Captain Blood

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The swashbuckler had been around long before Errol Flynn drew a cutlass, but the Tasmanian-born bit player reinvigorated the genre with his mix of dashing good looks, haughty insolence, and alluring confidence. Adapted from the novel by Rafael Sabatini (who also penned The Sea Hawk), this rousing adventure chronicles the travails of Peter Blood (Flynn), a righteous doctor unjustly sold into slavery for treating the wounds of rebels, a kind of British Dr. Mudd. Sent to a Jamaican plantation where he toils under the brutal whip of Lionel Atwill and seethes with passion for his fair niece (the astonishingly beautiful Olivia de Havilland), he escapes from bondage with his fellow prisoners and becomes the gentleman rogue pirate of the Caribbean. Director Michael Curtiz builds from one set piece to another, including a nimble beachside sword fight with pirate nemesis Basil Rathbone and climaxing with a grand sea battle that belies the film's modest budget. Flynn's bravado and charisma are apparent from his entrance, but once he leaps into action he takes command of the picture, overcoming his still-green dramatic skills with sheer personality. Captain Blood made stars of Flynn and de Havilland and catapulted Curtiz to the top ranks of Warner directors. The three reunited for some of the studio's best-loved adventures: The Charge of the Light Brigade, The Adventures of Robin Hood, and Dodge City. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

The greatest pirate movie EVER!.......2007-08-09

Rafael Sabatini wrote a range of heroic characters in high adventure stories from Scaramouche to the Sea Hawk and Captain Blood. Any one of those stories are superior to the Pirates of the Carribean. The problem with remaking them is we don't have any living actor who comes close to Errol Flynn or even Stewart Granger. So, I highly recommend going retro and watching anyone of the three. I'd start with Blood first.

One of the greatest epic films ever made!.......2007-07-25

The first great feature of Errol Flynn and (at least to my mind) the role of his lifetime as well as the supreme beauty of Olivia de Havilland make of this movie a singular and reference movie in this decade.

Captain blood is one these unforgettable epic tales based on Sabatini's novel about a doctor who is forced to become a pirate. But along the story is showed, there will be many chances to know him, his real nature as human being who seriously wishes by all his means, to avoid to be considered a slave, he will the intellectual leader for the escape and will assume the authority delineated by a sort of statement of Principles among the members under his command, in order to avoid a supposed mutiny inspired by the greed or any other motive.

The admirable duel with Levesseur and his formidable audacious to undertake and even save the honor of the English Army when they are besieged in Port Royal will deserve not only a sudden achievement in his life, but besides he will find the love of his life as you and me are aware from the firsts shots.

Michael Curtiz was the same director of the charge of the light brigade so it's not unusual to think he his preferences for the epic genre.

Make Sure you Read the Book.......2007-07-20

This film, being the better part of a century old and still watched today, might technically qualify as a 'classic,' but I personally disliked it strongly. This is likely because I first read the Rafael Sabatini novel of the same title, on which the film is based, and utterly loved it. In fact, it is one of my absolute favourite books.

The novel is an emotionally gripping, powerful story populated by realistic characters, people with real feelings and personalities. This film, however, is just a quick, cheap Hollywood action flick, the 1930s version of today's flashy and mindless shoot-them-up movies. The plot of Sabatini's book has been changed and, in some scenes, totally reversed to turn Captain Blood from a realistic, passionate, deep character into a two-dimensional macho action hero. Obviously any book must be cut to be changed into a film; but Captain Blood was not merely simplified but simplified -in spirit- for this production.

The most enjoyable part of this movie, for me, was watching the old-fashioned special effects, with all the pretty model ships.

Go read the book instead -- odds are, you'll love it regardless of whether you liked or hated this movie.

Captain Blood.......2007-07-12

This is a marvelous DVD, a beautiful reproduction of a classic film with many great extra features. The documentary on the making of the film is wonderfully done, and makes the movie more memorable viewing.

Errol Flynn at his Best.......2007-07-10

As a fan of swashbuckling and pirate films since childhood, I highly recommend Captain Blood with that charming rogue, Errol Flynn. I'll watch anything with Errol, especially the movies he made with Olivia DeHavilland. Great chemistry there. Pirates, pretty ladies, sword fights and beautiful Caribbean scenery - what else could I ask for . . . except maybe some rum.

