Reviews (19)

Cloak & Dagger-Henry Thomas-(1986)
When a 11-year-old boy(Henry Thomas-E.T.-The Extra Terrestrial) witnesses a murder and a strange doctor gives the boy a video game cartilage, a group of spies want the disk back and try to kil the boy,tough the game cartilage "cloak & dagger" has very important goverment plans in it.With the help of a friend, Kim Gardner(Christina Nigra), and his imaginary pal Jack Flack(Dabney Coleman-Wargames) who plays two roles as Davey's father and Jack Flack.David G. Osborne(Henry Thomas) sets off with Kim,Jack Flack,and the spie's buddy(Micheal Murphy) with an adventure of their own with all the action and adventure.The film was filmed in San Antonio, Texas, on the riverwalk, S.A. airport,S.A. Mall, The Alamo, and S.A.'S biggest buissiness building.Watch cloak & dagger yull' love it, because it is my favorite movie.

mpaa rating :pg, for violence.

Also recommended : Mercury Rising-(action/adventure), The Client-(drama), FROM:MCA Universal Pictures,

Comments & Questions? Please mail to : Chad Nicholson 2203 Apricot Glen Austin, TX 78746

Spy Kid
"Cloak & Dagger" is one of those movies that was clearly made for the sole purpose of the audience to have fun. And on that level, it succeeds perfectly. This is a great movie to put in one night when you just want to relax, have fun, and not have to use your brain to understand the movie.

Henry Thomas plays Davey Osborne, a kid whose whole world revolves around his spy toys. He even has an imaginary friend, super-spy Jack Flack, who assists Davey on all of his assignments. One day, Davey witnesses a real murder. Before the victim dies, he hands Davey a Cloak & Dagger video game and gives him a number that Davey believes to be the score to beat to find out its secret. Unfortunately for Davey, the body is gone by the time he gets back with the cops and no one believes him. Soon, Davey is playing spy for real with the help of his imaginary friend, Jack.

The movie is fairly predictable, but is fun and engaging nonetheless. The villians are over the top, the imaginary friend is full of himself, and the heroes are kids who have no one else to turn to.

As I said before, this is a great movie to plug in after a hard day at work when all you want to do is unwind.

When the game becomes reality
Surprisingly, the reason why the boy who plays Davey Osbourne on this highly underrated kids movie may look familiar because he was Elliot on the movie E.T. Filming right where he was from, Henry Thomas was given the choice to film in San Antonio, taking that oppurtunity to be making a film in his own back yard. Maybe it was for the better considering it was made very well with good acting to it.
Davey just wants to have a little fun while the summer is still at large. His disciplining father (Dabney Coleman) doesn't exactly help to stimulate his imagination either. the only one who seems to understand him is his imaginary friend Jack Flack (also Dabney Coleman) who came right out of a video game to give Davey a little company. But when Davey and his friend Kim (Christina Nigra) are out to do a little errand when Davey witnesses a murder, and may have just escaped one himself, leaving with a mysterious video cartriage that the murdered man gave him. It is soon clear that someone else after the video game, and will stop at nothing to get it. As they chase after him for the seemingly innocent tape, Davey realizes he, and Kim are stuck with only one choice, and that's to run for their lives and figure out what is so important about this game to where people would as high as murder to get it.
This should really come out on DVD like others have suggested. I'll still wait for it, but until that time, Jack Flack will always escape.

Henry Thomas's best after E.T. waiting for DVD hopefully
I love this movie for Nostalgic reasons plus I used to play the actual game "Cloak & Dagger" at my local arcade and sometimes at the candy store.
Rented it back in the summer of '84 at my local video store
and me and my younger brother loved it and watched it tons of times.
It's the second BEST film Henry Thomas has ever done of course next to E.T.
He was a great child actor: cute, and never over acted, and when he cried it was always believable and that's why E.T. went on to become what it is now.
Well anyways regarding the movie it's a great family film with adventure,action,and a bit of mystery and suspense all rolled up into one. I just purchased it recently on VHS (can't seem to know why no DVD out yet?) I give it 4 stars...for the one reason being that the time factor in the movie concerning the bomb in Kim's walking talkie...everytime Davey (Henry Thomas)
looked up in worry to see if the time was ticking down to the bomb blowing up, time would stand still in terms of it'll be on 11:45pm for like 5 minutes in between him busting shots at bad guys, talking to "Jack Flack" his imaginary mentor spy friend, running, talking on the pay phone, trying to find a cab (with no money in his name) to get to the airport in time, going through the detectors, getting kidnapped by the old folks, and getting on the plane....all this was done in like10 minutes (in the movie) I looked at my watch and it was over 15-20 minutes that had passed!
But that is minor, I am a hard person to please when it comes to movies (at least nowadays movies) and I pretty much bomb most of the movies I see in my reviews but this a rare gem that I HIGHLY recommend.

Please Release This On DVD!
As a teenager in the 80's I watched Cloak and Dagger on HBO with my niece and nephew and we all liked the movie and watched it several times. Dabney Coleman and Henry Thomas were both great in this fun movie and I'm waiting for it to be released on DVD! ... Read more

Reviews (2449)

5 stars for DVD quality, 3 stars for the movie
I'm reviewing only the DVD, and not the movie itself, which was a bit of a stinker, in my opinion. Well produced, beautifully filmed, but very poorly written.

Anyway - this is an awesome and incredibly well done DVD. Lots and lots of extras. Great commentary by Lucas, the producer, the sound man, etc. Interview with the composer. Lots and lots and LOTS of background materials on the making of the film, and the entire process of putting it together from initial writing to final production, and the making of the DVD itself.

The image of the movie is *very* crisp and clean. The deleted scenes are a nice addition to the movie. I am very impressed (and surprised, to be cynical about it) that Lucas has given us the full-featured DVD the first time out, and not offered us one scaled down DVD version, only to offer us a better version in a year, and then the full-scale one a year after that, like he's constantly done with the VHS versions of his movies. Thank you, Lucas, for taking care of your fans this time, and not trying to pad your pockets a few times before giving the fans what they *really* want.

Quality-wise, this is absolutely one of the most loaded, best-featured DVDs I have in my collection.

(as a p.s. - after hearing Lucas' commentary, and talking about some things coming up in the next movies, I have realized that a few things I criticized about this movie actually make sense oin terms of the upcoming story-line. However, I still think that, overall, the writing for this movie was only a cut above old b-movies)

OK Movie, Great DVD
The Phantom Menace was probably the most heavily anticipated movie in history. It was the prequel to the original Star Wars series and George Lucas was taking the helm as director for the first time since Star Wars in 1977. The film was hyped incessantly and, of course, the final product failed to live up to the expectations. The Phantom Menace is not a bad film. It actually is absolutely amazing to look at and the special effects are incredible. The problem with the film is the plot. It seems disjointed as it bounces around from scene to scene. It seems that Mr. Lucas was to preoccupied with getting the film to look right than the actual story (which is what made the first Star Wars so great). Many people weren't happy with the casting of several roles, especially Ewan MacGregor as Obi Won Kenobi, but he does a decent job in an undeveloped role. Liam Neeson is commanding as Qui Gon Jin and Natalie Portman is quite good as Queen Amadala. The biggest complaint that most people had with the film was with the character of Jar Jar Binks and I won't disagree with most of what's been said about the annoying character. Mr. Lucas has previously shunned the DVD arena (American Graffiti is the only one of his films to appear in the format), but he goes about this release with a vengeance. The extras, including seven deleted scenes, are worth buying this DVD alone. Mr. Lucas spent an additional four million dollars on them and the money is well spent.

prequel?
in this one,there is a council of jedis who rule everything and keep the peace.yoda,ben,some black dude and on like that.a younger ben finds a little kid-who is called anakan and later vadar.that kid wins his freedom with bens help in a very cool pod race.ben recognizes the force in the little one and decides to train him as a jedi.the bad guy is darth maul who has a double bladed light saber-very cool.hes the coolest looking character yet.i think peple came down too hard on jar-jar.hes a dork but there have been a lot worse.the kids will like it.it is the 4th part but the first episode.everybody should go see this one because just anybody will like it.anakans mom was pretty nice if she cleaned herself up.this movie isnt as good as the tv says but they blow everything all out of proportion anyway.this movie is abselutely incredible though.i think the black dude may be in the matrix too.its good too.the special effects are good.after this there is one more.then there is an animated short film.there is also another one on the way next summer.

