Amazon.com

Paul Newman gives one of the defining performances of his career, and cemented his place as a beautiful-rebel screen icon playing the stubbornly tough and independent title character in Cool Hand Luke. And before he became familiar as a sidekick in 1970s disaster movies (Earthquake and the Airport movies), George Kennedy won an Oscar for playing Dragline, the brutal chain-gang boss who tries to beat loner Luke's cool out of him. It's a classic rebel-against-the-repressive-institution story in the line of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest or The Shawshank Redemption. Certain moments have become classics--particularly the hardboiled egg-eating contest, and the immortal line (drooled by Strother Martin, as a sadistic redneck prison officer), "What we have here is a failure to communicate." And don't forget, Luke is also the source of the oft-quoted driving ditty, "I don't care if it rains or freezes, long as I have my plastic Jesus, right here on the dashboard of my car..." He is cool, all right. The digital video disc is in anamorphic widescreen and digital stereo. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (68)

My favorite movie of all time.
And I really mean it. They used to show this film often on the Superstation. When I was twelve, I watched it; the next time it came on, I taped it, and watched it probably more than 50 times over the next few years (I didn't know for a long time that the TV version has several scenes cut out for length, so getting it on video was a new revelation). What is it about "Cool Hand Luke" that is so moving? Well, it starts with Paul Newman's performance. Lucas Jackson is one of the most psychologically complex characters in the history of cinema, and Newman, criminally denied the Oscar for this film, makes him seem larger-than-life without saying much. Everything that comes out of his mouth is a revelation. The Christ allusions, which are fittingly done, heighten the sense of injustice that Luke is being slowly crucified by the lawmen, simply because he won't bend to their rules. On the surface, Luke seems self-destructive and ignorant, but in repeated watchings of the film, it becomes apparent that Luke is answering to a call that is bigger than the prison, bigger than the bosses, bigger than the law itself. I could go on and on about the myriad other ways in which this film is perfect, but why bother? I only get 1,000 words. Suffice it to say that this is the movie that makes George Kennedy, of all people, seem noble. YOU MUST SEE THIS FILM. The only flaw: I grew up in Georgia, and I can assure you that it is not filmed where it is set. Looks more like the Central Valley of California to me.

Just About Excellent
I cannot imagine why this film hasn't been more acclaimed. It is without a doubt one of the best of all time. I think the thing that appeals most of all to me is the unbelievable authenticity of all the characters. Except for Newman (because, hey, he's Paul Newman) nobody here appears to be acting. The guards are done just right--tough, good ol' boys who you don't wanna mess with. The prisoners meanwhile are a fairly diverse lot, some educated, some not, some with a whiff of femininity, but all have a refusal to be stripped of their dignity. Luke magnifies that element to the Nth degree.
The second best thing is the dialogue: Like "The Godfather", "Star Trek II", "Resoirovir Dogs", and "Jaws", Cool Hand Luke has several scenes which you'll easily memorize in their entirety.
Other elements: Boss Godfrey, The Man With No Eyes who doesn't say one word during the movie and who is one of the most chilling characters in a movie ever; Luke's mother, the car wash girl, the egg-eating contest, and Luke's excellent final monologue.
Luke's story has been compared to that of Jesus. When you look at it, you see that if Luke is a savior, he's a terribly flawed one, one who can't save himself. He's anti-authority, he's got nerve, and some major cojones, but he's got no aims, no goals, no beliefs. He's a Rebel Without A Clue. If he'd been born about 15-20 years later he could have made a good hippie. But this is still the early '50s and men who fail to conform end up exactly where he does. IMHO, this film accomplishes what One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest tried to do and does it much, much, better.

One final small note: The Lalo Schifrin score is great particularly during the "tarring the road" scene. Anyone who grew up in NYC in the 70s will instantly realize it as the theme to Channel 7 Eyewitness News!

An essential 60s movie - a touchstone for many
This is the perfect '60s movie. It is anti-authoritarian without being strident, a serious drama with whimsy, gritty and violent with a sexy side (who can forget the car wash scene?). Newman plays the "christ" figure and his prisoners as his disciples and believers (after he wins them over). The guards and the warden are the high priests and the Romans. And of course, they kill him in the end.

But we have some great fun along the way. Luke strips the heads off of a street of parking meters and gets a sentence far out of proportion to such a silly crime. To say that Luke chooses not to fit in is an understatement. It isn't that he takes on the system. Rather, his mere presence and indifference to the system causes it to change or to try and eliminate him as if he were some invading virus.

There are some wonderful and indelible scenes such as the egg eating, the fight with Dragline (George Kennedy), the race to the end of the road, the failure to communicate scene and the severe punishment Luke receives. It seems like you can sit around talking about scenes from this movie longer than the movie itself.

Paul Newman made Luke immortal, but George Kennedy as Dragline and Strother Martin as Captain are also essential to this movie's character and permanence.

Today's viewers might fine the pacing of the movie a bit slow and see some seams that those of us who love it might ignore, but so what? It is a classic and enjoyable film that is a touchstone for many who were young when they first saw it in 1967.

This film does NOT fail to communicate
This is the perfect '60s movie. It is anti-authoritarian without being strident, a serious drama with whimsy. It is gritty and violent and at the same time it has a sexy side (who can forget the car wash scene?). Newman plays the "christ" figure and his prisoners as his disciples and believers (after he wins them over). The guards and the warden are the high priests and the Romans. And of course, they kill him in the end.

But we have some great fun along the way. Luke strips the heads off of a street of parking meters and gets a sentence far out of proportion to such a silly crime. To say that Luke chooses not to fit in is an understatement. It isn't that he takes on the system. Rather, his mere presence and indifference to the system causes it to change or to try and eliminate him as if he were some invading virus.

There are some wonderful and indelible scenes such as the egg eating, the fight with Dragline (George Kennedy), the race to the end of the road, the failure to communicate scene and the severe punishment Luke receives. It seems like you can sit around talking about scenes from this movie longer than the movie itself.

Paul Newman made Luke immortal, but George Kennedy as Dragline and Strother Martin as Captain are also essential to this movie's character and permanence.

Today's viewers might fine the pacing of the movie a bit slow and see some seams that those of us who love it might ignore, but so what? It is a classic and enjoyable film that is a touchstone for many who were young when they first saw it in 1967.

