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

Reviews (210)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (78)

A poignant drama that provides insight into post-WW2 America
"The Best Years of Our Lives" is a compelling dramatic masterpiece, and certainly one of the best films ever made. It's not as well known today as other pieces from the period, such as "Casablanca" or "Citizen Kane", but it is nevertheless a classic that deserves ranking with those same films.

This film paints a picture of the struggles of World War II servicemen that they faced AFTER the war was over. It was a more personal struggle of men returning home after being away for many years, and after experiencing horrors that their loved ones could never fully understand. They return home as changed people, and come home to changed lives.

The story of such a homecoming experienced by thousands of men after World War II is told from the perspective of three fictional characters: Captain Fred Derry, a bombadier in the Army Air Corps (Dana Andrews), Sergeant Al Stevenson, an Army infantryman (Frederich March), and Seamen Homer Parrish(Harold Russell). They happen to meet on the plane to their hometown, having never met before, and immediately form a bond built upon mutual understanding of the experiences of war and the anxieties of returning home again.

Captain Derry came from a poor background before the war, and married a blond bombshell (Virgnia Mayo) while in the Air Corps. He hopes to return home to a better life, a nice home with his wife, and a better job. This was not to be, as Derry struggles to try and deal with bad job prospects (no one in the civilian world needs a bombadier) and a cheating wife. In a poignant moment in the film, Derry (at his lowest) tells his Father to throw away the citations for his medals, because "they don't mean anything". His Father reads the one for the Distinguished Flying Cross, signed by General Jimmy Doolittle, and a look of pride comes over the old man's face for his son's heroism that makes you want to cry and cheer all at the same time. It also makes the viewer see how criminal it was for such a man to be made to feel worthless.

Sergeant Stevenson comes home to better circumstances, being a banker in the civilian world with a wife, two grown children, and a nice apartment. But he too must confront troubles, as Stevenson must get to know a family that progressed without him, and balance his job with his desire to aid servicemen seeking G.I. Bill loans. He battles with his bank's bosses over the loan issue, and also struggles with alcoholism.

Seamen Parrish's problems are the most obvious. He lost his hands during the war, and now must come home to his family and fiancee with hooks for hands. The actor who potrayed Parrish, Harold Russell, was a real disable veteran, and lends credibility to the role that no one else could have due to real life experience.

This may seem like a depressing film, but it is actually uplifting in its entirety because it does show that hope doesn't die, and that you really can come home again after all. It is also a film of historical importance due to the insights it provides into post-World War II America, and the struggles of veterans in the post-war years. Captain Derry, Sergeant Stevenson, and Seamen Parrish, and their individual struggles to reclaim their lives can provide the student of history an important perspective on the many real life veterans who returned home, and the country of the time they returned home to.

The film has certainly earned accolades over the years. It won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1946. It was named by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 Best Movies ever made, and was also named as one of the most important films of all time by the National Archives for the National Film Registry.

"The Best Years of Our Lives" is not to be missed for both its dramatic poignancy and its insight into an important period of American History. And its a beautiful sight to behold in DVD quality.

