Crusoe (1989)

the audience applauded

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

Good concept, poorly executed.

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

"Crusoe" came on in the middle of the night on Multiplex. Do remember the buzz in 88 before it was released. Surprised it didn't do better in the American market.Optics are stunningly beautiful, sets appear authentic to my unprofessional eye - and Serbia is absolutely gorgeous. Sinful what has happened to that country.Beginning scenes reminiscent of recent films such as "12 Years A Slave" and others. Painful to watch, but a necessary back story. Agree with previous reviews that this version of Daniel Defoe's story conveys well the isolation, desperation and redemption of man. Good on director Caleb Deschanel.Thought it was a bit too convenient our hero just happened to retrieve a razor, soap and other necessities from the wreck. And especially, his ship-launching skills were a wonder to behold.Loved Aiden Quinn's interaction with the ship's dog, especially compared to his first encounter with Hepburn Graham. Telling.

This 1988 revision of Daniel Dafoe's popular desert island survival adventure has enough of a modern conscience to suggest a tropical variation of 'The Defiant Ones', with Virginia gentleman slave trader Crusoe (no first name is given: could it be Robinson?) shipwrecked off the African coast and chained by circumstance to a native tribesman. Director Caleb Deschanel brings to his own film some of the same meticulous attention to visual detail from his work elsewhere as an ace cinematographer, in this instance hiding the shortcomings of an underdeveloped screenplay behind lots of glorious surf-and-sand imagery. The story itself, perhaps because of its familiarity in outline, unfolds with a surprising lack of emotion for such a compelling scenario. Little information is offered about its protagonist except that he's a bigot with a lesson to learn, so what little character he has isn't very sympathetic. But the idea alone still carries a lingering fascination, making the film a consistently interesting if not always very involving experience.

This almost wordless version, is my favorite, it captures the lonely feeling of being lost on a beautiful Island. A man lost to the world with no one to help him, finds he needs companionship. The actors did a great job expressing the parts. I feel the writer's human approach to expressing the conflict between the white and the black man shows for all to see that we are, all, in the human race and need to learn to overcome our superior selfishness whether white or black. These 2 men become friends even to learning from each other and they both show they are indeed able to share there lives with respect for each other. They learn to trust each other and to protect each other. The haunting theme music so sets off this story. It sets the stage with the emotion, giving the viewer a real feel for the truths in this wonderful story.

I viewed this movie on TV and in Spanish, and it mattered not.This is visual movie making at its best, the story being told throughgripping physical encounters and gut-wrenching emotions on anenchanting island. Crusoe and Friday are fiercely strongindividuals who must learn to cooperate to survive. But this versionof the classic story goes beyond mere physical survival andfocuses on how Crusoe, a slave trader in the 1800s, and Friday, aBlack, overcome their innate prejudices and learn to trust, respect,and finally to help each other survive against life-threatening odds.The mythic feel of the film is enhanced by wondrous cinematography and sparkling music. Thanks Aidan Quinn, AdeSapara, and Director-cinematographer Celeb Deschanel for amost delightful movie.