Amazon.com

The further adventures of King Company's second platoon are highlighted in all their blazing action and dramatic impact in this four-disc set, which concludes Combat!'s 1962-63 debut season. King Two undergoes a few changes in episodes 17 through 32--Shecky Greene's Pvt. Braddock is absent from the platoon (Greene quit over pay issues) and Jack Hogan, whose Pvt. Kirby first appeared in "The Forgotten Front" (featured in the Combat! Season One: Campaign One boxed set) is now a featured cast member; Emmy nominee Conlon Carter, who would later join the cast as Doc in the third season, appears as an unnamed PVC in disc 3's "Hill 256." The 17 episodes featured here carry the men of King Two to the liberation of Paris, which concludes the season; afterwards, the series would no longer adhere to true chronological events, preferring instead to place the men in mostly unspecific dates and locations within France. The excellent performances of the main cast, led by Vic Morrow and Rick Jason, are well abetted by terrific guest stars, including Robert Culp, Dean Stockwell, and even future Ilsa: She-Wolf of the SS director Don Edmonds, and direction by Golden Age TV vets such as Robert Altman, Ted Post, and Richard Donner.

The interview featurette "Memories of Combat!" that was featured on the Campaign One boxed set is absent from Campaign Two, as is episode commentary by Robert Altman and the production photo gallery, but this set features more commentary tracks from cast and crew members. Actor Tom Lowell (Pvt. Billy Nelson) again contributes a track, as do guest stars Joseph Campanella and Ben Cooper and directors Ted Post, Richard Donner, and Sutton Roley. Also returning is Jo Davidsmeyer, author of Combat! A Viewer's Guide to the WWII TV Series, who lists production trivia and continuity bloopers in the scene selection menu for each episode. As a stand-alone set or with Campaign One, this is solid entertainment for vintage TV fans. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Televison At It's Best
If you are lucky to be old enough to remember "Combat", then I would say you are pretty lucky. This was one hell of a television show. I was 8 years old when the premiere episode came on and it was my father's favorite program. He was a WW2 veteran. This program premiered when writers knew how to write and they did not depend on fast cuts and digital images. The stories were very powerful and the acting was great! As a child , I was always waiting for the next episode and now I am happy to see these episodes on DVD. The main stars are dead now, Ric Jason and Vic Morrow and then Dick Peadbody. Also some of the production crew are now deceased. These people have certainly left a legacy!

All of the Combat TV series were/are the best WWll TV
If you enjoyed saving pvt Ryan and Band of brothers you will enjoy these.
No overt blood shed or foul language,great stories,and morals.

WWll for the whole family. Great acting and guest stars. Vic Morrow (Sgt Saunders)with his thompson was the coolest cat on the front!
(...)A must have!! ... Read more

Description

One of the television's most popular series, the groundbreaking Combat! offers a gritty, unflinching look at American soldiers battling in Europe during World War II, confronting imposing odds and demonstrating remarkable levels of ingenuity and courage. Vic Morrow and Rick Jason head a stellar cast in the longest-running war series in history, featuring an incomparable list of guest stars from Hollywood's Golden Age as well as top directorial talent. Guest stars: Lee Marvin; Eddie Albert; Richard Basehart; Nick Adams; James Coburn; Leonard Nimoy; James Caan. Episodes include: Ambush, The Bridge at Chalons, Doughboy, The Long Way Home Part 1, The Long Way Home Part 2, A Distant Drum, Bridgehead, Masquerade, The Infant of Prague, The Wounded Don't Cry, The Little Jewel, Glow Against the Sky, The Party, Anatomy of a Patrol, What Are the Bugles Blowin' For? Part 1, What Are the Bugles Blowin' For? ... Read more

Reviews (349)

Fantastic!
Quentin Tarantino's debut film RESERVOIR DOGS broke new ground that many other directors and screen writers were afraid to tread upon. This amazingly well-written, directed, and acted film is about a jewel heist gone wrong and the consequences of each man's suspicions. Harvey Keitel is wonderful as tough but compassionate Mr. White(Each man is given an alias name, no one's real name is used), Michael Madsen is cool and psychotic as Mr. Blonde, Sean Penn delivers a strong performance as Nice-Guy Eddie, Lawrence Tierney is very intimidating as Joe, the crime boss, and Quentin Tarantino gives a great cameo performance as the short-lived Mr. Brown. The really great performances definitely go to Tim Roth and Steve Buscemi. For Roth(Mr. Orange), this was a breakthrough role in which he spends a good deal of the movie drenched in his own blood and in his screams of pain never once goes into an over-the-top performance. It's right on the money. Buscemi is dripping with attitude and gives one of his best performances until FARGO in RESERVOIR DOGS. From the moment he appears on screen, you know its gonna be a bumpy ride. A must-see for anyone who enjoys lotsa suspense, catchy dialogue and music, and some great action scenes.

Tarantino Makes His Mark
Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut, Reservoir Dogs is a brilliantly written, unique film that paved the way for Mr. Tarantino's breakthrough film, Pulp Fiction. The plot of Reservoir Dogs revolves around a diamond heist that goes afoul. A group of criminals who have never worked together are assembled and given names like Mr. White, Mr. Pink and Mr. Blonde. The film is intercut with flashbacks in which the characters played by Michael Madsen, Harvey Keitel and Tim Roth are explored in more detail. Mr. Madsen is incredible as the psychotic Mr. Blonde and his scene in which he brutalizes a cop in medieval fashion is alternately disturbingly brutal and humorous. Steve Buschemi is a scream as the jumpy Mr. Pink and Mr. Keitel provides the film with its backbone as Mr. White. Mr. Tarantino has keen eye for detail and the opening scene in a diner in which the crooks are discussing everything from what Madonna meant in her song "Like A Virgin" to 70's songs to tipping contains some of the sharpest dialogue in years. Mr. Tarantino also uses music to great effect and he overlays scenes with the voice of comedian Steven Wright as host of a radio show K Billy's Super Sounds of the 70's. Reservoir Dogs is a tremendous debut film and introduced Mr. Tarantino as a force.
The 10th Anniversary Edition is nice a step up in sound and quality from the first edition. The extras are good, but just the overall better sound and picture is worth purchasing this version if you already own the first.

Stylized, intelligent--but someone tell Quentin he can't act
To a degree amateurish, but to an equal degree compelling and original, Reservoir Dogs is a stylistic, gritty look at the gangsters of Quentin Tarantino's imagination. The story, such as it is, is the weak point of the film. The strange tale of an undercover cop who tries to bust up a family-sized gangster ring is just plain silly at times. The strong points, however, are many. Each character has a terrific, interesting voice; the dialogue is snappy and artistic; the music choices are inspired. And that infamous "ear" scene? Frankly, it's one of the few scenes that doesn't work. It just comes off as dumb.

Think of Reservior Dogs as the rough sketch for a movie yet to come: Pulp Fiction. Pulp Fiction is superior in every respect, but it's a treat to see its progenitor.

Bold enough to be a new genre
Quentin Tarantino has done an amazing job at taking a very low budget, and using a unique method of story telling and raw dialogue to turn it around. He was also lucky to get a great cast much like Pulp Fiction did. This film creates a new genre, because his un-chronological and very raw vision will be and is being copied all over the world. Many people criticize Tarantino for worshipping violence and profanity. However, when you examine the film's plot, it is really quite reasonable that characters swear as much as they do. And also, the violence in the movie only seems as bad as you make it in your mind, as the worst parts are only partially shown. This is another one of Tarantino's tricks. Some great performances are had too, for example Michael Madsen. His cold-blooded and partially psychotic character misleads us, up until a scene where he attempts to burn a kidnapped police officer, where our adoration of him turns to hate. However, Quentin quickly balances that out wonderfully. The ending may be a little "off" for some people, but all in all a great film.

Awesome movie. Awesome DVD. Definitely one of the Best!
First and foremost, this is indisputably Quentin Tarentino's best film ever. After having seen it some dozen-plus times, it still captivates and intrigues me with every watching. The way the plot works itself out is ingenius, the suspense is second-to-none. Steve Buscemi, as Mr. Pink, is a highlight of this movie: He plays his character ridiculously well.

The entire two hours of this film are violent, disturbing, riveting, captivating, and raw: All said, this film is like a cinematic car accident - you rubberneck, you gasp, you feed this primordial urge to see violence and power. The story of five men - Mr. Blue, Mr. Pink, Mr. White, Mr. Brown, Mr. Blonde - converge when they are called into do a jewelry store heist. However, theyf ind out that one of their fellow gangsters has set them up: That the heist failed because someone among them had ratted them out.
The entire movie unfolds as, really, a two hour dialogue between Mr. Blonde, Mr. Pink, and Mr. White - as well as with the subsequent intruders into the wharehouse. The entire film, essentially, takes place in a wharehouse with sporadic flashbacks and cuts to other instances which lead up to the final scene.

