Vera Cruz

Starring:Gary Cooper, Burt Lancaster, Denise Darcel, Cesar Romero, Sara Montiel, George Macready, Ernest Borgnine, Morris Ankrum, Henry Brandon, Charles Bronson, Jack Lambert, Jack Elam, James McCallion, James Seay, Archie Savage, Charles Horvath, Juan GarcÃa (II), Ketty Clavijo
Director: Robert Aldrich
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
"You're the first friend I ever had," grins flamboyant mercenary Burt Lancaster to lean, laconic Gary Cooper with a smile that suggests that he may be the last. They're a pair of Americans abroad looking to cash in on the Mexican revolution by selling their services to the highest bidder in this energetically cynical south-of-the-border Western. They meet cute, conning, robbing, and out-witting one another in a bit of one-upmanship that bonds the men in mutual admiration, and then team up to escort a royal convoy through revolutionary country. When they discover its secret stash of gold bullion, they revert to their old way, selling out anyone it takes to get the treasure for themselves, even each other. Played out as a seat-of-the-pants con game of shifting alliances and double crosses, this is a cheerfully ruthless tale that served as a veritable blueprint for the Italian spaghetti Westerns of the 1960s. Director Robert Aldrich has a real flair for turning rogues and opportunists into deviously riveting characters, and went on to work the same sort of magic on Kiss Me Deadly and The Dirty Dozen. The cast of character actors features Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, and Jack Elam in the gang, George Macready as Emperor Maximilian, and Henry Brandon as the martinet German captain Danette. --Sean Axmaker

Gary Cooper MGM Movie Legends Collection (The Cowboy and the Lady / The Real Glory / Vera Cruz / The Winning of Barbara Worth)
Average customer rating:

An Entertaining 'Look' at Legendary Gary Cooper!

Great collection of films by Coop

Gary Cooper MGM Movie Legends Collection (The Cowboy and the Lady / The Real Glory / Vera Cruz / The Winning of Barbara Worth)
Starring: Gary Cooper , Merle Oberon , Patsy Kelly , Walter Brennan , and Fuzzy Knight
Director: H.C. Potter , Robert Aldrich , and Henry Hathaway
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000Q6774A
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Customer Reviews:

An Entertaining 'Look' at Legendary Gary Cooper!.......2007-06-16

It's a shame that Gary Cooper, today, is largely remembered for only "High Noon", his Hawks and Capra films ("Sergeant York" and "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town"), and as Lou Gehrig in "The Pride of the Yankees"; in his day, he was as sexy and popular as Clark Gable, and more esteemed as a cowboy star than John Wayne!

"Gary Cooper MGM Movie Legends Collection" offers a selection of titles that will, hopefully, spark renewed interest in this most charismatic American 'Original'. While, sadly, the collection offers little in bonus features, and, with the exception of "Barbara Worth", appears to be unremastered (which is why I only give it 4 stars), each film is very entertaining!

"The Winning of Barbara Worth" (1926), was, of course, Coop's breakthrough role, after three years of stunt work and bit parts, and is a bona fide classic. As 'Abe Lee', the young cowboy/surveyor suitor of Vilma Banky, his sexy, natural style would steal the film from star Ronald Colman (in Colman's defense, his role was more restrained, and less interesting). The film, based on a best-selling novel about harnessing the Colorado River to irrigate the desert, garnered great reviews and box office, and gave Coop a spectacular 'start'... (5 stars out of 5)

"The Cowboy and the Lady" (1938), a 'modern-day' Western comedy/romance, presented Coop the way 1930s' audiences loved him best, as a slow-talking, incorruptible cowboy irresistible to women, but a 'gentleman', in the best sense of the word! Falling for the daughter of a Presidential hopeful, posing as a maid (Merle Oberon), he marries her, discovers the charade, then storms into a posh political dinner and speaks so much 'common sense' that her family moves to his ranch! With life-long friend Walter Brennan as his sidekick, this is a real charmer! (5 stars out of 5)

