Reviews (317)

Kubrick Addresses The Complexities Of War
The dual nature of man, wherein he is able to embrace both war and peace simultaneously, is addressed by director Stanley Kubrick in the decidedly anti-war film, "Full Metal Jacket," starring Matthew Modine. Divided essentially into two parts, the first half follows raw recruits through basic training at Parris Island, where the effects of what it takes to turn a man into a Marine / killing machine is explored, predominately through the characters of Private "Joker," played by Matthew Modine, and Private Leonard Lawrence (Vincent D'Onofrio), dubbed "Gomer Pyle" by the D.I, Sergeant Hartman (Lee Ermey). It's a hard, stoic study of techniques and motivation that inherently questions the system itself, and is deftly and succinctly illustrated by the results achieved, which are not entirely those desired. It's hard stuff to swallow at times, but engrossing, and Kubrick manages to gradually build the emotional intensity that gives such impact to the climax of this first part, which is without question the strength of the entire film. The second half switches suddenly to Vietnam, where Kubrick takes up his pallet and canvass, and while attempting to paint a realistic portrait of war, instead takes more of a turn away from reality, and the film takes on a sense of the surreal; the result is more reminiscent of the visual artistry of "The Thin Red Line" than of the truly gritty realism of "Saving Private Ryan," and rather than make his statement directly through the use of the story, he uses the movie to stage sequences of events to demonstrate the contradictory nature of war and it's consequences, and man's involvement therein. And while he compares the moral and emotional conflicts with the physical, it is an acknowledgement of an inner struggle devoid of any proffered solution, though delivered quite subjectively. The pace of the film is very deliberate and much of the dialogue has a "staged" sense about it that, rather than underscore the issues being addressed, has more of an alienating effect which serves to neutralize the emotional aspects of what is being presented. The story is told from the point of view of Modine's "Joker" , but though Modine does a passable job, his is a rather unsympathetic character whose purpose it would seem is merely to act as narrator and to serve as the "eyes" of the camera. And, again, it only manages to distance the audience further, as Joker becomes a kind of buffer between the viewer and any sustained level of emotional involvement with the story or any of the characters. Instead of a stirring fulmination against the lunacy of war and man's enablement of it, Kubrick's approach creates more of a sense of rather cold ambiguity. Had Joker (as the lead) been a stronger character, and had the second half of the film been more like the first, instead of nothing more than a series of vignettes, this could have been a dynamic movie; as it is, because of Kubrick's choices, he made a good movie, but not a great one. There are two memorable performances here, one by Vincent D'Onofrio, who did an exemplary job of creating the hapless Leonard; the other by Lee Ermey, as the Gunnery Sergeant who could be the poster-boy for an anti-enlistment campaign. Also worthy of note is the work of Arliss Howard, who brought "Cowboy" so credibly to life. Rounding out the supporting cast are Adam Baldwin (Animal Mother); Dorian Harewood (Eightball); Kevyn Major Howard (Rafterman); Ed O'Ross (Lieutenant Tinoshky); and John Terry (Lieutenant Lockhart). With "Full Metal Jacket," Stanley Kubrick raises issues that are important, and makes some valid points about the causes and complexities of war, and the moral and ethical challenges of those presented with it. Obviously, this was a passionate endeavor; if only he would have allowed more of that passion to make it's way onto the screen. What a movie this could have been.

Great movie,but not my favorite on Vietnam
Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket is a very good movie,but I like others on the subject of Vietnam better.It follows a group of Marine Corps recruits from boot camp to the war in Vietnam.I thought the boot camp sequence was outstanding.Gunnery Sageant Hartman is an unforgettable character,(every time I see R.Lee Ermey in a movie I'm reminded of him)probably the best drill instructor ever in a movie.The rest of the cast was very good,as well,especially Vincent D'Onofrio as Gomer Pyle,and Matthew Modine as Joker.After boot camp the movie shifts to Vietnam,where the action is seen mostly through Joker's eyes.The movie show's some of the horrors of war,but not as well as other Vietnam films such as Platoon and Hamburger Hill.(of course that's just my opinion,you may disagree)I've read that the movie was shot entirely on soundstages in England,rather than on location,and it looks incredible.Overall,while not my favorite movie about Vietnam,it is a very good film.

Fantastic
First of all....many Marines say that the first 30 minutes of the movie about boot camp is THE most accurate depiction of Parris Island in cinematic history. And of course Lee Ermey himself being a former Marine drill instructor tops it all....his profanity laced tirades are totally outrageous.

Second of all, the latter half of the movie deals with a subject not covered in Vietnam movies, a squad getting lost and having to face a lone sniper. Its a radical departure to be sure, but Kubrick in his usual cinematic mastery makes it very gripping.

So if you like Vietnam movies that are a bit different but still as strong as Hamburger Hill and Platoon, check this one out....its fantastic.

full....metal...jacket.
one of my favorite movies kubrick and matthew modaine how better can it get.lol. i suggest this omvie to anyone who likes kubrick, war movies or both for that matter. i also read the book that its based off of "the short timers" by gustav hasford it was really good but i still liked the movie better becasue it had vincent d' onfario and and the segarent(its like blasphemy that i cant remeber his name at this moment) but this movie is great, kind of boring at parts but still its deffinalty worth a watch.

An Near Masterpiece.
When Ordinary People are all Plunged into a Boot Camp Hell Pitbulled by a Leatherlung D.I. (R.Lee Emery) to Prepare for the Vietnam War and the Dehumanizing Process that turns People into Trained Killers.

Produced and Directed by Stanley Kubrick (2001:A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Eyes Wide Shut) made a Savage Vietnam drama with a dark sense of humour. There's terrific performances by Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D'Onofrio, R.Lee Ermey, Dorian Harewood, Arliss Howard, Kevyn Major Howard and Ed O'Ross. The first 45 minutes is a Masterpiece and then the last 71 Minutes, the movie turns into familiar territory with dark humour. The film's conculsion is Strong and Satifysing. This newly restored DVD is better than the previous DVD transfer. DVD has an sharp Pan & Scan (1.33:1) transfer and an strong newly remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. This is a Well Made film, which it might be far from some of Kubrick's best films but his elements are here. It's worth viewing. Based on the Novel "The Short-Times" by Gustav Hasford. Screenplay by Kubrick, Hasford and Micheal Herr. Grade:A-. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Douglas Sirk's Magical Unrealism & the Lost Art of Melodrama
On the surface, John Stahl's 1934 version of IMITATION OF LIFE and Douglas Sirk's later adaptation in 1959 appear quite similar. Based on the novel by Fannie Hurst (originally published in 1933), each of the two film renditions renders the story of a young woman divided between two worlds and her desperate search for her true identity. While Stahl's rather understated approach accomplishes the translation of Hurst's penetrating tale onto the screen with commendable proficiency, it is Sirk who improves upon it, amplifying the story into a masterful and illuminating social drama by exercising the devices of the melodrama to underscore and mine the significant issues of racial prejudice, fumbled motherhood, and materialism in American society in the 1950s.

Putting the "direct" in director, Sirk triumphs with his unabashedly frank portrayal of racial hatred in his adaptation. He also uses color to great and conspicuous advantage to identify the immense social divide between blacks and whites in the film. In deep contrast to the white hearse carrying Annie's body, the very white-appearing "family" of Lora, Susie, Steve, and Sarah Jane are relegated to follow from behind in a black limousine. The black versus white theme displays the opposing magnetic forces between which the biracial Sarah Jane finds herself caught. She is attracted to the white side of life but is naturally pulled toward the black side despite constant resistance. Ironically, only when she finally gives in to the latter's natural gravitational force is she positioned by default and virtually blended into the white domain, fundamentally due to the loss of her only perceptible black affiliation: her birth mother. (A fascinating point: This daughter's appearance at her mother's funeral is inspired by a similar scene in Stahl's version, but in fact the daughter in Hurst's novel doesn't return for the funeral; she has moved to Bolivia with a white man who has no clue about her black heritage).

