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

Terrific series

Well done and well acted. Even all my kids liked it.Shows what honor means and how to be honorable. October 30, 2008

Outstanding Mini-series!

If you are a naval history buff this is a must have! Amazon's fair pricing and fast shipping.....arrived promptly and in excellent condition. October 28, 2008

Reluctant hero Hornblower...outstanding...5 stars!

A&E does C.S. Forester's tales of Horatio Hornblower proud. Each of the eight discs in this set of made-for-TV movies are outstanding pieces of work.

The main character in the series is Horatio Hornblower. Hornblower is a reluctant hero who acts mainly to prove to himself that he is not a coward, just as he is described in Forester's books. As Hornblower acts he learns to become an effective officer and leader in the heyday of the Royal Navy's age of sail.

The tales ring true since many of the episodes are filmed on the Black Sea aboard a newly constructed square rigger. The character development is outstanding, and there is not a weak link in the casts from the main character, Hornblower, to officers such as Mr. Bush, Mr. Kennedy, and ordinary seamen such as Stiles, MacElroy, or my personal favorite - Matthews.

The cinematography is outstanding, the storylines are surprisingly faithful to Forester's books, and the live filming and special effects involving miniatures of sailing ships is seemless.

I have read the entire set of CS forester's Hornblower books, and I have watched each of these 8 films several times. They are simply some of the most outstanding films I have ever seen. The quality of these films rely on outstanding acting, great character development, and great pacing.

You may be interested to know that my 16-year old son, who tends to be impressed by films that employ digital special effects heavily (e.g., Spiderman, Lord of the Rings, etc.) includes these films among his favorite. If that's not an endorsement, I don't know what is ;)

This boxed set is definitely the way to go to get all of the episodes in this series.

The only regret I have about this series is that A&E does not plan to make any more! If only...if only! These movies take us up through Forester's books to the point where Hornblower would be made a captain, but that's where they stop.

This series should be of particular interest to history buffs, people with interest in the age of sail, fans of C.S. Forester, as well as fans of Ioan Gruffudd or other cast members.

5 stars all the way, and I'd award 10 to this series if I could! October 27, 2008

Horatio Hornblower box set DVD

Horatio Hornblower Boxed Set

This is a great series. Historical fixction. Good family entertainment for ages 6 through 96. and esp liked by men and boys. I gave it to my son for a 41th birthday and both he and his sons like it. October 24, 2008

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

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