Reviews (43)

A great cast helps this movie to shine
The Dirty Dozen is one of the classic movies about World War 2 with an all star cast. Released in 1967, it tells of a mangy group of men which bands together to pull off an amazing WW2 escapade. The target is a German-controlled chateau in Reims, Brittany.

Lee Marvin is the Major that gathers the group together. The cast includes Donald Sutherland, Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas and many other greats. John Cassavates, who plays "Franco", was nominated for best supporting actor. The movie did win an oscar for best sound effects.

The group heads out to an English field , creates a camp, and begins to train. With a series of ups and downs during six weeks they become a strong fighting force. The test comes during divisional maneuvers in Devonshire, when they have to take on an elite force and take control of the HQ. Of course they do the job, with a good dose of cunning and subterfuge.

On to the French chateau. Amazingly, this was a huge set built just for the film that is destroyed in the finale. Indoor scenes were done at the MGM British Studios in Borhamwood, England.

While some might find the storyline unbelievable, the following year's release was a movie which told a true story of The Devil's Brigade - about a run-down group of misfits who went on to fame and glory.

High action war classic
The Dirty Dozen is one of those classics you can watch over and over again. It tells the story of Major Reisman, who has to train 12 convicts for a suicide mission behind enemy lines. We see the training and then finally the Dirty Dozen's attack on their target, a French chateau full of high-ranking German officers. The action scenes are excellent. The movie never slows down from the beginning even with a running time of 150 minutes.

The performances in the movie are great. This huge list of Hollywood notables took part in this movie. Lee Marvin is awesome as Major John Reisman with Charles Bronson, John Cassavetes, Jim Brown, Donald Sutherland, Telly Savalas, Clint Walker, and Trini Lopez as some of the Dirty Dozen. Also starring are Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Ralph Meeker, and George Kennedy. This is a great movie that shouldn't be missed. The DVD transfer is perfect. Also included are a trailer and a behind the scenes documentary about the movie. If you like the movie, check out the book by E.M. Nathanson.

An Edge-Of-Your-Seat Style Of Movie
Are you looking for a movie with a great plot, perfectly timed action, and superb acting and directing? Look no further. This film, set in World War II, chronicles the covert operations of a group of military convicts, and their non-convict leader behind enemy lines. It is their task to sneak in and assassinate a large group of key German officials.
The movie starts with the commander (played by Lee Marvin, in arguably his greatest role) picking out some of the best, but also some of the most expendable men in the Army. He goes to the prison and gives them a deal. If they will fight, their sentences will be dismissed and they will be free. Most of these men are awaiting execution, while others have long prison terms. His first goal is to make them ready for combat, which proves to be no easy task, as these guys, who seemingly have nothing to lose, give him a hard time. But eventually, under his command, he creates an elite team of fighters. Now, the next objective is to learn the layout of the area they are to infiltrate, which is a huge French chateau, then sneak in and attack. But will they make it? Of course I will not tell you, you will need to see the movie yourself. But what I will tell you is that this is one of those films with an all star cast and loads of edge-of-your-seat action!!! Besides Lee Marvin, you have Telly Savalas, football great Jim Brown, the late VERY great Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland ( Sutherland fans will also love the movie Kelly's Hero's), Ernest Borgnine, Clint Walker ( who also starred in the film Night Of The Grizzly), George Kennedy (who co-starred in the hilarious Naked Gun films), and a host of others too numerous to mention. Besides Action, the film incorporates a delicious amount of drama, suspense, comedy (the war games part will give you a good laugh), Horror (when Telly Savalas goes off the deep end), and intrigue.

A tough-as-nails WW2 classic!
Lee Marvin was just made for this role! Being a decorated WW2 vet he wasn't just acting in this classic! Add Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas, John Cassavetes, Donald Sutherland, & Clint Walker to the mix & you've got an "elite" group of psychos & killers that even would've scared [any dictator]! The movie is 2 1/2 hours but is never dull. There's great character development, plenty of humor, & big-time slaughter of [enemies] at the end! What more could you want from a war movie! For those who love WW2 behind-the-lines suspense, this is highly recommended.

The best fun war movie ever made!
I've always thought the Dirty Dozen was and still is the most fun a person can have watching a war movie if that seems possible! Fortunately for me and by coincidence, about ten years ago, Clint Walker (Posey) became one of my best friends. I wish hollywood still made movies like this. Unfortunately, there just aren't the same kind of actors around anymore. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Send Me No Flowers
Oh Boy! This was a good one! Tony Randall was funny, especially when he was writing the eulogy and kept taking all the nice comments out of it the night the two men spent together. Doris Day was "on to her husband's antics". A true "hypochondriac" in the best way I've ever seen. I just loved the scene when Rock (her husband in the movie) was purchasing the cemetary plots and Paul Lynde was excellent as the salesman. You could tell he was really into his work! I've seen the doctor in several Disney movies too and he plays the part well. And the medicine cabinet......oh my! That was something to see. If you want to have some entertainment, this is certainly a movie to watch. You won't regret seeing it and besides, it's a good movie to share with friends for an evening. Order a pizza or two and ........enjoy the movie!

Want a good laugh???
This is a very, very funny movie. I had no idea it would be so good. Written by Julius Epstein, directed by Norman Jewison and starring Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Edward Andrews and Tony Randall with the great Paul Lynde doing a hilarious turn as a funeral home manager. Hypocondriac Hudson overhears his doctor (Andrews) discussing the impending demise of a terminally ill patient and figures that he is the unfortunate person being discussed. He thereby triggers a magnificent comedy of errors, misunderstandings and lies. One of the very few movies that have caused me laugh out loud even when watching it on my own. Usually I find these '60s comedies pleasantly nostalgic and mildly amusing at best but this film is just out and out FUNNY! It reminds me a little of "Guide For The Married Man" in spirit. I LOVE it!! Highly recommended. The dvd has a great anamorphic wide screen picture and the colors are great. Nothing but a trailer in the way of extras (I suppose a commentary from Doris Day and Tony Randall would be too much to ask for) but still worth the money. I'm glad I bought this.

Pretty Funny
The movie is very funny, with Rock Hudson playing a hypochondriac named George. He is at a doctors appointment, when he overhears the doctor discussing a dying patient on the telephone. Immediately, he assumes he is the dying one. He then starts searching for a new husband for his wife with the help of his friend Arnold. The only problem is that Arnold must say the name George at least 10,000 times. It can get exsaperating. Overall, it is a very funny movie, but kind of gets of out hand at the end.

