Reviews (57)

The spirit and the Spirituals
Two days ago, I finished watching "Roots" ( the re-edited DVD version) , a series I scarcely remembered from my adolescent years. I remembered I had liked it. That was just about it.
Well.....now I'm 40, a musician (choral conductor and educator) and a profound lover of Spirituals and Gospel music. So....let me tell you that "Roots" moved the very bottom of my heart. I cried every episode, deeply touched by the sadness of the story but also by the invincible courage that has led African Americans through a hard history in the U.S. From my knowledge of Spirituals I've always admired this courage, this strength of the spirit reflected throughout all the melodic and rhythmic richness, ( "Hush...hush... Somebody's calling my name") the spiritual and physical beauty of a race, the deep and sincere approach to Christianity!
I think and I do hope that, someday, those "in power" all around the world will open their eyes and finally come to understand that racism, and all forms of discrimination, belong to the darkest and the most ignorant side of the human heart!
Just one last question: Is it possible to buy the printed Screenplay?
Santiago Zuleta. (Bogotá, Colombia)

The Roots of Roots
Warner Brothers has done a wonderful job in bringing David Wolper's 1977 television classic to DVD. This 3 DVD box set comes in an attractive tri-fold insert with an extensive chapter list and summary of each episode of the 573 minute production. The picture is colorful and sharp and the audio is a satifactory digital mono. The box claims "feature-length" audio commentary. Although commentary is extensive and entertaining, it does not run through the entire feature, constantly. There are also video commentaries on each disc from various people who worked on the film, which show highlights from the film as the actors speak on their memories. Some of actors have not aged well. There is also a behind-the-scenes documentary. My only quip is that one can not switch back and forth between the film's audio track and the commentary track at whim. One has to go to the main menu and switch to the commentary feature, much like Warner Brothers's release of Ben Hur, a mild irritation. There is a Spanish language track and English, French, Spanish subtitles. It is interesting to read the subtitles to study subtle nuances of the dialog. It is a pleasure to finally discard my 6 bulky, cumbersome tapes and replace them with 3 thin discs that I can access any portion instantly. If you love the story, you'll want to own this boxset.

Really sad!
All though i only saw first part of these mini-series it's really sad.How kuntah kinte and some other blacks were forced to be in a slaver,get sold to plantation owners and such.And its really heartwrenching when they abuse the slaves and hit them with their whips,anyways this is a cool series.You sometimes think how can other people have treated other people in the past like this.5/5!

Funny & Dramatic
I liked the movie. I mean, I'm kind of young but I really liked the movie. It was funny too. In the way it was funny was when like, they talk in these Southern accents when they come from New York, or something like that. The dramatic part is when they get raped and stuff like that. It's really sad to know that my people was treated like that. You know what I mean? Not the white people's people just the black peoples' people, you know. I think it was a good show. My favorite character was Kizzy my least favorite character was the overseers. You know, the slavemasters. Well, I liked the movie and I can't wait to see the Next Generation.

Great educational series
This is truly one of the great epic mini-series of all time. This series caused me to do research of my own. Everything told in this story happened at various places and times in the United States (both North and South) and some things even worse. One of the glaring things that was left out (that relates to modern times ) was the fact that many of the Africans were sold to Christian White European Slavers or their Black agents by conquering Arabic and Black Moslems (selling people who wouldn't convert to Islam) who were crusading through Africa (and still are). Why would the Whites want to risk getting hurt or killed when they had lots of people willing to gather this "Human" harvest for them? This program of Slavery continues today in Africa and Asia. While you can take my word or not this series should challenge people to find out the truth for themselves. Discover the true "Roots" of the modern world, not just America. Alex Haley did it, but be prepared...Alex didn't tell everything...he was being kind and politically correct. Ask yourself why Mr. Haley didn't become Moslem himself when he had many good friends (he was a very open minded man) who were Moslems. Could it be that he found the idea of converting to a religion that sold his ancestors into slavery unappealing. Buying this DVD and reading the book is a GREAT place to start, but don't stop at the PG version. ... Read more

Description

Conagher is both a hard-riding actioner and a character-driven look at Western life. Katharine Ross plays Evie Teale, widowed after coming West and forced to prove her mettle in many ways. Sam Elliott plays Conagher, a cowhand who, when not tracking rustlers, drifts in andout of Evie's life. Something about that frontier woman keeps drawing him back. But can Evie ever keep him from drifting out again? ... Read more

Reviews (21)

MR. AND MRS. ELLIOTT SHINE IN L'AMOUR CLASSIC
While Sam Elliott has become (along with, perhaps, Tom Selleck) the personification of the Louis L'Amour screen hero, it's especially nice in CONAGHER to see him opposite one of the first ladies of western cinema, Katherine Ross.It's especially nice when one remembers that Ms. Ross is also Mrs. Elliott in real life.

The two provide a power-packed performance in bring Louis L'Amour's classic western tale to life.CONAGHER is the story of an honorable cowhand who almost single-handedly takes on a gang of marauders bent on doing all the damage they can to everyone they meet. Yes, a classic battle of good against evil ensues but it's done sincerely and lacks some of the schmaltz that surfaces in similar western sagas.

Add to Elliott and Ross an all-star western cast including Dub and Buck Taylor, Barry Corbin and Ken Curtis and you have an enduring western classic.Great to finally have this one on DVD!

THE HORSEMAN

Top Notch Western!
Outside of the Duke's "Big Jake", Conagher is my favorite western as it is done right. The country is beautiful and Sam Elliot and his beautiful wife Katherine Ross made this movie out of deep respect for Louie L'Amour. This film captures the loney life of ranchers and cowboys in the old west. This is also the last picture that Ken Curtis (Festus from Gunsmoke) ever made.
As mentioned in another review, the line "It's a hard country kid" is probably THE classic line of all cowboy movies.

One strange thing concerning the ending though, in the book Conagher finds the remains of Mr. Teal, along with the gold he was taking to buy cattle, and on the outside of the Conagher VHS box there is a picture of Conagher looking at the bones of Mr. Teal, but this scene never made the movie? That would have give more closure but I guess it was cut to fit in to a TNT time slot.

Conagher-The Best
I happen to like all of Sam Elliott's movies, but this one is the best he has ever done!

Louis Alford

"You couldn't hurt Conagher with an axe."

Format: Color
Studio: Warner Home Video
Video Release Date: May 11, 1994

Cast:

Sam Elliott
Katherine Ross
Gavin O'Herlihy
Daniel Quinn
Barry Corbin
Ken Curtis
Cody Braun
Anndi McAfee

Conagher was written by Louis L'Amour (Lamoore) about life in the West around the end of the 19th century, with trouble with the Indians, rustlers, and a widow woman (Katherine Ross) tryimg to raise her children on a hard scrabble farm.Conagher comes to their aid.

L'Amour was a student of Western history.He understood the common man, having worked as a cowboy, circus roustabout, merchant seaman, boxer and served in the U.S.Navy.He was also a prolific writer of Western fiction, among other things.

This is not the first L'Amour story that Elliott has played in.He also performed as Tell Sackett in The Sacketts, which was an amalgamation of several of Louis's stories in that series on that family.

