Description

The Name of the Rose is a gothic medieval mystery thriller set in a 14th-century Italian monastery. Franciscan monk William of Baskerville (Sean Connery) and a young novice (Christian Slater) arrive for a conference to find that several monks have been murdered in mysterious circumstances. To solve the crimes, William must rise up against the Church authority and fight the shadowy conspiracy of monastery monks using only his wit and intelligence. ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Interesting Medieval Movie
Sean Connery plays William of Baskerville, a 14th cenutry Franciscan Monk who comes to an abbey high in the Italian Alps and investigates a series of murders that surround a mysterious book.

A young Christian Slater plays his companion/student. Connery is similar to a Sherlock Holmes, using very modern methods of investigation during this dark ages period.

The Monastery is home to all sorts of creepy monks including Ron Perlman playing a hunched backed simpleton. William find himself the target of heresy charges by a vengeful cardinal portrayed by the villian F. Murray Abraham.

The movie is somewhat slow but not in a bad way. It's a dark but thought provoking movie with religious overtones. Throughout is an on-going battle between William and some of the older monks. It seems the older Monks want the book supressed because it's a comedy and comedy is thought to be the work of the devil.

I've heard that the movie doesn't hold a candle to the book, but since I've never read it I have nothing to compare it to.

The film shows Connery's richest & diverse acting talents !
From the opening scenes you are mesmerized at the story and characters throughout this movie. The setting takes place in an old Italian Monastery where several Monks have died in mysterious ways and Connery, as a fellow Monk of the Order, is called in to investigate what is behind it. I was especially enlightened to this movie when on a trip to Europe I took a Rhine River Cruise and had actually visited the German Monastery where the movie was shot. The props created for the altar scenes are still there for visitors to see. As this movie unfolds the plot thickens testing your wits as to what is really going on in this remote monestary, heightened by the intervention of the Grand Inquisitor because the movie takes place during the period of the Inquisition in Europe. The acting is superb because the casting was excellent. The movie has enough historical fact and content that the viewer will learn something about medieval history as well as being entertained. If you are a Connery fan you will enjoy this movie for its content and story line. As with any GOOD actor you know Connery will not become involved in a bad script, you will not be disappointed with this Monk that he portrays. See it, rent it, buy it for your home library, you will watch it over - and - over again !!!

A Winner in Every Way
I have seen this fine film 5 or 6 times and each time I see something new and fascinating in it. Umberto Eco's novel was a complex story to adapt to a major film, and this was done with skill and intelligence by Andrew Birkin, Gérard Brach, Howard Franklin & Alain Godard. The idea of such a tragic murder solved with only the tools of the time is nothing short of brilliant. I am wondering how much the BBC television series "Cadfael" with Derek Jacobi is based on this motion picture. Both are superb in their own way.

If you enjoy a film with mystery, brilliant performances, gothic photography and magnificent art direction, you will enjoy this masterpiece. Be warned, however... you will require an attention span. This is not a film kids will understand.

Excellent adaptation.
How do you take a long and very dense book, and turn it into a cohesive and quickly-paced film? The makers of THE NAME OF THE ROSE answered that riddle.

All around, this film has everything going for it. The performances are compelling and right on--no one acts like a 20th Century actor trying to act 14th century. The setting is gorgeous, although the squalor of the less fortunate is vividly conveyed. The intricate almost Escher-like quality of the labyrinth within the monastery is an amazing feat of set design and engineering.

Most of all, it's the script and direction that carry the day. Given how much information had to be siphoned and sifted from Umberto Eco's novel, the screenwriters and director Jean-Jacques Annaud masterfully created a taut and convincing murder mystery without getting bogged down in the details. The only time I thought it did was during the dragged out Inquisition scenes. However, these scenes did represent what was at risk for these characters. All in all, this is a marvelous film which murder mystery fans or fans of period pieces will want to have in their collections.

Rocco Dormarunno, author of THE FIVE POINTS.

Dark Rose
1986's The Name Of The Rose is a dark, deep mystery set in the unusual setting of a medieval Italian abbey and is based on Umberto Eco's bestseller. Sean Connery stars as William of Baskerville, an English monk who is sent to the secluded abbey to investigate a murder. Along with his apprentice Adson von Melk (a young Christian Slater in just his third film), they dive into the case in which more dead bodies start turning up. F. Murray Abraham (in his first film after winning the Oscar for Amadeus) plays Bernardo Gui, an icy inquisitor who gets involved in the case, but whose motives are questionable. William struggles to solve the case against the intense religious fervor of the time and the film tries to show the conflicts between religion and justice. Director Jean-Jacques Annaud captures the dark and dank feeling of medieval times and captures the period well. The cast gives strong performances, especially Mr. Abraham in yet another menacing role. ... Read more

Reviews (63)

A must for Python, Beatles fans
What's genius about the Rutles is this: Watch the Rutles, and then watch one of the Beatles documentaries (the Compleat Beatles, etc) - then note that the Rutles was made PRIOR to any of the decent Beatles documentaries, yet looks like a parody of the real deal.
This mockumentary pre-dates Spinal Tap, and takes a different approach - by chronicalling supposed "source" material - news reels, press conferences, etc. The approach works well for Eric Idle, and the music by Neil Innes is perfect - slightly silly, but more Beatles than Weird Al.
The knowledge of the Beatles - their personal history, their tv appearances, their scandals, etc - is so well known by Idle - makes this mockumentary spot-on accurate, and all the more funny.

The DVD is worth having. If you have this on VHS, you've got a pretty lousy transfer from the original 16mm film. The film was restored and retransfered for DVD, and it casts the movie in a whole new light of clarity.

The bonus material isn't much to write home (or Amazon) about, but it's nice to have the stuff added on such a low priced DVD.

terrific sendup of Beatlemania stands up well after 25 years
In 1978 it was easy to remember Beatlemania, and this sendup of the mass hysteria was spot-on and hilarious. Starting as a skit for Saturday Night Live, and popular enough to get built into a feature-length film, this Eric Idle project is layered with jokes, spoofs, terrific songs, and great cameos by George Harrison, Mick Jagger, Paul Simon and Idle's wife, and it is still very funny 25 years later.

DVD extras are quite good. Eric Idle's commentary is excellent -- informative and entertaining. There are also 4 deleted scenes that last about 18 minutes; a photo gallery with 29 pictures; a "Play Songs Only" option, where you ee only the film's songs (Goose Step Mama, Number One, Between Us, With a Girl Like You, Hold My Hand, I Must Be in Love, Living in Hope, and Ouch!).

The look and sensibility of the film are exactly right, the writing is VERY funny, and the songs are surprisingly Beatle-like and quite listenable. If you are a Beatles or Monty Python fan, or if you just love good comedy, you will probably get a real kick out of this.

Side Splitting Hilarious
The movie was made more than 20 years ago, but retains its relevance as the Beatles continue to be a cultural icon. While the Rutles was not originally intended to be a full length movie, the product is great.

The project was completed long before John Lennon's murder, so all four members could approve the project. The Beatles are spoofed by the characters in the unique personality traits possessed by each member of the fab four and their scandals. The one-liners and song parodies prove Eric Idle's value to Monty Python and strength as comedic writer. The parody on Yoko Ono being "... a Nazi who's father invented World War II" is hilarious. Look for a scene midway through the song "Ouch!" in which Idle can not even control his own laughter at the monsterous woman in a bikini. I bet it a was too hard to get through a take with a straight face. This is a must for Beatles fans and Monty Python fans.

