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Kevin Costner's lousy English accent is a small obstacle in this often exciting version of the Robin Hood fable. That aside, it's refreshing to have a preface to the old story in which we meet the robber hero of Sherwood Forest as a soldier in King Richard's Crusades, coming home to find his people under siege from the cruelties of the Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman). After Robin and his community of outcasts and fighters take to the trees, director Kevin Reynolds (Fandango, 187) is on more familiar narrative ground, and he goes for the gusto with lots of original action (Robin shoots two arrows simultaneously from his bow in two directions). Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, as Marion, makes a convincing damsel in distress, and Morgan Freeman brings dignity to his role as Robin's Moor friend. Alan Rickman, however, gets the most attention for his scene-chewing role as the rotten sheriff, an almost campy performance that is highly entertaining but perhaps a little out of sorts with the rest of the film.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (157)

Prince of Action Heros
Kevin Costner got a lot of... for his English accent, and while it wasn't great, it wasn't that distracting. "Robin Hood: Prince of Theives" slightly brakes from traditional myth in that Robin Hood is a returning knight from the Crusades. In the absense of King Richard, Sherriff of Nottingham attempted to take power. When Robin returns he swears vengence against the sherriff who killed his father and defamed his name. Then it's basicly "Die Hard" in the forest. The greatest change is Morgan Freeman's Moorish warrior traveling with Robin. Freeman is good, as usual. Christan Slater is full of fire and wind (putting it nicely) as Will Scarlet. Costner dose well as Robin, I really thought he did excellent. Mary Elizabeth Mastrentonio is pretty good as more or less independent Maid Marion (she has a lot of 1990s style "Thelma and Louise" attitude than was not realistic in the Dark Ages). But it's Alan Rickman's Sherriff who steals the show. He is wild, over the top, very funny to watch. This movie is dark, violent, and kind of scary with it's witch and occultic themes. This is pure action from start to finish. Just excellent.

Entertaining
First off, I wanna address this whole thing about Kevin Costner's accent. What difference does it make at all??? If you think it makes the movie more historically accurate, well, I hate to break it to you but, you're wrong. English people in 1194 weren't speaking in modern British accents, they were speaking in Old English, which is basically a dialect of German. So, with that thought, the British actors were as from the historical truth as Costner with their accents. Costner I think plays a very realistic Robin Hood, who is a lot more human than the other Robin Hoods. He shows emotion, and in the beginning, really plays well his role of a spoiled, rich boy. A lot of people commend Allan Rickman on his performance here, but I think he was one of the worst characters. When talking about him, people spoke so frightenedly about him, but in every single one of his on screen moments, he was acting like a goofy weirdo. I couldn't ever tell if what he was saying was supposed to be serious or a joke. I think his character took away from the more serious, adventurous tone of the rest of the movie, and made Prince of Thieves seem like a parody in itself. Not to say that he was a bad actor, I think that s a fault of the writers. There were a few inaccuracies, like the way that the Scots dressed. My exact first thoughts of that scene are expressed by other reviewers. They looked more like people who would have been ravaging the Roman establishments in Britain in the 4th and 5th centuries, not like Scots of the 12th. A lot of people have complained about the witch, and although I m not sure what her purpose was in the movie, she was entertaining, and kind of scary at the same time. On the whole, this was a good movie that s entertaining to watch, not too far away from Braveheart. (Although Robin's rhetoric skills are definitely much worse than William Wallace's. I could not comprehend at all what he is trying to say while he s lecturing the people from the fallen tree. He started off with something about being freedmen, and then ended with making weapons from the forest, I don't understand that connection. If they are free men then while in the hell are they living in the forest? I think that if you re free you can live wherever you want, not be forced into a "haunted" forest in the middle of nowhere. And if they were already free, they wouldn't need to fight back.)

4 1/2
Much better than the original release. This version has optimal quality in the picture and sound and has lots of bonus features. Now I can review the content of the film as this version is the best you can get! The film presented here is pretty good, well done. Im not a huge Costner fan but he does fairly well here, this story of Robin Hood did well in the theatres but skyrocketed with the help of Brian Adam's song "Everything I do, I do it for you". Its a good film with a great soundtrack and it helped sell cereal, toys and books...Good film, GREAT dvd! Must buy

Prince of Leaves
I'm rating this film so low only because of the dvd itself. Its a double sided disc that doesnt need to be flipped but the studio was so cheap they made it double sided at the time! The film itself looks average, not wonderful. Do yourself a favor...get the new extra disc version....

aging slowly but surely...
This was one of my favorite movies way back when it came out in '91. What may have even prompted me to see it was that it wasn't gonna be the proverbial 'men in tights' satire. But Kevin never really did much that was meant to be an intentional comedy (some only turned out to be that way not by design). Hilarity was an element was not intended to dominant the script. However, anyone who may have been expecting this to be anything like Dances With Wolves will have been thrown a curveball. Costner did not hold the directorial reigns and it shows, with no disrespect to K. Reynolds.
I bought the DVD recently and I cringe at some of the choices the project had taken. It's easy to say it in hindsight but the truth is rough considering the lineup of some high-profile actors cast. Bottom line: It fumbles from being having all components of a comedy, drama, and romance in one release. In other words, typical Hollywood fare.
I found the second supplementary disc sub-par. I'm surely not asking for anything on the level of the Lord of the Rings, Terminator 2 or Star Wars prequels, but I thought the SE version was going to merit more information and detail. I also grew weary of Costner's commentary here.
I might have given Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves three stars. But the cast did all they could do to save a rushed screenplay. The movie did do well in the theatres in '91 so it did have its charm. Get this only if there is absolutely nothing on the store shelf. ... Read more

Description

The trials & tribulations of a young woman born & raised in debtor's prison provides the basis for this two-part adaptation of a Charles Dickens novel. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Wonderful, atmospheric immersion into delicate & sweet story
This is a beautiful movie, an immersion experience into a wonderfully realized world drawn from the Dickens novel (a little "prettier," maybe, but I'm not complaining). The performances are superlative, especially Derek Jacobi. The entire cast presents understated and thoughtful characterizations that provide the foundation for an emotional payoff based on some of the subtlest gestures and phrases -- something not to be found in an action film (for instance). Some of the performances are over-the-top and not to be missed for their gleeful chewing of scenery: but this is completely consistent with the way Dickens wrote them.