This story of Conagher was one of his good stories, which you will find typical of L'Amour's writing...good entertainment.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

A lover of Western American history
Only a few westerns have become true favorites of mine over the last 40 years. Conagher ranks with the best of them. Why? The movie was not filmed in a movie lot specially made for movies, like Universal Studios or Old Tucson. But rather, you could say it was filmed 'on location' in a rugged, true-to-life environment that honestly represents what it was really like in the Old West. The Teal cabin and the surrounding country, the ranch of Seaborn Tay, the town - all have that authentic realism that lend excellence to the movie. Often in the film the lighting in certain scenes appears lacking as compared to other films in the genre. But actually, this is what gives the film a special feel, a special ring of realism. It's because you feel as though you are really there as a bystander, watching this drama play out right in front of you in the same way it would appear in real life. The direction of the film by Rebaldo Villalobos is superb and the performances by the actors are absolutely memorable. The musical score couldn't have been better because the selections chosen for the soundtrack apply perfectly and leave an indelible impression on the viewer. I don't know what Sam Elliot would think about this, but I believe this film is his best, most memorable performance of his career, bar-none. His rendition of Conn Conagher imprints Sam Elliot on my mind for all time - he IS Conagher. I don't think he has played characters in any of his other films that have struck me the way that Conn Conagher has in this one. But this is not to detract from the other performers in the film: Catherine Ross, Gavin O'Herlihy, Daniel Quinn, Barry Corbin, Ken Curtis, Cody Braun, Anndi McAfee, and the rest - they've all portrayed believable characters that make for a very enjoyable, memorable film that you will want to watch again and again over the years because it brings something special to the heart. Don't pass up the opportunity to see Conagher if you haven't seen it yet - you'll never regret it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Sopranos, writer-producer-director David Chase's extraordinary television series, is nominally an urban gangster drama, but its true impact strikes closer to home, chronicling a dysfunctional, suburban American family in bold relief. And for protagonist Tony Soprano, there's the added complexity posed by heading twin families, his collegial mob clan and his own, nouveau riche brood. The series' brilliant first season is built around what Tony learns when, whipsawed between those two worlds, he finds himself plunged into depression and seeks psychotherapy--a gesture at odds with his midlevel capo's machismo, yet instantly recognizable as a modern emotional test. With analysis built into the very spine of the show's elaborate episodic structure, creator Chase and his formidable corps of directors, writers, and actors weave an unpredictable series of parallel and intersecting plot arcs that twist from tragedy to farce to social realism. While creating for a smaller screen, they enjoy a far larger canvas than a single movie would afford, and the results, like the very best episodic television, attain a richness and scope far closer to a novel than movies normally get.

Alternately seductive, exasperated, fearful, and murderous, James Gandolfini's Tony is utterly convincing even when executing brutal shifts between domestic comedy and dramatic violence. The first season's other life force is Livia Soprano, Tony's monstrous, meddlesome mother. As Livia, the late Nancy Marchand eclipses her long career of patrician performances to create an indelibly earthy, calculating matriarch who shakes up both families; Livia also serves as foil and rival to Tony's loyal, usually level-headed wife, Carmela (Edie Falco). Lorraine Bracco makes Tony's therapist, Dr. Melfi, a convincing confidante, by turns "professional," perceptive, and sexy; the duo's therapeutic relationship is also depicted with uncommon accuracy. Such grace notes only enrich what's not merely an aesthetic high point for commercial television, but an absorbing film masterwork that deepens with subsequent screenings.

In its second season, The Sopranos repeatedly defies formula to let the narrative turn as a direct consequence of the characters' behavior, letting everyone in this rogue's gallery of Mafiosi, friends, and family evolve and deepen. That gamble is most apparent in the rupture of the relationship that formed the spine of the first season, the tangled ties between Tony and Livia, whose betrayal makes Tony's estrangement a logical response. Filling that vacuum, however, is prodigal sister Janice (Aida Turturro), whose New Age flakiness never successfully conceals her underlying calculation and opportunism. Soprano's relationship with therapist Melfi also frays during early episodes, as she struggles with escalating doubts about her mobbed-up patient. At home, Tony contends with wife Carmela's ruthless ambitions on behalf of college-bound Meadow (Jamie Lynn Sigler), as well as son Anthony Jr.'s (Robert Iler) sullen adolescent flirtation with existentialism--the sort of touch that the show handles with a smart mix of sympathy and amusement.

In the brutal and controversial third season, The Sopranos justified its 11-month hiatus with some of its best, and most hotly debated, episodes. It continued to upend convention and defy audience expectations with a deliberately paced, calm-before-the-storm season opener that revolves around the FBI's attempts to bug the Soprano household, and a season finale that (for some) frustratingly leaves several plot lines unresolved. "Employee of the Month," in which Dr. Melfi is raped and considers whether to exact revenge by telling Tony of her attack, earned Emmys for its writers, and is perhaps Emmy nominee Lorraine Bracco's finest hour. Other story arcs concern the rise of the seriously unstable Ralph Cifaretto (Joe Pantoliano) and Tony's affair with "full-blown loop-de-loo" Gloria (Emmy nominee Annabella Sciorra). Plus, there is Tony's estrangement from daughter Meadow, his wayward delinquent son Anthony, Jr., Carmela's crisis of conscience, bad seed Jackie Jr., and the FBI--which, as the season ends, assigns an undercover agent to befriend an unwitting figure in the Soprano family's orbit.

Though for some the widely debated fourth season contained too much yakking instead of whacking, and an emphasis on domestic family over business Family, in most respects The Sopranos remains television's gold standard. The season garnered 13 Emmy nominations, and subsequent best actor and actress wins for James Gandolfini and Edie Falco as Tony and Carmela, whose estrangement provides the season with its most powerful drama, as well as a win for Joe Pantoliano's psychopath Ralph. Other narrative threads include Christopher's (Emmy nominee Michael Imperioli) descent into heroin addiction, Uncle Junior's (Dominic Chianese) trial, an unrequited and potentially fatal attraction between Carmela and Tony's driver Furio, and a rude joke about Johnny Sack's wife that has potentially fatal implications. Other indelible moments include Christopher's girlfriend Adriana's projectile reaction to discovering that her new best friend is an undercover FBI agent in the episode "No Show," Janice giving Ralph a shove out of their relationship in "Christopher," and the classic "Quasimodo/Nostradamus" exchange in the season-opener, which garnered HBO's highest ratings to date. Freed from the understandably high expectations for the fourth season, heightened by the 16-month hiatus, these episodes can be better appreciated on their own considerable merits. They are pivotal chapters in television's most novel saga.

From the moment a wayward bear lumbers into the Sopranos' yard in the fifth-season opener, it is clear that The Sopranos is in anything but a "stagmire." The series benefits from an infusion of new blood, the so-called "Class of 2004," imprisoned "family" members freshly released from jail. Most notable among these is Tony's cousin, Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi, who directed the pivotal season 3 episode "Pine Barrens"), who initially wants to go straight, but proves himself to be something of a "free agent," setting up a climactic stand-off between Tony and New York boss Johnny Sack. These 13 mostly riveting episodes unfold with a page-turning intensity with many rich subplots. Estranged couple Tony and Carmella (the incomparable James Gandolfini and Edie Falco) work toward a reconciliation (greased by Tony's purchase of a $600,000 piece of property for Carmela to develop). The Feds lean harder on an increasingly stressed-out and distraught Adriana to "snitch" with inevitable results. This season's hot-button episode is "The Test Dream," in which Tony is visited by some of the series' dear, and not-so-dearly, departed in a harrowing nightmare. ... Read more

Reviews (470)

VERY funny and original
Yeah, the F-word is uttered about 500 times, the lead character is either drinking or smoking grass all the time, and the core plot was probably written on a couple bar napkins at 2:00 a.m. But this is a laugh-out-loud masterpiece, full of both subtle humor and farce/slapstick. To those who are tired of unfunny Hollywood comedies (does the name "Adam Sandler" mean anything to you?), this is a breath of fresh air. Marvelously inventive in its concept and presentation, with dialogue that almost demands that you watch the movies again. The fact that I came of age in the 60s and was a dedicated stoner for a number of years undoubtedly enhanced my appreciation of this flick. But anyone with a taste for over-the-top humor and quirky characters will love it. While Jeff Bridges was quite good, John Goodman's character is the most memorable in recent memory. BTW, after seeing this movie, you'll never be able to think of the drink "white russian" without laughing.

A very interesting movie..
You wouldn't expect anything lesser from the makers of Fargo and Raising Arizona, arguably two fantastic movies in their own right. The B L is a freaky comedy without any situational plot in particular but weirdly engaging in the theme and its treatment nevertheless.

It's about a man named Jeff Lebowski, who calls himself the Dude, and is described by the narrator as the laziest man in LA County. He lives only to go bowling, but is mistaken for a millionaire named the Big Lebowski, with funny consequences. The Dude is played by Jeff Bridges with a goatee, a potbelly, a ponytail and a pair of Bermuda shorts so large they may have been borrowed from his best friend and bowling teammate, Walter Sobchak (John Goodman). Their other teammate is Donny (Steve Buscemi), who may not be very bright, but it's hard be sure since he never is allowed to complete a sentence.

Los Angeles in this film is a zoo of peculiar characters. One of the funniest is a Latino bowler named Jesus (John Turturro), who is seen going door to door in his neighborhood on the sort of mission you read about, but never picture anyone actually performing. The Dude tends to have colorful hallucinations when he's socked in the jaw or pounded on the head, which happens often, and one of them involves a musical comedy sequence inspired by Busby Berkeley. (It includes the first point-of-view shot in history from inside a bowling ball.)

