The Alamo (Widescreen Edition)

Amazon.com

Despite a troubled production history including a switch in directors, budget overruns, and delayed release dates, The Alamo turned out to be a remarkably intelligent mini-epic of corrective historical biography. Dispensing with the grandiose myth-making of previous films on this subject (including John Wayne's gung-ho 1960 version), this well-written film breathes new, credibly dimensional life into the stodgy legends of Davy Crockett (Billy Bob Thornton), Jim Bowie (Jason Patric), and Lt. Col. William Travis (Patrick Wilson), who fought with 185 Anglo-"Texican" settlers (some historians claim their numbers were closer to 250) during the bloody 13-day siege by 5,000 Mexican soldiers at the titular San Antonio mission-turned-fortress in 1836. While Gen. Sam Houston (Dennis Quaid) anguishes over military strategy and reluctantly withholds much-needed support, the Alamo defenders face the unbeatable multitudes commanded by Mexican Gen. Santa Anna (Emilio Echevarria), and the screenplay (on which John Sayles was an early contributor, when Ron Howard was slated to direct) allows the central heroes to reveal a richer, more substantial humanity beneath their mythic reputations. Tackling his biggest production to date, director John Lee Hancock (who previously worked with Quaid on The Rookie) reportedly shot 100 hours of footage, so it's almost miraculous that this 135-minute battle drama is so evenly balanced in telling its oft-told tale. Thornton was deservedly singled out for his fine performance, and Dean Semler's cinematography is Oscar-worthy throughout. Of course, any film about the Alamo necessarily includes speculative history, and this one's no exception, but it's got a ring of truth that previous versions conspicuously lacked. --Jeff Shannon

Description

From the studio that brought you PEARL HARBOR ... Academy Award(R) winner Billy Bob Thornton (SLING BLADE, Best Adapted Screenplay, 1996; BAD SANTA), Dennis Quaid (THE ROOKIE), and Jason Patric (RUSH) team up for the acclaimed action epic about one of the most important events in American history! It's the heroic tale of the 200 brave men who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom defending a small Texas fort for 13 days against an entire army! Commanded by three men -- Lt. Col. William Travis (Patrick Wilson), James Bowie (Patric), and David Crockett (Thornton) -- their against-all-odds courage at the Alamo would forever live on as a rallying cry for liberty and independence!

Customer Reviews:

Exciting History.......2007-09-18

This is a great film. The acting is very good, although Dennis Quaid does really over-act Houston. Billy Bob is simply outstanding as Crockett. The costumes and sets seem wonderfully authentic. The creative liberties taken with the story only add some fun what-ifs to an defining moment in world history. The basic events are told faithfully to what historians believe happened.

A different, moody but well-done counterweight to the classic Wayne film; see both!.......2007-08-26

The first major Hollywood offering of the Alamo epic since John Wayne's 1960 film, this effort of Disney Studios has both its good and not-so-good points. On one hand it is a bit more historically accurate, with fewer embellishments or liberties taken with known facts. On the other hand it's more in line with the hero-debunking mode of current "politically correct" types of thinking, and in doing so imposes present-day embellishments of its own on an era when people saw the world in quite different terms. It thus fails to achieve an authentic "you are there," feeling. While the story is not exactly a "western," an observation by Louis L'Amour is appropriate here: "A mistake constantly made by those who should know better is to judge people of the past by our standards rather than their own. The only way men or women can be judged is against the canvas of their own time." Historical accuracy must do justice not only to known facts but to feelings and opinions at the time and place.

The movie's "warts and all" portrayal of the main characters is an example of this failing. While we don't need cardboard comic-strip heroes, the warts as shown in the main characters: Houston's drinking, Travis's by-the-book dismissal of his wife for adultery, Bowie's dour obnoxiousness, Crockett's periodic moodiness and seeming opportunism (and if so, so what?), prejudice the viewer against appreciating their positive qualities that mostly show up later. Overall the acting is good, though not great; Thornton as Crockett is best. On the Mexican side, Santa Anna is shown as the conceited tyrant he was -- in a very good performance by Emilio Echevarría, with General Castrillón his much needed but seldom heeded conscience. (In contrast, Santa Anna is barely shown at all in the John Wayne film, and when he does appear on his white horse it's mostly at a distance.)

A previous reviewer breezily referred to the movie's "god-awful dirge-like flapdoodle music." The first and last can be dismissed as simply expressions of personal dislike, but the middle one has a point: Large parts of the score by Carter Burwell do have a dirge-like quality. Its overall mood, although quite accomplished and at times powerful and moving, is lugubrious: mournful before the fact, with a sense of impending doom, and/or lament, almost from start to finish. A little respite from this would have been in order, though the Alamo's final fall with the death of all defenders was certainly as lamentable an event as they come. And even after Houston's triumph at San Jacinto the movie ends with the music's endless sombre mood. Photography is first-rate.

The battle of San Jacinto is covered in an 8-minute ending sequence. Although no doubt welcome to viewers not familiar with exactly what followed after the Alamo fell -- as explained by director John Lee Hancock in the DVD's supplementary material -- was added mainly to bring a positive note to the movie's close. In terms of drama, however, it seems a bit of an anticlimax and tacked on. A brief paragraph on screen at the end could have explained this without diluting the impact of the Alamo tragedy.

Some comment on that event and its aftermath as shown is not amiss here, however. The same reviewer cited above wrote, with apparent disapproval, that the San Jacinto battle scene in the movie "is one-sided in the extreme." Well, in the actual fact it certainly WAS. Houston learned that Santa Anna was in a position where he wanted him, and -- whereas previously he had acted on the side of judicious caution while ignoring scathing criticism from his men for it -- abruptly changed tactics and, like the quick-witted general he was, seized the moment to risk stalking and attacking a force that well outnumbered his. (The movie does not note that Santa Anna's detachment of 750-odd men had that very morning been reinforced by close to 500 troops under General Cós, bringing his troop strength to about 1,250 against Houston's 783.) Add to this Santa Anna's own smug overconfidence, and the Cós detachment particularly weary after an all-night march and Santa Anna's men caught napping too, nobody expecting Houston's attack to come so soon -- and not least, that the Texas volunteers were blazing mad after the fall of the Alamo, their rage further intensified with many feeling a gnawing shame that they had not joined the ragtag army until too late to aid the Alamo defenders six weeks earlier, and you have a situation where a smaller force can totally rout a larger one. Once it started, even Houston could not restrain the fury of his men. The Texans suffered only 8 dead and 18 seriously wounded (including Houston), as against the Mexicans' 600-650 dead and some 700 taken prisoner. Only it was a shame that Santa Anna's wiser and far more decent subordinate General Castrillón fell victim to their frenzy, refusing to turn his back and slink away as his generalissimo did. The next morning Santa Anna was captured wandering in the tall grass wearing tattered clothing and claiming to be a simple private until taken into Houston's camp, where some Mexican prisoners recognized him and exclaimed in astonishment, "El Presidente! -- El Presidente!"