This is a long complicated story and it requires your attention. Your time will be well repaid. You will come from this movie refreshed in mind and spirit (and go out and buy the book, probably).

Ambitious Dickens adaption on a low budget
Made in 1987 and boasting a 200 plus cast and essentaially a 6 hour film in 2 parts, director Christine Edzard's adaption of one of Dickens' least read novels is only partially successful. It is told from the point of view of Arthur Clennam (Dereck Jacobi) who on his return to London becomes interested in the case of William Dorrit, locked in a debtor's prison for 25 years and his daughter, seamstress to Clennam's mother. Despite excellent performances and eye for detail part one is very slow moving and drawn out (and one can't believe that after 3 hours, it is only halfway through the story). One has to wait for part 2 for a satisfactory conclusion to the tale...

True people
A Dickensian story,a detailed icon on the making of modern England, a piece of life of the true material on which the stones of capitalism were founded, people and their feelings.
Everything is now seen in the distance of time, we can count differences between now and then, and spot constants that are still with us.People were imprisoned for life for their pecuniary debts, while the clever/or/lucky ones were then "investing" their savings in the coffers of the successful--or those who could present themselves in this light--with the same security, then as now...
The imprisoned pauper inherites an unexpected fortune and becomes a "prince", wants to forget and delete the "stigma" of poverty, but the true fortune that always was there for him was his daughter's constant, unfussy devotion and love.
This is an epic story of love--I don't mean the word in the fashion installed in mind by modern cinema, but in the plain and true sense that many people feel it, the love that saves the world and keeps it still a habitable and livable place.
Dorrit is a child born and grown in the prison.With her undoubtable, unconditional, serene and nurturing love, she sustained her father in prison, and after prison, in the trecherous "free" society where he is elevated... She is Good, like Dostoyefsky's prince Mishkin, and she makes her family's and her friends life more livable, with her gift.

I love those people, they are real, we know them.God bless England for those pages, those pictures from the past and present, for those enlightening insights! Where are those humanizing qualities now, and why indeed are they not propagated and realised by the popular art any more?--While the intimidating phaenomena of licenced plunder and loot are always with us, in the daily news, even more audaciously and shamelessly than in Dickens's times!

This film gave me strenght, it's a hymn to love that keeps the world going round.

Through Dorrit's Eyes
I purchased this adaption of Little Dorrit several years ago on laserdisc and I enjoyed it, but I found that to fully appreciate this film it was necessary to watch it to the end. The point to this film adaption of a Dicken's book was to tell the same story twice but through differing viewpoints. Certainly the story is not as interesting or as gripping as Dickens more widely read novels and the film could have been improved by cutting and picking up the pace, but I believe the director accomplished his goal.

The first half of the film is dark and bleak, people are seen suffering a miserable existence and you do have to wade through a rather pessimistic view of life; but in the second half of the film we see a differing view of life. We see the same scenes over again but now we see them through Dorrit's eyes. The world becomes a new place; it is bright and life itself is a joy. In the midst of squalor Dorrit's optimism colors everything new. Little Dorrit seen in the first half is a sad young woman but now she is a young woman full of life. Whatever Dickens is telling you in his novel this film is telling you that life is what you make it.

This is how I watched the film. And I enjoyed it.

Part two - A satisfactory conclusion
Part two of this ambitious film is a definite improvement over part one. It develops themes and fills out the plot (as really any second half of a story should), though you could never watch part two without seeing part one. The most jarring thing about this part is the insistence of recreating most of part one scene for scene (only this time through the eyes of Little Dorrit). Perhaps the most notable thing about this film (for me anyway) is that it contains the last lead performance in a film from Alec Guinness (all his subsequent roles, up to his 1996 retirement, were cameos) and he is wonderful in his fourth screen interpretation of a Dickens character. The rest of the cast is also fabulous (including the last screen performance of Joan Greenwood as Mrs Clennam). It has been said before - you will either love this adaption, or hate it. ... Read more

Description

The trials & tribulations of a young woman born & raised in debtor's prison provides the basis for this two-part adaptation of a Charles Dickens novel. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Wonderful, atmospheric immersion into delicate & sweet story
This is a beautiful movie, an immersion experience into a wonderfully realized world drawn from the Dickens novel (a little "prettier," maybe, but I'm not complaining). The performances are superlative, especially Derek Jacobi. The entire cast presents understated and thoughtful characterizations that provide the foundation for an emotional payoff based on some of the subtlest gestures and phrases -- something not to be found in an action film (for instance). Some of the performances are over-the-top and not to be missed for their gleeful chewing of scenery: but this is completely consistent with the way Dickens wrote them.

This is a long complicated story and it requires your attention. Your time will be well repaid. You will come from this movie refreshed in mind and spirit (and go out and buy the book, probably).

Ambitious Dickens adaption on a low budget
Made in 1987 and boasting a 200 plus cast and essentaially a 6 hour film in 2 parts, director Christine Edzard's adaption of one of Dickens' least read novels is only partially successful. It is told from the point of view of Arthur Clennam (Dereck Jacobi) who on his return to London becomes interested in the case of William Dorrit, locked in a debtor's prison for 25 years and his daughter, seamstress to Clennam's mother. Despite excellent performances and eye for detail part one is very slow moving and drawn out (and one can't believe that after 3 hours, it is only halfway through the story). One has to wait for part 2 for a satisfactory conclusion to the tale...

True people
A Dickensian story,a detailed icon on the making of modern England, a piece of life of the true material on which the stones of capitalism were founded, people and their feelings.
Everything is now seen in the distance of time, we can count differences between now and then, and spot constants that are still with us.People were imprisoned for life for their pecuniary debts, while the clever/or/lucky ones were then "investing" their savings in the coffers of the successful--or those who could present themselves in this light--with the same security, then as now...
The imprisoned pauper inherites an unexpected fortune and becomes a "prince", wants to forget and delete the "stigma" of poverty, but the true fortune that always was there for him was his daughter's constant, unfussy devotion and love.
This is an epic story of love--I don't mean the word in the fashion installed in mind by modern cinema, but in the plain and true sense that many people feel it, the love that saves the world and keeps it still a habitable and livable place.
Dorrit is a child born and grown in the prison.With her undoubtable, unconditional, serene and nurturing love, she sustained her father in prison, and after prison, in the trecherous "free" society where he is elevated... She is Good, like Dostoyefsky's prince Mishkin, and she makes her family's and her friends life more livable, with her gift.

