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10 internautes sur 11 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
"Or you can choose to take their victory from them...and they will remember you."
The two-hour videotape version of the mini-series "Masada" remains in my mind as the greatest single abomination in terms of editing down a mini-series. They did the same thing with "Shogun," which was bad enough, but they had some narration to cover up all their bloody cutting in that instance, and there was nothing to salvage what they did to "Masada." Specifically,...
Publié le Sep 22 2007 par Lawrance M. Bernabo
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6 internautes sur 7 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
An OK story--but lousy history
The Modern World would not even know about the Roman siege of Masada if not for the account of Josephus, the only ancient record of the siege to have survived to our time. Unfortunately, this film ignores that record and instead presents an almost wholly fictionalized melodrama. As any reputable historian of ancient history will attest, the defenders at Masada were...
Publié le Déc 3 1999
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10 internautes sur 11 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
"Or you can choose to take their victory from them...and they will remember you.", Sep 22 2007
The two-hour videotape version of the mini-series "Masada" remains in my mind as the greatest single abomination in terms of editing down a mini-series. They did the same thing with "Shogun," which was bad enough, but they had some narration to cover up all their bloody cutting in that instance, and there was nothing to salvage what they did to "Masada." Specifically, they took out all of the debate and rhetoric that led to mass suicide, which was precisely the part I was most interested in seeing again. So I am one of the countless number who were happy to see that the complete 1981 ABC mini-series was finally available on DVD.
Watching "Masada" again after a quarter of a century I was surprised to find how much of it I remembered, especially when it comes to Peter O'Toole's mesmerizing performance as Flavius Silva, leader of the 10th Roman Legion and Governor-General of Judea. In Part II, when Silva rises to his feet and critique's Eleazar psychological warfare, I could vividly recall how that scene was inter-cut with others in ABC's previews for the second week of the mini-series. O'Toole was nominated but did not win an Emmy for his performance (but then Robert Duvall did not win for "Lonesome Dove," so I never expect justice when it comes to the Emmys). Peter Strauss plays Eleazar ben Yair, leader of the defenders of Masada, and in the conflict of this story he is the baritone to O'Toole's tenor. The two clash marvelously, and yet it is clear that if the world had allowed them to work together they could have accomplished great things.
My first wife was doing her Master's Thesis on Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple before Jonestown (she had friends who had joined his church, heard him preach, and knew he was a pathological snake-oil salesman). After Jonestown as the press groped for a reason why hundreds of people would take their own lives in the name of religion, the historical reference of the siege of Masada in 73 A.D., where 936 inhabitants killed themselves rather than be captured and tortured by the Romans. The paradox was how the martyrs of Masada could be heroes while those in Jonestown were delusional. "Guyana Tragedy: Jim Jones Story" aired on CBS in 1980, and ABC showed "Masada" in four parts the following year. Both are riveting in different ways, and produce, as you would expect, diametrically opposed reactions.
You will not be surprised to hear that of the two it is "Masada" that is more bearable to watch a second time. The only real slow part of the six hours comes at the beginning of Part III, because nothing really happens as the siege progresses, but that is a necessary lull to set up when Falco (David Warner) takes over the siege and tries his own sick little version of coercion (I have never liked the "look what you made me do" excuse for barbarity). Then we have one of the best scenes, as Silva and Eleazar are both tormented by the sounds of what is happening, and their reactions end up sanctioning Eleazar's leadership. I still find Barbara Carrera's character of Sheva to be largely unnecessary, although she does give Silva somebody to talk to as he gives weight to the voices in his mind ("You're worse than a mirror," he tells her). I also think her response to what happens at Masada to be an unnecessary pain for Silva, whose belief in reason makes the outcome of the siege painful enough (he proves that with his "That is not Rome," speech when he stops Falco). If there is one line I remember from this mini-series it is Silva's, "I should have put the proposition sooner." There are absolutely no extras, and the end of one of the scenes in Part IV ends abruptly, so in the end we really do not have the "complete" mini-series (but better two minutes lost than only two hours left). The cast features Anthony Quayle as the siege master Rubrius Gallus, Joseph Wiseman as the Head Essene Jerahmeel, and big Paul L. Smith as Gideon.
"Masada" is not history but drama; who knows if Silva and Eleazar ever spoke to each other, let alone having a clandestine meeting on the slopes of Masada during the siege. Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth Tudor never met, but I know of no dramatist who has avoided putting them into a room together in telling their story. Ernest K. Gann, best known as the author of "The High and the Mighty," told the story of Masada as "The Antagonists," republished in paperback when the mini-series was produced as "Masada: A novel of love, courage and the triumph of the human spirit." Gann put the focus on Silva and Eleazar, and the mini-series rightfully follows his lead. The screenplay is by Joel Olianksy, writer-director of "The Competition," and he certainly gives O'Toole and Strauss plenty to work with (e.g., Eleazar proposes the mass suicide while looking at his wife and son), which explains the results. Equally important, the strategy and tactics of the siege, by definition a relatively long and boring process, are worked out in great detail (e.g., the attackers moving the battle tower into position while the defenders "soften" the gate). Whatever really happened was probably not as interesting, but the results here are impressive even before we get to the mass suicide, which is precisely what the point of telling this story should be.
