The Caine Mutiny (Collector's Edition)

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Humphrey Bogart is heartbreaking as the tragic Captain Queeg in this 1954 film, based on a novel by Herman Wouk, about a mutiny aboard a navy ship during World War II. Stripped of his authority by two officers under his command (played by Van Johnson and Robert Francis) during a devastating storm, Queeg becomes a crucial witness at a court martial that reveals as much about the invisible injuries of war as anything. Edward Dmytryk (Murder My Sweet, Raintree County) directs the action scenes with a sure hand and nudges his all-male cast toward some of the most well-defined characters of 1950s cinema. The courtroom scenes alone have become the basis for a stage play (and a television movie in 1988), but it is a more satisfying experience to see the entire story in context. --Tom Keogh

Product Description

This is a classic film of modern day mutiny aboard a Naval vessel based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Herman Wouk. The nervous and inept behavior of Captain Queeg (Humphrey Bogart) during maneuvers aboard the U.S.S. Caine a destroyer/mine sweeper attracts the attention of the ship's crew members and it's executive officer, Maryk (Van Johnson). When Queeg's neurotic behavior reaches a breaking point during a fierce typhoon, Maryk takes command of the ship. Queeg then retaliates by having Maryk court-martialed. In a tense courtroom sequence, Lt. Greenwald (Jose Ferrer), assigned to Maryk's defense, systematically breaks Queeg down on the stand. Maryk wins the case but the victory is short-lived as Lt. Greenwald reveals that the men have all been the unwitting victims of a deceptiveshipmate named Lt. Keefer (Fred MacMurray), who actually instigated the mutiny for his own purposes. An all-star cast makes this film one to remember.

Customer Reviews:

The Caine Mutiny.......2007-06-26

Dmytryk's stunning production remains one of our best war films, and courtroom dramas. A trio of outstanding performances distinguish it: an Oscar-nominated Bogart in one of his best turns as the embattled Queeg; Jose Ferrer, who almost steals the picture as whip-smart defense lawyer Barney Greenwald; and finally, Fred MacMurray, superb in the unsympathetic part of the cowardly Lieutenant Keefer. All hands on deck for this smart, salty classic.

Superb psychological drama set during WWII.......2007-06-15

"The Caine Mutiny" is a superb filmisation of the 1951 Pullitzer Prize-winning novel by Herman Wouk.

The clearly paranoid Caption Queeg (Humphrey Bogart) takes command of the minesweeper "Caine" and subjects his crew to his peculiar idiosyncracies. During a typhoon, however, Queeg cracks and is relieved of command by his Executive Officer Lieutenant Maryk (Van Johnson) who then goes on trial for mutiny.

Bogart is superb in the role of unstable Captain Queeg but Van Johnson is also excellent as the troubled Maryk - so too is Jose Ferrer as Maryk's cynical defence counsel. Fred MacMurray is in top form as the spineless Lieutenant Kiefer who eggs Maryk on, but doesn't follow through. There is a silly romantic subplot between Ensign Willie Keith (Robert Francis) and May Wynn as ... May Wynn (she took her screen name from this character) but this does not detract too much from the film.

The typhoon sequence is absolutely riveting, brilliantly realised by director Edward Dymytrk.

A richly rewarding psychological drama.

A True Masterpiece!.......2007-06-06

This the film to which "Crimson Tide" owes much as both have to do with a commanding officer having serious issues with his subordinate leading officer to the point where the CO is releaved of his command at the height of calamity on the ship.

This film enjoys that rarity in films wherein even the minor characters are well-drawn out and the major ones are as complex as they can get, especially in a military film. Humphrey Bogart may not have won his Oscar for this film (he did for African Queen), but this is perhaps his best and certainly most remembered role as the shell-shocked burned-out Captain of a busted-down ill-disciplined minesweeping vessel at the height of the war and a hurricane. Watching Bogart's Captain Queeg slow breakdown and his begging to his officers for help at one point is heart-wrenching. This is a surprisingly touching and emotional film.

The entire supporting cast is brilliant as well including Van Johnson who was never one of my favorite actors from this era, but performs here flawlessly as the second in command who eventually releaves his Captain by force. In addition, there are fine performances by Fred McMurray as the comic relief but also the sinister and arrogant instigator on the ship whose devious and self-centered motives push the story to it's inevitable and tragic conclusion, and Jose Ferrar is wonderful as the defense attorney for Van Johnson's character and he plays his role with bitingly sarcastic wit while he eventually learns to believe in his client in spite of his reservation. Ferrar's character even states that he would rather prosecute these "mutineers" than defend them as they had abandon Queeg when he needed help the most. Even E.G. Marshall's bit part as the prosecutor shows depth of character in the subtly ways in which he views Queeg on the stand during his breakdown.

The trial sequence near the end of the film is riveting and spawned it's own play later on Broadway. Watching Bogart's Queeg go from authoritative, confident, even arrogant, Captain to an emotional mess on the stand is awesome. The only other military trial scene that even comes close is Jack Nicholson's breakdown on the stand in A Few Good Men.

This film is nothing less than a masterpiece.

Improved picture and sound - easy to recommend.......2007-05-11

It's a tradition for television stations to show a selection of war movies over the Memorial Day holiday and it is fast becoming a tradition for the studios to release a slew of war themed DVDs to celebrate the contribution of the nation's veterans in time for the last Monday in May.
Special mention this year goes to Columbia who are releasing collector's editions of two classics that had already been afforded a release on those shiny silver discs.
First up is "The Caine Mutiny" which was first released on DVD back in late 1998. That bare bones version was widely panned for its poor transfer, which featured an overabundance of digital noise and was presented in basic stereo.
Those failings have been corrected for this most recent digitally remastered release. Here we are presented with a quite exceptional picture and soundtrack and a nice smattering of special features.
Based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Herman Wouk the film (which itself was nominated for seven Academy Awards in 1954) details the tension between the captain of a World War II era minesweeper (played superbly by Humphrey Bogart) and his crew. Bogart's character is overly paranoid and viewed by some as displaying cowardice in the face of battle.
Playing the part of the executive officer, Lt. Steve Maryk is Van Johnson who, spurred on by third in command, the spineless Lt. Keefer (Fred MacMurray), finally takes control of the ship when the safety of the ship and crew are threatened. Queeg's stubborn insistences to maintain the heading of the ship in a typhoon, flying in the face of good seamanship, forces Maryk to take action and he, along with Ensign Keith, are charged with mutiny upon return to port.
It is here that the movie truly shines. Reluctantly defending the two is the always-excellent Jose Ferrer, and the scene where he interrogates Queeg on the stand is spellbinding.
Complimenting the movie Columbia have added an interesting scene specific audio commentary by Program Director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center Richard Pena and filmmaker and producer Ken Bowser. The two detail the difficulties the filmmakers initially faced when confronted with an initially uncooperative Department of he Navy, careers of the actors involved and the context of the film in relation to a political environment that saw Hollywood filmmakers blacklisted.
Apparently the Navy has never had a mutiny onboard one of its ships (a fact which leads to the placement of a disclaimer to the beginning of the picture) and they were none too pleased with the fictitious account. However, following a change in command, they reversed their decision and offered the use of dockyards, ships, aircraft carrier and even real sailors for the movie.
Both Pena and Bowser return for the two-part documentary on the making of the movie. Running for 18:48 and 16:16 respectively they are joined by Film Critic Bob Castle.
The three begin by discussing the mood in Hollywood at the time. Apparently movie audiences declined rapidly from 1946 to 1962 with the advent of television and greater foreign competition and so a nervous industry was looking for a "sure bet." Producer Stanley Kramer had bought the film rights to "The Caine Mutiny" book before it became a bestseller for $60,000. The book was a major selling point that led to the producers being able to cast the movie with a strong ensemble. Castle mentions some of the un-credited roles to illustrate this and Bogart reportedly read the book and actively campaigned for the role of the captain.
Rounding out the special features are trailers for "Walking Tall: The Payback," "Hard Luck" and "Edison Force." None bear any thematic connection with the main feature.
Recommended

