


Downloading movies has never been so simple! Now with Movies you can easily find and download any movie you want. Our website guarantees fast download speed, no codec problems and of course - best quality. You can search our database and download the most popular hits or some rare classic movies that you always wanted to see. Movies guarantees your satisfaction as soon as you open the downloaded movie!
| Actors | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Bale | Charlton Heston | Pete Postlethwaite | Christopher Lee |
| James Cosmo | John Abbott | Julian Glover | |
| Directors | |||
| Fraser Clarke Heston | |||
Plot Summary:
Young Jim Hawkins, while running the Benbow Inn with his mother, meets Captain Billy Bones, who dies at the inn while it is beseiged by buccaneers led by Blind Pew. Jim and his mother fight off the attackers and discover Billy Bones treasure map for which the buccaneers had come. Jim agrees to sail on the S.S. Espaniola with Squire Trelawney and Dr. Livesey to find the treasure on a mysterious isiand. Upon arriving at the island, ships cook and scaliwag Long John Silver leads a mutiny of crew members who want the treasure for themselves. Jim helps the Squire and Espaniola officers to survive the mutiny and fight back against Silvers men, who have taken over the Espaniola.
Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Adventure, Family, Animation
Adventure, Family, Drama
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Comedy, Adventure, Fantasy
23 May 2012
Treasure Island is itself a treasure
This version of the classic Treasure Island novel is without a doubt aclassic. It is not only the best film based on the Stevenson classic,but it is also the best pirate film ever. What makes it good enough tobe given such honors? Listed below from order of most important toleast important are some of the reasons. 1. I would say the most important factor would be this: the piratessounded and looked like real pirates. In a pirate movie, this is themost crucial piece in making the movie worthwhile. If the pirates arenot believable, then the movie really seems cheesy and unrealistic.Seriously- take a second to think this to yourself: "What is apirate?". There is nothing romantic about them. A pirate is nothingmore than a rogue on a ship who has turned to a life of crime andmurders and loots and spends all day on a ship surrounded by othercrude, dirty, vulgar ruffians. It stands to follow then, that theywould be dirty, unsightly, muscular, coarse people with ruff voices.This movie did the best job of any pirate movie in portraying them asjust that. 2. This movie also had amazing actors. With a cast thatincludes Charlton Heston, Christian Bale, Oliver Reed, and ChristopherLee, how could the acting not be superb? All the actors, whether in asupporting role or a leading role, were amazing. 3. The script writersnailed the attitudes of all the characters perfectly. When you heardCaptain Smollet you could easily find yourself believing that you werehearing a captain from the olden days speaking to you. 4. The props andcostumes were excellent. While I was terribly disappointed by manyversions of Treasure Island for their bad costumes, this had perfectcostumes. 5. The musical score was absolutely incredible. The music(performed by The Chieftains) was not only beautiful, but it fit themood of every scene perfectly. I would say more, but then I'd need to add a spoiler alert, and since Idon't want to do that I'll content myself with giving only that smallamount of praise.
22 May 2012
The best yet
This is probably by far the best adaptation of R. L. Stevenson's novelyet.It is the one most loyal to his book, it has beautiful scenery, and superbacting. No wonder it was made for TV. There is violence and there somefightscences in this movie too but that's okay I guess. It could have been alotworse. I have seen the other two versions of Treasure Island. They werepretty good but they don't come close to this one. This movie is perfectforshowing in school if you have read the book. See it now!