Sirk also succeeds at accentuating the momentous tug-of-war between a woman's desire to have a successful career and her domestic accountability in the context of the 1950s. Sarah Jane possesses an ambition to get more out of life than what her hereditary role has assigned her, which makes her a lot like the career-ambitious Lora. Likewise, Susie is just as submissive to the cards life has dealt her as Annie is. Lora becomes an unwitting role model for Sarah Jane, and Annie an equally unwitting surrogate mother for Susie. Like Lora's emotionally empty acting career, Sarah Jane's sham of a white existence fails to provide her with the love she so desperately needs, something she eventually recognizes she cannot truly "live" without. For Annie, life in this fleshly world is a mere imitation of the real life that awaits her in Heaven. The exorbitance of Annie's funeral testifies to the emotional price paid with the loss of such a benevolent human being.

Because Sirk's production style is so excessively augmented, the messages concerning social issues that 1950s viewers would rather not face directly are discreetly concealed in a fashion that makes such propositions easier for them to swallow. Sirk's interiors are extremely over the top, and his exteriors are so fake one cannot help but know they are not real, providing the film with a sense of "magical unrealism." Only in this artificial sense of reality can viewers accept the contrived closure given to the social problems that embody the film's plot.

By riveting viewers' attention to the glamorous lifestyle Lora attains through career ambition, Sirk zeroes in on the genuine desires of women of the 1950s, particularly housewives or women who retreated from the workforce after WWII ended and their men returned home to resume their roles as the primary breadwinners. Having tasted the rewards of working outside the home, 1950s women dreamed of more than their contemporary home-based existence.

Ultimately, Sirk points out that people in life are forced to make choices based on the situations in which they find themselves. All people are, in some way, like Sarah Jane, stuck in a position wanting or needing more out of life than what has been provided freely. To obtain what they yearn for means sacrificing part of their own needs or wants. No one, he asserts, can realistically have it all, no matter how much they try to overcome the partitions that fabricate the very structure of society. Humans make choices in life based on what is most important to them. Annie believes life isn't much without the giving of love to the people around her. Like the message behind the theme song of Sirk's adaptation, Annie trusts in the notion that "every day would be gray and incomplete without the one you love." Lora seems to learn this truth about life near the end of the film, when she puts her career on hold so she can be with Steve and Susie on a full-time basis. (Interestingly, Hurst's novel ends with the white daughter falling in love with her mother's beau, much to the mother's horrific surprise.) Sarah Jane, however, learns this lesson too late, never to recover the time she could have spent bonding with her now-deceased mother.

Altogether, through his lavishly synthetic and ornate scenery, Sirk yields a high-pitched melody upon the dramatic canvas of life in his implosive acculturation of Hurst's tale of women struggling to find themselves in a complex world. In the end, he holds up his version of IMITATION OF LIFE as a mirror to his audience, showing them who they are and, perhaps more importantly, who they are not.

My Favorite Movie
Everytime someone ask me what is my favorite movie and I tell them "Imitation of Life" and they are amazed. Why do I say this movie? The story is amazing and I love how the Mother is loving and caring to her daughter inspite of her daughter's rejection of her race and her mother. I love the relationship between the mothers and the daughters. This movie is a must have.

Imitation of Life 1934/1959: GREAT COLLECTOR ITEM
I love the movie Imitation of Life. Although I had never seen the 1934 version before, I loved just as much I did the 1959 version. I watch this movie all the time and think that it's a movie that everyone should see. The message that the movie shows just how hard and the lengths that people will go to fit in into a society that tells them that they must look and act a certian way. This is a item that everyone should have in their DVD collection and I reccommand it to everyone.

Glad its only an Imitation
Douglas Sirk's Imitation of Life is a parody of an earlier film by John Stahl. The film portrays a struggling white actress who befriends a homeless black woman, and they end up living together. The black woman, Annie, takes on the rols of maid, servant, and nanny for the white woman Miss Laura and her daughter Susie. Annie's daughter Sarah Jane is half white, and throughout the film we see her attempt, time and time again, to "pass" as a white girl. Through the technique of gestic acting, or over acting, certain themes and messages in the film are impressed upon us over and over again. Miss Laura, for example is a struggling actress looking for work. She seems to be the picture of beauty and femininity. In John Berger's book, "Ways of Seeing,"he brings up the notion of the surveyor and the surveyed. This refers to the manner in which women are looked at and watched by the male eye. They then internalize that look and begin to see themselves as men want them to be, and begin to act accordingly. Throughout the film, we watch Miss Laura being surveyed, and eventually we see her internalize the look. At first she is watched and photographed by her future love interest Mr. Steve. He takes a picture of her at the very beginning of the film when she has lost her daughter and is frantically searching for her. In his picture she is a concerned mother. There are very few times in the film when Miss Laura seems to actually think about Susie. Mr. Steve, though, has framed her as a mother and wife from the very start. There is part of her that wants to fit into Mr. Steve's vision, but she first feels that she must pursue her career. Later on in the film Miss Laura and Mr. Steve are reunited. It is at this point when Miss Laura internalizes Mr. Steve's vision and begins to survey herself as she had been surveyed by Mr. Steve throughout the film. She gives up her career to become the housewife and mother that Mr. Steve had always seen her as. Another theme that become blaringly obvious in this film has to do with the intersection of race, class, and gender. We see this most clearly in Sarah Jane's character. In Smith's article she discusses the need to "pass" as a white person because of racism that is present in a dominantly white society, as well as in reaction to the discrimination against people of color. Sarah Jane struggles throughout this film, beause she has spent her life living in Susie's shadow. She sees all of the advantages Susie has because of her successful mother, and she is constantly jealous of her white privileged life. Try as she might, Sarah Jane can never break away from the intersecting characteristics that make her who she is. She tries to pass as
a white girl who is trying to make it on her own, but she cannot break away from her black roots. Thankfully this film is only an imitation of life and not the way that people really behave. The gestic acting is painful to watch but it does do the job of getting Sirk's messages across loud and clear.

Great Double Feature. Great Value. Disappointing Transfers
I was very excited to hear about the release of the two versions of Imitation Of Life together on the same DVD. I had never seen the 1934 version and found it to be an equally enjoyable film as the 1959 one, although quite different (the main character is an entrepreneur versus an actress in the '59 version). The transfer for the 1934 version is decent considering it's age. I was more disappointed with the 1959 one. Granted, it was filmed in Eastman Color so one could not expect Technicolor brilliance, but the transfer is grainy and faded. To make matters worse, the layer change occurs at the worst possible place, as someone is running down the stairs (as with all DVD's, there is a slight pause at that time). This is very jarring; what was the engineer thinking? Layer changes ideally should be placed between a fade-out and a fade-in of scenes. Considering the price and the content, I would reccomend this DVD if you can ignore it's flaws. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

A Matthau Gem... Shall We Say "Diamond?"
The great Walter Matthau (all saggy jowls) plays Buttermaker, an ex-pitcher turned pool cleaner who tools around all day on his jobs in a chop-top station wagon with a cooler of beer in the backseat. A local businessman talks (with money) Buttermaker into coaching a youth-league team of castaways. Seems this is one community that takes its youth league baseball seriously. A little too seriously.

What follows is the familiar plot of a bunch of underdog kids coming together as the "Team Nobody Believed In" and contending for the championship against a team that represents everything that's wrong when parents spoil simple pleasures for their children (the Yankees, coached by Vic Morrow, in a neatly-observed performance). Look, I don't know if "Bears" even did it first, but this movie certainly does it best, and without the labored sentimentality of its progeny.

"Bears" never turns cartoonish. It captures just the right atmosphere- slanting, late afternoon sunlight during the games, the bikes parked behind the dugouts, the post-game chants. The kids, led by Tatum O'Neal and Jackie Earle Haley all perform well, and each has a sharply defined personality. Even Morrow, as Buttermaker's antagonist, isn't portrayed as bad or evil- just a guy with misplaced priorities that make him act like a jerk.

