Reviews (1)

Great series. I saw it on PBS twice
Sam Neill is in his element as Sidney Reilly (Sigmund Rosenblum) during the Russian revolution. You are never sure whom he is spying for. He is a British spy that was responsible for gaining secrets that assured the Japanese success in their maritime war efforts with the Russians. He later became involved in the Bolshevik revolution. This is volume three of (eleven episodes/four cassettes.)

Original

Episode # Prod # Air Date Episode Title

____ _______ ________ ___________ ___________________________________________

1. 1- 1 5 Sep 83 An Affair with a Married Woman (90 min)

2. 1- 2 7 Sep 83 Prelude to War

3. 1- 3 14 Sep 83 The Visiting Fireman

4. 1- 4 21 Sep 83 Anna

5. 1- 5 28 Sep 83 Dreadnoughts and Crosses

6. 1- 6 5 Oct 83 Dreadnoughts and Doublecrosses

7. 1- 7 12 Oct 83 Gambit

8. 1- 8 19 Oct 83 Endgame

9. 1- 9 26 Oct 83 After Moscow

10. 1-10 2 Nov 83 The Trust

11. 1-11 9 Nov 83 The Last Journey

12. 1-12 16 Nov 83 Shutdown ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Very good, but not the best
I think that the plot of the story is very good. The girl could have been a little better. There was a lot of action and suspence. A note to the movie directors, make it more obvious as where the story is taking place. Overall I think the movie is second best, next to For Your Eyes Only. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The edgy, intense Homicide: Life on the Street earned its reputation as the best show on TV from the very beginning. In the pilot episode, "Gone for Goode," rookie detective Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor) walks into the squad room of Baltimore's elite and smack into his first case, the murder of 11-year-old girl Adina Watson, a crime that will haunt Bayliss throughout the series. Oscar-winning director and series executive producer Barry Levinson helms this episode himself, establishing the nervous, energetic camera work, the bickering camaraderie of the homicide squad, and the meticulous attention to police detail that defined the series. He won an Emmy for his efforts. The third season episode "Every Mother's Son" guest stars Sean Nelson (Fresh) as a cold juvenile killer who couldn't care less that he murdered an innocent boy, while the mothers of victim and killer unknowingly meet in the station waiting room. The final episode in the set, "A Doll's Eye" from the fourth season, is a quiet, introspective look at the parents of a boy left brain-dead by a stray bullet who are dealing with their grief while under pressure to make a decision that could save another child through the organ donor program. Mandy Patinkin make an uncredited cameo as his Chicago Hope doctor. This set lacks the coherent thread that pulled the episodes together on a weekly basis, but it displays the series' range like a candy sampler, and the uniformly excellent episodes are worth seeing under any circumstance. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (16)

DVD?
Simply put, Homicide was a flawless series. The cast, scripts, cinematography...it all just came together. I think it was cancelled because of poor scheduling choices, and because it was so intense. That said, there is a huge number of diehard fans out there...so when is somebody going to wake up and start releasing the episodes (all of them!) on dvd as is done for The Twilight Zone? Court TV is a start, but I want the whole series at my fingertips...I think the series, and we, the fans, deserve it.

The crash-course on Homicide: Life on the Street
Typically if I want to get a friend's reaction to my favorite drama ever, I'll have them sit down and watch these three episodes with me. They represent some of the finest acting and cinematography I've seen in quite some time.

1) The Pilot: "Gone for Goode" - It's Tim Bayliss' (Kyle Secor) first day on the Homicide Unit commanded by Al Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) and the introduction to the cast of characters begins: John Munch (Richard Belzer), the cynical jaded but dedicated cop partnered with the "close to retirement" Stan Bolander (Ned Beatty), Meldrick Lewis (Clark Johnson) is partnered with Steve Crosetti (Jon Polito) and Kay Howard (Melissa Leo) is partnered with Beau Felton (Daniel Baldwin). The wildcard in the unit is Frank Pembleton, the unit's best detective who likes to work alone. Lewis and Crosetti investigate a shooting that might lead to solving 5 more murders (and making them look like heros), Munch is coerced into opening up an accidental death that Bolander thinks was a murder. And Bayliss gets paired up with Pembleton during a murder of an older guy in a hotel and learns firsthand that what he's taught in the classroom doesn't hold up in the real world.