Some may complain The Big Lebowski rushes in all directions and never ends up anywhere. That isn't the film's flaw, but its style -- ala "Go" and "Swingers". The Dude, who smokes a lot of pot and guzzles White Russians made with half-and-half, starts every day filled with resolve, but his plans gradually dissolve into a haze of missed opportunities and missed intentions. Most people lead lives with a third act. The Dude lives days without evenings.

Definitely a light hearted allround enjoyable movie -- something that deserves more than 9 reviews at Amazon! (as of this writing)

gay
this movie really sucks hairy old fat balls. what kind of trashy filth is this? it dosen't even make sence.

Times like these call for a Big Lebowski.
While I haven't seen the latest Coen Brothers films, like Intolerable Cruelty (2003) or The Lady Killers (2004), I have seen all their movies since O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), and I can say I've never been disappointed, and that certainly holds true for The Big Lebowski (1998), the film, not received well by the critics, they made after their Oscar winning film Fargo (1996). While it may not have been a critical success, it is one of my favorite films, and one the rarely gathers dust on my shelf, as I've seen it a few times.

The film boasts quite a cast of actors including Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Jullianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tara Reid, Ben Gazzara, Sam Elliot along with a few veterans of previous Coen brothers films like Steve Buscemi, John Tuturro, and Peter Stormere. So what is the film about? Well, I'll tell you...The film, which takes place in California in the early 90's, starts off with a little expository by a narrator known as The Stranger (Sam Elliot) giving us a little detail about the main character, Jeffery Lebowski aka The Dude, played by Bridges, who seems to have put on a bit of weight for the role, and sports long hair much like that he had when he was in the 1976 flopperino remake of King Kong. Anyway, the first thing you notice about The Dude is he is extremely laid back, very possibly a casualty of the California counterculture of the 60's and early 70's who seems perfectly content to take each day as it comes. While returning to his modest rental home one night, he finds two thuggish men waiting for him, one who soon acquaints The Dude's head with the inside of The Dude's toilet, while the other decides to despoil The Dude's living room rug in the manner of a unhousebroken dog. Seems these two men work for a smut peddler named Jackie Treehorn, and are looking to collect money owed to Mr. Treehorn by Jeffery Lebowski's wife, Bunny (Reid). Only thing is they got the wrong Jeffery Lebowski. Seeking reimbursement for his rug, The Dude visits the other Jeffery Lebowski, an older, well-to-do wheelchair bound man whose young trophy wife seems to have amassed quite a debt to a number of people, including Mr. Treehorn. This meeting sets into motion a complicated series of events including kidnapping which evolves into a mystery, a ransom request for one million dollars, a suitcase of dirty underwear, a stolen car, an altercation with nihilists, various beatings, guns, a bowling tournament, interpretive dance, a sexual liaison, a ferret, some drugs, painting in the nude, the removal of a toe, a wicky drug-induced dream sequence, copious amounts of profanity and even a death, all with The Dude right smack in the middle.

Jeff Bridges is wonderful as The Dude, a laid back individual with a self awareness few possess having to deal with harshness put upon him by circumstances just always a bit out of his control. He ends up basically going with the flow, finally stumbling on a moment of clarity as the mystery resolves itself. The funniest scenes usually involve The Dude, his friend and bowling teammate Walter Sobchek (Goodman), and fellow friend Donny (Buscemi) as their conversations, riddled with ludicrous tangents, usually devolve into heated debates and personal attacks, usually with Donny getting the worst of it. One of the things I like so much about this film is there is just so much going on, much of which may seem unrelated to the main plot, but I think it's purposeful, weaving an thick, intricate, colorful tapestry right before your eyes and definitely requires numerous viewings, just to soak it all up. There is definitely a beginning, a middle, and an end here, but the path between is very convoluted at times, but not confusing, if that makes sense. Normally I dislike dream sequences in films, as they often tend to be a mish mash of stylistic tripe, but the one in this film was truly enjoyable and laden with symbolism relating to the events preceding it, and even utilizes a song I consider to be a classic in that of Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition. It was funny, because the core of the story is based on a mystery, but I spent little time in trying to decipher it, as I was so intrigued with everything that was going on, the related and seemingly unrelated material. A word of warning, though, as I've mentioned before, there is a good amount of profanity throughout the film, so if you are easily offended, you might steer clear of this movie.

The film is offered in both wide screen and full screen format, and the picture quality is good, but not as good as I would have expected with such a recent release. Some scenes seemed a bit dark, and there was a slight fuzziness at times, but nothing very notable unless you are seated very close to the screen (I normally refrain from getting so picky, but I've seen this film a number of times). Special features are pretty slim, including a 30-minute interview with the Coen brothers on the making of the film, along with a teaser trailer and cast biographies. I didn't care for presentation much, as after putting the disc in your player, you are directed to pick a format, wide screen or full screen, and the movie would start playing, skipping entirely over the menu, presenting it only after completion of the film, or by pressing the menu button on the remote. This is most common on older or extremely cheap releases (this was originally released in 1998, and then again in 2003 with no enhancements or changes). If any film was ripe for an enhanced special edition re-release, this is it.

Cookieman108

The Coens at their best
I saw this when it came out and didn't get it. After Fargo, The Big L just seemed like a loser's mystery that never went anywhere. A year later my friends are cracking me up doing movie quotes and it helped me see it in a new light. The movie is hilarious! It's awkward at first because the Coens are messing with you, setting up expectations and constantly doing something else instead. Once you're in on the game, sit back, make a white russian, and let the funny happen. ... Read more

Description

Young, ambitious gunman Nobody (Terence Hill) sets his eye on his idol, gunslinger Jack Beauregard (Henry Fonda), who's intent on sailing off into retirement. ... Read more

Reviews (68)

A Sergio Leone Production..
For those who haven't seen this flick, it is a great movie in a semi-Leone style. Terence Hill and Fonda are most suitably cast in a story of an aging gunfighter who is planning to retire and a younger man who has idloized him his whole life.

For those looking to upgrade, the transfer on this new Image dvd release is FAR SUPERIOR to the older WHAM dvd release.

No extras at all but the main menu does feature several actual scenes from the film with Morricone's score playing in the background.No theatrical trailer.

It is said that Leone himself actually directed two or three scenes from the movie.Reason enough to buy.Give it a watch and see if you can identify the Leone directed scenes...

A classic that's often overlooked
I am reviewing the movie as opposed to the dvd itself. Afterall, it is the movie that we buy the dvd, not all the extras. Now, the movie is really a classic shot with all the campiness of the time. Henry Fonda plays an aging gunfighter looking to get out from under his reputation. Trinity plays an up and coming gunfighter wanting the attention but also has a dream of seeing Henry Fonda single handeling taking on the Wild Bunch, a hundred of the toughest riding outlaws the west has ever seen. The whole movie builds to this moment as Trinity's character leads Henry Fonda into his taking on the Wild Bunch. I consider this one of the great moments in any Western. So if you like your Westerns with drama and a sense of humor, this movie is well worth the money to view.

not exactly a normal movie
The plot is a little convoluted and unclear for the first part of this flick and by about half way I was beginning to wonder if it is one of those films that dumb folk claim to understand so they can appears smart. The quip about Sam Peckinpah (a beautiful name in Navajo) and reference to The Wild Bunch help keep the story interesting. Unlike what another reviewer was saying it actually does make perfect sense and by the end it all comes together nicely.

The cinematography, as in most all Leone flicks, is fantastic and Ennio Morricone's soundtrack is wonderful albeit a little odd. I'm used to hearing his soundtracks in a much more serious way but it is obvious he has put an almost childlike/childish slant on this one which is again... a little odd.

If this is a comedy why do parts of the score, combined with absolutely desolate cinematography, invoke some very sorrowful feelings? This film is almost unique in that it successfully brings comedy into a moral drama and, in the end, comes up with something that isn't contradictory and really lame. This is a surprisingly good movie.