I love those people, they are real, we know them.God bless England for those pages, those pictures from the past and present, for those enlightening insights! Where are those humanizing qualities now, and why indeed are they not propagated and realised by the popular art any more?--While the intimidating phaenomena of licenced plunder and loot are always with us, in the daily news, even more audaciously and shamelessly than in Dickens's times!

This film gave me strenght, it's a hymn to love that keeps the world going round.

Through Dorrit's Eyes
I purchased this adaption of Little Dorrit several years ago on laserdisc and I enjoyed it, but I found that to fully appreciate this film it was necessary to watch it to the end. The point to this film adaption of a Dicken's book was to tell the same story twice but through differing viewpoints. Certainly the story is not as interesting or as gripping as Dickens more widely read novels and the film could have been improved by cutting and picking up the pace, but I believe the director accomplished his goal.

The first half of the film is dark and bleak, people are seen suffering a miserable existence and you do have to wade through a rather pessimistic view of life; but in the second half of the film we see a differing view of life. We see the same scenes over again but now we see them through Dorrit's eyes. The world becomes a new place; it is bright and life itself is a joy. In the midst of squalor Dorrit's optimism colors everything new. Little Dorrit seen in the first half is a sad young woman but now she is a young woman full of life. Whatever Dickens is telling you in his novel this film is telling you that life is what you make it.

This is how I watched the film. And I enjoyed it.

Part two - A satisfactory conclusion
Part two of this ambitious film is a definite improvement over part one. It develops themes and fills out the plot (as really any second half of a story should), though you could never watch part two without seeing part one. The most jarring thing about this part is the insistence of recreating most of part one scene for scene (only this time through the eyes of Little Dorrit). Perhaps the most notable thing about this film (for me anyway) is that it contains the last lead performance in a film from Alec Guinness (all his subsequent roles, up to his 1996 retirement, were cameos) and he is wonderful in his fourth screen interpretation of a Dickens character. The rest of the cast is also fabulous (including the last screen performance of Joan Greenwood as Mrs Clennam). It has been said before - you will either love this adaption, or hate it. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

I Like This Movie!
This is a good movie and I think Alyssa Milano from Charmed was super and so was Sir John Gielguld (Not sure if I spelled his last name right.

If you are a fan of Alyssa or John Gielguld you will probbaly like this movie too!

The John Gielgud/Alyssa Milano Version!
This is not the old 1944 Charles Laughton Canterville Ghost movie but the 1986 modern retelling of the story and it stars John Gielgud, Alyssa Milano, Ted Wass and Andrea Marcovicci and is about an American family who inherit an old English castle that is haunted by a ghost who does not want to share his house and trys to scare them away but he discovers that the young daughter of the new owner is not afraid of him and soon they become friends and she wants him to scare off her new step-mother. I thought that this movie was really cute and it had a great cast, especially John Gielgud and Alyssa Milano and I highly recommend this movie and I'm hoping that it will be put on DVD! FYI: The Canterville Ghost is based on a story by Oscar Wilde.

What a great movie!
I also remember watching this movie as a child. Every once in a while our local TV station would play it (always on Sunday afternoon).
Charles Laughton does a wonderful job as the Ghost. Robert Young and the very young Natalie Wood delight the viewers as well, thus contributing to the production of a movie that you can play for the entire family...even today!
I recommend it highly!

Best film Ever Made!
I saw this film on English Tv when I was 6 I loved it and for about 5 years we had half of it on tape though I could still remeber all of it, I eventually got it and I must say it is fantastic and I will always be A fan of Sir John Gielgud, I would recomend this wonderfull film to anyone I met. I have wanted this video for over 15 years but it hasalways aluded me, until now. At Last I have a copy even if it is American and does not play properly on my English video recorder, I would never part with it for anything in the world.

Best movie of all time
The Canterville Ghost WAS my childhood..I have watched it so much and never tire of it..the quotes from the movie are like those from Starwars..me and my brother would constantly use them. "Deeds of blood..Murder! Walk abroad" I never knew Alyssa Milano was Jennifer until recently..this really is a great cast..Guildgud (sp) is the unrivalled star and makes the movie for me. He is superb..he really puts in depth to his character. Turning him from a tyrant, to a sad ghost with hints of comedy thrown in. I don't think it's that scarey..I was 8 when I first saw it..I was more scared my 'Polterguiest' at the time..but when you're a kid scarey movies are the best movies to watch. Everyone should own this and everyone should watch it. It's a classic. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

"Don't worry...He knows you're an idiot!"
HE in this case is NAPOLEON of CRIME,Professor James Moriarty. YOU is "the world's most famous consulting detective",SHERLOCK HOLMES. Speaking is Ben Kingsley essaying the role of CRIME DOCTOR,John Watson.The case is WITHOUT A CLUE. Directed by Thom Eberhardt,WAC is a deft, wacky satire on Conan-Doyle's genius master detective positing what if Dr. Watson was THE MAN;and Sherlock Holmes was master of CLUTZ. Parody works because humor is arch but neither ham-handed nor condescending. Michael Caine (usually epitome of cockney cool from Super spy Harry Palmer, to Super thug Jack Carter)is Clouseau Goofy without overshadowing Kingsley who plays a genuine hero sleuth against England's most nefarious MASTER CRIMINAL. This is a very funny movie with excellent production values and superb(Victorian)ambience. And there is genuine mystery to solve. THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN is sure to revive interest in THE PROFESSOR if not Sherlock. WITHOUT A CLUE may or may not(like Spielberg's YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES)help much with its satirizing of the first League of Extraordinary Crime Fighters. But Doctor Watson's cloning of a Sherlock of extraordinary ineptitude and rank(though charming)stupidity is OXYMORONIC episode of Holmsian mythology in a Major League of its own.(4 & 1/2 stars)

This is a great movie!
Sherlock Holmes has solved unnumbered cases for Scotland Yard, but it turns out that Dr. Watson (played by Ben Kingsley) has a secret - there is no Sherlock Holmes! Having hired Reginald Kincaid (Michael Caine) to play the part of Holmes, Watson now wants to get rid of the man, as he is "a liar, a drunkard and a womanizer." But, when the Chancellor of the Exchequer arrives with a case that threatens the very existence of the Empire, and will talk to no one but the great Sherlock Holmes, Watson has to take Kincaid back for just one more case, and it's a whopper! There is a deep mystery here, one with Professor Moriarty (Paul Freeman) at it's heart, and only Holmes...er, Watson can possibly unravel it. [Color, released in 1988, with a running time of 1:47.]

