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When New York theatrical producer Joseph Papp decided to bringGilbert and Sullivan to Broadway, he added typically broad, bold strokes to maketheir singular operetta format meaningful to 1980s audiences.In ThePirates of Penzance, Papp had a story that offered a mixture of potential action and comedy that was less arcane than other G&S chestnuts, which Papp's production underlined by playing up its antic conflict betweenits hapless, titular pirates and the citizens of Penzance, the Cornish town targeted for plunder.Adding to the new production's mainstream allurewas the theatrical debut for erstwhile country-rock siren Linda Ronstadt asthe virginal Mabel, along with a plum role for another putative popheartthrob, Rex Smith, as the "good" pirate, Frederic.

Naturally, such amendments piqued complaints from self-appointed G&S purists, for whom the duo's original satirical edge and theatrical innovation were obscured (if not ossified) by their canon's patina of respectability.Happily, for the rest of us, Papp's cheeky revisionsare generally on the money, and this 1983 film version preserves them with unusual fidelity.Instead of opening up his production with location shooting or intricate editing, director Wilford Leach savors theartifice of its stage sets and hokey, colorful costuming, celebrating thegenre's proud theatrical legacy.

The cast, meanwhile, tears into the farcical plot with elan, led byKevin Kline as the Pirate King, a role perfect for his skill at lampooning masculine bravado (not to mention his underexposed, generally strong singing).Broadway veteran George Rose proves the very model of themodern Major-General Stanley, and Angela Lansbury, added to the film's castfor marquee value, again shows her mettle as the ditzy maid, Ruth. Ronstadt justifies Papp's gamble, having trained rigorously to meet Sullivan's acrobatic melodies--indeed, this project marked her commitment to grow beyond rock, confirmed with her subsequentexploration of classic pop with arranger-conductor Nelson Riddle. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (78)

Not Classic G&S, but Great, Nonetheless
This version of 'Penzance' isn't in classic Gilbert and Sullivan style. However, I fully enjoyed it.
Angela Lansbury plays Ruth very well. She incorporates a Scottish accent, giving her role a very homely and authentic feel. Her voice is superb.
Kevin Kline's Pirate King probably steals the show. He has a certain wittiness to his role, while at the same time being, plainly, stupid. Probably, he is the funniest out this, all in all, very funny movie.
George Rose plays Major General Stanley very well also. In his rendition of the perpetual classic, "I am the Very Model of a Modern Major General", he is topped by none other. The version is slightly adapted from Gilbert and Sullivan's original, with a presto-agitato ending flourish.
As Mabel, Linda Rondstadt has great vocals, reaching every high note perfectly. I noticed, though, her acting skills were highly below par.
Tony Azito plays a very comical Sergant. His vocals are a bit too nasally and over-comic, but his acting is flawless. All of his movements seem to flow together very well forming a VERY funny carachter.
All in all, this is probably the best version of 'Pirates' out there. Everything meshes very well. Buy it!!!

A Delightful Romp
Unlike a previous reviewer, I am a long-time Gilbert and Sullivan lover who loved this movie--I first saw it some 15 years ago, and I waited for many years for it to come out on video. Needless to say, when I finally bought a VCR, I bought this as soon as I could find it.

The three key roles in Pirates are the Major General, the Pirate King, and the Sergeant of Police. All are well cast here. Tony Azito has a bit less vocal heft than a true Savoyard would like in the Police Sergeant's role, but he is superb at the physical comedy the role demands. George Rose is a superb Major General (that's, in Anna Russell's immortal phrase, "the little man who prances around and sings the patter song.") Best of all, Kevin Kline turns in a terrific performance as the Pirate King, showing once again what a wonderfully versatile actor he is.

Of the rest of the cast, Linda Rondstadt and Rex Smith, as the young lovers, are good. As Mabel, Rondstadt's job is primarily to sing with gusto, which she certainly does. G&S purists may be annoyed by Smith's casting as Frederic, since he does not have the pure tenor voice the role calls for, but he acquits himself well in the comic moments.

All in all, this is a movie to be enjoyed over and over. And for any of you out there who don't like it, a suitable penalty has been prepared. Something with boiling oil in it, I fancy. Yes, boiling oil or molten lead.

The Slave of Duty
Kevin Kline who has performed in such diverse productions as "Hamlet" and "A Fish Named Wanda" gleefully buckles and swashes through the role of the Pirate King in Joseph Papp's 1983 movie of "The Pirates of Penzance." He's not a bad singer, either. If you prefer a slightly more British version of this Gilbert and Sullivan character, the Pirate King was once played by Prince Charles when he was a boy at Gordonstoun School in 1967. However, I don't think a movie was made of the Gordonstoun version.

Broadway veteran George Rose is the very model of a modern Major-General, and Angela Lansbury, added to the film's cast for marquee value, mugs a ditzy path through her role as nursemaid-turned-pirate. Linda Ronstadt is a suitably sappy Mabel, and her suitor, Rex Smith is a sexy ex-pirate, although I didn't particularly care for his crooning falsetto.

This is a very lively production, whatever purists might have to say about Papp's borrowing of the 'matter' trio from Ruddigore and Josephine's first act ballad from "H.M.S. Pinafore," not to mention a scene from 'Pinfore' which is turned into an operetta within an operetta at the climax of this movie. Even those of us who are not particularly fond of Gilbert and Sullivan can enjoy this 'Pirates' for its roguish, romping energy (Kevin Kline is a heckuva dancer, too) and spectacular sets. Except for George Rose and Angela Lansbury, the singing is a little hard to understand, but if you really need to understand all of the words get one of the Stratford Festival versions.

This 'Pirates' is too much fun to pass up.

fabulous production of a G & S classic
Anyone who enjoys the wit and merriment of Gilbert and Sullivan will adore this marvelous production. The cast is superb, with Kevin Kline giving us one of his most delectable performances, playing the Pirate King with bravura and remarkable athletic ability. Rex Smith is wonderful as the handsome Frederick; he has a gorgeous tenor voice, with a charming vibrato and fine timbre.
Linda Ronstadt is a cute and demure Mabel, and as her father, the Major-General Stanley, George Rose is a riot. His of course is one of the most famous fast-patter songs ever written, "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General", and he makes the most of it. Other notable performances are by Angela Lansbury as Ruth, and Tony Azito, who is a terrific dancer, as the Sergeant.

The staging and choreography are top-notch, and I'm especially fond of the sets, which look like three-dimensional paintings, contrasted by usually having running water in each scene. Lovely cinematography (Douglas Slocombe) and excellent direction by Wilford Leach make this one of the best G & S films ever.
Gilbert loved to parody the conventions and society of his time in his lyrics, and Sullivan did the same with grand opera. There are sections of "Penzance" that spoof Verdi's "Il Trovatore" and "La Traviata".

The official premiere was in 1879 in New York City, and the opera still sparkles with cleverness, its silly plot devices are still inanely funny, and the characters still lovable.
The subtitle to the opera is "The Slave of Duty", and the story concerns a boy who was mistakenly apprenticed to pirates by his nurse, who hard of hearing, thought her master said "pirate" instead of "pilot"; when he meets Mabel, feelings, sense of duty, and being born on February 29th (one of those silly plot devices !) collide, and chaos ensues.
This performance, based on the N. Y. Shakespeare Festival production, will thoroughly delight anyone who appreciates Gilbert and Sullivan, and Kevin Kline fans will love to see yet another facet of his talent. Total running time is 1 hour and 52 minutes.

Pleasingly fun
Pirates of Penzance is a truly special production to be sure. The comical performance by Rex Smith makes up for any poor singing, Linda Ronstadt's graceful tones and beauty adds a gentle touch and Kevin Cline took even my Father by surprise with his athletic movement and deep tones. But I can not possibly leave out the policemen, they did a remarkable job as well and gave the later half of the video the spark it needed.
Alright, I will admit my Mother left the room after half to read her emails and my Father was nearly asleep, but neither hurdles stopped me from watching it more than once everyday for over a week until I had to return it to it's anxious owners. Over all, though I'm no expert, I consider it a must see for anyone who simply wants to sit back enjoy a laugh and maybe even sing-a-long. ... Read more

Reviews (1660)

Pirates Treasure
Whenever I found myself on a family vacation at a Disney theme park, one of my favorite attractions, was always Pirates of the Caribbean. When I heard that mega producer Jerry Bruckheimer was going to make a film, based on the ride, I was more than a bit skeptical. It's hard enough sitting through some movies, based on TV shows, Comics, or books, let alone one born out of a ride. How would Brucheimer and director Gore Verbinski pull off the seemingly impossible. Things turned out better than I, or most folks for that matter, figured that they would.

Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp)loves living on the high seas as a pirate. His world is turned inside out, when his mortal enemy, Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) steals his ship, later using it to attack the town of Port Royal. During the onslaught, Barbossa decides to kidnap Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), the daughter of the town's Governor. Her childhood friend Will (Orlando Bloom) is determined to save her--he and and Jack team up--to reclaim both the ship and get the girl.

A big reason, that the film exceeded my expectations, was due to the inspired performance from Depp. Once again, he proves his versatility, and becomes the character. The role allows him to show off his rare comedic side and he really runs with it. The rest of the cast is up to the challange as well...but clearly having lots of fun in the process. Verbinski fills the screen with plenty of action and great effects, but at no time do these elements overtake this pirate tale. Everything falls into place very nicely. I was a bit surprised by the film's running time though, at 2 hours and 23 minutes, I thought some of the pacing could have been just a tad tighter--just a minor quibble if I may...

The folks at Disney and Bruckheimer must have known what they had in the film. The 2 disc DVD set is loaded with some fine extras, for both the technical film buff and the casual viewer. For me, the three audio commentary tracks, are the highlights of the the entire set. The commentary by Verbinski and Star Depp is the most interesting though. Depp seems relaxed and not as one demensional, as I've seen him in the past, doing interviews for his other work. For the second track, actors Keira Knightley And Jack Davenport, have the most fun. Davenport is very witty and keep things light. Recorded separtely and added in on this track are comments from Bruckheimer to balance it out. The final track brings together writers Stuart Beattie, Ted Elliot & Terry Rossio and Jay Wolpert (Wolpert adapted the 2002 version of The Count Of Monte Cristo also recommended) for a look at the writing process.

Disc two starts out with a lively 37 minute look behind the scenes called aptly enough "An Epic At Sea: The Making of "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl". I mentioned the film's running time before--so to my surprise there are no less than 19 deleted and alternate scenes that were wisely trimmed or cut altogether.5 addtitional featurettes explore filming and life behind the scences--"Moonlight Saranade" scene progression, "Fly on the Set" looks at some of the specific scences as they were being shot, "Diary of a Pirate" is a behind-the-scenes look with cast member Lee Arenberg (best known for playing a alien Ferengi on the Star Trek spinoffs The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine), a Producer's Diary with Bruckheimer as your guide, and the
"Diary of a Ship" Video Journal. Some of these work better than others, in terms of content, but are still worth a look. Next up there is the well researched primer "Below Deck" - An interactive and fun History Of Pirates. An 18 minute segment from January 1968, as part of the TV show "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color", where Walt himself gives us a tour of the ride that inspired the film. It is very cool to have something like this as part of the set. A very extensive still gallery and a 3 minute blooper reelthat works once but not beyond that are here too. Finally, there are some really cool DVD-ROM Features for your PC: "Moonlight Becomes Ye" is an Effects Studio that allows you to create some magic of your own,there's even more history on the ride, a Virtual Reality Viewer, Scriptscanner & Storyboard Viewing Modes.

Who knew that a film, based on a ride, could be this much fun and entertaining? Pirates...is recommended with **** and a half stars

Blockbuster of the Summer DVD of the Winter
THE MOVIE
Movies about cursed pirates died out and flopped decades ago but this movie is brings new enthusiasm the pirate genre has been looking forward to. This is a great popcorn flick that has really put the Swash back into Buckling
This action/ adventure/comedy is loosely based on the ride at Disneyland. Although the similarities are somewhat few and far between this is probably a good thing as it escapes the Disney marketing attempt feel.
The extremely well chosen cast could never be better with Johnny Depp brilliantly playing the light-hearted mostly-drunk pirate Jack Sparrow (sorry Captain Jack Sparrow). He provides most of the comedy in his one-liners, lucky escapes and defiant bragging. The romance is between the kidnapped Governors daughter Elizabeth Swann, (Kiera Knightly) and Will Turner (played wonderfully by man-of-the-moment Orlando Bloom) who comes to her rescue. The typical cursed pirate, Captain Barbossa of the titular 'Black Pearl' (played by Geoffery Rush) is the all round bad guy shouting traditional pirate phrases.
The CG (done by Industrial Light and Magic) is literally ground breaking with cursed pirates turning from skeletal to flesh as they battle in and out of moonlight. This gives both an eerie and astonishing effect.
To round off there are action scenes galore with numerous sword fights and canon fire which are amazing and really keep the film up to speed.
THE EXTRAS
No DVD is complete nowadays without extras. With a full extra disc there is quite a lot to keep one amused for hours. There are three commentaries, which really depend on what you want to get out of a commentary the first is with Gore Verbinski (director) and Johnny Depp, which is surprisingly quite dull mainly thanking various people for hard work. If you are looking for trivia then the partial commentary with Jerry Bruckheimer (producer) or commentary with scriptwriters is for you, but the one I found the best is the commentary with actors Kiera Knightly and Jack Davenport (who plays Commodore Norrington) This commentary is also partial but is the funniest. The partial commentary is something I have never come across before but is quite an advantage, as you don't have to watch the whole film again and listen to people drone on about scenes that weren't really important to them.
The downfall I felt to this DVD is the interactive menus which if you just want to get the film to play means time is lost waiting for menus to load.
Back to positive and the second disc holds loads of good stuff. The first I checked out was the blooper real with the actors messing up, which you don't quite often get to see. The bad thing about this is that it was only 3mins. There are 19 deleted scenes, which I didn't really feel were very interesting so it just as well they stayed deleted.
There are many different featurettes on this disc. The ones I'm liking the most is the Epic at Sea, Diary of a Pirate and Fly on the set which are all on the set interviewing actors etc. which prove very interesting and in depth. There is also "Walt Disney Wonderful World of Color" which shows a bit about the ride for all who haven't been on it.
The last line is I think this is a wonderful movie and the DVD really compliments it well.

Incredibly entertaining
Johnny Depp plays Cap. Jack Sparrow, a pirate on a mission to get his ship back. Orlando Bloom plays Will Turner, a sword crafter out to save his secret love Elizabeth Swann played by Keira Knightley. With the help of a crew of misfits, they embark on an adventure that they won't soon forget.

Hilarious moments with incredible special effects, this movie will not disappoint you.

And then they made me their cheif...
This film shines like aztec gold! Johnny mad a superb Captain Jack Sparrow! It is my favorite movie EVER!!!!! Keira and Orlando made a cute couple, Geoffrey was cool, and Jack (the monkey ^-^) was adorable, but I must say, Depp stole the movie! Influenced by Keith Richards and Pepe Le Pew, he made a hilarious (and slightly drunken) Sparrow! 5 stars, MUST see! If you don't like it you need a medication.

I Want to be Saved by These Pirates!
Awesome movie filled with action, adventure, and romance! ... Read more

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Part mystery, part wartime polemic, Lifeboat finds director Alfred Hitchcock tackling a cinematic challenge that foreshadows the self-imposed handicaps of Rope and Rear Window. As with those subsequent features, Hitchcock confines his action and characters to a single set, in this instance the lone surviving lifeboat from an Allied freighter sunk by a German U-boat in the North Atlantic. A less confident, ingenious filmmaker might have opened up John Steinbeck's dialogue-driven character study beyond the battered boat and its cargo of survivors, but Hitchcock instead revels in his predicament to exploit the enforced intimacy between his characters.