20 May 2012
The current benchmark
In Fraser Heston's production of Robert Louis Stevenson's masterpiece, anobvious labor of love by all involved, the classic tale sidesteps anotherexcessively kid-friendly incarnation to live and breathe as Stevensonmeantit to. Although its made-for-TV scale pokes through now and then, it doessoonly momentarily in each case. These little blinks aside, this heartfeltreading of the classic adventure is a worthy piece of work. It's stillfamily-safe but this time there's real menace interwoven with the book'smore genteel sensibilities.How a film begins is often crucial and this `Treasure Island' begins sobeautifully, and correctly. A mournful pennywhistle solo ushers in anopening credit sequence that could have been filmed by the painter N.C.Wyeth, whose vision infuses many of the film's frames. I replay thissequence several times whenever I screen this film because it is soevocative. It also perfectly sets the tone for the entire movie;beautifullydone. But if they had just held the rousing, though excellent, music backabit longer and let the sequence walk through on its own legs, it wouldhavebeen one of the most perfect opening sequences ever filmed.Charlton Heston as Long John Silver? Don't laugh. His now-familiar voiceoccasionally surfaces through his 18th century pirate patois, but neverdetracts. Heston's portrayal is completely effective and is handled withrestraint and relish, a fact that is evident the moment his Silver firstappears. Silver emerges from the back room of his waterfront Bristol grogshop to confront Christian Bale's uneasy Jim Hawkins who, having walkedintoSilver's lair, is realizing that he may, quite possibly, not be walkingout.Assessing Hawkins through a world-weary expression that has seen it allseveral times, Silver weighs his options: hear the boy out or drag himintothe kitchen and slice him into the salt pork stew, at least.Heston's Silver is no buffoon. Instead, he is a dangerous man, not unlikethe Deke Thornton character in Sam Peckinpah's `The Wild Bunch'; anintelligent person who is forced to endure, and make use of, the humandregsof his time, the best of whom can hold only a dim candle to him. Cunning,quietly remorseless, always several moves ahead of everyone in sight, yetpatient in the face of relentless idiocy, this Silver is also a man whosesoul has not been completely flogged out of him, by circumstance or thewhip. His sincere respect for the innocent courage of Jim Hawkins givesthis`Treasure Island' much of its humanity. If you don't feel a pang asHeston'sLong John gazes chagrined at the loot, which, for the lack of morefar-sighted colleagues, would have been his, you may have the proverbialhole in your soul. `Ah bucko', says Silver to Jim Hawkins near the film'send, after Jim rebuffs Silver's last gentle attempt to manipulate him,`whata pair we would have made'. Oh yeah, absolutely.All of the book's heroes are portrayed with heartfelt competence; theblustering Squire Trelawney (Richard Johnson), the tack-sharp,impeccably-mannered Doctor Livesey (Julian Glover), the unflinchingCaptainSmollet (Clive Wood), and Jim Hawkins' arch-boy (Christian Bale in hismid-teens, filled out a bit post `Empire of the Sun', bearing noresemblanceto his homicidal yuppie in `American Psycho'). Arrayed against them arethescurviest sea dogs who ever weighed anchor, complete with terrifying teethand fierce, implied body odor: Oliver Reed's tragic Billy Bones,ChristopherLee's festering Blind Pew, Israel Hands (what a great name), Silver'smurderous, cobra-like shipmate, (Michael Halsey), who provides a taste ofwhat Silver himself may have been like in his younger days, and a mostconvincing Ben Gunn (Nicholas Amer). Peter Postlethwaite, the super-coolbig-game hunter in the first sequel to `Jurassic Park', plays thebewilderedGeorge Merry, a man who should always flee from even the slightestambition;someone who makes you happy to still be you, even if your 401K was ridingentirely on Enron.When the time comes for action, it's delivered with conviction. Early on,the tense, hateful confrontation in the Admiral Benbow inn, between therum-soaked Billy Bones and his scary former shipmate, Black Dog (JohnBenfield), is beautifully rendered, as is the berserk fight at the islandstockade later in the film. To its great credit, the film never tries tobefunny, or even light-hearted. It simply forges ahead, telling Stevenson'sgreat story. But near the end comes a scene in which Squire Trelawneyconfronts Silver, whose schemes are now hopelessly foiled, and attempts tocall the old pirate to account. What briefly transpires is the film's onlyreal yuk, but it's a peach.It's easy to over-romanticize the period in which `Treasure Island' isset;swashbuckling as it may now seem, it was a time before widespread bathing(the future George III's German fiancé had to be told to please take abathafter arriving in England), flush toilets, anesthesia, toothpaste, germtheory, and any notion of social justice. But it was also a time whenunbroken forests still covered most of North America, when Pittsburgh wasjust a rough-hewn, barely defensible French fort in the midst of atracklesswilderness (near the present site of the Pirates baseball stadium;Pirates?,hmmm), a time when, given the courage, adventurous spirits still had realroom to move. The slate was still largely clean. Many irreversiblemistakeshad yet to be made. Anyone with a taste for history and, perhaps, adiscernible distaste for certain aspects of our own `advanced' age willrelate well to this forthright `Treasure Island'. If you've appreciatedCharlton Heston as a movie star, you'll appreciate him even more as anactor. This `Treasure Island' is probably the best that will ever be made.Amore `updated' version could certainly be produced; one that spurts moreblood and exchanges more bodily fluids, with much of the book's periodstyleand manner stripped out, but it would no longer be Stevenson, justHollywood.