"The Real Glory" (1939), released shortly after his classic version of "Beau Geste", another 'action-oriented' adventure, though lacking the "Geste" polish and style. Coop is a military doctor in the 1906 Philippines, who, with friends David Niven and Broderick Crawford, attempts to help the Filipinos fight off an army of insurgents. Action was never producer Sam Goldwyn's forte, and the film lacks the warmth of a "Gunga Din", although it does offer a rousing climax... (2 1/2 stars out of 5)

"Vera Cruz" (1954), produced by Burt Lancaster and Harold Hecht, is a spectacular, large-scale western, filmed in Mexico. Ex-Confederate Cooper and bandit Lancaster are uneasy partners guarding Denise Darcel and millions in gold, during the Mexican Revolution. While the aging Coop wasn't well during production, he still gives a solid performance, although overshadowed by Burt's flashy portrayal; the film offers a
fabulous supporting cast, including Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Cesar Romero, and Jack Elam. "Vera Cruz" was a major influence on Sergio Leone, and has achieved legendary status, among fans of the genre! (5 stars out of 5)

There is a LOT to enjoy, in this Gary Cooper collection!

Great collection of films by Coop.......2007-05-17

Gary Cooper is my favorite actor and this is an excellent collection to showcase his diversity as an actor.

The Winning of Barbara Worth is a silent film made in 1926 and was his first credited screen appearance. The story revolves around a young woman named Barbara Worth, her family and other members of the town they live in out in the Nevada desert where they are trying to reroute the Colorado river in order to irrigate the town and make it more habitable. After a year of appearing in movies as a stunt rider, a 25 year old Gary lobbied to win the supporting role of Abe Lee, the son of the surveyor who is working on the irrigation project and a childhood friend of Barbara who he is also in love with. He had already been hired to be a stunt man but he wanted to try his hand at actual acting. They had already cast that part but the actor who was to play it was still finishing another movie. As it became clear he would not be able to make it they gave Gary the part. The irrigation project is successful and the river is diverted but unfortunately after a short time the system is in danger of failing and flooding the town. Gary's character must endure a 24-hour horse ride into town from the dam site to warn them. He is supposed to arrive at Barbara's house and knock on the door. When it is opened he is to say the dam is about to break and then fall flat on his face worn out from his long, arduous journey. He absolutely nailed the scene and indeed he was so good that the studio was afraid he would end up being the star of the picture and not Ronald Colman who plays the lead and is the son of the man in charge of the dam construction project. They were instructed to either cut that scene or reshoot it with Colman making the journey instead, they opted to cut it so unfortunately it does not appear in the film. However this scene as well as his others gave everyone a glimpse of the wonderul, natural acting ability Gary had even that early in his career. This movie was a huge hit when it was originally released and it has an interesting story and incredible special effects as seen when the dam does break and the town floods.

The Real Glory was made in 1939 and is set in the Phillipines during the early 1900s. Gary plays an army doctor named Bill Canavan and his outfit is part of a small group of soldiers that are left on the island to try and help the natives defend themselves from other warring tribes. It is a very good adventure story with lots of scenes shot in the jungles and also in raging rivers. There's a nice love story mixed in and the characters are well developed and very likeable.

Vera Cruz was made in 1954 by Burt Lancaster's production company and he costars with Gary in this very entertaining western set in and filmed in Mexico. Gary and Burt play two men who sell their services as soldiers of fortune to the highest bidder during the Mexican revolution of 1866. They end up on the side of the emperor and are charged with protecting a lady friend of the emperor on her journey to Vera Cruz. However it gets complicated when the two men realize that along with the beautiful woman they are also transporting a large chest of gold that is going to be used to buy weapons. They along with the woman played by Denise Darcel hatch a plan to make off with the gold themselves. Burt and Denise for selfish reasons but Gary intends to give it to the people who are fighting to oust the emperor. There are many wonderful scenes including displays of fancy sharp shooting at the emperor's palace and also of a festival in a small Mexican town with brightly colored costumes and decorations. Wonderful acting performances all around and a very entertaining film.