Like finding buried treasure.
I remember catching this on TV late at night sometime back in the late seventies. I was mesmerized by the whole movie, at once a spoof of all the "quick-draw" westerns, a nod and a tribute to Henry Fonda, a wonderful vehicle for Terence Hill's special talents and comedic gifts, and a wonderfully overblown and melodramatic soundtrack that is nonetheless simply perfect.The small scene with the story about a bird told while playing pool is worth the price alone, and the interaction between Hill and Fonda is superb. I spent the next twenty years keeping an eye out for it. I finally caught it on TV again a few years back and taped it to VHS, but it was a low quality signal so it is not a very good tape. It was still more wondrous than the first time I caught it, and I am thrilled to be able to find it on DVD.

Wanna see my quick draw?Wanna see it again?
Director: Tonino Valerii, Sergio Leone
Format: Color
Studio: Jef Films Int.
Video Release Date: September 29, 1997

Cast:

Terence Hill ... Nobody
Henry Fonda ... Jack Beauregard
Jean Martin ... Sullivan
Piero Lulli ... Sheriff
Mario Brega ... Pedro
Marc Mazza ... Don John
Benito Stefanelli ... Porteley
Alexander Allerson
Rainer Peets ... Big Gun
Franco Angrisano ... Ferroviere
Tommy Polgár
Antonio Palombi
Hubert Mittendorf
Emil Feist
Carla Mancini ... Mother
Luigi Antonio Guerra ... Official
Angelo Novi
R.G. Armstrong ... Honest John
Leo Gordon ... Red
Steve Kanaly ... False barber
Geoffrey Lewis ... Leader of the Wild Bunch
Antoine Saint-John ... Scape
Neil Summers ... Squirrel
Karl Braun ... Jim

This is a spoof of all the 'quick draw' Westerns, and about time!
Jack Beauregard (Henry Fonda) is a notorious gunslinger--the stuff legends are made of--and the hero of Nobody (Terence Hill) who has idolized him all his life.Nobody has the dream of seeing Beauregard hold off the entire Wild Bunch, numbering 150 or so hard cases, single-handedly, so that his name will go down in history.His idol, however, is reluctant to fuifill his wish.

Of course, Nobody is no slouch with a shootin' iron, either, as he demonstrates.

This is a hilarious film, with a great many funny moments, and a surprise ending.I thought it was great, and I hope it entertains you also.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books



... Read more

Description

Australia's breathtaking Victoria Alps set the backdrop for this spectacular epic saga. Tom Burlinson and Sigrid Thornton, two of Australia's brightest film talents, star in a fast-paced, action-packed story of a stormy romance caught up in a violent feud between landowners. Acclaimed actor Brian Dennehy (LEGAL EAGLES, COCOON) gives a gripping performance as the powerful patriarch determined to keep them apart. Visually unforgettable and packed with rugged adventure and masterful stuntwork, RETURN TO SNOWY RIVER is a thrilling and memorable film! ... Read more

Reviews (34)

The Man from Snowy River is Back!
The man from Snowy River is back! After a few years trying to earn money to marry Jessica Harrison (Sigrid Thornton), Jim Craig (Tom Burlinson) returns to Snowy River. But he finds that a lot of things have changed. The succesful ranchers and bankers want to buy up all of the land of the beautiful Australian mountains where he was brought up. He also finds that Jessica's father, Harrison (Brian Dennehy) wants her to marry Alistair Patton (Nicholas Eadie), son of landowner Patton Sr. (Rhys McConnochie). With a sort of silent feud between the landowners and the mountain men going on, Jim and Jessica must decide if they're love is worth firing up the feud even worse.

As most of the cases, I prefer the first movie to "Return to Snowy River" though I think they both deserve 5 stars. One of the reasons is I enjoy the first one more is that Kirk Douglas played Harrison in the first movie. Yes, Brian Dennehy was superb in that role, I still like Kirk Douglas.

All right, to the fine parts of the movie. Beautiful and magnificent scenery of the Australian mountains! Excellent acting by all actors and actresses, the suspense, action, and adventure will keep you on the edge of your seats! And Tom Burlinson sure know how to ride when he performs some pretty cool stunts while riding horses. Especially the earlier part of the movie where he proves that he can certainly ride better than Nicholas Eadie who plays the part of the jealous bad guy for Jessica's affection.

I recommend this movie along with the first movie, "The Man from Snowy River". These movies are classics and one of the family movies I watch at home. Can't be missed!

The Man from Snowy River is Back!
The man from Snowy River is back! After a few years trying to earn money to marry Jessica Harrison (Sigrid Thornton), Jim Craig (Tom Burlinson) returns to Snowy River. But he finds that a lot of things have changed. The succesful ranchers and bankers want to buy up all of the land of the beautiful Australian mountains where he was brought up. He also finds that Jessica's father, Harrison (Brian Dennehy) wants her to marry Alistair Patton (Nicholas Eadie), son of landowner Patton Sr. (Rhys McConnochie). With a sort of silent feud between the landowners and the mountain men going on, Jim and Jessica must decide if they're love is worth firing up the feud even worse.

As most of the cases, I prefer the first movie to "Return to Snowy River" though I think they both deserve 5 stars. One of the reasons is I enjoy the first one more is that Kirk Douglas played Harrison in the first movie. Yes, Brian Dennehy was superb in that role, I still like Kirk Douglas.

All right, to the fine parts of the movie. Beautiful and magnificent scenery of the Australian mountains! Excellent acting by all actors and actresses, the suspense, action, and adventure will keep you on the edge of your seats! And Tom Burlinson sure know how to ride when he performs some pretty cool stunts while riding horses. Especially the earlier part of the movie where he proves that he can certainly ride better than Nicholas Eadie who plays the part of the jealous bad guy for Jessica's affection.

I recommend this movie along with the first movie, "The Man from Snowy River". These movies are classics and one of the family movies I watch at home. Can't be missed!

The Snowy River Movies are awesome!!
I've seen both 'The Man From Snowy River' and 'Return to Snowy River' and loved them both. They are wholesome movies to watch with a lot of action, but not violent. Whenever we had sleepovers these were the movies to watch. I definetly recommend watching 'The Man from Snowy River' first though. The scenery is beautiful, the cast is great, Kirk Douglas playing double roles is always good. The story line, and if you love horses this is a movie for you. It's a movie for all ages and both guys and girls. It's not a total 'chick flick' or a 'guys' movie.

Return to Snowy River
THis move WAS very exciting BUT it was also a terrible one as at least ONE horse was REALLY killed in the filming. They tripped the little buckskin horse and he did not survive his tumble down the hill!

A Letdown
Like many sequels, it disappoints. Tom Burlinson and Sigrid Thornton did nice work as the lovers Jim Craig and Jessica Harrison. Brian Dennehy stepped ably into the shoes of Kirk Douglas as Harrison. The scenery is glorious and the action and riding quite cool. Notable was Jim Craig's unique demonstration around the skill at arms course after meeting his new rival.

So, what is the problem? It simply lacked the movie magic and spark and, perhaps, storyteller's art which made the "The Man from Snowy River" a success. I have watched "The Man from Snowy River" many times over many years, and still love it. I have watched "Return to Snowy River" perhaps twice. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Great Movie
In the movie Tuesdays With Morrie, Mitch (Hank Azaria) is a successful sportswriter who suddenly learns that one of his old professors, Morrie (Jack Lemmon) is ill. Mitch visits Morrie and the two form an emotional bond, allowing Mitch to see what is really important in life. Tuesdays With Morrie is categorized as a drama but it does contain some funny parts and some sports. Some things that Morrie said made me laugh. They show Mitch at sporting events and press conferences. Mitch ends up flying 700 miles to Boston from Detroit every Tuesday to visit his dying professor. Mitch feels bad the first time he goes to visit Morrie because he had not talked to Morrie for 16 years after he said that he would keep in touch at his graduation at Brandeis University. At the end of the movie, Morrie finally got Mitch to open up and cry. He also got Mitch to talk about what he was afraid of in life. He taught Mitch a lot about living and about dying. Tuesdays With Morrie is an easy flowing movie and it is very simple to understand. It is a movie for people of all ages. The actors, especially Jack Lemmon, do an exceptional job playing their roles in the movie. The book and the movie are almost identical. There are not really any major differences between the book and the movie. One of the differences is that in the book Janine is Mitch's wife and in the movie Janine is Mitch's girlfriend. I think that Tuesdays With Morrie was a very good movie. It made me think of what is important in life, including friends and family. This movie changed my outlook on life. It made me realize what is most important in life and how I need to treat people, especially my elders. I think the theme of this movie was to get people to treat people better, with dignity and respect. I think that anybody that watches this movie will leave happier and with a better understanding about life and how to treat others.

