The Sword of Doom - Criterion Collection

Amazon.com

Boasting some of the most impressive swordplay in the history of samurai epics, Sword of Doom is a visceral masterpiece of violent style and powerful substance. Illustrating the timeless adage that "an evil soul wields an evil sword," this highly stylized classic is driven by the fierce and fearsome performance of Tatsuya Nakadai as Ryunosuke, a sociopathic samurai whose soul--and sword--are vicious instruments of evil. Having mastered a highly unconventional style of fencing, Ryunosuke welcomes an exhibition match at a fencing school run by master swordsman Shimada (Toshirô Mifune, in a small but pivotal role), where he kills his opponent after promising not to. Flagrantly violating all codes of honor, Ryunosuke eventually finds himself challenged from all sides; even his own henchmen rally against him, and director Kihachi Okamoto stages confrontations that are as beautiful as they are graphically violent. As Ryunosuke descends into pure, bloodthirsty insanity, Sword of Doom ends with a freeze-frame that's unforgettably intense. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Wandering samurai Ryunosuke lives his life in a maelstrom of violence. A gifted swordsman—plying his trade during the turbulent final days of Shogunate rule—he kills without remorse, without mercy.

Customer Reviews:

Not bad but far from the Greatest.......2007-09-09

This movie is far too over rated. It's entertaining for a bit but ultimately really leads no where. Some alright sword fights and scenes but not the great hype that many would make it out to be.

A good story.......2007-07-11

It is a very good movie, who liks the motion o sword will like this movie. The mind of a man to dicide to live witn devil or to live with the glory is just within a second. This mivie tell us the man ( Ryunosuke )has the best skill of sword but has a evil mind, to kill without mercy untill the evil took him away.

A classic of the samurai genre.......2007-06-21

As those of you familiar with the genre might expect, Sword of Doom depicts tremendous violence. Most of the swordplay is highly stylized, but if seeing 20+ swordsmen cut down is not your cup of tea, you might decide to pass on the film. In a way, that would be a shame, for this film speaks not just to Japanese culture and history, but to universal themes of evil and revenge.

The movie stars the incomparable Tatsuya Nakadai as a heartless--some might even say sociopathic-- samurai who has mastered a non-standard, unorthodox style of kendo or fencing. Perhaps it is his unorthodox style, or his ruthlessness, or both, but he has been kicked out of his kendo school. This establishes him as a ronin, or masterless samurai--in our nomenclature, a lone wolf.

The movie is set in a time of social dissolution and turmoil, the early 1860s, when the feudal order which had held sway over Japan for over 200 years was breaking apart. The Meiji Restoration of 1868 restored social order by dissolving the Shogunate in favor of the Imperial household. (In practical terms, a ruling-class oligarchy was established.)

Thus later in the film, Nakadai's mistress bemoans his lack of standing, commenting that in earlier time, he would have had his own kendo school and they could have lived comfortably. Instead, Nakadai is forced to hire himself out as a political assassin for a pittance; he consoles himself by drinking prodigious quantities of sake (rice wine).

Early on, Nakadai dispatches an unarmed elderly man and shortly thereafter, an opponent in what was supposed to be a non-lethal match. (In exchange for her favors, he'd secretly agreed with his opponent's wife to throw the match. Alas, the cuckolded husband tried to dispatch him, forcing Nakadai to kill him.)

These unsavory scenes establish Nakadai as ruthless, amoral and maddeningly difficult to kill. Nonetheless, the outlines of his own unorthodox code of conduct are visible. The elderly man had been praying to be released from this life; overhearing the gent's plea to Buddha, Nakadai took it upon himself to grant the man's stated wish via his sword.

And Nakadai held to his bargain with the other samurai's wife, allowing the match to be a draw, until his opponent tried to kill him with an illegal move. But there is a karmic consequence of these needless killings, and a subplot of revenge is set in motion, building our anticipation of a classic showdown in the final reel.

But our expectations are foiled. I won't give away the ending, except to say it is not the one-on-one "good guy versus bad guy" showdown we are led to expect, but a harrowing melee in a burning Japanese house in which Nakadai takes on the entire clan who'd engaged him as a sword-for-hire.

Online sources say this "unsatisfying" ending results from the film originally being planned as the first of a trilogy. I respectfully submit that the filmaker designed this movie to stand on its own, and deliberately chose a very 1960s "anti-expectation" ending.

This final climatic sword battle--truly one of the great action sequences of world film, in my humble view--is unleashed by a betrayal (the clan tries to kill Nakadai) and a ghostly visit by Nakadai's victims, who haunt him to the edge of madness. One online reviewer scoffed at this haunting (shall we also then dismiss Shakespeare's Hamlet?), but ghosts (obake, spirits, etc.), animism and various superstitions are key elements of Japanese culture. That Nakadai's descent into madness begins with a haunting is essentially Japanese.

Those of you who are Japanese or who have lived in Japan for years may disagree, but I see this film as a critique of the Japanese reverence for mastery--an unplanned, subconscious critique or a conscious one, I can't say. Acting legend Toshiro Mifune plays the master of another kendo school, and in a meeting with Nakadai he proclaims that "The sword is the soul. Study the soul to know the sword. Evil mind, evil sword."

