Papillon

Advantages: Really drags you in to the emotion of it all
Disadvantages: Some may be put off by the lack of dialogue

...When I read this book as a young man, I was instantly captivated by the lead character's obsession with escaping whatevre the cost. Therefore, it was with quite a lot of trepidation that I first ventured to watch the film. The premise of the film surrounds Papillon (Steve McQueen) and his imprisonment on the infamous Devil's Island. He makes friends with Dega (Dustin Hoffman) as he ceaselessly plots means of escape. Despite several failed escape attempts, Papillon refuses to have his spirit broken by his ruthless and humiliating captors. If you are after a film with sparkling dialogue, you will want to give this a miss as there are long periods where not a word is spoken. However, the outstanding acting performances of McQueen and Hoffman more than make up for it. Usually after reading a book, the film adaptation is extremely...

kipper54 04.02.2009 · Read review
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Review of Papillon (DVD)

Papillons - the butterfly dog

Advantages: Charming, vivacious little dogs, full of personality and with a gentle spaniel temperament
Disadvantages: Very easy to spoil, and allow to become yappy

...I have now had my little papillon for 18 months, and am utterly enamored! When I first researched the breed, I was drawn to their spaniel breeding, combined with only moderate exercise requirements (1 - 2 miles walk, plus lots of inside and outside games, keeps mine very happy, although she will cheerfully tackle 5 miles+ with anyone prepared to accompany her), and their very low scores on hereditary problems such as hips and temperament. I chose my pup very much for temperament, having met her mother, and am still glad I did so, even though she has thrown up a few conformational faults that mean I really should not breed from her (a poor bite, mainly). I had intended to buy a largish papillon, thinking that this would be a sensibly sized, but small, dog. I then fell in love with the tiniest in the litter, so tiny I was terrified...

flissyfjm 27.02.2007 · Read review
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Review of The Papillon (Butterfly Dog)

Smell the flower of freedom little butterfly

Advantages: Outstanding performnaces, great story
Disadvantages: A little long

...Take one of the most desirable stars of the time, add in an almost too amazing to believe story and some of our most primeival fears and what do you get? Papillon Henri (Papillon) Charriere, convicted of murder, is sent to a far flung French penal colony to atone for his crime. Before he and the rest of the convicts even reach the cursed place trouble begins - men are murdered while they sleep and theft amongst the prisoners is rife. Papillon offers protection to master forger Louis Dega in return for Dega financing his escape attempt when they reach their destination. Life in the prison is fanatically harsh with severe penalties for escape attempts and very little in the way of priveledges and comforts. Despite this Papillon attempts escape but is sold out, recaptured, and must endure two years silent solitary confinement. Emerging...

TheNeil 22.02.2001 · Read review
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Review of Papillon (DVD)

Unmissable Prison Movie

Advantages: see review
Disadvantages: see review

...Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman star in this gritty prison drama based on the true story of the only man to escape from the notoriously harsh and 'inescapable' Devil's Island prison - the crowning glory of the French penal system. Directed by Franklin Schaffner it pulls no punches in showing the French penal system in all its grim brutality, an uncompromising stance with earned the movie an adult rating for violent content when it was submitted for classification. This was later lowered to PG on appeal for much of the violence is implied and mental torture, but even so, it is still quite intense in parts. The movie starts in 1930s Marseille with a large group of prisoners being marched through the streets to the dock where they will be transported to Devil's Island. Among this group are murderer Henri "Papillon" Charriere...

wampyrii 15.07.2001 · Read review
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Review of Papillon (DVD)

The Greatest Story Ever Told.....

Advantages: The greatest movie ever made, McQueen, Hoffman....everything
Disadvantages: nothing

..."The greatest adventure of escape ever filmed!" Two words: Steve McQueen. Has anybody cooler ever graced this earth, I think not. And not only that he was one of the greatest actors of all time and turns in films like this and The Great Escape show what amazing talent he had, and sadly died at only 50 with many more potentially great films still to come. (Copied from my top 10 film review, but I deem it good enough to use twice!) The film however is not all about McQueen, what then you may ask, well as the tagline suggests it is a film about escape, but this time for McQueen its not from Nazi Germany but from Guiana a French penal colony in the south pacific. Based on the true story and subsequent book by Henri Charriere, Papillon (French for butterfly and Charriere's nickname) tells the tale of a petty criminal wrongly...

jsrennie 18.01.2005 (27.10.2005) · Read review
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Review of Papillon (DVD)

Is there a prison that Steve can't escape from?