This is a great movie! Turning the Sherlock Holmes stories any which way but loose, Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley make a great duet, battling crime and each other. The movie succeeds in being outrageously funny, and yet absolutely gripping. The movie is clean, though Leslie Giles' secret is enough to make you squirm in front of little ones. Overall, though, my family and I loved this movie, and highly recommend it to you!

Very clever, a lot of fun!
What if Dr. Watson (Ben Kingsley) is the real detective and Sherlock Holmes is his fictional alter ego whose name he created and uses to protect his medical practice? And what if, when pressured to produce Holmes to the public, Watson hires an out-of-work actor to pretend to be Holmes (Michael Caine). All Holmes has to do is what Watson tells him to do as he, Watson, does all the sleuthing. This is the clever premise of this film -- all the more clever if you know that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a doctor who wrote the Holmes detective mysteries on the side. Of course, things start to spiral out of control when "Holmes" tries to solve the mysteries without Watson and "Holmes" makes up a lot of the famous mannerisms.

Lots of humor, a good mystery and very nice repartee between the two men as Watson becomes increasingly exasperated with his creation. (This has an almost "Remington Steele" like premise if any of you remember that 1980s TV show staring Pierce Brosnam.) A very under-rated film with a top notch cast.

I have not seen this film on the new DVD so can't comment on the quality of this DVD. I'm just reviewing the film itself.

What a delight!
Although I'm a lover of Sherlock Holmes movies, I almost missed this gem. Everything about this film was wonderful, particularly the tremendous performances by Caine and Kingsley. You can see they're having fun with it every scene, and I loved being along for the ride.

The script is intelligent and witty, without getting goofy or slapstick. The plot is hilarious yet holds together as a "mystery" (kind of...). It is totally devoid of the offensive language that plagues so many movies, making it a great family fun flick (but it's NOT at all juvenile).

I just wish they'd made a series of these films -- I didn't want it to end.

"I've got it! His real name is Arty-Morti!"
Without a Clue (1988) poses an interesting and humorous take on the Sherlock Holmes mythos created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The film asks what if the character of Sherlock Holmes was truly a fictional character created by Doctor Watson, and is played by an actor, with Watson being the actual mastermind behind solving the various cases and crimes?

In the film, Ben Kingsley plays Doctor Watson, the man behind the deductive and crime solving skills of his fictional character, Sherlock Holmes. For reasons that are revealed within the movie, Watson was not able to take credit for solving his first caper, so he invented the character of Sherlock Holmes, but soon found his creation was in great demand, so he hired an actor, Reginald Kincaid (Michael Caine) to play the part of the detective while Watson stayed in the background continuing to be the 'brains' of the operation. Only problem is Reginald Kincaid is a buffoonish, womanizing, gambling, drunkard, and unable to, as he put it, '...detect horse manure if he stepped in it.'

After a falling out, Doctor Watson fires Kincaid, and decides to go it alone as 'The Crime Doctor'. Guess what? The legend of Holmes has grown so large and become ensconced so deeply within the public psyche that no one takes Watson seriously, and even his publisher threatens to sue if Watson reveals the truth of the situation publicly. Not only that, but a rather important case involving the financial integrity of the British Empire has surfaced, one involving the nefarious Professor Moriarty, and Holmes is the only man for the job. Watson finds himself in the humbling position of bringing Kincaid back for what will be one last performance.

Kingsley and Caine play their parts perfectly, and are supported by a wonderful cast including Jeffery Jones as Inspector Lestrade, Paul Freeman as Moriarty, Lysette Anthony, and Peter Cook. The dialogue is witty, and even though the plot a bit thin in some areas, the film works wonderfully as a farcical tale with just the right amounts of slapstick and tongue in cheek humor. A completely professional job done by everyone all around. My favorite part of the film was the notion of Watson using Holmes to keep Inspector Lastrade busy tracking down pointless leads while Watson performed the real detection at the crime scene. I was laughing hard when Holmes was on all fours inspecting the pattern of a rug with the baffled inspector right next to him, trying to get the jump on the master detective.

I was a little disappointed in the release of this film on DVD, as I thought the picture and sound quality could have been better. Also, why is there only a full screen release available? Special features are virtually non-existent with the inclusion of a trailer for the film. MGM usually does a pretty good job with their releases, but they seemed to have dropped the ball here. Anyway, this is a great little film, and worth watching if only to see two fine actors at work

Cookieman108 ... Read more

Description

Academy AwardO winner* Kevin Costner triumphs as the legendary Sherwood Forest outlaw leader in this epic adventure bringing a 12th-century medieval world to spectacular screen life. Enhancing the sheer fun of this audience rouser are 10 added minutes of footage not seen in theatres, especially more of the juicy malevolence and sinister background of Robin Hood's archenemy, the Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman). Morgan Freeman, Christian Slater and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio also star in this lavish production lensed inBritain and France, where historic structures, majestic forests and vividly realistic recreations of Olde England combined to create a world at once ancient and ageless. ... Read more

Reviews (157)

Prince of Action Heros
Kevin Costner got a lot of... for his English accent, and while it wasn't great, it wasn't that distracting. "Robin Hood: Prince of Theives" slightly brakes from traditional myth in that Robin Hood is a returning knight from the Crusades. In the absense of King Richard, Sherriff of Nottingham attempted to take power. When Robin returns he swears vengence against the sherriff who killed his father and defamed his name. Then it's basicly "Die Hard" in the forest. The greatest change is Morgan Freeman's Moorish warrior traveling with Robin. Freeman is good, as usual. Christan Slater is full of fire and wind (putting it nicely) as Will Scarlet. Costner dose well as Robin, I really thought he did excellent. Mary Elizabeth Mastrentonio is pretty good as more or less independent Maid Marion (she has a lot of 1990s style "Thelma and Louise" attitude than was not realistic in the Dark Ages). But it's Alan Rickman's Sherriff who steals the show. He is wild, over the top, very funny to watch. This movie is dark, violent, and kind of scary with it's witch and occultic themes. This is pure action from start to finish. Just excellent.