For his part, the Nakadai character exclaims, "I trust only my sword in this world. When I fight, I have no family." That is, he has no loyalty to anyone but himself and his mastery of the sword. Mifune's comment--the sword is the soul--embodies the ideal of mastery; in Japan, masters of craft are revered as Living Masters.

Mifune is proclaiming a moral truism: if the heart is evil, so too will be the mastery. But Nakadai's character also expresses an ideal of mastery--that of one unbound from loyalty and obligation to anyone or anything but the mastery itself.

Perhaps the theme many Japanese viewers would identify is this: mastery without loyalty and duty is inherently unstable and ultimately dangerous.

one of the great samurai classic in black and white.......2007-05-08

there was one of the most fearsome swordsmen in this movie, but he was too evil and too self-centered. he lost his soul and his sword to the evil vanity, killing innocent men and women with extreme prejudice. when what he wrongly did past chased and caught up to him, he fell a victim to his past wrongdoings and himself. the inconvenient consequences or solely destroyed by his conscience? or simply put, a karma? you have to watch it and judge by yourself. another 'what goes around, comes around.' living case too strong to be ignored.
toshiro mifune played as the pure and honest sensei with such a larger than life persona, another wonderful performance. tatsuya nakadai, of course, the actual leading role of the evil spirited swordsman, did an almost perfect, award winning role to portray that japanese macbeth and juda-like stone cold killer.
two women characters in this dark film also did great jobs to portray a miserable and helpless situations of the women in ancient japan.
a perfect screenplay with a perfect production team.

Nakadai Crazed!.......2007-01-19

This film shows us Nakadai as an insane killer. If you enjoy swordplay films, if chanbara is your thing, you will dig this.

A Film By Hiroyuki Nakano: Samurai Fiction

Average customer rating:

Not cool.
Awesome!!! A real samurai story
Modern Classic
Cowboy Samurai?!
This is one Creative Movie....

A Film By Hiroyuki Nakano: Samurai Fiction
Starring: Morio Kazama , Mitsuru Fukikoshi , Tomoyasu Hotei , Tamaki Ogawa , and Mari Natsuki
Director: Hiroyuki Nakano
Manufacturer: Tokyo Shock
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00009V7OB
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Description

Heishiro, a noble Samurai, sets out in search of the renegade who stole his clan's treasure and killed his best friend. Heishiro should be able to hold his own against the villain Rannosuke, who has only killed hundreds of men and fought entire armies while simultaneously defending himself against dozens of deadly ninja assassins. This is Samurai Fiction. Don't believe everything you see in Chambara movies!

Customer Reviews:

Not cool........2007-08-10

Not cool at all. I've seen most of the early Samurai movies and if you are a true fan you will not like this. Everything about this movie- from the fake B&W to the stupid jump cuts is just bad and silly. No drama, just parody of convention. It's like a 6th grader watched too much Quentin Tarrantino and Kurosawa, (both of whom I love), and tried to make a movie. The music choices are dumb- the camera angels are ridiculous. Not good-bad. Bad-bad.

Awesome!!! A real samurai story.......2007-06-18

If you like people flying around and play fighting then don't get this!! This is how the samurai fought, thought, and lived. Great cinematography, music and storyline!! I never get enough of this one!

Modern Classic.......2006-08-04

Do you like anime? You'll love Samurai Fiction. This movie is a wonderful movie inspired by anime creativity, classic themes, but with modern humor and action.

Cowboy Samurai?!.......2006-07-13

I love this move because it is unique. Somehow, this sentence says it all. This is a unique movie and very original, even it is somehow a parody but also a serious one about Samurai movies. The whole movie is B&W and the actors are sometimes playing like in a 'silent movie' with strong, overdone expressions esp. Tamaki Ogawa. However this is not overdone and the movie itself is IMO far away from being too serious. In fact it is hilarious and fun to watch. I have to admit that for people who do not know very much about Japanese culture, this movie might be boring and senseless. This is not a martial arts movie even there are some fighting scenes in this movie. They story is told using a valuable sword stolen by the incredible Tomoyasu Hotei, who acts in this movie as the villan and wrote most of the music for this movie too. He also wrote the IMO unforgettable music for the big battle in 'Kill Bill 1'.
If you can lower your expectations and let yourself dive into the story, watched some Kurosawa Samurai movies before and share a general addiction to Asian culture, you should give this movie a try and I believe, you will be positively surprised. For the real lover of Japanese movies this DVD comes in the only way, it is suitable for the fan: Original Japanese language with English subtitles. If this annoys you, put it back on the shelf.
For all others, highly recommended. It features a wonderful love story, some criminal story and how the underdog Samurai can beat the master Samurai in the best sense of a drama.
For me, this is an absolute gem and stands for it's own. As I wrote at the beginning: Unique.

I am writing this here, because you can't buy this movie in Germany but I can order it in the US and I highly appreciate that I can do this and Amazon is just a very reliable company. I am not paid to write this, it reflects my true opinion :-)

This is one Creative Movie...........2005-11-29

I have watched many samurai movies and I am a huge fan of the genre. This movie uses many different styles to tell it's very simple story.
The music ranges widely. The film, though set in the past, has a modern feel to it. It's also very funny (the guy who keeps appearing/ dropping from the cealing and nearly falling over). The actors do a good job and are believable. Overall, a very fun, watchable movie. If you are into the genre, you'll like it even more.