Some famous lines:
Bolander: "She was murdered John, you have to speak for her"
--
Howard: "Homicide? We work for God"
--
Munch: "I've been murder police for ten years. If you're going to lie to me, you lie to me with respect."
--
Crosetti: "That's the problem with this job. It's got nothin' to do with life."

2) "Every Mother's Son" - Bayliss and Pembleton investigate the murder of a 14 year old boy at a bowling alley to find out another 14 year old boy shot him. The shooter thinks he should go because he killed the wrong guy. The mother's killer and the mother of the victim unknowingly meet up and talk for a long period of time in the squad room. Pembleton gets disillusioned about ever having children if they grow up in a world like this.

3) "A Doll's Eye" - Bayliss and Pembleton get involved in a shooting of a boy at a mall. The boy ends up brain dead and the parents struggle with taking the boy off of life support and placing his organs in the organ donor registry to save other children's lives. Marcia Gay Hayden's portrayal of the little boy's mom will have you in tears. It's a quiet episode that focuses on the victims and the struggles that they have to face.

Nothing Else Like It On TV Or The Big Screen!
Anyone that has ever seen this top quality crime drama would agree that there has never been anything else like HOMICIDE on television or the big screen!

This show, in reruns, is as powerful, moving, thought provoking, and at times humorous, as it was during its first run on NBC during the 90's.

EVERY...and I do mean EVERY character leaps off the page with realism and charisma, thanks in part to those who put pen to paper and wrote the lines, and also to the amazing actor who breathed life into the well written scripts.

The early shows are by far the best! And that you will see on this video. Pembelton and Balis, Andre Braugher and Kyle Secor, were televisions definitive dynamic duo. I believe that they, and the other cast members, set a standard for ensemble casts that will never be beat. (A few of the cast members that joined the show towards the end of its run were not as powerful as the original actors, but that didn't stop the show from delivering quality episodes.)

Others have suggested NBC release all of the episodes on DVD and I agree! This was truly MUST SEE TV and for what ever reason the network couldn't see it. (This show is timeless and I would love to see it resurrected, perhaps on cable TV! Are you listening HBO?)

HOMICIDE - Life On The Street is without a doubt is the best television show to date! Kudos to all responsible for bridging it to life, to Court TV for airing it in reruns, and to Amazon.com for bring the series to its fan via VHS and DVD!

Great TV, Great Location
I moved to Baltimore by about Homicide's 3rd season. I had seen a few episodes and was annoyed by the jittery camera work. After living in Baltimore for a few months, and after being forced to watch a few episodes, I was entranced by both the show and the city. Homicide transcends the typical "place-less" show (TV or cinema--is Frasier really a Seattle show? I think not) because it weaves people, events, and emotions in a solid geography. I believe people were--and are still--hooked on this show because it has so much personality and charisma. Baltimore is a town with history, charm, quirks, character, meloncholy, cynicism, evil, joy, and warmth. Homicide captured that and slowly spoon fed it to viewers episode by episode. I don't think most viewers were aware of it, but it happened and it was addictive. To me, the drama, joy, and pain of Homicide is the drama, joy, and pain of the City of Baltimore and its citizens. Only one question remains: where are the Homicide DVDs??

The Best of the Best
After HILL STREET BLUES and ST ELSEWARE I thought network TV had lost it, the came HOMICIDE:LIFE ON THE STREET. It is the best of the best, my only regret is that ther aren't more of the episodes available. Someone tell NBC that they are missing out on a gold mine. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

'Beyond' Logic
I admired the political messages of "Beyond Borders," but I can't say the same for the love story. It seemed out-of-place and forced. Sara (Angelina Jolie) was a troubled housewife who was deeply moved by a doctor's efforts to feed starving children in Ethiopia, Cambodia and Chechnya. She journeyed to those countries over a decade and eventually fell in love with the doctor (Clive Owen). The movie tried very hard to be a politically motivated film and I respect that. They should've left out the love story but kept the level of passion for their cause to rise throughout the movie. You don't know whether to feel for the characters in the end or the whole charade they went through to make a difference, to help. But, it's worth your time and it's a lot different than most movies.

