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Hey guys! Here is the YT edit for Lawrence of Arabia, which will premiere shortly!

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Rosario Cicero

I can die a happy man ‘cause I saw this in glorious 70mm on a big screen a couple of years ago

Lamar Smith

Wadi Rum was also used in the opening scene of JW4.

Celeste McAllister

Imagine how good this looked on a cinerama super wide screen...Congratulations to Jen Murray! Go have a look and see why!🙏🖖🩵

Neil Varma

Cassie. This is my favorite movie of all time! Glad u finally saw it

Chris Thom

Respect for committing a full 4 (freaking) hours to this. You're a real one for that. Not that it's mine to bestow at all...but Super Movie Above Average Expert Status GRANTED.

Zane From Canada

This must've been a helluva and edit. 👍😁

jdj830

I shared your confusion after watching this, Cassie, which is why, while I greatly admire the film's craft and was undeniably entertained by it, it's not on my personal top ten or even twenty films. I felt like the film wanted to have it both ways - on the one hand, they wanted to convey that Lawrence was a complex character - and the real-life Lawrence definitely was - but they also wanted us to be so swept up in the spectacle and epic-ness of it all that we don't think about it too hard or ask too many questions about all the dots that remained unconnected at the end of the movie. It doesn't help that Lawrence's memoir that this is partially based on has been shown to be unreliable, and that historical accounts of the era tend to be slanted by political bias in all directions. Perhaps this movie would have been better had it been framed not by his untimely and somewhat random death, but by something akin to Amadeus, where we see him like Salieri looking back on his life and making up an alternative history that magnifies his role in the story and helps process his ambivalent feelings about what he actually did. But whatever - it's got sand and camels and blood and a soaring orchestra and those piercing blue eyes. It's definitely a classic for a reason.

Happy Hanukkah

Further suggestions: 1. For a nearby WW1 campaign: The Lighthorsemen (1987). (An Australian light horse regiment takes on the Turks.) 2. You've seen both this movie and The Bridge on the River Kwai. How about director David Lean's next epic, Doctor Zhivago (1965)? It's set in Russia, so you'll get to complete the Lean triple: jungle, sand, snow. :-) By the way, the eponymous star is a significantly less tanned Omar Sharif (this movie's Sherif Ali). 3. Speaking of Omar Sharif, he has a small role in The 13th Warrior (1999). To be excessively simplistic, it's almost a mirror image of this movie. In medieval times, a cultured Levantine visits and embarks on a quest with a band of Vikings.

Anthony Carlson

Ah….I know what you’re talking about. I deleted my original reply because I got the wrong idea lol

Lamar Smith

So, Col. Lawrence was present in Versailles at the conference to settle the end of WWI. He strongly advocated for the Middle East to be governed and controlled by the Arabs. Like many different sides, The Versailles Treaty was deeply dissatisfying to Lawrence and the Arabs. They were, more or less, ignored and the Sykes-Picot Agreement was ratified. In a VERY real way you can DIRECTLY trace many, but not all, of the problems in the Middle East to divvying up all of the territories by mapmakers. The Sykes-Picot Agreement ended up lumping together various tribes and factions that, at best, had nothing in common with one another, at worst, positively loathed one another. I’m not aware of what the map would have looked like if Lawrence had gotten his way but it is clear that it would have taken far better account of which tribes lived where and their historical grudges with their neighbors. As the film alludes to time and again, the Arabs, as a whole, were used by the great powers and then abandoned.

Happy Hanukkah

Yea, though I walk through the Wadi of Rum, I shall not fear, for I am too darn drunk. :-)

Lawrance Bernabo

Nice timing. My students had to watch this two weeks ago for my Popular Culture class.

Happy Hanukkah

I first thought you were congratulating Jen for watching Lawrence on a big screen and was getting confused, until I actually did look in the proper place. :-)

Timothy Fisher

I’ve always enjoyed your reactions to historical movies and TV shows and I love the fact that you’ve frequently expressed interest in wanting to know more about these various events and people. May I recommend a list of videos I’ve put together from the YouTube channel “Oversimplified”? He’s covered many events like WW1 & 2, American Revolution, Civil War ect; and he does a great job of making you understand the full story. His videos are extremely popular and have gotten many reactions, and I think we would love it if you made your own. Let me know what you think and if you’d like me to send you the link.