Doesn't Have The Flaws of the New Pillow Talk DVD!
I just bought the boxset that contains all three of Doris and Rock's movies enhanced in anamorphic widescreen. Pillow Talk is my favorite of the movies they made together and Lover Come Back is my second favorite and I had seen both movies before but yesterday was the first time I ever saw Send Me No Flowers and while I prefer the other movies this was good too and the anamorphic widescreen transfer seems to be fine and doesn't have the misframing problems of the badly botched anamorphic widescreen Pillow Talk DVD and I wish I had bought the DVDs for Send Me No Flowers and Lover Come Back seperately instead of this boxset with the terribly flawed Pillow Talk DVD! In Send me No Flowers Rock Hudson plays a hypochondriac named George Kimball who overhears his doctor talking about another patient who is dying and mistakenly thinks he is talking about him and he goes about trying to find a new husband for his wife Judy played by Doris Day so she will have someone to take care of her but she gets suspicious and winds up thinking that he is having an affair and trying to cover it up. Doris and Rock are teriffic as usual and so is Tony Randall who plays their friend and next door neighbor Arnold.

Send Me No Flowers Today
Judy Kimball (Doris Day) and George Kimball (Rock Hudson) have finally tied the knot in their 3rd and last film together. George is a major hypochondriac that when he goes to the doctor he hears his doc telling somebody that they are not expected to live much longer but George thinks he is talking about himself and gets all worried well he then tries to get judy another man before he dies and Judy thinks for sure that George is having an affair with a neighbor! Well he then tells her the truth and that ends it until she sees the doctor and the doc tells her the real story well than George admits to her and they are all hapy once again! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Much better than you would imagine
I saw this when I was 12 or 13 . . . among the most violent movies of the 60s . . . Vincent Price at his campy best . . . the last 20 minutes over the top . . . but very memorable. ... Read more

Description

The Hudson Brothers and a variety of familiar faces star in this hilarious murder mystery spoof. In the tradition of "Scary Movie," "Hysterical" parodies horror films such as "Dracula," "The Amityville Horror" and "The Exorcist," as well as classics like "Jaws" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark." In the spirit of "Airplane!," this fast-moving laugh fest also boasts plenty of physical comedy, farce, satire, Marx Brothers style-wordplay and outrageous musical numbers. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

What is it about this movie??
This is beyond a doubt one of the most addictive movies of all time!!Like most of the reviews I've read, I too watched this movie as a kid. I remember our copy being recorded off of HBO and we wore it out. I rent this movie, from the one BLOCKBUSTER in town that carries it, at least once a year. It amazes me when I ask people about this movie and they have never seen it. To this day my family still quotes this movie. "he wants to know where the old light house is!" I think it's "hysterical" to look back at the things in the movie I laughed at as a child. I don't even know why it was funny to me then because alot of the humor is based more towards adults. I laugh at my own naivite, but it's good to know that you can watch it in front of the kids without much worrying. When you watch this movie for the first time watch it begining to end. You will be amazed at the non-stop humor pouring from every second of it!!

Love it! Love it! Love it!
OH MY GOD! I have been trying to find this movie for YEARS! My husband cannot believe that I'm fanatical for this movie. Tried to explain it, but if they haven't seen it, they won't realize the value of this movie. My brother and I used to watch this all the time and we would laugh hysterically! Loved the Hudson Brothers' Show, so this movie was just the perfect venue for them.

IF you want a great parody movie that just sticks in your mind FOREVER (All work and no play makes Caper a friendly ghost- and it's been at least 15 years since I've seen it), then this is the movie for you. A cult classic!

NOT "SO BAD IT'S GOOD." JUST BAD.
I don't understand the other reviews. This movie is not funny. The acting is atrocious and the story cliched. The quality of this Image DVD is also bad. The colors are dull and the sound is so soft I had to max out my volume.

I couldn't watch this. It's not even suitable for family viewing. There are some very crude(not funny or creative) moments. The only explanation for the good reviews is if the Hudson brothers are reviewing incognito.

What Difference Does It Make?
Oh Man! I've been waiting for so long for this movie to show up on DVD. I'm a self-professed lover of "stupid movies"- and this one has to top the list. It is over-the-edge bizarre and totally silly, but you just can't help but laugh. I would think this movie scores high among the 12-15 age range scoping out all of the dirty subtext. And,this movie captures such an excellent atmosphere- I think it's visually perfect - including the sets (lighthouse on a cliff- creepy small town) - and the makeup for the "what difference" zombies. Top notch-

Caveat Emptor
While the movie it self is a classic the DVD leaves much to be desired. I was disapointed to find that the DVD was in full screen as opposed to the wide screen I prefer. It also received no treatment whatsoever on the transfer. The titles are shakey as well as the picture. If i had to guess they transfered right from a video tape found at a local video store. If i had it to over again I would have stuck to my copy on VHS and spent my money on something else. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A model for dozens of action films to follow, this box-office hit from 1967 refined a die-hard formula that has become overly familiar, but it's rarely been handled better than it was in this action-packed World War II thriller. Lee Marvin is perfectly cast as a down-but-not-out army major who is offered a shot at personal and professional redemption. If he can successfully train and discipline a squad of army rejects, misfits, killers, prisoners, and psychopaths into a first-rate unit of specialized soldiers, they'll earn a second chance to make up for their woeful misdeeds. Of course, there's a catch: to obtain their pardons, Marvin's band of badmen must agree to a suicide mission that will parachute them into the danger zone of Nazi-occupied France. It's a hazardous path to glory, but the men have no other choice to accept and regain their lost honor. What makes The Dirty Dozen special is its phenomenal cast including Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland, Telly Savalas, George Kennedy, Ernest Borgnine, John Cassavetes, Richard Jaeckel, Jim Brown, Clint Walker, Trini Lopez, Robert Ryan, and others. Cassavetes is the Oscar- nominated standout as one of Marvin's most rebellious yet heroic men, but it's the whole ensemble--combined with the hard-as-nails direction of Robert Aldrich--that makes this such a high-velocity crowd pleaser. The script by Nunnally Johnson and Lukas Heller (from the novel by E.M. Nathanson) is strong enough to support the all-star lineup with ample humor and military grit, so if you're in need of a mainline jolt of testosterone, The Dirty Dozen is the movie for you. The DVD extras are also a kick in the pants, including a promotional featurette showing Marvin and his stylishly macho costars enjoying some male bonding in the mod London bistros of the 1960s. (You almost expect Austin Powers to come speeding around the nearest corner, making it a dirty baker's dozen! Yeah, baby, yeah!) --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (45)