20 May 2012
BestVersion
Most of the comments expressed so far have correctly pointed out thisversion as the best and, unlike someone's reference to George C Scott'sScrooge, it does actually come directly from the book and not fromyears of ingrained television adaptations.The reason it is so good isbecause it echoes correctly the strata of fear that the book is basedon. As a child, Jim Hawkins is scared of everyone from the physicallyhideous Blind Pugh to the men of bloodthirsty reputation - Israel Handsand Blind Pugh and that fear is shown by the pirates in their reverencefor Captain Flint and of course, Long John, who commands by reputationalone.In preserving this intact, the whole book and thus, the film, isbelievable.I know people question some of the language (incorrectly inmy view as all those words were spoken by landsmen not natural sailorsand were very much in use in that time - the word 'bugger' for example,appears in the diaries of Pepy's hundreds of years earlier).Its easy tosay that the film draws influence from early versions but that'sinevitable. The Chieftans soundtrack and a very fine cast make it farsuperior and much more believable. As someone said earlier, you need aproper Silver who can both turn on the charm to convince a young ladbut also control a band of cutthroats and Heston achieves that superblywell. You can see clearly how easily intimidated the pirates arebecause they are uneducated and that's obvious from the exchangesbetween them and Long John. Postlethwaite is brilliant in these andtotally convincing ! Finally, I think someone mentioned a continuityproblem earlier.Although having run off, Jim does see a pirate killed,this is only after he has jumped off the jolly boat and run inland.Thetwo aren't connected.He does that for devilment I think and there areother examples of his reckless behaviour elsewhere in the book. What agreat story though - the triumph of the stereotypical English gentlemenover the bloodthirsty pirates.I think we all agree on here, thisinterpretation is spot on !
19 May 2012
A wonderful adaptation that should be on DVD
This is easily and by far the best film version of Treasure Island evercreated (I think I've seen them all since Treasure Island is one of myfavourite books). Even being, as I am, critical of movies based onbooks, especially historical books, I can't find any fault with it. Thehistorical accuracy is spot on, the sets are wonderful, the fact thatit was filmed on location perfect, the use of an actual ship showing adie-hard loyalty to the book, the cast is excellent, the costuminggreat, and equally important to all of this, the soundtrack isriveting! I've long been a fan of the Chieftains and this film helpedto further raise my respect for them. The scene in which Jim is pittedagainst Israel Hands would be nothing without that wild tapping as Jimruns up the rigging! One of the things I particularly love is howrealistic the fight scenes are. Things are slowed down by there-loading of the guns or complicated by the powder getting wet. Andthe film doesn't have the silly dancing about with rapiers thatprevious film versions of the book have, but furious slashes with heavycutlasses and vicious, ungentlemanly kicking. The fight between BillyBones and Black Dog is hilariously clumsy, but in a terrifyinglife-like way. I simply cannot say enough good things about this film.There is only one question that I have: WHERE IS THE DVD VERSION!!???
19 May 2012
Ye olde Jolly Roger flies again
In many ways this was a slicker version than the 1950 film; the acting andmany of the props and settings were superior. Given all this I stillpreferthe old picture: it had a grittier feel to it, more like a crusty oldbuckaneer. I especially appreciated the big ship in the earlier version:this one was simply too clean and tidy. The 2 movies followed closely toeach other, even to using a bit of the same dialogue. Heston gave a niceperformance as the rogue Silver but couldn't surpass that done by RobertNewton 40 years earlier.
19 May 2012
The best-yet film adaptation of Treasure Island
The Christian Bale-Charlton Heston Treasure Island is considered by mostcritics (and this viewer) as the best film adaptation of the classic novel.Bale does a fantastic job (as always) as the young ship's boy who getsinvolved with Long John Silver (Heston). The pirates are mean, the goodguyswin, and even Long John Silver has a streak of honor after all. The PERFECTfamily adventure film, and a great literary film for teachers to show aclass. ALL ages will love the story.
