|
|||||
Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details
|
Reviews
DVD Description
The Argentine, begins as Che and a band of Cuban exiles (led by Fidel Castro) reach the Cuban shore from Mexico in 1956. Within two years, they mobilized popular support and an army and toppled the U.S.-friendly regime of dictator Fulgencio Batista.
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
`Che Part One' (aka as The Argentine) explores Che Guevara's experiences during the Cuban Revolution based on his own Cuban diaries. It looks at how he developed as a revolutionary and how Castro gave him more and more responsibility as his talents grew. He comes across as idealistic and honest and looked after both his men and the peasants in the areas he fought in. Del Toro acts superbly throughout and you could really believe this is a documentary, rather than a film, as the acting and direction is so good. This is shot mostly in Spanish, with subtitles, which adds authenticity to the film and isn't a hindrance to understanding or enjoyment. This film also uses colour and black and white cinematography to good effect. The revolution part of the film is shot in colour and the scenes where Che is talking at the U.N. after the war has been won is shot in black and white. This is very effective and gives the film a historical feel to it. Having read the book I know that rather being a exact chronology of the revolutionary war, it is rather a series of the exploits, battles and experiences as told by Che. This film follows the same format and if you don't know some of the history of the Cuban issue it may be confusing at times. For example it make reference to the Bay of Pigs (where the U.S. sponsored an invasion of Cuba) but doesn't really specify any other information about it for those unaware of the history. Although in the films defence I am guessing the kind of person who would want to see this film would have a rudimentary understanding of the war and general history in the first place. This is quite slow moving at times and isn't good for those expecting an all Hollywood action movie, but if you enjoy authentic feeling bio-pics then this is well considering. It is brilliantly acted, has amazing locations and shines a light on the character of a twentieth century icon.
Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.
Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.
Format:DVD
Where to begin? Probably by saying that I've considered myself a socialist of some description for most of my adult life, despite not growing up in South America, experiencing dictatorial regimes or exposure to societies or eras in which the carrying of arms is/was more common or accepted as a 'way of life'. There's no such thing as an innocent reading, said Louis Althusser, and there will be no exception to that statement here. Che Part One is a thoughtful, well-executed and - let's be honest - exciting depiction of a period in 20th Century history that deserves this unprecedented and extended treatment. Benicio Del Toro portrays the mature Che as the uncompromising and intelligent revolutionary some of us may have gleaned from between the lines of the official and commercial recycling machine. I rented this film with the vague sense of dread that accompanies any situations where you are worried that something (or someone) you've always vaguely considered inspirational could be ruined by a heavy-handed or bombastic approach. There was none of that here. The sequences of fighting and interviews interspersed with quotes from Che or his diaries are the furthest thing possible from an attempt at ideological indoctrination - what we get is clarity of thought emerging from concrete situations and eloquent countering of facile argument. While neither this film nor it's sequel take us into the later history of Cuba under Castro and subsequent claims of human rights abuse, what we do get is a portrayal of events that makes it clear how a genuine political sequence opens up the scope of freedom and possibility within a people or nation in a way that seemed inconceivable beforehand. My personal highlight is a scene in which Che takes over the operation of some of the heavier ordinance from a slightly inexperienced recruit. No more sermonising, best just to check it out for yourself.
6 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
As I understand it, this film almost didn't get made. Mainstream studios didn't really want to touch it, even given Soderberg and Del Toro's involvement, and they didn't like it that it was all in Spanish!
I think there are probably three types of people who will come to the experience: those who know nothing about the man, those who know nothing except that famous picture (I'm in this group) and those who live and breath every biographical fact. I think all will come away happy.
Now, getting the tough stuff out of the way: it's a bit of a demanding watch. If you don't know who's who, it's a bit of a struggle to start with. The story plays out over several time periods, so you have to pay attention. Also, the pace is slightly off-putting at first because the usual 'plot points' and 'act crescendos' have been abandoned altogther. Soderberg had said he wanted his film to be like all the other scenes a conventional biography would have left out or chopped down.
If I am completely honest, I did find it a bit hard going in places, but reflecting now, it feels all the richer an experience because, somehow, the simple unfolding style allows you to really take in the nature of the main people and circumstances involved. As always with a biog film, you wonder how much is accurate and true, but Che the character comes across as very compelling. Straightforward in his belief that imperialism and capitalsim was at the source of much of the world's woes, he committed himself to bringing it down.