Entertaining
First off, I wanna address this whole thing about Kevin Costner's accent. What difference does it make at all??? If you think it makes the movie more historically accurate, well, I hate to break it to you but, you're wrong. English people in 1194 weren't speaking in modern British accents, they were speaking in Old English, which is basically a dialect of German. So, with that thought, the British actors were as from the historical truth as Costner with their accents. Costner I think plays a very realistic Robin Hood, who is a lot more human than the other Robin Hoods. He shows emotion, and in the beginning, really plays well his role of a spoiled, rich boy. A lot of people commend Allan Rickman on his performance here, but I think he was one of the worst characters. When talking about him, people spoke so frightenedly about him, but in every single one of his on screen moments, he was acting like a goofy weirdo. I couldn't ever tell if what he was saying was supposed to be serious or a joke. I think his character took away from the more serious, adventurous tone of the rest of the movie, and made Prince of Thieves seem like a parody in itself. Not to say that he was a bad actor, I think that s a fault of the writers. There were a few inaccuracies, like the way that the Scots dressed. My exact first thoughts of that scene are expressed by other reviewers. They looked more like people who would have been ravaging the Roman establishments in Britain in the 4th and 5th centuries, not like Scots of the 12th. A lot of people have complained about the witch, and although I m not sure what her purpose was in the movie, she was entertaining, and kind of scary at the same time. On the whole, this was a good movie that s entertaining to watch, not too far away from Braveheart. (Although Robin's rhetoric skills are definitely much worse than William Wallace's. I could not comprehend at all what he is trying to say while he s lecturing the people from the fallen tree. He started off with something about being freedmen, and then ended with making weapons from the forest, I don't understand that connection. If they are free men then while in the hell are they living in the forest? I think that if you re free you can live wherever you want, not be forced into a "haunted" forest in the middle of nowhere. And if they were already free, they wouldn't need to fight back.)

4 1/2
Much better than the original release. This version has optimal quality in the picture and sound and has lots of bonus features. Now I can review the content of the film as this version is the best you can get! The film presented here is pretty good, well done. Im not a huge Costner fan but he does fairly well here, this story of Robin Hood did well in the theatres but skyrocketed with the help of Brian Adam's song "Everything I do, I do it for you". Its a good film with a great soundtrack and it helped sell cereal, toys and books...Good film, GREAT dvd! Must buy

Prince of Leaves
I'm rating this film so low only because of the dvd itself. Its a double sided disc that doesnt need to be flipped but the studio was so cheap they made it double sided at the time! The film itself looks average, not wonderful. Do yourself a favor...get the new extra disc version....

aging slowly but surely...
This was one of my favorite movies way back when it came out in '91. What may have even prompted me to see it was that it wasn't gonna be the proverbial 'men in tights' satire. But Kevin never really did much that was meant to be an intentional comedy (some only turned out to be that way not by design). Hilarity was an element was not intended to dominant the script. However, anyone who may have been expecting this to be anything like Dances With Wolves will have been thrown a curveball. Costner did not hold the directorial reigns and it shows, with no disrespect to K. Reynolds.
I bought the DVD recently and I cringe at some of the choices the project had taken. It's easy to say it in hindsight but the truth is rough considering the lineup of some high-profile actors cast. Bottom line: It fumbles from being having all components of a comedy, drama, and romance in one release. In other words, typical Hollywood fare.
I found the second supplementary disc sub-par. I'm surely not asking for anything on the level of the Lord of the Rings, Terminator 2 or Star Wars prequels, but I thought the SE version was going to merit more information and detail. I also grew weary of Costner's commentary here.
I might have given Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves three stars. But the cast did all they could do to save a rushed screenplay. The movie did do well in the theatres in '91 so it did have its charm. Get this only if there is absolutely nothing on the store shelf. ... Read more

Description

Academy AwardO winner* Kevin Costner triumphs as the legendary Sherwood Forest outlaw leader in this epic adventure bringing a 12th-century medieval world to spectacular screen life. Enhancing the sheer fun of this audience rouser are 10 added minutes of footage not seen in theatres, especially more of the juicy malevolence and sinister background of Robin Hood's archenemy, the Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman). Morgan Freeman, Christian Slater and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio also star in this lavish production lensed inBritain and France, where historic structures, majestic forests and vividly realistic recreations of Olde England combined to create a world at once ancient and ageless. ... Read more

Reviews (157)

Prince of Action Heros
Kevin Costner got a lot of... for his English accent, and while it wasn't great, it wasn't that distracting. "Robin Hood: Prince of Theives" slightly brakes from traditional myth in that Robin Hood is a returning knight from the Crusades. In the absense of King Richard, Sherriff of Nottingham attempted to take power. When Robin returns he swears vengence against the sherriff who killed his father and defamed his name. Then it's basicly "Die Hard" in the forest. The greatest change is Morgan Freeman's Moorish warrior traveling with Robin. Freeman is good, as usual. Christan Slater is full of fire and wind (putting it nicely) as Will Scarlet. Costner dose well as Robin, I really thought he did excellent. Mary Elizabeth Mastrentonio is pretty good as more or less independent Maid Marion (she has a lot of 1990s style "Thelma and Louise" attitude than was not realistic in the Dark Ages). But it's Alan Rickman's Sherriff who steals the show. He is wild, over the top, very funny to watch. This movie is dark, violent, and kind of scary with it's witch and occultic themes. This is pure action from start to finish. Just excellent.

