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Kings of the Sunx$7.55
  (23 reviews)
Best Price: $7.55
When his father is killed in battle Balam (George Chakiris) succeeds his father as King and leads his followers out of Mexico to a coastal region. The Mayan's new home however is already the province of a hostile Indian tribe led by Black Eagle (Yul Brynner) who leads a raid against the Mayan's camp. Balam is severely injured but Black Eagle's wife Ixchel (Shirley Ann Field) tends to his wounds and eventually the two leaders agree to settle their differences and coexist in peace. Hunac Ceel (Leo Gordon) Balam's old nemesis is not so forgiving. He has followed the Mayans to their new home where he and his troops mount a furious attack with the Indians and the Mayans leading a united front against the invaders.System Requirements:Running Time: 108 minutes Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/CLASSICS Rating: NR UPC: 883904103011 Manufacturer No: M110301
Fans of Mel Gibson's Apocalypto may well enjoy J. Lee Thompson's 1963 Kings of the Sun, an exotic, widescreen adventure about the ancient Mayan civilization and its rocky relationship with a nomadic tribe. George Chakiris plays Balam, a young and inexperienced Mayan king who must lead his people from one part of Mexico to another via ships. Arriving at a seemingly uninhabited coast, Balam oversees the construction of a new kingdom, complete with a tall temple upon which an altar for human sacrifice rests. The problem for Balam is that he doesn't believe in the need for sacrificing people, creating a conflict when his own high priest (Richard Basehart) demands that Black Eagle (Yul Brynner), wounded chief of a local Indian tribe, be offered up to the Mayan gods. Complicating Balam's life even more is that his love interest, Ixchel (Shirley Anne Field), falls for Black Eagle while nursing him back to health. Everything leads to a kind of social experiment in coexistence that gets shaky whenever the subject of Ixchel comes up. Screenwriter Elliott Arnold (Broken Arrow) does a fine job of alternating the big picture of conflicting traditions and peoples with intimate moments of passion and disappointment. Thompson wraps the story in a fever-dream intensity, underscored by the undeniable sexuality of Brynner (who moves like a bronze cat) and Chakiris (who looks like a haughty demigod). The characters' lurches toward a more modern view of sacrifice and cooperation are fascinating and make Kings of the Sun as thoughtful as it is bigger-than-life. --Tom Keogh
MPN: M110301 - UPC: 883904103011
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Customer Reviews
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A lost gem of Epicus Americanus...
By A3J5V2GMXMOGCI on 2007-12-27
Here's an obscure, highly original adventure story that's better than APOCALYPTO and PATHFINDER put together! A United Artists release from the 60's, it's a macho field day for Brynner, who plays a native North American butting heads with the Mayas - particularly chieftan Chakiris. It's eccentric matinee fun, nicely staged, beautifully shot and filled with a pulsating, trademark score by the great Elmer Bernstein. An out-of-print, letterboxed DVD was available in Japan, but this MGM DVD is the first time this picture has been viewed in anamorphic Panavision since it's theatrical run. Terrifically enjoyable stuff!
Wonderfull movie !!!!
By A17W83DD4AGIIH on 2007-12-24
This is a such a wondefull movie!!. I can not believe is finally going to be available. I have been waiting years to get a copy. I have no idea it was projected to be release on DVD. What a nice surprice. Sorry I know I do not sound too profesional on my review. I just watched this movie once 35 years ago, and that was enough for me to love it for the rest of my life. 5 stars? 10 stars? ...you name it
FINALLY
By A3UESDAN6W439R on 2007-12-15
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SAY "I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOVIE FOR SO LONG". THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS AND SAY EL CID ( WHICH IS ALSO "FINALLY" COMING TO DVD IN JAN ) WHICH WAS AVAILABLE ON OTHER FORMATS, I'VE NEVER SEEN KINGS OF THE SUN AVAILABLE ON VHS OR LASERDISC, AND REMEMBER IT WHEN I WAS YOUNGER AND WATCHED IT MANY TIMES ON TV. THIS IS A FINE ADVENTURE AND EVEN WITH ANY HISTORICAL COMPLAINTS IT IS WELL ACTED BY ALL ESPECIALLY MR. YUL BRYNER AND MR. GEORGE CHAKRIS. ALSO IN WIDESCREEN AT LAST. I'M NOT GIVING ANYTHING AWAY ABOUT THE STORY BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE IT ALL, ACTION, LOVE, EMOTIONS, MORAL REVELATIONS, EVERYTHING. I'M SURE SOMEONE WILL SOON ENOUGH, BECAUSE I JUST SAY, BUY IT. REALLY, FINALLY!