A great performance from Del Toro, not overplayed, but with beliveable steadfastness of a man who is intent upon doing what he feels is right. There isn't any shying away from the fact that the revolution was obviously a violent time, and Che clearly played his part in that.
It's easy to see how this film could have been made much more conventionally (epic soundtrack, lots of english actors in supporting roles etc etc) but it goes off in another direction completely, and I find that to be a great thing, in the end. It all feels much more akin to a documentary, sort of 'spending some time with people', rather than a full in-your-face production and that leaves, I think, a lot of room for personal reflection - almost a space in the film for the viewer him/herself. A chance to consider what YOU feel about the film and it's subject matter: was the revolution right? Were Che and Castro right? Do their views still matter today? For me personally, the thing which most came across was the question of personal committment: that if one person believes in something completely, then really anything at all can happen, and actions can continue to resonate long into the future.
And finally, a brilliantly quirky ending which sort of cuts the end of the tale short, but in such a way that you don't mind.
Well worth checking out - I'm looking forward to seeing part two.
I think there are probably three types of people who will come to the experience: those who know nothing about the man, those who know nothing except that famous picture (I'm in this group) and those who live and breath every biographical fact. I think all will come away happy.
Now, getting the tough stuff out of the way: it's a bit of a demanding watch. If you don't know who's who, it's a bit of a struggle to start with. The story plays out over several time periods, so you have to pay attention. Also, the pace is slightly off-putting at first because the usual 'plot points' and 'act crescendos' have been abandoned altogther. Soderberg had said he wanted his film to be like all the other scenes a conventional biography would have left out or chopped down.
If I am completely honest, I did find it a bit hard going in places, but reflecting now, it feels all the richer an experience because, somehow, the simple unfolding style allows you to really take in the nature of the main people and circumstances involved. As always with a biog film, you wonder how much is accurate and true, but Che the character comes across as very compelling. Straightforward in his belief that imperialism and capitalsim was at the source of much of the world's woes, he committed himself to bringing it down.
A great performance from Del Toro, not overplayed, but with beliveable steadfastness of a man who is intent upon doing what he feels is right. There isn't any shying away from the fact that the revolution was obviously a violent time, and Che clearly played his part in that.
It's easy to see how this film could have been made much more conventionally (epic soundtrack, lots of english actors in supporting roles etc etc) but it goes off in another direction completely, and I find that to be a great thing, in the end. It all feels much more akin to a documentary, sort of 'spending some time with people', rather than a full in-your-face production and that leaves, I think, a lot of room for personal reflection - almost a space in the film for the viewer him/herself. A chance to consider what YOU feel about the film and it's subject matter: was the revolution right? Were Che and Castro right? Do their views still matter today? For me personally, the thing which most came across was the question of personal committment: that if one person believes in something completely, then really anything at all can happen, and actions can continue to resonate long into the future.
And finally, a brilliantly quirky ending which sort of cuts the end of the tale short, but in such a way that you don't mind.
Well worth checking out - I'm looking forward to seeing part two.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Che
This film follows Ernesto 'Che' Guevara's Revolution to take back Cuba from dictator Batista.
The main problem I had with this movie is the fact it's filmed more like a... Read more
The main problem I had with this movie is the fact it's filmed more like a... Read more
Published 14 months ago by A. J. Harrison
Revolution's beginning
Steven Soderbergh created one of those movies that is lucky to have been made at all -- a four-hour-plus biopic of Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara. Read more
Published on 18 Mar 2010 by E. A Solinas
A Quiet Revolution For Those In Danger of Heart Failure
Well Amazon customer, you've probably by now read the pages of purple praise from fellow reviewers, commending the 'restraint' of the director and the 'documentary' feel of the... Read more
Published on 10 Aug 2009 by Ms. Jennifer D. Doig
beautiful to look at, breathtaking in scope, brilliant in its...
Almost everyone knows what Che Guevara looks like, but probably very few people have ever investigated him much further than "revolutionary" and "icon". Read more
Published on 3 July 2009 by Mr. Rwj Nixon
CHERISHED ARGENTINE DREAMER IN CASTRO'S CUBA
There is no doubt that this cinema epic chronicling the arrival of "Che Guevera in Cuba" and the events leading to the overthrow of the corrupt Batista regime will haunt you for... Read more
Published on 23 Feb 2009 by usman
Che part one - A revolutionary piece of film making !
Brilliant acting and superb action sequences combined with the drama of a real true life story unfolding before your eyes makes this riveting viewing. Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2009 by J. D. Naylor
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192198663_.gif){kind=small}
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
