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1492 - Conquest Of Paradise Details

1992 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 1704 members

Gerard Depardieu stars as Christopher Columbus in director Ridley Scott's epic film that chronicles the explorer's voyages and tribulations. Obsessed with his vision of pursuing a western route to Asia, in 1492, Columbus petitions Isabella (Sigourney Weaver), the Spanish queen, to fund his voyage, and with the help of her .. Read more

Starring Gerard Depardieu, Sigourney Weaver, Armand Assante, Michael Wincott
Director Ridley Scott
Genres Drama

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1492 - Conquest Of Paradise

Gerard Depardieu stars as Christopher Columbus in director Ridley Scott's epic film that chronicles the explorer's voyages and tribulations. Obsessed with his vision of pursuing a western route to Asia, in 1492, Columbus petitions Isabella (Sigourney Weaver), the Spanish queen, to fund his voyage, and with the help of her treasurer, Sanchez (Armand Assante), he finally succeeds in gaining her backing. Setting off in three ships, Columbus plies uncharted waters for weeks on end until his crew, exhausted and near starvation, threatens to mutiny. But the explorer rallies the men with an impassioned speech about the importance of the mission, and shortly thereafter they land in the New World. The crew establishes amicable relations with the native people, and Columbus leaves some of his men behind on his return to Spain, where he is greeted as a hero by the queen, eager to know what he has found. Upon his return to the New World, Columbus finds that a number of his crew have been killed, but insists on treating the Indians humanely, establishing a colonial government. Yet the colonists' relations with the Indians continue to worsen, and Columbus is recalled by Isabella. In a film that features Scott's typically breathtaking photography, the scene of Columbus's arrival at the fog-enshrouded New World is especially notable.

Starring Gerard Depardieu, Sigourney Weaver, Armand Assante, Michael Wincott, Fernando Rey, Frank Langella
Director Ridley Scott
Studio PATHE DISTRIBUTION
Run time DVD: 2 hrs 29 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Drama
Language DVD: English
Hearing-impaired English
Released DVD: 23 Apr 2001
Production year: 1992
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews (4) of 1492 - Conquest Of Paradise

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  • 4 stars out of 5

    Three big films were made to mark the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the New World — a catastrophic Carry On, the dire Christopher Columbus: the Discovery and Ridley Scott's 1492: Conquest of Paradise. Despite a rather wobbly first hour, when it's hard to understand Gérard Depardieu's accent or make out Sigourney Weaver's scheming Spanish queen in the gloomy light, the picture gathers momentum with the voyage, captures in dazzling imagery the actual discovery, and then produces a horrific and masterly final segment as Columbus returns on a second voyage to preside over slaughter and the raising of a giant church bell. Those looking for an old-style adventure should look elsewhere, for this is a dark, bloody and brooding piece about colonial exploitation. Woefully under-rated by many critics, it was shot in Spain and Costa Rica, looks like the millions it cost to make (and lost) and boasts an eerily atmospheric score by Vangelis.

    • Radio Times
  • 2 stars out of 4

    A box-office flop, it is nevertheless a handsome-looking film and one that sustains one's interest throughout, despite some narrative ambiguity.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
  • Most helpful member's review of 1492 - Conquest Of Paradise

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  • 7 out of 8 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 2 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    nice pictures, shame about the screenplay

    This film can be visually stunning (hence two stars) but you have to wade through a lot of plodding, laboured dialogue to get to them - the screen play is about as original and interesting as a Basingstoke roundabout. Compare this film with another about a conquistador looking for El Dorado, Aguirre Wrath of God, and see what might have been.

    • PeterSays
      • PeterSays from Romsey
  • Most recent members' review of 1492 - Conquest Of Paradise

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 2 stars

    A bit of an epic but enjoyable all the same.- I dont think I would watch this film twice but not disappointed I watched it once.

      • Ann#41 from RENFREW
  • News and features

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    Cyrano De Bergerac

    Depardieu to retire

    • 01 Nov 2005

    The French star Gerard Depardieu who has become synonymous with his country's cinema has announced that he is to retire from the movie business. Depardieu, star of Jean De Florette and Cyrano De Bergerac, told said Le Parisien: "I have nothing to lose. I have made 170 films. I have nothing left to prove." Despite having a long career in France he probably first came to the attention of most British film goers in Peter Weir's romantic comedy Green Card starring alongside Andie... Read more

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    • 1492 - Conquest Of Paradise
      Gerard Depardieu stars as Christopher Columbus in director Ridley Scott's epic film that chronicles the explorer's voyages and tribulations. Obsessed with his vision of pursuing a western route to Asia, in 1492, Columbus petitions Isabella (Sigourney Weaver), the Spanish queen, to fund his voyage, ...