Entertaining
First off, I wanna address this whole thing about Kevin Costner's accent. What difference does it make at all??? If you think it makes the movie more historically accurate, well, I hate to break it to you but, you're wrong. English people in 1194 weren't speaking in modern British accents, they were speaking in Old English, which is basically a dialect of German. So, with that thought, the British actors were as from the historical truth as Costner with their accents. Costner I think plays a very realistic Robin Hood, who is a lot more human than the other Robin Hoods. He shows emotion, and in the beginning, really plays well his role of a spoiled, rich boy. A lot of people commend Allan Rickman on his performance here, but I think he was one of the worst characters. When talking about him, people spoke so frightenedly about him, but in every single one of his on screen moments, he was acting like a goofy weirdo. I couldn't ever tell if what he was saying was supposed to be serious or a joke. I think his character took away from the more serious, adventurous tone of the rest of the movie, and made Prince of Thieves seem like a parody in itself. Not to say that he was a bad actor, I think that s a fault of the writers. There were a few inaccuracies, like the way that the Scots dressed. My exact first thoughts of that scene are expressed by other reviewers. They looked more like people who would have been ravaging the Roman establishments in Britain in the 4th and 5th centuries, not like Scots of the 12th. A lot of people have complained about the witch, and although I m not sure what her purpose was in the movie, she was entertaining, and kind of scary at the same time. On the whole, this was a good movie that s entertaining to watch, not too far away from Braveheart. (Although Robin's rhetoric skills are definitely much worse than William Wallace's. I could not comprehend at all what he is trying to say while he s lecturing the people from the fallen tree. He started off with something about being freedmen, and then ended with making weapons from the forest, I don't understand that connection. If they are free men then while in the hell are they living in the forest? I think that if you re free you can live wherever you want, not be forced into a "haunted" forest in the middle of nowhere. And if they were already free, they wouldn't need to fight back.)

4 1/2
Much better than the original release. This version has optimal quality in the picture and sound and has lots of bonus features. Now I can review the content of the film as this version is the best you can get! The film presented here is pretty good, well done. Im not a huge Costner fan but he does fairly well here, this story of Robin Hood did well in the theatres but skyrocketed with the help of Brian Adam's song "Everything I do, I do it for you". Its a good film with a great soundtrack and it helped sell cereal, toys and books...Good film, GREAT dvd! Must buy

Prince of Leaves
I'm rating this film so low only because of the dvd itself. Its a double sided disc that doesnt need to be flipped but the studio was so cheap they made it double sided at the time! The film itself looks average, not wonderful. Do yourself a favor...get the new extra disc version....

aging slowly but surely...
This was one of my favorite movies way back when it came out in '91. What may have even prompted me to see it was that it wasn't gonna be the proverbial 'men in tights' satire. But Kevin never really did much that was meant to be an intentional comedy (some only turned out to be that way not by design). Hilarity was an element was not intended to dominant the script. However, anyone who may have been expecting this to be anything like Dances With Wolves will have been thrown a curveball. Costner did not hold the directorial reigns and it shows, with no disrespect to K. Reynolds.
I bought the DVD recently and I cringe at some of the choices the project had taken. It's easy to say it in hindsight but the truth is rough considering the lineup of some high-profile actors cast. Bottom line: It fumbles from being having all components of a comedy, drama, and romance in one release. In other words, typical Hollywood fare.
I found the second supplementary disc sub-par. I'm surely not asking for anything on the level of the Lord of the Rings, Terminator 2 or Star Wars prequels, but I thought the SE version was going to merit more information and detail. I also grew weary of Costner's commentary here.
I might have given Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves three stars. But the cast did all they could do to save a rushed screenplay. The movie did do well in the theatres in '91 so it did have its charm. Get this only if there is absolutely nothing on the store shelf. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Brilliant, Fun, Love, Laughter, Music & Crime
I was so happy to find this in American format - I'm a British expat and was thrilled to see this again.

The Four Tops on the soundtrack is wonderful!

One of those "rootin' for the bad guy" movies.
I'm so glad this video is being reissued, not only because I'm a Phil Collins fan, but because it's a great movie in general.

Phil plays Buster Edwards, who may be a thief by profession but whose real reason for living is the love of his wife June (Julie Walters) and his daughter Nicky. After pulling off the biggest train robbery in British history, Buster flees with his family to Mexico, along with the ringleader (Larry Lamb), and his wife.

What starts out as a vacation in paradise turns into tensions boiled over when an argument between June and Buster gets physical (he slaps her face) and she retaliates by taking Nicky and flying home. That's when Buster realizes that living in exile is pointless if it means alienating his family.

All in all, this is a very moving, heartwarming film (which includes one of the best robbery sequences I've ever seen); it gets the R rating for some of the more violent scenes, brief nudity, and the occasional British curse word. The score by Anne Dudley is as beautiful as some of the film's most tender moments, and the songs in the soundtrack include two of Phil's biggest hits: "Two Hearts", and "A Groovy Kind of Love"; as well as such classic tunes as: "I Got You Babe" by Sonny & Cher, "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" by Dusty Springfield," "Keep On Running" by the Spencer Davis Group (with lead vocals by a then-relatively unknown singer and keyboard player named Steve Winwood), and "How Do You Do It?" by Gerry & the Pacemakers ... Read more

Amazon.com

Falling in love can be glorious, or poignant, or heartwarming ... but for most of us, it's mostly just absurd. And The Tall Guy captures that hysterical, head-over-heels surrealism perfectly. Jeff Goldblum plays the neurotic, allergy-ridden Dexter King, a stage actor stuck in a dead-end job in an interminable run of London's tackiest comic review. He's the "tall guy," the eternal butt of slapstick gags delivered by the star performer, a brilliantly obnoxious Rowan Atkinson. Cupid's arrow strikes between sneezes when hay fever propels Dexter to the doctor's office--and he catches his first glance of Nurse Kate Lemmon (a pre-Shakespeare Emma Thompson). Battling his deep-seated fear of needles, Dexter invents excuses to get shots just to get close to her. After much pain (and much prodding from Dexter's oddly maternal nymphomaniac landlady), their courtship takes off. (Kate's practical dating philosophy--have sex first, so you know if all those expensive dinners will actually be worth it--leads to one of the most comically destructive love scenes ever filmed.) Dexter, giddy with new love, gets fired--and lands the title role in Elephant!, a musical version of The Elephant Man (one heartwarming hit: "Somewhere in Heaven, There's an Angel with Big Ears"). But his curvaceous leading lady develops a champagne-fueled passion for pachyderms ... and Dexter's in yet another sticky situation.

