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Whistle Stopper - Masada - The Complete Epic Mini-Series
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List Price: $29.98
Our Price: $13.73
Your Save: $ 16.25 ( 54% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Koch Vision
Starring: Peter O'Toole, Peter Strauss, Barbara Carrera, Anthony Quayle, David Warner
Directed By: Boris Sagal
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
Brand: Koch International
EAN: 0741952648291
Format: Color
Label: Koch Vision
Manufacturer: Koch Vision
Number Of Items: 2
Publisher: Koch Vision
Region Code: 0
Release Date: 2007-09-11
Running Time: 383
Studio: Koch Vision
Theatrical Release Date: 1981-04-05
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating: 
Summary: the best that TV mini-series can offer
Comment: This is a very good made-4-tv melodrama based on the historical myth of the Jewish struggle against the Romans. So far as I could see, in telling a complex story with many layers and on an epic scale, it strove for a level of historical accuracy that is rare for TV. This could not be done as well in a 2-hour movie - it merits 6 hours.
At the center of the film is the conflict between two charismatic leaders. O'Toole is the Roman general, who is hard yet reasonable and not cruel. Strauss is the leader of the zealots: hardly a religious fanatic, he wants to preserve the freedom of his people and is willing to risk everything to do so. Both are deeply conflicted: the aristocratic Roman is exhausted, having lost his beloved wife while on campaign and taking solace in drink. Strauss is wracked with personal doubts, yet is a brilliant tactitian and natural leader. After some good-faith negotiations that fail due to Roman politics, the two enter an end-game struggle that will decide both of their fates. The acting is so good that the viewer can believe them completely.
There are also plots within plots, which are very interesting. On the one hand, O'Toole must contend with the poisonous creatures of Roman political intrigues, who interfere with his professional maneuvering in the field. This pits him and his gifted military engineer against a number of his former intimates, perhaps even the emperor himself. His idealism remains intact, if compromised by realities. Another subplot is his taking on a concubine slave, the unbelievably beautiful Carrera in her prime. On the other hand, the Jews are also fighting eachother, debating what course to take in ever murderous risks. The performances are wonderfully subtle and nuanced, if at times melodramatic.
Then there is the setting, which in the real place is absolutely spectacular. They are fighting over a desert, which is of little strategic military value, highlighting the political nature of the conflict. It is splendidly ironic in my viewing and the Roman engineering of a platform and siege vehicle is fascinating.
As a history buff, I was not entirely comfortable with the "take" of the film. It fits into official myths, which are very current in the contemporary Middle East, leaving little space to rival interpretations. That is, there is a great controversy as to the true nature of the zealots: the only written source is Josephous, who transcribed the tale from several alleged survivors and later used by Moshe Dayan as a propagandistic image for military training. Their version does not entirely jibe with the archaeological evidence, which points to a less unified or accepted actions by the zealots. Indeed, there is a blatant plug for Israeli nationalism at the beginning and end of the series, which explains Masada in crude patriotic terms. It is the only thing that mars the series.
Recommended. It will stimulate and fascinate.
Customer Rating:
Summary: el cid & masada
Comment: both excellent dvds. Cannot wait for 55 days at Peking.What about a special edition King of Kings. Going off the subject slightly. I am anxious to purchase the following dvds in the very near future if they ever become available: Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon, AD-Anno Domini & Washington Behind Closed Doors. Again excellent value and presentation.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Masada - The Complete Mini-Series
Comment: As good as I remembered it. It was great to be able to view the whole series at once.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Masada - My visit & the mini-series.
Comment: My wife & I visited Masada recently while on a "Holy Land Tour". While at Masada, I learned about the mini-series and was excited to order it after returning to the US. The DVD gives the viewer actual 1981 footage of Israel Army (IDF) recruits being sworn into military service at the begining and end of the film. It is my understanding that this practice ended approx 10 years ago; however it emphasizes how important Masada is to the national heritage of Israel. In fact one Israel tour internet site states that it is the second most visited historical site behind Jerusalem itself. The DVD gives excellant footage of Masada and the surrounding area of the Dead Sea. Several sets in the DVD, including the synagogue, closely resemble the actual ruins. This 1981 mini-series may not be of "2008 picture quality" but it is an excellant portrayal of actual events and is a must see for anyone going to, or having been on Masada. I highly recommend it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Such an Awesome Movie
Comment: I just really enjoyed watching this epic series. I watched it for several nights and enjoyed every minute of it!
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Editorial Reviews:
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This 1981 television miniseries, based on Ernest K. Gann's historical novel The Antagonists, is a dramatization of a documented revolt by nearly a thousand Jerusalem Jews against Roman oppressors in A.D. 72 to 73. Following a city-wide siege by Rome's soldiers, Jewish Zealots move into a fortress in the mountains of Masada, from which they present a defense strong enough to convince the enemy to negotiate. Peter O'Toole, in all his golden dignity, plays Cornelius Flavius Silva, commander of the Roman legions, and Peter Strauss is Zealot leader Eleazar ben Yair. Both are outstanding as representatives from each side trying, in good faith, to find a way out of the deadlocked situation. Unfortunately, neither realizes that Rome has no intention of yielding, resulting in one of the greatest tragedies in Jewish history. A strong cast of character actors--David Warner, Barbara Carrera, Timothy West, and Anthony Quayle--is rewardingly watchable, the action and sets are persuasive without overwhelming the story's human dimension, and direction by Boris Sagal (The Omega Man) is crisp and enthralling. This was a pleasure to watch when it was first broadcast, and it holds up very well today. --Tom Keogh
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