Customer Reviews

Joan of Arc [VHS]

5 star:		(97)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

In terms of historical value, not extremely accurate - but who cares? When you get a TV movie that is this spectacular, visually lush, brilliantly acted and emotionally gripping, historical accuracy is the last thing you'll complain about.

Rarely does a TV movie come along that is as well conceived as its mega budget says it should be. Absolutely stunning battle scenes (especially for a TV production), rich location shooting and a superb cast make Joan of Arc unquestionably one of the best TV movies ever made.

But what crowns Joan of Arc as a "5 star" production is it's outstanding lead, Leelee Sobieski. Perfectly cast, Sobieski brings qualities to the French saint never seen before - an innocent, yet strong and commanding personality, a "virginial" presence, a face resembling something of a saint/angel/renaissance painting plus not to mention that she was "actually" the right age to play the legendary teenage warrior. Sobieski's performance is so exceptional, she holds the entire 4 hours together, and at the same time, leaves other Joan of Arc interpretations by the likes of Ingrid Bergman and Milla Jovavich in her wake.

Definitely the best TV movie I've ever, and a far better bet than Luc Besson's/Milla Jovavich's version...

I remember seeing this DVD and wondering which one should I get, "Joan of Arc" which was a television movie or "The Messenger", a big budget movie. It was a hard decision but what drew me to purchasing this movie was the cover.

Sobieski's look as Joan of Arc looked more convincing and she looked so pure and innocent. I wondered how this person who projects innocence in the cover will play a military leader? Well, I don't know much about Leelee Sobieski and after watching this movie, now I want to watch the movies that she has appeared in because on "Joan of Arc", you get solid acting.

The long time of this movie made me wonder if it was going to drag but if anything this movie drew me in from start to finish and here is why: The good acting by the cast members, the great scenery and the selection of Leelee Sobieski as the innocent "Maid of Lorraine". She brought something to this movie that drew you in. Her facial expressions and even the ending still stays in my mind. Wow! It's unexplainable but I really enjoyed the movie. It was done very well and I'm impressed that it's a TV movie. The movie gets an A+.

What about the DVD? Well, since this is a TV movie, I didn't expect too much from the DVD. The audio was good and the video was good but at times I saw some lines on the screen on parts where there is a lot of action. The production notes were nice to see but I have to give the DVD a D- for no significant extras.

It appears Sobieski had much to say about the part according to the production notes, why not include a featurette then? Or even the television commercials or promotional features.

So, yes...the extras rating gets a D-. But you know what, the movie is wonderful and it deserves to be seen and due to it's size, DVD is the way to go. "Joan of Arc" a definite A+. Highly recommended!

Only rarely does a television miniseries rival the power, beauty, and excellence of Hollywood's most celebrated theatrical releases. 1999's Joan of Arc is one of those rare gems; it is simply an exquisite film of epic proportions, boasting one of the most impressive cast lists I have ever seen. Yet even among such stellar names as Jacqueline Bisset, Peter O'Toole, Robert Loggia, Shirley MacLaine, and Maximilian Schell, the young Leelee Sobieski keeps all eyes riveted upon herself with her moving, deeply human portrayal of one of history's most famous and tragic heroines.

Over the course of three hours, we follow the young peasant girl who became The Maid of Orleans, Joan of Arc, from the day of her birth to her final fiery moments. I do not know enough details of the historical Joan of Arc's life to truly judge the historical accuracy of this film, but from what I can tell and have read, it does try mightily to follow the story as closely as possible, working especially hard to recreate the social and political situation of Joan's time. The historical Joan of Arc remains a controversial figure, with learned men and women interpreting her life and story in a couple of quite divergent ways. This movie's Joan is the bravest and most pious of souls, and she meets her fate willingly as a martyr and not a victim; her faith in God's plan for her never wavers. The presentation of her visions is kept low-key and free of creative exploitation. The compassion of her soul is revealed countless times over the course of the movie, and the incredible humanity of her character is this film's true strength. Still, it remains difficult to understand exactly how the French nation could turn against and burn at the stake a girl who fought for the unification of the French people. The film offers some illuminating yet difficult to understand (at least for me) reasons and motivations through the story of Bishop Cauchon. Peter O'Toole is absolutely marvelous as Cauchon, reflecting much of Joan's tragic end in his own life. The character remained something of an enigma to me until the end, but no moment was as moving and telling as a short shot of Cauchon privately breaking down in tears as Joan is being executed. Shirley MacLaine warrants special mention in honor of her memorable cameo appearance toward the end. Suffice it to say that I could write many glowing paragraphs in praise of all of the incredible performances in this movie. The only performance that failed to enthrall me was Neil Patrick Harris's portrayal of King Charles; even with his Moe Howard-inspired haircut, all I could see was Doogie Howser, making it hard for me to accept the wiliness and despotism of the character.

