Reviews (10)

A popcorn movie that teaches. We need more like this.
Mario Van Peebles "Posse" is a movie with flaws, but it treats its source material with respect. Unlike the shallow and silly "Rosewood" Van Peebles "Posse" gives viewers a clear picture of what life was like for African-American cowboys at the turn of the century. We get to know characters in the story. The production values are low budget, and several roles are miscast, but Van Peebles' heart is in every second of this film. He loves the material and wants us to learn as much about these forgotten black heroes as he has. Part "spaghetti western", part action flick, part historical drama, Posse is a lot of fun to watch. Mario Van Peebles, Billy Zane, Melvin Van Peebles and Salli Richardson in her first role are great. Tis one is worth owining for your collection.

Brings Old West Back to Life
Mario Van Peebles Posse' brought a new perspective about the west. This was the first western in many years to feature a predominately African-American cast. Stephen Baldwin was great in his potrayal of Lil' Jay. Very educational movie.

Better than the "editorial review" thinks it is
Tom Keogh, whomever he may be, is quite mistaken about the quality of Mario Van Peebles film, which is somewhat more than simply a "black western." Despite the "camp" appearances of several black celebrities, Peebles brings to the film an arresting visual quality and an iconoclastic, unmistakably "dark" [no pun intended] perspective on How the West Was Lost, which is one of the biggest tragedies of American history. The historical background is suitably complex, tieing in references to the Spanish-American War. Although the lead character's gunslinging talents are made too much of, this is far from cliche.

Correcting History.
Mario Van Peebles directed and starred in this film about a group of African-American soldiers (and one white one) on the run from a corrupt military officer. The officer (Billy Zane) had the posse steal some gold from Cuba during the Spanish-American War. He planned to kill them afterwards, but the group proved stronger than he thought and they escaped. They come back to the states and follow Jesse (Van Peebles) to the dream town of his deceased father in west Texas. Jesse has some inner demons to silence and they won't be still until he has settled an aged score.

The film is interesting. However, the movie relies heavily upon typical Western cliches which dampen some of the it's uniqueness. Nevertheless, the film does raise awareness about all the black cowboys and settlers that were so instrumental in taming the West that most people don't even know existed. An educational film that is quite entertaining to watch.

The Posse
This is the best movie ever made! The best character in this movie was Little J played by Stephen Baldwin! I dont own the DVD version though, I have the VHS! I'm Looking forward to having the DVD just to brag about it to all my friends! ... Read more

Description

This Gripping drama portarys the rise of the nazi Regime though the experiences of two ordinary brother who find themselves on opposite side during World War II. Helmut, the brilliant but opportunistic student, and Karl, an idealistic athlete, come of age at the downof Hitler's power in 1931 Berlin. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Interesting look at the SS' rold in Nazi Germany.
It's an interesting persprctive, looking at the SS from the points of view of two brothers: one in the SS, and one who ran afoul of the SS. The actors playing Heydrich and Himmler did their roles excellently, and the depiction of SS reaction to certain events (Night of the Long Knives, Krystalnacht, and the July 20 Bomb plot) was also well done. The only thing obviusly inaccurate was the assasaination of Heydrich (he was assasinated in Prague, not in the countryside outside the city).

An interesting perspective on a familiar topic
This movie views the rise of the Nazi regime from the perspective of two brothers, who are very ordinary people. At first each brother views the Nazis as just another political party. One brother becomes a full-time SS officer working for Heydrich, the other (who actually became a Nazi before his brother did) sees the evil of the Nazis sooner, and suffers for his outspokeness. The strength of the movie is its portrayal of ordinary Germans during this time period, and how they become caught up in the ugliness of the Nazi regime.
The acting is so-so, but not bad if your expectations are not high. Jose Ferrer plays only a modest role in this movie--he is not the star. Overall an entertaining movie that is worth a try. The quality of the DVD video is slightly below average.

Did you see that movie - Maybe you can help me!
P>...The movie is great because of the intensity of the determination the SS organization had back in the 30's. The actors are great and the music is unique. What is sad about the end of that movie is the same pitfall as other movies. Too much emphasis on concentration camps. In good objectivity, anyone that talks about concentration camps should also learn about the causes of the creation of the SA and the SS. The Germany of 1880 until 1933. This is the period to learn and read about. Stay objective and be a good judge. Like in the movie:"Who needs a revolution, when the revolution already been achieved?"

CHSimon
This fictional dramatization of the life of a typical middle class German family and the effects of the third reich and Adolf Hitlers 12 year reign of terror, does an excellent job in humanizing what must have been a horrile dilhemma for German people in the 30s and 40s. David Warner is terrific as the heartless Reinhardt Heydrich whose influence on the oldest son in the family changed the boy from skeptic and cynic into fulfledged believer. Tony Randall is also excellent as a "Joel Grey" type emcee at the local Night Club who dares to criticise the NAZIS and pays the ultimate price for his performances. All in all the performances are believable if you can get past some of the heavy British accents which are mixed in with bland American accents like that of Carrol Baker who plays the mom. The sharp contrast in accents is kind of distracting.

A Historian with an Opinion...
I have viewed this title a few times. I think this is an excellent movie. Many movies from the World War II era commonly tell a small portion about the people's lives in NAZI Germany during the Third Reich. This movie collected all the bits and pieces and showed how different people from the start had their lives affected throughout this time. This is an excellent movie and I wish it received more publicity to exploit what it does best... inform people about life in the Third Reich. It also shows the innocence of the German people and how they were brainwashed and tricked by the NAZIS. Clearly documenting the civilians at this time. ... Read more

Reviews (168)

Basically copy of 1st flick, but still fun
If you caught the first flick, you'll find little different in its sequel, but "Legall Blonde 2" is still a bag of preposterous fun.

Planning for her wedding to law professor Emmet Richmond (Luke Wilson), Elle Woods becomes determined to (Witherspoon) track down the biological parent of her Chihuahua, Bruiser. Elated to find the dog belongs to Versace, Elle is shocked to find that the animal (and countless others) is subjected to testing by cosmetics makers. Losing her job at a tony law firm when she tries to make an issue of animal testing, Elle heads for Washington where she hopes to change the law. Linking up with an apparently successful and sympathetic congresswoman played by Sally Field, and learning the ways of Washington D.C.-style politics, LB2 essentially follows the pattern of the first movie - replacing law with cut-throat politics (initially hostile characters prove to be friends while friendly characters turn out to have their own agenda; Elle wins out over all using her mix of wackiness and wisdom). The flick makes good use of some side characters, like Bruce McGill as a right-wing conservative who, luckily for Elle, is a proud dog owner (McGill may best be remembered as the mysterious "D-Day" from "Animal House"; it's fun watching this flick thinking that his character may very well be the same as D-Day, only 40 years later); also Bob Newhart as a D.C. doorman who knows a thing or two about DC power politics (where was his character during Watergate?); but really belongs to a horde of extras mobilized by Elle to lead the fight on Capitol Hill. The moral of the story - never look down on the apparent savviness of your opponent who, though unsophisticated, is motivated by a cause they find noble. At least not in Hollywood.

It's okay....
Being the complete opposite of the beauty-obsessed, cheery 'ditzy' blonde that Elle Woods is myself, I somehow manages to find the original "Legally Blonde" to be a really good, cute, funny movie. After all, at least Elle Woods is an animal-loving vegetarian animal rights activist. So am I. So naturally, I bought this movie.