Average customer rating:

No Dances With Wolves
Why are there not more A.Native films on DVD?
Cheyenne Warrior - great movie
Just an old-fashioned love story...
Cheyenne Warrior

Cheyenne Warrior
Starring: Kelly Preston , Bo Hopkins , Dan Haggerty , Clint Howard , and Rick Dean
Director: Mark Griffiths
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
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ASIN: B000BRMML2
Release Date: 2005-12-26

Amazon.com

In the 1870s, pregnant Rebecca (Kelly Preston) and her husband are on their way across the West when they stop at a trading post. Her husband's naivete (and his prized Henry rifle) soon leads to his death at the hands of a ruthless buffalo hunter, and the proprietor of the trading post (Dan Haggerty) is killed as well. Cheyenne warrior chief Hawk (Pato Hoffman) is wounded in the fight with the buffalo hunter, and Rebecca helps nurse him back to health again, opting to stay at the trading post rather than go along with Hawk. Hawk returns to his tribe, but comes back to the post when Rebecca's baby is due (undoubtedly having figured out the date and put it in his Palm Pilot). Together they form a strange sort of love-hate affair and learn to get around their cultural differences, at the cost of Hawk's affiliation with his own people. There are problems with the script and direction of this movie; for instance, the baby sort of disappears for a prolonged period, and Rebecca seems to get over her husband's death within days. Still, there is the spectacular Colorado (?) scenery and considerable attention to period detail in clothing, weapons, etc. Pato Hoffman is excellent as the Cheyenne Hawk; why isn't this actor better known? --Jerry Renshaw

Description

It was a romantic time of adventure in the old west as the country erupted into Civil War. In the midst of the chaos, a love story like no other unfolded. Rebecca Carver (Kelly Preston), a young, expectant mother, and her husband are attacked by a gang of vicious outlaws while traveling west. With her spouse brutally murdered, Rebecca is left stranded in a remote post. There she finds a fierce Cheyenne Warrior badly wounded by the same band of savage cutthroats who killed her husband. What follows is a tender story of love and revenge triumphing over fear and prejudice.

Customer Reviews:

No Dances With Wolves.......2005-11-06

This movie was in part inspired by the success of Dances With Wolves, and I think many people, such as myself, have sought to watch this movie with the hopes of having an experience comparable that we had watching it. Unfortunately, Cheyenne Warrior is nowhere near as good. The dialogue is not all that great, in particular when it comes to Pato Hoffman's attempts to sound like an Indian speaking English. And the acting can only be classified as average at best. Sadly, with a little effort in regards to camera work and script, this could have been a much better movie.

Why are there not more A.Native films on DVD?.......2004-03-31

This film is so exciting and the DVD is full of interesting details about the making of the film, where and how it is made and the details about the disputes over the script were fascinating-I would be giving it away if I told you what they were. Pato Hoffman was perfect as the vibrant cheyenne warrior chief Hawk, where has he been all my life ? Where is he acting now, as I cannot get Naturally Native and The Sentinel on DVD ? I have now bought Geronimo and Wild Bull to see him in action but it would be great to get more recent details of where he can be found as his fan website seems out of action.
This film is great value and has the sexiest actor I have seen in a long time.

Cheyenne Warrior - great movie.......2003-09-18

Just a quick note to say that I thought this was a wonderful movie. It was entertaining and believable at the same time. I admit I had to break out the tissues at the end.

I also really enjoyed the producers/directors' commentary on the DVD. Usually I find them boring, but this one held my attention and I found myself wanting to ask questions about some of their comments.

I have since either rented or purchased all of Pato Hoffmann's other works that I have been able to find.

Just an old-fashioned love story..........2002-01-28

Cheyenne Warrior is a beautiful love story with humour and heart-stopping moments. Pato Hoffman is simply gorgeous and Kelly Preston, whilst struggling with some daft dialogue at times, can still manage to portray emotion in the right places most of the time. ( Note I put Mr Hoffman first - he deserves it!)
A feel-good film that I put on the TV on a grey, rainy day whilst snuggling down into a comfy sofa with a large glass of wine to alternately cry or sigh into! Knowing the ultimate, desperate fate that awaits the Cheyenne of this era there must surely be material there for a subsequent film on Hawk? Especially in this time of renewed interest in the injustices perpetrated against those people?
Buy this film and watch it when you're on your own and don't have to succumb to pressure to agree it's corny ... it's just an old-fashioned love story - enjoy!!

Cheyenne Warrior.......2002-01-09

To whomever wrote the first review...too bad you ruined it for us by revealing the ending.