Joe

Cassie's YT edit for Ben-Hur is only 38 mins, good thing I had seen the movie, LOL.

V M

Cassie: "He should be wearing a helmet." Foreboding statement. One of the doctors attending him was neurosurgeon Hugh Cairns, who consequently began a long study of the loss of life by motorcycle dispatch riders through head injuries. His research led to the use of crash helmets by both military and civilian motorcyclists.

James Melton

One of the most beautiful films made. Why did he have to die? The end of all of us is when we die. If you read "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" you will get a better sense of Lawrence and his campaign.

Lamar Smith

As to this movie, I say with COMPLETE non-caring. I do NOT care who anyone chooses to be intimate with. These are simply facts: David Lean, one of the most cinematically gifted Directors ever was, simply a fact, utterly NO judgement, was, shall we say, flamboyantly gay. Totally fine, don’t care. There is, in this film, an undertone of homosexuality and, specifically, how homosexuals of the time felt or were made to feel awkward, different, not fitting in. In this film it shows up most obviously in the scene where the Turks capture Lawrence and beat him. The Turkish officer, it’s super easy to miss, but, essentially, makes a pass at Lawrence. Historically, Lawrence was captured, detained and, at least, beaten in Deraa by the Turks. In the historical accounts there are, I’d say, stronger than just hints, that Lawrence was sexually violated, as well. Lawrence’s sexuality has been a bit of a mystery but historians versed on his life would conclude he was asexual or homosexual. This was a time when issues like this weren’t discussed even for straight people. Lawrence never married and had, to the best of our knowledge, no close relations with any females. There is a small unnamed speaking part for the character Auda derides as “thou old tulip” which was quite far from the ordinary for films from the time. On one level it’s easy to relate to this story as a love story between Ali & Lawrence. Recall the scene where Ali is, essentially, criticizing Lawrence’s decision to either abandon the desert or return to his own people. Ali is pleading with Lawrence to consider the need the Arabs have for Lawrence’s leadership. He closes his diatribe with “What about them?” Yet Omar Sharif’s hand comes to rest on his own breast. Consider, also, Lawrence in the ankle-deep surf at Aqaba and Ali says “Laurels for the hero, flowers for the man.” Not much of a stretch to see the erotic overtones there, as well.

Lamar Smith

I’d also point out the lack of any homoeroticism in Lean’s other epic masterpiece, ‘Doctor Zhivago.’ Just a fairly straightforward heterosexual love story on that one. Anyone is, of course, free to disagree or discount the analysis but I can argue that the presence of homoeroticism in one Lean masterpiece and the complete absence in another might mean something. All I’m saying.

Michael Siegel

The thing about this movie is that ... it casts a spell over you. The music, the images, the acting. Some people get it. But some people don't. I was happy to see that Cassie "got it", falling under the movie's spell. David Lean's "Bridge on the River Kwai" is also outstanding.

Chris Thom

With what I kept hearing I was expecting some veiled homoerotic action at least. Like a wrestling scene or something? But really...nothing. Just that one implied scene that didn't actually have much to do with him at all. But that was the time and code of course. But what was interesting was how the character did stand out with some quirks. But yeah...not a ton of gay there.

Clay F

Agree. Even with the movie being long, it captivated me. By the way, she reacted to "Bridge on the River Kwai".

Clay F

Lawrence's sexual orientation may be in dispute, but I read that later in his relatively short life, he developed a “flagellation disorder” (craving for flagellation) that may have been brought on in part by being a victim of male rape?

Clay F

Interesting thought on doing it akin to Amadeus (Salieri looking back).

Lamar Smith

The Arabs were semi-nomadic. The various tribes kept flocks and herds around the scarce oases. One of the only truly nomadic tribes, the Bedu or Bedouin, have been allowed to traverse other tribes’ lands. The other tribes cluster around precious watering areas and zealously and jealously defend their water and herds.

Lamar Smith

The movie came out in the very early ‘60s, it had to be subtle. Not a single speaking part for a female, gay director’s movie about a gay protagonist. A small but recurring part for an, essentially openly gay character that doesn’t ‘need’ (insofar as the story goes) to be gay. A homosexual torture/rape scene. It’s subtle but it’s there.