As British romances go, The Tall Guy owes more to TV's Fawlty Towers than The English Patient--but what it lacks in depth, it makes up in sheer comedy. --Grant Balfour ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Hysterical!
THE TALL GUY has been a favorite of mine for years. I take great pride in being a fan of this "guilty pleasure" film! I try to turn people onto it as often as possible.

THE TALL GUY, first and foremost, is very British in its humor, which means there is irony, surrealism, and jokes that don't depend on insults (Americans *love* the insult-joke).

THE TALL GUY has the funniest sex scene (Goldblum and Thompson) that I've ever seen. And as others have mentioned, the ELEPHANT! musical is hysterical. I cried the first time I saw the musical numbers ... it's that hilarious.

At heart, THE TALL GUY is a sweet romance. But its British sensibilities and backstage humor (Goldblum's character is an underdog actor) lifts it above an average screwball comedy. And Emma Thompson is very charming as Nurse Kate! One forgets after all of her serious Shakespeare and Jane Austin roles that she is quite a comedienne.

So enjoy THE TALL GUY! And remember: "Somewhere up in heaven there's an angel with big ears."

Early work from Curtis the movie scriptwriter
Richard Curtis, eventual architect of 'Four Weddings', 'Notting Hill', 'Love Actually' and bits of 'Bridget Jones', kicked off his filmwriting career with this 1989 debut.

It shows its youthfulness. Just as 'Four Weddings' had at its core a string of sketches based on weddings Curtis had attended (but very skillfully linked by a romantic story), so 'The Tall Guy' appears to have started with the idea of a pastiche musical based on the Elephant Man, around which Curtis wraps a romance between a supporting actor and a nurse.

Curtis's great buddy from Oxford, Rowan Atkinson, is brought in to play a control-freak comedian -- no type-casting there, then -- but there are a few ex-Cambridge people too: Emma Thompson, Mel Smith etc. Jeff Goldblum is good as the lead, but there's no evidence that the script was specially written for him in particular or an American in general.

This film is perhaps now best known for the slapstick sex scene between Thompson and Goldblum, which manages to be (slightly) erotic while also revealing a basic truth about the domestic tidiness of all nurses I have known.

Many of the standard Curtis plot elements appear in a formative stage for this film: the early sexual encounter, followed by the break-up, followed by a finale in which the protagonists make a grand declaration of true love in front of a large crowd, the pop video sequence etc etc.

I suspect this is now a budget-priced DVD because Curtis is slightly embarrassed by it. But it's 88 enjoyable minutes of good, largely clean fun. As ever, Emma Thompson is the most convincing actor on the screen. Fifteen years on, she talks frankly about her varicose veins and growing old. It's probably handy to have a film which she can now show her children and say "This is what I used to look like before anything drooped."

Soon after making this, Curtis co-wrote the brilliant 'Blackadder Goes Forth' series for Rowan and friends, which was one of the comic masterpieces of the 1980s. Clearly outstanding at TV scriptwriting, Curtis may have felt after 'The Tall Guy' that he hadn't proved himself on the movie screen. But the movies were where the real money was (for writers), and five years later, Curtis perfected the formula with 'Four Weddings'.

The Tall Let Down
I've been experiencing Jeff Goldblum fever for some reason so I've been grabbing at all of his movies. The Tall Guy is the number one reason you shouldn't buy a movie from just reading a few reviews and seeing a few scenes. It's terribly misleading.

I tried to give the film a chance but it wasn't easy. I am someone who enjoys intelligent humor and I love brit comedies as much as American comedies. Humor is humor but the humor was not in this film for me. Rowen ( better known as Mr. Bean ) was impressive and Jeff Goldblum gave Dexter King all he could but it was still as the Brits say...a bloody bore.

The plot was limited. Okay what's so great about a tall out of work actor when there's no useful information spilt about the character? I found it tedious the FIFTH time Jeff Goldblum rode down the narrow London streets on his bike. Point is...the film was going nowhere and that's exactly where it went. The actors did well except for Emma Thompson who was way too old to act so naive. Her character gets upset when Dexter cheats, yet the first thing she wanted to do was sleep with HIM a couple of days after they met. Isnt't that the pot calling the kettle black?

There were a lot of loopholes and snail scenes that dragged on and on for no reason. Usually Jeff Goldblum's lamely charming, but he made me more tired of Dexter than any of the other characters.

This film had no substance and even less of an effect. Don't waste your time on this one. No matter how much Jeff fever you may have.

Good solid british comedy
I admit that I purchased this movie as a Rowan Atkinson fan. While his parts are small 20 minutes, and at times mirror his work on Mr. Bean, he is clearly the standout performer in this video. He plays an excellent jerk!
Emma Thompson, playing a straight-forward nurse, is charming, and give a similarly lively performance. There are a couple or fairly racy lovemaking scenes with Emma and Goldblum, so it's not a movie for children, but it is pretty tame fare other than that.
The movie itself centers on the transformation of Jeff Goldblum, and has some inventive writing when dealing with the struggles of becoming an unsuccessful actor, but pretty standard predictable fare when dealing with romance.
The movie, with an 80's soundtrack and look, is a great dose of nostalgia, a gentle dose of comedy, and I highly recommend it as a "guilty pleasure" or "Brain-candy". While you won't see alot of Mr. Atkinson, you will get a decent entertainment value.

Standing tall!
When I first saw this movie about 10 years ago, the primary reason was because Emma Thompson starred in it. 10 years later I have watched it again and have found there is an additional reason to view it: it's genuinely FUN!

The plot is not overly creative or original, but the film is set in London and is full of laughs. It's a Romantic Comedy - British style! This is one of Jeff Goldblum's earlier movies, before he was a really big name.

And if you're looking for women who are beautiful, intelligent AND talented in the acting department, look no further than Emma Thompson! To my knowledge, this film contains her the lone nude scene of her career [although I could be wrong on this one]. That in itself is enough reason to buy this DVD!