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6 internautes sur 7 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
An OK story--but lousy history, Déc 3 1999
Par Un client
The Modern World would not even know about the Roman siege of Masada if not for the account of Josephus, the only ancient record of the siege to have survived to our time. Unfortunately, this film ignores that record and instead presents an almost wholly fictionalized melodrama. As any reputable historian of ancient history will attest, the defenders at Masada were members of a Jewish faction known as the Sicarii, not the Zealots (as the film innaccurately implies). The Sicarii were a group of bloodthirsty terrorists who murdered their fellow Jews, whether through political assassination of Jewish High Priests and other officials or the wholesale slaughter of ordinary Jews, whom the Sicarii claimed were collaborating with Rome. The film obscures this fact in order to present the defenders at Masada in the best possible light, in accordance with the nationalistic propaganda myth that was spun out of the story in what was the then-fledgling state of Israel. Surrounded by enemies, the nation needed a powerful patriotic symbol, hence the re-writing of Masada. This film, shot in cooperation with the Israeli government, is wholly on the side of perpetuating this mythology. The only scenes in the entire film that have a historical grounding in the text of Josephus' account are the building of the inner-wall as the Romans begin ramming the outer wall of the fortress, the subsequent destruction of that inner wall by fire, and, of course, the mass suicides/executions that punctuated the siege (although even here, the film fails to mention that two women and five children hid themselves from the rest of their compatriots and did in fact survive, whereupon they were able to give the account of the final hours to the Romans). Everything else in the film is pure invention on the part of either the filmmakers, the author of the novel upon which the film was based, and/or the putative mythology already described. As pure drama, the film has its moments (at a total of about six hours long, it would be hard not to), including some inspired casting in Peter O'Toole as Flavius Silva, as well as some impressive cinematography (particularly the sequences involving the Roman siege engine scaling the ramp and breaking the walls). As a tool for learning the truth about an episode of the ancient world (or at least, as much as we in the modern age can learn about something that happened so long ago), one would be best advised to read Josephus' "Jewish War" for oneself, and/or "The Masada Myth" by Nachman ben-Yehuda, rather than entrusting one's education to a television "Movie of the Week."
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3 internautes sur 3 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Complete Masada Mini-series Available on 4 VHS!!, Janv. 12 2003
I bought my copy of the miniseries, MASADA. I just looked and I saw one copy from there. When I bought mine, I got it, factory sealed, from a seller called buy.com. I went to buy.com website and the movie is on back order but, hey, you've waited this long, right? I also see that www.moviesunlimited.com has it for sale; you will need: (item # 072787). I am looking to get mine put on DVD to preserve the video. I, too, remember watching it as a child and the indelible etching it left on my memory. I have watched all 394 minutes again as an adult and it is as huge and glorious as I remember it. I didn't even know an expurgated version exists - I can not imagine cutting even a minute from this perfect epic. It would be like cutting The "10 Commandments" or Homer.
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Very enjoyable ......, Aoû 13 2009
This was a very enjoyable mini series. I read the book just before I got the DVD. Peter O'Toole is a favorite actor of mine and I really enjoyed his performance as the Roman general. The pace of the series is good, and the story flows smoothly without dragging or being boring.
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As entertainment....., Mars 19 2008
I tried (years ago) to order this item from Reader's Digest, only to have had it cancelled. I was delighted to be able to purchase it at this date. I (and my husband) thoroughly enjoyed it. As a piece of history, I wasn't bothered by it as I did not buy it for that reason. I purchased it to be entertained... and I was. I think Peter O'Toole is a fabulous actor (as were others).
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One of the best movies ever made (regardless of medium), Avril 11 2004
It is amazing to watch this miniseries today considering the fact that it was made for TV - if it wasn't for its length, it would be an Oscar-bound theatrical offering. The acting and writing in this movie is astounding, especially the scenes between O'Toole and Strauss (those scenes give me goose bumps!) I've watched this movie at least 5 times, despite the fact that I know the less-than-cheery outcome; in this case, the journey *is* the reward! Buy it!
