Reviews (6)

Bravo for Hallmark. . .
I too saw this film on the Hallmark Channel. They did a decent job of updating the Dumas classic. I must qualify my review ;as the standard which almost all serious Dumas film fans is the Richard Lester duo: The three and four musketeers of the early 70's. Also I have been a student of rapier/dagger swordplay for about 6 years. Anyway, back to the film. I found it entertaining, and the sword-work was'nt bad. I would have liked more dagger play, and some good ole cloak work as well. Back to the story, is was somewhat refreshing to see both the 4 musketeers and their children battle the evil forces of Cardinal Mazarin. The bad guys were as usual some of the more interesting characters. My main beef was the shiny leather get-ups of some of the characters...

A fun addition to the Musketeer pantheon
Picked up this movie today and once it was in my DVD player I was riveted until it was over. A lot of fun and an engaging plot. Well recommended.

La Femme Musketeer
I have to say that I feel that this movie can easily join the ranks of the other "Musketeer" movies. Hallmark did a wonderful job on this film, as did everyone on screen.
Susie Amy (Valentine) did an amazing job, especially since there was a lot of weight on her shoulders to carry this film, but she pulled it off. Just as amazing was Nastassja Kinski (Lady Bolton). I don't think I've ever seen her like this, and I only wish there was more of her in the movie. It was wonderful seeing Michael York reprise his role as D'Artagnan. Caspar Zafer (Gaston), Andrew Musselman (Antoine) and Niko Nicotera (Etienne) as the Musketeer's sons made me laugh with nearly every thing they did.
All in all, this really is a great movie. Dare I say, one of Hallmark's best. This is one you can watch over and over again (considering I've watched it twice already) and never get tired of it. Trust me, this movie is one to be seen.

Adventurous Fun
I entered into watching this film with lowered expectation. Lets face A) it was a made for TV movie..and from Hallmark. B) Can anyone look at Michael York today and not see Basil Exposition (from the Austin Powers movies).

I wish to now (after removing my foot from my mouth) apologize to Mr. York and Hallmark. Loved this Film. I loved seeing Michael York reprise his role as D'Artagnan.

This was perhaps the best Musketeer movie released in the U.S. since Richard Lesters 1979 versions.

The acting was superb, the costumes and sets amazing, very High Production Values and great sword-play.
The acting was fantastic. The woman playing Valentine was beautiful...She had that perfect mix of sensetivity and Fierceness that made her perfect to play a gascon.

The kids of the Musketeers were alot of fun, and chips off the old block. John Rys Davis as Porthos was brilliant casting altho Athos and Aramis were disapponting.

Gerard DePardieu seemed lill at ease in the Cardinals robes, but Natasha Kinski as the lady Bolton was as beautiful as ever.
The real star, to me, was Jean Michel Pirae as Villeroi...seethingly evil yet Darkly compelling...you almost felt for him...almost. A Great Film and I can't wait for the DVD

Kick's Butt!!!
I saw this movie on Hallmark too! It's the best! I may not know a whole lot about sword play, but I think it's one of the best! Instead of having the guys always being the heros, there's finally a girl who becomes one! And she doesn't wear the dresses! She is taught by her father, and she takes on the captin of the Cardinal! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Winner of eight Academy Awards, including Best Director (Bob Fosse), Best Actress (Liza Minnelli), and Best Supporting Actor (Joel Grey), Cabaret would also have taken Best Picture if it hadn't been competing against The Godfather as the most acclaimed film of 1972. (Francis Ford Coppola would have to wait two years before winning Best Director, for The Godfather, Part II.)Brilliantly adapted from the acclaimed stage production, which was in turn inspired by Christopher Isherwood's Berlin Stories and the play and movie I Am a Camera, this remarkable musical turns the pre-war Berlin of 1931 into a sexually charged haven of decadence. Minnelli commands the screen as nightclub entertainer Sally Bowles, who radiantly goes on with the show as the Nazis rise to power, holding her many male admirers (including Michael York and Helmut Griem) at a distance that keeps her from having to bother with genuinely deep emotions. Joel Grey is the master of ceremonies at the Kit Kat Klub who will guarantee a great show night after night as a way of staving off the inevitable effects of war and dictatorship. They're all living in a morally ambiguous vacuum of desperate anxiety, determined to keep up appearances as the real world--the world outside the comfortable sanctuary of the cabaret--prepares for the nightmarish chaos of war. Director-choreographer Fosse achieves a finely tuned combination of devastating drama and ebullient entertainment, and the result is one of the most substantial screen musicals ever made. The dual-layered Special Edition widescreen DVD includes an exclusive 25th-anniversary documentary, Cabaret: A Legend in the Making, a 1972 promotional featurette, a photo gallery, production notes, the theatrical trailer, and more. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This Film Has A Great Message
I saw this film when I was young, and am quite happy to find it again. It is the story of a doctor who was forced to join the German Army during WWII, and later moved to Australia, hoping to escape the memories and prejudice of war. After attempting to save the life of a logging man, the community discovers he was in the German Army, and he is threatened with deportation.
I can't give away the ending, but the message is real and heart felt. Definitely worth watching. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Finally, a Phil. movie about USA that is taken seriously
To my great surprise, this is actually one of the few Philippine based films I've seen where Americans aren't stereotyped as ridiculous-looking cowboys with broad-brimmed hats and cheesy western accents. Many Filipino movies unfortunately include American characters and poke fun at them, in a pathetically inaccurate and deeply misleading way. But this film didn't, and so I took it seriously. Based on the background of the plot regarding American soldiers stationed in Subic Naval Base, this is a fairly accurate portrayal of the characters and the real people whom they were loosely based on.