Indeed, we never actually see the doomed freighter--the smoking ship's funnel beneath the credits simply sinks beneath the waves, and we're plunged into the escalating tensions between those who gradually find their way to the boat, a band of eight English and American passengers and crew, plus a German sailor (Walter Slezak) rescued from the U-boat, itself destroyed by the freighter's deck gun. Heading the cast and inevitably commanding their and our attention is the cello-voiced Tallulah Bankhead as Connie Porter, a cynical, sophisticated writer whose priorities seem to be hanging onto her mink and keeping her lipstick fresh. Gradually, the others find Porter and her lifeboat, forming a temporary community that inevitably suggests a careful cross section of archetypes, from wealthy industrialist (Henry Hull) to ship's boiler men (John Hodiak and William Bendix).

Hitchcock juggles the interpersonal skirmishes between the boat's occupants with the mystery of their German prisoner, which itself becomes a meditation on the fine line between nationalism and morality, a line that Slezak walks delicately until his identity is resolved. Visually, Hitchcock transforms his back-lot set and its rear-projected cloudbanks into a desolate stretch of ocean, while capturing the horror of an amputation through an economical set of images culminating in an empty boot. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (22)

A Forgotten Film From The Master Of Suspense
Lifeboat where do i begin? well for starters i guess it would have to be that this is one of my all time favorite Films from Alfred Hitchcock. But to most people they have never heard of Lifeboat. Yeah it was one of his early works but one of his best. Most people when they think of Hitchcock they think of Psycho ans The Birds and Vertigo. But this is better than the birds. It has a human story and ever increasing the tension. In a by gone era of hollywood when movies were grand in spectical not budget.

Lifeboat is about a freighter that is heading to New York. But is sunk by a German U-boat and in the opening scenes there is Tallulah Bankhead in a lifeboat all by herself with all of her belongings. Then one by one they pick up more survivors the tension increasing when they pick up a crewman of the U-boat. Only Hitchcock would make his backlot movie with fake clouds seem so real and make a the ocean look vast and barren. He also manages to elict good performances from Bankhead,Walter Slezak, Canada Lee and others.

I would highly reccomend that you check out this film from the master of suspense. this is not to be missed of put of. It is very suspensful i mean would you come to expect less from Hitchcock.

SEE THIS MOVIE I BEG YOU.

Lesser Known Hitchcock
Lifeboat isn't as famous as some of Hitchcock's other films, but it deserves to be seen today. It's a chance to see Tallulah Bankhead, who if anything, had a very interesting screen presence. She was an original. It's also a chance to see a very human portrayal of an African American character (Canada Lee) at a time when Hollywood rarely did that. There is also a lot of commentary about the Germans and the war, which given the time when this film was made (during the war), makes it all the more fascinating. The performances are good (including a very young Hume Cronyn), and Hitchcock manages to keep the action moving despite having so limited a space in which to do so. If you like Alfred Hitchcock, this is one you should see.

BANKHEAD -- HITCHCOCK
Tallulah Bankhead was one of the 20th century's best actresses, taking over from Ethel Barrymore as the Toast of Broadway and the London stage. She made few films, and this is her best role. (For a very long time the joke was that Bankhead's stage roles were taken over by and became film hits for Bette Davis. Certainly that's true with Hellman's THE LITTLE FOXES.) Here, one has the opportunity to observe how an actress of supreme talent, handles a role in which everything is shown; in which practically nothing can be hidden. Every would-be actress ought to study not only what she does, but more importantly, what she doesn't do, for as a stage acress par excellence all through her younger years, some movie people thought her too big for the screen. Probably she wasn't, but simply needed a good director. Here, she got the best in the business, and the results show.

Hitchcock was fascinated with women, with actresses, and particularly beautiful ones. And, if Connie's beauty here, is not young, and fresh, it is nevertheless, compelling. She is like a thoroughbred mare among mules and cab nags in an auction pen of chance. She stands out because of her breeding. She has lines. Her costume? A white silk blouse, good nylons, a full-length mink coat, and a diamond bracelet. And, of course, that wonderful mane of hair.

If you study Hitchcock, it would make a wonderful double bill to see LIFEBOAT and STAGE FRIGHT close together. Here, he studies Bankhead; in STAGEFRIGHT he studies Dietrich; two fair-haired actresses of wildly differing personal style, but of exceptional power and interest. And, what they have in common and what both display in these two films, is their unusual, and unusually expressive voices. Bankhead was a famous radio actress for many years, as well as a stage star. Dietrich too was a radio actress, and all her life was a singer and recording artist. The trick in working with an artist with an exceptional voice, is to carefully trim and arrange the dialogue in such a way as best to show off the voice's characteristics.

Admirers of Lesbian Chic might want to imagine what Ann Sheridan, or Barbara Stanwick, Rosalind Russell, Ruth Hussey or Lizabeth Scott or any one of a number of others might have done with this "Contralto" role: You know, the wise-cracking, hard boiled newspaper dame. The role is a Type, very popular during the 30's, and with a lesser actress and a lesser director, we might have gotten a good movie out of the material, but not a black-and-white masterpiece, like this one. After all, what if CASABLANCA had been cast with Ronald Raegan and Heddy Lamarr?

You can watch this movie over and over. A director's tour de force, the trick, I think, is to watch for Hitchcock's cutting sequences; the way he manipulated the editing around the actors' speeches within the episodes. Extremely clever. So good, the seams are nearly invisible.

Its a great propaganda movie, but of an unusual kind; far subtler than most. Its a great Camp, or G/L movie, but again, far subtler than most. Its a great Murder movie too, etc., etc...

Great.
'Lifeboat' is a great film by the late Alfred Hitchcock. He is really truly a master of filmmaking and very few directors could make such a fantastic story from such a limited setting. Not many people know of the film, but one should definately check it out.

Hitchcock in a Tank?
A very nice ensemble cast delivers the claustrophobia in this
"Lifeboat"

Heather Angel and Henry Hull always seem to be least recognized in this drama although thw whole cast is seemless .

Bill Bendix could walways play comedy or drama with equal terms.
I think a Dick Cavett story on Bankhead and Chico Marx may be in order. " Chico said " I want to ... You" and Bankhead , always the wit said " and so you shall young man" !

Slezak on the other hand was always an actor who used his rubber face to great effect. Watch out for waves and few script flaws but stay dry ! ... Read more

Description

One of Disney's biggest and most fondly remembered hits, the spectacular screen version of the literary classic SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON is full of breathtaking South Seas scenery, hundreds of exotic animals, and treacherous pirates. This heroic tale chronicles the courageous exploits of the Robinson family after they are shipwrecked on a deserted island. Using teamwork and ingenuity, they skillfully overcome the obstacles of nature and transform their new home into a "civilized" community. But the ultimate challenge lies ahead when a band of cutthroat pirates threaten to destroy the Robinson's Makeshift paradise. Capture the thrills, romance, and fun of this unforgettable Disney film! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY...
You can't get much more wholesome than this. This film definitely has the Disney stamp all over it. The Swiss Family Robinson are on their way to New Guinea. Chased by pirates on the high seas, their ship runs up against a reef, and they find themselves shipwrecked by a deserted tropical island. They manage to get themselves and all their belongings and animals ashore, intact and none the worse for wear.

The mother, played by the lovely Dorothy McGuire, is always clean, perfectly groomed and coiffed. The father, played by the wonderful English actor, John Mills, is positively cheerful the entire film. Talk about optimism. His three sons, played by the hunky James MacArthur, the adorable Tommy Kirk, and the cute-as-a-button Kevin Corcoran, work tirelessly to make their new home into an island paradise.

In record time, they build a multi-level house to die for, high up in the trees. Somehow, they manage to get a pipe organ off the wrecked ship, ashore, and up into their multi-level tree house, so that they can sing Christmas Carols at the appropriate time. Kevin Corcoran even has a baby elephant for a pet, and they parade around their sculpted lawn which is surrounded by what appears to be a manicured, English country garden.

After a while, two of the boys set out on a home made sail boat to check the terrain around the island. They discover yet another casualty of the pirates' onslaught, delightfully played by Janet Munro. The two older boys are sweet on her, which causes a little fun loving tension. All is well, until the pirates come a-calling on the island, and all you know what breaks loose. Never fear. Rescue is on the way.

