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| Black Robe | 
 enlarge | Director: Bruce Beresford
Actors: Lothaire Bluteau, Aden Young, Sandrine Holt, August Schellenberg, Tantoo Cardinal
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
Buy New: $3.79
You Save: $11.19 (75%)
New (18) Used (11) from $3.79
Avg. Customer Rating:  67 reviews
Sales Rank: 24694
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 101
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.2 x 0.6
MPN: D1002204D
ISBN: 0792850246
UPC: 027616864352
EAN: 9780792850243
ASIN: B00005BKZS
Theatrical Release Date: October 4, 1991
Release Date: July 10, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: ******BRAND NEW****** Cover May Differ** Over 1.5 million orders shipped worldwide and more than 500 000 items in stock, BUY FROM A TRUSTED SOURCE, ESTABLISHED SINCE 1998 - INETVIDEO ~~~
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| Customer Reviews:
 How Do I Love this Movie?.......Let me count the ways. August 15, 2007
5 out of 7 found this review helpful
I was captivated by this film from the moment I saw it. I remember it came out around the mid 90's, not long after Kevin Costner's Epic 'Dances With Wolves' made its Hollywood impact. Yet to my mind Bruce Beresford's depiction of the French Jesuit Priests on a mission in New France in the 17th century to save the so called 'savages' or natives from 'outer darkness', had an honesty that was both far more movingly beautiful even if brutally cruel.Why do I love this film so much? Let me count the ways. Well it's such a balanced and intelligent exploration of a complex subject. It presents no real right or wrong, no black or white, moral preachiness, or good guy/bad guy mentality. It paints a well researched and respectful picture of the Native American culture, steering away from demeaning stereotypes and hollywood predictability.
Spiritualality and its cultural separations, are definitely a central theme in this film, and I just love the way Beresford treats both subjects and cultures with empathy and dignity. Father La Forgue however, seems the more forlorn and tragic figure here, out of his element amidst the icy, harsh Canadian landscape where nature shows no mercy. Deluded somewhat in his quest to save a race and culture, who perhaps ultimately, have just as much to teach the white man in terms of honour, bravery, respect for the laws of nature and avoidance of greed and ego. The cinematography, musical score and imagery are memorably beautiful. Particularly the references to the importance of dreams, and 'The waking world perhaps being an illusion'. The film also questions the hypocracy and interpretation of religion in a sense. Specifically, where 'Daniel'(Aiden Young), Father La Forgue's faithful assistant (torn between his devotion to his faith and love/lust for an Algonquian maiden 'Annuka'), makes the point." But they are true Christians Father, they live for each other, they forgive things we would never forgive".
There are some impressive performances here. French Canadian, 'Lothaire Bluteau', of previous 'Jesus of Montreal' fame, is well cast as the young idealistic Jesuit Priest, Father La Forgue. He brings a suitable aura of gentle religious reverence to the role. But I particularly love the character of Chomina (August Schellenburg?). Who I think so perfectly represents the strong, noble and honourable Indian, coupled with a touching fragility and humanity that adds complexity to his character. An impressive film that provokes many thoughts and questions, it leaves the audience to make its own view point without force feeding them. And that in my view is cinema at its best.
WOW February 6, 2007
8 out of 14 found this review helpful
The violation of true relationships in this film is astounding. It demonstrates the sheer violence that can be perpetrated against a people group that you feel has no value as human beings. Sometimes we get so caught up in our "mission" that we forget that we are all made in God's image and we all have value in God's sight. To ignore the incarnationality of Jesus within each one of us is to deny the great gospel message of Christianity. This film shows how a mission without regard for culture can result in devastation beyond all imagination. I highly recommend this film.
The Forgotten Art Of Trusting A Film To Truly TELL A Story January 26, 2007
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
Black Robe is a lush, incredibly deep, strikingly emotive motion picture, that tells the story of a young Jesuit priest's journey across the dense wilderness of seventeenth-century Quebec, undertaken while he simultaneously experiences a transformative test of his commitment to the stark way of life he has chosen. Which holds the greatest desire for him, a beckoning existence of ease and comfort amid relatives back in France; the possibility of earthly love; or service to God, that almost certainly includes a violent martyrdom?
Guided by his nation's Algonquin allies, the determined, idealistic young man of a privileged caste seeks to take up his assignment at a mission on the edge of "New France's" colonial frontier. As this decidedly quiet and cerebral epic unfolds, a journey of spiritual evolution takes this priest and his small band through numerous personal tests and into the face of many dangers, not merely from the unwelcoming savagery of the landscape itself, but from hostile aboriginals who welcome neither the Algonquians nor the European intruder into their homeland. What begins amid the opulence of Bourbon France becomes bluntly visceral with unsparing depictions of torture, bloodlust, rape, and death, and yet the way in which this tale is left to carry itself toward its most unforeseen climax is absolutely courageous.
There are too many noteworthy performances to list here, and any written description of the scenery within this film would fall flat. With its countless tiny moments that contrast cultures (Algonquians thinking the Frenchmen's' mechanical clock was somehow their king, since they lived by its motions) for the alternating bravery, sadism, devotions and loyalty of those characters within it, for its terrific story, and for its end to end flawless quality, I truly think Black Robe is among the greatest films shot in the 1990's, and might just be at the top of its particular genre.
Black Robe January 9, 2007
1 out of 7 found this review helpful
Definitely rated R but very interesting and disturbing in the white man's treatment of Indians.
 Okay, not a barn burner though November 2, 2006
4 out of 20 found this review helpful
Interesting movie, little short on the story line, some of the actors were not as believable as they could have been (the native americans), the romantic scenes were over emphasized, ...I love the period in history, is the only reason I remotely like the movie.
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