Idle and Innes compliment each other perfectly
This little treasure is something that all Beatles fans, Python fans and early SNL fans should own. It's the one thing that Idle says he is most proud of, and for good reason. His little bits, which perfectly parody the Beatles that Idle so adored, fit seamlessly into Innes' fantastic songs. Idle comments that Innes' songs added another dimension to the Beatles songs they're based off of rather than becoming shameless parodies (are you listening Weird Al?) and he is quite right.

The film contains moments of comic genius, but mind you they're mostly subtle moments of comic genius. The people I've run into that didn't think this film is funny at all tend to like the blatant, loud, American-style humor. So be patient with the humor, enjoy the music and discover the true genius of the Rutles.

By the end of the film, I almost cared more about the fictional Rutles than I did about the actual Beatles. (And I'm a huge Beatles fanatic) It's just a fantastic, fun film for those who can appreciate the true, witty humor.

Attention All Beatle Fans: BUY THIS!
If you're a Beatle fan, and for some reason you've never heard of this film, immediatley purchase this DVD!
IT is the ultimate parody of Beatlemania. The Rutles was initially released as a made for NBC TV film in 1978. Created by the Saturday Night Live team and Eric Idle (Monty Python), it has a distinct British flavor and Pythonesque sense of humor. It is basically a "mockumentary". Here's an example: after "Nasty" (John Lennon) proclaims the Rutles are bigger than God, the public is outraged, and start burning Rutle records. Record sales soared, people were buying them just to burn them! It turns out that the journalist who interviewed Nasty was hard of hearing. Nasty said the Rutles were bigger than "Rod" (Stewart)!!
The mockumentary covers the entire Beatle phenomenon up to their break-up.
The film gained more fans on video, and is now a bonafide cult classic. The music by Neil Innes (who wrote songs for Python) is superb, and he is perfect as John Lennon. Eric Idle plays McCartney and directs. The songs parodies are also on cd. They are amazingly Beatle-like.
The film is never critical, but made as a tribute with large doses of humor. The harsh aspects of Beatlemania are lightened. For example, Brian Epstein does not die in Rutleland, he accepts a teaching post in Australia.
Even if you are not a Beatle fan, this film is still a lot of fun, although you may not get all of the references. ... Read more

Reviews (92)

One of The Last Great Westerns
Before the advent of the Spaghetti Western and the few good films that followed came The Magnificent Seven. The Wild Bunch, The Long Riders and several others owe their creative souls to this movie. I like Yul Brenner, if you have seen Westworld, well this is where Mr. Brenner began the character he later used in that film. Charles Bronson , Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach, what a cast! And the heroic notion of helping a village of peasants fight tyranny....what more can you ask for!? The special features, well maybe not like in some more modern videos, but it is nice to hear Eli, and James Coburn and the directors and producers wax nostalgic about said movie...I admire their acting capabilities and their knowledge of film in general, so I enjoyed this a lot. If you are a lover of the Western genre, then by all means you have to have this for your collection! And the music too. What a score!

An Epic American Western
"The Magnificent Seven" combines the great elements of a successful western...exciting story, stellar cast, scenic locations, and a legendary soundtrack. A Mexican village plagued by a gang of bandits led by Eli Wallach solicits the aid of mercenary gunfighters. Yul Brynner, with his commanding presence and black attire, recruits a band of diverse characters, including a wry-witted drifter seeking excitement; a brash young man seeking respect; a skilled craftsman seeking challenge; an opportunist seeking wealth; a tough sentimentalist seeking redemption; and a man on-the-run tormented by fear. Together they assume heroic proportions in an altruistic fight against near-impossible odds.

Elmer Bernstein's memorable musical score has achieved a lasting stature. From his rousing signature title to the haunting Spanish-flavored themes, the music teems with scope, drive, and energy. After 40 years, "The Magnificent Seven" remains vibrant, robust, and enduring...a hallmark for American westerns.

Wanted to Give it 5 Stars, BUT...
This movie was excellent, from the brassy music to the awesome cast and storyline (from The Seven Samurai. It is just too bad that there are at least three scenes that require the viewers to leave the room until they are over. All three of these feature a certain person, played by Horst Buchholz. They say that his character's name is Chico, but I prefer to call him the "Stupid Kid." He is the only damper on an otherwise perfect movie. It is a terrible shame, from his lovely appearance, as he stupidly follows the hearse, to his speech to the farmers about how cowardly they are, to his love affair with the stupid girl, to his ....oh I can't go on.....

A review of the DVD in specific
This is a superbly remastered and restored film, It comes with some brilliant extras including original trailers and more interestingly a documentary on the film named "Guns For Hire".
If you are a fan of the actors in this classic you'll love the doco which shows what they went on to do and includes some interviews showing the actors today and telling how Yul Brynner brought this tale to life.
For Steve McQueen fans you get a little insight into how he tries to steal every scene he appears in.
The film is a great telling of an adventurous story based on the Toho studios film "The Seven Samurai".
The commentary features actors James Coburn, Eli Wallach, producer Walter Mirisch & Ass Director Rob Reylea. It covers many interesting stories from a set which saw several stars of the time and even the wedding of Yul Brynner.
Worth a viewing.

A cultural transplant that wasn't rejected
A small village in Mexico is repeatedly harassed by outlaws, and decides to hire seven gunfighters as protection. A simple idea, transplanted out of Akira Kirasawa's "Seven Samurai", but when the cast is right, the film is right. Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, and Robert Vaughn were all up-and-coming stars, and Yul Brynner was perfect as the essence of cold, efficient, authoritative leadership. Add an unforgettable musical score, and you have a winner. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bob Hope is in top form in this Technicolor parody of pirate pictures, doing his best vaudeville shtick as an inept performer trying to save princess Virginia Mayo from the evil clutches of governor Walter Slezak and pirate Victor McLaglen. It's all ridiculous fun, of course, but if you're a fan of Hope, you never tire of his self-effacing gags and double-entendres. His out-of-place show biz jabs were always clever, and they're all the funnier in this period setting--particularly the Bing Crosby jokes. But Walter Brennan nearly steals the film as a wacky pirate scheming to steal buried treasure, and tattooing the map on Hope's chest. Yet the two best routines are when Hope tries to conceal his chest while taking a bath with Slezak, and when he tries to impersonate McLaglen as "the Hook." --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Bob Hope as the classic cowardly pirate
"The Princess and the Pirate" is one of my favourite Bob Hope comedies right up there with "My Favourite Blonde" and "The Ghost Breakers". During the war years escapism was high on peoples wish list and the period saw an influx of top grade pirate adventures set in far off lands on screen such as "The Sea Hawk", and "The Black Swan". Bob Hope, ever quick to pick up on the latest popular trends created his own mini classic here in "The Princess and the Pirate", with a roushing send up of the whole Pirate genre that suited his comic talents to a tee.

This film has it all, from cut throat pirates to beautiful maidens in distress, fantastic galleons filled with treasure, beautiful technicolour, swashbuckling sword play and at the centre the comic Hope in one of his famous coward roles filled with hilarious one liners. Of course no Hope film would be complete without a few Bing Crosby jokes and they are laid on in abundance here. Even San Goldwyn who produced this film comes in for a comic slaying! Bob Hope playsSylvester the Great a second rate performing act who unknowingly gets involved with a group of cut throat pirates headed bythe notorious "The Hook' played superbly by Victor Mclaglen. In a plot too convoluted to lay out here Hope unknowingly gets a rare treasure map tatooed onto his chest and thus becomes the target for the greedy pirates bent on retreiving the treasure. Along the way Sylvester becomes involved with the Princess Margaret (played by the lovely Virginia Mayo)who is being held as a captive by the pirates and who in a surprise twist at the finale, after romancing Hope throughout the entire film suddenly runs into the arms of a well known rival of Hope's whos name I wont mention here!!

