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Summary:
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Film plot en Francais: Chaque année, depuis des siècles, se déroule l'Océan de Feu, une course de survie de 5 000 km à travers le désert arabe. En 1890, pour la première fois de l'histoire, un cheikh richissime invite un Américain et son cheval, Hidalgo, à participer à la course. Film plot in English: Set in 1890, this is the story of a Pony Express courier (Viggo Mortensen) who travels to Saudi Arabia to compete with his horse, Hidalgo, in a dangerous race for a massive contest prize, in an adventure that sends the pair around the world…
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Film-Production Details Summary:
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Zuleikha Robinson,
Director: Joe Johnston
Studio: Buena Vista Home Video
DVD Specifications:
Pre-owned DVD , in like-NEW condition
Movie-genre:
Languages: French / English
DVD-Format and Region: PAL Zone-2
DVD Covers (Front/Back) of the movie: HIDALGO Viggo Mortensen, Zuleikha Robinson, Omar Sharif
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Actors/Actresses Cast of the film: HIDALGO
- Viggo Mortensen .... Frank Hopkins
- Zuleikha Robinson .... Jazira
- Omar Sharif .... Sheikh Riyadh
- Louise Lombard .... Lady Anne Davenport
- Adam Alexi-Malle .... Aziz
- Saïd Taghmaoui .... Prince Bin Al Reeh
- Silas Carson .... Katib
- Harsh Nayyar .... Yusef
- J.K. Simmons .... Buffalo Bill Cody
- Adoni Maropis .... Sakr
- Victor Talmadge .... Rau Rasmussen
- Peter Mensah .... Jaffa
- Joshua Wolf Coleman .... The Kurd
- Franky Mwangi .... Slave Boy
- Floyd 'Red Crow' Westerman .... Chief Eagle Horn (as Floyd Red Crow Westerman)
- Elizabeth Berridge .... Annie Oakley
- C. Thomas Howell .... Preston Webb
- Stevan Rimkus .... Military Cistern Lieutenant
- Jerry Hardin .... Nate Salisbury
- Frank Collison .... Texas Jack
- Chris Owen .... First Soldier
- Marshall Manesh .... Camel Skinner
- Philip Sounding Sides .... Chief Big Foot
- George Gerdes .... Major Whitside
- Todd Kimsey .... Corporal at Wounded Knee
- Ednah New Rider Weber .... Old Lakota Woman
- Adam Ozturk .... Bedouin Rider
- John Prosky .... Officer at Horse Corral
- Michael Canavan .... Cattleman
- David Midthunder .... Black Coyote
- Lee Trotter .... Soldier at Wounded Knee
- Dave Florek .... Sentry at Wounded Knee
- Jeff Kober .... Sergeant at Wounded Knee
- Sam Sako .... Call to Prayer Singer
- Te'Amir Sweeney .... Tower Boy
- Jake Miller .... Ghost Dance Singer
- Mary Ellis .... Mary
- Clement Richards .... Lakota Wagon Driver
- Kimberly Norris .... Frank's Mother
- Zachary Badasci .... Young Frank Hopkins
- Joseph J. Dawson .... Wild West performer
- Beverly Graham .... Saloon Gal
- Malcolm McDowell .... Major Davenport
- Jonathan Passow .... Bar Cowboy
- Shawn Michael Perry .... Ghostdancer
- Francesca Poston .... Madam in Saloon
- T.J. .... Hidalgo (Horse)
Photo Gallery of the Movie: HIDALGO Viggo Mortensen, Zuleikha Robinson, Omar Sharif
Click on one of the thumbnails to see the full size high quality photos, posters and wallpapers of Hidalgo with Viggo Mortensen, Zuleikha Robinson, Omar Sharif
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Extended plot of the Movie: HIDALGO Viggo Mortensen, Zuleikha Robinson, Omar Sharif
Hidalgo is an action-adventure and one man’s journey of personal redemption. Based on the life of Frank T. Hopkins, his legend comes to life when one of the greatest riders the American west has ever known is pitted against the world’s finest Arabian horses and racers.