Average customer rating:

An OK serial with great Rin Tin Tin action
Lightning Warrior

The Lightning Warrior
Starring: Rin Tin Tin , and Maynard
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000G8P1MS
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Customer Reviews:

An OK serial with great Rin Tin Tin action.......2007-06-02

As serials go, this is pretty typical of what you would see in theaters back in the 1930's - a story presented as weekly serials roughly 15 minutes in length. The action all revolves around a mysterious cloaked figure that has convinced the Indians to attack the settlers in the valley if they don't vacate their settlement by the new moon. At stake are a number of rich mines that the settlers have been working. The brother of a murdered federal agent, a local orphaned boy, and Rinty are working together to discover the identity of the cloaked figure before the Indians attack. The only big name in this film besides Rin Tin Tin himself is George Brent as the brother of the murdered federal agent, giving a somewhat wooden performance compared to his later work for Warner Brothers.

The story is fairly pedestrian, but if you love watching the original Rin Tin Tin in action, this is only one of a few films I know of on DVD where you can still see the great German Shepherd star. Another is the 1925 silent film "Clash of the Wolves" that is on the DVD set "More Treasures from the American Film Archives". Supposedly, Grapevine Video has "Where the North Begins" (1923), "The Night Cry" (1926), "Tracked by the Police" (1927), and "The Lone Defender" (1930) all available on DVD-R. Unfortunately, this 1931 film has not been restored at all. The video is in bad shape in spots, and there is considerable hissing in the audio. However, I would say it is nothing worse than what you see on those public domain 50 Movie Packs. Even as a teenager Rinty still had it. The dog actually did seem to "get" the concept of acting. In a couple of scenes I really thought I saw him do a double-take! Plus there are quite a few good action scenes involving Rinty. If you are a Rin Tin Tin fan I recommend this DVD in spite of its technical flaws due to the film's age.

Lightning Warrior.......2007-01-03

This serial shows Rin Tin Tin in his elder years. It is a must for Rin Tin Tin fans.

Average customer rating:

Giant Fun!
a movie i recomend
BOB STEELE vs THE UNKNOWN GIANT
Battling Baer
"It's cold dead stare is watching...YOU"

Giant from the Unknown
Starring: Ed Kemmer , Sally Fraser , Bob Steele , Morris Ankrum , and Buddy Baer
Director: Richard E. Cunha
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
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ASIN: B00004Y7HP
Release Date: 2000-10-24

Description

A hideous monster from beyond the grave! A small California mountain community is terrorized by a murderous monster that is stalking the townspeople and savagely murdering them. The undead thing is believed to be the incarnation of an infamous Spanish Conquistador who was killed in the mountain during an Indian raid. Filmed in scenic Big Bear, California, this drive-in thriller is the first film effort of '50s cult filmmaker Richard Cunha and one of the last films of monster make-up artist Jack Pierce (Frankenstein, The Mummy).

Customer Reviews:

Giant Fun!.......2007-05-17

This is the type of film you'd see on your favorite horror host show. "Giant from the Unknown" is a very good film that gets overlooked a lot. If you ever find the film on TV..watch it! or better yet, buy it!..and see for yourself, that this film is truly different than your average cheese horror film. Highly Recommended!

a movie i recomend.......2007-03-27

I HAD FORGOTEN ABOUT THIS MOVIE. I SAW IT WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER. THESE OLD HORROR MOVIES REALLY TAKE ME BACK.
THE COPY WAS GOOD, PICTURE CLEAR AND SOUND GOOD. SEEING MY FAVORITE TV STAR FROM CHLDHOOD WAS GREAT. GOOD OLD BOB STEEL WAS DIFFERENT NOT IN A WESTERN FOR A CHANGE.

BOB STEELE vs THE UNKNOWN GIANT.......2007-02-12

The story...Strange deaths, animals, humans, ripped up...Hero is suspected because he trespassed on victim's land. Scientific-type & daughter arrive looking for vanished conquistador & befriend hero. Buried conquistador revives & goes on killing spree...
Great location ( Big Bear, Ca.) shooting, PRISTINE PRINT that looks as though it were shot yesterday, & former cowboy hero Bob Steele as the top law officer make this a MUST-HAVE for 50's Horror/Sci-fi fans!!!!
I enjoyed this...my wife enjoyed this ( & she's not partial to this stuff...).
The end scene at the "mill" was shot at the same location used for so many Roy Rogers, etc. B-Westerns...Republic Mountie Serials & others...
GREAT STUFF...NOT TO BE MISSED!!!

Battling Baer.......2006-08-23

Just as corny kewl as I remembered it. Great locations in the San Bernardino Mts.

"It's cold dead stare is watching...YOU".......2004-03-24

So says the coming attraction trailer on this chiller theatre opus
Terror strikes a small mid-west community in the form of a spanish
7-ft tall conquistdator reawakened from a suspended animated sleep by a freak lightning bolt.

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

No Dances With Wolves.......2005-11-06

Why are there not more A.Native films on DVD?.......2004-03-31

Cheyenne Warrior - great movie.......2003-09-18

Just a quick note to say that I thought this was a wonderful movie. It was entertaining and believable at the same time. I admit I had to break out the tissues at the end.

I have since either rented or purchased all of Pato Hoffmann's other works that I have been able to find.

Just an old-fashioned love story..........2002-01-28

Cheyenne Warrior.......2002-01-09

To whomever wrote the first review...too bad you ruined it for us by revealing the ending.