Tyrone Power Collection (Blood and Sand / Son of Fury / The Black Rose / Prince of Foxes / The Captain from Castile)

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Love at the movies
a forgotten star shines again!
Tyrone Power the movie star shines here. For Tyrone Power the actor, see Nightmare Alley
Tyrone Powerr: The Swashbuckler box Set
Best Buy Around

Tyrone Power Collection (Blood and Sand / Son of Fury / The Black Rose / Prince of Foxes / The Captain from Castile)
Starring: Tyrone Power , Rita Hayworth , Linda Darnell , Orson Welles , and Gene Tierney
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000ND91WW
Release Date: 2007-05-01

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This DVD boxed set shows Tyrone Power as Twentieth Century Fox (that is, Fox head honcho Darryl F. Zanuck) saw him: handsome, dashing, prone to swordplay and adventure. Zanuck's instincts were in tune with what audiences wanted to see from Ty Power, and the athletic actor was one of Hollywood's most popular stars from the late 1930s through his exit for WWII service--and he remained popular in the late 1940s, although he chafed at his limited casting opportunities. The real Tyrone Power may well have been more interesting than these movies suggest, although you wouldn't know it: he comes across as earnest, square, and unfailingly attractive.

The earliest film in the set is the 1941 Blood and Sand, a Technicolor-crazed remake of the old Rudolph Valentino silent picture. Power plays a hotshot matador caught between Linda Darnell's faithful wife and Rita Hayworth's naughty femme fatale (Anthony Quinn scores nicely in a small role as a super-cool rival matador). Director Rouben Mamoulian's operatic style meshes well with the milieu, even if the movie is paced operatically at times. Son of Fury (1942) bounds into the realm of 19th-century costume adventure, with Power out to wrest his rightful inheritance from scoundrel George Sanders, juggling high-class lady Frances Farmer and South Seas maiden Gene Tierney along the way. This crazy plot is ably directed by John Cromwell, and Alfred Newman's Polynesian love theme is well-nigh irresistible.

Captain from Castile is a lavish postwar production that reestablished Power as an adventure hero. Stunning location photography in Mexico (including a real volcano in mid-eruption, which figures evocatively in the late going) makes this one a scenic feast, even if the plot is standard potboiler stuff: Spanish nobleman Power escapes the Inquisition by signing on with Cortez (Cesar Romero) and his New World expedition. Castile was directed by Henry King, and King also made Prince of Foxes (1950), bringing a foursquare approach that emphasizes the somewhat stodgy period feel of both films. However, Prince has a secret weapon: Orson Welles plays power-hungry Cesare Borgia and steals every scene he's in. Tyrone Power already appears older than his 35 years (he would in fact die at age 44, while filming Solomon and Sheba), and he looks dazzled by Welles' prowess.

Welles is back in The Black Rose, a lively Boys' Own Adventure yarn from 1950. Here Power and Jack Hawkins leave 13th-century England for a wild trip to Mongolia and China, signing on to the service of the brutal warlord played by Welles. Director Henry Hathaway gets the most out of the extensive location shooting, and Welles makes a meal of his role. It's a fun movie that shows the appeal, and some of the limitations, of Tyrone Power in his signature style. --Robert Horton

Description

Disc 1: Captain from Castile Disc 2: Black Rose Disc 3: Blood and Sand Disc 4: Prince of Foxes Disc 5: Son of Fury

Customer Reviews:

Love at the movies.......2007-07-14

Growing up I saw old Tyrone Power movies on television. Even deciding to buy this collection I had not remembered how great he was on the screen. His co-stars are of equal standing and each of these films can stand alone on their merit. The filming & scenary! His talent lights up the screen in each. If you like classic Tyrone-you will never regret buying this collection-it is a must have.

a forgotten star shines again!.......2007-06-26

Although Tyrone Power is probably a forgotten star to many, this collection of some of his most exciting adventure films reminds those who remember him, or those who are at least familiar with some of his work, what star power once meant during the "Golden Age of Hollywood". Each of the films are my personal favorites, and the DVDs in the collection contain some interesting extras such as interviews with Power's surviving family members and former co-stars, as well as audio commentaries film historians, film composers, and other film professionals. Each DVD also contains separate audio track of each film's original soundtrack. The "Blood and Sand" DVD transfer uses a recently restored print that brings to life the film's original "old fashioned" bold and vivid Technicolor. All in all, this collection is definitely worth owning whether you're a fan or just interested in a star whose name rarely heard anymore.

Tyrone Power the movie star shines here. For Tyrone Power the actor, see Nightmare Alley.......2007-06-13

Tyrone Power was too earnest and straight forward to be a great actor, but he had what it takes to be a great movie star. The earnestness of his acting made him likable, even in those rare occasions when he played a heel. He was startlingly handsome as a young man. Even as his looks matured after WWII, he maintained his status as a romantic leading man up to his death of a heart attack when he was 49. As a heel, a hero or as a period swashbuckler, Power had that undefinable quality that made people want to buy tickets to his movies. These five swashbucklers, as variable in quality and corniness as they are, give a fine picture of Tyrone Power, movie star. He had to fight to be taken seriously as an actor, so I hope everyone who buys this set will also take a look at Power in Nightmare Alley (1947). The characters he plays in this set -- Juan Gallardo, Benjamin Blake, Pedro de Vargas, Andrea Orsini, Walter of Gurnie -- you'll probably forget. You'll remember Power as Stanton Carlisle.