Nevertheless, the story and plot are entirely fictional. There's definitely some romantic drama involved in this movie, particularly concerning an interracial affair between an American soldier and a Filipina. On the other hand, there's also some action and a strange twist of events as one of the US soldiers turn psycho and try to blow everything up. So in terms of plot summary, I wouldn't call this movie as ingenuous. The story is rather predictable. So it is largely because of this that I gave the review 3 stars.

However, I do admire how Filipino filmmakers have done a wonderful collaboration to produce this piece which I may say could generate some serious pride in Philippine filmmaking. The cinematography rivals that of the big-budget US films, and I know from a fact that much effort was made to produce a truly porfessional and epic scale movie like this one. So this DVD would be okay to have in your collection, if you are interested in learning more about the Philippines and its foreign policy towards the US. It's not a historical documentary, but it's a good watch. Plus, where else could you see a movie with beautiful Filipino actors and actresses as well as acclaimed actors from the US put together?

Remembering the P.I.
As a former Navy Vet who spent more than 6 years in the philippines this movie brought back a lot of memories. I left just a couple years before the base closure. While this movie was not 100% accurate some of it was right on. Especially the blackmail attempt, and the semi-accidental killing of the filipino. While I was station-dito there were more than several instances of Filipine Marine or locals and Navy or marine sentries shooting each other and worse. The women were very enticing its true many of my friends including myself brought home Filipina brides (16 years and counting). I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and will definately buy it on DVD. BTW if you are reading this and remember me for P.I... drop me an email. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When it was released in 1999, The Omega Code surprised Hollywoodby scoring $2.4 million in its opening weekend, following a promotional blitz on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. The Christian televangelical outlet, which funded this chaotic biblical thriller, had built widespread awareness among its viewership, and the film attracted an appreciative Christian audience. While it's true that The Omega Code offers a wealth of biblical prophecy that Christians will study for years, it remains a pedestrian, headache-inducing movie that's too busy "decoding" the Bible to make any dramatic sense. With a cast that could populate an Aaron Spelling miniseries, it's too badly written to inspire serious religious discussion, and not terrible enough to qualify as entertaining schlock. It's just painfully, pretentiously bad.

Rife with snippets from the book of Revelation, the convoluted plot finds a famous motivational speaker and "Bible Code" expert (Casper Van Dien) under the influence of an ultra-wealthy philanthropist (played by ultra-hammy Michael York) who schemes to crack the Bible's secret codes and take over the world. He's a vessel for the Antichrist (with snidely Michael Ironside as his henchman), and by the time Van Dien gets a clue from a pair of resurrected prophets, The Omega Code has jettisoned any pretense of religious importance. Rather than dare a meaningful examination of faith and the power of evil, the movie opts instead for cheesy pyrotechnics, hackneyed action, and enough bad acting to make Arnold Schwarzenegger's End of Days look like a masterpiece. Do you want to feel closer to God? Just read your Bible, forget about the code, and avoid this gawd-awful movie. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (170)

A Major Step in the Right Direction
I've read a lot of negative reviews based on how reviewers felt the Omega Code compared to secular big budget films. The problem with comparing Omega Code with these films is that the producers never intended or pretended that it would be a secular big budget film. It was intended to be a soul-winning, prophecy based movie.

Another area of "grief" in the reviews seemed to be that it did not include prophetic events like the the mark of the beast and people being "Left Behind" as in other movies. Here again, the purpose was not to include every end time prophecy but to give a fictional set of probabilities related to the use of the fairly new discovery of the Bible encodings which have and still reveal the current happenings like the newspaper.

REMINDER: Low budget means less money to spend on a myriad of sound and special effects. What is being underplayed is the fact that the christian community pulled together from the grassroots and made it possible for this movie to be in the limelight or reviewed at all.

No, everything was not perfect but it most certainly a step in the right direction and an encouragement for all aspiring writers, directors, actors and producers to know that there is an audience out there for Bible based films.

Was this deliberately hilarious, or what?
It's been a long time since I've seen a movie quite this terrible. After about ten minutes I realized I was watching an unintentional comedy directed by some jackass zealot. Notice that during the previews all the movies are religious. "Crosswalk Entertainment".

It begins with a man (Michael Ironside, prostituting himself for cash) shooting a monk SITTING BEHIND A F**KING LAPTOP with a silencer and then being apprehended by to men who give him his hat and let him go. These guys are angels. Praise the Lord.

It spirals into the worst cinematic attempt at a Biblical message I have ever seen. The funniest parts involve the Antichrist, this idiotic English guy who can't act and takes over the world in, ah, about a week. But wait! Jesus comes to save the day! That is, once the 90210 looking protagonist breaks down his satanic doubt and PRAYS! This is bust a gut comedy.

Turn on Lifetime TV instead. The quality is about the same.

Skip This- Watch "Left Behind" Instead
I'm a Christian, and I like the idea of more Christian friendly films. But this is a terrible mess. For a Christian movie, it seems to have (relatively) high production values, but the redeeming value is in its cover art. You know that's a problem, when the cover is literally the best thing about it. Skip this one.