Paul NewMan as Cool Hand Luke what a classic
newman (old blue eyes) stars as cool hand luke jackson, a war hero, who gets himself in trouble with the law, and is repeatedly beaten both mentally and physically savagely by the main boss of the prison he is in.

the main boss hates luke for several reasons: everyone likes luke. he is the typical rebel , yet he has a certain aura around that people love. even the people working in the prison like luke. the boss also hates luke, because he keeps escaping out of prison, which makes the prison's security and himself look bad. the movie from beginning to end, is one of the entertaining and powerful movies by newman. throughout the movie, we see luke's exploits including his status as "cool hand" which basically says that he can do anything. there is no better scene that shows this that luke's bet that can he eat 50 eggs in one hour. this scene is terrific and humorous to watch, time and time again. george kennedy plays greg dragline, luke's best friend and prison inmante. dragline's love of luke is evident through the whole movie. whenever, luke is mistreated dragline is there to try to pick up his spirits. whenever, luke is beaten severely for trying to escape the prison, dragline is one of the first friends that is there to pick him up and attend to him. then of course, this oscar worthy film has the memorable tunes and lines that all audiences all familiar with:

"what we got here is a familiar to communicate" is paul newman, legendary and household line that critics and audiences remember. this line has also been used in over a hundred, movies and tv shows including comedies, crime drama movies and much more. the line is a piece of cult phenomena and america which symobolizes a bad situation.

paul newman was nominated for best actor for this film, but didn't win. newman over his career has been nominated over 10 times for this aw ard: "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" , "Malice", "Nobody's Fool", are several of the great movies that NewMan has been nominated for. "Cool Hand Luke" stands as one of the American movies ever made. It represents the abusive and mistreatment that a couple of prisons have. It also represents an intelligent and popular fellow who all through his life had one bad situation after another, yet like Greg points "Ah Luke, always had that great smile." Luke's character in a way is a reflection on individuals like himself, whose life have been filled with pain and aggravation yet people like these never give up. Taken from a novel by Donn Pearce and directed by Stuart Rosenberg this film is a bonified classic. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The acclaimed debut of Judy Davis is the best reason to see My Brilliant Career, and the award-winning film is highly recommended as the feature debut of director Gillian Armstrong. This was an early entry in the magnificent "New Australian Cinema" movement that yielded such classics as Picnic at Hanging Rock, Gallipoli, and Breaker Morant, and 27-year-old Armstrong (who would later direct the popular 1994 version of Little Women) brought just the right feminist touch to this stately adaptation of the 1901 semi-autobiographical novel by Miles Franklin. Davis (who was 23 at the time) plays 16-year-old Sybylla Melvyn, on the verge of womanhood in turn-of-the-century Australia and determined to have a "brilliant career" as an independent writer and lover of life, but her attraction to a wealthy bachelor (Sam Neill, charming as always), and the pressures of her family to lead a conventional life of devoted domesticity, turn this into a romantic and highly observant drama of personal dilemma and free-spirited conviction. It's no surprise that Davis and Armstrong went on to brilliant careers themselves (Davis starred in David Lean's A Passage to India just a few years later). --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Visually Stunning
This is a visually stunning, feast of a film. The clothing, china, display of flowers in beautiful bud vases, landscaping, interior of the wonderful cottages. Even the scenes when Sybylla is sent to be a governess and live in squalor are artistically done. Judy Davis has such an elegance about her with her pale skin and dark auburn, wild hair.

Also, the estate used as the Beecham residence is quite wonderful as well.

Everyone here has already told of the wonderful story and it is but visually there's a story as well and this film tells it to perfection.

More people should see this film....
This is really a treasure of a film.It is definitely one of the best depictions of a young woman who breaks away from the norm to follow her own calling life.The young woman who does this is Sybylla Melvyn (Judy Davis), a headstrong, self-possessed young Australian woman from the Bush, whose parents no longer have money to keep her and send her to live with her grandmother.Sybylla, who comes from little money, previous charm school training or "traditional refinement" in her home is in for a culture shock when she meets her grandmother and aunt, who are both refined and quite traditional in their beliefs about what proper women ought to do.Proper women should marry, abandon thoughts of independent living, and must remain at the beck and call of their husbands.This is not the life Sybylla imagines for herself.She is actually an outspoken, self-directed writer, with more than a glimmer of spunk and mischief in her eyes.Sybylla also knows she isn't "conventionally beautiful."This doesn't stop two suitors from trying their luck with the spunky young woman.The first is Frank Hawdon (Robert Grubb), an upper-class, uptight and arrogant man who works for her grandmother and picks her up at the train station.Sybylla lets him know in no uncertain terms that she doesn't return his affections.The second suitor is Harry Beecham (Sam Neill), a young man who starts out as "mates" with her, participates in a good-natured pillow fight with "Syb" and ends up with feelings for her that run deeper than friendship.

This is an excellent period piece, set around circa 1900 in Australia, at a time where the opinion of women and their place in society was undergoing serious ruptures and transitions.Sybylla is a product and example of that rapture, and is truly an inspiration for any young woman who challenges convention.Judy Davis is masterful in her role and the supporting cast is equally engaging.Well done!

Always Makes Me Cry
I spent a packet of money buying my own copy of this in VHS. (Where is the DVD?Hello??)I love this film.Judy Davis is sublime as Sybille, a young woman from the Australian outback who finds herself out of place in her grandmother's high society of 1900, and dreaming beyond her means to become a writer.The film dramatizes the choices women had to make at that point in history given their restricted circumstances, but with humor and grace and refreshingly little didacticism.The visuals are beautiful, it's a period film that is more than just great costume design, and the Schumann piano soundtrack will never leave me.

I love Davis's pig-headed selfishness of youth, her capricious but unmalicious temper.This is also my favorite Sam Neill role--he strikes the absolutely right balance between devil-may-care romancer, masculine pride, and soft-heartedness, which makes their romance wholly plausible, realistic, and poignant.Two world-class performances.

If I were to invoke a stereotype, I'd say this film generally appeals to women of a feminist bent with its focus on the conflict between love and ambition.But naturally I think everyone should see it.

Timeless Australian Classic is on DVD (but notin USA yet)!
What's to say about "My Brilliant Career" that hasn't been said already? A superb first effort for then up and coming actors Judy Davis, Sam Neill, and director Gillian Armstrong. Those 3 are truly living up to the title of the film.

In answer to the previous reviewers here on Amazon.com, true that the film isn't available on DVD or new VHS for that matter in the USA. I heard there was a problem with who had the rights to the film in the last 10 years. Supposedly, some Panamanian company acquired the rights inadvertantly with a package of forgettable Aussie films. Margaret Fink, the producer, said she nearly dropped dead when she heard this. Fortunately, Fink and Australia reacquired "My Brilliant Career" in the last couple of years through legal means. That's why "My Brilliant Career" has already been released on new DVDs in the UK and Australia. I bought the Australian DVD because of the widescreen presentation and DVD extras that it has which include a great commentary by Gillian Armstrong as well as short interviews with producer Margaret Fink, Gillian Armstrong, film footage from Canne with Fink, Davis, and Armstrong, and more. It cost me about $23 (includes shipping from Australia) for a brand new DVD which is a bargain compared to how much used tapes go for on ebay. The UK version is cheaper but has no xtras I think. These region coded 2 or 4 DVDs will not play on a typical DVD player sold in the USA, but you can easily find certain DVD players sold at Bestbuy, Target, computer stores, etc... that can be made multi-region (region free) so they can play any DVD in the world. I bought myself one particular brand/model for $50. If you don't want to buy a region free player, you can also play foreign DVDs on your computer DVD-ROM drive easily.

Hopefully, one day "My Brilliant Career" will be released in the USA in glorious DVD. The film has been broadcast on cable channels in the USA in the past year. Which could be a sign it will end up on DVD here eventually. Perhaps similar to how "Impromptu" appeared on cable, then a year later it was released on DVD. Cross your fingers!

