Reviews (12)

Baa! Baa! Baa! MORE! MORE! MORE!
One of the proudest claims I can make about my life is being a former Marine, like Maj. Gregory "Gramps" Boyington; albiet an unknown to one of the most famous. ("The Duke" John Wayne wanted to be a Marine & didn't make it!) The only thing that gives me more pride is knowing these heroes respected guys like my sainted Dad, who flew gas & trash over "the Hump" in C-47's (the gray cargo plane in the series) from India into China over the Himalayas in support of their combat against the Japs.
I was at NAS Lakehurst in 1978 when this great show aired on commercial T.V. and, even though most of us knew the show was highly Hollywoodized, we would still take over the barracks rec room everytime it aired, and would yell & cheer like Limey football fans thru every combat scene in each episode.
With all the second rate crapola flooding the market these days, it's GREAT to see DVD's of a show worth the expense hit the shelves, and I really hope the entire series will be issuedsooner or later (PREFERREDLY SOONER!!!!!!)

Next?
AWESOME, I GOT IT, I LIKED IT, NOW WHEN IS THE NEXT "VOLUME" COMING OUT.LET'S STOP BEING SECRETIVE AMAZON

Volume One, Not Season One
When I opened the shipping box, I was surprised to see that I was only getting half of Season One.I need to train myself to make sure that the Title reads "Season One" instead of "Volume One."After the initial shock, I started to enjoy the episodes I remember when the show was called "Baa Baa Black Sheep."I like how they kept the scenes of what was to come before the opening...a 70's TV drama thing.

Disappointment for such a great series
I eagerly awaited for this series to come out on DVD and now that I have it I was disappointed in the way they produced it. FIrst I don't care for the two sided discs but the main disappointment was the fact that they didn't include all of Season one's shows, just 10 shows plus the pilot. Since this show only ran two years and considering how much they charged (which is reasonable for a Season One if it is complete!!!) It seems to me that they should have included the complete season One. I sure hope they put out the rest of Season One and for Season Two put all of the showes out at once!! This is a great show, Robert Conrad is so sexy in that tight flight suit, sort of distracts me from theFU-4s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Only Half of the First Season
I was disappointed on opening the box to find only 12 of the 24 first season episodes.Not a great deal but still worth getting. ... Read more

Reviews (134)

One of the Best Science Fiction Movies of the 80s!
One of the Best Science Fiction Movies of the 80s! This elaborately conceived science-fiction film is generally overshadowed by it's predecessor 2001. But unlike that film, you did not have to read the novel beforehand to understand its story line. Written, Produced, Cinematographed, and Directed (total creative control) by Peter Hyams, this superb science fiction classic was easily 20 years ahead of its time, and therefore unappreciated by many except the cinema and science fiction purists. Including a mesmerizing original sound score by David Shire, and academy award winning visual effects by futurist Syd Mead, this movie is so rich in theme and detail, you will be compelled to watch it over and over again! Billed, of course, as the sequel to 2001, this film managed to accomplish what that one did not. It created an absorbing, COHERENT, and spell binding FEAST for the senses. Watching this movie in 5 channel Dolby Surround is practically a religious experience, a theme touched on in the movie. If you are one of the many who missed this cinematic experience, treat yourself to a movie that is sure to become part of your private library. You'll be amazed while you're watching it, that you are watching a film made in the 80s! One of the best science fiction films ever made! Excellent!

One of the Very Best Science-Fiction Movies!
This elaborately conceived science-fiction film is generally overshadowed by it's predecessor 2001. But unlike that film, you did not have to read the novel beforehand to understand its story line. Written, Cinematographed, Produced, and Directed (total creative control) by Peter Hyams, this superb science fiction classic was easily 20 years ahead of its time, and therefore, unappreciated by many except the cinema and science fiction purists. Including a mesmerizing original music score by David Shire, and academy award winning visual effects by futurist Syd Mead, this movie is so rich in theme and detail, you will be compelled to watch it over and over again! Billed, of course, as the sequel to 2001, this film managed to accomplish what that one did not. It created an absorbing, COHERENT, and spell binding FEAST for the senses. Watching this movie in 5 channel Dolby Surround is practically a religious experience, a theme touched on in the movie. If you are one of the many who missed this cinematic experience, treat yourself to a movie that is sure to become part of your private library. You'll be amazed while you're watching it that you are watching a film made in the 80s! One of the best science fiction films ever made! ... Excellent!

2010
this is the first and only stanley kubrik film sequel.some other dude did it .basicly,another space crew is sent up to space to find out what went wrong with the space mission from 2001:a space odyssey.its a bit intellectual for children.it is very slowly paced also.the director,again,is NOT stanley kubrik,but this IS a sequel to his movie.it is essentialy the empire strikes back to 2001s star wars type start.i mean the original was the first sci-fi movie to set the standard in movie films.those who enjoy a journey into your mind will like this.a lot of the same problems from the first one are rediscovered so it is inevitable that a lot of the same things end up happening.this movie is a lot better than it gets credit for.

More comprehensible than the first...
While the first movie was o.k., it is not a good movie to watch on Saturday night with a few friends. It was meant to be watched, pondered, and repeated until you realize that the ending is impossible to understand.

While this movie may not be as scientific, it's still not totally unbelievable. You can enjoy it fairly easily, and it's overall just a fun movie, with good acting and plot.

An excellent film...
In the outset of 2010: The Year We Make Contact, the Soviet Union is preparing to send its spaceship, the Alexei Leonov, to Jupiter in order to investigate the phenomenon responsible for the dereliction of the American spaceship, the Discovery. Because the Soviets are not familiar with the HAL9000 computer that runs the Discovery, they approach American scientist Dr. Floyd (who oversaw plans for sending the Discovery in 2001: A Space Odyssey) and ask if he would like to tag along. Dr. Floyd and two other Americans, an engineer and a computer scientist, are permitted to board the Leonov. Their purpose: To learn what happened to the crew of the Discovery and why its computer system, Hal, malfunctioned.

