BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Limerculer A waste of 90 minutes of my life

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

erling-eliasson Stepping out of the cinema in Cannes one early evening in the summer of 1981 with the comment of a Frenchman: "C'est excellent!" I felt a genuine sympathy for that person. To me he looked to be in his 50/60es and he may not live anymore now more than 30 years after that night, however, he spoke exactly what I felt, and still feel after all these years. I was 25 then and very sensitive to colorful and sentimental stories; and here was one that had a storyboard of the classics and with the outline and looks of something very modern with a certain freshness - and lots of heart. I was immediately taken and still is. It lives in me inseparably with the memories of my youth. It may not be the greatest film ever made, it may even just be a second-rate piece of art. I really don't know. And I don't care. This is one of the best films I have seen. I hold as dear as books like Tolstoy's War And Peace, Thomas Mann's The House of Buddenbrook, music like the Tchaikovsky's symphonies and the songs of Serge Reggiani. It may be just a dream. It may not stand chance by a review. Still I would like to thank Mr. Lelouch and the whole cast for an unforgettable and magnificent experience. C'etait vraiment excellent!

ericibe I may not remember everything, but this film has been on my mind since I saw it 23 years ago. I was in high school in a small town in Iowa. One of our band directors had a large collection of film on tape and laser disc. He would have movie parties for kids he taught. I showed an interest in film and he would screen some films I would have otherwise never have seen. I remember watching Bolero. (I do not think I knew it was known by any other name) I was in absolute awe of this film. The music, the story, the pacing - everything you couldn't get from popular American films.I have avoided seeing it again in the intervening time because I did not want my more grown up sensibilities to have a different opinion of the film. After reading some of the comments here I can feel safe to view it again.

marjeta A great movie with excellent music!I liked how the characters speak their language, so the movie has English, French, German, Russian dialogues.Also, after watching it really carefully for the third time, I have determined that there are only two cases where mother&daughter or father&son are NOT played by the same actor/actress (as adults). With the story going through 3 generations with lots of characters, this can get pretty confusing.I recommend watching it several times. I saw something new every time so far.

ivansandick This effort of the French cinema-world to look beyond its own borders has been quite succesful in that the story covers three continents and breathes different cultures and different times, using very different musical genres. Though some storylines end in nothing (in a typically French way), there are enough plots to build up to a climax which Ravel could not have surpassed. In the final scene some people sit together and make music music together and only we know how closely related they are. The eyes (and arms!) of the conductor of a German army-band on Place de l' Etoile when two Parisian hookers smile at him, is unforgettable.