The Cowboy and the Lady was released in 1938 and is a very funny, charming story about a wealthy young woman played by Merle Oberon whose father is running for president. She has a very boring life and is not allowed to have much fun so one night she rebels and goes to a night club to dance but unbeknownst to her it's also a gambling den which is raided by the police. In order to keep her out of any more trouble her father sends her to his house in Palm Springs. Here she meets a cowboy played by Gary who is in town for the rodeo. He's from Montana (in real life he was from Montana) and he's making the rodeo circuit looking for a wife. She pretends to be a ladies maid so no one will discover her real identity of a presidential candidates daughter and she and Gary fall in love. He proposes to her but she brushes him off because she knows her father wouldn't approve of her marrying a cowboy. Her heart gets the better of her however and she catches the boat he's sailing to Galveston on just as it's leaving. While on the trip they get married and she decides to head back home to Palm Springs while he finishes up his tour with the rodeo then they will meet back up at his Montana ranch. However before that can happen he discovers that she lied to him about who she was. But don't worry, it has a happy ending and is just a joy to watch. My favorite scene is of Gary on his ranch pretending to play house in the new home he's building. It's just a frame so all the workers on the ranch can see him pretending to seat his wife at the dinner table and then also pretending to eat. When he's caught he invites them all inside and serves them imaginary drinks!!!

Average customer rating:

Cooper and Lancaster sporting a disarming but treacherous grin throughout...
Viva La Vera Cruz!
Vera Cruz 1954
Major Influence on the Western Genre
Vera Cruz

Vera Cruz
Starring: Gary Cooper , Burt Lancaster , Denise Darcel , Cesar Romero , and Sara Montiel
Director: Robert Aldrich
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Amazon.com

"You're the first friend I ever had," grins flamboyant mercenary Burt Lancaster to lean, laconic Gary Cooper with a smile that suggests that he may be the last. They're a pair of Americans abroad looking to cash in on the Mexican revolution by selling their services to the highest bidder in this energetically cynical south-of-the-border Western. They meet cute, conning, robbing, and out-witting one another in a bit of one-upmanship that bonds the men in mutual admiration, and then team up to escort a royal convoy through revolutionary country. When they discover its secret stash of gold bullion, they revert to their old way, selling out anyone it takes to get the treasure for themselves, even each other. Played out as a seat-of-the-pants con game of shifting alliances and double crosses, this is a cheerfully ruthless tale that served as a veritable blueprint for the Italian spaghetti Westerns of the 1960s. Director Robert Aldrich has a real flair for turning rogues and opportunists into deviously riveting characters, and went on to work the same sort of magic on Kiss Me Deadly and The Dirty Dozen. The cast of character actors features Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, and Jack Elam in the gang, George Macready as Emperor Maximilian, and Henry Brandon as the martinet German captain Danette. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Legendary screen icons Gary Cooper (High Noon) and Burt Lancaster (Elmer Gantry) teamup for a magnificent, action-packed western from director Robert Aldrich (The Dirty Dozen) and screenwriters Roland Kibbee and James R. Webb. With sweeping vistas and larger-than-life heroics,it's a tale as bold and rugged as the characters it so brilliantly depicts. Cooper and Lancaster portray Benjamin Trane and Joe Erin, two daredevil mercenaries who journey to Mexico in search of adventureand cold hard cashduring the 1866 revolution. But they get more than they bargained for when the wealthy and beautiful Countess Duvarre (Denise Darcel) hires them to escort her (and a fortune in gold!) to Emperor Maximilian's fighting forces in Vera Cruz. The trail is fraught with danger, betrayal and murder...and when Ben is swept up in the revolutionaries' fervor, he and Joe find themselves at odds with the Mexican Armyand each other!

Customer Reviews:

Cooper and Lancaster sporting a disarming but treacherous grin throughout..........2006-11-10

The middle fifties saw the production of an astonishing variety of Westerns of high quality... Robert Aldrich followed "Apache" in 1954 with a cheerful, action-packed adventure called "Vera Cruz," which starred Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster sporting a disarming but treacherous grin throughout... Its chief highlight is a display of sharp-shooting in which Cooper and Lancaster demonstrate the effectiveness of the rifles they are trying to sell to the Emperor Maximilian (George Macready) by snuffing out the torch flames ranged round the palace balustrade...

