The Mask of Zorro | Canadian First Time Watching | Movie Reaction | Movie Review | Movie Commentary

[@JamesWiseMagic]

If I remember correctly, in the original batman comics the night Bruce's parents were killed they were leaving a theater showing Zorro. So Batman was greatly inspired from Zorro.

[@markreed392]

And I believe the movie that the Wayne's watched was the original "Mask of Zorro".

[@logandarklighter]

I may be wrong, but I think the "leaving the Theater after seeing Zorro" was an invention (though an EXCELLENT one) of the comics of the 1980s moving forward. I have ZERO (or... Zorro? HAH!!) problems with that being part of the Batman canon. CURIOUSLY - in the 1980s comics - a showing of the Zorro films might have been as an arthouse re-release in limited run of the actual original film(s). BUT - if we're talking about TODAY'S Batman (particularly the most recent movie THE BATMAN with Robert Pattinson) then the timeline of that continuity could very well have been that Bruce and his parents walked out of the showing of THIS VERY MOVIE!!! So - Sir Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas inspire (in part) Bruce Wayne to become Batman. Of such wonderful weirdness are comics and comics inspired movies made. 👍😎😅🤣

[@christianjohnson6451]

@@logandarklighter yes with Tyrone power in 1940s

[@mistersazabi4165]

You mean ripped off by the Shadow, DC still owes the estate of Walter B. Gibson a lot of money.

[@phillytothej4001]

Beat me to it. Really cool fact

[@irishinnj72]

For many years Anthony Hopkins suffered terrible back pain that left his movements restricted. He underwent very risky surgery, which cured his back pain completely. Shortly after, Hopkins was offered the role of Zorro and he jumped at the chance to finally play an action hero, especially now that he was pain free. Hopkins did a lot of his fight scenes in Zorro himself, except for the acrobatics of course. Hopkins was also proud that he did a lot of his own fighting in the finale of "The Wolfman" with Benicio Del Toro.

[@ninjabluefyre3815]

Good thing too, he certainly didn't do alot of acting in the Wolfman.

[@chaddon7685]

"You were trying...she was succeeding" is one of the most underrated jokes in movies to me.

[@glozwellvonzergelflerven7405]

What I loved about this is they JUST made a really good Zorro movie. There's no gimmick, no "it's Zorro, but-" etc. They embraced all the tropes and just made a fun oldschool swashbuckling adventure film which is all it really should be. EDIT: I'm saying the filmmakers didn't try to outsmart themselves. Antonio was arguably the obvious, 'safe' choice for the role - he was the biggest Latin leading man in Hollywood at the time, had experience doing action flicks etc. But sometimes the obvious choice is right.

[@Kasino80]

Martin Campbell knows what he's doing. Just look at Goldeneye and Casino Royale.

[@Tannhauser62]

Cool, smart post and dead right. I'm sick of dumb 'reimaginings' by directors trying to make 'daring' (but in their own way, predictable) choices.

[@benjamingomez1761]

Latin? Bro he is Spanish tf.

[@glozwellvonzergelflerven7405]

@@benjamingomez1761 are Spaniards not considered Latin? No offense intended honestly idk how that works.

[@jp3813]

Batman is basically a re-imagined Zorro.

[@JeffKelly03]

There actually are some people in this film loosely inspired by real people. Joaquin Murrieta, for instance (the brother who died) is believed to be the real life inspiration for Zorro. He was killed in the movie by Harrison Love; the real Joaquin Murrieta was killed by an American soldier named Harry Love. (Antonio's character, meanwhile, is fictional, though Murrieta did have several brothers.)

[@tremorsfan]

Three Fingered Jack was also supposedly real although he was Spanish.

[@joshbates9015]

Fun fact, the real Harry Love actually did keep Joaquin Murrieta's head (as well as the hand of Three-Finger Jack) preserved in a glass jar of alcohol, though there's no mention of him enjoying drinking from the jar. Damn good way of illustrating the man's thinly veiled savagery, though. He didn't have nearly as cool of a death. He married a widow named Mary Bennett, they broke up and reconciled several times before she finally tried filing for divorce, but ultimately failed. She relocated while still being married to him. When his farm failed and he became destitute, he lived in a house that Mary had built for him on her property. She also hired a bodyguard to keep him away from her. One day, when he was on her porch without his wife's permission, a gunfight broke out between him and her bodyguard, he got shot in the arm and died, despite doctor's amputating his arm in an attempt to save him. A far more ignominious death, but the man sounds like he was just as much of an asshole as his film counterpart.

[@Serenity113]

@@joshbates9015 sounds like suffered before dying so at least he got that lol

[@jon_solo]

I loved when you guys pondered who would win between Zorro, Inigo Montoya, or Jack Sparrow. All three actors were trained and choreographed by the legendary Bob Anderson. He was a master swordsman and stunt performer, and he was responsible for so many incredible sword fights in cinema, from Star Wars to Lord of the Rings. One of his last films was the sequel, The Legend Of Zorro. He passed away about ten years ago I think. To this day, I don't think anyone can match his work.

