English-Language DVDs from Germany

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ENGLISH-LANGUAGE
REGION 2 DVDS FROM GERMANY

In his quest for Ancient World movies unavailable in the USA, Steven has discovered a handful of German DVDs which include English-language tracks; all are available from Amazon.de.

The quality of these German DVDs is high, and they all include English tracks. Most movies here are either completely unavailable in the USA, or not available in full-length versions or in their original widescreen aspect ratio. Delivery from Amazon.de can be rather slow (a month is not uncommon), but for Steven the wait has always been worth it.

The catch: these are all Region 2 DVDs, which means you can’t play them on regular DVD players sold in the USA (which play Region 1 only). You must have a Region 2 player, or a PC DVD player set to Region 2, or an all-region DVD player. (Amazon offers a number of all-region DVD players.)

Widescreen wonder: No US DVD is available, but The Egyptian (Sinuhe, der Ägpyter) can be seen in English—and in its original widescreen format—on the the Region 2 DVD from Germany. Edmund Purdom, Jean Simmons, and Peter Ustinov star in Michael Curtiz’s epic film of the worldwide bestselling novel by Mika Waltari.

AUGUSTINE: Decline of the Roman Empire Three-hour epic about the Saint of Hippo originally broadcast on Italian TV, starring Johannes Brandup and Franco Nero; features English audiotrack. BEN HUR The three-hour TV version first broadcast in Canada in 2010, starring Joseph Morgan in the title role; features English audiotrack.

ODYSSEUS: Voyage to the Underworld (Der Sieg der Odysseus) Arnold Vosloo and Steve Bacic battle monsters and match wits with wily goddesses on a mysterious island; features English audiotrack. THE INQUIRY (Die Untersuching) Imperial agent Keith Carradine investigates a reputed resurrection in this intellectual thriller from 1986. Harvey Keitel is Pilate; Phyllis Logan is his wife. Superior to the 2006 remake.

SIGN OF THE PAGAN (Attila, der Hunnenkönig) Jack Palance stars as the terrifying Hun, with Jeff Chandler as Roman hero Marcian; Douglas Sirk directs. Widescreen print includes English track. SALOME Rita Hayworth performs the Dance of the Seven Veils for Herod (Charles Laughton) in a 1953 technicolor extravaganza.

SODOM & GOMORRAH Robert Aldrich directed this sprawling Biblical epic from 1962 starring Stewart Granger and Anouk Aimee; score by Miklós Rózsa. Original 1.85:1 widescreen print. HERKULES The 2005 mini-series starring super-hunk Paul Telfer as the demigod, with Sean Astin and Leelee Sobieski. This is the 160-minute version, not the 127-minute DVD version available in the US.

POMPEII: THE LAST DAYS (Pompeji: Der Untergang) Lavishly produced 3-hour Italian telemovie from 2007; the reconstruction (and destruction) of the ancient city is impressive. LAST DAYS OF POMPEII (Die letzten Tage von Pompeji) Beautiful 3-disk boxed set of the 1984 mini-series with Franco Nero, Laurence Olivier, Nicholas Clay, Olivia Hussey and Duncan Regehr.

LAST DAYS OF POMPEII (Die letzten Tage von Pompeji) The 1959 Steve Reeves version with Fernando Rey as the villain and script by Sergio Leone; awesome 2.35:1 widescreen print. CARTHAGE IN FLAMES (Karthago in Flammen) 1960 spectacle of forbidden love and fiery mayhem as Rome destroys its greatest rival; beautiful 2.35:1 widescreen print. Also available as Karthago: Flammendes Inferno.

DUEL OF THE TITANS (Romulus und Remus) Terrific pairing of Steve Reeves and Gordon Scott as the twin founders of Rome; stunning 2.35:1 widescreen print. HERCULES DOUBLE FEATURE The great Steve Reeves classics; the only 2.35:1 widescreen print Steven has found of Hercules Unchained, with a 1.77:1 print of Hercules.

ATLANTIS THE LOST CONTINENT (Kontinent der Verlorenen) 1961 George Pal classic; a Greek fisherman is enslaved by the super-science of Atlantis. Excellent print in original 1.85:1 widescreen. MESSALINA The ill-fated Belinda Lee stars as the ill-fated wife of emperor Claudius. Vittorio Cottavi directs; Giuliano Gemma co-stars. Gorgeous 2.35:1 widescreen print.

QUO VADIS The uncut 1985 miniseries with Klaus Maria Branudauer as Nero, based on the novel by the Nobel Prize winner Henryk Sienkiewicz. HANNIBAL Alexander Siddig stars as the Carthaginian general who crossed the Alps with elephants to menace Rome in this 2006 BBC docudrama.

HISTORICAL EPICS SET IN OTHER ERAS...

LEGACY OF THE INCAS (Das Vermächtnis des Inka) Guy Madison and Fernando Rey star this rarely-seen 1965 Incan epic based on a Karl May novel; 2-disk widescreen Collector’s Edition.

MIRCEA (Kreuzritter 7: Schlact um die Ehre) In 1393, only the Romanian king Mircea stands between the invading Ottomans and Europe. Directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu. English subtitles. THE WHITE KNIGHT (Kreuzritter 8: Der Weisse Ritter) Never released in the US, this 2006 spectacle is based on the Catalan epic Tirant Lo Blanc.

FIRE & SWORD: The Legend of Tristan and Isolde (Feuer und Schwert: Die Legende von Tristan und Isolde) 1982 German-Irish production stars Christophe Waltz (screen debut), Antonia Preser, and Peter Firth. DIE KREUZRITTER: Der Kampf der Könige Colossal Romanian national epic about Michael the Brave features huge battles and a cast of thousands. Directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu. English subtitles.

