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| Catherine the Great | 
 enlarge | Directors: Marvin J. Chomsky, John Goldsmith
Actors: Catherine Zeta-jones, Paul Mcgann, Ian Richardson, Brian Blessed, John Rhys-davies
Studio: A&E Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.95
Buy New: $4.88
You Save: $15.07 (76%)
New (25) Used (15) from $4.39
Avg. Customer Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 19033
Format: Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 100
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.6
MPN: 70154
ISBN: 0767032713
UPC: 733961701548
EAN: 9780767032711
ASIN: B0000524FG
Theatrical Release Date: 1995
Release Date: February 27, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: * BRAND NEW * FAST SHIPPING * FREE USPS DELIVERY CONFIRMATION *
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Russian history occurs on a sweeping scale, but that takes a bigger budget than A&E can muster. So instead the cable network keeps its treatment of Russian empress Catherine II indoors as much as possible. That allows the camera to linger over the impossibly lovely face of Catherine Zeta-Jones, and the plot to focus on the political machinations of 18th-century Russia. Catherine goes from a bookish teen bride (her husband is the crazy and possibly impotent nephew of Russia's Empress Elizabeth) to the legendary empress who successfully concluded the Seven Years' War with Prussia, conquered Turkey, and put down a rebellion led by a Cossack pretending to be her long-dead husband. The movie stumbles a bit when it ventures outdoors--it's hard to imagine Russia really conquered the Ottoman Turks with a 12-man army--but sizzles inside. Zeta-Jones conveys both passion and hard-edged ambition as her character transforms herself from manipulated to manipulator. Many of those manipulations occur in the bedroom, and the movie takes some liberties in portraying her union with military leader Grigory Potemkin (Paul McGann); here he's practically a saint, although history remembers him a bit less nobly. The supporting cast includes Jeanne Moreau in a masterful portrayal of Empress Elizabeth, along with Ian Richardson, Mel Ferrer, and Omar Sharif. Although there's plenty of scenery for them to chew, they hold back, allowing Zeta-Jones her 100 minutes of greatness. --Kimberly Heinrichs
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| Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...
 Classic adaptation September 13, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Loved Catherine Zeta Jones in this telling of Cathrine's rise to power. The costumes and scenery were excellent. The dialogue and flow maintained interest throughout the movie.
 Awful!!! (Zeta-Jones version) July 16, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This was really awful! They took the life of one of the most interesting people in history & turned it into a poor soap opera.
Sadly, A&E seems to enjoy making history into soap operas March 26, 2006
7 out of 11 found this review helpful
Don't say I hate history, but many movies turn history into soap opera. The way they had Catherine kissing passionatly and really, history never mentions that. Peter was a jerk, but I never read that he and Catherine kissed passionatly; that was a waste of time. The movies talents were wasted. If they want to make a soap opera, they shouldn't do history but something else. All the actors act like they are from NPR. The only thing I have learned (for I stopped watching it half-way) is that the Ottoman turks attacked Russia. A&E made this movie for the money. If you want to learn the non-romantic story of Catherine, read about her instead of watching this trash.
Fast deliviery, great price, just one flaw March 20, 2006
3 out of 7 found this review helpful
Great product, but I dont recall seeing anything about region on the product details, might just be me, but I couldnt play the movie on my Region 2 DVD player. Thank god i had a computer which i could use to watch it.
A&E Has Cut this offering on DVD by at LEAST HALF December 18, 2005
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I agree with another writer who was the only one who noticed that the A&E Production on DVD IS INDEED MISSING around HALF of the Mini Series that was shown on Sydney's Channel Nine a few years ago.
I am glad we still have the old version on Video and if anyone has that version (ie THE COMPLETE Mini Series) with NO great missing Chunks, I would be keen to buy it.
I liked Catherine Zeta Jones and most of the acting although I did notice some that was very obviously "pretend" fighting.
If I can get a refund from "overman" from whom I bought this DVD or from Amazon.com INCLUDING the horrible postage we have to pay to get things from USA to Australia OR EVEN A REPLACEMENT BEING THE FULL VERSION I would be happy to return the shortfalling A&E DVD.
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