One of the best pictures of our lives
The story of three American veterans of WW II and their adjustments to civilian life remains as poignant and moving today, as when it was first released. The three veterans (Fredric March, Harold Russell, and Dana Andrews) all from the same town, but different backgrounds, journey home together on a military transport plain. Fredric March's character, Al Stephenson, is a mature married man with a good profession, a beautiful wife (Myrna Loy), and two grown children (Teresa Wright and Michael Hall); Harold Russell is a disabled Navy veteran (he lost both hands in battle) unsure of where he stands in life and with his high school sweetheart (Cathy O' Donnell); and Dana Andrews is the "glamour boy" bombardier who comes home to find that the civilian world, which includes his wife (Virginia Mayo), cares little about his exploits as a caption in the Air Force. The journey each man takes is both engrossing and entertaining. It's hard to believe this movie is almost 3 hours long; it moves along so quickly. With a dream cast of top talent from 1940s Hollywood, director William Wyler gets superb performances from the stars as well as the most minor bit players. The action begins with a night on the town with March, Loy, and Wright celebrating March's return home. During their celebrating, they run into Russell and Andrews at Russell's uncle's (Hogey Carmichael) tavern. Having celebrated a bit too much, Loy and Wright load March and Andrews into their car to take them home. They drop Andrews off at his wife's apartment building, but he doesn't have a key to get in, and in a drunken stupor collapses outside its entrance. Loy and Wright proceed to load Andrews back in the car and take him in for the night. The relationships between all the main characters reach a level of poignancy without being overly sentimental, which is no easy feat, especially with what must have been tough stuff to watch for an overwhelming majority of the audience when originally released. Russell and O' Donnell's scenes are moving and sensitive, as are Loy and March's. Even though Andrews arrives home physically intact, his lot seems to be the worst of the group. Married to a self-centered-woman who doesn't love him, he longs for a relationship with someone like Peggy Stephenson (Wright). Things get complicated when the feelings are mutual, with Wright beginning to have strong feelings for Andrews. There are many wonderful moments in this film. Roman Bohnen as Andrews's father is terrific as a man who has a tough time expressing his genuine love for his disillusioned son. When he reads the official letter recounting his son's bravery to his wife (Gladys George), it's an incredibly powerful moment. Another wonderful scene is Wright's visit to the store where Andrews works as a salesman at the perfume counter (as well as at the soda fountain). The good-natured flirting between them seems both honest and real in the hands of these two pros. One could go on and on about the wonderful score, the great Gregg Toland cinematography--from the opening shots from the transport plane to the aircraft "graveyard,"--but this is one wonderful whole that is equal to the sum of its parts; everything falls together seamlessly. Top talent at their peak; run don't walk to get a copy of this classic Best Picture winner (1946).

An Amazing Film.
I was fortunate enough to see this movie on TV a few nights ago, and I must say that it is one of the best films I've seen for YEARS. It's hard to believe that I've never heard of this movie. Even though I was born more than 30 years after this movie's release, it melted my heart unlike any film I've seen. I was very surprised by some of the material in the movie. It seemed way ahead of its time, with topics like alcohol addictions, the questionable results of WWII, etc. It's definately a movie that I'll be adding to my DVD collection.

Superb (and Still Relevant)
I'm usually reluctant to watch old movies no matter how good they're supposed to be. I'm thankful that for some reason I decided to at least watch the beginning and see if it held my attention. This movie will break your heart, all of the characters are sympathetic, and although it is almost 60 years old it is extremely relevant right now, since the US is now in the middle of a war and a new generation of veterans is coming home. It is moving, touching, disturbing, thought-provoking, and inspiring, and for someone too young to have known any family members who remembered WWII or post-war America, highly informative. I suspect, from the number of awards this movie won in the 1940s, that it was well-received, but if this movie were released today it would be denounced as anti-American and unpatriotic.

Correction to Jeff Shannon's Review
The Best Years of Our Lives may have perhaps drawn from some things in a Life Magazine article on returning vets, but the plot is really based on MacKinlay Kantor's 1945 novel Glory for Me, which follows a similar trio of returning GIs. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Only John Ford excelled Anthony Mann as a purveyor of eye-fillingWesternimagery, and Mann's best films are second to no one's when it comes to thefusion of dynamic action, rugged landscapes, and fierce psychologicalintensity.The Man from Laramie is the last of five remarkableWesterns the director made with James Stewart (starting with Winchester'73 and peaking with The Naked Spur).This collaboration marked virtually a whole new career for Stewart, whose characters are all haunted bythe past and driven by obsession--here, to find whoever set hiscavalry-officer brother in the path of warlike Indians.

The Man from Laramie aspires to an epic grandeur beyond itspredecessors.It's the only one in CinemaScope, and Stewart's personal questis subsumed in a larger drama--nothing less than a sagebrush version of King Lear, with a range baron on the verge of blindness (Donald Crisp), hisweak and therefore vicious son (Alex Nicol), and another, apparently moresolid "son," his Edmund-like foreman (Arthur Kennedy). There are a few too many subsidiary characters, and the reach for thematic complexityoccasionally diminishes the impact.But no one will ever forget the scene onthe salt flats between Nicol and Stewart--climaxing in the single mostshocking act of violence in '50s cinema--or the final, mountaintopconfrontation.

