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| Amazing Grace | 
 enlarge | Director: Michael Apted
Actors: Ioan Gruffudd, Romola Garai, Benedict Cumberbatch, Albert Finney, Michael Gambon
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $4.51
You Save: $15.47 (77%)
Buy New/Used/Collectible from $4.52
Avg. Customer Rating:  (190 reviews)
Sales Rank: 291
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 118 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: FOXD2244493D
UPC: 024543444930
EAN: 0024543444930
ASIN: B000VNMMQG
Release Date: November 13, 2007
Theatrical Release Date: February 23, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Description
From the makers of Ray, AMAZING GRACE tells the inspiring story of William Wilberforce and his passion and perseverance to pass a law ending the slave trade in the late 18th century. Several friends, including Wilberforce's minister, a reformed slave ship captain who penned the beloved hymn Amazing Grace, urge him to see the cause through.
Amazon.com
In this inspirational costume drama, Michael Apted (49 Up) recounts a period in British history sure to be unfamiliar to most Americans. In fact, his eye-opening biography of 18th century abolitionist William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd) is likely to come as a revelation to many Britons, as well. After all, despite the presence of his wife, Barbara (Romola Garai), this isn't a particularly "sexy" story, but it is a powerful one. The title comes from John Newton's hymn "Amazing Grace" ("I once was lost but now am found"). Newton (Albert Finney) was a former slaveholder, who became a clergyman and spent his days repenting. While America had John Brown, England had Wilberforce, and Newton is one of many who helped the MP to abolish slavery in the UK. The story begins towards the end of Wilberforce's mission when he's sick with colitis and addicted to laudanum. Apted continues to alternate between 1797 and 1789, when Wilberforce was fitter and more idealistic, and ends in 1807 as his efforts come to fruition. Apted and writer Steven Knight (Dirty Pretty Things) do right by their hero. Unlike Amistad, however, slaves are largely off-screen, with the exception of author Equiano (Senegalese vocalist Youssou N'Dour). Amazing Grace reserves its focus for the politicians who risked their reps for the greater good, like Wilberforce and Prime Minister Pitt (an excellent Benedict Cumberbatch), and those more concerned with the income slavery provided their constituents, like Lord Tarleton (Ciaran Hinds) and the Duke of Clarence (Toby Jones). --Kathleen C. Fennessy
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| Customer Reviews: Read 185 more reviews...
 amazing grace "proudly South-African" November 19, 2008
Amazing Grace was made by Hansie Cronje's brother, creative studio's that made the bio about Angus Buchan- Faith like potatoes. I enjoyed Amazing grace and will never listen to the song without thinking about the life of William Wilberforce.
A must see! November 18, 2008
This movie is one of the "must sees" of our time. It brings to life a man only vaguely remembered by most people from their history class of long ago. It is excellently illustrated, acted and produced and makes me wonder why it didn't get more mention at the Academy awards. Anyway, I guess it is a sign of the times that anything that demonstrates the powerful results of faith in God gets little mention in the mass media. Thanks for reselling this. It was received in great condition and fast too.
Compelling and Powerful November 17, 2008
This is a brilliant movie that spans the many years of Wm Wilberforce's struggle to abolish slavery in the UK. Like "Gandhi", the compelling and noted dates and happenings are melded to represent, with as much dramatic interest as possible, the essence of the man and the fight. The want for abolition of slavery has caused conflict all over the world, between many cultures, since the beginning of time and this particular effort by Wilberforce stands out because the time and country it took place. The English were a much more powerful colonial power than today and the suppression of the native peoples of the countries they ruled was harsh and bordered on indenture more than actual until WWII. But this could have been so much worse had Wilberforce not sought to permanently outlaw the trade and profit from the enslavement of human beings, regardless of origin. The law, like the US Emancipation Proclamation, had little teeth until the 20th century whereas they lost a great majority of their colonies and we had the Civil Rights movement.
This movie is hearfelt and dramatic and does justice to the facts enough to get the meaning and story across.
What impresses Metaldiva is the irony of the hymn "Amazing Grace" being a sort of funeral anthem for the rebel south/secessionists and racial terrorists to this day in the US. But all through the years, it was actually an anthem written by a parson (and former slave trader) to express his change in heart and mind for the respect and freedom of those enslaved persons, in his case Africans.
Metaldiva Sez: Entertainment and learning can go hand in hand, in this case it is a lovely historical telling of a subject that is more in the minds of people today than has been in many way. We owe to our kids to let them know about abolition, sufferage, civil rights and overall human rights and the struggles that led to their acceptance and eventual laws.
small misunderstanding on my part, seller fixed it anyway! November 2, 2008
i didnt realize the movie was coming without a case, i voiced my displeasure. the seller pointed out that i had overlooked it in the description and is sending me a new movie anyway!
One of my best collection November 2, 2008
It's a movie on faith in action. William Wilberforce was having trouble choosing whether to do the work of God or to be a political activist. "We humbly suggest that you could do both," was the recommendation from a lady who brought him a slave.
I hardly buy videos lately because I tend to lose them after awhile. However, I decided to buy this one after watching it from a rental. This film needs to be watched over and over again to inspire myself, my wife, my children, even my friends to put faith in action in our time.
Others have written great reviews about how well this movie was made; so I won't repeat.
I just want to highlight the life changing message of a real life story of William Wilberforce and his mentor John Newton. It is a story of someone who took on something impossible and without personal reward. A true story like this is more powerful than fictional stories, like the Batman movies, no matter how powerfully they are made.
This movie should not be watched just for entertainment, but an inspiration to take on the evil forces of our time. Slavery still exists in many parts of the world. Check out www.stopthetraffik.org.
Pitt, Wilberforce's friend who decided to run for Prime Minister, said it well, "We are too young to realize that certain things are impossible so we will do them anyway." If you are an old man (or woman) with wisdom and life experience, be like Newton in inspiring young people around you to change the world. If you are a young man (or woman), find a mentor to guide you to accomplish something for humanity that he (or she) didn't have the chance to accomplish.
Like Wilberforce who tried to chose either faith or work, God or social action, too many Christians today compartmentalize their lives between the two. We should not! I hope this movie encourages people to fulfill God's purpose for their lives.
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