Product Description

Academy AwardO winner* Kevin Costner triumphs as the legendary Sherwood Forest outlaw leader in this epic adventure bringing a 12th-century medieval world to spectacular screen life. Enhancing the sheer fun of this audience rouser are 10 added minutes of footage not seen in theatres especially more of the juicy malevolence and sinister background of Robin Hood's archenemy the Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman). Morgan Freeman Christian Slater and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio also star in this lavish production lensed in Britain and France where historic structures majestic forests and vividly realistic recreations of Olde England combined to create a world at once ancient and ageless.Running Time: 144 min.System Requirements:Starring: Kevin Costner Morgan Freeman Christian Slater Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio Director: Kevin Reynolds Interactive Menus Production Notes Theatrical Trailers Scene Access Languages: English & French Subtitles: English French & Spanish Dolby Surround Stereo Widescreen version presented in a "matted" widescreen format preserving the aspect ratio of its original theatrical exhibition Note: This disc must be "flipped over" to be viewed in its entirety. Additional Information Special Features: Interactive Menus Production Notes and Theatrical Trailer Video Format: Widescreen (no A.R. specified) Subtitles: English Spanish and French Track Info: English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround French: Dolby Digital Surround Closed Captioning: Yes # Discs: 1 Produced by Pen Densham John Watson; written by Pen Densham John Watson; running time of 144minutes; Closed Captioned. Copyright: 1991 Warner Bros.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE Rating: PG-13 UPC: 085391400028

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1380 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 1997-10-01
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 144 minutes

Amazon.com
Kevin Costner's lousy English accent is a small obstacle in this often exciting version of the Robin Hood fable. That aside, it's refreshing to have a preface to the old story in which we meet the robber hero of Sherwood Forest as a soldier in King Richard's Crusades, coming home to find his people under siege from the cruelties of the Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman). After Robin and his community of outcasts and fighters take to the trees, director Kevin Reynolds (Fandango, 187) is on more familiar narrative ground, and he goes for the gusto with lots of original action (Robin shoots two arrows simultaneously from his bow in two directions). Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, as Marion, makes a convincing damsel in distress, and Morgan Freeman brings dignity to his role as Robin's Moor friend. Alan Rickman, however, gets the most attention for his scene-chewing role as the rotten sheriff, an almost campy performance that is highly entertaining but perhaps a little out of sorts with the rest of the film. --Tom Keogh

From The New Yorker
A dull, dutiful trek through the legend of the bandit of Sherwood Forest, who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. Watching this picture is about as much fun as paying taxes, and far less stirring emotionally. We never feel that anyone involved in making this multimillion-dollar, two-hour-and-twenty-one-minute spectacle had any real affection for the story. The screenplay, by Pen Densham and John Watson, is a mishmash of halfhearted dramatizations of episodes from the legend and equally halfhearted nods to contemporary attitudes. If the movie had an exuberant spirit-as the 1938 "Adventures of Robin Hood," with Errol Flynn, had, in near-manic overabundance-we'd be more inclined to overlook the script's incoherence. But there's not much joy in evidence here. The direction, by Kevin Reynolds, is stolid and impersonal, and Kevin Costner seems miscast as Robin: he's not a forceful enough actor for this role. The merry men are an unmemorable lot; even Little John (Nick Brimble) and Friar Tuck (Michael McShane) don't make strong impressions, because they haven't been given anything interesting to do. (In this version, Little John loses his famous battle with Robin in the stream.) The audience seems to perk up only when Alan Rickman, as the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham, is on the screen. He gives a florid, theatrical performance-there's real glee in his malice. Also with Morgan Freeman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Christian Slater, Michael Wincott, and Brian Blessed (who's so vivid in his brief scenes as Robin's father that we wish the movie were about him instead). -Terrence Rafferty
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Nasty Agenda Driven Nonsense
The legend of Robin Hood is a myth but its based on a number of real political and historical issues. This awful mean spirited movie substitutes modern political notions for ancient ones.