This DVD is an awesome buy. It comes with a fullscreen and widescreen edition, as well as lots of special editions: trailors, posters, picture galleries, etc. Definitely, this movie is an excellent addition to anyone's DVD collection. One of the best values I have in my collection! ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Hollywood Classic
This film starts with the 1685 Duke of Monmouth rebellion. The battle of Sedgemoor rages in the background as Errol Flynn's character is wrongly accused of supporting the rebels. King James II is portrayed as an arrogant prince, something which most Protestants of the day would have agreed with, and which Hollywood does not seem to deny. James, while detached, was not the cold hearted fool we see here. But this is only a minor point. The film has historic interest, portraying England as it does during the 1680s, the reign of James II before the advent of the Glorious Revolution which sees him removed in favor of William III of Orange and Queen Mary. The movie only touches on these political developments, but its interesting to see them as factors in the background.

The rest is pure Hollywood adventure with fiction playing havoc with fact! Still, the movie is so entertaining and classy that we don't mind a few historical gaffes. Flynn is elegant in his first major role, and Olivia Dehavland is strikingly beautiful. Hard to beleive she was only 18 when this film was made. The rest of the supporting cast may be a bit standard for a 1930s production, but they pull their weight well with all the cute touches of the day. The production value of the film appears more impressive than it actually was. The fast pace combined with clever plot makes for a classic of its kind. The French as perenial villins may strike a chord with today! For period swashbuckling, romance and class, you won't find better than here.

Blood! Blood! ......And A Film Legend Was Born
"Classic", is written all over this legendary Warner Brothers production from Hollywood's heyday in the 1930's. A fine literary source in the novel by Rafael Sabatini formed the basis for what was to become easily one of the best loved pirate tales ever filmed by a Hollywood Studio. Many (myself included) believe that "Captain Blood", is THE definitive swashbuckling adventure and contains everything to satisfy the pirate enthusiast, from a dashing leading man fighting for justice in a corrupt world,a beautiful damsel in distress to be rescued by the hero, lively swordplay, brilliantly staged sea battles, and the essential quota of villianous characters to add spice to the drama. "Captain Blood", was as well a "first", in many ways. Firstly it marked the breakthrough role for Tasmanian born Errol Flynn who was perfect for the role of Dr. Peter Blood, a man of good character wrongly condemmed to a life of slavery for helping tend the injuries of a rebel soldier in the corrupt England of James 2nd. Also this film marked the first teaming of Flynn with rising young actress Olivia de Havilland and the two went on to work beautifully together in eight films over the next seven years earning them immortality as one of filmdom's most unforgettable screen couples.

It's hard to imagine nowadays anyone but Errol Flynn in the role of Captain Blood but he was not even considered in the original casting of the film being an almost complete unknown at the time. Robert Donat was set to play the lead but had to withdraw due to illness and Jack Warner took a considerable gamble in casting the untried Australian actor in the lead of one of the studios biggest productions for the year. Once the decision was made however the rest as they say was film history as Errol Flynn swashed and buckled his way to Hollywood stardom in a stunning debut which helped make "Captain Blood", one of the years most successful films and helped gain it a nomination as Best Picture of the year. "Captain Blood", relates the story of Irish Doctor Peter Blood who is called out to tend the wounds of a rebel soldier fighting the corrupt governement of King James 2nd. Caught at the scene Peter is imprisoned as a rebel of the crown and in a sham court hearing is condemmed to a life of slavery in the infamous colony of Port Royal. Suffering brutality under the cruel Planatation owner Col. Bishop (Lionel Atwill in a masterfully evil role) Peter has the chance to escape when Port Royal is attacked by the Spanish. He forms a crew with his men and together they head out to sea on a stolen ship to become pirates with no country to call home. Very soon the name of "Captain Blood" is infamous throughout the Carribean and no ship Spanish, French, or English is safe from his looting. Making an uneasy alliance with French Pirate Capt. Levasseur(Basil Rathbone in a small but effective role) Peter finds his loyalties tested when Levasseur captures Arabella (de Havilland) the niece of Col. Bishop who Peter loves, as she returns to Port Royal with Lord Willoughby (Henry Stephenson). Fighting a duel to the death with Levasseur over Arabella's safety, Peter learns from Lord Willoughby the King James has been driven out of England and the new King William 3rd has not only pardoned Peter and his men but also offered them places in his navy. Returning to Port Royal the men find the port under attack from the Spanish and Captain Blood now fighting for King and Country in a exciting finale manages to defeat the Spanish invasion and save Port Royal from falling into enemy hands. For his great service to the crown King William then makes Peter the new govener of Port Royal much to the distress of his old enemy Col. Bishop but to the utter joy of Arabella who now plans to marry Peter at the happy conclusion.

Errol flynn had no peer when it came to these types of dashing adventure roles. His performance here and in such classics as "The Adventures of Robin Hood", and "The Sea Hawk", certainly saw him in his element being ideally cast. He teamed perfectly with Olivia de Havilland, he all bravado, masculinity and dashing energy, while she was the epitome of the demure refined young lady waiting for love. "Captain Blood", however is peopled with some other great acting talent that must not be forgotten under the bright light of Errol Flynn's screen charisma. Lionel Atwill excels as the cruel Col. Bishop in a tailor made role and character actors Donald Meek and especially George Hassell as the comical gout ridden Gov. Steed are both excellent in their smaller parts that help give "Captain Blood", some of its fine acting moments. Directed with usual high energy by Michael Curtiz, he manages to extract a marvellous performance out of the still largely inexperienced Flynn. Theirs was a definite hate relationship as the two loathed each other but by some miracle produced consistently excellent work together.The visuals of the film are first rate with the superbly staged sea battles unrivalled in their authentic look. Erich Wolfgang Korngold furnished another of his rousing musical scores that succeeds in really adding a high level of excitment to all the action secquences in "Captain Blood".

"Captain Blood", makes for ideal entertainment of the old fashioned kind and is a perfect example of Errol Flynn's great screen presence in a role idealy suited to him. Here we see him and Olivia de Havilland in the full bloom of their youthful vibrance in an exciting tale of adventure and romance,with good winning out over evil. It's Hollywood filmmaking of the old school and it is sure to leave you cheering as the good Captain romances his ladylove and fights against corruption and cruelty on the High Seas. Enjoy!

Simon Davis
Now that I have read Simon Davis' review, I dont have to watch the film?

Actually , I have seen the film a few times..and I can only add that Lionel Atwill pouts as well as any actor I have seen and Mr Rathbone begins his legacy as one of the great screen villians

CP

Shine on
Captain Blood is a great film, let alone a tremendous pirate film. There's something about the plot that has a certain resonance today as much as that of Robin Hood, namely that age-old sense of justice triumphing over rigid law and order, of robbing the rich to feed the poor. Yet Captain Blood is a little rougher edged, a little crueler in its machinations. Peter Blood (Flynn) is a well-meaning doctor who happens to aid the wrong side in one of Britain's innumerable civil wars, and is sentenced into slavery in the outer colonies along with a pack of other unfortunates. Right from the moment you see him level his icy gaze at the consumptive, soon-to-be dead Royal judge who passed the sentence, you know this party is just getting started.

Hollywood has used the 'good-man-wronged' scenario countless times since this movie, but rarely to such effect. Battered, beaten, but never broken, Dr. Peter Blood transforms into Captain Blood, the terror of the high seas that crushes his enemies without ever letting anyone affect his high-minded moral core. It was not his choice to become an outlaw, but if he has to become one, he will be the best one there ever was. Redemption, honor, and love all make their appearances in the fine script enacted by a worthy cast, but at every point Blood is a man in control of, and therefore responsible for, his own destiny. It's a great film and one you definitely should check out.

