Robin Hood Movies reviews

Hello again, it has been a long time but I am trying to make some time to return here, to the digital world. I had thought of many things I could talk about here and topics but it is late at night and I was watching on of the many versions of Robin hood and wanted to share some thoughts on it.





Robin Hood has been remade and retold in so many forms, the first movie to grace the world of the the tale of Robin and his men was in 1908 and went by the name Robin Hood and His Merry Men, if you go by Wikipedia. But of the first set of remakes and the one that started the love of Robin was during the silent era in 1922, with Douglas Fairbanks. A name that was as well known as John Wayne or Brad Bit are today. This silent film inspired the next well known film in 1938, Adventures of Robin Hood, hat out ranked the 1922 version, this remake stared the loved action star Errol Flynn in what many say was his greatest role. From here list goes on, just look at IMDB when you type in Robin Hood!



I will not go into details on all the films, shorts or even covers just a few that I remember that set me up for the story of how one man can inspire so many, live outside the law when the law is unjust and corrupted by the government and be so humble that he want nothing more then to give his riches to those in need.

Let me begin with the one from my earliest memory of Robin, Disney's animated Robin Hood.

Before I was born in 1973, Walt Disney made this beloved animated cartoon with animals. As a child I never thought of the animals representing anything but just being fun. Now, many years later and looking back I see that it was not just random but planned.

I will not go into a lot of detail but I will say this, the songs, animation, and story shown with animals was a great idea for a child to fall in love with this classic story. Although not all the characters in the original story made it into this version, and with that I mean Will. He has been in many versions and not all in a good way.

I do love the voice cast, for they used the talents of people who had the roles in another Disney movie, the Jungle Book.

As a side comment I will bring back up how there was an older very well know Robin Hood movie from 1938 with  Errol Flynn. This was so well known that in 1949 when Warner Brothers did Rabbit Hood with Bugs Bunny they had a small clip at the end  with his Iconic line, "Welcome to Sherwood."

WB did other short films with reference to Robin but I will not get into that today, just know they are there.

I have not seen these in so long that it seems like a distinct memory, I do remembering loving the Bugs Bunny versions since it was not the normal story line. It was Bugs being Bugs, and him dealing with the sheriff in his way meeting other known players in the story and him nothing thinking Robin was even a real person. Seeing the clip at the end told me there was another out there that one day I might see and understand this nod to another film.

The Errol Flynn film, that took the world is still a great classic to see and once you see this you will find small hints of this film in others, like the Disney's animated movie, the remake in 91 and then Mel Brook's - but I am getting ahead of myself.


Again many, many remakes, shorts, parodies, and of the like from this 1938 with Errol Flynn to the the 1964 musical set in 1930's Chicago called Robin and the 7 Hoods staring Frank Sinatra to the 1973 Disney animated film to my next film in 1991 that became a big reference point in the Robin Hood Films.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves in 1991 had a huge cast of people, Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, Alan Rickman, and Sean Connery. Now a fun fact to know about Sean being in this film is that this was he third time in the Robin Hood movies but now he played King Richard over Robin. He was in the 1976 Robin and Marian film with the lovely Audrey Hepburn and something smaller in the 80's

But I bring this film up next not because it was the next film I saw in the Robin series I saw growing up but because without seeing this movie the Film that Mel Brooks does not meet all that it can be!

This film is the first that I can think of that bring in diversity and new characters to the story line that made this one different then the others making it stand out from the other remakes.

Just a few years later Mel Brooks took this film and made a parody of it in 1993 calling it Robin Hood: Men in Tights using Costner's version from 1991 and Flynn's from 1938. This film was so well done and is one of my Favorite films that he did, the attention to details strait to the makes and hair to the characters themselves is just something to see and can not be explained!

To fully appreciate this film I would HIGHLY recommend to see both Flynn and Costner's films. I did not see the 1991 Robin Hood till after I saw this film and still loved it and found it supper funny. I saw the 1991 film and my jaw dropped on how close Mel had taken things to the one in the 90's with little reference to the 1938.

After what I feel was a master piece to round off the Robin Hood series comes the 2010 remake with Russel Crow, this was a different take then all the others. Robin was not Loxley, Marian was not a maiden and she was not the kind of woman to stand by.

Marian was played by Cate Blanchett, whom now I find it hard to see her in anything not fairy tale like or fantasy with her roles from Lord of the Rings and Thor.

This film was not awful, it was different and gave a new tell to the story. Not may favorite but decent, I watched it twice only realizing I watched it once half way through the movie a second time.

This film is darker then then the others and does not follow the same war that the others talk about getting the king back. They also have a all the main people, Will, Little John, Tuck and 2 more that that escape me.

The last film I want to end with is the one from 2018.

I am at a lost for words on this film, when I heard about it I thought, 'oh, just another remake maybe with a twist'

I was not far from the mark, this is Robin Hood with huge twists. I felt like I was watching a steam punk or sci fi influenced version of Robin Hood. you had a nod to the 1991 film with an Arab friend helping Robin out, you have you main cast.

I did love how the made Marian a thief in the beginning of the movie and it was different to see medieval wear with more modern flares to it.

This was not my favorite, and in truth it is hard to be the 1993 spoof of Robin hood for me but for a younger crowed who want something different, maybe with a little Steam Punk flare this is up your ally.



