1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)

Christopher Columbus' discovery of the Americas and the effect this has on the indigenous people.

Director:

Ridley Scott

Writer:

Rose Bosch (scenario) (as Roselyne Bosch)

Stars:

Gérard Depardieu, Armand Assante, Sigourney Weaver

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gérard Depardieu	...	Columbus
Armand Assante	...	Sanchez
Sigourney Weaver	...	Queen Isabel
Loren Dean	...	Older Fernando
Ángela Molina	...	Beatrix (as Angela Molina)
Fernando Rey	...	Marchena
Michael Wincott	...	Moxica
Tchéky Karyo	...	Pinzon (as Tcheky Karyo)
Kevin Dunn	...	Captain Mendez
Frank Langella	...	Santangel
Mark Margolis	...	Bobadilla
Kario Salem	...	Arojaz
Billy L. Sullivan	...	Fernando (aged 10) (as Billy Sullivan)
John Heffernan	...	Brother Buyl
Arnold Vosloo	...	Guevara

Storyline

Big budget account of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the Americas. Released in 1992 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the discovery. Shows the disastrous effects the Europeans had on the original inhabitants, and Columbus' struggle to civilize the New World.

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Plot Keywords:

new world | renaissance | year 1492 | caribbean sea | horseback riding | 

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Taglines:

Centuries before the exploration of space, there was another voyage into the unknown.

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Genres:

Adventure | Biography | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for historical violence and brutality

Details

Country:

France Spain

Language:

Spanish Latin English

Release Date:

9 October 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Columbus

Filming Locations:

Plaza de San Jorge, Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain

Box Office

Budget:

$47,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,002,680, 12 October 1992

Gross USA:

$7,191,399

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$7,191,399

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gaumont, Légende Films, France 3 Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

154 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Eastman)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Hans Zimmer was originally chosen to compose the music for the film until Ridley Scott decided to approach Vangelis.

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Goofs

At the beginning of the scene where the people are being burned, gas jets can be seen creating fires in the large torches. The flame at the base is blue which happens when gas is being burned in this matter.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Young Fernando Columbus: Of all the words my father wrote - and there were many - I remember these the most: "Nothing that results from human progress is achieved with unanimous consent. And those who are enlightened before the others are condemned to persue that light in spite of others."

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Alternate Versions

Japanese laserdisc is a longer cut of the film with five deleted scenes and a few extended ones. And R-rated violence that was cut for the US PG-13 version. The soundtrack for the film indicates that the film was originally much longer.

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Connections

Version of Christoph Columbus (1923)

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Soundtracks

Amazonia
Permission of Grem Records, France

User Reviews

I will not be told what to be afraid of

I honestly don't know everything about the history of the events that this is about, but from what I understand, this is almost entirely accurate, with only a handful of relatively minor mistakes or changes for cinematic quality. This comes off as very authentic. You are expected to know the basic background of what happens to fully follow this. This is mostly fair and objective, showing a great deal of respect for the Indians, their culture and beliefs. If it is black and white in any way, it is in the depiction of the Catholic church, which only has negative aspects revealed here. This is not unusual for Scott; look to Kingdom of Heaven, for example. While there are a couple of "villains"(the nobility and the representations of Christianity, of course), the characters are largely credible, well-developed and distinguish themselves. Several of them, including the Queen, are strong and memorable, as well. Weaver plays the role well, making a lasting impression with not that extensive screen-time. The acting in general is good, with several performances being excellent. Depardieu is spot-on. The cast is well-chosen. Wincott is fun to watch, as always. This is dramatic, if some of it is a tad forced and/or awkward. The score is arguably often over the top and too bombastic. FX are nice for the time this was made. The production values are high. This can be tense. The action takes up less than a fifth of the running time, and varies; however, at its best, it is engaging and exciting. There is a bit of disturbing(at times disgusting) brutal violence in this. I recommend this to anyone who wants a solid retelling. 7/10