3 & 1/2 Stars - Beautiful & Ugly all the while Unforgiving
I watched "Beyond Borders" last night, and while the other people I watched it with were beyond bored, I was infatuated. The film, while being a bit "preachy," (nothing anyone would be overly annoyed with) is visually intoxicating. Sometimes in a surreal way other times in a horrific way, but intoxicating no less. Angelina Jolie shines in her role as Sarah, an American whose life changes drastically throughout the years of her adult life with her experiences with refugee camps she visits. Clive Owens plays Nick, a struggling refugee doctor with the best of inentions, but has become cynical and often bitter towards others, but not without good reason. Together they reach an understanding of one another, and eventually find love. But as much as the studio promotes this as a "Love Story" it is NOT that in the least. (I repeat this is NOT a love story.) It is bulked up by some hollywood explosions and such. However in whole this is a film about HEROISM in it's many forms. This film will grab hold of your heart, it will tug, warm, tear, comfort and break it. I think everyone should watch it becuase it gives an honest and unforgiving look at worlds outside our own little box. I give it * * * 1/2 for being a great film, but dragging on a little at times.

A lot better than I expected
I was expecting the worst when it came to this movie. I am a fan of Angelina Jolie, but it didn't do very well at the box office and I didn't really hear anything about it.

Well, none of that matters because this is a very good movie. Angelina does a good job here, as does Clive Owen, her love interest. The story was interesting and eye-opening. It kept my attention even though this isn't a lightning-paced movie. I wanted to know what would happen to Angelina's character. I was also surprised by a few twists that happen unexpectedly. There's a key scene midway through the movie that doesn't mean a lot at the time, but perfectly foreshadows something that happens later on.

I highly recommend this movie. It was very entertaining and it really did make you think. I'm not a big fan of movies like this, but this is an exception. It should have been a bigger hit.

Schock film!
This movie is deeply bitter. It's touchimg and it deals with a premise that we forget too many times , inmersed as we are in our daily activities.
In a beautiful wedding a doctor will suddenly appear and will denounces the injustice for having denied them an important amount of money for the homeless and poor people from Africa.
This breakthrough will twist the life of Sarah Jordan (Angelina Jolie) and she will become the most exhaustive fighter for this noble cause.
Campbell makes a good and haunting movie , even there are some irrelevant scenes , but you never miss the interest in the story . Obviously this world of injustice will generate the unavoidable atraction between them .
Jolie gives a very realistic portrait.
The rest of the story runs for you .
Interesting story , above the average .

Wonderful Love Story
This movie is very good! I will have to say, to the individuals who are watching it for the first time, pay attention to every detail because it makes the ending pack more punch! Even though the ending is sad...I think the movie is well done and Angelina Jolie's performance is OUTSTANDING!!! Enjoy... ... Read more

Reviews (34)

'Beyond' Logic
I admired the political messages of "Beyond Borders," but I can't say the same for the love story. It seemed out-of-place and forced. Sara (Angelina Jolie) was a troubled housewife who was deeply moved by a doctor's efforts to feed starving children in Ethiopia, Cambodia and Chechnya. She journeyed to those countries over a decade and eventually fell in love with the doctor (Clive Owen). The movie tried very hard to be a politically motivated film and I respect that. They should've left out the love story but kept the level of passion for their cause to rise throughout the movie. You don't know whether to feel for the characters in the end or the whole charade they went through to make a difference, to help. But, it's worth your time and it's a lot different than most movies.

3 & 1/2 Stars - Beautiful & Ugly all the while Unforgiving
I watched "Beyond Borders" last night, and while the other people I watched it with were beyond bored, I was infatuated. The film, while being a bit "preachy," (nothing anyone would be overly annoyed with) is visually intoxicating. Sometimes in a surreal way other times in a horrific way, but intoxicating no less. Angelina Jolie shines in her role as Sarah, an American whose life changes drastically throughout the years of her adult life with her experiences with refugee camps she visits. Clive Owens plays Nick, a struggling refugee doctor with the best of inentions, but has become cynical and often bitter towards others, but not without good reason. Together they reach an understanding of one another, and eventually find love. But as much as the studio promotes this as a "Love Story" it is NOT that in the least. (I repeat this is NOT a love story.) It is bulked up by some hollywood explosions and such. However in whole this is a film about HEROISM in it's many forms. This film will grab hold of your heart, it will tug, warm, tear, comfort and break it. I think everyone should watch it becuase it gives an honest and unforgiving look at worlds outside our own little box. I give it * * * 1/2 for being a great film, but dragging on a little at times.

A lot better than I expected
I was expecting the worst when it came to this movie. I am a fan of Angelina Jolie, but it didn't do very well at the box office and I didn't really hear anything about it.