Who in their right mind, however, would ever want to be rescued from this magical island, where nothing can possibly go wrong, and everyone loves each other? Pure Disney fantasy, this film is a lot of fun to watch and, better yet, can be enjoyed by the whole family. ... Read more

Reviews (51)

The Ultimate Classical Greek Adventure is dishonered.
JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS may very well be THE classic adventure film. Everything about it shines with sheer perfection in the art of entertainment. Spectacular music by Bernard Herrmann, a sweeping story full of suspense and surprise, and some of Ray Harryhausen's all-time greatest effects work. I cannot commend this film enough.

After giving what was probably Harryhausen's worst film FIRST MEN IN THE MOON an awesome DVD treatment, they completely dishoner his good name with this edition of JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS. This is honestly one of the [worst] DVDs I've ever seen! (Hence the four star rating instead of five.) The picture and sound quality are so unbelievably bad!!! I've seen some VHS copies that easily outshine the print seen here. All other titles in the "Ray Harryhausen Signature Collection" sported digitally mastered audio and video, and looked like pure gold. Shame on you, Columbia!

The special features ..., too. Completely devoid of the documentaries featured on other "Signature Collection" DVDs, all we get is a pretty [bad] interview of Ray Harryhausen by John Landis. I guess it would seem interesting, but only for those who haven't seen "The Ray Harryhausen Chronicles", one of the previously mentioned documentaries. That feature is far more insightful than the one here.

JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS is a masterpiece, and this DVD is worth buying only if you absolutely must own it. If you don't, then avoid it at all costs.

greatest film from a special fx master
I love this film. I first saw it when I was twelve and I've loved it ever since. Especially after seeing this wonderful film butchered for television viewing, I couldn't wait to get the DVD. This is a fairly faithful adaptation of the myth; the script is well-written and the cast does a great job -- this has got to be the best Hercules (Nigel Green) in any classical movie.

The wonderful music is by Bernard Herrman (Fahrenheit 451, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Vertigo), and the effects by Harryhausen are superb, maybe his best. I'll never forget the first time I saw the giant bronze Talos turn his head and step down from his pedestal. Seeing the harpies come to life, and the seven-headed Hydra, the skeletons, Triton, the gods on Mount Olympus .... too many great effects to list!

The DVD version is worthwhile. The picture quality here is very good and the sound quality average. Special DVD features include English, French or Spanish language and subtitles; a great 12 minute discussion between John Landis and Ray Harryhausen (1995); a 1963 trailer.

The fight against the triviality!
Mircea Eliade defined the triviality as the absence of physical tension in the human being.
If we agree this concept ; then the argonauts represent the fight against the triviality. Notice for instance the greek meaning of Argos: the white ship. And the white color means purification.
The seek of the golden fleece means the search for the triumph of the truth ; since the gold symbolizes spirituality and the fleece innocence ; the circle is completed.
Besides the mission has one last goal: to fight against the dragon and exterminate it ; because the fleece is its prisoner . The dragon symbolizes the perversity ; so if you want to access to the sublimity . you must to kill the dragon.
This movie is a winner. Ray Harryhausen inspired to many film makers , specially a teenager called Steven Spielberg who confessed this confidence to James Lipton in The actor's studio .
The mythical monsters are the magnificient background all along the movie. A film conceived as family entertainment but loaded of smart clues , who teachs us the huge wisdom who lives beneath the underestimated term myth: wrong choice as you know.
Great special effects ; and from all standpoints a cult movie since its release.!

Movie deserves a better DVD release....
Well, if you look at only the movie, then you get your money's worth. It's done in widescreen with great picture and sound quality. regretfully, Colombia/Tri-Star did not put in many bonus features, such as a more detailed making of featurette to tell how the movie was made and all the wonderful effects work. Instead, Ray is reduced to talking to a not so bright John Landis about the making of the movie and Landis's interviewing skills are about as professional as a nine year old. Maybe one day, they will give this movie a more worthy DVD release. Then this barebones edition.

More Harryhausen greatness
This is a great popcorn movie - swashbuckling, mythic, and a little quaint by today's effects standards. The effects, acting, and visual style all work together well, though. It can't be compared to today's movies any more than Charlie Chaplain can.

Once you allow yourself into its mood, it's great entertainment. Treasure is captured, danger is faced, and other-wordly foes are defeated. Keep it around for a rainy saturday, and make sure you have popcorn. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Fun Popcorn Pirates Flick
There are some movies that are meant only to be both hightly enjoyable escapist watching and great to eat popcorn while watching it. Nate and Hayes is one of those movies.

Nate and Hayes is about pirates in the South Pacific. Tommy Lee Jones plays Captain Nate "Bully" Hayes while Michael O'Keefe plays the starchy minister, Jenny Seagrove plays O'Keefe's wife and Australian actor Max Phipps is the evil Captain Ben Pease.

The action starts when Captain Pease raids the island right after the marriage ceremony for the minister and his wife. The minister is struck unconscious and his wife is taken prisoner by the evil Pease. The minister then joins forces with Captain Hayes who has his own score to settle with Pease and that's when the fun begins!

Nate and Hayes is a much underappreciated family film classic. Thrills and chills abound in this wild and wacky fun fest. This is a great film for all ages and for families in general.

Heartily recommended.

Pirates Pilfer Plenty
I had this on Beta years and years ago. Why this isn't out on DVD by now is beyond me. Any fan of Tommy Lee Jones should love it. Fans of adventure and pirate movies will enjoy it as well. Jones and Michael O'Keefe are a good team in this lighthearted action movie. The story, acting, music, and directing are borderline great. Unfortunatly it didn't catch on at the time of it's release and most of the following is people that lucked upon it on TV or at a rental store.

Any fan of movies like "The Three Musketeers" or "The Mask of Zorro" will probably enjoy it. A great adventure movie with a mix of Indiana Jones and Pirates. We can only hope with the release of movies like "Cutthroat Island" on DVD this won't be overlooked since it is a notch above several all ready available.It may not measure up to "Pirates of the Caribbean" but it still has a good deal of fun and action. There are no great special effects, just a good story and some decent acting.

Absolutely GREAT Movie
This is a fun, no-think movie. Campy action and style. When is it coming out on DVD?!?!

"It's hard to love a ship : they rot."
This movie is a GOOD time waiting to happen. It's simply fun. Lots and lots of fun. More fun than a sack of badgers. Tons of action, great fight scenes, excellent humor, and fantastic cinematography. I'm surprised we don't get more movies set in the South Pacific (except, of course, for the deadly sharks, destructive typhoons, remoteness, lack of modern medicine, headhunters and posoinous everything; some people are just more easily deterred than I am, I suppose.)

If you're looking for a good, entertaining romp with great catch phrases and plenty of action, this is it. The music's pretty good, too, by the way. WHEN IS THIS COMING OUT ON DVD!?!?!?!?!? I must have it! Oblige me, Ben!

Suprisingly Fun!!
Fun! Is the word to describe this film. This film wasn't well known nor was it a big blockbuster, but it is fun to watch. Seeing Tommy Lee Jones younger and with a beard is different. This film was made in 1983 so don't expect big and flashy special effects. Even without big special effects this movie is still a fun adventure story.
Tommy Lee Jones plays American Pirate "Bully" Hayes. Nate is played by Michael O'Keefe, and he is studying to become a missionary. The story starts out in the South Pacific where we see Captain Hayes running guns to the natives. He is captured when the deal goes bad and is set to be hung shortly thereafter. The rest of the story is of Hayes telling a writer how he came to be imprisoned, sort of a Quentin Tarantino style before it became popular. The main story revolves around Hayes' adventure with the missionary man Nate and his Fiancée Sophie. Hayes' Nemesis, another pirate and former business partner Ben Pease, captures Sophie. The adventure consist of the usual story of this type, Nate and Hayes teaming up to get her back. This film is a complete adventure story filled with pirates, South Pacific natives, shrunken heads, early modern war ships, stuffy German sailors, swashbuckling sword fights, and other off the wall elements. I recommend this film to you if you are looking for something fun and a little different than the usual big flashy movies of today. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Strap on your pantaloons and prepare to travel with Jim Hawkins andBlind Pew to one of the most famous fictional islands in history. Walt Disney's 1950 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's swashbuckling masterpiece has held up extremely well, with action and characterizations that feel freshly minted (although it's unlikely that the Mouse of today would sanction the high level of booze flowing throughout the picture). Great fun, with nary a wasted frame and, in the character of Robert Newton's much-imitated Long John, one of cinema's most boisterously crowd-pleasing villains ever. (Proving that you can't keep a good--er, bad man down, Newton would return with director Byron Haskins for the enjoyable sequel, Long John Silver.)Watching this classic is like having a flashback to some perfect Technicolor childhood. --Andrew Wright ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Swab the deck, me matey!
The Disney studios first official full length, live-action feature, TREASURE ISLAND is good fun. Although it lacks the slick story-telling flair of recent family films, the story, based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel, is precise and fluid. Robert Newton chews up the scenery as Long John Silver, paving the way for many lovable villains. Bobby Driscoll (Song of the South) plays the brave little Jim Hawkins (or "Jim Harkins" if you speak pirate) who gets involved in a treasure seeking adventure of good vs. evil. In the end, like the viewers of the video, the line between the two is not so well defined. That is a clever twist, especially for a Disney family film. The VHS format already shows some deterioration after a few viewings so I look forward to a DVD release but in the meantime. Yo ho yo ho, A Pirate's Life for Me!