Disappointing
I prefer Meggido over this one any day.

Worst...movie...ever
I've made it a point to try and see as many of the films in the IMDB 'bottom 150'. I wasn't surprised to see The Omega Code in that esteemed list. It's a dreadful film that hasn't found any niche. Born-again fundamentaloonies never took to it because it isn't 'biblically accurate.' Most sane people dismissed it off-hand. If it didn't completely bomb at the box office, it's because of it's 'limited theatrical release' and the fact that it was [messed with]so well by TBN. Now there's your 2.7 mil at the box office. The TBN crowd (read: instant gratification evangeloonies) flocked to see this croaker. They also put money in Benny Hinn's pockets. Enough said.

Well, it didn't take me long to get a hold of this. Most video stores have this stored away somewhere. This is pure MST2K stuff, people. The acting is wooden, the plot is nonsensical and it's just totally pointless. Was this supposed to make me drop to my knees and praise the Lord?

I was too busy laughing. Avoid! ... Read more

Description

In Search of Peace Part One: 1948 - 1967, narrated by Michael Douglas, chronicles the first two decades of Israel's existence, offering new insights into the origins of the Middle East conflict. Combining a rich tapestry of rare archival film and photos, In Search of Peace not only examines events in Israel, but their impact on other places as well - the Arab refugee camps, the General Assembly of the United Nations and from there to the world capitols of Moscow, Paris, London, Buenos Aires, Cairo and Washington D.C. The film offers a unique global perspective on one of the most important events of the Twentieth Century and one of the seminal events in the 3,500 history of the Jewish people. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Basic history with excellent achival footage
This DVD opens with the famous footage of Yassar Arafat and Yizchak Rabin shaking hands on the White House lawn after signing the Peace Accords under the guidance of President Clinton's administration. I felt a great deal of sadness as I watched this part, because that golden moment is long since past. We came so close to having peace back then! I cannot help but think that if Al Gore were president, he would have carried the peace process forward, instead of allowing it to break down into the chaos we have now... Be that as it may, this DVD is very thought provoking and, hopefully, will contribute to a better understanding of the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The DVD chronicles the first two decades of Israel's existence, from just before its founding in 1947 to just after the Six Day War in 1967. The basic history is presented in a straight forward manner, without a lot of indepth discussion or debate. It's up to the viewer to draw their own conclusions. This makes it a good resource for history class, although, because it is almost two hours long, it would take two or three class periods. Thankfully, there is a chapter selection option so teachers can also use specific segments. (I love DVDs for this purpose -- winding and rewinding a VHS tape in class was a real drag.)

One of the best features is the huge amount of rare archival footage. Golda Meir is featured prominently as a fundraiser and a diplomat (she was not yet Prime Minister -- that comes later in the story.) Michael Douglas narrates in a quiet, almost contemplative voice, often tinged with a note of sadness, as he allows the images on the screen to speak for themselves. I was repeatedly struck by the way in which Jews and Palestinians are so often mirror images of each other. Palestinians fleeing the wars ended up in squalid refugee camps. Jews fleeing persecution in Arab countries lived in ramshackle tent cities. Jewish villages were massacred. Arab villages were massacred. In-fighting among various factions occurred on both sides.

But there was also hope for peace, and several moments when it might have happened, if things had gone differently. When King Abdullah of Jordan met with Golda Meir in 1948, he expressed a desire to live in peace with the new Jewish state, believing that "Providence" had brought the Jewish people back to their land. Unfortunately, Abdullah was assassinated before a peace treaty could happen. During the Six Day War in 1967, the Prime Minister of Israel offered peace to Jordan if Jordan would stay out of the war. King Hussein chose instead to attack Israel -- and lost control of the West Bank territories.

Not all of the film is about war and politics. We also see clips of some early Israeli theater companies, Leonard Bernstein conducting the orchestra, and hard-working Jewish farmers making the Negev desert bloom. The point is made, however, that Arab land was often seized under the pretense of "security" but really for its fertility or other non-military purposes. (When I was growing up I was told that Israel bought the kibbutz lands fairly, but have since learned this is not true.) Palestinians are interviewed to give their side of the story.

The DVD ends just after the West Bank occupation begins in 1967. That was a major turning point for Israel, which has, in turn, affected the last four decadesof her history. It was a good place to stop Part One of this documentary. Hopefully, there will be a Part Two that picks up the story from there.

Great footage, facts
The most striking part of this documentary to me was the footage that they were able to get a hold of which was truly amazing. Even those who have seen numerous similar titles and shows I think will be impressed. It was well done and provided a good base in facts for the interested viewer who wants to understand the present conflict in the middle east. I felt that it didn't delve too deeply into understanding each side's motives, but I think the idea is just to display the facts and leave it to the viewer. Overall I recommend it to those who would like to learn more about the situation. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

An Undiscovered MODern Classic
If you love slapstick films or anything from the 1960s, this DVD is for you. This obscure film deserves to be seen and enjoyed by all lovers of the Swinging Sixties.

Rita Tushingham and Lynn Redgrave (Mollie Sugden from "Are You Being Served?" probably got the idea for her character's wigs after seeing Redgrave here) are two girls who decide to make their mark in Swinging London. This film was shot entirely on location and is filled with wonderful shots of Carnaby Street and 1960's London.

