Product Description

Scotsman William Wallace leads his fellow countrymen to fight for liberation.
No Track Information Available
Media Type: DVD
Artist: GIBSON/MARCEAU
Title: BRAVEHEART
Street Release Date: 08/29/2000
Domestic
Genre: ACTION / ADVENTURE

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2544 in DVD
• Brand: GIBSON/MARCEAU
• Released on: 2000-08-29
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, Spanish
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 177 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Mel Gibson's Oscar-winning 1995 Braveheart is an impassioned epic about William Wallace, the 13th-century Scottish leader of a popular revolt against England's tyrannical Edward I (Patrick McGoohan). Gibson cannily plays Wallace as a man trying to stay out of history's way until events force his hand, an attribute that instantly resonates with several of the actor's best-known roles, especially Mad Max. The subsequent camaraderie and courage Wallace shares in the field with fellow warriors is pure enough and inspiring enough to bring envy to a viewer, and even as things go wrong for Wallace in the second half, the film does not easily cave in to a somber tone. One of the most impressive elements is the originality with which Gibson films battle scenes, featuring hundreds of extras wielding medieval weapons. After Eisenstein's Alexander Nevsky, Orson Welles's Chimes at Midnight, and even Kenneth Branagh's Henry V, you might think there is little new that could be done in creating scenes of ancient combat; yet Gibson does it. --Tom Keogh

DVD features
In his engaging audio commentary, Mel Gibson is deeply appreciative of his cast and collaborators (especially Oscar-winning cinematographer John Toll) and, of course, quite amusing when he wants to be. Gibson notes, "I fell in love a little bit" when he cast then-newcomer Catherine McCormack as William Wallace's ill-fated bride, and throughout his informative commentary, the actor-director conveys genuine passion for the story and a firm understanding of the period history that informed the entire production. The accompanying documentary, Mel Gibson's "Braveheart": A Filmmaker's Passion, is a 28-minute promotional film with behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with primary cast and crew. Particularly interesting are sequences revealing the equipment required for the epic battle scenes, including air cannons for firing dozens of arrows, and costly mechanical horses created to simulate animal-related violence. Viewers will especially admire the considerable challenge of filming in Europe's rainiest region, Scotland, where inclement weather enhanced the film's gritty authenticity. --Jeff Shannon

From The New Yorker
A triple helping of Mel Gibson: he is the star, director, and co-producer of this hefty new epic, which lasts nearly three hours and covers more than thirty years of medieval Scottish history. Gibson plays William Wallace, the hero with the thrash-metal hair who decides to make life hell for the Englishmen who are crawling all over his country. The political argument that ensues is pretty dull, but the battle scenes are the loudest and most convincing in years: Gibson has learned from Kurosawa in lending a clarifying thrust to what is, essentially, chaos. Patrick McGoohan has too little to chew on as the malicious king of England, and some of the anachronisms ("Take out their archers") spur the movie straight toward camp. For all its silliness, however, it stays firm, and the women give it strength: newcomer Catherine McCormack smiles and expires beautifully as Wallace's wife, and Sophie Marceau has fun as a lovelorn Princess of Wales, desperate for a real man on the side. (Wherever did they get that idea?) -Anthony Lane
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Exceedingly gory, gratuitously violent, eminently moving.
Braveheart is one of those films that I have watched every year or so since it came out on VHS. I have bought two DVD versions now as well.

On the one hand it is such a violent and bloody movie, I would normally have had all I needed with one viewing, but on the other hand, even with the unbelievable heroism on the part of the protagonist, it is a moving tale of Honor, National Pride, and even ethnic pride (even though my family is Welsh and My wife's Irish, I still feel for the courage in the stories of the Celts of all persuasions).

I really loved some of the speeches in the film, one of my favorites was a short rebuke to the Scottish Nobles, "You think the people exist to serve the Nobility, but the Nobility exist to serve Scotland" (or something close to that) but the message is true for politicians and leaders and managers in every land. Leadership is the serving and protection of those we lead, not vice-versa.

But the main thing is for me is the overall message of the film, without freedom there is no living. I have to be in the right mood, but this remains one of my all time favorites.

The Best
Yes, I finally saw Braveheart. And yes, it is the best darn movie I have ever seen. The violence is outrageous and the storyline is incredible.

BRAVO FOR THE NEW COLLECTOR'S EDITION
Braveheart is one of my favorite films of the 90's but I had never purchased it on DVD because the original release was so skimpy in terms of extras. It had only a commentary track and a 30-minute making of feature. Paramount has finally beefed up the DVD with a two-disc set featuring several new extras. While it is not overflowing, it's light years better than the original release.

The film tells the story of 13th century Scottish patriot and rebel, William Wallace (Gibson) who unites the various clans of Scotland to fight for their freedom against the English. England had used the turmoil of the previous Scottish king's death to gain a stronger foothold in the country. When an English Sheriff makes an example of Wallace's love, Murron, by slitting her throat, Wallace leads a bloody revolt on the local garrison and exacts his revenge on the local magistrate.

Wallace becomes the inspirational leader of the Scots, even though others have a greater claim to the Scottish throne, such as Robert the Bruce. Wallace leads his men on various guerilla raids against the English, culminating in one of the bloodiest battles ever filmed. Heads and limbs are severed, skulls are crushed, and arrows pierce throats. Rarely had the carnage of battle been so accurately and beautifully shot.

In many ways, Braveheart was like one of those grand Hollywood epics of the 50's and 60's like Spartacus or Ben-Hur. Outstanding performances and sweeping landscapes punctuate the film that won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Say what you want about Gibson's politics and opinions on ethnic groups...he' still one hell of a filmmaker.

Certainly the film took liberties with history but even the real Wallace's life is shrouded in mystery and much of it comes from a poet who wrote the tales over a hundred years after Wallace's Death. As good as Gibson was in the lead role, my favorite performance was Patrick McGoohan as King Edward I. McGoohan's crusty and callous portrayal cut an intimidating figure onscreen. He cannot contain his disdain for his homosexual son and in one memorable scene, tosses his son's lover out a window to his death. This is an outstanding film that holds up view after view.

Now...as to the extras...

The Gibson commentary is back on this new DVD and is insightful because you're not only getting commentary of the lead actor, but also of the Director and Producer as well as Gibson wore all three hats.

The original DVD had a 30-minute making of Documentary. The new disc has a 49-minute making of documentary. Having not seen the original, I don't know if any of the material is repeated, but the new documentary has comments from Gibson both currently and from 1995 and he shares the fact that he originally passed on doing the film.

"A Writer's Journey" is a 21:30 featurette about the writing of the story by Randall Wallace.

"Tales of William Wallace" is a 30 minute documentary about the true William Wallace with comments from various historians.

There is also a 14:30 featurette with interviews with the cast members done back while the film was shooting.

All in all, Paramount has finally given Braveheart fans a DVD release that is worthy of the film.