All Aboard With Long John Silver
Jim Hawkins is a tavern owner's son who acquires a map showing the location of buried treasure. He shows it to an adventurous squire who recognizes its value and outfits the good ship Hispaniola to set off in search of the prize. The squire hires Jim as a cabin boy and persuades his own physician to join the crew as ship's doctor. The gullible squire's first big mistake is to sign up a rascal named Long John Silver as ship's cook. His second mistake is to allow Silver a chance to recruit some of his old shipmates from his pirate days as members of the Hispaniola's crew.

TREASURE ISLAND is an excellent movie with plenty of realistic action and convincing settings. Robert Newton is brilliant as Long John Silver and Bobby Driscoll shines as young Jim Hawkins. A strong supporting cast includes Basil Sydney, Denis O'Dea, Ralph Truman, Walter Fitzgerald, Finlay Currie and Geoffrey Wilkinson.

Director Byron Haskins also directed THE WAR OF THE WORLDS.

Old memories
Emotions ran high when I saw this movie again after more than 50 years. It was as exciting now as when I was a young child. Robert Newton's performance is a classic. After half a century, he is still the baddest (best) pirate ever.

"The Disney Version" is better than the novel.
Don't believe it? Read the book. The reviewer who said "...every screen production I have seen comes across as a cartoon or at best, 'an animated feature'," wasn't paying attention.

Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate story _is_ a children's fantasy. (Stevenson - whose grandson would later become one of Disney's "house directors" -- says as much in the book's introduction.) The principal characters are well-drawn and believable, but the story is 98% adventure. There is no _dramatic_ thrust to events. And it's told from the view of a 20-year-older Jim Hawkins, which tips off the reader that Jim is never in any real danger.

The emotional focus of the story is Jim's attraction to / repulsion by Long John Silver. In the novel, the adult Jim briefly acknowledges that he was attracted to Long John Silver as a surrogate for his recently deceased father, but turned away, because Silver is plainly untrustworthy. Stevenson fails to develop the relationship any further.

Not the screenwriters -- they bring it front and center. The story is now properly focused where it should be -- can Jim _really_ trust Long John Silver?

Silver is also worried about Jim, who plainly doesn't need "Piracy for Dummies" to recognize Silver is not altogether on the up-and-up. In a scene not in the book, Long John attempts to sweet-talk Jim -- one might even call it a seduction -- ending with the presentation of his parrot as a gift. The effect is subtly erotic -- especially as the gift comes from someone with such an obviously phallic name. (One is tempted to think Stevenson's name choice was deliberate -- he must have known how cabin boys were "mistreated.") And though Silver is married in the novel (to an unseen wife), the movie leaves his marital status unstated.

Long John Silver is a morally ambiguous character, and the film plays up this ambiguity. Silver alternates between protecting and threatening Jim, and you believe his sincerity in both instances. At the end, Jim is forced into deciding whether he should let Long John escape or be turned over to justice, completing the film with a solid dramatic "bang!" (The novel simply peters out -- Silver is taken captive, later wandering off with some of the loot.)

Robert Newton's interpretation of Long John Silver has always been controversial. There's no question it's totally "over the top." But that's how we expect pirates to behave, and it's how Stevenson wrote the character. I've seen "Treasure Island" several times -- Newton isn't simply chewing the scenery. His is a conscious interpretation, and he's in full control at all times. It's a great performance.

Arr, maties! Climb abord for a rip-roaring adventure!
The first time we watched this movie I watched it for about five minutes before walking away, because it wasn't interesting to me at the time. But when I caught the last twenty minutes of it, I decided that it was interesting after all and watched it from the beginning again.

I loved it! Bobby Driscoll was wonderful as Jim Hawkins, and Robert Newton gave the performance of his life as Long John Silver. The rest of the cast was also tremendous.

I had tried reading the book before, but it hadn't been interesting to me, and I ditched it before I was halfway done. Now, because of this movie, I think I'll dust it off and have a go at it. Who knows, I might even like it enough to review it! :) ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

There are so many things right about this 1956 production of Moby Dick, it's a shame it is remembered for the one (debatable) thing wrong with it. As Captain Ahab, the bearded, one-legged, insanely obsessed whaler, Gregory Peck has often been called miscast. The mild, level-headed Peck had many talents, but the volcanic eruptions of Ahab seemed beyond him--even Peck himself felt he was a bad fit for the part after he finished playing it. (Pauline Kael opined that Peck looked like "a stock-company Lincoln.") Yet Peck's quiet brooding works an intriguing variation on the fiery character. John Huston, a director with a taste for location shooting, had his hands full with the difficult open-water filming in Ireland and the Canary Islands ("The catalogue of misadventures was unbelievable," he later wrote). Since Ahab is chasing the rare white whale, three false whales had to be constructed, two of which were lost at sea. For all the miscues, the film is amazingly controlled, and especially beautiful to look at: Huston and cinematographer Oswald Morris developed an unusual color process meant to suggest old whaling engravings. The director wrote the script with the science fiction writer Ray Bradbury, an inspired choice to adapt Herman Melville's epic novel. Richard Basehart plays the narrator, Ishmael, and Orson Welles provides a wonderful single-scene role as Father Mapple, declaiming the mysteries of the sailor's life in a thundering sermon. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (40)

A courageous effort by John Huston
It took a lot of guts to adapt "Moby Dick" to film and instead of maligning John Huston's effort, critics should have hailed his courage. This is a fine, intelligent film with a lean screenplay by Huston and Ray Bradbury. While I would have loved to have seen Laurence Olivier play Ahab, I think Gregory Peck turns in an adequate performance. Much of the action is shot at various outdoor locations and the special effects were impressive for the time. The great Orson Welles appears in the small but important role of Father Marple. The themes of friendship, revenge, and the role of conscience are all examined in "Moby Dick". Great literature often tanks when translated to the big screen. While "Moby Dick" is not among the greatest films of all time, it is a solid, admirable adaptation of Melville's masterpiece. I highly recommend it.