The idea behind it is great: Elle Woods wants to save her dog's mother from an animal testing facility and end cruel animal research in the cosmetic industry for good using her new status in the legal profession. So it carries a great message. Sadly, the movie isn't much of a comedy at all. It isn't even all that entertaining. I probably wouldn't want to see it more than once, especially because Elle's constant "preppy blonde" antics are really starting to get annoying. Sure, the movies are cute, but let's face it: they're entirely unrealistic. No such person as Elle Woods could ever make it as a lawyer, let alone make it very far in the real world.

Sally Field and Bob Newhart aren't in this as much as you may be led to believe, either. It focuses on Bruiser, the dog. Somehow, a serious subject like animal rights gets Elle's comments on shoes, clothes, make-up, etc., thrown in every few minutes to really grate on your nerves and wonder how someone so superficial could also be so good, caring, and deep. There you go, deep: Not the best word to use for this film. More like "fluffy." It's definite fluff. Like her quote: "In this case, the price of beauty is too high....I can't believe I said that!" Ugh.

Still, if this is the only way to get across to people the problems with animal testing, it'll do. One woman Elle runs into says, "I don't think about it, that does the trick!" when asked to consider the horrible ways some animals get treated and abused. This shows the ignorance that so many people have that needs to change. A serious lesson in a movie that involves a Chihuahua falling in love with a Rottweiler. For corns' sake.

So while Elle's political views are right-on, the movie itself isn't exactly the greatest. Still, it's worth a see.

Holy...
I saw this movie in the theater and I thought it was horrible. I didn't laugh once and this movie just bored me to death. It wasnt entertaining, funny, nor did it hold my attention. Then I had the misfortune of having to watch it again on a roadtrip (my car has a DVD player in it) and I just could not take it. THIS MOVIE SUCKS SO BAD! Stay away at all costs!

egally Blonde 2 - Red, White & Blonde (Special Edition)
egally Blonde 2 - Red, White & Blonde (Special Edition)
DVD ~ Reese Witherspoon is just as good and ditzy as the original. Many people said that it paints a bad picture for women. I could disagree more. This is how men want women to act.

Legally Blonde 2
This film is great it has a certain age. This film has an occasional use of bad language.
This is about a girl who has a dog poodle and she wants to be a lawyer but will she ever become one you wont find out yet.......
This video/dvd is excellent.I think the person who plays the judge is a great actor/actress and so is everybody else but the judge is best.
I like this film because it is funny and even more enjoyable.I thought everything was marvellous and nothing was bad. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Newton Boys were the most successful bank robbers in the history of the United States.They never killed anyone, never snitched, and only robbed banks (just bigger thieves, in their opinion), until their final deal, which was a botched train robbery for $3 million.Engagingly played by Matthew McConaughey, Ethan Hawke, Skeet Ulrich, and Vincent D'Onofrio, the Boys don't have the kind of flaws of more brutal criminals that make for more volatile dramas.The film ambles along in a leisurely way to tell its story of the Newtons' bank-robbing career, with an ever-present air of reverent Americana.This may make some viewers impatient, and cause a glow in others.It seems like a departure for director Richard Linklater (Slacker, Dazed and Confused)--a costumer to be sure, but Linklater's deliberately amiable pace perfectly balances the Boys' personalities. You may wander into this movie and feel right at home. The golden-hued cinematography of Peter James (Driving Miss Daisy) adds a level of comfort that makes everything warm-like.The end credits intercut archival footage of two of the real-life Newton boys toward the end of their lives, one from a 1980 appearance with Johnny Carson on The TonightShow. --Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Worth your time ? DEFINITELY!!!!
This is the type of film that you don't see everyday. Four real-life bankrobbers who happen to be brothers, their safe-cracking accomplice and lots of gunfire, but no deaths. This is entertainment at its best. This is also a very different step for director, Richard Linklater whose other credits include DAZED AND CONFUSED, SLACKER, and SUBURBIA. Allof which were relatively low-budget but true to life. There has been much said about this movie and the "lack of plot" , but this is where you remember that this is a true story and none of Linklater's other films had plots either. The film moves along at a nice leisurely pace giving you a chance to learn about and like the characters. As far as performances go, there isn't a bad one in the bunch. (the cast is outstanding) There is plenty of action to satisfy all of the DIE HARD fans out there and when the action is toned down, it is fun to watch the poor old farmboys plan their next big heist. It has to be said that, of all the performances, Dwight Yoakam, playing a very different role than his Doyle in SLING BLADE, is the best. If you're looking for a night of action and good old fashioned, downhome characters, give it a try. It is suitable for the whole family and it is definitely worth owning. SO, forget renting. Go buy it on DVD. Now!!!

Good Film Overlooked By Most
I saw this in the theater and thought it was great, but no one else I knew had seen it. Then I saw it on DVD and bought it quickly. It was just as good as I remembered.

This is a "gangster" movie without gangsters. No one gets killed or tortured graphically. It's a real life story of depression era brothers trying to get some cash and having some adventures along the way.

I think Hawke puts in one of his best performances ever. Dwight Yoakam also contributes some good acting, especially when compared to his fabulous "Sling Blade" villan.

The only flaw is the length. The movie drags a little after a while, but it still manages to make you care enough about the characters to see it through to the end.

The final credits featuring Willis and Joe Newton at the end of their lives make the film worth owning. It's one of the most clever ways to make the credits worth watching I've seen.

Give this movie a chance. It's well acted and is aesthetically pleasing to watch. Plus it's really low cost!

LAWBREAKERS
THE NEWTON BOYS is a well done period film, richly and warmly photographed and performed by a talented cast. I still have a problem in "justifying" their robberies. Willis' conclusion that he has been done wrong so he can do wrong too is not a quality I find admirable. Stealing is stealing, and Linklater makes it look perfectly normal to "cheer" these boys on. The fact that this is a true story only adds fire to the fuel of how we make heroes out of bad guys because they were "cute" or they got the "system", etc., etc. Nough about that, though. Matthew McConaughey, Skeet Ulrich and Ethan Hawke are splendid; they needed to give the excellent Vincent D'Onofrio more to do; Julianna Margulies was fascinating as Louise; Luke Askew in a great supporting role as the suspect-beating cop; and Dwight Yoakam as the friend who supplies the nitroglycerin.
The movie is a little long, drags some in the middle, but for a period piece, it's effective...just don't think these guys are heroes. (The end credits with the real Willis and Joe is superb)

Excellent Movie!
Matt at his best! Funny, insightful, historical (for the most part). Worth seeing time & time again!

An underrated film if there ever was one!
Richard Linklater's The Newton Boys eschews much of the post-modern trappings that have defined the western genre in the nineties. Sure, it begins with a credits sequence that mimics the style of an old silent serial (complete with a fisheye lens), and it has one scene in which some of the eponymous boys are accused of stealing from a movie house (though they are never convicted), but the film's sensibilities seem much closer to those of the 1920's in which the film was set. It's an old-fashioned work, and that feeling is compounded by some wonderful documentary footage that plays during the credits. The comments of those involved in the actual events lend an immeasurable air of authenticity to the film. It might be tempting to classify the film's identification with the bank robbers as post-modern, especially since Bonnie and Clyde essentially kicked off the modern era of filmmaking, but consider the fact that even 1903's The Great Train Robbery gave more screen time to its criminals than its posse.

