Customer Reviews

Long John Silver: Return to Treasure Island [Import]

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The incomparable Robert Newton reprises his role as the kindhearted pirate Captain Long John Silver! In this "sequel" to Treasure Island, apparently made by another studio for the purpose of cashing in on the success of the Disney original, we find Long John passing time in an old tavern/inn on a British controlled Caribbean island, where he awaits the start of his next adventure. We don't have to wait long, when an unfortunate pirate stumbles into the pub with news of Jim Hawkins and treasure on his dying tongue. The word is that the ruthless pirate "El Toro" Mendoza has kidnapped the local Governor's beautiful young daughter for ransom, and captured Jim Hawkins along with her for use as a cabin boy. Around Jim's neck hangs a medallion that will help Long John find more of legendary Captain Flint's buried gold, still waiting to be discovered on Treasure Island. Immediately, Long John concocts a plan to get the kids back, and earn a little booty at the same time. He quickly confronts the Governor with his idea to help rescue the kids and capture El Toro, and in desperation, the Governor agrees to give Long John a chance.
Putting his plan into action, Long John delivers the ransom money to El Toro in person, but he also attempts to strike a bargain with the cruel pirate. Long John tells El Toro that he'll send the Governor's warships in the wrong direction, so that he and El Toro would be free to sack the Governor's storehouse of valuables and rum. When the two pirates arrive at the storehouse, El Toro attempts to betray Long John, but Long John has his men hidden away within the stored goods, and a grand pirate battle immediately ensues. Long John's men soon have the upper-hand, and since he has told the children to run for their lives, he is now alone with El Toro and the other pirates, and free to reveal the next part of his plan. He sends the bad guys on their way, and takes all the booty for himself, blaming the ransacked storehouse on El Toro and his men when he arrives at the Governor's to receive a word of thanks for the rescue of his daughter. His plan a success, everyone has come out a winner except the evil El Toro, who has sworn revenge on Long John Silver.
Now that Long John is reunited with his old shipmate, Jim, whom he hasn't seen in some time, though obviously not that long since Jim is still a boy, the old pirate is free to pursue the rest of Flint's treasure. His only obstacles are acquiring a ship and dodging Purity, the innkeeper woman who has plans to marry Long John and adopt Jim as their son. Before we know it, Long John has signed himself, Jim, and his crew of bloodthirsty pirates on as hands on The Thistle, bound for England, with secret plans to mutiny and return to Treasure Island! Little do they know of the dangers they will encounter along the way, including a confrontation with a cold-hearted pirate they had once left for dead!
Long John Silver's Return to Treasure Island is a must own for any fan of the Disney original. If one can acquire a decent quality DVD or VHS (my VHS is quite a bit below par), it is definitely worth owning. It may not be as good as the original, but how can you go wrong with Robert Newton back as Long John, and a great new story with characters we already know and love! This is a great way to feed your love for carefree fun and adventure where the original film left off! Don't miss it!

VCI Entertainment presents the original adventure restored to all it's theatrical glory "LONG JOHN SILVER" (1954) (Dolby digitally remastered) (photographed in Eastman Color), the original "Pirates of the Caribbean" that started it all...the most colorful pirate of all time, roaring across a boundless sea of spectacle in full widescreen Cinemascope --- Under Byron Haskin (Director), Joseph Kaufman (Producer), Martin Rackin (Screenwriter), Robert Louis Stevenson (Screenwriter), Carl Guthrie (Cinematographer), David Buttolph (Composer (Music Score), Manuel del Campo (Editor), Mark Evans (Associate Producer) - - - - our plot and storyline has to do with the continuation of "Treasure Island" based on the chronicles of Robert Louis Stevenson --- who is this rival known as the pirate Mendoza to Long John Silver --- what plan does Silver have to rescue the governor's daughter --- how can Jim Hawkins best serve Silver once again in obtaining a swift fast ship to return to the treasure that has been in the back of Silver's mind these past years --- And thus the adventure begins.

the cast includes:
Robert Newton ... Long John Silver
Connie Gilchrist ... Purity Pinker
Lloyd Berrell ... Capt. Mendoza, 'El Toro'
Grant Taylor ... Patch
Rod Taylor ... Israel Hands (as Rodney Taylor)
Harvey Adams ... Sir Henry Strong
Muriel Steinbeck ... Lady Strong
Henry Gilbert ... Billy Bowlegs
John Brunskill ... Old Stringley
Eric Reiman ... Lanky pirate
Harry Hambleton ... Big Eric
Syd Chambers ... Ned Shill
George Simpson-Lyttle ... Capt. Asa MacDougall (as George Simpson-Little)

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIOS:
1. Robert Newton
Birth Date: 6/01/1905 - Shaftsbury, Dorset, England, UK
Died: 3/25/1956 - Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California

2. Kit Taylor
Birth Date: 1942 - Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died: Still Living

3. Byron Haskin (Director)
Birth Date: 4/22/1899 - Portland, Oregon
Died: 4/16/1984 - Montecito, California

If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure then this is the place for all of the above...if you enjoyed this feature check out another as VCI Entertainment presents "Tennessee Partner" (1955) (Dolby digitally remastered), featuring John Payne, Ronald Reagan and Rhonda Fleming is based on a Bret Harte writings as our story takes place in a gold mining town in California where gambler John Payne finds it easier to take money at the poker table than digging for gold...a stranger riding into town played by Ronald Reagan saves Payne...Reagan known as Cowpoke becomes Tennessee's partner....but the place is full of rough characters....the story lines are excellent with outstanding action scenes and production with over an hours worth of entertainment

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing the "Long John Silver" (1954), digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more of the same from the ''50s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment, stay tuned once again with a top notch film releases from VCI...so climb aboard and get ready for some high adventure that only VCI Entertainment (King of the Serials) can deliver...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 106 mins on DVD ~ VCI Entertainment 8452 ~ (6/27/2006)

or is it color? description says both. also a couple more pictures would tell me if this is the video I want or not- I'm looking for jackie cooper as the child. also,is it close-captioned? not very descriptive,so take your chances.

or is it color? description says both. also a couple more pictures would tell me if this is the video I want or not- I'm looking for jackie cooper as the child. not very descriptive,so take your chances.

This was a very good video and I recommend to anyone who likes pirate films. The only thing that made me MAD was that amazon said EXPRESS SHIPPING 2-3 DAYS, it came here 6 DAYS LASTER! Don't trust their express shipping, THIS HAS HAPPENS before too..........amazons just too SLOW