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United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Herman Melville's classic 1851 sea tale about the vengeful sea Captain Ahab who seeks to kill the great white whale who took his leg and is willing to forego the safety and endurance of his crew to do it. The tale is told from the vantage of the only surviving member, Ishmael, a young man who joins the crew of the Pequod for his first seafaring with the aid of his harpoonist friend, Queequeeg. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, ...Moby Dick
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Firstly, there are absolutely no extras on this dvd, you only have the film, which is in two 90 minute parts; this is good if you don't have time to sit and watch it all in one go. If I'm going to nit-pick I should warn you that some of the special effects aren't as good as they could be, no doubt due to budgetary constraints.
So what is this drama like? The acting is superb, especially Patrick Stewart as Captain Ahab. Even if you have never read the book no doubt you are still familiar with the story to some degree. Ishmael wants to experience life on a whaling ship and, after befriending Queepeg, a harpooner they both sign up on the Pequod. Everyone on the vessel thinks that they have signed up for a normal whaling run, but when Captain Ahab makes his appearance it becomes apparent that he is only interested in one whale. Captain Ahab has lost his leg on a previous voyage to the great white whale known as Moby Dick. Ahab wants vengeance on the whale for this, and with his obsession he is obviously going mad. This film really brings home the dangers of whaling in olden times when an accident on ship can result in death. Things are a lot more dangerous though when hunting for Moby Dick. Like the book this portrays loyalty and friendship, along with madness, obsession and vengeance. As the hunt for the whale continues, what with the sailors' superstitions and the presence of savages aboard, Ahab comes to see himself as a god of vengeance, leading the crew onto their fateful end.
I must admit that I watched this with some trepidation as I am a huge fan of the book, but fortunately I wasn't disappointed. When Moby Dick was first published it didn't fare well, but over the years it has gained in popularity as people have come to realise that it is one of the great literary masterpieces, indeed some would say, the greatest. Who knows, if you have teenage boys in the house this could encourage them to start reading. I would whole heartedly recommend this film to others, and if you are interested and would like to read the book I would personally recommend Moby-Dick: Or, the Whale: or, the Whale (Penguin Classics), as I have found this to be the best on the market so far. As a not so well known fact, if you wondered what happened to the women in such places as Nantucket when the majority of the menfolk were at sea for months on end, they used wooden dildoes to satisfy their needs.
So what is this drama like? The acting is superb, especially Patrick Stewart as Captain Ahab. Even if you have never read the book no doubt you are still familiar with the story to some degree. Ishmael wants to experience life on a whaling ship and, after befriending Queepeg, a harpooner they both sign up on the Pequod. Everyone on the vessel thinks that they have signed up for a normal whaling run, but when Captain Ahab makes his appearance it becomes apparent that he is only interested in one whale. Captain Ahab has lost his leg on a previous voyage to the great white whale known as Moby Dick. Ahab wants vengeance on the whale for this, and with his obsession he is obviously going mad. This film really brings home the dangers of whaling in olden times when an accident on ship can result in death. Things are a lot more dangerous though when hunting for Moby Dick. Like the book this portrays loyalty and friendship, along with madness, obsession and vengeance. As the hunt for the whale continues, what with the sailors' superstitions and the presence of savages aboard, Ahab comes to see himself as a god of vengeance, leading the crew onto their fateful end.
I must admit that I watched this with some trepidation as I am a huge fan of the book, but fortunately I wasn't disappointed. When Moby Dick was first published it didn't fare well, but over the years it has gained in popularity as people have come to realise that it is one of the great literary masterpieces, indeed some would say, the greatest. Who knows, if you have teenage boys in the house this could encourage them to start reading. I would whole heartedly recommend this film to others, and if you are interested and would like to read the book I would personally recommend Moby-Dick: Or, the Whale: or, the Whale (Penguin Classics), as I have found this to be the best on the market so far. As a not so well known fact, if you wondered what happened to the women in such places as Nantucket when the majority of the menfolk were at sea for months on end, they used wooden dildoes to satisfy their needs.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
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You are warned at the start - "based on the novel"; very loosely based - episodes invented, episodes missing, critical details wrong. Worse, the spirit of the book is absent; the Bradbury/Huston/Peck version is far superior here. One of the great American novels, full of scholarship and humour, exploring our place in the universe, our relationship to god and each other, what evil and redemption mean, the interplay of loyalty, ethics and friendship, what it means to be civilised, here becomes merely a boys-own adventure story.
Patrick Stewart has a good effort at making something out of this mess, and the supporting lead actors are all clearly very capable professionals, but they have an impossible task; Queequeg in particular is a parody of Melville's character.
Patrick Stewart has a good effort at making something out of this mess, and the supporting lead actors are all clearly very capable professionals, but they have an impossible task; Queequeg in particular is a parody of Melville's character.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Fairly true to the original story but most of the religious symbolism - which was incredibly striking in the final 100 pages of the book - has been taken out. As such its more an action adventure flick but still entertaining enough for an afternoons viewing.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
a noble effort
This is not a film that would in any case be improved by special effects. A large whale, open-mouthed and angry is about the extent of necessary special effects. Read more
Published 14 months ago by jeremy robert cooper
Get the Gregory Peck version!
Despite remaining much truer to the classic novel, this version is not a patch on the 1956 film staring Gregory Peck. Read more
Published on 30 Jan 2010 by J. Mahony
Fabulous,magnificent,loopy.
Can Patric Stewart act? Can Ted Levine? I think so-This d.v.d is value for money for these two alone... Read more
Published on 15 Dec 2009 by Ken Raus
Overlong and not very exciting
The story of one man's obsession with a great white whale and how that obsession brings his ship, crew and loyal ship's master to destruction. Read more
Published on 4 Aug 2009 by Dodster
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