Blood and Sand (1941) -- Blood and Sand is not a swashbuckler, but an allegory of a man's pride, lust and ambition, played out in the bullring, about a man who is redeemed by the love of a good woman and a death ennobled by regret. In other words, the movie is a Hollywood weeper. Still, it shows what can be accomplished when professionals take hold of a teary melodrama and give it color, sleekness, sex and, at 27, an extraordinarily handsome leading man in Tyrone Power. Rita Hayworth, as the femme fatale, is almost as pretty.

Son of Fury (1942) -- If Son of Fury were the title of a paperback novel, we'd expect a bodice-ripping, heavy-breathing Regency romance. What we have is a highly professional Darryl F. Zanuck adventure of surprising innocence and charm. Everything about the movie, from the actors to the script to the cinematography, features such a high level of craftsmanship that the few corny moments pass quickly. The story, even with a stolen inheritance, a wicked uncle and a South Seas cutie, is told with such professional attention to naivety that we cheer for Ben, hiss his uncle, and even find the unlikely conclusion satisfying.

Captain from Castile (1947) - If Captain from Castile is remembered much today it probably is because of one of the most rousing marches a Hollywood composer ever wrote. The "Conquest" theme is heard only three times, and the first two are brief but effective scene setters. We have to wait until the movie is almost over and Hernan Cortez is setting out on his march to the Aztec capital of Tenochititlan for the full treatment. The music, by Alfred Newman, embraces the moment, with hundreds of soldiers, the priests, the natives, the hangers-on spreading out before us, the horizon lightening and a single volcano smoking in the distance. The theme is inspiring, martial, emotional, uplifting and memorable. It's enough to make most movie goers want to sign up and most historians queasy. After all, in less than a generation a civilization of between 2 million and 6 million people was obliterated.

Prince of Foxes (1949) -- If passionate love, convivial betrayals and loyalty one can change as quickly as one's shirt intrigues you, you'll most likely enjoy Prince of Foxes. If nothing else, you'll learn a great party trick that involves two eyeballs and two thumbs. Prince of Foxes, in my view, is one of the best of the Tyrone Power adventure films. It stands out in part because we find ourselves operating in the lusty, double-dealing world of Cesare Borgia. And while Orson Welles, who plays Borgia, can't resist slicing the ham with gusto, it must be admitted that he brings a lot of joie de vivre to villainy.

The Black Rose (1950) -- And what's a black rose? We're told it is the name given to the clove, the most precious of spices. In this case, the clove is Maryam, played by Cecile Aubry. She was a small French actress who looks no older than 14. She has a small mouth which is filled with tiny teeth and a plump tongue, and she occasionally jumps about to express enthusiasm. If Vera-Ellen and Charlie McCarthy had ever had a child, it would look a lot like Cecile Aubry. The movie, The Black Rose, is no stinker, but the one insuperable drawback is its disjointed nature. We move from Norman England 200 years after William the Conqueror, to the middle-east and then on to a Mongol army moving and battling its way toward China, then to the imperial court of China itself, and finally back to England. It seems to me to be one of Power's weakest romantic-adventure films.

Tyrone Powerr: The Swashbuckler box Set.......2007-06-08

These Swashbuckler films show Tyrone Power at his best.

Best Buy Around.......2007-06-08

As a classic movie fan, I cannot rate this collection highly enough. It's chock full of some of the finest actors of Hollywoods golden age. Cheap at twice the price.

The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 1 (Captain Blood / The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex / The Sea Hawk / They Died with Their Boots On / Dodge City / The Adventures of Errol Flynn)

Average customer rating:

Swashbuckling at it's finest !
Errol Flynn Signature Collection
Errol Flynn deserves more professional recognition than the Academy ever gave him.
They don't make'm like this anymore
Great Gift

The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 1 (Captain Blood / The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex / The Sea Hawk / They Died with Their Boots On / Dodge City / The Adventures of Errol Flynn)
Starring: Errol Flynn , Olivia de Havilland , Lionel Atwill , Basil Rathbone , and Ross Alexander
Director: Michael Curtiz
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007OY2PS
Release Date: 2005-04-19

Amazon.com

Errol Flynn is one of those names that define movie stardom. Chiseled good looks that stopped just short of being preposterous. A brash and jaunty manner that charmed men and women alike. Whiffs of bad-boy scandal offscreen that only enhanced his legend (not for nothing did "In like Flynn" become a national catchphrase!). And enough marquee-worthy titles that in memory's ear ring like classics.