A great buccaneer epic.
I think that this is one of the greatest action - adventure films and perhaps the greatest adventure-epic film about pirates ,ever made in cinema's history. Adapted from Raffael Sabbatini's homonymous novel, "Captain Blood" introduced 26 years old Australian-born actor Errol Flynn, in Hollywood as a great star and it was the first of a movie-series that granted him the title of "swashbucklers's king".The film also created Flynn's image (solidified in the next years) as the dashing young romantic adventurer hero who always saves the day. Flynn plays the Irish doctor Peter Blood who becomes the handsome gentleman rogue pirate of the Caribbean with bravado and charisma ,appearing his great talent that made him a legend. But here we can locate some historical inaccuracy , (an inheritance of 19th century's romantic literature ) because the real pirates were quite repulsive, poor , illiterate and not fascinating and educated sea knights. The historical background on the contrary is quite accurate and very interesting. The film beggins in 1685 when Duke of Monmouth organised an unsuccessfull rebellion and portrays England during the 1680s, the reign of James II before the advent of the Glorious Revolution which sees him removed in favor of William III of Orange and Queen Mary. An other notable point is that the film portrays pro-catholic King James II as an evil and cruel tyrannical persona ,a fact that might be seen as a film's pro-protestant position on history, yet don't forget that this story is adapted from a novel and this was Sabbatini's view on historical facts.
Curtiz's direction is excellent and impressive,especially at the great terrific sea battle which is amazing. Olivia de Havilland is brilland and adorable as Flynn's sweet love interest ,with astonishing beauty. Even she is only 19 years old ,she plays her role with maturity and high professional capability. Basil Rathbone is perfect as the villain-fond of women French pirate Levasseur (and as swordfighter) using a peculiar french accent . Lionel Atwill as de Havilland's uncle is very convincing as a brutal plantation owner who finally reconciles with Captain Blood (Errol Flynn).You have also to notice the great performances by the actors who compose Captain Blood's crew. They're really charming.
A must-see high entertaining master piece epic. I give it all the stars I can . Enjoy it and love it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

After the Sunset may not be the greatest jewel-heist caper comedy ever made, but it sure is easy on the eyes. Shifting back into his crowd-pleasing Rush Hour mode, director Brett Ratner kicks off the action with a rousing chase scene that pretty much describes the entire film: utter nonsense, but adequately enjoyable. Things get very sunny thereafter, when FBI agent Woody Harrelson lands in the Bahamas to track down ace diamond thief Pierce Brosnan and his lovely accomplice Salma Hayek, whom he suspects of planning their next big heist on a cruise ship. A Bahamian gangster (Don Cheadle) wants in on the action, and the whole thing's about as fluffy as an Elmo doll and just as harmless, especially when you consider Hayek's revealing wardrobe (which, thankfully, distracts from Brosnan's less-than-Bond-like physique). There's an abundance of witty banter between everyone, and the tropical locations make After the Sunset a balmy, vicarious vacation. Critics weren't exactly kind to this breezy dose of popcorn entertainment, but it's an agreeable time-killer and an instant cure for seasonal affective disorder, even if the comedic chemistry leaves something to be desired. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (45)

Better Than I Expected
This isn't really a caper film, which is one reason I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.Sure, it has some of the elements of the Hollywood caper movie--the debonaire, super-clever and super-successful thief, the cop out to thwart him, exotic locations--but the movie isn't really about will-he-pull-it-off-or-won't-he.It's more of a cat-and-mouse buddy movie.That the heists are utterly implausible, to the point of being ridiculous (as they are in most caper movies, like Oceans's Eleven and Ocean's 12) doesn't matter as much, because it's not what the movie focuses on.

Instead, we get a lot of cute banter and bonding between Harrelson and Brosnan, who are fun to watch.There are some good, low-brow laughs in this movie--they are enough for me.I laughed out loud, for instance, when during the fishing scene Harrelson is putting tanning lotion on Brosnan's back, and Brosnan says, "My pole!" and Harrelson pulls back with disgust and says, "No way, I'm only doing your back!" (Of course, Brosnan meant, Look at the pole; I caught something.)There are other, similar crude jokes and sight gags.

Both men are good in their roles, and fun to watch.The female roles in the movie seem incidental, a formulaic requirement of Hollywood movies, and are never really developed beyond that basic requirement.And what is Don Cheadle, a great actor, doing in such a miniscule role?Anyone could have done his rolel he's sadly wasted.Chris Penn has an amusing cameo...but my goodness, has he gotten fat.I remember seeing him in movies in the 80's, before he starting hitting the Big Macs.You don't often see an actor let himself go like that.

Commercial for Bahama Tourism Starring...
After the Sunset is a fluffy piffle that is almost always beautiful to look at, but emptier than the nutritional content of cotton candy.

Pierce Brosnan and Salma Hayek make a good-looking couple, and the movie actually TRIES to address a theoretical dilemma that is infrequently brought up in movies.If a rich and successful criminal retires, what do they do?If, presumably, part of why they were a criminal in the first place is for the thrill of it, how can they be content simply retiring?If being a thief is both your job AND your hobby, what do you do after the last "big one"?The only film I can think of that showed the boring lethargy that sets in on a successful criminal is the end of "Scarface" when Al Pacino is lying around in the marble tub of his palatial bathroom, smoking a cigar and cursing at his wife and buddy.

But I digress.After the Sunset would be familiar territory if the only movies you had seen were the "Ocean's 11" remake(s).It's a "steal the jewel" caper.It tries to be a comedy, but Brosnan and Woody Harrelson don't have the comic chemistry we've seen both of them have in other work. Harrelson appears as the FBI agent who has been repeatedly burned by Brosnan, and wants to get his revenge.It follows the film cliche where the lawman is "hot on the trail" of the criminal - a la "Heat", etc., but instead of an edgy relationship between the Thief and the Lawman we get a bumbling comic relationship between Brosnan and Harrelson.

The "star" of the film is the way it looks, and much of that is owed to the Bahamanian resort standing in for paradise.The movie made me want to go there - but it didn't make me want to ever see this film again.

Our family has been in manure for three generations!
Did I miss something?Was there a contest going through all the Grade Schools of America to find the best story for acclaimed director Bret Ratner to bring to the silver screen?If so, why wasn't there a calendar made for those who didn't make the final cut?Oh, wait, apparently children did not write this film, but instead a guy that wrote for the TELEVISION SERIES the Weakest Link.That surely makes him ready by all means to tackle the caper genre and inherit a big payday ... right?You are the weakest link ... good-bye.This movie was a disaster from the beginning.With cardboard acting, an aging (and girth growing) sex symbol, and a corny ending that incorporated nothing that we were shown through the entire film, it is a big wonder how After the Sunset ever saw the illustrious "green-light".Perhaps it was the size of Salma's boo ... name, or perhaps the fact that Pierce Brosnan's The Thomas Crown Affair was such a cult film, or maybe because Don Cheadle was in it, because it had really no pull with just Woody headlining.So, how did this film get made?This film targeted pre-teen boys and retirement communities, and with their great pull, the financing behind this film became very easy.

This was a caper film right?We are supposed to go on this roller coaster ride of who's conning whom, coupled with lies, deceit, and a surprise ending that will make you want to rewatch from the beginning to experience anything that you missed.That is the focus, goal, and overall tone that a film like this should have followed.Instead, Ratner decided to just make a movie without any sort of excitement or drive.As I watched this film, I never once felt excited about the plot.Why?Because there was nobody getting me excited.The acting in this film was well below par for anything that Hollywood has released.Pierce tries, but just can't seem to capture the essence of the film.There is no little demon inside you rooting for anything.Salma's role was basically for eye-candy.She provided nothing spectacular either.I can literally say the same for Woody and Cheadle as well.Here we have strong actors doing absolutely nothing during the course of about two hours.These characters never drive the plot, they bring nothing but clichés to the table, and by the end we really don't have any true grasp as to whom they are.Honestly, cardboard cutouts could have replaced the actual actors and After the Sunset would have been a better film.There was no depth to the characters, no emotion, no structure, just the simple direction of "step here, say your line, step here, look surprised".It was embarrassing for all that were involved.

I think a major flaw to this film was that Ratner did not fully understand, or was prepared, for the caper genre.From the opening moments until the end of the film, you can tell that Ratner is just trying to use his friends in the industry and show the world that he has some power as well.I say this because I saw no true direction or moment of impressiveness where he defines himself as a director.He reuses the same ideas throughout the entire film, he doesn't give anything strong to his players, and nothing stood out in this movie.Sure, it was a beautiful location, but am I to believe that Salma spend a majority of the film building a deck for them to sit on?Am I to believe that Pierce is still a sex symbol even with a HUGE gut sticking out?Am I to believe that Cheadle is a bad guy/imported American who is at the top of the community?Finally, am I to believe that Pierce could still move as quickly as Ratner defined?I swear that in the final unclimactic moments of this film, I could hear Pierce doing some heavy breathing to get from point A to point B.Maybe he isn't ready for the next Bond role.

