Treasure Island
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Movie Reviews of Treasure Island
Movie Review: "The Disney Version" is better than the novel.
Summary: 5 Stars
Don't believe it? Read the book. The reviewer who said "...every screen production I have seen comes across as a cartoon or at best, 'an animated feature'," wasn't paying attention.Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate story _is_ a children's fantasy. (Stevenson - whose grandson would later become one of Disney's "house directors" -- says as much in the book's introduction.) The principal characters are well-drawn and believable, but the story is 98% adventure. There is no _dramatic_ thrust to events. And it's told from the view of a 20-year-older Jim Hawkins, which tips off the reader that Jim is never in any real danger.
The emotional focus of the story is Jim's attraction to / repulsion by Long John Silver. In the novel, the adult Jim briefly acknowledges that he was attracted to Long John Silver as a surrogate for his recently deceased father, but turned away, because Silver is plainly untrustworthy. Stevenson fails to develop the relationship any further.
Not the screenwriters -- they bring it front and center. The story is now properly focused where it should be -- can Jim _really_ trust Long John Silver?
Silver is also worried about Jim, who plainly doesn't need "Piracy for Dummies" to recognize Silver is not altogether on the up-and-up. In a scene not in the book, Long John attempts to sweet-talk Jim -- one might even call it a seduction -- ending with the presentation of his parrot as a gift. The effect is subtly erotic -- especially as the gift comes from someone with such an obviously phallic name. (One is tempted to think Stevenson's name choice was deliberate -- he must have known how cabin boys were "mistreated.") And though Silver is married in the novel (to an unseen wife), the movie leaves his marital status unstated.
Long John Silver is a morally ambiguous character, and the film plays up this ambiguity. Silver alternates between protecting and threatening Jim, and you believe his sincerity in both instances. At the end, Jim is forced into deciding whether he should let Long John escape or be turned over to justice, completing the film with a solid dramatic "bang!" (The novel simply peters out -- Silver is taken captive, later wandering off with some of the loot.)
Robert Newton's interpretation of Long John Silver has always been controversial. There's no question it's totally "over the top." But that's how we expect pirates to behave, and it's how Stevenson wrote the character. I've seen "Treasure Island" several times -- Newton isn't simply chewing the scenery. His is a conscious interpretation, and he's in full control at all times. It's a great performance.
Movie Review: Thrilling Adventure/One of Disney's Masterpieces
Summary: 5 Stars
"Treasure Island" is one of Disney's masterpieces, a superb adaptation of the wonderful Robert Louis Stevenson novel which had one of the most vivid characters in history, Long John Silver, here brought to life in all his colorful glory and brio by Robert Newton. This is a fantastic production from stem to stern. Set in England in 1765, the period captured in beautiful Technicolor detail, it tells the story of young Jim Hawkins (Bobby Driscoll), working at the Admiral Benbow Inn in his mother's absence, who becomes in possession of a treasure map that pits him against pirates on a hunt for buried gold. The story comes alive with a cast of British character actors who are vivid and memorable and larger-than-life enough to appeal to kids and adults alike, ranging from Geoffrey Wilkinson as Ben Gunn (absolutely delightful, reminds me of "Dobie the Elf" from the "Harry Potter" series) to Newton, the definitive Long John Silver. Newton's crusty one-legged pirate with the terrific real parrot on his shoulder, complete pirate regalia, saucy wink and mannerisms (including his "Ahr! Shiver me timbers!") has never been bettered. There is also an interesting mutual respect and relationship that builds between Long John Silver and young Hawkins. I'd put it in a league with Errol Flynn's swashbuckling adventures. It isn't at all marred by the over-sugary element that can give some Disney productions tooth decay; there's actually some surprising, appropriate violence. Talented Bobby Driscoll, a clean-cut and cute Disney kid (and the only one with an American accent in the production), holds his own against this formidable cast to make a very appealing protagonist. On all counts- thrilling adventure for all, matey!Movie Review: A THRILLING DISNEY MASTERPIECE
Summary: 5 Stars
Robert Louis Stevenson's timeless tale of buccaneers and buried gold, TREASURE ISLAND was Walt Disney's first live action feature. Shot in England in 1949 with meticulous attention to production design, the film has striking scenes reminiscent of N. C. Wyeth's great illustrations. Wide-eyed, eager, and innocent Bobby Driscoll is a perfect Jim Hawkins and gruff, scary, and charismatic Robert Newton made stub-legged Long John Silver his own for all time. Sadly, there are no extras of any kind on this disc. The film has been restored (a few violent shots were cut in an earlier VHS release) and digitally transferred in its original, full screen, aspect ratio. It looks great. It's hard to watch the naturalistic performance of young Driscoll and not be reminded that 20 years later he would be found in a filthy, abandoned tenement, his dead body covered with needle marks. He was 32. He never recovered from the fame heaped upon him at such an early age. Treasure Island is a great film that honors Driscoll's memory and is almost true to the original story by Stevenson (there are some changes in the ending). Recommended.
Movie Review: One of Disney's Best
Summary: 5 Stars
There have been several movie versions of Robert Louis Stevenson's novel, going all the way back to the silent era, but I feel Disney's film is the best. Every version has a decent "Long John Silver" - among them Wallace Beery, Charlton Heston, Orson Welles, and even Mr. Magoo. But the entire mood of this film rests on Robert Newton's inspired "Long John". No other portrayal of a pirate has influenced more actors than Newton's, and his characterization has become the stereotype of every pirate performance ever since. Even a bit of "Long John" filters into Newton's portrayal of "Mr. Fix" in Michael Todd's "Around the World in 80 Days".One important note: The cinematographer on this film was Freddie Young, who would later win Oscars for his camera work in "Lawrence of Arabia", "Doctor Zhivago", and "Ryan's Daughter".
Though this is a Disney film, there are some moments which may be a little too violent for younger children, hence the "PG" rating. Far better for Disney to give us the complete movie as originally filmed than to whack the print with a cutlass.
A must for any collection of seafaring flicks.
Movie Review: Lackluster release of a classic Disney film
Summary: 5 Stars
There's no doubt about it-Disney's version of Treasure Island is a classic (particularly the iconic perfomrance of Robert Newton as Long John Silver, a role that people *still* identify as the quintessential pirate), and the restoration of this movie is pretty good, and that's why I've rated this disc 5 stars.*But*, the extras stink. Actually, who am I kidding? There are no extras! None, not even a trailer (like the oldest Gold Collection releases even had). There's no mistaking that this disc is meant as a tie-in to Trasure Planet, but you'd think that Disney, which has gotten *a lot* better with its DVD releases in the last 18 months, would put out a disc with at least cursory features (trailers, a classic short, and maybe some vintage intro or something by Walt himself). Apparently, I'm wrong.