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Summary: They Don't Come Any Better Than This!
Review: For 30 years this has been my favorite film. Everything came together perfectly for this movie and it wears very well. It's full of sweep, romance, and spectacle. The 3-strip Technicolor used back then, and subsequently abandoned, holds up better than modern films whose color can degenerate to purple within 7 short years. I can only echo the comments made by others on the casting,the costumes, music, etc. Flynn, De Havilland, Rathbone, and Raines were never better. This is such a fun movie; you cannot watch it without feeling uplifted or exhilerated. James Goldman, I think it was, said that while the story of King Arthur is the most important legend in English speaking countries (because of its theme of fair government); the legend of Robin Hood is the most beloved. Rightly so. No other movie depicts the reason why as well as the 1938 Warner Brothers version.
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Summary: How to Swash a Buckler
Review: Errol Flynn dosen't actually use a buckler, but you get the idea. This is 'the' Robin Hood movie; don't waste your time on Robin Hoods with Midwestern accents. The political implications of Robin Hood are usually thought to favor the Left. This movie shows Robin in his true color - as a counterrevolutionary, fighting for restoration of the legitimate government, for the rights of yeomen farmers not to be taxed to death, and against usurpation and tyranny. Thomas Jefferson could have written much of this script. The un-PC Robin uses weapons to poach deer, confronts the local government over their abuse of power, and his democratic manners come out in sharp contrast to the rigid formality of the Court Party. Errol Flynn fits the part to a 'T,' and the viewer can well imagine him, had he been born seven centuries earlier, actually being the title character. Olivia de Haviland positively glows, and portrays the spirited courage and character that her faith and breeding were supposed to instill in every scene. Not as often mentioned is Richard the Lionheart, who, although absent until the final scenes, is so much larger than life that he dominates the screen when he appears. The duel scene, the use of shadows, and the many-splendored pagentry have been celebrated often enough to make any further praise redundant. Taken as a whole, this is the best movie of its' kind, and the standard against which this writer has measured all others since it became his childhood favorite. -Lloyd Conway
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Summary: This Robin tops them all!
Review: Okay, so this is a great film. Everything works! So I have only one question: WHERE OH WHERE IS THE DVD?! C'mon, oh powers that be: get this Errol Flynn and company "Adventures of Robin Hood" on DVD! A great digital transfer (with enhanced sound?!) from the original film negative would be a great achievement on DVD. So, c'mon! Get this movie on DVD. Let's hear it from fans: DVD! DVD! DVD!
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Summary: "the film was great & Korngold's score made it a classic"
Review: Varese Sarabande presents this classic among classics - "The Adventures Of Robin Hood" (1938), rollicking tale of the legendary outlaw, regarded as the standard-to-go-by swashbuckler. Grand castles and lush forest photography, with Errol Flynn in his prime, as our hero who robbed from the rich and gave to the poor - enthusiastically performed most of his own stunts, including intricate swordplay advanced tree and wall climbing.His Robin brimed with charm and bravura, protector of poor Saxons everywhere, declaring war on the Normans Prince John (Claude Rains) and doing battle with Sir Guy (Basil Rathbone) in one of the most spectacular sword-fights ever filmed. Erich Wolfgang Korngold was called upon to compose the archetypal score, more so even than his score for "Kings Row", in "Robin Hood" he came closest to creating an opera without singing, bolstering and carrying the action, at the same-time blends uninterrupted streams of colorful music. For "PROLOGUE(MAIN TITLE) use motif a sweeping, heroic trumpet theme...rest of the score a multitude of themes and variations entirely original, but track 5 "ROBIN MEETS LITTLE JOHN" is English folk song "Sumer Is Icumen In", with exceptional orchestration by Hugo Friedhofer, marked every texture and nuance - even exact voicing of chords highly dramatic and unique. Korngold set standards for Williams, Goldsmith, Horner and every composer from that time on, listen to this classic masterpiece and see what I mean...a great film and Korngold made it a classic! Total Time: 42:43 on 16 Tracks...Varese Sarabande 47202...(1988)
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Summary: Robin Hood Gives To All
Review: This is one of my very favorite movies. It works on every level. The story is a classic one, and Hollywood, for once, re-created the story on film with a minimum of re-writing. The scenes are colorful. The music is well done. There's lots of action, some clever dialogue, and there's no doubt who are the good guys and who the bad guys are. Finally, Robin Hood is the quintessential role for one of Hollywood's classic actors. Errol flynn simply fits the part perfectly. It's as though he was made for the role. The other members of the cast take their parts very well, also. This is a fun and entertaining movie, suitable for viewers of all ages. No video library should be without a copy.