For decades, the film has been seen only in washed-out, pan-and-scan videos, with the characters playing visual hopscotch from one panel of the original composition to another.It's great to have this glorious DVD--razor-sharp, fully saturated (or as saturated as '50s Eastmancolor could be), andbreathtaking in its CinemaScope sweep. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (15)

I don't come from anywhere...
Some men arrive with provisions for a store, most of them will return from whence they came. One man, portrayed by James Stewart, may have come from Laramie but its not his home and does not intend to return until he finds out who supplied the rifles to the Apache - rifles which were used to kill a cavalry troop, among them his brother.

His quest brings him into conflict with a local landowner who has dreamt that a man would one day come to kill his son. Is it the man from Laramie?

James Stewart and Anthony Mann made some great films together - this was the last, and by no means the least. I have said it before and I'll say it again - James Stewart was the finest actor ever and this film features another fine performance.

The DVD transfer (anamorphic) is excellent - picture quality and sound are excellent. My only complaint is the lack of features. Trailers for the other Stewart/Mann films at least would have been a worthy addition.

A GREEK TRAGEDY IN THE DESERT
Director Anthony Mann's THE MAN FROM LARAMIE is a movie lover's dream. It's a western shot in the beautiful deserts of New Mexico with enough action to keep your mind occupied while your eyes wander through the landscapes. James Stewart, Arthur Kennedy and Donald Crisp are at their best and the rest of the cast gives a great performance.

Some of the reviewers have already noted the shakespearian flavour of the story so I'm rather going to underline other evident references. OK ! So, in THE MAN OF LARAMIE, we have an old man with a recurrent dream, a dream announcing that a stranger will come and murder his son. When Alec announces to Vic that he's becoming blind, we cannot have any doubts more : we are witnessing another variation of the myth of Oedipus. From this moment on, you're going to have a subtle pleasure to read THE MAN FROM LARAMIE with a pair of freudian glasses ! Let's observe these brothers ( Vic HansBRO ) fight for the love of their old father, let's mourn the disappearance of Alec's wife who created a monster out of her son in order to hurt her macho husband, etc..

Images and sound (stereo) are OUTSTANDING. For once, a production company has forgotten the usual economic laws and takes advantage of the real possibilities of a DVD by presenting 4 or five different subtitles. Thank you Columbia !

A DVD for your library.

Another great James Stewart western
This collaboration between director Anthony Mann and actor James Stewart is another dark character study as Stewart once again is a cowboy on the vengeance trail as he heads for a dusty New Mexico town in search of gun-runners who supplied rifles to the Apaches who wiped out a cavalry troop that included his younger brother. The town of Coronado and the surrounding territory are controlled by a cattle baron who owns the Barb ranch and doesn't take kindly to outsiders meddling in the town's affairs. Rancher Alec Waggoman's neurotic son Dave and tough but high-strung ranch foreman Vic Hansbro resent Will Lockhart's determination to uncover the mystery of Apaches acquiring rifles and why the massacre just happened to take place on Waggoman's land. The film has a few touches of extreme violence without being graphic and Stewart's straight-shooting Lockhart is likeable and believable. The picture's romantic angle is more implied than stated between Lockhart and Barbara Waggoman and is realistic in the way it unfolds during Lockhart's investigation in Coronado. A great cast of supporting actors was assembled for this movie and makes this star western even more enjoyable.

poor colorization
Originally saw this film in Black and White. This colorized version is poor at the best; spend the time and effort to find the B/W; the hokie-ness detracts from the movie itself.

Deserves more attention
Hard to believe I missed this jewel before. Just an outstanding collaboration by Stewart/Mann. I really don't see the brutality here that so many people are quick to scream these days, and who cares about King Lear? This is just a great Western in the classic sense. Jimmy Stewart was always his best in the "I'm gonna get you sucka'" role and he is terrific here. The story outweighs some casting issues but you won't care. Cathy O'Donnell is exactly like Stewart describes her..."beautiful", a fragile genuine treasure.

