Description

A pioneer couple struggles to settle in Minnesota and start a new life. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great!
If any of your ancestors came from any part of Europe by sea, you have to see this. Movie is not new, but is a classic. Was recommended to me by my Norwegian cousins even tho it's about Swedes. You DO NOT notice the dubbed English, believe me. And you want to watch if again and again because movie really captures what the emmigrants went through, both in the old country and here. Definitely a "to own" movie for anyone that likes history and genealogy.

Historical and entertaining
This is one great movie. I would recommend it to anyone interested in American or Swedish/scandinavian history.

who wants to be a pioneer?
Well worth a million bucks (or star rating) and is the richest realization of pioneer experience ever put to film. The pacing, the cinematography, the patient character development or rather continuation of character unfolding that began with the prequel 'the emmigrants', is an enriching study of human personality in its most basic social and natural settings, ie. real human beings tied to the land and to each other out of fundamental necessity. Every detail of the journey west is bathed in vivid realism. The difficulties of travel and communication continue in this new land until homes are built and lives and cultural ties re-established to replace ones left behind. The enduring marital bond between Max Von Sydow and Liv Ulman's characters,(Oscars aren't good enough) the desire for that better life which drew them to the paradise of Minnesota where the miseries of Indians who must share land that was once their own are soon realized. The youthful will to explore and prosper that cannot be suppressed in Max's younger brother whose artistic temperment misfits him for farm life and drives him to the gold of California and his destiny is one of the most stark and poetic depictions of a sensitive life in the wild west ever portrayed. If you want to know what it was like to have been there- watch this film. Anyone with a shred of curiousity or empathetic appetite for the struggles and accomplishments of our ancestors will be well satisfied with this rare feast of pioneer life. I can only hope the eventual transfer to DVD will do justice to the cinematographic beauty this profound film possesses and deserves.

Portrait of what was
This and The Emigrants tells the story of Scandinavian settlers in the upper midwest. It was made in the later part of the Nixon administration, and the Swedish director threw in a few apt shots at America and her heritage. But it and The Emigrants still tell the story of people who came here for a better life, and how they more or less found it.

Not exactly a competitor for the Die Hard or Lethal Weapon series. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Acting, But Incomplete
As usual, Max Von Sydow is excellent in his role of the great Nobel Laureate and Norwegian novelist, Knut Hamsun.

To be sure, I would've liked to see the director and producer delve back deeper into Hamsun's history. I think his formative years and time in America would have been more than worthwhile to chronicle. Hamsun was an incredibly lucid and accomplished author and one of the more compelling figures of the 20th Century. The totality of his life is a lesson in perserverance, rugged individualism, and originality. A more complete representation of his life is required to give viewers what they deserve.

At Last!
As a fan and scholar of Hamsun, I was overjoyed when I finally managed to see this film. It does not disappoint in any way. The subject matter is, naturally, controversial but the film gracefully confronts the issue of the Hamsuns' Nazism and gives humanity to it. This is the best Von Sydow performance I have ever seen, helped by a precision piece of scripting. For those who are not familiar with Hamsun the film will not have the same power but will stand very strongly as a tragedy. The story does concern Nazism and literature, but its main focus is the estrangement and reconciliation of two powerful personalities. As a love story, it is impeccable.

Power & Politics vs. Art & Love
Max Von Südow is a fabulous Knut Hamsun in this film about the life of the famous Norwegian writer. The charismatic Danish actress Ghita Nørby plays his manipulative wife.

Without truly knowing what he is getting into Knut Hamsun is attracted to the teachings of a certain man by the name of Adolf Hitler. Because the wife is the one truly devoted to the Fuehrer, Hamsun struggles between what she is trying to convince him is the true nature of Nazism and what he learns from other sources (not to mention from his encounter with Hitler himself, who wants Hamsun as a propaganda tool for the Nazi cause).

Obviously, the film is controversial. How much did Knut Hamsun actually know about the atrocities committed by the Nazis and how much was he lulled into it all by his wife?

The relationship between the arts and politics is made explicit and explored. How and why we chose and practise our ideologies is frightening and makes you wonder about your own convictions.

However, the film is so much more than this and is a definite must for anyone who likes to question themselves, society and the notion of history. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Boring
Quite Possibly the worst movie ever filmed! After suffering through this film on late night television one evening, this film has became the benchmark for all bad films in my family. "It can't possibly be as bad as Zandy's Bride" is a common statement. I purchased this video as a gag gift.