With that, Texas' independence was sealed as Santa Anna signed a treaty on Houston's terms, ceding the territory to save his life. (No matter that the successor Mexican government did not recognize the deal.) The 4,000 or so fully equipped Mexican troops still in Texas, 2,500 of them less than 50 miles behind on the Brazos, obeyed Santa Anna's forced order and marched home. Santa Anna was allowed to return to Mexico within a year. Texans formed an independent republic with Sam Houston elected as its first president.

In the years following more immigrants poured into Texas, especially from U.S. Southern states, along with additional numbers from the North and from Europe.

Despite periods of exile Santa Anna remained a charismatic figure in Mexico, to become president or dictator no less than ten more times during the next seventeen years after his Texas defeat. Six years later in 1842, Santa Anna on two separate occasions again ordered forces into Texas which briefly recaptured San Antonio, the second incursion occupying it with 1,400 troops for nine days until they were lured out of town and sent reeling back to Mexico after an ambush by a force of 600 Texas Rangers.

After nearly ten years as a sovereign republic, Texas was admitted as a U.S. state in 1845. In 1847 Santa Anna again led Mexican armies in battle, this time against U.S. forces in the Mexican War until finally defeated by General Winfield Scott in Mexico City itself, leading to the U.S. acquiring the Southwest to the California coast.

While this last goes beyond the scope of either movie, it shows how "a small affair" (as Santa Anna characterized the Alamo's fall) can set into motion truly momentous ones. Which film to see? -- Wayne's or Hancock's? As entertainment, or as history? See both, then decide for yourself. I'd give Hancock's movie 4-minus stars; Wayne's, 4-plus. Both are very much worth seeing.

a sleeper.......2007-08-23

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this; it is a visually stunning film, well acted and patriotic. The characters are not cartoons; they have depth and are human. Hancock handled the subject matter well. There is plenty of action particularly in the 3rd act, though little blood. (PG-13 rating) A powerful film I'd recommend to anyone.

After a recent trip to the Alamo..................2007-08-20

This film was fantastic.
After a recent trip to the Alamo itself, and finishing reading the book "A Time to Stand" by Walter Lord, I had to go back and buy the DVD of "The Alamo" to refresh my memory.
When I first watched this movie on cable a couple years ago, I thought it was really good. But after reading the W. Lord book, and actually visiting the Alamo, it ties the story of events up perfectly. Something about being there where events unfolded some 170 years ago makes the story more vivid.
I could see Davy Crockett standing at the palisade fence line. I could picture Col. Travis walk across the plaza. I could feel the adrenaline and the terror of the Texans as they defended the Alamo's walls. Just knowing that this happened makes you appreciate the history a little bit more.

Billy Bob Thornton gave the best, and most outstanding performance as Crockett. Some have questioned the "authenticness" of his violin duet with the Mexican army band, but in reality he did play the violin, and was noted by survivor, Mrs. Dickinson, to have played it several times during low moments of the 13 day seige. What a lower moment than during the playing of "Deguello", knowing that another bombardment of the fort is minutes away. I can see Crockett playing his violin during this time. The duet, is the writers artistic license. I liked it.
Overall, this movie went from a 4 star to a 5 star for me.

Santa Anna is a wonderful villain.......2007-08-07

Emilio Echevarria is really super as Santa Anna - he shoots innocent peasants, snarls at his own generals, throws away the lives of his own soldiers ("chickens"), sips fine wine, and enjoys the company of young senoritas. REMEMBER FOLKS THIS IS HOLLYWOOD, NOT HISTORY.

Average customer rating:

Greatness.
Despite some flaws, one of the best
The Alamo John Wayne's view
It's another DVD con
A LOOOONG labor of love

The Alamo
Starring: Carlos Arruza , Frankie Avalon , Veda Ann Borg , Joseph Calleia , and Linda Cristal
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00004ZBVE
Release Date: 2000-12-19

Amazon.com

John Wayne drew on what he learned from John Ford, Howard Hawks, and practically everyone who directed him during his long career when he made his own directorial debut on this labor of love. The Alamo is a sprawling, unabashedly patriotic epic of the sacrifice made by 187 men defending the Alamo from Santa Ana's bigger and better equipped army. Wayne stars as Col. Davy Crockett, the straight-talking, fun-loving frontiersman turned senator, with Laurence Harvey as the stiff, by-the-book Col. William Travis and Ricahrd Widmark as the legendary Jim Bowie who bristles under Travis's military protocol. The mix of regular army soldiers, Texican irregulars, scouts, and civilians makes for a volatile melting pot, but they all come together in a time of crisis in this metaphor for Wayne's heroic vision of America. Wayne spared no expense in this, one the last of the old fashion Westerns, re-creating the Alamo in exacting detail and corralling a cast of Western icons and old friends, including Richard Boone, Chill Wills (who earned an Oscar nomination), Hank Worden, Denver Pyle, Ken Curtis, and Olive Carey, in addition to teen heartthrob Frankie Avalon and Wayne's son Pat. Even old pal and spiritual godfather John Ford lent a hand shooting second-unit footage. Wayne is no Ford, but despite himself (and a talky script), he delivers an entertaining film full of intriguing characters and excellent action scenes, earning the film an Oscar nomination for Best Picture in 1960. Remember the Alamo! --Sean Axmaker

Description

John Wayne produces, directs and stars in this "bigger than life" (Life) chronicle of one ofthe most remarkable events in American history. At the Alamoa crumbling adobe mission185 exceptional men joined together in a sacred pact: they would stand firm against an army of 7,000 and willingly give their lives for freedom. Filmed entirely in Texas, only a few miles from the site of the actual battle, The Alamo is a visually stunning and historically accurate celebration of courage and honor. Co-starring Richard Widmark, Laurence Harvey and Chill Wills, and garnering seven OscarÂ(r) nominations*, it is a "truly memorable movie spectacle" (Leonard Maltin). *1960: Picture, Supporting Actor, Cinematography, Sound (winner), Editing, Score and Song

Customer Reviews:

Greatness........2007-09-06

A truly great film. A very accurate portrayal of this historical event. Well directed and well acted. Stirring and heart-wrenching. A beautiful, glorious, fine, fine, fine movie.

Despite some flaws, one of the best.......2007-08-26

Of Hollywood's efforts to produce a great Alamo movie, John Wayne's 1960 production remains out in front. Yes, it has its historical and technical flaws, but these do not detract from the overall portrayal of the situation and main events. Its scope and its "you are there" feeling clearly stand out.