The film is full of wonderful scenes and performances. Walter Brennan in a distinct change of pace literally steals the show as the wacky featherhead, the giggling pirate who tattoes the map onto Hope's chest. Bob Hope's quip upon hearing him giggling to "hurry up and lay that egg" is probably one of the funniest lines in the whole film. Virginia Mayo while perhaps not the best leading lady that Bob Hope had in his films is cooly beautiful as Princess Margaret but does perhaps lack a bit of the fire that a Maureen O'Hara type would have brought to the role. Bob Hope I feel has one of his very best roles here. Whether he is playing the wisecracking Sylvester ducking from cut throat killers or dressed as a cackling old gypsy womanto avoid detection on the pirate ship, romancing the Princess or deceiving the dreaded Hook and the govenor, he is in fine form full of the lovable quips and Crosby insults that were his stock in trade. Hilarious scenes abound throughout "The Princess and the Pirate". Stand outs are the priceless scene where Hope and the princess arrive at the boarding house in port to find a room for the night and find that the previous occupant had mysteriously "checked out" while leaving all his clothes! and the absolute rib tickler where Bob ends up sharing a bath with the corrupt governer La Roche (Walter Slezak in another funny performance) and tries to hide the tattoo of the treasure map from him, that one is guaranteed to have you laughing till you drop!.

The overall look of this production is lavish and no expenses was ever spared on Bob Hope films around this time. The colour is beautiful and the costumes, sets, and period flavour are top notch. For a fun filled, hour and a half of pure mayhem and Hope madness "The Princess and the Pirate", is unsurpassed. If you are a Hope fan like I am you cannot miss this one to see him at the absolute peak of his abilities and comic timing. Enjoy a rousing time on the high seas with Bob Hope at his cowardly best!!

a great and beautiful film!
This film is very good, so entertaining and colorful.It's packed, with glamoour, romance, comedy, and adventure.A little of everything.Virginia Mayo is wonderful in it and so is Bob Hope.

Classic Gut-buster
My siblings and I caught this movie on Sunday afternoon TV once, and laughed until we cried.Very silly gags interspersed with hilarious one-liners make this oldie stay fresh.I'm not someone who generally likes classic comedy, and I LOVE this movie!

Good, simple pic
Everytime Bob Hope made a picture in a costume, people would cringe.It doesn't have to be that way, as this movie is heads and tails above "Cassanova's Big Night".This is a fun, silly pirate movie that I loved as a kid, and still love now as a twenty-something unemployed male unable to graduate from a state college.

Good, simple pic
Everytime Bob Hope made a picture in a costume, people would cringe.It doesn't have to be that way, as this movie is heads and tails above "Cassanova's Big Night".This is a fun, silly pirate movie that I loved as a kid, and still love now as a twenty-something unemployed male unable to graduate from a state college. ... Read more

Description

Two Discs Of Mind-Blowing Mayhem From The Director Of THE EVIL DEAD And SPIDER-MAN! The one and only Bruce Campbell stars as Ash, a hapless housewares clerk time-warped back to the Dark Ages by the demonic power of the Necronomicon. Now armed with only a '73 Oldsmobile, his trusty chainsaw and a 12-gauge double-barreled S-Mart shotgun, our knuckleheaded hero must battle vicious she-bitches, a diabolical Evil Ash and the relentless hordes of the medieval dead in the most outrageously spectacular horror comedy every made. Get ready for some sugar, baby: This is ARMY OF DARKNESS - THE BOOMSTICK EDITION! By overwhelming fan demand, this groovy double-disc set presents the U.S.Theatrical Version complete with its notorious original ending and the Director's Cut with over 15 minutes of additional footage. There's also deleted scenes, a wild audio commentary with Bruce Campbell, writer/director Sam Raimi and co-writer Ivan Raimi, an exclusive featurette, storyboards and much more. So listen up, you primitive screwheads: This is ARMY OF DARKNESS like you've never seen it before!Includes an 8-Page Collector's Booklet with all-new liner notes by star Bruce Campbell ... Read more

Reviews (477)

A great modern adventure!
This is the last entry in the "Evil Dead" series, but folks, this is NOT a horror flick, it is a fantasy comedy adventure. This deals with "Ash" ( Bruce Campbell) who was sucked into another time, in the medieval times. Now he must get a unholy book called " The Necronomicon" so he can get back home but when his idiocy gets in the way, he unleashes a army of the dead and now Ash with the rest of King Arthur's men must fight back.

A brilliant, entertaining and hilarious final in the awesome Evil Dead series with wit, humor, skill, good special effects and great battle scenes. Sam Raimi is a genius of a filmmaker, Bruce Campbell is definitely a great actor portraying a lovable moronic hero. Like i said, this movie isn't a horror flick, it's really a Fantasy comedy adventure and doesn't have gore like the last two flicks but this movie is also enjoyable for the whole family. I own this movie on DVD in 2-versions such as the Cut U.S. version with happy ending and the Director's cut with alternate ending, this is a must see movie.

Also recommended: Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, The Princess Bride, The Neverending Story, The Dark Crystal, Conan The Barbarian, The Crow, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, In The Army Now ( Pauly Shore), The Flight of Dragons, Return of the King, The Last Unicorn, Gladiator, The Wizard of Oz, Excalibur and Mulan.

Great, Fun Film.
ARMY OF DARKNESS is the third film in the EVIL DEAD series. The first movie in the series, EVIL DEAD, was a strictly horror film containing a humorous moment every now and again. EVIL DEAD 2 was basically a dark comedy interlaced with a few moments of horror. ARMY OF DARKNESS is neither; it's an action/adventure flick filled with comedy and just a touch of gore.

The movie begins where EVIL DEAD 2 ended: Ash has been transported to the 13th century and is surrounded by the Army of King Arthur. He is assumed to be a member of a rival army and is taken prisoner. After defeating a couple of Deadites in the pit, he is declared to be the prophecized hero who will rid the kingdom of the evil that has befallen it. However, Ash, being the befuddled hero he is, makes things worse and almost destroys any chance he has of returning home.

ARMY OF DARKNESS is hilarious. It's filled with comedy and all sorts of literary and pop culture references from The Three Stooges to Gulliver's Travels to JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS to Frankenstein. I found myself laughing about every three minutes and some of the one-liners just rock: "Give me some sugar, baby" and "I'm going to cut your gizzard." Of course, this movie isn't for everyone. There are some people who would be offended and some who would see this movie as garbage. However, I see the movie as pure genius and great fun. Whatever.

A Bad and Tasteless Film
This by far is the worst film I have ever seen. Sure, I've had my fair share of bad films, but this one tops them off. The acting stunk in a very big way. I expected this film to scare the socks off of me, but, instead I was shaking my head in full on disgust at the Comedy Relief Film instead of being a true horror flick. Don't waste a second of your time on this film and don't waste your money on it either.

Great cheesy cult horror film - choose the edition wisely
I've seen the U.S. theatrical cut of this film a number of times, so I bought the Director's cut (ASIN B00005QW4K) when it first came out. I finally got around to watching it recently, and I've got to say, I'm pretty disappointed with this particular edition. If you want to see the director's cut, I'd recommend you go with the "Boomstick Edition", which also includes the U.S. theatrical release.

There were a number of flaws in this particular DVD. The first thing I noticed was really bad pixellation in many scenes. They did a great job in many cases of cleaning up any scratches or flaws in the source film, but then they did a really bad job of DVD compression. I'm sure the other editions aren't any worse on that score, and hope that they're better.

Also, this cut is actually missing some of my favorite scened and lines. The worst offense is that the line "Good, bad - I'm the guy with the gun" (which for me has always epitomized Ash) was replaced by "I'm not that good". In the commentary, Campbell and Raimi actually note that they prefer the "Good, bad" line... So why not include it in the "director's cut"?