Flynn's stardom wasn't on a par with the richly ambiguous artistry of Cary Grant, or the deep, enduring heroic legacy of John Wayne, or the indelible character work amassed by Flynn's Warner Bros. contemporaries Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, and Edward G. Robinson. Still, this most celebrated of Tasmanian devils was a one-of-a-kind, often raffishly entertaining icon of Hollywood in the '30s and '40s who played a big part in making the golden age glow. And for most of us, to say "swashbuckler" is to conjure up Flynn's wolfish grin above a rapier, director Mike Curtiz's wall-filling shadows of dueling men, and the symphonic, trumpet-filled music scores of Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

Stardom came swiftly. After two small-part assignments at Warners, the studio awarded Flynn the title role in Captain Blood (1935)--in retrospect, a sort of rough draft for his most beloved movie, The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938; not in this collection). The hero, an Irish-born physician wrongly convicted of treason during the reign of King James, is sentenced to a life of slavery in Jamaica. In short order he's charmed his new master's niece (the bright-eyed Olivia De Havilland, Maid Marian-to-be) and contrived an escape with his rebel comrades to become lusty, albeit passionately populist, buccaneers. The film's budget was clearly limited (there's a stark absence of horizons in the tropic and seagoing scenes), but director Curtiz's camerawork cunningly evokes the ever-present tilting and rolling of life aboard ship. Much-Oscar-nominated, the movie certified Flynn as the Douglas Fairbanks of the sound era--even in blond tresses and without what would become his signatory mustache.

If Captain Blood became the Flynn-Curtiz prototype for swashbucklers, The Sea Hawk was the last, luxury model off the line. Warners was always wired in to the zeitgeist, and this 1940 movie about English privateers saving Queen Elizabeth's island nation from the Spanish Armada does double duty as an in-Der-Fuehrer's-face allegory of the looming world war. No blank horizons here, and every wall sports a towering map of a world ripe for conquest. Slickness is all: Claude Rains and Henry Daniell are impeccably devious diplomats, and Sol Polito's black-and-white cinematography shifts into sultry sepiatone when the Sea Hawks sneak off to the tropics on a transatlantic espionage mission. (As for Flynn's mission, his swashbuckling would hereafter be confined to contemporary war pictures for the duration.)

He also saddled up for some lively Westerns. Dodge City (1939) is a knock-down, drag-out barn-burner in brassy Technicolor, with Flynn as a trail boss reluctantly turned town marshal. Curtiz directs yet again, with flair if not necessarily historical conviction, and the presence of Robin Hood costars Olivia De Havilland and Alan Hale (Little John) is virtually mandatory by this point. Ripe villainy is supplied by Bruce Cabot and--substituting, perhaps, for the un-frontier-worthy Basil Rathbone--the fox-faced Victor Jory.

They Died with Their Boots On (1942) is filled with spectacular Civil War and cavalry action, though its hagiographic treatment of George Armstrong Custer should set historically enlightened viewers on the warpath. Nonetheless, it features Flynn's most interesting performance in the collection. Whereas Curtiz was the ideal director for the star in boy's-own-adventure mode, Raoul Walsh elicited more nuanced work from him (see especially their wonderful Gentleman Jim, not included in this collection), and the scenes between Flynn and Olivia De Havilland achieve a tenderness that deepens with each reel. The magic-hour cinematography is by veteran John Ford cameraman Bert Glennon.

And that--apart from a new documentary feature, The Adventures of Errol Flynn--leaves The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939). Sad to say, that doesn't leave much. Bette Davis (taking the role Flora Robson played in The Sea Hawk) and Flynn (as the English knight the not-so-Virgin Queen loved but feared as a rival) have zero chemistry; she delivers a mannered performance only a Bette Davis impersonator could love, and Flynn demonstrates how stiff he could be (no pun intended) when clueless about his material. In fairness to both, the movie is a static adaptation of a very repetitious and declamatory Maxwell Anderson play. Its inclusion here is notable only as a vast technical improvement on the long-ago VHS release. --Richard T. Jameson

Customer Reviews:

Swashbuckling at it's finest !.......2007-07-16

Errol Flynn certainly earned his place with the likes of Tyrone Power and Douglas Fairbanks. This collection is a must have for those who enjoy the rare cinema jewels of yesteryear. I rank this purchase among my favorites.

Errol Flynn Signature Collection.......2007-06-08

I have loved Errol Flynn movies since I was a girl.He is the best looking pirate ever and in Robin Hood the green tights!Cowboy movies are great too!