So, without a good story, or decent characters, maybe there was some humor in it that could pull us away from the sour sensation cultivating in your mouth.Well, guess who is placed in to do the humor element? Woody Harrelson.Now, I don't mind Woody, but in this role, he just wasn't believable and his humor was so cliché that I had trouble believing that he brought anything to this character.He literally plagiarized his entire role.Teachers, and film viewers of the world, should be very upset with him.Instead of bringing a new twist to his character, he resorted to weird sex humor, skimpy bully humor, and that ever-popular drunken humor while fishing that is sure to make that senile woman in the front burst out with laughter. To me it was pathetic and a worthless attempt to make a joke out of already dead film.

Overall, this was a massive disappointment.Here you had a decent director, some strong players, but the worst story ever written by a man who wrote for a game show.Which piece does not fit?There was this huge sense of apathy throughout this entire film and clichés riddled it that I just couldn't get past.Brosnan had trouble with this film, and I couldn't tell if it was because he just didn't care, or because he was working with such low-talent that his heart just wasn't in it.The ending hurt as well.There was no excitement or intensity, just plain ... "here it is ... like it or not".I personally couldn't digest this film with its poor acting and below-par story.This may be a good film for some that are not familiar with the caper genre, but for me it was just hogwash.

Grade: * out of *****

I Liked It
I liked this movie alot. I watched it twice. I really enjoyed the little twist it had at the end.

AFTER THE BOREDOM! (21/2 ) STARS
Where the hell was the action in this movie! It started off
decent, then went down hill from there. The only thing that
kept me watching this lame script, was Salma Hayek! I gave the
movie 1 1/2 stars, and Salmas body 1 extra diserved star! ... Read more

Amazon.com

An engrossing, 1983 television miniseries based on a bestselling work of historical fiction by Herman Wouk, The Winds of War is an admirable production reminiscent of the era of Hollywood's epic features. At the center of the globe-trotting story is the Henry family, whose laconic but straight-shooting patriarch is United States Navy Commander Victor "Pug" Henry (Robert Mitchum), sent to Hitler's Berlin in the spring of 1939 as a naval attaché to the then-neutral American embassy. A keen observer, Pug deduces that Germany is not preparing for war on two fronts (western Europe on one side, Russia on the other) despite what the Nazis want the world to believe, meaning that Hitler must be working out a secret peace deal with Stalin. Pug's prescience makes him a favorite eyewitness in Berlin for Franklin D. Roosevelt (Ralph Bellamy); the irony is that Pug is far less sagacious when it comes to the realities of his family.

Polly Bergen plays unhappy wife Rhoda, who turns to A-bomb developer Palmer Kirby (Peter Graves) for comfort. Pug's 19-year-old daughter, Madeline (Lisa Eilbacher), defies her iron-willed dad's decision that she stay in school by taking a job for CBS radio in New York. Compliant son Warren (Ben Murphy) can't seem to get Pug's attention despite doing everything right (including becoming a Navy pilot, eventually present at the bombing of Pearl Harbor). By contrast, Pug spends more time fuming over black sheep son Byron (Jan-Michael Vincent), who is working in increasingly Fascist Italy as an assistant to an art historian (John Houseman) while trying hard to woo the latter's exasperating niece, Natalie (Ali MacGraw). The story of Byron and Natalie takes up much of The Winds of War as the pair traverse Poland during the shock of Hitler's 1939 assault, and Jewish Natalie later finds herself trapped inside Italy facing the threat of concentration camps. Before The Winds of War ends, each of these characters will end up in places and situations, and with historical figures (Churchill, Mussolini) as well as ordinary people, they would not have anticipated outside the pressures of war. The program's length and smart script allow for a lot of ideas and background detail that pull a viewer in--happily. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (41)

A rarity: great TV adaptation.
This mini-series, together with its second part "War and Remembrance," may be the best TV adaptation of a book you will find. Even though the casting could have been better, and several main characters end up being played by different actors in the second part, "The Winds of War" follows very closely what Herman Wouk wrote on his novel of the same name. The TV adaptation is by Wouk, and Curtis' direction is magnificent. Curtis is responsible for the total immersion of the viewer in the era portrayed, as well as for the cinematic look of this series that is far above most TV of this or any day.
About the cast I would have chosen another actress for Nathalie Jastrow and not Ali McGraw, but the series does not suffer with her. I have always liked Robert Mitchum, so it did not matter to me that he was too old for the part of Victor Henry: the late Mitchum is simply great in a rôle that, although not written for him, he made his own. The young Jan Michael Vincent is convincing as Byron Henry, even if his romance with Nathalie, due to casting, fails to convince me. Victoria Tennant as Pamela Tudsbury falling for Victor Henry is a bit of a stretch but, again, the overall story and performances are powerful enough to let you go with it.
This is TV at its best, presenting a very good work of fiction based on history. It's long, but that is part of the point: the attention to detail is quite commendable. This kind of TV is very rare. We will get to see more in "War and Remembrance," but no more after that. I know of no other adaptation that is as close as this one, and where money and talent really worked together to produce a total as good as the novel that inspired it. Finally, I must recommend both books by Wouk. If you have read "The Winds of War," you will appreciate what a great transition from print to screen has taken place here. And do not expect solved issues at the end of the last tape: this one ends right after the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. In order to find out what happens to the characters, you must read "War and Remembrance" or watch the second mini-series or, better yet, do both.

A great min-series that stays true to the book.
I first read The Winds of War by Herman Wouk back around 1972. The book just absolutely grabbed me. When I heard that ABC was filming a mini-series I was a little skeptical. Very few "made for TV" movies from books really capture the true feel of the original work. THIS ONE DOES! First of all it has a great cast. Robert Mitchum was just awsome as Comander Pug Henry. Both Jan Michael Vincent and Ali McGraw were credable as older actors playing young adults. Polly Bergen, John Houseman, and Peter Graves round out an exceptional cast. The fictional account of a family caught up within historical events continues to draw my attention, even though I have watch this many times since it originally came out. Some of the many highlights include the special effects of the bombing of London, the Japanesse attack on Pearl Harbor, and the wonderful re-creation of Roosevelt, Churchill, and Hitler by Ralph Bellamy and crew. In comparing this series to War and Remembrance, which was the sequal in both book and mini-series, I would have to give the nod to this as the better. If you're looking for an accurate and riviting account of the early years of WW II, then grab this up. Yes, the cost is high but it's well worth it.

Well done, Paramount
Paramount deserves major congratulations for doing right by The Winds of War with their DVD release.

I was anxious to make sure this DVD measured up, so I watched it with my old VHS playing at the same time, and switched back and forth occasionally on the remote to see the difference. It's nothing less than astonishing. The old Winds videos look unwatchable when compared to the new image, which probably looks as close as possible to the way it was shot.

This is, of course, a TV miniseries from 1983, long before anyone imagined the resolution of DVD, so it's not going to look perfect. Still, almost every time I switched to the VHS, then back, I literally said "wow." Colors are distinct and deep, details are sharp and the variously-colored hazes that afflicted most of the VHS are gone. Having only seen the series this way, the DVDs were a revelation. These discs represent what is best about DVD and its success, bringing a long-quiet catalog title back to life.

Although Paramount usually mixes new 5.1 audio tracks for their old films, with 15 hours of film here, they can't be blamed for leaving the existing mono tracks, which are certainly decent and don't detract at all from viewing the film. (I can't understand the other reviewer who gave the DVD set one star, largely because of the audio. Doesn't he understand how prohibitively expensive a new sound mix of that length, for such a complex series, would have been? We're very lucky with what we've got.)

Paramount also fixed some framing mistakes on the VHS edition. Large portions of episodes 5, 6 and 7 were noticeably off-center when compared to the re-aligned DVDs. This had never caught my attention before, but when flipping back and forth, I could see that the tops of people's heads were actually lopped off quite frequently on the VHS.

I've read horror stories of missing scenes when TV shows find their way to DVD, so I was especially anxious to be sure that wasn't the case. Rest assured, every moment of the VHS version is here. The only difference is that the commercial break spots have now been lengthened to about five seconds, where they were almost instant cuts on the VHS. This gives more of a breather between acts, which I totally approve of. (As for the other reviewer who found scenes that were not on their old VHS, I can't imagine what they were watching, but it wasn't the official Paramount 7 VHS set, which was identical to this new DVD in film content.)

The extras are also pretty thorough for a title that's clearly not going to sell millions of units. There are a series of featurettes that actually run into a pretty comprehensive feature-length documentary. Almost all the surviving cast and crew are interviewed, with the standout being series producer/director Dan Curtis. Just what a labor of love the series was for him is quickly apparent, and he has wonderfully clear memories of the production, which he is given ample time to share.

Bravo, Paramount, for giving this landmark miniseries the careful treatment it deserved.

Shamefully limited DVD of a superlative series
The one star refers to the DVD version only. The original Winds of War miniseries is superlative, the best miniseries I have ever seen on television.

But this DVD is woefully, shamelessly and utterly disappointingly limited. NO extras. NO sound enhancement from the original, cramped TV monaural audio to enhanced stereo or surround sound. The DVD video quality is somewhat better than VHS. But absent better sound, the DVD's are not worth the price if one already has the VHS version.

I'm glad I rented the first disk from Netflix in order to sample it before buying the set. I cannot overstate my dismay over the lack of sound improvement. The original musical soundtrack was superb in its own right, and battle scenes and other sonics also cried out to be stereo-ized and surround-ized. But the producers of this DVD evidently decided to go the cheapie route. Again, what a disappointment!

Just didn't hold up....
...for me, at least. I watched this miniseries when it aired way back when, and remember liking it a lot then. In addition, I am a big Robt. Mitchum fan. So, when this set became available at my local Costco, I snatched it up in anticipation of enjoying it all over again. Alas, this was not to be. After sitting through the first disc, my thought was "Well, maybe it takes time to get going". By the middle of the second disc, I shut it off, quite disappointed. In short, too much time was spent on the relationships of the characters and not nearly enough on the title topic. Now, in all fairness, I was a U.S. history major in college, so clearly that was my focus. Still, all the 'character development' felt, to me, like just so much fluff to fill in between the historical drama. I really wanted to like this series and to be able to say "Don't even think about it-just go buy it!", but sorry, no dice. Perhaps if I had watched the entire production, I would have come around, but there just wasn't enough there to hold me. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Overlong, but worth seeing
Original little gem about love, hypnosis, and reincarnation all queezed into the package of a bright, colorful musical. Yves Montand plays a college professor who begins hypnosis treatment on Daisy (Barbra Streisand) in order to help her stop smoking. While under, he discovers she lived a former life as a 19th century vixen who was stood up by her husband and beheaded for treason. The doctor slowly falls in love with the woman of the past, while, in the present, Daisy (unaware of her former exsistance) falls in love with him.

Big-budgeted film was a box office flop when first released, but it's actually pretty enjoyable. The offbeat story line and the public's sudden lack of interest in musicals are the probably the main reason for the film's failure.

As a Barbra Streisand fan I must say that she is great even though this film is far from her best. She is adorable as Daisy and divinely sensual as the gold digger from England that she ecomes once hypnotized. Montand is a little too stuffy and mechanical as Dr. Charbot, but he and Streisand do share some chemistry.

Streisand's good, Montand is acceptale, but on the whole the movie is was too long and even a bit forced at times. Still, it worth seeing. The costumes and sets are beautiful, the ending is sweet, and there are some great songs.

Bottom line: the movie's cute, often funny, occasionally silly and sometimes moving.

Wonderful Movie the Whole Family Can Enjoy!
This has always been one of my favorite Barbra movies. ESP and reincarnation might be old hat now, but back in 1970 they were hot topics and you could count on controversy when they were discussed. I don't care much for Yves Montand, but the guy that plays Robert is very fine, even as a fine young dandy from 200 years ago! I've heard all about this movie from different sources over the years, and I think it's wonderful that Barbra was pregnant during the filming (you'd never know), that she was allowed to keep the clothes, that she played the part at cost instead of an increased fee (just after Funny Girl), and that she wasn't even the person the film was written for, but Audrey Hepburn. Again, this is an enjoyable film--remember it's a musical and the songs are very catching, don't be surprised if you find yourself humming one of the songs after you've seen the movie!

WIDESCREEN DVD PLEEEEESE !!!!!
This beautiful little gem needs to be on DVD period. The color is absolutely fabulous, the costumes beautiful. It's a colorfull cleaned up snip-et of 60's style. My favorite Barbra Striesand musical. And for those of who believe in re-incarnation or even just like to toy with the concept it is enjoyable fun.

Barbara is simply Marvy! Damn the pretentious Frenchman!
A great movie directed by a fantastic director. All this and more made in spite of Paramount's choice for one of the century's most horrid leading actors. Two words..."Yves Montand" I would certainly like to know who was responsible for telling Yves that he could act. Luckily for us, Barbara's comedic timimg and on screen presence distracts us from Yves witty droll and cardboard persona. Much of the films salvation has to be given to the credit of Vincente Minnelli, who has directed many wonderful & memorable movies such as "Meet me in St Louis" It is also a wonderful treat to see a young and handsome (yes I said handsome.. if you can believe that) Jack Nicholson who plays one of Daisy's neighbors. What's most intresting about Jack's character, is that there was a sense of ambiguity about his sexual orientation. A definite first for the Jackster! I give this movie 5 stars even though Yves is in it. The story, art direction and musical numbers are just fabulous. Besides we all know that anyone who buys this movie, certainly isn't purchasing it on account of the leading man. Now when is Paramount going to release this on DVD? Hello? Paramount? Are you listening? Hello? Is anyone awake over there?....

"Is anything else comin' off?"
This was one of the very last of the lavish screen musicals to be made in the classic mode, and, by the time of it's early 1970 theatrical release, it already seemed tired and dated. This is why it is somewhat shocking that, when viewed today, ON A CLEAR DAY is not only tremendously entertaining, but that it's also possibly the most underrated film of both director Vincent Minnelli and star Barbra Streisand. The film's reincarnation theme was pretty cutting-edge back in the early-seventies, and it still feels unique even today. The film received fair-to-negative reviews from critics at the time, and even though it proved to be a modest hit at the box office, it has been long forgotten by the general public, and it even goes unlisted on many of Streisand's selected filmographies. This is a shame, for Streisand's highly impressive dual performance may prove to be a revelation for some of her admirers and critics alike.

Like the film itself, Streisand is at her very best in the film's frequent flashbacks. Not only does she look absolutely beautiful as Melinda in Cecil DeVille's many elaborate costumes, but her Regency- era poise and accent are completely flawless. However, the film isn't absolutely perfect. Though Streisand's gives one of her most likable performances as kooky Daisy (her character's present-day incarnation), her "modern-day" wardrobe is a little too extreme. I realize that the costume designers wanted to draw a sharp contrast between Daisy and Melinda, but they went a little too far and ended up making Daisy look too buffoonish. They didn't need to go to such lengths with her garish "contemporary" wardrobe - Streisand's convincing performance alone is enough to make the contrast believable. Yves Montad is acceptable in his role - I don't believe he really deserved all of the criticism that he's received over the years, yet I do find his performance to rather stiff, and am convinced that many other actors could have done more with the part. Jack Nicholson, Bob Newhart, and John Richardson appear in small supporting roles, but they all feel rather underused.

However, there's something about the Streisand-Minnelli pairing that seems to have brought out the best in the two legendary talents. The flashback segments in particular provide the perfect showcase for Minnelli's imaginative visuals, and these are also the very scenes that allow Streisand to stretch the most as an actress. In particular, the "Love And All The Trimmings" sequence is easily one of the best moments that Minnelli ever captured on film, and Streisand has rarely been more intensely seductive than in this one sequence. Score-wise, the soaring title song is the only real classic of the eight Lenner-Lowe compositions, but a few of the others (the comic "Go To Sleep," the gorgeous "He Isn't You") are nearly as great. Bottom line: ON A CLEAR DAY is a film that's usually funny, sometimes touching, and always inventive and enjoyable. It's undervalued gem if there ever was one. ... Read more

Description

Catch him if you can. The Fugitive is on the run! Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones race through the breathless manhunt movie based on the classic TV series. Ford is prison escapee Dr. Richard Kimble, a Chicago surgeon falsely convicted of killing his wife and determined to prove his innocence by leading his pursuers to the one-armed man who actually committed the crime. Jones (1993 Academy Award and Golden Globe winner as Best Supporting Actor) is Sam Gerard, an unrelenting bloodhound of a U.S. Marshal. They are hunted and hunter. And as directed by Andrew Davis (Under Siege), their nonstop chase has one exhilarating speed: all-out. So catch him if you can. And catch an 11-on-a-scale-of-10 train wreck (yes, the train is real), a plunge down a waterfall, a cat-and-mouse jaunt through a Chicago St. Patrick's Day parade and much more. Better hurry. Kimble doesn't stay in one place very long! ... Read more

Reviews (126)

Fugitive is Dr. Richard Kimball: Go get this movie.
If I were stranded on a desert island and all I could have was my abysmally sparse movie collection, I would make sure "The Fugitive" was in it. Thankfully, it is. This is one of the most entertaining and engaging movies ever, far superior to a lot of movies playing these days. For the few of you who don't know the plot, I'll run it past you without spoiling much...

