Lorna Doone
|
List Price: Our Price: $12.99 You Save: $11.96 (48%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $6.99 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Lorna Doone
Movie Review: Beautiful production!
Summary: 5 Stars
A&E and BBC have produced a beautiful adaptation of the R. D. Blackmore classic novel. I was surprised and enthralled with the protagonists here, namely the talented Richard Coyle, but more on that later. Lorna Doone tells the story of John Ridd, an honest farmer who wants revenge against the Doone family for killing his father when he was a child. Then he reunites with beautiful Lorna, whom he met briefly when they were children. Now she's a beautiful young woman and falls in love with her. But then he discovers that she is a Doone. Will love override his desire for revenge? In the course of the story, we discover various secrets and mysteries, and John Ridd will not give up until he has sought revenge against Calver Doone, his father's killer and the man Lorna has been forced to be betrothed with.
This film has it all -- romance, intrigue, adventure, villains and tragedy. I read the novel quite some years ago, but I remember some of it and the film remained faithful to the book for the most part. I was entertained from beginning to end. I also like the backdrop of the Restoration era and the beautiful scenery of England and Wales. The acting is also great. The beautiful Amelia Warner is wonderful as Lorna Doone. I enjoyed the dark and handsome Aidan Gillen as the villainous Carver Doone. Carver is hateful and brutal -- the perfect villain. But the most surprising one of all here is Richard Coyle in his role of John Ridd. I know Coyle for his memorable role as the goofy and sex-obsessed Jeff in BBC's Coupling, one of my all-time favorite sitcoms. This role is such a shift from his comedic role of Jeff. In here, he is the proverbial hero -- handsome, honorable, conflicted and romantic. I am impressed with this actor and I look forward to seeing him in more productions in the future. Anyway, going back to the story, I loved the twist at the end and I was almost in tears. The acting during those scenes surprised me much. I recommend this A&E/BBC film. North and South remains my all-time favorite period drama, but this one will also be kept on the shelves to be watched again and again. There are faults of course. One of the actresses who plays John's sister had salon-perfect blond highlights in a film set in seventeenth century. Why some actors don't sacrifice their personal appearance for the sake of time period accuracy is beyond me. Also, the acting during the first stage of the film (when John and Lorna were children) is kind of poor. Things improve once the main characters come in. I also wish this were available in widescreen format. The full screen format isn't very good in a modern 16.9 LCD TV screen and the film's DVD transfer isn't so good either. Other than that, this is a definite must see!
Movie Review: "As long as Lorna will have me, I'll not abandon her."
Summary: 5 Stars
This epic production from BBC and A & E is simply outstanding, an underated gem that truly has something for everyone. Set in the beautiful English countryside, the movie opens with John Ridd (played by Richard Coyle) swearing vengeance on the ruthless Doone clan after his father is ruthlessly murdered by one of them. The Doone clan lives in a fortress in a swampland and terrorizes the local population, but beautiful Lorna Doone (played by Amelia Warner) wants nothing to do with her evil relatives. She meets John Ridd and it's love at first sight for both of them. Although they see the danger and risks involved with seeing one another, John will not give up seeing Lorna.
Their relationship is put at further risk by sinister Carver Doone (played by Aiden Gillen), who wants Lorna for his own...at all costs. He cares nothing for the fact that she doesn't love him, and he'll stop at nothing to make her his bride. When the aging patriarch of the Doone family, Sir Encor Doone (played by Peter Vaughn), dies, Carver becomes the new head of the family, and makes plans to marry Lorna. John rescues her, however, and takes her to his family's home, where friends of John are heavily armed and prepared to defend the two "lovebirds" from the Doone clan.
After a costly assault on John Ridd's home fails miserably, Carver stops his ruthless pursuit of Lorna, but only temporarily. Meanwhile, it is discovered that Lorna is no Doone at all but actually a royal heir to a vast fortune awaiting her in London. She is forced to go to London and her romance with John is furthur put to the test. The feud between John Ridd and Carver Doone finally reaches the boiling point and a huge battle between the militia (fighting alongside John) and Doone men results in the almost complete destruction of the Doone clan. Will John be able to marry Lorna despite their class differences? Watch and find out!
This outstanding film has great performances, especially from Richard Coyle and the lovely Amelia Warner, and the scenery of the English countryside is breathtaking. This excellent film has plenty of action, romance, humor, drama, and suspense. Modern films that are this entertaining are few and far between, so I suggest you add this gem to your collection!