They also deleted an early fight scene, just after Campbell's arrival, and went back to what was apparently the original ending. I really liked the ending in S-Mart, though. I also found the editing on the windmill scene in this edition less cohesive than the theatrical release.

The commentary by Campbell and Raimi was very good, since those two have a long history together, and really seem to have loved making this movie. Still, though, it was clear that they could see some of the same issues I mentioned above, leaving me baffled as to why they didn't work together to make this edition a true reflection of what they think the "best" version of "Army of Darkness" would be.

Good bad im the Ash with the gun.
Army of Darkness is such a fun movie to watch, What more could you want from a movie. I first became a fan of this movie because of Evil Dead 1&2, they where pretty good movies but when Army of Darkness came out it was five times better than the first two movies put together. The real reasson this movie did so well is because Bruce Campbell a.k.a Ash played his part damn well, and because of that we the fans of his movies where happy to see him come back to the big screen. If you don't like slap-stick comedy or horror movies you will not like this film, but if you do your in luck because Army of Darkness is the cult classic movie you've been waiting for. ... Read more

Description

Includes the following movies, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Mexican Hayride Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man Comin' Round the Mountain Lost in Alaska ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Except for A&C Meet Frankenstein...these are bombs!
Universal has squished another 8 Abbott & Costello movies out on a 2 disc set that will obviously please the ardent fans, but these films (with one exception) are really AWFUL.

The only one worth any note here is A&C MEET FRANKENSTEIN which actually has a good script, and a clever way of intergrating Universal's horror franchise with their then-hugely popular comedy team. It's the only A&C film I can sit through (except for their earliest).

SKIP THIS DUD!

The best of Abbott & Costello Vol. 1
I have waited so long and now to have them released is fantastic. These are true comedy and can now be shown to my grandkids to experience a good laugh without swearing. Kudos to Universal for releasing these gems and hopefully more soon.

This DVD collection is a must - for any A&C Fans
I remember growing up watching old Abbott and Costello movies on Sunday afternoons with my Dad (along with the classic monster movies and the old Blondie shows). Buying these DVD's is like reliving great memories from my youth. The picture quality on these DVD's is outstanding - they are very well done. This third volume in this series is going to be the best of them all - this DVD will have some of my all time favorite A&C movies. I have watched the first two volumes numerous times since purchasing them and look forward to this next volume with great anticipation.

Worthy of More Than 5 Stars...
I just can't get enough of Abbott and Costello!

I waited for quite a few years for ANY Abbott and Costello movies to hit DVD. There were very few in print. It was frustrating.

Well, the wait paid off big time. The first two sets were incredible. Universal has gone the extra mile and these sets are winners on so many levels.

Each set thus far includes 8 HIGH QUALITY films for under $20!

When I say HIGH QUALITY, I'm not just talking about the quality of the prints, which is very high, but the movies themselves are not lost turkeys. These are the truly all classics, and this set includes some of the great Universal Monster tie-ins, which were previously sold individually for more than the price of this set of 8!

Based upon the track record for classic movies going out of print, I suggest you buy them while they are still in this format.

keep em coming!
This is what offering a great value is all about! I've got vol. 1 & 2 already and this one on order. This will be one of my favs for sure! 8 movies, fantastic quality, all for under $20!!! Man, the CD music industry needs to stand up and take notice of what's happening in the DVD industry. This is one of many great collections that have/are coming out. The Universal Monsters, The Marx Brothers, Don Knotts and several other collections all reasonably priced. You can't even rent movies this cheap. Vol 1 & 2 of this series are stellar for quality and the packaging is top notch and very convenient, they take up very little space in a storage unit. I'm not sure how many movies are left to release after this but if there's enough to do another vol 4 please do so! Thanks a million Universal Studios! ... Read more

Reviews (129)

Classic 80's Teen movie on a very poor DVD
If you want to own this movie on DVD then you'll have to be prepared to pay an arm and a leg. It's only out on region 1, and has long since been deleted, so commands a very high price for no apparant reason other than the film itself - its certainly not for the extras - there aren't any.

The film stars 80's starlet Molly Ringwald (Breakfast Club) and Anthony John Hall (Weird Science, Breakfast Club) and also reunites them with director John Hughes, also from "The Breakfast Club". Comparisions between the two cannot be helped. Personally I prefered "The Breakfast Club" but there must be many who disagree - both are good, assuming that you like that sort of thing. High School coming-of-age movies are after all pretty much of a muchness, as the recent spoof movie "Not Another Teen Movie" so aptly illustrates.

Where both Hughes movies fall down on DVD is with the lack of extra features. "Sixteen Candles" is at least in widescreen, but that's all - there's no remastered 5.1 audio mix, no subtitles, no trailer, no cast biographies, no featurettes, no commentaries, no nothing. And if the other reviewers are to be believed then the music on the DVD isn't even the original soundtrack, supposedly due to rights issues. I say this because I'd never seen the film before I brought the DVD so don't know any different. If true, it'll certainly be interesting to see the proper soundtrack if and when it ever comes to DVD again. 2004 will mark the 20th anniversary of the film, so prehaps the time is right to ask Universal to consider a re-release with decent extras.

Long Duck Dong
Sixteen Candles is another classic 80's teen/high school film. It's one of the rare ones that is actually great and memorable. The film starts teen queen Molly Ringwald as Sam, your normal, every day kid. Her family has forgotten her sixteenth birthday amid all the uproar of her older sister's upcoming wedding. That's not all. An annoying geek(hilariously played by Anthony Michael Hall)is hound-dogging her, she has a huge crush on a popular jock, her grandparents have invaded her home, and, worst of all, a foreign kid named Long Duck Dong(Gedde Watannabe)is staying in her room. It's a comedy of chaos as a young teenager tries to grow up. As expected, happiness shines through for all in the end. Sixteen Candles is a sweet,hilarious look at the life of an ordinary teen. Molly Ringwald is so real and believeable in this that she could be somebody you know, or, just maybe, could be you. The always reliable Paul Dooley plays her father. Watch out for John Cusack, Joan Cusack, and Jami Gertz in small roles. Sixteen Candles is a candle you'll never want to blow out.

Definitive 80's. A must!
Sixteen Candles is a must-see classic. Truly unique, original, and memorable. The cast is fantastic and the story has been duplicated countless times. It took me so long to finally see this, and I regret not seeing it earlier. Everyone talks about it, it's not worth being left out and you're just gonna thank yourself later anyway, so SEE IT NOW if you haven't already. If you have, see it again, memorize the lines, and have a Sixteen Candles drinking party!!!!

Great movie - BAD DVD
This was a fun movie. It does not take itself seriously and pokes fun at its characters. Some of the pokig fun is not politically correct (to wit - Long Duk Dong, and some of the BoHunk comments)) but that was a bit of the 80's.

This DVD has the original soundtrack, previously unavailable on VHS or the old DVD, and it still holds up.

THE BAD PART
Where to start - the packaging is cheap cheap CHEAP! They did not even put in a little card to tell you the chapter names. There is no commentary, no extras, NOTHING!

PLUS when you put it in, it goes through ads for other movies and DISABLES THE MENU BUTTON!

Again, this is a fun, 80's movie, but the DVD is so cheap and so obnoxious to the fans/owners that I hate to recommend it becuse the people who put it together were such jerks.

But I do recommend it. Enjoy.