"Vera Cruz" opens during the Mexican revolution in 1866 where two American adventurers decide to join forces and fight for whichever side pay them the most... The saucy Sarita Montiel, who has fallen for Cooper, implores them to fight for the rebels, while Cesar Romero, an aid to the Emperor Maximilian, asks them to fight on his side...

At a ball in the sumptuous Chapultepec Palace, the pair meets the vivacious Denise Darcel who appears as a colorful but doublecrossing French Countess, and soon agrees to escort her on the hazardous journey to Vera Cruz... Later, she informs them that she is actually transporting a gold shipment to the Emperor's forces... Shortly after, she offers to steal the gold and split it with them...

In spite of the strong presence of Gary Cooper who lines up on the side of the Juaristas, Burt Lancaster steals the show as the smiling, black-dressed American adventurer, unable to forget Mexico's shining gold...

"Vera Cruz", with excellent supporting cast, is filmed on location in Mexico... Cooper and Lancaster well know that when one outdraws and shoots the other, one is the "quick" and the other, the "dead." Ernest Laszlo photography, in SuperScope and Technicolor, captures well the Mexican scenery with glorious shots of Mexico City's famous Chapultepec Castle, and the pyramids of Teotihuacan...

Sarita Montiel whose sensuality draws lustful aggression from Bronson's peripheral tough-guy, Pittsburgh, flourished more beauty to this exciting Western...

Viva La Vera Cruz!.......2006-10-28

Vera Cruz is one of those Westerns that you can sit and enjoy over and over again. The teaming of Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster, two great Western movie stars, was inspired, and was a great contrast as Lancaster was rising to his prime, and Cooper was in the sunset of his illustrious career.

Cooper and Lancaster play two soldiers of fortune who sign up to transport gold in Mexico for the Emperor Maximilian on a route straight through rebel territory. They end up stealing the gold for themselves, but Cooper is conflicted because he has fallen for a female rebel who is urging him to turn the gold over to the rebels. Eventually, double crosses and greed lead to a showdown between Cooper and Lancaster.

Great direction by Robert Aldrich, great lead performances, and a great story lead to movie magic. Vera Cruz has all of the ingredients of a Western classic.

Vera Cruz 1954.......2006-04-22

Legendary screen icons Gary Cooper (1901-1961) and Burt Lancaster (1913-1994) team up for a magnificent , action- packed Western from Director Robert Aldrich (1918-1983) and screenwriter Roland Kibbee (1914-1984) and James E. Webb (1910-1974). With Sweeping vistas and larger-than-life heroic, its a tale as bold and rugged as the characters it?s so brilliantly depicts . Cooper and Lancaster portray Benjamin Trane and Joe Erin , two daredevil mercenaries who journey to Mexico in search of adventure -and cold hard cash -during the 1866 revolution , But they get more than they bargained for when the weatly and beautiful Contess Duvarre (Denise Darcel 1925- ) hires them to escort her (and a fortune in gold) to Emperor Maximillian?s fighting forces inVer Cruz , The trails is fraught with danger , betrayal and murder..and when Ben is swept up the revolutionaires fervour , he and Joe find themselfves at odds with the Mexican Army -and each other ! . High Quality digital transfer . Recommended

Major Influence on the Western Genre.......2006-02-14

"Vera Cruz" is a sprawling, cynical, and sadistic western; set and filmed in Mexico; and full of confused political messages and moral ambiguity. If that sounds like "The Wild Bunch", it should, because 1954's "Vera Cruz" was in effect a dry run for that 1970 film, which itself was ahead of its time. But a cynical western in 1954 should not be that surprising given the film noir influences of the era. Although in color and with spectacular scenic views-including the actual Halls of Montezuma-"Vera Cruz" still manages a film noir feel as Jo Erin (Burt Lancaster) and Ben Trane (Gary Cooper) pack a ton of double-crosses into the film and Jo Erin exhibits a psychotic joy for killing. It's a wonder that director Robert Aldrich was allowed to keep so much of this material in the final cut.

