Search - Amistad [DTS] on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Watch With Your Teen Movie Release: 1997 DVD Release: 07/06/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Dual Layered Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 35 mins Studio: DreamWorks Members Wishing: 1 Genres: Drama, Historical Film, Period Film, Courtroom Drama, Message Movie See Also: Amistad

This Steven Spielberg-directed exploration into a long-ago episode in African-American history recounts the trial that followed the 1839 rebellion aboard the Spanish slave ship Amistad and captures the complex political maneuverings set in motion by the event. Filmed in New England and Puerto Rico, the 152-minute drama opens with a pre-credit sequence showing Cinque (Djimon Hounsou) and the other Africans in a violent takeover of the Amistad. Captured, they are imprisoned in New England where former slave Theodore Joadson (Morgan Freeman), viewing the rebels as "freedom fighters," approaches property lawyer Baldwin (Matthew McConaughey), who attempts to prove the Africans were "stolen goods" because they were kidnapped. Running for re-election, President Martin Van Buren (Nigel Hawthorne) overturns the lower court's decision in favor of the Africans. Former President John Quincy Adams (Anthony Hopkins) is reluctant to become involved, but when the case moves on to the Supreme Court, Adams stirs emotions with a powerful defense. The storyline occasionally cuts away to Spain where the young Queen Isabella (Anna Paquin) plays with dolls; she later debated the Amistad case with seven U.S. presidents. The character portrayed by Morgan Freeman is a fictional composite of several historical figures. For authentic speech, the Africans speak the Mende language, subtitled during some scenes but not others. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Morgan Freeman - Theodore Joadson
Anthony Hopkins - John Quincy Adams
Matthew McConaughey - Baldwin
Nigel Hawthorne - Martin Van Buren
Djimon Hounsou - Cinque
Arliss Howard - John C. Calhoun
Jeremy Northam - Judge Coglin

One of director Steven Spielberg's period piece films is the engagingly dramatic Amistad. This 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer appears to be virtually flawless and reference quality. With a vast array of solid color patterns and well saturated black levels, this is a very pleasing transfer which should please fans of the film. The soundtrack is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and is in line with the quality of the video presentation. Sporting a good many directional effects though both the front and rear channels, this 5.1 mix is very effective and should give any home theater a hefty workout. Also included on this disc is a Dolby 2.0 soundtrack. No subtitles are available on this disc. The extra features on this disc are limited to a decent 30-minute featurette on the making of the film with interviews by Spielberg as well as various cast and crew members, plus a few production notes, cast and crew bios, and a theatrical trailer for the film. ~ Patrick Naugle, All Movie Guide