STREAM ANYTIME with Prime Video from $12.99

$21.00

FREE delivery December 29 - January 4. Details

Or fastest delivery December 28 - January 3. Details

Arrives after Christmas. Need a gift sooner? Send an Amazon Gift Card instantly by email or SMS.

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

[{"displayPrice":"$21.00","priceAmount":21.00,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"21","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"00","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"9Eifh0u1udCSq0urTxglD8azEirNTmwewCqZu6JpkvWwTwYRs0LuSq%2FTZr2EYSI%2BCF4XCjcCw64OskH8%2B7eC16EFImJR2YiAt9OYebiR9V1bVywpT58i5aw6FkTzfXo%2B8Xu4f46S9YZE2ZTeuf%2BYVuAhrUki%2BhbQWsSM5%2F9%2BPjXUTbwt1fRqJQ%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW"}]

$$21.00 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Secure transaction

Ships from

SharehouseGoods

Sold by

SharehouseGoods

Details

Ships from

SharehouseGoods

Sold by

SharehouseGoods

Return policy: Returnable until Jan 31, 2023

Other Sellers on Amazon

Added

Not added

$16.95
+ $4.08 shipping

Sold by: haigmedia

Have one to sell?

Sell on Amazon

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available
To view this video download Flash Player

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Errol Flynn (Actor), Olivia de Havilland (Actor), Michael Curtiz (Director), Rated:

Unrated

Format: HD DVD

3,905 ratings

IMDb7.9/10.0

$21.00

Additional HD DVD options

Edition

Discs

Price

New from

Used from

VHS Tape
December 23, 1993

"Please retry"

—

$8.79

$5.00

$2.99

VHS Tape
March 7, 2000

"Please retry"

—

$10.61

$9.49

$4.50

VHS Tape
August 6, 1996

"Please retry"

—

$14.50

$9.50

$2.99

HD DVD
September 26, 2006

"Please retry"

—

$21.00

$16.95

$5.22

Watch Instantly with

Rent

Buy

The Adventures of Robin Hood

$3.99

$12.99

Enhance your purchase

Format	Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, Original recording remastered, Subtitled
Contributor	Montagu Love, Ian Hunter, Errol Flynn, Una O'Connor, Eugene Pallette, Alan Hale, Melville Cooper, Herbert Mundin, Norman Reilly Raine, Olivia de Havilland, Claude Rains, Rowland Leigh, Seton I. Miller, William Keighley, Patric Knowles, Michael Curtiz, Basil Rathbone See more
Language	English
Runtime	1 hour and 42 minutes

Errol Flynn
1,087
DVD
53 offers from $2.99
3
1 offer from $18.95
Richard Thorpe
1,080
DVD
16 offers from $10.25
Brian Bedford
12,719
DVD
1 offer from $7.50
William Keighley
201
DVD
23 offers from $8.70
Casey Robinson
1,380
DVD
45 offers from $2.93

Product Description

A classic tale of Sherwood Forest. Robin Hood robs the rich to aid the poor, tries to rid England of Prince John's tyranny and gain the hand of the lovely Maid Marian.

Amazon.com

Dashing Errol Flynn is the definitive Robin Hood in the most gloriously swashbuckling version of the legendary story. Warner Brothers reunited Michael Curtiz, their top-action director, with the winning team of Flynn and Olivia de Havilland (Maid Marian) and perennial villain Basil Rathbone as the aristocratic Sir Guy of Gisbourne, and pulled out all stops for the production. It became their costliest film to date, a grandly handsome, glowing Technicolor adventure set to a stirring, Oscar-winning score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. The decadent Prince John (a smoothly conniving Claude Rains) takes advantage of King Richard's absence to tax the country into poverty but meets his match in the medieval guerrilla rebel Robin Hood and his Merry Men of Sherwood Forest, who rise up and, to quote a cliché coined by the film, "steal from the rich and give to the poor." Stocky Alan Hale Sr. plays Robin's loyal friend Little John (a part he played in Douglas Fairbanks's silent version), Eugene Palette the portly Friar Tuck, and Melville Cooper the bumbling Sheriff of Nottingham. Flynn's confidence and cocky charm makes for a perfect Robin Hood, and his easygoing manner is a marvelous counterpoint to Rathbone's regal bearing and courtly diction. The film climaxes in their rousing battle-to-the-finish sword fight, a magnificently choreographed scene highlighted by Curtiz's inventive use of shadows cast upon the castle walls. --Sean Axmaker