Epic film of American Masterpiece....a wicked great film
The collaboration of Director Houston, script writer Ray Bradbury and Gregory Peck heading a superb cast, make this production of Melville's masterpiece marvelous. It's said that John Houston "drove"...with flattery, fear and abject insult... now justly reputed master of American fantasy/allegory, Ray Bradbury like Ahab himself to create the script that makes MOBY DICK exciting adventure...without diluting its dark, Apocalyptic symbolism and portents. MOBY DICK is regarded by many as THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL. No one will disagree its demands and reward are comparable to...for example...Dostoyevsky or Conrad's work. AHAB is one of the great figures of world literature; perhaps,the most powerful ANTI-HERO yet written. Gregory Peck is...in my estimate...uniquely succesful in his cinamatic incarnation of this "godly, ungodly man." The symbolic depths that Moby Dick essays are manifest. Bradbury's pierces "cardboard masks" of the human conditon, ultimately tested, with sure insight and genius comparable to Melville. John Houston's control of his material is equally deft. Pacing is swift. From the moment Royal Dano delivers his "warning"...as Prophet Elijah...the Pequod's foreshadowed doom is pursued with recklessness that hypnotically enthralls the viewer as Ahab intended to beguile his crew. Against Peck's Ahab is Leo Genn's Mr. Starbuck. Genn plays this stalwart Quaker as tragic antagonist but ironic disciple whose fatal conversion to Ahab's defiance/obsession("I'd strke the sun if it insulted me!") seals the fate of his comrades. Richard Basehart plays guileless Ishamel without hint of the cynicism he brings to his most famour role as Ivan in THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV. Comparison with the recent HALLMARK Patrick Stewart hinges on what you surmise MOBY DICK to be about, therefore, expect from a film. Patrick Stewart is magnificent as Ahab. But, in my mind's eye, GREGORY PECK IS AHAB. Moby Dick is about...like Apocalypse Now!...courage confronting radical evil tragically becoming that which it beholds. This is Ray Bradbury's craft above all else. His script focuses on the mankind's combat with Evil. Houston has filmed Melville's ultimate metaphor for such an impossibly malign force of Nature: THE GREAT WHITE WHALE. Ray Bradbury has written many parables about such battles (Fahrenheit 451; Tales "Quicker than the Eye"; Something Wicked This Way Comes) and Herman Melville seems soul-mate blood brother. John Houston's MOBY DICK, and Gregory Peck's Ahab epitomize the grandeur of what Melville called his "wicked book." In my estimate, this is the definitive rendering, the epic film of the American masterpiece. It is a wicked, great film......

Boring!!!!!!!!
This movie is very boring and is not very good. While watching this shameless movie, I fell asleep. It is about Ahab and his obsession with a white whale (Moby Dick). If you are looking for action this is not for you. It gets somewhat suspenseful in the last half-hour. However, I do not recommend it to anyone!!

Very exciting classic!
Moby Dick is a very exciting classical tale, retold in a movie starring Gregory Peck and Richard Basehart. The director also seems very experienced, and his talent really shows in the fight scenes between Moby Dick and the crew in boats. The story tells of a young sailor shipping aboard the Pequod, a whaling ship captained by Ahab. Captain Ahab is obsessed with killing the white whale that took off his leg in a previous encounter. He offers any crew member a spanish doubloon, if they spot the whale first. The entire story is suspenseful, ending in a mind blowing climax. The digital transfer used for this is surprisingly good for a 1958 movie. TCM (Turner Classic Movies) has also broadcast a very pristine version, which I taped off of, and it well rivals the quality of the Moby Dick DVD. The best purchase would be the DVD or the television Turner rendition of this riveting classic.

Movie=5 Stars / DVD= 4 Stars
John Huston's film of MOBY DICK is perhaps a rare exception. It's a great film in its own right, apart from the great novel upon which it is based. The case can easily be made that this film does not 'do justice' to the book, if only for the reason that it does not cover every aspect of Melville's original. But this film proves that a slavish literary imitation is not necessary for a great film.

The director fought with the studio over the color process used in MOBY DICK: it's intentional. He and the cinematographer were trying to capture a visual style that would be evocative of a certain style of painting and that would contribute to the mood of the story. Huston also fought with Ray Bradbury over the screenplay. The great science fiction author was literally reduced to tears by the gruff director, and he wrote a book about the experience. There was also some conflict over the casting of Gregory Peck as Ahab. Some say Orson Welles or Leo Genn (Starbuck) would have been a better choice. This may well be, but it should be admitted that Peck rises to the occasion when it's called for. The great scene with the Spanish doubloon and the great scene with Starbuck on the bridge, where Ahab explains his obsession. Few other actors are likely to have surpassed these moments.

MOBY DICK (1956) was not filmed in widescreen. This DVD presents the film in the original aspect ratio. It looks very good and and nothing appears to have been done to tamper with the look of the film in terms of color. This is how is should look.

Anyone interested in background on this film should read THE HUSTONS by Lawrence Grobel. The harrowing production is detailed, with plenty of attention given to the above-mentioned conflicts and also to the shooting of the INCREDIBLE final sequence.

Some extras would have been welcome, but this DVD is more than worth owning by any fan of Melville, Huston or American film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Moral equivocation was a common trait among several of Marlon Brando's characters in the early part of his career, and so it makes good theoretical sense that he would play the role of Fletcher Christian, the tormented first mate aboard the British naval vessel Bounty. But in fact the part is an ill fit for the actor, whose British accent is poor and who never looked quite right in period costume, anyway. Director Lewis Milestone(All Quiet On the Western Front) makes a good-looking and at times (especially during scenes of shipboard cruelties and conflict) compelling movie out of the material, but overall the film just isn't there.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (31)

If you don't watch this...you're missing out.
If you want to watch a movie about the infamous Mutiny on the Bounty, and you want to see good acting, beautiful camera work, and hear a witty script -rent this version! Or better, buy it. It's fantastic and amazing... and though people are always putting it down, don't listen to them. Any movie about any type of historical event is going to have a thousand people nitpicking it, but just because they aren't satisfied with it because (good god, his accent isn't perfect! or, that isn't how that scene really happened!!) doesn't mean it isn't a good movie. Brando is, contrary to what everyone else has to say, perfect for the role of Fletcher Christian...and his acting makes the film worth watching.

What's so real about a story based on a historical novel?
This film has been assassinated without any qualms by anti-Hollywood witch hunters. Yes! It does reek of production excesses at the expense of faithfulness to fact and Marlon Brando's portrayal of Mr. Christian is thoroughly derisable but isn't that what is needed here? This second film incarnation of the mutiny's occurrence is a refreshing turn on the theme, this time casting it in a technicolored gold mine of a light. It's pure Gilbert and Sullivan and it is great as a comedy piece. That's what makes this version so enjoyable to watch - it's too light in spirit to do anything else. Even funnier is just knowing that this effect was created unintentionally by MGM studios. After injecting so much into the picture in the way of casting, location and sheer beauty, the film's dark subject matter is parodied throughout, turning what 'should' have been a remake of the 1935 by-the-book yarn into something wonderfully warm and impossible to yawn at. The 1962 'Mutiny on the Bounty' is pure family entertainment, notwithstanding the self-deflating way it might present itself to the thinking, prejudiced mind. Brando is ridiculous with his strained S. English accent and Howard delivers one of his finest performances as Bligh. Indeed, to be fair, it was just such hilarious campness/quirkiness which actually did punctuate the mindset of the Eighteenth Century landed gentry. Who cares about the muting of the story's academics in this work? If you want that so badly then why not get the stodgy Gable/Laughton version or, even better, use the next ten minutes to order the 1932 novel from Amazon while you're here! Don't bleat and bang your fists against this gorgeous White Elephant. It is great stuff which finds other giants of the screen like Richard Harris in fine form (he is the perfect straight man to Brando's foppish officer).You don't even have to switch off your intellect to enjoy all three hours of this picture; your intellect is swift to tell you that there is a very good reason why you are laughing. While the 1935 original and the 1983 version are both true-to-story pieces which are miles more thought-provoking, the '62 epic piece is infinitely more watchable and uplifting. In short, this version was made to be too great for its own good and has imploded in overall feel. A rich texture here is the only thing which can hope to keep the viewer from saying: 'This is so bad, it can't be anything else but good!' As a film buff and holder of two degrees, I still am prepared to risk face and declare this one of my all-time favourites. Sorry, fellow illuminati; sometimes I like to have a laugh.

What was he thinking?
Leaving aside the question of which of the three "Bounties" is the best, the most dominant feature of this version, to me, is Brando's laughable Fletcher C. Yes, a foppish, arrogant English aristocrat will be foppish and arrogant. The problem is you get the idea Brando had never encountered, in real life, anyone to give him the basis to ground his performance in reality. It reveals an underlying flaw in method acting ... you can't make bricks without straw and you can't CONVINCINGLY portray a character of a specific class, time period and type just by making him or her up from within yourself.

Why Not On DVD?
I found this 1962 version of "Mutiny on the Bounty" by far the most entertaining and thought-provoking. Sometimes based upon the real event, yet often dramatized, it is mesmerizing and contains a wonderful script. I must agree with another reviewer who asked where Clark Gable's English accent was in the 1935 "Bounty". Although Brando's English accent certainly could have been better, at least he made an effort to HAVE one in the first place. The film contains humour, pathos and great adventure, also moral questions. It did not deserve the level of criticism it received. It is a shame that it is not available on DVD, because I would purchase it then.

