Wow, this is a pretty well versed review of THE MASK OF ZORRO. This comes from a seemingly cloned version of myself living in Los Angeles. Whoever, this may be, he certainly raised a spark of hope in my heart for this film. I've been sort of down on the film since Rodriguez jumped off, but now I'm excited. Don Diego de Canoles has seen Zorro and he liked what he saw, so here he is to tell it....
Long time spy, brand new name, reporting in upon seeing TriStar's epic MASK OF ZORRO. After reading your report about SHOWEST, I thought it was fitting that the great Don Diego de Canoles write to you about THE MASK OF ZORRO.
I have been a Zorro fan for many years now. My love first began when I witnessed Tyrone Power battle Basil Rathbone. The music was bliss, and there was something about the carving of 'Z' into walls, wood, and foreheads, that just spoke to me. And then there was that name. Don Diego. Hey, I liked that name.
Growing older I attended conventions up and down the California coastline. In those days, we had film rooms, places to see FILMS. I saw GHOST OF ZORRO, THE MAN WITH THE STEEL WHIP, ZORRO RIDES AGAIN and then the best of the Zorro serials ZORRO'S FIGHTING LEGION. It did not matter the actor, you see it was Zorro that I loved. The character. The man in black who fights the corrupt police force of California. I somehow related. I knew of such injustices in my period of existence in California. I longed to don the mask, ride a mighty steed Tornado and carve my own mark into those dishonest police that gave all police a bad name.
Then as I aged, and realized that sane men don't carve letters into human tissue (unless you go to those weird tattoo and body piercing places), that I didn't need to become Zorro, but rather enter the arena of filmmaking.
I've read your site since the first day, and I have contributed often, but now I assume my true identity of Don Diego de Canoles, a filmmaker of conscience. I have been readying myself for this review. I have recently rewatched all the Zorro films, I know of. In a way, my favorite is the Douglas Fairbanks Zorro flick. His dynamics and that smile just kick ass. But Guy Williams with his, "Out of the night, when the full moon is bri ight..." is just so real to me. The music, the color, the pageantry all spoke to me.
I've been reading with much interest the reviews that have appeared on your site regarding MASK OF ZORRO. Specifically the man called Hallenbeck. He seemed to of liked the film, but disliked the villians. Well...
Here's my review...
THE MASK OF ZORRO
As the film begins and Zorro steps out of the side of the screen, carves a big 'Z' into it, and we dive into the tear to see California of long ago... well, I was transported. As you noted Harry, this film does indeed feature full screen adventure. In otherwords, they pulled the camera back. And boy does the camera see something. This universe is quite full and lush. I like it. There are rich, succulent colors that dazzle the eyes.
The opening of the film which features the non-Banderas Zorro is startling. Hopkins reminds me of the older Don Juan-era Douglas Fairbanks. And the stunts that Hopkin's double performs, well.. let's just say that this is the way a Batman movie should look. One person for close-ups and dialogue, another for the full length distance shots. The opening had my mouth drooling. The El Cid temp track had my heart pumping, I sure hope whoever does the score can match the gusto of Miklos Rosza's horns.
So does Zorro have any problems, yeah it does. This is it. The blonde captain guy is terrible. He's meant to give Banderas an evil being to loathe and drive him behind the mask, but the blonde captain guy with his "I can't believe it's not butter... s-p-r-e-a-d" good looks is annoying. The Vlasic Pickle Jar treatment is a bit predictable, and I know it's place in history, but I felt the scene was trite and didn't move the film forward. (This is for the producers, director, etc. The rest of ya will hopefully never get it)
Catherine Zeta Jones is hot as hell in the movie. I really loved the way she looked out the top of her eyes, she gave a real... caged animal look, that had me willing to break her bonds and follow her like the faithful pet. I know she was in THE PHANTOM, but she looks approximately 50 times more desirable here. My fellow attendees really are upset that she had long hair for one scene. I mean, come on, we get a glimpse of Jane Seymour's gorgeous ta-ta's in Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, and that was a kid's flick. I remember, it's one of the reasons I'm hetero.
Sorry about that, but.. well, hormones, damn them. Sometimes the shots don't work. Anyway, Banderas and Hopkins are perfect in their roles. This will be the film that catapults Antonio where he should of been after Desperado. Strange this is also Sony. Hmmmm. Antonio, perhaps you've found your home.
The one thing I love about the film is the fact that it's so... Republic Serial like. The secret hideouts, the missions, the despicable bad guys, the outlandish stunts, the whip, the swords, the fancy smancy horseback stuff, etc. It doesn't accomplish that Serial feel to the classic degree that Spielberg did with Raiders of the Lost Ark, but it did not drop the ball either. And Spielberg never quite got that same feel back either, and I like both of the Jones' sequels.
The audience I saw the film with loved it. Afterwards the group of guys I was with stood around talking about doing Catherine Zeta Jones, cutting the Blonde Captain DUDE's part out, and how friggin' cool Banderas and Hopkins were.
Is it my fave Zorro? Not really, but that's not really a fair question. As a kid growing up with Guy Williams and Tyrone Power... well they became faithful defenders of truth and justice with flair and charm in my mind's eye. They became the heroes I wanted to be. They established the hero in my mind. So there was no place for Hopkins and Banderas to move into. I'm sure that to today's kids, the dreamers of the bunch will place Hopkins and Banderas right there in their mind's eye, slashing 'Z's in teacher's and principal's foreheads and asses, just as I did.
Fare the well, Harry and AICN readers,
Til Don Diego de Canoles rides again....