Product details

Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.33:1
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ Unrated (Not Rated)
Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 5.5 x 0.75 inches; 3.84 Ounces
Director ‏ : ‎ Michael Curtiz, William Keighley
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, Original recording remastered, Subtitled
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 42 minutes
Release date ‏ : ‎ September 26, 2006
Actors ‏ : ‎ Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, Patric Knowles
Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ French, Spanish
Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English, French, Spanish
Studio ‏ : ‎ Warner Home Video
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000I0RR76
Writers ‏ : ‎ Norman Reilly Raine, Rowland Leigh, Seton I. Miller
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1

Customer Reviews:
3,905 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		87%
4 star		8%
3 star		3%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Reviews with images

See all customer images

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Joseph McNary

Swashbuckling while never questioning gender roles

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 16, 2022

Verified Purchase

Casual sexism and the caste system is cool, right?

Thanks Hollywood for reinforcing such things while acting progressive.

Norms sell!

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Errol Flynn & Robin Hood.......

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 31, 2022

Verified Purchase

This is THE DEFINITIVE Robin Hood Movie !!!!!!!!!! Action, humor, handsome men, bad guys, beautiful scenery, wonderful music. All the rest are watchable, but this 1938 version will make you a true believer !!!!!

Helpful

William Flanigan

The Video Is Outstanding, But Not The Original Film Music!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 14, 2003

Verified Purchase

1. This review is focused on the film's original and historic film score as presented in this DVD-Video (DVD-V) release. The DVD-V contains two discs of a quartet of recent discs released on DVD and CD marking the 65th anniversary of the film (see reviews of the film's music on CD release Marco Polo 8.225268 and DVD-Audio release Marco Polo 5.220501).
2. The Adventures of Robin Hood (TAORH) was Erich Wolfgang Korngold's (EWK) first (and only) score for a motion picture filmed in color (using the three-stripe Technicolor process then crossing over from experimental shorts to features). This is also the first film score to be broadcast pretty much intact, live, and on coast-to-coast radio (with Sir Guy of Gisbourne, recently recovered, narrating the story) in 1938. You can hear that broadcast on Disc 2. For Warner Bros., TAORH was the studio's first release of a full-color feature and the first with a budget of such magnitude (around two million USD all told which is pretty close to 200 million in today's movie-inflated dollars).
3. Disc 1 contains much (but not all) of the original sound track (OST) processed for the first time in Dolby Digital which yields a spectacular restoration! Disc 2 includes a number of improvised excerpts from film scores played, hummed, and "sung" by the composer along with a bit of chatting (mostly protesting) by EWK-I believe this is the first time Korngold's voice has been heard in a commercial recording (shades of Garbo!).
4. There are some problems with the audio recordings presented on this disc set. For starters, while the OST on Disc 1 contains most "major" cues (but not in their entirety), many others are missing (starting just a few minutes into the film). Given the history of how the OST recording was rescued from obliteration in the proverbial eleventh hour, we are indeed fortunate to have what we have. However, the cues presented on this disc are synchronized with a silent version of the film. This means that they end up being separated by all sorts of pauses (while dialog is occurring). Presenting a chopped up version of the OST as an adjunct to a de faco silent movie seems pretty dumb. Only those with an academic interest in matching cues with film scenes MAY find this of value-say about five folks on the entire planet! Next we have the "live" radio broadcast on Disc 2. This appears to be a complete version (at a little over 28 min), but it suffers from print through and wow&flutter, especially at the beginning. Given these tell-tale signs, this presentation does not sound like it was directly derived from original studio records. Perhaps of greater interest is that the miking/mixing is also decidedly different (and much improved) from an earlier, shorter version released on CD (Facet 8104, 1987, available from Amazon.com) which really sounds like a live recording!. So are we really hearing a live broadcast on Disc 2 or a post-broadcast studio recording? Finally, we have the "Erich Wolfgang Korngold Piano Session" also on Disc 2 (called "Korngold Scoring Session" on the back of the slip case) broken down into fragments from 12 listed film scores (and a few notes and bars from other ones). Although not acknowledged, all fragments come from a tape made in 1951 at a birthday for and at the home of Mr. Ray Heindorf (Music Director for Warner Bros.) with the composer as the honored guest (Heindorf also made the recording). (One fragment, "Love for Love" from ESCAPE ME NEVER, 1947, has appeared on at least three CDs and one laser disc, with the source usually not clearly acknowledged.) No fragment exceeds 2 min 30 sec, and several are less than 30 sec long. Fragmentizing as opposed to just running the tape end to end also seems pretty dumb. It is simply not the way to enjoy an impromptu session of Korngold at the piano.
5. Bottom line: Buy this DVD set for the film (and supplemental video materials), but NOT for the OST and related recordings.