The story revolves around a Chicago surgeon named Dr. Richard Kimball (Harrison Ford) who is convicted of murdering his wife (Sela Ward). He pleads innocent, claiming that a one-armed man committed the heinous crime (the opening sequence, showing the murder in flashback style, is chillingly realistic). Well, no one believes the good doctor's alibi, and he is sentenced to death. However, after his prison bus crashes into a train, he escapes back to Chicago to find the murderer, while keeping away from US Marshal Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) and his team of deputies.

Having never seen the old TV series, this movie was nevertheless fantastic. The thrills just keep coming, as well as the tongue-in-cheek humor, courtesy of Tommy Lee Jones and Joe Pantoliano (as Cosmo, Sam's deputy), who really steal the show in a lot of scenes. The screenplay is obviously very sharp. The train-and-bus wreck will take your breath away, as will the waterfall sequence. Aside from these action scenes, it's great that this movie is shot in Chicago, one of the greatest cities in North America. Sorry, personal bias, I loved Chicago when I visited a couple years back. The acting is very well done, and the characters are very three-dimensional. Sometimes it feels like you're watching a modern "Les Miserables". Nice transition from action thriller to action-mystery as the film enters its second half. If you follow the plot, which is fairly easy to keep up with, the ending will shock you. All in all, "The Fugitive" is definitely worth the bang for your hard-earned buck. If you haven't seen this wonderful piece of movie-making, do so ASAP.

Quality-wise, the DVD is pretty good. Director Andrew Davis does a cool little documentary on how the train wreck was filmed.

MOVIE-10/10
DVD EXTRAS-8/10

Ford hits another home run
Ditto what that other reviewer said: this is another great Harrison Ford vehicle. They really DON'T make movies like this any more. It needs not typical DVD additions, not cut scenes, not trailers, or interviews.

Back in the day, Wednesday morning school was dominated by the discussion of the latest episode of "The Fuge" from the night before. This is the only film I can think of which actually did justice to the classic television show from which it sprang.

Tommy Lee Jones is a fantastic U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard. He appears not to be obsessed with the capture of Dr. Kimble (as was his television predecessor, portrayed by Barry Morse). Nonetheless, we get the feeling that he brings the same determination to every case he has. Ford once again is the "everyman" (if a doctor who gets sent to prison for killing his wife and then escapes can be thought of in those terms) who prevails through all manner of adversities. [As an aside, I wonder how well Ford could stretch himself - could he ever be convincing as a real bad guy, like a John Malkovich or Anthony Hopkins?]

This movie has a lot of pluses. It is a great story, updated from one of the sixties' best shows. Sure, there were great stunts. The bus crash/train wreck was stunning (made even more so by seeing Ford almost comically hobbling along, trying to outrun the carnage while wearing leg shackles).

However, it is the competition between the two dogged adversaries Jones and Ford that makes this work. They are one real pair of incredibly strong personalities- (and screen presences) Nothing better than the sequence in the dam early on with Ford protesting his innocence and Jones equally sincere reply "I don't care". Both smart, even though Jones hides his behind a gruff and self-deprecating exterior. The good and decent Doc must be determined (after all, it is his can on the line), but seeing him persevere - hiding his own persona in a hospital, evading the police while tracking down the one armed man is intense, even though we know the outcome.

Great editing; especially when we think the Marshals are getting close to the big bust, and we find out that they are actually making a collar across town.

This one is a winner.

A classic action thriller
What makes "The Fugitive" such a successful and superior film is that it knows what it is: an action/mystery film. It makes no attempt to make itself bigger or more intellectual than it is (as did the American version of "The Vanishing"). Harrison Ford, surprisingly underplaying the role of Dr. Kimball--others might have overworked his grief and angst--turns in a brilliant performance. And the always reliable Tommy Lee Jones does an icy, sparkling job as Kimball's persuer, US Marshal Sam Gerard. So good a performance that he earned a well-deserved Oscar for it.

The other key to the movie's success is Andrew Davis' dazzling direction. He keeps the pace frenetic for a good deal of the film, and the pot is always kept boiling. Close calls and intense chases keep the tension and suspense at fever pitch. "The Fugitive" will endure for a long time as a classic action thriller.

I did not kill my wife
That is well known sentence from this action hit which put an Oscar in hands of Tommy Lee Jones. Somebody killed dr. Richard Kimble's (Ford) wife, but all clues are against him. After all, who can be stupid enough to say that - One arm man did it?! His escape after bus accident will be his second chance to proove his innocents. But, that will be damn hard. Especially because after him is federal marshal who "doesn't care" about anything, except to bring the fugitive back (by any costs). Kimble will discover that he was in strong net made of lies and conspiracy, and that his only way out is to find proofes to clear his name and bring killer in front of justice. Jones supposed to be a good guy, but you'll hate him all the movie (well, it's not his falt, he's just good actor). Harrison is great, older, but still in good shape. Since Indiana Jones, he never has better role than this. You'll be right next to him, trying to solve the puzzle, hoping that he will succeed to find who ruined his life. Excellent story, good locations and ideas. Definetly collection material.

Train Wreck of Action
This is one of the best-crafted action/suspense films I've ever seen. I've viewed this many many times and have been rewarded each time by picking up on different subtle nuances.
Every element of this film works in unison and are what make this a great film and give it the punch that it has. There's the story which is as finely crafted as they get, a cast that couldn't have been any better (and boy do the actors deliver in their performances), tight pacing, great photography, and some unbelievable effects.

This is a modern masterpiece! ... Read more

Reviews (85)

There couldn't be a better Disney movie to own on DVD.
For me, the Fox and the Hound cannot be matched by any other Disney film. Unlike the stiffer, older films and the newer, hokier ones, the atmosphere in TFATH is just perfect, truly a revolutionary point in Disney's timeline. The animation is very fluid and the characters have great design and movement. Most of the songs are more like talking than singing, but they're few and far between and manage to get the point across. A nice change from usual Disney fare in the surprisingly sad ending. Considering I'm pretty desensitized to on-screen emotion, it's unusual that I cry every time I watch this one. It's the ONLY Disney movie that can make me. Even so, there's a number of comedic moments to get rid of the tension. I'm not sure where the Amazon review got the idea that the characters lack depth. Believe me, by the time this one is over, you'll be wanting to see much more of all of them. It's an excellent feature that carries an important message all wrapped up inside a lovable, heartwarming, and poignant story. You owe it to yourself and your children to see this one.

An All-Time Favourite!
"The Fox and the Hound" was of the last films to be apart of the "Black Diamond Collection" before the "Masterpiecee Collection" came to the markets in 1994. The film was released into theaters in 1981 & 1988 and came to video in 1994! This movie is a really great and colorful movie to add too any Disney collector's collection!

The story is about a kind woman who takes in an abandoned baby fox after his mother is killed in a hunting trip. She names him Tod and considers him as part of her family. Tod then meets a bloodhound dog named Copper (Who lives right next door to the kind woman) and they eventually become good friends. They have no clue that they are supposed to be enemies (Since hounds hunt foxs and other forest creatures)

After returning on a hunting trip during the winter with his master (To learn how to hunt), Copper realizes how he shouldn't hang around Tod to prevent Tod from getting killed by his master. By this time, they are both grown up and all the fun times that they had together suddenly don't seem to matter anymore. Eventually, Tod and Copper become enemies and it is Copper's mission to hunt down Tod. You'll be surprised on what happens when Copper and Tod to come face to face!

The film also includes some great songs like "The Best Of Friends" and "Goodbye May Seem Forever" (Which I still cry at when I hear that song!) This movie will also make you cry, so make sure to have a tissue in your hand when approaching the middle part of the movie! All in all, it is a really great movie and people young and old will enjoy watching it! 83 minutes.

A Good Movie for people of all ages
I am sixteen years old and when I saw this movie, it really brought tears to my eyes. It reminds me of how me and my best friend was. I really enjoyed this movie. Everyone should watch it on Family Nights.