Hints or Mayan History
By A15J8M5TTO3C2M on 2008-04-26
A Hollywood grade B type movies. Very few changes in set or location. Focus is on the actors. Shallow story. Typical Yul Brynner strutting around near naked, showing his muscular body and famous shaved head. Entertaining as a grade B movie. Not very realistic and not historically accurate. Main theme of pros and cons of human sacrifice hinted at but not explained or resolved.
From the sixties........... Great for those times...
By A9RNMO9MUSMTJ on 2008-05-06
If you loved Kings of the Sun when you saw it many moons ago...you will
still love it... If you are 25 years old or less, please take in consideration the year the movie was made. There was no CGI in those days,
actors/actresses physically worked for a living and it was not a blue/green screen world. These types of movies were rare, as most movies
dealts with guns/crime/war/murder.
So when a big adventure movie came up we jumped on it and ...this movie
looked big...big cast...pyramids....it was a kid's dream....
So today the movie still hold, is entertaining and Yule never looked better.
- Ah, finally it made it on DVD...
By A376UHS8GODI8W on 2008-06-21
For years I was condemned to watch this movie on an old VHS tape, in Pan & Scan (aaargh), but now, finally we have it in glorious Cinemascope.
As per usual habit of the people at MGM/UA though, there is not very much about special inserts. Also, the sound is not very special. Just a lame Mono or Stereo sound, which seems to be their specialty for most of their titles, unless naturally, treated by someone else (see the Sony treated James Bond Collection and you see what I mean).
Only thing that indeed got a vast improvement is the image. Crystal clear and in the correct widescreen format (for those who actually like the black bars on top and at the bottom of their screens).
The story is not very accurate and takes many liberties with Mayan and Toltech history.
It is, after all, just an adventure movie, with just a hint of historic background intertwined in its plot.
But who would like to miss out on a Yul Brynner movie?
Now, if only they would release "The Ultimate Warrior" on DVD, also starring Yul Brynner, in a perhaps more potent role, then I would really be satisfied...
- KINGS OF THE SUN -finally gets its chance to shine!
By A3TDEHA4IVHHSG on 2008-05-02
Having been given a home video release years earlier in Asia of all places, KINGS OF THE SUN finally arrives on these shores. If you're expecting plenty of extras and a really pristine print, unfortunately this is not the case as noted by other reviewers. But we do have a great action/adventure from British director J. Lee Thompson fresh off completing TARAS BULBA with the same star Yul Brynner. Now theres plenty of stunt action in this picture with hundreds of extras and so on, but the added bonus is the pulsating music score of master maestro Elmer Bernstein. In fact as he said himself on a TCM TV screening with Robert Osborne, it's his most requested score by his loyal fans. He was about to re-record the score before he died, but it never happened.
Shot on location on the beaches of Mazatlan and at the Mayan city of Chichen Itza in the Yucatan of Mexico back in 1963, you just know that there are plenty of beach resort hotels spoiling the same views these days. It's a B-movie story that is livened by the action, music, great photography of Joe MacDonald and the uncredited narration of James Coburn, years before he found a retirement career voicing commercials.
It's Yul Brynner's picture for sure and it's his last iconic period piece prior to finally playing the robot gunslinger in WESTWORLD. George Chakiris is passable coming off WEST SIDE STORY, but Shirley Anne Field and her heavy British accent is way miscast. Still THE GUNS OF NAVARONE director Thompson, keeps your attention with the widescreen layout and detail of the scenes.
I personally remember seeing this in London upon it's intial release and I loved it then. So much so, that I saw it three or four times in the theatre.
- Aztecs versus the Plains Indians !
By A2VBQFKK3BJ8FC on 2008-01-01
This is a great movie; the "Good" Aztecs flee Northward when the "Bad" Aztecs seize power.
The Good Aztecs form an alliance with Plains Indians in the Southwest.
