well is just amazing, with flawless and deep characterisation all round. Special praise to Tom Courtenay, whose skeletal elegance contrasts so wonderfully with Corporal King's loose form.This is one of the best and most compelling war films I have ever seen, with a darker, more realistic view on the Second World War and people's mercenary nature.Although the film is incredible, you absolutely MUST read the James Clavell novel it is based on, one of the best books I've ever read.A must, in both mediums!

This is a nice old classic film and I've always thought George Segal was a great actor. Although sometimes there isn't a mention of it, this listing made it very clear that this is a Region 4 DVD. For anyone not familiar with the different DVD Regions, North America is Region 1, and standard North American DVD players will not play DVDs calibrated for a different Region. To avoid problems should I unknowingly purchase a DVD that isn't Region 1, I bought an inexpensive ( $50 ) 'All Region' DVD Player. ( Sometimes referred to as 'Multi Region' or 'Region Free' ). I've noticed quite a few Customer DVD Reviews that were understandably negative because the DVD simply wouldn't play in their DVD player, and the Seller had either not clearly stated the DVD wasn't Region 1, or there was no mention of Regions at all. I've never seen any Non-Region 1 DVDs being sold when the Seller is Amazon Canada or Amazon USA, but if the Seller is from the U.K. or Europe it's most likely not a Region 1 DVD. Even if the Seller is located in North America there's no guarantee the DVD is Region 1. ( Apparently there's one North American DVD Seller that sells ONLY Non-Region 1 DVDs ). If the Seller isn't Amazon, and the DVD product description doesn't include the DVD Region, I suggest that you either contact the Seller or purchase it from someone else. As I have already mentioned, it might be worth considering the purchase of an inexpensive 'All Region' DVD player. An additional benefit of having an 'All Region' DVD player is that sometimes the DVD you want to buy isn't available in the Region 1 category but you can usually find it in a different Region format.These are Amazon links that explain the DVD Regions.https://www.amazon.ca/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GBRQPX8R2TGE695Nhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GBRQPX8R2TGE695N

Tuve que devolver el DVD porque la imagen se congelaba y pixelaba en mis dos lectores de mesa y en el del ordenador. Por lo que pude ver,la novela es mejor. Ni Forbes era el realizador mas adecuado para dirigir esta historia de Clavell que oscila entre el "Traidor en el infierno" de Wilder y "El puente sobre el rio Kwai" de Lean, ni Segal era el actor mas indicado para asumir el papel protagonista del film.

現代日本には階級制度はないので，大戦時の米英社会における階級に対する考え方が興味深い．ジョージシーガルの演技は素晴らしい．また，ナイーブな英軍中尉を演じるジェームズフォックスも魅力的だ．収容所を管理する日本軍に対する描き方も画一的でなく戦争を客観的に描いているのは日本人として受け入れられる．

I am a big fan of James Clavell and read all his books - some of them twice. Without a doubt, my ultimative favorit is Clavell's earliest piece: "King Rat".I was very excited to finally have the chance to watch the movie, which I purchased here on VHS.After having it watched, I am now aware of what they mean bythe saying "that a great book does not necessarily guarantee a great movie."In fact I was rather disapointed.Despite the fact that James Fox shows quite a solid performance as young Peter Marlowe, the script does not allow him to give Marlowe the character and profil he has in the novell. He appears as an easy-going, always-cheered-up english chap.There is hardly any sign of the thoughtfull, young guy as he was described in the novell; struggeling with the conflict of his morality; having doubts whether it is right or wrong being involved in the Kings enterprises.I also missed some about the unique, and in way fragile friendship between the King and Marlowe.It was disapointing too, that the part with the visit to the malay-village was not used for the script. (I was looking forward to seeing "Sulina" appear...)They 'd better cut out the scene, when the men had "Rover" for lunch.Marlowe's best mates, Larkin and Mac, stayed nearly faceless, and never reached the profile and significance as in the novell.So was the deal with diamond. A key issue in the novell, got sized down to a short scene of no importance that somehow did not fit.I am aware that James Clavell personally wrote the script; soI do hope that he was pleased with result of the film.I was not.However, there is still "Shogun" and "The Noble House",both of them - to put it in Marlowe's words - "not bad"as a novell and as a movie.Montgomery West

I've enjoyed this movie in the past. Unfortunately I will not be enjoying it now that I own it because this is a region 2 DVD and will not play on my American, Samsung Blu-ray player. The region is not listed in the description so beware.