[@Enthymene]

Jack Sparrow is practically a cartoon character so I think it would go by Roger Rabbit rules: he would win if and ONLY if it was funny, or the setup to something funny

[@BarryHart-xo1oy]

Good to know.

[@AClockworkMelon]

Batman was definitely grown in the seedbed of Zorro. The Zorro character goes back to the 1910s and the original had all the classic Batman features, like a rich family, a mysterious mansion with lots of secret passages, a public persona who acts like a goof, etc.

[@ADADEL1]

The Scarlet Pimpernel did all that too. I have to wonder about the inspiration rabbit hole here and where it started.

[@jakerobinson9475]

I would say the three main precursors to Batman are the Scarlet Pimpernel (introduced the “wealthy hero who pretends to be weak publicly” idea), Zorro (the black costume and naming himself an animal while having a strong moral code) and the Shadow (being a terrifying figure for criminals who could be pretty violent), with the latter having the most obvious influence since the character was popular at the time. Though I suppose Robin Hood could be considered a very distant inspiration since he was also meant to be someone born into wealth who dedicated himself to protecting the weak.

[@customX09]

The Mr Fox character…

[@w415800]

What about Robin Hood?

[@mr.battle20]

Fun fact: Anthony Hopkins is highly trained in whipcraft, so in the scene where he's whipping out the candles, he was really doing that. No special effects needed.

[@johnberg9497]

Glad I found this fun fact. I remembered this too at the 18:57 mark of this video and immediately came looking for this very thing!

[@trequor]

BURN THE WHIP

[@rev.chuckshingledecker]

I grew up watching all of the old Zorro flicks and TV show (watched them with my mom). When this came out it was just a perfect Zorro movie, but even more heartbreaking for long time fans because "our" Zorro (Don Diego) loses to his arch enemy because of one screw up (saying his name) on that balcony. Him training his successor works so well and the writers and filmmakers simply gave us a WONDERFUL movie that checked all the boxes for how to make a classic story for a modern audience. So glad you reacted to this!

[@devlinallistair5147]

When I went to the theaters to see this, the theater management staged a fake robbery. An actor snatched another actor's purse and ran for the door. As he opened the door, Zorro walked in, drew his sword, and stripped the robber of his prize and returned it to the rightful owner. It pumped us up. And the movie was awesome. True story.

[@RoninUK-e3u]

When Anthony Hopkins rears his horse on the rooftop, he is recreating the Walt Disney Logo for their Zorro TV series. The merchandise from the TV series included a Zorro kit for kids with a mask, pistol and sword which took a piece of chalk in the tip so you could leave Z on walls all over the place.

[@vanyadolly]

I had the mask, cape and hat as a kid, complete with the chalk-tipped rapier and a toy horse! I don't remember a gun being part of it, but my mom could have removed that.

[@RoninUK-e3u]

@@vanyadolly The pistol was a flintlock type with a broad barrel if I remember rightly

[@aurora_concepts]

FINALLY! No idea why there are so few reactions to this movie... It's ICONIC! 🗡🔥

[@parker469a]

Afraid of copyright claims or they've already seen it before, I guess. That or it's not in most people's top five and it takes a long time for reactors to get past patrons voting for other movies that are in their top five of whatever genre is being voted on.

[@chrisbullard5901]

This, the Count of Monte Cristo, and the 13th Warrior are a triad of the best period epic movies. It doesn’t hurt Antonio Banderas is in two of them.

[@jp3813]

Great film, but not iconic in terms of popularity. It definitely deserves way more recognition though.

[@carlossaraiva8213]

This movie was a blast watching at the theaters back in the day.

[@Artisan1979]

20:52 Trivia: Bernardo was also the name of Diego's mute servant who was also his ally in his crusade as Zorro. He deliberately decided to let on that he was deaf, as well, so he could listen into the enemies conversations with them standing right beside him.

[@irenelorenzoh]

I'm from Spain and tbh Zeta-Jones' accent is pretty decent. Would've loved to hear Antonio talking in spanish. It kinda felt like a waste not to take advantage of the fact that he's from Spain.

[@eliminator173]

But then again all of them should be speaking spanish. It would be weird if its inly him and not the other cast.

[@irenelorenzoh]

@@eliminator173 Yeah, it would be more accurate, but what I'm saying is it would be nice to hear him say more than few words in spanish (not the entire script), like use some slangs.

[@MonAhgasInsomniAroELF]

he does in the sequel

[@carlossaraiva8213]

I think in this movie the use of english is a convention translation for spanish, so that even the american characters are speaking spanish in-story even when they are speaking english.