Again, please note: these are all Region 2 DVDs, which means you can’t play them on regular DVD players sold in the USA (which play Region 1 only). You must have a Region 2 player, or a PC DVD player set to Region 2, or an all-region DVD player. (Amazon offers a number of all-region DVD players.)

DVD Shop: FORTHCOMING MOVIES • WHERE ARE THE EURO MOVIES?
SWORD & SANDAL MOVIES • DOCUMENTARIES • ANCIENT CINEMA BOOKS
HAIL SHAKESPEARE! • STEVEN’S TOP 10 MOVIES LIST
ROME • GREECE • EGYPT & BIBLICAL EPICS
ONLINE FILM FEST • WISH LIST

Back to Steven’s Bookshop


Widescreen wonder: No US DVD is available, but The Egyptian (Sinuhe, der Ägpyter) can be seen in English—and in its original widescreen format—on the the Region 2 DVD from Germany. Edmund Purdom, Jean Simmons, and Peter Ustinov star in Michael Curtiz’s epic film of the worldwide bestselling novel by Mika Waltari.

	AUGUSTINE: Decline of the Roman Empire Three-hour epic about the Saint of Hippo originally broadcast on Italian TV, starring Johannes Brandup and Franco Nero; features English audiotrack.		BEN HUR The three-hour TV version first broadcast in Canada in 2010, starring Joseph Morgan in the title role; features English audiotrack.
	ODYSSEUS: Voyage to the Underworld (Der Sieg der Odysseus) Arnold Vosloo and Steve Bacic battle monsters and match wits with wily goddesses on a mysterious island; features English audiotrack.		THE INQUIRY (Die Untersuching) Imperial agent Keith Carradine investigates a reputed resurrection in this intellectual thriller from 1986. Harvey Keitel is Pilate; Phyllis Logan is his wife. Superior to the 2006 remake.
	SIGN OF THE PAGAN (Attila, der Hunnenkönig) Jack Palance stars as the terrifying Hun, with Jeff Chandler as Roman hero Marcian; Douglas Sirk directs. Widescreen print includes English track.		SALOME Rita Hayworth performs the Dance of the Seven Veils for Herod (Charles Laughton) in a 1953 technicolor extravaganza.
	SODOM & GOMORRAH Robert Aldrich directed this sprawling Biblical epic from 1962 starring Stewart Granger and Anouk Aimee; score by Miklós Rózsa. Original 1.85:1 widescreen print.		HERKULES The 2005 mini-series starring super-hunk Paul Telfer as the demigod, with Sean Astin and Leelee Sobieski. This is the 160-minute version, not the 127-minute DVD version available in the US.
	POMPEII: THE LAST DAYS (Pompeji: Der Untergang) Lavishly produced 3-hour Italian telemovie from 2007; the reconstruction (and destruction) of the ancient city is impressive.		LAST DAYS OF POMPEII (Die letzten Tage von Pompeji) Beautiful 3-disk boxed set of the 1984 mini-series with Franco Nero, Laurence Olivier, Nicholas Clay, Olivia Hussey and Duncan Regehr.
	LAST DAYS OF POMPEII (Die letzten Tage von Pompeji) The 1959 Steve Reeves version with Fernando Rey as the villain and script by Sergio Leone; awesome 2.35:1 widescreen print.		CARTHAGE IN FLAMES (Karthago in Flammen) 1960 spectacle of forbidden love and fiery mayhem as Rome destroys its greatest rival; beautiful 2.35:1 widescreen print. Also available as Karthago: Flammendes Inferno.
	DUEL OF THE TITANS (Romulus und Remus) Terrific pairing of Steve Reeves and Gordon Scott as the twin founders of Rome; stunning 2.35:1 widescreen print.		HERCULES DOUBLE FEATURE The great Steve Reeves classics; the only 2.35:1 widescreen print Steven has found of Hercules Unchained, with a 1.77:1 print of Hercules.
	ATLANTIS THE LOST CONTINENT (Kontinent der Verlorenen) 1961 George Pal classic; a Greek fisherman is enslaved by the super-science of Atlantis. Excellent print in original 1.85:1 widescreen.		MESSALINA The ill-fated Belinda Lee stars as the ill-fated wife of emperor Claudius. Vittorio Cottavi directs; Giuliano Gemma co-stars. Gorgeous 2.35:1 widescreen print.
	QUO VADIS The uncut 1985 miniseries with Klaus Maria Branudauer as Nero, based on the novel by the Nobel Prize winner Henryk Sienkiewicz.		HANNIBAL Alexander Siddig stars as the Carthaginian general who crossed the Alps with elephants to menace Rome in this 2006 BBC docudrama.

	MIRCEA (Kreuzritter 7: Schlact um die Ehre) In 1393, only the Romanian king Mircea stands between the invading Ottomans and Europe. Directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu. English subtitles.		THE WHITE KNIGHT (Kreuzritter 8: Der Weisse Ritter) Never released in the US, this 2006 spectacle is based on the Catalan epic Tirant Lo Blanc.
	FIRE & SWORD: The Legend of Tristan and Isolde (Feuer und Schwert: Die Legende von Tristan und Isolde) 1982 German-Irish production stars Christophe Waltz (screen debut), Antonia Preser, and Peter Firth.		DIE KREUZRITTER: Der Kampf der Könige Colossal Romanian national epic about Michael the Brave features huge battles and a cast of thousands. Directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu. English subtitles.