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Summary: Definitive version of a classic
Review: The tale of Robin Hood has always been a guilty pleasure for me since pre-adolescence. I have read various versions as well as viewed several different film adaptations. As far as film goes, I'll state my preference for the 1938 version starring Erroll Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. The Adventures of Robin Hood is a cinematic classic. You can keep the Costner version and let me have this one. Erroll Flynn is a dashing hero who inspires the people to rebel against the evil Prince John. Olivia de Havilland is a lovely Maid Marian. I also like the casting of Alan Hale as Little John. I'm young enough that my first exposure to Hale was as the Skipper on Gilligan's Island. It was amusing to see him as a younger, thinner man. These subjects are loyal to King Richard who is away at war. The story of Robin Hood is well known so I'll take a moment to discuss the spectacular film quality. This colorful film is beautifully shot. I can remember numerous times being impressed with the sheer brilliance of the cinematography. The film was ahead of its time in effects. The costumes were gorgeously flamboyant. The acting was superb. There has never (in my estimation) been a better film translation of this immortal tale.
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Summary: The Adventures of Robin Hood: A Joy Forever-
Review: What can be said when everything else has been said already about this most glorious example of the Golden Age of Hollywood. The gods smiled upon this one. There is not a flaw in the entire 1938 film or any of its elements. Since they struck a new printing a few years ago, like many others, I have been holding off on buying a VHS home version for that DVD to come out. The distributors continue to put out meaningless junk while this one languishes in the can. Most of us will play this marvelous film whenever we feel the need of a mood pickup. This is like a glass of cold lemonade on a hot summer day, or a warm hearth in the midst of a frozen winter. It is an oasis for the soul. One can see the wonderful storyboard behind the scenes, and the N.C. Wyeth inspired sets and characters in every minute of this magic film. It is beloved by all, throughout the world, A Joy Forever, as brilliant in this new Century as it was all throughout a large part of the last. Thank you Errol Flynn, Olivia deHaviland, Michael Curtiz, Erich Wolfgang Korngold and all the rest of you wonderful people, wherever you are.
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Summary: Hero of all times!
Review: You may keep Kevin Kostner and all the others - this is the real thing! Maybe somewhat aged after all these years - but still the best! Watch and enjoy together with the whole family!
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Summary: Campaign for DVD
Review: I read the reviews here and watched it again for the zillionth time. It IS the best movie ever made, with the legendary Errol Flynn as the legendary outlaw (perfect casting!) We need to campaign whoever has the rights to it to issue it on DVD (what are they waiting for?)! MEN and WOMEN OF SHERWOOD! WRITE THE COPYRIGHT OWNERS! And I'll second the notion that Flynn is Robin re-born. Do you think the DA who trumped up the charges against Errol in 1942 was a reincarnated Guy of Gisbourne?
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Summary: The Adventures of Robin Hood:Korngold's Triumph
Review: This is a masterful CD of some of the most popular film music of all time. Like the movie, this movie music doen't age; it is still fresh, rousing, thrilling, and romantic, in other words everything you would want for music portraying the same themes. Eric Wolfgang Korngold was a great composer in movies and so-called more serious "classical" music. I have been of the opinion that certain great composers like Korngold write scores for the movies as good or better than their serious scores. This CD shows how the music can carry and add to the power of the legendary story of Robin Hood. Korngold, of course, wrote many other wonderful scores for adventure films, such as The Sea Hawk and Captain Blood, all vehicles that made Errol Flynn a movie star. He raised the bar for quality film music and many composers have followed his example. This is one my all time favorite film scores, one I remember from my youth, music to sword fight by or joust by, music of Lincoln Green, Will Scarlet, Maid Marian, Little John, and Richard the Lion-Hearted, music of gilimmering castles and archery contests set to rows of golden trumpets announcing the competitors. It will always be a special score for those stirred by medieval customs and valiant knights, a score that stirs the blood and the spirit. Buy this CD and step backward in time. Korngold's score is that good.
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