The question that plagues me.
I keep watching that movie to answer the question that should be plaguing anybody who watches The Dirty Dozen: Why Trini Lopez?Does he look like he could do anything that would warrant 20 years hard labor?He is such a cheerful little guy! We all know what happens to him. (Watching it right now --- ooooo, poor guy.) The first time I saw this was in a theater in Bogota, Colombia with a full audience who was rivetted.There is also the added eye candy of Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, Clint Walker and John Cassavetes.Normally I love watching Donald Sutherland, but he looks too goofy in this movie. It is also nice to see Richard Jaeckel, who doesn't do a lot in this movie but really holds his own in others like Sometimes a Great Notion. I normally am not a fan of WWII movies, but this is one that always grabs my attention every 5 or 6 years as a guilty pleasure.

death by hanging
The template from which all other "social deviant soldiers as heros" movies were made through the late 60s to the 80s. Its worth the purchase just to see Donald Sutherland as a general (watch the idiotic band leader). This stuff has been done to death, but the original still is the best and worth the watch. A great combination of humor, drama and grissily violence! Lee Marvin excelled in this kind of role. One problem: where did they get all the ammo? The last 15 minutes has so much shooting that a dozen men would have had to lug a whole ammo dump to carry it out. A film for those who like their grenades "nice and gassy"!! (:-).

An original script!

Twelve is definitively a crucial number. Twelve angry men, Zodiac symbols, the number of members of a Jury . In this sense twelve men, condemned are invited to participate in a very hazardous mission : the core of the picture deals too with a management approach. The film looks aged but it maintains the essential elements to catch the viewer's interest: the cast is impressive and the frenetic action sequences still remain in the memory of a great audience. Marvin is superb and somehow this work threw to Sutherland to the fame. Well directorial effort of Aldrich.

MY FAVORITE WWII MOVIE
Dirty Dozen doesn't presume to tell a gritty, realistic story of WWII.No, this is a pure popcorn, shoot-em up action film that just happens to be set in WWII and is one of the finest examples of the action genre, even almost 40 years later.Lee Marvin stars as Major Reisman who is assigned the impossible task of taking a group of army convicts, most sentenced to death or life in prison, and lead them on a daring mission behind enemy lines to kill off a number of German high-ranking officers who gather at a posh castle.

This movie featured literally a cast of thousands:Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland, Jim Brown, John Cassevetes, George Kennedy, Robert Ryan, Clint Walker, and Telly Savales.

Reisman accepts the mission only after getting some assurance that his men's sentences will be commuted if the mission is successful...and if they live.Thus begins the meat of the movie as the men begin training at a secret facility that even a Col. Breed (Ryan) knows nothing about.Reisman has to deal with insubordination from Franco (Cassavetes) who protests everything and tries to escape.But if anyone escapes, all the prisoners are sent back to prison and Franco learns his lesson after Wladislaw (Bronson) and Jefferson (jim Brown) beat the hell out of him.

The movie provides a great blend of humor and action as these well known names try to one up each other.Savalas is particularly chilling as a bigoted, Christian nut case named Maggott.

The movie climaxes as the troop make their jump behind German Lines and trap dozens of officers inside the castle retreat and load it with explosives to blow.From beginning to end this is a fantastic action movie on a parallel with anything done in the last 20 years.A superb cast make this a movie that I can enjoy over and over again.

The DVD comes with a decent documentary, trailer, and great looking transfer

An Edge-Of-Your-Seat Style Of Movie
Are you looking for a movie with a great plot, perfectly timed action, and superb acting and directing? Look no further. This film, set in World War II, chronicles the covert operations of a group of military convicts, and their non-convict leader behind enemy lines. It is their task to sneak in and assassinate a large group of key German officials.
The movie starts with the commander (played by Lee Marvin, in arguably his greatest role) picking out some of the best, but also some of the most expendable men in the Army. He goes to the prison and gives them a deal. If they will fight, their sentences will be dismissed and they will be free. Most of these men are awaiting execution, while others have long prison terms. His first goal is to make them ready for combat, which proves to be no easy task, as these guys, who seemingly have nothing to lose, give him a hard time. But eventually, under his command, he creates an elite team of fighters. Now, the next objective is to learn the layout of the area they are to infiltrate, which is a huge French chateau, then sneak in and attack. But will they make it? Of course I will not tell you, you will need to see the movie yourself. But what I will tell you is that this is one of those films with an all star cast and loads of edge-of-your-seat action!!! Besides Lee Marvin, you have Telly Savalas, football great Jim Brown, the late VERY great Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland ( Sutherland fans will also love the movie Kelly's Hero's), Ernest Borgnine, Clint Walker ( who also starred in the film Night Of The Grizzly), George Kennedy (who co-starred in the hilarious Naked Gun films), and a host of others too numerous to mention. Besides Action, the film incorporates a delicious amount of drama, suspense, comedy (the war games part will give you a good laugh), Horror (when Telly Savalas goes off the deep end), and intrigue. ... Read more

Description

ACADEMY AWARD® nominee Stewart Stern (Teresa; Rachel, Rachel), who scripted James Dean’s Rebel Without a Cause, also wrote this 1957 documentary about the young star’s tragically short life and career.Narrated by actor Martin Gabel, the film was directed, produced, and edited by fellow nominee Robert Altman (M*A*S*H, Nashville, The Player, Short Cuts) and screenwriter George W. George (Desert Sands).It follows Dean from his humble beginnings on a farm in Fairmount, Indiana, to his OSCAR®-nominated roles in East of Eden and Giant, which was nearing completion when he was killed on September 30, 1955.Included are his traffic safety film for television and East of Eden test, while Altman later explored his enduring appeal in the Broadway play and movie Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. Black & White 79 Minutes ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Lonely Bird
The depictions here are the only accurate substantial accounts of Jimmy Dean's life. There are no bios that can even scratch the surface about him. All of them (authors) put their ideologies above the truth of who Jimmy was. It's too bad that the only truth about this man can never be fully told even by "some" who "claim" they knew him. Christy White is the only one and maybe Bill Bast who appear to be faithfull to his past. The other closest is "maybe" the movie made by TNT in 2003.

Peace..
rj

Vintage Film
This film is a must-see for anyone wanting to know more about James Dean. It was released in 1957, over a year after Dean died, and we get to see and listen to family members who are no longer living. We hear from other citizens of Fairmount, Indiana, who knew "Jimmy." We also see and hear show business friends and acquaintances. It also includes alot of great still photographs.

Please remember this film was made in the late 50s, and its dated. It sort of depressed me watching it because it really brought home the fact that "Jimmy" has been dead almost 50 years. But I would think this film would be a necessary part of anyone's collection of James Dean films.

invaluable to anyone who wants to know more about James Dean
the information from this documentary is invaluable and the insight from his family and the people who saw him on a regular basis gives a glimpse of Jimmy that not many people saw. it is one more facet of a brilliant diamond that shone for too brief a time.one word of caution to anyone with asthma,high blood pressure,heart disese,or tramatic stress disorder,the reenactment of his fatal car crash combined with pictures from the actual crash site are a little too graphic for some.watch at your own risk.

For all of us who love Jimmy
Everything the other reviewers have written is true: this documentary of Dean's life is slow-paced, dry, old-fashioned and dated. If you're one of those people who prefer the colorized versions of classic Black and White films, then this film will probably not be to your liking. But I look at it another way: where else can you view interviews with people who actually knew Jim and knew him well? Most of these were filmed shortly in the aftermath of Dean's death, and therefore, their recolections were contemporary. Time hadn't faded their recollections of this amazing young man. You also get to see a many scenes of Dean's childhood in Indiana: his home, High School, roads he traveled, places he visited. If you're a fan of James Dean, you eat this sort of stuff up; I know I do!

A weakness is that the entire production is in black and white, so the clips they show of his color movies are not in color. It's a little disconcerting to see various scenes of "East of Eden" shown in black and white, but you'll grow accustomed to it. As for the second half of the movie, the short TV drama Jimmy made in 1954, "The Bells of Cockaigne," it is excellent and showcases yet again his amazing talent and his beautiful ability to rivet an audience. The quality of this movie is poor, and it does detract from the viewing experience. The quality of the documentary portion is excellent.

If you love James Dean, this is a must have DVD for your collection. Despite its flaws, it's still riveting because of the interviews with intimates who really knew him.

A must have for any James Dean fan!
This documentary was made right after the rebels death and success. Which is interesting because you get to hear what people who are not alive now had to say about him and see the way the world was at the time of Jimmys death and stardome. It catures the feel of the legacy he left behind. Not only that, it also includes interviews with his family and friends who are dead now along with a recording of James Dean talking with his family and a deleted scene from "East of Eden." Though the documentary was creepy and haunting, as its first image was, it was also heart felt. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Here's the pitch: "It's like Toy Story but these toys that come to life really kick butt!" That's essentially it for this breezy popcorn flick. In a very smart first 10 minutes, new toy-company owner Denis Leary tells his crew he wants toys "that play back." Hence the small soldiers land in Anytown, U.S.A., and the loner kid Alan (Gregory Smith) opens them up before they are supposed to be on the shelves. Those military-grade chips sure make them smart and give the toys plenty of pithy retorts to boot. Plenty of violence, er, action, most of it fun enough. The vocal talents, including Tommy Lee Jones, Frank Langella, and cast members of The Dirty Dozen are inspired characters, the humans less so. With Gremlins director Joe Dante at the helm, it plays like a sequel to that '80s fantasy. Amazing visual effects, of course. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (72)

VERY underrated movie
Spoilers.Read carefully.

Small Soldiers is one of the most underrated movies of all time and that is NO joke.It's an excellent movie that doesn't get the credit it deserves.The toys are brilliant and highly imaginative.The Gorgonites are a little dumb,but somehow,you like them.The special F/X are pretty cool.Commandos wielding weapons,a deformed Gorgonite driving an assault vehicle and a motor cycle chase scene that resembles the chase scene from Terminator 2.The weapons the toys use are brilliant.Flamethrowers,chainsaws,nail guns,flame cannons and many more.It definitely brings back memories of when I played with my commando action figures.The cast is EXTREMELY impressive and as you would expect,their great.The stuntwork is pretty neat too.But of course,SS does have it's share of rough spots.The script is quite weak and nearly all of the events are predictable.The film is disappointingly short and the ending is pretty inconclusive.However,despite those flaws,the film is extremely entertaining and packs plenty of laughs.Despite most reviewers comments of the level of violence,the film nearly isn't as violent as people say it is.There are a couple of intense scenes (one scene has a teen climbing a power pole and dangling and another has two teens on a motor bike assaulted with various weapons,which range from metal washers,corn cob holders,skeet-style saws and more,so it is recommended the first time around you watch it with the kids and if you feel it's OK for them,it's alright to let them watch it alone the second time around).SS is a very funny and entertaining movie and the last really good 90's flick.With rockin' good special F/X,an impressive cast,awesome G.I.-Joe-style toys and lots of other cool stuff,this is a can't miss movie.It's especially enjoyable if you have boys (8+) who are in desperate need of something new.This desperately screams a sequel.Buy it now! Rated "PG-13" for very comical action violence and very little profanity (very very little!).

Entertaining action fastasy comedy film.
Director Joe Dante is best known for making films like-The 1981 horror classic:The Howling, Classic Gremlins and the sequel and Innerspace are his best films. In some way, this is a part remake of his own film-Gremlins(1984). The plot is simple about a young teenage boy named Alan Abernathy(Gregory Smith), one day, when he look after in his father shop. A friend of his, show new army toys called themselves-The Commando Elite. Alan takes the commando elite and also the Gorgonites are also new. One night of the gorgonites toys talk to Alan and he told him that another gorgonites are danger from the commando elite. The commando elite are more trouble than any one could imagine and these toys are in some way are human and The commando elite are putting everyone in danger and in trouble and the solution is getting worse in ever sense of the way. The picture has terrific CGI images by ILM are impressive, every time, you watch the movie. The only flaw is the story is not always sucessful but thanks from a nice sense of directing by Dante. Co-written by Adam Rifkin(Mouse Hunt, The director of Detroit Rock City) and Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio(Godzilla, Aladdin, The Mask of Zorro).

DVD has impressive widescreen format(2.35:1). The only Dante film, in a Panavision Scope). A short but fun behind the scenes featurette and Deleted Scenes/Outtakes. Outtakes are actually funny to watch. Superb Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Grade:B+.