Tushingham, who appeared so vulnerable in "The Knack...and How to Get It", really shines in this comedic roll, especially in a scene where she sneaks into the apartment of the man who is trying to seduce a drunk Redgrave. The resulting sabotage is a pleasure to watch.

Anchor Bay released this in widesceen but there are no additional extras on it. After viewers see this, they'll not only wish that there had been some extras, they'll also wish that additional movies about these characters had been made.

Bloody brilliant! A lot of laughs!
You have to see this, if only to see a very young Lynn Redgrave! She and the always-talented Rita Tushingham are hilarious as a couple of young northern English lasses who decide to move to Swinging London in the middle of the 60's! Redgrave is a riot as a bossy over-bearing ego-maniac of a best friend, whose self-centeredness earns her all the bad karma she gets. Likewise, Tushingham plays to perfection the down-trodden buddy, the "plain jane" of the two who winds up, as all good underdogs do, well and truly on top! Best remembered as that weird 60's movie that ends in a meltdown at London's epitome of the swinging 60's - the Post Office tower - Smashing Time is fabulous, and I'm thrilled to find it on video in the U.S. Buy it!

Very groovy
For anyone fascinated by the London take on the swinging sixties circa 1966 to 67, this is the one to watch. Actually, there's not that much competition; The Knack is overrated and handicapped by being black and white (this was NOT the time to be black and white), Help! is outrageously cooky and more about the Beatles than the 60s. Darling, and Alfie also spring to mind, but they are less interested in the "scene" than this film is.

The plot is essentially a string of semi-independent set pieces strung together, some more successful than others, but for the 60s connoisseur the great thing is how they all set out to capture the mood and action of the time. Therefore, we have in the front line a hip photographer, a Northern girl manufactured into an overnight pop star, a wild party in the Post Office Tower revolving restaurant (that dates it, doesn't it? Before the bombs...), a far-out boutique named "Too Much" owned by a titled but trendy deb-type, and an "in" restaurant.

What the makers also capture, perhaps unwittingly, is the fact that hip London was just a tiny island in the middle of a sea of a country still emerging only slowly from the morass of post-war penury. So we also see the desperately grimy and dismal streets of London, the inside of a typical Camden café (and we are definitely talking caff here, not caf-fey) and a dismal example of ghastly exploitative TV (no great change there then).

The main thing is the sheer creative exuberance of the time and the joie-de-vivre of the young hipsters. The sixties were radically out of fashion by the Thatcherite eighties, and if you want to know why this film gives a few pointers. The self-confidence and self-importance of the time looked distinctly like adolescent innocence by the time London had run through the terrorism, recession, explosion of sex and violence in film and TV and near collapse of the country in the seventies. Fortunately for those of us with a soft spot for this kind of thing, the last ten years has seen a reevaluation which finally recognises just what a fantastically creative and imaginative period this was.

Not a film to watch for character development or depth, but unparalleled as an inside glimpse of a special corner of the sixties.

Oooh ....Smash-in! Great Nostalgia.
I was just culling my dvd collection and had this movie in the "out" box before I thought I'd have a look at it again. I'm glad I did. It is a wonderful 'time capsule' of Swingin' Sixties London filmed entirely on location. This is a great companion piece to Shawn Levy's book "Ready, Steady, Go!" It shows the fashions, furniture, cars and heads of the 60s but I don't know if this is a send-up of the "scene" or whether it really is the "scene". Either way it's kinda giddy. Two Northern girls arrive in London with high hopes of making it. After a dodgey start and having their money stolen, one (Redgrave) becomes a pop star and the other (Tushingham) a photograhers model. They have personality clashes, a few adventures with local weirdos, realize that there is no place like home, pack it in and take the train back up North. That's basically it. Not really funny anymore (the humor is embarrassing in some places) but great eye candy for jaded baby boomers like myself. The Anchor bay dvd has a good wide screen picture from a nice print. It is NOT anamorphic. There are absolutely no extras on the disc... not even a trailer. I think this obscure little film deserved at least a commentary from some of those concerned. I really enjoyed Spencer Davis' comments on Anchor Bay's "The Ghost Goes Gear" dvd..... another overlooked little gem. Not a classic by any means, but a charmimg little slice of the Sixties.

Smashing Indeed
This has to be one of the forgotten gems of the 60's. Hilariously funny, a riot from start to finish and it captures swinging London in an "Austin Powers" sort of way. Being from the UK myself its hard to believe that it's not available over here. If you want an easy to watch and very funny slice of 1960's Britain then this is the film for you. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

incomprehensible
after viewing this tape, i felt as if i was trapped on the dark planet. the story is limp and aimless, with no real direction. badly written plot that makes no sense. who are all the characters supposed to be? i couldnt tell you. this movie must have been written by a seven year old.

dark planet
have just finished watching dark planet and enjoyed could not leave the room as i was glued to it great acting from paul mercurio as i had only seen him in strictly ballroom and think that is terrific read reviews about dark planet before watching and do not know what they are talking about i think paul mercurio is a great actor and wish he would do more

Bad? Did you say bad?
You want to know how bad this movie is? I watched for all of about 10 minutes then shut it off! The so-called special effects resemble those from arcade video games of 20 years ago! Avoid like the plague!

So bad it's bad
Michael York in an incomprehensible mess. One of the worst movies I've ever seen. No, not bad-good, just bad-bad.

