Crusoe: The Complete Series – DVD Review

By June L. May 26, 2009, 13:18 GMT

Get ready for the adventures of the world\'s most famous castaway as every thrilling episode of "Crusoe" comes to DVD! Loaded with action, exciting inventions and romance, the ultimate battle for survival begins as Robinson Crusoe (Philip Winchester) sets sail for the New World. But after a dangerous onboard attack, he finds himself stuck on a remote tropical island with only the assistance of native friend Friday (Tongai Arnold Chirisa) ...more

If Daniel Defoe were alive and writing today, his works would more than likely be either science fiction space explorations, or about international intrigues.  Defoe was the action/adventure writer of his day, and so his Robinson Crusoe translates down through time to our generation in a story that pits man against the elements as well as other humans in a story of survival. 

Robinson Crusoe was not written for children, it was a tale of adventure inspired by the experiences of a real life shipwrecked sailor Alexander Selkirk.  As Defoe in his time re-imagined Selkirk’s actual experiences to turn them into the novel Robinson Crusoe, Defoe’s work has been re-tooled to appeal to our modern ideas of the shipwreck victim and his survival.  With filming in both England and South Africa for locations, the series is beautiful to watch. 

Crusoe is the story of a man (Philip Winchester) who has been shipwrecked for more than six years on a tropical island.  He dreams of returning home to his wife and family, but works on surviving his current conditions with the help of a native Crusoe calls Friday (Tongayi Chirisa). 

Crusoe rescued Friday from being sacrificed and the pair carve out existence and foil enemies that threaten them.  The friendship between Friday and Crusoe is a strong element in the story, and each man’s strengths and weaknesses are explored as they battle pirates, warring native tribes, and even those they have thought to be friends. 

It is not the Robinson Crusoe of Dafoe, but it is still a good story, and one imagines that the author of the original would not mind the changes, as the spirit of the adventure remains much the same as the 17th century classic.

Crusoe the complete series is nicely presented on three discs containing all thirteen episodes.  Rum and Gunpowder was a two part story that kicked off the series, when Crusoe and Friday had to protect themselves from pirates who were searching for a buried treasure. 

Throughout the series we see flashbacks of Crusoe’s life in England before the fateful voyage, and come to understand how he came to be in his current position.  Friday’s life is also revealed, and the true strengths of both men are evident.  The episodes are presented in anamorphic widescreen, with a running time of nine hours and twelve minutes.  Episode notes are printed on the inside box, and the set is packaged with an abridged version of the Defoe novel. 

Strength, loyalty, courage and friendship are the basis of the episodes, and for the duration of each installment, viewers may escape to a tropical island and have adventures they never dreamed of being possible.

Crusoe: The Complete Series is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.