Well, none of that matters because this is a very good movie. Angelina does a good job here, as does Clive Owen, her love interest. The story was interesting and eye-opening. It kept my attention even though this isn't a lightning-paced movie. I wanted to know what would happen to Angelina's character. I was also surprised by a few twists that happen unexpectedly. There's a key scene midway through the movie that doesn't mean a lot at the time, but perfectly foreshadows something that happens later on.

I highly recommend this movie. It was very entertaining and it really did make you think. I'm not a big fan of movies like this, but this is an exception. It should have been a bigger hit.

Schock film!
This movie is deeply bitter. It's touchimg and it deals with a premise that we forget too many times , inmersed as we are in our daily activities.
In a beautiful wedding a doctor will suddenly appear and will denounces the injustice for having denied them an important amount of money for the homeless and poor people from Africa.
This breakthrough will twist the life of Sarah Jordan (Angelina Jolie) and she will become the most exhaustive fighter for this noble cause.
Campbell makes a good and haunting movie , even there are some irrelevant scenes , but you never miss the interest in the story . Obviously this world of injustice will generate the unavoidable atraction between them .
Jolie gives a very realistic portrait.
The rest of the story runs for you .
Interesting story , above the average .

Wonderful Love Story
This movie is very good! I will have to say, to the individuals who are watching it for the first time, pay attention to every detail because it makes the ending pack more punch! Even though the ending is sad...I think the movie is well done and Angelina Jolie's performance is OUTSTANDING!!! Enjoy... ... Read more

Amazon.com

"The Subway" became the most celebrated episode of the sixth season of Homicide: Life on the Street. A showcase for Andre Braugher's Frank Pembleton, the squad's tetchy, intense, brilliant detective, it takes place almost entirely in the subway and focuses on the relationship between Pembleton and the dying victim of a gruesome subway platform accident (guest star Vincent D'Onofrio), who's not expected to live out the hour. It garnered lavish praise from TV critics across the U.S., earned two Emmy nominations (including one for D'Onofrio), and won the prestigious Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting. Little did documentary director Theodore Bogosian know what was in store when he began his made-for-public TV special Anatomy of a Homicide, a detailed look at the creation of the episode from idea through script and production to broadcast. You get it all: script conferences, location scouting, special-effects challenges (how do you portray a man convincingly trapped by a tram and twisted like taffy?), the clip from the HBO series Taxicab Confessions that inspired the story, and a privileged look at network politics. It's an inspired pairing for the video debut of the series, a fine introduction for new viewers, and the equivalent of a coffee-table video album for the faithful. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Television drama at its very best!
If you're reading this, chances are you're already a fan of Homicide to some degree. Some early fans of the show became disenchanted with the program as its run on NBC progressed, feeling that it became more conventional. While it's true that the show's later seasons used less of the stirring camera-work which was the show's visual trademark in the early episode, the stories told were no less compelling.

A case in point is season six's "The Accident" or as it's commonly known "the subway episode." When a commuter becomes pinned between a subway train and the platform, detectives Tim Bayliss and Frank Pembleton are called in, because the accident victim is alsmost certainly going to die. As Bayliss tries to determine what caused the accident, Pembleton (as played by Emmy-winner Andre Braugher) forms an uneasy bond with the victim (played by Vincent D'Onofrio). With Homicide, the focus was always less on what the detectives revealed about their cases and more on what the detectives revealed about themselves as human beings.

Of all Homicide's detectives none showed us more of what was good and bad about human beings than Frank Pembleton. In the context of the show, Pembleton was not only the best investigator in the squad, he was also the moral center, a good man whose sense of right and wrong never fails, soemone who will always remain on the right side of that line even if it means offending those who care about him. As he tries to comfort the victim whom he knows is about to die, Pembleton confronts his own beliefs and notions of faith and goodness. The interplay between the two characters is as insightful, gripping and well-written as anything committed to film in years, and more than anything this is probably the episode which earned Andre Braugher his Emmy award.

This episode also went on to win the Peabody award and was the subject of a fascinating documentary called "Anatomy of a Homicide." In addition to focusing on the specifics of writing and producing "the subway episode," it is also an intriguing window into the politics of television network programming. That documentary is available on this tape along with the full episode. Homicide never quite got its due during its network run, but the availability of these two productions may help redress that balance.