Important ethical questions with a solid cast........2007-05-05

This Collector's Edition is worth getting for the extras alone. They have a useful discussion about the increasing challenge of TV to Classical Hollywood in the early 50s a reference to Elia Kazan,"On the Waterfront" (1954) a HUAC "friendly witness" and Edward Dmytryk, the only one of the Hollywood Ten to turn around and name names. ~ Australians here may remember the (destroyer) Voyager Incident of 1964 ~ was she cut in half by the carrier Melbourne. Inquest witnesses frequently referred to quote: "a Caine Mutiny situation" aboard Voyager.

Anyway, The Caine Mutiny was made at the tail end of the "movie star era", so there's a danger of being dazzled by the "Boggie aura" and not being objective about the actions of the troubled Capt.Queeg, or even noticing the good job Bogart does in the role.

Fred McMurray too, has a powerful screen presence and he plays the devious Lt. Tom Keefer with a darkness not seen since his Walter Neff in "Double Indenity;" a complete contrast to his fatherly, "My Three Sons" personae. Yet McMurray's "star appeal" can also obscure his "thinking preformance" - he clearly lets you read every "shifty" thought on Keefer's face. Keefer only verbalises his true colors (no pun) when he "'fesses up" to a "yellow streak 10 miles wide," after Maryk corners him into seeing Admiral Halsey about Queeg.

There is an interesting association with cowardice and the color yellow here; we have Queeg, throwing the yellow dye marker in panic and running from duty and Keefer's calculating, "too smart to be brave" yellow as he runs from responsibility - who then, is the true coward and why?

Van Johnson is on "safe" ground; Lt. Steve Maryk, is an extension of his own affable, fair minded self, a qualilty that prevents him from understanding that Keefer's duplicity and deflected hatred of the Navy will make him legally culpable of mutiny.

José Ferrer is a commanding screen presence at any time, and he makes Lt. Barney Greenwald seem to have been there for the entire picture. Ferrer plays his final scene with intimidating indignation - he has been drinking he says, to assuage "his guilty conscience" and we learn for the first time of his dilemma in defending Maryk.

Still you can put meditations on the complexities of human nature aside if you want and take "The Caine Mutiny" as pure wartime action, but you'd miss the little payoffs. It took me a long time, for example, to notice one small give-away detail; the dismissal of Comdr. DeVriess (Tom Tully) as a "slack" commanding officer by the rather affectless Robert Francis as Ens. Willis Seward Keith. The J.G.'s assessment seemed valid enough - until I noticed DeVriess timing Maryk's, perfomance on the paravanes with a stop-watch!

DeVriess had the maturity and experience to know how and when to get the best out of his command, but he will not push his "tired crew" and "beaten up tub, that ought to be melted down for razor blades," beyond their frayed limits. A "slack" commander, Willie? Sometimes you just have to trust the man at the helm to know what he's doing, even if you don't!

The moral complexity of the mutiny on the Caine is further complicated by Queeg's honesty and humility before his subordinate officers after the "yellow stain" incident. Their rejection of his plea for help raises questions about professionalism, loyalty and subordination to lawful authority ~ explosive issues that Greenwald carefully avoids in the court-martial, but ones with which he vociferously confronts Maryk at the "joyful celebration" ~ "You're an honest man, Steve. Tell me, do you think it would have necessary for you to have taken command if you'd given Queeg the loyalty and support he deserved?" ~ (powerful stuff.)

The Caine Mutiny is great war film: good to see it out on DVD. Also the commentary track and the extra features have a lot on interesting information on the problems in Hollywood with falling ticket sales and the reasons why war films were popular at the time.
THe two extras on the blacklist and especially about Edward Dmytryk, the only one of the Hollywood 10 who eventually "named names," were interesting as well as references to Elia Kazan and his use of Terry Malloy in "On the Waterfront" to justify his own testemony before HUAC.

Mutiny on the Bounty (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Not accurate to history, long, very slow
not as expected
Mutiny on the Bounty 1962 ( Two - Disc Special Edition )
Greatest Sea Story at it's Greatest
Pretty Good Movie until the very End

Mutiny on the Bounty (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Marlon Brando
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000HWZ4C0
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Amazon.com

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip.... Based on the classic novel by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall, this magnificently-photographed three-hour tour charts the tortuous and tragic course of the Bounty, which, in 1787, sailed from England to Tahiti on a "grocer's errand" to transplant breadfruit plants in Jamaica. As the voyage progresses, tensions mount between the heartless disciplinarian Captain Bligh (a commanding Trevor Howard) and his chief officer, Fletcher Christian (Marlon Brando), who does not subscribe to Bligh's philosophy that cruelty with cause is not cruelty. Richard Harris costars as John Mills, an abused crewmember who plants the seeds of treason against Bligh. Mutiny on the Bounty is a see-worthy saga that boasts a provocative Brando performance (his Christian is initially so foppish he makes Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow look like Errol Flynn in The Sea Hawk) and great action set pieces (a raging storm as the Bounty attempts to navigate Cape Horn). And in how many did this film inspire dreams of sailing away to Tahiti? Brando was among them. He married his ravishing costar Tarita, and later bought himself a French Polynesian island. This "Special Edition" replicates the film's original prestigious road show presentation, complete with Overture, Intermission, Entr'acte, and Exit music. --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews:

Not accurate to history, long, very slow.......2007-09-08

This is easily the worst of the three versions. Its historical accuracy is terrible and for some unknown reason the writers simply made up details that just never happened in any account. The ending is not even close. I didn't think Bligh seemed as cruel as his actions indicated. Christian was interestingly interpreted but did not seem authentic. As a huge Mutiny on the Bounty fan, having read multiple versions of the books and seen all the movies, I would not recommend this to anyone. Rent the 1st or 3rd version if you are only going to see one.

not as expected.......2007-07-14

I read the reviews of Mutiny on the Bounty HD and decided to buy this one as my first HD DVD. I happen to love the movie. Both this edition and the original. However, unlike other reviewers, neither of my HD players would play this movie. I returned the first one and explained the problem. I was sent another one, but it also would not play. One player showed "NO DISC" and the other just showed "BAD". I am extremely disappointed, to say the least. My players play all other DVD's. I ordered the right region. I wish I could say more.
ACTUALLY, I CAN SAY MORE: I AM AN IDIOT. MY PLAYER WAS NOT AN ACTUAL HD PLAYER, IT WOULD ONLY UPCONVERT A REGULAR DVD TO NEAR HD QUALITY. WE THOUGHT WE WERE BUYING AN ACTUAL HD PLAYER. NOW, I WILL JUST BUY THE REGULAR VERSION AS IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES. BE AWARE AND NOT BE LEAD BY A SALESMAN TO BUY WHAT YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR!!