The DVD transfer is nothing but spectacular. I've never seen colors like this anywhere and there's plenty of scenery to "wow" at. Amazing actually but that's an Anthony Mann trademark. Just jumped into my top five all time list. 5 mules, still standing. ... Read more

Reviews (210)

A true gem, with a stunning print to boot
While perhaps lacking the disturbing and emotional depth of an epic like _Lawrence of Arabia_, _Ben Hur_ largely makes up for it with its sheer energy. The great sea battle and the famed chariot race are (unsurprisingly) two of my favorite scenes. The film is presented in its super-wide MGM Camera 65 aspect ratio, and the transfer looks beautiful. The colors are deep and rich, the picture virtually free of blemishes (except for two or three instances of a dropped frame). Rozsa's beautiful music also shines through in a lovely 5.1 channel track.

The one danger, however, is in letting this splendid DVD lead viewers into thinking that this film has been fully restored, like _Lawrence of Arabia_. As Robert Harris said in an interview, a DVD transfer can be made to look pristine, even though the film itself may be in terrible condition. I sincerely hope this is not the case with _Ben Hur_, and if this is the unfortunate case, I urge that it be fully restored so that future generations can enjoy it in its original form and not only in a digital format.

Timeless, Huge and Most Honored
Titanic and Ben-Hur stand alone as the occupants of that rare honor: 11 Oscars won. The differences in both movies include script, plot, story, and character development. Which is to say neither movies did or did not deserve all those awards. Like me, Titanic and Ben-Hur captivated the Academy with their expansive shots, and loads-upon-loads of extras. Both are masterpieces. I beg to differ with most of these reviews on that.

It is one if not THE best biblical film
Ben Hur features Charleton Heston's greatest performance. It features some of the greatest and largest scale scenes in film history (example: The Chariot Race). It might not be everyone's cup of tea, I mean just look at it's length, but that does not mean you shouldn't at least experience this one time in your life. And the DVD version is the best to see, and or own.

ERIC C`S REVIEW
THIS IS TIED WITH THE GODFATHER AS THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER! CHARLTON HESTON RULES!!

this is an all-time classic!
I first came across this movie at a local library, and I subsequently decided to obtain a copy for my personal library. It is a classic in every respect. Two thumbs high up! It is sad that the present crop of Hollywood directors/producers do not generally feature movies of this quality and depth these days. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Neat Little Chiller!
I really liked this! It is a great mystery thriller with shades of "The Uninvited" thrown in. A woman walking along the beach at night hears the voice of her dead husband calling to her. She becomes obsessed by a crooked medium she runs into who seems to know a hell of a lot about her husband and the circumstances of his death. But there is a twist.... boy, is there a twist! This one is guaranteed to keep your interest. Spooky and atmospheric to say the least. It is released on DVD by the Alpha label, famous for dubious quality, and I'm afraid the quality ain't so hot here. The picture and sound are like second rate VHS. Still, it's very watchable because of the good story... and hey, the price is right and the artwork is cool. You'd be paying double to buy this on videotape from a Public Domain company so you're doin' alright here. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

BUY ME!
This is a very good collection. The movies are not bad at all, even though one can hardly be scared by them. "The Monster Maker" (1944) may not be very fascinating, but hardly "distasteful" as the other reviewer calls it... besides, it's easily redeemed by the very beautiful Tala Birell and the fact that the copy is quite good. The 1948 "Mr X" has a beautiful camerawork and art direction to boast with plus effectively creates some rather spooky images. The copy is only slightly less decent than that of the "Monster Maker". The oldest of the flicks, "Mad Monster" is the most conventional (meaning boring) of the three with it's stupid transformation scenes and so on. The source material is only mediocre at it's best, but still quite watchable. All in all, I was very pleasantly surprised by this collection, since I was prepared to get a bunch of nearly unwatchable mishmash. Besides, my DVD player experiences no technical problems whatsoever playing this disc (regarding the other reveiw). Heartily recommended!