William Flanigan, Ph.D.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Robert Chica

A true classic epic

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 27, 2011

Verified Purchase

They will always make epics but they never again will make epics like they did in the 1930s and 1940s and especially Swashbuckling Epics like The Adventures of Robin Hood. This 1938 classic epic release by Warner Brothers, staring Errol Flynn as Robin Hood and Olivia De Havilland as Maid Marian as well as Basil Rathborne as the evil and villainous Guy de Gisborne and Claude Raines as Prince John is what definitely is an influence on the creation of all the Pirates of the Caribbean Movies as well as all the Star Wars films when dealing with Sward Fighting.
This Movie is a Fairy Tale epic with Robin Hood as the hero and Maid Marian as the girl in the tale that is smitten by the hero and who ends up with him. There is comedy when Robin and Little John as well as the Merry Men lour Friar Tuck into their group, and also when the bungling fool of the Sheriff of Nottingham is in any scene as well as in any scene where Robin's man Much is with his love interest Nurse Bess.
Sadly there is also tragedy in this Film. with pain being seen in the tortured faces and broken bodies of the Saxon people of the England of Robin Hood's time supposedly set in this tale. The cruel and evil Gisborne and the backstabbing and devilish John Lackland {as he is called in the Movie although later on in the real John the First of England's life he was called that way by his enemies} are the none comic villains in the Movie that would give anyone nightmares.
Later in history John is forced by the Nobles to accept the Magna Charta at the Field of Runnymede, but at the time that this tale is set those later on Nobles united against King John were at each other's throats. Richard Coeur de Lion {Lionheart} was the only one that in the tale is who would have all Nobles and all English united, as he was the King in the tale but he is held hostage in Austria; and that gives John the opportunity for him to take Richard's throne. Richard the Lionheart was a King who was a Warrior as well as a Crusader, with him being so absent in his reign that it was no wonder that such injustice was placed on the people in the tale, who were tortured and maimed and who lost everything because of the pact of evil, in between John and his supporters of Gisborne and the Sheriff of Nottingham.
In this Film Richard returns to England as it is told in so many Fairy Tales of him in total disguise as a Monk and Richard states to a mysterious Monk that he is mad at Richard abandoning his people, with him and all Merry Men seeing that this Monk was Richard and Richard befriending the Merry Men and their leader as loyalists to him despite Robin's long anger at Richard's not staying home.
This makes the tale a story where so many issues are mentioned when at the same time the art of fencing is so present as the action and especially when it is in the form of a Ballet. The Music is just as amazing as the Movie itself with Erich Wolfgang Korngold being such a maestro.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Mark Barry

"...Saucy Fellow!" - The Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938) on BLU RAY

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 17, 2014

Verified Purchase

I've proudly owned the American 2DVD set of this 1938 classic for years now (in a handsome card wrap outer) and hold it in huge affection. So I was looking forward to the BLU RAY upgrade - and WOW is the only appropriate reaction.

This 2008 American BLU RAY reissue is a sweetheart and is thankfully free of all that Region Coding crap - so it won't give anyone playback problems (REGION FREE).

But what hits you head on when the film starts - is the Technicolor (which at the time was relatively new). The picture quality is truly fabulous - deep reds, striking blues, crimson, gold, velvet cloaks, jewelled gowns, lace veils, the forest feast with Maid Marion, multi-coloured flags and livery draped over horses, the archery tournament - gorgeous the whole lot of it. Even Errol's green tights will raise a smile.

There's the zippy dialogue of Claude Raines ("saucy fellow") and the snarl of Basil Rathbone ("I'll run him through...") and of course the most loveable rogue who ever pointed a bow and arrow at a fat rich Lord - Errol Flynn looking like he's enjoying himself way too much for a man living in 1191.

