The Lightship

Starring:William Forsythe, Tom Bower, Michael Lyndon, Robert Costanzo, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Robert Duvall, Badja Djola, Tim Phillips, Arliss Howard
Director: Jerzy Skolimowski
Studio: Paramount
Product Type: DVD

Product Description

Based on the novel by Colm Toibin, The Blackwater Lightship tells the compelling story of reconciliation between three generations of women, whose relationships have been marked by decades of misunderstandings. Angela Lansbury plays Granny, Dianne Wiest is her daughter (Lily), and Gina McKee plays Helen, Lily's daughter. The three women are reunited at Granny's home in the seaside village of Blackwater, when Lily's son, Declan, who has AIDS, leaves the hospital to spend time at a place he remembers fondly from his childhood. Declan's love for all three women in his family and theirs for him begins a powerful journey of love and understanding. Stars: Angela Lansbury, Dianne Wiest, Gina McKee, Keith McErlean

Customer Reviews:

Blackwater Lightship is a beacon light in the night.......2006-12-24

I copied this off of the air when it was featured on Hallmark Hall of Fame... an excellent movie, but my copy has local TV headlines running across the bottom.... Always wondered if and when it would be made available to the public on DVD/VHS... Now it is and I can get a copy.... I just adore Angela Lansbury and have been a fan of hers for many years.. She does a great job in this movie.. And Dianne Weist is good as always... the other supporting cast made this movie enjoyable.. NOT just another gay movie.... after I viewed, I bought the book.. Even more insightful. . .

The Blackwater Lightship.......2006-08-20

This film is terrible, which is unfortunate because it's a very good book about a family who are reuited and begin to forgive the wrongs of the past when a young man with AIDS decides to go to his grandmother's house to die. This story is set in Ireland and unfortunately three of the four main roles are not played by Irish actors, they aren't even played by actors who can do a slightly convincing accent. I'm a huge admirer of Colm Toibin's work, but it appears that the makers of this film weren't. It's badly cast, badly scripted, full of dreadful anachronisms, and most of the subtleties of the novel are absent.

an undiscovered gem.......2005-09-05

This is a very touching story based on the book of the same title. All the actors are wonderful, but Angela Lansbury shines. Many think this is a "gay" story but it is really a tale of family and discovering what is most important in life. Filmed on location in Ireland, the cinematography is wonderful for a TV Movie. It would be worth the price just to watch Miss Lansbury's performance.

Average customer rating:

Disappointing!
Best Movie Set
Misfiring and pretentious thriller
great characters!

The Lightship
Starring: Tom Bower , Robert Duvall , Tim Phillips , Badja Djola , and Arliss Howard
Director: Jerzy Skolimowski
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0008KLV9Q
Release Date: 2005-06-14

Description

In THE LIGHTSHIP, the pacifist captain of a floating lighthouse refuses to fight violence with violence after he rescues a stranded motorboat occupied by three dangerous criminals who want to hijack the ship.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing! .......2007-04-07

The premise is a good one---the crew of an isolated lightship is invaded by a trio of ne'er-do-wells with evil intent---but the plot, like a real lightship, doesn't go anywhere. The father-son relationship between the ship's captain (Klaus Marie Brandeur) and his erstwhile son seems forced, the story of the father's previous cowardice seems to be just the opposite---great leadership, and the relationship between the captain and his chief antagonist (Robert Duvall in a horrible role) never generates even a single spark of tension. Beyond the poor acting and directing is the fact that no tension is ever built anywhere, and the crew never use their knowledge of the sea and the lightship to get back at the bad guys. Additionally, they never try and disarm the bad guys, despite numerous opportunities to do so (even within the first two minutes of them coming onto the lightship) that even a trio of boy scouts would have done. If you are hoping for a tense, claustrophobic, nightmarish potboiler (like I was) then you are in for a great disappointment. Stay away from it.

Best Movie Set.......2005-07-12

The physical lightship is a wonderful hulk which somehow survived everything humans do to each other. Given the dialogue & voiceovers in the film are theatrical,this is a majestic battle between good & evil on the best stage ever. The main good guy & bad guy both know a lot. There is an understanding that humans can easily kill each other,however they rarely have to. Inevitably in this case the characters sink to the "have to." If you can find a copy,watch Skolimowski's "Deep End," a visual & dramatic masterpiece with Van Gogh colors.

Misfiring and pretentious thriller.......2005-01-15

The movie takes place on a single set, a floating lighhouse (the lightship of the title ) moored off the coast of Virginia .The vessel is captained by Klaus Maria Brandauer and he has a crew of four, plus his teenage son .All the above have their own deep ,dark secrets and grudges which are brought to the surface when the ship is taken over by a trio of escaping bank robbers ,comprising two lunkhead and disturbed brothers plus Robert Duvall as the monomaniacal gang leader .
They become trapped on the ship as a storm rages rages outside isolating them still further from the outside world.
This was done so much better in the 40's in Key Largo and the movie sufffers badly by comparison .Stiffly acted by normally capable performers ,this movie is ultimately scuppered by pretentious dialogue and a striving for "significance ",.It should be tense ,claustrophobic and gripping but instead is slow ,limp and portentious .

Avoid !

great characters!.......1999-01-25

Any movie that is confined to basically one set is a tough sell. Life boat pulled it off. So does lightship. Just the interaction between Duvall, Arlis Howard and William Forsythe is worth the price of the tape. The bit where Dr. Casparry dances with Eddie Waxler while Gene Waxler looks on is so well done it looked real. This movie, much like Aliens, is chocked full of great characters, and they all get a chance to shine.

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