The Robin Hood Collection [DVD] [2009]

This 3 DVD set gives us a trilogy of tales inspired by the legend of Robin Hood....

The Bandit Of Sherwood Forest (1946) is the oldest film in this collection and stars Cornel Wilde as Robert of Nottingham, the son of Robin Hood, who teams up with his dad (played by Russell Hicks) and the Merry Men in order to prevent the evil William of Pembroke (Henry Daniell) from killing the young king, abolishing the Magna Carta and inflicting his own tyrannical rule on England's green and pleasant land. This is a lively action-adventure movie featuring the usual brave heroes, dastardly villains and beautiful damsels in distress.

Rogues Of Sherwood Forest (1950), although made four years after Bandit, actually serves as a sort of prequel to the 1946 film and stars John Derek (Bo's beau with a bow!!!) as Robin, Earl of Huntington, the son of Robin Hood, who reforms his father's band of Merry Men when the greedy King John imposes heavy taxes on the people of England. It is also worth noting that this film also features Alan Hale as Little John (in sadly his last film role) and Alan had previously played this character in the films Robin Hood (1922) and The Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938).

Sword Of Sherwood Forest (1960) stars Richard Greene, who played Robin Hood for many years on television, reprising his most famous role on the big screen in this entertaining Hammer film directed by the great Terence Fisher and also featuring Hammer movie regulars Peter Cushing (as The Sheriff of Nottingham), Richard Pasco and Oliver Reed. Hammer actually made three Robin Hood films in total, the other two being Men Of Sherwood Forest and A Challenge For Robin Hood, but I would say that Sword is my favourite Hammer Robin Hood film and one of my all-time favourite Robin Hood movies. The plot of this film involves Robin and his men trying to thwart a plot to assassinate The Archbishop Of Canterbury, Hubert Walter (played by Jack Gwillim). Peter Cushing steals the show (as usual) and oozes wickedness as The Sheriff and there is some comic relief provided by Niall MacGinnis as Friar Tuck. It is also worth mentioning that Sarah Branch is one of the most beautiful Maid Marians ever.

This is a great little DVD package and each film contains plenty of the type of bowmanship and swordplay that you would normally associate with these sort of films. It was pacticularly good to see Sword Of Sherwood Forest presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. If you are interested in Robin Hood or you are a fan of good old fashioned action-adventure films then I would recommend buying this DVD set.

Those three old films featuring robin hood or someone very related to him are very entertaining. Good casts (excellent John Derek, Cornel Wilde or Richard Greene), excellent directors who kew how to really make a film without special effects nor big budgets and interesting and varied scripts. Of course it's a little bit old fashioned but much more entertaining than the Ridley Scott's pachydermic vision of Robin. Good transfers and english subtitles which is very useful.

This box set represents a good bargain. Separately cased, with good blurbs, the films are all very good quality (colour and sound), and don't appear on Tv much if at all. I saw all 3 in the cinema (tho the U.S. films were re-releases (remember them, usually Sunday afternoons at the local Kingston Granada?), and I come to my point about thinking first before buying (even at this ridiculous low price). Will you really enjoy these very old fashioned juvenile films now? I sort of did, and certainly prefer them to The Costner and the "other" one, title of which I cannot call to mind. I can't quite give 5 stars, but an unqualified 4, just be prepared to be a tiny tiny bit disapointed (maybe). Long live Flynn!