The film's general tone is quite in contrast to that of the recent (2004) movie of the same name with Billy Bob Thornton as Crockett, of which another reviewer has aptly noted: "Where the battle, as depicted in the new film, shows scared men doing the best they can to stay alive, the 1960 Wayne film shows a more heroic stand, men selling their lives dearly." In a word, the newer version is more "politically correct" according to some currently popular worldviews, with its portrayal of the main heroes with "warts and all" often distracting from their decisive roles as defenders of Texas independence and individual liberty. (See my Amazon review of that movie.) Nonetheless, in both films the 183 Alamo defenders are shown as having made the fateful choice to remain and fight despite the hopeless odds -- each having been given the chance to leave when Colonel Travis frankly described to them their dire situation in what turned out to be the third day before main the attack, and all fell as a result -- an American Thermopylae indeed!

Many criticisms of the Wayne film by some reviewers are misplaced even where, strictly speaking, correct. Actually, the final assault on the Alamo took place in the darkness well before dawn. Still, its being portrayed here in broad daylight does allow the unfolding of some of the most impressive battle scenes ever filmed. Among other criticisms that have been leveled, many are trivial and shallow. In the end, what real difference does it make whether Crockett habitually wore a coonskin cap or not, whether he preferred being called "Davy" or "David," or whether the pre-battle sorties to sabotage a big enemy cannon, or heisting and stampeding cattle into the Alamo for food, were invented for the film or not? (The cattle raid did take place, but much nearer the walls and netted about 30 head, not the couple of hundred or so filmed.) They add interest and in a larger sense these two scenes well portray the defenders' resourcefulness and determination which, from all we do know, were certainly not lacking. After all, this is a MOVIE, not strict history, and a bit of pictorial and dramatic license is not amiss; those wanting "just the facts" (known, that is) can find them elsewhere.

Similarly, Crockett's brief liason with the beautiful and cultured young Mexican widow is more than just entertaining but points out early that a good number of political aware Mexicans in Texas were determined opponents of Santa Anna's dictatorship: Some "Tejanos" in fact supported the mostly Anglo "Texicans," even as leaders who fought alongside them -- most notably Juan Seguín, whose heroic role in bringing the Alamo's appeal for help to Houston through Mexican lines, however, is rather misleadingly usurped by the engaging teenager "Smitty," played by Frankie Avalon. (Although in fact a 16-year-old named James Allen did carry Travis's plea to Houston the night before the final attack, Seguín had done the same six days earlier; the film conflates the two, with Seguín's more consequential role lost.) The film portrays Mexicans with respect, however, even as adversaries.

Principles of freedom are portrayed frankly and without apology in Crockett's and others' remarks. Such principles really were held very widely and fervently at the time -- however much they are so often downplayed and even lampooned today.

Bowie's incapacitating illness is rather conspicuously missing, his only "ailment" being shown as a fractured leg suffered in the bombardment, hastily splinted so he could carry on) -- though his prickly disputes with Travis, convincingly done by Richmard Widmark, are emphasized. Lawrence Harvey's portrayal of Travis is simply superb on all counts, as is Richard Boone's brief portrayal of Houston.

Since the film ends at the Alamo's fall, the subsequent defeat of Santa Anna some six weeks later by Houston at San Jacinto, made possible in large part by the unyielding stand at the Alamo, is not shown. In dramatic terms this makes sense, as covering the aftermath, although informative, would be rather anticlimactic and reduce the total impact of the film's main event. (Note that the recent movie of the same title, with Dennis Quaid as Houston, does briefly cover this.)

A real standout in the movie is the wonderful music provided by Dimitri Tiomkin, by turns stirring and inspiring. It draws one into the story to an extent few scores have been able to do. "The Green Leaves of Summer" is one of the most moving songs ever committed to film, especially its choral background rendition in the scene during the evening before the final assault.

Of all his movies I've seen, I believe this is John Wayne's most convincing performance, despite -- or possibly because of -- his taking on the demanding and perhaps excessive burdens of producing and directing as well. And also, despite his inexperience and shortcomings in the latter two departments (as noted in the DVD's accompanying documentary on the making of the film), the overall result is still a deeply satisfying and basically true drama. Wayne quit his association from his longtime studio, Republic, and sunk much of his personal fortune into making this film, for which we owe him profound thanks. Those who wish to probe more deeply and straighten out the known details of the story (though many will never be known since no defenders survived) can delve into books such as Walter Lord's excellent and readable "A Time to Stand", which includes both background and aftermath; it also outlines major areas of contention concerning disputed points. Also, Albert A. Nofi's "The Alamo" is worth a read as it highlights many fascinating aspects often not dealt with elsewhere.

Since I have not as yet been able to see the "Director's Cut" on VHS and Laserdisk (compared to which many reviewers have declared the present DVD is flawed on account of scenes cut for theater release), I cannot comment on that. But I can say that despite those cuts, the DVD nonetheless presents a sweeping and mostly coherent impression of the events portrayed. A point of interest is that the included documentary on the film's production happens to show, very noticably, how much the original celluloid film has faded in picture quality in the nearly half-century since being shot -- the restoration of both color and sound for the DVD's main content is magnificent. Digital technology came along just in time to save many classic films. One hopes that a similarly restored full Director's Cut will be made available in this widescreen format in the future.

The film's flaws such as those noted above are enough to deny it 5 stars here, but if a full 10-point scale were allowed I'd unhesitatingly give it a 9.

The Alamo John Wayne's view.......2007-06-27

This movie was a life long dream of John Wayn. He had wanted to make it for many years and finally in 1960 he was able to give the world his vision. It has great action sequences and the battles are among the best you can find. Detail in the costumes is great. It does have a large part of the movie being used as a platform for Mr. Wayne's political views but it is worth a watch.

It's another DVD con.......2007-04-18

Such a great movie completely ruined by Warner/MGM issuing a badly cut version of this classic film. Originally running at 196 minutes with Overture and Intermission plus 26 minutes of footage. This full version has already been issued on both VHS and Laserdisc so why do we have to put up with a cut version on DVD. The breaks in narrative ruin the continuity of the movie completely. Ever since this DVD was released I have been hoping for a "Director's Cut" but this does not appear to be in the forseeable future. The releas of the new version with Billy Bob Thornton would have been an ideal time for Warner to bring out THE ORIGINAL.

A LOOOONG labor of love.......2007-02-26

Hollywood history, but pretty accurate as far as the real events go. John Wayne directed and starred as Davy Crockett; Richard Widmark is Jim Bowie; and Laurence Harvey is the stiff-backed Col. Travis: their clash of personalities becomes the central theme of the movie. Wayne, as always, is just John Wayne. How the men end up at the Alamo in the first place is what the first half is all about: "freedom" has been challenged and a band of Tennessee ruffians comes to meet the challenge. The second half is all about the battle itself, and it's done up Hollywood style, no holds barred. The movie was a flop when it first came out; much has been written about why that was so but I imagine the biggest reason was that the movie was just too long, despite the crackling dialogue in places and the generally excellent acting by the principals. Quite a few academy award nominations went to the movie, mainly for technical things (cinematography, editing, sound, etc.). Not a movie that remains long in one's memory banks, it's still way better than the 2004 remake starring Dennis Quaid and Billy Bob Thornton.