The Three Stooges - Volume II (Uncivil Warriors, Three Missing Links, Micro-Phonies)

Average customer rating:

The Three Stooges - Volume II (Uncivil Warriors, Three Missing Links, Micro-Phonies)

Manufacturer: Columbia Pictures
ProductGroup: Video
Binding: VHS Tape

Product Description

That zany trio - Curly, Larry, and Moe - in three vintage shorts filled with the madcap antics that made them world-famous funnymen. The three episodes from this video: Uncivil Warriors, Three Missing Links, and Micro-Phonies.

Average customer rating:

Hogan does it again!
A sleeper!
A great rolling action charged movie with a 007 flair finish
Quite Good, Excellent Print.
This movie was great!

Shadow Warriors
Starring: Hulk Hogan , Shannon Tweed , Carl Weathers , Martin Kove , and Mike White (IV)
Director: Jon Cassar
Manufacturer: Spartan
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305921865
Release Date: 2000-07-18

Customer Reviews:

Hogan does it again!.......2004-04-10

If you're a fan of "The Ultimate Weapon" then you've GOT to see this movie! Its a really good film with a great cast. Carl Weathers is awesome in reprising his role from "Predator"- but I'd still love to see a Hogan/Schwarzeneggar action movie..
Watch this movie if you can get ahold of it, you're sure to enjoy it!!

A sleeper!.......2001-12-23

Do you like international kidnapping, former NAVY SEALS, muscles and a lot of military hardware not to mention a very pretty lady in your movies? I bought SHADOW WARRIORS taking a chance that it would be an action movie with some substance. After all, Carl Weathers and Terry 'Hulk' Hogan are a sure thing for plenty of action. And Shannon Tweed, well, she's great to look at! To my pleasant surprise, this is a very entertaining movie, fun to watch and worth the price.

A great rolling action charged movie with a 007 flair finish.......2000-10-14

Hulk Hogan was great, Shannon Tweed her beautiful self with some exceptional martial arts skills. This combination could have longevity if the same standard of supporting actors are included. The movie is a brilliant combination of numerous action and adventure movies that has the possibility of drawing the Hulkster passion following from the late 80's.

Keep them coming, with Shannon Tweed holding her beauty and the Hulkster in the shape he is in, the movie we can have Dad, Mum and the Kids, and the teenagers, the weekend warriors and every man going through midlife crisis who are looking for hope savilating for more.

This movie proves a good team combination with great directing can be there with the over paid box office stars and promoted gusto movies.

Keep them coming I love the experience

Quite Good, Excellent Print........2000-10-14

Entertaining movie for fans of Hulk Hogan and Shannon Tweed. The action is thick and fast and the humor is supplied by Martin Kove. DVD print excellent. Buy It!

This movie was great!.......2000-07-25

This movie was awsome! If you love action flicks, you should defenitly bye this one. Hulkster rules brotha!

Average customer rating:

An actual plot for a Steve Reeves film
this is the worst movie i have ever tried to sit through
A compelling, pretty darn impressive film
"When I grow up, can I go with you to kill the Russians?"
A Great Flick, BUT....

The White Warrior
Starring: Steve Reeves , Giorgia Moll , Scilla Gabel , Renato Baldini , and Gérard Herter
Director: Riccardo Freda
Manufacturer: Vci Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005UWA2
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Description

In an unusual bit of casting, muscleman Steve Reeves plays a Caucasian, Hadji Murad, whom the natives call the "White Warrior", who leads a small band of mountain warriors to victory over the superior Russian army of Czar Nicholas I. Based on a story by Leo Tolstoy, this is a spectacular epic from Italy's "cult" director, Recardo Freda, with photography by Mario Bava. Bonus Features: Movie Trailers| Scene Selection. Specs: DVD5; Dolby Digital Mono; 88 minutes; Color; 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 1961; SRP - $9.99.

Customer Reviews:

An actual plot for a Steve Reeves film.......2007-08-17

I got this film in the Warriors collection and thought it would be just another gladiator movie. It actually was good as a film. Not just mindless there was a plot. I really liked it.

this is the worst movie i have ever tried to sit through.......2005-07-27

i love steve reeves as Hercules..but this movie is horrible ...a sleeper.
dont buy it.

A compelling, pretty darn impressive film.......2005-05-23

When I say Steve Reeves, you immediately think of Hercules. There is more to Reeve's career than his Hercules roles, however (in fact, he really only made two Hercules films). The White Warrior, or Agi Murad il Diavolo Bianco, is a case in point. Based on a story by Leo Tolstoy, The White Warrior pits Reeves as a tribal chieftain fighting to defend his people from the aggression of Russian troops under Czar Nicholas I. Reeves doesn't exactly look like someone from the Caucasus regions, but he plays his part very well. I have to say I was actually quite impressed with this film, and I have more respect for Steve Reeves as an actor after having watched it. This, like most of Reeves' work, is an Italian film (hence the original title: Agi Murad il Diavolo Bianco), directed by Recardo Freda with photography by the great Mario Bava. It's too bad Bava's work cannot really be appreciated here, though, as this film is in great need of restoring.