To Lucas: Eye of the Tiger, Man!!
To quote the famous lines by Apollo Creed from Rocky III, "You lost for all the wrong reasons, you lost your edge. Eye of the tiger, man!"
A good analogy when you think of it...

When Lucas made the first trilogy he was a relativly unknown up-and-comming writer/director full of desire and well, "hunger" to make his mark. That drive lead to the masterpieces of pop culture we know as ANH and ESB. By ROTJ his edge was already waning but thankfully it was the last one... or so we thought.

By the time TPM came out he lost it completely and produced a quite mediocre if at best ordinary film. Living like a king for the past 20+ years made him not "hungry and full of desire" but fat and content. He lost his edge.

Peter Jackson's LOTR Trilogy is so much better than Lucas' last 2 efforts for this same reason. Jackson has the "eye of the tiger"!

Lucas HAS to get his edge back. Most agree AOTC is better than TPM but not by much. Will episode 3 prove that Lucas got it back??

If only reality played out like the fantasy of Rocky III and Lucas brings home a REAL winner....

What drug was George Lucas on?
I love Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. I think that George Lucas should have stopped there. The two movies: The Phantom Menace and the Attack of the Clones....SUCK! What was George Lucas thinking? Jar Jar Binks needs to tossed off the face of the earth, and Hayden Christansen (while hot), needs to take some acting lessons. Not enough special effects in the world could make me want to see the third release. Poor acting and writing have made me want to run for cover! Where's the FORCE when you need it? ... Read more

Reviews (11)

OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmm
Once again Ram Dass leads the way! He is at his most open, his most giving and humbled in this wonderous film of the journey of his life. old home movies,many stories, comments by friends such as Huston Smith, Ralph Metzner, Larry Brilliant, Krishna Das and Bhagavan Das. This film inspires, as does all of Ram Dass' work.
Thank you Ram Dass, Namaste`. i bow to the God within you. Love,
*Ladybear~

A must see for the strokee community
All the first reviewer wrote is completely true. This film gives a wonderful bio of Ram Dass. But his graceful path through the STROKE EXPERIENCE is a must for strokees to view. there is much he has learned from this "fierce grace" from "BEING STROKED"...that could help others through the aging process and esp through the understanding of stroke as a strokee and as a loved one. I wish all of the 700,000 who experiences STROKE this year could have this dvd placed in their hands asap.
I give it 5 stars. I intend to enjoy each part of THIS FILM for a long time. THANK YOU RAM DASS FOR YOUR LIFE BEFORE STROKE AND AFTER.
NAMASTE'
Love, Light, Rainbows
and Blessings
Mary Simpson

Itself a Transmission
Never a Ram Dass fan, I saw this film at home and experienced a totally unexpected elevation of thought, mood and outlook. In my early 50's, I have surrendered many of my earlier life beliefs, preferring to live realistically and in concert with the community as it is. This film reached deeply into my core, brought deep tears and a profound softening, compassion for us all on the planetary journey. For anyone feeling distanced from spiritual energy, this is a must see, as it wakes up the best of what we as humans have to offer.

Very informative, Interesting & Useful
I urge everybody to reexamine Ram Dass, intelligently not stupidly, as a better alternative to the Neo-Christian Taliban, and as an intelligent method to dealing with emotional grifters who've misappropriated his methods.

Before I chanced upon this on OPB, I saw Ram Dass books at garage sales and thrift stores all over the west coast. I wish more would get reacquainted with the REAL Ram Dass--he definitely is better than the competition, or the stank his abusers have caused.

Now, I always thought Ram Dass was some sort of guru-for-money-60's-guy, but after this, I see not. He's very intellectual, and encourages self-examination, thoughtfulness and kindness.
As with any lifestyle, beware the radical stupid followers. This is the same with any religion. They ruin it for the leader and the rest of society.
I admit that I had to overcome some prejudices against the Ram Dass generation.
The Me-Generation out here has misappropriated Ram Dass's ideas to retool ethics to where everything they do is "enlightened", no matter how narcissistic, abusive and neglectful---and they really mess up other folks around them and their own children. They've turned into no-better than any other religious addiction.

In his film, I saw the followers dancing around in awkward and unnatural ways totally alien to Indian culture---but seen every where on the west coast. I call it the Dance-of-Milkfed-Wannabes-Rebelling-Against-Super-Square-Background-But-Still-Clueless-&-Dancing-Like-Windmill. (Indian music and dancing, I've always found to be pleasant and graceful.) So many folks here are overly desperate to be cult followers, and get all glassy-eyed and irrational about the obsession of the month.

In the city where I live, you see the exact same hippie dance, where the attention-ho seems to think arm-flailing like a zombie in inappropriate places shows everybody they are enlightened, even though nobody else is dancing, there's too many breakables, and other people looking on in horror & snickering.

That and watching 20-year-old hippie infants, who've been told by Mommy & Daddy that everything they do is wonderful and natural, sit in cafes, pick their noses and eat it, plus eat with their mouths open & food falling out. I cannot believe that was a kindness by their parents---why would they make the kid so repulsive?

Anyway, his stuff is good, it's a good way of thinking, and it's a good way to deal with the abusers of his system or any other system.

Absolutely Wonderful and Healing
I've watched this DVD twice now. It is even more powerful the second time. I've known about Ram Dass for years and just really got how beautiful a man he is. This is a perfect example of how this medium can be a powerful tool for healing and transformation. The journey of this film is an emotional ride with many delightful moments of wit and interesting history about a man and presence of love on this planet. I highly reccomend everyone to experience the power of "Fierce Grace". While no one would ever wish upon another the harsh lessons of the many people interviewed in this documentary, there is an opportunity for growth and expansion of awareness contained in this slim DVD. ... Read more

Description

On December 31, 1931, lone trapper Albert Johnson (Charles Bronson) shot and killed a man in self-defense at his remote Yukon cabin. A few days later, hard-living lawman Sgt. Edgar Millen (LeeMarvin) reluctantly brought a heavily armed posse to arrest Johnson formurder. In the brutal siege that followed, Johnson would kill four more men before escaping into the frozen mountains.As a nation watched, Millen was forced to pursue Johnson by foot, dogsled and plane in a desperate chase that would take both men from the brink of survival to the very edge of vengeance.

Fifteen years after THE DIRTY DOZEN, Bronson and Marvin re-teamed for this explosive action hit directed by Peter Hunt (ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, ASSASSINATION). Andrew Stevens, Carl Weathers and Angie Dickinson co-star in this real-life story of the fugitive called 'The Mad Trapper' and the manhunt that shocked the world.Based On The Incredible True Story Of'The Deadliest Manhunt In History' ... Read more

Reviews (20)

The Mad Trapper of Rat River
Loosely based on the real-life story of Albert Johnson, the `Mad Trapper of the Rat River,' DEATH HUNT (1981) isn't much more than a cynical ploy by Hollywood to drastically rewrite history and milk Charles Bronson's successful Death Wish movie, aided by employing a couple of bankable, if somewhat antiquated, action stars. The real Johnson shot and killed an RCMP officer.The movie Johnson (Charles Bronson) is provoked by a group of degenerate rowdies after rescuing a dog, owned by a head rowdy, that is cruelly being forced to fight another dog in an unconvincing dog fight (saw the muzzles on the small screen, even without having to rewind or freeze frame.)The rowdies attack and Albert Johnson pops a couple of them, in self defense, of course, which has them running to Sgt. Edgar Millen (Lee Marvin), a bit of a degenerate himself (hey, life was tough up in the Great North in the 1930s - the law of tooth and claw and all that.)Reluctantly, Millen initiates a manhunt to track Johnson down and bring him to justice.
What ensues in an unremarkable hour or so of mukluk and snowshoe clad geriatric movie stars chasing each other through the deep snow and tall pines.The filmmakers may have been buried some anti-authoritarian message in there, but the movie was so flat and the characters so uninteresting - even the usually reliable Marvin seems a bit distracted - that I couldn't muster the curiosity to go looking for it. If you want to see Marvin and Bronson together in a good movie watch THE DIRTY DOZEN instead.

