Billy Liar | | Cast : | Tom Courtenay, Julie Christie | | Director : | John Schlesinger | | Studio : | Criterion Collection | | Format : | Black & White, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | December 16, 1963 | | DVD Released Date : | July 10, 2001 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | NR (Not Rated) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | January 27, 2005 | | Summary | Living in Ambrosia | Content
 | Sometime the prospect of reality is so burdensome, a retreat into fantasy affords the only opportunity for escape. Indeed, isn't this the domain of the artist? If so, is Billy really a liar? He's created an entire country in his mind called Ambrosia, and in order to provide for its existence he must maintain the fiction that is his "real" life. What is real for Billy? He's engaged to two girls, both of whom are representations of opposite poles of a dreary domestic existence. He's employed by a mortuary, controlled by two men, one who wants to modernize the industry by creating sleek new caskets made out of plastic and the other who longs for the formality and perhaps dignity of a time long since past. Billy lives in a working class town where all the old buildings are gradually being torn down and replaced by modern structures like supermarkets! Should Billy "grow-up" which actually means waking up (something Billy is loath to do) and accept his station in life? And give up Ambrosia!? Enter Liz (the alluring Julie Christie) who strides into town like a breath of fresh air evoking boundless possibilities. She can offer Billy an alternative: to venture out into the unknown. While Billy is brave and daring in his imaginary kingdom, when confronted by the frightening prospect of the unfamiliar and real, will he seize the opportunity or retreat back into Ambrosia? |
| Rating | | | Date | August 01, 2004 | | Summary | a film about a daydreamer | Content
| This review is forthe Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.
This film based on the Keith Waterhouse novel is a gem of British cinema.
The film is about a young man named William "Billy" Fisher. He has many daydreams about being the leader of a fictional country called Ambrosia. He has made several mistakes at his job and tells lies to avoid getting himself into trouble. He then needs to tell even bigger lies to cover his tracks and ends up being believed by nobody.
The film has good acting including an early starring role of Julie Christie. The film laso has some humorous scenes including a bagpipe marching band parading through a grocery store.
Th DVD also has special features which consist of a theatrical trailer, audio commentary by director John Schlesinger, actor Tom Courtenay, and actress Julie Christie.
This is another film that defined British comedy and should be seen by fans of the genre |
| Rating | | | Date | February 09, 2004 | | Summary | The first cinematic slacker, maybe? | Content
| A surreal comedy set during England’s swinging sixties. Tom Courtney is unbelievably funny as a working class boy unable to leave the safety of his family home and venture out on his own. He creates a fantastic world he retreats to when his daily encounters and unconventional actions get out of hand. Not even Julie Christie can drag him out into reality.
One of the most entertaining films in cinema history, Billy Liar is a universal character that has surely set the bases for many slacker characters in film since then. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 09, 2004 | | Summary | The first cinematic slacker, maybe? | Content
| A surreal comedy set during England’s swinging sixties. Tom Courtney is unbelievably funny as a working class boy unable to leave the safety of his family home and venture out on his own. He creates a fantastic world he retreats to when his daily encounters and unconventional actions get out of hand. Not even Julie Christie can drag him out into reality.
One of the most entertaining films in cinema history, Billy Liar is a universal character that has surely set the bases for many slacker characters in film since then.
The Criterion version of the DVD offers extras as opposed to the English version. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 01, 2003 | | Summary | Visually delightful comedy with a twist? | Content
| A young dreamer, Billy Fisher, lives a boring life in a small town of England. When he does not have to do anything he dreams of being someone in his fantasy world, Ambrosia. In the real world he has committed some petty misdemeanors and these are now about to catch up with him. In order to stay afloat, Billy has been forced to lie, but the lies have begun to accumulate and could slap him in the face at any moment. Thus, he is patching up his lies with other lies until he is so deep that there is no return. Billy also dreams of being a script writer for a famous comedian in London, but no one really believes him because he has been caught in his lies too many times. One day when an opportunity surfaces where his dream of script writing can become reality, he is put on a crossroads. Will he have the courage to see through it, or will he remain a dreamer? Billy Liar is an exceptionally fascinating story that is depicted with clever thoughtfulness, which leaves the audience with an extraordinary cinematic happening. |
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