Advantages: One of McQueen's finest performances, true story
Disadvantages: Bit lengthy at nearly two and a half hours

...Based on the true life and best selling book of Henri Charriere Papillon (Henri's nickname meaning butterfly) is not only one of the greatest escape stories ever but also a tale of a man who refused to give in. Wrongly convicted of murdering a pimp the film opens with Papi walking thorough the streets of France with the other convicts. The crowd gathered around them is a mixture of people spitting in disgust at them and other baring Christian symbols and praying for their soles. Packed into a boat like cattle the convicts are heading for the French Penal colony in Guiana, if you've never seen this film you will see the inspiration for the recent Stella Artois adverts. On the boat ride we are introduced to Louis Dega (played by Dustin Hoffman) who is a man who looks, and knows that he is out of his depth. Convicted of a bond...

Paid.Ark.Man 02.08.2005 · Read review
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Review of Papillon (DVD)

Finding his wings....

Advantages: A brilliant read
Disadvantages: None

...I've been wanting to try my hand at writing a book op for a while now and thought I'd take the plunge with this fantastic book I've just finished. This is my first book op, so please leave a comment and let me know how I did (good or bad!). :o) This paperback book was originally published in 1969 and 34 years later it's a stunning read. I found it when we moved house last year, in the loft there was a bag of books which Mark brought down for me to sort through. I hadn't got a book on the go (due to a library fine which I keep forgetting to pay I can't get a book out at the moment! lol) so thought I'd give it a whirl. Can I just add that Papillon was later made into an epic film starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman but as I've never seen the film, I can't comment on whether it was a sucessful book to film adaption...

Fruity_Tart 03.05.2003 · Read review
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Review of Papillon - Henri Charriere

The butterfly that soared like an Eagle

Advantages: Where do I start
Disadvantages: It does have a last page

...Never been one to read autobiography?s I now have 5 on my desk in between the mounds of computer textbooks, inspirational art and design books and scribbled on notepads and it?s all down to Henri Charrière. When I went to France on holiday I took 3 books with me; A double CD assisted ?Learning French? book (you learned French by singing common phrases, stop shaking your head Poppy), I was determined to speak some of the language. Learning JavaScript in 24 hours, yes I took that on holiday with me, but that?s who I am, pointless denying it. Papillon (meaning Butterfly), the autobiography of Henri Charrière, a book recommended to me by my father and one I had always meant to read. It seemed apt to take a book by a French author to France to read, it?s about as poetic as I get. My Dad had always referred to it as, ?the greatest book...

Dardalius 11.07.2003 · Read review
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Review of Papillon - Henri Charriere

A good hotel with Fantastic Staff and on an Amazing Beach

Advantages: Great Staff and Located on a Gorgeous Beach
Disadvantages: Food could become tiresome if you stayed too long

...) the restaurant will arrange a free pick-up from your hotel and drop-off after you're finished. Do walk down the beach, but ONLY during the day. - Also it might seem rude but if you want the peace and quiet to relax on the beach you simply have to outright ignore those beach vendors (avoid eye contact and don's speak to them) otherwise you will harassed endlessly. You feel bad for doing it, but if you don't they will not stop trying to sell you something. If you want to check out their website: http://www.rexresorts.com/africa/papillonlagoonreef/index.html...

jp7541 26.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Papillon Lagoon Reef, Ukunda

Interesting story that outlives its welcome

Advantages: Hoffman, cinematography, screenplay, atmosphere
Disadvantages: McQueen, overlong & pretentious, uneven directing.

...Wrongly convicted Henri Carriere (Papillon, a bland performance from Steve McQueen) tries to escape from the evil prison environment of Devil's Island with the able assistance of fellow convict, Dustin Hoffman. The big problem with this film is with director, Franklin J. Schaffner's choice of lead: McQueen looks too relatively sedate & out of place for a tough story like this. Perhaps he still thinks he's the Cooler King from the more entertaining The Great Escape. But in this harsh world of jungles, extreme prison punishments & unsavoury environments McQueen just doesn't fit the bill. I was, however, more interested in Hoffman's character as a crooked financier who sold a lot of investors into poverty and is now a Public Enemy to a lot of people. And only a bodily-inserted capsule full of money manages to keep him alive as he...

dreamstar70 26.01.2001 · Read review
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Review of Papillon (DVD)