And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Thanks, 2008-12-25
I am grateful for this film. It introduced me to a remarkable if not astonishing incident in film history and history in general -- but one that has become unknown. This film is quite adequate or solid in its acting and production values. br / br /The writer/producer's commentary is in the top 10% with plenty of appropriate and thoughtful information on the subject itself instead of the usual hype and self congratulations and ha-ha-ha remember this and that. br / br /On the other hand, if you are not intrerested very much in the history or Mexico or film making beyond the technical aspects then this may not grab you. It does not follow tightly the usual formula for suspense and drama in action storytelling. It is not an ordinary action flick or western. br / br /The actual silent film that was made during the revolution about and including Villa, the most expensive film ever made up to that time, has been lost, as have been so many early films. So if you have a serious interest in history you will understand that the details in the film cannot stand for a documentary. There has to be a lot of fill-in and interpretation. Anyone with a serious interest in history will want to use the film as a yeast starter and go out and gather their own ingredients from academic sources and come up with their own best approximation of how this astonishing project back during the revolution might have played out in detail. There are a lot of good leads in the commentary as to the actual detailed facts of the project. For me this was a must. br / br /If you happen to be interested in how films distort reality and heros, this is a very interesting back story that the film develops and this includes some moral dilemmas.Again, the commentary is very interesting here.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

THE REAL, TRUE PANCHO VILLA??????, 2008-07-11
br / br /I read alot of westerns as well as watch western movies, so when I found this DVD on a $5.00 rack what could I lose? br / br /Now, I have read a few books concerning Pancho Villa, finishing one at the moment by Frank O'Rourke entitled THUNDER IN THE SUN, but I do not know much of Pancho Villa, the man of history, so while this movie was very riveting, I cannot speak to much of its historical accuracy. I can, however, speak to its entertainment value and for me it was a very enjoyable movie. br / br /I'll leave the deep, scholarly reviews to others. I will only say that the color and transfer to DVD is very sharp and good, the acting is more than adequate and you not only get information of Villa and the revolution but one also comes away with information of how films may have been constructed shortly after the turn of the 20th century during the silent era. br / br /I don't know that I would want to pay big bucks for this movie, but for my cost and use, this is one whale of a movie. Don't mind at all having it on my shelves of watchable westerns. Better at least check this one out. br / br /Semper Fi.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

It meet my needs well, 2007-11-26
The movie meet my needs well. I was able to show my Spanish class a little of the history of a famous Mexican and allow them some fun in the process.

1 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

balderdash, marketing film fiction as pseudo history, 2007-06-01
This is a B grade movie for HBO that is not even up to that networks standards. Disclaimer at the start {this movie could have happened.......] does not cover the utter nonsense of this film.Yes Pancho Villa did cut a deal with a movie company to shoot his revolution and that is where this movie takes off in a blaze of BS. YES, antonio Banderas is handsome, spanish and swaggers around alot. YES, Pancho Villa was an amazing historical character that fought the repressive totalitarian regiems of Diaz and Huerta for ten turbulent years of the mexican revolution. YES, This film is stupid hollywood pulp made to make money and the same old stuff repeated over and oevver again. Also, why does every film have William Randolph Hearst as the "the bad guy". I'm getting tired of this device and it is also fiction passed off as history. negative stars would be better becasue this is bad for you to watch as it totally mis represents the truth.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

THE LOST REELS OF PANCHO VILLA, 2006-05-22
It is fair to say that we do not remember Noah for his drunkeness but for the Ark that he built to save many.... br / br /Pancho Villa was trully guilty of fighting against a corrupt Mexican Dictatorship and attacking Americans who had illegally settled on Mexican soil. It is easy to undermine such histories when making a film that reads like a one page synopsys of a man who struggled to change his country for the better. Antonio Banderas attempt at portraying Pancho Villa as a charismatic, self determined leader comes off well but falls short due to the limitations in script and budget. This film should be seen as an introduction to versed films like "Pancho Villa" or "The lost Reels of Pancho Villa." Only then might the true complexity of his life and struggles be understood. br / br /"learning without wisdom is like a bunch of books on a donkeys back" br /-ZNHurtson