The Magician of Lublin

It amazes me how many great films fall between the cracks due to distribution problems and the march of time. Why do sentimental tosh and Oscar-baity biopics get all the home video releases and adoration, while masterful, haunting work like THE MAGICIAN OF LUBLIN is doomed to obscurity. I had to watch this from a VHS rip when it deserves the Criterion treatment.

I have no words, really-- this movie has left me stunned. Yasha the magician is one of the most complicated movie heroes, so much he makes the likes of Travis Bickle seem simplistic. An alien no matter where he goes, either among his fellow Jews or among the Gentiles who alternately marvel at his magic yet scorn him for his cultural identity and acting profession; a seducer who will love a woman one minute, then treat her like dirt the next; a spiritual seeker both hungry for and angry at a God he is not sure he believes in. His arc is harrowing, astounding-- his ultimate fate left me in such a state of catharsis, such as I rarely ever feel with any work of art.

The camerawork is subdued without being staid, the music perfectly fits the turn of the century setting. And all the actors do amazing work, especially Alan Arkin as Yasha (this may be one of his best performances ever-- it's certainly the meatiest of his roles that I've seen to date) and Louise Fletcher as the lonely widowed aristocrat most vulnerable to Yasha's advances.

A movie of this calibur deserves a restoration and wide release, but unfortunately, you can only find fuzzy, faded copies online. Better than not being able to see it at all, of course, but it is infuriating that all the superhero fast food cinema will see crystal clear home releases, and a movie like this, which breaks your heart and makes you wonder, must make do with a limited audience and inferior image quality.

Arkin spares nothing of himself in what I consider one of his finest roles. The story is both incredibly painful and liberating (the Bladerunner writer must have read this story by Singer). This movie is not for the emotionally faint of heart, but it is so incredibly honest there are great rewards. For those studying translating literature to film, I would suggest this (as well as the Bill Murray version of The Razor's Edge) as worthy case studies. Also, for a period piece, The Magician of Lublin exposes an interesting time in Europe, both for the sexual mores of the time and the existent seeds of anti-Semitism that served as a precursor to the Twentieth Century.

There are a number of excellent movies that get undeserved average ratings because the number of voters are small and a few people who lack sensitivity just don't get it and give a superb movie like this an abysmal rating.

First of all, having read the book by Isaac Bashevis Singer, this movie has succeeded, in my opinion, in capturing the essence of the book. This is a rare achievement, most movies fail to do justice to the books they are based on. This is not to say that the film has not had to make changes to the story, but that this movie has successfully translated the story into the cinematic realm.

The movie has at least one scene that is even more powerful than the way it is depicted in the book. I don't think I'll ever forget the emotional impact this scene made on me (I don't want to spoil it for anyone who has not yet seen this movie).

Second, this is such a great movie that it stands on its own. You need not have read the book beforehand. I saw the movie before I read the book and I firmly believe both are masterful. It is one of the finest movies I have been lucky enough to have seen in a movie theater (I just hope that the DVD version has not been cut too much).

Finally as some other reviewers have pointed out, Alan Arkin and all of the entire cast have done a superb job in bringing their roles to life. The directing, costumes, music, are all realized with masterful skill and elegance.

Forget about the philistine reviews and see this hard to find movie -chances are you will not be sorry.

I saw this at the Toronto Festival in 1979. I can't believe the distributors have wasted good petrochemicals making copies of this film. I only give it a "3" because of the literary quality of the story it's based on, not because it has *any* redeeming qualities.

My one and only viewing of this masterpiece was at a art-house theater in Royal Oak Mi. in 1979 and to this day I can tell you the beginning , middle and end. What does that tell you ?. This movie is a work of art as no other. Alan Arkin was truly magnificent. This movie should of gained a few awards and to be honest I'm not sure if it did or didn't. At least give credit where credit is do. The Magician Of Lubin is by all means is in a category of classics that were overlooked. I would love if Hollywood made more types of films like this and The Search with Montgomery Cliff. If any body has any information on the release of this title on DVD, Please post reply.