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Review
Archives
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Today's
Date is:
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The
Mask of Zorro: Special Edition
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Reviewed
by: |
David
Litton |
| Genre: |
Action |
| Video: |
2.35:1
widescreen |
| Audio: |
Dolby Digital
5.1, DTS 5.1 |
| Language: |
English,
French |
| Subtitle: |
English,
French, Spanish |
| Length: |
2 hrs, 17
min |
| Rating: |
PG-13 |
| Release
Date: |
9/25/01 |
| Studio: |
TriStar
Pictures |
| Commentary:
|
Commentary
with director Martin Campbell |
| Documentaries:
|
"Unmasking
Zorro" |
| Featurettes:
|
None |
| Filmography/Biography:
|
Yes |
|
Interviews: |
None |
| Trailers/TV
Spots: |
Yes |
| Alternate/Deleted
Scenes: |
Yes |
| Music
Video: |
Yes |
| Other:
|
DVD-ROM weblink,
costume design gallery, promotional photos, production notes
|
| Cast
and Crew: |
Antonio Banderas,
Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stuart Wilson, Matt Letscher
|
| Screenplay
by: |
Written by:
John Eskow, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio |
| Produced
by: |
Doug Claybourne, David
Foster |
| Directed
By: |
Martin Campbell |
| Music: |
James Horner
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| The
Review: |
Remember
all those old movies where the swashbuckling hero swoops down
to the rescue and saves the day for one and all, defeating the
enemies and getting the girl all within a few hours' entertainment?
"The Mask of Zorro" is a testament to those movies, embodying
all of these characteristics in its magnificent story and exhilarating
action sequences. With a powerhouse cast that seems as if they
were born to play the parts they play, as well as strong music
and a solid story, Zorro once again rises from Hollywood deterioration
to save the day in a movie that is good, old-fashioned fun from
beginning to end! The old Zorro legend is given a new twist
with this film, which begins with Don Diego de la Vega, the
original and legendary Zorro, saving a group of prisoners from
execution in the town square and leaving his mark on his nemesis,
Don Raphael, warning him to leave and never return. Raphael
does leave, but not before killing de la Vega's wife and taking
his child, also having him imprisoned. Many years later, Raphael
returns, "daughter" in tow, to name himself the new governer
and to make sure his past enemy is all but alive in his prison.
Through extreme craftiness and cunning, de la Vega escapes,
only to discover his life is no longer what it once was. His
venture into the public brings him to the attention of one Alejandro
Murrieta, who quarrels with him in the marketplace and then
resolves himself to friendship. The two do share a past: on
the day of Zorro's last battle, Alejandro, along with his brother,
saved him from death. Now, Alejandro is distraught and torn
with revenge for Captain Harrison Love, the murderer of his
brother, and agrees to take on the mask once worn by de la Vega,
who in turn will teach him the art of fighting with honor and
grace. The movie is one of those tributes to the old movies
of the past, which played out the story of a hero who won all
the goods and the girl in the ending. This one admittedly involves
a few more characters than those old movies, but that's not
to say that they don't each play a special part in the advancement
of the movie. The romance, epic scale, action sequences and
extreme wit are all present, making this a very exciting and
memorable movie experience. The advancement of the plot lies
within the external battle between Raphael and our two heroes,
who devise plan after plan to bring him to his downfall. They
discover that he has made plans of tricking Santa Anna out of
his own land, thus setting the stage for the impending climax
which pits good against evil. The characters are all given the
chance to become complex and intelligent, which is important
in a movie like this. As they begin to outmatch one another,
this adds on to the movie's tension over who will win out in
the end. The settings and music have a vast effect on the look
and feel of this movie, which takes place in the 19th century.
The sets are full of artistic influences from Spanish backgrounds
and artists, giving it the true look and feel of the time period.
Costume design also adds to the grandeur and pomp of the aristocracy
as well as the impoverished conditions of the poor, adding to
the contrast between the two differing demographics. The music,
composed by James Horner, is amazing, employing Spanish instruments
and rhythms while keeping a mordern feel to its score as well.