[@vanyadolly]

Would european spanish and south-american spanish sound very different?

[@613lcd]

I saw this in theaters opening weekend and it blew my mind 🤯. Antonio was amazing casting and Zeta Jones's beauty is beyond description 😍😍

[@andrewmccormack4295]

I agree,Antonio and Catherine are the perfect leads for this movie,and of course KZJ is an amazingly beautiful woman.

[@Kayjee17]

I remember an interview with Antonio Banderas for this movie and he was so proud and excited to be the first Spanish born man to play Zorro, who has always been a Spaniard in the stories and movies. Yes, the luminously beautiful Catherine Zeta-Jones is Welsh, but she plays Spanish in this movie very well. She and Antonio had mucho chemistry and their sexy-fighting has stirred many a person over the years since this movie came out. It really was heartbreaking for Don Diego to lose his family like that, but I think he found peace at the end in knowing that his daughter was his again and that she would be safe with the new Zorro.

[@kevinnorwood8782]

There are fights in movies and TV shows that are called "Flirty Fights" because it's as much two characters flirting and making romantic gestures with each other as they are fighting with each other. The fight between Zorro and Elena in the stables is easily the greatest flirty fight ever put on-screen.

[@clevelandcbi]

*This movie put Catherine Zeta-Jones on the map for many guys. The laser scene in Entrapment a year later cemented that spot.*

[@nickgee461]

Michael Douglas included, by all accounts.

[@Richard_Jones]

Definitely cemented my spot.....I don't even know what that means.

[@clevelandcbi]

@Jerome Jimenez The Billy Zane movie???? I never knew that. Might have to give it a watch now.

[@TimpanistMoth_AyKayEll]

Not just guys, believe me.

[@vanyadolly]

Even as a little girl I was absolutely captivated by how unapologetically and joyfully "vigorous" she was. Not something you often saw with female leads.

[@lazyperfectionist1]

29:36 Observe the _incredible_ skill with which our hero fights in this scene. He keeps managing to cut right through her dress, but not her skin; _never_ her skin; not so much as a scratch. He keeps managing to stop _just_ short of it. He knows the _precise_ length of his rapier. Try to imagine, for a moment, just how _incredibly_ precise that would have to be.

[@lazyperfectionist1]

30:33 😒 Then again...

[@handsomeDRAC]

To be fair. It's a movie.

[@ironcladnomad5639]

To be fair, he spent more time training with the rapier than the horse. Also pretty sure one is a wee bit more temperamental than the other.

[@DocuzanQuitomos]

It's a stretch (to be fair, if he hair was in between the sword and the dress... the hair would have been cut too), but that element serves two narrative elements quite brilliantly: first, that his swordsmanship has evolved a lot (all the whipping for stepping too far have paid off XD). But he is still a newbie who hasn't sorted out everything yet (like his complicated relationship with this particular horse, because he manages to improvise the control over all the other "more domesticated" military horses). All the elements show us he is worthy of the mantle (and no longer the buffoon he was when he stole the horse), but he is still a human who can still make mistakes and learn from them (setting him aside from the legendary "I have everything planned" Don Diego de la Vega). The film shows all that in a couple of minutes without feeling forced by the change from "master of the sword", to "foolish horseman", to "master of the horses" again.

[@carlossaraiva8213]

If you think the metaphor was lost on the filmmakers, no, they really knew what they were doing.

[@jordanpatrick4647]

I watched this movie for the first time last year, and it absolutely blew my mind - I was so sad that I never gave it a shot when I was younger, because it would absolutely be a movie I'd obsess over; just an instant classic, with a really simple but well-delivered plot, great casting, and great choreography and stunts.

[@johnnyringo80]

Originating in 1919, Zorro is indeed one of the first masked vigilantes in literary history, preceeded only by the Scarlet Pimpernel in 1905. Of course you might also include precursors to the trope like Robin Hood or the Count of Monte Christo, albeit they are not masked. The latter one comes close in that he uses a secret identity.

[@SilentSooYun]

I was *just* about to suggest "that demmed elusive" Pimpernel :D Monte Cristo wasn't really a vigilante, I wouldn't think... his primary concern was his own personal vendetta. He even befriended bandits in pursuit of his vengeance

[@johnnyringo80]

@@SilentSooYun yet he dealt justice to the unjust. And he freed that slave girl.

[@SilentSooYun]

@@johnnyringo80 But he also had every intention of killing Albert just to spite Fernand. His "justice" wasn't universal... it was very focused and self-serving

[@johnnyringo80]

@@SilentSooYun That's what a lot of vigilantes do - incidentially also the Zorros in this movie. Don Diego wants to enact his personal vendetta against Raffael as does Antonio Banderas against Love. It just so happens that this also benefits other people wronged by the same perps. Personal gain and the greater good do not have to be mutually exclusive.

