There are many adaptations of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson classic Treasure Island but which are the best? And which are the worst? Merch: shop.spreadshirt.com/simonsrants
Its kinda ironic that Orson´s Silver was always drunk during the filming when Silver was probably the only pirate in the island that refused to get drunk until the job was done
My dad was the DP for the 1990 version. As a family we lived in London for a month followed by 2 months in Jamaica. Charleston Heston was a class act! While in England he took us to see the HMS Victory. I was about 5 years old and he would carry me on his shoulders through the train station. During that time he would boom ‘stop the train!!’ in his epic Charlton Heston voice. Obviously I had no idea of the reference until I looked to up now(greatest show on earth), but I thought it sounded cool, so from on top his shoulders I would feed him lines of different vehicle choices that should also stop, like a taxi or a double decker, in which he dutifully delivered my revisions. It was a fun game that I never got tired of and neither did he. Either that or he was a really good actor! Great times!! RIP Chuck!
This is so cool and I have to say the 1990 film looks very good and has some beautiful and inventive shots he should be very proud, as it is a brilliant movie. And what a wonderful memory to have from childhood as well!
As someone who grew up watching that movie (I wore out the first VHS that my dad bought), that is an amazing story! And I’ll admit to being a bit jealous 😂😂😂
I absolutely love muppet treasure island, the muppet humor comes through beautiful and winds through the story without completely overwhelming it. That's helped by casting Jim and Silver as humans. And Tim Curry absolutely steals the show, plus Profesional Pirate slaps!
1988 Soviet treasure island has the biggest chad and the greatest fight scene in all of the treasure island franchise.come now? Number 7 is definitely an insult😂🤣.now I can understand it if it’s in the top 2 but 7 is pretty low lol
It really is underrated. A lot of those early 2000’s Disney movies are. Atlantis: The Lost Empire is one of my favorites and only has a 52% MetaScore, Treasure Planet is 60% and Brother Bear has a 48% ... Something is wrong here
Ngl, I legit shouted YES out loud when I heard your #1 ranking! That's my all time favorite adaptation of Treasure Island since I was just a kid, with Muppet Treasure Island and Treasure Planet being close seconds! I've been telling people that the 1990 version is the best for years, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves the book just as much!!
Have you seen the show "Black Sails"? It's recently been added to Netflix and is incredible! It's a show about the time Long John SIlver spent with Captain Flint and how they stole and hid the gold. I highly recommend it best show I've seen in years!
I watched this video for 30 minutes with belated breath, without cheating, hoping that the '90 version would take the top spot. I was a young boy when it came out, and i was allowed to stay past 23:00 to watch it on TMC. I had read the book many times before, and i almost knew it by heart (still do in parts). Watching that movie put words into images and, most importantly, sounds. Long Silver's introduction, with the uilleann pipe dronning in the background gave it such a heavy meaning. Bale's Hawkins was remarcable, and i still keep my breath as he scramble up the mast, with Mr Hands close in pursuit: "one more step Mr. 'ands..."
I can't say I've seen all the adaptations but the 1990 version is one of my favourite films and I'm not surprised it came in at number 1, fantastic film and soundtrack too
Heston killed it. I loved how they kept so much of the book in it even the ben gunn ghost trickery. The ship is beautiful too. I love the battle in the ship too.
Jim and Silver in Treasure Planet are really heartfelt, and certainly the best twist of their relationship. Though the Muppets version get close enough and is perhaps a close second to me... just tears on that scene towards the end.
1950 Treasure island is great. Robert really created modern era pirate. I think it's best adaptation of the book. To be sure, when you make movies about book they usually end up being bad if they are direct copypaste of book pages, like shining tv movie 1997. So any good director knows what to change and what to leave out from movie. Edit: also Jim shots pirate In the head and gets stabbed from knife to his right shoulder, and on that movie he was like 10 years old. Back then Disney had some Balls, yo.
THIS VIDEO WAS AMAZING!!! Thank you so much for creating this thorough, entertaining, and insightful ranked list. I’m directing a theatrical adaptation of Treasure Island this summer and was a little overwhelmed about which films I should make sure to see before I start rehearsals. Your list is ridiculously helpful! Now I cannot WAIT to watch your Top 5 picks and I’m so grateful to feel guilt free about not worrying about the others 😜🏴☠️ Keep YouTubin’! Your time and effort is more helpful than you know.
