Park Circus is delighted to re-release Lawrence of Arabia, one of cinema’s greatest epics, in a brand new 70mm print. Screening at BFI Southbank between 22 September and 3 October 2017, this monumental story recounts the true-life experiences of T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia.
Released in 1962 to widespread acclaim, it is generally considered to be one of the greatest and most influential films of all time. It was nominated for ten Oscars at the Academy Awards, winning seven in total, including Best Picture and Best Director; it also won the BAFTA Awards for Best Film and Outstanding British Film.
Audiences who enjoyed the 50th anniversary restoration of Lawrence of Arabia can now experience it in a new 70mm print, a format which is currently having a resurgence, with Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk and Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight being released in 70mm. After the BFI screenings the film will tour to select UK and European cinemas.
Lawrence of Arabia tells the story of a young, idealistic British officer in World War One (Lawrence, played by Peter O’Toole) who is assigned to the camp of Prince Feisal (Alec Guinness), an Arab tribal chieftain and leader in a revolt against the Turks.
Lawrence leads fifty of Feisal’s men in a tortured three-week crossing of the Nefud Desert to attack the strategic Turkish held port of Aqaba. Following his successful raids against Turkish troops and trains, Lawrence’s triumphant leadership and courage gain him nearly god-like status among his Arab brothers.
With award-winning cinematography, magnificent locations, Maurice Jarre’s famed score and a screenplay based on Lawrence’s own writings, David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabiais a masterpiece. Over the years the film was heavily cut, but in 1988 a reconstruction of the film was undertaken. David Lean and original editor Anne V. Coates then worked on the film to create Lean’s Director’s Cut. It is this version that has been lovingly digitally restored by Sony Pictures Entertainment, ensuring that the film will be seen as it was intended to be.
The film now has an enduring legacy, in 1998 the American Film Institute placed it fifth on their ‘100 Years…100 Movies’ list and in 1999 the British Film Institute named it the third greatest British film of all time.
Source: Park Circus