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Summary: war lord
Review: One of the most interesting historical movies that I have ever seen. An excellent story, very good written characters, impressive music, careful scenery and, in general, a very credible atmosphere of the Middle Ages.
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Summary: It Is Widescreen
Review: The listing says this disc is full-screen, but it is actually widescreen. It looks like 2.55:1 to me but might be 2.35:1.
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Summary: Complete Crap
Review: The movie looked like crap the whole time. The visuals were terrible, and the acting was cheesy and laughable. Don't bother watching this movie, just watch the history channel its much more entertaining. If I hadn't watched this movie for a college class I would have turned it off.
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Summary: The WarLord--- Charming, Thoughtful Medieval Set-Piece
Review: There is a point in this movie when Norman warlord Chrysagon de la Crux (Charlton Heston) tells his love interest that there is more to the world than just the local marshes and the lonely tower in which they reside. But broadly speaking, 'the world' doesn't matter in this movie. You never see it and you don't miss it. One of the many charms of this movie is the fine job director Franklin J.Schaffner does in creating a small, set-piece world where conflicts are played out by very interesting characters--- the isolated fens and marshes, the lonely tower, the brooding forests inhabited by strange celtic-druidic peasants.De la Crux (Creaux?) comes to this insular world at the behest of his liege-lord, a great Norman aristocrat, and Duke William of Ghent, though never seen, continually casts a long shadow across the landscape of the movie. Heston is perfectly cast as the disdainful (but of course, basically decent) Norman knight sent to periphery of the norman world on a thankless mission. For twenty years he's been successfully fighting the Duke's battles with little to show for it. Only his ambitious and more perceptive brother, Draco (Guy Stockwell) seems to grasp the irony--- over the long years, Chrysagon's loyalty and trustworthyness have induced the Duke to give him the most dangerous and least rewarding tasks. This movie is at heart a sentimental work; to the astonishment of those around him, de la Crux falls in love with the peasent girl Bronwyn and seems to be grasping for a meaning in life beyond the typically ruthless and violent ambitions of a Norman warlord. But the movie's sentimentality is balanced by intelligent dialogue, both sharp and subtle character conflict, and the fine use of foreshadowing. The supporting cast is marvelous and there are wonderful subplots and triangulatons of character between Bors (Richard Boone) Draco, and de la Crux. This is not just Charlton Heston's movie by any means, although, quite typically, he shines brightest when the supporting performances are powerful. I don't think it's an exageration to state that Stockwell's performance is brilliant. Draco's intensity, his thinly veiled resentment of his brother and his astonishment regarding his brother's love for Bronwyn are riveting. Richard Boone's performance is also very nice. He manages to invest the outwardly coarse and brawny Bors character with a degree of intelligence and compasion, but you still get the feeling that Bors could bite the nose off an ogre. The performance of Maurice Evans as the priest Uggo de Bullion is also kick. Although the production values of the battle scenes are somewhat mediocre, this is a movie I can watch again every now and then. It's just fun. The celtic tribal wedding scene is memorable, the musical score is well adapted to the movie's plot and Rosemary Forsyth is eternally winsome. I highly recommend this flick!
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Summary: Heston is great in this Medieval Romance/Adventure
Review: This is a great looking film from 1965 that, as another reviewer mentioned, will draw some comparisons with "Braveheart," though it lacks the epic scale of that film. It's a much smaller and, in some ways, a more personal film. Charlton Heston gives yet another strong performance in the kind of role he was born to play, and is ably supported by the likes of Richard Boone, Guy Stockwell and Maurice Evans, among others. Look for a young James Farentino as the groom whose bride is taken from him during their wedding ceremony. The film was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner who would re-team with Heston and Evans three years after this film to make "Planet of the Apes." Schaffner later went on to make "Patton." The film was adapted from a play entitled "The Lovers" and is, at heart, a bittersweet love story and not quite the action/adventure film that some viewers might expect, though the attack on the castle during the second half of the film is exciting and well staged. Thanks to Goodtimes, an independent video/DVD company for releasing this film and other, older titles that they have licensed from Universal Studios. Thsy've done a fine job with this release; it's presented in widescreen format, but in mono sound (not surprising for a 1965 film). The picture quality is mostly great except for a few smoky, grainy scenes early in the film's opening battle, which suggests that this DVD release may have been constructed from composite sources. The DVD also offers a 3 minute preview trailer, complete with Heston extolling the virtues of the film, as well as English, French and Spanish subtitles and 18 chapter breaks.
