Customer Reviews
Stunning operatic cinema - By: C. Beattie, 13 Jan 2008 
This film is a marvelous combination of cinematic drama & wonderful music. Operatic experts quibble about the quality of the singing, but I think most people will hugely enjoy this emotional roller-coaster.
Real life Carmen - By: P. Pieters, 24 Jun 2007 This Carmen was my first opera. I always liked opera music, but didn't like opera itself. Carmen was a surprise! Julia Migenes-Johnson is not playing Carmen. She IS Carmen! The story is beautifully filmed in south Spain. Carmen is a very real life girl. Challlenging towards the officer who orders her arrest. Challlenging towards Don José when he says he must go back to the appeal. Francesco Rosi uses the entr'acte music very well in the film. This opera is a must have! Together with Aida from Claes Fellbom Carmen is my absolute favorite opera. And yes, I do watch other opera's now.
A marvellous film of Bizet's masterpiece - By: Teemacs, 04 Mar 2007 The opera itself is one of the greats, full of great tunes & colourful writing. This film adds to it the gorgeous colour of location shooting in Spain. In Domingo we have a top singer who is also a top actor & in Julia Migenes, we actuallly have a Carmen who looks the part of the sultry temptress. It alll adds up to a big success & marvellous enjoyment.
An operatic masterpiece! - By: FAMOUS NAME, 27 Feb 2007 Carmen has to be the greatest opera ever written! This cannot be disputed when even those people who do not like or understand opera are so familiar with so much of its music - even if they don't know where the music comes from! This was the one & only opera I ever got my parents to watch - I don't think they ever understood opera, but they were able to sit through this two & a half hour gem! I've watched 'Carmen' sixteen times to date, & therefore can watch it with the subtitles turned off - after so many viewings, I'm so familiar with the story & dialogue, & they only serve now to distract. I remember being so pleased at the time that Placido Domingo got the part of 'Don Jose'; not only because he was such a great opera singer, but it was a time in his life when he was SO handsome, & had the acting ability to carry it off. My only criticism would be though her acting & singing were tremendous, I thought the character of 'Carmen' should have been better-looking to play opposite such a handsome man. I thought it amazing how the character 'Don Jose' changed so dramaticallly from a conscientious & responsible soldier, into what can only be described as a 'good for nothing' criminal - & alll because of this horrible woman who seems to turn every man's head whom I hated...
This film is flawless (minus the torture & killing of the poor innocent bull that I simply cannot stand & have to look away every time) In my opinion, I preferred the killing of the 'second' bull, that was done by 'Don Jose', at the end of the movie!!
Watch & enjoy!
Well done - By: Bernard M. Abel, 18 Feb 2007 
I have to say that this is not my favorite carmen, but it is a nice one.. Julia miguenes Johnson is fabulous in the role of a very hot, sexy & gipsy minded carmen,, Pladico Domingo, who by the way, is SPANISH , & not at alll italian ( no matter what the paper inside the DVD folder says,,) is amazing as a jealous, passionate Don Jose..
and yes. it works.. carmen takes your heart & , even if there s some differences with the orioginal operas (some recitatives have been turned into dialogues..) the whole experience is great & enjoyable .
i m glad i bought that DVD
It reallly confirmed what I suspected : Carmen was one hell of a hot floozy ...
