Horatio Hornblower Collector's Edition (2003)

From midshipman to commander, experience the thrilling escapades of the ultimate high-seas hero with the HORATIO HORNBLOWER COLLECTOR'S EDITION, an eight-volume treasure chest of sweeping naval adventure and lavish historical drama. Joining the British Royal Navy at the outset of the Napoleonic Wars, the enterprising Horatio Hornblower rises quickly from raw recruit to seasoned sailor, charting a course from the West Indies to the coast of Africa in the name of the Crown. Along the way he encounters roiling sea battles, mutiny, plague and love, but always proves himself equal to the task. Gorgeously filmed and richly produced, A&E's Emmy®-winning adaptations of C.S. Forester's classic novels star Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic Four, Black Hawk Down) and a stellar supporting cast that includes Robert Lindsay (Wimbledon), Jamie Bamber (Band of Brothers) and Paul Copley (Queer as Folk). The HORATIO HORNBLOWER COLLECTOR'S EDITION contains all eight feature-length Hornblower films (with many a bonus material below deck): The Duel The Fire Ships The Duchess and the Devil The Wrong War The Mutiny Retribution Loyalty Duty DVD Features: Exclusive Interview with Ioan Gruffudd; Filmmaker Commentary on "Loyalty" and "Duty"; 3 Bonus Programs: "England’s Royal Warships," "Sail 2000: Aboard the Eagle," and "The Making of Horatio Hornblower"; About C.S. Forester; Nautical Terms and Definitions; Interactive 3D Naval Cannon; Guide to Royal Warships; C.S. Forester Biography; Cast and Crew Biographies; Photo Gallery; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

Fast paced, exceptional characters and intriguing plots

This was an excellent series; one of the very best I've ever seen! My only regret was that it was over too soon. It's worth seeing for the ships alone, but the character Hornblower was everything a hero should be and then some; ingenious, capable, filled with integrity and daring. October 10, 2008

Fantastic adventure, excellent acting

I highly recommend this series, they are full of adventure and keep you on the edge of your seat no matter how many times you watch them. The cast does an excellent job, especially Ioan Gruffudd as Horatio, and Robert Lindsay as Capt. Pellew. I've read the book series and loved the character of Horatio. Ioan Gruffudd does an excellent job bringing Horatio to life making him even more lovable.He gives the most amazing performance of a literary character I have ever seen. Ten times better movies than "Masters and Commanders". Well worth the money, and easy to see why Ioan Gruffudd is quickly rising to fame. One of the best actors of our time. October 10, 2008

Excellent series

Superb acting, compelling story and a peek into world/naval history that leaves you (and your older children) eager to follow up with period literature, film and history. October 4, 2008

Remarkably engaging

These films are amazing. I love them! Eight films, each of them brilliant on their own merits. While it's nice to watch them in sequence, I'm not sure it's absolutely necessary. I find myself getting swept up in the stories, far more than I expected. I know I'll watch these again and again, and I don't say that about many DVD's.

The extras are decent -- I liked the special with Prince Edward ("England's Royal Warships"), which I have seen as a separate broadcast on the History channel. The "Making of" segment was fascinating.

Highly recommended!

Edited to add: I had some problems with closed captioning on the later films in the series. The DVD says that closed captioning is tied to my television, which is fine, but even though I had CC enabled on the tv, it didn't work with the DVD. Perhaps my equipment is too old, technology changes so quickly. September 30, 2008

Great fun!

Hornblower is the most fun we've had in a long while. Plus you learn all kinds of things you didn't know before. We saw part of it at our parents' house, came home and had to buy it. Now we have loaned it to our son and his wife. This is a great show for all adults! September 6, 2008

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