The backdrop of 2010 features increasing confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union and, unlike the book, becomes, in part, the basis for the climactic ending. As so many commentators of the film have noted, the backdrop belongs to a faded Cold War era, but we can hardly blame producer Stanley Kubrick for not knowing, in 1984, that in eight years there would be neither Soviet Union nor Cold War. Had Kubrick, like the book 2010: Odyessy Two, not higlighted a U.S.-Soviet confrontation, the movie might not have been the interesting and enjoyable expidition into alternative Cold War futurology that it is. A great cast and excellent special effects make for a wonderful viewing experience.

That said, the movie's political message that "we have to get along" remains, and the imperative to explore and utilize all worlds "together" and "in peace" remains as powerful today as it was in 1984, even though we have yet to acheive the magnificent accomplishments in space exploration in this film. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This 1984 Carl Reiner comedy is one of the best film showcases of Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin's sundry talents. Tomlin plays a sickly spinster who is given the chance to transfer her soul to the body of another woman, and thus go on living. But the magic man who is supposed to make this happen goofs up and locks her spirit inside a bachelor lawyer (Martin)--or, more accurately, within the right half of the poor fellow's body.Suddenly, the swinging man-about-town is literally at odds with himself, unable to make a self-determining decision without a huge internal struggle. Martin's physical comedy, always remarkable, is absolutely inspired this time around, as he convincingly portrays a man split down the middle between opposing sensibilities. This is also one of the best films by Reiner, a filmmaker whose novel ideas are sometimes more striking than their execution.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Classic 80's Steve Martin
1984 found director Carl Reiner teaming up with old friend Steve Martin once again. "All Of Me" captures some of Martin's best physical comedy to date. Martin plays sympathetic lawyer Roger Cobb who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time... and gets crusty "just-dead" Edwina Cutwater's (Tomlin) soul dumped into him by accident... and the lunacy starts. Vicious Terry Hoskins (Victoria Tennant) is quietly evil to a tee. The majority of this film concentrates on Cobb dealing with his mixed feelings (his and Cutwater's), and trying to find the bumbling Prahka Lasa (played by Richard Libertini) so the lost soul of Cutwater can find it's final resting place. I remember this movie being hilarious when it came out and Steve Martin was one of the kings of comedy. While still an entertaining watch today (20 years later), it has lost a tad of it's luster. Three major flaws with this DVD, 1. The lack of absolutely no worthwhile extras on this DVD (comes with a trailer only), 2. Terrible MONO sound, 3. Full screen only... it's no wonder you'll find "All Of Me" in most stores on the bargain rack.

Must see
Simply one of the best movies ever made. As a romantic comedy it does very well, Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin operating in peak form. The soul-searching Martin brings a haunting power to the title song 'All of me', without performing it. I can't hear the song anymore without welling up.

They do it with mirrors
Be advised that this is a rather naughty movie for a PG rating; it probably would have earned a PG-13 had that rating been around at the time. That aside, this is a real gem. What you have is Steve Martin as a lawyer and jazz guitarist (he seems to learn a new skill for every movie), a dog named Bix, a creepy girlfriend, a blind saxophonist, a Tibetan swami, Lily Tomlin as a wacky rich invalid, an amazing and riotous courtroom scene, a New Orleans funeral band playing excerpts of "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" and "Oh Didn't He Ramble," a horse, a dented bowl, a bucket of water, and various and selected other props, all rollicking to an ending so happy it'll bring tears to your eyes. Crazy musicians! (BL, Tucker, GA)

One of my Favorite Comedies!!
This is one of my Favorite comedies of all time! It has the best cast ever for the lead characters, Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin. As for the plot I am going to copy from what I have on a poster in my room of the movie:
"When rich, eccentric Edwina Cutwater died, a crazy guru tried to transport her soul into the body of a beautiful young woman. But the guru goofed, and Edwina's soul is accidentally taken over the entire right side of her lawyer, Rodger Cobb [Steve Martin]. He still controls what's left. Now, Edwina and Roger are living together in the same body. He's losing his job; He's losing his girlfriend. And he just can't seem to get her out of his system. No matter how hard he tries."
Well, there you have the plot...and now for the good part: The acting! Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin are two of my favorite actors of all time...and when I heard they were in a Comedy together I was suprised and amazed! So when I popped in the video I knew it was gonna be good. I'm not going to go into descriptions in detail of the movie because you'll just have to see it to believe me...and I know you won't be dissapointed! This is truly one of the best comedy's ever and with great performances by great actors, "All of Me" certainly can't be missed!!

Great performance
Proof that the Academy Awards don't care for comedy is Steve Martin's failure to get a nomination for his performance in "All of Me", as challenging a role as any in drama. Martin is brilliant in his portrayal as a man with two souls in one body. The story, cast, and laughs are first-rate. The DVD transfer is average and the choice of full-screen is, as always, disappointing. An essential purchase for Steve Martin fans, however. ... Read more

Reviews (59)

The "almost" Atomic War anti-fable...
The bleak black and white ...sometimes grainy, occasionally jump/jolt cut film...combined with understated dialogue, few special effects and no dramatized combat sequences produce a movie with a ONCE-UPON-A-NIGHTMARE quality. Henry Fonda is excellent as THE PRESIDENT who must convince the never-shown Soviet Premier not to unleash a retaliatory strike against The United States when a squadron of American Vindicator Bombers (decommisioned B-58 Hustlers) threatens Russia because of a computer/Black Box glitch. Walter Matthau is fascinatingly repellant as THE PROFESSOR...a Herman Kahn/Dr.Strangelove clone... who glories in his role as high-priest/adept of Nuclear Deterrence strategies. A young Larry Hagman is memorable as Buck, the President's Russian language translator. Dan O'Herlihy is convincingly tragic as an Air Force commander who must make "the sacrifice of Abraham" to save the world from WW III. There is not a single "mushroom cloud" shown. Combat actions are reduced to electronic displays on the War Room/SAC Big Board. Many opportunities for "thrills" are foresaken by Director Lumet. Instead, he relentlessly paces his "almost" Atomic War anti-fable until a telephone monitored by the US Ambassador to Moscow howls:..this tocsin signals the death of millions and the beginning of Armageddon. There is no such thing as FAIL-SAFE. The film is 40 years old. But like fable, the "sermon" speaks to today, tomorrow and...probably?...para siempre.