Brilliant Career - Judy Davis
This is one of the first films I ever saw Judy Davis.I loved this film and went out to buy the book.I don't understand why it is not on DVD.Gillian Armstrong has long been a favorite director, with this and Oscar and Lucinda being my favorite.I wouldn't mind seeing Starstruck coming to DVD either.

Everything about this film was well done. ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Laugh Out Loud Funny!!!
I absolutely loved this movie, not only because of the great writing, but because of the cast that brought the characters to life. The one who stands out, as many people know, is the wonderful Steve Martin who gives a terrific, hilarious performance as George Banks, a father who just wants to see his daughter Annie (Kimberly Williams) after she has returned from Rome. His reaction to her announcement is stupendous. I love the way the producers decided to suddenly make Annie a little girl of probably five years old.

Diane Keaton is wonderful as George's wife, Nina. She is the one who is in control the whole time, and who keeps her husband from doing really stupid things. I especially loved the scene where she goes to bail him out of jail and makes him promise a few things before letting him out. It was great! Kimberly Williams is wonderful as Annie Banks. You can really see how much she loves her dad, even when he does not-so-smart things, like taking the McKenzie's bank book and then accidentally throwing it into the pool, which results in *him* falling into the pool!

And how can anyone forget Martin Short. He was so, so funny as Franck (not Frank!), the Wedding Coordinator. His accent is so funny and very original. It makes me wonder if he thought it up himself. If you want to see a funny and quite original, I might add, comedy, see this one. You won't be disappointed!

A Father's Love.
FATHER OF THE BRIDE is a romantic comedy in a different vein. Most movies of that type are about a boy meeting a girl and the two falling in love. That happens in FATHER OF THE BRIDE. However, the movie isn't about the romantic love between a couple; it's about a father's love for his daughter.

It is true that the cast didn't have very difficult roles. Nevertheless, Steve Martin, Dianne Keaton, Kimberly Williams and the rest of the cast do a remarkable job, making the Banks family seem like real people you know instead of just some characters on a screen. Also, Martin Short, as the wedding coordinator, Franc, steals every scene he is in.

I enjoyed watching this film alot. I laughed quite often and, even though I'm a bachelor, found myself crying during some scenes. The film is a family picture and for any man who has a daughter, ranks up with FIELD OF DREAMS for bringing a tear to your eye. It's a nice movie to bring the past into prespective, remind one of what really is important in life, and thank God for the blessings you have.

So-so
Spoiled daughter and enabling mother guilt-trip dad into paying for ridiculously expensive and overdone wedding. Forgive me if I'm not entirely sympathetic. Plus, the movie gets overwhelmed in sap, sap, sap towards the end and loses its humor. It has its moments, though, so it's worth a viewing or two, even if it's not a must-own. My favorite bits: Steve Martin as father George Banks in the supermarket removing hot dog buns from the package so as to rectify the 8 hotdogs per package vs 12 buns per package situation and the scenes with Martin Short as wedding coordinator Franck ("George, why are you wearing blue tuxahdo?" "Franck, Armani doesn't make a blue tuxedo." "Armani also don't make polyester"). The actors are a talented bunch and the presence of Martin and Keaton do a lot to hold together a movie that otherwise wouldn't have much going for it.

The comedy about letting go
In 1950,Spencer Tracy was in the original film,the FATHER OF THE BRIDE and a young Liz Taylor was the bride. Forty-one years later,Steve Martin portrayed the father(his character is George Stanley Banks) and Kimberly Williams was Annie,the bride. Martin narrated the film,himself on camera in the first scene,dressed in the tuxedo he wore at Williams' wedding. Annie's romance with Bryan MacKenzie began six months before their wedding. Annie was studying architecture in Rome,where she met Bryan(George Newbern). According to the scene where Bryan went to the Banks' home to meet Annie's parents,Bryan went to Annie to ask for directions and one thing led to another. George left his workplace,Sidekicks,an athletic shoe factory which he runs,immediately after he was told that Annie had arrived home. For a homecoming gift,George buys her a ten-speed bike,all polished and ready to ride. Then,Annie announces her and Bryan's engagement at the dinner table to her father,her mother Nina(Diane Keaton) and her brother Matt(Kieran Culkin,MacCaulay's brother). George is very shocked,believing she's too young to get married(Annie is 22 and Bryan is 26). Bryan is an independent communications consultant,which he assembles and connects communication systems. Then,George and Nina go to the home of David and Joanna MacKenzie,Bryan's dad and mom. They toast the wedding of their respective children and other joyful events that will possibly follow(i.e. Annie's and Bryan's children). At one point in the film,a heated argument between Annie and Bryan causes them to split up and cancel the wedding. The Bankses meet with a wedding coordinator named Franc Eggelhoffer(Martin Short with a European accent). The glorious wedding day comes in early January,following a snowfall(a rarity in Los Angeles). Heaters were brought in and immediately taken out of the Banks' home,where the reception took place, since they were melting the ice sculptures. In the final scene,after the wedding,Annie phones her exhausted parents saying goodbye,"I love you" and "thank you for everything". Annie and Bryan were at the airport where they were about to fly to their honeymoon in Hawaii. Those who have seen this film may have also seen "Betsy's Wedding" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". It was released in theatres just before Christmas 1991. It was directed by Charles Shyer,who would direct the sequel,FATHER OF THE BRIDE PART II,four years later.

Here Comes the Bride: Give Out a Laugh
This movie is a classic, a 1990's update of the original Father of the Bride, starring Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor. A befuddled father is trying to deal with his daughter's engagement and marriage. What a storm in the midst of the Bank's home! George Banks, the father, is shocked with Annie's anouncement over dinner, she is going the marry a complete stranger that she met in Rome. The poor father is really loving and caring of his only daughter, and he wants only what is best for her. His sensiable wife, Nina, tries to make him understand just what a big deal the wedding really is. George gradually gives in, ready to help prepare for his daughter's dream wedding and rception. However, the off-the-wall caterer and his crazy ideas, the expense, and the rush and hurry of life in general is enough the drive him up a wall. This movie indeed has a happy, fairy-tale ending. Funny situations are pulled off in this movie, including huge dogs, a bank book, a large swimming pool, and the new in-laws. Great music "My Girl", "Chapel of Love", and other songs are included. This movies promises to deliever magic and true love to those who have it and watch it. It will capture your heart. ... Read more

Reviews (151)

Grand Guinol scathing satire of Hollywood and its oddities
Sadly, the mastermind behind Sunset Boulevard, Billy Wilder has passed on recently, but his genius lives on in this dark comedic indictment of Hollywood and its star system. The film shot William Holden to stardom and he became a major player in the '50s and it also afforded Gloria Swanson her last piece of public honor and she made a dramatic comeback as faded screen star Norma Desmond. Both she and Holden earned Oscar nominations here as did supporting players Erich von Stroheim (Max the butler) and Nancy Olson (as a script reader and love interest of Holden's screenwriter Joe Gillis). The film was nominated for Best Picture and Best Director (Wilder), but unfortunately it lost on all counts.....possibly because Hollywood felt bullied and intimidated by Wilder's not-so-rosy depiction of their little town. Wilder even received death threats during and after filming. Classic dialogue and forever memorable scenes abound (the chimpanzee burial scene is a keeper). This black comedy may seem too morbid and ghoulishly funny for some tastes, but it is one of my absolute favorites........

