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Running Free [1999]


RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £5.92 (subject to change)

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Set in northern Africa at the beginning of World War I, Running Free is an unusual movie narrated by a horse, voiced by Lukas Haas (Witness). While the gambit works for the most part, let's face it, some sentences ("I had to find my place in the world") just sound silly coming from equine lips. Lucky, as he is called, is born on an African-bound ship but is separated from his mother when the horses swim for shore and the new colt simply can't keep up. While mum and the rest of the gang are sent to work in the mines, Lucky is discovered by a young orphan who works as a stable hand. The mother-son pair are briefly reunited, but the stable's stallion, Caesar, fatally injures her. The high-born Caesar also prevents his own foal, Beauty, from seeing Lucky and eventually forces the colt out on his own. The dour indignities heaped upon this horse, including a heart-wrenching parting with the boy, last for about an hour of this 78-minute film before events begin to shift and Lucky is able to live up to his name. Although the film is rated suitable for all viewers, horse death, graphic fighting and cruelty toward the boy might be overwhelming to young or sensitive children. --Kimberly Heinrichs, Amazon.com

Editorial
Video Description

DVD Special Features:

Filmographies
Music Score
Trailer
Interactive Menus
Languages: English, German
Subtitles: English, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Icelandic, Hindi, Hebrew, Dutch, Bulgarian, German, Turkish, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Greek, Norwegian, Arabic
Dolby Digital 5.1 Aspect Ratio: 1:2.35

Editorial
Synopsis

From the mind of acclaimed writer-director-producer Jean-Jacques Annaud (THE BEAR) comes this gorgeous, inspiring film that the whole family can enjoy. RUNNING FREE tells the story of Lucky, a colt who is born in 1914 and finds himself abandoned in the harsh climate of Africa. He is befriended by a small stable boy, but finds himself on another difficult journey when war forces the townspeople away. Eventually, he finds himself back in his adopted hometown, where he reunites with Beauty, a mare with him he fell in love as a foal. Beautiful cinematography sparks this heartwarming dramatic adventure.
Editorial
From the Back Cover

Running free is the inspiring story of a remarkable friendship between an abandoned young colt called Lucky and an orphaned boy (Chase Moore) who rescues the young horse from a life of hard labour in the copper mines of Namibia. Together they find the strength to stand up to the cruel plantation owner and his mean-spirited thoroughbred Caesar; fleeing the destruction of the escalating war, they chase after the freedom they both deserve.

Narrated by Lukas Haas (Witness, Mars Attacks!) and starring Jan Decleir (Character, Antonia's Line), Arie Verveen (The Thin Red Line), as well as Chase Moore and Maria Geelboi in their big screen debuts, RUNNING FREE is a visually stunning, unforgettable tale about the triumph of the human - and equestrain - spirit.


Great for horse lovers
Review date: 2007-08-31 Rating: 8 out of 10

A nice film, the story wasn't brilliant but visually it is a treat, some great shots of beautiful horses, worth watching for these alone. Horse lovers will relish this film, but for the non-horse-obsessed it can be a bit boring at times and is fairly predictable.

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Reviews


Finally! A film about horses that is refreshing and different
Review date: 2006-10-08 Rating: 8 out of 10

I loved this film. Unfortunately,it seems to have cut out more than half its target audience, as it's one of the few and far between films about horses that DOESN'T think that, by taming a horse and putting it to work, you are doing it a huge favour. Let's face it, people that would watch a film about horses are generally those who own one and do put it to work. This film is not afraid to say that actually,horses should be allowed to run wild.

Running Free is the story of a young chestnut colt named Lucky, born on a ship bound for the mines in Namibia, who is rescued and befriended by a young orphaned boy who works in the stables. When he loses both his mother and his newfound friend, owing to evacuation during the war,Lucky must learn to survive on his own, eventually becoming the leader of his own herd. The film is narrated by the horse and told from his point of view.

Despite the various themes of family, friendship and redemption, this film is in no way saccharine or sentimental. There are no soft focus close-ups, or gentle zoom-ins to lamenting music. In fact, the human characters are realistic; the upper class and feared stable owner still has compassion for the orphaned boy, allowing him to keep Lucky despite the foal's lack of noble lineage. What's more, unlike many 'villains', he rejects loading his own prized purebred horse on to the evacuation train, instead ensuring everyone in the mines is taken to safety.

However, there are several suspensions of belief, as the orphaned boy and Lucky somehow survive in the Namibian desert. Lucky too apparently learns his survival skills from a young village girl.

Despite this, I enjoyed Running Free a great deal, as the focus is on the horses, and riding and working them is not seen as normal and acceptable. Neither is there too much sentimentality or blatant moralising, as is found in many family films. If you are interested in horses, it is definitely worth watching, if not, it is at least worth a look for its different perspective.



a really good heart warming story
Review date: 2004-03-06 Rating: 8 out of 10

this is a good hartwarming story that makes you laugh and cry. you can really feel for the foal at the begining and you can really despise ceaser the cruel stallion. this is a great film for horse lovers and for people who like happy endings.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Graham Clarke
Arie Verveen
Chase Moore
Maria Geelbooi
Jan Decleir

Creators:
Chase Moore (Primary Contributor)
Arie Verveen (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
EAN: 5035822909434
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2001-04-09
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Universal, suitable for all
Region code: 2
Running time: 81 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2000-06-02
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: Russian (Original Language)

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