Mutiny on the Bounty 1962 ( Two - Disc Special Edition ).......2007-07-04

Big-scale moviemaking at its most exuberant , backed by som fascinating performance . 1787 HMS Bounty set out on a journey taht will take it through perilos seas to tropical paradise...and into history as the ill-fated vessel ever to sail for king and country . Lewis Milestone (1895-1980) directed this color-drenched spectactular , nominated for seven academy awards , including Best Picture . Filmed before in 1935 and again in 1984's *The Bounty* , the gripping story centers on two men . Marlon Brando (1924-2004) plays first officer Fletcher Christian as a dandy transformed into a man of action . Trevor Howard (1918-1988) is Captain William Blight , uncompromising in his command or his cruelty *Fear is (my) best weapon * , Blight proclaims . But it's also the most costly ,driving men to desperation and mutiny . Richard Harris (1930-2002) , Hugh Griffith (1912-1980) and Richard Haydn (1905-1985) also star in this epic adventure . Many special Features . High Quality Transfer..Recommended

Greatest Sea Story at it's Greatest.......2007-05-31

Having read the trilogy of books regarding the 'Bounty', not to mention many other historical accounts of the voyage, having spent over a year building its model out of wood, and having seen all three of the major production films, I consider myself to be bit of an expert on the subject of the Bounty. There is no doubt that this version of the movie is the finest. Brando captures the character of Christian just as one would imagine it to be, displaying a mixture of wisdom, sensitivity,wit, and toughness that Gibson and Gable can't match. Just like Connery is 'the James Bond', so too is Brando 'the Fletcher Christian'. Similarly, Trevor Howard plays the most accurate Bligh with a look that is convincingly right out of Nelson's navy, and an accurately menacing and unforgiving personna. And the scene where the Tahitians put on their dance, with the hauntingly beautiful drum beat, is simply not done better in any other film. You should watch all three film versions of this story as they all have their merits. But you will keep coming back to this one and that is what having this DVD is all about!

Pretty Good Movie until the very End.......2007-05-12

I like Marlon Brando as an actor. He's made a few turkeys in his career but there's no doubt that the man was a talented actor. In "Mutiny on the Bounty" I saw an opportunity for a really great movie because the story of the Bounty has been a favorite of mine since I read the "Classics Illustrated" comic book version of the trilogy (as a kid, of course). Although I was somewhat taken aback at Brando's appearance as a "dandy", I thought he did a good job as Fletcher Christian as did Trevor Howard as Captain Bligh. The bantering between each other was part of the excellence of the film. The rest of the cast was obviously chosen with care as well. The cinematography, the Tahitian location, the depiction of life at sea, all kept my interest even though the movie must have run about three hours.

My problem with this version of "Mutiny on the Bounty" had to do with the use of those three hours and the historically clumsy way the movie ended. Although the crux of the movie is obviously found in its' title, there were two other stories of that historical event of great interest as well. One was the amazing sea journey of the castaways (those that didn't mutiny) and the other was the il-fated future of the mutineers themselves. The first was merely hinted at while the second culminated in a dramatic act of moral courage that, historically, never even ocurred. I'll leave it to the viewers to discover for themselves what to make of the ending but, in my opinion, the truth told a much greater moral tale of what happens when orderly society is replaced with an aimless existance. There is much to be learned and bemoaned about those that found their way to Pitcairn Island. It is the real tragedy of the Bounty's fate; not the made-for-Hollywood substitution. Somewhere in those three hours a good director (and film editor) might have found a way to tell it.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection, Vol. 4 (Girl in Gold Boots / Hamlet [1961] / Overdrawn at the Memory Bank / Space Mutiny)

Average customer rating:

ONE OF THE BEST MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER VOLUME OF ALL TIME!
A Classic
Funny, Witty and just a bit (the good kind of ) Stupid!
Amazingly funny!!!!!
Everything I Touch Turns To Flies

Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection, Vol. 4 (Girl in Gold Boots / Hamlet [1961] / Overdrawn at the Memory Bank / Space Mutiny)
Starring: Sonny Chiba , Kappei Matsumoto , Shinjiro Ebara , Mitsue Komiya , and Ryuko Minakami
Director: Koji Ota , Neal Sundstrom , and David Winters
Manufacturer: Rhino Theatrical
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000TAYWA
Release Date: 2003-11-18

Customer Reviews:

ONE OF THE BEST MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER VOLUME OF ALL TIME!.......2007-08-18

I HAVE RECENTLY BOUGHT THIS VOLUME, AND I LOVE IT. EVERY SINGLE EPISODE IN THIS VOLUME IS SIDESPLITTINGLY HILARIOUS. GIRL IN GOLD BOOTS AND OVERDRAWN AT THE MEMORY BANK (WITH THE LATE GREAT RAUL JULIA!) ARE MEMORABLY VERY FUNNY. BUT THE CREAM OF THE CROP IS SPACE MUTINY. JUST TO GET THIS FILM IS WORTH GETTING THE WHOLE VOLUME! IT IS SO APPALLINGLY BAD THAT THE CREATORS AT MST3K REALLY LET THEM HAVE IT. I DEFINETLY RECOMMEND VOLUME 4 AND I ALSO HIGHLY RECOMMEND VOLUMES 9 AND 10. TRUST ME, THIS VOLUME IS IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO LAUGH.

A Classic.......2007-07-23

A manditory part of any misty's collection. Just think: "Overdrawn At the Memory Bank", "Space Mutiny" two very funny movies. others were pretty funny as well. One of the best sets yet!

Funny, Witty and just a bit (the good kind of ) Stupid!.......2006-08-07

This is a classic show! I used to watch these as a kid on the SciFi channel and they are just as funny now that I am an adult! The characters are great, and you will think that they made the movies up because they are just that bad... The best part about this, is that when my sister-in-law was a kid and these were on TV, she saw her favorite movie as the subject of one of them. I wont reveal which movie, but it is pretty funny when you recognise one of these!

Amazingly funny!!!!!.......2006-05-18

This is a great set. This was my first, but now I have 5 sets. I love MST3K!

Everything I Touch Turns To Flies.......2006-05-07

When MST3K came to the Sci-Fi Channel in 1997, it was understood that the movies up for MST'ing would be bad science fiction/horror movies (and let's face is, there are billions of them; at least a thousand are being made as I write this, I am sure). And the first two Sci-Fi seasons consisted mostly of science fiction and horror movies. But in its last season, all that changed.

