Product Details

• Actors: Guy Williams, Heidi Brühl, Pedro Armendáriz, Abraham Sofaer, Bernie Hamilton
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: G (General Audience)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Warner)
• VHS Release Date: December 7, 1994
• Run Time: 86 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302478928
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #217,950 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Captain Sindbad is a lighthearted fantasy adventure from 1963, made five years after the better-known The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, which was the first Sinbad feature using the classic stop-motion animation effects of Ray Harryhausen. The effects for Captain Sindbad aren't anywhere near that level--whether it's an elongated arm snaking around the palace or Sindbad's showdown battle against a fearsome invisible (!) beast--but it's a fun ride anyway, punctuated by dance interludes and a score heavily influenced by Borodin. Guy Williams (Zorro, Lost in Space) plays the title character, sailing the high seas while El Kerim (Pedro Armendariz) plots against him, including stealing his betrothed, the princess Jayna (Heidi Bruhl). The wizard Golgo (Abraham Sofaer) transforms her into a bird so she can warn Sindbad, and he returns to meet the foe and hopefully organize the people of Baristad against the wrongdoers. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fun filled Arabian Nights tale, December 29, 2002

By 

Simon Davis (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Captain Sindbad [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This film was always a favourite of mine when it used to be shown on a regular basis as Saturday afternoon entertainment on local television. Filled as it is with great stunts, magic tricks (awesome it seemed for a boy growing up in the late 1960's!), great colour, romance, daring adventure, and some excellent swordplay, it was the ultimate adventure movie. Today although viewed with a more critical eye I still think it is an entertaining romp and there is much to admire in the overall production.

Made in 1963 when alot of film companies where moving to Europe for the lower production costs, "Captain Sindbad" was actually filmed in Bavaria, Germany and starred one of my favourite actors of the 1960's the great and underrated Guy Williams. Possessing all the right elements to play the legendary character based on the stories of Sinbad the sailor, such as good looks, athletic prowess, excellent sword fighting skills, Williams was perfect for the role and he gives his all to the performance raising the film above your average matinee fare. Guy Williams had just come out of performing in Disney's classic "Zorro" series where he perfected his sword play skills and was soon after this role destined to move into his most famous outing as Professor John Robinson on the classic 1960's Sci Fi series "Lost In Space". Always an excellent performer Williams was blessed with a strong masculine voice , great diction and a commanding presence on screen or TV.

"Captain Sinbad" tells your typical story of of daring do set in the far off mystical land of Baristan where Sinbad after some exciting seas adventures returns to find his beloved Princess Jana (the beautiful Heidi Bruhl) being forced to marry the evil El Kerim (a dastardly Pedro Armendariz)after he has deposed the Princess's father the reigning king. El Kerim has also forced the King's magician Galgo (Abraham Sofaer in a very comical performance) to do his bidding for him which includes trying to dispose of Sindbad and forcing the King to agree to give the Princess to him in marriage. After escaping capture and a certain death in the arena fighting a scary invisible monster Sindad and his crew of brave sailors work out a way to remove El Kerim from terrorizing the country. They learn that Galgo has been forced by magical means to place El Kerim's heart in a far off tower so that his mortal body is invulnerable and cannot be killed.. The real adventure of the film chronicles their journey to the tower to destroy the stored heart of El Kerim. Along the way they encounter many terrors and hardships including dangerous man eating swamps, fiery landscapes, multi headed monsters, and savage crocodiles. The story is finally concluded and ends happily when Sindbad confronts and kills El Kerim and then weds his beloved Princess Jana. The final duel between Sindbad and El Kerim performed in the lofty upper chamber of the tower is excellently staged and is among the best that Guy Williams ever performed.

Out of such nonsense as this nevertheless comes a great story and an entertaining hour and a half of viewing. Certainly by today's standards the special effects look on the primitive side but there are many compensations to the film in its beautiful costumes, grand sets, beautiful colour, and very attractive leads. Guy Williams absolutely makes the film and his energetic style of handling this role makes it very watchable. For an enjoyable trip back to a more innocent time and for an adventure filled with lots of excitement and romance grab your magic carpet and travel into the pages of the Arabian Nights and enjoy "Captain Sindbad".

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Campy & Fun, July 16, 2000

By A Customer

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This review is from: Captain Sindbad [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Guy Williams is in this movie. That gives it three stars to begin with. The fact that he plays the lead character with style gives it a fourth star. The costumes, historical value of the film and the fact that it is just a great deal of fun to watch gives it the fifth star. Guy Williams and an escape from reality for a while - what more do you want? If you like to have a bit of fun - buy this movie. If you are overly critical and think every movie should be a classic work of art, then pass this one by.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An underrated family fantasy entertainment!, August 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Captain Sindbad [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The King Brothers (producers) were wise to hire action director Byron Haskin to steer this picture into a wonderful adventure young and old can enjoy. Not to be overlooked is the superb symphonic score composed in the Rimsky-Korsakov vein by MICHEL MICHELET, a talented and neglected film composer from the old school (Steiner, Newman, Rozsa etc).