HH DVD Reviews - SPOILERSRay Ellis reviews-will review HH. I hope you will enjoy this the same way I do.
DVD Review Horatio Hornblower Collector's Edition
Written by Ray Ellis
Published January 08, 2008
Part of The Hornblower Chronicles
Like every generation before us, we think we live in perilous times. And like every generation before us, we’re probably right. Social animals, after all, do tend to fight amongst themselves. What separated humans from other mammals was our need to justify our actions. Thus, we devised words like “loyalty,” “duty,” “courage,” and “justice” to reconcile our primordial needs. For centuries, it more or less worked. We knew if we went into battle risking limb and life, we were right, and the other side was wrong.
We’ve grown jaded in the 21st century. Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost sight of honor, loyalty, duty, and most importantly, civility. That’s why the release of Horatio Hornblower Collector’s Edition is an important, if largely unheralded, addition to a comprehensive DVD library. It’s a sweeping epic that’s a reminder of the unyielding power of steadfast ethics.
Drawing their inspiration from C.S. Forester’s novels, A&E’s Horatio Hornblower series of made-for television movies ran 1998-2003 on the cable network (it ran in Britain on ITV, and was simply called Hornblower). This DVD collection packages all eight movies together in one set. Together, they chronicle the unlikely rise of Horatio Hornblower from midshipman to commander during the early days of the Napoleonic Wars. It’s romantic high seas adventure on a grand scale, lavishly produced, unrivaled in movies made for television broadcast.
By virtue of visuals alone, Horatio Hornblower is an amazing work. Meticulous attention was paid to every detail of the production. From hairstyles to locations to the magnificent full-scale ships integral to the saga, the movies are imbued with a air of authenticity rarely seen in modern productions. There are no computer generated effects here, as there were in recent theatrical films such as Master and Commander. Rather, director Andrew Grieve and producer Andrew Benson eschewed such effects in favor of location shooting and full-sized ships wherever possible, even filming much of the series aboard the ships. Even the battle sequences where actual ships could not be practically utilized, were shot using exquisitely detailed miniatures at Pinewood Studios.
Of course, beautiful visuals mean little if not coupled with a gripping story and powerful performances. The Hornblower movies exquisitely deliver on both counts. The eight films chronicle the trials and triumphs of Hornblower as he rises through the ranks of the British Royal Navy without resorting to miniseries tactics. Each “episode” (lasting about 100 minutes) stands alone as a complete story independent of the other films. While it’s not necessary to see them in chronological order—or any, order, for that matter—they work together to paint an engaging portrait of a man resolute in his personal ethics against all odds. They’re not preachy by any means, but instead weave their themes within the stories in the tradition of classic filmmaking. Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic Four) portrays Hornblower with a perfect blend mannerly reserve and swashbuckling abandon.In his recurring role as Hornblower’s mentor, Captain Pellew, Robert Lindsay (Wimbledon) delivers an outstanding performance as a gruff but tender father figure who quietly charts Hornblower’s career. In fact, there are no weak performances in the series. Supporting actors play their roles with a vigor born of love for the content.
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/01/08/171722.php
Great review! Thanks for sharing, Annee.
Nice review. Thanks Annee. Maybe the collectors' edition will draw new attention to this worthy series.
In our dreams, GG ... :happy
We’ve grown jaded in the 21st century. Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost sight of honor, loyalty, duty, and most importantly, civility.
Yeah, it's sorta fun to see enemies call each other "Sir" --- even if it's spat out with contempt. :wink:
Nice find, Annee! Thank you!
Really lovely review, Annee, glad you posted it for us.
Nice to find a review (of anything) that I totally agree with! Avast me hearties! :sailor: :duel :Horatio wink:
Great article! Thanks for posting it!
That is a nice article on HH books and series, especially since it's been a few years since the series ended. And some real nice words for Ioan as HH.
Always like to see well-written reviews and kind words about our "Boy-o"!
THANKS Annee for the links!
A DVD collector pack?
So no Blu-Ray HD version... :waaah: :weeping
Hi Annee, Very nice indeed. Thanks for posting all of these items by the way. Enjoyed looking through them! Take care, Ship :Horatio wink:
That is a magnificent review. Very complimentary of Ioan's performance.
I like this reviewer's reason for watching Horatio........
"One way to communicate to youths about life challenges that lie before them may be to show them a movie about another youth going through changes: for example, the recently-released eight-disc set ``Horatio Hornblower: Collector's Edition (ACE).''
``Hornblower'' may not seem relevant at first -- the setting is the British Royal Navy at the outset of the Napoleonic wars -- but it appears more timely when one compares the Hornblower character, who is 17 when he goes to war, to the young Americans in the Iraq conflict.
It is hard to watch ``Hornblower'' without being swept away by the swashbuckling, which will be a plus for teens raised on seeing Johnny Depp in ``Pirates of the Caribbean'' films. Yet, while Hornblower proves himself through pitched sea battles, shoreline skirmishes, daring mutiny, prison escapes and the imposition of harsh military rules, he also experiences the universal challenges of disillusionment, loss and fear.
Hornblower, played by Ioan Gruffudd, of ``Fantastic Four'' fame, has the help of a personal moral code. As those around Hornblower follow their worst instincts, Hornblower displays honesty, loyalty, perseverance and selflessness. He shows mercy to a bully on his ship and kindness to a hateful captain who becomes hobbled by mental illness. Hornblower may not be born of royalty, but his character moves him to act in noble ways."
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/features-4/1223909530101010.xml&coll=7