Dark and Addictive--Melodrama at its best!
Simply put, this is the greatest movie ever. And Gloria Swanson gave the greatest film performance in thie movie. You forget your Bette Davises, your "All About Eve"s, your "Titanic"s, your Katharine Hepburns, your Jack Nicholsons, and your "Citizen Kane"s. This--Hollywood will never produce anything better.

A striking film, visually, emotionally, and in every sense, this is a dark, bitter, darkly comical study of what happens when a faded star (who was a bit out of touch with reality to begin with) clings a little too tightly to her gone days of fame. Gloria Swanson gives a phenomenally powerful, over-the-top performance as Norma Desmond, histrionic ex-silent film star. Bill Holden is fine as the down-and-out screenwriter from Dayton, Ohio, that accidentally gets mixed up with her. Max von Stroheim is magnificently creepy as Norma's devoted butler, and Nancy Olson is heartbreaking as the one innocent with no idea of the trouble that surrounds her.

Every frame is perfectly filmed, every image marverlously conveyed, every line wonderfully spouted. Nothing is wrong or out of place. And practically every line is a classic. Most remember the last line of the film's insane conclusion: Norma, finally completely descended into madness, sweeping dramatically down the grand staircase as cops, reporters, and even Hedda Hopper look on; the music swells to a deafening height, and Norma--with that deranged look in her eyes--breathes, "I'm ready for my closeup..." But the best line of all, and the line that symbolizes everything that stands for the golden days of Hollywood, is spoken when Joe recognizes Norma and makes the mistake of saying, "You used to be big." She eyes him bitterly, raises her chin, looks down her nose at him and cries, "I AM big! It's the PICTURES that got smaller!"

If you have to choose a movie to see one day, and can only choose one, don't let the opportunity go by. See this.

SWANSON SHOULD HAVE WON THE ACADEMY AWARD
Swanson deserved the Academy Award for this picture. The ending shot alone shows this.

A superb film all the way around except for the casting of Nancy Olson. Inexplicably, Olson won a supporting actress nomination from the academy that year, but I fail to see why. Her character gets on my nerves, especially making goo eyes at William Holden. But this is just a little quirk I have.

The film succeeds brilliantly mainly because of Swanson. It has an effecting score, great cinematography and great acting from the principle characters (Olson notwithstanding).

You will not be disappointed with this one!

FULL AND WIDE
While widescreen films date back as early as 1930 (The Bat Whispers), Sunset Boulvard is not a widescreen DVD because Sunset Boulevard is not a widescreen film.

A supreme film: a ltrue andmark in the american cinema.
This movie belongs to the legend from its release. Never before Wilder got down to the deepest regions of the soul, like in this one.
A voice in off (William Holden) will be as introductory device to involve us in this gripping story about the loneliness of an old fashioned actress who lives only in her lost picture images.
In this sense it's worthy to name the only five films which have had a succesful exit about this no mercy theme.
These are: Cries and whispers, The silence and Persona (Ingmar Bergman), The anxiety of Veronica Voss (Rainer Werner Fassbinder) and American Beauty(from Sam Mendes).
The sense of loneliness grows progressively in this old lady, who decided to stop the physical time and create her own reality between the dark clouds of her ancient memories.
An eternal treasure of the american cinema and in my point of view the masterpiece of that film maker giant called Billy Wilder. ... Read more

Reviews (79)

A poignant epic to be remembered for it's honesty
Although I haven't seen the film yet, as it is not due to be released in the United Kingdom until Friday, the 3rd of September, I have seen the trailers and have read the screenplay and the novel based on it. I also have the original soundtrack cd, as well. I am quite taken with "Deguello de Crockett" from the soundtrack. I found the story, although told many times before, to be refreshingly compelling in it's honesty and down-to-earth approach. Even though, as an American originally from Georgia, I knew the story well, I found myself hoping for a better outcome to the familiar battle as I read the story. Unlike all the other previous tellings, it presents the men in the Alamo, most significantly, Crockett, Bowie and Travis, as flawed and human, rather than just as caricatures of themselves. It makes them just like everyone else involved. They feel and explore emotions such as dread, fear, apprehension and are racked with doubts and regrets about just what they have gotten themselves and those who followed them into. Billy Bob Thornton probably brings more depth, reality and humanity to Crockett than any other actor who has ever played the role. His attempts to try to "escape" from the image of coonskin cap wearing "Davy" that most everyone has of him and be just the simple and ordinary man, "David" that he really is are the best parts of the story. The filmmakers deserve credit for their attempt to bring a more realistic story to the screen. It's just a pity that they were not able to get a longer running time. Judging from the screenplay and the novel, I fear that much of the surprisingly involved story was shortened, sacrificed for the finished product which eventually made it to the screen. Personally, as much as I liked and admired John Wayne, his Crockett was badly miscast (John Wayne wearing a coonskin cap??) and like his lavish and patriotic version of this story, stirring, but quite unrealistic and farcial. All-in-all this new film would seem to come closer to the truth, despite shattering myths about things we would rather believe really happened at The Alamo. It is quite obviously a flawed and far from a perfect film, but it probably was not ever intended to be all things to all people. Some people will probably get more from it than others. I personally found the unfolding and somewhat sprawling story to be moving and memorable. It changed the way I viewed the story and those involved. I will definitely see the film as soon as I get the chance and will eventually add it to my DVD library, as well.

"REMEMBER THE ALAMO!"
While I'm not 100% sure about the idea of Billy Bob Thornton playing the iconic legend Davy Crockett (John Wayne gave the best performance in "The Alamo" [1960]), the rest of the cast (including Dennis Quaid as Sam Houston) and exciting battle sequences (including San Jacinto as well as the battle for the Alamo) should make this an impressive movie-going experience! Prepare for another great historical epic! But check out John Wayne's classic 1960 film as well as the latest Civil War epic from Ronald F. Maxwell ("Gettysburg"), "Gods and Generals!"

amazed
this movie is very good. critics hated it, alot of people hated it too. i loved it. how you could hate this movie is impossible for me to understand. this is one movie that did everything perfectly. it gave great action, a great story, and wasnt burdened by trying to make a love scene/story. unlike alot of people i thought denis quaid was wonderful. after the battle of the alamo i was really hoping theyd continue with that last charge and they did. dennis quaids speech was awesome. also this is one of the first movies to get the sound of gunfire right. i am very impressed

Best re telling of the Alamo story to date
Here is a movie that was done with forethought and care. Billy Bob's Crockett is memorable on all levels. Michael Corenblith's set should be perserved like the Wayne set in Brackettville. It's more a film about people than a battle. The history is almost the backdrop for the transitions of the characters. For the first time there is a real feeling of siege. Only Disney's Davy Crockett came any where close to that feeling of "waiting".
This film will grow in prestige and will be regarded as a truly classic film as the years go by.