A phenomenal study in human behavour
This episode alone is the best HOMICIDE I've ever seen. Barring the undeniably brilliant perfomances by Vincent D'Onofrio and Andre Braugher, the story is captivating and the tensions sweet torture! The difficulty of knowing a man is going to die and the struggle to do his job as a cop and so much more... What an episode! That aside, as I said, the documentary is a real view of the politics of network television and the complete bliss of getting what you want. They had a great guest star, a script that worked, and a producer/writer determined to get what he wanted! Just great, a MUST for HOMICIDE or D'Onofrio fans!

Stunning Work!
This is extraordinary acting - vincent D'Onofrio, Andre Braugher (always fabulous in this series) and the other great "Homicide" cast - but this story is amazing. Seemed almost more like a stage production than film/television. I saw the story as a metaphor - life, death, the meaning, the randomness versus design of it all, responsibility/lack thereof, the train....all of it. Extremely powerful in every way. Original, powerful, brilliant work.

An episode worthy of inclusion in anyone's video library!
"Homicide: Life on the Streets" was always a favorite of the critics, but it never garnered the ratings success that it so fittingly deserved. Featuring one of the most gifted ensemble casts ever put together (especially the brilliant Andre Braugher with exemplary support from Yaphet Kotto, Kyle Secor and Clark Johnson), "Homicide" should still be on NBC's schedule, right there with the respective "Law & Order's" and "ER".

If one episode clearly exemplifies the intensity and the quality of the series' writing, as well as the skills of the actors, it is "Subway". Braugher gets to run the gamut of his emotions as he deals with the hopeless situation of guest star Vincent D'onofrio, also giving an award winning turn as the trapped commuter.

The episode is a nail-biter and a prime example of what television should be.

Most compelling dramatic anything I've ever seen
I have never had such a visceral reaction to any piece of drama, live or on big screen or small.

I'd long been a Homicide fan, so I was well aware of Andre Braugher's skill, but Vincent D'Onofrio's performance was a revelation. His character is Everyschmuck, the Bud Lite-swilling blowhard found in any bar on any Saturday night, under-tipping the bartender and copping a feel from the cocktail waitress.

But as he slowly discovers his fate, he strips away his schmuckness in layers, like an onion, with Braugher's Pembleton as Father Confessor and keeper of the knowledge that he is doomed. Together they reveal the character's essential humanity and vulnerability.

Pembleton is our surrogate, I think, because he doesn't like this guy much either, but goes in to do his job, and is eventually touched by him, as we are.

My words are feeble. Just see it. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Guilty Pleasure
This is probably the "guilty pleasure" to top all other guilty pleasures. A made for TV flick that should have been released theatrically. No major stars--though Fred Ward you may remember from "Tremors"--but one of the best made-for-TV movies ever broadcast. No major special effects--no huge explosions--but the ones in the flick are human-sized (like the Borg queen in "Strar Trek") and thus twice as interesting. A lot of in-group jokes for genre lvoers, from Ward as Detective Harry P.Lovecraft to another named Bradbury. A real popcorn thriller that's frequently hilarious to boot. And at the price, one of the best bargains going.

Very good.
It's very good movie, though it'd never win an award. It has few insightful things to say, though you have to over-interpret to see them. One belief I hold dear came from this movie, which is why I don't practice witchcraft is so "...Nothing has a mortgage on my soul." It gives the message not play with things you don't understand. THere should be more movies like this one.

Very good.
This is a pretty good movie, though it'd never win an award. It has few insightful things to say, though you have to over-interpret to see them. One belief I hold dear came from this movie, which is why I don't practice witchcraft is so "...Nothing has a mortgage on my soul." It gives the message not play with things you don't understand. I'd suggest this to fans of H.P. Lovecraft.

BRILLIANT AND HILARIOUS LOVECRAFT SPOOF
Whether you are an "in the closet/out of the closet" Occultist, you'll love this film spoof of the occult in general, and HP Lovecraft in particular. The scene where Fred Ward has a conversation with a real estate agent who praises the fact that her homes are made with "the finest Thaumaturgy" and builder zombies falling in the background will split your gut...no pun intended. Anyone will enjoy this film; but Occultists will howl. Plus, Old Cthulhu never looked so good...