Friends to the end.
This is one of my favorite Disney movies. When Widow Tweed takes in a baby fox, whose mother had been shot by hunters, she names it Tod and raises it. About the same time she takes Tod in, her neighbor, Amos Slade brings home a hound dog puppy named Copper.

One day in the woods, Copper and Tod meet and instantly become the best of friends. When fall comes and Amos takes an unwilling Copper along for his winterlong hunting trip, Tod tries to convince his friends, Big Mama, Dinky and Boomer that even though Copper will come back a trained hunting dog, that they will still stay the best of friends. Big Mama tells Tod that a fox and a hound are natural enemies and that, surprise, you ARE a fox.

When the two are finally reunited in the spring, Copper tells Tod that they can't be friends anymore. After a tragic accident involving Amos's other dog Chief, Copper swears that Tod will pay. Widow Tweed, realizing that she can't keep Tod locked up forever, takes Tod to the game preserve and lets him go. Amos resolves to kill the fox, and with Copper's help, goes to track him down. But when Copper has a run in with a bear, Tod comes to his rescue and, ultimately, Copper gets Tod spared from death.

A touching story about friendship that never fails to bring a tear to my eye.

Finally a DVD Version of this Awsome movie
I love this movie a lot it has great music like "Best Of Friends"
"Goodbye may seem Forever" and "Thats what Friends Are For" are all great songs on this DVD. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This restored, animated valentine to the Beatles offers viewersthe rare chance to see a work that's been substantially improved by its technical facelift, not just supersized with extra footage. Recognizing that its song-studded soundtrack alone makes Yellow Submarine a video annuity, United Artists has lavished a frame-by-frame refurbishment of the original feature, while replacing its original monaural audio tracks with a meticulously reconstructed stereo mix that actually refines legendary original album versions.

What emerges is a vivid time capsule of the late '60s and a minor milestone in animation. The music represents the quartet's zenith--Rubber Soul, Revolver, and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The story line, cobbled together by producer Al Brodax and a committee of writers, is a broad, feather-light allegory set in idyllic Pepperland, where the gentle citizens are threatened by the nasty, music-hating Blue Meanies and their surreal arsenal of henchmen, with the Beatles enlisted to thwart the bad guys. Visually, designer Heinz Edelmann mixes the biomorphic squiggles, day-glo palette, and Beardsley-esque portraits of Peter Max with rotoscoped still photographs and film; Edelmann's animated collages also nod to Andy Warhol and Magritte in properly psychedelic fashion, which works wonderfully with such terrific songs.

High orthodox Beatlemaniacs can still grouse that the animated Fab Four are (literally) flat archetypes, but that's missing the sheer bloom of the music or the giddy, campy fun of the visuals. Making sense of the story is second to submerging blissfully in the sights and sounds of this video treat. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (211)

Masterful restoration of 60's Classic
After reading the New York Times article about the restoration process for Yellow Submarine, I had high hopes for this DVD. I was not disappointed.

The color saturation is sumptuous. There are some imperfections, but on the whole this is a first class restoration. If you want appreciate the restoration, look at the original theatrical trailer or the "making of" documentary extras.

The re-mastered audio brings new complexity and detail to familiar Beatle material (even on my strictly middlebrow home entertainment system). The opening a cappella chorus of "Nowhere Man" sounded like it was recorded yesterday.

For a generation that has not seen this film, Yellow Submarine is a perfect time capsule for 60's psychedelic era. The film begins in under the sea in Pepperland, an idyllic musical community, which is attacked by the music-hating Blue Meanies. "Young Fred" manages to escape the attack in the Yellow Submarine, which takes him to England. He recruits the Beatles to return with him to Pepperland to join the battle between the forces of order (the Blue Meanies) and the forces of creativity and love. The plot is pretty much as hokey as it sounds, but it is merely a vehicle for the music, humor, surrealism, artistic and social sensibilities of the psychedelic 60's. And it is there that the movie emphatically succeeds.

The animation is certainly not as sophisticated as some more modern efforts, but it stands up remarkably well. There was a lot of revolutionary (for the 60's) integration of animation and live action. The colors are gorgeous. Visually, this is still a very entertaining film.

If you don't like the Beatles music, or are bored by animation, stay away. If you are on the fence about getting this DVD, buy it. You won't be disappointed. And if you love the Beatles, this DVD should move to the top of your list.

Fab
More of a series of Beatles videos than a film, this is excellent for what it is, and it has Beatles music in it, so it can't be bad. I'd forgotten how good 'Nowhere Man' was, in particular, until I saw this again on DVD. George Harrison does a really good guitar solo near the beginning of the song, so top marks to George. The other songs are usually described as lightweight throwaways, although I think that's a bit harsh. 'Hey Bulldog' is fun, and although 'Only a Northern Song' and 'It's All Too Much' aren't as good as 'Eleanor Rigby', they fit the images very well. 'All Together Now' is dire, though. The extra DVD bits are nice to have, but not really worth buying the disc for on their own. The 'Making of' documentary is from 1968, doesn't tell you much, and only goes on for 17 minutes. The commentary is a bit dull too, and Heinz Edelmann only appears for five minutes at the end. The 'isolated music score' simply turns off the speaking voices and sound effects - you don't actually get the full soundtrack in order, you get snatches of George Martin's instrumental music and the Beatles' songs. The remastering is a bit iffy in places - there are film scratches and blobs were there shouldn't be any - and although it could be my speakers, the Beatles' dialogue seems to be drowned out by the orchestral score. As for the film, you've probably already seen it. It looks and sounds wonderful, but it has a long, dull bit in the middle; there isn't really much of a plot; and I still can't make out what the Beatles are saying most of the time. But that's just me. The bit at the end, where the Beatles appear, makes me wince, as they seem so self-conscious and embarrassed.

My daughter is 5 and loves it!
I never thought the movie was great until my 5 year old started watching it. I am hooked (or re-hooked on the Beatles). The music and images are far better than anything on TV. Sure, squint your eyes (or ears) real hard and find some type of references to the 60's - but the're not there if you simply enjoy the feast.

My daughter now hums the songs, we have a Beatles poster in her room - - an no more Sponge Bob, Scooby Doo, or those Princesses. YEA!

The music was great but the movie wasn't
I just don't get why people love the movie. Yes, the music in it is exeltnet and it did introduce three new great Beatles songs (All Together Now, Only a Northern Song, and Hey Bulldog) but the music OUTDOES the movie. I don't care what other people say, the animation is bad, and the plot is confusing. The movie is really just an excuse to get the Fab Four back on the big screen. They were barly involved anyway. They added three new songs and didn't even do the voices of their characters. THe movie is decent and is worth watching once. I give it three stars becasue the music is good and I like the message that good will always win over evil and greed (even if it has been proven wrong by big corperations taking over everything and MTV manipulating everyone ages 7 - 17 its nice to think good will win out in the end.) If you want a good Bealtes movie I recamend A Hard Day's Night.

Perfect for those that keep the inner child alive
Turn off your mind
Relax and
Float down stream

¿Do you wanna watch a movie...
with no blood, no bad words, no nudes, no witchery, no romance, and... no Hollywood?

Sounds boring?

Well, my nephews love this movie. Perhaps it's because it's quite the same style as Sesame Street cartoons. I love it, too. But my pop-music-fan brother... He just can't stand it. It's too psychedelic for his simple mind. Some of my friends hate it, too. But strangely, kids love it! Could it be that there is a something about appreciating this kind of things that most adults seem to loose when they grow up?

If you still can appreciate things like you did when you were a child, you'll love this one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A stirring example of courage and the indomitable human spirit, for many John Sturges's The Great Escape (1963) is both the definitive World War II drama and the nonpareil prison escape movie. Featuring an unequalled ensemble cast in a rivetingly authentic true-life scenario set to Elmer Bernstein's admirable music, this picture is both a template for subsequent action-adventure movies and one of the last glories of Golden Age Hollywood. Reunited with the director who made him a star in The Magnificent Seven, Steve McQueen gives a career-defining performance as the laconic Hilts, the baseball-loving, motorbike-riding "Cooler King." The rest of the all-male Anglo-American cast--Dickie Attenborough, Donald Pleasance, James Garner, Charles Bronson, David McCallum, James Coburn, and Gordon Jackson--make the most of their meaty roles (though you have to forgive Coburn his Australian accent). Closely based on Paul Brickhill's book, the various escape attempts, scrounging, forging, and ferreting activities are authentically realized thanks also to technical advisor Wally Flood, one of the original tunnel-digging POWs. Sturges orchestrates the climax with total conviction, giving us both high action and very poignant human drama. Without trivializing the grim reality, The Great Escape thrillingly celebrates the heroism of men who never gave up the fight.

