Customer Reviews

Alex Haley's Queen (3 VHS Set)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have Queen, the 1993 mini series, made from the book Alex Hailey wrote.
It seems that movies like this were stopped since all these cable channels came on. These new channels, being remarkable in entertainment as they are, are very far behind in those made for TV movies or the mini series that were on the regular networks. This is my own opinion, of course, but that's the way it seems to me. Also, when these mini series came out in video or dvd, they were cut. Some great movies and mini series were cut so much, as to edit out the reasons for things and why the movie was made in the first place, at times. This movie, Queen, was a movie like this. Edited so very little, but edited it was. I pride myself in the mini series and movies I have that aren't cut because they came straight from TV. There was remarkable acting in this film, with Halle Berry at her best. Her oscar win was a long awaited one for her. And Alex Hailey was a man who touched our hearts with his wonderfully written books that were made into screenplays. He was a master at his craft as HB was of hers and also the other wonderful cast members in this wonderfully made film. See it if you haven't.

I THINK THIS MOVIE GIVES AN ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF THE TIMES. I THINK THE WHOLE SLAVERY ISSUE IS NOT BEING LOOKED AT REALISTICALLY. IT IS NOT A BLACK & WHITE ISSUE, BUT A PEOPLE ISSUE. IT IS NOT INCONCEIVABLE THAT A MAN CAN FALL IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN, REGARDLESS OF HER ETHNIC BACKGROUND. A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THOMAS JEFFERSON AND SALLY HEMINGS. QUEENS FATHER WAS THE SON OF A SLAVE OWNER, AND WENT ALONG WITH THE VIEWS OF THE TIME ONLY ON THE SURFACE. IT WAS NECESSARY AT THE TIME TO APPEAR TO SHARE THE COMMON VIEWS TO AVOID THE TROUBLE THAT CAME ALONG WITH GOING AGAINST THE NORM, HOWEVER,THAT DID NOT NEGATE HIS FEELINGS FOR EASTER. YOU REALLY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE TIMES TO UNDERSTAND THE MOVIE. NEVERTHELESS, I THINK IT DEFINATELY DESERVES A VIEW, I THINK THIS PROBABLY MS. BERRY'S FINEST PERFORMANCE. SHE GAVE ONE OF THE BEST PERFORMANCES OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, THAT I'VE EVER SEEN, AND LORD KNOWS SHE HAD GOOD REASON TO HAVE ONE IN THE MOVIE. YOU NEED TO SEE THIS MOVIE!

I really enjoyed this movie. I think that Halle was superb as well as the entire cast. I was shocked and appalled when she didn't get recognized for this movie but received an Oscar for a movie of less depth. This movie is a heartfelt story of a bi-racial slave who trying to find her place in the world. Alex Haley is a brillant storyteller and this movie is a perfect adaptation of that.

Absolutely spectacular and highly recommend! It's a classic epic right up there with North and South and Roots. It also introduces the audience to a new viewpoint...which is the thousands and thousands of "children of the plantation".... slaves of mixed race who were forced to endure hardships and even more prejudice than other freed slaves because often other blacks would not accept them because of their white ancestry. Halle Berry demonstrates a wide range of emotions and in my opinion was the best performance of her career thus far.

in queen you can really feel like your watching real slaves at that time.they told nothing but the truth and i appreciated that alot.the reason why i want to own this movie is because i want to let my children know how hard it was back then.

I was never aware of the hardships that biracial slaves suffered. I am a fairskinned black woman, so I greatly sympathized with Queen. She was defintely ahead of her time, but she had a hell of a lot of courage. I admire her a lot. Watch this movie. You will never view race relations the same again. END

THIS IS HALLE AT HER VERY BEST. I LOVE THIS MOVIE HALLE WAS SO WONDERFUL IN THIS MOVIE SHE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN AN OSCAR FOR THIS MINI-SERIES BECAUSE SHE DID A VERY FINE JOB I LIKE THIS MOVIE. THIS IS CLASSIC HALLE WHEN SHE WAS REALLY GOOD!!!! I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE TO ANYONE WHO LIKES HALLE BECAUSE SHE DEFINITELY DID A TERIFFIC ACTING JOB IN THIS MOVIE.....

I saw the movie before reading the book and I must say that the book was more interesting. I think that can be said for most books turned movies because of the detail books allow. However, I don't think the change in character was necessary to the movie to save any time. After all, much the time the book takes to read is due to the detail given to physical features, setting the scene, and describing supporting characters. The visual of film slashes those burdens instantly. On another note, I understand that Queen is the focus of the movie but I feel that more could have been done to develop the characters of people like Lizzie. Her upbringing and personal feelings of insecurity had as much to do with her treatment of Queen as the social order of those days. Even with all this, the movie is touching. The acting was excellent for the most part.

This is when I figured out that HALLE is a really really great actress. This movie is so good! The cast and story is great as well. No flaws in my opinion.

I loved this movie and I am more proud of this movie than any other I've had the privilage of being involved with. I was fortunate enough to be an extra in this movie. I worked on and off over a month's time in Charleston, SC in the dead of summer. If you care to look for me, I'm a longish blond haired guy with brown clothes on with a brown hat on. I'm actually in two scenes in parts 2 and 3 of the movie. On part 2, I'm in the soup kitchen line (also, a still shot of this scene was used for the opening credits.) In part 3 I'm on the ferry boat that Queen gets on (Danny Glover and his "son" driving it. Actually in that scene they messed up. They show me getting off the boat and then Queen gets on the boat and then they show me getting off the boat again (they used the same cut twice :) In this scene you can actually see me good. I had the honor of meeting Ms. Berry and Mr. Glover. Both extremely nice. One note about the film. Half way through filming, Halley fell from a horse and hurt her back very seriously..in fact they didn't know if she'd be able to finish the movie. The Ferry Boat scene you'll notice she doesn't move a bunch. she was in imortal pain. What a trooper though. She did a spectacular job. Anyway, Hope you enjoy it. Any questions or if you wanna chat, email me. Josh