Witness "Girl in Gold Boots." It's horrible, to be sure, but not a horror movie, unless you count the fact that the titular girl dances in a go-go joint called "The Haunted House." And if you are looking for a reason to buy this collection, this is the stand-out episode. Fanboys laud "Space Mutiny" as the best thing Mike, Servo and Crow ever did in the history of the show, and although I agree it is a fine episode, it is not my favorite. And I am not entirely comfortable with Mike and the bots riffing on Shakespeare, even if it is a stagy German film of "Hamlet". And God knows "Overdrawn At the Memory Bank" has its legions of fans and to this day I sometimes sing, "Come as you are to my mall, to my a-a-trium." But "Girl in Gold Boots" - consider it "Manos! The Musical!"

There is just so much to love about "Girl in Gold Boots." The movie itself - a kind of badly lit, badly written, badly directed, badly acted version of "Rebel Without a Cause," if James Dean's character had been a homicidal maniac and Sal sang bad folk songs and Natalie worked at a greasy spoon. What the movie wants to say, at least from the hilarious trailer included in the DVD, is that young people in the 60s faced many temptations - drugs, committing petty crime, dancing, oily club owners, girls not only in gold boots, but also in silver boots. But if they held tight to their beliefs, listened to their hearts and played their guitars in the rain, they could find the right path.

The riffing in "Girl in Gold Boots" is impeccable. My hat is eternally off to Tom Servo for his "Charles Manson is walking the streets/The Zodiac Killer's at large/Charles Bukowski is puking out the window/and Santa Claus is on his way!" during the epic drive into L.A. And how lovely of Crow to note Buz's teleportation into a scene in a bar with a snappy "I'm back!" and calling the trio "natural born cheapskates" as they decide how to divide up the bill. And Mike - Oh, Mike - he just had to ruin Buz's moment in the sun, marveling over his front-page worthy gas station heist in which he stole $40 and left the attendant slightly injured. Luckily the crime was committed on a day when L.A. was riot-free. Like wow, man.

I implore the powers that be to keep the Sci-Fi episodes rolling on DVD. Let's all collectively pray that "Riding With Death," "The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living And Became Mixed-Up Zombies," "The Agent From H.A.R.M.," "The Thing That Wouldn't Die," and "Werewolf" all make their way safely to one of these collections very soon.

Always remember: keep your silver bra filled with breasts!

Average customer rating:

Newer submarine movies
Washington and Hackman battle it out , and we win
Why can't they make more movies like this
Review from a REAL Submariner
Incredible Actors and Well Done Plot

Crimson Tide
Starring: Denzel Washington , Gene Hackman , Matt Craven , George Dzundza , and Viggo Mortensen
Director: Tony Scott
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
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ASIN: 6304765258
Release Date: 1998-02-04

Amazon.com

You can almost hear the studio pitch meeting echoing throughout Crimson Tide like the sonar on the soundtrack: "It's The Cain Mutiny on a nuclear submarine!" When radio communications problems aboard the USS Alabama prevent the sub from receiving its orders clearly during a tense confrontation with Russian warships, Navy officer Denzel Washington faces a huge ethical dilemma: countermand the orders of legendary Captain Ramsey (Gene Hackman) to fire nuclear missiles, or follow his command and risk launching an unprovoked nuclear war. It's really an actors' picture, and the fun is in the fireworks between Washington and Hackman, each of whose characters articulates solid reasoning behind his decision. There are no easy villains, and there's no easy way to tell right from wrong--that's what makes the nuclear stakes so terrifying. Director Tony Scott (who directed Quentin Tarantino's True Romance script) called in Tarantino to punch up the dialogue, which is why, for example, the sailors talk about Silver Surfer comic books. The digital video disc is in anamorphic widescreen; the sonorous underwater rumblings on the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack will provide you with a good opportunity to show off your system's bass response. --Jim Emerson

Description

Dynamic Denzel Washington (TRAINING DAY) joins Hollywood favorite Gene Hackman (ENEMY OF THE STATE) along with Viggo Mortensen (THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy) and James Gandolfini (TV's THE SOPRANOS) in this intense action thriller that's a smash hit with audiences and critics alike! In the midst of a global crisis, the USS Alabama receives an unconfirmed order to launch its nuclear missiles -- signaling the start of Word War III! The tension quickly rises as the sub's respected commander (Hackman) and his brilliant executive officer (Washington) clash over the validity of their orders ... battling each other for control of the sub! As this epic struggle rages under the sea, CRIMSON TIDE brings motion picture excitement to a new level -- and you to the edge of your seat!

Customer Reviews:

Newer submarine movies.......2007-07-26

Probably the 2nd best of the newer sub moview. I was not a big Denzel fan.
Just did not care for the roles he chooses to play. But he is a great actor and built a new wing for the army hospital in Texas a few years ago.
Plus he has played a few roles now where the race is not a main issue.
Good DVD quality.

Washington and Hackman battle it out , and we win.......2007-03-09

This is a very smart and tense "thriller" with great action and a very strong script about a sub out of contact with base and orders to fire or not fire nukes. Hackman is the captain and thinks they were ordered to Washington is his second and thinks they shouldn't. the drama and action flow from ideas instead of just mindless action. A great movie for people who like a little meat with their action.

Why can't they make more movies like this.......2006-09-27

Excellent movie. Seriously, why can't they make more movies like this? Smart, well-acted, very dramatic, exciting. I could go on and on. Just a very satisfying movie....each of the thousand times I have watched it. If I accidently come across it on TNT or HBO or wherever, I have to sit and watch it until the end even though I have it on DVD right there on my bookshelf! I can't walk away!

I love the beginning of the movie when they are boarding the sub, and they are standing in the rain while Hackman addresses the crew, and he has that little Q&A routine with the chief of the boat (George Dzundza). This scene really sets the tone. It almost made me want to join the Navy.

The battle between Hackman and Washington's characters is, of course, what the movie is all about, and they pull it off flawlessly. Very good work by both men. That said, all of the key charactors are interesting and well-acted. The director really pulls this movie together very well despite the many charactors involved (many of these guys are big stars now).

The great acting, the very exciting story, and edge of the seat drama just overwhelm whatever weaknesses or improbabilities that may exist in this movie. Great stuff.

Review from a REAL Submariner.......2006-06-17

I gave this movie 3 stars because ultimately, I was entertained. The acting (for the most part) was outstanding, and the tension that was created could be cut with a Knife.

That being said, Let me put some peoples mind at ease, and relate some of the inaccuracies of the movie.

1. No Animals on Board. Period. Lose the Dog and the Fish Tank. An aquarium would be a terrible missile hazzard, and a dog crapping and pissing onboard, not a chance.

2. The supply officer (James Gandolfini) would never be allowed near control. Nor would he have the ability to force a seaman or petty officer to do push ups onboard a bus. The Supply Officer is a "restricted" officer, which means they can not participate in "command" of the vessel. The "Chop" would simply be in charge of the ships stores and the galley, nothing else.