Great way to blow an hour and a half

It's not incisive or heavy and it won't inspire debate, but this movie is an absolute blast nonetheless, and a nice illustration of the fact that a movie doesn't have to be vapid pablum to work as light, fun, happy entertainment. Even the violence isn't anywhere near as gory as it could have been. In general, you'll hit the rewind button 90 minutes after starting the film and be pretty pleased at the way you just spent those 90 minutes.

The story is engaging and fun, Fred Ward (who I've had a soft spot for ever since "The Right Stuff") is perfect as the inexplicably sexy roadworn gumshoe, perfect casting. David Warner plays his standard "Hi, I'm Bob Evil" type of role and does a lovely job at it.

This could have been a lot schlockier than it was if it hadn't been played so straight, but as it is, with the actors playing it *absolutely* straight, you get to enjoy the movie on a variety of levels: just suspending your disbelief and letting yourself fall into the story, and enjoying the general fun of watching it all played so straight. One little wink at the camera would have ruined it.

It's called a comedy, but I'm not sure it is -- it's just that the way the film comes together just has you chuckling out of delight more than laughter. ... Read more

Reviews (362)

Rousing swashbuckling tale
This is not your Father's Zorro, and Antonio Banderas does a fine job as the masked avenger (and according to the Amazon.com trivia section, the first Hispanic to play this role). Banderas plays the second generation people's hero in Southern California, just prior to Spain's ceding of the land to Mexico.

Anthony Hopkins is a great second (who is actually the first) Zorro, a/k/a Don Diego de la Vega, a Mexican land baron and freedom fighter. After escaping decades later from prison, Hopkins escapes from prison to seek revenge on the no-good governor (well played by a smarmy Stuart Wilson) the man who killed his wife and stole his daughter.

Bandaras, a low-life bandito becomes urbane and a proficient warrior at the teaching of Hopkins, and then becomes transformed by a positively bewitching Catherine Zeta-Jones. Their interplay gives the film its romantic, and often sensual edge.

Lots of swordplay and general excitement, as we recall from Douglas Fairbanks and Disney's Guy Williams. The movie moves quickly (but bogs down for awhile 2/3 of the way through. Happily, it picks up the pace through the end.

Nice scenery. When we see the sign of the return of Zorro, via a blazing Z cut into a hillside , it is positively thrilling. A stirring script which fits the film well. More than enough humor (such as the scene in the confessional, or one of several chased of Zorro by the troops) for the purpose of lessening the tension which is well added by a malevolent Matt Letscher.

As one says, it is a grand throwback. As another said: That's entertainment!

...They make the sign of the Z...
This film is the most recent Zorro film. It stars the young Hispanic Antonio Banderas and the intelligent actor Anthony Hopkins. THis may be the first time that a true Hispanic has played Zorro in an American film.
In 1820, Spain has lost California to Mexico. But Rafael Montero (Stuart Wilson) the Spanish govenor, is determined to kill his nemisis Zorro. The fox again foils Montero's plans with the help of two young orphans, one of whom he gives a medallion. Somehow, Montero learns that Diego de la Vega (Anthony Hopkins) is Zorro. Diego's wife is murdered by Montero's men, his hacienda burned, Montero robs him of his child, and Diego is sent to prison. Defeated but determined never to surrender, the enraged fox promises the govenor that he will never be rid of him.
Twenty years later, Santa Anna has become worse than Montero, and people vanish without a trace. The orphan who helped Zorro, Alejandro Mureita (Banderas) and his brother are caught by Montero's man Capitan Love (Matthew Letcher) who beheads Alejandro's brother. Meanwhile, Deigo escapes and sees that Montero has raised his stolen child Elena (Catherine Zeta Jones). Diego sees Alejandro. The two men form an alliance. Diego trains Alejandro in the art of the sword, the whip, riding a horse, and athletic ability. Alejandro tries an exlpoit as Zorro but is rejected by Diego. In the end, however, the new fox earns his mask. Diego now seeks revenge on his nemisis, Montero, while the new Zorro tries to free the people.
This film extends Zorro's legacy. However, in the future I am sure we will see more films with Zorro being Diego. One line with this film seems to hold more emotion than the rest.
DIEGO: "Rafael! You'll never be rid of me! Never!"

New Zorro, New Age
I have never been a huge fan of Antonio or Jones until I saw this film. With its breathtaking scenery, action and atmosphere it makes you love zorro again! A new zorro for a new age! Very well done film with superb acting. The dvd is full on with excellent picture quality and sound.

