The Royal Hunt of the Sun
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Movie Reviews of The Royal Hunt of the Sun
Movie Review: Only a fair print of a great film
Summary: 4 Stars
This great movie is based on the incredibly successful stage play. The movie was not a big hit for some reason, despite incredible performances by Christopher Plummer as (believe it or not) the "brownie" Inca King Atahuallpa and Robert Shaw as Pizzaro. The script is a blatant condemnation of mass murder and slavery as condoned by the church. It also touches on the social issue of whether life in the world of the Inca -- where each person's life was planned from birth and no one wanted for food or shelter -- is better or worse than life under a monarch or even in a democracy. The Incas traded individuality and freedom of choice for programmed lives; the film lets the viewer make up his or her own mind on this. A third, more subtle theme is the intensity of the bond Pizzaro forms with the captive Inca king. It verges on the homoerotic, which is an interesting take, particularly considering the historical facts. When Pizzaro refuses to execute Atahuallpa, De Soto asks (sarcastically) if he loves the Inca king. Pizzaro responds by admitting that if he does not love Atahuallpa, there's no chance he'll learn of it anywhere else.
Thus we have a beautifully filmed movie with a great screenplay, great music/singing, and acting. The only thing missing is a good, clean copy of the film!!!!! I've seen video copies and this dvd copy, and all of them have skips, a few scratches, occasional color distortion, and too-quick cuts in them. Hopefully someone will give this excellent film the remastering it truly deserves, until then, this is the best available video version. It will irk you a few times when a word is lost or the film jumps too quickly from one scene to another, but if you are willing to tolerate these minor irritants, you'll love the film itself.
Movie Review: Great movie, terrible DVD transfer
Summary: 4 Stars
A really good movie with strong messages, Royal Hunt of the Sun is one of those rare gems that, I feel, didnt recieve its due (be it screenplay/script, acting, or costumes). Mostly authentic in costumes and to a large part attitudes of the day (the early 1500's), it was a movie I had seen in the theaters long ago that fed my already burgeoning interest in all things history. It tells the story of Francicso Pizarro (Shaw) and his treatment of/relationship with Atahualpa(Plummer): Incan Ruler and Sun God of his people. Based on a play, the story is chock full of morality nuggets: the evils of racism, the value of your word and standing up for what is right, and to some extent, the role that god plays in our lives and our beliefs. All this within the historical context of events that would shape the world and our 'advancement' in it. All actors play superbly. Chief among them of course are Robert Shaw and Christopher Plummer (Spoiler ALERT to a touching scene: of note is when Atahualpa, after having the word God written on the nail of his index finger, discovers the power and importance of reading and writing. He finds out that Pizarro is illiterate and challenges them to learn this wonderment together. This simple act of innocence touches Pizarro and is a subtle but great dramatic scene). A great film, but the transfer is horrible, with some words being cut out and a lack of picture clarity at times due to scratches in the film. There are no subtitles or extras either. I hope that a better copy is made, but like Atahualpa, wont hold my breath (if you see the movie, you will get this inside joke). If you are a fan of historical dramas, Shaw or Plummer, and not daunted by sometimes poor quality DVD transfers, then go ahead and purchase it.Movie Review: Opposites attract
Summary: 4 Stars
Translation of a play to the screen is sometimes problematic because stylized action is accepted on the stage as an abstraction of larger movement, but when this same stylized action remains in the film, the work takes on a surrealism that may interfere with the intention of the film-makers. The same criticism applied to dialogue that is acceptable on the stage despite over-dramatization, but in a film it appears as over-acting and can be distracting. This movie is based on a very successful stage production but the translation to film was somewhat awkward.
Christopher Plummer does an excellent job as the Inca King Atahuallpa, appearing trim, slim, dark, and athletic. His slender tall frame is that of a ballet dancer and thus is perfect for the other-worldly Athahuallpa. Robert Shaw is at his best as Pizzaro. He is a bundle of masculine enterprise, an agent for state and church and self. These two figures are meant for each other, or at least Athahuallpa was meant for Pizzaro to awaken hidden doubts and unquestioned concepts and repressed emotions - of course Athahuallpa is destroyed in the process. Shaw and Plummer bring a slight bit of homoeroticism to the play, actually strengthening its many layers of meaning. The film reveals that 17th century Spanish Catholic explorers were exploitive and the implication is that the church and the state play a major role in this exploitation. The screenplay is vivid and intellectually challenging.
The film quality is a bit poor with jumpy editing that even cuts dialogue short. This was distracting since the dialogue was strong.
Movie Review: Pizarro and Atahualpa
Summary: 4 Stars
Unusual for its relatively sympathetic portrait of Pizarro (Robert Shaw), usually regarded as one of history's blackguards, and with an over-the-top Atahualpa played by Christopher Plummer. Great cinematography.Movie Review: Good film, medium quality
Summary: 4 Stars
Looks like tape-ripped but acceptable quality. It hoped that it had subtitles in Spanish, but single it comes in English. If you like Apocalypso, New World or The Other Conquest, you'll enjoy that.