3. There is no countermanding a launch command. Period. If the CIC (The Prez) issues a launch, the birds are flown. All the fail-safe measures (authenticating the flash traffic) are pretty much spot on, yet when word comes down to launch, you launch. The Navy asks it's young submariners to be prepared to do the unthinkable, and are trained as such. As long as there exists the slight possibility that a valid order may be later recinded, you take away the confidence of the crew in it's orders. The safe guards regarding authorization and two person concurrance is designed to prevent a single officer from launching weapons.

However, once a properly formatted, and authentic order is received, it is expected that it will be carried out. To do otherwise would always give crew members a moment of pause, wondering when the order to stand down would occur. This hesitation can not exist. Thus once the birds are ordered to fly, they will fly, as certain as if the president had pulled the trigger himself.

4. While some submariners have been on the heavy side, the number of obese people seen on the boat is not consistant with a real crew. And I have never seen ANYONE as obese as the COB was in this movie.

5. There are no secret "crawl spaces" in which people can move around in. The boat is not that big. Thus, Hunter and crew would have had to navigate actual passageways to get to control, and would have run into whatever guards were stationed.

6. The "submarine" diving in the exterior shots was not a trident ballistic missile boat, but rather a Los Angeles Class attack boat out of Hawaii. I was in Pearl Harbor when the filming took place, and Pearl is strictly a Fast Attack sub base, with Tridents only coming once in awhile for a stop over after the end of a patrol. The boat shown in the dive footage was actually an LA attack boat, and not a boomer.

7. While boat commanders frequently run multiple casualty drills, there would never be a "weapons drill" run just after a potentially fatal fire. The boat commander is ultimately responsible for the boat, crew, and it's payload. No commander would brush off such a large conflageration and "run a drill" until the fire had been fully extinguished and the reflash watch reported no possibility of reflash existed.

8. Enlisted Submariners by nature are picked for their maturity and intelligence. Submariners, especially Nuclear Trained, are encouraged to "question" orders. The safety of the boat and the crew depends on each person being able to accurately determine if an order given is "lawful". The "boys" on board Alabama showed none of those traits. The fact that the "chop" could bully his way into the Captain's Quarters by simply yelling is a testament to the poor opinion the film makers had of enlisted men.

In a "real" boat, the "chop" would have been staring down the barrel of a .45 caliber handgun, and would have been wrestled to the deck while a "security violation" was reported over the ship and "away the security alert team" was sounded. Security on board a sub is so crucial, that there is a story in which a seaman actually ordered Admiral Rickover to kiss the deck face down because the admiral while wearing full dress whites, refused to show the deck watch his military ID. He was spot promoted to Petty Officer by Rickover himself.

So while my Sailor side has issues with all the inaccuracies and fairly poor treatment the military gets with this movie, I do find the movie suspensful, entertaining, and sometimes too close to comfort (the flooding sequence is a nightmare all sailors share)

So kudos to the film makers for making a slick, taunt, thriller, but thankfully, that would and could NEVER happen.

Incredible Actors and Well Done Plot.......2006-04-10

This is a simply amazing movie, and what makes it even more stellar is that we've had several fantastic submarine movies in the past - Das Boot and Red October come to mind. We've already seen the claustrophobic, booming power of being trapped in an underwater submarine. That this movie is able to make that closeness even more powerful - and draw us into a story that really grips you with its meaning - is rather impressive.

We begin with two powerhouses of actors, Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington. Gene is in charge of the sub; Denzel works for him. Gene is an unabashed alpha male, not unheard of in a commander. Denzel is intelligent and respects the chain of command. Suddenly, we're thrown into a situation where the sub *might* have been ordered to launch a missile attack on an enemy to protect the US. Unfortunately, the sub can't get confirmation. So either they shoot and risk starting WWIII for no reason - or they fail to shoot and leave millions of people open to slaughter.

The plot and dialogue is incredible because it explores all the shades of grey in the characters. There's no right or wrong. Both scenarios are equally plausible. Gene wants to do what he was ordered to do, to save as many lives as he can. Denzel is desperate to get confirmation rather than risk mistakenly starting a world war. Both men suck up the men around them into their sides. Nobody WANTS the war. Gene doesn't take pleasure in firing - but he sees it as a necessary action to save lives.

In such close confines, every person on screen makes a huge difference. This movie had not only two stellar top men, but also a fantastic supporting cast. James Gandolfini a la Sopranos. Viggo Mortensen a la Lord of the Rings. The music from Hans Zimmer is just amazing. He is a genius and can give incredibly subtle nuances to his works.

If I had to find something to nit-pick in this movie, it's that I don't think the sub scenes were truly "realistic". It seemed more of a Hollywood sub than a real working piece of machinery that trained soldiers were living in for months. I think Das Boot did an exquisite job of getting that sense across. But really, the sub in this case was a "set" for the dialogue and character development to happen in. It wasn't the showcase, and this wasn't a sub documentary. So I'm willing to accept that tradeoff, so that we could have as tightly woven a story as we got.

Sinbad - Legend of the Seven Seas (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Loved it!
Visually Stimulating
When the villainy is better than the heroics...
EXCELLENT FAMILY MOVIE
Underrated Gem

Sinbad - Legend of the Seven Seas (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Brad Pitt , Catherine Zeta-Jones , Michelle Pfeiffer , Joseph Fiennes , and Dennis Haysbert
Director: Patrick Gilmore (III) , and Tim Johnson
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Animated
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Animation | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0000C8AS7
Release Date: 2003-11-18

Amazon.com

Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, an animated adventure from the DreamWorks studio, has little connection to the original fables from the Arabian Nights, but it's an entertaining romp nonetheless. Sinbad (voiced by the midwest vowels of Brad Pitt) gets commissioned by the wicked goddess Eris (Michelle Pfeiffer) to steal a magical book called the Book of Peace from the city of Syracuse--but the prince of Syracuse turns out to be a childhood friend of Sinbad's. So Eris steals the book herself and frames Sinbad, making the hero sail to the edge of the world to get it back, accompanied by Marina (Catherine Zeta-Jones), a woman he's secretly loved for years. The movie skillfully blends hand-drawn and computer images. The storyline is surprisingly well-constructed and actually has some thoughts about friendship and personal fiber, while providing all the swashbuckling, derring-do, and cliffhangers you could want. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Loved it!.......2007-06-20

Great voices and great animation. Awesome adventure that is well thought out and well done!

Visually Stimulating.......2007-06-13

The character of Eros was the first I've ever seen drawn this way. You've got to see this movie just for that, but even further, it's an excellent story with great special effects.

