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Beloved [1999]
starring: Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover, Thandie Newton, Kimberly Elise, Beah Richards
directed by: Jonathan Demme

Used Price: £74.00

Audience Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 5017186102669
Format: Closed-captioned, PAL
Label: Touchstone Home Video
Manufacturer: Touchstone Home Video
Number Of Discs: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Touchstone Home Video
Release Date: September 30, 2000
Running Time: 165 minutes
Studio: Touchstone Home Video
Theatrical Release Date: October 16, 1998
Sales Rank: 8453

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Editorial Review:

Amazon.co.uk Review:
This layered film, a labour of love from director Jonathan Demme and star Oprah Winfrey, covers a lot of turf in its nearly three-hour running time. Part slavery fable, part mother-daughter tale, part ghost story, Beloved demands an audience's full attention from its dramatic, slightly bewildering opening, when a family dog comes down on the wrong side of some angry, unseen force. But Demme and his talented cast provide an unforgettable payoff for those who surrender.

The film traces the life of Sethe (played in her middle years by Winfrey), a former slave who has rebuilt what seems to be a peaceful, productive life in Ohio. Yet through chilling, sparing use of flashback, Demme slowly unveils, as does the Toni Morrison masterpiece on which the film is based, the horrors of Sethe's former life, and the terrible event that led to the haunting of Sethe's home.

While the horrors of slavery and the bloody event in Sethe's family leave undeniable impressions, the film's brilliance is also evidenced in smaller, equally satisfying ways. Rachel Portman's spiritual-influenced score is as uplifting as it is haunting, and the glimpses of the post-slavery African American world--as with a simple family outing to a local carnival, or a ladies' sewing-and-gospel circle--make this a treat for the intellect as well as the heart. The members of the cast, especially Kimberly Elise as Sethe's struggling daughter and Thandie Newton as the mysterious title character, are supremely affecting. --Anne Hurley, Amazon.com

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- FINE STORY, FINE FILM, FINE ACTORS
Having just watched this dvd last night I agree with all said before. I found this story to be totally captivating. One can only imagine all the pain & suffering endured. It is supremely haunting. In some instances frightening. There is no way in which my review could do this film justice. The acting was excellent. Orah Winfrey's acting is greatly underestimated. Everyone should see this film once even though it will leave you with a feeling of having seen, heard and touched something that should not be seen, felt or touched.

Rating:

- A Brief Review of Beloved
I read the novel Beloved first and was extremely impressed by its complexity and unusual subject matter. Inspired, I naturally sought out the film version, which I found to be exceptionally emotive and atmospheric, perhaps more so than the novel itself, which is often noted as being somewhat cold, although still brilliant and poetic. I would highly recommend both the novel and the film to anyone with imagination and an ability to grasp a demanding plot, full of unique, challenging symbolism.

Rating:

- Exceptional
This is an amazing film. It tells the story of a former slave who is haunted by her past, but who eventually (in true Oprah style) overcomes it and finds peace. I had read the book first, and I would think that it would be hard to follow the film if you had not. It is so worth it to read the book once or twice and then enjoy the film. The acting is very good, but it is the power of the tragic story that is the real wonder. I can see why it bombed at the box office as it is not for all, but if you like Toni Morrison, you will love this film.

Rating:

- Powerful and moving!
The film adaptation certainly does the novel proud. It makes the story more accessible and easier to comprehend in comparison to the fragmentory nature of the book.
Part history, part ghost story and part fiction, this is a powerful and tragic story which in places is truly disturbing. This film is a nightmare-invoking blend of beauty and horror that will stay with me forever.

Rating:

- Beloved
A brilliant adaptation of Toni Morrisson's novel. It shows us the harsh realisation of slavery in the nineteenth century,as well as showing us the importance and relationship within a typical "black" American family during this horrific time. The idea that Sethe, the mother, felt that it would be better for her daughter to be killed then for her to be forced into slavery shows us the extent of torture that the slaves faced. We also see how intently the "black" American women believe in spirits and reincarnation.
A very tragic story of suffering and a families determination to survive "freedom".

VHS : Beloved [1999]