In just about the first intelligent move they have made for a while,the Weinstein DVD division is following up it;s release of a 2 DVD "El Cid" Special Edition with an April release of the Samuel Bronson/Anthony Mann "Fall Of The Roman Empire" in April in a 2 DVD SE.
Although not as good as "El Cid", "Fall" is still a very impressive epic film. It is visually stunning,with what I beleive is still the biggest set ever built for a single film ..the full scale recreation of the Roman Forum,and some really great battle scenes.
If you have not seen this but have seen "Gladiator" ,you will find out many critics consider "Gladiator" to be a de facto remake of "Fall". The plot is nearly the same,with the whole Gladiatorial angle added for the Scott film.
The film is still referred to as "The Fall Of The Bronson Empire" since this film..which at the time of it's release was one of the most expensive films ever made...(And the most expensive, Cleopatra,was only one or two million more expensive) was such a gigantic failure that it bankrupted the Bronson company. Obviously Bronson and Mann were hoping to repeat the huge box office sucess of "El Cid", and got a bomb of Studio Ending Proportions instead.
Still, it is one of the most intelligent epics ever made,although a weak leading man in Stephan Boyd and at times a little too much emphasis on spectacle at the expense of characters keep it from reaching the level that Bronson and Mann reached In "El Cid".
The Weinsteins are promising "55 Days At Peking" (the last Bronson film to be a sucess) and "Circus World" later this year,completing their release of the Bronson epic films of the 60's.
("King of Kings" is available on DVD from MGM,and for over ten years has been the only Bronson film available on home video).
Although not as good as "El Cid", "Fall" is still a very impressive epic film. It is visually stunning,with what I beleive is still the biggest set ever built for a single film ..the full scale recreation of the Roman Forum,and some really great battle scenes.
If you have not seen this but have seen "Gladiator" ,you will find out many critics consider "Gladiator" to be a de facto remake of "Fall". The plot is nearly the same,with the whole Gladiatorial angle added for the Scott film.
The film is still referred to as "The Fall Of The Bronson Empire" since this film..which at the time of it's release was one of the most expensive films ever made...(And the most expensive, Cleopatra,was only one or two million more expensive) was such a gigantic failure that it bankrupted the Bronson company. Obviously Bronson and Mann were hoping to repeat the huge box office sucess of "El Cid", and got a bomb of Studio Ending Proportions instead.
Still, it is one of the most intelligent epics ever made,although a weak leading man in Stephan Boyd and at times a little too much emphasis on spectacle at the expense of characters keep it from reaching the level that Bronson and Mann reached In "El Cid".
The Weinsteins are promising "55 Days At Peking" (the last Bronson film to be a sucess) and "Circus World" later this year,completing their release of the Bronson epic films of the 60's.
("King of Kings" is available on DVD from MGM,and for over ten years has been the only Bronson film available on home video).