But Matthau makes this movie, conning kids into making martinis for him and cleaning pools while he regales them with increasingly drunken stories of his baseball glory days... until he passes out on the mound in a litter of beer cans. Matthau plays Buttermaker as a modern day loser who discovers (eventually) he still has a better nature.

Bright, smart and funny, "The Bad News Bears" is a joy to watch, full of quick-witted exchanges and even heartbreak. If you've seen one too many "Mighty Ducks" flicks, do yourself a favor and watch this one. It goes down as smooth as one of Buttermaker's ice cold ones on a hot afternoon.

And look for that kid who played Eddie in "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" as Morrow's son and the Yankees' star pitcher. He has a ballpark epiphany that's true and heartbreaking. Just another aspect of this marvelous little movie.

Good News for the Bad News Bears
A great movie that hits it mark..unfortunately sprung two terrible sequels. THE BAD NEWS BEARS is a social commentary about when kids are taken out of the sandlot (which is more fun when kids are left to play among themselves) and organized by adults to play little league baseball and the result is chaos. Walter Matthau in one of his signature roles as coach Buttermaker (he even reprised the role in a parody of the film on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, in the now classic and hilarious BAD NEWS BEES sketch). Matthau is hilarious as the drunken, ex-big league ballplayer/pool cleaner hired by one of the parents to coach a bunch of losers in a competetive and elite Los Angeles little league organization. The kids are innocent, but honestly brutal in their depiction. Standout performances from Jackie Earl Haley (BREAKING AWAY)as Kelly Leak, the motorcycle riding punk who is also a great athlete, Chris Barnes as tough little Tanner Boyle (who supposedly takes on the whole seventh grade when he is humilated in the embarrassing first game loss), and of course Tatum O'Neal as the tough girl pitcher whose curve ball breaks 2 feet. All this works on a level of a family movie, but some situations are adult oriented. Watch the film on network television and it is butchered beyond recognition. On DVD and cable, it it way better because you see why some of the situations occur. One example is the scene when pitcher Joey Turner (Brandon Cruz -tv's COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER) throws at the head of batter Engelberg (Gary Lee Cavagnaro) and you'll know why. Actor Vic Morrow continues his string of bad guy roles even in this film as Coach Roy Turner and even the Yankees (a metaphor for elitistism) is used as a name of one of the teams as the arch rival of the Bears. Overall, entertaining and authentic with great casting.

Dear Luper
Dear Luper Ronsogni makes me sick, he cant even pitch nobody thinks we can win, ps I saw a good movie the other night, youd like it. Your friend, tanner boyle

I Loved This Movie!
I remember my mother taking me to see The Bad News Bears when it was playing in movie theaters, I was about 10 1/2 years old and I loved the movie and thought it was a lot of fun to watch and I thought that the cast was great, Tatum O'Neal, Walter Matthau, Vic Morrow, Jackie Earle Haley, etc and when HBO started showing The Bad News Bears I watched it to many times to count. I see some reviewers have complained about bad language but honestly I have heard much worse langague in movies that are being made these days and I still have to highly recommend The Bad News Bears.

Classic, realistic, non-syrupy story of Little League
Don't listen to other reviewers who impose today's political correctness on a movie that came out in 1976. My parents took me to see this film when it came out (I was nine) and it was a good film. It has lessons about winning, losing and sportsmanship. It touches upon characters we all know: the winning coach (played wonderfully by the late Vic Morrow) who values winning above all else - even his own son. A realistic film from the 1970s, reflecting divorced parents, precocious kids, bullies, all of it is in here. Above all, it is a positive statement about self-respect and accomplishment. While Matthau's ways of coaching would probably be protested today (i.e., giving the kids beer after the final game of the season) it was seen as true to his character and one of the funny touches. Some of the material is mature but it may spark some positive conversations in a family. It isn't watered down, squeaky-clean family fare that people expect today, but it does have a good message and is fun. Excellent performances by a great cast, realistic baseball playing (sometimes painful) and great moments. A classic 1970s film that is often overlooked. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The first two episodes of this BBC miniseries only hint at the delightsto come. A lawsuit aimed at church reform in the town of Barchester forcesa decent middle-aged clergyman (the august Donald Pleasence, best known inthe U.S. for the Halloween movies) into a moral crisis and aconflict with his son-in-law, a pompous archdeacon (Nigel Hawthorne,The Madness of King George). The gracefully written and actednarrative shows glimpses of dry wit--but in episode 3, the arrival ofa new bishop (Clive Swift, Keeping Up Appearances), his imperiouswife (Geraldine McEwan, The Magdalene Sisters), and his deviouschaplain (Alan Rickman, Truly Madly Deeply, the Harry Pottermovies) launches The Barchester Chronicles into a satirical powerstruggle all the more mesmerizing because of the smallness of theterritory. The scheming of the citizens and clergy of this British town isboth Byzantine and wonderfully comic as the tempestuous personalities clawand dig at each other.

Rickman, in one of his first film or television roles, turns in a tour deforce of oily ambition. McEwan's ferocious machinations are downrightterrifying, while the sputtering Hawthorne (The Madness of KingGeorge) seems constantly in danger of bursting a vein. At the centerof it all is Pleasence. Making goodness compelling has always beendifficult, since wickedness is always more dramatic; but Pleasence bringsa deep and stirring passion to his role that proves as engaging as all theback-biting that surrounds him. And these are just the more familiarfaces; a host of lesser-known actors give equally superb performances. Thefinal episode (of seven) will have you on pins and needles. TheBarchester Chronicles, adapted from two novels by Anthony Trollope, isone of those marvels of British television, a skillful production thatproves intelligent fare can be hugely entertaining. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Description

Cary Grant teams with director Alfred Hitchcock for the fourth and final time in this superlative espionage caper judged on of the American Film Institute's Top-100 American Films and spruced up with a new digital transfer and remixed Dolby Digital Stereo.He plays a Manhattan advertising executive plunged into a realm of spy (James Mason) and counterspy (Eva Marie Saint) and variously abducted, framed for murder, chased and in another signature set piece, crop-dusted.He also holds on for dear life from the facial features of the Presidents on Mount Rushmore (backlot sets were used).But don't expect the Master of Suspense to leave star or audience hanging. ... Read more

Reviews (224)

Hitchcock and Grant: An Unbeatable Combination
"North by Northwest" (1959) was the fourth and final collaboration between director Alfred Hitchcock and actor Cary Grant -- and it's easily the best. Both men were at their artistic zenith when they made this superb comic thriller, which screenwriter Ernest Lehman promised would be "the Hitchcock picture to end all Hitchcock pictures." Lehman's script incorporates some brilliant setpieces that the Master of Suspense was unable to work into his previous films, such as the famous crop-dusting chase and the surreal Mount Rushmore climax. However, the highlight remains the Chicago auction sequence. Grant's screwball humor and dark charm make him the ideal Hitchcock leading man -- complemented by excellent performances from Eva Marie Saint, James Mason and Martin Landau. "North by Northwest" was Hitchcock's sole effort for MGM and he makes the most of the studio gloss. It's a top-notch production in terms of set design and matte work. In fact, author Ian Fleming considered "North by Northwest" to be the stylistic prototype for the James Bond series and wanted Hitchcock to direct the first 007 production (he turned down the offer). To fully appreciate this classic film, it should be seen in the letterbox format that Hitchcock intended. One of the all-time greats.

