The Duellists
|
Our Price: $27.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $23.86 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of The Duellists
Movie Review: Superb, overlooked swashbuckler
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a superb film, one of Ridley Scott's best. His budget went towards magnificient costumes and locations, giving one the feel of Napoleonic France. Keitel and Carradine give maybe the best performances of their careers (certainly Carradine, Keitel was also wonderful as Houdini in "Fairie Tale") with fine supporting performances by Fox, Conti, and the late James Stephenson. But the real star is the excellant swordplay choreographed by William Hobbs. Whether it's saber duels or smallswords, the choreography is impeccably realistic, a far cry from the old-style fencing of Hollywood swashbucklers. If you're a fan of swordplay, this film belongs in your collection along with Lester's "Three" and "Four Musketters."Movie Review: Ridley Scott's best film
Summary: 5 Stars
Though the film is stunningly shot and edited throughout, especially the final duel and panoramic shots of the French countryside, the first 60 minutes are the most engaging part of the film. Both duellists are initially equally fanatical, but the film weakens, in my view, as Carradine's character becomes the good guy and Keitel's the bad. Even so, this difference sets up a beautifully deferred ending. The soundtrack is also first-rate. I wish Scott would stop using CGI to make historical films like Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven and go to back to purely celluloid film. This is film is on a par with Kubrick's Barry Lyndon. It's a mind-blowing debut that holds up amazingly well.Movie Review: Surprised me
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm not usually a fan of period pieces, but this one captivated me. Although Ridley went to great lengths, within his budget constraints, to retain authenticity of the era, the plot is not really about that period or place. It's concerned with the psychology and personalities of two main characters, both of whom are shown as complex characters, not merely strutting men of honor. Neither of them is pure evil or angel, and this subtlety of delineation makes the movie fascinating.
The photography is exceptional, and the commentary track (by the director) is one of the best I've heard.
Mine is a very strong 5-star rating, a grade I give sparingly.
Movie Review: I do advocate it *most* earnestly... ;]
Summary: 5 Stars
Halfway between playing a pimp in the immortal _Taxi Driver_ and portraying every other kind of legendary character, Harvey Keitel got involved in a Ridley Scott project with Keith Carradine and the rest is collector's edition history.
Set in France during the Napoleonic Era, two young soldiers get into a fight over the usual nonsense and their vendetta spans a generation. Great action scenes, romance and the scarcely believable (to me anyway) feat of capturing the _light_ of Central Europe... It has been called "a staggeringly beautiful film" and with that assessment I will not contend... Yes, "I do advocate it most earnestly" :)
Movie Review: Excellent Napoleonic Movie about duelling and men of honour
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great movie that spans throught the Napoleonic era from around the time of the Battle of Jena through Waterllo, and goes into the restoration. Beautiful scenes of European countrysides.Very good sword fights, even a sabre fight which is rare in western movies. Harvey Keitel puts through a powerful performance and so does Keith Carradine. Lots of icons of cinema like Edward Fox and Albert Finney. this was a time of honour when gentlemen duelled over the smallest and insignifcant reason. Very accurate Hussar uniforms. An a very good scene of he tragdey of the retreat from Moscow. No battle scenes though.