[.ca] King David

Sucked!:
This movie sucked! Everything about it was terrible. Some may also find it offensive for straying far from the biblical narrative. Although this movie is called "King David", the story bares little resemblance to the story of King David found in the books of Samuel and Chronicles.

Excellent and accurate biblical portrayal!:
This biblical story recount of the lives of King Saul and King David were very true to what I have read in the Old Testament stories in the books of "Samuel" and Kings". Having Richard Gere portray the adult King David didn't hurt either!!! This is one of the better "bible" story movies I have seen to date. Thoroughly enjoyed seeing this biblical story "come to life" and Richard Gere is terrific in it! Lot's of action and well done!

Very good movie!:
This was a very good movie about King David, I was impressed and surprise because usualy I don't like biblical movies with big names actors but Richard Gere give a great acting performance as David, he his very believable and the movie atmophere is good, it put you in that time. I recommand this movie to anyone who like biblical movies. I am not a person who usualy impressed by movies or books, let say I am very hard to please about that but this movie deserve the 4 stars I gave him.

Forget the Negative Reviews! It really is 1000BC!:
Fantastic Art Direction, High Production Values, and a Superb Cast and Crew make this film the most visually accurate Old Testament Story ever given the Big Screen Treatment. Whoever was the technical advisor for this film did an excellent job in recreating the period. Edward Woodward is Outstanding as Saul (most of the cast is British, which lends a certain archaic dignity to the dialogue). Richard Gere also does a great job as King David. If you have a passion for Biblical or Historical Epics - this one delivers! The battle scenes (which are very well choreographed), chariot charges, and of course the duel between David and Goliath are all 'edge of the seat', 'toe curling action' I really cannot praise this film too much!

"a lamp unto his people":
When this film was released in 1985, the critics were not kind, but I love this film, and think it's a good telling of the story of David, based on I and II Samuel, I Chronicles, and the Psalms. Though much of it has been compressed (David's relationship with Bathsheba is limited mostly to the consequences of it for instance) and some creative license used for plot continuity, it has a tremendous amount of Biblical accuracy. Taking place from 1000 to 961 B.C., the costuming, sets, and artifacts are fabulous; filmed in Pinewood Studios, U.K., and on location in Italy, the cinematography by Donald McAlpine is wonderful. The score is also lovely, by Carl Davis. The brief nudity in the wedding chamber sequence has in my tape, been darkened so as to be imperceptible; either this is a flaw in the tape, or an effort not to offend and capture a wider audience, which would be silly, as this is a very mature drama. It contains much brutal violence making it unsuitable for children, and the confrontation with Goliath for example (which is exceptionally well done), is one of four beheadings. Richard Gere is a marvelous David, and stands up well against an excellent international cast. He was thirty-five when this was filmed, and is about as handsome as a human has a right to be. The actor who shines above all though is Edward Woodward as Saul. He is riveting, and it's a brilliant character study of courage mixed with jealousy, revenge, and madness. This is far from being a "Big Bible Epic" with lots of well known stars, instead it's serious and beautifully acted, and perhaps arrived on the scene at the wrong time, that it was so unappreciated two decades ago. Total running time is 114 minutes. "It is through the heart, the heart alone, that God speaks to man".