But all of these pale against Olivia De Havilland - the classiest and most beautiful actress who's ever turned down a knavish rake with a fierce ardour in his trouser area. To see her in the outtakes - and on set - smiling and laughing with Errol and the rest of the cast is an absolute blast. In 1959 she went to see the film in a re-run - and was overwhelmed at how beautiful it looked and how entertaining it still was. She determined to write Errol (who legendarily asked her to marry him twice - and she rightly turned down the notorious rake) and let him know that his great moment was still thrilling audiences - but she never did - and alas three weeks later he succumbed to illness and was gone...

The huge amount of BONUS MATERIAL that came with the 2DVD set is all present and correct - centrepiece of which is two indepth documentaries (hosted by film historians Rudy Behlmer and Leonard Maltin). They go into every aspect of the lavish $2 million dollar production - the stars (James Cagney was first suggested), the sets and the location (spraying trees green in the fall), the huge amount of clothing, the massive lights needed to fuel the Technicolor Process, biogs on the two Directors Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, the hands on genius of Producer Hal Wallis, each one of the supporting actors profiled, the sword fighting...it's incredibly comprehensive.

Warner Brothers are to be praised for this - a masterpiece of entertainment given a masterful release on BLU RAY.

2018 will see its 80th Anniversary - so maybe then we'll finally see a UK release for Sir Robin of Loxley and His Band of Merry Men (and one tasty woman) - and with some properly classy packaging and not just a crappy clipcase?

It's a corny phrase I know - but they really don't make 'em like this anymore (complete with daring do and buckles that swash). Do yourself a solid and buy this classic on BLU RAY - then keep it for a rainy day to cheer yourself up...

31 people found this helpful

R.B

Not the Blu-ray you expect

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 27, 2019

Verified Purchase

This is by far, the best Robin Hood movie ever made.
However the quality of this product doesn't pay hommage to this 81 yo movie.
Where you expect a sharp full HD image, you have what looks like an upscale of the DVD version.
Sad they haven't made a proper remaster of this master piece. But this is the Warmer Bros, what do you expect...
I already have the DVD version so I can compare. The DVD was very good... by its time. But on a 4K HDR TV it's not that great, nor is the Blu-ray unfortunately.
I bought the Blu-ray version with only one disc, turned out it is zone free so you can read it anywhere (despite what is written on the Amazon description). But it doesn't worth it. It's slightly better than the DVD don't get me wrong, but this is definitively not the Blu-ray quality I expected.
So we need to wait for a proper 4K remaster...

2 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD [1938] [Blu-ray] [US Import]

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 3, 2014

Verified Purchase

THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD [1938] [Blu-ray] [US Import] Spectacular! One Of The Most Splendid Entertainments Ever Devised! The Best-Loved Bandit of All Time!

Dashing Errol Flynn triumphs in this lavish, fast-paced Technicolour® adventure version of the Robin Hood legend in this 1938 production of ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood.’ Doing many of his stunts himself, Errol Flynn is at his most athletic and romantic, but originally the role was intended for James Cagney. Olivia de Havilland as Maid Marion and perennial villain Basil Rathbone as the aristocratic Sir Guy of Gisbourne, Claude Raines as Prince John and a boisterous who’s who of actors that pulled out all stops for the production. Plus Warner Bros. reunited Michael Curtiz, as their top-action film director. Welcome to Sherwood!

FILM FACT: The film won three Academy Awards® at the 11th Academy Awards® and was nominated for one more: Best Art Direction (Color) for Carl Jules Weyl. Best Film Editing for Ralph Dawson and Best Original Score for Erich Wolfgang Korngold. It was also Nominated for Best Picture for Hal B. Wallis and Henry Blanke.

Cast: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, Patric Knowles, Eugene Pallette, Alan Hale Sr., Herbert Mundin, Melville Cooper, Una O'Connor, Ian Hunter, Montagu Love, Harry Cording, Ivan F. Simpson, Leonard Willey, Robert Noble, Kenneth Hunter, Robert Warwick, Colin Kenny, Lester Matthews, Lionel Belmore (uncredited), Frank Hagney(uncredited), Holmes Herbert(uncredited), Howard Hill(uncredited), Crauford Kent(uncredited), Carole Landis(uncredited), Leonard Mudie(uncredited), Reginald Sheffield(uncredited), Sam Jaffe (uncredited) and Trigger (Lady Marian's horse)