Classic Western Round-Up, Vol. 2 (The Texans / California / The Cimarron Kid / The Man from the Alamo)

Average customer rating:

pretty doggone good
Our thanks to Universal...for Great Western fare

Classic Western Round-Up, Vol. 2 (The Texans / California / The Cimarron Kid / The Man from the Alamo)
Starring: Randolph Scott , Ray Milland , Audie Murphy , Glenn Ford , and Barbara Stanwyck
Director: Budd Boetticher
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000N3T0GE
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Description

See how the West was really won in the action-packed Classic Western Round-Up: Volume 2! Experience all of the shootouts, fights and escapades with The Texans, California, Cimarron Kid and The Man From the Alamo. Starring Hollywood favorites Glenn Ford, Randolph Scott, Audie Murphy and Ray Milland, this adventure-filled collection features some of the most thrilling films ever to come out of the Wild West! The Texans (1938) A former Confederate soldier (Randolph Scott) takes on new battles after the Civil War when he agrees to lead a herd of cattle to a recently completed railroad. California (1946) An Army deserter (Ray Milland) and a woman with a past (Barbara Stanwyck) head to the sunshine state - before it even was a state - during the 1848 mass migration. Cimarron Kid (1952) When corrupt railroad officials wrongly accuse him of participating in a train robbery, Bill Doolin (Audie Murphy) joins the Dalton gang and soon becomes the legendary outlaw know as the "Cimarron Kid." The Man From the Alamo (1953) During the Texas war for independence, a survivor (Glenn Ford) of the brutal battle at The Alamo is branded a coward and sets out to clear his name.

Customer Reviews:

pretty doggone good.......2007-07-10

If you like the classical western (pre spaghetti)format you're going to like these collections. It's a little tempting to rate these as trite but remember, they really did a lot to create the genre, from the goofy Technicolor quasi musicals like "California" (replete with angels screaming "gold!" and zombie-like miners deserting the wagon train for the gold fields) to the honest and humble Glenn Ford in "The Man From the Alamo" which also showcases High O'Brien. The man can ride!

"Man" also has, to my mind, the most incredible horse stunt ever towards the end of the film - you'll just have to watch to see it. For horse stunt aficionados it's better than the downhill ride in "The Man From Snowy River"

Real extras who can actually ride. Real pulldowns. Great acting. Plots both silly and serious, all in all, a "great ride".

Our thanks to Universal...for Great Western fare.......2007-02-16

This is volume 2 of two box sets to be released by Universal, and containing some mighty fine oaters. If past history is any guide, the transfers will excellent, the color great, and the presentation superior! THE TEXANS was one Randolph Scott's first major "A" Western roles, and while the film was criticized as a bit "wooden," it nevertheless is an entertaining film that details the great post-war cattle drives from Texas north. Great supporting cast. Ray Milland is usually not thought of as a Western star, but, as he demonstrates here in CALIFORNIA (and later in COPPER CANYON) he is quite capable in the saddle. Glenn Ford, in THE MAN FROM THE ALAMO, stands out as an accused "deserter" who must prove his bona fides and his honor. Lastly, there is more Audie Murphy--a cause for rejoicing, indeed, with his THE CIMARRON KID (and in vol. 1, his KANSAS RAIDERS). These boxes are reasonabley priced, and all I can add, is "pardner, you'll not be disappointed." Our thanks to Universal!

Average customer rating:

Exciting History
A different, moody but well-done counterweight to the classic Wayne film; see both!
a sleeper
After a recent trip to the Alamo...........
Santa Anna is a wonderful villain

The Alamo (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Dennis Quaid , Billy Bob Thornton , Jason Patric , Patrick Wilson , and Emilio Echevarría
Director: John Lee Hancock
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002DRDCI
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

Exciting History.......2007-09-18

A different, moody but well-done counterweight to the classic Wayne film; see both!.......2007-08-26

a sleeper.......2007-08-23

After a recent trip to the Alamo..................2007-08-20

Santa Anna is a wonderful villain.......2007-08-07

Average customer rating:

Take My Eyes
"I had erased her personality"
Spousal Abuse: A Horrifyingly Real Story of the Consequences
A Spanish Award Winner--"Take My Eyes" Is A Thoughtful, Intelligent Portrait Of Domestic Abuse

Take My Eyes
Starring: Laia Marull , Luis Tosar , Candela Peña , Rosa Maria Sardà , and Kiti Manver
Director: Icíar Bollaín
Manufacturer: New Yorker Video
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ASIN: B000HXDWOQ
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Amazon.com

Take My Eyes, a drama about a couple entangled in an abusive relationship, proves that Spanish Director Icíar Bollaín has studied the aggressor's mindset in order to portray the violent husband, Antonio (Luis Tosar) with a certain amount of sympathy. The film enlightens rather than enrages. Antonio, who beats his wife Pilar (Laia Marull), is a complex character overcome by his insecurity that Pilar will leave him. Take My Eyes opens on Pilar taking her son to live with her sister, safe from Antonio's uncontrolled anger. Antonio stalks Pilar, warning that he can't survive without her, then signs up for therapy. Conversely, Pilar is co-dependent, unable to see Antonio's cruelty because of her blind belief in the construct of marriage due to her mother's past, similar history with her deceased husband. Pilar's sister's wedding and Pilar's new job as a museum docent acquired in her effort to command independence exacerbates the couple's dilemma. Pilar returns to Antonio but a terrifying incident scares her permanently away from him. Throughout, one senses Pilar's impending danger, but the complexities of her and Antonio's arrangement, including her motherly role in their relationship, sheds light on domestic violence for those viewers who are baffled by it. Take My Eyes also explains how detrimentally far couples will go to stay together for their child. Well-acted and nicely written, Take My Eyes is a smart film about the horrors of abuse. The docudrama extra on this DVD, A Love That Kills, further delves into cruelty in a more educational setting, the counselor's office. --Trinie Dalton

Description

Beginning as an edge-of-your-seat noir thriller, a terrified Pilar hastily flees in the middle of the night with her young son as if her life depends on it. Reaching her Sister Ana's house, Pilar breaks down in turmoil. Banging on Ana's front door is Pilar's husband, Antonio who in a fit of rage screams for Pilar to return home. But Pilar holds tight. With Ana's support, Pilar is determined to save herself from Antonio's rage. Settling in with Ana, Pilar begins a new career, and finds a greater sense of self. Yet the very passionate Antonio is far from a one-dimensional brute, and the bond between Pilar and Antonio is deep- tangling together love, eroticism, and submissiveness. Their relationship has always been a potent mix of love and anger.

