Moby Dick

Rating:
Summary: Excellent :)
Review: I love this older version much better then the Halmark remake. The sea, the ships, the way everyone carried themselves made you actually think you were there =)

Gregory Peck plays Cptn Ahab so good I now couldnt picture Ahab as being depict by anyone else!

Rating:
Summary: Melville's classic comes to life
Review: John Huston's 1956 version of "Moby Dick" is exquisitely cast and relatively true to the novel. Gregory Peck does a commendable job as Captain Ahab, who is bent on revenge at killing the whale that took his leg and, for him, represents a sinister force of Nature. As one reviewer noted, Peck is able to demonstrate that there is more than one way to play a "crazed and obsessed" man. Ismael, the narrator, is the outside observer on the Pequod, Captain Ahab's boat. He sees the struggles of the men who try to capture several whales; he also sees how Ahab motivates his crew by painting a picture of the white whale as a symbol of "evil" to mankind. At one point, Ahab nails a gold doubloon to the mast and says that the one who first spots Moby Dick will be the one who gets this monetary reward. During another scene, Ahab sees the vessel illuminated when a typhoon hits it, and he sees this as a "sign" that he will have success in his voyage.


Another noteworthy scene is Father Mapple's "Jonah" speech (played perfectly by Orson Wells). I thought it was such a suitable scene for the relevance of the story. The speech typifies the importance of change of character, as Mapple speaks of the way in which Jonah changed after he was swallowed by the whale (referring to the Biblical story). The story that Mapple speaks about is symbolic for the larger allegory of Ahab's pursuit of the Moby Dick.


There were a few flaws with the movie, such as the repetitive chase scenes with the whale, in which we watch seemingly the same action take place. These did not deter much from the effectiveness of the Melville's story, however. The whole essence of what the Pequod represents for the crew and what the search for Moby Dick symbolize are present and accurately depicted in the film. The deeper meaning of the story rings forth in this film, and that's what makes it successful.


Rating:
Summary: The Best Adaptation
Review: This 1956 production of Herman Melville's Moby Dick was written and directed by John Huston (Treasure of the Sierra Madre; The Man Who Would Be King) along with Ray Bradbury. This version is superior to the more recent release with Patrick Stewart as Captain Ahab with great cinematography and good acting.

Although some have complained about Gregory Peck's performance as Captain Ahab, I feel that his cold reserved expressions in the film work just as well in showing a man consumed by hatred and a lust for revenge. In line with Melville's extremely religious themes, the character of Ahab is a man who feels he's been cheated by nature and God and so seeks his revenge. Taking his doomed men with him around the world, he seeks to exact his vengeance on the great white whale who took his leg, Moby Dick. The sailor Ishmael (Richard Basehart) is the voice of innocence and redemption.

The direction and cinematography is superb. Huston was a master of his craft and had directed many timeless classics by the time he did Moby Dick. I recommend this film as the best adaptation of the story with the strongest cast as well as the best directed.



Rating:
Summary: Boring!!!!!!!!
Review: This movie is very boring and is not very good. While watching this shameless movie, I fell asleep. It is about Ahab and his obsession with a white whale (Moby Dick). If you are looking for action this is not for you. It gets somewhat suspenseful in the last half-hour. However, I do not recommend it to anyone!!

Rating:
Summary: Very exciting classic!
Review: Moby Dick is a very exciting classical tale, retold in a movie starring Gregory Peck and Richard Basehart. The director also seems very experienced, and his talent really shows in the fight scenes between Moby Dick and the crew in boats. The story tells of a young sailor shipping aboard the Pequod, a whaling ship captained by Ahab. Captain Ahab is obsessed with killing the white whale that took off his leg in a previous encounter. He offers any crew member a spanish doubloon, if they spot the whale first. The entire story is suspenseful, ending in a mind blowing climax. The digital transfer used for this is surprisingly good for a 1958 movie. TCM (Turner Classic Movies) has also broadcast a very pristine version, which I taped off of, and it well rivals the quality of the Moby Dick DVD. The best purchase would be the DVD or the television Turner rendition of this riveting classic.

Rating:
Summary: Masterful and Powerful Cinema
Review: This has always been one of my favorite movies. I have seen it at the theatre (twice)and owned it on VHS (3 copies) and Betamax. I have seen it dozens of times, but the DVD version is really amazing. The old 1950's sound is still crappy, but the details in the video portion were like I'd never seen it before. Even if you have the VHS version, you owe it to yourself to get the DVD.