Directors: Michael Curtiz and William Keighley

Producers: Hal B. Wallis, Henry Blanke and Jack L. Warner

Screenplay: Norman Reilly Raine, Rowland Leigh and Seton I. Miller

Composer: Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Leo F. Forbstein

Cinematography: Tony Gaudio, Sol Polito, W. Howard Greene (Technicolor photographer) and Natalie Kalmus (Technicolor director)

Video Resolution: 1080p [Technicolor]

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Audio: English: 1.0 Dolby Digital, French: 1.0 Dolby Digital, Spanish: Dolby Digital 1.0 and Music-Only Track 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono

Subtitles: English, English SDH, French and Spanish

Running Time: 102 minutes

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Studio: Warner Home Video

Andrew's Blu-ray Review: Oh how I do love ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ film? And here is why: there's the incredibly dashing Errol Flynn in one of his signature roles; the unbelievably alluring (yet always chaste) Olivia de Havilland, simply a vision of grace and spunk; the eye-popping Technicolor palette which I regularly show to those unfamiliar with classic Technicolor to prove to them colours were more beautiful "back then" and last, but certainly not least, the beyond rousing, Oscar-winning score of Erich Wolfgang Korngold, which layers theme upon theme to bring out the subliminal hero in all of us. And that's just for starters. I have loved this film since the first time I saw it, decades ago, and my love for it has only grown in the intervening years. It may not be deep, and at times it is patently silly, but I for one don't think classic Hollywood has ever fashioned a more complete entertainment than The Adventures of Robin Hood and that is why I developed a true appreciation for film classics of this genre.

When I was first introduced to this 1938 Technicolor swashbuckling film, 'The Adventures of Robin Hood,' from then on I fell in love with this awesome film. Seventy-odd years on, it still holds up splendidly as high octane adventure, a soaring love story and good old-fashioned popcorn entertainment. So what if the sets look slightly phony, the costumes slightly goofy, and the dialogue sounds slightly old fashioned? Today's big-budget, effects-laden snooze-fests would kill to earn even a tenth of the laughs, thrills, and swoons that this little baby manages, seemingly without even breaking a sweat.

Errol Flynn was the perfect leading man. Though he was quoted later as having been "bored" by the role, after achieving stardom with earlier, similar efforts like 'Captain Blood' [1935] and 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' [1936], you wouldn't know it from his performance. No one could charge into a room, swish a sword and charm the ladies like he could and they didn't coin the phrase "in like Flynn" for nothing. So iconic is Errol Flynn's “Robin Hood” portrayal that it is parodied in satires, especially like Mel Brooks' 'Men in Tights.'

The supporting cast is also really wonderful. Olivia de Havilland is a gorgeous, sly, and feisty Maid Marian. Flynn was reportedly a bit of a troublemaker on set, reserving most of his goodwill only for Olivia de Havilland. Whatever the case, their chemistry is palpable on screen, winning, and rather sexy. Basil Rathbone, the world's most famous Sherlock Holmes, is wisely cast against type as the villainous Sir Guy of Gisbourne. His performance is consummate in its wickedness and subtle wit, with Basil Rathbone easily holding his own against Errol Flynn. Also look for a terrific ensemble of famous character actors, including Melville Cooper as the hilarious, snivelling High Sheriff of Nottingham. On top of all that, Warner Bros. stable standby Claude Rains as somewhat fey Prince John, and Alan Hale, Sr. (a dead-ringer for his son, future 'Gilligan's Island' skipper Alan Hale, Jr.) as Little John.

It's interesting that 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' continues to be considered the definitive telling of the classic tale, because based on the behind-the-scenes dramas that plagued its production; it should have been a disaster. William Keighley was the original director, hired mainly because he had worked with Errol Flynn a year prior on 'The Prince and the Pauper.' Despite the studio's high hopes, his early dailies were underwhelming, and he was promptly replaced by another director, Michael Curtiz. Veteran of such hits as 'The Perfect Specimen,' 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' and 'Captain Blood' (the latter two again with Errol Flynn), Curtiz's influence helped give the film its now famous light-hearted spirit and dazzling derring-do. 'Robin Hood' certainly ranks up there in a career filled with staggering achievements.

Ultimately, even those familiar with the Robin Hood character but unfamiliar with this particular version, will find something to love here. The film leaves nothing of the legend out, the splitting of the arrow, the fight with Little John and the Sherwood Forest feast, not to mention the swordplay, the romance, and the plundering... it's all here in spades. 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' may not have modern special effects, airbrushed models instead of actors, and fast-cut editing, but even seventy years on, it remains cinema's reigning swashbuckler.