History gets skewered in entertaining action thriller
The movie DEATH HUNT turns history on its head, but in doing so it manages to deliver an entertaining movie that details the determination of two men in a manhunt across the Canadian tundra.
Directed by James Bond veteran Peter Hunt, who after working as an editor on the first few 007 pictures was promoted to director of the fan favorite ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE and went on to direct such classics as GOLD and SHOUT AT THE DEVIL.
The movie DEATH HUNT provides Hunt the opportunity to reteam with his SHOUT AT THE DEVIL star Lee Marvin. Marvin plays a world-weary Canadian Mountie who is obligated (I use that word because Marvin's character seems to feel some sympathy for his quarry) to bring in a trapper (played by a quiet brooding Charles Bronsan) who is being harassed by some local thugs.
The execution of this story is excellent, the acting first-rate and the shots of the Yukon breathtaking. Where this movie does falter is in purporting to tell history by tying in the story of the Mad Trapper of Rat River into the fabric of the story - and in doing so unraveling all the history books tell us about the real incident.
Just type in `Mad Trapper of Rat River" on an Internet search engine to learn all you want to know about the 1931 incident, but everything we know about the real incident tells us that Albert Johnson was the guilty party. But here Johnson is portrayed as an innocent man whose pursuers use the charge of his being the mad trapper as an excuse to mobolize the law enforcement resources of the Yukon to catch him.
Given that nobody to this day really knows the identity of Johnson, the filmmakers invent a rather fanciful past for him. The character Marvin plays - Millen - was also shot and killed by Johnson in a shootout midway through the chase, but in the movie DEATH HUNT Marvin's character is in the chase to the very end.
Still, taken as a piece of fiction the movie DEATH HUNT is resounding stuff. I saw it on television some years ago and was hoping it would one day be released on DVD. Hunt is an expert at building suspense and a master at drama - and DEATH HUNT have both those elements in plentiful supply.
In addition to Marvin and Bronsan the movie also features an impressive supporting cast with young heartthrob of the late 1970s/1980s Andrew Stevens as a young, eager Mountie and Carl Weathers (of Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies fame) as another weary Mountie. Add to the mix Ed Lauter and Angie Dickinsoin and the pedigree of this feature is obvious.
So, the overall verdict? This is an entertaining action adventure with plenty of suspense and drama. Just don't expect an accurate history lesson.
Sadly this is a largely bare-bones DVD release with only the theatrical trailer to complement it.

Don't Mess with Bronson
Here is an effective movie with Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin.Previously the pair appeared together in at least one other movie, the World War II classic "The Dirty Dozen."This movie is significantly less sophisticated than "The Dirty Dozen," but is enjoyable for the running battle between Bronson, an individualist who just wants to be left alone, and a group of men out for revenge in the thinly veiled guise of a Mounties-led posse.

Albert Johnson (Bronson) is minding his own business until he sees a dog being mistreated.Being the person that he is, he saves the dog and in the process ends up getting accused of murder.The group of men Johnson tangles with is clearly morally marginal characters, as is emphasized over and over so that you sympathize with Bronson from the outset.In order to keep legal legitimacy in this frontier town, Sgt. Edgar Millen of the Mounties (Marvin), takes his shiny rookie assistant and gathers up a posse to take Johnson into custody.Johnson does not want to be taken into custody and he is smart enough and clever enough and a veteran to boot so he knows how to foil the intentions of a bunch of backwoods rednecks that know how to shoot but not a lot else, at least in this movie.

We get a basic understanding of which the important characters are when the posse surrounds Johnson's cabin.After shooting the cabin full of holes the posse takes a look see to determine whether they did anything, whereupon Johnson leisurely takes his own, rather deliberate actions.Of course the cabin is eventually made uninhabitable and Johnson is forced to head for the hills; sorry, make those hills mountains because they are in Alaska.

Now comes the "Death Hunt" part of the movie, assuming that the cabin scene really was not a hunt since the posse knew where he was.Except the only death is that dealt by Johnson.The movie is really poorly named and just as easily could have been named "Johnson," but that might have confused people with another movie.I suspect that the person that created the title was running low on creativity that day.

Now Johnson is running for his life, chased by men, dogs and an airplane.Here is a bit of a twist.This movie feels a lot like something that should have taken place in the latter part of the 1800s, but it actually takes place in the 30s, and machine gun armed planes were available to track down and shoot dastardly criminals like Bronson.The pilot of the airplane is arrogant and supremely confident that his airplane can overcome any evildoer because it has technology and Johnson is just an ignorant backwoods criminal.The viewer can see what happens in the battle between the airplane and Johnson.

During the course of the movie we see that Sgt. Millen sympathizes and empathizes with Johnson.As we watch the two men in action it is easy to see that they are actually very much alike, and as different from the other characters as they are alike.Perhaps director Peter Hunt, who directed the James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" and was second unit director on a number of previous Bond films, was making a commentary on the imminent loss of individualism and personal integrity.We too come to like both men and see that Millen is just as reluctant to go after Johnson as we are to see him go after Millen.

This movie was released about a year or so before Sylvester Stallone's "Rambo," and shares a number of similarities, including at least one scene involving a jump into a tree.Rambo and Johnson are both ex-military.Both men are quite good at surviving in the wild, and both seem to have special forces backgrounds or the equivalent.Both men are loners and have a very solid sense of right and wrong.Both men push back only when pushed.Rambo battles a helicopter and Johnson battles a biplane.Johnson and Rambo both jump into a tree to escape.Johnson is wearing heavy furs and while the jump may have caused some minor injuries, he was relatively unscathed.Rambo got a really big splinter in his arm and we got to see how macho he was when he sewed the wound without any anesthetic.Johnson was only trying to survive rather than proving he was anything.

This movie was influenced by a variety of sources.You can see elements of Jack London's books and more than a touch of Bronson's earlier movies.Bronson always wanted to be on the right side of the law, even if he had to take an action that others might consider to be illegal.

If you liked Bronson's "Death Wish" movies, you will find this movie more subtle and complex, even though at its core there are strong similarities between the movies.Of course, Lee Marvin always brings something special to any movie he is in and the careful screen choreography between Bronson and the much more vocal and expressive Marvin make this action movie a treat to watch.

"Nail anything that moves...except me."
Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin appearing in a film together?The machismo factor must be through the roof...but this isn't the first time these two legendary Hollywood tough guys appeared together.They previously worked together on The Dirty Dozen (1967) and the The Meanest Men in the West (1967), which was actually two episodes of the TV show The Virginian put together to make a feature length television movie.Directed by Peter Hunt (On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Assassination), Death Hunt (1981) stars, as I mentioned, Charles Bronson (formerly known as Charles Buchinsky...I guess Buchinsky wasn't `Hollywood' enough, hence the change) and Lee Marvin (his original name), who was once on director Steven Spielberg's short list to play the character Quint in his 1975 film, Jaws (think how different that film would have been with Marvin instead of Robert Shaw).Also appearing is Andrew Stevens (Night Eyes, Munchie), who was once married to actress Kate Jackson of Charlie's Angels fame, Carl `Apollo' Weathers (Rocky), Ed Lauter, whom you may remember as Captain Knauer in the 1974 Burt Reynolds film The Longest Yard (which is currently being remade starring Adam Sandler, scheduled for released in '05, further proving creativity is dead in Hollywood), and Angie Dickinson (Big Bad Mama, Dressed to Kill), in a role originally offered to Joan Collins, but she turned it down due to a lack of bitchery within the character.

The film, based on a true story (but denounced by many Canadian historians for its' misrepresentation of the facts), takes place in the Yukon Territories in the year 1931.It centers on Albert Johnson (Bronson), a lone trapper who becomes a fugitive, pursued by the doggedly determined Sgt. Edgar Millen, RCMP (Marvin), essentially for a crime he didn't commit.After a run in with a group of less than savory individuals, lead by Hazel (Lauter), Johnson is accused of murder, and the curmudgeonly Millen, with his rookie Mountie (Andrews) in tow, investigate the allegations.Millen suspects Johnson acted in self-defense, and tries to convince Johnson to come peaceably, but a trigger happy member of the posse (one of Hazel's men) spoils those plans, inadvertently bringing the fury down on their collective heads as Johnson, who we learn later, is a WWI veteran, extremely proficient with weapons and trained to survive in nearly any terrain, leads the group on a bloody chase across the snowy, arctic tundra.