Akira Kurosawa's rousing Seven Samurai was a natural for an American remake--after all, the codes and conventions of ancient Japan and the Wild West (at least the mythical movie West) are not so very far apart. Thus The Magnificent Seven (1960) effortlessly turns samurai into cowboys. The beleaguered denizens of a Mexican village, weary of attacks by banditos, hire seven gunslingers to repel the invaders once and for all. The gunmen are cool and capable, with most of the actors playing them just on the cusp of '60s stardom: Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn. The man who brings these warriors together is Yul Brynner, the baddest bald man in the West. There's nothing especially stylish about the approach of veteran director John Sturges (The Great Escape), but the storytelling is clear and strong, and the charisma of the young guns fairly flies off the screen. If that isn't enough to awaken the 12-year-old kid inside anyone, the unforgettable Elmer Bernstein music will do it: bum-bum-ba-bum, bum-ba-bum-ba-bum....

Millionaire businessman Thomas Crown (Steve McQueen) is also a high-stakes thief; his latest caper is an elaborate heist at a Boston bank. Why does he do it? For the same reason he flies gliders, bets on golf strokes, and races dune buggies: he needs the thrill to feel alive. Insurance investigator Vicky Anderson (Faye Dunaway) gets her own thrills by busting crooks, and she's got Crown in her cross hairs. Naturally, these two will get it on, because they have a lot in common: they're not people, they're walking clothes racks. The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) is a catalog of '60s conventions, from its clipped editing style to its photographic trickery (the inventive Haskell Wexler behind the camera) to its mod design. You can almost sense director Norman Jewison deciding to "tell his story visually," like those newfangled European films; this would explain the long passages of Michel Legrand's lounge jazz ladled over endless montages of the pretty Dunaway and McQueen at play. (The opening-credits song, "Windmills of Your Mind," won an Oscar.) It's like a "What Kind of Man Reads Playboy?" ad come to life, and much more interesting as a cultural snapshot than a piece of storytelling.

Junior Bonner (1972) is director Sam Peckinpah's lovely, elegiac look at the world of the rodeo--and his only film with nary a bullet wound. Steve McQueen, engagingly easygoing but determined, is the title character, a rodeo rider out to win a big bull-riding contest in his hometown. Even as he confronts his dwindling days on the circuit, he also must deal with his feuding parents, marvelously played by Robert Preston and Ida Lupino. Preston is particularly good as the randy old con artist; he and Lupino strike real sparks. Peckinpah's slow-motion camera is put to particularly good use filming the balletic violence of the rodeo, at once more terrifying and awe-inspiring than any gun battle. A lovely country-western valentine to a dying breed.

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Reviews (2)

Flawless
In The Great Escape and The Magnificent Seven, Steve McQueen gives worthy performances but they are more or less ensemble films.In ESCAPE you might argue that McQueen is the actual star and the other characters, vivid as they are, serve only to support him, but in SEVEN he's not even the main star.People like myself with action fever in our blood think the world of these two films, early exposures to adrenaline pumping, and we remember them with the same intake of breath we remember the first time we jumped out of a plane or got into a fistfight.

In JUNIOR BONNER, the action is more subtle, though the rodeo background is colorful and McQueen, a little more weathered, is even better than before.His tangles with Ida Lupino are legendary and she was never better than in this film, a nice valedictory on Sam Peckinpah's part to one of Britain's (and Hollywood's) finest actresses, a woman who could spit out nails when she wanted to and a fitting progenitor for McQueen's icy stare (she plays his mother).It's a softer and more lyrical Peckinpah film, unlike the later THE GETAWAY (also with McQueen, although not in this boxed set).

Finally there's Norman Jewison's remake/remodel of Steve McQueen as a dashing, dapper Cary Grant type in the sophisticated caper thriller THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR.To McQueen's credit, he was able to st-r-e-t-ch his screen image to accommodate the rapier verbal wit of the screenplay as well as do his customary "blue haze" screen stare.Faye Dunaway, as the curious heroine, is also very good and hardly mannered at all.When the film appeared, there was a lot of attention paid to their chess scene, which more or less frankly tried to imitate the baroque erotics of TOM JONES' famous "eating scene" with Albert Finney.Everything in the sequence is a complex double entendre, and often the actors are photographed in intense closeup, letting their eyes do all the talking for them.It works today, even though it has itself been imitated dozens of times since.On the entertaining commentary track Jewison acknowledges the prickly personae of his stars, and hints at how difficult they both could be, and he'll make you smile with some of his insider info.

This MGM set is released at a low (if not quite budget) price and has four great films in it.The competing McQueen set may have more discs, but it has more duds too.You pay your money, and you make your choice!

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
Description for Steve McQueen Giftset - 4 Pack DVD
--This exciting compilation features four classic Steve McQueen adventures, described individually below:

THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963) - John Sturges's dramatization of the true story of a group of British, American, and Canadian POWs who successfully escaped from Stalag Luft III in Upper Silesia in March 1944 remains arguably the best World War II adventure film ever made. A host of excellent up-and-coming actors, including James Garner (MAVERICK and THE ROCKFORD FILES), Richard Attenborough (future director of GANDHI), James Coburn (IN LIKE FLINT), and Charles Bronson (DEATH WISH) mesh beautifully in this meticulous recreation of the legendary escape. The German high command rounded up all of the allies' most talented escape artists and placed them in a POW camp specifically designed to foil any unwanted departures, but many of them laboriously tunnel out anyway. Steve McQueen's thrilling motorcycle chase sequence instantly made him a major movie star.

MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960) - John Sturges's remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 classic THE SEVEN SAMURAI has become an extremely influential film in its own right. A small farming Mexican village that makes involuntary donations of its harvest to a gang of bandits led by Calvera (Eli Wallach) decides to hire a group of professional gunmen, headed by gunslinger-for-hire Chris (Yul Brynner), to protect them. Despite the meager pay, Chris and Vin (Steve McQueen) sign on after the Mexicans see them face down some racist thugs. As they ride back to the village, Chris begins to pick up other gunmen, including Bernardo (Charles Bronson), Lee (Robert Vaughan), Britt (James Coburn, looking eerily like his alter ego in the Kurosawa epic), Harry (Brad Dexter), and aspiring gunslinger Chico (Horst Buchholz falling short in the role played to perfection by Toshiro Mifune in the Japanese original). This rousing action film launched the movie careers of McQueen, Coburn, and Bronson. Although McQueen's character had only a few lines of dialogue, Sturges told the young actor that he would "give him the camera," and certainly kept his word. The movie also benefits tremendously from the unforgettably polyrhythmic score by Elmer Bernstein, among the most famous in film history, so popular and effective that it was used to sell Marlboro cigarettes for years afterward (and was memorably "sampled" in a very early Yes album from the 70s).

JUNIOR BONNER (1972) - Steve McQueen plays Junior Bonner, an aging rodeo champ who returns to his hometown to participate in the annual rodeo. He finds his family estranged, does what he can to help, and then moves on...after some serious rodeo riding and a few brawls. Robert Preston, Ida Lupino, and Ben Johnson lend strong support to McQueen's laconic loner.

THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR (1968) - Rich and charming (but thrill-seeking) businessman Thomas Crown (Steve McQueen) must be the last person anyone would suspect as a bank-robbing mastermind, but Vicki Anderson (Faye Dunaway of NETWORK and BONNIE AND CLYDE), the insurance investigator assigned to the case, gradually catches on. A memorably erotic chess match between McQueen and Dunaway, both at their stratospheric career heights when the movie was filmed, serves as a metaphor for their relationship in the film.

DVD Features:

Region 1
4-Disc Box Set
Disc 1: THE GREAT ESCAPE
Widescreen - 2.35
Single Side - Dual Layer
Audio:
---Dolby Digital Mono - English
---Dolby Digital Mono - French
Additional Release Material:
---Making-of
---Trailers - 1. Original Theatrical Trailer
Text/Photo Galleries:
---Production Notes
---Additional Text - 1. Trivia

Disc 2: JUNIOR BONNER
Widescreen - 2.35
Audio:
---Mono - English
Additional Release Material:
---Audio Commentary
---Trailers - 1. Original Theatrical Trailer

Disc 3: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Keep Case
Widescreen - 2.35
Audio:
---Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
---Dolby Digital Mono - Spanish
---Dolby Digital Mono - French
Additional Release Material:
---Audio Commentary - 1. Eli Wallach - Star, James Coburn - Star
---Trailer - 1. Or