That screen time tells a fairly standard story, and there are few genuine surprises to be found in that respect. Still, the movie isn't so much about plot as mood and character. This is the closest Linklater has come to making a Hollywood film, and he uses the resources to enhance, rather than ignore, his worldview. The cast is fairly excellent, with Ethan Hawke's drunkard being the standout. Matthew McConaughey has the largest role, and shows more charm here than in nearly any other film that he has been in. Although the film's setting is far from the modern day slacker world of Linklater's other films, the prevailing attitude seems to be the same. It's a mix of Texan charm and genteel sophistication. This treatment of the subject matter doesn't ever come off as cocky. It creates a wonderful sense of respect toward history. Several times, the Newton boys are allowed to state their socio-political justification for robbing banks. That they use flawed logic isn't the point. That they get a chance to make their case is. Linklater really isn't an astounding visualist (though the film is attractive) nor does he have a tremendous sense of pacing. What he does have is a humanist streak that runs throughout his films. Even when a double cross occurs in the film, he pauses to note that the traitor continued to assert his innocence. That genuine regard for his characters and fidelity to his setting are his strongest directorial traits. I'll take that over puffed up set pieces and quick cutting any day. ... Read more

Description

THE BRADY BUNCH MOVIE brings the lovable family of the 1970’s into the modern world, to see how their good old-fashioned values pan out in the streets of Los Angeles. The Brady’s house still sparkles with the same orange and olive green furniture as the original show, but the surrounding area has changed drastically. Confronted by carjackers, new fashion trends and popular culture in general, the Brady’s remain perky and pleasant to the world around them.When their next-door neighbors try to buy the Brady’s home in an attempt to raze the neighborhood and develop a mini-mall, the Brady family must unite and find a solution. ... Read more

Reviews (50)

Come on Home with the Bradys.
When I first watched this movie, I really wasn't looking forward to seeing it. I enjoyed watching the television show when I was a kid, but it wasn't one of my favorite shows. However, this film really surprised me and turned out to be the funniest movie I've seen in years.

The movie is hilarious. It parodies everything that made the Brady the Bradys (Cindy's lisp, Mike's family talks, potato sack races, etc) . All the actors have a dead-on impersonations of the original characters and make the spoof totally believable.

The major plot of the film is fairly simple. The Brady's owe $20,000 in back taxes and their beloved home is going to be sold if they can't raise the funds. Their next door neighbor is a greedy developer who wants to build a shopping mall in the Bradys neighborhood. All the other homeowners have sold, but the Bradys won't bite. The desperate developer seems to have lost, until he finds out about the Bradys' back taxes. Then things get messy. There is also a subplot revolving around Jan's struggle with being a middle child and always being overlooked by Marcia. Jan's "struggle" is one of the most hilarious things I have seen on film in a long time. You'll never think of hearing voices the same again (or Jan Brady for that matter).

Overall a hilarious film that parodies the original television series. The movie has the blessing of the Bradys creator (he wrote the screenplay). It is a delight for anyone who remembers the original series and even if you don't, you're sure to have a few laughs with this 70's family living in a modern world.

Great Movie - Disappointing DVD
I remember watching this movie in the theatres. The audience was packed and I LOVED every minute of it. Shelly Long made an outstanding Carol Brady, loving wife and doting mother to six (count 'em six) children. The movie captured the classic camp of the television show perfectly down to trademark episode storylines inter-woven into a bigger story. The real stand out actors though has to be Christine Taylor as Marcia and Jennifer Elise Cox as Jan. The dynamic duo really set the stage with not only their remarkable resemblance to the characters but the way they captured even the inflections of the blonde Brady girls. It was almost like being taken back to the series. And speaking of which, several original series cast members make cameo appearances in the film, such as Florence Henderson as Grandma Brady, Barry Williams as a music producer, Ann B. Davis as Shultzy (named as an homage to her character on the Bob Cummings Show), and Christopher Knight as the school coach. And you can't miss the ever talented Jean Smart or RuPaul as the drunk next door neighbor and school guidence counselor. The drawbacks of the DVD release though is that Paramount skimped on any bonus material. We are benefited with seeing the movie in crystal clear widescreen and in Dolby sound, but there are no behind-the-scenes clips added though such material was shown on television when the movie was just released. There are no character/actor bios. There are no photo stills. There are no Brady song montages. There isn't even a movie trailer of the movie itself. There is just simply nothing added to make this DVD as special as it could have been than just the movie standing alone. In my mind, the purpose of releasing a movie on DVD at all is to provide the audience with a higher level of product than you would recieve on a standard videotape. Because the movie wasn't released with any of these I have to grudgingly give the DVD a three out of five stars. Not because the movie isn't good, because it is. It's one of my favorites. No, I gave it three stars because companies such as Paramount and others like them really should know better. The word 'cheated' comes to mind.

Classic Bradys
This is a show I grew up on. And I watched all 6 Brady kids grow up on TV as well, so to see them (well not all the original kids) on the big screen had to be a must see. Two decades later the Brady's still have a following, judging by the commercial success of this film and a whole new generation is introduced (though probably don't understand) the wholesome white bread image the Brady's portrayed. Stuck in their 70's world while everyone around them has progressed? to the cynical 1990's, Mike, Carol, Alice & the Brady kids face the problem of a disgusted neighbor (Michael McKean, Lenny from another 70's favorite sitcom, Lavern & Shirley)trying to get rid of the bell bottom wearing Bradys as neighbors. Fans of this show, will recognize many familiar themes from the Brady Bunch's successul sitcom run such as Greg as Johnny Bravo, Cindy's tattle tale, and my favorite Jan's envy of Marcia, Marcia, Marcia. By the way Marcia really looks like a twin Maureen McCormack (the original Marcia). Florence Henderson (the original Carol Brady makes a guest appearance as the grandmother and so does the original Greg (Barry Williams). But the new cast, who look nothing like the originals except for Marcia, do a great job of mocking the Brady sitcom I grew up watching.

Why oh, why does Hollywood want to ruin icons?
Why do they insist on making a mockery of television shows we all loved? Brady Bunch, Scooby Do... there have been others. They make a movie that serves SOLELY to make the characters and premise look dumb. It's irritating and stupid.

This is the best comedy!!!
If you are looking for a hilarious comedy that will have you rolling on the floor for hours and hours that isn't too bad for the little children? Well if the answer is yes, then this movie is the perfect movie for you. Then after this movie won 6 Emmy's they came out with another sequal that earned 4 Emmy's, and then, the final and the best sequal(The Third) is the most funny, it is where Greg Brady becomes President. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Max Ophüls explores the scandalous life of dancer and courtesan Lola Montes with a bittersweet empathy that turns melodrama into a tragic melancholy masterpiece. Using the theatrical re-creation of Lola's life in a big-top pageant as a framing device, Ophüls contrasts the outrageous sensationalism of her reputation with poignant, poetic flashbacks that explore her many affairs, most notably with Franz Liszt (Will Quadflieg) and King Ludwig of Bavaria (Anton Walbrook). Lola's greatest tragedy is that she loved well, if not too wisely. If Martine Carol's central performance is lacking passion, as many critics have argued, her quiet, at times seemingly passive demeanor makes her a veritable prisoner of her society and her reputation. Swept along by Ophüls's sweeping camerawork, which glides through the film in a balance of intimacy and contemplative remove as if on the wings of angels, her life becomes like a cinematic ballet with Ophüls the choreographer and conductor. Peter Ustinov costars as the jaded circus ringmaster, who nightly narrates her exploits to a throng of scandal-hungry spectators, while she performs with a face hardened in indifference, resigned to her empty role as a figure of spectacle in a garish gilded cage.Shot in delicate color and impeccably composed widescreen compositions throughout by Ophüls's regular cinematographer Christian Matras, Lola Montes is his most beautiful and restrained film, a fitting swan song for one of the cinema's most sensitive directors. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Sad But True Story.......Beautiful Film
This review refers to the Fox Lorber DVD edition of "Lola Montes"(1955).....

