Customer Reviews

The Legend Of Ivanhoe

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Is it me, or do all the positive reviews of this movie sound suspiciously like the same review? Didn't each and every one of those reviews contain the following statements:

"Wonderful film for the whole family" "Luke Skywalker look a-like" "Ravishing and dazzling Rowena/Rita Shaver" "Real locations" "Cast of thousands." "My whole family loved it"

If I didn't know better I would think the PR group for the movie studio got together to plant some reviews in order to sell this movie.

Regardless of the reviews, LET ME ASSURE YOU, you will not find any kids (or adults) on this planet that could sit through the monotonous first 20 minutes, let alone the entire film! The pace of the movie is so slow that having a root canal will soon seem like entertainment. The dubbed voices, music, and soundtrack are so terrible it's as if you're watching one movie and listening to the sound-track for another. The Ivanhoe story is so mangled and convoluted as to be virtually intelligible.

Don't believe me? Let me give just two examples.

1. The movie begins with a painfully drawn-out (and badly-dubbed) conversation around a campfire that attempts to set up the story and background of Ivanhoe. It goes on and on for at least 20 minutes (!) until all you have is a bunch of talking heads. How's that for plot and action?

2. Next is the jousting tournament. It is so horribly slow and plodding that it was like watching a nightmare in which the same scene keeps repeating and repeating. Over-and-over you will be treated to most wretched musical fanfare imaginable as one knight after another S-L-O-W-L-Y rides up for battle. Watch in wonder as the entire crowd (which sounds like about five people) roars with cheers as each knight succumbs exactly the same way to the lance of his opponent. This goes on for so long, without variation, that you'll be cheering for the bad guys just to get it over with.

PLEASE, do as the other reviewer suggests and buy the 1952 version from MGM starring Robert Taylor and Elizabeth Taylor or the 1982 TV version starring James Mason and Olivia Hussey. They are both masterpieces compared to this.

Like many young boys, I first read Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe when I was nine, over forty-five years ago. It was one of those novels that drew me into literature. In fact, it was the very first full-length work of fiction I ever read. Unfortunately, this video utterly butchers it. None of the characters emerge as real human beings. Ivanhoe, himself, is almost a non-presence! And while the background music is very nice, (you may even want to purchase Dave Uhrich's CDs) it is not appropriate to the the video at all (try to imagine Winterhill during a battle scene!). And Isaac and Rebecca?! What happened to them?! At least they remembered to put Rowena in it... though they forgot to give her any character at all.

Save your money. Or... buy Douglas Camfield's. That's much better done and it's worlds more fun.

Scott's "Ivanhoe" is one of my favorite stories. I have seen every movie version, and I was curious about this one, so, I bought it. This is one of the oddest. It has been dubbed -- badly -- from what appears to be Russian. It is short. To make it short, the story has been gutted. Gone are Rebecca and her father Isaac of York. Since the story centers around Rebecca, and the love of Ivanhoe and Brian de Bois Gilbert (whose name has been altered, for no apparent reason, to "Brian de Buge Gilbert") for Rebecca, it really isn't "Ivanhoe". Also, Gilbert lives in the end. Go figure.

I write this review, because I read the other reviews before buying this DVD, and I wonder whether the reviewers watched the same movie that I bought.

Yucks! And yucks again! This is one of the worst films I have watched. Poor acting and cinematography, coupled with bad film to DVD transfer serve to spoil an otherwise wonderful classic by Sir Walter Scott. The English version is dubbed. Save your pennies for the 1952 version from MGM starring Robert Taylor and Elizabeth Taylor or the 1982 TV version starring James Mason and Olivia Hussey.

I have no idea where this movie was filmed or what language the actors (all with English names!!) were speaking, but the overdubbing was absolutely atrocious. The voice-over actors hardly made an effort to sound enthusiastic, and the voices were terrible. (Would've been better with subtitles.) The movie also could have been trimmed by about a half hour of meaningless and repetitive scenes of shooting a message arrow, trotting through the hills, etc. And them maybe they could've included two of the more critical character's from Scott's novel: Rebecca and her father. Odd that these characters were dropped.)Overall, I thought this a terrible movie, and I am usually very forgiving of anything with swords or knights.