The first modern agenda is the exaltation of blacks and moslems and the denigration of European whites. Simply put this is a racist movie. Morgan Freeman - an African American - is shown to be wise and civilized and the red headed Irish are portrayed as mindless savages. Not only is this offensive but it is bizarre. Islam to this day embraces the slavery of black Africans. Islam at the time of the crusades was not a place of racial harmony and enlightenment. Millions of blacks were marched across the Sahara for centuries. Most died. Those that didn't were given the most menial tasks. In Islam blacks were the least valued of slaves.

During the crusades, this movie would have you believe that an African who is also a Muslim could wander around England and be well accepted. He is shown giving a Caesarian operation to peasant's wife with his dagger. Really?

The second agenda is anti-clericism. The religious figures are depicted as impossibly evil. The medieval church had a lot of faults but these churchmen are laughably villianous. They seem modeled on Snidely Whiplash. Everything we know about the high middle ages tells us of the extreme devotion of the people to the Church. This ugly caracature of a history is agressively anti-Christian and pro-Islam.

It has been said that the all the inventions of Islam were by either Jews, Christians or Persians. The Arabs served to transport ideas from India and China toward the West, but like those other conquering people, the Mongols, they themselves made few contributions to civilization.

This propoganda movie turns all that on its head. Morgan Freeman is portrayed like a visitor from another planet with miraculous products of their advanced culture. This is just an anti-Western agenda. The creators of this film want to spread the notion that the roots of civilization were not European but Islamic.

There was of course a real political context to the Robin Hood legend. It revolved around the Norman - Saxon rift. It involved language - Germanic Saxon versus Norman French. It involved the very bad English King John and his conflict with the nobles leading to Magna Carta. It involved Richard Coeur de Lion.(This goofy movie has Richard who couldn't speak English at all speak with a Scottish accent. Ha!).

You would think that these real historical issues would provide enough material for a screenplay but instead we get a lecture on modern American race relations and the evils of Christanity. The plot seems to have been devised as an exhibit for Black History Month.

Not a Costner fan, but I like this movie.
Then again, wasn't Robin Hood really gay?
They were called "The merry men" for a reason people!!!
Robin's sexual orientation aside.......
Good movie.
Historically accurate?
Doubt it.
Who cares, it's a fun woodland romp.
The sheriff is awesome as he always is. I'm sure you've seen him as Professor Snape in the Harry Potter movies.
The guy rules no matter what the role.
Costner is........nude but I guess they used a body double, thank God!!!
The story is the usual fairy tale, Robin steals from the rich to give to the poor and fights bad guys along the way. You know the drill...........
Morgan Freeman is fantastic, the whole cast is good except for Mariann, who plays the usual helpless damsel in distress nonsense that I hate.
I would have loved to see her give the Sheriff a roundhouse kick to the noggin.
All in all.............. a fun popcorn movie, check your brain at the door, beat em up.
It's a fun movie that doesn't take itself too seriously, and neither should you.
Is it a must see?
I say yes, it's a nice change of pace from the usual dark depressing movies Hollywood tosses at us.
Recommended!!!

Kevin Costner: Prince of ..Meh.
You know what I'm talking about; "The Adventures of Robin Hood" starring Errol Flynn. Comparing that classic film with this Costner drek is like comparing "Road Warrior" with......"Water World"? The Flynn version is fun and light hearted. It has a great score and incredible colors. Costner's version is only pandering to modern sensibilities.C'mon, the movie reeks of political correctness Maid Marion fighting in black armor? Great a strong female character, Morgan Freeman as Robin's sidekick? Hey, the wise token ethnic character.(Sorry Morgan,you were good, but unnecessary)Christian Slater? Stick him in for more youth appeal. This movie adds nothing really to the Robin Hood mythos. If you must watch it, fast forward through any parts that don't feature Morgan Freeman or Alan Rickman.