Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9781598370256
Format: Closed-captioned
Format: Color
Format: Dolby
Format: Full Screen
Format: Subtitled
Format: NTSC
ISBN: 1598370251
Label: Tango Entertainment
Manufacturer: Tango Entertainment
Number Of Items: 1
Packaged Height: 58 hundredths-inches
Packaged Length: 710 hundredths-inches
Packaged Weight: 18 hundredths-pounds
Packaged Width: 542 hundredths-inches
Publisher: Tango Entertainment
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2005-09-27
Running Time: 110 minutes
Studio: Tango Entertainment
Theatrical Release Date: 1979-04
Product Description:
Dr. David Linderby and his wife Anansa are carrying out an inoculation program in a small African village when Anansa disappears. The police can do nothing to find her and David has almost given up hope when he hears a rumour that Anansa has been kidnapped by a slave trader called Suleman, to be sold to an Arab prince. The authorities deny that the slave even exists, so David must find unofficial organizations to help him; a shadowy world where the rescuers of the slave are just as futhless as the traders themselves. Enlisting the help of Malik, a nomad whose family were stolen by Sulelman, David must leave civilization behind and travel across the desert to find Anansa.
Customer Reviews:
 There's a reason you've never heard of this movie, 2008-08-08
"Ashanti" has loads going for it: Released in 1979, it was directed by Richard Fleischer and stars Michael Caine with an impressive supporting cast, including Peter Ustinov, Omar Shariff, William Holden and Rex Harrison (the latter three in very minor roles). If you're into exotic women there's Beverly Johnson, not to mention great exotic locations -- Israel, Kenya and Sicily (although much of the story takes place in the Sahara Desert). Caine's co-star, Kabir Bedi, is impressive as well.
The story addresses modern-day slavery. Caine's black wife is apprehended by slave-traders and he chases them across the Sahara Desert all the way to the Red Sea. I know of two beautiful women who completely disappeared abroad. What happened to them? Were they apprehended by slavers? Did they become sex slaves? No one knows. The film illustrates this very-real possibility.
"Ashanti" plays like a wannabe "Lawrence of Arabia" but doesn't even come close. It's marred by a horribly dated 70s score whereas the score to "Lawrence" is timeless (even though it's older by about 17 years!!). Plus, "Lawrence" is believable from beginning to end, whereas I found myself mumbling "Yeah, right" numerous times while watching "Ashanti." In other words, too many scenes come off unconvincing or slightly awkward.
BOTTOM LINE: "Ashanti" sounds great on paper but they needed to take more time in the creation process to work out the kinks in the writing, acting, directing and score.
Still, the locations are great, there is a lot of action and the film provokes thought on an important subject. It's definitely worth picking up if you're a Caine fan or if you're into desert-survival flicks, especially since it's so cheap. Same thing if you favor Beverly Johnson (who's not the greatest actress). It's quite a bit better than caine's similar African adventure "The Wilby Conspiracy" (1975).
The dvd features only a full screen version but the picture is quite good. Unfortunately the menu is cheap, featuring only "Play Movie" and "Trailer;" there isn't even a scene selection option.
GRADE: C
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