The Alamo
I don't care what you all say, this is the best Alamo movie I have seen!! They do not have Travis look like a whimp, they have him look like he was. No one knows how Davy Crockett died, so they put a twist to it. I thought the movie was very historically accurate, and I should know, I am a historian, and the Alamo is my area of expertice. So if you say it was bad, that's just good for you, but it was very accurate, and entertaining!!! ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Swab the deck, me matey!
The Disney studios first official full length, live-action feature, TREASURE ISLAND is good fun. Although it lacks the slick story-telling flair of recent family films, the story, based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel, is precise and fluid. Robert Newton chews up the scenery as Long John Silver, paving the way for many lovable villains. Bobby Driscoll (Song of the South) plays the brave little Jim Hawkins (or "Jim Harkins" if you speak pirate) who gets involved in a treasure seeking adventure of good vs. evil. In the end, like the viewers of the video, the line between the two is not so well defined. That is a clever twist, especially for a Disney family film. The VHS format already shows some deterioration after a few viewings so I look forward to a DVD release but in the meantime. Yo ho yo ho, A Pirate's Life for Me!

All Aboard With Long John Silver
Jim Hawkins is a tavern owner's son who acquires a map showing the location of buried treasure. He shows it to an adventurous squire who recognizes its value and outfits the good ship Hispaniola to set off in search of the prize. The squire hires Jim as a cabin boy and persuades his own physician to join the crew as ship's doctor. The gullible squire's first big mistake is to sign up a rascal named Long John Silver as ship's cook. His second mistake is to allow Silver a chance to recruit some of his old shipmates from his pirate days as members of the Hispaniola's crew.

TREASURE ISLAND is an excellent movie with plenty of realistic action and convincing settings. Robert Newton is brilliant as Long John Silver and Bobby Driscoll shines as young Jim Hawkins. A strong supporting cast includes Basil Sydney, Denis O'Dea, Ralph Truman, Walter Fitzgerald, Finlay Currie and Geoffrey Wilkinson.

Director Byron Haskins also directed THE WAR OF THE WORLDS.

Old memories
Emotions ran high when I saw this movie again after more than 50 years. It was as exciting now as when I was a young child. Robert Newton's performance is a classic. After half a century, he is still the baddest (best) pirate ever.

"The Disney Version" is better than the novel.
Don't believe it? Read the book. The reviewer who said "...every screen production I have seen comes across as a cartoon or at best, 'an animated feature'," wasn't paying attention.

Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate story _is_ a children's fantasy. (Stevenson - whose grandson would later become one of Disney's "house directors" -- says as much in the book's introduction.) The principal characters are well-drawn and believable, but the story is 98% adventure. There is no _dramatic_ thrust to events. And it's told from the view of a 20-year-older Jim Hawkins, which tips off the reader that Jim is never in any real danger.

The emotional focus of the story is Jim's attraction to / repulsion by Long John Silver. In the novel, the adult Jim briefly acknowledges that he was attracted to Long John Silver as a surrogate for his recently deceased father, but turned away, because Silver is plainly untrustworthy. Stevenson fails to develop the relationship any further.

Not the screenwriters -- they bring it front and center. The story is now properly focused where it should be -- can Jim _really_ trust Long John Silver?

Silver is also worried about Jim, who plainly doesn't need "Piracy for Dummies" to recognize Silver is not altogether on the up-and-up. In a scene not in the book, Long John attempts to sweet-talk Jim -- one might even call it a seduction -- ending with the presentation of his parrot as a gift. The effect is subtly erotic -- especially as the gift comes from someone with such an obviously phallic name. (One is tempted to think Stevenson's name choice was deliberate -- he must have known how cabin boys were "mistreated.") And though Silver is married in the novel (to an unseen wife), the movie leaves his marital status unstated.

Long John Silver is a morally ambiguous character, and the film plays up this ambiguity. Silver alternates between protecting and threatening Jim, and you believe his sincerity in both instances. At the end, Jim is forced into deciding whether he should let Long John escape or be turned over to justice, completing the film with a solid dramatic "bang!" (The novel simply peters out -- Silver is taken captive, later wandering off with some of the loot.)

Robert Newton's interpretation of Long John Silver has always been controversial. There's no question it's totally "over the top." But that's how we expect pirates to behave, and it's how Stevenson wrote the character. I've seen "Treasure Island" several times -- Newton isn't simply chewing the scenery. His is a conscious interpretation, and he's in full control at all times. It's a great performance.

Arr, maties! Climb abord for a rip-roaring adventure!
The first time we watched this movie I watched it for about five minutes before walking away, because it wasn't interesting to me at the time. But when I caught the last twenty minutes of it, I decided that it was interesting after all and watched it from the beginning again.

I loved it! Bobby Driscoll was wonderful as Jim Hawkins, and Robert Newton gave the performance of his life as Long John Silver. The rest of the cast was also tremendous.

I had tried reading the book before, but it hadn't been interesting to me, and I ditched it before I was halfway done. Now, because of this movie, I think I'll dust it off and have a go at it. Who knows, I might even like it enough to review it! :) ... Read more

Reviews (182)

certainly memorable
Life as a house is a brilliant movie. There is never a dull moment. Although it does not have war planes crashing at every second, it still keeps your attention. The story is about a divorced man (Kevin Kline)who has drifted from his family and from his son espcially. His son visits him on certain weekends and doesn't like it too much. Then the dad finds out he is going too die soon so he wants to do the things in his life that he has put off for so long, like rebuilding his beach shack and reconnecting with his lost son, Sam (Hayden Christensen). Hayden Christensen turned in a beautiful performance and he really makes you feel what the character was feeling. Sam is somewhat of a case. Certainly not the kind of kid your parents wanted you hanging around. It will surely be a long time before I forget this film, not only because of the wonderful story line and intense drama, but for the wonderful Oscar deserving performances also. Espcially by newcomer Hayden Christensen(Anakin Skywalker in upcoming Episode 2). He really portrayed his character, Sam, perfectly. He is an outstanding actor; not just for a newcomer. He really gets your attention.
Life As A House is one of the best films I have ever seen. It was certainly a memorable film.

A good movie that might have been great
Have you ever watched a movie, totally engrossed, walked out of the theater satisfied that your hard-earned money was well spent, went to sleep, and then woke up the next morning with the sneaking suspicion that someone had pulled a fast one on you? This was my reaction to Life as a House.

Wonderful, engaging performances by Kevin Kline, Kirsten Scott-Thomas and Hayden Christensen make it an enjoyable experience despite the overcrowded, mediocre screenplay, which often resorts to cheap and unnecessary tricks and clichés to tug on our emotions. An early scene involving George (Kline's character) and a compassionate nurse is one example. Another involves an awkward subplot with an angry neighbor and a building inspector. Like many things that happen in Life as a House, it adds nothing to the story, and detracts from the characterizations and struggles of the main players. And the final scene! Well, please. Don't get me started.

Still, despite the flaws, the movie is sweet and enjoyable. After all is said and done, a good movie that might have been great with a better screenplay.