Customer Reviews:

Take My Eyes.......2007-08-23

Brilliant film, depicting domestic abuse, its affect on the victim and how it can take hold.

"I had erased her personality".......2007-07-25

This is a tremendously well crafted and fast moving movie about mental and physical relationship/spousal abuse. The quote in the title to this review is from one of the husbands, talking about how his constant threats of violence and violent actions effected his wife's otherwise animated personality.

In this movie, Pilar is torn between the love for her husband and the abuse she receives from him. She tries to reconcile the beauty and goodness she knows is in him with his violent actions and threats.

Abuse is used to control. While abuse may be an effective means of control, it often ends up disabling the beauty, artistry, health, and emotional capacity of the controlled person. Ironically, this can lead to a cycle where the abuser understandably finds their victim less attractive in their diminished condition.

Abusive spouses tend to limit their spouse's social contacts by limiting time with friends and family and, as in this movie, limiting even their work contacts - or removing them from the working world entirely - making them more singularly dependent. Sometimes abused spouses can be helped by reconnecting them with more people in general and by giving them the courage to fight back non-violently, calling attention to the specific abusive actions.

There's a smart scene in this movie where the abusive husband is in therapy, and he's instructed to: a) emotionally recognize when he's getting angry, b) create separation and breathing room at that point, and c) get involved in doing or thinking about pleasant other things for awhile. He's asked to tell the therapy group of a time in his past when he was not so stressed and when his world was at peace. The screenwriting is great and revealing because he (Antonio) says, "I can't remember." He is being sincere. His past has few, if any, sustained memories of peaceful, intimate or familial social environments.

Helping certain abusers is very difficult, because they grew up in abusive environments. They've never known patterns that did not involve violence as a part of regular conflict resolution patterns. Conceding this deficiency in some abusers should give everyone working with them more empathy and understanding of their challenges. Creating a world where there is both social peace and positive dispute resolution habits is especially difficult for these men & women. It involves demonstrating for them intimate and socially functioning worlds - worlds they may not think really exist - outside of fictional stories.

Some people reading the title to this movie may mistakenly think this is a macabre and grotesque tale of spousal abuse. It is not. Rather, it shows exceptionally and sympathetically the struggles and loves of different types of people involved in these types of abuses. There are scenes where, even though we despise Antonio's abuse of Pilar, we still understand her love for him. Any movie that can emotionally convey something that complex and real is worth studying carefully.

During the movie's plot, Pilar and Antonio get back together. Pilar, having tasted working and some freedom, wants to take a course on art education to become a tour guide, explaining paintings' histories and mythological roots. Antonio struggles, watching her become more outspoken and independent.

If you don't want to know how the movie ends, then don't read this paragraph. But I want people to know this is a gorgeous and smart movie. Unfortunately, the husband doesn't figure things out, and he returns to his patterns of using violence.

But this movie has a healthier ending. No, the husband doesn't eventually change his ways. Rather, Pilar finds ways to surpass the abuse, outreaches and reconnects socially, and pursues a career in the arts.

This movie doesn't have a "happy ending," but it is important to also emphasize that it is not a "male bashing" movie. I have never seen a more sympathetic portrayal of a male abuser, giving us glimpses of his flawed thought processes and fears. Ideally, I wish Antonio could have found ways to change his violent behaviors & rationales, and I wish both he and Pilar would not have lost the genuine & positive parts of their relationship . . . but that is not the story this movie tells.

Spousal Abuse: A Horrifyingly Real Story of the Consequences.......2007-03-13

TE DOY MIS OJOS (Take My Eyes) is a blisteringly real examination of spousal abuse - the etiology, the mechanisms, the concept of co-dependency, and the high rate of recidivism - all bound together in a brilliant screenplay by Alicia Luna and director Icíar Bollaín. It won many Goyas (read Oscars) in Spain and for good reason: this is a powerful film about an indelicate subject from a country (Spain) not usually comfortable discussing much less film such issues.

Pilar (Laia Marull) and her son Juan (Nicolás Fernández Luna) live in a small apartment with husband/father Antonio (Luis Tosar), a small section of hell where daily Antonio abuses Pilar with an uncontrollable anger. Pilar and Juan leave one night to live with Pilar's soon to be married sister Ana (Candela Peña) and fiance, a Scotsman John (David Mooney). Ana encourages Pilar to divorce the abusive Antonio but Pilar is frightened, fearing she has no means of support and admitting that there are parts of Antonio she still loves. Complicating Pilar's thinking is her mother Aurora (the fine Rosa Maria Sardà) who tries to underplay the problem by insisting that all marriages have their little problems! Antonio stalks Pilar, pleading for her to return, but every encounter results in a flair-up of Antonio's abusive behavior. Pilar finds a menial job at the museum in Toledo, a position she loves and soon is training to become a guide, loving speaking tot he public about art. Antonio agrees to seek help for his behavioral problems and enters group therapy and private therapy (Sergi Calleja) and begins bringing flowers and gifts and constant attention to Ana, hoping to have her return home. And return Ana does, with Juan, and with some newfound sense of self worth form her position at the museum. But as soon as Ana is 'home' a horrifying incident occurs and she gathers the strength to see the relationship clearly and respond correctly.

The cast of actors is brilliant, the pacing of the film keeps the viewer on seat's edge, the cinematography by Carles Gusi captures the magic of Toledo, Spain, the musical score by Alberto Iglesias is first rate classical writing, and the amount of information about a little understood problem is an additional reward that accompanies this superb film. The film is in Spanish with English subtitles and the DVD adds a featurette that further examines a treatment center for abusive men feels like a much needed public service ploy. This is one of those films that would be easy to ignore because of the subject matter, but that is a real reason to view it - in addition to the fact that it is such a fine work of art. Grady Harp, March 07

A Spanish Award Winner--"Take My Eyes" Is A Thoughtful, Intelligent Portrait Of Domestic Abuse.......2006-11-08

Having never even heard of the Spanish film "Take My Eyes," I did a little research prior to watching it. I was amazed to see that it had actually won many international film prizes. It swept the Goya Awards (Spain's equivalent to the Oscar) in 2004, picking up Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Screenplay. Stateside, Luis Tosar even picked up Best Actor at the Seattle International Film Festival. Suitably impressed with this pedigree, I went into "Take My Eyes."

"Take My Eyes" is an intimate story of domestic abuse. It was particularly noteworthy in Spain where most domestic violence is unreported. It's not an "open" topic for discussion and not nearly as publicized there as it is in other countries. The story that it presents is one that American audiences are all too familiar with--and it breaks no new ground plotwise. What it does offer, however, are great performances and an earnest attempt to depict all sides of the situation.

