Comments by Francisco Vaz Brasil
Tagline:
Centuries before the exploration of space, there was another voyage into the unknown.
Summary::
Christopher Columbus' discovery of the
Comments:
Conquest of
[That is even true of the inevitable scene in which
[The theory that the world was round was held in intelligent circles long before
They are sitting on the shore looking out at a ship sailing west, watching her disappear below the horizon. The seaman and son have an interesting relationship throughout the film and it is through the boy's remembrances that the film gets its historical base. After this scene, the movie is often interrupted by narration in an attempt to move the action along and give some needed information. The narratives also give a sense of veracity which the film desperately needs. Often the action seems unbelievable. For example, at one point during a storm in the islands of the New World, a lightning bolt strikes a cross in the middle of the town built by
“Nothing results without human progress”
"
The first half of the movie focuses on the vision of Columbus and the primary obstacle between him and a northwest passage to the Orient -- funding, not the ocean. After defending his theory about the shape of the world before the church and the state, he is offered an audience with Queen Isabella (Sigourney Weaver). He sells his idea to the queen, who feels that there is not so much to lose in the gamble of a few ships: "The same cost as two state dinners." We then move on to the sea voyage, with the same hardships one can find in any other "sea voyage" movie. The crew gets angry, they threaten to mutiny,
Columbus began in Spain, crossed the Atlantic, landed at the island that he called
What comes next is the colonization of the
The New World scenes, filmed in jungles reminiscent of the islands south of the
1492 tries to compress years of historical research into an entertaining film between two and three hours long. There are many interesting and entertaining things to be found in the film, but they are hidden among blank stares from Depardieu, lingering silences, and confusing relationships that are never truly followed through to a conclusion. Perhaps if one or two of the many relationships in the movie became the focus of attention, 1492 wouldn't seem so vast. The entertaining moments were there, but they never seemed to come together. The acting was mild in most cases and the stereotypical nature of the antagonists was disappointing. Weaver did stand out in the scenes she shared with Depardieu, given her power as royalty and the natural power she usually brings to the screen. I found myself wishing for her return as the movie dragged on.
Columbus begins well, but his administration proves a fiasco, both for himself and the native Americans, who are enslaved and forced to work to satisfy the Spanish lust for gold, which, apart from religion, seems to be their only abiding love. Columbus also is a nepotist, setting up his brothers and sons as officials in his government.
Through the film we learn
The action occurs during time of the Spanish Inquisition, where people with new ideas are being garroted or burned at the stake in the name of God.
Introductory scenes are etchings of natives being massacred. We see a woman and a number of other people tied to stakes where they are strangled and then burned; we hear them choking. The men on the ships are sunburned and their skin is blistered and pealing. 39 Spaniards are shown after they have been beheaded and burned. One native's hand is cut off by De Moxica, (it’s a terrific scene!) because they think he was stealing gold. Men are shown hanging with their extremities cut off. Slow motion fighting complete with lots of blood and guts. After a tropical storm, we see a number of dead bodies, both human and animal.
War and destruction is in man's nature. Columbus says, after his discovery, "there are no crimes there, there will be no need for a judge." He was quickly proven wrong.
After spending way too much time on the ocean with
When Christopher Columbus set out for the
Some quotes collected from the movie:
Sanchez: [
Columbus: [shooting a glance out of a window] Tell me, what do you see?
Sanchez: [pausing to look] I see rooftops, I see palaces, I see towers, I see spires that reach... to the sky! I see civilization!
Columbus: All of them built by people like me.
[Sanchez doesn't respond - shocked]
Columbus: No matter how long you live, Sanchez, there is something that will never change between us. I did it. You didn't.
Overview
Director: Ridley Scott
Writer: Roselyne Bosch
Release Date: 9 October 1992 (USA )
Genre: A mix of Adventure, Biography, Drama and History
Running Time: 152 Minutes.
1492: Conquest of
Gérard Depardieu (Christopher Columbus)
Armand Assante (Sanchez)
Sigourney Weaver (Isabella of Spain)
Loren Dean (Older Fernando)
Michael Wincott (De Moxica)
Ángela Molina (Beatrix)
Fernando Rey (Friar Marchena)
Tchéky Karyo (Pinzon)
Kevin Dunn (Captain Mendez)
Frank Langella (Luis de Santangel)
Mark Margolis (Bobadilla)
Kario Salem (Arojaz)
Billy L. Sullivan (Fernando (Age 10))
John Heffernan (Brother Buyl)
Arnold Vosloo (Guevara)
Steven Waddington (Bartolome)
Fernando Guillen Cuervo
Bercelio Moya (Utapan)
Juan Diego Botto (Diego)
Achero Manas (Ship's Boy)
Isabel Prinz (Duenna)
Fernando Garcia Rimada (King Ferdinand)
Angela Rosal (Pinzon's Wife)
Jack Taylor (Vicuna)
Albert Vidal (Hernando de Talavera)
José Ferrer (Alonso)
Louis Di Giaimo (Giacomo)
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