Search - Alex Haley's Queen on DVD

Finally This Movie is on DVD!

C. White | Washington, DC | 06/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have loved Alex Haley's "Queen" since I was a little girl. It's so ironic this came out on DVD because I have been periodically checking to see if it had been released on DVD yet. I am so glad to see it!



To respond to some concerns about the DVD, they did not leave any parts of the movie out. When the first episode ends, be sure to go to the main menu and choose Episode two. That will show the parts of the film that people say are missing.



Also, coming from someone who has read the book more than once, no character in the film is random. They are all there for a purpose and their story is relevant to Queen's life in the book."

Alex Haley's Final Work Shines!!--Remastered and Restored T

MUZIK4THAPEOPLE!! | Orlando, FL | 01/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I remember back when this aired on CBS in the early '90's.

Halle Berry plays the late Alex Haley's paternal grandmother,

the ever strong, fiery and resilient Queen!!--This story is

a tour de force and has an excellent supporting cast.

This was Alex Haley's last work before he passed away a year

or two before this was first aired.

As I said, all of the cast shine in this and it makes a

great addition to your DVD collection and brilliantly caps

off the "ROOTS" saga!!"

Best 283 minutes I've spent in a LONG time!

Kiarri D. Andrews | Illinois | 02/08/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This film...oh, Lord this FILM!!!



I must say that I have not finished reading the original novel (it is quite long and difficult to complete given the fact the first few chapters date back to Ireland). But this movie version is absolutely INCREDIBLE. Halle Berry as Queen, in her first role as a truly credible and outstanding lead actress, was FLAWLESS. Every line, EVERY SINGLE LINE of dialogue was delivered effortlessly and with almost deadly precision. I first watched Queen when it debuted as a mini-series but I was quite young and did not fully grasp the concepts. But as an adult, this story totally enveloped me. And as Queen's life unfolded, I felt as though a part of me opened as well.



All the actors did an outstanding job, particularly Ann-Margaret, Tim Daly, and the ever-radiant Jasmine Guy as Queen's slave-born mother. It is a long movie and can become emotionally taxing, but if you can spare it, all 283 minutes are worth the time."

Queen's suffering was removed from the DVD

Reader2008 | 03/14/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Before I watched the 2nd part of the DVD, I read Queen's autobiography and merged that with what I remember from seeing it in childhood. It explains a lot. I wondered how the DVD could only be 283 minutes. Well, the answer is this: all of Queen's suffering was removed from the DVD.



Basically, when Queen left the Jackson plantation, she had to survive anyway she could. Many times she would walk on the road in tattered clothes and shoes hungry. The blacks wouldn't help her because she looked white and the whites wouldn't help her because she was white trash. One time, Queen was so hungry that when somebody threw some stew on the ground, she ran to the ground and ate it. She was like a rabid animal with rabies.



While in the city passing as white, a soldier tried to have sex with her. She thought it would stop him to tell him she was black. Instead, he brutally attacked her. By the time Queen had met Abner's father, she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.



Then, she hooks up with these white Christian women who want to save the souls of black women. The women were crazy and tried to steal Abner. Queen was forced to run again. When we see Queen on the fairy heading up North, she literally had been starved to death, raped, had her child stolen from her, and seen the love of her life burned to death. NO HUMAN could withstand all of that and not go crazy.



By releasing this DVD without the suffering scenes, you have basically done an injustice to this story. I highly suggest the makers re-release this DVD with the entire saga.



Pros:



Halle's acting was the BEST I had ever seen. I felt her pain when she got burned and lost her mind. I felt her pain whenever she asked a white person: "how much white you got in you, my ancestors are Irish, I may be 'negra' but you likely got a little bit of 'negra' in you too."

Halle was OUTSTANDING.



Cons:



Casting was more on point in Queen than in Roots: The Next Generation. The only issue I had was Halle's makeup; it was poorly done in parts of the movie.



Overall, I recommend the movie in its ENTIRETY; cut short it makes no sense."