Better than what I was expecting
I am a big scifi fan and a friend recommended this film. I was plesantly surprised to see Paul Mercurio. I have been a fan of his since Strictly Ballroom. He was quite believable as the hero "Hawke." What I liked was that he wasn't completely gung ho and he had a few good oneliners. The storyline was believable and the effects weren't bad considering their budget. The acting was good, especially the main characters. I liked this much better than the first Star Trek film (original cast) and I'm a big Star Trek Fan. I plan on buying the DVD to add to my scifi collection. A good Saturday Afternoon flick. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Director Richard Lester strikes the perfect balance between slapstick and swashbuckling swordplay in this whimsical adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's grand adventure. Michael York, all innocence and wide-eyed chivalry as young D'Artagnan, makes quite an impression on his first day in Paris: he challenges all three of the legendary Musketeers to a duel, then joins them in arms against the cardinal's soldiers. The worldly rascals, led by Athos (Oliver Reed), who hides his brooding past behind a sarcastic wit, adopt the young hero. Soon D'Artagnan is stealing hearts and stealing food with equal aplomb as he joins their campaign to defend the queen (Geraldine Chaplin) against a plot devised by the scheming cardinal (Charlton Heston) and his cold-hearted accomplice Milady de Winter (Faye Dunaway). Richard Chamberlain's Aramis, the trio's Don Juan and resident man of God, and Frank Finlay's fun-loving hedonist Porthos round out the Musketeers, while Christopher Lee's sneering Rochefort executes the cardinal's wishes as commander of the church's soldiers. Other members of this talented cast include Raquel Welch as the beautiful but disaster-prone seamstress to the queen, Spike Milligan as the beauty's jealous husband, Roy Kinnear as D'Artagnan's bumbling servant, Planchet, and Jean-Pierre Cassel as the clueless king. George MacDonald Fraser's rollicking screenplay combines boisterous adventure and roguish humor with marvelous characters, and Lester's dynamic direction turns it into one of the greatest comic swashbucklers of all time. Followed by The Four Musketeers, which continues the story in a darker vein. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (22)

ALL FOR ONE AND ALL FOR FUN
Richard Lester's refreshingly breezy adaptation of the Dumas classic is one of the best interpretations of this venerable classic. He combines the elements of swashbuckling swordplay with the satirical buffooneries of the Pink Panther movies. Michael York, scrawny yet efficient, plays D'artagnan with a youthful exuberance. Raquel Welch is hilarious as the bumbling, accident prone Constance, and Spike Milligan is likewise a hoot as her aging and lustful husband. The Musketeers are played by Oliver Reed, Frank Finlay and Richard Chamberlain, and are dashingly heroic, if a little out of shape? Faye Dunaway is cold and calculating as the Lady DeWinter while Geraldine Chaplin is quite coquettish as the Queen. Rounding out the marvelous cast are Charlton Heston, Christopher Lee, Simon Ward and Jean Pierre Cassel. Lester filmed this and its sequel (The Four Musketeers) at the same time, but the studio opted to go with a sequel as the whole movie would have been too long. They are both fine films, although the follow up is a little darker in tone. Well worth viewing for a good time.

A Spectacular Action/Adventure-Comedy- A Must See
This movie has it all: action, adventure, comedy. The cast is outstanding and it brings out some of the best performances in some individuals careers like Michael York, Rachael Welch, and Richard Chamberland. The direction by Richard Lester is excellent.

Based on the Alexandre Dumas novel, this film is the best adaptation ever. It is so far superior than the "brat pack" version with Sutherland, Curry, and Sheen, that one wonders why another version was even attempted.

The story begins with D'Artagnan setting off to be a musketeer. He ends up being an embarrashment and has three duels, with the The Musketeers, played by Oliver Reed, Chamberland, and Frank Finely (Finely, in my opinion, gives the best performance in the movie). Because of the Cardinal's guards, the four unite and soon, they are friends going off to England to save the Queen's honor and stop the evil plot of Cardinal Richelieu (played by Charleton Heston).

This movie is a true blast and is followed up by "The Four Musketeers" where Milady (played by Fay Dunaway) tries to bring the ruin of D'Artagan.

The Three Musketeers
Set in 1500's France, a young Gaston named D'Artagnan (Michael York) leaves his family with hope of becoming the king's musketeer. After facing humiliation in his daily exploits, he inadvertently offends three musketeers at different times and each force him to duel to the death the next day (the musketeers: Athos is Oliver Reed, Porthos is Frank Finlay, and Aramis is Richard Chamberlain). However, they all form an alliance after being forced to fight off the Cardinal's authority. Soon after, D'Artagnan falls in love with his landlord's beautiful wife Constance (Raquel Welch) and finds that the Duke Of Buckingham (Simon Ward) is in love with subtly somber The Queen Of France (Geraldine Chaplin). When the Duke and the Queen meet, the Queen gives the Duke her diamond necklace so he can remember her. A spy is pertinent, sees their exchange and reports it to Cardinal Richelieu. Cardinal Richelieu (Charlton Heston), a delicately ominous figure, wants nothing but to take control of France from the King, and the queens missing diamonds are a good opportunity for him to cause the king trouble. It's up to D'Artagnan and the musketeers to return the diamonds to the queen by traveling to England. The obstacles to reaching the destination is easily offended and violent men with varying political views, bandits, the skilled and deadly Rochefort whom D'Artagnan encountered several times (Christopher Lee) and the cardinal's covert agent Milady (Faye Dunaway).