The music adds a lot of heart to the movie, bringing out the
intensity, the romance, the passion, and the victories with
stylish and rousing compositions that fit right into the entire
picture. The choreography and stunts for this film are what
really make it work for the audience, dazzling us with some
of the most effective swordplay ever acted out on film. Most
of the battle scenes involve men with swords, fighting against
one another with an honorable form of battle. Actors Antonio
Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stuart Wilson
and Matt Letscher all hit the swordplay as if they are prose,
adding believability as well as excitement to these scenes.
The actors mentioned above bring so much to the movie. Banderas
is magnificent in his role as Alejandro, the new Zorro, a role
he seems destined to have played. His looks, his charm, and
his wit and personality all make this Zorro one of the finest
ever. Hopkins brings his usual presence to the movie, establishing
his character as one of immense wit and intelligence, while
also possessing a vast knowledge of the art of fighting. Catherine
Zeta-Jones sparkles in her role as Elena, de la Vega's daughter,
and the chemistry between she and Banderas is dazzling and intense.
Stuart Wilson and Matt Matt Letscher play our enemies, and they
do so with performances to match those of the heroes. "The Mask
of Zorro" is one big piece of fun that works on many different
levels. Some will find pleasure in watching the actors work
with the material, some will find intrigue in watching the romance
unfold, while the action and adventure will most likely be the
most influential factor that wins over the audience. It never
stops moving, and keeps dishing out the thrills, the laughs,
and the cheers. -- |
| Image
and Sound |
As
with the previous release of "The Mask of Zorro," this special
edition is a fine example, if not one on which others should
be based, of image and sound quality. For the many colorful
constumes, vibrant set pieces and glorious images and sights,
the image quality is given a pristine transfer, keeping all
of these attributes while enhancing the viewing experience.
There is no noise or artifacts, no distractions or flaws, and
the result is magnificent. The sound quality is one of the best
sound tracks for DVD I've ever heard, and is sure to test the
ability of any home theater system. Perfectly centered dialogue
and a well-encompassed musical score throughout, but the real
showcase is the thunderous bass, from the trembling of hooves
to the powerful bass-heavy explosion in the movie's big finale.
Both the Dolby and DTS tracks offer high quality sound, with
the DTS track sporting a slightly richer bass presence. This
is one DVD that will please techies and sound junkies as well
as fans of the movies. -- |
| The
Extras |
This
is the special edition to this fine film we've all been waiting
for, and it's well worth it. Featuring two discs, one widescreen
and the other full screen, both offer the director commentary
with Martin Campbell, while the rest of the features are located
on the first disc. The exclusive documentary, "Unmasking Zorro,"
is a retread of the history of Zorro, from the very first films
and public material about the hero to the latest feature film.
As the documentary goes on, there are cast and crew interviews
with Campbell, Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine
Zeta-Jones, and so many others who collaborated on the project.
This behind-the-scenes look offers some of the movie's secrets,
such as the fact that all the sounds of sword clanging were
dubbed into the final cut, and that the explosion that tops
off the film's finale was the real deal, devoid of computer
effects. There are only two deleted scenes, one a sequence in
which Banderas steals a wallet in the street, the other the
original ending which was later re-shot to what is in the final
cut. The original ending is quite interesting, but it's also
easy to see why it was left out. A costume design gallery offers
photo-and-drawing comparisons of what was imagined and what
it looks like in reality. Advertising materials include a gallery
of publicity photos, two theatrical trailers, and many TV spots.
The music video "I Want To Spend My Lifetime Loving You" is
also included, and is worth it for the song alone. Filmographies,
a weblink to the site, and production notes accompany these
features, a shining tribute to a successful film. -- |
| Commentary |
Director
Martin Campbell discusses the making of his film "The Mask of
Zorro" in-depth, from technical aspects to working with the
actors and the crew. It's a basic scene-by-scene commentary,
in which Campbell takes each scene as a chance to give us a
small fact on what's going on. It may sound like any other commentary,
but the facts we learn are interesting enough to keep one listening
through to the end. Campbell also shows a great deal of appreciation
for his cast and crew, discussing his interaction with them.
A commentary track that is well worth checking out, for its
facts and the interesting things the director shares with viewers.
-- |
| Final
Words: |
"The Mask of Zorro" is a rare treat
that comes along only so often. It's got action, passion,
heroism, grandeur, and swashbuckling swordplay, all igniting
the screen in a frenzy of delight. This special edition DVD
is worth owning for fans of the movie, and features some impressive
supplemental material and superb technical quality.
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