Laia Marull is extremely potent and believable as the lead. She plays the faithful wife--and her love for her husband is just as well established as her fear. As she struggles to rebuild her life--you see her hope, optimism and happiness blossom. But you also see devastation and betrayal and finally hatred. It's an emotional tour de force. But where this film is unique and special is in the husband's character played by Luis Tosar. He is not a stock villain. He is sympathetic to a large degree as he honestly loves his wife but is unable to control his anger. Much of the film centers on his attempt to rehabilitate himself with therapy. I really appreciated this even handed approach. It was thoughtful and intelligent.

Seek this film out. It's a sensitive and astute portrait of one particular relationship. With strong performances and intelligent writing, this is a story that will stay with you. KGHarris, 11/06.

Average customer rating:

Just average
On second thought...
Ambitious documentary
Missed Opportunities
Do not listen (read) naysayers

The History Channel Presents The Alamo
Starring: Dennis Quaid
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000TWNBK
Release Date: 2003-12-30

Product Description

Behind the most famous battle cry in American history is a story of ambition and heroism greed and vanity desperation and defeat. THE HISTORY CHANNEL® PRESENTS: THE ALAMO examines the epic battle through four acclaimed programs from THE HISTORY CHAFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 733961710106 Manufacturer No: AAE-71010

Amazon.com

Remembering the Alamo won't be a problem after you've seen The Alamo, a richly informative, thematically unified set of four History Channel documentaries. The centerpiece of this two-DVD set is "Remember the Alamo," hosted by Dennis Quaid and produced to coincide with the April 2004 theatrical release of The Alamo, the historical epic (promoted here in a behind-the-scenes featurette) in which Quaid plays Gen. Sam Houston. It's a typical History Channel production, purporting to offer the definitive fair-and-balanced account of the siege on the infamous San Antonio, Texas mission on the chilly morning of March 6, 1836, between the Mexican centralist army of Gen. Santa Anna, and the "Texican" American rebels led by Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, and William Barret Travis. Numerous "talking head" scholars pore over new and established historical details, examining the political and geographical circumstances that led to the massacre that left few survivors, and dispelling such myths as Crockett's fate (he was captured and executed) and the number of Mexicans killed in the assault.

While some of the latest research remains speculative, the context of the Alamo siege is thoroughly examined in the other documentaries (previously issued on VHS) which fill out the set. Hosted by Kenny Rogers in Western regalia, two segments of "The Real West" series go into more specific detail about the battle itself and the history--from ruthless frontier justice to official law-enforcement status--of the legendary Texas Rangers. Most colorful of all, not surprisingly, is the hour-long exploration of the larger-than-life exploits of Davy Crockett, a charming opportunist who nevertheless earned his heroic status as a fearless leader who faced impossible odds at the Alamo siege. While some of the expert testimony verges on shameless hero worship, it remains clear that the Alamo, and the events and personalities that made history there, remains the most pivotal and politically complex turning point in the U.S. expansion of the westward frontier. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Just average.......2007-08-22

Overall, an average documentary (disc 1) that tries to view both sides of the battle for the Alamo and San Antonio.
However, I found it rather apalling that some historians are now labeling the heroic leaders inside the Alamo, as "drunkards", "criminals", "land swindlers" and "wife abandoners", claiming that their main reason for leaving the United States and heading to Texas was to escape their problems and crimes.
They then label General Santa Anna as a great military leader, much like Napoleon. They forget to mention that Santa Anna was a brutal dictator and later captured without a shred of military insignia, and had to be identified by his own men.
Just another example of Revisionist's history.
If you want to know what more likely happened at the Alamo, I suggest you read, Walter Lords book, "A Time to Stand". By far the best literature on the subject.

On second thought..........2004-06-08

I am actually going to revise my earlier review a bit, as I recently screened this documentary again, after doing more research on the topic. My earlier comments remain mostly valid, but I need to add a few more concerns. As another reviewer noted, the narrative of the documentary sometimes presents speculative conclusions as verified fact. Granted, the conclusions are based on some evidence, but that evidence is not always so reliable as the documentary would suggest. The annoying phrases "most historians agree" or "most historians now accept" are misleading. Historians always argue and almost never agree...especially on a topic so controversial. I guess the idea was to make the documentary seem authoritative. Watch the documentary, but don't accept everything presented without finding out more about the Alamo. I've been reading about the Alamo for over 40 years now, and the more I learn the more I am convinced that there is still much solid research that needs to be done.

Ambitious documentary.......2004-04-08

Two of the other reviews so far pretty fairly rate this documentary. The inherent flaw in the documentary is probably unavoidable: it tries to cover a very complex topic from all angles and viewpoints, and this is not quite possible within the time and format restrictions. Still, it is a very good overview, especially if it inspires people to read more on the Alamo. The only other quibble I have is with some of the casting: The Travis is too old, too lean, and wears a Laurence Harvey costume. Likewise the Bowie is too old. Crockett looks good. Santa Anna is good, but doesn't look like the (mostly) Creole that he was. As for "speculation," much of our information about the Alamo is just that, unfortunately. I recommend The Alamo Reader, edited by Todd Hansen, for anyone who wants to see just how "reliable" a lot of our source material for the Alamo is.

Missed Opportunities.......2003-12-18

While containing numerous positive elements the video, unfortunatly shows a subtle bias twoard some major characters especially on the side of the rebels. The program accuratly depicts all of the characters as flawed individuals. In some cases, such as Bowie and Travis seriously flawed. However, instances of extremely honorable behavior on the part of some major characters are, unfortunatly, omitted. For example, that Crockett lost his seat in congress for opposing the dispossession of the Native American population in the Southeastern United States is, unfortunatly, omitted. This display of integrity and honorable behavior by Crockett gives an invaluable insight into his character and should have been included.

That films about the battle of the Alamo tend to show the Mexicans as vicious at best and sadistic at worst is generally true. There are examples to the contrary. An example is John Wayne's movie, The Alamo. While not a great or historically accurate film, John Wayne's epic is very sympathetic to the Mexicans. In Wayne's film Santa Anna is shown behaving chivalrously in letting the women and children evacuate the Alamo and saluting Susanna Dickenson as she and the other survivors leave the fort after the battle. In this movie Crockett defends a Mexican woman against an American who is persecuting her. Juan Seguin has a significant, and positive part in the film. In the depiction of the probing attack defenders of the Alamo praise the courage of the attacking Mexicans. And Richard Widmark, as Bowie, waxes eloquent in his love for Mexico and the Mexican people.

The program misses an opprtunity to use more of the de la Pena diary, now conceeded by most to be substantially authentic, allthough otherwise its sourcing was good.