Blu-ray Video Quality – 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' I really enjoyed on an old fashioned NTSC DVD release that was at the time magnificent. Restored under the auspices of the "Ultra Resolution" process, this technological wonder allows for clean-up and re-alignment of vintage Technicolor negatives, returning them not only to their former glory but far surpassing any previous presentation in terms of clarity, colour purity, and sharpness. The results of Warner Bros. advancements have earned praise far and wide, and I'm certainly a huge fan. I continue to be amazed at how fantastic the recent Warner Ultra Resolution titles like 'Singin' in the Rain,' Gone with the Wind' and 'The Searchers' look, and now 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' can be safely added to that list. The only reason I'm not giving 'Robin Hood' a full five-star video is because it may be just a smidgen less perfect, and not quite as sharp, as the absolute top tier of Warner's Ultra-Resolution titles, and the title I still hold up as the absolute reference-standard, 'Singin' in the Rain.' But despite the minor quibble, 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' looks totally fantastic.

Blu-ray Audio Video – Due to the age of the audio elements, and the lack of the original "stems" needed to create a full 5.1 surround remix, 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' is presented in 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono, as with the NTSC DVD version, there just isn't much you can say about this mono mix. Overall, fidelity is fine. The most apparent improvement is the high end, gone is that shrill, ear-piercing flatness one usually associates with old mono mixes. Mid-range and low bass could still have used a bit of a boost, however. This is most noticeable on the brass-filled music score, which sounds rather flat. Dialogue holds up very well, though, if somewhat pinched. But like the image, any deficiencies in the audio are hardly excessive, and after a few minutes, you won't even notice. But a word of warning, put your amplifier setting in the STEREO mode, as if you have it in the Dolby Surround mode, it sounds totally awful, I just wish with this awesome Technicolor film, they could of spent some extra money on upgrading the sound to at least 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio.

Blu-ray Special Features and Extras: 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' was a fantastic package even on the old fashioned NTSC DVD, with hours and hours of bonus materials. It's just as impressive here on this Blu-ray, especially with all of the same materials, but presented in 480i video image, that are of very high calibre. Whew – what a package!

Special Feature: Alternate Viewing Mode [1080p] Let's start with the 'Warner Night at the Movies" option. This allows you to watch the film in the context of a film theatre programme, as it would have been exhibited at the time of its original release. Introduced by the ubiquitous Leonard Maltin, this option precedes the film with a Vintage Newsreel; a musical short subject from Freddie Rich and His Orchestra; the Merrie Melodies cartoon "Katnip Kollege" [1080p] and a theatrical trailer for 'Angels with Dirty Faces.' It's a very fun way to kick off the movie, and a terrific addition from Warner Bros.

Audio Commentary: Commentary by film historian Rudy Behlmer: His name should be familiar to any fan of classic cinema, as he's contributed to numerous DVD supplements and documentaries. Admittedly, his track here can be a little dry. He's so well prepared he seems to be reading off of already-written material. But you can't argue with the breadth and depth of his knowledge. He sticks to the movie at hand, and covers just about every aspect of the production, from conception to casting to shooting to release. Perhaps this is not for casual viewers, but diehard fans of the film shouldn't miss it.

Special Feature Documentaries [480i] Two full-length documentaries are also included. "Glorious Technicolor" runs 60 minutes and is hosted by Angela Lansbury. It's a fascinating, very well-produced history of the Technicolor process, from its glory days in the '30s and '40s to its slow and painful demise, by the end of the '60s, it was all but dead, which I think is very sad. Another nice bonus from Warner Bros. the documentary has its own chapter search function. Very handy.

Special Feature: Welcome to Sherwood: The Story of 'The Adventures of Robin Hood [2003] [480i] [4:3] [55:00] Welcome to Sherwood: The Making of The Adventures of Robin Hood [2003] takes us behind the scenes during production of the Warner Bros. classic - from the development of the script to the fight choreography. You'll also learn more about the history of the Robin Hood legend and what prompted Warner Bros. to make ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood.’ In addition, we learn how close James Cagney came to bouncing around Sherwood Forest in green tights instead of Errol Flynn and what happened to the horse Olivia de Havilland rode in the film and why two men are credited with directing the film. The documentary includes colour home movie footage of the cast and crew on location plus interviews with film historians such as Rudy Behlmer, Bob Thomas, Leonard Maltin and Robert Osborne. One thing the documentary doesn't go into is the relationship between Errol Flynn and director Michael Curtiz. In all the two men made 12 films together, including ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ and ‘Captain Blood’ and the film that made Errol Flynn a star. Despite their long history and the string of hits they made, they hated each other.