Director Max Ophuls,brillantly brings to the screen, the sad but true story of "Lola Montes". In the 19th century, she was the talk of Europe. Her affairs with dozens of men including the great composer Franz Liszt and even a King were infamous and resulted in such great scandal, that Lola became an object of hatred and curiosity. Outcast from society, in poor health and with no place to turn,her once regal lifestyle is now reduced to being put on display in a circus act that parallels her story. Once you enter her life, you'll be as captivated as her admirers were.

The beautiful Martine Carol is the actress who portrays this tortured soul that no man could resist. The cast also includes, Peter Ustinov,as the seemingly cruel ringmaster forcing Lola to go on with her story,Anton Walkbrook as King Ludwig I ,so taken with Lola, he bestows on her her own palace. Also look for Oskar Werner as the young student.

The early use of "CinemaScope" is wonderful and you can take in all the details on this DVD. Although the colors seem somewhat dated, I thought this 50 year old French film had a nice clear picture. The sound was recorded low and needs to be turned up a bit. The DVD includes Filmographies of the principle cast.The subtitles are nice and in the black bar area.

It's a beautiful film, and a story that may leave you sighing.A nice addition to your foreign film collection...enjoy...Laurie

Max Ophuls cinematic look at the famous courtesan
"Lola Montes" tells the story of the famous courtesan, played by Martine Carol, who became a circus novelty because she was ill and had nowhere else to go. As the high points of her life out acted out for the crowd, Lola recalls her own memories of these events, only having to respond when the Circus Master (Peter Ustinov), compels her to answer questions from the audience. Obviously Ophuls is looking at how fame and fortune can be fleeting, but it is the style rather than the subject matter that proves most memorable. The only significant problem with this film is the performance of the leading lady, who never manages to evoke either the desirability of Lola at her height of popularity or her despair on the bottom side of life. Peter Anton Walbrook plays the elderly Ludwig I, King of Bavaria and Will Quadflieg plays the musician Franz Liszt, two of Lola's most famous conquests. Oskar Werner plays a student in this 1955 French/German film. The true star becomes Ophuls' camera work, showing us what he wants us to see as he wants us to see it. He also takes advantage of the widescreen in several interesting ways. The last thing you need to know is that this appears to be a "semi-restored" version of Max Ophuls' legendary film. "Lola Montes," the director's only film made in Technicolor and CinemaScope, was originally 140 minutes long. The producers cut this down to 92 minutes and this videotape professes to be 110 minutes long. Work the math and it would seem 18 of the lost 48 minutes have been restored to this version. Hopefully more of what has been lost will magically pop up in the future.

Swan Song: Max Ophuls Final Movie
Max Ophuls last movie, Lola Montes, is now on DVD, though it has no special features, no trailer, merely filmography and a list of awards as well as scene selections. In 1955, Max Ophuls had already directed several classic films of the French market during World War II days, 30's and 40's- his most honored being La Ronde. To many, Lola Montes was not the greatest film Max Ophuls ever made. He was a naturalized Frenchman, adored the culture but was Austrian born, specifically Vienna. His films were considered artsy, classy and dramatically appealing. Ophuls followed an ABA or "Ronde" circular plot structure. What happens in the beginning of a film will return at the end of the film. Never is this more true than in his famous La Ronde, set in Vienna about the many intrigues of love affairs. On DVD, the CinemaScope color of Lola Montes is in its beautiful restored glory, though it can look better in some parts. The movie is so old it truly shows its "cinematic wrinkles". Martine Carol is the woman whose quiet beauty and restrained mannerisms landed her the title role, Peter Ustinov, who did several movies, including American films, plays the role of the ringmaster who is entertaining audiences at a circus by showing off Lola Montes and her incredible life story and Anton Walbrook, who appeared as Lentmontov in the English film, "The Red Shoes" in the part of King Ludwig.

Lola Montes is a fictional and sensationalized account of the true, historic person of the courtesan/Spanish dancer Lola Montes, regarded as the most famous 19th century courtesan. She did exist, she had love affairs with what were celebrities at that time- Franz Liszt the pianist and composer and her most impressive lover, King Ludwig of Bavaria, the so-called "Mad King" whose extravagant lifestyle, erratic behavior and expensive castle building projects cost Bavaria a lot of money and made his own people turn against him. The circus element is entirely fabricated for the sake of drama. The ringmaster, Peter Ustinov, is entertaining audiences, mostly composed of men, with scenes of Lola Montes lives and in the end, she leaps from on high in an incredible stunt after which she must deign herself to be kissed by all the men for only one dollar. Peter Ustinov is speaking three languages if you really notice- French, German and the bits of English he speaks to Lola during the jumping scene. The use of English, which even Lola uses now and then, is meant to cater to the American or English audiences who must have seen this film. Martine Carol, in my opinion, does a terrific job as Lola Montes. She is a polyamorous woman, who is clearly liberated, passionate and earthy. She has dignity despite everything. The only thing I had against her performance is they never showed her dancing the Spanish dances she was so famous for- the bolero, the fandango, tarantella, etc. They could have cast an actual Spanish dancer in the role.

A Female Casanova -- or so she appears
Other women in the same time period became famous for their artistic talents(George Sand for one) but Lola Montes had no real talent and so she made her mark by being beautiful and aggressive. These qualities won her many admirers and at least two famous lovers: the King of Bavaria and Franz Liszt. Its a complicated story though and one with many ironies. When Lola was younger her mother wanted to marry her off to a wealthy older banker but Lola refused and instead ran away with a young man who ended up being a drunk and a philanderer. We never really see Lola's transformation from young innocent girl into woman of the world but she makes the transition so completely that nothing of the little girl remains in the woman that Lola Montes becomes. The way Carol Martine plays her we assume that either Lola Montes has no emotions or that she has them but has learned to keep them to herself. Either way it seems what Lola really loves is a man who can take care of her in style and so the real love of her life is not Franz Liszt who she grows bored with but rather the King of Bavaria who sets her up in a little palace of her own which seems perfect for her (an icy palace in an icy land for the icy Lola). Later Lola will refer to this as the happiest period in her life but we are likely to attribute this happiness not to the elderly and deaf King of Bavaria himself but to the palace he provided her with. This was the one time in her life she had a home. When the stability of Bavaria is threatened by revolution she is forced out of her palace. Outside of Bavaria she is destitute and she has nothing to sell -- except her reputation. Though penniless shes now become famous or infamous throughout Europe and so when Ustinov offers her a salary for merely telling her tale she has little choice but to accept. In the 21st Century we are so used to seeing how people capitalize on scandal that its fascinating to see a nineteenth-century version of this phenomena. Its also fascinating to see how Lola Montes must play "Lola Montes". There is a huge difference between what really happened and what the public wants to hear happened and so the story that Ustinov tells each night is just a fiction designed to give the crowd what it wants. Lola herself just goes through the motions of playing this fictive "Lola" to make a buck. In our media savvy era we might have a hard time seeing Lola Montes as a victim, rather we are likely to see her as someone cashing in on her "fame". Lola is ultimately a victim however in the same way Jay Gatsby was a victim -- they are victims of others misperceptions of them. The misperception so often repeated takes on a larger than life reality while the real life is buried in the shadows. This is the tragedy of fame, this is the tragedy of Lola. It is perhaps the most fascinating study of personality of its era. And one that speaks to our era most pointedly.