Small soldiers is da bomb
"Small soldiers" This is so cool. It's about toys which come alive. And then the soldiers are the bad guy's and the monsters are the good guy's. And then the monsters meet a boy. Then the soldiers try to attack him {boy}. And after that they find out that they put special chips {electronic} to make them alive. Then the people try to stop the soldiers and they do. After that the boy takes the monsters to the forest and lets them free. Then the end.

What type of movie is this? action,adventure, and comedy.
Rated? 13
This is so cool !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Awesome special effects
For pure entertainment value and eye-candy alone, I really enjoyed this film. The acting was good, even though the plot was full of holes and the script had some extremely cheesy lines. It was good to see Phil Hartman on screen, but his talent was wasted in this flick - his character was a minor one and he didn't get many lines.

The premise: a military defense contractor expands its boundaries by buying up a successful toy company, hoping to put surplus chips to use by remarketing them as toys.

Two races of action figures - soldiers (human) and Gorgonites (totally dissimilar to each other, from the planet Gorgon, both are programmed to be mortal enemies. The soldiers are programmed to win, the Gorgonites are programmed to either hide or lose.

Apparently no testing takes place before they hit the shelves and the soldiers are ruthless, ripping the Gorgonites limb from limb.

They decide that children who play with Gorgonites must also be destroyed, as they are perceived as being collaborators with the enemy. Needless to say, this is entertainmen for grownups, not for little ones.

The chips that are used in them give them artificial intelligence - the ability to learn and to create new weapons using anything they find. Almost like "Universal Soldier" along with the passion and emotion.

Archer, protector of the Gorgonites, is the true heartwarming character of the film. He is homesick for Gorgon, and even though the planet only exists in the mind of the toymakers that marketed him, he longs to be home.

Alan, a boy trying to re-earn the trust from his parents, has a hard time proving that toys are the ones wreaking havoc until they are caught in the act.

In the end, it becomes a literal fight to the death between the small soldiers and the children and their parents.

The film falls short in that it doesn't know if it's a farce, a parody, a comedy, an action flick or a drama. They try to put in way too much, so most of it falls flat.

The scenes with the attacking Barbies is more creepy like "The Stepford Wives" than it is funny, even though you get the jokes in what are supposed to be comic relief moments.

Still, this is well worth watching for the animitronics and for sci fi concepts.

Excellent movie
"Small Soldiers" is an excellent movie. Its proably a little too violent for small kids like 6 and 7, but the concept is good. The ending is speciafially awesome when the good guys win! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Lonely Bird
The depictions here are the only accurate substantial accounts of Jimmy Dean's life. There are no bios that can even scratch the surface about him. All of them (authors) put their ideologies above the truth of who Jimmy was. It's too bad that the only truth about this man can never be fully told even by "some" who "claim" they knew him. Christy White is the only one and maybe Bill Bast who appear to be faithfull to his past. The other closest is "maybe" the movie made by TNT in 2003.

Peace..
rj

Vintage Film
This film is a must-see for anyone wanting to know more about James Dean. It was released in 1957, over a year after Dean died, and we get to see and listen to family members who are no longer living. We hear from other citizens of Fairmount, Indiana, who knew "Jimmy." We also see and hear show business friends and acquaintances. It also includes alot of great still photographs.

Please remember this film was made in the late 50s, and its dated. It sort of depressed me watching it because it really brought home the fact that "Jimmy" has been dead almost 50 years. But I would think this film would be a necessary part of anyone's collection of James Dean films.

invaluable to anyone who wants to know more about James Dean
the information from this documentary is invaluable and the insight from his family and the people who saw him on a regular basis gives a glimpse of Jimmy that not many people saw. it is one more facet of a brilliant diamond that shone for too brief a time.one word of caution to anyone with asthma,high blood pressure,heart disese,or tramatic stress disorder,the reenactment of his fatal car crash combined with pictures from the actual crash site are a little too graphic for some.watch at your own risk.

For all of us who love Jimmy
Everything the other reviewers have written is true: this documentary of Dean's life is slow-paced, dry, old-fashioned and dated. If you're one of those people who prefer the colorized versions of classic Black and White films, then this film will probably not be to your liking. But I look at it another way: where else can you view interviews with people who actually knew Jim and knew him well? Most of these were filmed shortly in the aftermath of Dean's death, and therefore, their recolections were contemporary. Time hadn't faded their recollections of this amazing young man. You also get to see a many scenes of Dean's childhood in Indiana: his home, High School, roads he traveled, places he visited. If you're a fan of James Dean, you eat this sort of stuff up; I know I do!

A weakness is that the entire production is in black and white, so the clips they show of his color movies are not in color. It's a little disconcerting to see various scenes of "East of Eden" shown in black and white, but you'll grow accustomed to it. As for the second half of the movie, the short TV drama Jimmy made in 1954, "The Bells of Cockaigne," it is excellent and showcases yet again his amazing talent and his beautiful ability to rivet an audience. The quality of this movie is poor, and it does detract from the viewing experience. The quality of the documentary portion is excellent.

If you love James Dean, this is a must have DVD for your collection. Despite its flaws, it's still riveting because of the interviews with intimates who really knew him.

A must have for any James Dean fan!
This documentary was made right after the rebels death and success. Which is interesting because you get to hear what people who are not alive now had to say about him and see the way the world was at the time of Jimmys death and stardome. It catures the feel of the legacy he left behind. Not only that, it also includes interviews with his family and friends who are dead now along with a recording of James Dean talking with his family and a deleted scene from "East of Eden." Though the documentary was creepy and haunting, as its first image was, it was also heart felt. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A model for dozens of action films to follow, this box-office hit from 1967 refined a die-hard formula that has become overly familiar, but it's rarely been handled better than it was in this action-packed World War II thriller. Lee Marvin is perfectly cast as a down-but-not-out army major who is offered a shot at personal and professional redemption. If he can successfully train and discipline a squad of army rejects, misfits, killers, prisoners, and psychopaths into a first-rate unit of specialized soldiers, they'll earn a second chance to make up for their woeful misdeeds. Of course, there's a catch: to obtain their pardons, Marvin's band of badmen must agree to a suicide mission that will parachute them into the danger zone of Nazi-occupied France. It's a hazardous path to glory, but the men have no other choice to accept and regain their lost honor. What makes The Dirty Dozen special is its phenomenal cast including Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland, Telly Savalas, George Kennedy, Ernest Borgnine, John Cassavetes, Richard Jaeckel, Jim Brown, Clint Walker, Trini Lopez, Robert Ryan, and others. Cassavetes is the Oscar- nominated standout as one of Marvin's most rebellious yet heroic men, but it's the whole ensemble--combined with the hard-as-nails direction of Robert Aldrich--that makes this such a high-velocity crowd pleaser. The script by Nunnally Johnson and Lukas Heller (from the novel by E.M. Nathanson) is strong enough to support the all-star lineup with ample humor and military grit, so if you're in need of a mainline jolt of testosterone, The Dirty Dozen is the movie for you. The DVD extras are also a kick in the pants, including a promotional featurette showing Marvin and his stylishly macho costars enjoying some male bonding in the mod London bistros of the 1960s. (You almost expect Austin Powers to come speeding around the nearest corner, making it a dirty baker's dozen! Yeah, baby, yeah!) --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (43)

