French and Indian War movie,

[vtbuck223]

GRRRRR....mine still hasn't arrived from Amazon...I feel like I am being left out! Thanks for the review...it actually sounds better than I anticipated. The movie "Follow the River" was sort of what I was comparing it to in my mind....though this sounds perhaps a tad better? I know we are all still burning for that truly amazing F&I War movie...sounds like we are still waiting.

 

[mooman76]

I watched the movie and thought it was very good and authentic. Not a bunch of the Hollywood over blown drama. :thumbsup:

 

[Alden]

I have and saw Follow The River some time ago -- younger captive who takes the older woman with her in the escape I think. I seem to recall it was O.K.

But "Alone" is a "bigger" film. You'll see...

There were two scenes that made me emotional. I'll let the readers who've seen it guess which and share them in this thread later. The second one will be fairly obvious to everyone I think. The first I am doubtful of...

 

[LongrifleDoc]

Thanks for the report. Just ordered the DVD. Good reviews on Amazon

 

[Black Jack]

I'm very interested in this movie and have a couple of questions:
1. Apparently it's not available in BluRay (true?). How is the picture quality on the DVD?
2. I saw mention of another flick called Follow the River. How is it....worth having?

Thanks much. Am anxious to give these a try on my replica pre-1840 BluRay player.

 

[Ohio Joe]

I thought picture quality was good in 'Alone' and I can't speak for the other movie as I've not seen it.

 

[mooman76]

Lots of beautiful scenery. I miss sights like that.

 

[misher]

I do miss all those eastern trees. Here we pretty much only have spruce and birch.

 

[vtbuck223]

I'm very interested in this movie and have a couple of questions:
1. Apparently it's not available in BluRay (true?). How is the picture quality on the DVD?
2. I saw mention of another flick called Follow the River. How is it....worth having?

Thanks much. Am anxious to give these a try on my replica pre-1840 BluRay player.

Follow the River can be picked up cheap. It is worth taking a look at if you like stuff from this era...simply because there is so little of it out there. Go in with low expectations...then you won't be too disappointed. Like "Alone" it is based on a true story...and was also a book. I have not read the book but my guess is that it might be better than the movie.

 

[Alden]

It seems a well filmed movie to me -- looked fine. Crisp and clear, but I'm not a cinematographer. I have read that color balance from scene to scene was off and that sound engineers might whinge between them too, but, I'm a layman.

Follow the River TV movie? Rated 6.7 on IMDB vs. half that for "Alone..." I probably wouldn't kill myself to see the first. Perhaps it is already free on YouTube?

 

[vtbuck223]

Finally saw it. Glad I bought it...I will lend it out to family....but it will probably be awhile before I watch it again. The scenery was nice and fairly well shot. The acting and other concerns are very commensurate with the budget....though a few good performances...I guess it would be hard to outperform your script. Still...it is a good movie...and for me the faith aspect was integral to the story...and really a strength of the movie...not something to be overlooked. As has been pointed out...the song at the end was very nice. I like the fact that I could watch this with my 13 y/o daughter...the problem is...I don't have a 13 y/o daughter. However, my wife can't stomach a lot of violence in movies...even when it is "historically accurate"...she would never watch "Black Robe" with me for instance...so that was good...she didn't leave the room.

So...overall....I would give it a rating of: Powder horn half full! Which is better than half empty...but not as good as 3/4 full or full. :grin:


I would still like to see a very well done...adult film from this genre...but I am not holding my breath.


As far as Follow the River. It has been awhile since I watched it...probably need to take another look. It is a Hallmark movie. Still...in comparison to "Alone"...it has a little..."star power" if you will...in Sheryl Lee, Ellen Burstyn, Eric Schweig.

 

[Alden]

...and for me the faith aspect was integral to the story...and really a strength of the movie...not something to be overlooked.

To expand on my opinion of this issue, because it was at first alluded to as what I think is an exaggerated drawback*, I also don't quite share 223's perspective as to its import. Although it was apparent I didn't find the religious thread overt; it wasn't an ulterior or even critical subplot to my mind's eye but was basically in context. It fit! Let's not kid ourselves with modern sensitivities (or sensibilities if you prefer) -- religion was central to early Americans' lives. If they absolutely owned a book it was the family bible. Like it, love it, or not.

I may be giving the producers some benefit of the doubt, and you'll have to trust me when I say it isn't due to any devotion, but I would actually put it this way...

The settlers' faith simply wasn't completely ignored! It may, in fact, have been underplayed. I understand how that might make many folk a little uncomfortable today, and a few much worse.


*

Although it is Christian themed...

 

[misher]

One of the very few depictions of a young George Washington, who played an important part in that war.

 

[Alden]

OK, I'll tell you...

...that one of those two emotional moments for me that I mentioned was right there, but it had little if anything to do with Washington. That's where they introduced General Braddock, on campaign, into the film. I won't touch upon their portrayals but knowing the actual history all too well, understanding what was literally down the road for them, my eyes watered.