THE BEST VERSION, END OF STORY.
I can understand why movie critics would want us to think that the 1935 Gable/Laughton version of this story is still the definitive one. After all it's their job to try to sound like they know what they're talking about. And I can surely respect anyone else's opinion if they feel the same way. To quote a line from Brando as Fletcher Christian, "It takes all sorts to make a world." But what I cannot take seriously is when critics and even viewers here go so far as to call the 1962 wide-screen Technicolor adventure awful or even laughable. I have seen all three major films inspired by the Bounty incident (there was an earlier pre-CAPTAIN BLOOD Errol Flynn version made in 1933 titled IN THE WAKE OF THE BOUNTY which never saw release here in the U.S.) and so far no one's been able to convince me that the overrated, outdated b&w dream factory creation from 1935 is the best of the bunch. C'mon guys, give me a break here, will ya? Yes, I do believe that some film classics (GONE WITH THE WIND, for example) cannot and SHOULD NOT be remade. Unfortunately for die-hard fans, 1935's MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY is not one of them, and the 1962 version is proof of that. I am not trying to imply in any way that the Gable classic is bad. It did, in all honesty, keep me quite entertained when I saw it, and I may even recommend it to anyone who can't find anything better to watch. But let's get down to business and compare the two versions and see why the Brando film is superior.

First of all, for those who say that Brando's English accent is bad, I have but one question to ask: where the heck is GABLE'S accent?? I think Kevin Costner deserves an apology. And so does Brando. His Fletcher Christian was, at least before the mutiny, a foppish and aristocratic snob, no doubt. But a cheesy performance this was not. How else is a foppish, aristocratic snob supposed to act like? I admit that I'm not sure if that's how the character was originally written for the script or if this was something that Brando came up with during filming. I also confess that I'm no expert when it comes to British accents. But in any case I thought he was completely convincing and definitely more English-like than Gable's all-American interpretation of the same role. But the true realism of Brando's character goes far beyond his attempt at an accent. After the mutiny, the troubling thought of never being able to return to England without the possibility of facing execution causes his Fletcher Christian to regret taking command of the ship, and for a while he shuts himself off from the rest of the crew, trying his best to convince himself that he did the proper and civilized thing. Gable's Fletcher, on the other hand, seems pretty content with his new life as an outlaw.
Second, Trevor Howard's Bligh is also better developed than Charles Laughton's more famous (and over-the-top) version of Bligh. Laughton's Bligh is a monster simply for the sake of being a monster. There is never any kind of explanation for his cruel actions, and it's quite possible that no real crew would have put up with his tyranny as it did in the 1935 film. Howard's Bligh, on the other hand, is a man determined to do ANYTHING he can to accomplish his goal, and that is simply to impress the admiralty who entrusted him with the mission of bringing breadfruit from Tahiti to England. Perhaps he also felt just a little beneath Fletcher Christian?
Third, well I'll make it short 'cause there are actually a few more reasons than just one more. The attempt to round Cape Horn is shot so spectacularly that, at least in my opinion, it would not be equaled until well over forty years later in MASTER AND COMMANDER. The uses of widescreen and Technicolor are also a plus, especially in the above mentioned scene, but also in the scenes depicting Tahitian life as it might have been back then. (I don't know how much of what is shown is accurate and how much is not, but one thing is for sure: Tahiti as seen in the 1935 version is so fake and Hollywoodized it's hard to tell which scenes were shot in a studio and which ones were shot in actual location.) And last but not least, Bronislau Kaper's magnificent score.
Did I forget anything else? No, and I can certainly go on, but I think I've made my point. If you've seen it before and didn't like it the first time, try checking it out again. Who knows, you might think differently this time. Thanx for reading my review. Peace, bro. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

STORYBOOK CLASSIC.
The film opens in a rough pub on the sea coast. Cooper meets drunken Barrymore who has a great secret in the form of a treasure map of an island in the Caribbean where there is supposedly trove left by a well-known pirate...A beautiful production, good music by Herbert Stothart, and a strong Mahin script all come together to make this a respectful filmed version of Stevenson's story. Jackie Cooper had been a child star, and here at the ripe old age of 12, he began to demonstrate his manhood in this film. Beery, who was known to chew the scenery with his hamminess, was kept in check (more or less) by the great director Victor Fleming. Few people got along with the frankly rude and gruff Beery in real life, and little Cooper was no exception (they had made THE CHAMP together in 1931). Although Fleming's direction is perhaps a bit flagging in spots, it must be noted that this man directed two timeless and legendary films: GONE WITH THE WIND & THE WIZARD OF OZ. Shot four times previously as a silent, this first talkie version of the classic Stevenson tale perhaps pales slighty when compared to the 1950 Disney version - in production values and authentic English actors - but this version has enough going for it to merit viewings for young and old alike.

I wish this black and white movie was on DVD!
I watched this version of Treasure Island in black and white on one of those classic movie channels and I liked it and thought Wallace Beery was a great Long John Silver, the rest of the cast was great too, including Jackie Cooper as Jim Hawkins, Lionel Barrymore as Billy Bones and Charles "Cic' Sale as Ben Gunn. I liked the movie so much I searched Amazon.com hoping to find it on DVD but unfortunately it hasn't been transferred to DVD and I was disappointed to find that the video that has the movie in black and white seems to be out of stock and it appears that the colorised version is the one that is being sold new and I wish they would restore the old black and white film instead of just colorising it. I could buy a used black and white video but I would really rather have the movie on DVD!

Treasure this Version
I enjoy most versions but to me this is the best. The great cast, sets, music, screenplay, and directing made it a wonderful adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson book. A pity it wasn't done in color only because I think it would gain more recognition with todays youth. Many still appreciate this wonderful adventure with pirates, sailing, and treasure hunting. The battle scene at the stockade is very exciting. One of the best family movies you can find these days. Any fan of Disney adventure movies will probably enjoy it.

Like really living it
I liked this movie way more than Pirates of the Carribean. It makes you feel like you are really watching actual Pirates. OK so they are not as hot as Johnny Depp..but this movie scared me and and gave me a feeling of adventure.Why are modern movies so boring? I loved this movie!!

The best Ben Gunn ever!
The often ovelooked character, Ben Gunn is the true hero of Treasure Island. "Nobody minds Ben Gunn," yet he'd done them all, including the fearsome Long John Silver. Sure, he's strange, but "a man who has been three years biting his nails on a desert island, Jim, can't expect to appear as sane as you or me. It doesn't lie in human nature."

Charles 'Chic' Sale creates the best image of Ben Gunn in the history of cinema. His Ben Gunn is hilarious and believable. The scene near the end with a huge wheel of cheese is a great find. Very inspirational performance, and definitely an influence on the Ben Gunn Society...

Overall the film is good too, pretty well rooted in the book. Some new dialog falls in quite nicely with the source, and Jackie Cooper delivers a few great lines, like the parodical "says them, says he, says I." The relationship of Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver is the main emphasis of this production, and the ending diverges a bit from the book, but that doesn't spoil the story. Another winner from the great Victor Fleming. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The classic Ernest Hemingway novel about man battling nature and the demons within himself is adapted admirably in this 1958 film starring the legendary Spencer Tracy. Playing the fisherman who goes on an intense and futile quest as he contemplates his own nature, Tracy turns in a spellbinding performance of understated power. He plays an itinerant Cuban fisherman whose luck at catching his prey has been poor of late, until he becomes embroiled in an intense pursuit of a giant marlin and in the process must confront his own frailties. Though the visual aspect of the film seems dated, Tracy is more than enough reason to see this effort at bringing one of the modern classics of literature to life on the screen. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Spencer Tracy gives a great performance.
In these times where ignorance (high school high is an example) is produced for the public to consume, and special effects are the driving force in many movies, it is very pleasing to watch a movie where the message is positive. The old man & the sea is a story of an aged fisherman living in Cuba who finds himself not only chasing a giant Marlin, but himself. He has reached a point in his life where he has almost lost hope in himself and in life. The ironic point is that although he landed and brought the fish back to shore, it was devoured by a group of sharks. He showed people his luck did not wear out, only that persistence (hard work) pays does pay off. If only he had a bigger boat... If you are interested in another great performance, see "Going My Way" starring Bing Crosby who won an academy award for best actor for the movie.

