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The River [DVD]

Mel Gibson (Actor), Sissy Spacek (Actor), Mark Rydell (Director) | Rated: Suitable for 15 years and over | Format: DVD
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
Price: £17.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Product details

  • Actors: Mel Gibson, Sissy Spacek, Shane Bailey, Becky Jo Lynch, Scott Glenn
  • Directors: Mark Rydell
  • Writers: Julian Barry, Robert Dillon
  • Producers: Edward Lewis, Robert Cortes
  • Format: PAL
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.85:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: 15
  • Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent.
  • DVD Release Date: 23 April 2001
  • Run Time: 119 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
  • ASIN: B00005956U
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 122,007 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)

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Reviews

From Amazon.co.uk

Starring Mel Gibson in his second Hollywood film, The River celebrates traditional American values through the Garvey family's determination to hold onto their farm against all odds. The drama opens with the threat of flooding from the river that adjoins the Garvey's land, then depicts their struggles through ailing livestock, accident and risk of crop failure. Add to these a local businessman, Scott Glenn, planning to turn the valley into a dam, a subplot echoing Deliverance (1972), also filmed in Eastern Tennessee, and all the elements are in place for an emotional triumph-over-adversity movie. Much of The River has a realistic tone, unflinchingly depicting numerous hardships, especially when Gibson has to earn extra money as a strike-breaking hired hand in a steel mill. Against this, and a surprisingly left-wing tone advocating cooperation over competition, the more upbeat moments resort to feel-good cliché with John Williams' lilting score seemingly wandered in from a Spielberg fantasy. Nevertheless the cast, including Sissy Spacek as Gibson's wife, deliver first-rate performances and cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond expertly captures the harshness and the beauty of the land. The River was one of a trio of major US farming movies in 1984, the others being Country and Places in the Heart.

On the DVD: The 1.85:1 anamorphically enhanced image is virtually flawless, capturing the many subtle effects of light on water throughout the film. Released theatrically in stereo, the opening and closing sequences demonstrate the power of a Dolby Digital 5.1 remix in generating atmosphere through natural sound. Elsewhere the audio is less striking, but always clean and powerful. Extras are routine: the US trailer, four brief biographies, and interesting though short production notes. --Gary S. Dalkin

Product Description

Struggling East Tennessee farmer Tom Garvey (Mel Gibson) is forced to break a picket line to earn extra money as a scab labourer. Reviled by the striking workers, Tom has to rekindle a sense of community spirit when all their livelihoods are subjected to a twin threat: the speculations of an unscrupulous property developer (Scott Glenn) and a river that is about to burst its banks. Sissy Spacek co-stars.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Exceptionally good farming movie 23 April 2002
By A Customer
Format:DVD
Technically, The River is well done but it doesn't give anything special. It uses normal methods what comes to creation of atmosphere. Directing is lacking ambition and it's little unimaginative. It's better directed than "normal" movies, but I still don't get it why Mark Rydell was nominated for Best Director. Story is also quite good, although some viewers may find whole "left-wing" atmosphere quite disturbing. Movie has also few scenes that don't fit to their places, but those scenes can be counted with one hand.

Audiovisually movie is very good. It offers beautiful images of Tennessee's nature as well as good shots of raptured industry areas and of small, urban communities. Sound in this movie is also above average, especially in all those scenes of nature. Sounds of rain and thunder are captured very well and remarkable soundwork creates good atmosphere. Too bad that the score itself is only mediocre. Opening tune is nice as well as second theme's melody, but rhytm-section and some of the instrument choices in that one are totally intolerable. But generally speaking, The River is way above average audiovisually, worth of watching even for that.

Speaking actor-wise, The River has excellent cast. Mel Gibson and Sissy Spacek both deliver first class performances as does Scott Glenn. Rest of cast is varying from mediocre to good, but main trio are ones who really shine on this movie. Casting is nearly perfect, Gibson and Spacek look great together and Glenn fits perfectly to boots of "evil" industrial mogul. Interesting detail in Glenn's acting is that he has to perform almost two roles at same time in same movie. When he has scene with Spacek, he has to be loving ja caring man. When he has scene with Gibson, he has to be cold and arrogant leader-type who cares only about his profits....

I have to admit that first and only reason why I bought this title is Spacek. Luckily, other elements in the movie weren't disappointing either. This isn't masterpiece and it isn't classic, but its still very good movie, worth of owning. Don't let the term farming-movie distract you, The River has much to offer. Read more ›

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Amazon.com: 3.9 out of 5 stars  30 reviews
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars "The River" 22 Aug 2002
By Ray Saif - Published on Amazon.com
Format:VHS Tape
The art of farming is by far the oldest, most time-honored tradition. It is the ideal way to make an honest living, raise your family away from the madness of the city and gain self-satisfaction by doing something that really matters. "The River" effectivly portrays the plight experienced by many American farmers during the 1980's economical recession. Flooding, forclosure and overdue bills were just a part of life for those most discouraging and undeniably frightning of years. Farm-friendly legislation has been passed in recent years so farmers can apply for disaster relief, equipment loans and bankrupcy loans. The goal is to keep the Family Farm as part of American culture. "The River" was shot in Northwestern Tennessee near Kingsport, Bristol and Johnson City and also in Birmingham, Alabama. A 400-acre parcel of land alongside the Holston River, in Tennessee was cleared and turned into a real working farm in just four weeks. The flood scenes were produced in conjunction with the Tennessee Valley Authority using a dam upriver which was slated for repairs. The scenery in the movie is absolutly breathtaking. The mountains, fields and river all seem to blend into one big beautiful picture. "The River" was the third in a trio of farming-based movies that year. The other two are "Country", with Jessica Lange and "Places In the Heart" with Sally Field.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars The River 15 Aug 2000
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
Format:VHS Tape
A heart-land tragedy relived annually by the rain and consequential flooding of the family farmland by the adjacent river. Mels' character is sullen and cold. He is the quintessential traditional hardworking farmer. He loves his family and works almost pointlessly to keep them on their doomed property. It's difficult to watch him sulk and suffer inwardly. His character is extremely introverted and stubbornly independent. Sissy Spacek is great as the wife who tries to keep her family's head above water literally. She portrays a strong, willful and faithful person. This is a good rainy night movie. The kids are great actors and contribute a lot to the traditional values and family bonding.

The onscreen chemistry between Spacek and Gibson underscores the uncomfortable aura of the marriage in the movie. There's something strange about the couple, something that just doesn't click; a feeling of looming doom regarding their relationship. Scott Glenn's character does not help the uneasy tension.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Mel Gibson fights The River all through this one! 18 Jan 2011
By Tyler - Published on Amazon.com
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The movie is top-excellent and of great quality with the acting throughout the entire film. I read the reviews before buying this flick and I was astonished at some of the feedback on this movie. One four-star rating attacks Gibson's character, especially due to his nonreaction to being spat on by a striking worker due to his part as a "scab" at a factory. Did you really expect Mel Gibson to act like his character on "Braveheart" and try to impale the character that spat on him? He's playing a character that obviously has little tolerance to fight back because of it. Obviously, his family is at hard times and he simply saw that there was little difference between himself and the strikers. They're all just trying to keep their families afloat, is all. Mel Gibson played a terrific part in this movie and he was brilliant in every scene.
The movie has a lot to do with the 1980's recession that is plaguing farms throughout the state of Tennessee, not to mention the constant flooding of the river that is threatening to wash away everything that the farmers worked hard for. The movie was very realistic and I could easily watch it a thousand times over. 5 stars all the way!
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