Fox=crafty, sly, or clever person, but...
...Fox-Lorber can be credited with sly only, for releasing this lack of quality even Madacy would be ashamed of.
The 1 star is because of this release. Maybe they don't know yet that DVD technology allow for subtitles as a choice option, and maybe their budget was too short to get them right (one quarter is accurate, one quarter is approximate, one quarter is absolute fancy, and one quarter has escaped translation. But the worse is the (absence of) quality of the picture which is perfectly matched by a botched soundtrack.
Until Criterion or some real professional in DVD business will take care of getting this released as it should be, better to avoid this one. ... Read more

Description

Pauly Shore is definitely not one of the few good men army recruitment has in mind for molding into a soldier. But that doesn't stop pacifist Pauly from signing up for a hitch in the reserves in order to cash in on all the great perks, including free room and board and a steady salary for doing minimal work. Now this man's army is putting Pauly to the test. And Pauly the military misfit is serving his country as only he can, and single-handedly putting the army on red alert. Clipped of his curls and scuttling from a scud base in the African desert, he's battling with everything from rules and regulations to power-hungry authority figures and would-be world dictators. Surrendering to the comic crisis of being a soldier who marches to the beat of a different drummer, G.I. Shore is on a mission that promises to score a direct hit. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

fun and breezy
I had a lot of fun with this no-thinking type comedy. It's perfect for a stress-free afternoon where you can drink a beer or snack on chips and just kill some time. It's funny, it's amusing, the antics are silly, and the story is actually engaging. Pauly Shore and Andy Dick need money after losing their jobs, find their way to the Army reserve recruitment center (quick money, easy hours, right? right???), and all is fun and games until they are called up because of a small type war in Libya... And guess what? Yep, Pauly and Andy save the day. It's formula, it's predictable at times, but it's just too fun to resist. I enjoyed my afternoon with this movie. I'm getting the DVD. It's fun enough to watch again when I feel like killing an easy afternoon. :)

Makes you wonder if it's really that fun to be in the army
I didn't ever see "In The Army Now" until a few weeks ago. I didn't ever think it would be that good of a movie, but after watching it I found out I was wrong. Two guys who have nothing else to do decide to join the army and that's when the fun begins. They are both thought of as losers and it doesn't seem like they could ever make it in something like the army at first. However, they turn out to be two of the most successful people in the army.

If you like good comedy movies, I recommend seeing "In The Army Now" because it's fun to see how Pauly Shore and his friend make it a success being in the army.

Typical Pauly Shore
Just like all of his other movies, this one really doesn't go anywhere-but that doesn't mean it wont offer you a good time. There are many great one-liners and the acting is much better than you would expect. I have seen this movie many times and I simply never get tired of it. Don't hesitate to purchase, it's 100% worth it!

A 10 star must see movie
this is a must see movie. Pauly Shore makes it absolotely great.

In the arrrrrrmy!
It was one of the funniest movies I have ever seen ... Read more

Reviews (37)

A Small Masterpiece
This film needs your support! It was apparently completely disregarded by critics when it played theatrically... Written and directed by Henry Bromell, writer-producer of the Baltimore-lensed HOMOCIDE TV series, PANIC is a tight little masterpiece (clocking at less than 1 hour and 25 minutes) of ensemble acting and superior screenwriting. All principal actors hit just right notes in their roles, from William H. Macy (one of the best actors currently working in the US, who single-handedly made my experience of watching ultra-sophomoric FARGO durable), Donald Sutherland, John Ritter, Barbara Bain (Remember MISSION IMPOSSIBLE?), Tracy Ullman (TRACY ULLMAN?!) and, oh, Neve Campbell. The characters are so well-written and so devoid of historionics that some viewers may actually suffer from disorientation, adjusting their brains from the state of overexposure to usual mind-numbing stereotypes in Hollywood movies. Ritter's psychiarist, for example, is one of the two or three among hundreds of psychiarists I have seen in Hollywood movies who actually behaves like a NORMAL PSYCHIARIST and acts SENSIBLY. (MUCH superior to Lorraine Bracco's shrink in THE SOPRANOS) David Dorffmann plays Macey's son, and even though he is supposed to be a super-smart kid, he is NEVER annoying. The scenes are all underplayed with minimum of melodramatics, but they nonetheless pack emotional wallop. The quiet, beautifully lit sequence in which Donald Sutherland introduces the child version of the Macey character to "family business" is not only absolutely chilling, but also immesaruably sad. PANIC reminded me of Paul Schrader's AFFLICTION and Claude Chabrols' morally complex thrillers, such as THIS MAN MUST DIE. It is also like a particularly well-made 1950s film noir suffused with psychological insight ordinarily missing from them.

The DVD version includes a generally informative if a little reticent commentary by Director Bromell, and six deleted scenes. The deleted scenes provide additional background information for characters and deepen our understanding of them, but they also include some stilted and overblown dialogue completely absent in the actual film, the reason I suspect they were in the end dropped from the final product. I am a little disappointed that the audio commentary does not come with Macey, Sutherland and others discussing their acting strategies, given the fact that this film's success depends so much on their contributions, but this is nit-picking. I definitely recommend this movie for anyone who is a fan of Macey, Sutherland, Campbell and those who appreciate morally complex human dramas and/or thrillers. NOT RECOMMENDED, however, to those who want an action film like AIR FORCE ONE or a "quirky" movie like FARGO.

It's Hard Being Someone's Son
It's amazing to me that this film wasn't released as widely as, say, Memento or even Sexy Beast. It is an absolutely superb film featuring William H. Macy(Fargo) in his finest performance to date as Alex, a second-generation hitman railroaded into the business by his controlling monster of a father, played by Donald Sutherland(JFK).

The first thing that should strike any viewer about this movie is its cast. There isn't really a weak link in this movie, even though it does feature Neve Campbell. Campbell's performance, incidentally, really says something for Henry Bromell's direction: she's actually convincing, cast against type, and gives her strongest performance to date as the troubled love interest Alex meets in his psychiatrist's office.

The extreme circumstances featured in this film -- i.e. a middle-aged hitman seeing his shrink -- are really only a metaphor for the mid-life crises of half of America's middle-aged men, who went unwillingly into their father's businesses and sacrificed their own dreams. This movie is not about a love affair or a hitman; it is about how hard it is to be someone's son in America, about the expectations placed on men in our society and the outlets which we are given and which are denied us to express ourselves. Perhaps Neve Campbell herself delivers the most telling line in the film: "It's easier being a man, don't you think?" to which wife Tracy Ullman replies only with a knowing look, then turns her back.