After looking up all the dates on these films, for there was no way I would remember all the dates on these films I found some that I think is just fun to mention and one I would like to see.

2017 Hindi Film

2012 German/USA film

What film did you see? Would like to see? Or was your favorite in this crazy list of remakes and such?

2 Movies Worth Watching

After a long day of cleaning for work and home and what not, I finally sat down to eat and watch some movies as my brake. In between the thoughts of  "what should I eat" and "what should I put in to go with my food" I was thinking about movies I loved when I was a kind in the 90's and what I haven't seen in some time because of reasons that come up and drown me in it...

So, as I was thinking on what I should watch I decided on Ever After: a Cinderella Story. I just bought this movie at a pawn shop and remember loving it long ago when it was on the TV every other day. Then after that I thought about Princess Bride another fave for me. When watching them I noticed that this movies go together like peanut-butter & jelly, and just as different.

So starting with the first movie I watched the other night going to the second one I will explain this idea.

In short, Ever After was BRILLIANTLY beautiful! The dialogue was fully thought out. I found myself trying to remember the dialogue between the characters. Some of my favorite was between Di Vinci and the Prince, one when they are by the lack and he talks of love and the other was after Danell runs off. Some other wonderful lines appear between the to lovers as well.

The actor/actress were casted well, they all knew who they were and how they should react to the statement of the other people and the things going around them. Even the smaller cast-members were in the flow of things and knew who they were. Farmer #2 was not just a farmer but he was John Doe the farmer and was married to Jane, and 2 dogs and they lived on a farm and came to town every Tuesday to sell there crops... That is were I find the best of actors, when they can take a small character and give them a WHOLE biography just for their 5 seconds of fame! It may not be much but it brakes or makes a BEAUTIFUL movie.

There were several spots were I thought the movie SHOULD end. I don't know what gave me the idea that this movie was going to end in this areas or why. Was I thinking, "when will this movie be over?" and that made me think the movie should end there or was I think at the age, "this movie would be even better with sad ending?" With that as my last thought it make me worry of what my mental stages were as a child. I know I have always liked sadder things when it came to songs, plays and movies; like Romeo & Juliet, Tristan & Isolde, the Long Goodbye and I Miss You. Was I even then, found of these things? No wonder I have depression, when children think of sad things would be better then happy things and death being the ideal why to go. (o.o)

The places I thought would be good endings was when Danell runs and falls, gets up and runs some more, I thought it would be a great cliffhanger. By the way, the movie IS almost over at this point. The other spot was were Da Vinci told the prince, "you do not deserve her." Leaving it with the, 'this is you fault dimwit, if you loved her it would never matter' feel. The third spot was when Danell got home and was crying on the door step only, wet and hurt. There were others that I thought would be good to as a child from this point on but I think they are not necessary to talk I still think this are some decent spots to end, really. But the why it did end was good for an up lifting movie with a good message at the end, "The point gentlemen, is that they lived."

Going farther into this movie you see a young woman who has a brain and speaks out with what is on it in a time were that was frowned upon. She has a hunger to learn, to were there was nowhere for her except for the books she can find. She hungers for love and approval but does not change who she is for it. She is what I wanted to be as a child, strong and smart, beautiful and graceful in all that she does. She does not wait for her prince charming to save her and saves herself. This is just a brief description of her and her role in the movie, a STRONG female character for all young girls to look up to who lives each day to the fullest!

Here is another movie, it takes place along the same timeline but in another world. Were as the last one was serious with a few laughs, this one is based on laughs!

This movie also has well thought out dialogue, witty and smart. "As You Wish," I don't think anyone will ever forget the meaning of those tree words. I find it brilliant that "I Love You" and "As You Wish" are both three little words that since this movie now means the same. It is as beautiful as when Hon Solo replied, "I Know" to Lea's, "I  Love You."

This movie was made for both Guys and Gals. I know MANY guys that love this movie and will not ague with me if I put it in. Were as "Ever After" is geared to women both are great date movies for me. One for smart-wit and the other one for funny-wit.

Were as the last one as a strong female role this one is week, and is waiting for her love to help her cross a mud puddle. But deep down everyone wants to be pampered and waited on and a man to show how much he loves her buy braving the odds and saving her through it all. It is a cliche that they used in this movie. Only this movie would not hold so much love for it unless all the funny, witty lines that show up and make me laugh every time I watch it.

The lines that I think made the movie are classic lines like "As You Wish" and the whole scene were Billy Crystal's character's wife comes out and says. "I not a witch, I am your WIFE!" and "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." and the notable "Inconceivable" All of these are memorable lines given over and over, but it is not the lines that made the movie it was why they were said. When someone says one of these lines to their day-to-day life and the people in the conversation share a moment of the movie, either the scene or the movie over all. It binds people in their nerdness of the movie.

The cast was a beautiful mash up of many people who's names no-one can soon for get, Cary Elwes, Billy Crystal, Andre the Giant  to list a few along with there many others! Each member played a part in the funny movie. Where it was needed each one said their lines with all seriousness to it making those lines funny.

Oh how I could rant on about the movies! But I came on to write a blog not an essay. Maybe in the near future I will turn this into an essay. But for now I will leave you with this.