Michael the Brave (film)

Last updated
Michael the Brave
Mihai Viteazul1970.jpg
Directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu
Starring Amza Pellea
Ion Besoiu
Olga Tudorache
Sergiu Nicolaescu
Ilarion Ciobanu
Mircea Albulescu
Florin Piersic
Ioana Bulcă
Release date
  • 1971 (1971)
Running time
203 minutes
Country Romania
Language Romanian
BudgetROL33,000,000 (estimated)

Michael the Brave (Romanian : Mihai Viteazul) is a Romanian historic epic film, directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu and starring Amza Pellea in the leading role. The film is a representation of the life of Wallachia's ruler Michael The Brave, and his will to unite the three Romanian principalities (Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania) into one country. The film was released in 1970 in Romania, and worldwide by Columbia Pictures as The Last Crusade.

Contents

Plot

At the end of the 16th century, Wallachian ruler Prince Michael the Brave overcame the adversity of the Ottoman and Austrian Empires to unite Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania into one country.

Cast

Production

The film was produced in 1970 after a script by Titus Popovici. It starred Amza Pellea in the lead role, while the cast included a number of the best Romanian actors at the time, including Sergiu Nicolaescu, Ion Besoiu, Olga Tudorache, Florin Piersic, Ilarion Ciobanu, Silviu Stănculescu, and Mircea Albulescu. [1]

The film had initially been intended to be an American-Romanian superproduction, with Columbia Pictures proposing actors such as Charlton Heston, Orson Welles, Laurence Harvey, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, or Kirk Douglas. But at Nicolae Ceauşescu's intent, the production was approved only with Romanian actors. [2]

The story is historically less authentic, but is full of grand battle scenes, political plots, betrayals and family drama. To reenact the battles that Mihai Viteazul fought against the Turks, some 5,000 soldiers of the Romanian army were brought to the set. [3] Some reports put this number around 10,000 soldiers. [4] The film has two parts and was shot in several locations, such as Istanbul, Prague and Călugăreni, [5] but also the Danube, the Black Sea, Alba Iulia, Carpathian Mountains, Bucharest, Sibiu, Sinaia, and Miraslau. [6] The budget at the time was around 14 million lei, [3] which in 2010 was estimated to be worth to be around 500,000 dollars, a relatively high sum for its period. [1]

Release

The film was released in Romania in 1970 and ran in the cinemas for several years. Worldwide, it was distributed by Columbia Pictures, under the name The Last Crusade. [2] [6] [7] The film debuted outside of Romania in July 1971 at the 7th Moscow International Film Festival and in East Germany, and in March 1972 in Finland, in June 1972 in West Germany and in April 1973 in Japan. [8]

In 2000, the soundtrack of the film was redone in Dolby Surround. [9] It is estimated that the film will be re-released in Blu-ray format sometime in 2010. [10]

Reception

The film is the most viewed Romanian film worldwide. [4] [11] It was Romania's entry for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1972, [7] but was not accepted as a nominee. [12] At the Moscow International Film Festival in 1971, it won a Golden Award, [13] but lost to Bilyy ptakh z chornoyu vidznakoyu (The White Bird Marked with Black). [14] Nevertheless, it won at the Beaume Historic Film Festival in 1974, ahead of El Cid . [15] [16]

With a rating on 8.4 on Internet Movie Database, [17] it is rated as the twentieth best historic film of all time. It is considered 18th in the biography category, [18] 40th in the war category, [19] 34th in the action category,. [20] The director himself, Sergiu Nicolaescu, declared that he was impressed by the rating especially as it is an American website and the film was released four decades before. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

Bellu Cemetery Largest cemetery in Bucharest, Romania

Șerban Vodă Cemetery is the largest and most famous cemetery in Bucharest, Romania.

Sergiu Nicolaescu Romanian film director, actor and politician (1930–2013)

Sergiu Florin Nicolaescu was a Romanian film director, actor and politician.

Michael the Brave 16th-century ruler of Wallachia, Moldavia, and Transylvania

Michael the Brave, born as Mihai Pătrașcu, was the Prince of Wallachia, Prince of Moldavia (1600) and de facto ruler of Transylvania. He is considered one of Romania's greatest national heroes. Since the 19th century, Michael the Brave has been regarded by Romanian nationalists as a symbol of Romanian unity, as his reign marked the first time all principalities inhabited by Romanians were under the same ruler.

Amza Pellea Romanian actor (1931-1983)

Amza Pellea was a Romanian actor noted for playing Romanian national heroes on film.

<i>100 Greatest Romanians</i>

In 2006, Romanian Television conducted a vote to determine whom the general public considered the 100 Greatest Romanians of all time, in a version of the British TV show 100 Greatest Britons. The resulting series, Great Romanians, included individual programmes on the top ten, with viewers having further opportunities to vote after each programme. It concluded with a debate. On 21 October, TVR announced that the "greatest Romanian of all time" according to the voting was Stephen the Great.

A Police Superintendent Accuses is a 1973 Romanian crime drama film by Sergiu Nicolaescu and starring himself as Police Commissioner Tudor Moldovan. The film is based on a true event, the Jilava Massacre which took place during World War II. Movie's main cast are played by actors Sergiu Nicolaescu, Gheorghe Dinică, Jean Constantin, Amza Pellea, Ion Besoiu and Emmerich Schäffer.

