King Rat

UPC: 043396100558

Studio: Columbia TriStar

MPAA Rating: NR   Contains:[Not For Children]

Summary: James Clavell incorporated a few of his own experiences as a British POW in his novel King Rat. Bryan Forbes' film version stars George Segal as the mastermind of all black market operations in a Japanese prison camp. He is called "King Rat" because of his breeding of rodents to serve as food for his emaciated fellow prisoners; the nickname also alludes to Segal's shifty personality. British officer James Fox helps Segal expand his operation to include trading with the Japanese officers. Though on surface level a thoroughly selfish sort, Segal saves the ailing Fox's life by wangling precious antibiotics from the guards. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Category: Drama

Awards: Best Black and White Art Direction – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Black and White Art Direction – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Black and White Cinematography – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Features: ccDigitally mastered audio & anamorphic video
Remastered in high definition
Widescreen presentation
Audio: English
Subtitles: English, Japanese
Bonus trailers
Interactive menus
Scene selections

King Rat

Format: Digital Video Disc (DVD)

Release Date: 05/06/2003

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: DD Dolby Digital

Runtime: 134 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Subtitles: English

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Side #1 --
1. Start [4:44]
2. Lt. Grey [1:42]
3. Cpl. King [4:02]
4. Max [1:50]
5. Flight Lt. Marlow [6:02]
6. The Theft of a Gold Ring [10:24]
7. Gurble & Townshend [6:39]
8. "Where's the Wireless?" [3:22]
9. Capt. Daven's Bunk [3:38]
10. Doctor Kennedy [5:37]
11. The Rat Scam [3:31]
12. Squadron Leader Vexley [4:39]
13. Beggars Can't Be Choosers [1:39]
14. The Facts of Life [4:08]
15. "Get Rid of the Dog" [2:18]
16. Mystery Meat [3:11]
17. Tampered Weights [7:38]
18. The Fix Is In [6:09]
19. A Stitch in Time [4:44]
20. "I've Got Gangrene" [4:40]
21. The Diamond Deal [2:10]
22. Chaplain Drinkwater [5:37]
23. Saving Marlowe's Arm [2:26]
24. Mouse Deer Aficionados [8:29]
25. The War Is Over [4:26]
26. The Top Sgt. Assumes Command [:18]
27. Capt. Weaver [3:18]
28. The Yanks Move Out [3:53]

Craig Butler

Although movies had previously dealt with prisoner-of-war (POW) camps (e.g., Stalag 17), most of these films focused on the efforts of the men trapped inside to escape. Although escape and freedom are discussed in King Rat, the film really is more concerned with how men survive inside the prison. Indeed, the title character is not necessarily looking forward to an eventual liberation of the camp. Inside, he is somebody to be feared and respected; outside, he is one of the crowd. The film also examines how people create prisons of their own making, such as Grey, who is trapped by his own rigid (and unsatisfying) code of conduct. This is easier to make work in a novel than onscreen, and too often the film settles for melodrama rather than insight. The actors, however, are consistently good. George Segal gives what is arguably the best performance of his career, capturing the smugness and toughness of the character, never flinching from presenting his flaws, yet still making him somewhat sympathetic. It's a performance that grows richer upon repeated viewings. Tom Courtenay delivers another one of his impressive performances, of which there were many in the 1960s, and James Fox is a good counterbalance to Segal. A bit too long and sometimes afraid to delve deeply enough into its subject, King Rat is still an interesting and involving character study. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi

Cast and Crew: David Haviland  Actor 
John Merivale  Actor 
Teru Shimada  Actor 
Roy Dean  Actor 
Dick Johnson  Actor 
John Orchard  Actor 
Edward Ashley  Actor 
Michael Lees  Actor 
Sammy Reese  Actor 
William Fawcett  Actor 
Arthur Malet  Actor 
John Barclay  Actor 
Reg Lye  Actor 
John Warburton  Actor 
Wright King  Actor 
Michael Stroka  Actor 
Laurence Conroy  Actor 
David Frankham  Actor 
Hedley Mattingly  Actor 
Richard Dawson  Actor 
Gerald Sim  Actor 
Brian Gaffikin  Actor 
John Barry  Composer (Music Score) 
Bryan Forbes  Director 
Bryan Forbes  Screenwriter 
James Woolf  Producer 
George Segal  Actor 
Tom Courtenay  Actor 
James Fox  Actor 
Patrick O'Neal  Actor 
Denholm Elliott  Actor 
John Mills  Actor 
James Donald  Actor 
Todd Armstrong  Actor 
Leonard Rossiter  Actor 
John Standing  Actor 
Alan Webb  Actor 
John Ronane  Actor 
Hamilton Dyce  Actor 
Joe Turkel  Actor 
Geoffrey Bayldon  Actor 
George Pelling  Actor 
Dale Ishimoto  Actor 

Country: UK