Rating: 
Summary: Pure, Stunning, Poetic. . .
Review: Being an avid horselover, I'm probably pretty prejudiced in the eyes of some. However, I know many horse stories/movies which I found to be cheesy and outright moronic. The Black Stallion and its sequel are, however, indescribably superb. I won't repeat other reviews by writing a synopsis, but the black stallion isn't just a simple kids movie at all. It is a spiritual journey. The acting is so excellent that it doesn't even seem to be acting at all. The visuals are stunning and the soundtrack gorgeous. And the story itself, well, it speaks for itself. Watch these two movies if you have a trace of soul left in you from a silly world-you will be reminded.
Rating:
Summary: A good value for the money on these horse-lover classics
Review: Although there is little bonus material on these DVDs, fans of the Black Stallion will enjoy the crisp picture on both DVDs.
Rating:
Summary: Who would have thought
Review: I already own the 1st dvd, but was surprised to see TBS Returns coming out. This is a movie that wasn't a hit (not compared to the first) and movie studios tend to forget about these (They don't have Gremlins 2 on dvd). It is a great companion movie to the first one so I recommend getting the 2 pack. As a side note-I actaully rode the Black Stallion when I was 10 years old. He lived in San Antonio, Texas- real name Cass Ole.
Rating:
Summary: Speaking as a person who read the books...
Review: I have read every book that Walter and his son have written about the Black. The books always captured a child's point of view about horses. The dream of sailing off into the wind on the back of a really fast steed. I think Coppola captured that feeling in both of these movies. I like the quietness of the first one. The book was written to make you feel rather than listen to dialogue. There was little dialogue to begin with. Slightly off the subject, I think Walter had a passion about Seabisquit and had him in mind when he created the Black.
Kelly Reno was superb. A total natural around horses. Cass- ole was stunning, even in makeup. Oh, if the horse looks brown in the sunlight, remember this, no animal is truly black. They're all just a really dark shade of brown.
Rating:
Summary: Superb Gift Set
Review: I own both these movies but bought them seperately. I am happy to see they have now been released as a set. I have written a seperate review for "The Black Stallion" but wanted to reiterate, for this gift set, and to address some of the odd claims in the other reviews.
I am an avid horseperson, and an Arabian horse enthusiast. As such, I can pick out at a glance the errors in horse handling and/or acting that permeate most movies dealing with them. I am happy to say that, hands down, "The Black Stallion" is the best movie ever made dealing with horses.
As a book adaptation, it is superb. Those who expect slavish adherence to the book will be disappointed; as with any good movie adaptation, changes should and have been made to adapt it to film. These changes translate onto screen absolutely perfectly, giving one of those rarest of the rare phenonmenons - a movie as good as, if not surpassing, its literary source.
Even better, as a movie by itself, "The Black Stallion" is a masterpiece. The actors, the casting, the sound, the directing and most especially, the cinematography, are of the highest quality. At the time of its release, "The Black Stallion" was highly acclaimed and nominated for several Oscars, including Best Supporting Actor. It won in its category for film editing, and it is a widely held opinion that Caleb Deschanel's cinematography was one of the best of the decade.
Its sequel is not as magical or masterful, but it is still a well done movie, much more action packed than its predecessor, with excellent actors and cinematography. The plot and script were not as tight, but the horse action lived up to its high standard, and there were some exceptional moments. The ending of "The Black Stallion Returns" should be given special mention, as it is a deeply poignant and bittersweet one. It should really be seen as the final moment to the saga of both movies.
There are some downsides, however, to the DVDs. The transfer quality was not good, especially on the first; one can discern scratch marks and fuzziness and the films badly need to be remastered (the cinematography still manages to shine through though). There are virtually no "extras" for fans to see. Both DVDs contain the original trailers (which are nothing to shout about) and "The Black Stallion" has a small booklet giving details on the production. That is it.
Still, I am happy to say these films are not just for children and can be watched and appreciated by anyone. They are truely exceptional pieces of work.
