Burn!
by Gillo Pontecorvo
List Price:
Our Price: $13.49
You Save: $1.49 (10%)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $2.90 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: Dana Ghia, Evaristo M?rquez, Marlon Brando, Norman Hill, Renato SalvatoriDirector: Gillo Pontecorvo
Brand: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language); Portuguese (Original Language); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled)
Format: Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 112 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-11-08
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
DVD Reviews of Burn!
DVD Review: Burn
Summary: 5 Stars
One of Marlon Brando's best works and one of his favorite roles, if not his favorite role. I had to watch this film for a school project. Very well done and very well acted by Mr. Brando. I am glad I own this DVD.DVD Review: Purchases from Amazon.com
Summary: 5 Stars
As always, Amazon has provided excellent service in handling my recent purchase of the DVD, Burn. Package arrived in excellent condition and service was fast. I know the students in our Spanish class will find this quite interesting. Thank you very much.DVD Review: flawed but viewable take on colonialism and imperialism.
Summary: 4 Stars
I see the main characters and setting of this film as purely symbolic. The island has a fictional name:Queimada, which refers to a once popular European spicy alcoholic drink. As part of its preparation, it underwent burning, which supposedly scared away evil spirits. This strongly relates to the film story. It is said to be a former Portuguese colony in the Caribbean. The Portuguese were once among the most ruthless colonialists, but they stayed clear of the Caribbean. Thus, the Portuguese connection is purely symbolic. Brando's character, William Walker, is the namesake for perhaps the most fanatical conquistador the US ever produced, whose ultimate ambition in his last years was to annex most of Central America, Cuba and maybe even more parts of Mexico, to be admitted as slave states, to bolster the flagging political power of the South in its competition with the North. Thus, he represents the unbridled ambition of Europeans to rule and exploit the other peoples of the world. The alluded to previous wholesale burning of the island's native vegetation and dramazied burning of much of the island's sugarcane and laborer villages symbolizes the total disregard of most colonialists for the physical environment of these foreign lands and for the well being of native and imported laborers. I believe Walker's ultimate demise represents the ultimate withering of colonialism, despite its apparently unshakable entrenchment the world over. The brief interlude showing Walker brawling in a slum in Britian only makes sense if it is saying that most colonialists were basically degenerate bullies, whether at home or abroad.
We can read further symbolism into the script, if we wish. Jose Doloris and the other rebels might be seen as representing those Negroes and their white supporters in the US who had recently fought and sometimes died to achieve true racial equality. Ditto for similar events in other countries. We might also see the Portuguese as stand ins for the French and the British as representing the US in the Vietnam situation, current when this film was made. The changing relationship between Walker and Doloris might be seen as symbolic of a similar change between the US and China during WWII vs. afterward, for example. A more recent example is the change in relationship between the US and Sadam Hussein.
I don't like Brando's general arrogant demeanor, nor do I like the his slovenly speaking style. Perhaps these were appropriate for this film.
The initial slave revolt, their transformation into free laborers and their subsequent realization that there was little practical difference between their former and present status was treated far too superficially to be satisfying to the viewer. Perhaps there was more about this in the 20 min longer version of this film. The person who played Doloris was not a professional actor and appears to lack the charisma that a successful rebel leader would need. I did enjoy the scenes of native festivals and village life, although they were sometimes too long.
You may have noticed that my name is William Walker, which is the initial reason I chose to see this film. I own a biography of "the" William Walker, written by Albert Carr. I understand another film was made: "Walker", which also alludes to the imperialist dreams of this facinating man. Unfortunately, this again was not a serious attempt to chronicle the real story of Walker, but was rather a political satire, relating to the then involvement of the US in the political struggles within Nicaragua as a follow up on Walker's long ago meddling in the politics of this country. Apparently, it portrays the critical relationship between Walker and Cornelius Vanderbilt as being the exact opposite of their true relationship! William Walker was a facinating enough man that his life deserves a straight treatment, without becoming a caricature of a message film.
DVD Review: the ugly englishman
Summary: 3 Stars
the decade before "the godfather" was a long period of fallowness for marlon brando, but a viewing of this legendary flop might lead one to try to re-assess the period. in this at times too stridently obvious parallel to our then imperialist foreign policy (thank god we dont get involved in stuff like that any more ...) brando plays a politician / businessman / pirate who serves as both liberator and enslavor of a poor country. while the production values vary greatly, it is still worth checking out for anyone interested in how stanley kowalski morphed into colonel kurtz.DVD Review: Poor Quality and Edited!
Summary: 2 Stars
Three complaints about this DVD sum up my review:
First, we've got the short, 112 minute version as opposed to the uncut original 132 minute version.
Second, the negative is in terrible shape. If you've seen any of those public domain DVDs of spaghetti westerns and such, you know exactly what I am talking about. Washed out colors, grain, scratches, the whole deal. Yuck.
Third, and least important, there are no special features on this disc - not even a trailer.
SHAME ON YOU MGM!!!
Description of Burn!
A Caribbean island in the mid-1800's. Nature has made it a paradise; man has made it a hell. Slaves on vast Portuguese sugar plantations are ready to turn their misery into rebellion - and the British are ready to provide the spark. They send agent William Walker (Marlon Brando) on a devious three-part mission: trick the slaves into revolt grab the sugar trade for England...then return the slaves to servitude. Gillo Pontecorvo the acclaimed director of The Battle of Algiers explores colonialism and insurrection in the searing epic Burn!. Both visually and narratively stunning Burn! glows with the fires of Pontecorvo's unique filmmaking genius. Genius is also evident in Brando's complex intelligent portrayal of a man who is both gentleman and scoundrel revolutionary and colonialist. And Ennio Morricone's (The Untouchables The Mission) haunting music memorably underscores the almost overwhelmingly powerful story.System Requirements:Running Time 112Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:?DRAMA Rating:?R UPC:?027616125354 Manufacturer No:?12535Drama DVDs
DVD Video
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness & Yoga
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Bestsellers in Drama DVDs
The Battle of Algiers - Criterion CollectionImage Entertainment; Release date: 2004-10-12; DVD
Best price: $30.00
Price in other shops:
The Chorus (Les Choristes)Release date: 2005-05-03; DVD
Best price: $20.48
Price in other shops:
RomanceROMANCE (DVD MOVIE); Release date: 2002-02-05; DVD
Best price: $7.51
Price in other shops:
The PianistRelease date: 2003-05-27; DVD
Best price: $8.40
Price in other shops:
IrreversibleLions Gate; Release date: 2003-08-05; DVD
Best price: $11.81
Price in other shops:
The LoverRelease date: 2001-12-11; DVD
Best price: $6.88
Price in other shops:
Il PostinoRelease date: 2000-03-14; DVD
Best price: $5.43
Price in other shops:
Babette's FeastRelease date: 2001-01-23; DVD
Best price: $5.54
Price in other shops:
HamletRelease date: 2004-02-24; DVD
Best price: $6.74
Price in other shops:
The Dreamers (Original Uncut NC-17 Version)Release date: 2004-07-13; DVD
Best price: $4.09
Price in other shops:
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
The NightcomersLION'S GATE ENTERTAINMENT; Release date: 2007-06-19; DVD
Best price: $7.88
Price in other shops:
The Young LionsRelease date: 2002-05-21; DVD
Best price: $6.20
Price in other shops:
One-Eyed JacksWESTLAKE ENTERTAINMENT INC; Release date: 2003-09-01; DVD
Best price: $11.99
Price in other shops:
MorituriBRANDO,MARLON; Release date: 2004-05-25; DVD
Best price: $6.74
Price in other shops:
The MenRelease date: 2003-12-16; DVD
Best price: $7.51
Price in other shops:
The Battle of Algiers - Criterion CollectionImage Entertainment; Release date: 2004-10-12; DVD
Best price: $32.07
Price in other shops:
Marlon Brando 4-Movie Collection (The Ugly American / The Appaloosa / A Countess from Hong Kong / The Night of the Following Day)Release date: 2005-05-31; DVD
Best price: $11.47
Price in other shops:
The Missouri BreaksTWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2005-11-08; DVD
Best price: $4.48
Price in other shops:
The ChaseSony; Release date: 2004-02-24; DVD
Best price: $4.89
Price in other shops:
The Fugitive KindTWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2005-11-08; DVD
Best price: $2.93
Price in other shops: