1492: Conquest of Paradise

Conquest of Paradise the related Vangelis track of the same name Conquest of Paradise (song) 1992 film directed by Ridley Scott September 2013 August 2020 1492: Conquest of Paradise 1492film.jpg Theatrical release poster Ridley ScottBerkman Meredith 16 October 1992 Coming to America Entertainment Weekly https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20179375,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20090421053732/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20179375,00.html dead 21 April 2009 30 November 2010 Alain GoldmanRidley Scott Roselyne Bosch Gérard Depardieu Armand Assante Sigourney Weaver Vangelis Adrian Biddle William M. AndersonFrançoise BonnotLes HealeyArmen MinasianDeborah Zeitman GaumontLégende EntreprisesFrance 2 CinémaDue WestCYRK Films Gaumont Distribution (France)Lauren Films (Spain) Guild Film Distribution (United Kingdom) 1992 10 8 Spain 1992 10 12 France 1992 10 23 United Kingdom y 156 minutes FranceSpainUnited Kingdom English $47 million $7.2 million (US)1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992) https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0103594/?ref_=bo_se_r_1 boxofficemojo.com 4 July 2025 1492: Conquest of Paradise is a 1992 epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Roselyne Bosch. It stars Gérard Depardieu, Armand Assante, and Sigourney Weaver, and portrays the travels to the New World by the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus and the effect this had on Indigenous peoples. The film was released to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Columbus's voyage. It debuted less than two months after John Glen's film Christopher Columbus: The Discovery, often leading to confusion between the two. The film received mixed to negative reviews, with particular criticism aimed at its alleged "historical inaccuracy" and dramatic quality, and was commercially unsuccessful in the United States, doing better at the box office in Europe. Plot Voyages of Christopher Columbus Aware that the world‌covered mostly in apparently flat ocean‌actually has a ball-shaped surface, Christopher Columbus lobbies for a trip westward to Asia, but lacks a crew and ship. The Catholic theologians at the University of Salamanca heavily disapprove of Columbus's plan, not being keen on ideas that go against the writings of Ptolemaeus. Columbus is approached by Martín Pinzón, a shipowner from Palos, who introduces him to the banker Santángel, to whom Queen Isabella I owes money. Columbus meets with the queen, who grants him his journey in exchange for his promise to bring back sufficient amounts of riches in gold. Columbus deceives many crewmen by telling them that the voyage will only last seven weeks. Three ships pass. Nine weeks go by with no sign of land. The crew becomes restless and edges toward mutiny. He tries to reinvigorate them with an inspiring speech, coinciding with a fast wind, which goads the men to return to their duties. At night, Columbus notices mosquitoes on the deck, indicating that land is not far off. Suddenly, out of the mist they see the lush vegetation and sandy beaches of Guanahani. The Europeans befriend the local natives, who show them gold they have collected. Columbus teaches one of them Spanish so that they are able to communicate. He then informs them that he will return to Spain, which will be followed by the arrival of many more Europeans. Columbus leaves behind a group to begin the colonisation of the Americas. Back in Spain, he receives a high honour from the queen and has dinner with the council. They express disappointment with the small amount of gold he brought back, but the queen approves of his gifts. On the second expedition, Columbus takes 17 ships and over 1,000 men with him to the island; however, all the crewmen left behind are found to have been killed. When the tribe is confronted by Columbus and his troops, they tell him that another tribe came and killed them. Columbus chooses to believe them, but his arrogant aristocratic subordinate Moxica is not convinced. They begin to build the city of La Isabela and eventually manage to hoist the town bell into its tower. Four years later, the natives are being forced to mine for gold. Moxica punishes one who fails to find any gold by cutting off his hand. The word of this act of violence spreads throughout the native tribes and they all disappear into the forest. Columbus begins to worry about a potential war, with the natives heavily outnumbering them. Upon return to his home, he finds his house set ablaze by Moxica and his followers, confirming his unpopularity among a certain faction of the settlers. Soon, the tribes arrive to fight the Spaniards and the island becomes war-torn. The settlers fight among themselves; Columbus' faction eventually prevails over Moxica's. Rather than be captured, Moxica commits suicide. Columbus' governorship is reassigned with orders for him to return to Spain. Columbus is accused of nepotism and offering administrative positions to his personal friends, thereby injuring the pride of the nobles such as Moxica; he is replaced by de Bobadilla. Columbus returns to Castile to be imprisoned, but is bailed out by his sons. When he is summoned by the queen, she is reluctantly convinced to allow him to make another voyage, with the proviso that he neither take his brothers nor return to the colonies. As an old man, Columbus is virtually forgotten in Spain, with the discovery of the New World being credited to Amerigo Vespucci. Columbus's son Ferdinand asks his father to tell him his story so he can transcribe it. Production Principal photography ran from December 1991 to March 1992. The New World sequences were shot on the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, in Puntarenas Province: Columbus's landfall and the settlement of La Isabela were staged on the beaches around Playa Herradura, Punta Leona and Jacó, where roughly ten sets were built.9 April 2024 Costa Rica Chosen As Filming Location for Upcoming Hallmark Channel Movie The Tico Times https://ticotimes.net/2024/04/09/costa-rica-chosen-as-filming-location-for-upcoming-hallmark-channel-movie 4 September 2026Filming Locations for 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992) https://movie-locations.com/movies/0/1492-Conquest-Of-Paradise.php movie-locations.com 4 September 2026 The production hired about 170 Indigenous Costa Ricans as extras to portray the Caribbean islanders, paying around $35 a day; a newly formed national film commission helped secure the country as a location.12 May 2006 Costa Rica: Hollywood South? The Tico Times https://ticotimes.net/2006/05/12/costa-rica-hollywood-south 4 September 2026 Other locations included the Dominican Republic, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Spain (Cáceres, Trujillo, Seville and Salamanca) and Pinewood Studios in England. Cast 30em Gérard Depardieu as admiral Christopher Columbus Armand Assante as Gabriel Sánchez, Columbus's archrival in Castile Sigourney Weaver as Queen Isabella I Loren Dean as older Ferdinand Columbus Billy L. Sullivan as younger Ferdinand Ángela Molina as Beatriz Enríquez de Arana Fernando Rey as Antonio de Marchena Michael Wincott as Adrián de Moxica, Columbus's archenemy in the Indies Tchéky Karyo as Martín Alonso Pinzón Kevin Dunn as Captain Méndez Frank Langella as Luis de Santángel Mark Margolis as Francisco de Bobadilla Kario Salem as de Arojaz John Heffernan as Brother Buyl Arnold Vosloo as Hernando de Guevara Steven Waddington as Bartholomew Columbus, brother of Christopher Fernando Guillén Cuervo as Giacomo Columbus, brother of Christopher José Luis Ferrer as Alonso de Bolaños Bercelio Moya as Utapán Juan Diego Botto as Diego Columbus Achero Mañas as Ship's Boy Fernando García Rimada as King Ferdinand V Albert Vidal as Hernando de Talavera Isabel Prinz as Dueña Jack Taylor as de Vicuña Music 1492: Conquest of Paradise (album)September 2026 The Greek composer Vangelis, who previously worked for Ridley Scott on Blade Runner (1982), composed the score. Its main theme, "Conquest of Paradise", was used by former Portuguese Prime Minister António Guterres at his 1995 election and it was used by the Portuguese Socialist Party as its campaign and rally anthem,24 January 2005 Hinos, campanhas e conquistadores https://www.publico.pt/2005/01/24/jornal/hinos-campanhas-e-conquistadores-1950 2026-09-11 PublicoPereira Helena June 4, 2016 Congresso do PS aplaude de pé Guterres com Vangelis https://expresso.pt/nosection/foruns/forum_politica/2016-06-04-Congresso-do-PS-aplaude-de-pe-Guterres-com-Vangelis live https://web.archive.org/web/20240516225815/https://expresso.pt/nosection/foruns/forum_politica/2016-06-04-Congresso-do-PS-aplaude-de-pe-Guterres-com-Vangelis 2024-05-16 2026-09-11 