A great cast helps this movie to shine
The Dirty Dozen is one of the classic movies about World War 2 with an all star cast. Released in 1967, it tells of a mangy group of men which bands together to pull off an amazing WW2 escapade. The target is a German-controlled chateau in Reims, Brittany.

Lee Marvin is the Major that gathers the group together. The cast includes Donald Sutherland, Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas and many other greats. John Cassavates, who plays "Franco", was nominated for best supporting actor. The movie did win an oscar for best sound effects.

The group heads out to an English field , creates a camp, and begins to train. With a series of ups and downs during six weeks they become a strong fighting force. The test comes during divisional maneuvers in Devonshire, when they have to take on an elite force and take control of the HQ. Of course they do the job, with a good dose of cunning and subterfuge.

On to the French chateau. Amazingly, this was a huge set built just for the film that is destroyed in the finale. Indoor scenes were done at the MGM British Studios in Borhamwood, England.

While some might find the storyline unbelievable, the following year's release was a movie which told a true story of The Devil's Brigade - about a run-down group of misfits who went on to fame and glory.

High action war classic
The Dirty Dozen is one of those classics you can watch over and over again. It tells the story of Major Reisman, who has to train 12 convicts for a suicide mission behind enemy lines. We see the training and then finally the Dirty Dozen's attack on their target, a French chateau full of high-ranking German officers. The action scenes are excellent. The movie never slows down from the beginning even with a running time of 150 minutes.

The performances in the movie are great. This huge list of Hollywood notables took part in this movie. Lee Marvin is awesome as Major John Reisman with Charles Bronson, John Cassavetes, Jim Brown, Donald Sutherland, Telly Savalas, Clint Walker, and Trini Lopez as some of the Dirty Dozen. Also starring are Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Ralph Meeker, and George Kennedy. This is a great movie that shouldn't be missed. The DVD transfer is perfect. Also included are a trailer and a behind the scenes documentary about the movie. If you like the movie, check out the book by E.M. Nathanson.

An Edge-Of-Your-Seat Style Of Movie
Are you looking for a movie with a great plot, perfectly timed action, and superb acting and directing? Look no further. This film, set in World War II, chronicles the covert operations of a group of military convicts, and their non-convict leader behind enemy lines. It is their task to sneak in and assassinate a large group of key German officials.
The movie starts with the commander (played by Lee Marvin, in arguably his greatest role) picking out some of the best, but also some of the most expendable men in the Army. He goes to the prison and gives them a deal. If they will fight, their sentences will be dismissed and they will be free. Most of these men are awaiting execution, while others have long prison terms. His first goal is to make them ready for combat, which proves to be no easy task, as these guys, who seemingly have nothing to lose, give him a hard time. But eventually, under his command, he creates an elite team of fighters. Now, the next objective is to learn the layout of the area they are to infiltrate, which is a huge French chateau, then sneak in and attack. But will they make it? Of course I will not tell you, you will need to see the movie yourself. But what I will tell you is that this is one of those films with an all star cast and loads of edge-of-your-seat action!!! Besides Lee Marvin, you have Telly Savalas, football great Jim Brown, the late VERY great Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland ( Sutherland fans will also love the movie Kelly's Hero's), Ernest Borgnine, Clint Walker ( who also starred in the film Night Of The Grizzly), George Kennedy (who co-starred in the hilarious Naked Gun films), and a host of others too numerous to mention. Besides Action, the film incorporates a delicious amount of drama, suspense, comedy (the war games part will give you a good laugh), Horror (when Telly Savalas goes off the deep end), and intrigue.

A tough-as-nails WW2 classic!
Lee Marvin was just made for this role! Being a decorated WW2 vet he wasn't just acting in this classic! Add Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas, John Cassavetes, Donald Sutherland, & Clint Walker to the mix & you've got an "elite" group of psychos & killers that even would've scared [any dictator]! The movie is 2 1/2 hours but is never dull. There's great character development, plenty of humor, & big-time slaughter of [enemies] at the end! What more could you want from a war movie! For those who love WW2 behind-the-lines suspense, this is highly recommended.

The best fun war movie ever made!
I've always thought the Dirty Dozen was and still is the most fun a person can have watching a war movie if that seems possible! Fortunately for me and by coincidence, about ten years ago, Clint Walker (Posey) became one of my best friends. I wish hollywood still made movies like this. Unfortunately, there just aren't the same kind of actors around anymore. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Not so much a spaghetti Western as a Gazpacho Western, from Spanish director Eugenio Martin, starring Telly Savalas, very funny and effective as the charismatic Mexican revolutionary, Pancho Villa.The story follows Villa's campaign to overtake General Goyo and thus take over the Mexican government, along the way invading the land of the "gringos" to replenish his weapons.Largely played for laughs, Pancho Villa wanders here and there, but remains fairly entertaining throughout.Chuck Connors deserves special mention as the martinet Colonel Wilcox, who at one point has a mess tent full of officers chasing a single fly, because, you know, a dirty army is an inefficient army.Connors receives the best entrance of anyone in the film: an extreme close-up profile of his enormous chin.It's Colonel Wilcox's single-minded zeal that results in a two-train head-on collision at the film's finale that would make Gomez Addams envious. --Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Looney Tunes Discovers Pancho Villa
Quite simply put, this is the silliest movie I've ever seen. There are no characters, only characatures; virtually nothing is believeable. The Army officers are all boobs; the enlisted men are stupid beyond comprehension. There is nothing other than the names of Villa, the 13th Cavalry, and Columbus, New Mexico to connect this fiasco to the real world, and Mexicans are portrayed in the most condescending and stereotyped fashion imaginable. The attempts at humor are at best amateurish and at worst infantile.Why anyone wasted the time, money, and resources to make this film is incomprehensible; I needn't mention acting talent because there isn't any. At least the film appears to be properly exposed in most sequences. Don't waste your time!

