1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Ridley Scott

Writer:

Roselyne Bosch (scenario)

Release Date:

9 October 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Biography | Drama | History

Tagline:

Centuries before the exploration of space, there was another voyage into the unknown.

Plot:

Christopher Columbus' discovery of the Americas and the effect this has on the indigenous people.

Plot Keywords:

Christopher Columbus | New World | Abuse | Male Rear Nudity | Explorer

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Gérard Depardieu	...	Christopher Columbus
Armand Assante	...	Sanchez
Sigourney Weaver	...	Queen Isabella I.
Loren Dean	...	Older Fernando Columbus
Ángela Molina	...	Beatrix Enriquez
Fernando Rey	...	Antonio de Marchena
Michael Wincott	...	Adrian de Moxica
Tchéky Karyo	...	Martín Alonso Pinzón
Kevin Dunn	...	Captain Mendez
Frank Langella	...	Luis de Santángel
Mark Margolis	...	Francisco de Bobadilla
Kario Salem	...	Arojaz
Billy L. Sullivan	...	Young Fernando Columbus
John Heffernan	...	Brother Buyl
Arnold Vosloo	...	Guevara

Also Known As:

1492 (Australia)
1492: Christophe Colomb (France)
1492: La conquête du paradis
1492: La conquista del paraíso (Spain)

Runtime:

154 min

Country:

UK | France | Spain

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | France:U | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:TE | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:PT | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Brazil:16

Filming Locations:

Costa Rica

Company:

Gaumont

Trivia:

Screenwriter Roselyne Bosch got the idea for the project when she discovered millions of untranslated parchments while researching an article on Columbus. After joining forces with a French film executive, she finally found an interested director in Ridley Scott, who had always wanted to make a movie about Columbus. Scott agreed to direct the film on one condition: Columbus must be played by Gérard Depardieu. Depardieu was contacted, and eager to take the part.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Visible on a modern ship, after the camera circumnavigates the "Santa Maria"

Quotes:

Columbus: Paradise and hell both can be earthly.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'Alien³' (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Amazonia

Masterpiece with a Fatal Flaw!

The flaw is Gerard Depardieu's English: too often does it undermine an otherwise magnificent movie. Why would I go through the effort? Because I speak perfect French and when you watch this film dubbed (and the dubbing is perfect, since it is Depardieu and Karyo dubbing themselves!) you realize what an awesome one it is. Ironically, I cann't imagine anyone other than Depardieu in the role, except maybe Russell Crowe (but at the time he was an unknown Hollywood!). The script is fantastic (sure it lingers in some places but it all happened SLOWLY in those days. One could argue that seven Samurai and Lawrence of Arabia are slow in places, well go rent a Steven Seagal picture, for all the good it will do you!), the performances are great (though betrayed in the English version by accents) and two combined elements set this appart from any other film in existence: the symphonic mix of photography and music! Ridley Scott has always had an awesome visual flair, but in that sense this must be the top of his game (yes, even counting Blade Runner, Legend and Gladiator). Then there's that score by Vangelis! I love movie music and always pay attention to it, but I have yet to hear more astonishing a theme (or any tune of the score, the whole CD is a masterpiece, unlike most of it's peers) than that of 1492: Conquest of Paradise. So if you master any other language than English, see this, on a big screen with good sound. That's when a flawed epic turns into a true work of art!