Jornal Expresso pt-PTTavares Rita September 26, 2019 Costa ao som de Vangelis a diabolizar regresso do PSD/CDS para espantar as sondagens https://observador.pt/2019/09/26/costa-ao-som-de-vangelis-a-diabolizar-regresso-do-psd-cds-a-tentar-espantar-as-sondagens/ 2026-09-11 Observador pt-PT although it was replaced by the main theme from Gladiator (2000), another Scott film, since the first José Sócrates legislative elections campaign.Bandas Sonoras, blog À Espera de Godot, 13 September 2011 (Portuguese)The current source is insufficiently reliable because it is a blog. September 2026 Despite the film's dismal box office intake in the United States, the film's score became a successful album worldwide. Russia used it in the 2nd round of the 1996 Russian presidential election.КАШИН https://t.me/kashinguru/36151 TelegramAugust 2022The current source is insufficiently reliable because it is user generated. September 2026 The theme is also used at the starting line of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc ultramarathon. German boxer Henry Maske, the IBF light heavyweight world champion from 1993 to 1996, used the theme as his entrance music, which helped make it a hit in Germany.Spahr Wolfgang January 20, 1996 Sporting Events and Personalities Giving a Big Boost to Record Sales for Labels https://books.google.com/books?id=3g4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41&dq=%22When+the+Vangelis+song+%22Conquest+Of+Paradise%22+was+telecast+to+an+audience%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj3zv2jh-aWAxUMD1kFHVUjOtsQ6AF6BAgJEAM#v=onepage&q&f=false September 11, 2026 Billboard 41 Google BooksHenry Maske Hall of Fame des deutschen Sports de https://www.hall-of-fame-sport.de/mitglieder/detail/Henry-Maske 2026-09-29Vangelis ist gestorben FAZEmag de https://www.fazemag.de/vangelis-ist-gestorben/ 2026-09-29 Other usages of the theme include New Zealand Super 15 Rugby franchise the Canterbury Crusaders,Ewing Jerry 2025-06-25 Vangelis's epic 1492: Conquest Of Paradise soundtrack to be reissued on coloured vinyl and CD https://www.loudersound.com/bands-artists/vangeliss-epic-1492-conquest-of-paradise-soundtrack-to-be-reissued-on-coloured-vinyl-and-cd 2026-09-11 Louder en-USApril 13, 2026 Crusaders' match-day horses put out to pasture https://www.reuters.com/sports/crusaders-match-day-horses-put-out-pasture-2026-04-14/ September 11, 2026 Reuters as they run onto the field, often accompanied by actors dressed as knights and riding on horseback, the Northampton Saints rugby team for their entrance into the Franklins Gardens stadium and rugby league team Wigan Warriors who play in the Super League, as well as being played before the start of every match in the 2010 and 2014 cricket World Twenty20 championships as well as the 2011 Cricket World Cup. In these events the theme was played right before the national anthems of the two competing nations, as the flags of the two nations were carried into the ground, accompanied by the players of the two teams. The theme was also played in the Top Gear: US Special and became a signature piece for World Professional Champion figure skaters Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding.Stevens Ryan June 1, 2013 Interview With Anita Hartshorn https://www.skateguardblog.com/2013/06/interview-with-anita-hartshorn.html 2026-09-11 Skate Guard Blog en In Lebanon it has been used almost at every wedding since its release until now, mostly used as starter music before the arrival of the bride and the groom. Reception Box office 1492: Conquest of Paradise opened on 66 screens in Spain, grossing $1million in its first five days ($US 1 1992 1million today).US In the United States and Canada, it was released by Paramount Pictures on 9October 1992 in 1,008 theaters. The version released there was edited to 150minutes, with some violence and brutality removed in order to achieve a PG-13 rating.59248 The film was a flop in the United States, debuting at number seven with a gross of $3,002,680 (about $US 3.003 1992 1million today),US worse than the opening of Christopher Columbus: The Discovery earlier in the year, and went on to gross just $7millionCohn Lawrence 19 October 1992 National B.O. Variety 10Fox David J. 13 October 1992 Weekend Box Office A Bang-Up Opening for 'Under Siege' Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-10-13-ca-32-story.html 1 December 20101492 ($US 7 1992 1million today).US It opened in France on 12October 1992, grossing $1.46million for the weekend ($US 1.46 1992 1million today)US from 264screens.Groves Don 19 October 1992 Smooth sailing for '1492' in debuts Variety 60 In its second week in Europe, it was the highest-grossing film with a gross of over $7.7million ($US 7.7 1992 1million today),US including $1.77million in its opening week in Germany ($US 1.77 1992 1million today)US from 213screens. It did not open well in Italy, with only $261,800 in its opening weekend ($US 261800 1992 -2 c today)US from 33screens.26 October 1992 Top 10 Europe's Big Pics Variety 31Groves Don 26 October 1992 Italians snub their local hero at B.O. Variety 40 By the end of 1992, it had grossed $40million internationally ($US 40 1992 1million today),US, including $17 million in France and €3 million in Spain,Screen International 26 March 1993 34 Statistics1492: LA CONQUISTA DEL PARAISO https://sede.mcu.gob.es/CatalogoICAA/Peliculas/Detalle?Pelicula=102291 The Spanish Film Catalogue January 14, 2024 for a worldwide total of $47million4 January 1993 U.S. pics at home and abroad Variety 56 ($US 47 1992 1million today).US It went on to gross $59million ($US 59 1992 1million today).US Scott later blamed the film's U.S. failure on Americans not understanding European accents: "They don't hear shit unless it's from Texas or America, right?" and reflected: "It's one of my favorite films. What's interesting, they didn't know how to release it in America. But in Europe, it clocked $57 million."https://www.gamesradar.com/ridley-scott-interview-house-of-gucci-dune/ Ridley Scott interview on House of Gucci, Lady Gaga, and dropping out of Dune 26 November 2021 GamesRadar Shepherd Jack In 2024, he give a similar statement: "I'm very proud of 1492, with Gérard Depardieu. The problem with Gérard is he doesn't speak very good English and I didn't have the heart to say, 'Gérard we need to [re-record all your lines].' I'm trying to resurrect 1492 because it's so beautifully shot and acted and scored. I'm trying to resurrect it as a four-hour [movie] for a streaming platform. Now if I asked, 'Gérard, can we ADR you with Kenneth Branagh?' he'd probably say, 'Yeah, of course.https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/ridley-scott-interview-gladiator-2-alien-blade-runner-1236049190/ Ridley Scott Will Never Stop Directing: "Shut up and Go Make Another Movie" The Hollywood Reporter 7 November 2024 Hibberd James Critical response Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times awarded the film three stars from four. He wrote that "Depardieu lends it gravity, the supporting performances are convincing, the locations are realistic, and we are inspired to reflect that it did indeed take a certain nerve to sail off into nowhere just because an orange was round."Ebert Roger October 9, 1992 1492: Conquest Of Paradise https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/1492-conquest-of-paradise-1992 Chicago Sun-Times RogerEbert.com Desson Howe of The Washington Post said that "despite Scott's trademark, spectacular imagery, the story's dead in the water. Actually, there's no story. It's all eye-dizzying hyperbole, with astounding camerawork, fancy editing and a moody flamenco guitar-meets-synthesizer soundtrack by avant-garde musician Vangelis."9 October 1992 1492: Conquest of Paradise The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/1492conquestofparadisepg13howe_a0af13.htm 30 November 2010 Howe Desson A reviewer for Variety wrote that "Ridley Scott's vaunted visuals can't transform 1492 from a lumbering, one-dimensional historical fresco into the complex, ambiguous character study that it strives to be."31 December 1991 1492: Conquest of Paradise Variety https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117791068?refcatid=31 live 30 November 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20121107043459/http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117791068?refcatid=31 7 November 2012 Chris Hicks of the Salt Lake City-based Deseret News wrote that "Scott, the accomplished director of Alien, Blade Runner and Thelma & Louise, among others, has imbued this film with great visual style, and the sets, costumes and general atmosphere are fascinating. In fact, there is much to recommend on a technical level. But 1492 is, unfortunately, plagued with narrative problems that