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first rate period piece, Fév 12 2004
I have watched the full mini-series version several times and still find it quite interesting to watch each time. While the show producers probably hoped to make a series like this to show the courage and will to live and die free as free people for the Jews, more I watched, more I think how great Rome was and how deservingly she earned her right to ruled not only the Holy Lands but the known world around her. It almost funny that in this series, the Romans were the one who had to go through the trials and tributions. Jews on the top had it easy, kicking back and really didn't do much outside of the personality problems. The Romans on the other hand, had to suffered the wind storms, heat, water and supplies problems, dealing with slaves, the burden was on them for the most of the show, not on the Jews. The determination and skill shown by the Romans in this mini-series showed how great they were and in some way, showed how small the Jews were in comparsion. Roman legionaires may have been impressed by the Jews who killed themselves but like all good soldiers, they must have felt happy that they did since they and their comrades won't have to suffer possible death and injuries in the fight. The mini-series was about a war between two different cultures - almost like watching the hapless Indians trying to hold on to their lifestyle against the unstoppable whites, Jews were doom from the beginning and the mini-series, ironically speaking, showed us why it was so.I thought Peter O'Toole was superb as a war weary Roman commander while Peter Strass who kind of disappeared after this show played a worthy nemesis if not a respectful one. Most of the cast were superb and it was good to see Anthony Quayle used so effectively here. If Masada was geared to rise sympathy for the Jews fighting for freedom against the Romans, it also rise a great deal of admiration for the Romans in their determination to shoulder all the weight to conquered and overcome.
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Epic Series, Avril 12 2002
Masada the full mini-series version is a work of art. Anyone interested in Roman history (or ancient history) should watch this film. Of course being a film there is some artistic license taken but it is very good none the less. Being an amateur Roman historian and a re-enactor there were some things about the legionaires and thier gear that left a lot to be desired such as leather lorica segmentatas but on the other hand there were a lot of subtle details that were a pleasant surprise such as, marching poles (Roman Packs), the Officers armour, and the fact that they didn't use stirrups with thier horses (not even Gladiator did that). The fact that this movie as well as most other Roman movies show the Romans fighting in an undisciplined mob one on one (and usually being slaughtered by the freedom fighters) is a disapointment but is overshadowed by the many positive things in this film.
On the other hand I have seen other reviews that say that this was a balanced movie and I have to disagree. This movie was definitely pro Jewish. They showed the Jews as saintly self sacraficing freedom fighters and the Romans as evil mindless robots of destruction. The sacking of Jerusalem was very harsh, but that was the nature of warfare in those times and if the Jews had won they would have done the same to the Romans (take Jericho for example).All in all I highly recommend this film, Peter O'Toole was magnificent as Silva as well as Peter Strauss as the Zealot leader.
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Old-school epic delivers, Mars 5 2002
I remember watching this as a nine year-old kid and being completely blown away by its scope and power, and it hasn't lost a watt of energy in 20 years. Peter O'Toole is a great actor, but he absolutely outdid himself playing Flavius Silva, a character with more facets than the Hope diamond. Following the Roman conquest of Judea, lonely, ruthless,hard-drinking, burned-out commander of the elite Tenth Legion just wants to go home to Italy, but his departure is scuttled by the uprising of a rag-tag band of Jews led by the hot-tempered renegade soldier Eleazar ben Yair (Peter Strauss) who play Viet Cong for awhile, poisoning wells and ambushing Roman outposts, then hole up on the impenitrable mountain fortress at Masada, a gigantic vertical tower of rock that rises out of the Judean desert. Silva is given the thankless and seemingly impossible task of bringing Eleazar to heel in an age well before cannons, explosives, or air power. It doesn't help that the brutal desert conditions have his legion teetering on the brink of mutiny, he is falling in love with a Jewess (Barbara Carerra), or that a meddler from the Emperor's court (the always excellent David Warner as Pomponius Falco) is scheming to steal his command. Luckily for him, Eleazar has his own problems holding his improbable mix of ex-soldiers, priests, fugitive criminals, women and children together in the face of overwhelming odds. The best moments in the series revolve around the grugding respect that Eleazar and Silva develop for each other over the course of the two-year seige, and the awe-inspiring military and engineering effort the Romans put forth to stamp out the resistance of a mere nine hundred people. Brilliant engingeer Gallus (Anthony Quayle) designs a gigantic ramp, built by slave labor, which leads to Masada's gates, and then a huge, pully-driven, battering-ram-cum-assault tower to knock it down, but in the end Eleazar comes up with a few tricks of his own. The stubborn, hopeless defiance of the Jews is as moving as the thorough ruthlessness and genius of the Romans is impressive. All in all, a great watch, but I would highly recommend getting the full four tape, 9-hour version rather than the cut-to-the-bone two-hour version: it makes a world of difference.
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Brilliant historical epic, Janv. 15 2002
Masada the mini-series was first shown in Australia on Network Ten in 1982 and then repeated once only a few years after its intital premiere. I was 10 years old when I first watched it back in 1982 and it has always lived in my memory up to today as a magnificent spectacle.I doubt any remake would surpass the original, even with computer technology that is available today. With actors like Strauss and O'Toole, who would be able to surpass them for the characters that they portrayed.
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