One zany Mexican Revolution
Read any online movie review and chances are you will find at least one writer who carps endlessly about the various historical inaccuracies of such and such film. As though that is the end all and be all criteria for a good period film. Well, I imagine such a person would have a field day with this version of Pancho Villa starring Telly Savalas. The only problem is no one would care. Simply put, Pancho Villa is a jokey and light-hearted action film. At least it tries to be. In actuality, it's slow-paced and only mildly diverting. As portrayed by Telly Savalas, Villa is a boorish, self-centered bandit recently deprived of his hair while held captive by nemesis General Goyo(Antonio Casas). Clint Walker plays his American friend Scotty, who goes to Columbus, New Mexico to buy arms for Villa. Double crossed by the dealer, Scotty barely survives an ambush and makes it back to Villa to report the bad news. Ever the glory seeker, Villa comes up with the brilliant idea to cross the border into Columbus to get revenge, except do it under the guise of a military invasion. From there, all sorts of hijinks and gunplay ensues, including a game of chicken between two trains manned by Villa and Chuck Connors as a wild-eyed, spit-and-polish, calvary colonel. Plenty of noise, but curiously little energy. Savalas and Connors duel with each other in the scenery chewing department, hamming up their respective roles as if it were their last. 'Ol Telly even gets to sing the closing song over the credits! And director Eugenio Martin would redeem himself for this film and the excreable Bad Man's River with Horror Express. Some kudos go the DVD by MasterTone, which has a fairly clean looking print and letterboxed it to boot. Certainly as good as I've ever seen this movie.

Clint Walker speaks!
Telly Savalas and Clint Walker are together again, in this fanciful version of Pancho Villa. Mr. Walker gives a very verbose, and masculine performance.

Savalas is at his best!
Telly Savalas rarely has his own starring role movies, but when he does, look out. Pancho Villa scores on all levels. It is an excellent western, action/adventure film, and an excellent character study of Villa. Savalas along with a talented cast was unfortunately overlooked at the Academy Awards. He definitely should have one for this magnificent portrayal of one of the most notorious bandits in history.

In no way resembles the life of Pancho Villa.
In no way resembles the life of Pancho Villa ... Read more

Amazon.com

Shortly after James Dean died in a car crash, Robert Altman andGeorge W. George (son of Rube Goldberg) set out to document the young star's brief life.The results are mixed.The narration (written by Stewart Stern, who wrote Rebel Without a Cause and befriended Dean) tries to get beyond the public image of Dean as the cool rebel to show the lonely young man underneath.It's a bit overwrought, but that's understandable, given the strong emotions Dean elicited from those who knew and loved him.But Martin Gabel is all wrong as narrator; his stentorian delivery turns the hot-blooded musings of youth into ponderous, pompous pronouncements totally lacking in humor.The most interesting element is the people of Fairmont, Indiana, where Dean grew up--straightforward, direct, and proud of Dean not for the fame he attracted but for who he was.

The Bells of Cockaigne is an early appearance from Dean's days in television in New York.He plays the father of a sick child who gambles his week's pay to try to earn enough to take his son "somewhere warm and dry." Gene Lockhart is the stubborn old Irishman who ultimately gives up his own dreams to help Dean.This half-hour program (complete with ads) was live TV; the kinescope is of questionable quality, but already Dean shows some of the talent and charisma of his later work.--Geof Miller ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Lonely Bird
The depictions here are the only accurate substantial accounts of Jimmy Dean's life. There are no bios that can even scratch the surface about him. All of them (authors) put their ideologies above the truth of who Jimmy was. It's too bad that the only truth about this man can never be fully told even by "some" who "claim" they knew him. Christy White is the only one and maybe Bill Bast who appear to be faithfull to his past. The other closest is "maybe" the movie made by TNT in 2003.

Peace..
rj

Vintage Film
This film is a must-see for anyone wanting to know more about James Dean. It was released in 1957, over a year after Dean died, and we get to see and listen to family members who are no longer living. We hear from other citizens of Fairmount, Indiana, who knew "Jimmy." We also see and hear show business friends and acquaintances. It also includes alot of great still photographs.

Please remember this film was made in the late 50s, and its dated. It sort of depressed me watching it because it really brought home the fact that "Jimmy" has been dead almost 50 years. But I would think this film would be a necessary part of anyone's collection of James Dean films.

invaluable to anyone who wants to know more about James Dean
the information from this documentary is invaluable and the insight from his family and the people who saw him on a regular basis gives a glimpse of Jimmy that not many people saw. it is one more facet of a brilliant diamond that shone for too brief a time.one word of caution to anyone with asthma,high blood pressure,heart disese,or tramatic stress disorder,the reenactment of his fatal car crash combined with pictures from the actual crash site are a little too graphic for some.watch at your own risk.

For all of us who love Jimmy
Everything the other reviewers have written is true: this documentary of Dean's life is slow-paced, dry, old-fashioned and dated. If you're one of those people who prefer the colorized versions of classic Black and White films, then this film will probably not be to your liking. But I look at it another way: where else can you view interviews with people who actually knew Jim and knew him well? Most of these were filmed shortly in the aftermath of Dean's death, and therefore, their recolections were contemporary. Time hadn't faded their recollections of this amazing young man. You also get to see a many scenes of Dean's childhood in Indiana: his home, High School, roads he traveled, places he visited. If you're a fan of James Dean, you eat this sort of stuff up; I know I do!

A weakness is that the entire production is in black and white, so the clips they show of his color movies are not in color. It's a little disconcerting to see various scenes of "East of Eden" shown in black and white, but you'll grow accustomed to it. As for the second half of the movie, the short TV drama Jimmy made in 1954, "The Bells of Cockaigne," it is excellent and showcases yet again his amazing talent and his beautiful ability to rivet an audience. The quality of this movie is poor, and it does detract from the viewing experience. The quality of the documentary portion is excellent.

If you love James Dean, this is a must have DVD for your collection. Despite its flaws, it's still riveting because of the interviews with intimates who really knew him.

