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Title:The Bourne Identity [1988]
Publisher:  Warner Home Video
Country:Netherlands
Format:DVD
Date:2002
Region Code:Region 2
Classification:12
Barcode:7321931235655
Cat#:Z9 23565
Genre:Drama, Thriller
Rating:7.0  Rate
Collection:  I Own It     I Want It 
Community: 3 Own
Price Guide:Valuation Page
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TV Series: The Bourne Identity
Year1988
Selected CastRichard Chamberlain as Jason Bourne
 Jaclyn Smith as Marie St. Jacques
 Anthony Quayle as Gen. François Villiers
 Donald Moffat as David Abbott
(Information from TV Series World)


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Comments and Reviews
 
Magic Marmalade
26th Mar 2022
 Rated 7/10
The Bourne Revelation!

Another of my snapper case DVD acquisitions...

Wasn't overly inspired by the whole Richard Chamberlain in the role concept, but mostly because of my familiarity with the more recent Matt Damon, Chemically enhanced super-ninja take on the character and story that somewhat overshadows this now.

(Thankfully Damon's Bourne did kick the Brosnan era Bond movies into touch, and make them look twee, and highlighted their ridiculousness thereby killing off that rendering of the franchise - yay! :)

However, this version still has more than a lot to offer, in spite of suffering by comparison in terms of action and pizazz.

The story is essentially the same - assassin type gets donked on head, loses memory, and battles to recover identity against unknown forces.

But where this wins out, is that this is more of a story, in the true, international espionage / conspiracy thriller / intrigue sense... more like what I would image the book to read like... a proper unfolding of a story, in the style of an investigation.

Much of the detail here in the story and concept you realise has been jettisoned in the Damon version, in order, presumably, to tighten it up, and make those films crack along in a more cinema friendly, spectacle kind of way, whereas this, across its original three hour (two separate, hour and twenty "miniseries" event format, takes it's time, and is more of a slow burner.

But there are many things here that make you go: "Ah!.. now I understand what that is, and what this means!" - not properly explained or resolved in the Damon movies - like what the deeper, truer meaning, and concept of the very title is: "The Bourne Identity" is not purely a name, or mask identity for a dude with no memory, but is a key concept at the bottom of the plot, and is significant to the story in asking questions about the nature of identity itself here, as the revelations are presented - am I who I was, or who I am now - more myself without my memory than with it, and who and what is that?

(There's even a neat little twist within that - which I won't spoil!)

The concept of Treadstone is integral to this too, and is quite something else than the recent films made of it.

But even this, is wrapped around another entirely abandoned central plot point, that the whole point of the exercise is to capture semi-mythical super-villain assassin: Carlos The Jackal.

And to cap it all, the final revelation of who he is / was, has more backstory, whereas the Damon films only give you a name, but not a reason why, or who that name was as a person.

All this is found here though... And if you prefer your spy thrillers a bit more absorbing, and intriguing and a little less hyperactive and actiony (more La Carre than Captain America) then you'll probably love this more than the Damon film(s).

While overall, this style feels like it was probably a little dated even at the time of first showing compared to what was around it (the production feels more like 70s, or at most early 80s), and Chamberlain is a little hard to accept as a Bourne straight off...

(Looking a bit like the ridiculous Roger Moore of his later Bond years - an ageing man lumbering around action sequences with frequent and obvious stunt double cuts)

... he gets into his stride as it goes along, and is even a bit handy (within reason) in later action segments.

The other dynamic that has been altered, that is greatly to this version's benefit, is the relationship between the Bourne character and the female lead character (Jaclyn Smith)... there's more substance here... While in the newer versions, she is basically a damsel in distress, there only to bear an awed witness to what Damon can do with a rolled up copy of Woman's Weekly (tee-hee :), or maybe even a toothpick or pool noodle to his ill starred adversaries...

(Anything in Damon's hands is a lethal weapon folks!)

...here, she starts off as the abductee, but becomes over time an investigative partner, and even instigator of certain scenes... so they end up as almost a n equal pair in the whole matter.

Some great scenes between the pair with good dialogue, and well acted.

(Saphire and Steel, or Dempsey and Makepeace kind of thing?).

So while Chamberlain is struggling initially with a flight of stairs, or the concept of "jogging", while Damon's doing cartwheels on the moon, this is more substantial, makes more sense, and action aside, is actually, probably a better "movie"! - more rewarding, story wise anyway.

Damon's version(s) can't be beat for a high intensity, bad-ass, arms and legs revolving like a squid in a washing machine kung-fu fest, whilst leaping from rooftops and all that jazz...

...but if you want something more real, this is better.

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