Zorro No Longer a Hero
Zorro, the hero of Pulps, movies, books, comics and television, has a new movie out. Antonio Banderas, on Larry King Live, mentioned that he hoped this movie would help to keep alive the spirit of the only Spanish super-hero (he in not the only one nor was he at the time of the interview). Well, I think it will do much to keep the name alive but not the spirit.

Anthony Hopkins is Zorro, the Fox. After years of struggle, Spain is pulling out of California and leaving it to the Mexicans. But Zorro slips up and the evil Governor tracks him down, kills his wife, steals his daughter and throws him in prison. Twenty years later Don Diego (Zorro) hears that the Governor is back. Minutes later he has escaped from prison (what was he waiting for?) and is destined to run into Antonio Banderas. After their meeting, Don Diego trains Antonio to be the new Zorro. The rest of the movie involves the plan to create the Independent Republic of California by buying it from Santa Ana with gold dug out of its soil and stamped to look Spanish. Mexico is willing to make the sale because of their war with the United States (it is now 1841).

If you are looking for a fun swashbuckling adventure, then this is definitely the movie to see. If, however, you want to see Zorro, you might find yourself a little disappointed. Gone is Zorro, the defender of the common people and the innocent. In his place is, not one, but two, Zorro's who are bent on personal vendetta's and enlightened self-interest. It is actually Don Diego's daughter who helps some enslaved Mexicans near the end of the movie.

The transition from one Zorro to another takes the Fox out of the wealthy and privileged and makes him a commoner. The new Zorro is also a thief (in a wonderfully fun scene the young Zorro steals his horse, a very serious crime at the time). Having Zorro break so common a law seemed wrong to me. To have Zorro flaunt the breaking of laws meant to worsen the lives of the commoners is another thing entirely. But in this movie Zorro does not taunt authority. He plots against it, to be sure, but for his own reasons and not for the good of the people.

As this movie has two Zorros, there are now also two villains to be defeated (one each). The elder Zorro still has his old nemesis to contend with while the younger Zorro has made a personal enemy of Captain Love, a young Cavalry officer who seems to be in the wrong country. Both villains are vile and easy to hate. This make the personal vendettas a little more palatable as well as making the ending a lot more fun.

The other main problem with this film is that Zorro loses. Zorro never loses. but in this film Zorro loses big time. He loses his wife, his home, his daughter, his name and twenty years of his life. Granted, he briefly regains his daughter but gone is the hero who can laugh in the face of danger and triumph brilliantly.

The last thing I wanted to mention is that, probably due to the controversy over the new Jeffrey Irons film, Zorro is no longer married to his wife Lolita. Her name has been changed (how dare they) to the more common Esperanza. I can understand the concern of some but Don Diego won the heart of Lolita before the Roaring Twenties. As in the Nabakov novel, Lolita is a valid name before it was turned into an adjective. Next thing you know people are going to try and get Disney to change the name of Bambi because they think it is a girl's name (Bambi was the prince of the forest).

So, if you want to see The Mask of Zorro because, to you, it means an exciting swashbuckling movie, you will really enjoy this one. But if you want to see the movie to watch the continuing adventures of a hero that has entertained all generations since his debut almost eighty years ago, part of you will be disappointed in what has happened to the character.

ZORRO MEETS ZETA JONES
THE MASK OF ZORRO is a rousiing, energetic, exciting romantic swashbuckler movie, reminiscent of all those great Fairbanks and Flynn movies.
Antonio Banderas is a perfect Zorro, starting off rude and crude, ending up flamboyant and gallant. His injection of humor and the way he rolls his eyes is a definite good addition to his role.
The ever amazing Anthony Hopkins shines in his role as the first Zorro, whose life is ruined when his wife is killed and his daughter taken away from him by his cruel enemy. It's rare to see an action hero over the 50 year mark!
Catherine Zeta-Jones is breathtakingly beautiful and is wonderful in her role as Hopkins daughter, feisty, yet adolescent in her yearnings for the masked man.
Stuart Wilson is vile and irreprehensible as Don Metero, the head villain, and he plays it to the hilt.
Matt Leschler as the Captain is even worse, his dashing good looks hiding a psychotic imbalance.
The whole movie is superb; James Horner's overlooked Oscar score is beautiful, including the closing credits duet by Tina Arena and Marc Antony of "I Want to Spend My Lifetime Loving You."
This is a fun, enjoyable and uplifting kind of movie. ENJOY! ... Read more