Product Details

• Actors: Richard Chamberlain, Jaclyn Smith, Anthony Quayle, Donald Moffat, Yorgo Voyagis
• Directors: Roger Young
• Writers: Carol Sobieski, Robert Ludlum
• Producers: Alan Shayne, Carol Sobieski, Frederick Muller, Gayle Scott, Martin Rabbett
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Language: English, French, German
• Rated: Unrated
• Number of tapes: 2
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: May 1, 1995
• Run Time: 185 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302779286
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #188,013 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Though not as briskly exciting as the 2002 theatrical release, this earlier TV adaptation of Robert Ludlum's bestseller has distinct advantages over its big-screen counterpart. It's far more loyal to Ludlum's serpentine plot, boasts greater latitude of geography and character development (allowing Richard Chamberlain's fine performance in the title role), and rises above TV limitations to achieve a big-budget look and feel. Suffering from amnesia and forced to piece together his past as a world-class assassin, Jason Bourne (Chamberlain) enlists the aid of a Canadian economist (Jaclyn Smith), and this pairing of '80s miniseries mainstays remains consistently intelligent, well paced, and altogether respectable. Chamberlain and Smith have adequate chemistry (albeit somewhat shallow), and their dangerous adventure--and eventual romance--is played out against a dozen European locations. Incorporating more of Ludlum's interwoven subplots, this ambitious Bourne is a globetrotter's delight, with a spy-thriller identity all its own. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

72 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Superb Realization Of A Ludlum Thriller, September 28, 2002

By 

John G. Gleeson Sr. (Frederic, Mi USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Bourne Identity (TV Miniseries) (DVD)

I read the book, and saw the recent movie with Matt Damon, which was full of "special effects" and short on Ludlum. This DVD is the reverse: it is a good story translated into a near great viewing experience. Why? Because it follows some long standing rules about story telling. It has characters that are believeable and a plot that moves briskly, but not at the high speed of the recent film. Richard Chamberlain is a consistantly good actor and he gives an excellent rendition of Jason Bourne here. Jaclyn Smith is an OK actress who is good enough so as not to drag down the pace of the film by being an unbelieveable character. The remainder of the cast, including Denholm Elliott, Donald Moffat and Anthony Quayle, all perform well, as would be expected of such excellent actors. The tranfer of a television "miniseries" to DVD is excellent, with one irritating exception; The pauses for commercials are still in place, when some judicious editing would have been an easy fix. Two other (minor) negatives are the score and the romance angle: the former is terrible, sounding saccharine in places where it shouldn't, and generally out of place in a film like this. The love scenes, especially the first, are like the worst of 80's soaps.. However, leaving the nitpicking aside, this is a nearly great visual experience. One BIG plus is the detail in filming European cities; it's fantastic. Seeing the intact WTC, in the new YOrk shots is a grabber though, at least to me. You simply can't go wrong with this one!

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BOURNE to be re-make.........., September 15, 2002

By 

"alfo68" (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bourne Identity (TV Miniseries) (DVD)

I've seen this tv-miniseries version of Robert Ludlum's bestselling novel many times, that I can actually say the lines and the dialogue in most scenes. However, that doesnt stop me from buying the new dvd version -- one plus, is having a new cover with Richard Chamberlain and Jaclyn Smith. The first one that came out is just plain white cover and the second version is just an artwork. So, this cover version for one is worth collecting.

This version came out in 1988 and became a big hit worldwide in rental video and in some countries, it was released theatrically. Richard Chamberlain and Jaclyn Smith, I must say, did an excellent job in this movie. Jaclyn Smith was a revelation in this movie. Well, she and Richard Chamberlain are well known-as the King and Queen of the Miniseries genre, but this is Jaclyn's first foray to the action/thriller mold and she's very good at it. There's no high-popping special effects nor high-tech flying action scenes, but this movie delivers what an espionage thriller should be. It will hold you from start to finish. It's a non-stop gripping action thriller and the photography and the musical score are absolutely fantastic.

A big thumbs up and worth watching again and again!

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the only REAL film version of the Bourne Identity..., July 6, 2002

By 

Alexander Dukas (Boston / Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Bourne Identity (TV Miniseries) (DVD)

Ignore the recent Matt Damon/Franke Potente GenX-ified bastardization of Robert Ludlum's wonderful book because the Richard Chamberlain/Jaclyn Smith version is the only version that actually faithfully adheres to core details and elements of the novel. If you really want to appreciate the Jason Bourne Series, read the trilogy, and then go out and buy this DVD. There isn't enough space here to recommend the mini-series highly enough or to explain just how thorough and horrid a mutilation the recent film really is of both the characters and the story.