Onetime cowboy Frank T. Hopkins was once billed as a living legend, but in fact the glory days for Hopkins and his beloved horse, a mustang named Hidalgo, are long past. Outcasts from their own land, Frank and Hidalgo both have something to prove when Hopkins became the first American invited to enter the Ocean of Fire, a grueling 3,000-mile survival race across the punishing terrain of the Arabian Desert. With his competitors vowing victory, the race becomes not only a matter of pride and honor, but a fight for survival as they attempt the impossible.
A dedicated student of the American West, Plains Indian culture, and horses, screenwriter John Fusco discovered the story of Hopkins and his mustang, while doing conservation work with horses of original Native American bloodlines.
“I was doing some research into the classic Indian ponies that you see in Remington and Russell sculptures,” says Fusco, “and this name kept coming up—Hopkins—who rode a famed Indian pony, named Hidalgo. Reading about them, it led me to this legendary race across the Arabian desert. There was only so much that I could find on them, but it was enough to tell me that this was an incredible story.”
Fusco, who has also written the screenplays for Thunderheart, Young Guns, Young Guns II, and the recent Academy Award®-nominated animated feature, Spirit: Stallion Of the Cimarron, spent about 12 years researching and writing the screenplay. He referenced 70 years of collected writings on Hopkins and Hidalgo by such noted historians as J. Frank Dobie and Dr. Ruy d’Andrade. He also drew from the oral histories of Native American elders and grassroots ranchers in Wyoming. Earlier this year, Fusco was awarded his second Western Heritage Award, a research prize from the National Cowboy Museum.
“There’s an exciting race that frames the story,” says producer Casey Silver, “but the real race is this man’s race to find himself, to find forgiveness within himself for his transgressions....”
Reviews and Critics of the Movie: HIDALGO Viggo Mortensen, Zuleikha Robinson, Omar Sharif
Director Joe Johnston has always had an entertaining sense of adventure, and with Hidalgo he proves it in spades. It's yet another underrated film for Johnston (along with such enjoyable popcorn flicks as The Rocketeer and Jurassic Park III), dismissed by many critics but a welcome treat for anyone drawn to good ol'-fashioned movie excitement. In his first role since playing Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Viggo Mortensen brings handsome appeal to his low-key portrayal of Frank T. Hopkins, a real-life long-distance horse racer who, as the movie opens, has witnessed the appalling massacre of Native Americans at Wounded Knee in 1890. Drifting into Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, he agrees to compete, with his trusty mustang, Hidalgo, in "The Ocean of Fire," a treacherous 3,000-mile horse race across the Arabian desert. Toss in a bunch of conspiring competitors, a noble sheik (Omar Sharif), his lovely daughter (Zuleikha Robinson), and enough fast-paced danger to fill 133 minutes, and you've got a rousing, humorous, and lightly spiritual adventure that's a lot of fun to watch. It hardly matters that it's almost pure fiction (the real Hopkins was known by many as "a pathological liar"). More important is the love of movies and moviemaking that Johnston so delightfully conveys.
1890, Frank Hopkins (Viggo Mortensen) and his horse Hidalgo were legendary long distance racers winning competitions all over the US. His reputation was spreading to the point that it gained the attention of Sheikh Riyadh (Sharif). Every year his family run a 3000-mile race called the Ocean of Fire across some of the most inhospitable desert the Middle East has to offer. Frank accepts the challenges but nobody expects that an inferior mustang could ever beat a field full of thoroughbred Arabian horses.
Viggo Mortensen takes another step towards becoming the silver screen's most bankable hero, the same way as Harrison for did after starring in a successful film trilogy.
Based on the allegedly true story of life of Frank Hopkins, this is a big budget action that isn't like your usual high concept fair. The movie combines blistering action, exhilarating racing with slow character development and a lot of subtitles as the characters speak in their native languages. This is an unusual approach for a potential blockbuster, as it is well known that excessively subtitled films find it difficult to reach an audience in English speaking countries, especially the US.
