Films and Television
Please make
sure that if you order videos or DVDs that they will play in the machines
of your country. I have links to both North American and European formats.
North American DVDs and videos do not generally play in European machines.
And vice-versa. Please be careful when ordering.
The links to the US and British Amazon sites generally take you to a default page, and then you can select the media format -- digit, DVD or Blu-Ray.
The Adventures
of Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland.
For over 70 years this superb technicolor movie has been considered the
definitive Robin Hood film. It's exciting and witty with a wonderful
group of actors. The legend brought to life. At long last, this classic
has been released on DVD in a special two-disc set with a tonne of features,
including footage of the filming, a commentary track by film historian
Rudy Behlmer and the cartoons "Rabbit Hood" with Bugs Bunny and "Robin Hood
Daffy" with Daffy Duck. And the film itself has been digitally restored to
its technicolor glory. (The Blu-Ray edition offers the same features in a single disc.) You can read my article about the film here.
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) on Amazon.com (United States)
The Adventures Of Robin Hood [1938] on Amazon.co.uk (UK/Europe)
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) (Bilingual) on Amazon.ca (Canada)
Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood starring ... well .. Douglas Fairbanks Sr. Before Errol Flynn, Fairbanks donned the tights and played the outlaw hero in the most expensive movie made at the time. It's not quite up there with either Flynn's Robin or the best of silent cinema, but this 1922 silent film is still worth a look. Fairbanks was the first big Hollywood superstar actor and he was at the height of his famous when it was released. Warning: Fairbanks's Earl of Huntingdon doesn't become an outlaw until about halfway through the film.
Buy Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood on Amazon.com
Buy Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood on Amazon.co.uk
Buy Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood on Amazon.ca
The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men starring Richard Todd and Joan Rice. This 1952 live-action Disney movie might not be on par with the 1938 Errol Flynn classic, but it is a very solid and respectable version of the legend. Among its charms are Joan Rice's Marian who has a wonderful pixy charm and Peter Finch as the Sheriff. And Archie Duncan, the Little John of 1950s television, plays a bad guy in the film. It's a good version for children, although not the very young as it's not as tame as the cartoon version. Unfortunately, it looks like the DVDs are not available in European Region 2 format yet.
Buy the Region 1 (North America) DVD on Amazon.com 
Buy the Region 1 (North America) DVD on Amazon.ca 
Robin Hood (1973 Disney Cartoon) featuring the voice of Brian Bedford as the cartoon fox. "Robin Hood and Little John walking through the forest ..." This Disney cartoon comes from the studio's mid-1970s nadir and isn't on par with their earlier classics such as Snow White. (It even recycles movements from earlier cartoons such as The Jungle Book.) Still it does charmingly recreate many of the classic Robin Hood moments and is one of the versions best known by the general public. Peter Ustinov as PJ - Prince John - is a lot of fun.
Buy Robin Hood: 40th Anniversary Edition on Amazon.com
Buy Robin Hood on Amazon.co.uk
Buy Robin Hood: 40th Anniversary Edition on Amazon.ca
Robin and
Marian starring Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn.
A dark contrast to the Flynn film. Connery plays an older Robin
Hood back from the Crusades, in many ways a Vietnam metaphor.
Smart and sad, but with a fair bit of wit too.
Buy Robin and Marian on Amazon.com
Buy Robin and Marian on Amazon.co.uk
Buy Robin and Marian on Amazon.ca
Robin Hood
starring Patrick Bergin and Uma Thurman. This was
made at the same time as the Kevin Costner film, but was released
on television in North America with little fanfare. It's the
better Robin Hood movie of 1991, and has the look and feel of
early ballads. J.C. Holt served as a historical advisor on
the film. (Regrettably, the video release is shorter than the
version that played on TV.) A special Blu-Ray was released in Denmark but there is not one suitable for most North American players.
Buy Robin Hood starring Patrick Bergin on Amazon.com (DVD in North American format)
Buy Robin Hood starring Patrick Bergin on Amazon.co.uk (UK/Europe format)
Buy Robin Hood starring Patrick Bergin on European Blu-Ray on Amazon.co.uk (European / UK Format)
Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves starring Kevin Costner. This isn't on this list because I recommend it for its quality. I find the writing weaker than many of the items on this page. But this 1991 film did define Robin Hood for a generation. Howver, Alan Rickman, Morgan Freeman and some of the supporting actors give very entertaining performances.
Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves on DVD and Blu-Ray
Buy Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves (Extended Cut) on Amazon.com
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - Extended Version on Amazon.co.uk (for British/European audiences)
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves / Robin des Bois : Prince des voleurs (Bilingual) on Amazon.ca (Canada)
Robin Hood: Men in Tights starring Cary Elwes.
It's the second, and better-known, attempt at a Robin Hood parody from Mel Brooks. It's supposed to be a parody of Prince of Thieves, but it also parodies the 1938 Errol Flynn film as well. It tickles some people's funny bones, and Richard Lewis makes a fun Prince John. Cary Elwes has more roguish charm than some other Robin Hoods, and not just because he speaks with an English accent.
Buy Robin Hood - Men in Tights on Amazon.com (North American formats) 
Buy Robin Hood - Men In Tights on Amazon.co.uk (UK/European format)
Buy Robin Hood: Men in Tights (Bilingual) on Amazon.ca (North American format)
The Adventures
of Robin Hood starring Richard Greene. This classic 1950s
black-and-white television series is available in various video
editions, including a recently released boxed set. Clever plots (often based on real
medieval laws) and charm make this show rise about the time and budget
constraints of old-time television. The entire series is available by season in DVD boxed sets. Many low budget labels have released smaller collections of episodes in North America. Click here to read my multi-part article on this TV series.
The Complete Series (all four seasons)
Buy The Adventures of Robin Hood: The Complete Series on Amazon.com (US DVD)
The Adventures of Robin Hood - The Complete Series [UK/European DVD]
The Complete First Season (Series)
Buy the Region 1, NTSC for North America DVD set on Amazon.com
Buy the Region 0 PAL, only for European players -- not for North America) on Amazon.co.uk
The Complete Second Season (Series)
Buy the Region 1, NTSC for North America DVD set on Amazon.com
Buy the Region 2 PAL, only for European players -- not for North America DVD set on Amazon.co.uk 
The Complete Third Season (Series)
Buy the Region 1, NTSC for North America DVD set on Amazon.com
Buy the Region 2 PAL, only for European players -- not for North America DVD set on Amazon.co.uk
The Complete Fourth Season (Series)
Buy the Region 1, NTSC for North America DVD set on Amazon.com
Buy the Region 0 PAL, only for European players -- not for North America DVD set on Amazon.co.uk
The Legend of Robin Hood starring Martin Potter and Diane Keen.
An online petition helped get this 1975 BBC television mini-series onto DVD. Unfortunately, it's only available on the British Region 2 format.
Buy the Region 2 [Europe, not for North American players] DVD on Amazon.co.uk
Robin of Sherwood
starring Michael Praed and Jason Connery (known as Robin Hood in North America).
This 1980s British series is one of the most innovative filmed versions of
Robin Hood ever. Robin of Loxley serves Herne the Hunter, a forest god, until
he is killed in battle and replaced by Robert of Huntingdon. Great cast,
wonderful writing, and a haunting Celtic soundtrack by Clannad. This series
influenced many later versions of the Robin Hood legend. It also introduced
the concept of an Arab Merry Man. Highly recommended. Click here to read my interview with series creator and lead writer Richard Carpenter, and here for an interview with Mark Ryan, the actor who played Nasir, the first of the various Muslim Merry Men.
In the
Europe, Network Video has released the series on DVD in the UK. In 2007, Acorn Media released the series for Region 1, North America with nearly all the same special features as the UK versions. In 2011 and 2012, Network and Acorn released the series on Blu-Ray.
Robin of Sherwood: Set One. This North American release contains all the Michael Praed episodes and most of the special features found on the European releases.
Buy Robin of Sherwood: Set One on Amazon.com (region 1, NTSC)
Robin of Sherwood: Set Two. This North American release contains all the Jason Connery episodes and most of the special features found on the European releases.
Robin of Sherwood: Set Two on Amazon.com (Region 1, NTSC)
Robin of Sherwood: The Complete Collection. This North American release contains all the Michael Praed and Jason Connery episodes and most of the special features found on the European releases.
