Customer Reviews

Phar Lap [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.4 Import - Australia ]

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

 

 

I'm an American who grew up watching this movie. It is still to this day my favorite movie of all time. An inspirational underdog story that will touch you no matter how old you are. I'm waiting for it to come out in the US's format, i'm considering just purchasing it and converting it over, i can't watch my bootleg vhs for too many more years...

Unashamedly sentimental in its directorial approach, this movie nonetheless has legs, and is no also-ran.

Set in and produced in Australia, this 1983 drama is based on the true story of a racehorse in the late 20's and early 30's that became a household name in Australia. Phar Lap (Thai for `Lightning') earned its owners a huge amount of money before dying in 1932 in mysterious circumstances.

The story has a lot in common with the more recent `Seabiscuit', but is told in less overwrought style here. The music can be trite to say the least, and there are no surprises to be had, especially in who wins the races.. but this hardly matters for such a well made story with convincing characters. The owners are never portrayed as two dimensional horse-loving heroes, far from it, but as genuine flawed characters we can relate to.

Our window onto the story is through the eyes of the one apparent horse-lover in the movie, the stable boy (Tom Burlinson, from `The man from Snowy River') who forms a close bond with the horse. It's this relationship that gives the movie an overall feel-good factor, even among the cut-throat and money obsessed atmosphere of horse racing.

It may feel like a long shot to take a bet on a relatively unknown movie, but if you're in the mood for family friendly fare, then this movie certainly fits the bill and you'll be happy to stick with it to the finish line.

This is one of my favorite films. Like the other reviewer, I have a VHS copy and am hoping it will be released to the US market on DVD before to much longer. The story is fascinating and inspiring - and for those who are unaware of who Phar Lap is - it might be worth mentioning, that this is a true story. The movie is very well acted and perfectly cast. There is cause for every human emotion there is to feel, as you watch this film. Unless you have a heart of cold stone you will be touched and blessed by it.

I seen this at a young age in Michigan, and have been looking for a dvd ever since, had transformed my vhs into dvd to ensure longer usage. I would love to get this two-disc collectors edition...would LOVE for them to put it out in the U.S.!!!! I may just buy a multi-regional dvd player just to get this two-disc collection, it will be well worth it to me. Not only is it a true story, it is heart warming and Pharlap is truely amazing and I think he would have blown away any of our American horses away on the track if he had the chance!!! Truely amazing!!!

Just picked up the collectors DVD from Australia, and it is flat out awesome. If your DVD player is not multi-region it can be "adjusted" with a little help from the internet, so go out and buy it now!! It was incredible to see it in DVD widescreen quality, I wore out the VHS long ago...If you do buy this version, one thing keep in mind, the director's cut of this version has Pharlap dying at the beginning not the end like the US version. The US marketing team put Pharlap's death at the end because most people in the US didn't know the story (no Australian in his right mind would not know the name Pharlap), this made for a tear-jerker sad ending in the US and an uplifting ending in Australia (ends with his last race). Go get it!!! I love Seabiscuit, but Pharlap was a better horse and a better movie!

This is my favorite horse movie, of all time. Compared to Seabiscuit, this is the better movie, with more racing scenes and just overall more about the horse then the people.

I bought the Australian version and converted it over, so I can watch it. It's a bit different then the US version, starting with Pharlap's death and then telling his story, but other than that everything is the same.

If you are a big horse lover this is a definite "Get It", movie.