Brilliant, chilling "what-if" Cold War film.
When machines break down and accidentally unleash the nuclear genie out of the bottle, it's up to the President(brilliantly played by Henry Fonda) and his top military and government officials to prevent all-out war. Tensions heighten when military men like Colonel Cascio(Fritz Weaver) crack under the strain; a civilian "hawk" (Walter Matthau) argues for total committment while a military pacifist General(Dan O'Herlihy) adamantly insists that unleashing the H-Bomb would spell the end of the world. When it becomes clear the B-58 Vindicator Bombers mistakenly sent against Moscow will reach their target, the President must make the gravest sacrifice to prevent Armageddon. Lumet's directing and the all-star cast bring to life a nightmare situation that almost happened a number of times in real life. Well worth your viewing!

Fantastic!!
I've seen this movie at least 10 times, always on late night TV, and it still gets me every time. Right up until the last minute your'e hoping that all will turn out well, but of course it doesn't. It's curtains for 1964 New York, with it's World's Fair, Ed Sullivan, the Peppermint Lounge and My Fair Lady. Previously Moscow of course meets a simular horrible fate. But what a fantastic movie, full of drama and suspense. I'll never forget the reaction when the first plane is shot down, and the man who reminds them "That wer'e not at a football match" There are so many powerful scenes throughout the movie, too many to list here. It deserved a lot better recognition that what it got at the time. See it!

LIBERALISM IN HOLLYWOOD AND A TERRIBLE ENDING
In 1965, a serious nuclear movie called "Fail Safe" was released. Henry Fonda is the President. A computer glitch launches The Bomb for the U.S.S.R. Fonda cannot recall it, and apologizes to the Soviet premier. His wife is visiting New York City, and in one of the worst political decisions in Hollywood history, Fonda tells the Soviets that in order to prove to them it was an accident, he will drop a 30-megaton nuclear bomb on the Big Apple! He carries through with his decision, despite his wife's presence there. The Soviets are portrayed as suffering their fate with dignified resolve.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

Incredibly serious and thought-provoking
The main theme of this film is that, with all of the tensions and pressures of the Cold War, and the rapid advancements in weapon development, things could go very wrong, very fast, and become unstoppable. When a drill becomes a false alarm that gets misread by some as a true Soviet nuclear attack against the U.S., American bombs destroy Moscow in "retaliation" and "counter-strike". The President and the Soviet leader try to find a way to prevent full-scale nuclear war, despite decades of mutual distrust. A radical solution is eventually found.

I was born in 1960 and, while that was after the McCarthy era, I grew up with the idea that Soviet Russia might attack at any time. This drama accurately depicts the fear, tension, and suspcion that permeated that time. It is harsh but well-done. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Winner of seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director, and Screenplay, this critical and box-office hit from 1973 provided a perfect reunion for director George Roy Hill and stars Paul Newman and Robert Redford, who previously delighted audiences with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Set in 1936, the movie's about a pair of Chicago con artists (Newman and Redford) who find themselves in a high-stakes game against the master of all cheating mobsters (Robert Shaw) when they set out to avenge the murder of a mutual friend and partner. Using a bogus bookie joint as a front for their con of all cons, the two feel the heat from the Chicago Mob on one side and encroaching police on the other. But in a plot that contains more twists than a treacherous mountain road, the ultimate scam is pulled off with consummate style and panache. It's an added bonus that Newman and Redford were box-office kings at the top of their game, and while Shaw broods intensely as the Runyonesque villain, The Sting is further blessed by a host of great supporting players including Dana Elcar, Eileen Brennan, Ray Walston, Charles Durning, and Harold Gould. Thanks to the flavorful music score by Marvin Hamlisch, this was also the movie that sparked a nationwide revival of Scott Joplin's ragtime jazz, which is featured prominently on the soundtrack. One of the most entertaining movies of the early 1970s, The Sting is a welcome throwback to Hollywood's golden age of the '30s that hasn't lost any of its popular charm. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (119)

An great comedy thriller classic.
When an ambitious Small Time Crook (Two Time Oscar-Winner:Robert Redford) steals $10,000 with his old age partner from an dangerous criminal (Robert Shaw), later on that day, The Crook discover his crime partner has been murder by the crime lord. Then The Crook meets his dead friend ex-partner a Veteran Con-Man (Three Time Oscar-Winner:Paul Newman), who seek revenge on the crime lord.

Entertaining comedy is directed by George Roy Hill (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Slap Shot) and Written by David S. Ward (The Program). Winner of Seven Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Art Direction/Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Score and Best Original Screenplay. The Film recieve Three Oscar Nominations, Including:Best Actor:-Robert Redford, Best Cinematography and Best Sound. The Sting has the Greatest Double Crossing in a Movie History, Complete with an Surprise Ending. Great Fun. Better to Wait for the Special Edition DVD in a Widescreen Version, which it will be 30 Years, Next Year. Grade:A.

The Quintessential Caper Flick
"The Sting" is an extremely well written story by David Ward ("Major League", "Sleepless in Seattle") and David Maurer about some smalltime grifters who attempt to swindle a mob boss. The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards in 1974 and won seven Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director. It reunited director George Roy Hill, Robert Redford and Paul Newman four years after their blockbuster, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". Strangely, although Butch and Sundance made it to number 50 on AFI's top 100 of the century, this film did not make that list. This is even more surprising since "Butch" did not win the Oscar for Best Picture in 1970 ("Midnight Cowboy" won it that year).

While I think "Butch" is funnier and more exciting, this film is more intriguing with interesting character studies and some unpredictable plot twists. Hill does a superb job of weaving the elements of the caper together and giving it a depression era feeling. The humor is more ironic than hilarious, but it fits the story well. The period props, locations, and sets are excellent, and the costumes are perfect. The costumes were done by the legendary Edith Head, who designed costumes for over 400 films in her 50-year career. She won an Oscar for best Costume Design for this film, which was one of eight she won in that category in a career marked by an astounding 34 Oscar nominations. The music by Scott Joplin and Marvin Hamlisch is also fabulous, bestowing an early twentieth century flavor on the film, and giving Hamlisch one of three Oscars he won that year (the other two were for "The Way We Were" also starring Redford).