When the villainy is better than the heroics..........2007-03-13

Reviewing Sinbad is a treat because I got to rewatch the movie, oohing and ahing over Michelle Pfeiffer's delicious voice-performance as Eris, as well as the equally villainous animation acting. In every scene that Eris appears in you get goosebumps--you find yourself on the edge of your seat--you realize you're hanging on her every word and action. Quite honestly, this is one of the best uses of hand-drawn animation I've seen in a long time--and don't get me wrong: I love nothing better than hand-drawn animation.
I'm just sorry to say that the rest of the movie wasn't as good. And I'm even more sorry to say that the main problem lay with basic story/character elements.
As I see it,this movie's flaw is this: DreamWorks (or, as I like to call them, DreamOrcs) made it. Every low and unfunny joke, every miscast star voice, every male-bashing comment and jibe, and every less-than-heroic hero would have been fixed were Ol' Jeffy (Jeffery Katzenberg) and Co. NOT in charge of this production. Every other joke was either something crude, something sexist, or something just plain low (I'm blaming YOU, DreamOrcs!). The main flaws were Sinbad himself and his love interest, Marina (again, a DreamOrcs decision). If they had been COOL instead of being loserly, this movie would have been great. All their dialogue together is boring and/or stupid, their interaction is mediocre at best, and they don't come off believably as their characters.
For example, Sinbad, though supposedly the captain of the ship and the leader of the crew, apparently doesn't do anything but shout orders--and that only at the very end of the movie. How he became leader is beyond me--he's not the most skilled, the fastest, the strongest, CERTAINLY not the cleverest--and he's not even a good leader. And Marina, though a princess/ambassador, knows how to swing across a ship with the greatest of ease (that daring young lady on the flying trapeze), as well as knowing all of the functions and features of the Chimera--such as blades--without even having inspected the ship. She's so superhuman, how is there tension in her having to steer through the Dragon's Teeth?
Music=awesome. How often do you hear a bassoon solo in the villain's theme? And how often do you really get that thrill of swashbuckling in the trumpet section? I mean, they didn't even throw in a blatant, annoying, unfitting pop song as they usually do! It's so refreshing!
As for visuals, the 3D is there in force, and is obvious throughout the film. If you're okay with that, fine, but it gets on MY nerves when Sinbad's hands don't match up with the helm he's turning.

This movie should be your typical DreamOrcs fare: low humor, low main characters, and talking down to the audience. However, Eris's performance, combined with the strength of the story elements and concepts (I mean, how can you make fighting sea monsters politically correct?), and the great music keep this movie from being as bad as their features normally are.

As a whole, I think it's worth renting frequently--but not buying.

EXCELLENT FAMILY MOVIE.......2007-02-06

THIS MOVIE IS GREAT FOR ALL AGES - IF YOU LIKE THRILL PACKED, ADVENTUREOUS AND EXCITING FAMILY MOVIES THEN GIVE THIS A TRY.

Underrated Gem.......2006-02-23

With plenty of swashbuckling action and wonderful visuals, "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas" is a wonderful tale for the whole family to watch. Much like its Dreamworks cohort, "The Road To El Dorado," "Sinbad" does have a couple of slight words, a bare bum and even a little romance. However, it is much more suitable for youngsters to watch in that the "romantic" content that seemed to bother some folks in "El Dorado" is hardly noticeable in this film if you're under the age of fourteen. Folks who linger on such thing will surely be turned off by this film, but they'll be missing out on a great adventure tale that will definitely please every youngster's dreams of heroism and high seas adventure.

Voiced by Brad Pitt, Sinbad is a likeable scalawag. Sure, he's a thief in the beginning of the flick, but he soon turns into a hero that any child could look up to. Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Marina, the saucy sidekick who ends up bailing Sinbad and his crew out of a tight spot. Other notable voices include Joseph Fiennes as Proteus, Sinbad's friend in a self-inflicted dire situation and Michelle Pfeiffer channeling her bad side a la "Batman Returns" and her character "Catwoman" to create a devilishly fun Eris, the Goddess of Chaos.

The story, simply put, is about Sinbad's attempt to recover the Book of Peace from Pfeiffer and clear his name of wrongdoing. Oh, and if he doesn't return the book in time, his best friend, Proteus, loses his head.

The bulk of the flick takes place aboard Sinbad's wonderfully drawn ship as he and his allies battle fierce sea creatures, sirens, and seek out the the literal edge of the world to recover the book from Eris. Though some of the CGI animation clashes with the handdrawn work, the story and action far outweigh this minor miscue. In short, you have a wonderful story that is well-drawn and worthy of multiple viewings.

If you or your family enjoy high sea adventure like that in "Pirates of the Caribbean" or cliffhanging adventure in the shape of "The Road to El Dorado" and the "Indiana Jones" flicks, you're sure to enjoy "Sinbad." I highly recommend this film for the family, though some parents may want to preview this before letting the tiny ones watch it.

Average customer rating:

In the nuclear world, the true enemy is war itself
Denzel + Hackman + a submarine
Tide is overwrought and strains credibility, but its solid entertainment
Would I Want An XO Like Him?
The film editor got it right the first time.

Crimson Tide (Unrated Extended Edition)
Starring: Denzel Washington , Gene Hackman , Matt Craven , George Dzundza , and Viggo Mortensen
Director: Tony Scott
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Hollywood Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000CDGVQ2
Release Date: 2006-05-16

Description

A stellar cast including Academy Award(R) winner Denzel Washington (2001 Best Actor, TRAINING DAY), Gene Hackman (1971 Academy Award(R) Winner, Best Actor, THE FRENCH CONNECTION; ENEMY OF THE STATE), Viggo Mortensen (THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy), and James Gandolfini (TV's THE SOPRANOS) resurfaces in a greater-than-ever Extended Edition of this intense hit thriller. In the midst of a global crisis, the USS Alabama receives unconfirmed orders to launch its nuclear missiles -- signaling the start of World War III! The tension escalates as the sub's respected commander (Hackman) and his brilliant executive officer (Washington) clash over the validity of their orders ... battling each other for control of the sub! As this epic struggle rages under the sea, you take command of edge-of-your-seat excitement and never-before-seen footage.

Customer Reviews:

In the nuclear world, the true enemy is war itself.......2007-08-25

After the 80's unthinking testosterone action movies, the 90's marked a real change in action ouput, even from the Bruckheimer / Simpson producing team - and so came about this unusually intelligent war movie.
Following in the tradition of classic submarine movies like `The Hunt for Red Octobe' or `Das Boot', there are all the traditional action notes you would expect - torpedo attack, flooding compartments, sinking towards crush depth etc., all done with the technical and editorial perfection you would expect from Tony `Top Gun' Scott. However, all the action is merely a backdrop for a real character study and moral dilemna.
Hackman's veteran Captain is of the old school, `I like things simple' approach. When unrest in Russia becomes critical enough for them to receive orders to launch their nuclear payload, he sets out to perform his duty. However, a second message is received - and it is incomplete, therefore can not be verified. The radio goes down, and the sub is now out of touch with the rest of the world. The `new school' Executive Officer played by Denzel Washington feels strongly enough that they should not follow through with the launch until the message is verified, leading him into direct conflict with the Captain and a tense, riveting and exciting showdown ensues.
The action is note perfect, but it is the acting that makes the movie stand out. Seeing Washington and Hackman `mano-a-mano', cannot fail to knock your socks off with its intensity. Indeed, all the actors have their moments to shine, including a pre-Lord of the Rings Viggo Mortensen, and an excellent George Dzundza playing `Chief of the Boat'.
One early scene encapsulates all that is good about the movie - in the officers mess, a philosophical debate occurs around the launching of the atomic bomb on Japan. Hackman defends the bombing, but Washington at the end of a verbal cat and mouse interplay, replies that `In the age of nuclear weapons, the true enemy is war itself. It is this conflict of ideas that haunts the movie, and the viewer, long after the movie is over. There are no out and out bad guys - just two principled men with different world views -surely there can be no greater drama.
The extended cut offers no substantial difference to the original, and seems to have little reason for existing. The scenes reinstated are almost all minor character moments, giving the minor characters in the movie more time to shine, and helping consolidate the feeling of camaraderie in the submarine, which makes the eventual schism that much more shattering. Other than that, there is a small documentary about the movie which is more promotional than educational. If you have not seen the movie, do so immediately. If you have seen it, and wonder if the extended cut is worth getting? I say don't waste your time.

