Their Eyes Were Watching God | 
| Director: Darnell Martin
Actors: Halle Berry, Ruben Santiago-hudson, Michael Ealy, Nicki Micheaux, Lorraine Toussaint
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.99
Buy New: $12.68
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Rating:  56 reviews
Sales Rank: 4263
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 113 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: DISD41636D
UPC: 786936299366
EAN: 0786936299366
ASIN: B000AJJNMM
Theatrical Release Date: March 6, 2005
Release Date: November 29, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new Item. CD, DVD, Book, VHS more than 400 000 titles to choose from. ALL days Low Price !
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Product Description
Based on the best-selling novel by nora neale hurston this tells the lyrical & passionate story of a beautiful & resiliant woman of colors search for sensual excitement & spiritual fulfillment in 1920s america. Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 06/06/2006 Starring: Halle Berry Ruben Santiago-hudson
Amazon.com
Produced by Oprah Winfrey, this lush, yet earthy telefilm was adapted from the 1937 novel by Zora Neale Hurston. Set in rural Florida, the story begins several years after emancipation. Janie (a soulful Halle Berry) is a dreamy-eyed teenager, who never knew her parents. She was raised by the bitter Nanny (Ruby Dee), an ex-slave, who marries her off to an older man the minute she gets the chance. Mr. Killicks works Janie like a dog, but leaves her alone otherwise (he's abusive in the book). Then Janie meets the courtly Joe (Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Lackawanna Blues), who whisks her away from the muck to the black township of Eatonville. The two proceed to transform the town from a patch of dirt into a real community. Along the way, Joe becomes mayor and Janie a mere helpmate. Except for her friend Phoeby (Nicki Micheaux), the townspeople confuse her sadness for conceit and she ends up lonelier than ever. Twenty years later, Joe dies and Janie takes up with the younger Tea Cake (Michael Ealy, Barbershop). Much like the other literary adaptations with which she's been associated (The Color Purple, Beloved, etc.), this Oprah production boasts an impressive line-up of African-American talent, including Terrence Howard (Crash) as the covetous Amos. A mostly successful mix between suds and substance, Their Eyes Were Watching God, which premiered on ABC, was directed by Darnell Martin, co-written by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan Lori-Parks, and graced with a classy score by frequent Spike Lee collaborator Terence Blanchard. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
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| Customer Reviews: Read 51 more reviews...
A Love Story to Cherish & Remember December 21, 2008
M. Washington (Dallas, TX)
I would personally like to thank Oprah Winfrey, Terrance Blanchard and Harpo productions for their lush, lighthearted, inspiring, and romantic adaptation of the Zora Heal Hurston novel, "Their Eyes Were Watching God." The harsh realities of life are forever present in modern day media; they are ingrained in the bittersweet of our mundane lives and often darkly taint African-American literature. As long as there is strife and dysfunction in our society there are copious accounts of verbal and physical abuse, self-hate, sex crimes, and the devastating affects of mental slavery on a nation of people in the name of power. In my lifetime, I have encountered and read several stories that illustrate the self-hatred that a black male can feel for himself and how that contaminates his capacity and ability to love his own life, black women and children. Some black women have never experienced the healthy supportive love, compassion and kindest of black men in books or in life. Rare are the realistic accounts of the healthy, passionate, respectful and encouraging love between African-American/ Black couples.
In contrast to the other critics of the film, Winfrey's adaptation of "Their Eyes Where Watching God," was truly phenomenal! The movie version of the book was a much-needed and welcomed portrayal of ones journey through self-love; how it affects our ability to make our dreams come true and live a beautiful, splendid life. Prior to seeing the movie I am grateful that I had not read the book (with all due respect to Zora Neale Hurston). Frankly, when I learned that T-cake was abusive (typical of most novels) in the book and that in fact all of the men in the book were either emotional and/ or physically abusive, "something fell off of the self" in my heart, these subject matters are so prevalent in many novels because oftentimes it is difficult to write about an uplifting, liberating love when you have not experienced it for yourself.
