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El Cid (1961)
Released By: Miramax   Rating: Not Rated   In Theaters: N/A
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Studio: Miramax
Genre: Action-Adventure
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Director: Anthony Mann
Language: English
Official Website: N/A
Theatrical Release: N/A
Home Video Release: 1/29/2008
Cast: Charlton Heston, Genevieve Page, John Fraser, Raf Vallone, Sophia Loren
Published ID: 973950
UPC: 786936147810, 796019803960, 796019803991,
Plot: When French playwright Pierre Corneille wrote El Cid, a fanciful version of the life of 11th-century Spanish hero Rodrigo Diaz de Bivar, aka El Cid, an attempt was made to honor the classic unities and to compress the whole story into a single day! Be assured that the 1961 film version of El Cid is more faithful to the actual chronology. Charlton Heston adds one more character to his gallery of historical portrayals as El Cid, the disgraced Spanish knight who rids his country of its Moorish conquerors. The triumphs of El Cid's military life are not matched by his private affairs; he is betrayed by his bride Chimene (Sophia Loren) and is made a political pawn by the avaricious Spanish landowners. El Cid has a climax unique in the annals of movie epics: the final assault against the landgrabbers is led by a dead hero. El Cid established the short but generally profitable reign of producer Samuel Bronston as the King of the Epics; his imprint on the film is much stronger than that of director Anthony Mann. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
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VCR Summary
Added 11/15/2009

I love the movie but the VCR tape was not a quality tape. I don't believe it was a new product as stated when I ordered it.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Take this three-hour course in Movie Classics 101
Added 10/6/2009

Back in the 20th century, Hollywood used to make movies in which extravagant locations were actual locations, crowds of hundreds were hundreds of actual people, and the characters and events were actually interesting to watch. In the current CGI era, almost everything is fake (and looks it). Pop a copy of "Gladiator," "Troy," or "300" into your DVD player and you'll quickly feel like you're watching a Pixar cartoon or Japanese anime. If you want to see the real thing, however, watch "El Cid." The binge of historical and Biblical epics of the 1950s and 1960s had its share of stinkers (if you can sit through "Cleopatra," you deserve a Purple Heart), but when they were done right, they bordered on pure cinematic perfection. The stunning visuals, the booming music, and so on: all of it was real. In "El Cid," Charlton Heston was perfectly cast (he wasn't trying to overdo the "man as heroic myth" bit, as in "The Ten Commandments"), and the subject was, and definitely still is, topical (Islamic rulers trying to take over the world: sound familiar?). If your tastes lean toward CGI effects and computer games, you need to see "El Cid" in order to learn the definition of "great movie."
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
Why isn't the whole movie on one disc?!
Added 8/3/2009

The movie is a classic and Heston does a great job. Plenty of extras with this edition but why didn't they put the entire movie on one disc?!?!The movie is split on two discs. Very annoying. That is the only reason I stopped short of 5 stars.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Great piece of timeless art
Added 7/6/2009

A long time ago I saw this movie. It intrigued me because of the sword play. Each fight scene had to be carefully worked out because they are using the real swords and not Hollywood version ones. Also to top this off, the El Cid is based on a real man and his life.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
El Cid
Added 6/18/2009

Exellent ordering system and arrived earlier than expected. Will use again. Move was exellent. I had not seen it but heard a lot about it. Very worthwhile movie to watch.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
VCR Summary
Added 11/15/2009

I love the movie but the VCR tape was not a quality tape. I don't believe it was a new product as stated when I ordered it.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Take this three-hour course in Movie Classics 101
Added 10/6/2009

Back in the 20th century, Hollywood used to make movies in which extravagant locations were actual locations, crowds of hundreds were hundreds of actual people, and the characters and events were actually interesting to watch. In the current CGI era, almost everything is fake (and looks it). Pop a copy of "Gladiator," "Troy," or "300" into your DVD player and you'll quickly feel like you're watching a Pixar cartoon or Japanese anime. If you want to see the real thing, however, watch "El Cid." The binge of historical and Biblical epics of the 1950s and 1960s had its share of stinkers (if you can sit through "Cleopatra," you deserve a Purple Heart), but when they were done right, they bordered on pure cinematic perfection. The stunning visuals, the booming music, and so on: all of it was real. In "El Cid," Charlton Heston was perfectly cast (he wasn't trying to overdo the "man as heroic myth" bit, as in "The Ten Commandments"), and the subject was, and definitely still is, topical (Islamic rulers trying to take over the world: sound familiar?). If your tastes lean toward CGI effects and computer games, you need to see "El Cid" in order to learn the definition of "great movie."
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
Why isn't the whole movie on one disc?!
Added 8/3/2009

The movie is a classic and Heston does a great job. Plenty of extras with this edition but why didn't they put the entire movie on one disc?!?!The movie is split on two discs. Very annoying. That is the only reason I stopped short of 5 stars.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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