Buy Robin of Sherwood: The Complete Collection DVD on Amazon.com (Region 1, NTSC)
Robin of Sherwood Blu-Ray: Set 1. In 2011, Acorn released the Michael Praed episodes on North American Blu-Ray. Although the picture is intentionally grainy at times, the quality is superior to the DVD. It shares the same special features of the earlier release and also includes new featurettes with Philip (Abbot Hugo) Jackson, George (Richard of Leaford) Baker and director Robert Young, and also PDF files such as Carpenter's early outline for the series.
Buy Robin of Sherwood Set One, Blu-Ray on Amazon.com (Region A, NTSC)
Robin of Sherwood Blu-Ray: Set 2. In Feb. 2012, Acorn released the third season (the Jason Connery episodes) on Blu-Ray.
Buy Robin of Sherwood, Set 2 Blu-ray on Amaon.com (Region 1, NTSC)
Buy Robin
of Sherwood on PAL-format DVD or Blu-Ray (Not Playable on most North American
players) on Amazon.co.uk. The DVDs include special features like documentaries, blooper reels and commentary tracks with the writers, directors and (on episodes from the 3rd series) cast.
Robin of Sherwood - The Complete Series DVD (All episodes, PAL) on Amazon.co.uk
Robin of Sherwood: Complete Series 1 DVD (PAL) on Amazon.co.uk
Robin Of Sherwood - The Complete Series 2 PAL DVD on Amazon.co.uk
Robin Of Sherwood - Series 3 - Part 1 - Episodes 1 To 6 DVD (PAL) on Amazon.co.uk
Robin Of Sherwood - Series 3 - Part 2 - Episodes 7 To 13 DVD (PAL) on Amazon.co.uk
Robin of Sherwood - Michael Praed [Blu-ray] [PAL] on Amazon.co.uk
Robin of Sherwood: Jason Connery - [Network] - [ITV] - [Blu-ray] [UK, PAL, Region Free] on Amazon.co.uk
Maid Marian and Her Merry Men starring Kate Lonergan as a smart, feminist Maid Marian and Wayne Morris as the hapless Robin. This BBC comedy series was written by Tony Robinson (from Blackadder and Time Team), who also played the Sheriff of Nottingham. It is not yet available on North American DVD.
I interviewed Tony Robinson about this series here.
Buy Maid Marian And Her Merry Men: The Complete Series 1 DVD on Amazon.co.uk (for UK/European players)
Buy Maid Marian And Her Merry Men: The Complete Series 2 DVD on Amazon.co.uk (for UK/European players)
Buy Maid Marian And Her Merry Men: The Complete Series 3 DVD on Amazon.co.uk (for UK/European players)
Buy Maid Marian And Her Merry Men: The Complete Series 4 DVD on Amazon.co.uk (for UK/European players) 
Buy Maid Marian and her Merry Men - The Complete BBC TV Series 1-4 Limited Edition (DVD) on Amazon.co.uk (for UK/European players)
Rocket Robin Hood. Animated in Canada, this 1960s cartoon features the outer-space adventures of Robin's 30th century descendant who fights the wicked Sheriff of NOTT (National Outer-space Terrestrial Territories). In the US and UK, the cartoon quickly vanished after its initial run only to resurface as the winner of various "Worst Cartoon Ever" panels. But in Canada, regulations requiring broadcasters to show a certain percentage of Canadian programming kept this cartoon on the air for decades. The early episodes are sci-fi updates of classic Robin Hood tropes. The later episodes are far more bizarre.
Buy Rocket Robin Hood Vol. 1 on Amazon.ca
Buy Rocket Robin Hood V2 (English version) on Amazon.ca
MEDIEVAL
OUTLAWS: TWELVE TALES IN MODERN ENGLISH edited by Thomas H. Ohlgren. Robin
wasn't the only medieval outlaw. This book includes
translations of the outlaw adventures of Fulk Fitz Warin,
William (Braveheart) Wallace, Adam Bell and others, including
A Gest of Robyn Hode. (Updated from the earlier edition which only featured ten tales. The new cover, not pictured here, features a photo I took - the same one that forms the graphic in the top left corner of this page.)
IMAGINING ROBIN HOOD: THE LATE MEDIEVAL STORIES IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT by A.J. Pollard. The book provides an extremely lucid look at the earliest ballads in the light of the time they were likely composed. His suggestion that as a "yeoman of the forest" Robin Hood was meant to be a forester is interesting.
The Complete Second Season (Series)
Contact Us