Lamar Smith

The Middle East post-WWI was, essentially, divided into nations dominated by France and England. The lines on the map only took into account the desires of the Western Powers. Consider, for instance, the modern nation of Syria, capital Damascus. The borders encompass a patchwork of tribes, ethnicities and religions that only outsiders seeking to keep each group as powerless as possible would think to call a nation. The function, if not the purpose, of the Sykes-Picot Agreement was to pit tribe against tribe, endlessly squabbling over water and wells, thus making it easier to control the whole region.

Rick Rodriguez

Most respectfully, I must disagree. I think the film is the gold standard in giving high adventure, complex characterization, while maintaining the mystery of a man. As if to say we can know so much about a person, he actions will speak louder than his words, but never truly know him. I think we are used to more archetypal characters in epics, nowadays, and El Aurence defies that.

Rick Rodriguez

Zane from Canada also mentioned how hard it must have been to edit this. Ben must have looked like Lawrence when he came out of the Nefud Desert when he was done. Mad props. 🫡

Shehab Dawoud

I saw a few racist comments in that live chat and nothing was done about it. I've also seen it on here in the past and nothing was done, just a slap on the wrist in the best case. Not good enough.

Matt Rose

now THAT is a movie. Bravo for tackling it, Cassie.

Clarence Newman

Sorry to hear that, Shehab. I can't say I can remember any racism on here, and the few times people have been abusive, their posts have been deleted pretty quick. Ben even hopped on a few months ago to deal with someone who was mouthing off at Cassie for not watching their favourite movie. With the live chats, I generally find that inappropriate stuff is at least pointed out by the mods. It often scrolls so fast, though, some stuff may get missed. It's always disappointing when the ignorant and downright nasty intrude on a positive and friendly forum, no matter what form their insults take, but I guess it's impossible to keep them all out. Good to drop a reminder about it now and then. Lively debate is encouraged here, but card-carrying trolls are not welcome.

Joe

A pro named Mike does all her YT edits, has for many years.

Joe

Never cared for LoA myself, as for BOTRK, I've watched it many times.

Milton William Burray

You know homosexuality was illegal in Britain at the time of the story, the making of the film, and still is in most muslim countries...

Lamar Smith

It was illegal in England into, at least, the early ‘50s. Alan Turing underwent voluntary chemical castration after being caught for it.

Mark White

Cassie, I think your next big Epic should be “Spartacus” 1960. Great movie.

Uncle Phoenix

This was Classic Cassie. I really think that it will do well on YT when it goes up.

David Freese

Ben does full length and if Mike or the back ups aren't available he'll do it but on yt he usually only does emergency re-edit after a trademark claim

David Freese

I got it but for some of us a 4 hour movie and an hour yt edits are just to long. I don't watch LOTR as much as I'd like because the length so I guess it depends for alot of us how busy we are or if we have the resolve to make it through.

David Freese

Only part I have with your comments is that people don't care about sexuallity but beat people down for mistakes they don't agree with. I think a celebrities private life is different than professional. So if someone makes a public mistake but fixes it it shouldn't be a problem. I mean Mel Gibson still get alot of flack but Will Smith is forgiven. I just wish we would stop putting celebrities on a pedestal and let them have a personal life. If you don't like something fine but don't be so vocal just don't go to their movies.

David Freese

Ben doesn't do yt edits Mike is the main editor and they have backups. Ben only does emergency edits

Lamar Smith

Thanks for your comment. If the law of the land is ‘no homosexuality’ (Almost always limited to male on male homosexuality, I’d point out) and a person of any position or social rank, what, exactly, is the ‘fix’ for that? England offered Turing the opportunity to undergo a rather brutal chemical castration that both shortened his life and made the life he did have shockingly horrid. I hope that isn’t the sort of ‘fix’ to which you were referring.

Michael G

If anyone is looking for more info about Mr. Lawrence. The podcast “Noble Blood” just did an episode on him

Rose

I love that you didn’t cut the “Who are you?” scene. David Lean’s voice was dubbed in that scene and he thought that one question summed up the entire film. When I watch other YT edits - and they cut that scene out - oooo it kills me.

Doc Larry

Camels can bite the rider by turning their heads around and they also spit. A little trivia about camels . Charlton Heston hated working with them in movies.