In watching Death Hunt (I dislike that title, and I think it was probably chosen due to the popularity of Bronson's 1974 film Death Wish), I couldn't help notice the similarities with the Sylvester Stallone film First Blood (1982), released a year later.

Both films share a lead characters that;

1. have a military background

2. a loner type seeking the solace of living life of seclusion, preferably away from civilization

3. finds himself in trouble with the law for essentially a crime he didn't commit

4. becomes a fugitive, and the subsequent target of a massive manhunt, which he successfully manages to fend off and elude

Also, both films share a scene where the main character, backed against a cliff, leaps from the cliff onto the top of a tall tree, making their way to relative safety (well, Rambo did get that big, nasty wooden sliver in his arm).The main difference between the two films is that of the law enforcement characters played by Marvin and Brian Dennehy.Dennehy was obviously played up to be the antagonist, thereby garnering a sense of sympathy for the character of Rambo (thereby providing justifications for his actions), while Marvin's character of Edgar Millen is much different.Millen has an inherent understanding and respect for Johnson, leaning towards the belief that Johnson probably acted out of self-defense, but due to forces out of his control (that of a bloody thirsty mob) is now forced to bring Johnson in anyway he can, as it's his duty.There doesn't appear to be any real animosity between the characters of Millen and Johnson, only a mutual understanding that each is doing what they must, either out of a sense of duty or sense of self preservation.The performances weren't necessarily outstanding, but each actor, all professionals, came across well.It's not like Bronson brought anything new to his role, but his character seemed pretty straightforward.Marvin did get a chance to add a little depth to his character, but I always thought his career sort of petered out after The Dirty Dozen...but what a long, successful career it was...the characters played by Weathers and Dickinson (who was the only female character in the film, not counting Buffalo Woman, the local heavy-set prostitute who spoke no English) almost seemed extraneous.The story is pretty straightforward, and moves along well, with lots of action and a nice bits of violence (plenty of guys get shot up, but one in particular gets it right between the eyes, to which we get a nice shot of the bullet exiting the back of his head).The one thing that I did find hard to swallow was a scene where a group of armed men have Johnson's log cabin surrounded, and he's successfully fending them off, to which they decide to use dynamite, literally blowing the cabin to smithereens.Assuming he's dead the men begin to converge on the wreckage, only to be met by an unscathed, armed to the teeth Johnson, who reduces their numbers by a few.Seriously, he didn't have a scratch on him, yet the cabin he was holed up in was completely obliterated.He did dig a couple of trenches within the cabin to better facilitate firing upon those surrounding him, but they weren't that deep.

The widescreen (1.85:1, enhanced for 16x9) picture presented on this DVD by Anchor Bay Entertainment looks really good and the audio comes through clean and clear.Special features include a trailer for the film, and a insert containing a reproduction of an original poster for the film.

Cookieman108

Ultimate Man's Movie! - Finally On DVD!!!
A true "sleeper" film that utilizes to the utmost, the "tough guy" talents of Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin.It's 1931 and Albert Johnson (Bronson) is a man wrongly accused of murder in the untamed Yukon territory. He is an expert hunter/trapper and can survive in the most extreme weather & temperatures. Marvin plays a grizzled old Canadian Mountie, Sgt. Edgar Millen, who's just as tough and not to be messed with! When a group of low-life fur trappers try to make trouble and take on Johnson, they find out too late... they messed with the wrong guy. Then they go and lie to Millen - saying Johnson murdered one of them. Millen knows the reality but he has to control the situation: either do nothing and let the bad trappers exercise mob rule (resulting in more deaths) or "take Johnson in" himself to dispense justice and clear Johnson of any charges.

Millen sets out to bring Johnson in, aided by a young "replacement" mountie just transferred in (Andrew Stevens) who proves to everyone he's not as green as they think - and Millen's long-time friend Sun Dog, (Carl Weathers) also a seasoned hunter/tough guy. Millen's efforts are complicated by the bad trappers who tag along as an unwanted "posse" which begins to grow as the film progresses.The film moves fast enough. There are some well-placed quiet scenes between the action... but the pursuit is grueling and relentless as the protagonists trek across some of the most beautiful, yet unforgiving Canadian wilderness.

The only thing preventing this from being the perfect guy film is a pointless sub-plot involving Angie Dickinson (not that I have a problem with her!) But some of the best guy films have zero women - so they're 100% testosterone!

Despite that, this film is awesome as it proves Lee Marvin, even in the twilight of his career, was an awesome tough guy - and you can see here that it comes natural for him. Also, Bronson delivers through & through as the quiet, deadly force we've all come to know and love. Highly recommended! I'll need to buy 3 copies as soon as it's released! (2 for my bros!) ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Global Thermonuclear War
What happens when a computer hacker breaks into the defense department's computer system and starts playing what he thinks is a computer game? Would you believe World War III?

That is the premise of this movie in a nutshell. But don't let the simple plot line summary fool you. This is a great movie.

Half the fun of this movie is in watching David Lightman (played by Matthew Broderick) get himself in deep water when he accidentally gets the United States to believe that the Soviet Union is attacking. The other half of the fun is in watching David and his new girlfriend (played by Ally Sheedy) desperately try to find the only person on the face of the earth who can stop the computer (called Joshua) from starting World War III.

This is a fun, escapist movie that can be enjoyed by the entire family. Don't worry about the plot holes, or the lack of believability in some areas. Just watch the movie for the fun that it is meant to be.

The best hacker movie ever made!
"WarGames" is easily one of the best hacker movies ever made. Matthew Broderick did a very good job playing in this movie. Broderick is David Lightman, a young man, who breaks into the computer's defense system and almost starts World War III. Ally Sheedy is awesome, in her supporting role, as Jennifer Mack, David's girlfriend. Dabney Coleman is excellent as John McKittrick, a cocky computer expert, and John Wood is wonderful as Stephen Falken, a wizardly computer genius. I have this movie on DVD and I am glad to own it.

Dated but still worth watching.
When this movie was released it was very up to date with the technology it featured. In this day of laptop computers and Internet access to mobile phones it certainly looks dated but put that aside and you are still left with a really good movie with a plot idea that still works today.
The story revolves around an underachieving, bored teenager (played by a very young Matthew Broderick) whose main interest in life is his computer. From his bedroom he can alter his school grades, reserve flights, and download software, all by hacking into other computers. While searching for new games from a software company he comes across a set of titles he assumes are games and decides, with his girlfriend, to play Global Thermonuclear War. Unfortunately it isn't a software company he has hacked into but a military system and he is playing against NORAD's computer. When the realisation hits that the NORAD computer, when it's turn comes round, will launch atomic missiles for real, the race is on the stop the game.
This is still a gripping film that can well pump up the tension even after several viewings. Recommended

well be back in two and two
this movie is best seen in sequence after slingblade, american psycho, kids in the hall, wag the dog, and lawnmower man. Not to be rude or anything, but I find this movie slightly erotic when the computer asks mathew if he wants to play a game. after you watch this, you need to really get the totally erotic euphoria of Bob Roberts and you got a really good movie marathon. Seriously though, if you have a blind date, rent this one and shell do anything you ask, even if she doesnt like you, I swear by this DVD as a date movie, it sets the mood just right. The performances and Brodericks beedy eyes make it a two thumbs up thriller that few other movies will come close to.
enjoy

The original W.O.P.P.E.R.
This animal is a whopper in more ways than one. All you have to do is suspend any type of belief in reality and it is a lot of fun trying to outguess the next move. Even after you have seen it a million times you will find your self kibitzing "look look look it is still running." And what is Joshua doing at the back door?

A teenager, David Lightman (Matthew Broderick) that is too tech savvy for his own good is searching for the new game on the net. He stumbles into the NORAD mainframe evidently it was DARPA/net. For those with a short lifespan DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) was the precursor to the internet. We all know what happens when you do this. Yep, now David with the help if his teenage sweetie, Jennifer (Ally Sheedy) must worm his way into NORAD and stop the game or we are toast. ... Read more

Reviews (184)

This movie is a classic
For me, this movie rates number one among romantic comedies. I have watched it dozens of times and each time I laugh and cry as if it is my first time watching it. The story is so endearing.. How a man and woman meet and dislike each other, mature and "find" each other again only to end a great friendship and finally realize they love each other and marry. I don't feel that Billy Crystal or Meg Ryan have been able to equal their performances in this movie with any other film. They have great chemistry and through the entire film, you hope that someday they will realize how they feel for one another. Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher are equally entertaining. Whenever someone asked me what my favorite Romantic Comedy is, my answer is always When Harry Met Sally.... If there were a "Hall of Fame" for movie genres, this movie would be it. If you want a good laugh (and cry) this movie is it.