18 May 2012
An awesome book turned into a great movie!
I remember the first time I saw this movie, it was on TV a long timeago, I didn't even know what it was about but started seeing it and Itotally loved it.Well I guess most of you are familiar with this book, but anyhow, thestory is about pirates! aaargh! The map of a treasure that falls in thehands of a boy, handed by an old pirate. Anyways the boy then gets afew people to go get the treasure. But the adventure starts when theysail to seek for the treasure and find out that most of the ship's creware not willing to share the treasure and have a dark past.This movie is great, I had no idea Christian Bale played Jim Hawkings,i just saw it right now. He was great, not as great as he is now, buthe's good in this movie. Charlton Heston is awesome as Long JohnSilver, the coolest pirate ever. All the others actors are good, andthe dialogues are fun, pirate's dialogues.I love adventures, I thought this movie was excellent. If you feel likewatching a fun adventure involving pirates and treasures, this moviewill do! ***** out of *****.
17 May 2012
Captures the book !
I am a life-long fan of the book. This film captures wonderfully thebook's spirit (Adventure!). Prior to this film, I had always dislikedCharlton Heston for his pompous saintliness. In this film, however, asa villain, he is a WONDERFUL villain - refreshingly non-stereotypical,and a good translator of the author's ambiguous character (the amoralship's cook). And Israel Hands, the quintessential pirate-up-the-mast,with his, " Ahhh, Jim, you didn't keep your powder dry!" lends a greatflavor to the translation. Mr. Bale, as the hero, has good substance,though older than the original character. After thinking about thisfilm for years - both my thumbs up.
16 May 2012
The absolutely best version of Stevensons classic novel
Although one of the commentaries states that he would have give 10 of10 if the movie has been released widescreen in DTS I will give itnevertheless 10 points. This is based not on the technical side. Me aswell would have greatly appreciated a Release on DVD in German Languagein a Widescreen Apect Ratio but I'm afraid this Picture was shot in an1.33 open gate Aspect Ratio due to the primary intense to broadcast iton TV (the Movie was produced by HBO). If so, a blow up to a 1.78 orwider would cut of heads or other important parts of the image.HBO has proved a dozen times (The Last Outlaw) that it is even moreable to produce absolutely high class movies than some studios orindependents simply by using the essence for a good film in a way ithas to be: the story.Fraser Clarke Heston who did produce, wrote the screenplay and directedthe movie did a really great Job. In his fussy stile (in the mostpositive tenor) he tried to take the story by Louis Stevenson in animage how it was intended. He meet the fantasy of thousand of readersand involve them in the movie. They are riveted on the picture from thevery first minute.This movie is perfect! The Screenplay, the arc of suspense, theLanguage as it was spoken at that time, the clothes as they were worn,the decoration, the dirt, the teeth, the properties, the ship, thelocation, the make-up, hair-dresser and even the continuity areperfect. The story is known by all. The Actors as well.Therefore an extensive comment is needless except this one sentence:It's perfect and a great enjoyment to view, watch it !!
15 May 2012
Im as silent as a grave!
Treasure Island! One of the best movies of all time. Ok, just one of myfavorites.Have watched it millions of times and don't get tired of it. My brotherworks withfishermen and tugboat fellas and they all love this movie. If theseafarin'folkslove it, well then, as a seafarin' tale goes it must be good, eh? Sort ofacult filmamongst 'em. Well, at least the sea farin' folks of Ballard and maybe itsjust thatthe damp has gotten into their brains.Speaking of Israel Hands sinking into the depths of the Carribean, tryrewindingit while it is playing to see him magically rise from the depths, do anexpert backflip and land on the crow's nest. It's really quite funny.Ok, so why the wierd "one line summary"? It is one of my favorite linesfrom themovie where Squire Trelawney (sp?) is swearing secrecy to the wholetreasureexpidition. We all know how well he kept it. But his face when he says itisquitecomical. "I'm as silent . . . as a grave!"Good job Christian Bale, you'll always be Jim Hawkins to us whether youlikeitor not. Billy Bo-nes, few can cough and die as disgustingly as you.If you like Treasure Island, watch "Yellow Beard". Sort of spoofs it in aMontyPython fashion.
