Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves [Double Sided]

This is a product review primarily aimed for U.S. customers, not a movie review. The most important fact about this product is that although the back of the Blu-ray case states that the two discs are Region B coded, these discs are actually REGION FREE. They should play fine in any Blu-ray players (e.g., U.S.).This Ultimate Edition has the theatrical version of the movie on Disc 1 and the extended version of the movie on Disc 2. All special features are on Disc 1, except for two audio commentaries for the extended version on Disc 2. For U.S. viewers, all Blu-ray special features were previously on the 2-Disc Special Extended Edition DVD issue from 2005. From that DVD issue, several essays, galleries, and cast/crew text biographies, as well as a proper theatrical trailer, are not included on this Blu-ray issue. For clarification, the trailer found on Disc 1 of the Blu-ray was not properly authored/encoded. What results on playback FOR THE TRAILER ONLY is around 2 minutes in which the audio plays at normal speed, but the video runs around 33% too fast, resulting the entire audio being out of sync with the video, which ends at about 1:30 with the audio still running. The theatrical version of the movie itself does not have this problem on the disc.The big upgrade with this Blu-ray issue for many viewers (e.g., U.S.) is the Disc 1 theatrical version of the film. This is an anamorphic widescreen video release (enhanced for 16x9 televisions), in 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The only previously available theatrical version of the film on DVD or Blu-ray in the U.S. was a 1997 Warner Bros. snapcase DVD issue, in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio, letterboxed for 4:3 televisions. The video from that DVD (which I own) looks terrible on a 16x9 television (black bars on all four sides and very grainy). Additionally, for this Blu-ray issue, the entire film plays on Disc 1, on one side, from start to finish.To explain why I mention that last thing, the 1997 Warner Bros. DVD issue split the movie into two parts, such that the disc had to be ejected, flipped, and reinserted into the player at some point during the natural run of the movie in order to watch the remainder of the movie. This sort of thing was not prevalent with DVDs during those first few years of the format, but it was frustratingly common enough that these kinds of discs were called "flippers". Any of the other reviews here where customers reported that they were shocked to find that their discs only had part of the movie ("and so did the replacement disc!") didn't realize that they had flipper discs, and that these were official discs, not bootlegs (the inside of the official snapper case sleeve lists the movie scenes by title, under the headers SIDE A and SIDE B, and the disc itself indicates content on both sides).Overall, the main draw of the Australian REGION FREE Via Vision Ultimate Edition Blu-ray is the theatrical version upgrade from prior non-anamorphic and/or flipper video DVD releases (although the picture quality isn't spectacular). Anyone who buys this and also owns the 2005 2-Disc Special Extended Edition DVD issue may want to save that DVD issue for the proper theatrical trailer and other special features not included with this Blu-ray issue.

Great movie. Well worth watching, especially for Alan Rickman's delicious turn as the Sheriff of Nottingham.Kevin Costner is no Errol Flynn (THE best cinematic Robin Hood in my opinion), but he's adequate enough in the role. Love Morgan Freeman as his moorish sidekick.I always say that THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (starring Flynn) is the 'fun' version of Robin Hood, while the Russell Crowe/Ridley Scott ROBIN HOOD is the more 'serious' take on the story.ROBIN HOOD-PRINCE OF THIEVES strikes me as being the in-between version of the story, alternating between the lighter side and the more serious takes of the story.Quite enjoy this.

Good shape as described!

Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman have a great camaraderie in this movie. A must see for fans.

Can watch this over and over

Robin Hood has been filmed many times and this is a very ambitious attempt to give the story new dimensions, coupled with wonderful sceneries and lots of eye candy for everyone. Handsome men, beautiful Marian (Mastrantonio), huge, impressive castles, deep woods, fighting, loving, humour... And poor Kevin Costner, who is very cute and sympathetic - but uncomfortable with his part.The story is familiar to us all, in this film it has an interesting addition with Robin as a prisoner during the crusades and his return to England with Azeem, the Great one, who must save his life to pay a debt. Although he likes to choose his moment... Morgan Freeman is very impressive as Azeem and gets some of the best lines, like when talking about mistletoe: "In my country we don't drug women with plants. We talk to them." The manuscript has in fact many good lines - but Costner seems to drop all the opportunities of making himself memorable, when the sidekicks are having the time of their lives. Even fat friar Tuck seems to have more presence than the star of the movie.This really isn't a bad movie, that's why I've given it four stars, although the third star goes to Freeman and the fourth to Rickman (the Sheriff on Nottingham). It's entertaining and has comedy and suspense and it's a feast for the eyes, but still it is a bit of a disappointment. Anyone who's done any acting or plans to act some day: this is how you let others steal the scenes even though they don't mean to. The film has two opposite examples of the use of energy and presence. Costner slouches through the film with so little energy that he actually lets everyone else shine at his own expense. Only with Mastrantonio or with the bow and arrow there is some charisma. On the other end there's Rickman's sheriff, bursting with energy right down to his fingers, every movement and raising of the eyebrows full of meaning. It's no wonder much of his work was cut off. Even in this version, he completely throws off the balance of the movie so that the audience waits for the sheriff's scenes, not Robin's. And which are the lines everyone remembers after the movie? "And call of Christmas!" "I'll cut your heart out with a spoon!" All sheriff's work, of course. Somewhere it was said, that Rickman has a conspiracy with the audience, as if saying: "Let's have fun with this, so we can move on to doing something worth while after that." I thought it was very well put - and he certainly has a lot of fun. If you miss seeing more of him, get the new DVD, it's supposed to have some of scenes that were cut out, when the producers saw, what was happening to Costner - getting seriously shadowed by the villain.Mastrantonio is a very beautiful Marian and works well with Costner, but doesn't seem to know, whether to fear or hate or loath the sheriff, so she does neither very convincingly. Although it must be difficult with sheriff's purring voice in one's ear...It is a real pity, that much of good work done by other actors in smaller parts suffers from Costner's lack of interest in the movie, as it seems. But if you don't mind it, there's a lot of entertaining things to see and good performances - and several good lines, which make you think the writers had fun.

One of my favorite actors. I really like Kevin Costner. With Morgan Freeman supporting it is a great movie with a wonderful story.

This DVD came wrapped in bubble wrap in a nice box. Delivered promptly and put in a safe spot. It’s my daughter and son’s favorite movie. Delivered in perfect condition to my daughter in Iowa.

Todo bien lo único que no viene doblaje en español pero por lo demás muy bien.

Diversión en casa

Robin hood el príncipe de los ladrones, buena película estelarizada por Kevin Costner bien en audio e imáge subtitulos en español.

Excelente producto

Aunque fue más o menos entretenido verla de nuevo, me hizo darme cuenta de lo mediocres que eran tantas películas en los 90s. Los extras y todo están muy bien, fue un regalo para mi mamá y con que a ella le guste yo feliz.