[@tylerfoster6267]

Funny that you should mention Pirates of the Caribbean -- this was written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, who would go on to write several of the Pirates movies. A couple of other action/adventure movies I'd recommend in this vein (no guarantee they have sexy fighting) are A Knight's Tale, The Count of Monte Cristo (2002), and The Man in the Iron Mask (1998). There's also Sam Raimi's Western The Quick and the Dead (1995), and the trilogy of movies that launched Antonio Banderas to stardom, the Robert Rodriguez Mexico trilogy. The first is a low-budget affair, El Mariachi, which is in Spanish and features an unknown in the lead role. Banderas takes over for the other two, Desperado and Once Upon a Time in Mexico, the second of which kicked off Rodriguez's friendship with Quentin Tarantino.

[@nocturneJOJO]

I agree with every suggestion (maybe a little less on The Man in the Iron Mask) and I would add two major movies that in many ways kept the same "swashbuckling" feeling of this movie even though they are quite different: Robin Hood Prince of Thieves and Silverado. :)

[@jacob4920]

"The Man in the Iron Mask" is in my movie collection, and it is BY FAR the greatest Three Musketeers-based film I have ever watched! It's funny that the film stars Leonardo Dicaprio, yet the film is made great by all of the legendary actors AROUND Leo! DiCaprio is just a "side piece" in that film, since it is truly a film about the Three Musketeers trying to put the REAL Louis XIV (France's most famous king) on the throne, in place of his evil twin brother, who had usurped it!

[@carlevans8825]

When I watch Zorro I almost always watch Robin Hood Prince of Theives and the 1993 Three Musketeers

[@nocturneJOJO]

@@jacob4920 I'll admit I haven't seen The Man in the Iron Mask again in more than twenty years, I remember disliking it as a teenager but I barely remember the movie now so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and I'll try and watch it again. As for Three Musketeers movies the 1993 one with Tim Curry, Chris O'Donnell, Michael Wincott, and overall an impossibly awesome cast is by far my preferred one, I watched it again multiple times recently and it still holds up fantastically! Besides you can't compete with Tim Curry as Richelieu. Shame on me for not adding it to the suggestions! XD!

[@nocturneJOJO]

@@carlevans8825 The Three Musketeers as well! Shame on me for forgetting it! I absolutely love that movie! :D Also if you like the genre and want a much lighter tone movie in the same vein there's the 1997 french movie: "On Guard" ("Le Bossu" in original, sometime also known as Lagardere). ;)

[@tcmn1982]

I watched Mask of Zorro with my parents when it was released in the theaters. Both were huge fans of the Disney series from 1960s. Their eyes shined watching this film. Nowadays is common to see parents watching Star Wars, Marvel or franchises like these but in 1998 was very rare.

[@SlytheyTove]

One thing I always found funny about the Dance scene between Banderas and Zeta-Jones is that, for for him to know how to dance, he had to have learned how to as part of his "Charm/gentleman's Training" and being how secretive his training has been... Who do you think took the lead? OG Zorro, or Noob Zorro? Either way, the thought of Banderas and Hopkins practicing how to dance with a lady, wherein one of them is the stand in for the lady, just makes me laugh hard! So sad they left THAT scene out.

[@stevenhernandeznon-profitf968]

Simone having “ impure thoughts “ about whip welding Antony Hopkins = amazing!

[@lindapenttinen3382]

Meaning of Zorro is "fox" in Spanish. And Zorro was created in 1919 while Batman was created around 1939 so Batman was inspirated by Zorro

[@gdeno79]

The Batman/Bruce definitely came from Zorro. It was part of his in canon back story. It was the movie he was watching right before his parents died in the alley.

[@RobinHood3000]

"The Scarlet Pimpernel," created by Baroness Orzcy, is generally credited as the precursor to the masked vigilante genre. The character is a master of disguise, a member of nobility who pretends to be a useless fop in his civilian identity to throw off suspicion and carries out acts of adventurous heroics in secret. Many of these are hallmarks that we associate with fictional vigilantes today, through Zorro and other pulp-era heroes to the superheroes of today.

[@moreau1755]

While Orczy's Pimpernel was popular and so the one who might be credited with spreading the concept, the Pimpernel wasn't the first masked vigilante. Orczy's first Pimpernel tale was published in 1905, but six years earlier, in 1899, there was the Human Bat, a character with some startling similarities to the later Batman - wealthy heir, fights crime after his family fell victim to it, has a butler, operates out of a cave beneath the family mansion. And I'm not even claiming the Human Bat was the first, just the earliest clear case of a masked vigilante that I can think of, and one who definitely predates the Pimpernel or Zorro.

[@RobinHood3000]

@@moreau1755 The first I've heard of the character, so thank you for telling me about him!

[@BenJuan26]

If you guys haven't seen it already since watching this, Jill Bearup did a fantastic video highlighting the sexy swordfight.