The T-cake experienced in the film version of the book, loves Janie for exactly who she is at that moment in her life. Through his love for Janie, T-cake releases her from the fear that kept her in an abusive relationship with Raymond Stalks until death and from the same fear that was stifling her life to embrace new and wonderful experiences. In the film T-cake is realistically flawed, as she is, yet he understands the importance of accountability in love. Their exchange is not a toxic dance in which they break each other down spiritually, mentally, or physically. Together they delight in exploring each other and life together. They are passionate, fun and a true joy to watch if you have forgotten the joy, camaraderie, and electricity of love. In the end a content Janie embraces her self worth, her life, and the impact of T-cake in her life because the reality of unconditional love has finally deeply and profoundly reached out to touch her. During a very trying time in Halle Berry's personal life, when she was divorcing husband, Eric Benet and essentially "staring over" in her late thirties, I could truly understand why Oprah would offer this gift of hope to her friend in this amazing role. This film is a must-see but you really have to assume an open heart to really enjoy and appreciated the essence of the message of hope and love in this extraordinary film. Regardless of ethnicity, race, creed, or marital status it is a message that every adult could benefit from. Enjoy this remarkable powerful and incredibly romantic journey:-)
 AN EXCELLENT & POIGNANT FILM August 3, 2008
Bambi Shangri-La (HOTLANTA, GA USA)
A very poignant and well-acted story of love and spirit of the soul.
Halle Berry and Michael Ealy's love scenes are very sensual, yet
tasteful. The supporting actors are well-cast and the cinematography
makes you feel that you are there. My only complaint is the intro by
producer Oprah Winfrey. She sets the story up referencing some kiss
which takes place in the movie. In her best "I'm Oprah and $8 billion
makes me an authority on everything" tone, she says something like
"once you receive a kiss like that, you'll be ready to go to God". She
implied that she was still waiting for such a moment. Well, I'm
intrigued by this because, although I believed that I'd experience "the
kiss of life" in 1991, I'm always down for another one. So I cue up the
DVD and wait and wait and wait - distracted from the real story,
waiting for "The Kiss". Many steamy kisses go by, but nothing worth
dying over. I guess I've "been there, done that" in the kiss arena
while Oprah has only been shopping. Girlfriend, get rid of Stedman and
get a thug in your life!"
Viewers, ignore the distracting plug about the kiss - even if you
haven't had it yet. Just sit down and enjoy a great story of true love
and a woman who lived her life to the fullest. We can all learn from
her lesson here
 A good try! July 1, 2008
angelsky7 (Brooklyn, Ny)
This review is comparing the movie to the epic novel written by literary giant Zora Neale Hurston. The movie as a movie, in and of itself is not bad. Not bad at all. In fact is captivating, moving, and very well done. However, there are a few things that Hurston would have been upset over.
1) The title: In the movie Janie is always the one "watching God." Yet in the novel "their eyes" were watching Him. Meaning it was Janie, Teacake, and another guy watching God in the eye of a storm. That guy wasn't even present in the film.
2)The novel covered more broad issues than a woman's love life. Ex. race, gender, etc... However, that was all the movie focused on.
3) Certain scenes that were vital to understanding the movie were cut. Namely, Nanny (her grandma) dying. How is the movie watcher supposed to understand how the grandma dissappears from the scene. Or the court scene of Janie being tried for the death of Teacake.
Overall, it deserves an A for effort not Accuracy.
beautiful love story June 26, 2008
Adviser (Seattle,Wa)
its full of pain an love an deception if you love good love stories that are not corny then you def need to check this one out you wont regret it i just ordered it. the first time i saw it was on tv an tv takes a lot the good parts out, so i cant wait to actually own it an see the whole movie
Lyrical May 8, 2008
Art Ellis (Trinity, Florida)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
There is a certain lyrical beauty about this film. A thinly veiled Hurston lives vicariously through Janie, who wanders through life looking for a man who will bring her fresh strawberries and go fishing by moonlight--and she finds him in Tea Cake.
Oprah's intro to this film is telling when she says that a woman can die happy after being kissed by a man like Tea Cake.
In short, the film is masterfully filmed, character-driven and true to the era of the story.
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