A Rememberable Teen Flick.
This is definately the rebound film. It is hard to live up to a movie like The Breakfast Club. This film is your average, average, teen movie. It does boost some new things to the screen, but it is mostly predictable, however, it is enjoyable. It has enough great moments to outweigh the cheesy parts, which makes it good in my book. If you are in the mood for a "no surprise" movie, this is the film for you. I reccomend it. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

DOCTOR DOLITLE LOOKS GREAT ON DVD!
If you haven't seen the underrated original DR. DOLITLE in widescreen stereo as you will be able to on DVD, you haven't seen it! The photography is outstanding (shot in TODD-AO 70MM) and the orchestrations and songs sound great! The Laser Disc was the only way to experience this oustanding family musical...until now. Sadly, though, two of the films best songs, "Where Are The Words" and the beautiful "Something In Your Smile" were cut from the film right before its release and are not restored here as hoped; be sure to check them out on the soundtrack, available on CD (you can hear the melodies play in the overture, opening credits, and exit music). Still, this is a great looking, great sounding musical for everyone! Many muusicals of the late Sixties were unfairly compared (or indeed did try to emulate) "The Sound of Music" and "Mary Poppins" As time has gone on, they can be finally apprecaited as the outstanding entertainments some of them are, like DOCTOR DOLITTLE.

An Overlooked Treasure!
"Dr. Dolittle" is one of the most enjoyable family movies to view again and again. You'll find yourself humming the delightful "Talk To The Animals" for days! From the magical island to the giant snail and the 'push me-pull you', this movie is filled with wonderful cinema moments. The DVD version has obvious advantages, but I give 2 thumbs up even for the VHS version. Get the popcorn and enjoy this overlooked treasure!

Oh, Eddie Murphy...
What were you thinking? I'll admit the 1998 remake was entertaining, the way "Wings" is at one o'clock in the morning when nothing else is on, but, like "The Nutty Professor" Murphy's kid-friendly remake looks like a crime against cinema when placed next to its source material. First off, this is a musical with a beautiful score by Leslie Bricusse (who wrote the songs for "Willy Wonka" and "Stop the World, I Want To Get Off" with longtime partner Anthony Newley, who stars in this film). Also, Rex Harrison WORKED to learn to talk to animals. It wasn't a magical power he was born with, the man studied! He doesn't need cheesy (if well-cast) celebrity voiceovers and computer-generated mouth-movement to convince us, either. So if you want your kids to settle for second best and, as a result, drag you to mediocre kiddy-fair after mediocre kiddy-fair (which, in the age of "The Cat in the Hat" is pretty bad) let 'em have Eddie Murphy. But if you want your kids to have taste and appreciate a quality piece of filmmaking, rent this film immediately. Even if you have no kids, buy it, rent it, whatever.

Never Appreciated Enough
This 1967 box office dud, came a few years too late to be appreciated. Although it had several Oscar nominations and a couple wins, it came at a time when musicals had fallen out of favor and had huge, overblown budgets. It still has many charms, including a very sincere performance by Rex Harrison. He talk-sings his way through the score like he did in "My Fair Lady", and actually performs many of his songs live on set. Composer/actor Anthony Newley made his American film debut and shows us all why he was such an amazing talent. The DVD looks and sounds great, if you've never seen the movie in all it's wide-screen glory, you need to see it this way. The sound is full-bodied and is very typical of 1960's sound technology. Fox always had a great sound department, and on a good sound system, you'll hear an awesome score. Highly recommended for the pre-computer effects generation. The film was cut after it's initial road-show version and there's 2 songs on the soundtrack album that are not in the film. Maybe someday the road-show version will show up again, but don't count on it. Also recommend getting the CD of the score with the missing songs.

A wonderful, timeless, and funny film!
I highly recommend this film for people of all ages It's a great film for the entire family to watch. Rex Harrison is absolutly brilliant as Doctor Dolittle. He's a wonderful actor in every film that he does. It deserves all the stars it can get. It's well worth the price and a film I never tire of watching. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

As the triumphant start of a trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: TheFellowship of the Ring leaves you begging for more. By necessity, PeterJackson's ambitious epic compresses J.R.R. Tolkien's classicThe Lord of the Rings,but this robust adaptation maintains reverent allegiance to Tolkien's creation,instantly qualifying as one of the greatest fantasy films ever made. At 178minutes, it's long enough to establish the myriad inhabitants of Middle-earth,the legendary Rings of Power, and the fellowship of hobbits, elves, dwarves, andhumans--led by the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and the brave hobbit Frodo(Elijah Wood)--who must battle terrifying forces of evil on their perilousjourney to destroy the One Ring in the land of Mordor. Superbly paced, the filmis both epic and intimate, offering astonishing special effects and productiondesign while emphasizing the emotional intensity of Frodo's adventure. Ending ona perfect note of heroic loyalty and rich anticipation, this wondrous fantasycontinues in The Two Towers (2002). --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (3438)

An astonishing masterpiece.
Considered both as fantasy adventure and as an adaptation of a beloved literary classic, Peter Jackson's film of "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" sets new standards for cinematic excellence. Everything about this film feels exactly right, from the casting to the screenplay to the special effects. The last are amazing, putting to shame anything George Lucas has come up with, and yet they always serve to advance the story; unlike Lucas, there's never any hint that Jackson is merely playing with his toys. Jackson shows great respect for Tolkien's text, but not slavish devotion. Certain characters--such as the lovable Tom Bombadil and Frodo's poisonous Aunt Lobelia--are missing, and Tolkien would be chagrined to find that the little poems and songs he loved to write are nowhere quoted. But if Jackson gives short shrift to Tolkien's whimsy, he more than makes up for that by giving us Tolkien's intensity, pathos and moral vision absolutely undiluted. Above all, Jackson never forgets that Tolkien's chief emphasis was always on the characters he created. Jackson casts wonderful actors to play those characters and--again unlike Lucas--he actually allows them to give performances. How wonderful to find the great Sir Ian McKellen, a uniquely commanding and charismatic actor, as Gandalf, or the charming and touching Elijah Wood as Frodo. You can go straight down the list--Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn, Sean Astin as Sam, Ian Holm as Bilbo, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel--and find nothing but perfection. This is one of the very few big-budget blockbusters that unqualifiedly deserves its success, and all we can do now is look forward with excitement to the release of "The Two Towers" in 2002 and "The Return of the King" in 2003. Like the books they came from, these three fillms will be cherished by future generations.

The Wonders of Middle-Earth
The fate of Middle-earth lies in the hands of Elijah Wood in the grand fantasy epic "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring". When the forces of evil storm the mystical realm of Middle-earth to reclaim the Ring of the Dark Lord, Sauron, the brave Frodo (Elijah Wood) and the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) embark on a quest to destroy the One Ring that could doom the land. With the help of a fellowship of good friends and powerful allies, Frodo faces incredible dangers and the fierce minions of the Dark Lord. "The Fellowship of the Ring" is an astonishing epic tale of good versus evil. Director Peter Jackson delivers the wonders and emotional intensity of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic with such stunning amazement. The movie includes exceptional performances by Viggo Mortensen, Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett and Ian McKellen as the wizard Gandalf. It also contains amazing special effects, beautiful backgrounds and a superb music score.

"The Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring" is certainly one of the best DVDs of the year. The splendid fantasy adventure is presented in standard full screen format. The DVD has marvelously flawless picture quality and a great 5.1-EX Dolby Digital sound. If special features are a must then this DVD is a welcome addition to any collection. Its supplemental material includes numerous behind-the-scenes featurettes, trailers including a preview of the upcoming "The Two Towers", a music video, DVD-ROM extras and impressive interactive menus. Overall, "The Fellowship of the Ring" scores an "A".

