Joan Of....Arc Does Triumph.

Advantages: Truer To The Historical Legend, Leelee Sobieski Stars, Great Performances, Charlotte Church Vocals, Inexpensive, Captivating
Disadvantages: You Might Well Have A Tear In Your Eye By The End, Two Sided Disc, Long Film.

...JOAN OF ARC - RATED 12 This is one of the best versions of the legendary Joan of Arc I've seen. The acting is excellent, no cardboard characters. Many well known stars, excellent story line, plus some backing vocals by Charlotte Church, make this a must see movie. DIRECTOR, CAST, WRITERS: Directed by Christian Duguay. Starring: Leelee Sobieski, Chad Willett, Jacqueline Bisset, Powers Boothe, Olympia Dukakis, Neil Patrick Harris, Robert Loggia, Maximilian Schell, Peter Strauss, Jonathan Hyde, Maury Chaykin. Guest appearances by Shirley MacLaine also starring Peter O'Toole as Bishop Cauchon. Written by: Michael Alexander Miller, Ronald Parker DVD FEATURES: · Picture Format: PAL 4:3 Academy · Colour Mode: Colour · Region Code: 2 · Feature Duration: 180 minutes approximately · Audio Content: Dolby Digital Stereo · · Special...

RayMan_UK 04.10.2002 · Read review
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Review of Joan Of Arc (DVD)

Joan fails to spark

Advantages: poor dialogue, good to start but deteriorates badly
Disadvantages: poorly paced

...Every school kid knows the story of Joan of arc. The real question here, is does the film live up to the immortal tale of the girl who saved france from her enemies and claimed to have bought a message from god, the answer is simply no. Milla Jovovich is superb as Joan and the film strats brightly, the period costumes and scenery are superb and is truly believable of the time period, and all of the other actors involved are quite satisfactory, inlcuding John Malkovich, the trouble is i keep expecting Keanu Reeves to jump into his head (check out being john malkovich review), and for the first half of the film, the action is superbly violent and true to life, unfortunately the story just rubs out of steam and the film dissappears staright up its own backside. More times should have been spent on the victories the army achieved with joans...

mcpoeman 01.07.2001 · Read review
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Review of The Messenger - The Story of Joan Of Arc (DVD)

Still Astonishing Today - w/ DVD UPDATE

Advantages: Hypnotic film with an understated yet compelling performance by Florence Carrez.
Disadvantages: -

...How did an illiterate, 19-year-old peasant woman in the early 15th century become such a headache for the Bishop of Beauvais and his English controllers? Well, that 19-year-old just happened to have made history by leading thousands of French soldiers to triumph over the English occupiers in the final phase of the Hundred Years' War (1337 to 1453). Even more amazing, that same woman had had no previous military training whatsoever. And yet the armies followed her bidding with little question, and for their pains, got results - big, history-making results, as in the eventual retreat of the English from France in 1453. That woman, as you might guess, was Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc to the French). Some Background. So how exactly did she accomplish such feats? We get some illumination on the enigma of Joan from...

zerbine28 25.03.2006 · Read review
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Review of The Trial Of Joan Of Arc (DVD)

I Can Hear Voices

Advantages: See review
Disadvantages: See review

...Historical films can be a curious affair. In order to satisfy the simple requirements of a modern day cinema audience, it is more often the case that the choice of subject matter tends to revolve around famous conflicts - these offer plenty of opportunity to dazzle the viewer with special effects and choreographed battle scenes. Luc Besson's epic film Joan of Arc - The Messenger has most certainly opted for this type of story telling. The plot of the film is simple - and yet confusing. The film essentially portrays the life story of Joan of Arc, from early childhood right through to her untimely demise at the age of nineteen. Raised in a French peasant village, we see right from the start of the film that Joan experiences holy images, and voices which (although we never actually hear them) instruct her in god's will. Deeply...

LostWitness 08.03.2001 · Read review
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Review of Joan Of Arc (DVD)

Betrayal Madness and the Voice of God

Advantages: Jovovich's eyes
Disadvantages: Over the top

...A startling piece of cinema is Luc Besson's telling of the tale of St Joan, the Maid of Orleans, but then he did have a pretty emphatic and passionate piece of history from which to work, so any film about Joan of Arc is going to be pretty memorable. I'll come back a little later to the film itself, promise, but let's dwell just a little on the legend of the character first and indulge ourselves... Joan of Arc was a passionate, legendary hero of the French people in the 15th Century, when the country was seen as fair game for looting, pillage, rape and occupation by her near neighbour England. She had a meteoric, inspiring life and singlehandedly (for a time) resisted the grubby mitts of the persecutors. She was born on 6 January 1412 in the village of Domremy, the youngest of five children, daughter to Jacques and Isabelle d'Arc...

dave27 29.03.2002 · Read review
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Review of Joan Of Arc (DVD)

If You're Not Noah, Visit This Arc!

