“We have no time for ablative absolutes in the Navy.”
Even if Jane Austen had not written Persuasion with a hero such as Captain Wentworth to idolize, or had not held Royal Navy men in such high esteem (perhaps because of her brothers) I believe that we would have all become vastly interested in Horatio Hornblower.
Of course Jane Austen’s introduction to the romance of life and career at sea was what made some of us watch this series in the first place, but we were soon hooked on the Hornblower stories for their own merits.
Created by C. S. Forester, Horatio Hornblower’s life and career were chronicled in eleven novels. Horatio embodies the best of the Royal Navy in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and A&E presents a treasure chest of all eight filmed Hornblower adventures with a bounteous array of special features included.
The Collector’s Edition of Horatio Hornblower follows the adventures of a young Naval officer from his midshipman days to that of being commander. Ioan Gruffudd stars as Hornblower and is joined by a wonderful group of supporting cast and guest stars, each creating memorable characters.
When midshipman Horatio Hornblower arrives aboard his first duty ship, he is more of a quiet scholar than a sailor or fighting man He has problems with seasickness and fitting in with the rest of the crew, and throughout the adventures seems to encounter numerous situations where he must prove himself worthy of the advancements he is earning in the Royal Navy.
Ioan Gruffudd is magnificent in this role, displaying how a solemn and rather philosophical boy uses his intelligence and skills to grow into a respected leader and knowledgeable manager of his crew. The adventures are full of excitement, romance, humor, danger, terror (and a fair share of the horrors) faced in daily life in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.
Beautifully crafted, acted and filmed, these adventures make this period in history so real it becomes unforgettable.
Horatio Hornblower: Collector's Edition is presented on eight discs, one for each adventure. The Duel is Horatio’s first adventure at sea, followed by The Fire Ships, The Duchess and the Devil, The Wrong War, The Mutiny, Retribution, Loyalty, and Duty. The combined running time for these stories is 13 hours and 20 minutes.
Special features include an interview with Ioan Gruffudd, the filmmaker’s commentary on two episodes, Loyalty and Duty, three programs of historical interest England’s Royal Warships, Sail 2000: Aboard the Eagle, and The Making of Horatio Hornblower. Also included is information about author C. S. Forster, a selection of nautical terms that are defined (and it is fun to see how many of these we use in everyday conversations), and Interactive 3D Naval Cannon, guide to Royal Warships, biographies for the cast and crew and a photo gallery.
All in all an excellent set for those interested in seafaring, adventure, romance, the Napoleonic Wars and historical drama.
Horatio Hornblower: Collector's Edition is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for this version of the DVD in the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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