I'M AN ADVERTISING MAN, NOT A RED HERRING...
I won't bore you with the summary as I'm sure who ever is on this page has seen other reviews with the synopsis of North by Northwest. In my opinion, this and Psycho represent Alfred Hithcock at his apex and definitely NBNW is one of the greatest films of all time (it's in the AFI Top 100 Movies of all time). Sure maybe there are errors in it but no movie is perfect, nonetheless it comes close to perfection. It moves along, solid storyline, legendary actors and actresses (the always debonair Cary Grant; the beautiful Eva Marie Saint; the cool, calm, evil that James Mason exudes and the dark, sinister presence of Martin Landau) performing their parts to perfection. Hitchcock didn't need to use special effects, loud explosions or graphic violence to keep the viewers entertained. The characters and the storyline keep the viewers glued to the screen and the underlying espionage story was appropriate given the era of the Cold War. This was the template for future action/adventure/spy thrillers and I am even tempted to say that this could be a 1959 version of The Fugitive, ordinary man accused of a crime he didn't commit and has to exonerate himself! You forget this movie is over 2 hours long the way it moves briskly along. A perfect melange of comedy, action and suspense. See it if you haven't and buy it if you can, you WILL NOT regret it. A timeless classic!

HIS BEST CHASER...
It seems 2 me that Hitchcock sort of stole many elements from his pre-chaser-films and said: "Good-eeeeevening..... You think you have seen my best efforts, but I must unfortunately dissappoint you.....!"

Indeed this is a neurotic and clastraphobic chaser and suspenser - maybe the BEST EVER - thanks 2 the talents of Ernest Lehman, Hitchcock himself, his crew and the entire cast. There are numerous highlights from this film; I prefer NOT 2 single out any of them in favour of others. This film belongs IN EVERY HOME:-)

I LOVE this movie!
This movie is not only Hitchcock's best (just a tad behind 'Vertigo', in my opinion), but is one of the best movies ever made. Movies rarely have it all (story, acting, visuals, music, wit, action, suspense, 'hipness', and sexiness), but this movie has it all in spades.

Some of my favorite things about this movie:

1. Eva Marie Saint - Stunning...absolutely stunning. Everybody always thinks about Grace Kelly or Kim Novak in association with Hitchcock, but, for my money, Eva Marie Saint is the most drop-dead gorgeous of any leading lady.

2. The settings - The United Nations interior scenes are mouth wateringly rich. It really makes you want to go back in time to when everything 'modern' was new and exciting. We take so much for granted these days. The Cropduster scene is exciting and vastly more inventive than action movies being made today. Van Damm's House is the epitome of the promise that modern organic architecture once held. The scenes at Van Damm's house are even more amazing when you consider that the exterior settings are entirely fabricated, in a pre-CGI effects sort of way. They are more convincing than CGI scenes of today. Amazing.

This is one movie I never get tired of. Buy it and you won't be sorry.

One of the Greatest Thrillers of All Time
This is arguably Cary Grants best film. Couple that with a terrific cast, dynamite story, immortal one-liners, some great scenes in actual locations, and classic Hitchcock editing and you have a shoe-in on any "best of all time list". This movie was made in 1958 and although it was current in it's day, it now is just as current as a period film set in 1958, keeping in mind of the political climate and cold war attitudes of the time. The costumes are very natural, having been bought in actual New York stores, and the set designs are beautifully designed. The set decoration is also first rate.

This DVD is a superb transfer. The color looks perfectly natural, the sound is full, low noise stereo and the widescreen is anamorphic. There is hardly any flaw in the print. Amazing. The menu is also animated to match the Saul Bass opening title and is wonderful. The "making of" film (30 minutes long) is superb and hosted by beautiful leading lady "Eve Marie Saint".

Finally, the score by Bernard Hermann adds to the high tension of the action. The orchestration and performance on this film is one of the very best of all time. I can't recommend this film enough for action, solid story and terrific action besides just being completely entertaining. ... Read more

Reviews (225)

The best movie from the 80s
In Dirty Dancing, Jennifer Grey stars as Frances "Baby" Houseman, a girl who goes on vacation to the Catskills with her father, mother and sister in the summer of 1963. She meets the handsome dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze), who works at the lodge where they're staying, and is smitten with him. When she volunteers to fill in for Johnny's dance partner, Baby experiences love and life firsthand from the free-spirited Johnny.

The DVD version of this movie is terrific. The clarity is amazing, the sound is crisp & clear and the bonuses are wonderful. With the bonus features, you get commentary from the movie's creator, a behind-the-scenes featurette (with no audio), the videos for "She's Like the Wind," "I've Had the Time of My Life" & "Hungry Eyes," biographies about the cast & crew (Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, Cynthia Rhodes, Jerry Orbach, Jack Weston, the director, the producer, the writer and the choreographer), a short "Reliving the 60s" documentary, the theatrical trailer and a concert featuring the music from the movie.

If you love Dirty Dancing, I highly recommended getting this DVD. It would be a great addition to add to your collection!

Still superb!
...Dirty Dancing still stands incredibly well proving the point critics made about the film at the time of its release about it being a timeless classic! Dirty Dancing is simply the ultimate feel-good movie. The chemistry between Patrick Swayze (then relativley unknown) and Jennifer Grey (who has not starred in any major production since) is positivley electric and never strikes a false note. Its a charming story of a young, innocent teenager staying with her family at a holiday camp for her vacation who meets the exciting and rebelious dancer, Johnny who she immediatley falls in love with. They show each other a different side to life and soon become lovers. But as with all good love stories there are complications. Giving superb backing support is Cynthia Rhodes in a small but highly effective role as Penny Johnson who is forced into having an abortion and in the process must give up dancing whilst she recovers - enter Jennifer Grey. There are many fun and amusing scenes of Swayze frantically trying to teach Grey all the right dance moves whilst the touching romance between them gradually and beleavably builds. The ending is a triumphant high! What truly makes Dirty Dancing absolutley unmissable is the fabulous dancing which is highly erotic though never once tacky and is accompanied by a sizzling soundtrack that helps build the potential atmosphere. Superb throughout, Dirty Dancing is indeed a timeless classic!

Hands Down the BEST!
Dirty Dancing is hands down the best movie of all time! Enough said.

Honestly, how can this get less than 5 stars?
This is such a classic movie. It's cheesy, it's unrealistic and it's fun. What's not to love? Very fun film, one to watch again and again. I think every woman wants Johnny Castle, this movie is hot and cute and great. Not a lot to say, just that this is a wonderful film.

Great Gift
Made a wonderful birthday gift for my younger sister. Came in great condition and worked great. Even better it came at a discounted price!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The bright cartoon colors of the Saturday morning classic Fat Albert get brought into the real world--or a Hollywood facsimile of reality, at any rate. When a teenage girl named Doris (Kyla Pratt) sheds a tear onto her TV's remote control, her unhappiness summons Fat Albert (Kenan Thompson, Barbershop 2), Mushmouth, Dumb Donald, Old Weird Harold, and the rest of the gang from Bill Cosby's popular cartoon (inspired by his childhood memories of growing up in Philadelphia). Doris is, to say the least, a little freaked out and doesn't really want Fat Albert to help solve her problems--but with the blithe confidence that only cartoon characters can have, Fat Albert and the gang follow her to school to root out the source of her misery. One of the movie's problems (which are legion) is that Doris's world isn't much more real than the cartoon one; it's a sterile, clean-cut caricature of a city neighborhood. In fact, the whole movie feels suspiciously like a commercial for a DVD of Fat Albert cartoons, an advertisement for which actually appears in the movie, making for a bizarrely self-referential product placement. Thompson, surprisingly, hangs on to his dignity in the face of the inane proceedings and even gives Fat Albert a hint of gravitas. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (63)

What is wrong with you people the movie is bad!
I know that everyone is sayin that this movie is great but in my opinion it's really not. I watched it the other day and it's horrible. I do think Kenan Thompson is hilarious but not in this film I don't. This movie really does suck. The acting is terrible, the soundtrack is okay I guess but I just didn't really like the movie much. What a waste of time to watch for a hour and a half but please don't bother seeing it. I just thought it was the worst Bill Cosby movie ever made.

Cartoon much better
I miss the old cartoon..this movie does not compare.This new version of the old is okay...wish Bill Cosby would have played more of a role in this...it may have helped with ratings.
I also wanted to see this to see a friend who had a stand in role with her son.
Was nice too that it wasn't filled with bad language that could have ruined this all together.
Rent don't buy!!!