Advantages: Great Views, Under 25's Get Reduced Rate
Disadvantages: 9 Euros For The View

...History & Background ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Arc de Triomphe is located at the end of the Champs-Elysees in the Place Charles de Gaulle. It was designed in 1806 by architect Jean Chalgrin. It sits on a roundabout with 12 exits, like the centre of a clock face. The name gives away what the monument is, an arc. It stands over 51 metres in height and is 45 metres wide. It is a giant 3D rectangle with an arc carved out in the middle. The Arc de Triomphe is quite famous and recognised as one of France's most famous monuments; its purpose was to honour those who fought for France in any of the Napoleonic wars. It is also home to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Today the Arc de Triomphe is recognised as an international tourist hot spot and somewhere to visit of national interest and historic meaning to the French people...

Absy_Baby 12.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Arc de Triomphe

Arc du Triomphe - nice view

Advantages: quite cheap, panoramic views of Paris, interesting attraction
Disadvantages: v.busy,

...I went to Paris for the weekend last summer with my girlfriend and had a great time. It soon became clear that almost every major attraction offers amazing panoramic views over Paris and the Arc de Triomphe is no exception. It is one of the most famous monuments in Paris and fronts many postcards. The Arc de Triomphe is at the western end of the Champs-Elysees; a sight in itself. The arch is a tribute of respect to those that have fought for France, particularly during the Napoleonic wars. It was designed by Jean Chalgrin in 1806; his work was taken on by Huyon in 1811 when Chalgrin sadly died. However, the monument was not completed until 1836 by Goust and Huyot. The Arc stands at 165ft tall, 148ft wide and 72ft deep, the design inspred by the Roman Arch of Titus. It has been unchanged for many years now but has to be occasionally...

beanie8844 14.03.2008 · Read review
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Review of Arc de Triomphe

The Most PAINFUL and DULL Movie Experience Ever

Advantages: great battle scenes
Disadvantages: Milla is in every single scene and she's simply not very good...no...DAMN ANNOYING

...no character development to be had in someone like Charles VII and I'll call you a fool. Luc Besson is obviously that fool, the only character being allowed to develop being Milla's, perhaps in a vain attempt to raise the perception of her own performance but dumbing down on those around her? It doesn't work. To be able to appreciate this movie at all you would have to be first convinced that the leaders of France and its armies would have been ready to follow the character of Joan of Arc. Milla Jovovich plays a weak, brittle, abrasive and generally odious character, illiterate and generally weak on all fronts. You decide. Get past this though, maybe you are a big fan of Milla's work, and you have a movie which has some great battle scenes(ignoring the broken wailing coming from the lead) and some beautifully shot scenes. When they...

wampyrii 22.05.2001 · Read review
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Review of The Messenger - The Story of Joan Of Arc (DVD)

Miss Marple Box set (Joan Hickson)

Advantages: Has the best portrail of Miss Marple ever
Disadvantages: No special features

...For me Joan Hickson will always be the best 'Miss Marple'. Possibly as she was the first one I saw playing the part. I'm surprised that it took the BBC so long to releace them on DVD From the acting to the setting to the pacing... everything seems just right. Every part of Joan Hicksons performance (which earned her two BAFTA nominations) was perfect. She plays Miss Marple as the 'rather nosey busy body' who the criminal always seems to dismiss as past it and harmless. She is seen as the old spinster alway knitting but with her razor sharp brain she can always solve the crimes faster than the inspector. Marple lives in her small village and knows everything that goes on there. Through this she knows the world. She is always saying 's/he reminded me of...' Unlike Poirot who always had a good relatioship with the Inspector...

mjc121 30.06.2007 (06.05.2008) · Read review
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Review of The Miss Marple Collection - Starring Joan Hickson (Box Set) (DVD)

The Messenger

Advantages: Good movie that is well done all the way around
Disadvantages: Joan looked pretty nuts.

...I saw this movie last night. I remember when this first came out in the theaters, there was a television miniseries about Joan of Arc about the same time with LeeLee Sobricki (I may have spelled this wrong). It was pretty good, especially LeeLee, she had done a fantastic job. I heard that “The Messenger” in the theaters was a disappointment. I wasn’t disappointed at all. I only saw two differences between the two movies. The first was that Milla Jovavich was playing Joan of Arc. The second is that this movie, ‘The Messenger”, is pretty graphic. Naturally I don’t think it totally did justice to Joan of Arc. It tended to make her look a little bit nuts. But I think it did her justice on a few other facts though. When she was imprisoned, she had been tortured, raped, and forced into wearing men...

Terrie 08.01.2001 · Read review
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Review of The Messenger - The Story of Joan Of Arc (DVD)