Denzel + Hackman + a submarine.......2007-07-15

Does it get any better than this? Two of the finest actors of our age in a white-knuckle, bruised-forearm thinkfest!

Any film that can bring the world to the edge of nuclear holocaust, present a mutiny on an SSBN, and still take time to discuss a) Lipizzaner horses, their origins and color; b) Von Clausewitz' view of war; and c) which Silver Surfer was the best, must be seen.

The mutiny aspect is particularly well-played.

You want subtlety in a naval movie? Watch The Caine Mutiny.

This film is rock-'em, sock-'em, far-from-subtle Tony Scott filmmaking at its best. Script sweetening by Robert Towne and Quentin Tarantino only increase the movie's importance.

The "unrated, extended" parts are merely snippets here and there that add something but change nothing of the theatrical release.

Tide is overwrought and strains credibility, but its solid entertainment.......2007-06-05

What's a Jerry Bruckheimer film without people yelling at each other? We get that here, and as much as some of it is believable much is overwrought in this intense and compelling film that offers a scary look as what could happen when the commanding officer has serious differences with his second in command, his executive officer. The scenario is extremely believable, but all the "it's my sub", and "no, it's not, it's my sub now", followed by "no, it's my sub again" stuff does strain credibility.

The storyline owes a big thank you to Herman Wouk's The Caine Mutiny: A Novel and film version The Caine Mutiny (Collector's Edition) for its inspiration on how a subordinating officer attempts to replace his commanding officer. The script here is flawed in all the "take overs" that so easily happen on this sub, but the potential problem with conflicting commands within the story are a very real possibility. The film explores the problem in which the commanding officer and his executive officer differ on the interpretation and intentions of an interrupted/incomplete command they are given which could realistically begin World War III. It's a situation in which BOTH of them are right and exposes a real problem in the "chain of command" and "following orders" edicts the military lives by.

Although over-acted at times and containing some uneven writing (both trademarks of any Bruckheimer film), the essence of the story involving potentially conflicting orders is handled very well. The acting is compelling most of the time, the script proposes real-life possibilities, and the direction is smooth and confident. This is solid entertainment and surprisingly thought-provoking.

Would I Want An XO Like Him?.......2007-06-02

I dunno, but I feel that Denzel's character had an "attitude" that was, well, odd. I wonder what die-hard Navy types would say about him. And then would a nuclear sub have a commander as old as Hackman? This is an interesting film, but I would like to know how it would "play out" in the real Navy.

The film editor got it right the first time........2007-01-06

Crimson Tide is one of my favorite films, and I have watched it numerous times on my old VHS copy. Although I read some of the Amazon reviews before buying the new "unrated and extended edition", I did not want to believe that it wasnt worth buying. Well, I wish I had bought the original. The added scenes diminish the tightness of the original and add no needed content. The one bonus is that you can see the talent of the editor who was responsible for the first version.

Average customer rating:

Slightly Pedantic, but Fascinating story
The best version of all "Bounty" movies...
Mutiny on the Bounty
Swashbuckling!
Bligh, what a meanie

Mutiny on the Bounty
Starring: Charles Laughton , Clark Gable , Franchot Tone , Herbert Mundin , and Eddie Quillan
Director: Frank Lloyd
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00011D1OK
Release Date: 2004-02-03

Amazon.com essential video

The highlight of Mutiny on the Bounty is undoubtedly Charles Laughton's bracingly evil performance as Captain Bligh, a man so mean that he insists on having a dead sailor flogged. Bligh pushes his men beyond physical endurance, slashes their rations for his own profit, and drastically cuts down their frolicking time with scantily clad Tahitians. Finally, the moment everyone has been waiting for arrives: first mate Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable) hits his limit and all hell breaks loose. Gable holds doggedly onto his American accent through the entire movie, but in a way it makes Christian come off as a Regular Guy in opposition to Bligh's institutionalized cruelty. Once you get past the hurdle of his diphthongs, Gable makes an excellent Fletcher Christian--strong, fair, and noble, and he effectively conveys the struggle of a man who loathes the idea of mutiny but can't stand see his men mistreated. And Charles Laughton is just superb. His Bligh is thoroughly appalling, yes, but it's far from a one-note performance--when he is cast adrift on the open sea in a lifeboat and tries to make an impossible journey to land, you can't help but root for him. Mutiny on the Bounty won the 1935 Academy Award for Best Picture and picked up a Leading Actor nomination for each of its male leads. Check it out or be tied to the mizzenmast. --Ali Davis

Description

First officer Clark Gable and tyrannical captain Charles Laughton powerfully clash in this vigorous retelling of a true historic incident about a British ship commandeered from its brutal master. Franchot Tone also stars in 1935's Best Picture Academy Award(R) Choice.

Customer Reviews:

Slightly Pedantic, but Fascinating story.......2007-06-09

It is a fascinating story, and the acting remains top notch even if the style of story telling is somewhat dated. At times the story telling boarders on being pedantic, a trend which starts right at the beginning with the opening prologue.

"In December, 1787, H.M.S. Bounty lay in Portsmouth harbour on the eve of departure for Tahiti in the uncharted waters of the Great South sea.
The Bounty's mission was to procure breadfruit trees for transplanting to the West Indies as cheap food for slaves.
Neither ship nor breadfruit reached the West Indies. Mutiny prevented it--mutiny against the harsh eighteenth century sea law. But this mutiny, famous in history and legend, helped bring about a new discipline, based upon mutual respect between officers and men, by which Britain's sea power is maintained as security for all who pass upon the seas."

Like a lot of old movies, subtlety is not always this films strong point.

The prologue pretty much spells out the films plot (which I guess we kind of knew already anyway from the title). And yet it is 1 hour 2o minutes into the film before the mutiny takes place. And during that time you are just patiently waiting for what you already know is going to happen anyway.

During the first 1 hour and 20 minutes the crew is given no lack of motivation to mutiny. In fact "The Simpson's" parody, in which Captain Bligh seems to almost want the crew to mutiny, isn't too far off the mark.

The last 40 minutes of the film, which deal with the aftermath of the mutiny, is in my opinion the most interesting part. And a good history lesson to all us Americans ignorant of British naval history (although there are some historical inaccuracies in the film).