Haji Murad (Reeves) doesn't take the persecutions of the Russians lying down; unlike his counterparts, he takes the fight to the Russians. While he wins the acclaim of his people, he earns the jealous disdain of Ahmed Khan (Renalto Baldini), who lusts for power as well as Haji's fair and beloved Sultanet (Giorgia Moll). After his greatest triumph, Haji is betrayed by Khan and captured by the Russians. Prince Sergei (Gerard Herter) tries to barter a peace deal with him, on the instructions of the czar as delivered by his wife Princess Maria (Scilla Gabel), but Haji, knowing that Russian promises are meaningless, refuses. His idealism leads Princess Maria to fall in love with him, but Haji wants only to escape and seek vengeance on Ahmed Khan, who has claimed the lovely Sultanet for his own and threatened to kill Haji's son Yussef (who, by the way, sounds exactly like Rocky the Squirrel).

There are some good fight scenes early on, although an impregnable Russian fortress far from lives up to its reputation. The final fight sequence, however, leaves something to be desired, as a Steve Reeves fuelled by righteous hatred has a fair amount of trouble taking care of a spoiled, smarmy traitor. The bulk of the film follows Haji's imprisonment in the palace of Prince Sergei and depends almost solely on the drama of Haji's situation and the feelings of Princess Maria for him. Sure, there's a decent flogging scene, but Steve Reeves came to act, not merely flex his muscles, in this film.

The story does not follow Tolstoy's original story all that closely, particularly in terms of the ending, but The White Warrior does succeed rather well as a compelling motion picture. Both Sultanet and Princess Maria are fascinating characters in and of themselves, and Prince Sergei, despite the moniker, manages to avoid coming across as a Russian Colonel Klink. A definite must for Steve Reeves fans, The White Warrior is a pretty compelling human drama that a majority of viewers should appreciate and enjoy.

"When I grow up, can I go with you to kill the Russians?".......2005-05-09

"White Warrior" (aka "Agi Murad il diavolo bianco") is actually one of Steve Reeves' better films, thanks to having an actual plot and a bigger budget than usual. Although the film is Italian and thus badly dubbed, it is still enjoyable to watch if you're a Steve Reeves fan. Set in the early 1850's in Russia, Reeves stars as Hadji Murad, the brave and feared leader of a group of rebels that are trying to defend their land against the ruthless Czar Nicholas I and his army. When the czar gets nowhere by slaughtering innocent villagers he sends the beautiful Princess Maria Vorontsova (Scilla Gabel) on a journey to help her husband talk Hadji, "the White Warrior", into a peace treaty.

But of course, once she meets the famous rebel leader she falls in love with him and becomes committed to helping him win freedom for his people. Hadji is set up by one of his rivals and is captured by the czar's troops. It is up to Hadji to find a way to escape before his luck runs out and he's executed by his captors, who try everything, including torture, to get the headstrong rebel to sign the treaty (which Hadji knows is a trick). I won't spoil the ending, but don't get your hopes up: the fight scene at the end was clearly done with a body double instead of Reeves.

After viewing the horribly cropped-image version that's already been released by several dvd companies, I highly recommend the widescreen VCI version, which presents the only true way to watch and enjoy "The White Warrior", in its original format. Steve Reeves, who died May 1, 2000, left behind a legacy of enjoyable, low-budget action movies that fans have enjoyed for decades. This is lesser-known but is easily one of his best films, despite its flaws. It was adapted from the novel by Leo Tolstoy, but don't expect a lavish epic like "War and Peace". The Russian military uniforms look for the most part like World War 1/Russian Revolution era rather than mid-19th century, and I was hoping for more battles scenes. Still, it's a guilty pleasure for any Steve Reeves fan!

A Great Flick, BUT...........2003-01-26

I've been waiting in anticipation for Steve Reeeves to finally come out on DVD, so it's nice to see his movies slowly but surely being released. This review is about the Platinum Disc Corporation version of The White Warrior, which was sent to me instead of the VCI version (...or by mistake). As I've mentioned in other Steve Reeves reviews, watching Italian movies can take a little getting used to, mainly due to the editing practices, in addition to dubbing the sound in after the movie had been completed; but this should not deter you from getting and watching some of these old classics. This was a Steve Reeves movie that I had actually never seen, and the plot line looked pretty good; so I was looking forward to receiving it. Unfortunatley, as much as I REALLY wanted to like this disc, I have a hard time recommending this version of it. The story is good, though there are a few slow spots in the movie, the acting is decent, and it's great to see Steve in this role; but it's quite obvious that the film stock used wasn't up to par. The decision to take an obviously widescreen movie and try to squish it to a TV format was bad enough; but it appears that no real effort was made to frame some scenes, resulting in times where you see only half the character's face, or some characters aren't even in the picture. Additionally, it looks like the picture was zoomed in or blown up to fit the TV, which resuilts in loss of clarity and washed out colors. At some times there are also discolorations, scratches and specks in the movie, along with minor sound problems; but this can be somewhat expected for a movie that's almost 45 years old and probably didn't have the best of archival care. If this is the only version you can get your hands on, then I'd say to give it a try; but I'm hoping that Amazon.com can get me the widescreen VCI version, and that it's of at least slightly better quality. Though I may sound repetetive in my Steve Reeves reviews, stuff like this needs to be said until it doesn't need to be said anymore: Some day I'm hoping to see a higher grade edition, with the film digitally restored, decent liner notes, and maybe a few extras.

