CS Weekly Archive > DVD of the Day > 11/04/05

Britannia Rules

by scott castle

C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower (Collector's Edtion)

Russell Lewis, Mike Cullen, Patrick Harbinson, Chris Ould, T.R. Bowen, Ben Rostul, Niall Leonard, and Stephen Churchett
Based on the novels by C.S. Forester

Chronicling the rise of 17-year-old Horatio Hornblower (Fantastic Four's Ioan Gruffudd) from a seasick midshipman at port in 1795 to the courageous captain of the HMS Hotspur in 1803, A&E's Hornblower plunges its audience into the world of the British Royal Navy at the height of its power. Adapted from C.S. Forester's adventure tales, and roughly spanning the first three collections (Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, Lieutenant Hornblower, and Hornblower and the Hotspur), the telefilms alternate between painstakingly exact transcriptions of the text (down to the dialogue) to wildly divergent dramatizations that remain faithful in spirit, if not in fact. Across the three seasons' worth of stories, the writers continuously develop Hornblower from a callow youth to a confident young man, ably conveying the relationships that influence his personal growth with an ensemble of elegantly drawn supporting characters including Captain Sir Edward Pellew (Robert Lindsey), a surrogate father for the young officer. The series never overcomplicates the story or characterization, favoring (as it should for this genre) opportunities to plunge into action and adventure. Each of the eight discs offers supplementary material ranging from a lexicon of nautical terms and a profile of Forrester to a documentary on life at sea in the Royal Navy of the period. A commentary featuring the producer and director occasionally delves into matters of adaptation, but serves better as a warning to those who would write stories about the sea.

C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower (Collector's Edtion)
A & E Home Video
Not rated; 800 min.
$79.95

Buy it now for only $37.97 (save 53%)

Scott Castle is one thesis shy of a master's degree in film. He's written two short films, four television scripts, and a handful of short stories. He lives in Los Angeles.

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