Errol Flynn deserves more professional recognition than the Academy ever gave him........2007-05-21

My favorite here is "They Died with Their Boots On". Yes, the history is all wrong, but watch as Flynn takes Custer from a prankster West Point plebe to a brave and focused military leader. de Havilland's acting is, again, superb. Her entrance scene shows her great comic timing. The chemistry between de Havilland and Flynn is jarring here, as each must have felt this was to be their final pairing on screen. Flynn's climb to her balcony and their embrace is reminiscient of their love scene in "Robin Hood." Watch how de Havilland and Flynn look at each other during the train ride scene. The Custer-Libby farewell is almost painful to watch. The intimacy of that scene makes me think I should not be watching such a private moment. As de Havilland (Libby) places his belt around Flynn's (Custer's) waist, he looks at her with such longing and sadness. Flynn as Custer to de Havilland's Libby:"Walking through life with you, ma'am, has been a very gracious thing." This is more than acting, as this pair brings their film and personal relationship full circle. The haunting love theme written by Max Steiner underscores the passion of Libby and George Custer. Why doesn't Warner Brothers release these movies on the big screen instead of the slasher movies that are released every year between the Oscar broadcast and the summer block-busters? I think they would bring in a large, multi-age audience.

An excellent addition to any video library.

They don't make'm like this anymore.......2007-05-12

If you like old movies then buy this boxed set. Here is the original action hero. After all these years he's still cool as hell. Great movies in this set at a very good price.

Great Gift.......2007-03-15

I bought this product as a gift for my mother. She loved it.

Average customer rating:

Blood Surf
So Silly It Works
Óscar Navarro scores in the performance of his career!
One Big Crocodile!!! (But Ms. Fischer Is Gorgeous!!!)
WHERE'S BRIAN WILSON WHEN YOU NEED HIM

Blood Surf
Starring: Taryn Reif , Dax Miller , Kate Fischer , Joel West , and Duncan Regehr
Director: James D.R. Hickox
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
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ASIN: B00005BCP6
Release Date: 2001-06-26

Customer Reviews:

Blood Surf.......2005-09-22

You have the whole movie in a nutshell from the above plot description. However, it was just plain awful! I love all types of horror movies and I will admit that I saw this one.

The whole thing was just a mess. The acting was so bad that you were cheering on the croc to kill off the actors.

If you want to waste some time and have to see this one I would suggest that you borrow it from someone who has it or wait for a re-run of this on the sci-fi channel. Save your $!

So Silly It Works.......2005-09-02

Though three stars is probably a little too generous, "Blood Surf" is a sufficient film for its genre. It has lots of silly surfer music with plenty of silly dialogue AND a silly looking crocodile that's fake from the word go. But, this film still managed to hold my attention because it seemed to revel in the fact that it is a bad movie.

The story is pretty standard as far as creature features go. Deep in the bluest of waters lies an ancient crocodile out for blood. A film crew seeks out the best waters to do a little blood surfing, a.k.a. surfing with sharks. Unfortunately for them, they decide to do a little surfing with a croc from Hades. There's also a salty sea captain with a grudge against the ol' crocodile. Bloodletting, explosions, and comedy ensue.

The actors in this flick seemed to be enjoying themselves quite a bit. Kate Fischer, of "Sirens" fame, makes "Blood Surf" worth watching on her looks alone. However, the rest of the cast does a pretty good job hamming it up on the screen, especially the surfer dudes.

As stated before, the surfer music is horrendous. Dick Dale wouldn't find himself within ten yards of this "surf" guitar music. But the stupidity of the music only makes the film that much better.

You really have to love the creature genre in order to understand why this film is what it is. Many folks probably won't "get it" when so much of this flick turns out to be high on the cheese scale. In my opinion, it's a funny little movie and deserves at least one look.

Recommended to fans of bad sci-fi cinema and creature features in general.

Óscar Navarro scores in the performance of his career!.......2005-05-28

Director Hickox has matured, fulfilling the potential he showed with 1995's breathtaking Children of the Corn III, but it's Navarro's turn as a tenderhearted pirate named Coco that makes this one a winner. He transforms the movie from your garden variety sociopathic-crocodile psychodrama to an odyssey into the true "blood surf" we all must do when we explore our lineages. For example, I'm 1/8 Iroquois Indian, and I recently did a "blood surf" up to Warren, Pennsylvania to get the Iroquois to vouch for me so that I could get some coin for law school. Then I "blood surfed" right up to the "Native American" box on my LSATs and checked "show me the money!" Booyeah!

Anyway, back to the movie: it's subtle, and it's earthy, and it digs deep. Deeper than blood. Deeper than surfing. Deeper than the black hole of a crocodile's pupil as he gazes into yours. He cocks his head a centimeter to the side. You wonder if he's sincere. You've heard all the lines, had your heart broken before. His claws stroke your hand lovingly, and there's a tenderness in his nostrils. And as you close your eyes and lean into his large, reptillian chest and sway to the music, you know you've finally let yourself love, and it feels as though the night will never end.