The best version of all "Bounty" movies..........2007-03-22

Of the three films about the famous "Bounty" ship, this version with Clark Gable and Charles Laughton I liked the best. In this version my feelings never swayed as to whom I liked (Gable and the ship mates) and whom I despised (Laughton).

Clakr Gable's Fletcher Christian was a light hearted man who was a friend to all. His shipmates looked highly upon him, even though many had been forced to join the long voyage. He was sympathetic with the crew's plight and often times tried his best to protect them from the many vast punishments. When Christian is fully fed up with the majorly unfair antics of Bligh and his mission, he finally decides to take command the Bounty. Christian, once he is in command, never looks back and takes his followers back to paradise on an unknown and uncharted island to live the rest of his days.

Captain Bligh is a military man to the bone who demands respect from all, and achieves it through his rough tactics, stern discipline and often times uncaring ways. He leads his ship with the Navy War Rules Book in one hand and a whip in the other. His actions can most certainly be deemed unfair, unjust and most of all harsh. Bligh feels that fear in one's Captain is the only way to lead and earn respect. In a way he almost seems to relish finding ways to "push a man's buttons" so he can then take out his Navy Rules War Book and give reason for punishment. His sole reason of mission first, duty second no matter the cost to ones health or life leads to the eventual infamous mutiny.

Unlike the other 2 "Bounty" films whose Capt. Bligh's at times came across as too sympathetic; Charles Laughton's portrayal of Capt. Bligh came off more aggressive, uncaring and unlikeable. It was easy to hate him and cheer his eventual downfall. A great performance.

The other "Bounty" films are good and definitely worth watching (especially Marlon Brando), but the best of the lot is this great black and white 1935 version with Gable and Laughton.

Mutiny on the Bounty.......2007-03-08

#86 on The American Film Institute's Top 100, "Mutiny on the Bounty" is one of the few films to receive only the Best Picture Oscar at the 1935 Academy Award ceremony. It's a film that begins slowly and then slowly builds to becoming a great masterpiece of film with terrific performances by Charles Laughton and Clark Gable. This movie proves along with "Gone With the Wind" and "It Happened One Night" why Gable is one of the most remembered actors. His charm and likeability is in top form in this film. I'm not a big fan of movies that take place almost entirely at sea (even "great" films like Master & Commander didn't rub me the right way), but "Mutiny on the Bounty" is an exception due to the great performances and the fact that once it takes off, it's pretty entertaining. Gable plays first officer Fletcher Christian, who in the opening of the film gathers up people to go aboard a ship called The Bounty. There they will dedicate two years of their lives to the ships, whether they like it or not. Christian and midshipman Byam (Franchot Tone) are nice enough but it's Captain Bligh (Laughton) that makes the ship a living hell for everyone. Bligh is a fat, ugly, mean man who takes pleasure in flogging his crewmembers and accusing them of things they haven't done. When he's caught in a lie, he responds by having the "catcher" flogged. Christian is smart enough to know that he has no choice but to tolerate Bligh's abuse, but Christian's temper is just as bad as Bligh's. Finally, he snaps and mutiny occurs on the Bounty...Although, I'm sure you probably already figured that out. It's little wonder that Gable, Laughton, and Tone were all nominated for Best Actor (they all lost to Victor McLaglen) for the first and only time in Oscar history, although the Best Supporting Actor category did not yet exist. "Mutiny on the Bounty" is not, in my opinion, one of the best films ever made. It is a great film that has aged better than a lot of films that were made 20 years after it and for 1935, a lot of the special effects are well done. This film is probably one of the littlest known films on that top 100 list, yet it deserves more viewings than other films on the list like "The Jazz Singer" and, dare I say it, "Ben-Hur." It won't appeal to everyone, but it's worth seeing for the performances alone. Both Gable and Tone are very likeable and charismatic, while Laughton isn't a character you love to hate. You just hate the guy.

GRADE: A-

Swashbuckling!.......2006-05-19

"Mutiny on the Bounty" is the fictionalized tale of an actual event whose repercussions are felt to this day. Captain Bligh is charged with sailing the Bounty to Tahiti to harvest breadfruit plants for transplant to the West Indies - what should ultimately be a two-year mission. He is commander of a crew made up of both volunteers and those pressed into service by His Majesty's Royal Navy, the latter group being significantly less enthusiastic about their voyage. Bligh's discipline often crosses the line into malicious sadism and as the months wear on, many in the crew begin to contemplate a mutiny which they execute shortly after departing Tahiti. Bligh is put into a small boat with those of the crew who remain loyal and performs the amazing feat of sailing 3500 miles over 45 days with very little provision. He eventually returns to Tahiti, where first mate Christian and the rest of the mutineers reside along with some of the loyal crew who wouldn't fit on the boat. Capture, return to England, trial, and execution ensue for some of the mutineers.

"Mutiny" is great not because of the acting - Laughton is tremendous as Bligh, Gable is only servicable as Christian, and Tone is poor as conflicted midshipman Byam - but because of the characters that make up the story. Those performances which are less-than-great are swallowed up by the flow of the story which you can almost feel as an inevitable force driving them all to their fate. Bligh is to mean to die, Christian is too noble to die, Byam is to honorable to die. But each receives a very different reward for their actions.

The supporting cast is very solid and really conveys the sense of frustration and anger that builds as time passes on the Bounty. The shots of the Bounty on the open ocean are magnificent and are easily the equal of those from "Master and Commander". However, the obviously anglo "Tahitians" can be pretty distracting to someone who's grown up in politically correct America. Still, it's a minor point, especially in the black-and-white format.

A true classic. Highly recommend.

Bligh, what a meanie.......2006-03-23

Great movie, I felt it was a bit slow at times. The performances were outstanding. I enjoyed seeing Franchot Tone. My wife really missed Gable's mustache. I really enjoyed the trailer at the end showing the descendents of the Bounty's crew still living on Pitcairn Island.

Average customer rating:

Not accurate to history, long, very slow
not as expected
Mutiny on the Bounty 1962 ( Two - Disc Special Edition )
Greatest Sea Story at it's Greatest
Pretty Good Movie until the very End

Mutiny on the Bounty (1962) [HD DVD]
Starring: Marlon Brando , Trevor Howard , Richard Harris , Hugh Griffith , and Richard Haydn
Director: Lewis Milestone , and Carol Reed
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

General | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

Drama | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000I2JKBU
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Amazon.com

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

Description

The Bounty is on a mission in the South Seas. The brutal and arrogant Captain Bligh becomes antagonized by the genteel manner of the First Officer Christian Fletcher. While in Tahiti, the men of The Bounty are seduced by the gentle beauty of the island and its women. As they head back to England, life aboard the ship becomes unbearable. Fletcher seizes the ship and Captain blight is set adrift. The Bounty returns to Tahiti to retrieve the women, and once reunited, they set sail for a new life.

Customer Reviews:

Not accurate to history, long, very slow.......2007-09-08

not as expected.......2007-07-14

Mutiny on the Bounty 1962 ( Two - Disc Special Edition ).......2007-07-04

Greatest Sea Story at it's Greatest.......2007-05-31

Pretty Good Movie until the very End.......2007-05-12