Trivia and Notes:
Where some ideas come from, I simply do not know. Dear readers - Cass Ole was the main horse used for the film, but the names of all the horse doubles are the very last item on the end credits of the first movie. There were more than four of them. The small booklet with the first movie and the official "Black Stallion" website can give you more details.
The second movie, unforunately, does not list its horse actor "doubles" but for those interested, it is well known among Arabian horse enthusiasts that the arabian stallions El Mokhtar and Diamond Night were both involved. A quick internet search on "El Mokhtar" can confirm his involvment, as well as a picture or two.
Cass Ole was a true black Arabian stallion, with 4 white socks and a star, who was dyed for the movie. If you are careful, you may pick out some scenes when Cass Ole's white star can still be seen through the dye. To see pictures of Cass Ole without his "make-up," please visit http://www.geocities.com/thymes75/theblack.html. Sadly, no pictures of Fae Jur (the Arabian horse was was Cass Ole's main double in the first film) nor Diamond Night may be found on the web.
Yes - black horses do exist and are not "brown" in color. Unfortunately, true blacks often fade in the sun and acquire a brown cast. Also, all horses have black skin, NOT just Arabian horses. Pink skin only occurs under white markings or on horses with certain color mutations.
The black color is quite rare in the Arabian breed of horse, a fact which most Arabian horse breeders can easily confirm, and which Walter Farley himself talks of in one of the series books - "The Black Stallion's Mystery." For those interested in finding out these things for themselves and not relying on odd internet rumors, I recommend starting with www.equinecolor.com, which is an excellent horse color genetics site, and with www.awhitehorse.com, which has a number of very popular Arabian horse forums.
Rating:
Summary: The Black Stallion
Review: If you have read the book, or just have a horse crazy person in your house you MUST see the movie! THe backround music in The Black Stallion is incredible, it follows the horses movements! You almost feel as if you are ridding the Black!
Rating: 
Summary: Read the book
Review: My suggestion is to read the book, and not even touch this movie. The boy is not a very good actor and the build up to the match race is incredibly weak. If you've seen the movie Seabiscuit, this movie would be a major step down for you.
Rating:
Summary: Read the book
Review: My suggestion is to read the book, and not even touch this movie. There is very little of the original dialogue, and the worst part of all: the horse isn't black! okay, maybe that sounds like a minor problem to most, but one must look at the title. The BLACK Stallion. It was just so annoying to keep seeing a brown horse.
Rating:
Summary: This always was my favorite...
Review: of the Black Stallion movies. I can't really tell you why except that I'd admired Alec's devotion to the horse and his persistance to find the Black despite the incredible odds against him. And then the end was so sad and touching because he put the Black's welfare above his own feelings. I also liked watching the blooming friendship between Alec and Vincent Spano's character. Very good movie. Highly recommend to lovers of horses and adventure.
Rating:
Summary: Magical Presence
Review: The Black Stallion: An excellent story by Walter Farley which envokes all the emotions. After a shipwreck a young boy & a magnificent black Arabian stallion are stranded on an island where they become friends. Eventually they are rescued & meet a former race horse trainer, portrayed wonderfully by Mickey Rooney, who trains them both & enter them into a thrilling match race. The photography is superb. When Kelly Reno & the horse are together on the screen a magical presence fills the air & warms the heart. The Black Stallion Returns: Begins with The Black being reclaimed by his true owners & taken back to the Sahara desert. Reno follows desperate to find & recover his horse. Breath taking scenery abounds as we follow Reno on his journey where he befriends a young man returning from school to partisipate in a horse race which determines the wealth or all the tribes in the desert. Reno must ride his Black to save him from being taken by the winner, his new friend must also win for the sake of his family & both are beseiged by the bad guys who want to win for the same reasons. A wealth of learning & experience is felt along the way & the movie comes to it's dramatic & tear jerking conclusion. Both of these movies will be enjoyed over & over. I saw them in the theater 20 years ago (times flies) & have seem them often. Never have they lost their appeal or excitement.
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