It Had to Be You
This movie has been a favorite of mine back in highschool when I first saw the film either on HBO or Television. It also has personal meaning as well, not in the romantic way as some might have the film in their lives but just in a fun eventful personal way.
The movie is about the single life, dating, and the age old question "Can woman and men just be friends?" The movie stars my personal favorites Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal who are perfectly paired up together in this film. Meg plays Sally who's I guess the more positive, healthier (speaking from the film of course) of the two where as Billy is completely different he's deep and depressed. They meet each other on the trip to New York City where they want their lives to start after college. Then ironically keep meeting a couple years later...the final time they meet he's seperated and she and her boyfriend break up. The movie continues to go into the question, in a way its a hopeful movie for the romantics and other words it could give relationships like this a false impression as Nora Ephron explains in the Documentary of the Film. But nonetheless its a hopeful and very cute romantic comedy. It also stars the wonderful Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby. Who are great as Sally and Harry's best friends in the movie. Its fun romantic and witty. And great for both men and woman I believe. It'll be up to you to decide if woman and men can be just friends :)
The soundtrack is great. It's all performed by Harry Connic Jr. to give it the classic touch. With the hit tune "It Had to be You." And many more classic songs.
The DVD has tons of goodies. I'll ignore the fact that it doesn't have a full screen selection as well. But let's move on it's got a great behind the scene's documentary fully on how the idea was scripted, when people came on board such as Nora Ephron, Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal and so on. It goes through who had the idea for what, and how each of them relates to the characters they play. To even how the music was picked for the film and so on. They also have the movie trailer and trailers for other movies by Rob R. as well as the music video to "It Had to be You" With Harry Connic Jr., Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. There's also commentary by Rob R., Billy Crystal, Carrie Fisher and cast and crew which I still have yet to view and go through but I can't wait. This will always be my first classic romantic comedy and how I came to adore Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. I'm sure both men and woman will love this movie :)

My favorite movie of all time!
This movie is the perfect movie to make you laugh. I watch it every year somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love the scene where they pick out a Christmas tree. It draws you into New York the way Sex and the City does. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan were perfect for their roles--I've never liked either of them more than in this movie. Many great quotes came from this movie.

A unforgettable romantic comedy . The best of eighties!
Billy Cristal and Meg Ryan are in their peak craft. They made a punch comedy with the challenging question: May two friends of different sex to be great friends without falling in love?
This is a the premise who will allow to Reiner and this cast to make a delightful and sugestive film.
Obviously you will find traces of some films of Woody Allen , but this picture in particular breathes in the purest sense of the world. This is a love story with many laughable and smart situations that (jokes apart), will let you thinking.
Believe me if I say that since Two for the road (Stanley Donen) and Forty carats (Milton Katselas) I'd never seen a film so original and so well made. The orgasm sequence is now a classic!.A film that blends the charisma and the beauty of Meg and the hyper fast mind of Cristal, never can fail. Don't you?
Acquire this one. It's a cult movie.

Funny.
Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally starred in this crowd-pleasing romantic comedy.

I was really surprised that I enjoyed this one, usually I don't like Billy Crystal but there was some excellent dialogue in this film that helped him out, Meg Ryan looked great (when she didn't have an awful '80's perm - note to ladies on here - it looks really dumb as do ugg boots and jeans that show off your butt cleavage or fat rolls).

I really wish the whole "I'm having what she's having" statement was not said as I've had to endure countless cheesy commercials based on this scene but all in all had some fun with this one.

That said, too many f words, about 8, and too much of the fornicating already, try getting to know someone properly first then marrying them as a lifelong commitment before sleeping with them

Also, you can have platonic friends of the opposite sex, and unless you've got a lust problem you won't be thinking about bedding them all the time.

Thanks for reading, and come out of them you lustful demon!! ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Nil Science Fiction, Strong Sexual Content
Because this video in unrated and carries no warning in the information area I feel shoppers should be aware that this by all rights a soft core porn film with strong sexual content and little science fiction. I bought the VHS version from another source expecting the sort of movie "Roger Corman Presents" might sponsor, something along the lines of "Species" or Amanda & the Alien. While more in the vein of the latter the sci-fi part, {or any other technology for that matter}, is limited to a few teleportations via telekinesis and some aura/emotion melding. The movie is probably 60% by time made of sexual contact. Technically the movie is suprisingly well made for the genera. It is shot on film {not video tape}. The scenery is professionally done and the acting level reaches that of daytime soap operas. The sound quality is not bad. So the technical qualities are there to be transfered to DVD, just beware of the content.

Venesa Taylor makes Femalien the best movie of its kind
I have to say I really enjoyed Femalien. Yes, it's undeniably soft-core porn, but it is absolutely the best movie of this type I have ever seen. The plot isn't anything to brag about, but it does make some sense and holds together quite nicely. Femalien is an alien 'collector' sent to earth to study human intimacy. Her people have evolved beyond physical bodies to become energy beings, and intimacy has been lost in the process. Femalien is given a 'suitable' form (I'll say) that will allow her to pass herself off as a human being and learn all about interpersonal relations by observing humans interacting with one another. She doesn't have to look very far to find subjects for study, and she is a quick learner, engaging in her own interaction experiments before very long.

This whole movie just exudes professionalism, from the acting to the camera work to whatever else directors do that makes a film a real treat to watch. You won't find this many attractive women in most films of this type, either. Venesa Taylor in particular is a living doll; hers is a classic beauty that is quite rare these days. She is just completely captivating. She has talent, too, and her naïve, innocent manner of speech and appearance just suits her role in this movie to a tee. The sex scenes, even the ones that don't include Venesa Taylor, are also as good as you will find in movies of this genre. Basically, Femalien has it all. Forget about all the disappointments you may have felt when watching other supposedly good movies of this type; Femalien is sure to please. As long as you are aware of this movie's exceedingly erotic nature and don't approach it expecting a thrilling science fiction adventure, there is simply no way you can be disappointed.

Aliens Study the Sensual Arts
I was in the mood for some alien invasion movies the other day and watched a small marathon. As well as such movies as The Arrival, I watched a film called Femalien. Femalien reminds me of a modern remake of The Girl From Starship Venus.

Femalien is the story of an alien landing on Earth to study human interactions. The energy being is given the form of a young woman. What follows are scenes of her spying on couples and her interactions with others. The alien is collecting and cataloging experiences for her race who have risen above physicality but still miss it. During her adventures she tries to help a local woman retain ownership of her diner.

While the plot is weak I do recommend this film for those times when a movie like Invasion of the Star Creatures or Galaxina is the sort of thing you are looking for.

Excellent actresses; stupid "plot"
This movie uses science fiction as a flimsy excuse to accomplish a few plot objectives, like transporting back to her bedroom instead of seducing, etc. And the plot itself gets so ridiculous that you really wouldn't want to stick around for the ending...
But, I'll bet you will. I did, and I'm glad I did. If you liked the first love scene in "Mulholland Drive", you will love this movie. Mostly for the ending scene, but there's a little more to it.
Somehow these actors make you forget the ridiculous setups for the sex scenes. It's almost tastefully done. Unlike in hardcore, these people actually look like real people (although much more attractive) when making love. And in spite of the script, they manage to create a little bit of sexual tension.
But that's if your trying to follow the "story". If you just like to see some really beautiful women (and/or men) getting naked, I can highly recommend this on that subject. As many reviewers have stated, the lead is ravishing. She a little believeable in the role, but who cares: she's super hot! And the others are very nice too-- not a dud in the bunch.
So, even though this is another smoothjazz softcore movie, it's not typical. It's very beautiful, and very dumb. In other words, any Heather Graham fans will get it.