Eighty-Four Straight Days Without A Fish
Santiago is an aged Cuban fisherman who has not caught any fish for eighty-four straight days. Because he is considered unlucky by the other villagers, the young boy who usually assists Santiago is told by his parents to join a luckier boat which has recently been catching some fish.

On the eighty-fifth day Santiago sets out alone and after a while he hooks a huge marlin. Most of the rest of the movie is about Santiago's struggle with the marlin and his battles with attacking sharks which are trying to eat the big fish. The story is also about Santiago's relationship with the boy who cares for the old man both before and after his epic voyage. The boy is indebted to Santiago for all that he has learned from him about fishing. Santiago is a widower and childless.

Much of the film shows Santiago alone at sea struggling with the marlin. In other words the movie is mostly focused on Spencer Tracy who does an excellent job of holding the viewer's interest.

In spite of Tracy's great performance, however, I still think that Anthony Quinn would have been a better choice for the role of Santiago - except for the fact that Quinn was fifteen years younger than Tracy.

The script closely follows Hemingway's novel which makes the movie even more remarkable.

A mythical cycle!
Hemingway decide to make an apparent simple story when in reality , he would write one of his most emblematic and passionate works.
Santiago is a simple man . In all his life nothing has happened , a flat life in the middle of this fisher community.
Suddenly the fate's call comes for him . 84 days in the sea Ñ twelve weeks without getting any important piece.
This means the unavoidable journey , the invisible conflicy between the man and the nature . You have to realize that the sea has been for this single fisherman a friend and a silent lover and witeness of his miseries and hopeless.
Suddenly he catchs a gorgeous piece; a beauty blue needle fish. His triumph deserved all the hunger since three months he left his home. This means the epic fight. But the long arm of the fate smiled him just for a brief moment , the sharks will appear and the tragedy begins .
Now Santiago has to fight to preserve his piece . The fight is inhuman and awful , he must leave that zone and keep the fish .
More than a fish you've killed a man replies in loud voice our simple man.
When our hero arrives to the coast he's another man . He won the combat and no matter there were no witeness . The life in many times it's capricious , but you must never give up . You must follow your bliss , no matter how high be the prize you pay.
Spencer Tracy made a top knotch performance with this one.
The film keeps its inner force and the spirit of the original novel, since its release forty six years ago.
Watch this movie . It goes far beyond than a simple entertaining !
Dazzling direction and obviously who can fail with a script like this one?
A cult movie !

the old man and the sea review
Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea is a story about an old sea fisherman and his struggle with a greatest fish he has ever seen. The story takes place on the coast of Cuba in a small fishing village. Due to the fact he has not caught a fish in eighty-four days, his young apprentice is forced to go fish in a more prosperous boat. Although the book seems to have a simple plot, there is a lot of symbolism and the ending was interesting.
Some criticize The Old Man and the Sea for dragging on, but the character development only makes it more interesting to find out what happens. The main character, Santiago, is modest and keeps up hope despite his circumstance. His willingness to keep on, even despite his outcome, is moving.
Hemingway's style of writing also creates a detailed environment. The plot may be too straightforward but what it lacks, it makes up for rich detail. The way Hemingway depicts man's battle with nature makes it a good book to read.
The symbolism in the book is hard to read at first. As the book goes on, Hemingway uses more and more words that link Santiago to Christ and are very hard to miss. During the old man's battle with the fish, fishing cable cuts his palms. When carrying a mast across his shoulders in the village, images of Christ's march to Calgary can be related.
I would suggest this book to almost anyone over fifteen. The book is short (around a hundred pages) and straightforward. Although it has such a simple plot, the symbolism is a little more difficult to understand. Writing in short declarative sentences, Hemingway's style of writing makes it harder to read.

First Movie with a Saving The Planet Message.
When I first saw this movie, I thought this was an early save the planet movie. Well In addition to Spencer Tracy's powerful performance as a fisherman trying to catch the Marlan, there is also a lot of natural/wildlife photography in it that serves as the background for the movie and it's quite extensive for a 1958 film. I heard that Hemmingway really enjoyed the outdoor world, well this movie certainly had plenty of the natural world to show of. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Disney touch is all over this grand, colorful version of the Johann Wyss adventure of a European family set off for the new world of New Guinea. The film opens on a ship jostled and torn by a raging storm while a family struggles to make it through alive. Tossed into a reef near a deserted tropical island, father John Mills takes charge and the family soon turns their island prison into a veritable paradise. Their multilevel tree house, built in record time, is complete with running water and a working pipe organ scavenged from the ship, while their grand yard is abloom in English roses. As a tale of hardship and pioneer pluck, the tale is pure fantasy, but as entertainment it's energetic and appealing. The island is impossibly populated by ostriches, zebras, lions, and elephants, a private zoo that delights the youngest boy and offers plenty of comic relief. The two older brothers discover even wilder life when they rescue the prisoner of oriental pirates (led by hard-bitten Sessue Hayakawa). There's little real danger anywhere in the film--even the climactic battle with the pirates is a cartoonish affair, with coconut bombs and nonlethal booby traps, until the final desperate, deadly moments. Hardly a faithful adaptation of the novel, but a lush, beautifully photographed film and an entertaining adventure safe for all ages. Dorothy McGuire costars as the proper, worry-prone mother. (Ages 5 and older) --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Vault Disney DVD packed with extras for a low price
What a fantastic DVD this is. The Vault Disney series is wonderful, and I hope they give more films the same treatment soon. Not only is the film beautifully restored (in its original 2:35:1 theatrical aspect ratio, and with 5.1 THX surround sound), but the DVD itself is packed with delightful extras.

There's a documentary about making "Swiss Family Robinson" that is nearly 50 minutes long and contains interviews with Sir John Mills, James MacArthur, Tommy Kirk, and Kevin Corcoran. There's a commentary track with the latter three contributing comments about the film. There's an additional interview with MacArthur about his film work, the original theatrical trailer and television spots, radio spots, the entire story album that came out with the film, a Donald Duck cartoon, and more! If you like "Swiss Family Robinson," get this DVD -- even if you already have the VHS tape. It's worth it just to finally have a widescreen version of this family-friendly classic (the better to view the wonderful island vistas), even if you don't figure all of the wonderful extras into the bargain.

this LOADED dvd deserves more than 5 stars
I strongly reccommend! This has to be one of the most fun family films Walt Disney ever made. And the 2 disc DVD treatment that Disney gave this film is perfect. It is Widescreen first of all, maybe it is the first widescreen release outside of theatres ever done for the film. And what a diffenrence in makes in the beautiful island vistas of the film. The DVD transfer itself is well done, with lush colors, great image and depth, great sound, it just sparkles.

The movie was filmed on location on the tropical island of Tobago. While the production went way over budget, Walt did not get mad at the time since the film was worth it. Featuring loads of animals, comedy, action, suspense, pirates, and tropical scenery this was a hard adventure film to beat. And similar to the role the Nautilus filled in "20,000 Leagues Below the Sea", the treehouse becoems a star in it's own right. The invenetive home designed by the castaways from the ship salvage is incredible to behold. An audio commentary as an alternate track features comments from casr and crew.

The extras on this DVD are what really make it a treasure, and they are not all listed here at Amazon or even on the packaging. You have to hunt it down and get creative with your remote. So let me help by telling you what to look for if you buy this... For starters they have the original cartoon that was released with the movie, "Sea Salts" allowing you to see this with the kids the way that it is meant to be seen. There is a 2 minute "1960 Disney Studio Album", a montage of projects, attractions, shows, and films being made and released that year. Next we have 23 minutes from an old Walt Disney television episode titled "Escape to Paradise", that includes the parts of that episode that show the making of the film. Up next is original 1960 movie theatre trailers for the film, and 1960 televison spots. Then there are "Storyboard to Scene Comparisons"; a seperate "Storyboard Gallery"; and a 2 minute "Production Gallery" of photo stills from behind the scenes at location. Another gallery of production stills; "Biographies" on 8 p