Product Details

• Actors: Noah Taylor, Stuart Townsend, Sean McGinley, Embeth Davidtz, Amanda Ryan
• Directors: Ben Hopkins
• Writers: Ben Hopkins, Rob Cheek
• Producers: Anita Overland, Robert Jones
• Format: NTSC
• Run Time: 101 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00003CYBY
• For more information about "Simon Magus" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An unacceptable state of affairs, June 17, 2006

By 

Kevin Bardelski "pitchblend" (Willimantic, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Simon Magus [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Australia ] (DVD)

This film has been sorely overlooked. I highly recommend seeing Simon Magus, particularly if you are a fan of Mr. Holme or Mr. Taylor.

That this film is not offered in a US format is completely unacceptable! Shame on those who own the home video rights to Simon Magus.


Sincerely,

Kevin

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simon Magus: an ethereal poem, June 29, 2004

A Kid's Review

Simon Magus is really a tale from the vanished world, and it captures several important points which are displayed in such a beautiful manner. One point is that Simon is an orphaned and poor outcast; this is clearly shown by his rather odd attitude towards the men as he asks for alms. His shambling gait and tramp's hat frighten people, seeing as he believes to be possessed by the Devil himself. His position as a poor orphan makes the village, or most of it, think they can do with him as they please, seeing there is nobody to protect him, and his aloneness makes his revival of his true self more intense and magical.
Another point is the way in which the plotting Hause, a Christian, uses Simon's pitiful and lonely situation to aid in his goal to buy the land for the railroad. You truly see the vicious malice in Hause's eyes as he holds back his rage when he loses, and quickly gets his revenge, which is truly tragical but at the same time uplifting as you realise the beauty of death, which Simon Magus so clearly explains.
I love Simon Magus as a film because not only does it shows the journey of a man from the belief that he was demonically possessed and his being shunned out from his very home and people, so cold-heartedly that he turns over to the other side, and so beautifully returns to his home, to his true self.
This is the scene in the movie in which it is Passover and Simon slips unnoticed into the synagogue, after almost, just almost betraying the Jews, but deciding not to. He listens as the men chant their prayers, then you see in his eyes that he truly repents and the tears flow down his cheeks as he, too, begins to repeat the hymn.
I think that this is the most poignant moment of the entire movie; it truly captivates your mind when you think of all the trials and tribulations the pitiful orphan has suffered, he had gone and come back. Also, the deep voices of the men and Simon's trembling lips accentuate his strengthening of faith.
As Simon persists in seeking a loving heart, something else happens. Another Jew, Dovid, competes with Hause, through poetry, and I think this is a very lyrical and romantic touch; you don't buy land by reading your landlord's poetry everyday.
The Devil plays a role, too in deciding Simon's actions, and for his to remove himself from such an evil power's threats and manipulation... that is rightly an act of faith.
This `competition' greatly influences Simon's behaviour, which he tears away from. Offered Christian ways, he timidly embraces them yet cannot sacrifice his old Jewish ways, for that is what he truly is.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a pleasant suprise, January 5, 2003

By A Customer

I caught this film on Sundance last night and really enjoyed it. It has a wonderful atmosphere capturing by way of artful and strange photography a lost a vanished world. The characters are richly drawn, the story brings to life the predjudice and often lethal interactions between jews and gentiles in the small communities in Europe casting light on the events of the 30's and 40's.

This reminded me of the work of Isaac Balshevis Singer and also of the work of Eli Weisel.

This is an important small film, richly drawn, showing the intersection of the "seen" and the "unseen" the percolated through European jewery in the 1800's through the end of that world in 1945.