Special Feature: Video Archive [2003] [480i] [4:3] A huge archive of historical material begins with a clutch of rare and never-before-seen footage. Rudy Behlmer returns to narrate an 8-minute series of Outtakes, plus "Breakdowns of 1938," a 14-minute studio blooper reel. Both are without sound.

Special Feature: A Journey to Sherwood Forest [2003] [480i] [4:3] [13:00] This is an assemblage of on-set footage and home movies made during the film's production.

Special Feature: Robin Hood Through the Ages [2003] [480i] [4:3] [7:00] Offers a brief history of Robin Hood's earlier screen adaptations, most notably the 1922 Douglas Fairbanks silent version.

Special Feature: Audio Archive: [2003] There are also three very impressive audio-only supplements. "The Robin Hood Radio Show" from 1938 is just that, and is quite a bit of nostalgia. Though I'd never heard this actual radio programme before, because it was mainly heard on American Radio and not here in the UK. Also included are a few outtakes of Erich Wolfgang Korngold piano sessions. Best of all, is a complete music-only track of the composer's OSCAR® winning score. As was the case with the feature, the audio here is presented in Dolby Digital Mono as well.

Special Feature: Still Gallery: Splitting the Arrow [2003] [1080p] Presented in full 1080p video is the "Splitting the Arrow" animated still gallery. I counted over a hundred stills, ranging from historical art and costume designs, to scene concepts and cast and crew photos. This one is very easy to navigate with your remote's basic control functions.

Special Feature: Warner Bros. Shorts: Next up are four different short films and cartoons. All are presented in 1080p video image. Sit back and enjoy the Looney Tunes classics, which are as follows:

Vintage Warner Bros. Cartoon: ‘Rabbit Hood’ [1949] [480i] [4:3] This cartoon is the origin of the infamous "knighting" exchange, where Bugs Bunny is dressed up like a king, and proceeds to pound the skull of the Sheriff with his sceptre while dispensing an oddball title with each strike. The short was directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese. As usual, Mel Blanc picked up all the voice characterisations. The layouts were done by Robert Gribbroek and the backgrounds by Peter Alvarado.

Vintage Warner Bros. Cartoon: ‘Robin Hood Daffy’ [1958] [480i] [4:3] The film features Daffy Duck in the role of legendary outlaw Robin Hood, and opens to the strains of his playing a song on an instrument similar to an arch lute or bouzouki. As he prances along singing, he trips and tumbles down a hill still singing, off a bank and into a river. Directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese. It was the last Chuck Jones theatrical cartoon to star Porky Pig.

Then, there are two vintage short subjects, which are as follows:

Vintage Warner Bros. Short: ‘Cavalcade of Archery’ [1946] [480i] [4:3] Master Bowman Howard Hill displays his remarkable skills in a Technicolor ‘Cavalcade of Archery.’ Seven years after using his talents to great advantage in the classic swashbuckler ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ [1938], Howard Hill once again steps in front of the cameras in this enjoyable, light-hearted little film. Although the silly narration sometimes intrudes, it never obscures what Mr. Hill is able to do with his arrows to a variety of targets, including bottles, a gourd, an apple and even a prune. Often overlooked or neglected today, the one and two-reel short subjects were useful to the Studios as important training grounds for new or burgeoning talents, both in front & behind the camera. The dynamics for creating a successful short subject was completely different from that of a feature length film, something akin to writing a top-notch short story rather than a novel. Economical to produce in terms of both budget & schedule and capable of portraying a wide range of material, short subjects were the perfect complement to the Studios' feature films.