make it a less than successful cinematic voyage."1492: Conquest of Paradise Deseret News https://www.deseret.com/1992/10/13/20086953/film-review-1492-conquest-of-paradise/ 30 November 2010 October 13, 1992 Hicks Chris Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly wrote that "at 2.5 hours, 1492 is even harder to sit through than last month’s schlock extravaganza Christopher Columbus: The Discovery. In each case the filmmakers have fallen into a similar trap. Out of some vague mixture of historical 'duty' and commercial myopia, they’ve presented Columbus as the same cardboard visionary we learned about in school. Whether or not that image has a core of truth, are there really many people who want to experience it all over again at the movies? Watching 1492 is about as exciting as doing your homework."16 October 1992 1492: Conquest of Paradise Entertainment Weekly https://ew.com/article/1992/10/16/1492-conquest-paradise/ 30 November 2010 Gleiberman Owen https://web.archive.org/web/20151110114257/https://ew.com/article/1992/10/16/1492-conquest-paradise/ November 10, 2015 Overall, 1492: Conquest of Paradise received mixed to negative reviews from critics, with the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes giving the film a 30% rating based on 23 reviews with the critical consensus: "Historically inaccurate and dramatically inert, Ridley Scott's retelling of Christopher Columbus' exploits is an epic without grandeur or insight".1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992) https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1492_conquest_of_paradise www.rottentomatoes.com Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 47 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.1492: Conquest of Paradise https://www.metacritic.com/ Metacritic Fandom, Inc. 11 September 2026 Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade of "B+" on scale of A+ to F.Cinemascore https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ 2018-12-20 The film was accused of promoting the Spanish black legend.https://elpais.com/cultura/2019/05/03/actualidad/1556884697_837781.html La leyenda negra española que ha difundido Hollywood Vicente G. Olaya El País 7 May 2019 7 May 2023https://www.abc.es/historia/abci-cinco-peliculas-anglosajonas-cargadas-leyenda-negra-y-errores-historicos-sobre-espanoles-202004070146_noticia.html Cinco películas anglosajonas cargadas de Leyenda Negra y errores históricos sobre los españoles 7 April 2020 ABC 7 May 2023 Cervera Césarhttps://www.elmundo.es/la-lectura/2022/09/09/631a3234fc6c83d7778b45c9.html Cine y Leyenda Negra: España en el banquillo 9 September 2022 ELMUNDO 7 May 2023 Pena Guzman Urrero See also Carry On Columbus, a comedy film about Columbus released in 1992 The Magic Voyage, an animated film about Columbus also released in 1992 References External links 0103594 1492 1492_conquest_of_paradise Film 1990s Category:1992 films Category:1990s historical adventure films Category:1992 biographical drama films Category:British biographical drama films Category:British epic films Category:French epic films Category:French biographical drama films Category:Spanish biographical drama films Category:Spanish epic films Category:1992 English-language films Category:1990s adventure drama films Category:Depictions of Isabella I of Castile in film Category:Films set in the 1490s Category:Fiction about Christopher Columbus' first voyage Category:Films set in the Caribbean Category:Films set in pre-Columbian America Category:Films set in Spain Category:Films shot in Costa Rica Category:Films shot in the Dominican Republic Category:Films shot in England Category:Films shot in Spain Category:Films shot in the United States Virgin Islands Category:Gaumont films Category:Paramount Pictures films Category:Films directed by Ridley Scott Category:Films produced by Ridley Scott Category:Films scored by Vangelis Category:Age of Discovery films Category:Epic films based on actual events Category:English-language French films Category:English-language Spanish films Category:1992 British films Category:1992 French films Category:1992 Spanish films Category:Cultural depictions of Ferdinand II of Aragon Category:English-language biographical drama films Category:English-language historical adventure films Category:English-language adventure drama films Category:1990s epic films Category:France 2 Cinéma films