It's a shame this film was overlooked. Henry Bromell's debut as writer-director on this film proves one of cinema's finest. William H. Macy gives the strongest performance of the year, far outdoing Russell Crowe's unintelligible stone-faced Maximus; it is also Macy's greatest role, the culmination of every unsure forty-something he's played. Do yourself a favor and see this movie. Then go home and love your son.

The Sins of the Father ...
What a find this movie was. Subtle, tense, occasionally laugh-out-loud funny and ultimately satisfying.

A hit-man wants out of the family business, and in to the pants of Neve Campbell. Which, I suppose, makes him a murderer and a philanderer. Not that you'll feel anything but empathy and compassion for William H. Macy's character: which, of course, is his genius.

In a story that explores, among other things, the whole family dynamic - from the damage our parents do us, to the effort needed to make a marriage succeed - you'll find it all rings true. The context of the story is alien and exotic, but the relationships aren't. Your father is probably not a controlling and manipulative sociopath (and, you know, small mercies and all that ...) but even so, how many of us would find it easy to step up and admonish him, when he steps over the line?

Donald Sutherland's performance as the sociopathic pater is astonishingly good. He actually had me shouting at the screen. And I'm British. We just don't do that ...

Give this movie a go. You won't find the experience entirely comfortable, nor will it be an escape from the rigours of the world (because there's too much of the world in the movie) but it will make you laugh, wince, cheer and, most importantly of all, it will make you think.

symbolic
There is a scene in the middle of the movie when Alex takes his son to see his grandfather, who has bought him a birthday present. It is the most interesting scene of the movie, and the heart from which everything else should radiate. It is the only time that Alex, his father, and his son are all onscreen at the same time and you realize that this is the conflict that is killing Alex -- he is his father's son, cynical, secretive, and ruthless, but he is also equally his son's father -- innocent, curious, and affectionate. Framed that way, both his father and his son can be seen as reflections of his own psyche. The reason why he is so blank, so tired and depressed, is that they cancel each other out. By then end of that scene I knew how the movie had to end.

The side story involving Neve Campbell isn't very interesting.

Great movie -- what a cute little boy!
The boy who plays Sammy, the hit man's son, is about the cutest thing I've ever seen! He's just darling! He reminds me of that kind from Jerry McGuire -- "the human head weighs 8 pounds" Soooo cute!

The rest of the movie was pretty good, but I just loved the little boy's scenes! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Richard Burton was riding high in grandiose roles in Hollywood and onBroadway when he returned to Britain to portray trumpet-playing social dropout JimmyPorter in Tony Richardson's adaptation of John Osborne's groundbreaking 1956play. Burton's Jimmy works in a public market "sweet stall" where he rubs shoulderswith the working class with a condescending air, while he takes out his contempt ofbourgeois complacency at home on his spiritually whipped wife (a numb-looking MaryUre) and her best friend (Claire Bloom). Burton is too old for the part of the self-loathingcollege grad, but his performance simmers with frustration and misdirected rage thatmasks the sad, vulnerable underside to his misanthropic swipes. The film became theopening volley in Britain's "New Cinema," a new wave of young directors, working-classthemes, and social-realist style. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (4)

When Harry Met Misery
This film is an abomination. I don't fault Burton, Malcolm MacDowell couldn't carry the remake either. The problem is the tireseome cliches of the social realist author, using the characters as mouthpieces for DEEP (and predictably painful) TRUTHS. If there are people who talk and behave as these characters do, one would do everything in one's power to avoid them. Pitiful, angry, self-indulgent, foolish people. The film unintentionally presaged (and was itself an example of) the age of utter self-indulgence and perpetual self-analysis that has eventually swamped us. It belongs with the swill in the self-help section. One can easily imagine Burton's character as the macho leader of a social movement to right all wrongs, while he can barely manage to feed himself.

From a real Osborne fan
First, one of the other reviews for this film seems to be stating that Burton played Jimmy Porter on stage. This is not true. Osborne's autobiography describes Burton as needing a serious career boost after his previous toga films had gotten him nowhere (though, still, Osborne then says it was Burton's name that got the film financed). Burton took on the film for very little money (and, yes, he is too old for the part.) Mary Ure is the only actor from the stage production. (And at this late date it seems a great loss Alan Bates didn't reprise Cliff in the film.) My thanks to the reviewer who mentioned Pauline Kael's review. It certainly makes me reconsider how much power the film had in its time. But still everyone seems to be missing the point of the story. It isn't a conventional triangle. The play greatly upset the establishment in its day because it is an violent assault on class and cultural issues of the time. Jimmy is not a working-class hero. Kenneth Tynan described him as part of the "non-U intelligensia" but this is wrong. The film mentions, though perhaps doesn't make clear, that Jimmy has been to college, a very mediocre college. His working a sweets barrel is part of his rejection of the social order. But it is his marriage that is the central class conflict, as his wife, Alison, is from a very good family, father an old soldier returned from India, brother at Sandhurst, surely some day an MP. Her family instantly rejected Jimmy, and Jimmy resents Alison's inability to decisively choose sides, hates her for even writing letters to her mother. Alison believes Jimmy decided to marry her only after her parents rejected him. In the scheme of the play it is Cliff who is working class, Alison who is ruling class, and Jimmy in-between raging at the world. His rage, his need for a dust-up, is his response to a collapsing England, an England determined to be static, dead. The movie begins in a jazz club, which was wrongheaded, since the central image of a stiffling Sunday morning reading the papers (with no church attendance) is so important to the play. Jimmy wants to eat more and shout more and love more than the world around him affords him. A previous reviewer states Osborne gives us some pop psychology to explain Jimmy ' Jimmy, when a boy, watches his father die ' but one thing Osborne should never be accused of is being faddish. The point is that Jimmy's father died upon returning from fighting in Spain, dying for a cause, while his mother didn't care. It explains Jimmy's sense that there is no cause to fight for. Also it has left Jimmy a deep belief in honoring the dead, and this, in turn, causes him to feel Alison betrays him when she fails to appear at the funeral for Ma Tanner, his surrogate mother, the woman who bought him the sweets stall. (Spoiler warning). This take on death is what makes the ending meaningful when Alison miscarriages. It is why Jimmy cannot just be a bastard who dismisses his wife.

Or maybe it's all just Osborne's attack on his first wife in a very autobiographical play (his attacks on second wife Mary Ure in his autobiography can be equally savage).

On whole I find the film a disappointment. Burton's unconvincing performance cannot be saved by good work by Mary Ure and Claire Bloom. Worse, the film eliminates many of the most biting and relevant rages from Jimmy in the play, perhaps the best parts of the play. Nigel Kneale, who wrote some great science fiction, should never have been allowed to rewrite Osborne. The whole teddy bear/toy squirrel metaphor from the play makes no sense whatsoever in the film. I do like the scenes with Edith Evans, which Osborne at least in part wrote especially for the film, the character not ever actually appearing on stage in the play (Evans, priding herself on being Cockney, bought her own wardrobe for the role in second-hand shops). In some ways I prefer the filmed version of the play done years later by Lindsay Anderson with Malcom McDowell (though he too was too old for Jimmy). Oh, and reviewers please note, you won't find the phrase "angry young man" in the play. It was never a phrase Osborne liked. It was invented by the promotions man at the Royal Court Theater.

