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List Price: $29.98 | | Label: Koch Vision
Salesrank: 5775
Released: September 11, 2007 |
| Our Price: $17.49 |
| Used Price: $17.48 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
In first century A.D., Flavius Silva (Peter O’Toole), commander in Roman Palestine, leads his forces in combat against the remaining Jewish Zealots who have taken refuge in the seemingly impregnable fortress of Masada. There, the engineering and military might of Rome faces the passion and ingenuity of Eleazar Ben Yair (Peter Strauss) and his people. Based on the novel "The Antagonists" by Ernest K. Gann, this epic, 4-part mini-series was shot on location in Israel.
Description of Masada - The Complete Epic Mini-Series:
This 1981 television miniseries, based on Ernest K. Gann's historical novel The Antagonists, is a dramatization of a documented revolt by nearly a thousand Jerusalem Jews against Roman oppressors in A.D. 72 to 73. Following a city-wide siege by Rome's soldiers, Jewish Zealots move into a fortress in the mountains of Masada, from which they present a defense strong enough to convince the enemy to negotiate. Peter O'Toole, in all his golden dignity, plays Cornelius Flavius Silva, commander of the Roman legions, and Peter Strauss is Zealot leader Eleazar ben Yair. Both are outstanding as representatives from each side trying, in good faith, to find a way out of the deadlocked situation. Unfortunately, neither realizes that Rome has no intention of yielding, resulting in one of the greatest tragedies in Jewish history. A strong cast of character actors--David Warner, Barbara Carrera, Timothy West, and Anthony Quayle--is rewardingly watchable, the action and sets are persuasive without overwhelming the story's human dimension, and direction by Boris Sagal (The Omega Man) is crisp and enthralling. This was a pleasure to watch when it was first broadcast, and it holds up very well today. --Tom Keogh
Masada - The Complete Epic Mini-Series Reviews:
Watch This Mini-Series 
2009-07-16 - I had not seen this mini-series in many years. It was just as good as I remembered. It is exceptionally well acted, well written and, as far as I can tell, historically accurate.
Masada - The Complete Epic Mini-Series
2009-05-05 - Masada - The Complete Epic Mini-Series
This is an amazing mini-Series, excellent quality great to have to view many times with family and friends.
Masada 
2009-04-24 - Execellent movie, if you want history this is the movie you want to watch. I have been to Israel and went up Masada via cable car and it is nice to see a Masada on film.
I am presently watching and enjoying this movie.
2009-04-21 - This is well acted and a great tv miniseries for anyone who is a history buff. It is fairly accurate historically and shows the Israelites determination to be a free people. As a Christian, much of what is shown in the movie are the roots of my faith. I would recommend this, absolutely.
Entertainment or Propaganda? 
2009-04-20 - Being a student of Roman history, the butchery of the facts in this DVD is quite appalling, but I suppose it's no worse than Disney's version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. In any event, the melodramatic script is preposterous Hollywood fluff. Anyone who knows anything about the Romans would cringe at O'Toole's scripted part as a Roman governor.
Aside from the fact that the story is ridiculous, and that this is blatant Israeli propaganda, I have to give at least two stars because the Roman uniforms were fairly accurate and the scenes with the siege engine were first rate; also, a smattering of the dialogue was actually passably good.
Acting wasn't bad either. The poor actors made do with what they were given. All that was missing was Charlton Heston.