:_(

 

[tecum-tha]

I wasted $12.88 at Wally World on this movie.
Nice picture quality, but the movie....
It is not necessarily the Christian theme that bothered me, but the complete lousy "fighting" scenes which were as unprofessionally done as humanly possible.
Especially the "liberation" attempt and attack on the village was not very convincing.
It also seemed that some of the Natives where pretty bloodthirsty for no reason.Did they "burn" the captives for fun????
The beginning was not very stunning arriving and unloading "the ship" in Philadelphia. If the harbor was really this busy like in this movie, I am surprised even anything made it to the colonies.
When they were kidnapped. Did the Delaware Warriors really just walk through the front door???? That must have been some really ignorant settlers....
In a much later scene in a "flash back" it was shown that the land seller told them "there are no problems with Natives at all". This scene should have come much earlier before they even were shown settling.
Although they created nice HD pictures and had nice natural settings, nothing really was halfway realistic and the story was imho pretty boring and not very cohesive. While we saw a lot of Barbara's life, Regina's with the Natives was not shown at all after they were forcefully separated.
After the "escape" back to the good English Troops in the Fort, everything was wrapped up fast and out of a "native" with black dyed hair was scrubbed out a beautiful blonde lady to make he acquaintance of the British "general".
And then everything went superfast until they finally found Regina after the "defeat" of the natives and the "Treaty of Fort Stanwick?"
I guess the story had more potential than what was made out of it.
I give it a 5.5/10.

 

[Alden]

As I said one had to choose to be offended.

My observations in red.

I wasted $12.88 at Wally World on this movie.

Wish I had spent that little.

It is not necessarily the Christian theme that bothered me

So it COULD have been the thing that bothered you, even though it wasn't the theme?

, but the complete lousy "fighting" scenes which were as unprofessionally done as humanly possible.
Especially the "liberation" attempt and attack on the village was not very convincing.

That they didn't shake the camera and show blood spurting everywhere amongst the cries of brutality, ala Braveheart, must have just been an oversight on their part.

It also seemed that some of the Natives where pretty bloodthirsty for no reason.Did they "burn" the captives for fun????

Well, since it is historic fact that Natives killed and made a point of torturing to death captives they didn't enslave/adopt, tell us, why were they so bloodthirsty? For its part the movie made it very clear, a couple of times, at least.

The beginning was not very stunning arriving and unloading "the ship" in Philadelphia. If the harbor was really this busy like in this movie, I am surprised even anything made it to the colonies.

I'm thinkin' it was filmed at Colonial Jamestown on the pier next to the 17th C. ships' hulls. Philadelphia doesn't look much like it did in the 1700's -- it was a little narrow but what would you have affordably done instead?

When they were kidnapped. Did the Delaware Warriors really just walk through the front door???? That must have been some really ignorant settlers....

It is what's called juxtaposition: there to show how stupid and trusting the pioneers were yet cunning and brave the murdering, kidnapping, noble savages were -- you nailed it!

In a much later scene in a "flash back" it was shown that the land seller told them "there are no problems with Natives at all". This scene should have come much earlier before they even were shown settling.

But then it wouldn't be a "flashback." Is there something wrong with such storytelling devices when the director doesn't want to telegraph exactly what's GOING to happen later!?

While we saw a lot of Barbara's life, Regina's with the Natives was not shown at all after they were forcefully separated.

So what? Obviously she wasn't the protagonist. If the minor character's story is at least as interesting there'll be that sequel you want!

After the "escape" back to the good English Troops in the Fort,

They weren't good troops? Safety, freedom, home!?

everything was wrapped up fast and out of a "native" with black dyed hair was scrubbed out a beautiful blonde lady to make he acquaintance of the British "general".

Um, that's what she was. What is your objection? That racist Natives dyed her skin, hair, and dressed her like them!?

And then everything went superfast...

In cinema they refer to that as The Epilogue and The End.

 

[mooman76]

I didn't think it was that bad considering. I have seen allot worse. You could probably resell your movie to someone here and get most your money back. The movie was suppose to come out quite some time ago but I think they ran into production problems and maybe ran out of money. That could be why they wrapped it up quick at the end to cut production costs.

Like someone said I believe earlier in this post, no matter what they do they can't please everyone. Everyone has their own idea of what it was like but none of us were their so we can only imagine what it would have been like or how it should have been.

 

[spudnut]

i enjoyed it , I pointed out to my wife the copper kettle they were using when they are dipping candles is the same one she got me from crazy crow for christmas. better than that crud the history channel ran last year about the revolution, not turn I like that one

 

[LongrifleDoc]

My wife and I just watched the movie. Picture quality and sound are excellent. This is a very good and inspirational presentation. There are scenes of violence but, otherwise, this is suitable for family viewing. Highly recommended.

 

[LongrifleDoc]

Good response, Alden.