3.5 Stars¿ Three of PRC's best (Admittedly, relative terms).
Relative, because most of PRC's output was so cheap and stodgy as to render them like unto slide shows, or a sequential display of jpeg images. But these really are not that bad at all; there are certainly worse.

Also relative in that Amazing Dr. X was made after PRC had become the somewhat better-regarded Eagle-Lion. At E-L Anthony Mann did some fine work, along with John Anton, one of the all-time greats. Anton himself lends a hand to this film, blending classy cinematography with occasionally skillful direction and an occasionally sharp script to overcome occasionally plodding execution. The plot has to do with a woman who has lost her husband and thinks he is trying to contact her from beyond the grave. So she seeks the help of suave but completely fake medium Turhan Bey, who was also seen prominently in a Universal Mummy movie or two. Her new fiancee doubts Dr. X, but after a plot twist, the flim-flammer has an opportunity to use his skills and gain some measure of redemption.
This is not really horror, although some of the supernatural elements do take a while to be disproved. It could be, I suppose, categorized as a "chiller."
Overall it's not as atmospheric as Strangler of the Swamp, not quite as good as Detour or some of Mann's best, but Amazing Dr. X is still near the top of this poverty row studio's list.

Monster Maker
Both silly and distasteful, perhaps more of each because it is the other, this has to do with a madly-in-love scientist infecting the father of his obsession with acromegaly germs. This is in order to force him to let him marry her. This seems to be a short-sighted solution, but hey... whatever works.
Long story short, it doesn't work. This is a small movie, even smaller and less ambitious than many of these things. There is only one victim; even for these lumbering kind of movies, that is a low output. It's not terrible per se, just *lacking.* If you've seen even one of these things, you know the ending already.
There is one disturbing shot of a crippled pig, and a gorilla, for no other reason than to have a gorilla (man in a gorilla suit); gorillas were still outré in 1944, you see.
Naish is very likeable, but has never been my favorite as a heavy. He's too kindly and nebbish-ish to project any menace, whether here or in Universal movies or in The Whistler. Here that may have been meant to add depth to the tragedy of a basically good man gone wrong, but it didn't come off, and I was left garnering enjoyment from the somehow doting way Naish pronounced acromegaly, like a proud papa and his germs.

Mad Monster
Sometimes silly, but having decent atmosphere, yet overlong even at only 80 minutes. These foregone conclusion enterprises need to really hum. Zucco again plays an elegantly mad scientist, desirous of getting even with his scholarly colleagues for scoffing at his plans to cross man and wolf to aid the war effort. He recruits simple-minded handyman Glenn Strange, impersonating Chaney's character in Of Mice and Men, to be his test subject. While PRC took their horror product seriously, in contrast to the spoofiness of Monogram, the films themselves were sometimes even harder to take seriously due to budgetary shortfalls. For example, the makeup for the werewolf is highly inadequate here, I must say. I have cousins far hairier than Glenn Strange in his werewolf guise. Anyway, our main characters reside in a foggy swamp, he has a pretty daughter. There are deaths, the police close in. All the familiar pieces are there. It's okay for genre fans.

A word to the cautious: No bones about it, the dvd authoring for this disc is messed up. To play the films I had to go to Monster Maker and search through. The individual menus do not take you to that film, but to the start of Monster Maker. With patience you may find this disc acceptable, but for those with small children or high blood pressure, I cannot recommend it. (Although I think it's the only source for The Amazing Dr. X.) ... Read more

Reviews (8)

PSYCHO RAMA!
I was compelled to write this review because there is no mention here of the fact that this movie was fimed in "PSYCHO-RAMA" a technique that the original marketing apparently stated was a technique banned by the government. Ya gotta love that. The process involves subliminal messages and images throughout the film to induce horror. This is in the "so bad it's good" category for sure, but there are some genuine scares here. Some of the dialogue coming out of the husband's mouth simply must be heard to be believed.