As Goldblum plays a struggling actor, people in the theatre community will likely get some extra chuckles from this film. However, it's a film that's also recommended for everyone else who enjoys a good RC and it's very couples-friendly. Oh, and did I mention it stars Emma Thompson??? ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Hysterical!
THE TALL GUY has been a favorite of mine for years. I take great pride in being a fan of this "guilty pleasure" film! I try to turn people onto it as often as possible.

THE TALL GUY, first and foremost, is very British in its humor, which means there is irony, surrealism, and jokes that don't depend on insults (Americans *love* the insult-joke).

THE TALL GUY has the funniest sex scene (Goldblum and Thompson) that I've ever seen. And as others have mentioned, the ELEPHANT! musical is hysterical. I cried the first time I saw the musical numbers ... it's that hilarious.

At heart, THE TALL GUY is a sweet romance. But its British sensibilities and backstage humor (Goldblum's character is an underdog actor) lifts it above an average screwball comedy. And Emma Thompson is very charming as Nurse Kate! One forgets after all of her serious Shakespeare and Jane Austin roles that she is quite a comedienne.

So enjoy THE TALL GUY! And remember: "Somewhere up in heaven there's an angel with big ears."

Early work from Curtis the movie scriptwriter
Richard Curtis, eventual architect of 'Four Weddings', 'Notting Hill', 'Love Actually' and bits of 'Bridget Jones', kicked off his filmwriting career with this 1989 debut.

It shows its youthfulness. Just as 'Four Weddings' had at its core a string of sketches based on weddings Curtis had attended (but very skillfully linked by a romantic story), so 'The Tall Guy' appears to have started with the idea of a pastiche musical based on the Elephant Man, around which Curtis wraps a romance between a supporting actor and a nurse.

Curtis's great buddy from Oxford, Rowan Atkinson, is brought in to play a control-freak comedian -- no type-casting there, then -- but there are a few ex-Cambridge people too: Emma Thompson, Mel Smith etc. Jeff Goldblum is good as the lead, but there's no evidence that the script was specially written for him in particular or an American in general.

This film is perhaps now best known for the slapstick sex scene between Thompson and Goldblum, which manages to be (slightly) erotic while also revealing a basic truth about the domestic tidiness of all nurses I have known.

Many of the standard Curtis plot elements appear in a formative stage for this film: the early sexual encounter, followed by the break-up, followed by a finale in which the protagonists make a grand declaration of true love in front of a large crowd, the pop video sequence etc etc.

I suspect this is now a budget-priced DVD because Curtis is slightly embarrassed by it. But it's 88 enjoyable minutes of good, largely clean fun. As ever, Emma Thompson is the most convincing actor on the screen. Fifteen years on, she talks frankly about her varicose veins and growing old. It's probably handy to have a film which she can now show her children and say "This is what I used to look like before anything drooped."

Soon after making this, Curtis co-wrote the brilliant 'Blackadder Goes Forth' series for Rowan and friends, which was one of the comic masterpieces of the 1980s. Clearly outstanding at TV scriptwriting, Curtis may have felt after 'The Tall Guy' that he hadn't proved himself on the movie screen. But the movies were where the real money was (for writers), and five years later, Curtis perfected the formula with 'Four Weddings'.

The Tall Let Down
I've been experiencing Jeff Goldblum fever for some reason so I've been grabbing at all of his movies. The Tall Guy is the number one reason you shouldn't buy a movie from just reading a few reviews and seeing a few scenes. It's terribly misleading.

I tried to give the film a chance but it wasn't easy. I am someone who enjoys intelligent humor and I love brit comedies as much as American comedies. Humor is humor but the humor was not in this film for me. Rowen ( better known as Mr. Bean ) was impressive and Jeff Goldblum gave Dexter King all he could but it was still as the Brits say...a bloody bore.

The plot was limited. Okay what's so great about a tall out of work actor when there's no useful information spilt about the character? I found it tedious the FIFTH time Jeff Goldblum rode down the narrow London streets on his bike. Point is...the film was going nowhere and that's exactly where it went. The actors did well except for Emma Thompson who was way too old to act so naive. Her character gets upset when Dexter cheats, yet the first thing she wanted to do was sleep with HIM a couple of days after they met. Isnt't that the pot calling the kettle black?

There were a lot of loopholes and snail scenes that dragged on and on for no reason. Usually Jeff Goldblum's lamely charming, but he made me more tired of Dexter than any of the other characters.

This film had no substance and even less of an effect. Don't waste your time on this one. No matter how much Jeff fever you may have.

Good solid british comedy
I admit that I purchased this movie as a Rowan Atkinson fan. While his parts are small 20 minutes, and at times mirror his work on Mr. Bean, he is clearly the standout performer in this video. He plays an excellent jerk!
Emma Thompson, playing a straight-forward nurse, is charming, and give a similarly lively performance. There are a couple or fairly racy lovemaking scenes with Emma and Goldblum, so it's not a movie for children, but it is pretty tame fare other than that.
The movie itself centers on the transformation of Jeff Goldblum, and has some inventive writing when dealing with the struggles of becoming an unsuccessful actor, but pretty standard predictable fare when dealing with romance.
The movie, with an 80's soundtrack and look, is a great dose of nostalgia, a gentle dose of comedy, and I highly recommend it as a "guilty pleasure" or "Brain-candy". While you won't see alot of Mr. Atkinson, you will get a decent entertainment value.

Standing tall!
When I first saw this movie about 10 years ago, the primary reason was because Emma Thompson starred in it. 10 years later I have watched it again and have found there is an additional reason to view it: it's genuinely FUN!

The plot is not overly creative or original, but the film is set in London and is full of laughs. It's a Romantic Comedy - British style! This is one of Jeff Goldblum's earlier movies, before he was a really big name.

And if you're looking for women who are beautiful, intelligent AND talented in the acting department, look no further than Emma Thompson! To my knowledge, this film contains her the lone nude scene of her career [although I could be wrong on this one]. That in itself is enough reason to buy this DVD!

As Goldblum plays a struggling actor, people in the theatre community will likely get some extra chuckles from this film. However, it's a film that's also recommended for everyone else who enjoys a good RC and it's very couples-friendly. Oh, and did I mention it stars Emma Thompson??? ... Read more