No epic is complete without incredible visuals and sound, and Joan of Arc is amply blessed, with an exception or two, in both regards. The music is just wonderful and soul-stirring, particularly the one battle scene in which the angelic voice of Charlotte Church singing Panis Angelicus looms over the fray. The 15th century battle scenes were done quite well, as was the look and feel of the mediaeval French setting. One would never know that filming actually took place in the Czech Republic. The fact that this is not a big-budget Hollywood theatrical release is apparent in two scenes, though; both of these involve characters standing in the foreground watching a group of people in the background, and it appears obvious to my eyes that what we are seeing in front of our characters is a screen projection. My only other quibbles have to do with the actual fight scenes. While men were slashing each other down left and right, I only saw blood appear on one sword over the course of the movie. Even more interestingly, whenever an important character was killed or injured in battle, both sides seemed to just stop fighting as long as we and the other characters were focused on the injured party.

All in all, though, I was more than impressed with Joan of Arc. No matter how accurate or inaccurate it might be in terms of the history, it is inarguably a touching dramatic masterpiece. Even though you know how it will end even before you watch it, the final moments are sure to send tears coursing down your cheeks and move your heart in ways few movies can ever succeed in doing. Leelee Sobieski is fast becoming one of my favorite actresses, and this movie is one I will not soon forget.

After seeing the Messenger only a week after Hallmark's Joan of Arc, I think it's a testimony to the real life enigma that she could be interpreted in such very different ways- from a girl of incredible strength and courage ready to die for her faith to a woman made neurotic by circumstance and visions fueled by her faith in God despite all she had seen. Leelee vs. Milla? I think both women simply found a part of Joan they identified with and ran with it, though I must say, I enjoyed Leelee's portrayal more. We got to see how Joan won the heart of the people and Leelee does it flawlessly, you don't see that in Messenger. The Messenger skips how she got to be St. Joan in the eyes of the people. In Leelee's Joan, I can believe she led her people to victory in battle because Leelee is so exceptional in the battle scenes while Milla seemed completely lost. And visually, it is hard to believe this movie was made for television as it was so beautiful to look at. Definitely worth the cost of buying.

In 1999 "Joan of arc" received two updated film adaptions. One was a big budget motion picture titled "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc" which starred singer/actress Milla Jovovich. The other was a simple made for TV movie called "Joan of Arc" starring Leelee Sobieski. Hollywood's sudden renewed interest in the character of Joan was basically an attempt to cash in on the popularity of the TV series XENA (about a warrior princess).

The film "The Messenger" took the "warrior princess" approach, concentrating on action over substance. The finished product actually displayed none of the qualities that made Xena a hit TV show and played like a low-grade "Braveheart meets Conan meets Red Sonja". Simply put, it's a horrible film.

The writers and producers of the made for TV movie "Joan of Arc" decided to take the high road. Instead of churning out just another throw-away "action flick", they assembled an incredible cast and then backed them up with an amazing script. The result is perhaps the best film version of the "Joan of Arc" story and a movie that anyone can enjoy regardless of religious beliefs.

Leelee Sobieski is perfect as Joan, I cannot imagine anyone bringing more to this role than she does. Peter Strauss proves once again that he's a very underated actor. Peter O'Toole delivers an incredible performance, certainly one of his all time best! Shirley MaClaine, Maximillian Schell, and yes, even Neil Patrick Harris deliver fine performances!

The last half hour of this film will have you riveted to the screen. Not by showcasing mindless action, but by the sheer power of the script and the incredible performances by O'toole and Sobieski. I highly recommend this wonderful film!

-JM

This is one of the better Joan of Arc movies. Yeah, Leelee does look the part, but, at times, her acting is flat, at other times, really good. The historical inaccuracies are bothersome: Baudricourt's hens did not stop laying eggs until he gave Joan a letter of introduction; Joan did not willingly let herself ride off with the Burgundians; Bishop Cauchon was not at Chinon, Joan never returned home after she met Baudricourt, and there are others. I felt the best actor was Peter Strauss, followed closely by O'Toole. Yes, it's worth seeing again. However, to know more about what really happened, one should not get their history homework from movies. Start reading.