Where "Butch" was probably a little more Newman's film, this film clearly belonged to Redford. Redford, who was nominated for best actor for the role, is marvelous in the lead, giving his character a charming, lighthearted personality to go along with his scheming intellect. Newman plays almost a supporting role as the veteran conman Henry Gondorff, who assembles the team for the caper and oversees its execution. Despite the smaller part, Newman gives an electrifying performance with his conniving tough guy portrayal. Robert Shaw ("From Russia With Love", "A Man For All Seasons", "Jaws") is also terrific as mob boss Doyle Lonnegan. Charles Durning ("The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas"), Ray Walston (TV's "My Favorite Martian") and Eileen Brennan ("Private Benjamin") round out a splendid supporting cast with fantastic character portrayals.

This film is entertaining and fun with a tight plot and wonderful period renderings. I rated it a 10/10. If you have never seen it, you are in for a treat.

THIS ONE REALLY STINGS!
"The Sting" is a classic throwback to Hollywood's golden age: a fish out of water tale about a couple of con artists (Paul Newman and Robert Redford) who seemingly meet their match in a cheating mobster (Robert Shaw). As the police close in from one end and the Mafia from the other, the stakes become higher, the comedy more hilarious and the ultimate con, more rewarding. The supporting cast is a potpourri of stellar characters including Dana Elcar, Eileen Brennan, Ray Walston, Charles Durning, and Harold Gould. Marvin Hamlisch provides a sophisticated score buttressed by Scott Joplin's ragtime jazz.

It is disheartening to see an Oscar wining Best Picture get so shabby a treatment on DVD. For starters, the film is presented in a full frame, pan and scan version only. The shortcomings of this format are that you are not seeing the film in a version director, George Roy Hill would have approved of. But apart from Universal's glaringly obvious oversight, the print quality of "The Sting" suffers from a poorly balanced color spectrum, age related artifacts, edge enhancement, shimmering of fine details and pixelization. Flesh tones are often weak and pasty. Blacks are rarely solid or deep. Fine grain can be excessive in spots. The audio is poorly mixed, sounding strident and tinny. There are no extra features.

Redford and Newman at it again
I just rented this DVD and watched the whole thing, but I've seen this movie several times before.

Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) is a con artist who unknowingly swindles a lackey of crime boss Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw). After Hooker's partner in the crime is killed, Hooker vows revenge against Lonnegan and seeks Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman), one of the best cons in the game to help in the big Sting. Hooker would love to do more than just hit Lonnegan for a lot of money, but "doesn't know enough about killin' to kill him."

It's not easy separating a crime boss from his money, especially when he owns half the politicians and police. They have to take him without him even knowing he was taken. What follows is an exciting deception, carried out with professionalism and ingenuity.

I don't think the chemistry between Newman and Redford is quite as good as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but it's still pretty darn good. Lines like this:

Redford (first seeing his arch-enemy): "He's not as tough as he thinks."
Newman: "Neither are we"

The story is classic. You don't exactly know who's who, and you wonder how they're going to pull it off in the end. Scott Joplin's ragtime music, although somewhat anachronistic, is effective at keeping the movie somewhat lighthearted. There are a couple of instances of swearing and a stripper with pasties on, which gives it a PG rating.

The reason for four stars is the fact that the DVD has NO EXTRAS, and the only option is the full screen version, no widescreen. A movie as good as this deserves better, which is unfortunate.

Overall, this is a great movie with great cinematography (transition wipe effects and some tracking shots) and phenomenal acting. Enjoy.

Widescreen?
I love the film, but why is this not available in Widescreen on DVD? There's been a Widescreen VHS, and I've seen it in Widescreen on Turner Classic Movies. I know it was shot in Widescreen, so how about it, Universal? ... Read more

Amazon.com

A young Rick Schroder makes his cute-as-all-get-out film debut in this 1979 tearjerker from director Franco Zeffirelli. Jon Voight plays Billy Flynn, a former champion boxer now given to drinking, gambling, and raising his son T.J. (Schroder, billed here as Ricky) as best he can. The ups and downs of the devoted codependent pair might be enough movie on their own, but soon enough Annie (Faye Dunaway) shows up and displays a strangely protective interest in T.J. Though the plot jumps around too much to quite hold together, The Champ is certainly affecting, and all three leads take the film so earnestly that somehow it works. Voight is believable both as a boxer and as a well-intentioned screwup of a dad, and Schroder is a fine young actor (and irresistibly adorable). Special DVD features include audio commentary from Jon Voight and Rick Schroder and the documentary Behind the Scenes with the Champ. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (31)

A Real Tearjerker.
I loved this film from start to finish. I just bought the DVD from Amazon and it played all the way through, no problem. I was a little worried when I ordered it because I read the other customer's reviews and had problems with the DVD being defective. I first saw this film in 1996 when I was 11 when I missed it on TV and I rented it from the video store. I liked the part where the Champ (Jon Voight) gave T.J. (Ricky Schroder) the horse and it touched my heart. The part in scene 17 where Annie (Faye Dunaway) reveals to T.J. that she is his mother is a little disturbing. There is a little foul language in it, but other than that it is a great film for the family.

When you watch this film, don't forget the Kleenex box and this is one of the films that really made me cry. I recommend this film to everyone!

10/10

The one movie that still makes me cry
The Champ is an astounding motion picture directed by Franco Zeffirelli with outstanding performances by Jon Voight, Faye Dunaway and the unbelievably convincing Ricky Schroder.

The movie is the best intimate melodramatic tearjerker that I have ever seen. One view of this film will leave you with a lump in your throat and teary eyes, the next viewings will just leave you in plain tears. Yes, its that kind of movie that you'd see more than once and still feel engaged.

Jon Voight plays former boxer Billy Flynn who is down on his luck raising his son TJ, played by Schroder, alone after his wife, played by Dunaway, left him and the boy and went on to marry a millionaire after he falls out of his life of boxing, doctor's orders. The movie brings you close to the lives of all three of these characters, you feel their pain, their grief, and their emptiness. Billy has turned to drinking to escape the pain of not being able to return to boxing to support a family. TJ does not know his mother since she left him when he was still an infant, and still sees his deadbeat father as a hero, calling him 'champ'. Faye Dunaway's character can't seem to cope with the fact that her son has grown up believing she is dead and can only take him as a friend after bumping into him at a horserace, the horse that 'champ' bought him was competing in this race. The story begins to unfold when the three characters enter each other's lives again.