A Great (sorry, Mr. Burton) Classic
Richard Burton - who started a legendary career (first on stage, later on screen) with playing Jimmy Porter - would probably have hated the description "classic". But it can't be helped: This movie adaptation of a theatre hit of the London Westend IS a classic by now. And that is mainly due to his wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime performance as Jimmy.
When John Osborne tried to put into words - and he indeed succeeded! as the great theatre critic Kenneth Tynan so rightly pointed out - the deep frustration, sadness and sometimes furious rebellion of the young generation of the 50s (not so far away from the frustration and rebellion of the young generation of today, mind you!), he was incredibly lucky to find a hitherto unknown, rebelliously minded young Welsh actor to play the lead! Burton's tremendously energetic performance became a legend in no time, - and it was and is great to see that he managed to transfer most of that energy into the film version.
It is also great that the wonderfully subtle performance of Mary Ure lost nothing of its riveting intensity in the film, and how convincingly she succeeded in playing up to her partner! Miss Ure (who in my eyes until today is only being matched by Meryl Streep, Jessica Lange and Kate Blanchett) was an actress of great beauty and tremendous talent. Above all, she radiated humaneness and vulnerability, but also great inner strength, in her parts.
Claire Bloom does not quite match the leading performances, but is also very good as the intervening guest who at first hates, and later is fascinated by the husband of her best friend.
It seems unlikely that this superb film version of a great play - after all, it does not seem accidental that Osborne's "angry young man" (Jimmy Porter) has long since become a figure of speech - will impress 'cool' young people as Peter Shelley from Australia who talks about "dull Ure" and finds it appropriate to refer to a wonderful supporting performance of the great Dame Edith Evans as "mention is made of Edith Evans in a nice turn". However, there is hope that a timelessly brilliant production as this will always and everywhere find its admirers - be they 19 or 90!

he learned to be angry early and never looked back
Perhaps Tony Richardson's film of the John Osborne play needs to be assessed at the time it was first released. In I Lost it at the Movies, Pauline Kael describes it as "bursting onto the screen, delivering some of the most electrifying dialogue of it's era". However seen today, it comes across as basically a conventional triangle, with Richard Burton's Jimmy Porter, known as an "angry young man", simply a frustrated cruel soul. Considering Burton's eloqution, it's hard to accept him as a working class hero, someone with lofty ambition but no means to achieve. He's the kind who settles for an income as a lolley seller in a street stall. When he does his "The Entertainer" vaudeville routines, one is more likely to be aghast than amused at the incompetence, since Burton is not the Archie Rice type. His Jimmy Porter famous rantings sound more like psychotic episodes, coming in reaction to some perceived blunder by his wife (Mary Ure), and one only wishes he could find the right medication to control his mood swings. Osborne gives us some pop psychology reasons for his anger and mysogyny - that he watched his father die when Jimmy was merely a boy, a death that his mother was indifferent to - but he remains a neurotic enigma. When Claire Bloom as a friend of Ure's, slaps him, he withdraws like a coward, confirming the earlier accusation when he had pushed Ure into an iron - though I suppose being a coward by not being aggressive is preferable to physical confrontation. Even when we see that perhaps his view of people can be true, in relation to Ure's middle class conservative parents, it doesn't make Burton any more likeable. Occassionally he gets a funny line eg he calls Bloom "a saint in Dior clothing", and at times is youthfully handsome. This film was made before his American success with Camelot, and his celebrity with Liz and Cleopatra. Richardson provides a nice cut from Burton crying for help to a group of running schoolchildren, and I liked how Bloom's slap leads to an embrace - the affair may not be a surprise since it's the usual animosity-hiding-desire, but Bloom is a welcome change to the dull Ure. Richardson actually gets an unintentional laugh when Ure is shown like a drowned rat to prefigure a loss. Mention is made of Edith Evans in a nice turn as a friend of Burton's. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Second string telling of the Custer story.
This is an example of what happens when a British film company tackles American history. The Custer story has been told in many films for many years. The various depictions are generally amusing in their fabrications, half-truths, historical inaccuracies, and outright lies. This film is essentially a B movie given a '60s Cinerama treatment that stresses visual presentation over substance. There is one long scene, for example, of a man escaping danger by riding down a miner's sluice. This segment is protracted, and one suspects it's only there to demonstrate Cinerama's camera technique. Custer (Robert Shaw, with Scottish burr intact) is depicted heroically. Reno (Ty Hardin) is disparaged as a drunken coward who failed to come to Custer's aid. The complexities of Custer's personality and the doubtful integrity of his motivations as an Indian fighter are not explored. The only Indians mentioned are the Cheyenne. The scriptwriters didn't add that the Native Americans at the Battle of Little Bighorn also included a major contingent of Sioux. Historical problems aside, the movie falters as an action-adventure film. The climactic battle is disappointingly lethargic. As Custer movies go, "Son of the Morning Star" is more accurate, and "They Died With Their Boots On" is better as an action-adventure film. ;-)

Excellent Film
Anchor Bay Entertainment comes through again with an exceptional print. What a movie! This is one of the best Western Legends ever filmed. Robert Shaw is Custer giving his own interpretation to this American hero. The photography is thrilling and spectacular and makes this film one of the most underrated movies ever released. Anchor Bay is the best company making DVDs. They are always crisp and clear and better than the major companies. Look for their titles.

MGM, please keep in touch with the times!
It seems hardly acceptable that in 2004 some studios still release widescreen DVDs without 16:9 enhancement. Well, this is the flaw that will bring my rating down to 3 stars. Too bad, because this DVD is otherwise nice-looking. And - oh yes, in case you're wondering - don't let the inaccurate mention on the jacket fool you: the film is presented in its correct 70 mm 2,20:1 aspect ratio, not in 1,85:1. Please MGM, also double-check your jackets!

Good transfer, but where's the stereo soundtrack?
This little-known Western epic from 1968 is flawed as biography, but is an action film first and foremost. Originally presented in 70mm Super Cinerama as a roadshow, this transfer begs the question - what happened to the 6-track stereophonic soundtrack? And, where are the overture and intermission? The picture is from 65mm negative/70mm print and is fairly sharp and clear, as befits the enlarged negative, but without the stereo sound, it becomes a hollow-sounding Western wannabe spectacular. Snaps to MGM/UA for actually releasing the full 141 minute version at all, but why not include all the accoutrements of the original presentation? The film was created for huge screens, and needs the support of the full-bodied original soundtracks to do the visuals justice. And those of us who love film always want the overture and intermission if the film was first presented that way!