One Big Crocodile!!! (But Ms. Fischer Is Gorgeous!!!).......2005-05-18

This movie is about a group of documentary film makers who want to shoot scenes of surfers on their boards amidst sharks. Then they discover a GIANT crocodile lurking in th waters. This movie is basically a riff on the Jaws Theme but is redeemed by the absolutely drop dead gorgeous ex model turned sucesful actress kate Fischer who I wish I could see more of in films. A big crocodile, an exotic location nand Ms. Fischer. What more could you ask for?

WHERE'S BRIAN WILSON WHEN YOU NEED HIM.......2005-01-20

The surf music in this film is such a ripoff of the Beach Boys and even the Batman theme. That should signal the realm of moviemaking you're in. Actually, BLOOD SURF, a movie from down under isn't all that bad. The crocodile effects are pretty pedestrian, but the director manages to create some suspense and most of the performances are at least adequate. Joel West (so smarmy in GLOBAL EFFECT) stands out as the ridiculously dudish Jeremy; with his blond spike and little goatee, he is your standard clownish clod, destined for croc consumption. Duncan Regehr who once played Zorro many years back is no Robert Shaw (Jaws), but he is a crusty old captain and smirks admirably. Katie Fleischer and Taryn Reif are lovely to look at, but Fleischer wins the acting honors; Reif is just not too believable. Add a too handsome Dax Miller (Convent) as the studly Bog and you have your movie. Blood surfing is not a sport I would consider, even if I could surf. The idea is to surf ahead of a school of sharks and hope they don't eat you. The script's switcheroo to the giant crocodile shows some spark of originality (duh?) and he does chomp up a few people. The movie's climax is rushed and not all that exciting. Still, BLOOD SURF has some beautiful scenery and should entertain those of us enamored with the giant sea creature anomaly.

Fortunes of Captain Blood / Captain Pirate (Midnite Movies Double Feature)

Average customer rating:

Great 50's matinee swash and buckle
Two Great Swashbuckling Sagas!
Rousing Adventure Yarn

Fortunes of Captain Blood / Captain Pirate (Midnite Movies Double Feature)
Starring: Louis Hayward , Patricia Medina , George Macready , Alfonso Bedoya , and Dona Drake
Director: Gordon Douglas , and Ralph Murphy
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FDEV34
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Customer Reviews:

Great 50's matinee swash and buckle.......2006-08-14

Pristine presentation, though no extras. Two films on two discs follow the adventures of Captain Blood made fameous by Errol Flynn 15 years earlier. Fourtunes of Catain Blood is in black and white while Captain Pirate is in quite glorious color. No Oscar contenders here, but interesting stories, colorful characters, and some pretty good swordplay. Recommended to those who cherished their time as a kid at the Saturday matinee, or those too young to have had the pleasure.

Two Great Swashbuckling Sagas! .......2006-07-20

This review is for the Midnite Movies DVD "Fortunes of Captain Blood" and "Captain Pirate," both from Columbia Pictures and produced by Harry Joe Brown, who produced a number of Randolph Scott westerns.

This Double Feature DVD is distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The video transfer is excellent. The movies are remastered in high definition and have subtitles in English, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish.

Louis Hayward and Patricia Medina were teamed together for a number of swashbuckling sagas. In addition to the above, the team also did "The Lady in the Iron Mask", and "The Lady and the Bandit", which I hope will be released soon since their movies were very entertaining.

The first movie on the DVD is "Fortunes of Captain Blood", 91 min., black & white, 1950, directed by Gordon Douglas (G. Douglas directed "Doolins of Oklahoma" and "The Nevadan", two exciting Randolph Scott westerns. "Fortunes" had an excellent supporting role from Dona Drake. She plays the Spanish spitfire who helps Captain Blood release his mates from prison, and generally steals every scene she's in. The heavy is George Macready. Incidentally he was the heavy in the two Randy Scott westerns I mentioned above.

The second movie is "Captain Pirate", 85 min., color, 1952, directed by Ralph Murphy, who had previously directed them in "The Lady and the Bandit", 1951. "Captain Pirate" is a lively buccaneering programmer with plenty of high spirits. Needless to say, Patricia Medina looks ravishing in Technicolor. Although he never reached the swordsmanship skills of Errol Flynn, the South African Louis Hayward handles his action scenes well enough.
For all of the above, I rate it five stars.

Rousing Adventure Yarn.......2006-06-16

Fortunes of Captain Blood:
Rousing Adventure Yarn WITH LOTS OF ACTION, plenty of sword-play, an excellent cast (Macready, Bedoya, Gilmore) and a marvellous musical score by Paul Sawtell.