I picked up Joan of Arc upon reading the reviews both here and the Internet Movie Database, and the purchase of this disc has been worth the far more than the price tag on it. Leelee Sobieski's Joan was a completely believable person, full of the emotions, lack of confidence at times, but ultimately inspired with a vision that she holds on through-out. The 180 motion picture does indeed bear a great deal of resemblance to scenes in Braveheart (particularly the battle at Falkirk and the execution scenes in the latter), but comparisons aside, I found myself moved to tears still in Joan. I was particularly impressed with Peter Strauss (Captain La Hire), and Olympia Dukakis (Mother Babette) too.

I read that this series was made for $20 million- a paltry sum compared to the bloated budgets of Hollywood movies today who frequently offer scarcely the emotional impact this show had. The sets used were amazingly real, landscapes and costumes were stunning, and the entire show had a nitty, down into the dirt look about it.

My only (small) gripes was the casting of Neil Patrick Harris, who didn't quite look the part of the King Charles, and didn't seem too comfortable with his lines; and PG rating of the show also meant that the show could not demonstrate the gore and violence that one finds in Braveheart.

But ultimately, this is still an excellent picture, and though the forthcoming two other Joan of Arc pictures (starring Mira Sorvino and Milla Jovovich in the title roles) will almost certainly bring about comparisons, this picture can hold its head high amidst such strong competition.

Joan of Arc has been the subject of numerous films, probably more than any other medieval figure. This is one of the best of the lot. It's generally historically accurate, although it has its flaws. The acting was solid and the cinematography and technical elements were surprisingly good for a TV movie.

For the actors, LeeLee Sobieski was an excellent Joan. I have yet to see another actress successfully capture all elements of Joan's personality. Her spirituality, confidence, strength, and courage are all portrayed very well. Peter O'Toole is, of course, excellent as Bishop Cochon and Peter Strauss played a convincing, if somewhat subdued Le Hire. The biggest surprise was Niel Patrick Harris's phenominal performance as Charles. He turned in a performance that splendidly captured the man who, despite being trapped in a bad situation prior to Joan's arrival, grew into one of the finest kings in French history.

Historically, the movie does an excellent job at portraying the period and the characters. The writers, director, and Sobieski, for instance, resisted the temptaion to write Joan off as a mindless fanatic she's often made out to be, despite the fact that no such description occurs in any source, French, English, or Burgundian. Instead, they accurately portrayed her as the charismatic girl who convinced hardened generals to follow her and confounded the judges at her trial with her faith and intellect. Similarly, the movie captured the despair in France during the losing days of the Hundred Years War, a despair that turned to optimism surprisingly quickly.

However, the movie does have several major historical flaws, and these are the only reasons I feel it doesn't deserve a fifth star. There was no attempt to rescue Joan from Rouen, nor were any of her key supporters present. More importantly, the movie tends to combine characters - partly to keep the cast size down and make the movie more watcheable, but also to give some of their big-name actors more to do. That said, the choices are forgiveable (they arguably make it a better movie). The movie combines Jean de Metz and Jean d'Aulon. De Metz, while faithful to Joan, played only a minor role after bringing Joan to Charles. From that point on, the movie uses him in place of d'Aulon. Similarly, the movie combines Cochon and Reignault of Chartres, Charles's spiritual advisor. Other deficiencies are minor (Cochon never received an archbishopric and was demoted to a lesser see, Joan is burned in the winter rather than spring, etc.).

What the movie does exceedingly well, however, is create a sense of doubt. The movie lets the viewer interpret some of the elements for him or herself. O'Toole, like the historical record, leaves the audience guessing as to whether or not Cochon believed in Joan and was merely following orders, as well as whether or not the trial left him a broken man. Similarly, the movie leaves the extent of Charles's machinations and the true nature of Joan's belief open to question. It is a rare movie that captures this fundamental historiographical problem. For that alone it's worth a watch.

I rented this movie, since I've always been a fan of medieval-type movies...but this was not what I expected at all. I never really knew much about the history of France in the Dark Ages, or Joan of Arc, and was I in for a treat. Leelee Sobieski portrays the young martyr in such a way, just looking at the expressions on her face, you actually believe that she is Joan of Arc. I was so moved by the performances of Leelee and the supporting cast in this film, that I've watched it 4 times in the last week. The greatest thing about this movie, though...was I actually LEARNED something about history.

I would like to point out that the DVD version has about 30 minutes of footage cut from the VHS version. If you've got a DVD player, definately get the DVD version.

The music of Charlotte Church brings out the emotions of religion and patriotism in this rendition of Joan's life. LeeLee Sobieski is fenominal in this role. This will be her unforgettable role of a lifetime. The rest of the cast is perfectly placed to enhance her adventures. This is the most realistic view of the times and the events surrounding the miracles of Saint Joan of Arc.