Rhino Video altered this film by adding its own subliminals.
"The First Picture in Psycho-Rama! The Fourth Dimension! Subliminal Communication!" There are 13 original subliminal images in this film. The front of the DVD Disc is a perfect example of what a real sublinimal message looks like except for the image on the disc is permanent. The subliminal messages and images in this film really serve no purpose to the storyline except to try to make you scream. You can see them very quickly...a flash. But since some are hard to really see (of course), I will tell them to you here. (Spoiler) Cartoon-like drawing of a bald-headed old man wearing glasses with a mouse in his mouth. This appears four times. A Ghoulish, devilish, fat face with jagged big teeth, pointy ears, two horns out of his head and a long tongue hanging out of his mouth. This also appears four times. Again the old man face with a mouse in his mouth appears again and below it reads "Get Ready To Scream!" This appears three times. Then the face appears again and reads "Scream!". Then the face appears again and reads "Scream Louder!" The ultimate subliminal message follows when the woman goes to the window. The full screen reads "SCREAM BLOODY MURDER". What is really bothersome about this film is that Rhino Video has altered the film and has added eight subliminal messages of their own. Later in the film, another cartoonish face with a tongue hanging out of its mouth appears. Again the face appears which reads below it "Prepare to die". Again the face appears and reads "Die Die Die!" The face appears again and reads "Die Louder!" A skeleton-like face appears and reads "Die Dead!" A cobra snake appears and reads "Rent Rhino Videos Every Day" This appears twice. Then the cobra snake appears in bright red still reading "Rent Rhino Videos Every Day". A marketing gimmick, no doubt, by Rhino Video to get people to buy more of thier videos (If subliminal communication does work). A subliminal message can really be seen well when you "Pause" and "Step" (Frame by Frame) the DVD picture. That is why a movie with subliminal messages is perfect for DVD. Perhaps subliminal messages does work, because I do remember the images I saw. They were displayed on the American Movie Classics (AMC) website when AMC was showing the film.

Filmed in Psycho-Rama!
This is a mediocre gothic thriller about a woman learning secrets about her boyfriend's past while visiting his boyhood home (the type of thing satirized in Arsenic and Old Lace). It has a certain nostalgic charm that makes it more interesting to watch than most modern low-budget horrors. The only reason this movie still gets attention, however, is because of its "Psycho-Rama" gimmick.

For those wondering what Psycho-Rama is, during the so-called "scary" scenes, drawings of Mr. Hyde-like faces or short "scary" messages are flashed on the screen just long enough for the viewer to make them out. This process was satirized on an episode of South Park where they flashed photos of Barbara Striesand during scary scenes. This effect is supposed to subliminally activate the fear centres of the brain, increasing the viewer's reaction to the "scary" scenes. The filmmakers even originally added warnings to their ads for people with heart conditions that the stress caused by this process might give them heart attacks.

Not long after this film came out, a controversy arose about the use of subliminals in movie theatres centered around pictures of soda drinks or food flashed on the screen during movies in order to make patrons hungry or thirsty so they will rush to the snack counter for overpriced products. Actually, a person who is not already thirsty cannot be made thirsty as a result of subliminals (the pictures can only make a person more aware of their existing thirst), nor will they make a person willing to pay more for a drink. Nor can a person be made frightened by subliminals unless the images are actually frightening. Thus the panic about the use of subliminals giving people heart attacks or turning them into consumer mind-slaves was unwarranted, but that didn't stop laws banning such practices.

Unfortunately, since the process does not work, the film remains unfrightening and even the novelty of the gimmick wears off after you've seen the same drawings and messages flashed a dozen or so times.

A good movie lurks under the schlocky wrapping
Okay, first things first: the "Psycho-Rama" gimmick is ludicrous (if there is indeed a lost prologue explaining the purpose of this silly effect, I would love to see it just to experience someone trying to justify the "innovation" of Psycho-Rama with a straight face); there are several moments of hokey, low-rent acting; and, finally, the title of the movie is quite cheesy. But having said all that, damn if the movie isn't a creepy, fairly involving gothic mystery that keeps you guessing right to the end. If the studio had thrown a bit more money at this thing and gotten rid of the headache-inducing and never-to-be-seen-again "Psycho-Rama" effect, this movie could have stood among any major studio's regular output. Rhino offers its usual bare-bones DVD, but hey, the price is good and the print is sharp. Check this one out-- it may surprise you.