Wonderful
A person walks away from this movie thinking how lucky he or she is to just be alive! Bravo! Kevin Kline's best performance except for "Sophie's Choice."

Life is a house, not American Beauty
First of all, Life As A House is pretty much like American Beauty, only better. Hayden, from Star Wars 2, portrays the teenager in a very dysfunctional family, while Kevin Kline plays his father. Like American Beauty, it seems like the whole block is dysfunctional, and they pretty much are. Yet, when Kevin Kline is diagnosed with cancer he decides to build the house he has always dreamed of, and in doing so try to reconnect with his son. I personally feel that although this is a very typical picture of teen angst and family dysfunction it is shown in a fresh new way, and one that actually connects with the audience.

good movie
this overall was a very good movie. hayden christensen was excellent in it, as was kevin kline. i would have given it the full 5 stars, but some parts were a bit melodramatic. besides that, this movie was both funny and sad, put together with a great cast to produce a very good movie. i would probably give it 4 1/2 stars but thats not really an option. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (76)

The queen of diaries
I've studied Anne Frank for a long time but this is what started me to take an interist in Anne Frank. The movie starts from where the nazis take over amsterdam to where otto finds the diary. I never thought that there was so much more to her story then what I already knew. Hannah Taylor Gordon looks exactly like Anne, they couldn't have gotten a better actor if they tried, not to mention someone who writes just like her. Jessica manley did a great job as Margot bu she was kinda of short to be Margot, and hopefully, Margot would have changed her mind about moving to palistien after all the suicide explosions they've been doing to the isralis lately. Ben kingsley looked exactly like otto frank and if I didn't know it was him, I'd say it was Otto Frank. Brenda Blythen loked alot like Mrs. Van Pels and was funny too. Joachim Krol looked a little like r. van pels except the real Mr. v.p. looked alot older. Jan niklas looked a little like Mr. Pfeffer but like Mr. v.p. Mr. p looked alot older. Lili Taylor looked kinda like Miep and sounded austrian just like the real Miep. Rob Das looked alot like Jan gies and was real good at his part. Tatjuna blacher looked a little like Edith and was bossy with anne just like anne discribed her in her diary. It was such a touching movie and I recommend this to anyone who's a big fan of anne frank.

Anne Frank A Truly Touching Miniseries
Anne Frank: The Whole Story is a movie that goes beyond what almost all Holocaust stories do. It is touching to the human spirit and how Anne's soul never gave up until the very end. Hannah Taylor Gordon, who was in Jakob the Liar, turns in a superb performance as the Anne Frank. She is able to show us how Anne reacted to everyday life and the inevitable death of her sister, Margot. Ben Kingsley is amazing as Otto Frank, a quiet subdued man who loved his family and was the only one to survive.
The most extraordinary part of this miniseries is the fact that the story keeps on going after they are taking to the Nazi concentration camp. We are seeing the unthinkable horrors and how fortunate we are to have not been a Jew prisoner in that camp. The pain and suffering of Anne and Margot is so well brought up that we feel sorry for these girls with dreams of the future. It is no wonder that this earned an Emmy nomination.

Superb - only the English language detracts from the realism
I wholeheartedly agree with the majority of reviewers that this is the best account of Anne's life ever made - and one of the best holocaust movies ever made as well.

The acting is top-notch and Hannah Taylor Gordon is a real find -it is amazing how she is able to bring Anne's character to life.

The only thing that could theoretically be improved upon is to do the movie in the language(s) used in the real events - that is, mostly Dutch. As a Dutchman, I may seem prejudiced in favour of my own language but that's not it.

Dutch movies that portray 'international' events or persons almost always use the appropriate language(s) even if that results in a multilingual movie. To me, the story becomes less believable if Dutch and German characters are speaking English to each other, or if they have an unconvincing accent.
The same thing bugged me when I watched "The Discovery Of Heaven", which is also mostly set in the Netherlands.

Anyway, this is all hypothetical because: a) I see that a movie in Dutch would probably not be competitive internationally so it could never be made with a similar budget; and b) that would mean that the great cast used in this movie wouldn't have been in it.

So I'm not really complaining; even if some aspect could theoretically be improved upon (at least according to my personal taste and preferences), it remains, in practice, one of the best ever made in its genre, and a must see for anyone seriously interested in that horrible episode in human history.

Anne Frank - The whole story is wonderful!!!!!
Just like the book in all the ways it explains all the details. This is as close to the book as you can get. The book was just like I visualised it on the DVD. Its a must see!!!!

Great movie!
This movie really put things into perspective. It was very moving and entertaining. I enjoyed it and this movie inspired me to do some reserch on the holocaust and anne frank, and through the movie and the research i have learned a great deal more of this horrible period of time. I enjoyed it and i think many more people will too. ... Read more

Reviews (97)

SANDRA BULLOCK CHARMS...HARRY CONNICK, JR. SIZZLES...
Forest Whitaker's directorial efforts pay off, as he presents the viewer with a solid, though predictable, romance. The ever charming and coltish Sandra Bullock gives a strong performance as Birdie Pruitt, who has just found out on national television that her husband Bill is having an affair with her erstwhile best friend, Connie. Shocked, she is left to cope with this very public betrayal.

Birdie takes their daughter, Bernice, and leaves her husband, returning to her small town roots in Smithville, Texas, where her mom, an eccentric but lovely lady, wonderfully played by Gena Rowlands, still lives. As a teenager, Birdie had been a big fish in a small pond, a popular high school cheerleader who had ended up marrying the high school star quarterback, Queen of Corn three years running, and the envy of most of the young women with whom she grew up. She now finds herself returning home with her tail between her legs, her fairy tale life having taken a decided nosedive.

While home, some of those who remember her manage to get their digs in. One person, however, a sensitive and sensual good ol' boy, Justin Matisse, played to sexy perfection by Harry Connick, Jr., remembers her with fond affection, as he has loved her since they were in high school. He is there, just waiting to pick up the pieces.

My Cup Runneth Over..............
This has to be one of my very favorite movies and the soundtrack is THE BEST COUNTRY music I have ever heard, and I don't even listen to Country Music LOL in fact I liked the music (and the movie) so much I have purchased both for friends at least twice!!! On to my review.....

Gena Rowlands is Fantastic as the Momma, Harry Connick Jr. is simply charming as the "wanna be" Beau, the actor that played "Travis" was adorable and heartwarming, Bernice (the daughter of Sandra Bullock in the movie) was casted very well she was perfect as a stubborn, hurt and confused little girl trying to deal with the divorce of her Beloved Daddy and her (now seen as the enemy) Momma. Of course I can not leave out Sandra Bullock I was impressed with her ability to portray the hurt and the recovery of a women who has sunk to depression after her husband has found another, a mother that is struggling to keep it together for her child and a daughter that comes home to a town and a Mother that remembers her in a certain light.

Forrest Whitaker did a tremendous job In my Honest Opinion with selecting this cast, creating scenes that make you feel all of what the characters are going through. From the Gena Rowlands character all the way to the children. I can not recommend this movie enough for anyone. Caution.... It's not light, there are some funny moments and there are some very sad moments. It deals with death, infidelity and parents neglecting their children.