Genuine.
A genuinely touching movie is a rare thing. Attempting to pull at our heart-strings often results in a lot of sap and drama, without much substance.

However, Tuesdays with Morrie is heartfelt, somber, funny, and sad.

The movie details a relationship (The film is adapted from a best selling nonfiction book) between a sports columnist, and his beloved professor which he learns is dying of Lou Gehrigs disease. What follows is a look at the short, poingant relationship they shared. You see, Morrie was a man of the world. He often showed a keen insight into the nature of man. He did much to teach his former student about life, often quoting W.H. Auden's poem "September 1st, 1939"

The movie, as the book, is filled with philisophical, as well as practical insights. Deeply moving, even while not being cinematically brilliant.

Excellent movie ---really worth your time and tears!!!!
This movie has touched my heart and enriched my mind so much! (I cried the entire 2 hours.) Yes, we already know a lot of the things that it tries to convey, but this movie has encouraged me to act now and address many of my own personal issues---family, career, friendships, health, etc. and what's really important in life. Jack Lemmon is so good here, and made me think about the importance of caring for my own sick parents. I love him in this movie and God bless his soul for his contribution to humanity--good acting!!!. --of course, kudos to the author Mitch Albom for sharing Morries' wisdom . I will make sure that my daughter gets to watch this movie and read the book and so as all my siblings and dear friends. The book and the DVD are great 40th b-day gifts that I will also make sure I get.=:) AAAAAAA++++++++++++++

The Best Farewell
Wasn't this Jack Lemmon's last film before his death?? Anyway, I found it deeply stirring and enjoyable to watch. The first time I saw it I vowed that anyone whose life I care about should have this... I truly loved it. If this was Jack's last, what a gift to be able to make this movie while making his own transition... Wow!

Some get it & some don't
I've read the book & watched the movie. I've read the reviews on this movie as well. Most get it & a few wasted their precious time watching it, then wasted my time with their childish & foolish comments. They probably loved Lost In Translation .. now that was a major yawn for me!

Jack Lemmon was at his best in my opinion.

Unless you've confronted death up close & personal and who hasn't by now or truly have a sensitive side, this movie will likley only distract you. Probably because you're too busy not being in the NOW! Slow down, watch it again, without phones or kids or talking .. just take it in and if it still doesn't touch you in some way then you're probably already dead! ... Read more

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World War II transformed the Disney Studio. Although nearly one-third of the artists had been drafted, production quintupled, up to 95% of it for military and government uses. Some of the films included in On the Front Lines have not been seen since their initial release; others were never shown to the general public. Anticipating the importance of animated training films, Disney produced the studio's first educational film, "Four Methods of Flush Riveting" (1941), using limited animation to train riveters at Lockheed. Decades later, "Four Methods" and the excerpts from military training films remain models of how to present information clearly and concisely.

Many of the wartime entertainment shorts are largely propaganda. Donald's nightmare of working on a Nazi assembly line in "Der Fuehrer's Face" is still hilarious slapstick. The grimmer "Education for Death" and "Chicken Little" have aged less gracefully. Disney's oddest wartime project was Victory Through Air Power (1943), a live action/animation feature based on Major Alex de Seversky's controversial book that called for the adoption of long-range bombers. By the time it was finished, air power was a reality.

Front Lines also includes several health films made for the Office of Inter-American Affairs, and bond-buying shorts for Canada that reuse animation from Snow White and "Three Little Pigs." This collection of genuine rarities is a must-have for anyone interested in the history of animation, the Disney Studio, or America during WWII. (Rated G, suitable for ages 10 and older: violence, ethnic stereotypes, tobacco use) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Excellent and Entertaining as well as Educational
This collection has been the most aniticpated set for hardcore Disney fans and cartoon historians alike. Collecting all of Disney's war time cartoons into one set was just a great idea and a real gem to own. I watched the entire collection in one day with friends of mine and I showed it to some students I teach at school who were just dumbfounded that people did this with cartoons during the second world war.
An excellent set with many bonus features including Leonard maltin who comes on to explain the background of many of these animated shorts.
I recommend this to everyone, not as a baby sitter for young children, but as an entertaining and educational look at America's history in animation and WW2.

DIFFICULT BUT CREATIVE ERA FOR DISNEY
The years that the probable contents were released, as well as some info on the various works.

FILMS

1943
VICTORY THROUGH AIR POWER - This film was basically propaganda with some entertainment and some powerful animation. Mainly championed Major Seversky's 1942 book of the same title with the theory that long-range air power could defeat the WWII enemies. The scene of an American eagle attacking the Japanese octopus is very powerful, moving animation.

ENTERTAINMENT/PROPAGANDA SHORTS

1942
DONALD GETS DRAFTED-always enjoyed the idea of Donald reporting to the draft board in his sailor suit.
THE ARMY MASCOT-Pluto schemes to take over the job of a mascot goat, with hilarious results.
THE VANISHING PRIVATE-Donald goes crazy with invisible paint, leading to war with his sergeant Pete, with a perfect, funny ending.
SKY TROOPER-Donald wants to be a pilot, and his sergeant Pete gives him more than Donald bargained for.

1943
DER FUEHRER'S FACE-the famous and infamous cartoon in which Donald dreams he is in Naziland where he is forced to work in a munitions plant.
EDUCATION FOR DEATH-very strong propaganda about Germany's totalitarian state which turns an innocent young boy into a robotic soldier.
PRIVATE PLUTO-Pluto has a war with the chipmunks in guarding the area.
FALL OUT - FALL IN-Donald experiences some of the trials of Army life, such as super-long hikes.
REASON AND EMOTION-entertainment and propaganda used in a story about reason and emotion working together for the war effort, enjoyable animation.
VICTORY VEHICLES-Goofy shows off alternate transportation due to the wartime rubber and gasoline shortage, settling on the pogo stick.
THE OLD ARMY GAME-Sergeant Pete catches Donald sneaking back into base after a late night on the town, leads to a merry chase.
HOME DEFENSE-Donald's nephews conflict with Donald after he sleeps during his duty of watching for enemy attack.
CHICKEN LITTLE-The classic "the sky is falling" story, originally planned to have more wartime references.

1944
HOW TO BE A SAILOR-Goofy's story of the history of sailors, ending with him using himself as a torpedo to sink Japanese ships.
COMMANDO DUCK-Donald is sent on a suicide mission to wipe out an entire Japanese air base, with hilarious results.

EDUCATIONAL SHORTS

* = Created for Canada to sell their war bonds.

** = CIAA films (Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs) created to combat the German Nazy influence that was widespread in Latin American in the early 1940s.

1941
THE THRIFTY PIG * - animation from Three Little Pigs cartoon adapted, with the Big Bad Wolf wearing a Nazi hat and armband.
THE SEVEN WISE DWARFS * - animation from Snow White adapted to show dwarfs buying war bonds.

1942
DONALD'S DECISION * - uses animation from 1938 Donald Duck cartoons "Donald's Better Self" and "Self Control" to convince Donald to buy war bonds.
ALL TOGETHER * - uses animation from several sources, including The Band Concert (1935) and Mickey's Amateurs (1937) to show several Disney characters in a parade to sell war bonds.
THE NEW SPIRIT - Donald is encouraged to pay his income tax to help the war effort.
FOOD WILL WIN THE WAR - Stresses the importance of farmers to the war effort. Includes the Three Little Pigs leading a long line of pigs.
OUT OF THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRING LINE - Minnie & Pluto star in an effort to show how important it was for housewives to save kitchen fats and greases for the war effort.

1943
THE GRAIN THAT BUILT A HEMISPHERE ** - Tells the history of corn and its importance to the world.
THE SPIRIT OF '43 - Donald Duck resists Nazi propaganda and pays his taxes to support the war effort.
WHE WINGED SCOURGE ** - The Seven Dwarfs point out ways to defeat the malaria-carrying mosquito.
DEFENSE AGAINST INVASION ** - Shows the human body's ability to fight off germs through vaccination.

1945
CLEANLINESS BRINGS HEALTH ** - The difference between the Clean Family that is happy and healthy and the Careless Family that is unhappy and unhealthy.
WHAT IS DISEASE ** - Shows what causes disease and how to protect against disease.