Average customer rating:

Perplex'd in the extreme
In Context
Really Good, But Could Have Been Better.
Shakespeare Without Dialogue

Othello
Starring: Lya de Putti , Emil Jannings , Werner Krauss , and Friedrich Kühne
Director: Dmitri Buchowetzki
Manufacturer: Kino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Period Piece | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( O ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00005JA9C
Release Date: 2001-06-26

Amazon.com

Shakespeare's tragedy proves remarkably versatile in this 1922 adaptation, combining the Bard's passionate melodrama with the rich psychological underpinnings of Germany's silent expressionist cinema. Directed with intelligent economy by Russian expatriate Dimitri Buchowetzki, the film is brimming over with title cards, but only a few of them borrow from Shakespeare verbatim. In both plotting and written dialogue, this is a largely original interpretation, bearing closer resemblance to the 2001 teen drama O than to Shakespeare, emphasizing the ill-fated Moor's descent into jealousy and madness, brought upon him by the scheming Iago, played with delicious villainy by Werner Krauss of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari fame. As Othello, the legendary Emil Jannings plays to the cheap seats with crazed abandon, his bulging eyes about to burst from their sockets. It's the showmanship of a stage icon, but wholly appropriate to the escalating intensity of Shakespeare's play, the essence of which is admirably retained. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Rather than a literal adaptation of Shakespeare's tragedy, the film is more of a dark psychological thriller in the German tradition. Cavernous chambers and stony battlements cast shadows of impending doom upon Othello (Emil Jannings) and Desdemona as the Mephistophelean Iago dances about them, methodically destroying thieir happiness and steering them toward their bitter fate with impish delight. An ambitious silent version of Shakespeare's tragedy by Russian expatriate Dimitri Buchowetzki. Four silent Shakespearean shorts: Duel Scene from Macbeth (1905), The Taming of the Shrew (1908), Romeo Turns Bandit (1910) and Desdemona (1911); Essay by Douglas Brode.

Customer Reviews:

Perplex'd in the extreme .......2007-05-22

It's my impression that the original (presumably lost) German version of "Othello" was considerably longer than the American edition presented on this DVD. If so, the deficiencies of the surviving product may have been less apparent in the original cut. Well-funded German films of the early twenties can be leisurely in pacing and character development: an admittedly extreme example is Joe May's "The Indian Tomb" (1921). Submit such prolonged exposition to the "economy" of Hollywood editing, and the results can be the sort of histrionic gear-shifting epitomized by Emil Jannings' Othello. Be that as it may, viewers should resist confusing such anachronism with the finest acting of Jannings' period. In their surviving films, contemporaries like Rudolf Schildkraut and Conrad Veidt convey the psychosomatic identity of a character, and when a suppressed quality of the character is revealed, these performers reconcile such a disclosure with some traumatic occurrence or revelation. At his finest, John Barrymore achieves a similar impression. By contrast, Jannings is a throwback to the theory of theatrical "passions" - a theory sufficiently dominant even in the early twentieth century to impose emphatic pauses on a single soliloquy, signaling to the audience that a prevailing passion (e.g. love) was about to be abandoned for another (e.g. its opposite). In "Othello," Jannings adheres to four shopworn "attitudes" of face and body, each denoting a neatly segregated component of a supposedly functioning psyche. There is no visible connection between Othello the reverent suitor and Othello the lethal husband: the former is less statuesque than sepulchral; the latter resembles an Al Jolson understudy, goggling and grimacing his way through Act 2 of "Pagliacci." As Jannings shifts the portraits in his little gallery, a viewer's opinion of his fellow players is likely to change. At first, Othello's torpor seems preferable to the elemental wickedness of Iago (Werner Krauss), but once Jannings implodes into "jealousy," Krauss proves (as usual) the superior actor. Desdemona is quite affecting, if desperately clueless, and there is a coquettish Emilia by the versatile Lya de Putti. Cassio however is about as plausible a rival to Othello as Roderigo, and he isn't helped by impossible costuming that is carried over into the sets. In this Hollywood edition the title cards are incessant, implying that nobody in the house has the slightest notion not only of the plot but of the most transparent gesture or grimace. Whatever the original German cut may have been like, the one in this DVD is worth sitting through - once.

In Context.......2007-05-21

In the context that this is a silent film - so it loses the main attribute of Shakespeare, the words - cut to less than an hour and a half and it is of course literally spotty as most films of this age are, it's still highly interesting. Jannings is quite subtle and stately in the bookending scenes of the film; when he loses his mind he really loses it, and similar to Olivier over forty years later is over the top in an operatic style, which may be what the role calls for. The rest of the cast is very good for the style of the time, and often subtle, though why Iago has to slither behind pillars has never made any sense as he has the standing to be on the premises. What is unusual to this day in stage or screen versions is that the opening is really Venice and the rest of the play Cyprus (though less convincingly) and some kind of war is going on. Though incompletely achieved, this film is unique to my experience of the play in creating any of this. It is a small personal story in the middle of war and impending chaos. Jannings hits on two terrific qualities in his performance - Othello is sweet and naive with Desdemona; and he is just incapable of understanding Iago and his nature. I would have loved to have seen him on stage in the role, or with sound in a film. His murder of his wife is brutal (cut to be brief) and with it Jannings shows that a warrior's nature is to kill. If nothing else, his performance is a road map for future Othellos with better technology and a full script.