Captain Pirate: continued good swashbuckling entertainment in technicolor, Louis Hayward starring in both. Both an excellent opportunity to re-enjoy good cinema entertainment of Columbia's golden B-era of the 40's and the 50's. Should be followed by Cornel Wilde ( A Thousand and One Nights, Bandit of Sherwood Forest), Larry Parks (The Swordsman, the Gallant Blade), Jon Hall (Prince of Thieves -48) and John Derek (Rogues of Sherwood Forest, Mask of the Avenger, Prince of Pirates) and many others.

Salute from Sweden

CAPTAIN HORATIO HORNBLOWER with Gregory Peck (O Falcao dos Mares) (High Quality Import Edition-NTSC Region 1 Format-Playable in North America)(Adventure)

Average customer rating:

5 star film and 3 star quality

CAPTAIN HORATIO HORNBLOWER with Gregory Peck (O Falcao dos Mares) (High Quality Import Edition-NTSC Region 1 Format-Playable in North America)(Adventure)

Manufacturer: Classicline
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000G6M96G

Product Description

Brand new, factory sealed, fully licensed DVD manufactured in Brazil. NTSC format. Playable on any North American DVD player. High quality full screen color image. Original English dialog with optional subtitles in Portuguese. Portuguese subtitles do not appear unless turned on and they can be easily turned off. The following review appears in Amazon for the VHS version: "Reviewer: Lawrance M. Bernabo. C.S. Forester certainly began the saga of his Napoleonic-Era naval hero Horatio Hornblower "in media res." Here is Hornblower as a dashing captain, with the stories of his younger days and later glories both yet to be penned. "Captain Horatio Hornblower" actually covers the key events in Forester's first trio of Hornblower adventures, "Beat to Quarters," "Ship of the Line" and Flying Colours." Hornblower (American Gregory Peck playing the quintessential English hero) is sent on a secret mission to the far side of South America where he has to capture a Spanish frigate not once but twice, all because of the problematic delay in having new orders catch up with him in the time of wooden sailing ships. Chance throws Hornblower together with Lady Barbara Wellesley (Virginia Mayo), the sister of the Duke of Wellington. She is engaged to some admiral and he is already married, but there is no doubt that they are meant for each other. Besides, even Fate has to take a backseat to Hornblower's sense of duty. Even when he is captured by the French it is but another opportunity for grand adventure. Like many fans I came to the Hornblower novels and this rousing 1951 film directed by Raoul Walsh. The sea battles with the fully rigged ships are as fine as you can find from the good old days of movie-making, but my favorite scene is the touching one when the Captain and Lady Barbara deal with the final moment's of the youngest member of the ship's company."

Customer Reviews:

5 star film and 3 star quality.......2006-10-08

I was so delighted to find this movie on dvd at last(Brazilian release copy)and It is great to have in my collection but it seems to be a transfer from video to dvd format.I am left eagerly awaiting its official studio release.Brilliant film.Please release it soon.The film covers several stories of the the Hornblower series.

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE with Errol Flynn (A Carga da Brigada Ligeira) (Import Edition-NTSC format-Region 1-Playable in North America)(Adventure)

Average customer rating:

Good if great quality is not important

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE with Errol Flynn (A Carga da Brigada Ligeira) (Import Edition-NTSC format-Region 1-Playable in North America)(Adventure)

Manufacturer: Classicline
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GKB22Y

Product Description

Brand new, factory sealed, fully licensed DVD manufactured in Brazil. NTSC format. Playable on any North American DVD player. Full screen black and white image. Original English dialog with optional subtitles in Portuguese. Portuguese subtitles do not appear unless turned on and they can be easily turned off. The following review appears in Amazon for the VHS edition: "Reviewer: Robert S. Clay Jr. From the standpoint of history, artistic license abounds in this classic adventure movie. In fairness, the filmmaker posts a disclaimer of the historical veracity of the film right at the beginning. Errol Flynn is at his flamboyant best as dashing English officer, Geofrrey Vickers. He vies with his brother (Patrick Knowles) for the love of Olivia DeHavilland. C. Henry Gordon is evilly conniving as Surat Khan, leader of the fictional Suristan faction. When England cuts off his money, Surat Khan wages war against the British interlopers. After Surat Khan massacres non-combatants at the garrison of Chokoti (sp.?), India is too hot to hold him. In typical Hollywood fashion, the action shifts to the Crimea at Sebastopol where the British face the Russians at Balaklava Heights. Vickers, still burning with anger over the massacre of innocents, discovers this and he forges orders for the Light Brigade to attack. Under the direction of Michael Curtiz, the slam-bang action sequences of this movie provide memorable thrills. As the lancers charge into the face of roaring cannon, to the right of them, to the left of them, in front of them, quotes from Tennyson's poem appear on screen. The shot of the fallen lancer still holding aloft the billowing Union Jack in his lifeless hand is great imagery. "When can their glory fade?" Filmed in glorious B&W, this classic action/adventure film is a good example of the quality product of the Warner Brothers film sutdio at its Depression Era height. Enjoy the old fashioned fun."