A must have for any James Dean fan!
This documentary was made right after the rebels death and success. Which is interesting because you get to hear what people who are not alive now had to say about him and see the way the world was at the time of Jimmys death and stardome. It catures the feel of the legacy he left behind. Not only that, it also includes interviews with his family and friends who are dead now along with a recording of James Dean talking with his family and a deleted scene from "East of Eden." Though the documentary was creepy and haunting, as its first image was, it was also heart felt. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Lonely Bird
The depictions here are the only accurate substantial accounts of Jimmy Dean's life. There are no bios that can even scratch the surface about him. All of them (authors) put their ideologies above the truth of who Jimmy was. It's too bad that the only truth about this man can never be fully told even by "some" who "claim" they knew him. Christy White is the only one and maybe Bill Bast who appear to be faithfull to his past. The other closest is "maybe" the movie made by TNT in 2003.

Peace..
rj

Vintage Film
This film is a must-see for anyone wanting to know more about James Dean. It was released in 1957, over a year after Dean died, and we get to see and listen to family members who are no longer living. We hear from other citizens of Fairmount, Indiana, who knew "Jimmy." We also see and hear show business friends and acquaintances. It also includes alot of great still photographs.

Please remember this film was made in the late 50s, and its dated. It sort of depressed me watching it because it really brought home the fact that "Jimmy" has been dead almost 50 years. But I would think this film would be a necessary part of anyone's collection of James Dean films.

invaluable to anyone who wants to know more about James Dean
the information from this documentary is invaluable and the insight from his family and the people who saw him on a regular basis gives a glimpse of Jimmy that not many people saw. it is one more facet of a brilliant diamond that shone for too brief a time.one word of caution to anyone with asthma,high blood pressure,heart disese,or tramatic stress disorder,the reenactment of his fatal car crash combined with pictures from the actual crash site are a little too graphic for some.watch at your own risk.

For all of us who love Jimmy
Everything the other reviewers have written is true: this documentary of Dean's life is slow-paced, dry, old-fashioned and dated. If you're one of those people who prefer the colorized versions of classic Black and White films, then this film will probably not be to your liking. But I look at it another way: where else can you view interviews with people who actually knew Jim and knew him well? Most of these were filmed shortly in the aftermath of Dean's death, and therefore, their recolections were contemporary. Time hadn't faded their recollections of this amazing young man. You also get to see a many scenes of Dean's childhood in Indiana: his home, High School, roads he traveled, places he visited. If you're a fan of James Dean, you eat this sort of stuff up; I know I do!

A weakness is that the entire production is in black and white, so the clips they show of his color movies are not in color. It's a little disconcerting to see various scenes of "East of Eden" shown in black and white, but you'll grow accustomed to it. As for the second half of the movie, the short TV drama Jimmy made in 1954, "The Bells of Cockaigne," it is excellent and showcases yet again his amazing talent and his beautiful ability to rivet an audience. The quality of this movie is poor, and it does detract from the viewing experience. The quality of the documentary portion is excellent.

If you love James Dean, this is a must have DVD for your collection. Despite its flaws, it's still riveting because of the interviews with intimates who really knew him.

A must have for any James Dean fan!
This documentary was made right after the rebels death and success. Which is interesting because you get to hear what people who are not alive now had to say about him and see the way the world was at the time of Jimmys death and stardome. It catures the feel of the legacy he left behind. Not only that, it also includes interviews with his family and friends who are dead now along with a recording of James Dean talking with his family and a deleted scene from "East of Eden." Though the documentary was creepy and haunting, as its first image was, it was also heart felt. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Lonely Bird
The depictions here are the only accurate substantial accounts of Jimmy Dean's life. There are no bios that can even scratch the surface about him. All of them (authors) put their ideologies above the truth of who Jimmy was. It's too bad that the only truth about this man can never be fully told even by "some" who "claim" they knew him. Christy White is the only one and maybe Bill Bast who appear to be faithfull to his past. The other closest is "maybe" the movie made by TNT in 2003.

Peace..
rj

Vintage Film
This film is a must-see for anyone wanting to know more about James Dean. It was released in 1957, over a year after Dean died, and we get to see and listen to family members who are no longer living. We hear from other citizens of Fairmount, Indiana, who knew "Jimmy." We also see and hear show business friends and acquaintances. It also includes alot of great still photographs.

Please remember this film was made in the late 50s, and its dated. It sort of depressed me watching it because it really brought home the fact that "Jimmy" has been dead almost 50 years. But I would think this film would be a necessary part of anyone's collection of James Dean films.

invaluable to anyone who wants to know more about James Dean
the information from this documentary is invaluable and the insight from his family and the people who saw him on a regular basis gives a glimpse of Jimmy that not many people saw. it is one more facet of a brilliant diamond that shone for too brief a time.one word of caution to anyone with asthma,high blood pressure,heart disese,or tramatic stress disorder,the reenactment of his fatal car crash combined with pictures from the actual crash site are a little too graphic for some.watch at your own risk.

For all of us who love Jimmy
Everything the other reviewers have written is true: this documentary of Dean's life is slow-paced, dry, old-fashioned and dated. If you're one of those people who prefer the colorized versions of classic Black and White films, then this film will probably not be to your liking. But I look at it another way: where else can you view interviews with people who actually knew Jim and knew him well? Most of these were filmed shortly in the aftermath of Dean's death, and therefore, their recolections were contemporary. Time hadn't faded their recollections of this amazing young man. You also get to see a many scenes of Dean's childhood in Indiana: his home, High School, roads he traveled, places he visited. If you're a fan of James Dean, you eat this sort of stuff up; I know I do!

A weakness is that the entire production is in black and white, so the clips they show of his color movies are not in color. It's a little disconcerting to see various scenes of "East of Eden" shown in black and white, but you'll grow accustomed to it. As for the second half of the movie, the short TV drama Jimmy made in 1954, "The Bells of Cockaigne," it is excellent and showcases yet again his amazing talent and his beautiful ability to rivet an audience. The quality of this movie is poor, and it does detract from the viewing experience. The quality of the documentary portion is excellent.

If you love James Dean, this is a must have DVD for your collection. Despite its flaws, it's still riveting because of the interviews with intimates who really knew him.

A must have for any James Dean fan!
This documentary was made right after the rebels death and success. Which is interesting because you get to hear what people who are not alive now had to say about him and see the way the world was at the time of Jimmys death and stardome. It catures the feel of the legacy he left behind. Not only that, it also includes interviews with his family and friends who are dead now along with a recording of James Dean talking with his family and a deleted scene from "East of Eden." Though the documentary was creepy and haunting, as its first image was, it was also heart felt. ... Read more