On the subject of casualties, it is interesting that Santa Anna claimed the number of casualties among the defenders to be 600. It is possible that he picked this number because it exceeded his own casualties. All things considered, it seems likely that several hundred Mexican Soldiers died in the battle.

In short, a very good documentary missed a chance to be a great one.

Do not listen (read) naysayers.......2003-11-14

The reason that one would not be able to find information, i.e., if they are a 'mainstreamer', is that they have not bothered to read more than the textual references given in hostory class. Being a Native Texan and in that, from San Antonio I have a vested interest in this event. For one, a very detailed description of the events has been given by survivors - Mexican survivors, that is. One of General Santa Anna's generals kept a detailed diary of the events leading up to the attack in which it does indicate that there were several people who surrendered. Another Texan, who was eventually driven out of Texas because he dared to indicate what the Daughters of the Republic of Texas refused to contemplate, (we get into racism here), also notes that Crockett was one of the surrenders. Furthermore, an in-depth study of Crockett as well as some of the others, would recveal that they had no intention of being 'heroes'. They were opportunists. Also, one sidebar that is overlooked by many historians, is that they men who fought in the Alamo were NOT Americans. They had volunutarily become Mexican citizens to acquire the land that Mexico was initially offering. This battle took place because they rebelled against teh constitution of 1824 of Mexico. In addition, if one is 'really' interested books such as 'Dual of Eagles' by Jeff Long and 'With Santa Anna' by Jose Enrique De La Pena - and BTW Susanna Dickenson was a survivor along with Travis' African-American slave - Joe.

excerpted from:http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/CC/fcr24.html
Crockett died in battle of the Alamoqv on March 6, 1836. The manner of his death was uncertain, however, until the publication in 1975 of the diary of Lt. José Enrique de la Peña. Susanna Dickinson,qv wife of Almaron Dickinson,qv an officer at the Alamo, said Crockett died on the outside, one of the earliest to fall. Joe,qv Travis's slave and the only male Texan to survive the battle, reported seeing Crockett lying dead with slain Mexicans around him and stated that only one man, named Warner, surrendered to the Mexicans (Warner was taken to Santa Anna and promptly shot). When Peña's eyewitness account was placed together with other corroborating documents, Crockett's central part in the defense became clear. Travis had previously written that during the first bombardment Crockett was everywhere in the Alamo "animating the men to do their duty." Other reports told of the deadly fire of his rifle that killed five Mexican gunners in succession, as they each attempted to fire a cannon bearing on the fort, and that he may have just missed Santa Anna, who thought himself out of range of all the defenders' rifles. Crockett and five or six others were captured when the Mexican troops took the Alamo at about six o'clock that morning, even though Santa Anna had ordered that no prisoners be taken. The general, infuriated when some of his officers brought the Americans before him to try to intercede for their lives, ordered them executed immediately. They were bayoneted and then shot. Crockett's reputation and that of the other survivors was not, as some have suggested, sullied by their capture. Their dignity and bravery was, in fact, further underscored by Peña's recounting that "these unfortunates died without complaining and without humiliating themselves before their torturers."

Coincidentally, a work mostly of fiction masquerading as fact had put the truth of Crockett's death before the American public in the summer of 1836. Despite its many falsifications and plagiarisms, Richard Penn Smith's Col. Crockett's Exploits and Adventures in Texas...Written by Himself had a reasonably accurate account of Crockett's capture and execution. Many thought the legendary Davy deserved better, and they provided it, from thrilling tales of his clubbing Mexicans with his empty rifle and holding his section of the wall of the Alamo until cut down by bullets and bayonets, to his survival as a slave in a Mexican salt mine.

Description

THE MARTYRS OF THE ALAMO The earliest surviving Alamo film, produced in 1915 by American film pioneer D.W. Griffith, Martyrs of the Alamois truly a rare cinematic treat. Telling the tale of the courageous American stand against oppression and tyranny, with its impressive sets, wonderful battle scenes, and expressive performances, Martyrssurpasses the expectations implied by the words "epic filmmaking." Witness the birth of Texas and get the true meaning to the immortal words, "Remember the Alamo," with this rare and thrilling cinematic treasure. (1915 • 72 Min. • B/W)

SPECIAL FEATURES
~Introduction by Alamo expert Frank Thompson
~The Alamo: Shrine of Texas Liberty Lost & Found (9 Min. • B/W & Color)
~The Alamo: "Shrine of Texas Liberty" (16 Min. • B/W)
~The Spirit of Independence (5 Min. • Color)

TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 102 MIN.

Customer Reviews:

Alamo Action.......2007-07-30

The movie is exceptional considering when it was filmed (1915). It is cram-packed with some excellent battle scenes.

Although it not not partray the mexicans fairly, it is still a great action movie that can be enjoyed by kids of all ages.

I have viewed it five times in the three weeks since it arrived.

Great find!.......2007-07-07

Too cool. If you haven't seen it, do. It'll be a great addition to your Alamo video collection.

Alright early silent.......2005-10-30

Alright, early (1915) silent film on the Alamo has the usual suspects - Davy Crockett, James Bowie, Colonel Travis - repelling the overwhelming, Santa Anna-led, Mexican force attacking the Alamo in 1836.

This disk seems to have been released to coincide with the theatrical release of the Dennis Quaid/Billy Bob Thornton `The Alamo' in 2004. I haven't seen the recent one, or inexplicably (to me, at least) the John Wayne version of 1960. According to THE MARTYRS OF THE ALAMO, Santa Anna is a notorious drug fiend - hey, it's on one of the inter-title cards, and the Texas historian introducing the movie draws our attention to it - a drug fiend who's constantly on the lookout for some reason to attack the American settlers in San Antonio. Santa Anna's rowdy soldiers accost Captain Dickinson's wife on the street, an act that inflames Dickinson's Tennessee sense of honor. One dead Mexican officer later and Santa Anna sets about planning his attack.

Unlike other early silent movies I've seen, THE MARTYRS OF THE ALAMO has relatively subdued acting and some well choreographed action scenes. The defenders, including the desperately ill Bowie, are appropriately gallant, and the distant Sam Houston is appropriately tardy with the relief troops, to more or less convince me this is at least a loose representation of historical facts. That belief is challenged by the thick fur Davy Crockett caps and the that-don't-look-like-the-Alamo, French rococo, studio built church meant to represent the Alamo. It's possible the Mexicans weren't that decadent and depraved, either. If the history is a bit shaky, at least the print is in good condition.

Bonus features on the disk include the 1938, 15-minute `The Alamo: Shrine of Texas Liberty.' Locally produced and silent with a voice-over narration, this short film, we're told, was intended for use in history classes. Looks like it, too, although in the introduction we're told it contains some interesting footage of late-thirties San Antonio, before it was developed, as well as a couple of that city's more prominent citizens who had acted in the film. The other bonus feature is a 5-minute animated short put out by the Federal Government in 1976 as part of the bicentennial celebration.