Simply the Best, in my humble opinion... :o)
As an adult female that never ever considered purchasing a movie of this sort before, I must say that I really enjoyed it (I'm glad that I did).
My goodness, the female lead is beyond words.
Not that I've ever thought of another female in that way before (I might just change my mind).
So far, I've purchased and viewed 2 other Surrender Cinema movies, they were great, as well.
But, I must say 1 particular scene in this movie made me a convert, it did.
All in all, I'm really glad that I purchased it.

This review pertains to the 'Director's Unedited Cut' version, on DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (98)

Superb - One of the Great Foreign Language Films of Our Time
A thrilling, intoxicating masterpiece, "Like Water for Chocolate" will leave you hungry, happy and hung over with its surreal vision and unforgettable performances. Some of the film's charm lies in its uncompromising vision of what it must be like to be a poor, Mexican woman, surrounded by angry sisters and petty jealousies. The food is a miracle of texture and authenticity that makes the book a recipe lover's dream. But the spiritual aspects of the movie take it someplacve else altogether....by tying food and unseen forces together, the author and director have fashioned love as a cycle of human emotion coupled with betrayal and passion. Believers and non-believers alike are asked to suspend judgement and just BE with this movie, for it raises issues and themes rarely imagined or acheived on film. A few sequences are startling - such as a wedding party where every guest is gastronimically infected by a soup that is stewed with the tears of our protagonist, and they all end up regurgitating the mixture, and in the end, understanding that true love should not be gambled away for money or superiority. Another sequence, where the middle daughter Gertudis, is literally kidnapped by a horse riding gunslinger while she sits alone in an outhouse doing her business, is hysterical, yet also painful to watch, because it symbolizes the woman's need for free choice in a world where men have so much of the power. Besides, any couple who has eloped or married without their parent's blessings will quickly make the connection to their own experience. If you can keep up with the subtitles, I'd advise against a dubbed version, for in its Spanish - eloquent, funny and dramatic - the film c aptures its truest form of communication. And food as metaphor - used in other terrific fims like "Babette's Feast" - has never been presented in such an awe inspiring manner. This is a feast to be savored every step of its delectible way.

A passion for cooking and romance!!!
This has to be one of my all time favorite foreign films. I loved the book and I think the movie is equally good. The story is set around a young woman named Tita, who according to an unfair family tradition, must care for her overbearing, demanding mother. Because of this, she is unable to marry the young man she has fallen in love with and transfers her passion into the meals she prepares(with very interesting results!). Based on the book by Laura Esquivel and directed by her husband at the time (Alfonso Arau, who also directed the Keanu Reeves movie, "A Walk in the Cloud") this film is a captivating fairy tale that is sure to entertain.

a feast of the 5 senses, come to life
after you watch this movie, you will either want to eat, cook (preferably one of the mentioned recipes), make love or all three! i saw the version dubbed in spanish, and also read 3 selected chapters from the book, for spanish class. it's a work of art and genius, and it must be watched all the way through without stopping. the characters are excellently portrayed, and it combines love, feminism, drama, sensuality, lust, hope, passion, and humour, topped with cultural tradition and folklore. i don't know which one is better, the book or the movie. all of the 5 senses are provoked on a deep and perhaps even primal level, especially taste and smell, feverishly yearning for a sum greater than their overall parts (gestalt) - which brings up the sixth sense, intuition.

Like Water For Chocolate
In the novel, "Like Water for Chocolate," I found it very interesting that two young people, Tita and Pedro fell deeply in love and they could never marry each other. The best part about the book was that they had to hide their feelings from everyone but they knew they loved each other deep inside their hearts. I liked the fact that they loved each other until the day they died and they died making love to each other. I strongly recommend this book to other people.

Like water for chocolate!
This is a very sensual movie about two lovers who could not be together. I loved it and would watch it again and again. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Inspired by "Gulliver's Travels," the fantasy-adventure Castle in theSky (1986) was Hayao Miyazaki's third feature, and helped to establishhis reputation as a visionary in both Japan and America. The orphan Sheetainherited a mysterious crystal that links her to the legendary sky-kingdom ofLaputa. With the help of resourceful Pazu and a rollicking band of skypirates, she makes her way to the ruins of the once-great civilization.Sheeta and Pazu must outwit the evil Muska, who plans to use Laputa's scienceto make himself ruler of the world. Castle echoes elements inMyazaki's earlier Nausicaä, and anticipates imagery in his laterfilms, from My Neighbor Totoro to Spirited Away.Disney's newEnglish dub, which features Anna Paquin (Sheeta), James Van Der Beek (Pazu),and Cloris Leachman (pirate matriarch Dola), is lively and close in tone tothe original Japanese, if a bit talkier. The excitingflying sequences, appealing characters, and fantastic vision of asteam-powered future Jules Verne might have imagined make Castle in theSky a must-have for fans of Japanese and Western animation. (Unrated:suitable for ages 10 and older: violence) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (132)

Castle in the sky - Laputa
This is definetly the one of the best animation ever made. One of ealier classic that defined Miyazaki's crown as king of animation. It's so good that Disney had to copy designed, action scenes, and story from this movie. Guess what movie was that? Atlantis. Don't get me wrong. Atlantis is not a rip off of Laputa, because Disney can't even do a good job ripping people off. There is no way Disney can steal the spirit of Laputa, no one can. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate Disney, this is not a political review, I am just disapointed seeing what Disney ls doing. Once you've seen the movie, you'll see what I mean.
The movie ages very well because it is still aa funny, and heart warming as I first saw it almost 10 years ago. It's got a beautiful story, great character design, beautiful Miyazaki style machinaries, amazine and funny action sequences, and definetly one of the best score ever written. Too bad that Disney bought the right of this movie so it can rip this movie and Nadia off to make the stupid Atlantis. It's heart brokening to see Disney don't respect a classic just because it is not from Dinsney. Heck, Disney haven't made a classic since Disney him self died. I hope all Miyazaki's movie gets what it deserve, and I hope Disney respect other's work when it decides to buy the right off them. I hope you guys gets to see this movie whenever it comes out. It's been in Disney's storrage room for how -ever long.

Fantastic High-Flying Adventure
The third feature film of acclaimed writer/director Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away), Castle in the Sky showcases his talents for creating great adventures yarns with substance as well as style.

Set in an alternate 1920's earth, where airships rule the skies and entire continents can fly, Castle in the Sky is the story of two orphans who meet by chance. A young girl, Sheeta (Anna Paquin), floats literally from the sky after narrowly escaping capture from a band of pirates, wearing a mysterious glowing necklace. She is caught by Pazu (James Van Der Beek), a brave and resourceful young assistant engineer, who notices that the crystal she wears has fantastic magical properties. It is this crystal that several suspicious parties are trying desperately to get their hands on, including the Dola Pirate Gang, and the Army, led by the nefarious Colonel Muska (Mark Hammil). It soon becomes clear that the real prize in this race is the ancient, supposedly mythical, floating island of Laputa.

What follows is a grand chase towards the Caste in the Sky, with captures, narrow escapes, air battles, and more. Miyazaki's love of flight is more than apparent at the way the action soars, moving easily from land to air, and the pace of the movie, though the film runs over two hours, only lets up when and for as long as it needs to. Miyazaki showed in both The Castle of Cagliostro and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind that he has a talent for making rousing adventure movies, and, though Castle has some of the ecological messages found in Nausicaa (and later, in Princess Mononoke), they always take a backseat to the events that drive the movie.

The characters here are a varied, strange, and incredibly fun lot. The Dola Pirates are always entertaining when their banter flys, Mark Hammil has a blast as the scheming villian, and Pazu and Sheeta are two of the cutest leads you could ask for. They're also a refreshing taste from the "ordinary" in the anime genre. Sheeta is more than capable of handling herself, and Pazu is a cheerful idealist, a nice break from the surly teenage leads that overpopulate anime. In addition, their relationship is wonderfully done; it's the simplest, most pure form of love imaginable, that neither tries to be romantic or plutonic, but is just shown as it is. There is never a single kiss on screen, but the audience knows, through the body language and the words in their moments together that these two will be together one way or another for life.

And even though this is one of Miyazaki's earlier films, the animation is still fairly impressive. Of course, it looks a little dated next to the likes of Spirited Away, but it still looks and feels like a wonder. The character designs are Miyazaki's usual simplistic but expressionistic fare, and the vehicles that populate the world are imaginative and plausible, and the architecture has a surprising amount of variety.