What's more beautiful about this movie is its musical score. The music is really another character in the film, and is quite breathtaking.

Highly Recommended

A

I Haven't seen The Original But This Remake is Very Good
I haven't seen the original movie that starred Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper but I saw this remake starring Jon Voight and Rick Schroder and I thought it was a very good movie with great acting from Jon Voight and a young Rick Schroder (Billed as Ricky Schroder back then). It is a tearjerker filled with some sad moments but it's such a good movie and I recommend it.

defective DVD
Movie is excellent after I bought the DVD it would just play up to scene 14 and skip to the end..they replaced it and it was the same thing.. I finally had to go rent the movie and watch it...strong performance by both actors...movie is a ***** (five star) but not on DVD

The Champ
There is only one other movie of this kind that can stand up to the test of time & that is Shane with Alan Ladd. There is no way to aptly describe either other than to see both of these fine videos. Ricky (Rick) did an outstanding job as he really didn't act, he lived the part. Everyone would love to have this boy as his or her child. All of the actors made this movie what it is---GREAT! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

This is trash, pure and simple.
This movie was such a joke when I saw t. The child actors are annoying, and the plot looks like a bad episode of Surivor done by Disney. With no script and zero direction to go in.

Passable live action Disney movie
Elliott Gould stars as an impecunious pilot who ,in order to stay one step ahead of two strong arm men anxious to collect his gambling debts ,reluctantly agrees to fly a cargo of animals to a remote Pacific island in the company of a nun ,Sister Bernadette (Genevieve Bujold).She has conceived the idea of importing the livestock as a way of converting the islanders to a farming existence .
Omens are not propitious-the plane is old and rickety ; Gould is unenthusiastic about animals;Gould and Bujold clash and two pre-teenage children stowaway on the plane .
The plane goes offcourse and Gould is forced to ditch on a remote island which -just to complicate matters -is occupied by two Japanese naval officers who have not heard that World War two is over ,and who attack the plane without success.
The bulk of the movie shows how the parties combine in an attempt to escape from the island and how the internal conflicts are resolved.
Nicely shot on location in Hawaii and with a strong performance from the underrated Bujold ,this watchable movie is acceptable family fare but would have been all the better for a livelier actor in the lead role .Gould lacks the lightness of touch that Disney regulars from this era like Garner or Dean Jones would have brought to proceedings.
Solid and watchable but second string Disney.

Grab it while you can...
Pick up a copy for this movie if you can... This movie wasn't release on video from a long time ago. The sound and picture are very good and the story is a true family experience.

Excellent Family Viewing
A solid family movie with enough action to hold the entire familys interest. Outstanding photography with a good professional cast. Recommended for all film libraries.

Disney at the height of its live action form
Elliott Gould gives another great performance as the world weary, hard drinking loner (ala 'Getting Straight', 'The Long Goodbye', 'MASH'), but similar to his other early eighties foray into Disney films 'The Devil and Max Devlin', his loner character is tested and softened through unexpected events. Geneviève Bujold also sticks to previous performances as the determined and sexy emissary of good ('Coma', 'Earthquake'). Both leads give a nice edge to this adventurous tale, made at a time when Disney was making some interestingly cast and original live action films like 'The Black Hole', 'Amy' and 'TRON'. Rick Schroder, in the prime of his childhood acting career, plays virtually the same character as he did in 'The Champ'. All of this cinematic pedigree adds a wonderfully entertaining element to a film that could have dived into the painfully mawkish. Complete with night shark attacks, stranded Japanese soldiers, orphans, an eclectic menagerie of animals (who ever sees a mallard duck in the same vicinity as one of those hump backed African ox), and a great South Pacific setting this film has something for everyone. A guaranteed good night with nods to the adults and thrills and adventure for the kids. Hearkens back to a not particularly distant past when Disney was making wholesome original films with a little edge.

As always Anchor Bay does a beautiful job in the DVD transfer, giving more time and respect to Disney's library than Disney does for its own films. As with all Anchor Bay DVDs, highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

One Of Bronson's Best

I first saw this film in a theatre in Summer, 1976, and have since watched it on TV several times, awaiting the day the DVD would be issued.

It is easily said that this is not only one of my favorite Bronson films, but just one of my favorite films in general. There is an ambience or quality to this film that just reaches out to me. Everything just works.

The other reviews listed here sum up the movie pretty well. But I will say I am surprised that only one reviewer mentions in passing one role that helps make this movie, and that is the one played by Dana Elcar. Elcar plays a detective on the police force who is not only friendly to St. Ives, but somewhat protective by the latitude he offers. At the ending, it is of course natural that Dana Elcar's character is called in by St. Ives to help tidy up the messy details. Dana Elcar was a supreme actor both in the movies and on TV, and it is true tragedy that he ended life going blind.

If you enjoy Bronson movies, or laid back, cool detective movies this one is for you. Now, if I can just locate that great looking cafeteria in this movie I will be all set. Ray St. Ives sure knew where to eat, but never learned not to bet on the Los Angeles Rams!

One of Bronsons peak performances!!
I'm nearing the end on a quest to see all of Bronson's flicks and just came to St. Ives.For reference, I consider his best films to be The Mechanic, Hard Times, and Death Wish 1.I only wish I would have seen this one sooner.Kinda throws you off to see Bronson cast as a reporter but rest assured, there areplenty of people getting killed, falling from buildings, car chases, fights and VERY witty one liners to boot.Great story, great acting, super supporting cast and another fantastic score by the great Mr. Lalo Schifrin.I wish Lalo had scored more Bronson films, particularly the Death Wish series. Bronson really proved he can act here and it makes one wonder why he chose the Death Wish-type stuff for the entire last ten of his filmmaking years.Really a fine film and highly recommended!!Just make sure you see this film BEFORE you see Breakout, Death Hunt, Death Wish 3/4/5 or Kinjite.Let's get this on DVD Warner!!Now off to find out about The White Buffalo, 10 to Midnight and Murphys Law....