Awe-struck
I'm still reeling from this film! The performances, costuming, props and special effects, direction, and cinematography are astounding. There were times whilst viewing this film when I was on the edge of my seat or grabbing my seat to hold on; times when my heart was pounding; times when I was moved to shed a tear by either sadness or greatness. The movie captures every part of human emotions, wraps them all up, and unleashes them at the viewer at an almost rapid pace; which can, at times, be a bit too much. The Fellowship Of The Ring is a very strong, very powerful, visually stunning, and entirely emotive film. And I give top marks to WETA for the highly notable achievement of creating a thoroughly credible height ratio effect for the Hobbits and Dwarves in regards to the taller races of Middle-earth. Brilliant!

However, as much as I was stunned by this film, the screenplay and adaptions were absolute rubbish! In my opinion, Mrs. Jackson and anyone who worked with her should be fed to the Balrog, along with Peter Jackson himself for allowing it. Their were changes in characters and character, aspirations, and events. Tolkien's dialogue was rarely followed. Some reviewers say this doesn't deter from the story. It does deter from the story! That's exactly what it does. How difficult is it to follow a story and dialogue that has already been written? Editing is one thing and is understandable when approaching a big screen adaptation with time constraints, but arrant changes to a story are not. This I find unforgivable. In addition, no Fatty Bolger playing up appearances in Frodo's new house in Buckland; no Willow The Wisp; no Tom Bombadil; no Barrow-wights; no Rhadaghast The Brown, and very little attention payed to the Hobbits' stealth from and cat and mouse games with the Black Riders in The Shire. In addition, very little of Tolkien's dialogue was covered. The Fellowship Of The Ring is mainly dialogue, and takes place mainly in The Shire. What happened to Peter Jackson's boasting about how closely he was going to follow Tolkien's story? With all its faults, Ralph Bakshi's film follows Tolkien's story and dialogue more closely than Jackson's version does! Jackson is either pandering to his own ego (or his wife's), or just trying to make the film(s) appeal to more people than just Tolkien fans; and the only reason for the latter would be money.

Aside from the above criticism, I was very annoyed by WETA's cheesy computer-generated Cave Troll and Balrog. This garbage belongs in a video game, not an important epic film. What ever happened to employing the talents of real artists like Ray Harryhausen or Jim Henson's Creature Shop? Is it just me, or are today's film makers relying too heavily on computer-generated effects, and using the words "can't be done" or "not within the budget" as a scape-goat to seeking alternative ways of creating effects, like the filmmakers of old had to do?

However all scrutinising aside, The Fellowship Of The Ring is an overwhelming cinematic experience, and one which should not be missed by anyone; with the exception of pre-teens, to whom this film will only terrorise. This is a tremendous Christmas present, and I thank Peter Jackson and everyone involved in its creation for it. It's difficult to believe that there are two more films of this calibre to follow. I look forward to their release, as well as a few more viewings of The Fellowship Of The Ring.

In closing I'd just like to say that Tolkien fans have still not been given a definitive screen version of The Lord Of The Rings. In fact, the only way I believe it would be possible to remain faithful to Tolkien's story and (even edited) dialogue, would be to make a complete mini-series for non-commercial television; basically, a visual accompaniment to the long BBC Radio production. Perhaps one day someone with enough integrity and who cares enough will.

If I could give this more than five stars, I would!!!
"We can make them longer, stronger, better!" When Peter Jackson said this about the extended DVD versions of the films, I'm sure hordes of movie fans disagreed. They were WRONG!! The Lord of the Rings trilogy is quite possibly the best thing that's ever happened to the movie industry, and these extended version DVDs are the best things to ever happen to DVD players. This first installment was great in the theater, but the extended version is better. Several things are explained in greater detail, and you can't tell where new material has been inserted. It's flawless, from the acting to the music to the scenery. I can't say enough good things about this movie. Oh yeah, the extras are nice too.

Will be remembered as one of the best films of all time....
Without repeating the reviews of the rest listed here....I can say that the extended editions add more texture to the story and the documentary DVD's give you more background and understanding of the story.

It made me want to read the books to see what the films couldn't touch upon ...the poetry and descriptions of middle earth are very much on target. I really hope that Jackson gets the chance to do the Hobbit. It would be a crime if it wasn't adapted by him in the very near future. All I have to say to the film makers is ..Lets see the Hobbit before the actors become unavailable to produce the film! ... Read more

Reviews (351)

A Predictable, But Delightful and Optimistic Gem
Pretty Anne Hathaway, who, interestingly enough, has the same name as Shakespeare's wife, plays the lead character in a modern fairy tale that the Bard himself might have found amusing.
Hathaway's Mia Thermopolis is a gawky teen living with her artist mother (gently and generously portrayed by Caroline Goodall) in San Francisco (whereas, in Meg Cabot's book, her home was New York). She attends a private school via the financial support of her father, who had passed away shortly before the story begins, has a best friend involved in social activism, (played by a loud and cynical Heather Matarazzo), a crush on a heartthrob who doesn't notice her, and a clique of annoying cheerleaders who constantly taunt her, led by pop singer, Mandy Moore.
One day, a meeting with her grandmother changes her life, and Mia discovers that her father was the Crown Prince of Genovia. While reluctant to accept her heritage at first, Mia gradually warms to the idea. As the very regal Queen Clarice, Julie Andrews combines her two Broadway roles in "Camelot" and "My Fair Lady" as she begins the process of training the gawky Granddaughter she had never met before for the role she may one day have on the world stage. Scenes of Mia's Princess lessons are reminiscent of scenes in the film, "Gigi".
The makeover scene is enjoyable to watch, as we see Mia turn from looking like Sarah Jessica Parker's character in "Square Pegs" to looking more like Queen Rania of Jordan. She is truly beautiful with her big, sparkling doe eyes and softened hair as she sees her outwardly polished self in the mirror.
Her friend, Lilly, taunts her about her metamorphosis, while Lilly's brother, Michael, played by an adorably sweet Robert Schwartzman, admires it. After a few tumultuous and embarassing incidents, Mia must make a final decision about where she belongs, and is ultimately influenced by her best friend's opinion in so doing. Genovia may receive a new heiress, and the prospective Princess might be on her way to finding true love as well.
All the while, it is the cool-headed Hector Elizondo's Joseph, the head of the Queen's security detail, who helps the young girl through her dilemma, providing sage advice, and helping to reconcile both grandmother and granddaughter after Mia generates some bad press.
The books on which this film was based have a bit more of an edge and may be more cynical. The premise is a teenage girl's answer to the 1991 film, "King Ralph". But once again, Disney has provided viewers with light and wholesome entertainment.

DELIGHTFUL FAMILY FILM
In the great tradition of such Disney live-action family films as The Parent Trap, Garry Marshall spins a perfectly fine fairy tale with The Princess Diaries. Featuring a sparkling performances from natural comedienne Anne Hathaway and seasoned vet Julie Andrews, this movie is one virtually all members of your family can enjoy together -- it is truly G-rated, and in this case, the G-rating does not mean boring. A nerdy San Francisco highschooler is dumbfounded -- and not terribly happy -- to learn that she is in fact royalty -- and the chaos that ensues is both compelling and highly entertaining. What a welcome sight to see Julie Andrews -- the 60s queen of G-films -- return to form in the role of a Queenly grandmother! The movie has the amiable pacing and gentle humor of a romantic comedy, and unfolds in a way that is predictable without being flat. The score, laden with pop music, adds to the fresh warm-hearted gloss. Watch for a minor car accident, and its subsequent scene, to earn the biggest laugh, though there are giggles and smiles aplenty.

PRETTY GOOD!
PRETTY GOOD MOVIE!GREAT ACTORS,GREAT EVERYTHING!JULIE ANDREWS IS REAL GOOD AS THE GRANDMOTHER!ME AND MY MOM LOVED IT!WE LAUGHED THE WHOLE TIME!

really cute
this was a really cute movie, really different from the books which i think are better. Something for the whole family to watch.