[@Sav912WL]

Zorro was largely inspired by an earlier character called the Scarlet Pimpernel (from the book of the same name). The character was an English aristocrat who worked to save members of the French nobility from execution by Robespierre during the Reign of Terror. The movie version features Ian McKellan as the primary antagonist.

[@w415800]

I only knew of the Scarlet Pimpernel from Rowan Atkinson's Blackadder

[@christopherstrong150]

The earlier movie with Leslie Howard as the Scarlet Pimpernel is only bettered by Leslie Howard playing Pimpernel Smith retelling Pimpernel story only with Germans set just before Great Britain declared war on Germany.

[@Enthymene]

12:27 It’s played (successfully) for laughs, but all of that is pretty representative of screen swordplay flourishes from the Douglas Fairbanks era of screen swashbuckling.

[@colincopland3665]

There is an ancestry influence on certain parts of Wales from Spanish and Portuguese fishermen. Catherine Zeta-Jones has remarked that ever since making ‘The Mask of Zorro’, people spoke Spanish to her for years and that the film instantly gave her a new ethnicity.

[@andy6576]

33:15 George's look to camera when Simone completely misunderstood what he wanted to "get one of" was a special highlight! 🙂

[@FlickFreaks]

It’s funny because Bob Kane literally based Batman on Zorro. That’s why in the comics when Bruce sees his parents killed in front of him outside the theater, the Waynes were leaving a Zorro film.

[@JeffKelly03]

It really all makes me wonder about who else Zorro influenced; Simone and George mention Inigo and Westley, and it's hard not to notice Westley is dressed just like Zorro, while Inigo is a Spaniard out for revenge against those who hurt his family. If you combine the two of them, they basically make a Voltron version of Zorro. I wonder if William Goldman had Zorro in mind with both, or either, of the characters.

[@InsolentMusicalPeasant]

Bill Finger, not Bob Kane. Bob Kane's Batman wore red and brown. It was Bill Finger that put him in the black and grey.

[@jakehodgson82]

@@InsolentMusicalPeasant thanks for showing the proper respect to the main man Bill Finger.

[@ΠαναγιωτηςΑγγελ]

@@JeffKelly03 Zorro also influenced some of the worst comic book characters like El Diablo the first version DC , Swordman Marvel and Aguila also Marvel literally bad Zorro copies but the fact that Zorro was the first fictional character that put on a mask to hide his indetity and a cape he has pretty much much influenced almost every hero from 1920 and after

[@bard6184]

My family didn't get a VHS-player until the late 90s. This was the first movie we bought, and me, being around 10 years old, watched it a zillion times. And still I'd forgotten how impossibly beautiful Catherine Zeta-Jones was. My God.

[@devlinallistair-zx5by]

That shot of the sunlight gleaming off Zorro's blade was so choice.

[@gersonribeiro374]

8:12 Zorro means fox in European Spanish, and in some versions of his origin, Diego's mother was native American and gave him a native name who meant fox as well so he decided to pay homage to both his Spanish and Native American heritages.

[@SpitFireX85]

For my earliest memory, I remember looking at the sky and then seeing my grandmas face. Probably as a toddler in a stroller with her when she’d babysit for me.

[@GorgeousRandyFlamethrower-]

the Scarlet Pimpernel is the oldest Secret Alter Ego Vigilante(ish) character that comes to mind. English nobleman, master of disguise, rescuing French aristocrats from the revolution etc.

[@nicholascross3557]

I can't speak to Catherine's accent, but I do know that on set, she and Sir Anthony spent time with Antonio learning some Spanish whilst also giving Antonio Welsh language lessons.

[@kingleech16]

That's awesome! Though I would probably take a few decades to learn Welsh, it seems really tough.

[@toddrobertson8505]

Don't forget the Scarlet Pimpernel, Sir Percy Blakeney-Dimwitted dandy in England, dashing master of disguise recuing nobles from the Reign of Terror in France. Stan Lee called him the first superhero.

[@veronicaquintanatorres2473]

Catherine Zeta Jones´s accent is actually pretty good, I remember thinking she was from a spanish speaking country at first. I am from Southamerica

[@maxnorton1209]

The scene in the horse barn was definitely the sexiest sword fight in cinema history, that I’m aware of anyway. It was really swordplay as foreplay.

[@TrackMaster844]

30:22 - In an interview, Catherine said shooting the sword duel with Antonio stirred many feelings for her lol

[@long-timesci-fienthusiast9626]

The 1st film was a silent movie in 1920 of the same name, starring Douglas Fairbanks Snr. Later in 1940 Tyrone Power starred as Zorro in a movie of the same name, also. Apparently, there was a tv series in the `50`s.

[@tracy4290]

"The Mark of Zorro" is my all-time favorite Zorro movie! Full of great physical humor and great stunts!

