Ivanhoe: The Complete Series [DVD]

I remember watching this adaptation when I was a child and was tempted to revisit it more than half a century later. I was not disappointed as this is an excellent production which amply demonstrates the style of television at the time. Although it is mostly a studio bound production, the actions sequences are well staged especially in the film sequences. I was quite surprised at the number of e tras involved in the attack on the castle. Some great performances. Bernard Horsfall plays his role with great gusto, but the plaudits must go to Anthony Bate who is truly magnificent as the villain; quietly menacing and sincere in his performance. If you like archive TV this production is worth watching. Nicely directed by David Maloney.

I have not read Sir Walter Scott's novel on which this serial is based but it seems strange to me that the hero of the saga, Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe, spends much of the time wincing and squirming over an injury sustained early on. Anyway, the production seems very cheaply made with the Norman army consisting of about a dozen men, mostly on foot having to run after a couple of Knights Templar who are fortunate to have the only horses available. The action scenes are little better with poor fighting and poor acting. What is noticeable in this serial made before everyone became PC is the language and attitudes directed at the Jewish characters: I doubt such language would be considered permissible today. The DVD box set consists of all ten episodes over two discs. The image quality is good and the aspect ratio is 4:3. There are optional English subtitles but no other extras.

I loved this 1970 BBC series when I saw it twice as a child and have never forgotten it, having read the book twice since and watched other versions with a critical eye. I have searched many times to find out information about this version, and thought it must have been lost from the BBC archives, so I was amazed to see that it is now available on DVD. Of all the film and TV versions of Ivanhoe, this remains the definitive version for me in spite of its faults (such as some weird colours, and comical chants of "Normandy" or "England" in the tournament scenes). I dislike the Hollywood film version, and admire the BBC 1997 version in many ways, but although this 1970 BBC version lacks some realism by modern standards, it is still the version that faithfully represents the book and the characters in it. Next time I watch it (and I'm sure I will), I'll turn off the colour to recreate my fond childhood memory with even more accuracy. A gem!

I remember this show well from childhood and had always wanted to see it again....every few years, I would google around to see if it was somewhere to be found, but it seemed to be lost. Then one day, there it was and I ordered it immediately! I remember the opening titles/music so vividly, and even some scenes and cliffhangers - amazing how some things stay with you from childhood. It's definitely a product of its time (BBC low budget but very good acting) and may be too slow for some people. I loved it, but I don't know how much of that is influenced by the immense nostalgia factor...

greatd dvd just the ticket, many thanks, rapid delivery.

It is a good and fairly faithful re-telling of the "Ivanhoe" classic, but does not live up to it's reputation. The paltry budget shows in nearly every scene. Frankly, it is a tale that makes for difficult filming, because the nominal hero, Wilfred of Ivanhoe, makes a magnificent entry into the proceedings, but then is badly wounded at the early Tournament of Ashby-de-la-Zouche and never really recovers for the rest of the story. His subsequent heroism is more from intent than actual performance, and the heroics are left to the Black Knight (Richard the Lionheart) and Locksley (Robin Hood), while the story itself focusses on the dramatics between Rebecca the Jewess and villainous Knight Templar, Sir Brian de Bois Guilbert (superbly played in this version by Anthony Bate). Eric Flynn does what he can with the somewhat thankless part of Ivanhoe, but neither the writing nor the performance are a match for Anthony Andrews in the 1982 teleomovie.,

A good adaption from the book and a classic BBC rendering . I like vintage tv and it didn’t seem to me to be outdated . In some ways better than the later adaption that had the actors talking in theses & thouse in olde English though that is how the book was written by Walter Scott .

it is good

Be warned - these DVD's will NOT play in North America. It did not state this anywhere (other DVD's do). Now I have to buy a multi region DVD player! Ah, well - an excuse to buy other Region 2 discs. Pity, I've been looking for this particular version of Ivanhoe for years.

Beautiful childhood memory from a time when England was different than today. I don`t know any better movie version of Scott's novel.

This tv series was almost lost and now is finally available in DVD. Image quality is good and so is the audio.

The DVD asked for a regional code had no idea what this was therefore could not play this video