The Bad Aztecs eventually pursue the Good Aztecs leading to a climactic showdown.
Wonderfully cheesy and a lot of fun. Heavy emoting from Chakiris and Brynner (reminiscent of William Shatner on Star Trek). Buy it and enjoy !
- I was forced to give it a star!
By AMK5POAJJYUQS on 2008-04-11
I read the reviews of the other viewers, "What movie did they watch"? "Kings of the Sun" was so bad I almost turned it off! It was typical of the times it was produced, but I see now why I've never heard of it because they probably never released it. The acting was terrible, the outfits were plastic and from outer space. It had no historic value at all, the actors must have been laughing between takes. Yul Brynner was a genius as ever, great actor as usual and the only part of the movie that held it together. I'll put it in my bad movie section.
- Yul Brynner in a Native American Indian role
By A2UAQ72T4Y5H9I on 2008-03-08
Kings of the Sun
I saw this movie for the first time about 40 years ago and it is one that stands out in my memory. Yul Brynner plays an Indian and his characterization is well done. The music for the film was done by Elmer Bernstein. If you like Yul Brynner, you will enjoy this movie.
- Yul Brynner is a giant, a colossus, a cinematic marvel.
By AAU7CAQIN5BAE on 2008-03-28
Yul Brynner makes Gerard Butler look like gravy. Perhaps Brynner, in the best shape of his life, gives a larger than life, fierce, explosive performance in his portrayal of 'Black Eagle', the king of the tribe of hunters. It's just amazing to see him in a role almost suited for him in every fashion.
This historical drama, more or less about who has the right to land, (sound familiar), offers a nice combo of Mayan/Indian life and the villages are quite impressive to say the least.
James Coburn narrates.
- Great escapist popcorn eatin story tellin
By A2GMUNBN9HKRZS on 2008-04-27
Aztecs? North American indians? Yul Brynner? George Chakiris? A dusky foxy babe? A Pyramid? Hell-yea! Saw this once as a kid...and loved it. Just ordered it and anxiously wait to devour it. Pure saturday afternoon escapism with an intriguing story.
- Good Entertainment...Just OK MGM Transfer.
By A3706RFWUE17U9 on 2008-04-01
The way they made "big" movies before computers. But, the transfer seems to need a little work. In several scenes the dark backgound appears to wash-out a bit and there is a very visable film rip during the closing shot that should have been easy to repair. I don't know why MGM seems to fall short again and again on producing pristine transfers.
Highlight is the Elmer Bernstein score.
A colorful and entertaining step back into the 1960s.
- Waiting for years to see this!
By AJGR23V4M0ZNJ on 2008-04-06
I saw this movie over the Christmas Holidays of 1963 and it was really good. I was in love with George Chakiris and ALWAYS wanted to see his movies. He and Yul Brynner made several together but his career never went anywhere after "WEST SIDE STORY"! Action Drama for the time and very interesting seeing Native Americans of Central America interacting (war, peace and romance), and who would get the woman. Entertaining for the time.Kings of the Sun
- Outstanding
By AFLZ2D68GKI9B on 2008-04-16
A great moving with outstanding talent. Yul Brynner has always been great and George Chakiris adds the the drama of the movie.
- Kings Of The Sun
By A2GH9CX0Y4VU9F on 2008-04-21
A good film and Very good transfer both sound and picture. Bought it for my collection.
- Watch those reviews!
By AH1QY9ZVQWWF5 on 2008-04-30
I read all the reviews and this sounded like a great movie. I like old movies, this isn't one of them. I've seen some stupid shows and this one certainly fits into that catagory.Kings of the Sun
- kings of the sun
By A3KSS0K905D0PH on 2008-05-27
I saw this movie many years ago and have always enjoyed it. I was glad to see it finally come out on dvd.
- Expected Better Quality
By A33GR4CDLG08T1 on 2008-07-16
I received this DVD quickly and it was in fine shape - no problems.
However, the picture and sound quality were not as good as I expected.
It is about as good as high quality VHS.
5 star transaction though.
- Review
By A27SJ8JLXZG5LP on 2008-06-23
It is a very possible story. It happens before any white man set his footprints on Texas. Outstanding story, excellent actors. I highly recommend this movie.
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