This film version of Alexander Dumas's masterpiece story is filled with incredibly enjoyable elements. There is much slapstick humor that is never forced, pretentious or overly distracting; there is a good amount of swashbuckling action; the performances (especially by Roy Kinnear as the abused servant) are well done and amusing; and the sets are extremely memorable. See it!

Sequel: The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge (which was originally going to be utilized as footage for this film)

Overall rating: 5 stars

Rated PG for violence, and some restrained sexual innuendo.

Great Fun & The Best Version so far.....
Richard Lester & his screewriter, George Macdonald Fraser (of Flashman fame), made the best & most complete version of the Dumas tale with great flair and wit, seasoning the old story with satiric touches, irony and outright slapstick. Working with a dream cast, Lester shot this and the sequel (The Four Musketeers) all at once (ala Lord of the Rings) allowing him to tell a bigger story without the distractions of aging or changed cast members. It is great fun.

Since everyone knows the story I want to point out some of the wonderful qualities of the flim. First,there are the terrific fight scenes staged by Wm. Hobbs, who has his swordfights as exhausting affairs, full of sweat and effort, with no rules, no balletic dueling, but rather FIGHTING, with both hands and feet and anything that can be of use. These are set amongst blowing sheets, in tub rooms, and one especially clever night fight with lanterns blinking on and off. Oliver Reed as Athos especially convinces you that he is FIGHTING, not waltzing about.

Next, the wonderful cast, including: Michael York as an enthusistic and eager D'Artagnon; Raquel Welsh as D'Artagnon's paramour, Constance Bonancieux, bountiful and endearingly clutzy; Spike Milligan as Msr. Bonancieux, Raquel's addled and horny husband; Charlton Heston as the shrewd and ruthless Cardinal Richelieu; Christopher Lee, an arch & dignified villain as Rochefort, Richelieu's "blade" (and possibly illegitimate son); Faye Dunaway as the beautiful and treacherous Milady De Winter; Geraldine Chaplin as the ninny of a Queen; Jean Pierre Cassel as the dim and indifferent King. And then, of course the 3 Musketeers: Oliver Reed as a moody & temperamental, but powerful Athos; Richard Chamberlain's refined and aloof Aramis; and Frank Finlay's vain & pompous Porthos. Terrific all!

A light and infectiously joyful swashbuckler, Lester also has great fun displaying the extravagance and vanity of the Royals, idling away their time in ridiculous pursuits, completely impervious and indifferent to their servants and the lives of the common people shown in rough and coarse contrast. The King & Queen are clueless, Buckingham (Simon Ward) is a headstrong dolt, Richelieu schemes, and everyone else tries to survive their foolishness.

A rare mixture of genres and tones that really works, this witty romp must be seen with its concluding Four Musketeers where the tone shifts yet again. A treat for movie lovers.

Avoid this DVD Version! Get the newer release
Filmed in 1973, the one that began it all. The book was actually split into two movies to fit all the plot! This is the first half of the book. An amazing, star-studded cast, great attention to detail and it's funny to boot!

Let's see. Oliver Reed as Athos, Richard Chamberlain as Aramis, Frank Finlay as Porthos, Michael York as D'Artagnan. Christopher Lee, Raquel Welch, Geraldine Chaplin, Faye Dunaway. Just about every performance is amazing.

This has the REAL plot - not the entirely made-up one Disney foisted on us. D'Artagnan is cheating on his landlord with his landlord's wife. The Queen of France is cheating on her husband, the King, with the Duke of Buckingham. The cardinal is trying to gain power of France. The Musketeers gladly steal food and cheat when necessary. It's a rough world out there!

The attention to detail in the film is simply amazing. From the stunning costumes, to the silver-and-white ball at the end, to the interiors of the buildings, to the food they eat, wine they drink, games they play - it's all fully authentic. You could watch this in a history class and learn quite a bit.

And the swordfighting!! None of this pretentious sword-waving and back-flipping. These guys were professional soldiers. They fought to win. This involved rough-and-tumble brawl tactics at times. I compare Athos' fighting style to Aragorn's in Lord of the Rings. His aim was to stay alive and to keep his comerades alive, not to look pretty when he fought.

Now for the BIG WARNING. I wore out several copies of the video tape before getting this on the first DVD available. Fox Lorber put out the DVD version. I was thrilled to have it on DVD. I was less thrilled when I saw what they did to the movie!! They literally cut off ALL FOUR EDGES of the movie, losing quite a lot of the picture. The special features are completely missing. There is a new DVD version out which is a two-pack of "The Three Musketeers" and "The Four Musketeers" that has the special features and has the full version of both movies without missing content. AVOID THE FOX LORBER VERSION and get the other one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you can stifle the urge to laugh at its pastel unisex costumes and futuristic shopping-mall décor, this extravagant science fiction film from 1976 is still visually fascinating and provocatively entertaining. Set in the year 2274, when ecological disaster has driven civilization to the protection of domed cities, the story revolves around a society that holds a ceremonial death ritual for all citizens who reach the age of 30. In a diseaseless city where free sex is encouraged and old age is virtually unknown, Logan (Michael York) is a "sandman," one who enforces this radical method of population control (but he's about to turn 30 and he doesn't want to die). Escaping from the domed city via a network of underground passages, Logan is joined by another "runner" named Jessica (Jenny Agutter), while his former sandman partner (Richard Jordan) is determined to terminate Logan's rebellion. Using a variety of splendid matte paintings and miniatures, Logan's Run earned a special Oscar for visual effects (images of a long-abandoned Washington, D.C., are particularly impressive), and in addition to fine performances by Jordan and Peter Ustinov, the film features '70s poster babe Farrah Fawcett in a cheesy supporting role. Jerry Goldsmith's semi-electronic score is still one of the prolific composer's best, and Logan's Run remains an interesting example of '70s sci-fi that preceded Star Wars by less than a year. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (108)