Above average Bronson flick...
Charles Bronson is Ray St. Ives, an ex-LA cop, turned struggling writer.A man who could use a decent payday to help offset his gambling losses and alimony bills.Excentric Abner Procane (John Houseman), has had some valuable ledgers stolen, and offers St. Ives a job as the go-between in the ransom process.

Things get off to a rocky start, when at the rendezvous at a laundromat, a dead man turns up spinning in a washer and no exchange takes place.Others are interested in the ledgers too, and as St. Ives investigates, attempts are made to get him off the case, and more bodies start turning up as well.Eventually he does get the ledgers back, and then becomes involved in an off beat robbery scheme.The plot works well up to a point, and then credibility begins to fade.The ending does wrap up the loose ends, and features a surprise or two, and a teaser.

It is amusing to see the usually upright Houseman, as a criminal type, dressing up in a "cat burglar" outfit for nocturnal activities.The rest of the cast is also interesting.Jacqueline Bisset, is a former cop in charge of Procane's security, and Maximillan Schell is Procane's psychiatrist. Underrated Dana Elcar is St Ives's buddy on the force.Also appearing are Harry Guardino, and Daniel Travanti, and as young hoods, Jeff Goldblum and Robert "Freddy Krueger" Englund.

Lalo Schifrin does some nice work on the score.And veteran J. Lee Thompson (Guns of Navarone) directs one of Bronson's better efforts.Worth a look if you get the chance.

Bronson's Best Acting Acheivement!
Charles Bronson shows the crittics that he can act in a more
complex murder/mystery than his usual tough guy revenge films
and do an outstanding Job. Bronson Plays Ray St.Ives a famous
crime reporter turned author who is in finacial trouble takes
a job offered to him by his lawyer to act as a go between and deliver a huge sum of money to those who have stolen incrimanating ledgers from a devious, eccentric old crime kingpin(John Houseman)So after failed attempts to deilver the money for the ledgers the exchange does get transacted but their are four pages missing from the ledgers than Bronson blackmails Houseman to take him on the mission to find the missing pages putting himself in danger. This is definalty one of the best films of the seventies and certainly one of the best films
Charles Bronson has ever done. Here he plays a smart,cool type
of indivdual who uses more words than his fists. Great cast
includes Jacquline Bisset a red head beauty just at the start
of her carrer played the femme fatele to a T. I'ts a shame Bronson didn't do more of these type of films because the man can
act beyond his usual tough guy exploits and he proves that in
this film.

Resist Your Impulse to Shut it Off....
...because this is a very funny movie, if you just give it a chance. My brothers taped this years ago, and took to watching it again. The first few times, the cheap 70s look it had made me beat a trail out of the room, but then one day I sat and watched it. And was surprised at how entertaining it is!

Bronson is a failed crime writer who, because he IS so down on his luck, accepts a job as a bag man to deliver a sizeable amount of money to those who have stolen the notebooks of a legendary old crime planner, John Houseman. He's an odd bird who sits in the dark sobbing at old silent movies while his pseudo mistress Jackie Bisset saunters about the mansion wearing the most appalling moumous. Houseman's doctor Maximillian Schell is on hand as well in the mansion, well characterized with a perpetual runny nose that must be blown. Things should go off smoothly, except that by the time Bronson appears at the laundromat drop off point, someone has stuffed a corpse in a dryer. Poses some difficulties, you might say, especially when the police just happen along and take Bronson in for questioning. And that's just the start of it. There will be a few more murders, a sexy scene or two with Ms. Bisset, and an exciting chase scene with Mr. Houseman through a drive-in movie as cattle stampede continuously across the screen. That's one of the details I like the movie for, incidentally: you can rewind it all you want, and you'll only see cattle on the screen, never any cowboys.

What makes "St. Ives" appealing is that despite its cheap look, every single performer is delivering a good performance. Nobody is walking through their part. There are some great lines too, as when Houseman is being somewhat confidential with Bronson towards the end, talking about how he disagrees with psychologists who equate a fear of death with a fear of impotence: "Besides, I've always BEEN impotent, so why should I fear it?"

If you want to smile to yourself a lot while watching a movie, then put a copy of "St. Ives" in the machine and let it roll. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

This is trash, pure and simple.
This movie was such a joke when I saw t. The child actors are annoying, and the plot looks like a bad episode of Surivor done by Disney. With no script and zero direction to go in.

Passable live action Disney movie
Elliott Gould stars as an impecunious pilot who ,in order to stay one step ahead of two strong arm men anxious to collect his gambling debts ,reluctantly agrees to fly a cargo of animals to a remote Pacific island in the company of a nun ,Sister Bernadette (Genevieve Bujold).She has conceived the idea of importing the livestock as a way of converting the islanders to a farming existence .
Omens are not propitious-the plane is old and rickety ; Gould is unenthusiastic about animals;Gould and Bujold clash and two pre-teenage children stowaway on the plane .
The plane goes offcourse and Gould is forced to ditch on a remote island which -just to complicate matters -is occupied by two Japanese naval officers who have not heard that World War two is over ,and who attack the plane without success.
The bulk of the movie shows how the parties combine in an attempt to escape from the island and how the internal conflicts are resolved.
Nicely shot on location in Hawaii and with a strong performance from the underrated Bujold ,this watchable movie is acceptable family fare but would have been all the better for a livelier actor in the lead role .Gould lacks the lightness of touch that Disney regulars from this era like Garner or Dean Jones would have brought to proceedings.
Solid and watchable but second string Disney.

Grab it while you can...
Pick up a copy for this movie if you can... This movie wasn't release on video from a long time ago. The sound and picture are very good and the story is a true family experience.

Excellent Family Viewing
A solid family movie with enough action to hold the entire familys interest. Outstanding photography with a good professional cast. Recommended for all film libraries.

