The Royal Hunt of the Sun

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Anna F Aug 16 This film is based on the play of the same name by Peter Shaffer (Amadeus, Equus, etc). Shaffer has always been a polarizing writer who pushes the envelope, despite one British reviewer having sniffed that his plays were irredeemably "middle class" and the NYC critic contingent having dismissed this one as borderline stupid. The film manages to meld the most important lines of the play with a fictional yet heartbreaking depiction of the Spanish conquest and destruction of Peru...as well as a contrast of the Peruvian people's belief that "the Inca" was a living god who would be reborn after death, with Western beliefs that a certain other individual who reportedly lived 2,000 years ago was also a living god who would rise from the dead. At the end, your heart is broken on behalf of everything and everyone in the film, which is no mean feat. Robert Shaw (he of the deep, resonant voice, gone too soon) stars as Pizarro. A young, fit and bronzed Christopher Plummer stars as Atahualpa, the Inca. I have watched this film countless times over the years for its emotional impact, which is the best way to approach it. See more Brooke N Jan 26 Even though many of the criticisms are fair, the movie is still a must see. Both Robert Shaw and Christopher Plummer are great actors with a strong supporting cast. The script loosely tracks with Pizarro’s conquest, including the manner of Atahualpa’s execution. Plummer’s portrayal of Atahualpa is riveting. Yes, the accent is strange, but at least it is an attempt to show that Quechua is nothing like Spanish. See more Celtic R 01/08/2024 Adventure stories (movies especially) that involve the Incas are usually mediocre at best. "Royal Hunt" is no exception to the rule. Maybe the 21st century will improve the situation. For the moment, "Aguirre" and "The Emperor's New Groove" are as good as it gets for fiction. Yes, there are some good documentaries, but that's another review for another day. See more 10/02/2021 I am fascinated by the ancient cultures and civilisations of South America and just wish that they were better represented in the movies. This attempt to show the terrible slaughter of the Inca by Pizarro when the Spanish invaded has a glittering cast but is, at best, patchy to say the least. It has a truly bizarre performance from Christopher Plummer who's 'helium-pitched' accent is at first laughable and then, just jaw dropping. Accompanied by Robert Shaw, Andrew Keir, Michael Craig and Nigel Davenport, this lavish production really hasn't aged at all well and it is something of a slog to get through. All this is despite being based on the play by the renowned and lauded Peter Shaffer. This could and should have been so much better. See more 04/21/2013 Christopher Plummer and Robert Shaw: the perfect combination for a wonderful movie--Innocence (Purity) gone, bloody gold!! See more 05/13/2008 An okay adapation- not a great one. A lot of dialogue is cut from the play. Robert shaw is good, but the real amazing performance is be Christopher Plummer. His Incan prince is so far removed from Captain Von Trap from The Sound of Music that it's difficult to believe he's the same person. He includes bird-like mannerims into his character, probably because his people believe him to be a bird/god. He gives a trial dance that he looks like he's known his whole life. David Carradine - or Kung Fu, did the role on Broadway. My DVD was of very poor quality. Had to turn up my TV's volume up all the way just for it to be audible. See more Read all reviews

The Royal Hunt of the Sun

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