You're like school on Saturday: no class.
Is there an unwritten rule in Hollywood that if you choose to recreate comedy, it has to be less funny than the original so that it doesn't overpower the genuine moment of the first?I am a strong believer that there is such a rule because I fully witnessed it in the film Fat Albert.This film had so much potential that I really wanted to jump into my television and start grabbing necks a-la Homer Simpson.Frustration grew inside of me as jokes were tossed out towards the viewing audience with such disappointment that to laugh would have given the film way too much credit.The characters were flat, the story was "normal chaos that has been done in nearly every other film", and the class of the television program Fat Albert was diminished by cheap thrills and over-budgeting.Did Bill Cosby have a true writing credit to this film?It would be hard for me to believe that he seriously considered this work great, but then again, he is older and has bills to pay ... so why not?While the ending tried to bring a tear to your eye, I was already crying at the utter lack of appreciation that this film carried and influenced the youth of our nation.

To say that this film was horrible would be too kind of a word, to quote a line from the film "(Fat Albert is) like school on Saturday: no class" would again, probably be giving it too much credit.From the opening credit sequence to the overly animated cartoons to the lack of animation in the characters when they became real was difficult to watch. Kenan Thompson tries really hard to empower the soul of Fat Albert, but what comes through the screen are just pathetic.He has no backbone and literally, he gives Albert this image of ignorance.Instead of being this helpful friend, Thompson's Albert has these huge glazed eyes that roll around whenever trouble begins.He just didn't seem to have that pizzazz that I remember Albert having from the television programs.If Albert was a leader in the cartoon, he was not one in this film.Unless you count the fact that the other actors in this film followed his suit by also leaving their energy at home.Childish humor coupled with this sense of apathy really didn't spark this film onto the level it should have been.I kept seeing glances of this really humorous story about Fat Albert in the real world, but instead I was forced through yet another Cool World.That is how I would best describe this film, Cool World for children.

With our characters firmly not caring about their careers, we are then forced to focus on the non-existent story that apparently the writers of this film chose to not write.Instead of creating a plot with some climactic moments, our writers of this film chose to just let Fat Albert wander until something funny happened.I kept wondering to myself if this was an actual scripted film or just Thompson and Zwick allowing improv to occur anywhere and anytime.Now, if you were working with a genuine comic actor this could have worked (like Robin Williams or Will Ferrell), but with Thompson it just felt forced.Nearly every scene felt forced or overworked in this film.Spontaneity was not an element that these writers considered.This ultimately caused the jokes to be extremely flat.The humor just didn't bring the true life of Albert onto the screen.This is where I question the validity of Cosby being involved with this production.I know he was getting paid, but how much did he work?The jokes felt so old and used that I am surprised that children responded to them.Maybe it was the urban feel that Albert somehow felt comfortable in ... who knows?Either way, the loose story allowed for unfizzy jokes, which ultimately lead to the demise of this picture.

Finally, I would like to say that Fat Albert (when I was growing up) was an inspiration and "every man" to us all.The group that followed him and his actions somehow always felt like a part of us.There wasn't anything that could stop Fat Albert from helping another lost soul, and somehow in this film adaptation, none of these old feels could be remembered.It wasn't as if they were trying, but this was definitely not the same Fat Albert that I grew up with.He didn't reach me like he used to, and perhaps it was the larger budget or the lack of imagination, but Albert hurt the soul in this film.I am surprised that he was able to assist Doris in her problem (this obscure problem that was never quite defined), because if I were in her shoes, I would have politely kicked this Albert to the curb.Cosby needed to reconsider his options before allowing this Albert to see the light of day.

Overall, as if you couldn't tell already, this film hurt me.As I watched this dopey picture, I couldn't help but wonder if this film was focused correctly.When it first started I had this feeling that Albert would be called to help Doris with her problem, causing him to be a secondary character (like her own Jiminie Cricket), but instead what happened is that Thompson's camera excitement stole the performance away from Doris while creating a film centered around Albert.This should not have been the case for this to be a truly inspirational film.We lost the central focus of the film, and then the story just went fuzzy.Too many hands in the honey pot with one hand wanting to be on top.It was sad, and ultimately destroyed this film.

Grade: ** out of *****

Bill Cosby must not have had an active role in this
I think there should be a competition on fear factor to see how many times someone could watch this movie. It's so dumb. Every corny comedy cliche about a person from the past who comes to the future is hit in this travesty. You could have more fun by throwing yourself down the stairs of your house.

FAT ALBERT IS HOT AIR
This is 1 of the most horrible movies that I have ever seen.I couldn't even get to the end of it before I got up to come and write this review.The actors in the movie need to hone their skills and stop trying to make movies to fit everyone.I don't know if they realize it but this movie is STRICTLY for the kids because they do not know any better.If I could have given this movie ZERO stars, I would have done so. ... Read more

Description

Edward James Olmos's Oscar-nominated performance energizes this true-life story of a Los Angeles high school teacher who drives his students on to excellence at calculus. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

A wonderful movie
I really liked this movie a lot. It was entertaining and uplifting. It was a motivational movie because it proves that anyone can learn if they try. It also shows that hard work pays off, and that even uneducated students can learn something as challenging as calculus.

It was also humorous sometimes because the teacher tries to motivate his students by doing strange things. There are some quite funny scenes and some scenes that will bring you to tears.

I was amazed by this movie for one strange reason: Mr. Escalante, the calculus teacher, actually looks like a math teacher I had. My math teacher was Spanish too!

This movie from the beginning is quite interesting. We learn the Jamie Escalante wants to teach computer science but he can't because the school doesn't have the computers. So he teaches math instead. He motivates his students to work extra hard and they succeed. There are bumps in the road, but the students work hard and study.

This is a little-known movie that is both entertaining and educating. I would enjoy watching it over.

A HERO IN AN UNHEROIC SITUATION
Jaime Escalante was a teacher who inspired students who might otherwise slip through the cracks. He followed through with a group of kids who might otherwise not have a chance and he taught them calculus and gave them hope. This seems like fantasy, far-fetched and totally out of a Disney story. But it was real life. Edward James Olmos gives a good performance as the inspirational teacher who inspired a movie. Lou Diamond Phillips is supposed to be the toughest of the bunch, giving the teacher the most problems. But he turns out all right in the end. My brother, for some reason, wants to invite Lou Diamond Phillips to Thanksgiving. My brother says Phillips just seems like "a nice guy". My brother is not particularly a fan of Phillips. It is all about being a nice guy. The movie overall is a bit too "feel good" for my tastes, but there is nothing wrong with it. It is the kind of thing that my junior high school math teachers "rewarded" us with right before winter break... a nice movie (meaning we did not have to do classwork) about, what else? Math. There are a lot of movies that fall into this kind of category. They stretch back to Sidney Poitier's To Sir, With Love. Sandy Dennis in Up the Down Staircase. Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Minds. Meryl Streep in Music of the Heart.

Better Than " Lean on Me "
I was in elementary when this film came out and I didn't see the value of it then. Now I appreciate it for being a decent film about a teacher trying hard as possible to make students depend on education. There's not too many familiar faces in this. Lou Diamond Phillips and Edward James Olmos are the only ones around you'd remember. This film stays true to the true-life of the teacher and unlike Lean on Me doesn't rely on fictious elements to make the story move. Stand and Deliver also doesn't spend the entire film showcasing the students and blaming the teachers for everyone's problems. It's a simple little story that tells a true story about a man who made a difference if only for a short while. I highly recommend it. It is one of few positive Hispanic films around and that alone makes it a must-see.

An inspiring film teaching that there are no limits
I was first recommended this movie to watch because I was having a hard time with math. I thought was boring and didn't see the point in it. But my father made me watch it, and I'm glad I did.

This film is about Jaime Escalante (portrayed masterfully by Edward James Olmos) and his math class that he had in 1982 (based on a true story). Escalante was a Bolivian living in America that went to East L.A.'s Garfield High School to teach computer science. It turned out that the school had no funding for computers, so they redirected him to teach math instead. His class of eighteen Latin-American students, convinced they would never amount to much, were still struggling with the concept of fractions. They're troublemakers and gangmembers. One of the most complicated and difficult students, Angel (Lou Diamond Phillips), goes home every night to end up drinking, smoking, and throwing bricks through shop windows.