Not the First, Not quite the Worst, Possibly Worth a Look.......2005-05-07

"The Martyrs of the Alamo" is not the first movie made about the famous siege during the War for Texas Independance but it is the earliest one to survive. It was made in 1915 by D.W. Griffith of "Birth of a Nation" fame (or infamy). In fact, the subtitle of this production is "Birth of Texas" and the 2 movies do have some things in common.

The main thing in common is bigotry. In this film, the war is depicted as a buch of upstanding white men trying to save white women from the lecherous ravages of those savage Mexicans. Mexicans are portrayed as an inferior race. This is patently untrue.

The second thing it has in common is a lack of historicity. There was a Texas Revolution. Gral. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna did rule Mexico and command the Mexican Army. Travis, Bowie and Crocket did die at the Alamo and Sam Houston did defeat the generalisimo at the Battle of San Jacinto. These elements are present in this film but most of the rest of what is present is fiction or even contrary to known facts. Don't look to this film as a history lesson. (It is interesting to note that this is one of the rare Alamo Movies that does bother to portray the Battle of San Jacinto)

Griffith, in producing this movie, conveniently forgot how may of the Alamo defenders were Mexican citizens. Bowie was anglo but had a Mexican wife and was a citizen. SO for that matter were most, anglo or hispanic. He set the tone for bad relations between the races for years to come. This is portrayed most viciously in two manners. During the fall, a Mexican soldier bayonettes a young toddler, seemingly for the fun of it. Also, a blond woman is saved so that Santa Anna "the notorious drug fiend" can have his carnal way with her. Uh, Uh.

One of the "funnier" things about this movie is the headgear. Almost all of the Alamo defenders wear coon skin caps like Davy Crocket. That makes identifying Crocket difficult sometimes. In a similar manner, most of the the Mexicans, except for the high official wearing cocked hats, have incredibly tall shakos. I thought that was just a "movie thing" until I saw one in a museum and they were that tall.

Now that I have thorougly bashed this film, there are some good things to say about it. The production values are state of the art for 1915 and the print made into a DVD is much better quality than most from that age. The music that accompanies it evokes the era of the silent film well. There are a few historical snippets that are true and seldom portrayed. The battle sequences are pretty good for that day and age also.

For Alamo buffs, this film is a "must have". In addition to "Martyrs" the DVD also contains 2 short Alamo films and one about the recovery of one of them. None of these is particularly good in its own right but they are interesting for buffs.

If you want epic Alamo drama, choose the John Wayne version. If you want history, try the Imax version. If you just want to see the oldest thing still extant about the Alamo (and can hold your nose for the racism) choose this one.

A Treat for Alamo and History Buffs.......2005-01-08

This special edition by Delta Entertainment turned out to be much better than I had first expected: not only is the feature film a D.W.Griffith production from 1915, it is also now the oldest surviving Alamo film, and this edition adds a brief but helpful commentary by Alamo expert, Frank Thompson, a 16-minute rare educational film on the Alamo from the early 1930s, and two other rare and unusual short films from more recent times. "The Martyrs of the Alamo" has been digitally remastered and the picture quality is fairly good throughout, with fine acting performances (by silent era stars like Sam de Grasse, A.D. Sears, Walter Long) good battle scenes and overall excellent direction by Christy Cabanne. The modern orchestral score also impressed me, and I found it quite stirring and very fitting to the scenes. I'm sure that most Alamo or history buffs in general would find this early silent version about the Alamo very interesting despite some differences and special features which are explained by the Alamo expert. The rare 1930s educational film made locally in San Antonio also has some special features, and despite its very small budget and extras taken from the unemployment queues, I found it interesting and complementary to the feature film. Overall, I believe this nice DVD edition should please the history and old/rare film buff, as well as add a significant piece of film history to any collection.

The Magnificent Seven / The Alamo (Double Feature)

Average customer rating:

The Magnificent Seven / The Alamo (Double Feature)
Starring: Magnificent Seven , and Alamo
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000O77LY2
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Description

Disc 1: The Magnificent Seven WS Disc 2: The Alamo WS

Average customer rating:

Una película extremadamente graciosa

Dias de Futbol
Starring: Alberto San Juan , Ernesto Alterio , Natalia Verbeke , Pere Ponce , and Fernando Tejero
Director: David Serrano
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B0009WIE6G
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Description

A comedic romp that celebrates the power of friendship to turn your life around, Dias de Futbol introduces us to Antonio, an ex-convict and amateur shrink who convinces his pals that the best way to overcome their midlife crises and lack of success with women is to reassemble their old soccer team and win something in life, even if only a local championship. Directed by David Serrano. Starring Alberto San Juan, Natalia Verbeke (Dot the I, Son of the Bride), Pere Ponce, and Fernando Tejero.

Customer Reviews:

Una película extremadamente graciosa.......2007-03-17

Que les puedo decir, es una película vulgar y he ahí la gracia de ella. Si les gustan las ocurrencias ordinarias de gente ordinaria, pues es su película y logra demostrar de buena forma que la vida común puede ser una comedia. Y a todos aquellos que han tenido amigos de cuadra o de barrio, pues se van a ver ahí y siempre seremos jovenes

Average customer rating:

Not very good.
The Alamo Documentary
If you must watch a film about the Alamo, watch this one
Remember the Alamo - forget this DVD
Investigates the Alamo as no other documentary has done!

The Alamo Documentary
Starring: Frank Thompson (IV) , Stephen L. Hardin , Bruce Winders , Don Graham (III) , and Joan Headley
Director: Lynn Stevenson
Manufacturer: Delta
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ASIN: B0001LYFGI
Release Date: 2004-03-30

Description

INVESTIGATES THE HISTORY, MYTH AND POPULAR CULTURE OF THE ALAMO!

On March 6, 1836 the 13-day siege of the Alamo ended. Among the dead were three men destined to become martyrs and heroes: David Crockett, James Bowie and William B. Travis. Cries of Remember the Alamo! would eventually fuel an American victory over Mexico. The Alamo and its defenders grew into enduring symbols of courage and sacrifice in the face of overwhelming odds.

Controversy has always been part of the history and legend of the Alamo. Whether they hold traditional or revisionist views, people are passionate about their opinions.

~Were Crockett, Travis and Bowie a "Holy Trinity" or less than perfect human beings?
~Why were Tejanos like Juan Seguin, who fought for Texas liberty alongside the Anglos, virtually ignored in history books until recently?
~How did Crockett die?
~Did Travis draw a line in the sand?
~How many defenders were really there, and how many attackers?
~Did everyone die, or were there survivors?

Since 1836, the Alamo and its heroes have been immortalized in countless poems, songs, plays, books and movies. The films of Walt Disney starring Fess Parker inspi