Copy Cat movies: Robin Hood?
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
JoeinFla — 10 years ago(March 27, 2016 08:38 AM)
Do you know how "Capote" and "Infamous" come out in the same year, so you're not SURE you've seen either one or both? How "Wyatt Earp" and "Tombstone" did the same? "Armageddon" and "Deep Impact?"
Was there another Robin Hood movie, BBC series, perhaps around 1991? I seem to recall some complaint about too many Robin Hoods. -
Fluke_Skywalker — 10 years ago(March 28, 2016 11:46 AM)
It's funny how often that sort of thing happens. In this case, the other
Robin Hood (1991)
movie that year ultimately aired here in the U.S. on Fox about a month ahead of the release of
RH:POT
. It got a theatrical release in several other countries, but as I recall 20th Century Fox ultimately decided to air it on the Fox network (instead of a theatrical release in the States) to capitalize on the growing hype surrounding the Costner version.
I may have the background facts a bit wrong or mixed up, but yeah, there was another
RH
movie released in '91.
It's quite a bit different than Costner's version. Prince John features, but not prominently. There's no Sheriff of Nottingham. Instead the villain(s) is/are Sir Miles Folcanet (and to some extent Baron Roger Daguerre), original characters created for this version (as far as I know), and the focus is Norman/Saxon relations.
I've seen it a few times over the years. My IMDb review is a 5/10 and I'll print it here if you're interested.
Inspired by my re-watch of Kevin Costner's take on the tale, I decided to seek out a selection of other RH movies. First up is this little remembered RH flick from the same year. Debuting on Fox TV here in the U.S. a full month before 'Prince of Thieves', it tried to capitalize on the latter's growing hype. But featuring neither Kevin Costner nor a hit pop ballad, it has since fallen into obscurity, occasionally championed by a small minority of people who claim that it's superior to the far more popular film.
There are recognizable faces here. Patrick Bergin ('Sleeping with the Enemy', 'Patriot Games') stars as the titular character, but he lacks the chops both physically and charismatically to pull it off. There is no Sheriff of Nottingham in this version, no Guy of Gisbourne, and Prince John makes only a brief appearance. With the focus here on Norman/Saxon tensions, two other antagonists are introduced, one played by Jrgen Prochnow, who is no Alan Rickman, but then again who is? But the biggest name here is Uma Thurman as Marion. Barely 20 years old at the time, she's downright ethereal here.
This is the TV cut of the film (I've read a German cut runs twenty or so minutes longer) and clocks in at about an hour and forty five minutes. It certainly moves along more briskly than the bloated 'Prince of Thieves', but it feels chopped up, with Robin falling in with his Merry Men and becoming their leader and renowned outlaw in all of about ten minutes. The action such as it isis painfully dull, the film is bleakly shot and many of the performances fall flat. Though it has a few moments here and there, this version of the classic tale is one best left forgotten.A journey into the realm of the obscure:
http://saturdayshowcase.blogspot.com/ -
crazyivanova — 10 years ago(March 29, 2016 11:57 AM)
I remember this movie! I liked it though not as much as the Costner version. I remembered Uma Thurman being in it and I absolutely loved Jurgen Prochnow (sp?) as the bad guy. I forgot Danny Webb was in this. I always loved him too.
I can only conclude I'm paying off karma at a vastly accelerated rate. -
ChrEberle — 9 years ago(September 25, 2016 09:44 AM)
This happens all the time. Hollywood (and the movie industry in general) is about business.
But in the good old days, these "copycat movies" were at least more watchable than all these utterly horrible "Asylum" movies.
And yes, there was a british Robin Hood tv series: Robin of Sherwood (1984) which is my personal favourite Robin Hood ever!
NightAxe -