Really Good, But Could Have Been Better........2001-09-18

I was looking forward to this release of OTHELLO with the same sort of anticipation that I had reserved for Kino International's RICHARD III. Therefore I must confess that I found this DVD something of a disappointment which has nothing to do with the film itself but rather with the presentation. My biggest complaint is with the piano score written to accompany the film. It's not a bad score but it seems inadequate for the story and for the visuals especially after hearing Ennio Morricone's score for RICHARD III. An orchestral or chamber music score would have been more appropriate. There's also a considerable lack of information about the main feature. Where are the credits? Having said that I found the film itself a delight. While not a literal adaptation of OTHELLO, it conveys the psychological essence of the play quite well. This is after all a German silent with the appropriate visual look and stylised performances that are to be expected with such a film. The performances of Emil Jannings and Werner Krauss are simply marvelous especially Krauss whose Iago resembles the Mephistopheles that Jannings would portray in FAUST two years later. His remarkable resemblance to Terry Jones of MONTY PYTHON adds a little something extra for today's audience. It's interesting but not surprising that Lya De Putti as Emilia receives higher billing than Ica von Lenkeffy as Desdemona. Her relationship with Iago is far more interesting than that of Othello and Desdemona. Hungarian actress De Putti appeared in a number of important German silents including THE INDIAN TOMB and VARIETY. Ica von Lenkeffy, another Hungarian actress, has little to do except stand around and look pretty which is often the case with Desdemona on film. Director Dmitri Buchowetzki mixes potent visuals, close ups, and large scale crowd scenes to great effect. The print is less than perfect but is probably the best available and is still very fine. The supplements are a definite plus and here the piano accompaniment fits quite nicely. The 1911 DESDEMONA takes the top honors. The resemblance of Ronald Colman's A DOUBLE LIFE to it did not go unnoticed. Check out Biograph's 1908 TAMING OF THE SHREW for a rare glimpse of Florence Lawrence, the original Biograph Girl, who portrays Katherine. There is also early Max Linder in ROMEO TURNS BANDIT and interesting costumes in DUEL SCENE FROM MACBETH. All in all a valuable release and a must for silent film fans. It's really good but it could have been even better.

Shakespeare Without Dialogue.......2001-07-11

Othello is a fine adaptation of the famous Shakespeare play. The idea of Shakespeare without dialogue might seem perverse, but in fact works very well, not least because Shakespeare's stories are so good. Moreover a flavour of Shakespeare's language is preserved in the title cards. This silent version is quite a lavish production, with large sets, detailed costumes and crowd scenes, but what makes it really stand out is the quality of the acting. Emil Jannings was an incredibly versatile actor. At times he is barely recognisable from one role to another. He looks totally different in, for example, Faust or The Last Laugh and his style of acting also changes from role to role. Douglas Brode, in an essay accompanying the DVD, argues that Jannings was a theatrical actor, chewing the scenery in his portrayal of Othello. I would disagree and would suggest that Brode has missed some of the subtlety of the performance. Jannings uses subtle changes of facial expression to convey Othello's mood. His portrayal of Othello's tortured jealousy is nuanced and far from over the top. Werner Krauss also gives a fine performance as Iago. He portrays Iago as Mephistopheles, bringing humour and devilry to the part. Kraus is also something of a chameleon. Those familiar with the actor from his role in The Cabinet of Dr Caligari will not recognize him as Iago. His acting is a joy to watch. Ica von Lenkeffy, in the role of Desdemona, can't really compete with two of the greats of German cinema, but she holds her own and looks stunning.

The print used for this Kino DVD is not perfect. There is a fair amount of damage and there are some occasional jumps where a few frames have been lost. However the print is perfectly watchable and the damage does not really spoil the enjoyment of the film. This enjoyment is enhanced by a very good piano score composed and played by John Mirsalis. This score has some fine themes and fits in well with the action.

As a bonus the DVD has four short films with a Shakespearian theme. The first of these, Duel Scene from Macbeth (1905) is mainly of interest because it is such an early film. It lasts barely a minute. The second, The Taming of the Shrew (1908) was directed by D.W. Griffith, but I wouldn't say it is one of Griffith's best Biograph films. The third short film Romeo Turns Bandit (1910) is more interesting, partly because it stars one of the great early comedians Max Linder. Also it exhibits the stencil colouring process used by Pathé. Unfortunately much of this colour has faded, but enough remains to get an idea of the process. The last short film, Desdemona (1911), is the longest of the four and I think the best. The story is of a group of actors putting on Othello with the backstage action mirroring that of the play. The print of the film is in pretty poor shape, but it is a pleasure to be able to see the film at all. These bonus films really add to the DVD and make it a must for silent film fans.

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