The story of Frank Hopkins and his horse Hidalgo is still interesting however as it is a tale of extreme endurance made all the more watchable by some great performances. Omar Sharif brings a touch of class to the proceeding as the honourable Sheikh Riyadh. The actor just exudes dignity and commands respect every time he graces the screen. It's a shame that we don't see him more often. The beautiful Zuleikha Robinson makes her big screen splash as Jazira. This should start to get the British actress noticed in Hollywood. Louise Lombard is also good as Lady Ann Davenport, the woman with a lot to gain if her horse wins the race.
This is Viggo Mortensen's showpiece however. Not shackled by a fellowship, Mortensen is becoming an extremely watchable actor and the hero for new millennium. He is emerging as a lead actor that can command the screen and bring iconic idols to life.
Hidalgo is a good movie that is bogged down by been slightly too long and by having large gaps between the action. Director Joe Johnston is known for his big budget spectaculars like The Rocketeer, Honey I Shrunk the Kids and Jurassic Park but his shows that his can handle character development as well as rip-roaring action. Capturing the extremes of the Arabian Desert brilliantly and always doing enough to entertain, this is a movie that is well worth a flutter.
PICTURE & SOUND
Presented in 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen with a Dolby Digital 5.1 surround soundtrack, the transfer is very good. The sharpness of the picture quality brings the desert scenery to life, conveying all the bleakness and beauty of the treacherous terrain, as well as the splendour and grandeur of the race and its competitors. The sound it also very good especially during the crowd sequences and the start of the race, as it fills every speaker with a crescendo of sound.
BONUS FEATURES
Sand & Celluloid (9.03 mins)
Director Joe Johnston, producer Casey Silver, executive producer Don Zepfrel, production designer Barry Robinson and star Viggo Mortensen take you behind the scenes of the filming of Hidalgo. In this short featurette we learn more about history of endurance racing and the legend of Frank Hopkins and Hidalgo. Joe Johnston and his crew take you to the sets and tell you what they had to do and what it was like filming the movie in Morocco. We also find out how Viggo ate the locusts and how all the horses they used for Hidalgo.
Hidalgo Easter Egg (3.09 mins)
This hidden featurette features Native Americans David Midthunder (Assiniboine-Sioux) and Leo Pard (Northern Pikunii) talking about the exploits of Frank Hopkins and Hidalgo. Star Viggo Mortensen accompanies the footage with some excellent still photographs that he took during the production.
Hidalgo Trailers
Previews of Starsky and Hutch and The Alamo
In Hidalgo, allegedly based on the true story of the legendary long distance racer Frank T. Hopkins and his horse Hidalgo, Cowboy Hopkins's (Viggo Mortensen) reputation as the best long distance racer has grown so much that it spread to the knowledge of Sheikh Riyadh (Omar Sharif). Riyadh's family has participated in a traditional 3,000 - mile race across the Arabian Peninsula called Ocean of Fire. Riyadh asks Hopkins to join the grueling race, and Hopkins having little motivation and no sense of purpose after seeing the massacre of innocent Native Americans at Wounded Knee, accepts the challenge.
The film shows the strong bond between Hidalgo and Hopkins as they have reason to relate to each other. Hidalgo and Hopkins have something in common - Hopkins is half Native American and Hidalgo is a mustang of mixed breed. Because of the two being outcasts in a strange land, it brings man and horse closer together throughout the movie.
The film slowly allows for character growth as Hopkins has an internal conflict that he battles, but succeeds with quiet determination. It is a joy to see Omar Sharif back on the screen. He commands respect in the film as Riyadh, and his acting skills are excellent.
Some people may not appreciate the simplicity or the plot of the film, but Hidalgo goes back to an innocent time of entertainment, which is a treat in itself.
Predictable and a little long, but as the Oregon Herald states, "An entertaining Western adventure that radiates simplicity."
Shipping Information
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Alle DVD's wirden in speziellen DVD-Kartons versendet (keine einfache Umschläge) /
All DVD's will be shipped in special DVD carton boxes (not simple bubble envelopes)
Return/Refund policy
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Fehlerhafte DVD kann nach der vorherigen Abmachung zurückgegeben werden /
Defective DVD can be returned after prior agreement /
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