Customer Reviews

At Play in the Fields of the Lord [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Spain ]

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Hector Babenco and Saul Zaentz have constructed a beautiful adaptation of Peter Matthiessen's novel of the same name. The american actors used are magnificent with the exception of Tom Waits who looks the part but doesn't quite get it right - this is especially evident when he is speaking to Moon over the radio. The native amazonians used are the real deal - Babenco recruited at least 10 different tribes to serve as actors and this authenticity really shows. The rituals performed are highly authentic esp. the use of epene snuff and ayahuasca. The communal housing for the tribe is wonderfully filmed - you feel as if you are really there with the sounds of the instruments and the smell of foods.

I was really pleased with how well the movie stays true to the novel of course some parts are omitted - especially alot in the town of Mae de Deus but then again that would have made this a six hour flick.

A word of caution for those who have not seen this before - This film portrays the indigenous people accurately - there is alot and I mean alot of nudity - if you aren't able to handle other cultures that don't have the hang-ups over nudity as we do (and live in a sweltering jungle of 100+ degrees and 100% humidity) then by all means see this. This is not child porn as some others hint at it being - this is a film of people (these are the real natives) at one with nature and the havoc that is created when the modern world is forced on them, a real morality play, truly sad. I made this movie a must see for my teenage daughters and it is one of my favorite films and novels of all time - a true masterpiece, I rank it right up there with Bergman's "The Seventh Seal".

This is a film that needs to be released on DVD (which I have written to Universal numerous times requesting) - An anamorphic transfer of 2.35 x 1 is necessary for the splendor of the scenery of the jungle, the other things that I would like to see would be 5.1 & DTS sound, and at least a commentary from Babenco.

This great film has been extensively reviewed on this website and for good reason--perfect casting, terrific acting, gripping story, intelligent dialogue, superior production. What more can you ask for?

The DVD has been 'hinted at' for well over a year. WHERE IS IT? How can a film this great not have a DVD release, ESPECIALLY WHEN this website has been indicating for a VERY long time that it will be out on DVD?

Kathy Bates as the wife of a missionary who goes loco (that is, she does, not the missionary). Darryl Hannah as another wife of a missionary who's more than intrigued by the native Amazon culture--in particular when she's approached by Tom Berenger, former small craft pilot, who's undergone a startling transformation. Even Tom Waits in a small part is great. John Lithgow and Aidan Quinn as the two missionaries supply the right chemistry to exacerbate the tension that drives this story with a momentum that does not let up.

This is a near-perfect film. SO WHERE IS THE DVD?

I originally saw this film when it was first released and it stuck with me. I recently saw it for the second time and it was better. The film is so sad but riveting when misguided missionaries head into the Amazon jungle to Christianize the native tribes. This story has been played out around the world for centuries and it's probably still going on with fundamentalist religious fanatics who feel the need to change others by destroying their cultures. In some ways, it's a fantasy theme of opportunities and possibilities being demonized by the personalities who created them. Christianity is a great message but it's terribly abused by the few who create such hate and leave such damage in it's name.

This is a fine film that takes you on a journey into the jungles of South America. It's so realistic that you feel you are there with them. A journey worth taking.

A fine cast actors: Tom Berenger, Aidan Quinn, John Lythgow, Kathy Bates and Daryl Hannah supported by a group of Amazonian tribes. Of course the great scenery of Amazonia itself is a major and a magnificent character.

I had been waiting for 'At Play in the Fields of the Lord' to be released on DVD for a number of years and was truly delighted to find that this movie was released on DVD in Spain.

I must admit that after receiving the purchased DVD, I was really disappointed with the quality. It must have been made from a copy of Video or something like that. My advice is do not waste your money on purchasing this import version!

I worked on this film in 1990. I was the aircraft mechanic maintaining the DeHavilland Beaver that is used in the film. Oh, filming in the Amazon was a mess. Very hot, diseases everywhere, poisonous snakes, poisonous spiders, and the afternoon rainstorms caused havoc every day even though it was the "dry" season. And the culture of Brazil won every day over the dreams and orders of the movie people. And the jungle wins every day over the Brazilians. It was an adventure and the movie is true to the place and human nature encountering such a place. Roger Ebert showed up one bright sunny afternoon at the Belem Hilton in full safari suit and pith helmet. Lord , that was a sight. He'd gotten his costume from wardrobe for sure. It's a very good movie and it is true to the place as best a movie can be. tjm

