Customer Reviews

Black Beauty - The Complete Mini-Series

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

 

 

First, I agree with the other reviewer about the picture quality. The first episode had a white line down the middle of the screen. The whole thing looked like something that was tape-recorded off of TV 20 years ago. I have old tapes on my shelf that are about the same quality. They could have cleaned it up a little before releasing it. As for the story, the events stuck very close to the book. They set it in and around Baltimore in the 1880s, but the progression of owners and situations was the same up until the end, when Beauty was bought by Farmer Gray's now-grown son. A lot of the movie was more about the people than about the horses. I forwarded through Farmer Gray's son's life in New York. I missed hearing more of Beauty's point of view. After the run for the doctor and back, you didn't get a sense of just how sick he really was and how he longed for John Manly. I would like to have had more about Ginger's background and more of Merrylegs, period. Merrylegs wasn't in the book a whole lot, either, but he was such a character you can't help but like him. He might as well have not even been in the movie for all we saw of him. We didn't hear anything of Ginger's background, so you didn't know why she reacted so badly to the check rein and didn't feel much sympathy for her. I also didn't see any need to for Ginger to have been sold immediately after that incident. They had Lizzie who was described as bad tempered so it's not like all of their horses had perfect temperaments. They combined Beauty seeing Ginger again and Beauty and Jerry's Sunday fare into one scene and didn't do justice to either one. That was disappointing as those were such good scenes in the book. The scene where Beauty can't get the load up the hill could have been done better. In the book, you get the idea he's climbing a steep hill and fighting every step of the way with a sore, aching neck and back and you really feel for his situation. In the movie, the road looks flat and if you weren't familiar with the story, you'd be surprised when the carter says it's a hill. The lady convinced him to remove the check rein and Beauty didn't so much as shake his head around, then he pulled the cart all of about five feet to the top of the "hill". The scene didn't have the feel that it should have. Mostly I missed hearing Beauty's point of view through a lot of the situations. If they'd had a little less of Luke Gray, they could have had a little more of the horses.

This 5-hour miniseries from the late 1970"s is clearly the best production of "Black Beauty" I have ever seen. There is no doubt other well done shows, but this miniseries captures the novel ( One of the greatest novels written ) in a wonderful way. The cast was first rate and when I see Bill Devane, I have no choice but to say "aw, the poor horse". You need to hear it from him with his Irish Accent. I suggest all adults and children alike to experience this great production in all it's glory. The book was adapted by Peter S. Fischer of "Columbo" and "Murder, She Wrote" fame. His other miniseries "Once an Eagle" is being released in August and his short lived gem "Ellery Queen" is being released in September.
I recommend all these shows to all.
thank you,
Chris Fischer
Once An Eagle starring Sam Elliott! Epic miniseries - over 7 hours!

My memory is not what it used to be! I saw this when it came out in the 70's as a child. Thought it was more like the book, but that isn't totally correct. Some changes to the book, but over all in line with the original story line, and way better then the newer versions. Very kid friendly!

I watched this movie back when it first came out and I haven't been able to find it
anywhere until I found it here. I love this movie. It is wonderfully a well written movie about a horse and it trials and turmoils. I think there are alot of happy moments and very sad too. I will watch this over and over again.

I am giving this DVD set a 5 star due to the incredible story it paints and so true to the classic! I saw this mini-series many a year ago when it first aired and have waited so long to own this incredible TV mini series so I can play it over and over. I am a grown man and still get teary-eyed watching this sweeping epic! It is such a shame that the reproduction is very poor with a grainy picture and not so great sound. Still the story itself and with all the great actors and actresses involved its worth every penny!! Such greats as Jack Elam, Van Johnson, Ken Curtis, Peter Breck, Clu Gallagher, Eileen Brennan, Martin Milner, Forrest Tucker, Ike Eisenmann and so many more are part of this great mini-series production. I just finished watching it and will probably do so again soon as I waited so long to own it. I have watched others on the screen that are good, but none can hold a candle to this production and the stars that were involved. If you don't mind sacrificing some picture quality then I highly recommend making this purchase for you and your family to watch. I trully wish the networks would once again indulge in these sweeping mini-series as they always brought high ratings and they incorporated some great stars. Too bad we have to endure the trashy sitcoms and reality junk the networks throw at us these days-its trully sad!

I was a train conductor in the movie. My grandkids think it is "neat" to see grandpa in a movie when he was younger.

The movie was good and touching for kids and adults.. Unfortunately there was ZERO effort to master or clean up any part of the original print.. It probably looked better in 1978.. Shameful from Timeless dvd company, will their other sets be the same?