Product Details

• Actors: Lukas Haas, Jorge Rivero, Richard Harris, Tere Tarin, Paul G. "
• Directors: Jr. Alfredo Zacharias
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Maya Home Ent
• DVD Release Date: May 19, 2009
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001R4XRL2
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,798 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Studio: Maya Entertainment Grp Release Date: 05/19/2009 Run time: 100 minutes Rating: Pg13

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars the pearl, September 11, 2005

By 

R. Clements "English Teach" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Pearl (DVD)

As an English teacher, I was very eager to purchase this modern adaptation of Steinbeck's novella to show to students. Imagine my shock and horror when I discovered this film has a HAPPY ending! Hollywood has totally changed the impact of Steinbeck's original work to satisfy those who need to walk out of a movie experience with a smile on their faces...unfortunately, a smile isn't what people will walk out with after viewing this film. Very disappointing!

24 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Worthwhile for the classroom, September 23, 2005

By 

James J. Jenkins (Weare, NH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Pearl (DVD)

I am also an English teacher and I was thrilled to learn of this film adaptation. Even after reading the other two reviews I was excited to show this to my students after we finished our reading, and the changes that the film makes are interesting rather than disappointing. One of the projects that I offer to my students is to change the storyline to fit their interests, including the ending, and I presented this film as one person's vision. I love the way it starts with Kino as a little boy listening to his father's advice, and I like the actor who is cast as Kino the grown man. I like how his brother Juan has a larger role. In fact, I like the happy ending because it is something I used to discuss with my students, asking them how things could have been resolved differently. Richard Harris is wonderful as the shrewd doctor, and the scene where he "buys" eternal salvation from the priest is excellent. Yes, it is always preferable to see a faithful adaptation of a novel, but it doesn't ruin the fact that I can enhance my own and my students' appreciation of a great story.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Sincere apologies to John Steinbeck!, February 16, 2007

By 

Rizzo (Nowhere) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Pearl (DVD)

There is no way you can ever compare this d-grade movie to one of the best classics ever, Steinbeck's The Pearl. For one, Kino, as a young boy starts out "white", then grown up, he becomes Mexican/Indian with a bad looking tan. The actors are all white, with tanned makeup, the language is way off-key, without a hint of true accent. The plot is not memorable, nor sincere to the book. But for the whitewashing of Hollywood, ironically, the Director is Mexican. What happened there??!!

If you have read this wonderful book, you can see that watching this movie is no reflection. And it is easy to understand that the "book version" of many movies doesn't compare, but this is simply a different story. Don't even try it. Steinbeck would not only turn over in his grave, he would jump out!! .....Rizzo