1946
PLANNING FOR GOOD EATING ** - Careless Charlie is used to teach a family about good dietary habits.

TRAINING FILMS

1942
FOUR METHODS OF FLUSH RIVETING - basic animation for education purposes
STOP THAT TANK (BOYS ANTI-TANK RIFLE) - a great deal of live action but fun, enjoyable animation of Hitler being blown to Hell by the rifle

1942-1945?
TRAINING FILM MONTAGE - A selection of scenes from various training films, I assume.

There are a few war-related entertainment shorts not listed here - one or more might be added to this collection instead of what is listed above.

1943
DONALD'S TIRE TROUBLE - most likely short. Donald has continual trouble with flat tires due to the wartime shortage of rubber.
PLUTO AND THE ARMADILLO - small connection to the wartime. Short releated to the Latin Armerica trip and the Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros films developed from that trip.

1944
THE PELICAN AND THE SNIPE - same info as for Pluto and the Armadillo.

1945
DOG WATCH - Pluto is a watchdog for a Navy ship.

The war years were a demanding time for the Disney Company. Most of their meager resources were devoted to the war effort. But this era contained a great deal of creative effort that might not have existed if not for the war.

I have seen most of these war works, and I consider them fascinating and among the best of all of Disney's work. I much look forward to owning them on DVD.

GREAT CINEMATIC LESSONS IN PROPAGANDA
This is trully a grat collection of war-time propaganda from WWII made by the Disney Studios. Some of these movies feature our favorite characters Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto. Others feature specific characters created on purpose.

The main thing about this collection is Mr. Disney's master hand behind each film. Quality animation (and expensive animation from the studio that elevated animation to an art on its own).

They alert, inspire, teach and (last but not least) entertain. Some of these little gems are a bit violent and you should see them before deciding if they are suitable for your children. But anyway, these are great films and should be seen by anyone who want to see some of the best propaganda films aver made.

It is all great if you check Nazi propaganda films at the same time... they are very different. In these here films Mr. Disney never lost his touch and the style that made his studio famous.

In this double DVD you will find lots of things... one feature-length film (VICTORY THROUGH AIR POWER - a trully memorable film that explains the importance or air power to american forces and also the strategical and logistic problems WWII represented to America). This is certainly a landmark film.

The DVDs also contain an enormous list of cartoons (in the short form) that cover a large variety of subjects and moods.

This is one of the best titles in the collection and an important piece of History. Should be treasured. The quality of the DVDs is outstanding... as everything that is made with care.

I just don't understand why the tin cans are not numbered anymore (like the previous titles in this collection).

Finally!
Of all the film studios that produced "propaganda" cartoons during WWII, none have been better kept hidden than those made by the Walt Disney studio. Sure a couple of them slipped through the cracks into the public domain, but as a whole they remained sealed in the Disney Vaults until now.

While not every single cartoon made during the War (Disney produced numerous "how to" films made only for those in the actual armed forces, clips of some are shown on these DVDs), it does include all the theatrically released features. Stars like Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Pete, Minnie and Huey, Dewey and Louie star in these wartime cartoons. Mickey Mouse only appeared in one short, using borrowed animation from "The Band Concert."

There is also the full length animated WWII feature "Victory Through Air Power," which is considered to be amongst the rarest of all the Disney features. This DVD set is well worth the buy.

History Buffs and Disney Fanatics Will Love It
During World War II, Walt Disney almost bankrupted his company producing stuff for the war effort. Now, we get a chance to see this part of animation history at home on DVD with this two disc set.

Disc 1 features 29 shorts. They range from entertainment with a patriotic edge, like "Donald Gets Drafted" or "Private Pluto," to shorts purely to help with the war like "The New Spirit" and "Out of the Frying Pan and into the Firing Line." There are even shorts used to fight disease in South America like "Cleanliness Brings Health" and "The Winged Scourge." I was surprised to learn from this disc about the films Disney was making for Canada even before the US entered the war.

Of course, the highlight of this disc is "Der Fuehrer's Face" which finds Donald trapped in Nazi Germany.

Disc two's main attraction is "Victory Through Air Power." This feature length movie was produced to bring the arguments of a book by the same name to more people. It makes a compelling argument that the Allies needed to build up their air forces to win the war, arguments about modern warfare that still apply today.

Disc two also features a few of the educational shorts Disney produced during that time. Frankly, after viewing the two that are included in their entirety, I'm glad that most of them are just highlighted. I don't find watching a film on how to fire a gun or how to flush rivet that entertaining. There are lots of production galleries and even galleries of some project this Disney fan had never heard of before. Finally, we have interviews with Disney veterans Joe Grant, John Hench, and Roy Disney.

This is a set that Disney buffs will want because it fills in some time in the studio's history. It also has interest for historians of all stripes as it presents a picture of life on the home front during World War II. Since the entertainment value of much of the disc is low, I took away one star. I probably won't go back to this set in the near future, but I was fascinated by much of what I saw here and am thrilled that the studio released this material so fans can view it today. ... Read more

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Decades before the Hollywood film industry became famous for megabudget disaster and science fiction spectaculars, the studios of Southern California (and particularly Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) were renowned for a uniquely American (and nearly extinct) kind of picture known as The Musical. Indeed, when the prestigious British film magazine Sight & Sound conducts its international critics poll in the second year of every decade, this 1952 MGM picture is the American musical that consistently ranks among the 10 best movies ever made. It's not only a great song-and-dance piece starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and a sprightly Debbie Reynolds; it's also an affectionately funny insider spoof about the film industry's uneasy transition from silent pictures to "talkies." Kelly plays debonair star Don Lockwood, whose leading lady Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) has a screechy voice hilariously ill-suited to the new technology (and her glamorous screen image). Among the musical highlights: O'Connor's knockout "Make 'Em Laugh"; the big "Broadway Melody" production number; and, best of all, that charming little title ditty in which Kelly makes movie magic on a drenched set with nothing but a few puddles, a lamppost, and an umbrella. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (223)

The Citizen Kane of musicals
So many films in my collection are "important", "serious", "disturbing", or "great", and as much as I treasure them (films like Citizen Kane, Vertigo, and Ran), there is only so much self-importance a person can take before the pores fairly scream out for something just plain fun; something slight, buoyant, silly, and full of energy. Singin' in the Rain is just that kind of movie. The funny part is, I generally HATE musicals!

In 1951, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen took a collection of songs by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown and - assisted by a pitch-perfect screenplay from the writing team of Adolph Green and Betty Comden - sculpted one of the great classic fusions of popular cinematic art and precision dance craft. It is the Citizen Kane of musicals: a virtual catalog of musical film technique, executed flawlessly.

But that alone would not be enough to separate Singin' in the Rain from the kind of musical I can't stand (which is to say, just about every other musical ever made). No, what makes this one special is that it knows what it is and celebrates it. It never for a moment asks you to forget you're watching a movie and then grinds to a screeching halt for the musical number. Instead, it deconstructs itself before your very eyes (and ears) as a razor-sharp, self-aware satire of the movie industry - as well as a joyous expression of the pure ecstasy of great song and dance. In that sense, it is one of the few so-called musicals that actually achieves a genuine symbiosis of drama, music, and kinetic performance art.

If all this sounds rather gushing and pretentious, so be it. This is great film-making. It is Rolex Oyster Perpetual film-making. This DVD edition sparkles with ultra-saturated colors, digitally remixed Dolby 5.1 sound, and some terrific extras (even if you're not particularly into musicals).

My favorite sequence is the eerily fluid dance work between Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse against a Dali-esque background near the end of the film. Charisse is spellbinding as she trails a gravity-defying veil that must be 30 feet long. It hangs in the air, suspended by wind machines as she uses her extraordinary dance skill (and fantastic legs) to affect a wordless seduction of Kelly's naive, love-struck hero. Great stuff.

Even if you don't think of yourself as the "musical type", give Singin' in the Rain a try. After all that heavy, bitter, existential cinema, it makes one helluva fine dessert.

