Treasure Island (Devil's Treasure) [1990]

Of course nothing can replace the book Treasure Island ISBN: 3895084581. However this movie comes closest. I also have a copy of Treasure Island (1934) ASIN: 6301977068 because that is what I watched as a kid and thought of it as a classic. But Wallace Beery can not come near Charlton Heston as Long John Silver. What you do not want to waste your time on is Treasure Island (1950) ASIN: 6304293941. This version is chopped up. People are missing. And the story is so sweet that you don't recognize the plot.


a story told well   October 30, 2004
Alejandra Vernon (Long Beach, California)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

A terrific telling of Robert Louis Stevenson's adventure, Christian Bale as the young Jim Hawkins and Charlton Heston as Long John Silver are both superb, and head a great cast: Richard Johnson, Oliver Reed, Clive Wood, and Julian Glover among the many actors that bring the story to life. Filmed in Jamaica, as well as the Hispaniola, a beauty of a ship, the scenery and cinematography by Robert Steadman are marvelous.
The soundtrack is by Paddy Moloney and performed by The Cheiftains, and is also very effective.

Christian Bale, so moving two years earlier in "Empire of the Sun", is here courageous and strong; only fourteen at the time this was made, he is quite remarkable, and Heston does a turn as the bad guy, and is sensational as old wily Silver, saying things like "I'll have yer liver for breakfast !".
Director Fraser Heston, who made his cinematic debut as the infant Moses in the 1956 "The Ten Commandments" his father starred in, keeps the pacing fast and though there are a lot of sword fights and shooting, it is mostly sound effects and there is very little in the way of gore, making the film suitable for children. The dialect of the sailors sounds foreign at first, but one soon gets used to it.
Originally made for television, this is rousing, exceptional story-telling, that will keep one's interest for numerous viewings.
Total running time is 132 minutes.


An accurate re-telling of the Robert Louis Stevenson Story   March 18, 2008
J. Horsnell (Oxford)
But why is it not available on DVD? This is quite the best Treasure Island. Faithful to the original plot,and with brilliant casting. Christian Bale (Empire of the Sun) does a wonderful job in the lead role, and Oliver Reed is ideally cast as the drunken, haunted Billy Bones. Much of it shot on location. Wonderful caribbean scenery. Authentic ships, authentic language. I had it on VHS and am waiting for it on DVD. Ideal 'edutainment' for the children (and all the family) on a wet Sunday afternoon.


The best pirate tale of all in a super screen version   April 6, 2008
Dmitri M. A. Hubbard (Hong Kong)
Charlton Heston and Christian Bale make this film. This is be far and away the best pirate movie I have ever seen. It is also as close as you will find to the book. Also, it hearkens back to a time of storytelling which has been all but lost with hollywoods latest "Pirates of the Carribean" series.