[@GuardianOwl]

Fun fact to make you feel old to those who saw this in theaters: Now in 2022, Antonio Banderas is a year older than Anthony Hopkins was when he was making this film.

[@eighthdoctor]

🤯

[@jonathanhallberg3009]

In most of the versions of Batmans origin story, the movie/play that Bruce and his parents left which lead to his parents murder has often been Zorro, which is why there´s so many correlations between them. They´re basically the same character.

[@LordVolkov]

The horse(s?) they use for Tornado are so charming. Some of the best horse reactions and I love how they use him for comedy before Zorro's hero upgrade.

[@lazyperfectionist1]

13:25 "Lesson number one: The value of olfactory stealth. At present, you stink. Ideally, you must have _no_ odor about you; not even one that is _pleasant._ Your enemy must not smell you coming."

[@neilbiggs1353]

It may be apocryphal, but I heard that the vietnam war featured something opposite to this where the scent of the soaps used by the soldiers allowed them to be smelled from a distance

[@ironcladnomad5639]

Fun fact! In the 90s there was a live action Zorro show, which featured Diego as the OG Zorro. One of the actors to play Diego's father, Alejandro, also voiced Alfred in Batman: The Animated Series.

[@kattahj]

And the kid playing Zorro's servant grew up to play the hot dictator Harley Quinn dates and then kills in The Suicide Squad.

[@ASK2286]

Reminds me of Count of Monte Christo, if you two haven't watch that yet you absolutely need to, you'll love it!

[@TheeJasonReyes]

Antonio Banderas was method acting for Puss in Boots since this movie...talk about dedication!

[@RonJomero]

Not sure if it's my first memory, but one of my oldest memories is from when I was a couple months shy of my third birthday. My father took me to see Empire Strikes Back in the theater while my mom was recovering in the hospital from my brother's birth (so this helps me pinpoint how old I was). There was a man at the theater in a Darth Vader costume and he was walking the aisles. I had zero knowledge of Star Wars, so I had no idea who this person was or that he was a bad guy. So when he got to my aisle (and I was on the aisle seat, so he was very much right next to me) he stopped and looked down at me. I was eating a box of pretzel sticks, so I just handed him one. He put it up to his triangle mouth, shook his head, and handed it back. Then he moved on. When I saw the movie, I saw Darth Vader and recognized him from my encounter earlier. Though the movie was portraying him as the bad guy, I knew he really wasn't or was just misunderstood. So that character never scared me like it did some other kids of my generation. That interaction also helped shape my Star Wars fandom to this day.

[@HermanVonPetri]

That's one of the most adorable childhood stories I've heard in a long time. I wonder if theater Vader guy still remembers.

[@HermanVonPetri]

@@Osprey850 **APPLAUSE**

[@eatsmylifeYT]

And how is this relevant to Zorro?

[@LokRevenant]

More than almost anything in the world I want a third Zorro movie with Banderas and Zeta-Jones.

[@ChrisWake]

Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, one of the few modern star pairings that really matched up to the star pairings of the 40s - 50s. They both had the whole package and then some for this movie.

[@AdamantiumPizza]

Fun fact: Zorro was the movie Bruce Wayne and his parents were watching the night they were shot.

[@BrandonBlume]

My first memory is at 2 years old and I was crying on a train from the loud noises. I can't picture it exactly but I remember looking down the train car and I was obviously terrified. I just remember a remnant of an interpretation of that view and also the crying.

[@BrandonBlume]

39:21 There was a fight scene in The Animatrix - The Osiris you might want to take a gander at.

[@MaoKatz]

Zorro (fox in English) was the principal character from a pulp fiction type magazine published in 1919 called "The Curse of Capistrano" changing its name later to "The Mask of Zorro". Certainly one of the first vigilantes, Zorro was, as Superman or Captain America, a propaganda fiction character that fight the corrupt Spanish government, one of the justifications for the American invasion to Mexico in 1846 where Mexico lost half its territory (today's California, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and half Wyoming).

[@jp3813]

Other sexy movie fights include Brad Pitt vs Angelina Jolie in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), Pierce Brosnan vs Famke Janssen in GoldenEye (1995), Michael Keaton vs Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns (1992), and probably most of DOA: Dead or Alive (2006). I'm sure there are a ton more if you include all the catfighting in exploitation flicks.

[@Enthymene]

I can’t point you to the FIRST fictional vigilante, but the Scarlet Pimpernel is a reasonably direct predecessor to Zorro

[@ashkaunadib7638]

YES! MORE SEXY FIGHTING! I'm so glad you guys reacted to this. This is one of my favorite action movies of all time. I saw this when I was a kid and have been obsessed ever since. The stunt work, the acting, the dark/gritty moments, the romance, and a pinch of comedy is what made this movie perfect.

[@Lenkic13]

Can we all acknowledge how damn good the score is for this film? Just beautifully done.