THE GREAT AMERICAN MUSICAL
Once upon a time there was a place called HOLLYWOOD. It wasn't just a town or even an industry, it was a state of mind. They didn't call the studios Dream Factories for nothing. This film is the epitome of the musical art and craft. This is a real "Movie Movie," made entirely on the MGM lot. The real creme de la creme of MGM contributed to it's creation; produced by Arthur Freed, starring Gene Kelly (with a brilliant turn by the dazzling ,long-legged Cyd Charisse), contract players like Debbie Reynolds and Kathleen Freeman (still going strong, currently appearing on Broadway in "The Full Monty") with costumes by my favorite designer Walter Plunkett (Gone With The Wind, 7 Brides For 7 Brothers, etc). Check out the sumptuous designs for the "Beautiful Girls" number and the outrageous spider dress at the opening night party. The real lowdown is that Jean Hagen and Donald O'Connor practically steal the show from the leads in possibly the best performances of their careers. This film is pure joy. The script by Comden and Green is not only clever but actually goofs on a real period of transition of the American film from silent to talkie.It is also a brilliant job of recycling a trunkload of old songs. This happy film has the courage to do what American musicals and comedies do best: be silly and make you forget you troubles for an hour and a half. Next time you are in bed with the flu or trying to get over a miserable love affair, take a look at Singing In The Rain. It can't help but curl up the corners of your mouth and drive the clouds away.

Wonderful Musical with Terrific Dancing -- a Trifle Dated
"Singin' in the Rain" is the definitive Hollywood musical, and charms and delights our 21st century audiences despite the (very few) characteristics of the genre that don't hold up quite so well.

There are so many high points to this movie -- the amazing cast, the songs, the choreography, and, most surprisingly, the satirical send-up of Hollywood and the "star system."

The plot is well-known. Silent film star couple, Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly, who also co-directed with Stanley Donen) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) are America's sweethearts. At a Hollywood premiere of their latest romance, breathless fans ignore sidekick Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor, in perhaps the best sidekick performance in film history) and scream in delight as Lockwood and Lamont pander to their adoration. Nobody, however, seems to notice that the gorgeous Lamont never speaks . . .

Her imposed silence Lamont has a voice that recalls a cat with its tail caught in a wringer, although Lamont is such a "dumb blonde" (bless Hagen -- nobody ever played this stereotype better!) that she is blissfully unaware of her screech. No matter, 'cause it's the silent film era, right? Wrong! Progress brings in "The Jazz Singer" and the era of "talkies." No longer will clever staging of press events suffice.

Soon, Don Lockwood is staring career meltdown in the face as the first Lockwood-Lamont "talkie" sends the audience into hysterics. Not only is Lamont's screech audibly offensive, they can't keep the sound synchronized to the film, and the sound editing even when in synch is as amateurish as a high-school film production.

What to do? Fortunately, Lockwood had fallen for young, beautiful Kathy Selden (a teenage Debbie Reynolds), a starlet in the making. Cosmo comes up with the idea of dubbing Selden's voice for Lamont's, and all is fixed . . . or not. Lamont, an imbecile but smart enough to know her value, insists on ruining Selden's career to preserve her own . . . and so on and so forth.

The plot, ingenious as it is, is really secondary. The main delight in this movie is the amazing dancin' and singin' that the performers offer up. While most of it is pretty silly, campy stuff (particularly the Kelly-O'Connor set pieces), they simply dazzle. Kelly is the most robust, athletic dancer of his generation, and O'Connor, well, the man doesn't have a bone in his body. While the movie's most famous scene comes from Kelly splashing in puddles during the title track, the most amazing dance number has to be O'Connor's comic flailings in "Make 'Em Laugh," where he runs up walls, flirts with a mannequin, and generally pulls out all stops.

Debbie Reynolds does a magnificent job keeping up with these two giants, and is generally a pleasure to watch, even though she's clearly outclassed as a hoofer.

While some great old films seem to get better with age (think "Casablanca," "Gone With the Wind," and "Citizen Kane"), "Singin' in the Rain" is an American classic that does not hold up quite so well in some minor respects. For example, when breaking into choreographed step, Kelly, O'Connor, and Reynolds sometimes appear too rigid, with smiles frozen on their faces, which is incongruous to those raised on more modern musicals like "Moulin Rouge," where the dancers take a more naturalistic, emotional approach to their dancing. The dancing in "Singin'" holds up, but the performers were constrained by the expectations of their audiences, which somehow demanded that the performers "look pleasant" while dancing.

Still, "Singin' in the Rain" remains one of the best tonics to a foul mood ever . . . I defy you to watch this movie and not feel a smile creeping over your face.

The Best Musical Comedy Ever Produced!
I fell in love with this film when I was seven years old; I watched it on a B&W television on "The Early Show" in NY (circa 1957 or 1958). I didn't know who any of the stars were - it didn't matter. It was magic to me. From the Hollywood opening (dignity, always dignity), the romp of the elocution lessons (Moses supposes his toes are roses!), and the trial and mostly error of trying to record the sound ("I can't make love to a BUSH!") when the gorgeous leading lady has a voice that rivals nails on a blackboard, all the way to the grown man dancing in the rain and the final rising curtain - pure magic. In glorious black and white - at the time, I didn't even know it HAD colour! I decided then and there, this was my absolute all-time favourite movie. (One of the highlights of my adult life was seeing this wonder on a full, big screen at a revival in the 1970s.) I have seen many films since then; I have reviewed them for friends & family, written reviews for a monthly entertainment publication. I have an extensive collection of my own (VHS & DVD). I know a lot more about films and production values now.

"Singin'in the Rain" remains my all-time favourite film. (No surprise, this.) It's not just another one of "those MGM musicals." It was released in 1952. Dated stuff? Not a bit. Unlike the marvelous "An American in Paris," which was done as a contemporary film to its time, "Singin' in the Rain" is a period film, and it's based in fact.

This film (which started out to be a western for Howard Keel) takes a fond and loving look at the birthpains of the sound film (the "talkies). Set in 1927, with authentic equipment from MGM's own history (Debbie Reynolds drives Andy Hardy's old jalopy, the microphones are real), it details the frantic efforts to get on the sound bandwagon - no one was completely sure of the new technology. What makes the plot classic is the basis in fact. Many silent stars had totally unacceptable voices or speech (too nasal, unintelligible foreign accents, too high, too low, etc.) for sound production. The songs used were true to the period.

Then we have the performers. Jean Hagen was nominated for an Academy Award for her role of Lina Lamont. The character (whose voice you don't hear for the first 10+ minutes of the film, although she's on-screen) is a one-of-a-kind. [Side note: the voice dubbing Lina's line is actually Hagen's normal voice, not that of Debbie Reynold's Kathy Selden.] Reynolds does an admirable job - it couldn't have been easy keeping up with her two male co-stars. It's still a joy to see Donald O'Connor's "Make 'em Laugh," and wonderful to see Gene Kelly teamed with a good male partner for "Fit as a Fiddle" and "Moses". Gene Kelly is, and always shall be, the best and this was done at his peak.

Of course, for anyone who has been living in the back of a cave under a rock (or too young to appreciate it), the title number is a delight. It looks like one continuous take, it is so smooth. This was not the first appearance of the song, but it's the one we all remember. The sheer exuberance of Kelly's performance carries us right along with him.

The extras with this set are valued items for anyone like me who is interested in the backstory of the era and this film in particular. And don't fuss for a widescreen version. This is the way it was. And now it always will be.

Thoroughly entertaining musical
I have to say first of all that I am *not* at all a fan of musicals (or comedies for that matter) - I am a drama fan. I have seen a few musicals here and there over the years and tried to like them - such as 1964's "My Fair Lady" and 1961's "West Side Story." I liked both of them *somewhat,* but not too much - because I have always strongly preferred films that are realistic --> in real life, people don't burst into song when they are in one particular circumstance or another. Yet, I couldn't help enjoying myself with a smile on my face as I watched this film that landed so high (#10) on AFI's list of the top 100 American films of all time. Donald O'Connor, in particular, as Cosmo, was so perfectly cast in his role. The film was at times hilarious and at times wonderfully romantic. I definitely would recommend everyone to try this film out. B+. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Whether you view it as an alternate reality or the illusions of demented mind, Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere is an intriguing place to visit. The Sandman creator's first TV miniseries suffers from the same traditional shortcomings that plague all British "telefantasy"--namely, micro-budget production values and slapdash direction that betrays a conspicuous shortage of rehearsal time. And yet, within those limitations, Gaiman and director Dewi Humphreys have crafted an ambitious exploration of "London Below," a vast, subterranean capital, far below "London Above," where office drone Richard Mayhew (Gary Bakewell) unwittingly finds himself after rescuing Door (Laura Fraser), an underworld dweller determined to learn why her parents have been killed. Gaiman teases the viewer with hints that Richard may be insane, but Neverwhere maintains its imaginative ambiguity, and presents a dark, dangerous domain of baronies and fiefdoms, bearing familiar British nomenclature but decidedly unfamiliar landmarks. Once you've visited, you might prefer to stay. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Worth seeing; but don't expect too much
I read the book before I saw the DVDs, so my comments come from that perspective. The book is richer, more detailed, and better. The characters are mostly like I imagined them from the book except that Richard wasn't as nerdy, and the Marquis wasn't the dominating personality, as he was in the book. The bad guys: Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandermar are great. I haven't watch much British SciFi (though this is a Fantasy) but I gather that this DVD has the same low production values. I was too-often aware that I was watching a set. This is not really a problem since the setting and the charactors have the unique Neil Gaiman touch. The acting is mostly quite good; underplayed in that British kind of way. If you've read the Sandman series, you'll know that particular Gaiman imagination - it's here in this story too. One of his many talents is an ability to make his fantasy characters and settings plausable, though, of course, they are full of impossibilities. But then, isn't that what makes fantasy work?