I watched this with my 12 year old, she loved it!!! The soundtrack maybe hard to find but do yourself a favor FIND IT!! it is definately worth it. I had to finally find mine on auction sites and it can come pretty pricy brand new/sealed but still if I ever heard something worth the ticket price the soundtrack for this movie is one of them.

Also if you like this type of movie (with pretty much the same subject matter) check out "Something to Talk About" which stars Gena Rowland as the Momma as well.

Respectfully Reviewed

My cup runneth over
Mae Whitman plays the adorable, if not bratty, daughter in this, Bernice. If you happen to come across a recent photo of her, my, hasn't she grown up?

Yet again, Sandra Bullock exectutive produces, and stars in, a film that she's done a million times over. She's got herself into a rut with the kind of roles she can play, and nothing can save her now. She's teamed up with yet another hunky man, this time Harry Connick Jnr, and although they hardly spend any 'quality' time together in the movie, there is one great scene where they dance together.

I hope soon that Sandra Bullock will shock us all with a role in a movie that isn't something she normally does. She's approaching 40 now, and should be expanding her horizons, so she can stay in the movie business once her pretty looks have gone. But nope, she churns out film after film, swapping guys and trying to make out she's still as popular. I'm holding out for the Miss Congeniality sequel - still one of my all time favourite films starring her.

Don't get me wrong, I love her films. The only one that's surprised me was Murder By Numbers, and that's probably cos I still can't understand it to this day. But if you've seen one, you've seen them all. Still a good film though, with Kathy Najimy playing the role of Toni Post, the Ricki Lake style chatshow host at the very start of the film.

Mae Whitman is terrific in this, and hopefully, she'll appear in loads more movies, now she's getting a bit older, and has got rid of those horrid glasses.

Very Emotional
This is as close to real life as it gets , like the saying "when it rains it pours" Well Birdie suffered from a cheating husband, depression, jobless,"matchmaking mother" and a daughter who blamed it all on her Mom and then BAM !!! Her mother passes away and her cheating husband has the nerve to show up with divorce papers ???? That poor girl . It was like what Birdies Mother said to Bernice . ' My birdie has more strength than she has ever known . I admired "Birdie" in this movie , not only did she go on with life but it is true that "Hope Floats" and you "just have to move on with it"( Gena Rowlands)(Miss Romana) . I cryed , I smiled , I got angry and last I cryed with happy tears . My all time favorite movie . Thank you ..

inbetween
Sandra Bullock turns in a textured, nuanced performance in this bittersweet tale of loss, closure, and new beginnings. After learning in a brutal fashion that her husband and her best friend have become lovers, Bullock returns to her small hometown in Texas, son in tow. She "goes home to Mother", re-instating a relationship that is close but with its share of the usual troubles and flaws.

She finds that her high school boyfriend still retains strong feelings for her. Slowly, she learns to trust again, as the two draw close. The movie is saved from mediocrity by the strong performances of the three major characters who are able to convey feelings beyond what is spoken. That said, I have taken from this movie a marvelous set of words in the following quotation:

"Beginnings are scary, and endings are generally sad, but it's what happens in the middle that matters." ... Read more

Description

Starring karate champion, Chuck Norris, WALKER, TEXAS RANGER centers around Cordell Walker, a contemporary Texas Ranger who is old-fashioned in his method of dealing with criminals, which entails using a lot of force.Joined by his partner, Jimmy Trivette, Walker does not shy away from his "eye for an eye" approach to law enforcement. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

About Time!
It is about time! Why it has been so longI do not know. But I will say this. I will be the first on my block to have it. Wal-Mart here I come. And I hope they have all the rest out soon.
Rock on Walker.

Walker Rocks
hey swailes... you can kiss my ass if you dont like Walker, Texas Ranger. This show rocks, and its very enjoyable. Sure that every episode sees Walker come out on top, its very cool show and I've been waiting forever for it to come out on DVD.

Dear Lord
Please say you are kidding, although you are from Texas so I doubt you are.Chuck Norris is one of the worst actors of all time and Walker Texas Ranger is the worst television show of all time.That being said, everyone must own this for those very reasons, it is so bad it is good, it's the worst so it must be the best.Get it because it's the funniest show ever made.

A True Gift from God
In the annals of history, when all the fuss and speculation has died down, I have no doubts that it shall come to pass that Chuck Norris will finally be recognized as one of the finest actors in all recorded time. He has no rival, no parallel in this world or in any other; no one can compare to the sheer beauty and magnitude of his immaculate body of work.

In the year 1993, the people of this shallow, empty world were offered a glimpse of heavenly ambrosia in the form of a television show known as "Walker, Texas Ranger." Among scholars, philosophers, religious leaders, and foreign diplomats, there is no question that this show is the pinnacle of mankind's achievement in any field. The works of Shakespeare, Newton, Popeil, Christ and Mozart all pale in comparison to the unbelievable perfection found in this divine accomplishment.

But, sadly, the world was just not ready for the kind of pure, unadulterated brilliance found in this show, and in the year of Our Lord Two Thousand and One, A.D., we learned that we were to be deprived of Walker's sublime genius. This DVD set is a chronicle of that final year, a television season which some have seen as a parallel to the Biblical book of 'Revelations' because of the prophesies revealed therein.

I recommend this DVD set on the strength of one episode: "White Buffalo." In just one short hour of television, Chuck Norris, believed by many to be the true Messiah, shows us pitiful mortals the light. The episode's title refers to a drug that has found favor with a group of young ruffians who live on an Indian Reservation. This "reservation" can be seen as a modern representation of a leper colony, where all the undesirable elements of society are sent to live. In the episode's climax, two youths who are heavily under the influence of 'white buffalo' go crazy and fire gunshots at random items in the type of retail outlet typically known as a 'convenience store.' This act is obviously a parallel of the destruction of the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. In the iconic final shot of the episode, a large statue of a white buffalo sheds a solitary tear for what has befallen. This haunting image is a symbol of the way mankind corrupts and debases everything pure and beautiful that is given to us from above, (such as "Walker, Texas Ranger.") I'll admit, it's hard not to be spiritually moved by the site of that white buffalo and his lonely teardrop.

If there is a heart in your chest and a soul in your body, if you believe in the existence of a divine being, if you are just a sad, desperate person in search of some kind of salvation, I beseech you! Purchase this DVD set at once! It may be the closest any of us poor sinners ever get to a glimpse of the sweet afterlife.

'Final'-ly Here!
I am like many people who have been waiting for this series to come out onto DVD - excited that it is finally happening, but also a bit perplexed as to why the last season and not the first.The only thing I can think of is that this season is being released first to pay tribute to Noble Willingham who played CD Parker.CD Parker dies in the last season (He's never seen again after mid-Season 8 but the Rangers are informed of his death and CD's funeral is shown in the fourth episode of this season - and then the nature of his death is revealed in the series finale).Noble Willingham died January 2004.He left the series to run for a political office (and lost).