The film takes place shortly after the end of the civil war as Ben Trane, former confederate officer, has nothing better to do than travel to Mexico hoping to find action in the conflict between the French puppet Maximillian (George Macready) and the Mexican revolutionaries who oppose him. Trane joins up with a gang led by Jo Erin and after impressing the French occupiers they hire on to escort Countess Marie Duvarre (Denise Darcel) to the port of Vera Cruz. Leading her escort is the grinning Marquis de Labordere (Cesar Romero). But there is a lot of duplicity within this mixed caravan and it takes a while for everything to get sorted out. Romantically Erin hooks up with the Countess while Trane goes after Nina, a sexy spy played by Mexican superstar Sarita Montiel. The acting by the two ladies is unimpressive (Montiel is more of a singer and comedienne) and the pairing of the two leads is an idea that must have looked good on paper but failed to produce much on execution.

Lancaster's best stuff is when his intensity stays just slightly below the surface as in "From Here to Eternity", "The Swimmer" and "The Unforgiven"; or when his character is acting within a film like "Elmer Gantry". He is not the sort of actor who can effectively do the subtle self- parody required to make outlaw Joe Erin believable.

Plus Aldrich's decision to cast Gary Cooper as Lancaster's partner, in what is essentially the first "buddy" picture, also works to Lancaster's disadvantage. Superficially Cooper seems a good choice to play a conflicted character like Ben Trane, his strength is the realistic underplaying of his characters, which is effective in many of his films because the audience reads a lot of deep reflection and conflict into the restrained performances. But this underplaying style is never an asset to his co-stars and Lancaster desperately needs emotive reaction shots from him to sell Joe Erin's behavior. The Lancaster-Cooper styles are in conflict in "Vera Cruz", instead of producing a hoped-for synergy they cancel each other out.

Romero is excellent and while Ralph Meeker is not in the supporting cast it does feature "Kiss Me Deadly" goons Jack Elam and Jack Lambert, plus very early performances from Ernest Borgnine and Charles Bronson.

This was Robert Aldrich's first big-budget movie and is one of history's most influential. Not just paving the way for the Italian Spaghetti Westerns of the late 1960's but also starting the tradition of shooting first unit scenes in Mexico (insert "The Magnificent Seven" here). Like "High Noon", "Vera Cruz" was an amazingly subversive film, especially coming out during the Red Scare years and during some of America's boldest banana republic meddling. Cooper's image took a beating as the American adventurers hold children hostage and act like WWII film depictions of Japanese soldiers in the Philippines. The French occupiers are even worse. Trane's ultimate redemption is hard to buy into and therefore this concession does not defeat Aldrich's goal of exposing the hollowness of traditional heroism. Any 1954 viewers likely to be offended by this message would probably have have failed to recognize it. Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Vera Cruz.......2005-10-25

This is probably the best adventure movie that has ever been made.Burt Lancaster & Gary Cooper-could not get any better.David Burns.

Average customer rating:

Why was it censored
A Masterpiece of Medieval Spain which could have been better
An Attempt to Recreate the Magic of LA CELESTINA
Disappointing.
A great film

La Celestina
Starring: Juan Diego Botto , Terele Pavez , Maribel Verdú , Jordi Mollà , and Penélope Cruz
Director: Gerardo Vera
Manufacturer: Lolafilms Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Description

Calisto ama a Melibea. Para obtenerla se adhiere a las rígidas normas del amor por medio del cortejo, a las convenciones y a los hechizos de una alcahueta hechicera Celestina, la cual le prepara una pócima de amor para hacer caer a Melibea en los brazos de Calisto. Melibea asfixiada por la hipocresía urbana pero segura de sus sentimientos, se debate entre el acostumbrado pudor y su decisión personal. Sempronio, criado de Calisto, ve la oportunidad de utilizar los suspiros de su señor para rellenar su bolsa, y se asocia con Celestina, para obtener de este modo parte de la riqueza de su amo Calisto. La ciudad arde en fiestas. Los disfraces, la lujuria y la frivolidad del carnaval ayudan a Celestina en sus hechizos y tejemanejes. La avaricia y la envidia, sin embrago, precipitaran el final de las oscuras aventuras de las parejas y teñirán de sangre sus besos.

Customer Reviews:

Why was it censored.......2007-03-14

The American DVD was censored, the way they censored Wild on E!. Maybe the american moral is different from all others. How would americans censored a theatrical representation of La Celestina? Have they not see La Cestina in a Theater? Buy the Spain DVD PAL version. It is not censored, as it should be. It is a completely different experience.