She screams...and screams...and screams.....
The woman in this movie screams at everything. A curtain blowing in the wind, shadows, you name it she screams at it. Not scary, not that unintentionally funny. Picture quality is pretty good. ... Read more

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Winner of seven Academy Awards, including best picture, director, actor, and screenplay, William Wyler's brilliant drama about domestic life after World War II remains one of the all-time classics of American cinema. Inspired by a pictorial article about returning soldiers in Life magazine, the story focuses on three war veterans (Fredric March, Dana Andrews, and Harold Russell in unforgettable roles) and their rocky readjustment to civilian life in their Midwestern town of Boone City. Capturing the contradictory moods of America in the mid to late 1940s, this three-hour drama spans a complex range of honest emotions, from joyous celebration and happy reunion to deep-rooted ambivalence and reassessment of personal priorities. A movie milestone when released in 1946, The Best Years of Our Lives still packs a punch with powerful, timeless themes. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (78)

A poignant drama that provides insight into post-WW2 America
"The Best Years of Our Lives" is a compelling dramatic masterpiece, and certainly one of the best films ever made. It's not as well known today as other pieces from the period, such as "Casablanca" or "Citizen Kane", but it is nevertheless a classic that deserves ranking with those same films.

This film paints a picture of the struggles of World War II servicemen that they faced AFTER the war was over. It was a more personal struggle of men returning home after being away for many years, and after experiencing horrors that their loved ones could never fully understand. They return home as changed people, and come home to changed lives.

The story of such a homecoming experienced by thousands of men after World War II is told from the perspective of three fictional characters: Captain Fred Derry, a bombadier in the Army Air Corps (Dana Andrews), Sergeant Al Stevenson, an Army infantryman (Frederich March), and Seamen Homer Parrish(Harold Russell). They happen to meet on the plane to their hometown, having never met before, and immediately form a bond built upon mutual understanding of the experiences of war and the anxieties of returning home again.

Captain Derry came from a poor background before the war, and married a blond bombshell (Virgnia Mayo) while in the Air Corps. He hopes to return home to a better life, a nice home with his wife, and a better job. This was not to be, as Derry struggles to try and deal with bad job prospects (no one in the civilian world needs a bombadier) and a cheating wife. In a poignant moment in the film, Derry (at his lowest) tells his Father to throw away the citations for his medals, because "they don't mean anything". His Father reads the one for the Distinguished Flying Cross, signed by General Jimmy Doolittle, and a look of pride comes over the old man's face for his son's heroism that makes you want to cry and cheer all at the same time. It also makes the viewer see how criminal it was for such a man to be made to feel worthless.

Sergeant Stevenson comes home to better circumstances, being a banker in the civilian world with a wife, two grown children, and a nice apartment. But he too must confront troubles, as Stevenson must get to know a family that progressed without him, and balance his job with his desire to aid servicemen seeking G.I. Bill loans. He battles with his bank's bosses over the loan issue, and also struggles with alcoholism.

Seamen Parrish's problems are the most obvious. He lost his hands during the war, and now must come home to his family and fiancee with hooks for hands. The actor who potrayed Parrish, Harold Russell, was a real disable veteran, and lends credibility to the role that no one else could have due to real life experience.

This may seem like a depressing film, but it is actually uplifting in its entirety because it does show that hope doesn't die, and that you really can come home again after all. It is also a film of historical importance due to the insights it provides into post-World War II America, and the struggles of veterans in the post-war years. Captain Derry, Sergeant Stevenson, and Seamen Parrish, and their individual struggles to reclaim their lives can provide the student of history an important perspective on the many real life veterans who returned home, and the country of the time they returned home to.

The film has certainly earned accolades over the years. It won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1946. It was named by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 Best Movies ever made, and was also named as one of the most important films of all time by the National Archives for the National Film Registry.

"The Best Years of Our Lives" is not to be missed for both its dramatic poignancy and its insight into an important period of American History. And its a beautiful sight to behold in DVD quality.