Movie Review: Much More Than Your Average "Bodice Ripper"
Summary: 5 Stars
Set against the lavish and lonely expanse of the moors, this epic of "star-crossed lovers, unbridled greed, dark secrets, and ruthless ambitions" is a stirring and intensely romantic story for both classes... those who enjoy the action and intensity of war and revenge, and the lovers of period drama with wholesome messages and uplifting truths. It's more than a romance; it's a clash of good and evil, a fight for a country, and a passionate story of courage and redemption that has gained it thousands of fans worldwide. The cast is excellent... Amelia Warner lives and breathes the essence of Lorna, her innocence, her compassion, her youth; Richard Coyle is a lovable and heroic man well worthy of her affections; and Adian Gillen strikes a chill down your backbone with one glance from those tantalizing pale blue eyes.I went into it with low expectations, and it exceeded my highest regards and has well-earned the spot of honor on my shelf of movie classics. Compelling, romantic, haunting and with a shocking climax that will shatter your hopes and then restore them again in a breathtaking final sequence, it is a well-acted, well-produced, well-choreographed, well-directed, and well-scored masterpiece. In my opinion, the best A&E has to offer. My only complaint is the complete nonexistence of an accompanying soundtrack... I'd pay out fifteen bucks easily to own such a magnificent score, and more!
The DVD is a letdown other than that the color is vibrant and one can see more of what's going on around the main characters. The sound is excellent and the opening menu charming, but there's an absence of trailers, featurettes, even cast listings that would have made it an even better release. An excellent movie, sorely under-appreciated by A&E and the BBC who choose not to push it as well as they might have. I've recommended it to all my friends, even to the point of purchasing an additional VHS so they can enjoy it at home.
A beautiful story, and one that you can find worthy of your attentions and time. Lorna Doone is a refreshing change from the everyday romantic film, and what's more, offers you a breathtaking glance into a bygone era to boot. 5 stars, and a winner every time.
Movie Review: Superb Production by A & E
Summary: 5 Stars
This superb BBC/A & E production filmed in the English and Welsh countryside, is a haunting adventure and touching love story. The story line is quite a complex one and although it turns out happily, it keeps you on the edge of your seat right up to the very end. In fact you might want to keep a box of kleenexes handy! John Ridd's father was killed by the outlaw Doones when John was a boy, and his life complicates further when he falls in love with the Lorna, a member of this this evil family. The journey to find some way to be together is a theme throughout the movie. I did have to watch the movie for a second time before I completely grasped the many background details that motivated the characters. The romantic chemistry between handsome Richard Coyle and classic beauty Amelia Warner took my breath away. It's the best love story I've seen in a while and it contains so many beautiful scenes that I will want to watch over and over again. The movie has many contrasts such as the beautiful English/Welsh countryside - the dark and forboding scenes with the Doones, the ruthless and evilness of Carver - the extreme goodness of John Ridd. During the darker scenes there is a fair amount of killing and violence and so in my opinion the movie is most appropriate for mature pre-teens to adults. It is just over 2 hours and 20 minutes in length and so I was somewhat disappointed to find that the DVD contains only 14 chapters. The soundtrack is beautiful as well, but I believe that at this time it is not available to purchase. In closing, I would just like to say that I think this is a gripping story and I would highly recommend this movie. It really has something for everyone.Movie Review: A pleasant surprise!
Summary: 5 Stars
I had not heard of this production, so I had no expectations of it. I am a fan of the BBC literature miniseries, and the lead actor in this had a small, disagreeble role in "Wives and Daughters." What a nice surprise to see him in such a positive role, so charming and sincere. He is wonderful here, complex and layered.
I found this film to be an unexpected joy. The plot has many twists that went in unusual directions, the countryside vistas are gorgeous, it is like a rustic country vacation with a love story.
If you want to find faults, there are always some to be found. The villian is handsome but one dimensional - and what is up with the "soul patch" beardlette and the hair? The heroine is lovely, but really a bit too young to have the acting complexity to hold our interest for this long. One of the sisters has horrible modern highlighted blonde hair which many actresses have now, and it is the bane of period movies... why didn't they fix that? Some of the plot points are silly and expected, but still... overall, this is a delight, and the costumes, sets and villages feel authentic and isolated and real.
At the half way point, the story completely surprised me and took us to a different place. How fun. This film is also a rare one; in that I think BOTH my parents would enjoy it. It is enough of a man's story to hold my father's interest, but enough of a woman's story to keep it lively and lovely. Much of the action is outdoors at some locations which are part of a national preserve/park which lend a fairytale quality to the action, perfect for this legend of a magical romance in a very real world.
Completely enjoyable!