The way it was
This movie is a powerful view of the plight of women in our early days.Liv Ullmann could not have been better as the mail order bride and Hackman gives a terrific performance as her "buyer".The scenes from the big sur country are breathtaking in their stark beauty.Don't miss this film.It tells a long forgotten story of how difficult it was for those that came before us.

Powerful performances by Ullmann & Hackman
One of my favorite movies and among the few I've bought. Not since March or Die has Hackman's character been easier to hate. Beautiful scenery along California's coast and Big Sur country. As a mail order bride, Liv Ullmann gives a powerful performance and in the end Zandy comes around to her way of thinking.

Zandy's Bride
Good story. Enjoyed the scenery and especially the bluegrass-style music.

Zandy's Bride Revies
This is a very enjoyable movie which takes place in the Big Sur area and surrounding hills in California. Reminds me a little of "Heartland" staring Rip Torn...same period I believe...same type of movie...Loved it. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Call this one Hurricane Awful
I just sat through this truly AWFUL remake of the 1937 classic
with Jon Hall and Dorothy Lamour, and it stank so bad, the film-
makers had to resort to splicing in footage and sound from the
original!!! Positively one of the worst remakes that I have ever tried to sit through-do yourself a HUGE favor, and buy the
original 1937 film, it is far,far,better-and the special effects
are still terrifying, and still excellent.

This movie features a positively wooden performance by one of the most overrated bad actresses of our time, Mia Farrow. A
real stinkeroo, this film! Don't waste your time or money with
this pile of tax write-off!

It reekas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dayton Ka'ne sizzles the screen! Hurricane special effects
In my opinion, Dayton Ka'ne is the star attraction of this film. Beautiful Cinematography, where the movie was filmed completly on location on the island of Bora Bora. Cast also includes, Mia Farrow, Jason Robards, Max Von Sydow, Timothy Bottoms, James Keach and Manu Tupou. I felt that Mia Farrow was miscast in this film. Although I do know people liked her in the tv serieal Peyton Place and the film, Rosemary's Baby. Dayton Ka'ne sizzles the screen and his acting is honest, smooth and natural. His love scenes are tender and passionate. Those honey-colored eyes! His dancing will have you begging for more. The special effects of the hurricane will hold your attention. Dayton Ka'ne did one more film completed in 1979. BEYOND THE REEF (1981) also known as SHARK BOY OF BORA BORA and SEA KILLER. I wish this film was available on VHS or DVD for the United States of America. Beyond The Reef was also produced by Dino De Laurentiis with Dayton Ka'ne in the lead role. Joseph Ka'ne also appeared in Beyond The Reef.

you'll either like it or you won't- there is no in between
very sweet and almost old fashioned romance takes place. the location of the movie was wonderfull. if you like beautifull men then dayton ka'ne will satisfy you. he has a gorgeous and hot body and the face to match. not to mention that he doesn't usually wear much of anything in the movie! the acting is somewhat mediocre but it does the job.if you are expecting "the blue lagoon" forget it. the movie has some slow and boring parts but be patient, it all comes out in the wash. so enjoy!

Ridiculous ending and some bad acting blow it.
Starts off good and goes downhill. When you see it, I hope you agree that Robards would NOT have gone in the water to his ship as this person he just trecked through a hurricane to destroy walks off with his daughter! Don't worry, I didn't give anything away...there's nothing to give away.
Special effects are great and so is Dayton Ka'ne's body, but that's about it! And I totally don't believe these two are in love.
I've heard the original (directed by JOHN FORD) is great. See it instead. That's next on my list!

Fantastic Action
Fantastic action. Wonderful love story. An ending that will leave you shocked. (not the usual wishy washy ending) ... Read more

Description

The story of an English family emigrating to Austrailia. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Utvandrarna
I bought this video for a research paper I was doing on Vilhelm Moberg, author of the four Emigrants novels. At any rate, I consider it a testament to the achievement of the Swedish actors that their performances managed to carry feeling, tension, and a spark of humanity although their voices had been taken away. I can't stand dubbed voices, so this is saying a great deal. At any rate, this is a fine movie, telling a fine story (read the books!), the only reason a star is missing is for the dubbing.

Historical and entertaining
This movie was great. I would recommend it to anyone interested in American or Swedish history!

Two films = one epic.
Sweden is seen as the very model of a welfare state: modern, progressive, prosperous, manufacturer of sturdy and safe cars, inventor of the three-point seatbelt (with great public spirit and foresight ... not patented!), major exporter of advanced weapons systems, very attractive blondes, and a keen line in flat-packed home-assembly furniture. But Sweden was not always like that. The welfare state did not begin to develop into what it is today until the early 1930s, when the world-wide Depression following the Wall Street Crash of 1929 made its mark. Before then Sweden was primarily a pastoral country, slow to industrialize (even though the copper mines of Dalarna were then among the most valuable in the world), and as much the victim of famine and intolerance as anywhere else in Europe during the 19th Century.

