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Proteus | 
 enlarge | Directors: John Greyson, Jack Lewis
Actors: Shaun Smyth, Kristen Thomson, Rouxnet Brown, Neil Sandilands
Studio: Strand Releasing
Category: DVD
List Price: $24.99
Buy New: $13.50
You Save: $11.49 (46%)
New (25) Used (7) from $11.05
Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 45998
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Letterboxed, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
Rating: Unrated
Region: 1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 97 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 2407
UPC: 712267240722
EAN: 0712267240722
ASIN: B0006B9784
Theatrical Release Date: 2003
Release Date: December 7, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW AND FACTORY SEALED
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Description
As beautiful and lush as the flower after which it is named, PROTEUS is an exquisite, romantic period piece that skillfully explores the intersections of sex, race and politics. Set in South Africa in the eighteenth century and based on real events, the story concerns young livestock herder, Claas Blank, who is unjustly arrested and imprisoned for attempting to retrieve cattle taken by white colonizers. Sentenced to hard labor, Claas crosses paths with a Dutch sailor. Despite their vast cultural differences, Claas begins a tentative love affair with the sailor, setting in motion a course of events that brings tragic consequences for all. Directed by John Greyson (ZERO PATIENCE, LILIES), PROTEUS was a selection in the Toronto International Film Festival.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Racism and Homophobia September 23, 2008
Amos Lassen (Little Rock, Arkansas)
0 out of 4 found this review helpful
"Proteus"
Racism and Homophobia
Amos Lassen
"Proteus" is one of those films that could have been so much more than it is but at least we have something. Co-directed by John Greyson and Jack Lewis, the film is far from perfect but it has a very strong message, one we all know only too well--if we become lazy and do not pay attention, history will repeat itself. All of us are aware of the over-abundance of homophobia and racism in the world and that things are better now than ever before. This, however, does not necessarily mean things will continue to get better. If we are not watchful, it could get a lot worse.
"Proteus" is based on true events that happened in 1735. It happened that a black South African and a white man from the Netherlands met in a prison camp and fell in love and became involved in a relationship that continued for almost twenty years (in the move this number is cut down). They know that they love each other but they have no idea that this kind of love has a name. The prison camp officials are aware of what is going on, look the other way. Their fellow prisoners however threaten to turn them in. When pressure from the Dutch government to clean up what are considered "unnatural practices", the two men are tortured, thrown into prison again and then put on trial. Here is an example of gender politics, racism and repression because of imperialism.
Unfortunately the love scenes between the two men come across as poorly staged and insincere. Here is a move that had great potential as the subject matter is so fine. Instead we get an amateurish, low budget film and what could have been an extremely erotic film comes across as exactly the opposite.
 beautiful and exotic April 6, 2008
Ernest C. Goins (GREENSBORO NC)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
i am glad i purchased this movie.the story of an african and dutchman who fall in love and die for their love in 1735 south africa.very exotic erotic beautiful and sad. a must for history buffs and romantics.
A Movie For All Seasons March 29, 2007
H. F. Corbin (ATLANTA, GA USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
According to the radio interview the directors Jack Lewis and John Greyson gave that is included on the DVD, they shot PROTEUS in 18 days with not a lot of money. Although the film is a little rough around the edges and there is one shot too many of closeups of flowers, what these directors have produced is well worth seeing and has a scary but necessary message. History, if we are not careful, repeats itself. Racism and homophobia have been around for far, far too long. Those individuals who believe in diversity should be ever vigilant. Today's hard-won freedoms may be gone tomorrow.
Based on true events from 1735, a black man from South Africa and a white from the Netherlands meet in a prison camp and have a relationship for seventeen years although their affair is shortened to ten years in the movie. Their love for each other possesses them although they do not have a name for what they are experiencing. The officials know of their relationship almost from its beginning but look the other way for a number of years.
Although these events took place in the 18th century, when for a time parts of Holland appear to be as liberal today (the Homomonument honoring the gay people who died in the Holocaust is located in Amsterdam), we should never forget the strides that gay people had made in Germany just before the rise of Hitler nor the attitudes of the Religious Right in the United States today.
A movie well worth watching.
 A Zealous Film maker Shoots for the Stars............................... August 8, 2006
(Mr.) N. Sean Wright (Whiteville, NC USA)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
.......but lands about as high as a pothole in hell.
This movie could have been spectacular. The subject matter in itself is incredible; there was no need for abstract artistic embellishments. What results for the viewer is a cesspool of poorly filtered facts, annoying translations (and attempts at translations), basement-budget cinematography, and bizarre blendings of time and space. The lead actors are fairly good in their craft, but they're cast into a horrible retelling of a rather interesting historical event.
I wish that this movie could be remade with a less "artistically innovative" agenda. I'm pretty sure that very few people have ever known about this obscure incident in history, but it's a great story and definitely worthy of being told. However, the makers of this film lent no justice to the cause.
Since the plot has already been discussed in other reviews here, I don't see the need to address in mine. The eroticism is suttle and innocent, rather than blatant or objectionable. For those who are allured by erotic content and expect anything close to pornography, be advised that such content is extremely minimal, to the lowest degree. The nudity is PG-13 in only one scene and if you blink during the scene, you can reduce the rating of the whole film down to PG, because all that's left is simulated sensuality throughout the remainer of the movie. If you are not deterred by that fact, the movie is solid, except for absurd interludes that pop up here and there.
I was very excited by everything I had read about "Proteus" before I actually saw it. I'm still hoping that another talented filmmaker will pick up the gauntlet and give the proper recognition that this lesser known moment in history deserves.
Dissapointing July 26, 2006
M. Strickler (Minneapolis, MN United States)
This movie stuggles under it's own weight and ends up coming accross as poorly executed. Good performances and an interesting story balance out the technical flaws though and make it a film worth seeing, but not worth owning.
My biggest problem is with the subtitles. They are tiny and white, making them very hard to read.
I also couldn't get past the digital video look of the production. The lack of texture seen with DV does no justice to Grayson's directing style, which is in fact quite lyrical.
Lastly, the intentional anachronism, rather than being effective in making any point comes off as merely affectation.
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