The real treasure on this DVD release is the completely redone musical score on the English Language version of the film. Back in the mid-'80's, Studio Ghibli was not nearly the powerhouse it is today, and consequently, composer Joe Hisaishi was at times forced to put his rather sparse score on sythesizers and such. However, the new score contains everything from the original release, and a heck of a lot more, all done in beatiful orchestral renditions. And as for actual quality of music, the score for Castle in the Sky easily holds its own against Mononoke in terms of quality and power.

Of course, you have to watch the english dub of the movie to hear this, but having said that, it's not a bad job, arguably superior to Mononoke and Kiki's Delivery Service in terms of the actor's performances. Cloris Leachman is hilarious as Dola, Paquin does a fine job of Sheeta, and even Van Der Beek manages to be only marginally annoying. And really, how can you not like Mark Hammill?

Overall, Castle in the Sky is one of Miyazaki's best films, showcasing some of the most imagination, colorful characters, and dazzling adventure, it also carries some fairly powerful emotions. It also looks great, even after eighteen years, and is simply a great deal of fun to watch.

Castle in the Sky....
Is it just me, or do those very words, without even knowing what they refer to, contain a whimsical, imagination-inspiring power to them?

"Castle in the Sky" is by Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, who I've come to believe is one of the most masterful storytellers alive today, and maybe of all time. It begins with a young girl, Sheeta, drifting down from the sky into the arms of a young miner named Pazu. From there begins an incredible adventure as these two search for answers to the girl's origins while running from both air pirates as well as mysterious agents. I don't intend to reveal much of the plot here, but suffice it to say, this movie reignited the feelings I used to have as a child when watching such classics as "The Wizard of Oz" and the "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (which I also just recently purchased on DVD.

The movie was created several years ago, but was recently brought to America, with a wonderful redubbing into English, thanks to Disney Studios. If you're looking for visuals like the mind-blowing, computer simulations in recent Disney hits such as "Finding Nemo", this isn't it. However, if you're a fan of traditional cel animation, this film may be one of the best ever produced. Miyazaki's attention to detail, his ability to bring these two dimensional characters to life, is awe-inspiring.

For me, the greatest thing about this movie is that it's reminded me of the kind of fictional magic I hope to create myself one day, and makes me wonder if it's too late in my life for me to become an animator. The bad thing about seeing a movie like this, is that I know that I could never produce anything nearly as beautiful.

Fortunately for me, if I ever get the opportunity, I'm just stubborn, determined, and delusional enough to give it a shot anyway.

Wonderfully strange story with fascinating images
This is a wonderful movie. The story is enchanting, with fantastic flying machines and cities in the air. The land and air are full of strange and mysterious people who range from the kind and good to the power hungry evil types. What is especially nice about the characterizations in this film is that only a few are wholly good or wholly evil, most are a mix and are trying to work out their place in the plot of the story.

The story opens with an action sequence without any explanation about what is happening. This causes us to focus our attention and to try and figure out what is going on and what all these strange people and machines are. In some ways it seems like a 1930s serial, in others futuristic, and in others ancient myth without connection to the world in which we live.

While this isn't as beautiful as "Spirited Away" or even "Princess Mononoke", it is still head and shoulders above nearly everything you see passing as an animated movie nowadays (with a couple of exceptions). My kids encouraged me to get this DVD and they enjoyed it immensely. I expected to like it, but enjoyed it more than I expected.

Miyazaki has a unique imagination and has a powerful ability to use his wonderful images to tell the story in delightful and beautiful ways that go beyond conventional live action movies - no matter the special effects budget - or even most animation. Watching his stories is a special experience that I am grateful to him for sharing with me.

please watch the original version with English subtitle !!!!
I'm a Japanese and have watched this film so many time over the last 18 years and remember all its details, since
this is my favorite film of Hayao Miyazakis'.
I have now a French DVD together with synclonization and subltitle in English and Japanese original voice.
I'm shocked and furious about English voiceover version because the BGM music is changed from original Japanese version and I found it the absolute disaster.
So far when I watced it in French I found no alterlation of BGM.
I don't have the same DVD which is sold in USA and haven't checked it but I guess this English version in French DVD comes from DVD in USA.
SO please be careful, please watch this film in Japanese with English subltitle.
I cannot believe why Miyazaki's prodction allowed the music to be
changed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Director Robert Aldrich had a knack for depicting outsiders with originality and authenticity. Much like The Dirty Dozen, The Longest Yard is a popular fable about integrity and group unity. It possesses a requisite toughness along with the loneliness that accompanies the outsider status. Compromise is never easy in an Aldrich film. There's always a bitter price to pay.

Burt Reynolds, in peak form, plays a former pro quarterback ostracized for shaving points. After beating up his girlfriend and resisting arrest, Reynolds winds up in prison, where he's taunted by warden Eddie Albert to help his semiprofessional team of guardsmen win a championship. Naturally, the inmates despise Reynolds, and naturally he redeems himself in one of the great movie football matches of all time. --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (24)

A CLASSIC FROM THE 1970'S
Well on the eve of the remake being released it's time to look back at one of the classic movies of the 1970's, The Longest Yard.Burt Reynolds was at his peak in the mid-1970's with a string of hits and reigned as Hollywood's box-office king.This movie had a stellar supporting cast which helped make it one of the great sports movies of all time.

Reynolds is Paul "wrecking" Crewe, a former pro quarterback who is sent to a Georgia prison after leading police on a drunken car chase.Crewe finds himself ostracized from his fellow inmates because of his "star" status but eventually befriends Caretaker (James Hampton of F-Troop) and an elderly inmate named Pop.Eddie Arnold (of Green Acres fame) is Warden Hazen, a typical evil prison warden who has a semi-pro football team made up of the prison guards that he is very proud of.

The Warden forces Crewe to put together a football team of inmates to play his guards in a scrimmage game.Crewe is reluctant and just wants to do his time but when the Warden threatens to make his time very tough, Crewe relents and he and Caretaker begin trying to find players.At first Crewe is stuck with a bunch of stiffs, partly because the black inmates refuse to play until one named Granville breaks the ice and decides to play.Crewe then enlists the services of several "specialists" including 7' 2" tall Richard Kiel playing a weightlifter named Samson, and the baddest guy in the joint, Connie Shokner, played by one of the great screen heavies of the 1970's, Robert Tessier.One note is that the Indian inmate was played by Sonny Sixkiller who was a well known QB at the University of Washington in the early 1970's and still holds several passing records.

With Caretaker's help they manage to steal the guard's personal medical records to find out which have had previous injuries to take advantage of and also steal game uniforms.The guard team is led by Guard Captain Knauer (Ed Lauter) and former NFL great Ray Nitschke playing a guard named Bodanski.This all culminates in the big game where Crewe is forced to make a VERY big decision about how well he wants to play in the game.

The remake of The Longest Yard is going to have some very big shoes to fill.They appear to have done a great job on the supporting cast which includes wrestlers Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bill Goldberg and kevin Nash along with 7' tall Indian power lifter Dalip Singh, and Bob Sapp to go along with actual actors Chris Rock, James Cromwell and David Patrick Kelly who people may remember as the crazy gang leader in the cult film "The Warriors".

This special edition DVD was a welcome additon with it's Burt Reynolds commentary as well as the making of featurettes.Great film.Hopefully the remake does it justice.

Great fun
One of my favourite movies of all time and I don't even like football. I just can't believe they pick Adam Sandler for the leading role of the remake. Big mistake. No comparison at all. He looks like a wimp, and acts like a wimp. I agree with the other review saying to pls enjoy this one before the remake comes out.

The Mean Machine is meaner than ever
Robert Aldrich's greatest gift as a film director was his ability to show bad boys and nonconformists in such a sympathetic light. "The Longest Yard" features Reynolds before he traded on his bad boyish charm in all his film roles. Paul Crewe (Burt Reynolds) is a former bad boy football player who ends up in prison for "stealing" his girlfriend's car. His life has fallen apart since he was banned from the game for shaving points.Crewe is pressured by the Warden (Eddie Albert)to coach the guards' semi-pro team to earn a national title. When he refuses (out of preservation for his own skin) Crewe must lead the team of prisoners (called "The Mean Machine") against the guards in an exhibition game where the prisoners are expected to lose. Crewe has a couple of surprises in store for the Warden. The good news about this remake is that it prompted the studio to re-release this classic film. I have no idea if the remake is any good as of yet but we do have the classic original in top form.