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Summary: the warlord
Review: This is one movie that cant be missed. Charlton Heston gives one of his best performances as a noble who was wronged and fights for forbidden love. With a backdrop of a tower in the middle of nowhere, this shows movies are not made that anymore.
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Summary: Classic
Review: This movie ought to be revered as one of the classics. The cast selection is a perfect blend of actor and story. The main parts are all played by well known and accomplished actors, yet they manage to become their characters perfectly rather than to try to force the character to be reshapen into the press image of the actor. One would expect a great performance from Heston, but Stockwell, Boone, and Evans all deliver perfection. It is a tragic story, but one worth watching over and over.
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Summary: SATISFYING FEUDAL MELODRAMA
Review: Though overshadowed by the more spectacular epics of Charlton Heston's legendary career, "The War Lord" is in fact better than almost anything contemporary Hollywood has to offer and deserves a far larger following. Mr. Heston shines in the role of Sir Chrysagon, a tough, valiant Norman knight who falls for the lovely Druid-girl Bronwyn--who, naturally, is promised to another. Despite the cultural gulf between them, Chrysagon and Bronwyn fall passionately in love, and must defend their newfound life together from rebellious peasants, axe-slinging Frisians, and Chrysagon's own brother, Drako. Heston captures Chrysagon's heroic but flawed character brilliantly, effortlessly fusing pride, frustration, strength, and longing into a believable whole. Likewise, Rosemary Forsythe conveys all of Bronwyn's intermingled love, fear, confusion, and uncertain loyalty. Like the mythic Ophelia, Bronwyn seems bound to a chaotic whirlwind, caught up in a dream she knows can only end in nightmare, but yet unwilling to have it any other way. Aided by stalwart performances by Richard Boone (the loyal Bors, Chrysagon's lifelong companion) and Guy Stockwell (masterful as Chrysagon's brother, tired of living in his sibling's giant shadow), and boasting enough drama, romance, and action (the tower siege is a thriller!) to please any fan of medieval tales, "The War Lord" lives on as a captivating film that remains untarnished by time and seems genuinely better with every viewing.
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Summary: Hey, it's Charlton Heston
Review: Usually old movies are really cheesy and fake, but not this one. Hey, it's Charlton Heston! Along with Excalibur (directed by John Boorman) this is one of my favorite "Middle Ages" movie. The War Lord has one of the best, if not the most realistic battle scenes ever filmed-- the castle scene, it's uttlery fantastic. I'll take the realistic and non-glorified battle scenes of this movie over those of the Gladiator anyday. Also, Heston's love interest in this movie has that classic hollywood look, I can't describe it, but it's there. This movie is kind of the opposite of Braveheart, they're both dealing with Lords stealing other men's women, but in this movie they actually end up falling in love. Not too shabby.
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Summary: Hey, it's Charlton Heston
Review: Usually old movies are really cheesy and fake, but not this one. Hey, it's Charlton Heston! Along with Excalibur (directed by John Boorman) this is one of my favorite "Middle Ages" movie. The War Lord has one of the best, if not the most realistic battle scenes ever filmed-- the castle scene, it's uttlery fantastic. I'll take the realistic and non-glorified battle scenes of this movie over those of the Gladiator anyday. Also, Heston's love interest in this movie has that classic hollywood look, I can't describe it, but it's there. This movie is kind of the opposite of Braveheart, they're both dealing with Lords stealing other men's women, but in this movie they actually end up falling in love. Not too shabby.
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