Robert Newton accent comes from the West Country area of England UK where are they sound similar to that actually in Bristol which was one of the main ports, can be interpreted as a farmers accent as well,There was a West Country Band cause called The Wurzels, I've got a combine harvester song.
Couldn't agree more with your top 3 🔥 Also, a little moment from the 1990 version - I loved when Silver gives Jim the Black Spot as a souvenir. That was an awesome detail added to Jim's adventure
Of course I have my bias towards soviet Treasure Island - watched it as a kid, hated the live action songs. Now I understand that they are some of the best scenes in the movie, being both funny and anti-alcohol/anti-smoking/pro-healthy lifestyle PSA (not even joking), it's great. But to be honest I'm glad that Treasure Planet is this high on the list. When I found out that movie failed I was shocked - it was such a great film and last truly classic Disney animated movie - still coming from the era that gave us Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Little Mermaid, Hercules etc.
Pretty damn good list. One version I'd recommend if you haven't seen is the 1977 British TV movie (not a series) that has the run time of 3 hours and was shown in 4 parts. It's worth watching.
Agreed the 1977 BBC one had the best Long John, Billy Bones, Pew, Livesey and many others - sadly Jim Hawkins was sub-par but the rest of the cast more than makes up for it and a really catchy 15 Men on a Dead Man's Chest
Robert Newton did for Long John Silver what Alistair Sim did for Ebenezer Scrooge. Set a standard so profound that all subsequent adaptations are measured against it.
In terms of faithfulness to the source material, yeah, the 1990 Treasure Island easily gets the top spot. But I'm glad you also gave the 1950 Disney version, Muppet Treasure Island and Treasure Planet such high scores, since despite their different and less dark approaches, they are all still GREAT to watch, and were clearly made by people who understood and loved the story and wanted to pay proper tribute to it! 😉
I saw the Jack Palance Treasure Island once, and I was pretty baffled at all the changes they made in the second half particularly because the first half of the movie actually stuck quite closely to the source material. I think it even had some dialogue lifted from the book. If they were going to go so off the rails later on, why bother being faithful in the first half? Definitely the worst alternate ending to Treasure Island. Everybody dies except Jim, Silver, and Ben Gunn who sail away to be pirates.
The Frazer Heston movie is outstanding and sticks so close to the book. On watching it i was quite shocked at how good it actually was. You simply could not choose any other adaption. ( love the Disney adaption also )
Well, soviet animation films are very fascinating. And our adaptations can be very interesting for foreigners. I would recommend soviet version of "Mowgli" from 1967-1973. But only in russian with subtitles. English dubs for soviet cartoons is a tragedy. They're like 4Kids dubs for anime.
The German version you missed out on, isn't bad, but changes/adds a lot of stuff and turns it a lot darker/edgier, similar to the 2012 version. Dr. Livesey becomes more of a bad guy, they add Flint's daughter, and stuff like that.
You know, i was looking for a movie adaptation (other than Treasure Planet- my favorite Disney movie ever- and the Muppet treasure island) because I saw there were so many and couldnt pick which one to watch, but I found this and I've decided so thanks for making this list!
Black Sails is the best media that has the Character Long John Silver. It was originally a Cinemax Show but it's recently been added to Netflix. The show is incredible! I give it a 9/10.
More a TV show but mine is 'Treasure Island in Outer Space'. Only saw a few episodes when I was a kid but they sorta stuck with me, so much so that I sought out the whole thing. Very... eclectic production. Italian made but shot in English and then dubbed in German. Even the final product on DVD has bits in German, which can make for a bit of a confusing and otherworldly watch. I love the production values, what with the Hispaniola being quite a sizeable set with a lot of moving parts considering how small its role is in the overall plot (being a device to get the characters from one place to another). I feel like she doesn't get much love online, no one has tried to 3D model her since unlike other classic movie spaceships. Shame as its 'donut' shape does make her unique when compared to many other space craft. Can't speak for the accuracy of the plot but with 1980s classic stars like Ernest Borgnine as Billy Bones and Anthony Quinn as Silver, does make for an interesting watch, IMO... And it's all here on YT, so you don't have to look too far: ru-vid.com/group/PLn_ZfreAG-QQtguUgMAJOG_kQRpU4vo3c
The 1990 version is my favorite. I agree it's not perfect but it comes closer than any of the others. For me, Christian Bale is the best Jim Hawkins. He was the right age for the role and he really acted the part. I also have no problem with Treasure Planet as #2.