15 May 2012
Fond memories
Cudoes to all those involved. The Hestons (father and son) for daring torisk a lot (in terms of reputation) on so well known a project. A superb andfaithfull re-telling that still manages to surprise (the cannon scene was abeautiful coup de theatre). This loving adaptation is the only one I remember that includes thehaunting image of Israel Hands slowly sinking out of sight in the water... Adescription I will always remember from the novel and echoed at the very endof Benchley's JAWS. This television version of Stevenson's book brought back fond memories of ateen-age summer on Prince edward Island, reading the adventures of JimHawkins striding the razor's edge between the honest Captain Smolett, andthat band of ruffians that follow Long John Silver.
14 May 2012
Treasure Island
I have heard of many versions of this famous book by Robert LouisStevenson turned into a film, the only other one I have seen is theMuppet version. But this only other version I have seen is actuallypretty good for action, adventure and actors playing memorablecharacters. I think you know the story, but I'll explain it anyway. JimHawkins (young Christian Bale) finds a treasure map and he gets thehelp of Dr. Livesey (Julian Glover), Squire Trelawney (Richard Johnson,and of course, Captain Smollet (Clive Wood) to take them to the islandof treasure. Only the one problem is that one member wants the treasurefor himself, one leg short Long John Silver (Charlton Heston). Alsostarring Oliver Reed as Captain Billy Bones, Christopher Lee as BlindPew and Pete Postlethwaite as George Merry. Good!
13 May 2012
Treasure Island (1990 version
If you hated watching Robert Newton and his ARRRRR, Matey! approach tothe role of Long John Silver, and you hated watching a brat (Bobby D)play Jim Hawkins, and you like to watch a movie about boats and shipsfeaturing actors who actually know something about sailing, this one'sfor you. It's the best version of Treasure Island ever filmed. Not onlyare you treated to a charismatic, cunning and completely amoral LongJohn, and a young man coming of age playing Jim, you get to hear anincredible soundtrack by the Chieftans! Wish I had a copy of thescore...The Chieftans build the perfect OST for this movie. You may not likeCharlton's politics, but who cares-- it's just a movie. I'm pretty surethe director is Heston's son, and he does a good job. From the openingmoments when Captain Billy Bones comes in to the harbor close hauled,you know you're seeing real sailors. No other film version even comesremotely close to this one. Check it out. A bit hard to find, but outthere.
13 May 2012
Beyond any shadow of a doubt, the single greatest adaptation available!
I read the book about 20 times a week as a kid. I saw every adaptationfor the screen. Disney's was crap! Muppet was a joke. Every animatedversion was dumbed down. Only this one was faithful to the book. Evenbetter, the actors were perfectly cast across the board. Each and everypirate was terrifying. Each and every good guy seemed nice enough untilthe fights started, at which they were badass!This movie made me investigate the actors and I was so disappointedthat they were all so wonderful in this, but they never had any betterroles afterwards.All actors were great, but the standouts were Julian Glover as Dr.Livesey, Richard Johnson as Squire Trelawney, Clive Wood as Capt.Smollet, and Nicholas Amer as Ben Gunn. Christian Bale, CharltonHeston, and Christopher Lee were fantastic and perfectly cast(surprise, surprise!)For any kid, whether an actual kid or a kid at heart, let them watchthis, rather than every other one (they are, to a one, crappy).
12 May 2012
An awesome version of a Classic!!! WHERES THE DVD?!?!?!?
(it would be 10 for 10 if this were released in WIDESCREEN DTS !!!)This TNT backed (probably made for TV) version had me hooked from thefirst minute. Faithfully following the tale of pirates treasure, wefollow young Jim Hawkins from his fascination with Captain "BillyBones" (a picture perfect performance by the late Oliver Reed) to hisadventures aboard the Hispaniola and eventually Treasure Island. Thecasting is magnificent. Charlton Heston plays his Long John Silver withan air of jaded humanity that we almost empathize with him. The "goodguys" are also humanized and show some of their "darker" sides in thecourse of the telling of the tale. I just wish this would be releasedon DVD. It is truly an effort of love and a tribute to the great RobertLouis Stevenson. Truly wonderful, Mateys!