A visually stunning sci-fi spectacle
I have fond memories of seeing "Logan's Run" in the theaters many years ago, and am delighted to see this film getting a fine presentation on DVD. Directed by Michael Anderson, the film takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where humans live a hedonistic life in the shelter of a domed city. There's just one catch to this pleasure-oriented utopia: nobody is permitted to live past the age of 30. The title character, played by Michael York, is a Sandman: an elite policeman assigned to kill those who flee the birthday death sentence. But a surprising assignment takes Logan on a voyage that will change him profoundly.

"Logan's Run" is an adventure tale, a love story, a crime drama, a social satire, and a sumptuous visual spectacle all in one. The whole package is superbly enhanced by Jerry Goldsmith's inventive and varied score. This is one of the most visually stylish science fiction films ever made; it's full of scenes that are truly unforgettable.

The film is really grounded by the performances by the superb cast. Michael York and Jenny Agutter make an absolutely enchanting screen couple; the evolution of their characters' relationship is one of the key pleasures of the film. Richard Jordan brings complexity and intensity to his role as a fellow Sandman. And Peter Ustinov is delightfully warm, funny, and loveable in a critical supporting role.

The DVD includes a vintage "making of" featurette, as well as a full-length audio commentary by actor York, director Anderson, and costume designer Bill Thomas. The three discuss casting, stunts, special effects, Peter Ustinov's ad-libbing, and other aspects of making the film. They reveal some fascinating and delightful bits of trivia along the way. This is one of those great commentary tracks that makes you appreciate the film even more.

Solid sf adventure less than the sum of its parts
Logan's Run started off with a pretty amazing concept--(courtesy of science fiction writers William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson)what if our youth obsessed society put everyone over the age of 30 (21 in the novel)to death as a means of population control? This film version of a classic cautionary tale is intermittantly successful. David Zelag Goodman's screenplay condenses and changes around several key characters. Goodman's script essentially refocuses the novel into The Fugitive in the future. In the original novel Francis (played brilliantly by the late Richard Jordan)and the Old Man character (played as befuddled by Peter Ustinov) were one and the same. You'll need to read the novel to see why this was an important altered plot point.

Additionally, Sanctuary did exist in the novel while here it's clear that it's something of an urban myth. While these plot points might not seem essential, altering them radically reshaped the film. Still, it's clear that the film's director, producer and screenwriter (respectively, Michael Anderson the late Saul David and Goodman)wanted to streamline what could have been a confusing plot if not layed out correctly.

The basic plot--In the future our society is enclosed in domes. As a means to control the population, everyone has a life clock crystal on their hand. When you reach 30 you have the option to become "renewed" in a ceremony attended by the citizens. Logan (Michael York) and Francis (Richard Jordan) are Sandmen who hunt, capture/or kill runners (people who choose to not go through renewal and try to escape).

After one incident, Logan is debriefed by the computer that runs the city. The runner wore a symbol representing life. During this debriefing he is send undercover to become a "runner" and find out 1)Who is behind the network that tries to get people out of the city and 2) If sanctuary exists. Logan's life clock is prematurely aged to 30. He contacts a girl who he had met before on the circuit (a system where people can "dial up" others for casual sex)who he had seen wearing the same symbol. Despite her better judgement, she elects to help him escape.

Francis, alarmed that his friend is running, elects to chase him and either bring him back for renewal or kill him.

The film is quite good despite some gaping plot holes. Michael York gives a impassioned performance as Logan 5. Jenny Agutter is enchanting as Jessica. Richard Jordan shines as Logan's former partner Francis who feels betrayed and hunts Logan down. Roscoe Lee Brown is exceptional in his cameo as the demented cyborg Box. Michael Anderson, Jnr. gives a nice cameo performance as the surgeon hired to alter Logan's appearence. Made for $6 million, Logan's Run looked quite good when it was released in 1976. The symbolism of having Francis and Logan fight in the House of Representatives with an American flag was quite evident given the year of release (1976).
In many respects the themes in the film are more timely than ever. The obsession with youth, looking good and plastic surgery have come to define our culture in the 21st Century. The only thing missing from the film are botox injections.

Jerry Goldsmith's brilliant score is a highlight of the film. Like his score for Planet of the Apes, Goldsmith chose to go with a mix of sythesizers and orchestra to portray the city of the future. He eschews cliches in his music and the various themes and cues are at turns suspenseful and witty. The optical effects are pretty good given the time. The matte paintings by Albert Whitlock are outstanding and fairly convincing. The miniatures are a mixed bag. They didn't look completely convincing in 1976 nor do they today. Part of the problem has to do with the fact that waters don't fare well when placed in miniatures. You can't miniaturize the bubbles and water drops. Also, the use of the miniatures in combination with live action is quite grainy due to the film stock and amount of composites. Still, if you can suspend your disbelief, you'll enjoy the film despite its limitations.