As for this season itself, the season starts after the wedding of Alex and Cordell and ends with the birth of their child.It includes many good (perhaps even great) episodes such as:


"Home of the Brave": (the season's first episode) Walker struggles to rescue a boy trapped in the basement of an apartment building after a bomb was detonated.

"White Buffalo": A statue of a white buffalo begins to shed tears at the same time the Texas Rangers are battling a new drug called 'White Buffalo'.

"Faith": Dionne Warwick plays a grandmother raising her granddaughter (who desperately needs an organ transplant to live).

"Desperate Measures": Gage unknowingly travels with two escaped convicts after his motorcycle breaks down.

"Legends": Martial arts legends (such as Bill 'Superfoot' Wallace and Don 'The Dragon' Wilson) make a guest appearance.

"Without a Sound": Gage loses his hearing from a car-jacking gone wrong.

"6 Hours": As known as 'HeatherCam' A young woman is kidnapped and her death is planned to be viewed live from the Internet.

"Division Street": Hulk Hogan plays a former gang member whose life got turned around and now struggles to help rescue the other gang members on the street by opening a community center.

This season also includes a 4 part storyline that I call "The Wizard" ("The Winds of Change"; "Lazarus"; "Turning Point"; "Retribution") in which the Texas Rangers enlist the help of a computer hacker serving time in prison to battle another hacker that's getting undercover law enforcers killed.


These and about a dozen more episodes can be found in this final season.Even if this was to become the only season to be released (which I highly doubt) at least there are some good episodes to watch. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

One of Sturges's greatest comedies
This is an absolutely stunning comedy, with one comic shock and delight after another, and hilarious performances by a bevy of some of the best character actors in the history of Hollywood.

Highpoints include a trip on the railroad with the Ale and Quail Club; an introduction to The Weenie King, on of the funniest characters I know of in any film; Rudy Valee's unexpectedly delightful portrayal of a Rockefeller-like multi-millionaire; Mary Astor's excellent performance as Rudy Valee's sister; and a gentleman of unspecified ethnic origin known simply as "Toto."

The opening credits of the movie are among the most fascinating of the thirties or forties. While the credits are running, we see onscreen an entire prequel somehow involving two sets of identical twins (one set played by Joel McCrea and the other by Claudette Colbert).

Preston Sturges is not the best director the United States has ever produced, but he unquestionably enjoyed the finest five year period of any director we have ever seen. From 1940 until 1945, Preston Sturges enjoyed a run of amazingly crafted comedy masterpieces that by themselves place him on any list of the essential directors. In the late 1930s, Sturges built a name for himself by penning a number of first rate comedy scripts, including the classic EASY LIVING as well as REMEMBER THE NIGHT. Paramount gave him a shot at directing, and he responded with films like THE GREAT McGINTY, CHRISTMAS IN JULY, the great THE LADY EVE, SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS, THE PALM BEACH STORY, THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK, and HAIL THE CONQUERING HERO. But then, suddenly and without warning, his genius deserted him.

But this is one of the best of his best. Just sit back, get yourself pleasant to drink, and have a good time.

1942 STURGES CLASSIC
Preston Sturges, as a director, had a strong fancy for trains. In SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS, he had a great railroad yard sequence in which an old tramp was killed by a streamliner, and later Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake spent much time in freightcars. Here, Sturges again picked out a railroad car - a private Pullman to Florida - for a wild and slapstick farce. Claudette Colbert, fleeing from her husband in New York, finds herself in Pennsylvania Station without a cent. Here she is taken in tow by the millionaire members of the Ale & Quail Club - who are going south for their annual shoot-'em up and drink-em'-down vacation. What happens on the train is one of the funniest scenes in vintage comedy. Rudy Vallee plays the world's richest man who believes that it's un-American to give more than a 10-cent tip; he was praised by the critics for this performance because he showed he could do more than croon the Maine STEIN SONG, and act ineptly as he did in his early talkies. As John D. Hackensacker III, Vallee (playing straight comedy) rescues Claudette from the pyrotechnics of the Ale & Quail Club and takes her to Palm Beach on his yacht. Mary Astor and Joel McCrea also serve this classic film well.

Buy This Film!
This is a classy, sexy, side-splitting comedy. So why is it not out on DVD?!
Buy it, Please! Maybe if enough copies are sold someone will release this gem on DVD.
Criterion, are you listening?

Is that McGloo or McGrew?--Preston Sturges forever!
THE first Hollywood auteur--i.e., writer-director--Preston Sturges here gives us one of his all-time classics that, for my money, is better than Sullivan's Travels and easily the equal of The Lady Eve. It's pretty amazing to see not one but TWO smart, sophisticated women on the make--Claudette Colbert as a wife fed up with her husband's penury, and Mary Astor as the sister of the goofy millionaire Colbert meets and is, you should pardon the expression, wooed by.

Rudy Vallee, as the mllionaire, also has his not-as-wealthy doppelganger in Joel McCrea, Colbert's somewhat bumbling designer husband who's trying to get a $99,000 project off the ground (actually, onto the ground--it's a huge, ridiculous metal-net for airplanes to land on). Just as both women have tongues sharper than stainless steel razors honed with eager whetstones, so too do both men have brains that can't quite follow the women's spitfire patter and instead of paying close attention, resort to what Sturges' men usually do--follow instead their male instincts, which means say what they gotta say and do what they gotta do.

Sturges' forte is the uncanny ability to juxtapose selfishness with so much whimsy and foible-ridden thinking it's impossible not to laugh. Women are selfish in one way, men in another. But both of them ARE selfish, and therein lies the rub (as it were)--that is, the famous battle of the sexes. Colbert (Gerry Jeffers) wants a divorce from McCrea (Tom Jeffers) because of his inability to bring in the bacon and doesn't mind it at all when millionaire Vallee (John Hackensacker--gee, I wonder where that name came from...) buys her all kinds of clothes and stuff.

Obviously one of the major inspirations for, among many others, the Coen brothers (e.g., The Hudsucker Proxy), Sturges was a genius for his time, so far ahead of anybody else it boggles the mind. Listen to Colbert deliver a jaw-dropping speech on sex--meaning, not the physical act, but the power of a woman to divert a man. The use of the word "sex" to mean that--in fact, the use of the word itself--was without question a milestone (or is that millstone) for 1942, the year of this film.

Gerry calls Tom Captain McGloo when she's introducing him to Hackensacker to assure the latter that Tom is not really her husband at all but her brother. Mr. H. introduces Tom to her sister Centimilia (Mary Astor) so the foursome--a real brother and sister, and a fake duo of the same "persuasion"--gaily tramp off together to the nearest hotel.

The amazing scene on the train with the Ale and Quail Club has be seen to be believed, again so far ahead of its time it's almsot a shock.

How to fuse satire, wit, and superior intelligence in a single film? Preston Sturges FOREVER!

Preston Sturges Screwball Classic Delight
Rarely have I enjoyed a screw ball comedy more than Preston Sturges's classic look at the lives of the idle rich and those that aspire to be that way in 1942's "The Palm Beach Story". Taking over the reins as both writer and director here Sturges