Adapted from Vilhelm Moberg's novels, Utvandrarna is the story of Karl-Oskar Nilsson (Max von Sydow) and his family who, with others disillusioned with their infertile plot of land or seeking to escape religious intolerance and persecution, "emigrated to North America from the Swedish province of Småland in 1844. At that time the parish of Ljuder had 1,925 inhabitants. There were 254 farmers who owned their land, 92 tenant farmers, and 11 tenement soldiers. 39 persons were artisans. There were also 274 servants, 127 paupers, 60 cripples, 5 halfwits, 3 idiots, 3 whores, and 2 thieves. Four men governed the parish by virtue of their spiritual and temporal offices - the deacon of the church, the sheriff, the biggest landowner, and the churchwarden. It was the same in all the other parishes."

Beautifully filmed like a Timoteï shampoo advert (much like Bo Widerberg & Jörgen Persson's 1967 Elvira Madigan which entranced the eyes and ears), at times the film is both strangely hypnotic and a tedious grind. But Life was like that back then - no radio, television, Monopoly or Playstations, just too many mouths to feed (one of their children starves), bible-thumping pastors, dour expressions, bad soil, bad food, and morale-sapping, back-breaking labour for little or no gain. The enormity of the challenge awaiting Karl-Oskar Nilsson and his family on the plains of Minnesota becomes slowly apparent during the seemingly endless 10 weeks of the Atlantic crossing on an over-crowded sailing ship where seasickness, lice and melancholy took a further toll on those brave souls. After New York there were several more days of train travel, followed by more days on a river-steamer - along with more death. Until Karl-Oskar finds his 'promised land' ... and marks the tree to stake his claim.

Nybyggarna: "But that was just the beginning. The pursuit of the dream had led them to the strange yet fertile and abundant land. It remained for them to try to tame it, to learn to live in it, and - hopefully - to prosper with it. The story of those years, those years that were to change them from hopeful wanderers to dedicated settlers determined to play a vital rôle in the growth of a nation, is a story that describes America itself."

Although life is better in Minnesota than it ever was in Sweden, it is still not without searing heartache and agonizing sacrifice. Through trial (extreme summers and winters, the Santee Sioux defending their homeland against the encroaching white man during the Civil War, and ever-present melancholia) and tribulation (Karl-Oskar loses another infant child, his younger brother Robert to gold fever and disease, and his desperately homesick wife Kristina [Liv Ullmann] to one pregnancy too many), the tedious grind finally sees Karl-Oskar's surviving children reach adulthood, take over the finally-prosperous farmstead, but an aged Karl-Oskar himself alone, lonely, melancholic and thinking of the ole country he left behind 20 years earlier ...

If one can put aside the often too noticable dubbing, perhaps you, too, can feel this as solemn, forceful, nation-building ... and moving.

Am now looking for subtitled version......
Oh wow.....to be honest, I disregarded the other reviews here because I wanted to see this movie again so badly. So, I convinced myself that it couldn't make THAT much difference dubbed instead of subtitles. Boy, was I wrong! It makes a very, very big difference in the authenticity of such wonderful movies.
Being of Swedish extraction from both my parents, I love to hear the beautiful lilt of the Swedish language in movies reproducing the lives of my ancestors. Though I cannot enjoy this version as I could a subtitled one, I will watch it until I can find the subtitled version for myself.

"The New Land"..... the same review applies....except that many years ago I bought the subtitled version for my father.....and I will borrow his rather than watch it dubbed!

Two beautiful movies; and they lose so much with English instead of Swedish words. As another reviewer said, it is just not believable to have a character speak fluent English through out a movie yet not be understood by other English speaking people!

A disappointment
I ordered the Emigrants (and The Land) after seeing The Ox (which is excellent). I expected the Sweedish film with English sub-titles. Instead it used English dubbed voices. If the film were in the original format with the English sub-titles it would have been more interesting. The dubbing was poor and it was difficult to hear what was being said. When they finally did reach the shores of America it made no sense to have people asking questions in English to English speaking people and have them not understand. While it was probably a realistic representation of the Sweedish immigration to America, it was also very slow moving and often seemed disjointed -- especially in the first half of the film. Some of the dub-over dialogue was crude and sexually graphic and not appropriate for young children. If you really like this type of film you may enjoy this release. Still, I would recommend waiting for a release using English sub-titles -- I think it will greatly enhance your enjoyment of the film. ... Read more