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Showing reviews 1-5 of 36
 One of Heston's best March 18, 2010
M. Stanley (L.A.)
What a crime this isn't in stock anymore, and that people have to pay userous prices from private parties. This SHOULD be as easy to obtain as The Ten Commandments, but that dreck is widely available. I hope this sees DVD release again.
 Gone But Not Forgotten February 12, 2009
Michael J. Kraska (Pueblo,Colorado)
I would love to give a review,but it is somewhat difficult since this DVD has still not arrived.According to an email I received it shipped from Brazil(no less) on January 15th.I have been watching the news to see if a ship sunk there recently or that maybe the Somali pirates had expanded their range of activities.The only other logical explation is that it was absorbed by a black hole.
"I took that sword. I've lived twenty years with that cold wife." July 25, 2008
Trevor Willsmer (London, England)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
A flop on its initial release and rarely revived since, The War Lord is one of the most interesting Sixties historical pictures. Dealing with the doomed love affair of a Norman knight and one of his vassals, Charlton Heston spent several years trying to get the picture into production (even approaching such unlikely potential directors as David Lean, Laurence Olivier, Carol Reed and Peter Ustinov) only to see it hacked down to two hours from final choice Franklin J. Schaffner's 171-minute rough cut to make it more of an action picture and highlight the siege finale.
There are obvious holes in the narrative, which may or may not be due to the cutting: it is never made clear why the dwarf turns against Chrysagon, while Rosemary Forsyth disappears for much of the last third of the picture while the battles rage. Budgetary limitations also make themselves felt in the unconvincing back projection. Similarly, while he maintains an imposing physical presence, Richard Boone gives the impression of having walked onto the wrong set by mistake every time he opens his mouth, but the rest of the cast fit their roles well, although the clash of accents makes itself felt on more than one occasion (Niall MacGinnis' Shire tones are wildly at odds with 'son' James Farentino's American, but thankfully no-one attempts a French accent). Yet these can forgiven in light of many of the film's achievements.
Although by no means at his best, Heston gradually impresses as the pauper knight who loses what he has fought his whole life to regain, ending his family line in the process over the only thing he has ever wanted for himself. Heston is well countered by Guy Stockwell, who mostly manages to prevent his role as his discontented brother spill over into cardboard villainy, while Joe Canutt's action scenes are well-staged.
Jerome Moross' superb, vividly romantic score is one of the best of the Sixties and the visual design of the film is particularly impressive and intriguing. Not only do his Scope compositions make the most of the Norman arches of the castle keep to contain the drama, but Schaffner imaginatively separates the lovers by foreground obstacles - a tree, a beam -in the early scenes, while in a later scene, as the war lord foregoes duty for love Heston is reduced to a silhouette, a shadow of his former authority and nobless oblige, while Forsyth remains perfectly lit.
The DVD transfer is not entirely satisfying but acceptable, though the only extra is the rather confused theatrical trailer that only highlights Universal's indecision over how to sell it, or indeed on what they were selling - even Heston's narration of it is uncertain of what kind of picture he's pitching.
While a full restoration is at best unlikely, with its for the most part successful attempt to recreate a past world largely ignored by Hollywood (though one of the film's central plot devices was reused in Braveheart) the film retains an uncommon flavour and texture of its own that separates it from its contemporaries. It may not be the masterpiece it wants to be, but The War Lord is an admirable and unique piece of work.
One of the greats! May 21, 2008
Richard Mowbray (DC)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I've loved this film from my youth. Richard Boone plays a wonderful character. Like _Paladin on a beer budget.
 Please Remaster this Film! April 7, 2008
Francisco Palafox (Mexico, D.F. Mexico)
Although The Warlord is no masterpiece, it is a very good and entertaining movie. As part of Charlton Heston's filmography, it certainly deserves respect in the form of an overdue remastering and anamorphic transfer (Beware: this presentation is NOT ANAMORPHIC, and the picture quality, especially at the beginning, is terrible!). Hope the powers that be are listening. 4 stars for the film; 0 stars for the transfer.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 36
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