Treasure Island 1990 also has a great soundtrack by The Chieftains. The one thing I disagree is I thought the action scenes were really existing, if a little unrealistic at times.
Playing with pirate Legos, and watching Treasure Island was the best. We recorded it off TNT in 1990, and that tape got more playtime than Top Gun, Terminator 2, or Jurassic Park. Only Predator came close.
Funny how everyone doing a pirate voice is actually just doing a Robert Newton voice doing a pirate voice. I agree the 1990 version is tough to beat, an amazing cast and stickling very close to the source material.
I haven't seen the #1 but I will definatelly do. As an artist, Treasure Planet is endless inspiration and by far my favorite Disney aniamted movie. I type in treasure island on youtube every now and then and I enjoy when people create content for it. And for that, my good sir, here's a follow!
The 1950 and Muppet versions are my absolute favorites, bar none, but I'll always have a soft-spot for the '87 animated version. Yeah, the animation's stiff and there's some cartoon zaniness shoehorned in right alongside the violence ("One more step Mr. Hands and I'll blow you brains out!") but it's as an introduction to the story for kids it's solid enough, and not as slow to get going as the 1950 one.
You failed to mention a film adaptation, there is a film called Treasure Planet... now before you say, Um he did Disney’s treasure planet is on this list. On the contrary there is in fact, not one but two treasure planet films, there is a film called treasure planet from 1982. It’s roots are from Bulgaria and it’s essentially WTF the movie. If you want the closest thing to a drug trip, go see it. Just know that if your looking for faithful adaptation of the book this is not the film by a LONG SHOT!
My opinion: The Muppets' version is untouchable (fun and with the very best LJS) , the 1950 is the most revolutionary and the definitive pirate film, the 1990 has by far the best cast and is taking the story seriously, which is remarkable. All the rest does not compare and Teasure Planet is pathetic, typical modern Disney rubbish.
And the heston version is so hard to find took me ages to find it on DVD no blu ray in sight had to get me self a region free player too in the searching
Jim and Silver's relationship in Muppet Treasure Island are so heartbreaking. If weren't for Treasure Planet, they would probably be the best version of them. I agree with your Top 3 overall.
I appreciate that he mentioned the versions from Russia and Germany he couldn’t get because I’ve been trying to get them for ages and still haven’t figured it out. If anyone knows please do tell. I would love to see them!
One of my favorite books and it's amazing how many adaptations there are and once in a while someone makes another one out of nowhere (but I do hope it won't happen these days, too much gender politics and other movie ruining sh*t flying around). The Movie Toons Treasure Island is one that I easily remember from my childhood because of the artstyle, but no matter what, the most memorable Treasure Island will always be Muppets due to the tomfoolery and of course it's the Muppets, and of course Treasure Planet is beyond underrated.
I watched this whole video just to see if I was right. Woooo hooo 31:40!!!!!!!!!!!!! I completely agree with the top two, though I will state that I was definitely more emotionally invested in treasure planet then Treasure island however I hold both movies close to my heart.
Call me old fashioned. Call me just OLD! But, my top is Robert Newton and 2nd is Wallace Beery. I felt that Heston was simply doing an impersonation of Robt. Newton. My only complaint with the 1934 version was that most actors made no attempt to do a British accent. Newton and Nigel Bruce as Trelawney were naturals, of course. Jackie Cooper and Wallace Beery were cast together because of their on-screen magic in "The Champ." That chemistry didn't work so well in T.I. But, it's still my 2nd favorite. Orson Welles was practically unwatchable and mostly annoying with his mumbling through the role.
I almost agree, but I reverse the order with Beery edging Newton out a bit. Have no doubt, I understand anyone liking Newton's version better, it was a stellar creation.
Very nice discussion, you held my attention through the whole presentation. For me, Wallace Beery will always be Long John Silver. Robert Newton's LJS is an obvious classic and gem of a performance, but for my taste he was over the top. I don't think any of the other LJSs come up to these two performances, though some are very interesting. The 1934 version, which is my favorite, is marred by being very dated, audiences of the time went to see Jackie Cooper cry. Otherwise, I have a bit higher opinion of his performance. I don't think any of the other LJSs come up to these two performances, though some are very interesting.