A Masterpiece of Medieval Spain which could have been better.......2006-12-22

As a graduate student with a keen interest in the masterpieces of medieval Spain and the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries (Siglo de Oro as some call it), I was excited to only recently find this film in a local rental store. I rented it hoping to find a brilliant film adaptation of Fernando de Roja's work - only to be disappointed.
I have little to add to the review done by the gentleman Mr. Grady Harp. His review just about sums it up. The subtitles are not as accurately translated as they could have been but still tell the basic story line to the novel-in-dialogue. Also, the acting could have been of a higher calibur. Cruz's Melibea lacked the frustration and annoyance that Calsito is supposed to have caused her by his many approches and requests for her love. I would be disinclined to recommend this film to an undergraduate class for this reason and the one to follow...
I have commented over and over on film, that pornography is not only an unnecessary accessory to a movie of any kind but a complete waste of time and an avoidable element. The nudity of this film is so stark, shocking and literally "in your face" that the uneducated public would be questioning whether they were witnessing a medieval literary epic caught on film, or an adult porno made last week. Yes, some of the nudity is censored - but why include it at all when I have seen other film adaptations of this novel-in-dialogue and they have been just fine? The nudity did not need to be present nor did the poor directing.
I still enjoyed the fact that there are some who care to produce such a film and that there are still some who care about works of literary art published long ago. The soundtrack is absolutely wonderful and just the attempt and the music have caused me to be merciful in my review. I give this three stars.

An Attempt to Recreate the Magic of LA CELESTINA.......2006-11-02

LA CELESTINA was written in 1499 by Fernando de Rojas and is considered to be second only to Cervantes' DON QUIXOTE as the greatest work of Spanish literature. Here the novel is adapted for the screen by Rafael Azcona, Francisco Rico, and Gerardo Vera, the last contributor serving as director of this sadly uneven film. Despite boasting a cast of some of the finest actors in Spain, the dialogue is such a mishmash of old rhythms and contemporary expressions that much of the magic is lost.

But then the story is a bit on the 15th century wild side: a handsome young knight Calisto (Juan Diego Botto) is obsessively in love with the beautiful Melibea (Penélope Cruz) yet it takes the love potions of the bruja Celestina (Terele Pávez), enlisted by Calisto's conniving servant Sempronio (Nancho Novo), to effect the magic. Calisto's faithful and humble servant Pármeno (Jordi Mollà) fails in his attempts to block the spells delivered by Celestina but to no avail. Once the magic is in effect the worlds of each person fall apart. The human passions of love, greed, lust, revenge, and desire interplay in a manner that brings destruction in the path.

Made in 1996 before many of the actors involved became famous, the film 'looks' magical with radiant costumes and sets and spot on music. But the dialogue is clumsy, the English translations even clumsier, and the whole story fails to work its spell on the audience. Instead of a fiery climax the film just sort of fizzles. But it is interesting to see Penélope Cruz, Juan Diego Botto, Maribel Verdú, Jordi Mollà and Nancho Novo in their early stage of development. This is an escapist period piece that could have been so much better, but even in this state it is entertaining. Grady Harp, November 06

Disappointing........2006-06-23

Considering that La Celestina is one of the greatest works of Spanish (world?) literature, any film adaptation is going to pale in comparison. However, to my mind, this movie is just bad. The acting, particularly Penélope Cruz as a very insipid Melibea, is definitely wanting. The plot seems to drag and can be somewhat confusing at times; and I say this having read the work (although I must admit that it has been several years). The highlights are the costumes, the film's general recreation of the time period and the nudity, some of which is a bit gratuitous at times (i.e., full frontal shot of a naked Juan Diego Botto/Calisto as he gets out of the bathtub - don't remember this in the text). Although they have pixelated some of the images to protect "the sensitive American viewer," the nudity might make one think twice about showing it in a class.

Had I not seen it, I would have not missed anything.

A great film.......2006-01-18

In spite of minor issues related to censorship of nudity, which do not affect the plot, the cinematographic version of the play is excellent. Both the acting and the recreation of the atmosphere of the Spanish Barroque are major achievements of this film.

