1492 - Conquest of Paradise (Widescreen Edition) [VHS]
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VHS Movie Reviews of 1492 - Conquest of Paradise (Widescreen Edition) [VHS]
Movie Review: Beautiful but vacuous
Summary: 3 Stars
The perils of working towards an anniversary and trying to beat a rival project to the screen are all too evident in 1492 - Conquest of Paradise. It's easily Ridley Scott's most beautiful looking film, designed and shot with real love and care. With almost every shot gorgeous enough to take down and frame, it's like walking through an art gallery at times. Unfortunately that's never enough to compensate for a terrible screenplay by Roselyne Bosch that seems to have been written on the bus to work and stumbles from cliché to cliché. Carry On Columbus has better dialog at times, not to mention a better grasp of history. Worst of all, it throws away the real dramatic potential in Columbus' life for an unconvincing slice of class warfare - wouldn't you know it, it was really all those pesky upper class Euro trash aristo types like Michael Wincott that screwed up paradise, not Columbus' own incompetence and incredible cruelty - while painting him as the `chosen one.' At one point when the Inquisition ask our compassionate visionary if he is comparing himself to Christ, there's even a dramatic pause as he thinks it over in that he-is-you-know tipping the nod to the audience way. The result is a film that wants to be up there with Herzog's Spanish nutter in the jungle movies but is too expensive to allow its protagonist to go all Klaus Kinski on it and run the risk of alienating the audience, leaving us with more excuses and special pleading than drama.
Strangely, no-one in front of or behind the camera seems to notice just how bad the script is ("Excuse me, but you're the only queen I know," Columbus tells Isabella, soliciting the even more unlikely reply "You're the only navigator I know, so that makes us even."), and both performances and technical standards are all worthy of a much better film. The film has quite a few great cinematic moments, usually visually led and supported by Vangelis' excellent score, but it's too obvious that Scott wanted to film these scenes and tried to fit enough of a movie around them in the belief that he could carry the audience over the shoals without pulling it off. You can see the rationale behind moments like the hurricane that wipes away his new city and renders him paralysed, but without the real emotional journey into madness the film needs it's just setpiece filmmaking. Still, sometimes looking good is good enough - but not good enough for 154 minutes. It's a shame that they didn't read Kirkpatrick Sale's excellent historical biography instead of just using the title.
The transfer of Pathe's 2.35:1 widescreen UK PAL DVD of the uncut European version isn't always as good as it could be. The only extra is a trailer from the time when the film was still going to be called 'Columbus.'
Movie Review: Absolutely Brilliant
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm not bothered by Depardieu's accent. There are many movies out there where it's hard to understand everything the actor says. He was a great choice for playing Christopher Columbus because he could portray, with depth, the emotional integrity of a man embarking on a voyage that has never been done before. He has to possess a certain determination to give him enough strength to believe in himself and his dreams as well as convince the highest of the nobility to support him in his quest. Depardieu conveyed that, not only in his lines, but in every close-up. Watch Columbus's reaction when he and his crew sight land for the very first time. While the relieved crew cheered raucously that they would survive after all, Columbus merely closes his eyes gratefully, relieved and satisfied to know that he was right all along. Depardieu could have ruined that scene by equally jumping for joy like the simple crew, but Columbus was not a simple man. He was visionary. That's why Depardieu was right for the part and played it well and convincingly.
Ridley Scott always puts together masterpieces that are visually stunning. Whether in the desert or in the jungles, his locations are exotic, raw and sultry. His characters tend to be dignified, virile yet human to the core. They are not without flaw and uncertainty, but they all overcome the worst of odds and conquer in themselves the idle demons, temptations, fears and vices of the common man for something more virtuous and greater than themselves.
Look at a Ridley Scott film through this filter and then you can truly understand the intent behind the movie. Focusing on the minutiae such as historical data, accents, clothing, etc. detract from the true essence of the film. I'm sure Ridely Scott did his homework. Scott is not just telling a tale, but demonstrating his character's prowess as the story unfolds. It's what he's best known for.
Coupled with Vangelis's score which remains a top classic today, this underrated film is one of the best films ever made. Add it to your DVD library.
Movie Review: Extremely underrated MASTERPIECE
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie is a masterpiece. Period. Bad reviews generally come from critics that fail to get the movies' intention: there is no intention different from telling the story from Christopher Colombus' perspective of the events that he unfolded. From the film maker there is no desire to have a blockbuster movie or to win audiences, this movie has no compromise other than to make a beautiful work of art that depicts and celebrates a extraordinary event. And it is an extraordinary event indeed. Some try to minimaze the powerful clash of cultures and sense of discovery that happened in the year 1492: the world was changed, long way more that the man getting to the moon (I remember a critic complaining that the director showed the arrival of Colombus as more spectacular than the Apollo 11 landing; well, it was!). Perhaps you might fail to catch on this idea and others the movie represents if you are not from Latin America. Perhaps. In the movie without any effort Riddley Scott shows how Spain's politics of that time corrupted the new world even using Colombus as a mere instrument and moreover, Columbus also contributed to make everything a mess due to personal interests. This type of government is something that has repercussions today in Central and South American countries, more than 500 years later.
And this movie is historically correct, contrary to what another reviewer said. Obviosly, there is a voluntary lack of accuracy to help story telling and visual representation: the first sighting of land was around 2 AM, not during the day; the movie shows Columbus in two voyages, when he did 3 in the period the movie represents. Another criticism is for Gérard Depardieu casting and accent, well, the real Colombus was a foreigner in Spain, so he must have spoke with an accent. Depardieu's cast was an asset.
The score from Vangelis is impressive and has become a world music contemporary classic and all the acting is more than competent. See this movie for what it is, a cinematic experience that describes what happened in 1492, a year the old world changed when a new world was discovered. Do not expect a Hollywood absent minded super production with lots of action and scripted drama. If that's all you like, you might not like this masterpiece.
Movie Review: barely watchable on two fronts
Summary: 1 Stars
By many accounts, this movie was poorly made; certainly not one of Ridley Scott's finest moments.
The second reason this movie is not good is its take on historical fiction. Columbus is portrayed as a tolerant and patient man, kind to the natives. He also portrayed as a man of science. Nothing could be further from the truth. The first thing Columbus did was write about enslaving the natives and showed little to no concern for their welfare. While Columbus utilized the most advanced technology of the time, he put most of his faith in religion and mysticism - hardly the characteristics of a man of reason and science.
Historical fiction can be forgiven if it is entertaining (like Scott's Gladiator). But going too far by including many historical inaccuracies (like The Patriot) distracts from an otherwise good movie (like The Patriot). Unfortunately, this movie combines the worst of both: not entertaining or historically accurate.
Movie Review: It just keeps on going!
Summary: 2 Stars
I was required to watch this movie for school, and I have to say it was one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Along with detailing Columbus's first trip to the New World, they feel the need to show his second trip as well which takes up a good hour and a half. It is very hard to follow at some points and I found 4-5 places during the movie where it could've ended right then and there. As a whole, this movie could have been made much better and a lot easier to follow!