Barnes & Noble

One of moviedom's most venerable heroes makes a rousing return in this sumptuously produced swashbuckler, a superior example of the genre crammed with atmosphere, action, drama, and romance. Anthony Hopkins portrays the original Zorro, a hero to the downtrodden masses of 18th-century California, finally unmasked and imprisoned by the tyrannical Don Rafael Montero (Stuart Wilson), who compounds his crimes by stealing Zorro's infant daughter and raising her as his own. Twenty years later, the aged Zorro returns, training the penniless bandito Alejandro (Antonio Banderas) in the use of whip and sword and enjoining him to don the mask of Zorro and lead the battle against Montero. In the process, Alejandro falls in love with Zorro's now-grown daughter, Elena, played in spirited fashion by the ravishing Catherine Zeta-Jones. Director Martin Campbell (Goldeneye) manipulates the Zorro legend ever so slightly to suit the demands of his sprawling story, but his tinkering is more than offset by the exuberance of his thrilling action set-pieces, the most elaborate ever filmed for a Zorro movie. The film contains plenty of humorous, tongue-in-cheek moments but never descends to the level of camp. All in all, The Mask of Zorro is an eminently worthy successor to earlier films featuring Johnston McCulley's fabled "Curse of Capistrano" and makes sterling entertainment for the entire family. This DVD Special Edition includes a commentary by Campbell, the documentary Unmasking Zorro (which touches on the character's illustrious history), deleted scenes, a music video for the film's hit song, "I Want to Spend My Lifetime Loving You," a gallery of costume-designer sketches, and numerous trailers and TV spots. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

Director Martin Campbell, well-known to the action arena after 1995's GoldenEye, teams up with executive producer Steven Spielberg to bring the first Hollywood production of creator Johnston McCulley's Zorro in over four decades to the big screen. With scenic 18th century Mexico as a backdrop, Anthony Hopkins plays the original Zorro, a.k.a. Don Diego de la Vega, intent on revenge after rival enemy Don Raphael Montero (Stuart Wilson) murdered his wife and took his daughter, Elena. After being imprisoned for 20 years, the fabled hero removes his mask and takes on a tarnished young apprentice, Alejandro Murieta (Antonio Banderas), to infiltrate Montero's plan to take control of California from Santa Anna. A boisterous outlaw with his own desire for revenge, Murieta works with Diego to avenge his brother's death by the sword of Montero's right-hand man, Captain Harrison Love (Matt Letscher, in his big screen debut). After Diego's extensive training in swordfighting, discipline and manners, a new Zorro appears wreaking vengeance and stealing the heart of a now-grown Elena (Catherine Zeta-Jones). A sizable summer hit, the film served as Zeta-Jones' stepping stone to leading lady status as the high-spirited heroine. ~ Rachel Koetje, All Movie Guide

Time Magazine

...the action in this movie, most of which takes the form of spectacular stunt work performed by real, as opposed to digitized, people (note especially the spectacular Roman riding gag), is motivated by simple, powerful emotions of an old-fashioned and rather melodramatic nature, which the characters are not shy about expressing. We're talking high romance, pure ideals, dashing heroism here--all the stuff that used to animate our big boyish movies. Richard Schickel

Product Details

• UPC: 043396094178
• Source: SONY PICTURES
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Cinemascope (2.35:1)
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: DTS 5.1-Channel Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, Français, Español, Portugais, Korean, Thai
• Time: 2:17:00

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Definitive Dvd Collection for Everyone
• Anthony Hopkins
• Starter 4 Pack
• Legend of Zorro / Mask of Zorro
• Legend of Zorro / Mask of Zorro
• Legend of Zorro/the Mask of Zorro

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