The book is better!
Apparently based on some of the reviews I've seen here, a plethora of people do not seem to know that the movie is based upon (or is supposed to be) the book "The Princess Diaries" by Meg Cabot, I believe.

This movie is cute. However, this is not to say that it barely follows the book. The only things that are in the movie that are like the book, are the fact that Mia acquires princess lessons, goes out with Josh to the dance, finds out she's a princess, Mia's mother dates one of her teachers, Lilly yells at her when she sees her hair, and a few other things.

In the movie, when Lilly sees that her friend is turning to someone similar to Lana, she becomes angry. In the book, she ignores her for quite a large bit of the story. In The movie gives the impression that Mia's grandmother is a loving woman but they have not spoken in fifteen years. In the novel, Mia does speak to her grandmother but never was able to figure out that she was a princess (in the book grandmother is a princess, not a queen) of Genovia herself. In addition, Mia's grandmother is not the nicest of people. Furthermore, the Prince of Genovia, Mia's father is still alive. The only thing is that he can not have any more children.

I think you understand my meaning. Please, read the book instead. ... Read more

Reviews (168)

The okay movie that became a really great television series
It is interesting to watch the 1994 "Stargate" film from the perspective of the spin-off television series, "Stargate SG-1," which is on its way to becoming the longest running science-fiction series of all-time. As was the case with "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," we have an okay film that becomes a first-rate television series.

Once upon a time, 1928 to be exact, archeologists discovered a strange disc buried in the sand of Egypt. The next thing we know we are in the present, and Egyptologist Daniel Jackson (James Spader), is having his colleagues walk out on him as he explains his radical theory about the ancient Egyptians and their language. But then a mysterious old woman (Viveca Lindfors) gives him an invitation to travel to a secret military base buried beneath the Rocky Mountains to do translations. Jackson has nothing else to do, so he shows up, immediately corrects all the mistakes and figures out all the mysteries, and the next thing we know he is being shown the Stargate. He then joins a military group led by Colonel Jack O'Neil (Kurt Russell), who has been recalled back to active duty to find out where you go to when you step through the Stargate. The answer is you go to the other side of the known universe where you discover a desert planet where an alien who was known as Ra (Jaye Davidson) by the ancient Egyptians is lording it over the local humanoids.

This movie is mostly eye candy. Being shot on a desert planet means that it has lots of scenes shot in bright sunlight, which really is unusual for a science fiction film, where they tend to be dark and murky. "Stargate" brings back the same sort of ideological tension between scientists and the military that we enjoyed during the 1950s with films like "The Thing From Another World," as Jackson is all excited to explore a brave new world and O'Neill is looking for an excuse to blow everything up with the nuke in the big suitcase.

Truth about this movie is that it the ideas are a lot better than than the execution. The idea of the Stargate is a nice way of circumventing the laws of physics that scoff at warp drive and other narrative necessities to a good space yarn. It is not a far leap of logic to get from this one Stargate to the idea that there are others, and there is also the nice corrollary that this system explains why there are so many humans scattered throughout the galaxy where they all live on oxygen breathing planets.

Beyond that the television series picks up on the Jackson-O'Neill dyad, reducing it to the idea that one is an academic and the other is a warrior and never the twain shall meet. Of course Richard Dean Anderson's O'Neill is even quirkier than Spader's Jackson, while Michael Shanks's Jackson starts off even more humorless than Russell's O'Neill. But it all works, so why quibble? The original "Stargate" ends up being more about style than substance, which is why it is so interesting that the television series could find something substantial upon which to build a television series.

If you have yet to see "Stargate" in any version, then you are strongly urged to proceed immediately from this 1994 film to the first season of "Stargate SG-1." Even if you find this film tedious, just get through it and move on to the good stuff. You could not pass go and head directly for season one of "Stargate SG-1," but you really need to know the players and some of the rules of the game before hand.

Director's Cut Is Excellent!
I'm not sure what makes the ultimate edition much different from the special edition, as both include the director's cut and theatrical version. The ultimate edition does include a 'making of' featurette, as well as a 'Is there a stargate' featurette that isn't included on the special edition. These are both interesting, but nothing to write home about. One big difference is the audio. The ult. ed. includes DTS 6.1 audio, as well as dolby digital 5.1.

Good: Being a fan of Stargate SG-1, I wanted to own the original movie as well, and when the ult. ed. was released, knew it was time to buy. I watched the director's cut, and was amazed. There were added scenes, as well as extended existing scenes. These changes really gave me a better understanding of how things in the tv show came to be the way they are, such as the relationship between Jack O'Neill and Daniel Jackson. In the director's cut, we see more interaction between them. We also get more into the head of Jack, and better understand just how messed up he really is after the loss of his son.

Bad: The only disappointment I have with the ult. ed. is that there were no 'gag reels' or bloopers, or other deleted scenes included. I enjoy watching these on other DVDs I have, and would have loved to have seen them for Stargate.

Overall, I'm glad I added this DVD to my collection. My only wish is that the Stargate SG-1 DVDs included behind the scenes or blooper reels as well.

Just an attempt to get more bucks from fans
If you're like me, you are really - really - getting tired of producers, film compaines, whomever there is to blame re-re-re-releasing the same DVD with different packaging, and calling it the "Ultimate" or "Supreme" or "this time it really is a Limted edition" special releases. The motivation? Raking it in from fans who expect and want more. You'd be better off spending your bucks elsewhere.

There is NOTHING to make this DVD stand out from any of the numerous previous releases. Save your money! Sure the director's cut is great - but it's on what, three previous releases?

Solid Flim, This DVD Is Lacking, However...
Stargate, as a film, is really a solid example of imaginative science fiction. The characters are a little cardboard-y, and the plot is, of course, wholly unbelieavble (as is the norm for science fiction, though!)...Overall, though, this film succeeds in being very, very entertaining to watch. Additionally, the entire premise of the film is so original that it was a thoroughly enjoyable - if light - film experience. The ending had something to be desired, but this is still an entertaining movie.

Of course, this film really doesn't have much to do with the actual stargate conspiracy, but it is interesting, nonetheless. Kurt Russell does, believe it or not, an excellent job with his role and manages to balance a powerful character in this film.

Now, for this DVD. Firstly, the DVD is cheap. That's always a plus. However, all the DVD has on it is the movies: I was pretty much expecting there to be what MOST DVD's have (-ie, traliors, interviews, etc)...I was disappointed to find that this edition did not contain any theatrical trailers. There is, however, a short side-film about the Stargate and the prospect of there even being one.

In a way, a very realistic movie...
First off, once you get past the idea of a Stargate the rest kind of falls into place. The government, with the help of Professor Daniel Jackson (James Spader), figures out how to work it. Pro. Jackson, with an escort of soliders led by Colonel Jack O'Neil (Kurt Russell) step through it to the other side.
They find a desert planet where humans are being made to mine for the same material that the gate was made from.
The people are Egyptians who were removed from Earth over 10,000 years ago, by an alien, and even Daniel Jackson can't understand their language because living languages CHANGE.
The movie is careful to stay away from many of the cliches of most sci-fi movies but also stays away from having characters which are TOO simple. Both Daniel and Jack (played by James and Kurt) are real people, not cardboard cut-outs, with all the flaws and merits of our own reality. The natives are catch between trying to be friendly towards strangers AND not pissing off their Gods.
The science and technology used by Ra and his men look very sleek and very real. From the spaceship to the gliders, everything has a touch of old Egyptian myth mixed with advanced alien know-how.
The DVD comes with two versions of the movie, Director's Cut and the theatrical cut, in which the former has audio commentary. The DVDs also have a great 'Making of Stargate' featurette, a 'Is There a Stargate?' short starring Erich von Daniken himself, trailers, scane access, crew and cast information and production notes.
Everything you could want in a DVD set, a mixture of sound science fiction, a touch of great effects and the pinch of old fashion adventure. This is a great pop corn flick. Enjoy! ... Read more

Description

A young boy is awakened during a storm to witness a flying saucer land in the field behind his home. No one will believe his story as, one by one, the townspeople are captured and put under the control of sinister forces from the planet Mars! Brilliantly created by visionary set designer and director William Cameron Menzies (designer of "Gone with the Wind" and H.G. Wells' "Things to Come") with a haunting musical score by Raoul Kraushaar, this golden age sci-fi classic has lost none of its chilling power. Surreal imagery brought to terrifying life in a Cinecolor world just beyond our nightmares! ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Prelude to "Taken"
The prototype for later scifi movies, "Invaders from Mars" a 1953 Color film will take you along an exciting course... implants are introduced as well as theories about an underground Martian civilization are well integrated into the plot of the film.

