Amazing, incredible, entertaining...
Given the title and subject matter- seaman- you might think that this is the latest release from Falcon (and I'm sure that they or another adult studio has certainly released their version of these classics). You'd be wrong. Horatio Hornblower is instead an epic story of honor, loyalty, and duty. Featuring bloody battles, incredible adventures, and a cast of characters as good as any ever imagined, it's no wonder that this Emmy Award-winning series got raves from critics and the general public alike.
Based on the novels by C.S. Forester, A&E's Horatio Hornblower was a made-for-TV series that ran from 1998-2003. The eight individual films that make up this Collector's Edition chronicle the unlikely rise of young Horatio from lowly midshipman to powerful commander, during the early years of the Napoleonic Wars. The stories are engaging and entertaining, the production grand and lavish, and the overall result brilliant.
Nothing was spared in making these films and...
"England expects that every man will do his duty"
Horatio Hornblower - or simpy Hornblower to us non-Americans - is British historical fiction and naval adventure at its very best; an era when men were gentlemen, courage could still be found, and loyalty actually meant something. The series features fine acting and memorable characters, combined with action sequences of a scale and quality rarely found in made-for-TV productions.
Like many other British-American films (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone, for instance), the titles on this Region 1 US Disc differ markedly from the rest of the world: The Duel = The Even Chance, The Fire Ship = The Examination For Lieutenant, The Wrong War = The Frogs and The Lobsters, Hornblower 3 = Loyalty. Although one or two of these titles may seem obscure to an American audience, the terminology is covered in the episodes themselves and it seems a shame to change them, as I believe these titles to be more accurate and appropriate to the British source material...
Horatio blow your horn
Being a huge fan of the original Hornblower movie with Gregory Peck, and "Damn the Defiant" with Alec Guinness, I was an immediate fan of this series from the start when it first aired on TV. This is a magnificent series. Any fan of seafaring movies or British drama will love it. Some of the greatest acting, scenery, costumes, and music you will ever find. This set is now a bargain compared to what the original three sets sold for on release. This set is less than half the size of the three sets together. The DVD cases are very slender making a nice compact set of 8 DVDs. Shop around, although Amazon is competitive, I have seen this set for under forty dollars. I like you wish for at least another six movies so it would have at least as many as the Sharpe's set not to mention a great deal more enjoyment for us.
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