Anchor Bay releases another quality product!!!
Anchor Bay has released the ultimate version of this classic movie!!! Presented in both Full and Widescreen versions, this DVD delivers!!! The picture and sound quality is superb!!! A true classic!!! Five Stars!!! A+ ... Read more

Amazon.com

Scorned by reviewers when it came out, this concentrated dose of commando death-dealing to legions of Nazi machine-gun fodder has acquired a cult over the years. In 1968 Clint Eastwood was just getting used to the notion that he might be a world-class movie star; Richard Burton, whose image had been shaped equally by classical theater training and his headline-making romance with Elizabeth Taylor, was eager to try on the action ethos Eastwood was already nudging toward caricature. Alistair MacLean's novel The Guns of Navarone had inspired the film that started the '60s vogue for World War II military capers, so he was prevailed on to write the screenplay (his first). The central location, an impregnable Alpine stronghold locked in ice and snow, is surpassing cool, but the plot and action are ultra-mechanical, and the switcheroo gamesmanship of just who is the undercover double (triple?) agent on the mission becomes aggressively silly. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (167)

HAMLET ON A HILLTOP
Perhaps I've been jaded by the kinetic fast paced action films of the past ten years, but I found WHERE EAGLES DARE a hit and miss film.Although it has a lot of action scenes, they come too far and few, and seem ridiculously drawn out and predictable.Alistair MacLean is rightfully considered a master of WWII and espionage thrillers and he certainly has wrought a complex, often confusing, plot in this rescue mission in the Alps.With Clint Eastwood the only Americanin the cast, EAGLES is full of noted British character actors and actresses and of course the unflappable presence of Richard Burton.The acting is so refined however that I had a hard time imagining Burton as such a dashing and capable warrior.The late lovely Mary Ure who had worked with Burton in LOOK BACK IN ANGER is merely a feminine presence in this film, but a darned good shot.Notable character actors Anton Diffring, Michael Hordern, Ferdy Mayne and Donald Houston also offer some classy support.But WHERE EAGLES DARE was too long and too convoluted for my taste.I'm not sure I understand even now who was on whose side.The locations and cinematography are gorgeous, though, and if you like this kind of espionage film, you'll probably like WHERE EAGLES DARE.

Great
This movie is good.I thought that it was going to be boring, but I was suprised I enjoyed it so much.It takes place in a snowy valley where the Germans have a castle stonghold.Lots of spy stuff and Clint Eastwood action.GOOD ENDING

Good World War II Fiction!!!
Never has any World War II fictional movie been as suspenseful as those based from the novels of Alistair MacLean where it involves espionage and daring life at risk attempts such as "The Guns of Navarone", "Force Ten from Navarone" and "Where Eagles Dare". All of these MacLean novels fit the criteria where one would wonder "what will happen next?"

"Where Eagles Dare" has a great cast of characters with two veteran actors such as Richard Burton who plays the British commander Major Smith and Clint Eastwood as the only American involved in the rescue attempt, Army Ranger Lieutenant Schaffer, who make a daring attempt to rescue an American general before they could make him talk inside the fortress castle called the "Schloss Adler" (Castle of the Eagles).

The movie was, perhaps, a little too modern for its time. The helicopter, in reality, was planned and under development around the time of World War II in America by Igor Sikorsky, but was not put into use until sometime before the Korean War. The downside of the movie was that of a Gestapo chief, Major Von Hapen (Derren Nesbitt), wearing a black SS Schutzstaffel uniform when, in reality, the Gestapo was a civilian organization. These were made up of agents that did not wear armbands or uniforms since they had to secretly spy on the general public throughout Nazi Germany and occupied countries under their control. The upside of the movie was the mind-boggling by Major Smith shortly after he and Lieutenant Schaffer confront the "general's" captors and British double agents while they were questioning him. One would have to watch the movie more than once in order to understand this segment of the plot. The fight scene on the cable car was also exciting to watch as was the destruction of the Schloss Adler while the daring escape took place.

Overall, this action-packed movie was brilliantly conceived as it was exciting to watch.

Second to None!
After watching this movie countless times over the last twenty-five years and having seen practically every movie that has ever been shown about World War II I can honestly say that this is second to none.Burton and Eastwood are at their best.The plot, settings, music, and scenery are second only to the twists and turns that keep you guessing until the last moments.Despite the number of times that I have viewed this movie, it gives me sewaty palms every time I put it in the player.A must see!!!!

FANTASTIC WW II ACTION FLICK
Where Eaqles Dare is probably only second to The Dirty Dozen as the greatest Action flick about WWII.Like that movie it concerns a daring plot with a group of highly skilled soldiers sent to carry out the mission.led by British officer major Smith (Richard Burton) and American Ranger Lt. Schaffer (Clint Eastwood) the agents seek to rescue a captured American General from a Nazi fortress who has sensitive knowledge of the D-Day invasion.

While obviously an action adventure movie, it's more specifically a `team mission' movie like The Dirty Dozen or a `penetrate the impenetrable fortress' movie. Talk about not making 'em like this any more! There are plenty of fight scenes, chases and Nazi shoot-em-ups.There are the usual stereo-typical Germans, the ruthless Gestapo officer, the stern commander, the visiting General and tons of German soldiers. No problem, ole Clint mows down a whole battalion single handedly. Burton cuts down a company or two himself and both he and Eastwood emerge with nary a scratch.

But hey...this isn't supposed to be a historically accurate film.This is pure, popcorn entertainment with gunfights, fist fights, cliff-hangers (literally) stereotypical nazi villians who can't hit the broad side of the barn and good ol' American and er... British heroes.

The script is entertaining and has a few notable twists in it, a testament to the skill of screenwriter and adventure novelist Alistair MacClain. Character development is not of particular importance in this story and yet one does come away with a palpable sense of Major Smith, a fact that I again acknowledge is the handywork of Burton, whose presence is auspicious regardless of his role.

At three hours it may be a bit overlong but it seems to fly by for the most part.A real classic of the genre and a great precursor to modern day action flicks. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Right up there with Office Space
I had very low expectations going into this movie, as it had Jenny McCarthy in it, but it was a nice surprise. What a great date move! Rented it on a friends recommendation and bought it the next day. It is a must for your movie collection. Consider Crazy Little Things as the romantic comedy version of Office Space.

Funniest movie I've seen in a long time...
I had never heard of this movie, but it was recommended by friends.

It is very funny story about two people that seem to keep running into each other. It's not a quote "chick flick" but it will more than keep her happy and it is funny enough to make you cry with laughter.

It's the same type comedy as Office Space.

Hilarious and Clever
I am looking forward to this DVD very much. I was only able to catch this movie on the Oxygen channel a few months ago and have had trouble tracking it down (it's other name is "A Perfect You").

I thought this movie was hilarious!! The scene where she thought he was a gigalo and he thought she was a prostitute, had me laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. I am completely unfamiliar with Jenny McCarthy (wasn't she some MTV personality before?), but she really was this character to me - positively perfect for the part. This film really is in my top 10 of favorite films... and only now will I be able to see it whole, unbeeped (cuss words) and without commercial breaks (I taped it off the tv in case I wasn't able to find it elsewhere!).

I have no idea how another reviewer could have found this boring!!?? It had good, quick pacing; the characters and the story were interesting as well as hilarious. Even my husband thought this moview was well written even though it's not his usual storyline of choice (girl meets boy, boy/girl have conflict, boy/girl keep meeting, work through it and finally see each other as the true people they are... **sigh** it's been awhile since I've enjoyed a romantic comedy so much!!)

UGH.
I think Jenny McCarthy is pretty funny, but not in this DOA stinker. Poorly shot and with a terrible script, this movie is the equivalent to watching paint dry...BORING. I hope she fares better in Scary Movie 3. ... Read more

Description

A stunning union of two of Sweden's national treasures, Autumn Sonata pairs Ingmar Bergman with Ingrid Bergman for their only joint effort. Ingrid plays a mother who, after forsaking her family for a music career, attempts a reconciliation with her oldest daughter (Liv Ullmann) through a night of painful revelation. Sven Nykvist contributes glorious Eastmancolor cinematography to this quietly beautiful story of forgiveness. Criterion is proud to present Autumn Sonata in a gorgeous digital transfer. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Dynamic, Memorable Film
Writer/director Ingmar Bergman examines the s