After reading all 14 other customer reviews of this Ivanhoe version, I am positive the film all of you are referring to is the Russian version of the great novel by Sir Walter Scott. It is often difficult for a western audience to understand why Russian filmmakers and Russian actors do what they do, and why a movie, particularly one based on a foreign (this case English) text and centered around the need for tolerance, courage, and acceptance leaves a lot of what was in the book out.

Question: Where is Issac and Rebecca?
Answer: Issac and Rebecca do appear for about 30 seconds during the jousting match right when Ivanhoe appears (you remember the old man and young lady who were shown translating the word Desdecado--the disinherited knight, to the rest of the crowd at the tournament)-well thats them.

The reason why Issac and Rebecca then mysteriously vanish is because it is a SOVIET film, and centering a film around Jewish characters, no matter how crucial, was simply unheard of. So the story was quietly twisted around to throw all significant references to the critical Issac and Rebecca conveniantly out.

The heart of this movie, as I and many other Russian people will tell you, is the soundtrack, with songs from the legendary Russian actor, singer, and poet Vladimir Visotsky. He is the only real reason, i think, that this movie is tolerable. But hey, you have your siege of Tolkelstone Castle, you have the good guys defeating Sir Brian and Font De Beuf, so enjoy and get some popcorn. As far as loyalty to the book, given the premise by which this movie was put together, it could not be anything but unfaithful

I recently purchased The Legend Of Ivanhoe. I can't tell you how much our family enjoyed watching a movie together as a family. It's hard to find films that all can agree upon. This one satisfied our entire family.

A clasic story of action, adventure and love without the sex and swearing that is so common of many of Hollywood's films. Rita Shaver is dazzling as Lady Rowena, and Haverson as Ivanhoe reminded me of Luke Skywaker transported to the 12th century.

This is a film we will watch again and again.

My sons are into the Harry Potter series of books, so I thought they would enjoy this classic tale of the Knights of the Round Table. This great film has the time honored formula od good vs. evil, the young champion in love, secret plots to steal the throne, and a beautiful maiden held against her will, in need to be rescued.

Our entire family loved this movie. There was plenty of action and romance, and while the great battle features thousands of extras, the violence was not overdone or gory. My sons could not believe that this story has been one of the most popular books for generations. Well acted and beautifully filmed, it is a movie we will watch again and again. A very god value.

I am a fan of the classic stories of literature I read as a young child. Sir Walter Scots' Legend Of Ivanhoe is one that has always entertained me both as a child and as an adult.

This film has all the excitement of "will good overcome evil" when Prince John tries to steal the thrown of King Richard. Ivanhoe sets out not only to clear his name, but expose Prince John as an unlawful monarch.

The underlying love story between Ivanhoe and Lady Rowena demonstrates the many levels which guides one's actions, and the trials between duty to country vs personal love of a woman. Filmed at real castles, the movie has an authenticity that is believable. I also liked the way the director used only a haunting guitar score during the attack against the castle. It forces the viewer to pay closer attention to the strugle to overcome the enemy.

Overall, a great story, real locations, well filmed with a cast of thousands. It's a film I am glad to have in my family's library.

I recently purchased The Legend Of Ivanhoe and thought that it was a terrific movie. My entire family watched it just two days after seeing "A Knight's Tale" at the movies. Ivanhoe is a much better story and this film dosen't have the silly musical sound track. Rita Shaver who plays Rowena is simply ravishing. I wasn't familiar with John Haverson (Ivanhoe), but I think he is a dead ringer for Luke Skywalker from Star Wars. It appeared that the film was actually shot at some famous castles in England, and the end battle featured about a thousand extras. Worth Every Penny.