Customer Reviews:

Good if great quality is not important.......2006-08-15

This review is for the Brazilian edition only. Overall, this movie transfer is OK if you are not a stickler for very high quality transfers and need to have this DVD now. It does not seem that Warner Brothers is going to release any more Errol Flynn titles anytime soon. It is in English and you can turn the Portuguese subtitle off. It is not a high quality transfer and it skips a lot throughout.

All that being said, this is one of Errol Flynn's early and best action movies during the early part of his career. It is a fictionalized account of the famous charge of the British lancers and in my opinion a lot more interesting than the later version with Gielgould which although more accurate historically, the action is terrible. Flynn is at his best and the movie direction is excellent.

I give the movie 5 stars, the video transfer 2 to 3 stars. If you can wait for Warner Brothers to release it, I suggest that you wait. If not, it is not too bad. The seller I bought it from was excellent.

Action Movie Marathon Volume 1: 8 Movie Pack

Average customer rating:

Action Movie Marathon Volume 1: 8 Movie Pack

Manufacturer: RightNow Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
Product Features:

BONUS: Each movie comes with a portable-media friendly version that can be downloaded to your Apple iPod!
Eight feature films on four DVDs
The Hunchback of Notre Dame;Sundown;Gung Ho;Captain Kidd;The Last Chance;Blood on the Sun;A Walk in the Sun;The Black Book

ASIN: B000GX9GLA

Product Description

The legends of Action are gathered here for you in this definitive DVD collection of some of the greatest Action classics to ever come out of Hollywood. This 8 DVD collection is sure to provide you with countless hours of entertainment. Action Movie Marathon Volume 1: 8 Movie Pack includes: The Hunchback of Notre Dame directed by Wallace Worsley and starring Lon Chaney, Sr; Sundown directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Gene Tierney; Gung Ho directed by Ray Enright and starring Randolph Scott; Captain Kidd directed by Rowland Lee and starring Charles Laughton; The Last Chance directed by Leopold Lindtberg and starring Ewart G. Morrison; Blood on the Sun directed by Frank Lloyd and starring James Cagney; A Walk in the Sun directed by Lewis Milestone and starring Dana Andrews; The Black Book directed by Anthony Mann and starring Robert Cummings

At Sword's Point with Cornel Wilde and Maureen O'hara (Import Edition) (Ntsc Format, Region 1, Playable in North America)

Average customer rating:

Valiant Maureen
Best Version of the Three Musketeers.

At Sword's Point with Cornel Wilde and Maureen O'hara (Import Edition) (Ntsc Format, Region 1, Playable in North America)
Director: Lewis Allen
Manufacturer: Best Movie Collection
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000MZN2O4

Product Description

Brand new, factory sealed, DVD manufactured in Taiwan. NTSC Region 1, playable in North America. Full screen color image. Original English dialog. Optional subtitles in Chinese or English do not appear unless you go to the subtitles menu and turn them on. On screen menus are in English and are easy to use. Cast includes Cornel Wilde, Maureen O'Hara, Robert Douglas and Gladys Cooper. The following review appears in Amazon for the VHS edition: "We were in our Cornel Wilde phase when we bought this video. And, granted, Wilde is a sumptuous feast for the eyes in the film. A champion fencer before he burst onto the entertainment scene, he struts his stuff here, performing his own impressive stunts to perfection. Maureen O'Hara, deservedly dubbed the Queen of Technicolor, is an undeniable vision, with her flashing green eyes and her lush red hair. She portrays the daughter of Artho, a famed Musketeer, and she is easily the match of any man with a sword. Admittedly, the storyline is an intriguing one, with the beseiged Queen of France summoning the sons (and, unbeknownst to her, one daughter) of the original Musketeers to rush to the aid of her beloved country. And, while the climactic uprising of the oppressed French populace stirred us in this, our own, era of powerless citizenry, I must warn you that the film plays like something at a kiddie matinee. The plot is simplistic and the acting stilted. It is beautifully crafted, however - an innocent trifle worthy of a rainy afternoon viewing."

Customer Reviews:

Valiant Maureen.......2007-05-22

How valian she was.This movies were the best one.She fascinated me by her red head ,grean eyes and voice as tin bell.

Best Version of the Three Musketeers........2007-03-23

This is the best version of the Three Musketeers. An all-star cast; Alan Hale Jr., Cornel Wilde, and Maureen O'Hara. Well cast, good action, a lively pace, a good story, and charm.

I wish they would make this 1952 version available on DVD. (Also known as "Sons of the Musketeers"). 64 votes so far, at TCM (Turner Classic Movies) shows many other customers asking for this film on DVD too.

I also highly recommend "The Three Musketeers - 1939" with Don Ameche.

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