[@classicslover]

Jill Bearup does a breakdown of this "flirty fight" on her stage combat KZbin channel. She actually has a playlist of "flirty fights". As for my earliest memory...I remember being in the stroller with blankets tucked around me because it was cold, and a gap for breathing. I also remember the announcement on TV when I won a cake for my first birthday. I laughed and clapped, and my Mom laughed and said: "You are not even supposed to know that is you yet!"

[@alfredstimoli2590]

Fun fact: Zorro has been adapted in more than 40 films. The first one in 1920.

[@fanboyfilm6952]

CZJ did press for the movie in Spain and the media actually thought she was spannish....

[@CROengineer]

i absolutley love zorro this and the legend of zorro were my favorite movies as a kid Anthony Hopkins and Banderas are my idols absolute gold

[@Higsby100]

One of the movies I watched on repeat as a kid

[@stevenhernandeznon-profitf968]

Such a great film! As I get older I appreciate the nuance of Don Raphael he is a wonderful villain who thinks he is a hero

[@andrewszigeti2174]

"El Zorro" means "The Fox." It was a statement about the cunning of the character.

[@SpiderandMosquito]

3:53 the Scarlet Pimpernel

[@krognak]

Ahh, Zorro. First film I bought myself on VHS as a kid. Not sure why - I think I just loved the grisly tone and the general Wild West feel. Had a huge crush on Zeta-Jones in this!

[@jculver1674]

Now that you've seen this, you guys definitely need to check out the 2002 The Count of Monte Cristo, another fantastic swashbuckler movie.

[@jayconant3816]

Amazing movie Simone and george would love it

[@eliminator173]

With a young Henry Cavill in it.

[@pabloc6283]

I love this movie, and Jim Caviezel is great on it.

[@okgo620]

When Simone commented on Catherine Zeta Jones as "the most beautiful woman in the world" that mantle belongs to Selma Hayek in her prime. If you don't believe me, watch (1996) From Dusk till Dawn you'll think twice.

[@okgo620]

George will be needing "the yanket" in this movie.

[@maxnorton1209]

If I’m not mistaken, the first fictional vigilante (with a secret identity, if not a costume) is the Scarlet Pimpernel.

[@Elerad]

Just so you know, Bob Kane was influenced by the portrayal of 'Zorro In The Bat Whispers (1930)' by Douglas Fairbanks when creating Batman. Gotta love that the great Mexican hero is portrayed by a Welshman and a Spaniard, while the love interest is also Welsh. Funny stuff. Great movie, though. Always enjoyed this one. So many great stunts and action scenes.

[@neilbiggs1353]

It's funny you mentioned Princess Bride and Pirates of the Caribbean with the sword fights - the three films are linked by a technical advisor Bob Anderson who was an Olympic fencer before working on films. He also helped Lord Of The Rings and was the body double for Darth Vader in the fight in Empire Strikes Back, so you've seen a fair bit if his work. I love this film, it's my favourite of the ones written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio (they also did Pirates and Shrek). It has a huge amount of heart and charm, and the chemistry between Banderas and Jones is off the charts. Just a great action and adventure movie and Hopkins adds just the right amount of weight to it If you get the chance, I recommend checking out Jill Bearup's breakdown of the flirty fight scene as she goes in to choreography and what the beats are intending to achieve.

[@eightbitmonkey]

Kudos to you, I wish more people knew Bob Anderson contribution to cinema and Jill Bearup's Awesome.

[@MisterT50000]

Anthony Hopkins and Frank Langella, both played the role of Zorro, both played the role of Richard Nixon.

[@lazyperfectionist1]

15:09 "Yeah, viewers. What's your first memory?" I was three. I was outdoors, in front of the house that my parents and I were living in at the time. It was night, during a thunderstorm. Now I was previously acquainted with the concept of a thunderstorm. I was previously acquainted with the concepts of lightning and thunder, but they were fairly _distant_ things. So when a flash of lightning coincided with a clap of thunder that absolutely _deafened_ me, well, it introduced me to the notion that thunder could be _deafening._ I was _startled._

[@ImJustHereWithaBeer]

Loved this movie as a kid. This movie needs a resurgence among watchers.

[@aproposreeve]

Anthony Hopkins was originally casted in the Bond movie Tomorrow never dies but after learning that the Bond movie didn't have a working script he dropped out and took this role after Raquel Julia died before filming began

[@weepingscorpion8739]

I love this movie. It always felt like a great sequel to the 1980s or 1990s live action TV show. It's also funny that the de la Vegas (father + daughter) are both portrayed by Welsh actors: Hopkins and Zeta-Jones. Great reaction, guys.

[@AbenZin1]

And Antonio Banderas ! Pretty sure he's Welsh as well, isn't he?