Do not watch this movie if you are looking for entertainment that a regular movie usually provides. Let me warn you- this movie has no romantic themes which make people want to slip into the characters and enter a dreamy world neither does it have any dramatic action sequence where the `bad guy' finally gets killed and you are left with the feeling that the world is once more `safe'. This is a movie about conflicts rising up from cultural differences and the consequences they might finally lead to. This is a movie that shows obvious sides of human life but it will make you really uncomfortable.
Leslie Huben (John Lithgow) a missionary head who believes he can share the greater glory of God by converting the Niaruna Indians into Christians. As a result of his religious hypocrisy, he is far away from winning the trust of the Indians. Instead he ends up losing the trust of his own wife. On the other hand Lewis Moon (Tom Berenger), a half-breed Indian, leaves all his western attachments and attempts to become one of the tribe members. For the Niaruna Indians the strange people that encroach upon their land become a threat to their own existence. Although Moon learns to speak and look like an Indian, he remains a `white man' in the eyes of the Indians because of his acquired western values. After all the efforts, Moon is still in search for his identity.
The chaos that is created by the cultural clashes is really disturbing. This movie certainly focuses on the problems from different viewpoints and the understanding about different cultures is much deepened. However, the answers just seem to raise more questions and the solution of the problem seems ever elusive. With the present global condition with many cultural dominances and religious wars, this movie raises quite relevant questions. Giving our thoughts to those questions may be quite challenging but it will certainly be very rewarding. I wish you greatest level of conscience for watching the movie.

Here's a big book reduced to a three-hour film. I don't have a problem with that. The parts left out could make a whole 'nother film. The resulting film is quite profound and fascinating; Babenco got a big budget after his success with "Kiss of the Spider Woman", and made an epic which is unusually intimate. I appreciated the acting, all of it. Kathy Bates in particular was solid in her relatively small role, and one of these days Daryl Hannah will be taken seriously. Berenger and Quinn have the moxy to carry this film well. The photography is exquisite, especially some of the aerial shots, but also crystal clear close-ups that show every bead of sweat, etc. Stunning! I've read most of the other reviews before making my comments. This film had me from the beginning, and I'm sorry for those who didn't "get it". Films about trying to change the beliefs of natives are interesting (and upsettingly frustrating) for me. Another riveting film (for me) was 1966's "Hawaii", based on Michener, which told a similar story. "Windwalker"? "Roots"? The religious thing, to me, is merely a matter of interpretation. Who's to say that these natives aren't praying to the same God? Idols? Well, the Christian churches have plenty of their own, patron saints to various things; St. Christopher medals, cricifixes... Those movies about Columbus, or the Pilgrims, also told of similar situations. Imagine the confusion of those innocent people, who only died of age until the "Christians" came along. Nudity? Who cares. It's what they did. How dare I criticize another's culture, when my own is so screwed up. Babenco used authentic Amazonians, and I applaud him for it. This film pretty much put the kabosh on Babenco's legitimacy in Hollywood; alas, the film was a failure. I eagerly await the emergence of a DVD version of this film, as well as "Hawaii". A wide letterbox could show off some breath-taking panoramas and brilliant photography. Sorry if you don't like my opinions. I'm still an American and believe in the First Amendment; I'm also a Christian who is never ashamed, often embarrassed. UPDATE: The DVD of "Hawaii" is here, a fine film about culture clash, but I still haven't seen one as good as this.

This is one of the best movies I have seen, period. I can't believe it isn't on DVD. Of all the "junk" movies they put on DVD and no one buys, why isn't a movie like this available to the thousands (who knows how many) of people who are just waiting to buy it? Maybe some critics didn't like it but there are sure a lot of people who did.

This is a 1991 film, but don't miss it! It's a rather long tale, but you won't be bored a single minute. Bates gives a stellar performance as the wife of a missionary sent to convert the 'jungle natives'. When the mission goes very wrong, she goes mad. Berenger plays a native american who flies them in on a plane, and after he sees the bravery of a jungle native, strives to return to his 'wild heritage' by heading out to join the tribe. It's a great tale of how horribly wrong things can go when the white world tries to force their ways upon a primitive culture. It's a very deep, passionate, historic movie that warrants being watched at least twice. All the actors seem to 'feel' the importance of its message and give their roles one-hundred percent. Bravo!
Chrissy K. McVay - Author

I have probably watched this movie 10 times and each time I see something I missed before. In this age of comic-book character drek movies,here's a story with characters and plot that makes you think. A movie for ADULTS!

The story concerns a group of missionaries en route to the jungle to ram their religion down the throats of the poor indians (Lithgow, Hanna, Quinn and Bates). Tom Berenger is an American half Indian who is hired to bomb the people he discovers is of his own race. He decides instead to parachute himself into the tribe, thereby being considered their God.

From here everything goes downhill. Bates and Quinn's son dies of a fever, Bates goes mad; Berenger's character has a sexual fling with Hanna who is unknown to everyone, carrying a virus
which would not kill anyone in a first world, but is catastrophic to the Indians when Berenger returns to infect everyone.

The aerial photography at the beginning was some of the most beautiful you'll ever see in any movie. The South American topography looks like the Grand Canyon, only covered in green, green, GREEN!! The characters are very fleshed out and deep. This is a movie that leaves you wondering what happened to them after the movie ends. Too bad garbage like "X-men", "Spiderman, "Incredible Hulk", ad nauseum get all the big box office. I'm sorry this one did not do well either. But, then, considering the mentality of humanity these days, I'm not surprised.