For some reason, I decided a week or so ago that I should see the movie THE NEW WORLD for myself.  Since a lot of bucks were invested in making it, maybe it will re-appear in 2007.  In any case, I found a copy at www.amazon.com for $4.98 and added another $3 for postage.    Let me give you my assessment of the movie.

First, I am an engineer by training.  The last formal course that I had in the arts included reading SIR GAWAIN THE THE GREEN KNIGHT, under 'Country Brown' at Georgia Tech half a century ago.  Earlier, I thought that GULLIVER's TRAVELS was a great adventure story, completely missing the subltlies of poking fun at British Society.  I tell you this to position my comments.

THE NEW WORLD is not The New World of settling Jamestown that I (and probably most people) expected.  Oh there is a bit there, but it is really The New World of Pocohontas, and beautifully done I might add.

The movie is an Artsy production.  That is not my assessment alone, but some reviewers.

1 - If you liked SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, you will love the movie.  I did not like it.  But if you did, then by all means go and see THE NEW WORLD, and don't bother to read the rest of this EMail.

2 - If you want to see it, then by all means view MAKING OF THE NEW WORLD first.  It comes on the DVD, and fills a particular need for this movie.  Three points -- (1) it identifies who some of the people are (like Openchecnough),(2) it shows how the movie makers managed to come with a Jamestowne that was probably every bit as depressing as the original, but most important (3) shows the care involving Native American actors, and trying to re-create their ancestor's lives 400 years ago.

My Engineering Brain divides the actual movie into three parts of unequal length.

#1 - The arrival of the three ships, and the Indian's awareness thereof.  This is the first 3 or 4 minutes, but captures what must have been the spirit of awe and wonder originally experienced.  This is the high point of historical accuracy.

#2 - John Smith in Love, ala 'Shakespeare in Love.'  This is the next 35-45% of the movie.  It is a terrible representation of Capt. John Smith.  (As VA-HIST readers know, JS is my Jamestown hero.)  The New World JS (NWJS hereafter) spends half of his time romancing Pocohantas, and the rest wearing a pouting look and appearing very unsure of himself.  If the real JS behaved that way we would either (1) all be speaking Spanish and living in the United States of Spain or (2) reading in our history books about The Lost Colony #2 - Virginia Edition.  Sheesh..... NWJS does not even get injured, but merely sails off into the sunset to England.

#3 - About half of the movie is 'The new world of Pocohontas.'  This was beautifully acted, and I thought she did an outstanding job of conveying what it must have meant to be alone in Jamestowne among strangers, to learn English customs, to marry John Rolfe, go to England, etc.  

All in all, to me The New World is well worth the $7 - $8 it will cost you to get a copy from Amazon, but strangely more for the "Making Thereof" than the actual movie. However, unlike the quote on the DVD jacket about it being the greatest historical movie since TITANIC, it is not.  

My biggest surprise was the music.  It never stuck out, but was done so well, it supported what was going on in the movie.  i.e. unless you were focusing on the music, you probably forgot it was there.  That is probably what movie music should be all about.

The high point remains as has been reported, the Virginia scenary.

Randy Cabell
The Trumpeter of Jamestowne


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