Revenge is a 1978 Romanian action film directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu.

<i>Dacii</i> (film) 1967 Romanian film

Dacii is a 1967 historical drama film about the run up to Domitian's Dacian War, which was fought between the Roman Empire and the Dacians in AD 87-88. The film shows historical events about Romania.

<i>Nemuritorii</i> 1974 Romanian film

Nemuritorii is a 1974 Romanian historical-adventure drama film. This film was directed by Romanian director Sergiu Nicolaescu. It was released on 22 January 1974 in Romania.

Florin Piersic Romanian actor

Florin Piersic is a well-known Romanian actor and TV personality. He is particularly famous for his leading roles in The White Moor and the Margelatu series films. He has a reputation, often parodied in popular culture, as a raconteur.

The Doom is a 1976 Romanian drama film directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu. The film was entered into the 10th Moscow International Film Festival where Amza Pellea won the award for Best Actor. The film was also selected as the Romanian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 49th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.

Ultimul cartuş is a 1973 Romanian crime film directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu. It is about the commissar Roman, portrayed by Ilarion Ciobanu, who is trying to revenge his partner's death.

Uncle Marin, the Billionaire is a 1979 Romanian comedy film directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu after a script written by Vintilă Corbul, Eugen Burada and Amza Pellea. The main roles are interpreted by Amza Pellea, Draga Olteanu Matei, Jean Constantin, Ștefan Mihăilescu-Brăila, Sebastian Papaiani, Puiu Călinescu, Stela Popescu, and Colea Răutu.

<i>Accident</i> (1976 film) 1976 film

Accident is a 1976 Romanian thriller film directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu.

Walk of Fame Bucharest

Walk of Fame is a project organized by Cocor and Metropolis Theater. The actors thus honored receive a star on the boulevard in Time Square, in Bucharest, Romania. The criterion for choosing actors depends on the month in which they were born. The project is similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in Los Angeles, United States. The Walk of Fame was inaugurated on January 31, 2011.

Mercenaries' Trap is a 1981 Romanian adventure drama war film, directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu.

Mihail, câine de circ is a 1979 Romanian adventure film directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu.

The Last Assault is a 1986 Romanian drama film directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu. It is set during World War II, during the period when Romania joined the Allies against the Axis.

Haiducii is a 1966 Romanian film directed by Dinu Cocea.

The Silver Mask is a 1985 Romanian action historical film directed by Gheorghe Vitanidis. This is the fourth film in the Margelatu series, after Drumul oaselor (1980), Trandafirul galben (1982), Misterele Bucureștilor (1983), followed by Colierul de turcoaze (1986) and Totul se plătește (1987).

References

  1. 1 2 ""Mihai Viteazul", pe locul III în topul filmelor istorice realizat de IMDB". Realitatea .Net. 2010-01-19. Archived from the original on 2010-01-22. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  2. 1 2 "Sergiu Nicolaescu: Cred că a fost blestemul meu - şi filmul şi faptul că nu am mai avut familie | Financiarul". Financiarul.ro. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  3. 1 2 www.vedeta.ro. Sergiu Nicolaescu a mobilizat 5.000 de militari pentru Mihai Viteazul (VIDEO) - Stiri Vedete Film Online pe. Vedeta.ro. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  4. 1 2 "Nine O'Clock". Nineoclock.ro. 2003-11-13. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  5. ↑ "Mihai Viteazul, third best historical movie in the world". Bucharestherald.com. 2010-01-20. Archived from the original on January 23, 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  6. 1 2 3 Ultimul up-date 23:10 GMT+2 (2010-01-20). "Mihai Viteazul, locul 3 intre filmele istorice ale lumii - Ziarul de Iasi". Ziaruldeiasi.ro. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  7. 1 2 "VIDEO Mihai Viteazul ocupa locul 3 intre cele mai apreciate filme istorice ale lumii - Showbiz - HotNews.ro". Life.hotnews.ro. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  8. ↑ De Laatste Kruistocht (1971) - Release Info - IMDb
  9. ↑ "StartHosting.ro - hosting de calitate !". Sergiunicolaescu.ro. Archived from the original on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  10. ↑ "Nicolaescu pregăteşte "Mihai Viteazul" în format blu-ray | 6:AM". 6am.ro. 2009-03-16. Archived from the original on 2014-01-17. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  11. ↑ http://www.stirisibiu.ro/stiri-nationale/mihai-viteazul-in-regia-lui-sergiu-nicolaescu-cel-mai-vizionat-film-romanesc-in-intreaga-lume-7%5B%5D
  12. ↑ Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
  13. ↑ Mihai Viteazul – Awards – IMDb
  14. ↑ Moscow International Film Festival (1971)
  15. ↑ "Mihai Viteazul » Filmele Adevarul". Filmeleadevarul.ro. Archived from the original on 2010-02-11. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  16. ↑ "Alegeri parlamentare - Nicolaescu Sergiu FLorin" (Press release). Alegeri-2009.ro. 1930-04-30. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  17. ↑ De Laatste Kruistocht (1971) - IMDb
  18. ↑ IMDb: Genre: Biography
  19. ↑ IMDb: Genre: War
  20. ↑ IMDb: Genre: Action
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.