Vintage Warner Bros. Short: ‘The Cruise of the Zaca’ [1946] [480i] [4:3] ‘Cruise of the Zaca’ is a short documentary on 16mm about a trip taken by Errol Flynn in 1946 on his boat the “Zaca” to collect specimens with his father, Professor Flynn. The trip was done in association with the Scripps Institute of Oceanography of the University of California and took place off the east coast of Mexico and in the West Indies. Errol Flynn leaves his house on Mullholland Drive by helicopter captained by Paul Mantz and goes to the Scripps Institute. He goes on board the “Zaca” and visit San Benito Island, the Panama Canal and Jamaica. The trip started in August 1946. On board were Errol Flynn, his father, his wife Nora, and John Decker, Howard Hill, Professor Carl Hubbs, Charles Gross and Jerry Corneya. After a month of sailing, many of the group left, including Flynn's wife and father, but Flynn pushed on through the Panama Canal to the Caribbean to Cap Haitien. Before going through the Canal, Errol Flynn stayed in Acapulco where the “Zaca” had been hired to appear in ‘The Lady from Shanghai’ [1948].

Theatrical Trailers [1080p] The fun finally comes to an end with an Errol Flynn Trailer Gallery, featuring spots for 'The Adventures of Robin Hood,' plus the aforementioned 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' and 'Captain Blood.'

Finally, 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' is a lively, rousing adventure. Sure, it's from 1938, with plenty of silly costumes and hairstyles, but who cares when it's so much fun? This Blu-ray is magnificent. Warner Home Video continues to impress with its Ultra-Resolution re-masters and the video transfer in particular is a stunner and there are so many extras here it could take you days to get through them all. If you are at all a fan of Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men, then this Blu-ray is an absolute must-own. For a film that features beautiful lush colours, vivid pageantry and thrilling performances, that today can be hard to come by. The special features alone provide a delightful peek behind the curtain into a time when cinema began to shine its brightest. The Blu-ray of ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ does justice to celebrating the frivolity that is Robin Hood Hollywood style, especially with the very charismatic Errol Flynn at its helm and again when I first viewed this film I feel in love with it 100%, as I think it is the best portrayal of this type of genre showing the ye olde history of England in that period and hasn't been bettered and now I have the ultimate version that I have now added to my Blu-ray Collection. Very Highly Recommended!

Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Fan
Le Cinema Paradiso
WARE, United Kingdom

2 people found this helpful

Danny Green

Beautifully remastered to Bly ray. Sharp and stunning.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 3, 2014

Verified Purchase

I had only ever seen this fantastic film on television as a child. I always remembered it as being THE Robbin hood film. I was amazed at the sharpness and vividness of the colours and images. On blue ray this is truly wonderful. It proberbly looks the best it ever has. We watch net flix quite a lot with the children and the difference in quality of picture was frankly, stunning. This is the best and definitive Robbin hood film, although it has dated this only adds to it's charm. It has all the elements if the original myth and is child friendly, unlike the newer versions which lack all that children crave, swashbuckling adventure and bright green costume. I bought this for my 8year old son-and myself of course- and it had been years since I had seen it. To see it again in all it's glory and better than I had ever remembered it being, story wise and of course bluesy quality was a surprising treat. Just fantastic. My kids loved it, although a lot of the plot and dialogue is lost on smaller children there is enough pace and action to keep them enjoying it. The famouse split the arrow scene was a top moment enjoyed by my bow weisel ding boy 10/10

One person found this helpful

Russel M Mulvihill

The Greatest Adventure Movie Of All Time,The Adventures Of Robin Hood.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 25, 2013

Verified Purchase

Adventures Of Robin Hood: The Greatest Adventure Movie of All Time.

Having been the proud owner of The Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938) on DVD, for about five years I did not think that the quality of this picture could be improved, but I was mistaken. The Technicolor 3 strip process is showcased in its full majesty and the definition of image is without equal. One can almost believe when watching the Blu Ray version that you where at its premiere way back in 1938, the image looks so fresh.

The Blu Ray version has all the extras of the double DVD plus a radio show of The Adventures Of Robin Hood, Narrated by Basil Rathbone. Beware anyone buying the DVD version, though the radio show is advertised on the sleeve it is not included in the DVD.

Though the movie is now seen as the definitive Errol Flynn movie and a showcase for Technicolor, it was originally going to be a star vehicle for James Cagney and was to be filmed in glorious black and white.
RMM.

3 people found this helpful

See all reviews

Other Sellers on Amazon

Image Unavailable

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Enhance your purchase

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Product Description

Product Description

Amazon.com

Product details

Videos

Customer reviews

Reviews with images

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries