|
The Power of One (Widescreen) | 
| Director: John G. Avildsen
Actors: Nomadlozi Kubheka, Agatha Hurle, Nigel Ivy, Tracy Brooks Swope, Brendan Deary
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: CDN$ 9.93
Buy New: CDN$ 6.10
You Save: CDN$ 3.83 (39%)
New (10) Used (2) from CDN$ 4.99
Rating:  62 reviews
Sales Rank: 1962
Format: Ntsc, Widescreen
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
DVD Layers: 1
DVD Sides: 1
Picture Format: Letterbox
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.7 x 0.6
MPN: WARD12411D
ISBN: 0790740850
UPC: 085391241126
EAN: 9780790740850
ASIN: 0790740850
Theatrical Release Date: March 27, 1992
Release Date: June 22, 1999
Availability: Usually ships within 1 - 2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Delivery from the USA in 10-14 Days via Canada Post (Max 21 Days). Brand New and Factory Sealed Product.
| |
| Similar Items:
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 57 more reviews...
 If you've never read the original novel . . . January 1, 2008
C. Gaebel (Canada)
. . you will probably find this movie both entertaining and evocative. The acting is good, and the musical interpretation of Doc's prison concert complimented my experience with the novel -- having overlooked the "vengeance lyrics" supposedly written by a 12 y.o. boy! br /If you have read the original novel however, you may find the screenplay departs so drastically from the book that your abililty to enjoy it will be severely compromised by shattered expectations. Poignant characters and sub-plots that filled vital roles in the development of Courtney's original story have been sacrificed for the sake of entirely new and superficial hollywood constructs that do a dis-service to the story: Peekay's first experience with boxing; Big Hettie; Mevrou and Grandpa Chook; the exploits of the Barberton Blues Boxing team; the true trauma of Doc's arrest on Peekay and his campaign with Ms. Boxall to expose the fabrications of the Barberton press; the Crystal Cave of Africa and Doc's death; the schoolboy antics of Peekay and Morrie Levy, his Jewish friend living his own variation of Apartheid as the only Jewboy in a Christian school; Solly Goldman; Morrie getting the best of the police during a raid by noticing a clerical error in the paperwork . . . all gone and replaced with superficial hollywood fluff. (Just where DID they get Zulu spearchuckers taking out the police chief from??) br /I understand that novels and screenplays exist in totally different worlds. But at what point is so much sacrificed from the original work that a screenplay should no longer bear the same name? This movie has crossed that line in my opinion. I think the creators/producers have done a disservice to the originator of this work and to the sector of the population that still reads novels before seeing movies. They could have avoided a LOT of shattered expectations by giving the screenplay a different name, or by letting us know up-front that this would be an interpretation of an adaptation of a story roughly based on the very excellent work of Bryce Courtney. Characters, locations and plots are only superficially acknowledged before being tossed aside for the sake of a very different story that is but a pale reflection of the orginal. br /It's a story that needs to be heard, so kudos for that. But I found it very disrespectful of the original on so many points. Expectations aside, it is probably a very good screenplay. But it does not deserve to share the name of such a great literary work. br / br /
 doesn't match the book July 3, 2004
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I first saw this film on TV at the age of 15 and at the time, I thought that it was fantastic. I think that I felt this way because I knew absoludle nothing about apartheid (and because I had yet to read the novel The Power of One). A few years later, i was given the opportunity to read the novel by Bryce Courtenay for summer reading at school. After reading the novel, I was blown away. It made the movie seem trite and I ended up feeling upset at the changes that the filmmakers made. One of the worst errors: In the book Peekay has no real love interest. The girl inserted in the movie served to take the place of Peekay's Jewish best friend Morrie; the film would have been a million times better showing that relationship rather than Peekay's relationship with this girl that seemed to have no basis in the original plot (to make matters worse, she was really annoying in the movie). In addition to this adjustment, the filmmakers stopped the movie early, not totally completing Peekay's power of one journey. pMy opinion of the film has changed since reading the novel. I think that this would be a great film for people to see if they HAVE NOT read the book, but if they have it will just be a disappointment. pSo you must be wondering why I gave this film 3 stars instead of 1. Well, #1 despite the filmmaker's total disregard for Courtenay's original plot, there was a fantastic African performance towards the middle of the film that matches exactly how I saw it in my mind while reading the book. #2 Morgan Freeman played a great Geel Piet and #3 Without this movie, I would have never given the book a chance and for that I am very greatful.pIf you've read the book don't bother with the movie.brIf you haven't, rent/watch the movie and then BUY the book instead.
If you haven't read the book. . . May 20, 2004
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
this is an entertaining film. I'd recommend it for people looking for a overcoming adversity story. It's better for younger students than the book would be, too, since the violence is toned down. Like most books made into movies, however, this film is so different from the book that they are almost two stories with the same title set in South Africa.pI like using the movie when I teach the book, only because students are so unhappy with the movie and we can select the book scenes that SHOULD have been filmed instead.
Opening the minds of University Students March 17, 2004
Todd A. Ostler (Northwest Nevada)
I have used this movie in my Sociology 101 courses for 6 straight semesters now. The vast majority of my students have loved it. It is an excellent way to present the History of S. Africa, Ethnocentrism, Racism, Sexism, class discrimination, Androgyny, The Contact Hypothesis, the myth of a great white savior, and a lot of other sociological and literary ideas... in an entertaining, dramatic story. br I would have given it 5 stars but for 3 or 4 problems: 1)PK has no faults and hence is less credible than he could be; 2)the best part of the movie is the middle part around the concert- so it is a bit anticlimatic; 3)the idea of an excellent boxer is at odds with being an excellent piano player; 4)Maria is cast by a relatively plain girl which is at odds with the incredible good looks and status of PK; 5)It doesn't adequately convey the justification for the Arikaneers hatred of the English.
 A Wonderful story! March 3, 2004
This is one of the best movies ever made on racial issues. I have loved this story of the struggle of the native south african since I was a little girl. It truly is uplifting and gripping. It is an encouraging movie where the antagonist PK (spelled Peekay in the book) sets an excellent example about the need to fight racial/ethnic oppresion, his example is one that more people should follow.
|
|
|
|
| |