One of the best pictures of our lives
The story of three American veterans of WW II and their adjustments to civilian life remains as poignant and moving today, as when it was first released. The three veterans (Fredric March, Harold Russell, and Dana Andrews) all from the same town, but different backgrounds, journey home together on a military transport plain. Fredric March's character, Al Stephenson, is a mature married man with a good profession, a beautiful wife (Myrna Loy), and two grown children (Teresa Wright and Michael Hall); Harold Russell is a disabled Navy veteran (he lost both hands in battle) unsure of where he stands in life and with his high school sweetheart (Cathy O' Donnell); and Dana Andrews is the "glamour boy" bombardier who comes home to find that the civilian world, which includes his wife (Virginia Mayo), cares little about his exploits as a caption in the Air Force. The journey each man takes is both engrossing and entertaining. It's hard to believe this movie is almost 3 hours long; it moves along so quickly. With a dream cast of top talent from 1940s Hollywood, director William Wyler gets superb performances from the stars as well as the most minor bit players. The action begins with a night on the town with March, Loy, and Wright celebrating March's return home. During their celebrating, they run into Russell and Andrews at Russell's uncle's (Hogey Carmichael) tavern. Having celebrated a bit too much, Loy and Wright load March and Andrews into their car to take them home. They drop Andrews off at his wife's apartment building, but he doesn't have a key to get in, and in a drunken stupor collapses outside its entrance. Loy and Wright proceed to load Andrews back in the car and take him in for the night. The relationships between all the main characters reach a level of poignancy without being overly sentimental, which is no easy feat, especially with what must have been tough stuff to watch for an overwhelming majority of the audience when originally released. Russell and O' Donnell's scenes are moving and sensitive, as are Loy and March's. Even though Andrews arrives home physically intact, his lot seems to be the worst of the group. Married to a self-centered-woman who doesn't love him, he longs for a relationship with someone like Peggy Stephenson (Wright). Things get complicated when the feelings are mutual, with Wright beginning to have strong feelings for Andrews. There are many wonderful moments in this film. Roman Bohnen as Andrews's father is terrific as a man who has a tough time expressing his genuine love for his disillusioned son. When he reads the official letter recounting his son's bravery to his wife (Gladys George), it's an incredibly powerful moment. Another wonderful scene is Wright's visit to the store where Andrews works as a salesman at the perfume counter (as well as at the soda fountain). The good-natured flirting between them seems both honest and real in the hands of these two pros. One could go on and on about the wonderful score, the great Gregg Toland cinematography--from the opening shots from the transport plane to the aircraft "graveyard,"--but this is one wonderful whole that is equal to the sum of its parts; everything falls together seamlessly. Top talent at their peak; run don't walk to get a copy of this classic Best Picture winner (1946).

An Amazing Film.
I was fortunate enough to see this movie on TV a few nights ago, and I must say that it is one of the best films I've seen for YEARS. It's hard to believe that I've never heard of this movie. Even though I was born more than 30 years after this movie's release, it melted my heart unlike any film I've seen. I was very surprised by some of the material in the movie. It seemed way ahead of its time, with topics like alcohol addictions, the questionable results of WWII, etc. It's definately a movie that I'll be adding to my DVD collection.

Superb (and Still Relevant)
I'm usually reluctant to watch old movies no matter how good they're supposed to be. I'm thankful that for some reason I decided to at least watch the beginning and see if it held my attention. This movie will break your heart, all of the characters are sympathetic, and although it is almost 60 years old it is extremely relevant right now, since the US is now in the middle of a war and a new generation of veterans is coming home. It is moving, touching, disturbing, thought-provoking, and inspiring, and for someone too young to have known any family members who remembered WWII or post-war America, highly informative. I suspect, from the number of awards this movie won in the 1940s, that it was well-received, but if this movie were released today it would be denounced as anti-American and unpatriotic.

Correction to Jeff Shannon's Review
The Best Years of Our Lives may have perhaps drawn from some things in a Life Magazine article on returning vets, but the plot is really based on MacKinlay Kantor's 1945 novel Glory for Me, which follows a similar trio of returning GIs. ... Read more