Escalante learns to work with these students, motivating them to learn. Ganas, or desire, are required from everybody. "With ganas you can do anything you want," says Escalante. "And if you don't have ganas, I'll give you some. I'm an expert." Deciding he needs a challenge, he decides that in two years he'll teach the students calculus and have them pass the A.P. (Advanced Placement) Calculus exam. What happens next is truly emotional and inspirational. I won't reveal the ending, as it's for you to see.

Stands tall.
Good movie about the importance and value of education. Almost every high school student should see it. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Ben-Hur scooped an unprecedented 11 Academy Awards® in 1959 and, unlike some later rivals, richly deserved every single one. This is epic filmmaking on a scale that had not been seen before and is unlikely ever to be seen again. But it's not just running time or a cast of thousands that makes an epic, it's the subject matter, and here the subject--Prince Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) and his estrangement from old Roman pal Messala (Stephen Boyd)--is rich, detailed, and sensitively handled. Director William Wyler, who had been a junior assistant on MGM's original silent version back in 1925, never sacrifices the human focus of the story in favor of spectacle, and is aided immeasurably by Miklos Rozsa's majestic musical score, arguably the greatest ever written for a Hollywood picture. At four hours it's a long haul (especially given some of the portentous dialogue), but all in all, Ben-Hur is a great movie, best seen on the biggest screen possible. --Mark Walker ... Read more

Reviews (210)

A Good Presentation Of A Classic Film
Ben-Hur is a classic. It made AFI's top 100 films list. It's chariot race is one of the great moments in film, inspiring Lucas' near shot for shot remake in The Phantom Menace. Others here and elsewhere have admirably debated the merits of this film as cinema. Rather than concentrate on the film, I'd like to review this DVD presentation.

Pros :
- Excellent widescreen transfer. This disk is both dual layer and double sided. This nearly 4 hour film looks wonderful for its age.
- Excellent 5.1 mix from the original multitrack recording. The mix is relatively frequency limited and doesn't have the rumbling lows and crisp digital highs we've become accustomed to in modern films. This would have felt out of place on an almost 50 year old film.
- Excellent making of documentary. About an hour long, interesting and well produced.

Cons:
- Heston's commentary is not full length. It is probably about 30-45 minutes. It is also not very interesting, consisting largely of "This was a great scene." style remembrances.
- They failed to mark which side of DVD is which! To make matters worse the onscreen menus look identical on both sides of the disk. I did eventually realize that there is a serial number printed on each side of the disk which can be used to differentiate the sides. When "65506.1.A US & Canada 212 MINS. WARNER HOME VIDEO" is face up in your DVD player that means you are about begin watching the first part of the film. Intuitive, no?

All in all a good presentation of a classic film, and a good value.

Ben-Hur EPIC DVD, 11 Oscars including Best Movie 1959 !!!
Only a handful of motion pictures compare or even come close to this EPIC of EPIC's. (Voted as one of the greatest 100 movies of the last 100 years (1998) by the American Film Institute.

Ben-Hur won 11 Oscar's in 1959 including the "Big 3", Picture, Director - William Wyler and Actor - Charleton Heston.

This widescreen digitally restored picture & full sound (stereoized) DVD version is an absolute joy to watch & listen to.

The cast was meticulously casted and proved to be the right combination to provide the drama for "General Lew Wallace's" epic story.

In summary; This story parallels the "The Story of the Christ" Wallaces actual book title of this tale.

The setting is a Roman conquered and imprisoned Judah. There is unrest & possible rebellion in the air. Judah Ben-Hur (Heston) a Jewish Prince and grown childhood friend Roman Centurian Messala (Stephen Boyd) clash with different adult views. Shortly after their falling out a serious accident occurs involving the new Roman Governor & the Hur family. Due to this accident Ben-Hur is arrested & sentenced to be Galley (slave) rower & his family is imprisoned to keep this possible rebellion from occuring. Hur promises he will return and seek Messala with a vengence.

The movie is a long interesting journey (over 3 hours)of Hur and Christ. Their paths crossing at key times in each ones life. The Sea Battle and the most famous & spectacluar 11 minute chariot race highlights this greatest of tales.

The DVD extras add to this package !! In closing a movie must for your library.

Really The End of an Era
One of the last great grand sweeping epics. Truly a cast of thousands. I've never been a big Heston fan but you got give the man his due. He was born to play these larger than life characters. The chariot race is really all its cracked up to be. One of the greatest cinematic moments ever. The chariot race in the silent version is even better, if you can believe that. Just amazing.

AMAZING MOVIE!!!
Definitely a great epic and one of my personal favorites, Ben Hur, brings to the screen such heavyweights as Charlton Heston and Jack Hawkins in a tale set during the times of the Roman Empire. There are no words to describe this multiple (11) Oscar winning movie. The acting, the chariot races (!!!) and the costumes are all wonderful! It is simply amazing how a movie made in 1959 surpasses by far most movies that have been made in later years. Ben Hur is about honor, bravery, and heroes from a time long gone.
Together with Spartacus, The 300 Spartans, Cleopatra, and the Fall of the Roman Empire, Ben Hur makes my list of Top 5 classics of all times.
A great marvel indeed!

The greatest Movie of all times
This Movie no matter how many times i see it moves me. I have the Collectors Box Set. This set will be used to be passed down to my family forever. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Kolchak is really Mulder's father!
An important television film from director/producer Dan Curtis (Dark Shadows) and screenwriter Richard Matheson (The Twilight Zone among many others)and a sharp, fun horror film. The Night Stalker set a new standard when it aired in the 70's; it's story with Darren McGavin's narration and the Vegas setting contributed to it being one of the highest rated t.v. movies of the week. Adapted from Jeff Rice's (then) unpublished novel, the story is about a murdered who kills his victims and then drains their blood. Kolchak (McGavin)becomes convinced that the murderer isn't a garden variety psycho but, perhaps, a real vampire. Unfortunately, no one believes him.

Films like Fright Night have used a similar premise but not in as compelling a fashion. John L. Moxey's direction is taunt and shows his roots as a veteran movie and television director. Both Darren McGain and Simon Oakland as his put upon editor give outstanding performances. Additionally, the late and under rated Barry Atwater gives substance to the shadowy role of Janos the creature that Kolchak stalks ultimately must face. Carol Lynley is fine in an underwritten role as Kolchak's girlfriend. Surprisingly, she really isn't given that much to do but, then again, this was the 70's when women in peril pretty much described the role in television programs and movies.

The sequel The Night Strangler couldn't touch the first film despite reuniting the original cast and creative crew. Perhaps it's Curtis' understated direction, but The Night Strangler doesn't quite capture my interest as well as the first film. Richard Anderson plays the title "monster".

Still, it is fun and, if it doesn't quite measure up, it's still an entertaining and imaginative story by Richard Matheson. The DVD doesn't boast any extras but the transfer is very nice given the age and source for the DVD. Anchor & Bay has done a great job returning hard-to-find classics to DVD and video. This is no exception. My only complaint is that there isn't a commentary from director Dan Curtis or actor Darren McGavin. McGavin's acerbic comments would be a welcome addition to this fine double feature.

Now it's time to return these vintage horror classics to DVD.

