Customer Reviews

Blood & Sand

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

 

 

If you're a devoted Sharon Stone fan you'll love this film. The film is LOW budget and with the exception of Stone, the rest of the cast is virtually unknown. Stone is up to her old tricks with seducing men and taking control in the bedroom. The plot isn't the greatest but you're not purchasing this DVD for the plot...are you? You're buying it to see ALL of Sharon Stone....and you get most of it. If you're grossed out by bullfighting this isn't a film for you. The best scene involves Sharon Stone making love outdoors. Very realistic. Adult viewing NOT for the kids.

Face it, This was a widescreen movie. On the DVD however, it has been encoded using 1.33:1, the tasteless TV format with only 2 sound channels. I did not read the technical details before i bought it. I think you should read the details. It is like watching a movie with good VHS resolution. nothing more! What have North Americans done to deserve censored DVD versions of European movies. They pay the same price and it is not for public use. Any DVD without 5.1 channel or DTS sound and without anamorphic widescreen dimensions i.e 2.25:1 should be avoided. The stunning beauty of young Sharon Stone makes up for these technical goofs.

Blood and Sand was made twice before, in 1922 with Rudolph Valentino and 1941 with Tyrone Power. The first version was good but not excellent, but Tyrone's version was, mostly due to the lavish Technicolor and the excellent supporting cast. But this 1989 remake is absolutely ridiculous; it shouldn't have been made to begin with. None of the stars can save the plot, which is marred a thin, convoluted plot. So if you want to see this bullfighting story, do NOT get this version. Instead get the 1941 version with Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell and Rita Hayworth. You will not be disappointed. Trust me.

See SLIVER first, but BLOOD AND SAND is a truely great SHARON STONE movie. She plays the bad mistress in this movie! Its about a man's life torn to pieces and his struggle to pull threw after he leaves his wife for his Mistress, and see later that his mistress walked into the hands of another man. This is a stunning adaptation of the novel as we see his life crumble, and his rise to the top. BUY THIS (after SLIVER)! SHARON STONE at her.......well 3rd best.

Juan Guarardo(Christopher Rydell) wants to be a famous bullfighter AND marry his sweet innocent Carmen(Ana Torrent). But when he becomes famous, the love of money and power lure him away and alienate Carmen from him. He grows to shun Carmen as someone beneath him, and leaves her for beautiful Dona Nina(Sharon Stone). Of course, it is the Dona who has used his love of fame and fortune to lure him away, and who has seduced him with her wil, ruining his life/marriage as well as his career-eventually-as he makes more and more mistakes in his fighting because of the distractions of his lust/distress when his life crumbles. Usually, I enjoy these kinds of plots because they are good human interest topics and are true to life. For that reason, 'Blood and Sand' held my attention well enough. But it was not that impressive or spectacular to me-a plot with the potential to be captivating, exciting, and adventurous was made very dry and bland here. The scenery was not very colorful or eye-catching; most of it was ordinary and plain. It was mundane, with no real color life to it. The acting was very mundane, routine, monotonous, and unemotional, particularly from Rydell. He is not very believable as the broken man whose life is ruined by lust and greed, though he tries WAY too hard to be emotional and feeling as he plays Juan. Most of the other actors/actresses are the same way, very dull and monotonous without a lot of feeling or emotion. I must comment, however, that Sharon Stone is the movie's strong point. Stone is amazing as the vixen seductress who cares about nothing and no one except lust, power, and herself and she is very real in her role. Her facial expressions, voice tones, and body languages make Dona Nina all too real and convincing. Stone gives an awesome performance as the bitchy, selfish, and sensual socialite; she really makes the role. Also, Ana Torrent has a few good moments in some of her scenes as Juan's wife. If you enjoy these types of stories or just like watching Sharon Stone, 'Blood and Sand' might keep you sufficiently interested. But if you're looking for a film where superb acting with feeling and believability is done by the ENTIRE cast, you might want to try another film. Those of you buyimg this, have fun.

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I bought this film in anticipation of seeing the beautiful Sharon Stone in some really hot scenes....on this count it was a letdown, you don't see much of the gorgeous Ms Stone, certainly nothing like in Basic Instinct/Sliver/The Specialist.I was also expecting a brilliant storyline like the 1941 version with Tyrone Power,the alluring Rita Hayworth and Linda Darnell...again another terrible disappointment. Really dull plot, totally disjointed and bordering on the incoherent.Finally..the quality of the picture was poor with blurred colour and almost hazy images. Undoubtedly this DVD is the worst I've ever purchased....if it wasn't for the stunning Ms Stone and her sex appeal it probably should NOT have been inflicted on the movie market at all!!!

dffdfdfds

Face it, This was a widescreen movie. On the DVD however, it has been encoded using 1.33:1, the tasteless TV format with only 2 sound channels. I did not read the technical details before i bought it. I think you should read the details. It is like watching a movie with good VHS resolution. nothing more! What have North Americans done to deserve censored DVD versions of European movies. They pay the same price and it is not for public use. Any DVD without 5.1 channel or DTS sound and without anamorphic widescreen dimensions i.e 2.25:1 should be avoided. The stunning beauty of young Sharon Stone makes up for these technical goofs.

Sharon Stone looks great in this. It has a good plot and is quite fast moving.