Disney at the height of its live action form
Elliott Gould gives another great performance as the world weary, hard drinking loner (ala 'Getting Straight', 'The Long Goodbye', 'MASH'), but similar to his other early eighties foray into Disney films 'The Devil and Max Devlin', his loner character is tested and softened through unexpected events. Geneviève Bujold also sticks to previous performances as the determined and sexy emissary of good ('Coma', 'Earthquake'). Both leads give a nice edge to this adventurous tale, made at a time when Disney was making some interestingly cast and original live action films like 'The Black Hole', 'Amy' and 'TRON'. Rick Schroder, in the prime of his childhood acting career, plays virtually the same character as he did in 'The Champ'. All of this cinematic pedigree adds a wonderfully entertaining element to a film that could have dived into the painfully mawkish. Complete with night shark attacks, stranded Japanese soldiers, orphans, an eclectic menagerie of animals (who ever sees a mallard duck in the same vicinity as one of those hump backed African ox), and a great South Pacific setting this film has something for everyone. A guaranteed good night with nods to the adults and thrills and adventure for the kids. Hearkens back to a not particularly distant past when Disney was making wholesome original films with a little edge.

As always Anchor Bay does a beautiful job in the DVD transfer, giving more time and respect to Disney's library than Disney does for its own films. As with all Anchor Bay DVDs, highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Condorman is a great movie for everyone.
I first saw this movie when I was very young and loved it ever since. Every time I see it on the Disney Channel, I tell myself that if I ever found this movie I'd buy it. All of my friends have to put up with it at least once a year. It's always been my favorite. I think that Michael Crawford is a wonderful actor.

Fun but not very good
I first saw this movie five years ago, as a preteen, with my father. We made jokes about what low-quality it was until I read a year ago that it stars Michael Crawford(Phantom of the Opera). It was still low quality (except the special effects, which are pretty good), but it is definitely worth it for Crawford fans. Crawford plays a cartoonist who, with an amazingly coincidental association with the CIA, acts out the exploits of his hero, Condorman. Not especially funny or thrilling, Condorman is a uniform mock-spy-thriller, with a good supporting cast but bad writing. Would probably be good for younger children (note the PG rating, though), and has gorgeous scenes in the Alps.

This movie changed my life!
It was 1981... I was a poor, young man lost in a cloud of bong smoke, living in some cardboard box on the corner of 1st and Main. I was living a lie. A horrible lie, like that time I told mom that binky the bunny ran away... and then served the family "lamb". Anyway, all I had were comics, graphic novels, if you know what I mean... and my favorite character? The Thing from the fantastic four. Why? He was encased in a shell of stone... just like me. So there I am in my box... and I happen to find $3.25 in canadian pennies one day. Instead of buying a premium bottle of the happy juice, I saw the marquee and it sang CONDORMAN. I was on the edge of my seat with the opening credits. This man... was me. A dreamer who had shed the skin of ambiguity and embraced the true nature of the... ummm... dream. I had no wings. Condorman gave me wings. I love you, Condorman. Whenever you're in my part of town, be sure to stop by... mine's the box where the rabid coyote prince sings his tortured songs of yesteryear. Bring that lady, too... man... I mean... umm... man. And eat meat.

Movie is 5 stars, but dvd is 1 star
I love this movie, and have been waiting for it to be released on dvd. Unfortunately, the dvd was not worth the wait. The dvd has no features whatsoever, not even subtitles. The main menu has two options, play movie and chapter selections. The sound and picture are no better than the video; the only benefits the dvd has over the video are that you can fast forward directly to a specific scene, and you have your choice of full screen and wide screen (double sided dvd). What's the point of making a dvd if it is as bad as this one? Very disappointing....
P.S. This is for the 1999 dvd version. I noticed that a new version was released in 2003. Hopefully that version is better.

Up In The Sky...It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's...Condorman?
Yes, it's Condorman, vulture of the western world and superhero/spy extraordinare! Disguised as mild-mannered comic book writer/illustrator Woody Wilkins (Michael Crawford) by day, Condorman must fight a never ending battle to save the world from the ever growing forces of evil that threaten to engulf it, while at the same time trying desperately to protect his beautiful Russian spy girlfriend Natalia (Barbara Carrera) from the clutches of the villainous Krokov (Oliver Reed)!

Highlighted by a well above average cast and an exciting musical score composed by the one-and-only Henry Mancini, and loaded with tons of adventure, action and excitement..."Condorman" is certainly a very fun movie to watch and is one that can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter how young or old they may be! ... Read more

Amazon.com

No director could ever have hoped to repeat the artistic achievement of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, and nobody knew that better than Peter Hyams, who made this much more conventional film from the first of three sequel novels by Arthur C. Clarke. Whereas Kubrick made a poetic film of mind-expanding ideas and metaphysical mysteries, Hyams shouldn't be blamed for taking a more practical, crowd-pleasing approach. In revealing much of what Kubrick deliberately left unexplained, 2010 lacks the enigmatic awe of its predecessor, but it's still a riveting tale of space exploration and extraterrestrial contact, beginning when a joint American-Soviet mission embarks to determine the cause of failure of the derelict spaceship Discovery.Having arrived at Discovery near the planet Jupiter, the American mission leader (Roy Scheider) and his Russian counterpart (Helen Mirren) must investigate the apparent failure of the ship's infamous onboard computer, HAL 9000, as well as the meaning of countless mysterious black monoliths amassing on Jupiter's surface (an interpretation Kubrick originally left up to his viewers). Meanwhile, Earth is on the brink of nuclear war, and an apparition of astronaut David Bowman (Keir Dullea) appears to repeatedly promise that "something wonderful" is about to happen. The DVD includes an interview with Arthur C. Clarke, an eight-page booklet, and original trailers for 2001 and 2010. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (134)

Competent and enjoyable but no follow-up to 2001
Follow-up to "2001" isn't even in the same ballpark as that movie. Heywood Floyd and a Russian/American crew head for Jupiter to learn the fate of Discovery and HAL. Consistently well-made and watchable, but never transcendent, and when David Bowman reappears, the film borders on the cringe-inducing. All sets were rebuilt from photos since Kubrick had the originals destroyed.

Not as great, But still a impressive film!
As most people would say, 2010 isn't 2001. Well it's true. But you shouldn't condemn 2010 for not being the marvelous film that Kubrick made, but praise it as one of the most exciting Sci-fi films ever.
The special effects are as amazing as I'm sure they were back in 1984. And the story line is well thought out. Not only do the astronauts have to deal with personal problems, but they are faced with the ongoing battle between their two countries. All this, and the answers to the mysteries of the universe. A must see!

2010; A Worthy Sequal.
2010 was a more realistic movie then 2001, as data from the Jupiter probes were used to give us a realistic apperance of the planet and it's system of moons. The movie takes place nine years later with American and Russian scientists on a mission to uncover the fate of the USS Discovery, Dave Bowman, and HAL. The mystery of what the Monolith really is gets even more mysterious then ever, but that only makes the movie all the more interesting to watch. Written and Directed by Peter Hyams.Based on the novel by Arthur C. Clarke.Music by David Shire.Visual Effects by Richard Edlund.

My GOD it's full of Stars!
Scheider,Mirren,Lithgow, and Bob(CE3K) Balaban contribute to this fine sequel that is more plot driven than its magnificent predecessor. I love the opening, which shows the report on Discovery Mission(submitted by Dr. Heywood Floyd).The first time I saw it I got chills as it is a very haunting scene.Other key scenes(Bowman's wife is greeted via 21st century television by the "essence" of Dave.Scene of Bowman's mother revived in hospital bed.Touching comic exchange between Lithgow and Russian.) Visual effects should have won an oscar.This is a fine production all-the-way around.Alright, maybe 2001 did not need a sequel(After all, Kubrick destroyed all plans and designs of sets and models after he finished 2001), but since it is here let us sit back, crank up the DVD digital Dolby and enjoy!

Great effects, aged well, in many ways better than 2001
The best thing about this movie is the special effects. You don't notice them! That's what is so special about the movie - it's very "matter of fact" about going to Jupiter - everything feels realistic and looks realistic (from what we've seen of Jupiter and its moons from the Voyager and Pioneer flybys).

An additional positive point - the movie aged well. The cold war conflict between the US and Russia sounds dated to us now that the cold war is over, but the premise is realistic enough to those of us that remember the "Godless commies". But everything about the ships and mission seem very realistic, and it's fascinating to watch the probe they send to Europa, entering Discovery the first time, the aerobraking, and even the tensions of the crew reflecting the tensions of their respective countries on Earth, and the climax is really quite exciting.

It is, of course, a different movie than 2001. It's more traditional in that more things happen, there's a real payoff (as opposed to the weird aging thing beyond the Monolith in 2001), and with more characters, it's got more dialogue/interactions. I personally like it better than 2001.

As for the DVD edition, there's not much else here, except a short (10 minutes) featurette on meaking the film, which looks VERY dated... =) Even at the short length, though, it's much better than a lot of "making of" segments that I've seen. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Condorman is a great movie for everyone.
I first saw this movie when I was very young and loved it ever since. Every time I see it on the Disney Channel, I tell myself that if I ever found this movie I'd buy it. All of my friends have to put up with it at least once a year. It's always been my favorite. I think that Michael Crawford is a wonderful actor.

Fun but not very good
I first saw this movie five years ago, as a preteen, with my father. We made jokes about what low-quality it was until I read a year ago that it stars Michael Crawford(Phantom of the Opera). It was still low quality (except the special effects, which are pretty good), but it is definitely worth it for Crawford fans. Crawford plays a cartoonist who, with an amazingly coincidental association with the CIA, acts out the exploits of his hero, Condorman. Not especially funny or thrilling, Condorman is a uniform mock-spy-thriller, with a good supporting cast but bad writing. Would probably be good for younger children (note the PG rating, though), and has gorgeous scenes in the Alps.

This movie changed my life!
It was 1981... I was a poor, young man lost in a cloud of bong smoke, living in some cardboard box on the corner of 1st and Main. I was living a lie. A horrible lie, like that time I told mom that binky the bunny ran away... and then served the family "lamb". Anyway, all I had were comics, graphic novels, if you know what I mean... and my favorite character? The Thing from the fantastic four. Why? He was encased in a shell of stone... just like me. So there I am in my box... and I happen to find $3.25 in canadian pennies one day. Instead of buying a premium bottle of the happy juice, I saw the marquee and it sang CONDORMAN. I was on the edge of my seat with the opening credits. This man... was me. A dreamer who had shed the skin of ambiguity and embraced the true nature of the... ummm... dream. I had no wings. Condorman gave me wings. I love you, Condorman. Whenever you're in my part of town, be sure to stop by... mine's the box where the rabid coyote prince sings his tortured songs of yesteryear. Bring that lady, too... man... I mean... umm... man. And eat meat.

Movie is 5 stars, but dvd is 1 star
I love this movie, and have been waiting for it to be released on dvd. Unfortunately, the dvd was not worth the wait. The dvd has no features whatsoever, not even subtitles. The main menu has two options, play movie and chapter selections. The sound and picture are no better than the video; the only benefits the dvd has over the video are that you can fast forward directly to a specific scene, and you have your choice of full screen and wide screen (double sided dvd). What's the point of making a dvd if it is as bad as this one? Very disappointing....
P.S. This is for the 1999 dvd version. I noticed that a new version was released in 2003. Hopefully that version is better.

Up In The Sky...It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's...Condorman?
Yes, it's Condorman, vulture of the western world and superhero/spy extraordinare! Disguised as mild-mannered comic book writer/illustrator Woody Wilkins (Michael Crawford) by day, Condorman must fight a never ending battle to save the world from the ever growing forces of evil that threaten to engulf it, while at the same time trying desperately to protect his beautiful Russian spy girlfriend Natalia (Barbara Carrera) from the clutches of the villainous Krokov (Oliver Reed)!

Highlighted by a well above average cast and an exciting musical score composed by the one-and-only Henry Mancini, and loaded with tons of adventure, action and excitement..."Condorman" is certainly a very fun movie to watch and is one that can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter how young or old they may be! ... Read more

Description

Joe Saul, a veteran circus performer is slowly being destroyed by the realization that he will die without having fathered a child. In an act of extraordinary sacrifice and compassion, his wife, Mordeen, takes desperate measures to save him. John Steinbeck's classic play is brilliantly acted by a fantastic cast, lead by four-time Emmy-winner Colleen Dewhurst (Murphy Brown) and Tony-winner Myron McCormick (South Pacific). Features music by Tony-winner Will Holt. Black and White. ... Read more