There were also three Soviet live action movies. 1937. Somewhat bizzare as the main good characters were fighting for the liberty of Ireland from British Imperialism. And Jim was actually Jenny. 1971. Probably the best screen adaptation. With yet another great John Silver, played by Boris Andreev; nailed the personality of a strong, charismatic, yet a chilling person. Iconic looks and a squeaky rattling voice. Some parts are changed or greatly reduced (for example most of Billy Bones intro). 1982. TV series. A very faithful adaptation with too young Jim (targeted at under 10 auditory) and somewhat controversial Silver. Long John was played by a brilliant actor, Oleg Borisov, who was not, well, long at all; but still he was very funny and warm and cold and menacing altogether. The series were also cut by 1/4 due to some faithful, but frightening, violent scenes or scenes with too much alcohol and such
@@SimonsRants you really should give this one a try. Everything you said about treasure planet applies just as much here. In fact I was quite disappointed by disneys 2003 version after having seen the Japanese TV show from 1978. The long john silver portrayed there is such an incredibly fascinating character that basically ANY other adaption falls short.
Yeah, I didn’t think it qualified as a straight adaptation of Treasure Island, same as The Pagemaster. Too many additions to the story. In retrospect, it’s not much worse than other adaptations I decided to include but it’s loosely adapted at best.
To me, 1934 is #1. Might be a bit of nostalgia because it’s the first one I saw as a kid, but I’ve tried to watch many other versions and couldn’t ever finish them, so maybe I think it is the best because it is the best. And I agree with you about Jackie Cooper. Even as a kid his performance made me cringe.
I did watch it and it probably deserves its own video but I didn’t think it counted as an adaptation because it was so far removed from the actual source material. In hindsight, some of the adaptations I included were probably just as inaccurate and I could have included it, but that was my thought process at the time.
@@SimonsRants well it still vafuely follloes some of the plot points and has the original characters, but yeah for the most part it's nonsensical shenanigans.
@SimonsRants people say it's hit or miss. It flew under the radar cause it was airing the same time as GoT when it was in its prime. And coincidentally, it's just as violent as GoT. I thinks it ok, but most of the time, I'm not the best judge when it comes to TV's and Movies, since I tend to like stuff that people say is bad.
My pick for the best version would have to be the Walt Disney version, because I've read the book and for me it stays faithful to the book, that's my opinion.
A side note for my fellow nerds, the Hispaniola was explicitly described as aschooner. No adaptation has ever gotten this detail right. Schooners, especially topsail schooners, incidentally were the standard rig for pirate vessels. Which the Hispaniola wasn't.
Robert Newton and Tim Curry would be the two actors who gave the best performances, but as i said the Robert Newton version is the closest to the original novel.
It’s weird, I think you’re the second person to bring that up. It must have been a very specific part of the internet cause I never saw a single thing about it. Then again, I’m not on Reddit so maybe that’s it.
I know that doesn't really matter but I've found higher quality version of the 1973 version, it's with Russian voiceover, but it can be easily replace with English audio.
Let me start by saying I respect the shit out of your disclaimer at the beginning. My absolute favourite is the 1990 film with charlton heston. I agree on some less than decent acting, and while I have a lot of fondness for christian bale's performance, he is rather flat throughout, though I can rationalise it as a temper thing. As far as treasure planet - I love how the two cebtral characters were portrayed as well (and I will always have a preference for a Jim Hawkins who isn't a literal child but in his mid teens; not quite a boy, not yet a man. To make sense of the coming of age theme), and I find the setting inspiring. However, I cannot place it as my favourite by any measure since I find many of the aupporting characters rather grading. The doctor, ben gunn, that annoying little blob that reeks of corporate disney cutesy-fication? Please, so miss me with that. Also the apple barrel scene seems more than inspired by the 1990 film in my opinion. As a matter of personal preference, I understand that many people love this version (and disagree that it is underrated. At most it is underrated for a disney film, but not as a ti adaptation, whereas the 1990 version is so fucking difficult to get a hold of, it's not fucking funny) Finally, I want to point out that I find your placement of the russian animated version rather fair. I have a deep fondness for that adaptation, as that movie was, like, my entire childhood, and I always love to see people in the west react to it so positively. And you placing it so close to your top pics is wonderful. But I couldn't place it higher myself and keep a clean conscience. There are a lot of very itneresting, funny, and absurd soviet era movies out there btw. One I can always recomment is the 4 part made for TV movie adaptation of the three musketeers. Itvs live action. It's a musical. It's wild af. And idk if you've made or are planning to do a ranking of musketeer adaptations, but that one would definitely belong on that list.