An exceptionally nice transfer from Paramount, "The Longest Yard" has some minor issues with grain (that's not a flaw in the transfer I might add but it can be minimized during the transfer or made much, much worse) but that's probably due to the type of film and its age. The image quality is exceptionally good with such robust colors you can almost feel the humidity. The mono sound is a bit flat but with clear dialogue.

Three featurettes are highlights of this re-release. "Doing Time" features Reynolds and Ruddy discussing the making of the movie. The fact that Reynolds played college ball was an advantage for him in the role. Sports Illustrated writer Michael Silver discusses how nasty Paul Crewe is yet we forgive him because he's so funny and charming. The sports writers interviewed for the disc point out that watching Reynolds on the field its clear that he played college ball. "Unleashing The Mean Machine" we hear from a variety of pro players and sports writers discussing what makes "The Longest Yard" the best football movie ever made. Ruddy points out how he managed to convince Jimmy Carter (governor at the time of Georgia). Reynolds comments on his first meeting with Carter. The soon-to-be President of the United States told Reynolds that if Reynolds was taken prisoner, "if they take you hostage I will take your place gladly." Aldrich turned to Reynolds after and told him, "this man will be President some day. He's lying through his teeth beautifully".

A new and fun commentary track with producer Albert S. Ruddy ("The Godfather") and star Burt Reynolds discussing the making of the movie is a highlight of this classic 1974 film. Shot on location Reynolds in the South, Reynolds comments frequently about the difficult working conditions shooting in the swamp. He never knew when and if they might have a cottonmouth show up. Reynolds and many of the actors actually stayed at the former prison where they shot the film. Reynolds points out the various former pro and college football players that appear in the film. They discuss the prep for shooting the big game and how they pulled the illusion together for this film.

A classic film gets a classy presentation on DVD. An excellent commentary track by Reynolds and Ruddy are a highlight of this terrific reissue on DVD. Two very good featurettes on the making of the movie and one where pros and writers comment on reality of what you see in the film.

Quick!Enjoy the original before the remake comes out!
I want to make the argument that "The Longest Yard" is an important film in the history of the movies because this 1974 comedy represents the point in cinematic history where a guy getting hit between the legs was funny for the last time. To be specific it was the moment in the film where it happened for the second time, which was even funnier than the first time it had happened, which was just a minute earlier in the movie. Ever since then I have not found these scenes to be anywhere near as funny because all such efforts are just pale imitations of what happens here.

"The Longest Yard" is solid B-movie material from start to finish. Burt Reynolds is Paul Crewe, a former pro quarterback who was banned from the sport for shaving points and ended up in prison for having some fun with the cops joy riding. In a nice example of casting against type Eddie Albert is the sadistic warden who is quite proud of the football team he has put together from the prison guards. So he decides that Crewe should put together a team from the prisoners for a friendly little game of football. Crewe is inclined not to be accommodating, but the warden, no doubt sensing a failure to communicate, persuades the ex-jock to get with the game plan.

We have to go through some rather trite and tired routines as Crewe puts together his team just so we can get to the fun part of the movie, which is the big football game. Obviously the cons are playing for self-respect and if the warden is stupid enough to give them the opportunity to pay back the guards for their brutal treatment under the guise of a football game, then we should just enjoy the fun. The set up might be stupid, but the game itself is one of the better staged pigskin competitions we have seen in a movie to date. Besides, the Mean Machine uses the drop kick, which I have always wanted to see ever since I read about it in "Gil Thorp" way back when. Certainly director Robert Aldrich takes the time to play the came and he makes excellent use of the split-screen to avoid having to constantly cut between the action on the field and the drama on the sidelines.

Reynolds is certainly the star of the film (he tells his team, "The most important thing to remember is: to protect your quarterback. ME!"), and the ex-Florida State football player certainly makes for a believable jock on the field (hey, the guy was drafted by the Baltimore Colts), while Albert clearly relishes the chance to forget all about Eva Gabor and have fun with the dark side. "Iron" Mike Conrad, before he became a cult figure as Sgt. Esterhaus on "Hill Street Blues," has a memorable turn as Nate Scarboro, one of the cons whose knees are not as strong as his heart so he has to settle for being the coach of the Mean Machine. Ed Lauter is Captain Knauer, the head of the guards, who manages not to be a total jerk about what is going on in the end as the film goes for one last over the top moment at the end.

Not to be mistaken for high art, "The Longest Yard" is a party film, perfect when you are in the mood for a little football. It was actually up for an Oscar for Best Film Editing (Michael Luciano), undoubtedly for that split screen work, and even won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Musical/Comedy (beating out "The Front Page," "Harry and Tonto," "The Little Prince" and "The Three Musketeers"). Having already been made as a soccer (the other "football" movie, "Mean Machine"), "The Longest Yard" is about to be released with Adam Sandler and James Cromwell squaring off (Burt Reynolds is along for the ride as Coach Nate Scarboro). I wonder if Brian Bosworth played "Kill the Star" with Sandler the way Ray Nitschke did with Reynolds in the original. There could be some very interesting outtakes on that DVD down the road.

"Mean Machine! Mean Machine! Mean Machine!"
In the 1970's, there was a small genre of movies, that the studios released, that could best be termed, football comedies. These were a series of films that sort of aped the spirit of Jim Bouton's best selling baseball book, "Ball Four" about the rowdy and scatalogical antics of modern day pro-athletes. Most movie fans consider three films to be the best of this genre. They include "North Dallas Fourty", "Semi-Tough" and of course "The Longest Yard". When it comes to "North Dallas Fourty", I have to be truthful and admit that I've never seen it. I really can't make an informed opinion about it. But,"Semi-Tough really is a very funny film comedy. But let's face it...it's not really about football. It's more of a satire of the 'self-help/feel good' movements (such as E.S.T.) that were all the rage in the 1970's. That leaves, what I like to think of as the gold standard of football movie comedies, "The Longest Yard". This hilarious film is basically M*A*S*H* on steroids. A group of people trapped in a situation trying to relieve their boredom & frustrations through off-color jokes, rowdy antics and a love for football (for those who have never seen it, the film, M*A*S*H* ends in a humourously rowdy, football game). "The Longest Yard" is about Paul Crewe (Burt Reynolds) a former superstar, pro quarterback, who is living life as a disgraced, has-been. After a drunken fight with his wealthy girlfriend and a wild police chase in a stolen Mazardi, he finds himself looking at eighteen months of hard time in a Florida correctional facility. But this isn't just any prison. Apparently both the guards, the inmates and especially the nefarious Warden (Eddie Albert) take their football, waaaayyyy to seriously! The Warden hatches a plan for Crewe to put together and play with a team of felons in a tune-up game against his own semi-pro team made up of the brutally, sadistic guards. What starts out as a supposedly, friendly (and very funny) game soon devolves into a brutal, grudge match in which the Warden attempts to humiliate the Cons and send a message to the rest of the prison population. It's up to Crewe to keep this from happening. This is a great film with a plot (and hard hitting, realistic game), that gets the viewer really involved. I mean what film do you know, where the good guys are unrepented hard core felons (refered to by the hypocritical guards as "scum of the Earth") and we want to root for them? The film is helmed by an excellent cast playing interesting characters. Burt Reynolds plays a man, who when under presure finally learns, that there is more to life than just thinking about himself. This is probably Reynold's best acting job in any of his film comedies (he only breaks himself up once). His only better work has been in dramas such as "Deliverance" & "Boogie Nights". Eddie Albert is also great as the evil Warden, who on one hand, publicly spouts speeches about the "All-American" values and virtues of the game of football, but is privately more than willing to vindictively lie and cheat, all in the name of winning. Other standouts in the cast include Robert Tessier as Shockner, a silent, Karate chopping, psychopath and 7'2" Richard Kiel (in a pre James Bond role) as a giant, violent prisoner, who hilariously dosn't seem to know his own strength. Also look for Bernadette Peters in a brief, sexy cameo (and a huge B-52 hairdo) as the Warden's amorous secretary. If you like football movies or just plain gut-busting, funny movie comedies (or both) than get "The Longest Yard"! Great movie! Highly recommended! ... Read more