Carl Kolchak finds another unbelievable mystery to solve
Darren McGavin reprises his role as Carl Kolchak in this sequel to "The Night Stalker," one of the most celebrated made-for-television movies of its day. "The Night Strangler" finds our intrepid reporter challenged by his old Las Vegas editor, Tony Vincenzo (Simon Oakland), with uncovering a 120-yeard-old Jekyll and Hyde type killer in the eerie underground of Seattle, Washington. There really is a sense in how this sequel is trying too hard to top the original, which had the virtue of a simplistic elegance to its plot. This time around director Dan Curtis tries to come up with a really big ending, which is not where Kolchak was most effective. Maybe we would have been more impressed with this story if it did not have the original to contend with, but this is yet another instance of Hollywood trying to milk the golden goose dry. Still, any scene between McGavin and Oakland is worth paying attention to and the supporting cast throws Jo Ann Pflug, Wally Cox, Richard Anderson, Margaret Hamilton, John Carradine, and Al Lewis at us If you can not identify the Mr. Peepers, the Wicked Witch of the West, Dracula, and Granpa from the "Munsters" in that list, shame on you. But then it also serves as more evidence that this movie is trying a bit too hard.

Carl the Vampire Slayer?
When I was 9, I used to stay up and watch Kolchak: The Night Stalker. To me, it was some seriously scary stuff. I didn't know at the time that the series was based on 2 made-for-TV movies from a couple of years earlier. Many years later I was in the Air Force in 1987 and stumbled onto the original Night Stalker on VHS. I immediately rented it. The memories came flooding back. The Night Stalker, when originally aired, became the most viewed TV movie ever (at the time). It would be many more years before I got to see the second movie, The Night Strangler as part of this DVD double feature.

The Night Stalker is the story of Carl Kolchak (played by Darren McGavin), a formerly respectable reporter who fell on hard times and has ended up at a Las Vegas newspaper, searching for the one big story that will propel him back to the New york daily papers and the Big Time. That big story comes in the form of a killer with amazing strength who is, for some reason, draining his victims of blood. There is much nervous joking about the killer thinking he is a vampire. However as Kolchak follows the killer's trail, he comes to the impossible realization that the killer may indeed be a genuine vampire, and since no one else will believe or at least admit the possibility, it is up to him to kill it.

The character of Kolchak works because he is a lot like the rest of us. When the killer discovers him in hiding, Carl screams like a little girl and runs like mad! It makes us examine how we would truly react if faced face-to-fang with a REAL mythical undead creature. Carl is cowardly in many ways but he is noble on some level too. He risks his life to stop the creature, but then again, maybe he is just doing it to land that perfect story.

The Night Strangler takes place in Seattle (Kolchak moves there after the events of the first film) and he bumps into his old editor from the original movie, Anthony Vincenzo (played by the great Simon Oakland)and begs his way into another job. Soon he is investigating a series of murders where the killer apparently re-appears every few decades. This story is very similar to the character of Toomes in the first season of the X-Files, and since Chris Carter's inspiration for X-Files was the Kolchak series, it is possible that this resemblance is not coincidental.

As many other reviewers have mentioned, it is a SHAME that the Kolchak TV series has not been released on DVD yet. I am sure it will happen eventually, but the sooner the better. These movies are 30 years old now, but they still hold up today. Just try to ignore the polyester suits, plaid sports jackets, and go-go boots!

Note: in August 2004 a new release of these 2 films is being issued. It supposedly will have some featurettes and interviews. I am reviewing the 1998 release which has no extra features. Hold out for the new release if you have not bought this yet.

Bring on the TV Series
I see TV show collections on everything from The Monkees (which I like, by the way) to MASH (good one, two), but why hasn't this classic show been issued? Let's hope it will soon -- along with the "Get Smart" TV series. Come on, my credit card is ready to go CHA-CHING!

This is a priceless piece of the golden era of TV
Man... I saw this and it took me right back to my childhood. I remembered the old house we lived in during that period, and how my elementary school friends and I used to revel in this show. We loved this show. If was by far the hippest TV show of the early 1970's. After this, "The 6-Million Dollar Man" took over. I was about 7-9 years old during this show's all-to-brief run. That is the prime time of the childhood imagination. I had several lost time experiences while watching this show. My sister hated it because it was "too scary". That was why we loved it. The opening theme song is absolutely unforgettable.

This show had a ton of entertainment value. It is one of the forgotten gems of the golden era of TV. A number of academy award winning directors got their first breaks directing episodes of this show. Chris Carter-creator of the X-Files-often sited this show as one of his inspirations. The studio team killed this program because the FX budget was too limited and noir filming schedule was killing the cast and crew. You will note that almost all the shots are night time shots, and done outdoors on location in Hollywood (even though this was supposed to be Chicago.) ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Right up there with the top 10!
This movie has to be seen to be believed. It's an absolutely fabulous film. Director Michael Curtiz is, in my opinion, one of the great storytellers of all time. (After all, he directed "Casablanca" only two years after "The Sea Hawk.") This is a film unencumbered by flashback sequences and neurotic characters. At the same time, the characters are rich and complicated, all of them caught in an escalating war between England and Spain. These were symbolic when the film was made for the Allies and the Nazis, and you can almost feel the actors' intensity over their uncertainty of the future, and Erich Korngold's music is probably his masterpiece in conveying not only chivalry and heroism, but an extraordinary longing for freedom and release from political aggression.

Like the other reviewers have noted, Errol Flynn is at his best. The cast is generally superb, although I would have cast something closer to a real Spaniard for Don Alvarez instead of - again! - Claude Rains. As a Spaniard, he should at least have tempered his British accent. Flora Robson as Queen Elizabeth I is simply the best Elizabeth I have ever seen on film. (Sorry Bette Davis and Judi Dench.)

This film is not only thrilling, dashing, and heartwarming, it is really "about" something. And since September of 2001, this film has suddenly taken on yet a new meaning for our own time.

I am holding my breath for a DVD of this soon?? And please, be careful with the sound transfer. The music for this film is one of the finest film scores ever composed.

FLYNN IN HIS ELEMENT
An English privateer learns the Spanish are going to invade England with their Armada....Even without the benefit of Olivia de Havilland and Technicolor, this is a prime Errol Flynn outing. After CAPTAIN BLOOD proved to be such a gold mine, Warner Bros. put writer Delmer Daves to work adapting another Rafael Sabatini novel THE SEA HAWK; it ranks as one of Flynn's best all-round films, and remains a beautiful picture to see and hear. The 1.7 million dollar budget was lavish by 1940 standards; an enormous new sound stage was inaugurated for the film. Two newly built full-scale ships - one 165' long, the other 135' - both surrounded by 12 feet of water (!) helped make the opening of the movie an amazing, crammed-with-detail piece of filmmaking. The musical score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold was his last for an historical pageant and one of his best; his score splendidly captures the "sweep and roll" of 16th century ships. It's interesting to compare Flora Robson's interpretation of Queen Elizabeth I to Bette Davis's. Both are intelligent and convincing, but Robson conveys level-headedness with flashes of temper while Davis (in THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX, which she made with Flynn one year prior) projects distinctly neurotic and indecisive aspects of her character. Flynn's performance is good and believable; he chose a relatively quiet, restrained delivery here and he was at the apex of his career both looks and performance-wise. The term was "sea dogs" was conveniently changed to "sea hawks", thereby refuting history and confusing Sabatini buffs, but giving a 'raison d'etre' to the saleable and dramatic title the studio decided to retain. Available colorized, which is advantageous for some, and an affront to others.

One of the great swashbuckler films
A REVIEW BY NICK EVANGELISTA:
The Sea Hawk is one of the great swashbuckler films of all time. Errol Fylnn was in top form for the movie. The fencing is a joy to watch. As the author of The Encyclopdia of the Sword and The Art and Science of Fencing, and the publisher of Fencers Quarterly Magazine, I recommend it highly.

Fabulous High Seas Adventure
This movie deserves 5 stars and so I had to vote. Great adventure, message, and appropriate for children. The action and story is awesome.

Stunning Errol Flynn Adventure On The High Seas
"The Sea Hawk" is the definitive swashbuckling tale and captures legendary actor Errol Flynn at his most dynamic. He was an actor born for these type of romantic action roles as seen in the earlier classics "Captain Blood", and "The Adventures of Robin Hood". This film reveals Flynn in a tailor made role when he was at the peak of his physical fitness, and athletic prowess and he brings a new maturity and depth to his character here after 5 years of top stardom at Warner Brothers. "The Sea Hawk", is everything a good high seas adventure should be with eye filling adventure, exotic locations, romance, dashes of intrigue and superb swordplay.