Good... but obviously the book is better
I was one of the few people who actually watched this when it was first on television back in the UK. And come to the think of it I'm not sure why I did, as at the time I hadn't read any of Neil Gaiman's work and just knew that he wrote some comics or something. Obviously in the intervening years I have discovered what a genius Gaiman is, and what a throughly nice man he seems to be as well.

As for Neverwhere: it's good, but it could have (or should have) been great. The premise is interesting and the story is engaging, most of the actors are very good -- particularly those playing Croup and Vandemaar, not to mention the excellent portrayal of the Marquis. But it's let down by a somewhat strange combination of shooting on tape and lighting for film, or something or other, that made all the on location scenes look as though they were amateurishly faked. That coupled with the un-terrifying Beast of London, really let down the whole show.

For me what made the DVD worth buying was the commentary by Neil Gaiman (yes it is on the DVD, strangely located under the individual episodes sub-menu). You get to hear all about the different locations used during the filming. And about what he thought worked really well, and what he was disappointed with. After all he wrote the book to put back in all the things that for one reason or another didn't make it in to the series, or didn't make it in the way he originally envisaged them. All very interesting. After watching the show and then listening to the commentary I really wanted to go and re-read the book... sadly my copy is somewhere over in London Above.

I loved it, but WHERE OH WHERE is the commentary?????
Sorry for substituting a question in place of a review, but I've got a real mystery on my hands. On the back of the slipcase (as well as on the backs of the two DVD cases), it states that there is a "Commentary with Creator Neil Gaiman". If there is, it's VERY well hidden. The first DVD has only the first three chapters on it, as well as a PLAY ALL feature (there are NO BONUS FEATURES ON IT AT ALL). The second DVD has the last three chapters, and a Bonus Features choice, which offers "The Original BBC Neil Gaiman Interview", a "Neil Gaiman Biography", "Character Descriptions", and a "Photo Gallery". On several of the reviews, people rave about the feature-long commentary. Why does my set not include it. I would suspect that someone had switched discs for this set, but that's not possible. I bought this set at Best Buy, and it was shrinkwrapped. Is the commentary hidden, like an "easter egg"? If so, can someone tell me how to access it? Thanks in advance for your help.

Read the Book Instead
I absolutely loved this book. So I was very eager to watch the mini-series. I started it up and was disappointed immediately. I let it play for about 1/2 an hour before I had to make it go away. My imagination did a much better job at depicting this story than this mess. It was so horrible I nearly cried. My view may not be a popular one, but I think for this story to translate well to the "big screen", it would need to be done by someone like Tim Burton and have wonderful character actors like Johhny Depp as the Marquis, Ewan McGregor as Richard Mayhew and Vincent D'Onofrio with possibly Steve Buscemi as Mr. Vandemar and Mr. Croup respectively. This story deserves to be shown as magically as it is depicted on paper, and this mini-series just doesn't cut it.

If you can live without millions spent on CGI...
and love programs with strong writing and acting, you'll probably love this collection that has seen little airplay since it's original release. Having cut my teeth on Dr. Who, I was able to look past the lack of 'whizbang' special effects. To see an example of flash and eye candy w/o story to back it, rent Underworld. On second thought, don't!
Neverwhere is a delightful romp through the London tube system with an interesting array of characters and ideas. To try and compare this program to anything else out there doesn't truly do Neil Gaiman any justice. ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Probably the Greatest Western Ever!
A few years ago I had the opportunity to speak personally with Robert Urich about his role as ill-fated Jake Spoon in the epic western Lonesome Dove. Simply put, he said that it was "the most fun I have ever had making a movie. Think of it. Riding and shooting every day with two of the greatest western stars ever: Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones! I won't have that much fun ever again!" I am sure that he could have gone on for hours but, unfortunately, time would not permit. The look on his face and the light in his eyes said it all. Tragically Urich passed away a year or two thereafter.

The legend and the story live on in the Pulitzer Prize winning book by Larry McMurty and in this faithful video depiction of the classic story.

A star-studded cast, headed by Duvall, Jones and Urich, along with one of the most beautiful western soundtracks ever composed make Lonesome Dove a viewing experience that you will enjoy time and again.

One of the best things ever done for television.
Although the phrase "made for television" conjures up the images of the tabloid story of the week and women-in-peril films; Larry McMurtry's epic novel "Lonesome Dove" would not have been given justice in any other format. Television allowed that magnificent work to be brought to life in some form resembling the novel. The six hour running time enabled character and storyline development that would not have been possible if the novel had been adapted for theaters.

Although it does have the jarring breaks that marked where a commericial interuption had once been and it's share of television stars (Urich, Shroeder, Corbin); "Lonesome Dove" is movie big. Big stars. Wonderful cinematography. Great locations. An authentic look. A terrific score. The producers, cast, crew, and director went the full measure to ensure that this movie did not look or feel like a "movie of the week" production.

Personally, I believe it, along with "Roots," to be the finest work ever done in the medium of television. It really does make you feel for its characters. The viewer will cheer and hope for them, and when tragedy occurs, as it does throughout the film, it will shake the viewer. Nobody is safe: comic relief characters, children, and, even, experienced Rangers. McMurtry drives home the message that death in the Old West could occur to anyone at anytime with shocking suddenness. In the end, Captain Call looks back and remembers his friends and comrades who did not return with him. As he does, tears come to the eyes of this taciturn character; and rest assured he is joined by many in the viewing audience.

The Return of the Western
It's ironic that the western, a staple of TV until sci-fi eclipsed its presence, would find its home again on the small screen during a time when big budget westerns seemed to be biting the dust to space opera blockbusters. And that it would take an Australian to realize it. Director Simon Wincer's big-vista understanding of the genre is apparent throughout "Lonesome Dove," which also features some great performances by screen familiars Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones, even if the latter too often looks like a scowling Kenny Rogers here. This tale of an arduous cattle drive by two retired lawmen has the sweep and grist of such classics as "True Grit," "Red River," and "Once Upon a Time in the West," with which it shares many elements (the conversational style, the brutal drive, and the buddy relationship, respectively, the most obvious). And while "Lonesome Dove" doesn't really say anything new about the old west, it is entertaining and fares better compared to many westerns past in terms of presenting the ethnic diversity that history records. Look for many bravura--and few corny--moments like Captain Call's (Jones) reaction to a cavalry scout's whipping of Call's alleged son (a likable but sometimes too aw-shucks Rick Shroeder), MacCrae's (Duvall) gutsy stand against a pack of outlaws, and the touching and remarkably in-character last goodbye between the leads. Basil Poledouris, an underrated composer, provides a solid score. Of the episodes, only one stands out as pedestrian, making this a pretty good choice for viewers who want to savor their entertainment choice.

Yes, it is 360 minutes, not 240.
240 minutes refers to the much shorter Return to Lonesome Dove mini-series. There is nowhere on the the Amazon website that the original series of Lonesome Dove DVD set is only 240 minutes, it is 360 minutes.

By the way, my daughter and I loved this series when it was on TV and I purchased the multi-tape set VHS way back when. But the last tape was bad and Cabin Fever, the manufacturers/publishers, would not replace my bad tape (they never even answered my mail except to tell me how to orde