La Celestina [PAL/REGION 2 DVD. Import-Spain]

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La Celestina [PAL/REGION 2 DVD. Import-Spain]
Director: Gerardo Vera
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Description

Based on the celebrated Spanish literary classic, La Celestina is a tragic story of love, passion, ambition and revenge set in Renaissance Spain. A young knight who has fallen in love with a beautiful maiden resorts to witchcraft in order to conquer her heart, but this has devastating consequences.

Average customer rating:

Como matar un clasico y a una obra de arte

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Description

Calisto is a young knight who has fallen madly in love with a beautiful maiden, Melibea. Failing in his endeavors to win her over, Calisto is prompted by his unscrupulous servant, Sempronio to seek the help of Celestina. Calisto's other servant Parmeno, tries to dissuade his master from resorting to the old witch who Parmeno knows all about from past experience. But Calisto see Celestina as his last hope for love and happiness and so pays her to work her magic on Melibea, which she duly does. The young Knight and the beautiful maiden are soon happy lovers, but not for long. In the end, Celestina's black magic can not equal in strength the magic of the heart, that Pandora's Box of emotions and desires which, once opened by Celestina, unleashes a storm of passions onto the screen: love, greed, lust, revenge, and desire. A Molotov cocktail of the most explosive spirit … the human spirit.

Customer Reviews:

Como matar un clasico y a una obra de arte.......2006-01-19

Cuesta creer que en pleno siglo 21 la censura o la editora o no se quien arruine una obra maestra como esta aplicando efectos de sombreado (blurring o como se llame) a varias escenas en donde son expuestas zonas intimas de los actores. Es matar la esencia misma de la obra que el director magistralmente las incluyo en el rodaje. Esta excelente version cinematografica de La Celestina donde la musica,los sets y la adaptacion de epoca la hacen una verdadera obra maestra y un deleite para los ojos no merecia un trato semejante. Espero que alguna vez sea editado un dvd NOT RATED para poder asi disfrutarla en su totalidad pero por el momento voy a seguir viendo mi version no alterada de la misma en vhs. Si los desnudos de la capilla sixtina fueron cubiertos en su momento por paños de colores por el pudor de la epoca y por estar en un lugar sacro no se aplica seguir haciendo lo mismo 500 años despues con las obras de arte,esto es el cine y estamos en el siglo 21. Es una verguenza.

La Celestina [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Spain ]

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La Celestina [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Spain ]
Director: Gerardo Vera
Manufacturer: Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Description

Spain released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. LANGUAGES: Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0), English (Subtitles), Spanish (Subtitles), WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SYNOPSIS: The young nobleman Calisto falls in love with Melibea, the daughter of a rich merchant. Calisto's servant Sempronio suggests they get the sorceress Celestina to further the romance. However Calisto's other servant Parmeno is suspicious of Celestina, as he knows about her tricks. After Celestina convinces Melibea of Calisto's love and arranges a brief clandestine meeting between them, Calisto gives Celestina a valuable chain of gold. Both servants are not satisfied with the whores supplied by Celestina and demand more from her, thus setting off a dramatic sequence of events. SPECIAL FEATURES: Cast/Crew Interview(s), Interactive Menu, Photo Gallery, Posters, Trailer(s),

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Vera Cruz [Region 2]
Starring: Gary Cooper , Burt Lancaster , Denise Darcel , Cesar Romero , and Sara Montiel
Director: Robert Aldrich
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005J9PA

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Vera Cruz [Region 2]
Starring: Gary Cooper , Burt Lancaster , Denise Darcel , Cesar Romero , and Sara Montiel
Director: Robert Aldrich
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

( V ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00005LO7H

Average customer rating:

Cooper and Lancaster sporting a disarming but treacherous grin throughout...
Viva La Vera Cruz!
Vera Cruz 1954
Major Influence on the Western Genre
Vera Cruz

Vera Cruz [Region 2]
Starring: Gary Cooper , Burt Lancaster , Denise Darcel , Cesar Romero , and Sara Montiel
Director: Robert Aldrich
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video