I am no opera fan. I first saw this years ago, simply because I was dating someone at the time who enjoyed opera, so we went to a local cinema which was showing it, and I instantly fell in love with it. As others have pointed out, it has it's flaws, but so what? To me it is absolutely gorgeous, and it's plus points more than make up for it's flaws. When I had the opportunity to do so, I bought a VHS tape of it (which I recall was a lot more expensive than your run of the mill VHS tape), and I have it now on DVD (which was a good deal cheaper). I still enjoy watching it now and again.

I've seen Carmen a few times, and have tried to sit through this film more than once with the understanding that it is "the" film adaptation of Carmen to watch.I've tried watching the VHS more than once. I tried streaming it. I even bought the DVD. But this film adaptation keeps boring me to tears, and interjecting unnecessary dialogue coupled with scenery that is in sharp contrast to every operatic presentation I've ever seen of Carmen.In short Carmen is about a social climbing cigar making female worker who gains an admirer from a local constable, but Carmen has her sights set much higher. Such is life. She flaunts her sexuality to get what she wants, end of story.It's a pretty thin plot, but it's considered a classic, and has a singing narrative to hold the whole thing together. Regrettably Francesco Rosi's version is hampered by the fact that Carmen on stage is usually presented as being a very colorful opera, but here we get a very drab and uninspired, and perhaps even borderline vulgar, production, replete with sand, dust, earth tones everywhere, uninspired camera angles, but some decent performances from the leads.I've never much liked opera to begin with, so perhaps I'm not the right person to review this title, in spite of my understanding of the medium, and with that in mind I have to say that opera is an "old school" entertainment vehicle that uses song to convey a story. My major beef (one of many) is that the reason the song is important on stage is that it conveys the narrative of the play being performed. When you take that away you lose the story. When you put it on location you're essentially doing what screenwriters call "on the nose dialogue", where in the thing you're describing is actually there. Therefore the singing becomes redundant, but the singing was part of the whole reason you went to see an opera in the first place. On stage you can't show an airport or a stable full of horses. Therefore you sing about it to convey to the audience where you are and what you are doing.When you sing about the thing that's on screen, in an opera, you're almost insulting the intelligence of the audience.But the opera aficionado will disagree. Well, it is just my opinion. But all that aside I always recall Carmen as being full of color as well as intrigue. I'm not a big fan of the opera, but the colors and performances did add needed zing to a stage performance that is essentially about an easy good-looking woman who wants more in life, and is willing to trade in on her wiles to get it.The music of Carmen is actually pretty good, which is what I think people keep coming back for, as well as the choral pieces. But the story is fairly plain, even if set against an Iberian backdrop.If you're a fan of opera and of this particular opera, then you might want to give it a shot.Otherwise; watch at your own risk.

I really liked this production of Carmen. Unlike many I have seen, Carmen and Don Jose had a real chemistry -- I could see why Don Jose would throw off his military career for her.The singing is great, as is the acting and the photography. When friends of mine have asked me about opera, I have played this tape for them.

This is one of the best opera films ever made. The singing and orchestral playing are superb. The acting, directing, and scene setting made the story credible and even moving. Domingo is rather old for the role of the soldier so besotted by the sexy Carmen that he defies military orders. No matter, it works - Julia Migenes is so alluring, sings and moves so seductively, that it's not hard to imagine a man old enough to know better ruining his life for an hour with her. A must for opera lovers, and an excellent introduction to opera for those who think it's just about fat ladies playing teenage geishas and consumptive seamstresses.