[@weepingscorpion8739]

@@AbenZin1 Niice... well no... but he used to be a "Welshman by marriage" as his ex-wife Melanie Griffith is of Welsh origin. Maybe you can say he's the father of a Welsh person. :)

[@Wrencher_86]

Hey, something I just noticed: 6:18 Old guy on the horse is in The Edge, also with Anthony Hopkins. Good movie.

[@RoninUK-e3u]

LQ Jones who died recently in his mid 90's

[@AngelTovar]

Yes, the creator of Batman was inspired by Zorro so much that the Wayne family where watching a Zorro play at the theater before Bruce's parents were shot down .

[@Artisan1979]

13:54 It's funny, you should mention indigo Montoya, because the fight choreographer in this movie worked on the princess bride.

[@ihoiashdoifosdj8327]

The music of this movie just takes me back..... :) James Horner was such a great composer.

[@niketesambrosiosdelagrece2266]

Watch also The Mummy returns, Count of Monte Cristo (2002), Assassins (1995), Desperado, DragonHeart 1, Van Helsing (2004), Troy, Kingdom of Heaven, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Sherlock Holmes 1, 2 (2009, 2011) or Beowulf (2007). ;) Good movies.

[@selkie76]

15:11 My first memory is simply an image of my parents together, looking at me - the backdrop is the wall of our dining room. Even at around age two or three from whence my first decent recall of full events dates I already had the sense of that image being a much older memory. Since it's just that single image with no other context I have no idea what was occurring that my young brain considered important enough to try and retain for posterity.

[@SteelCityJW]

34:53 call it Diglining. (Shovel ziplining)

[@sherigrow6480]

You must treat yourselves to The Mark of Zorro from 1940, starring Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone. It's really wonderful, and is the one I grew up with.

[@groothewanderer3710]

It's one of my favorites too. Fantastic sword play too!

[@CYB3R2K]

You ask too much, they're not going to watch anything with such low view attention

[@nathanr.494]

this was one my fav movies as a kid. still smile when seeing it. i watched the old cartoons of zorro when i was kid too.

[@PheraohTube]

Oh you guys definitely have to watch “The Count of Monte Cristo” 2002

[@A-small-amount-of-peas]

Shout out to Stuart Wilson. English character actor who made a very nice living playing villains in a surprising amount of 90's/00's movies including Lethal Weapon 3, Hot Fuzz and one with Ray Liotta on a prison island that I can't remember the name of

[@LordAngelumi]

I was still in grade school when I saw Escape from Absolom and it was one of my favorite movies growing up... I love the "quest item" in that movie.

[@A-small-amount-of-peas]

@@LordAngelumi It's been so long since I've seen it but I remember really enjoying it. Gonna have to rewatch it as I think it was called something else in the UK

[@GruffyddFO4]

"No Escape"/"Escape From Absolom".

[@Artisan1979]

14:31 I think I understand why he wore the scarf as a mask. It has tornadoes scent on it already, so Alejandro probably wore that to get him to trust him.

[@straak]

@04:00 The scarlet pimpernel is often credited as the first vigilante character ever created. @08:14 ZORRO is Spanish for “Fox”. I would encourage the two of you to watch the original ZORRO (1940) with Tyrone Powers. (and yes I know there is a black and white silent film before this starring Douglas Fairbanks)

[@Jelperman]

Except for Robin Hood.

[@straak]

@@Jelperman I meant as a published book in the vain of Zorro and Batman - a "hero" with a separate identity.

[@DaneelGiskard-f8d]

I honestly can't think of a single thing I disliked about this film. Everything from the cinematography, to the dialogue, to the stunt work, to the acting are amazing. And balance between drama and humor was pitch perfect. I can't think of a single scene without a moment that either made me laugh or gave me goosebumps.

[@DaveBlewer]

The most British sounding Spaniard in film is Sean Connery in Highlander 🙂

[@stvdagger8074]

Don't forget Cardinal Biggles of the Spanish Inquisition! Nobody expects them!

[@Kasino80]

This is one I the most fun reactions you've ever done. Don't really know why. Maybe I just really love Zorro. I remember watching the 90s series with Duncan Regehr as Zorro. A really cheasy show...it was great.

[@kellharris2491]

I think the story telling with the dance is hilarious. I read the book for the movie. It's funny he pulls her into a seductive and then when her Father comes he blames it on her. Her inner thought's on the subject were great.

[@lauderdalerobite3549]

My father and I used to watch this many times when I was a kid it was a favorite amongst hbo cable tv movie lists. Catherine zeta jones was my first celeb crush ever!

[@toddsmitts]

Regarding what happened to the gold, there's a deleted scene just after the mines blow up where the survivors run into General Santa Ana and his men. Alejandro reveals Montero's plan to steal the gold and basically tells Santa Ana that he can have it, if he can dig it out. Sidenote: Santa Ana is most famous for leading the Mexican forces during the Battle of the Alamo.