Rating: 
Summary: Great period romance
Review: I loved this movie! The pace was very european, it was so unlike an American movie. The lovers were wonderful, and the ending happy. True moviemaking
Rating:
Summary: Gorgeous ! Gorgeous ! Gorgeous !
Review: I saw this film on the big screen and loved it! The cinematography is sumptuously beautiful, and the characters are, too. In addition to a stunning, visual treat, this production had adventure, humor, horror, and romance. Yes, there are some sordid scenes, but it gave the viewer an opportunity to see how fortunate we are to have access to clean water, medicine, and a measure of civility. A beautiful, enticing panorama !
Rating:
Summary: Watch this film several times to really know and enjoy it.
Review: I wrote a review of this film in August of 2000 several years
after seeing it on the big screen. Recently, I rented the
video and over the course of a month, watched it six more
times. Each time I viewed Horseman, I discovered more and
more, the minute details that I just didn't see the first
time through. Many reviewers have critisized the film for the horror, not
enough action, not enough dialouge, or that Angelo(Olivier
Martinez) was two dimensional. The first thing that I noticed about Martinez was his gorgeous looks, but as I came to know
the character better, and watched how others interacted with
him, I became more and more engaged with the fun of this
character. I have also read the books that deal with Angelo,
and believe that Martinez captures this character perfectly. Angelo is a young noble who has been raised to be honorable
and fearless by his Italian duchess mother. His honor is,
above all, the most driving force of his life. His mother
has also taught him, from childhood, to defend Italy from
all invaders. These two components, when confronted by
events and people (particularly Pauline), create some very
amusing scenes in the film. But a one time viewing doesn't
allow the spectator to catch all of the subtle undercurrents
of this beautiful film. Some viewers are put off by all the dead bodies, but it
is an important part of French history, that really existed.
To be sure, the film is very mild compared to what the
French actually faced during those dreadful times. Finally, some viewers have been annoyed by the lack of love
scenes between the two main characters. The viewer needs
to remember that the events are depicted in 1825, and
people weren't as quick to express sexual and/or romantic
feelings as is done today. The ending is appropriate because Angelo is in Italy
fighting for its freedom. Any contact between distances
takes months and sometimes years, considering the circumstances,
to actualize. But you do know that Pauline and Angelo yearn
to be together, and that is simply a part of life during
that era. A gorgeous film, haunting, fun, and very true to life from the
past.
Rating:
Summary: love on the run
Review: If you like Juliette Binoche you will love her romantic heroine in this Le Hussar sur Toit. Pitty do not understand it in French. It is the certainty of love and yet keeping yourself from killing the beauty of the impossibiity. Romanticism well achieved in this quest for the loved ones. We live more practical days , Romanticism considered insanity.
I saw it on tv, by accident, and I got trapped into it. It may have to do with my fondness for historical films, and eventhough the main plot is a love story, the background is all a period of European history that may be repeating itself nowdays, we have other plagues though. The romantic ideal of untouched but cherished love comes to terms with the solid makingup of both characters. There is a unilateral worship for the woman that embodies not only beauty, but love and loyalty as well, that turns into sacrifice rewarded at some point after the film ends. Not the kind of mellow happy ending commercial love story. It is an adventorous pursuit of freedom and happiness leading to an open and relieving finale. Fall in love with the photography and the natural scenarios. Magnificent cast , little but effective dialogues, a lot of action, and a great sense of deliverance.
Rating: 
Summary: A well told and thoughtfully acted French love story
Review: Juliette Binoche does a wonderful job in this suprisingly engaging French romance. Against the backdrop of Europe's dreaded plague, a romance unfolds that rivals the some of the best of recent French love stories. The story's heightened final moments won't leave any true romantic unsatisfied.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Period Piece, Excellent Score, but Anticlimactic Ending
Review: Just watched this last night. I really love watching Binoche's work and I enjoyed the movie, the score, and the faithful (at least it appeared so) depiction of life in europe at the time. At least up to the end - It left you with a feeling of "that's it?"...if the movie could be another 3 hours or so it would have been much more satisfying
Rating:
Summary: Good Old Fashioned Adventure--a la Francaise
Review: Olivier Martinez has been called the French Brad Pitt. How about Juliette Binoche as the French Julia Roberts. Or is that not saying enough in either case? Well, whatever your opinions of the actors in general, they are perfectly cast in this corker of a romantic adventure. Perfect chemistry between the two stars adds to what already a good, old fashioned high spirited adventure film. They don't make 'em like this anymore--either in this country or in France. In fact, when you think of current French cinema, you tend to come up with charming, but self-consciously post-modern works like AMELIE or L'AUBERGE ESPAGNOLE. That kind of nod-and-a-wink filmmaking has its place, and I have nothing but affection for those films, but there's something about good old school stroytelling that can be utterly enthralling. You're actually allowed to get caught up in the tale and to forget that you're in a cinema (or your living room) watching images on film (or videotape or DVD or whatever). What a concept! I am unfamiliar with most of director Rappeneau's work--although I have heard good things about his version of CYRANO and the celebrated ZAZIE DANS LE METRO. He certainly has a flair for historical romance, so I am now eager to see his treatment of the Edmond de Rostand classic. Or almost anything else he's done for that matter. He appears to have a great visual sense (or knows enough to seek out cinematographers who do). It's hard to think of a more beautifully shot film. Like most films, HORSEMAN ON THE ROOF is not for everyone. But for lovers of foreign films in general--and of real romantic adventure in particular--this film delivers the goods.
Rating:
Summary: Good Old Fashioned Adventure--a la Francaise
Review: Olivier Martinez has been called the French Brad Pitt. How about Juliette Binoche as the French Julia Roberts. Or is that not saying enough in either case? Well, whatever your opinions of the actors in general, they are perfectly cast in this corker of a romantic adventure. Perfect chemistry between the two stars adds to what already a good, old fashioned high spirited adventure film. They don't make 'em like this anymore--either in this country or in France. In fact, when you think of current French cinema, you tend to come up with charming, but self-consciously post-modern works like AMELIE or L'AUBERGE ESPAGNOLE. That kind of nod-and-a-wink filmmaking has its place, and I have nothing but affection for those films, but there's something about good old school stroytelling that can be utterly enthralling. You're actually allowed to get caught up in the tale and to forget that you're in a cinema (or your living room) watching images on film (or videotape or DVD or whatever). What a concept! I am unfamiliar with most of director Rappeneau's work--although I have heard good things about his version of CYRANO and the celebrated ZAZIE DANS LE METRO. He certainly has a flair for historical romance, so I am now eager to see his treatment of the Edmond de Rostand classic. Or almost anything else he's done for that matter. He appears to have a great visual sense (or knows enough to seek out cinematographers who do). It's hard to think of a more beautifully shot film. Like most films, HORSEMAN ON THE ROOF is not for everyone. But for lovers of foreign films in general--and of real romantic adventure in particular--this film delivers the goods.
Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking beautiful romance
Review: One of the most beautiful movies ever made, a fact unfortunately lost on video. The story is adventurous and romantic and seeped in history; a rare combo. The best movie I saw the year it came out.(But wait for the DVD to fully appreciate it.)
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: Recommended this film to my newfound soulmate and then purchased it for her. We both appreciated Juliette Binoche in "The English Patient" and "Blue"; and I thought Rappeneau's character maintained an admirable thread of duty and dignity as he helped Pauline through the war and sickness. One reviewer labeled the film boring, but I found it teeming with scenes of subtle importance. It is hauntingly romantic and, for the more imaginative among us, somewhat inspirational.
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