I thought the ending was very novel for it's time... a time loop. The British edition is also featured on the DVD and is interesting but not as original as the American version... You decide which ending you like.

This film is also probably the fore runner to the abduction experiences recounted by so many these days...

The special effects are of course almost childlike by todays standards...particularly the explosions and the sand pit scenes...but other scenes where the alien head uses telepathy are ahead of their time and were later used by Star trek episodes later.

A classic 1950's Sci-Fi
If you like 1950's Sci-Fi movies, or enjoy watching them with your kids (I love educating my kids to the classics),this is the perfect "watch-at-night-with-popcorn movie." There are no whiz-bang effects (ballons and something that looks like boiling spaghetti sauce are used inside Martian tunnels under the sandpit) and the Martian costumes are pretty silly, but the story and character development more than make up for any shortcomings. I own both the VHS and DVD of this movie and I love the DVD. I don't think a print worthy of total restoration exists and the audio is just OK (no spectacular Surround effects) but the DVD does have original trailers on it and it does not have the inherent pifalls of tape (drop outs, even worse color and audio). My kids (and even my wife) get hooked on this film when I play it. The suspense starts right away and the film gets you "inside" David (the starring character in the movie) so you feel his frustration in his attempts to reveal the secrets of the "Sand Pit." Everyone, at some point in their lives, will have a nightmare where they run from an enemy and can never escape. This is the movie made from that nightmare.

oh, come on!
This is one badly made, poorly directed, cheesy 1950's sci-fi movie. And I'm a collector of this stuff! At least you can understand about Ed Woods' "Bride of the Monster", etc, because they were made on about $75 and in one take only. This movie doesn't have that excuse. The inflated condoms passing for..what, exactly? on the walls of the underground tunnels, the boiling Campbell's soup image intended to depict...what, exactly? when the Martian ray gun is pointed at the condoms on the walls, the absolutely laughable Martian costumes with the zippers up the back. I tried to convince my kids that the zippers were ridges on the Martians' backs but hey my kids have seen zippers before. I enjoyed the avant garde minimalist sets and it would have been interesting if it had been intended. This thing is really bad and that's where all the pleasure can be drawn from it. Enjoy!

Form ruins substance
While the term "classic" is thoroughly overused to describe movies, "Invaders from Mars" is definitely a sci-fi classic in the truest sense. Sadly, this version of the movie is simply atrocious. As another reviewer here correctly stated, "What you get is a scratchy, jumpy film with more interference lines than you used to get on TV before cable. Stay away from this version." I found the poor picture quality so distracting that it ruined the experience of watching the film.

No communists just aliens
Yes, this has been one of my all time favs, it scared the bedoobies out of me as a kid, along with The Preying Mantis, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and The Fly. But some of us kids who stayed awake frozen at with fear at night hearing strange noises due to the movies and our imaginations were not afraid of communists, but that our parents could turn into something OTHER than our parents, (i.e., alien monsters who had destroyed our REAL parents) only we would know it and the other grown-ups would not believe that our parents were aliens, either because they were also aliens or because we just "kids". I have no idea if this movie would have such an impact on me today, if I were to see it for the first time as a grown-up, but it is a memory that I won't forget. Now I have a lot of fun watching it, when I was little I was just really scared. And it really is a GOOD MOVIE...I am thankful that it is available.. ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Sneakers...Sneaks in 5 Stars!!
SNEAKERS is a great caper flick with minimal violence and an ensemble cast one would never expect would ever be put on screen. Who would think that a movie would contain the likes of Robert Redford, Dan Aykroyd, David Strathairn (Eight Men Out, League of Their Own), Mary McDonnell (Dances with Wolves), River Phoenix (Dog Fight, Stand by Me), and the great Sidney Poitier to boot. It's fun, light, and suspensful. Redford heads a group of high tech misfits who troubleshoot and hack security systems. They are hired by a renegade government agency to steal a device that can decipher electronic coded messages developed by a mathematical genius, but get caught up into something more sinister than they bargained for as people begin getting kidnapped and murdered. Great characters including Dan Aykroyd's tailor made 'Mother' who sprouts off any conspiracy theory at whim, David Straithairn's blind hacker 'Whistler' whose ears can "see" more than anyone's eyes and whose only need in life is peace and good will towards his fellow man, and a great cameo by Ben Kingsley as the vengeful 'Cosmo' who is behind all the evil doings. Overall, a great cast, great script and first class entertainment!!

Conspiracy Theory?
Other movies that have tried (and failed) to cover hacking/conspiracy theories have one fatal flaw. Instead of trying to be entertaining, as movies should be; they take their cues from the mainstream media and try to scare the audience to death with images of cival liberties being taken away as fast as some on screen hacker can type into a not-so-secure government database.

Sneakers on the other hand shows us what the government(and people pretending to be the government) is capable of through the eyes of very entertaining yet somewhat believable characters in the industry. From a phone phreak to an ex cia man, their group covers the gambit in skills and personalities. Redford leads an allstar cast as a good looking social engineer who talks his way past security in lieu of hacking. Dan Akroyd gives a performance unparalelled except maybe for his character in Gross Pointe Blank.

So if you are in the mood for something completely different from the Net, Conspiracy theory, and Masterminds, then this is the movie for you.

Loved it, seen it uncountable times, just upgraded to DVD version. James *Too Many Secrets* Stewart

A strong, intellectually intriguing movie
When I first saw this movie I was expecting something completely different. Being a software developer, I was expecting the standard stereotype of eccentric not-in-touch-with-reality radical leftist computer nerds. What I got instead was a bunch of really fun characters that I thoroughly identified with and who covered the gamut of personality types. The plot was somewhat believable (the core plot device notwithstanding) and the choices the characters made to come out on top were also fairly enjoyable, such as the sightless gentleman driving the van down a steep embankment to save his buddies with only radioed instructions to keep him on track. What few persons have mentioned, however, in these reviews is that the movie also has a winning soundtrack. Its theme is quite catchy and emminently memorable. Pay no attention to the gentleman who says the movie isn't worth anything. This movie was meant to be a cut above the rest and it succeeded. If someone was unable to enjoy it, then I unashamedly chalk it up to his small mind.

Superlative Film; DVD is Lacking in Supplements
I currently own the original Widescreen Edition (1998 Universal). I'll buy the 2003 Collector's Edition, but I'm very disappointed by the paucity of extras: This movie is too good to have this few DVD extras.

One of my favorite movies of all time, for all of the same reasons listed by others here. I own the original DVD, which was released in 16:9 anamorphic, quite ahead of its time.

Unfortunately, it's painful to see a favorite movie come out on DVD with so few Special Features. This was a wasted opportunity, considering the quintessential ensemble cast that made this movie as fun as it is. The movie's 11 years old, and while I'm glad Universal t