Very Cool!!!

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

At the end of the Second World War, relations between the Americans and the British were a little strained as, in the run-up to D-Day, the yanks won local hearts while they were "overpaid, oversexed and over here" and a British Government department suggested the idea of a locally-made film to improve perceptions.Written, produced and directed by the quintessentially British Michael Powell and the Hungarian-born Emeric Pressburger, the work may not have fully met its contemporary brief: British critics of the time thought the film was too pro-American and the Americans renamed the work "Stairway To Heaven" because they thought the word 'death' would kill its prospects. But the movie played well with audiences on both sides of the Atlantic and it was so visually inventive and verbally clever that it has become a classic.At the heart of the story is an inversion of the usual 'yank gets the girl' narrative, as RAF bomber pilot Squadron Leader Peter Carter (David Niven) wins the affection of American radio operator June (Kim Hunter) in record time and audacious circumstances as he is about to bale out without a parachute. That should be the end of the 'matter' but Conductor 71 (Marius Goring) of "the other world" (the word 'heaven'is never used) fails to find his man in the Channel fog.So this is a romance - and a comedy - but it is also very political with some satirical analysis of contemporary Britain and America. The tribunal in the other world, pitting American prosecuter (Raymond Massey) against the British defender (Roger Livesey), features critiques and characteriisations of both nations, not least in the choice of the members of the two juries.The set designs - by German-born Alfred Junge - are simple but striking, especially the staircase to the other world and the scenes of that world, while there are a whole range of clever visual techniques, starting with the representation of earth in colour and the heavenly world in black & white and including the 'freezing' of 'real life' when Conductor 71 makes his earthly appearances and an amzing shot from an eyeball point of view.Even the statutes on the stairway are carefully chosen (all of the 17 famous personages named in Pressburger's copy of the script were believed to be sufferers of epilepsy). Indeed the whole film is constructed so that the viewer can interpret the story either as a real life medical phenomenon or as an obviously spiritual experience.Most people will only have seen this film on television which is where I first encountered it. But, in December 2017, a digitally restored version was shown in British cinemas and I was fortunate enough to see it on the big screen as a Boxing Day treat.Seven decades on, the film still has resonance as a British Prince Harry wins the heart of the American actress Meghan Markle and the second jury - made up entirely of self-declared immigrants to the USA - reminds us that current US President Donald Trump does not represent the real America.

Wow just wow, that's my reaction after watching this.to be fair this is one of the best movies i have seen in my lifetime.fantasy movies are always enchanting to watch but they don't always have this type of engaging story and screenplay.the craft in that surrealistic moments are awesome.this is placed 20th on the British films institute list of best 100 British films.in 2000 a poll by the magazine total film of 25 critics named a matter of life and death the second greatest British film ever made. the visual beauty is so high that you cant take your eyes off it. the trial scenes are done with lot of sly humour and and also a part of pro American propaganda.this is one hell of a Christmas show .highly recommended to every true movie lovers. P.S. THIS IS MY FIRST REVIEW SO...........

What have I learned from the first semester of my course? This type of film by Powell & Pressburger is better for entertainment value than trying to do a film studies essay out of it, especially when concerning Language & Style (never again!), although this film would have been better than Peeping Tom which I chosen as I ended up details as small as pencils dropping from a height which wasn't worth it, and Black Narcissus, which I didn't choose as I felt too confused by the plot, so much so that I didn't use it as research for the final essay. Long sentences was another one of those reasons I failed by the way. Ah well! A nice film for a lazy day, with a brilliant ironically used aesthetic (B&W used in heaven) and charming actors and script. The court scene did drag a bit until the very end but moving it a bit but a lot of the film is pretty much flawless. As much as I could accidentally be considered a communist, as I prefer the Directors Cut ending of Little Shop of Horrors (1986), I'm glad that there was a happy ending, which would have been much needed after the end of the war, also he would have survived in a "miracle", hence why he's alive even though he must got injured, if not found until later. Nicely done, chaps!

Since I thought Kim Hunter was not up to snuff for "A Streetcar Named Desire" I was thoroughly impressed with her beauty in this crazy number. Exterior shots were not her friend tho but decent acting nonetheless.I did laugh through most of this nutjob ride especially when the new arrivals were picking out their wings vs props. Yet I never saw anyone wear them in the entire film. They probably got tired of gluing them on and knocking them off at Craft Services.The most interesting aspect of this film was trying to figure out who in history I would most like to represent me to keep me from such a lovely existence in Heaven. I first thought of Alexander the Great because he would have liked the French cutie who came to earth with that adorable outfit and would try to impress him. Miracles happen all the time, why does the survival of a pilot have to be such a conundrum? Oh, so we can put the Americans on trial, gotcha! Ol' Bug Eye Massey comes to the rescue to really highlight the age old rivalry between the two countries and picks an all male jury which of course gets replaced instantly with current military men, natch.I will say I was on the edge of my seat waiting for some dancing to bust out on those steps ala Fred n Ginger but alas the famous statues had to suffice, crap.Not sure I can recommend this for any particular reason because there is so much better tripe about Heaven around. However, you do get to hear a wee lecture on the layout of the Universe. Only thousands, not BILLIONS of stars?? Carl Sagan turning in his grave.