With the the huge box office returns Warner's got for "Captain Blood", it was certain that Errol Flynn would be the natural choice to head any future productions of lavish pirate tales being filmed by the studio. That encore came along in another adventure story written by Rafael Sabatini "The Sea Hawk",which Warner's planned as one of their most lavish productions for 1940. Discarding most of the original novel writers Koch and Miller fashioned an exciting and beautiful screenplay that worked wonderfully on screen. "The Sea Hawk", tells the story of British Privateer Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe (Errol Flynn), who with secret backing from Queen Elizabeth (Flora Robson), sets out on many voyages designed to harrass the Spanish Empire while enriching the British treasury with plunder from the Spanish Galleons that Thorpe raids on their way back from the New World. An adventure of a different sort confronts Thorpe when he inadvertently captures a Spanish ship that happens to be carrying the new Spanish Ambassador Don Jose Alvarez de Cordoba (Claude Rains),and his niece Dona Maria (Brenda Marshall) to England. What initially starts out as outrage at the injustice done to her by Dona Maria slowly turns to love as she sees Thorpe's humane side in rescueing the unfortunate slaves from the Spanish ship's galleys and in seeing to her comfort on the journey to England. Once in England after a superficial reprimand from the secretly pleased queen for the benefit of her Spanish guests, Thorpe and the other Sea Hawks press her about the seriousness of King Phillip of Spain's threat to England's security with the mighty Armada he is planning. Capt. Thorpe plans to attack the Spanish before they are ready to sail and with the Queen Elizabeth's un-official blessing secretly plans a voyage to the Carribean to raid more Spanish vessels to get more gold to help build England's defense fleet. He however doesn't count on English spy Lord Wolfingham who by underhanded means finds out about the voyage and warns the Spanish Ambassador of Thorpe's intent. Once the privateers are in Panama they are ambushed by the Spanish in a trap and sentenced to life imprisonment as galley slaves. All seems lost until Thorpe and his men orchestrate an escape plan which sees them get back to England. Aware that the Queen has been forced to put an arrest order on all Sea Hawks in England, Capt. Thorpe literally fights his way room by room to get to the Queen along the way duelling to the death with his enemy the traitorous Lord Wolfingham. Pardoned by the Queen the preparations to defend England from the growing threat of the Armada are put into place beginning with a rousing speech by the Queen about the need for the nation to be united as one in times of adversity.

"The Sea Hawk", is a stunning "A" class production despite it's strange absence of colour photography. It contains great work by Errol Flynn who is in turn rogueish and athletic on the high seas and then refined and subdued in the romantic and court scenes. The supporting cast is headed by "Flynn regular", Alan Hale in the role of Thorpe's offsider in adventure Mr. Pitt, and the lovely Brenda Marshall as Dona Maria who has just the right dark icy beauty to be perfect as the upright noblewoman who is melted by love for Capt. Thorpe. Claude Rains lends his usual excellent suport to the role of the Spanish Ambassador and Henry Daniell steals ever scene he is in as the traitor Lord Wolfingham. Flora Robson in a great performance also lends impressive support in the smaller role of Queen Elizabeth and delivers a totally convincing and balanced interpretation of this famous woman, at times stern and authoritian and at others almost playful and very human in her dealings with Thorpe. The "Sea Hawk", production christened the huge new sound stage at Warner's built to accomodate this huge production and two full sized galleons were constructed for the sea bound action scenes. With a huge budget of almost 2 million dollars the costumes, sets, and attention to historical detail are unsurpassed. Erich Wolfgang Korngold's sweeping Academy Award nominated musical score is one of the best in his distinguished career and really enhances the overall impact of the story. The recently restored "Sepia " sequence is also a highlight during the Panama scenes and it's murky quality really lends atmosphere to the hot swamp scenes when the men are being pursued by the Spainards and are dying of fatigue.

For all lovers of swashbuckling adventures you need go no further than the Michael Curtiz directed pirate classic "The Sea Hawk". This film is certainly what the legend of Errol Flynn is all about and his obvious appeal to movie goers is very evident in his powerful screen charisma here. Many copies of "The Sea Hawk", have been made but none come close to it in great story telling, lively performances and beautiful production values. "The Sea Hawk", is classic Hollywood at its very best and is esential viewing for all classic movie lovers. ... Read more

Reviews (260)

Weather Report: Tuscan Sun Fun, Diane Lane Shines
Take this for what it is and you might enjoy it -- complete fantasy stuff, wish fulfillment, a brief escape from real world life and complexities into the stuff of make belive, completely lacking in any substance whatsoever.

Why make a book into a movie and COMPLETELY change it? This is Audrey Welles inflicting HERSELF, her agenda, in fact, her completely different story, onto Frances Mayes' story, where the only thing left is the name of the house (Bramasole) and the name of the main characer (Frances/Fran/Francesca Mayes).

In real life Mayes is married to Ed Mayes, they're university professors, writers/poets, and they bought a house in Tuscany over ten years ago and started cranking out books about their new adventure (it's HUGE house, even more imposing than the one in the film).

Apparently not seeing any dramatic potential in Mayes' work, Welles arrogantly GRAFTED a completely different story onto the title ("Maybe no one will notice") wherein HER "Frances Mayes" is married then divorced then goes off to Italy and buys a house on an impulse (and strangely meets a man named "Ed" at the end which is supposed to bring some kind of nod to the real Ed Mayes, like an inside joke or something or a little piece of magic that plays out like a lump of coal on a Christmas morning. Stupid (her last name is already Mayes before she meets this Ed so his had better be Mayes too if you're following the silly logic of the story).

Don't pick this movie apart (pull one thread and it unravels rather easily). Instead see it for the wish fulfillment fantasy of buying a house in Tuscany, the Italian countryside (most of which was actually rainy and overcast all through filming) an attractive cast (Diane Lane is STILL stunning after all these years), and a complete dose of fantasy -- a guilty pleasure, like watching "Dynasty" in the 80s.

Leave the critical thinking elsewhere and pretend the world today is no more complex than an episode of The Brady Bunch (yeah right). Watch the scenery. Watch Lane's comic performance and stunning beauty, and Sandra Oh's great supporting performance. Then forget this crazy thing.

And if you liked the book, may I recommend At Home in France by Ann Barry and Extra Virgin by Annie Hawes, both of which I liked better than the book Under the Tuscan Sun and its followups as did many other reviewers on amazon and elsewhere they report.

The best part of this movie, for me, was seeing it in the theatre and suddenly seeing on screen the love interest's 1980s Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce two-seat convertible driving "picturesquely" through Italian cityscape and Italian coastline, and laughing to myself because it was the same car waiting for me in the parking lot.

Do a theme night. Make some bruschetta and other Italian culinary items and watch this fluff with friends. You won't be able to keep a straight face at how "schmaltzy" it is. You'll be absolutely embarrassed, but you still may take a second look later in privacy for an indulgent pleasure.

Ciao!

Such lovely scenery - such an awful film!
This is a really bad film. Okay, so it has nothing to do with the book except that it shares a title - that I could live with. But the story is hopelessly cobbled together and totally unbelievable. Surely this was a first draft of the script that they accidentally filmed?

The main character is played by the pretty Diane Lane, but looks alone cannot salvage this dreadful character. She cries, she pouts, she is unbearably naive and, let's just say it, she is an idiot.

The storyline is full of cliches. And where there are not cliches, there are gaping plot holes: why does her far-too-attractive-to-be-true Italian boyfriend drive a sports car when his family run a modest cafe on the beach that is supposed to support all of them? And just how does she manage to up and move to Italy without even having to fill in an immigration form? And if she was so broke that she had to move out of her mansion in San Francisco into a run-down fleabag hotel, just how the hell can she afford to suddenly buy and renovate a house in Italy, as well as living there for months with no visible means of income?

The worst part of