06 May 2012
By far the best adaption
The care taken in this movie to remain true to the spirit and words ofRobert Louis Stevenson's novel is rare for the adaption of any novel. Ireadthat this was the director's favorite book as a child and his passion foritis immediately obvious to the audience.The characters are presented exactly as the novel describes them. Theinfamous Long John Silver is not simplified or turned into a hero butpresented as complex as Stevenson wrote him. A ruthless pirate, capable ofgreat generosity and Machivellian cruelty. Heston gives one of the bestperformances of his career and considering his past performances that issaying a great deal.Jim Hawkins is played to perfection by Christian Bale. The characters thatthey actors create actually seem capable of the actions that they take, arare trait in a film.It is too bad that this film was not released in theaters, I feel that itshould have been nominated for several academy awards for acting, directionand, without a doubt, best adapted screenplay. Anyone who believes thatgreat books can't be translated into films will be pleasantly surprised bythis anomaly.
06 May 2012
Brilliant dramatization of a classic novel
This is one of the best adaptations of a classic novel, which I rank as onpar with the Disney version. Christian Bale and Charlton Heston are wellcast as Jim and Long John Silver respectively, and the the whole cast workto make a truly magnificent production. The production design and otheraspects also work wonderfully.There is one particular scene I would like to comment on. It's the one justafter the ship arrives at the island, and Jim and Long John are ashore. Jimis hidden in the undergrowth, and sees Long John trying to persuade anhonest sailor to join the pirates. The sailor refuses, so Long John knockshim out with his crutch and then stabs him in the back - literally. It's avery powerful scene from the original story, and one which most versionsomit (understandably). But I think it a) fully explains why Jim dashes offmadly into the interior and stumbles onto Ben Gunn; and b) reveals LongJohn's true personality and establishes him as a serious villainous threat. He may be able to butter people up and talk nice, but when push comes toshove he will kill you if you stand in his way. I think this productiondeserves wide commendation for keeping the scene in. It just one aspect ofa truly intelligently entertaining story. Top notch example of brilliantclassic storytelling; along with the Disney version of this story, THEADVENTURES OF HUCK FINN (1993) - also Disney, and David Lean's OLIVERTWIST.
05 May 2012
For those who say this is the best version of Treasure Island...I agree!
I have always loved Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, it issuch a great story and a real page-turner. Of the four versions I'veseen so far- this, 1950, the Muppet film and the recent one aired overthe Christmas break- I do agree with those that say this is the bestone.The wonderful story is still as compelling as before, throughout hereit is well paced and interesting. The dialogue is witty and complex aswell as maintaining the basic feel of the book's prose. Add to thatassured direction, authentic locations that are rich in atmosphere,sumptuous costuming and photography, energetic action sequences and amusic score that is both rousing and with a Celtic lilt and you have atreasure. But you cannot mention the cast mentioning this TreasureIsland. To me at least three cast members are definitive, they areCharlton Heston as Long John Silver, Christian Bale as Jim Hawkins andNicolas Amer as Ben Gunn.Heston is perfectly cast in a role he was born to play, hisinterpretation is charismatic and complex being both menacing andhuman, and it is easily one of my favourite performances of his.Likewise with Bale, whose appealing, never overly-sentimental andeasy-to-identify-with Jim Hawkins has only been surpassed I feel by hisperformances in American Psycho and Empire of the Sun. Amer's Ben Gunnis both amusing and poignant, a perfect balance and the onlyperformance of the character so far I've seen to have that perfectbalance.That's not all. We also have Richard Johnson's generous Squire Trelawnyand Julian Glover's gutsy Dr Livesey, as well the most vivid and mostdangerous Billy Bones in Oliver Reed, a genuinely scary Blind Pew inChristopher Lee, an excellent Clive Wood as Captain Smollet andstandout turns from Pete Postlethwaite, Isla Blair and Michael Halsey.Overall, a fantastic version, both as an adaptation and on its ownterms with a wonderful cast especially. 10/10 Bethany Cox
04 May 2012
Best Treasure Island EVER
This wonderful new adaptation of Treasure Island is clearly the best ever.Truly remarkable performances and great action make this film a MUST SEE.Charlton Heston and Juilian Glover truly carry the cast. This easily gets onmy top 10 list!*****/*****5 / 5
Copyright SoulFilms © 2002-2012 All Rights Reserved.