Logan's Run attempted to tell an adult cautionary tale in a world of light weight escapist movies. It's a commendable film and the film makers frequently bite off more than they can chew. I'd rather have a film that's too ambitious than not at all.

Still, I appreciate the ambitions if not the execution. It's nice to finally have this fine if flawed movie on DVD. The transfer is quite good although the print has a number of flaws. There's also quite a bit of dirt evident on the print. These probably could have been cleared up with a direct digital transfer. Additionally, the 5.1 soundtrack occasionally sounds "tinny" and when played in the stereo format can be quite difficult to hear.

The extras are limited but nice. The commentary by director Michael Anderson and Michael York is quite good and informative. A pity the terrific actor Richard Jordan isn't around any longer to give us his perspective. I would have liked to see a fresh retrospective documentary on the making of the film. It's not likely to happen, though as no one is going to champion this film at the expensive of other newer projects (particulary since producer Saul David is gone). The featurette included is the original one made to promote the film. It's actually pretty decent given the age and purpose of it. The trailer is included as well. The disc is a dual sided single layer DVD with the widescreen and pan & scan versions on the same disc.

classic!
logan's run is a real gem. love the cast and the look of the film and it's a good dvd to have when you want to see something that's out of this world!

fantastic futuristic fun
Logan's Run was one of my faves as a kid. It was different from othe Sci Fi at the time. It created a weird world that was great to watch. I also watched the TV show version and loved it too (sure it was just a TV show and not quite as grand as the the more expensive flick but it was still weird enough to keep me watching). You've just got to love a show that creates it's own strange world and takes you away from reality. Logan has it's own style that provides just the right escape from the played out worlds of other Sci Fi flicks and shows. Give this a chance if you want something that's different and you've never seen it.

A bit excentric, but absolutely worth watching.
This is an awsome movie, even by today's standards. Granted the special effects can sometimes look corny or cheesy, but for the time when this movie was produced, the effects were top notch.

The story line goes like this. It is the year 2275. Disasters have forced what remains of civilization into a self contained, domed city. No one goes outside the city becuase they all beleive it to be a barren wasteland, incapable of supporting life. This is because it WAS that way when the city was founded, but that was over a hundred years ago. Since the city was founded, there was realised a great need to maintain the population to acceptable levels. So, it is determined that at age 30 you will "terminate". If you do not want to end your life at 30, you can participate on the "Carosel" on your "Last Day" (30 years to the day of your birth). The recorded message basically says that if you have a strong enough desire to renew, you will. Renewing gives you an unstated amount of extra time. If you are ready to end, you don't have to participate on Carosel. However, there exist a few people who don't want to follow the rules. They "run" from their fate. To prevent people from running (as well as for general law enforcement) there are a group of cop like folks. Each is refered to as a SandMan. It is their responsibility to enforce law in the domed city, and to track down anyone who decides to run, and terminate them.

Now meet Logan 5. He's a sand man, and he loves his job. But one day when he is doing his job and terminates a runner, he finds an Ankh on the runner. He doesn't think much of it. So he picks it up with the rest of the runner's belongings, and heads back to HQ to be "debriefed". But the central computer DOES recognise the Ankh. It is determined to be a symbol associated with a legenday place called Sanctuary, where runners can go and hide and live out their life normally (as you and I would consider normal). The computer determines that Sanctuary must be either right on the inside of the dome, or outside the city. Logan 5 is assigned to find sanctuary, and destroy it.

And so begins his Grand adventure, during the process of which he leaves the city, Falls in love with his "partner in crime, Jessica" (which is strictly forbidden in the city), Finds a man who has more cats than I could count, and returns to the city to try and stop the madness.

A very good movie on all counts. It should have been more popular. ... Read more

Description

Because love last longer than a lifteime... The Devil sends his favorite Demon, Nick, to corrupt the soul of puritanical Cassie. As hard as Nick tries to please the Devil by turning Cassie into an evil person, he discovershis past and can't help falling in love. Stars AlexandraPowers, Bruce Weitz, Eva LaRue Callahan, Michael York, Rob Lowe, Sandra Bernhard - Director: James David Pasternak ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Lady and the Highwayman, produced by Lew Grade as part of a series of Barbara Cartland dramatizations in 1987, contains all the ingredients that made her unique style ofromantic fiction so successful. The highwayman in question, known as Silver Blade, is actually an aristocratic outlaw played by a youthful Hugh Grant in a bouffant mullet wig. The lady is Panthea (Lysette Anthony), delicate but firm of purpose, who knows her man when she sees him. It's Restoration England, so the frocks are fabulous. But Cartland's pretensions to historical accuracy evaporate when she makes Charles II's mistress, Barbara Castlemaine (Dynasty's Emma Samms), the villainess of the piece.

From there, it's a freewheeling ride of Robin Hood-inspired philanthropy,duplicitous cousins, and some uncomfortably fetishistic shots of the ritualsand instruments of execution, although everybody is rescued in time for theromantic soft-focus finale. Full of splendidly self-indulgent performances from the likes of Claire Bloom, John Mills, and Michael York, The Lady and the Highwayman is a feast of thespian ham. Somehow, the cast triumph over the banality of the basic material.--Piers Ford ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Great swashbuckler film with a great cast!
A great movie adapted from the novel by Barbara Cartland starring Hugh Grant, Lysette Anthony, Emma Samms, Claire Bloom, Oliver Reed, Michael York... the list goes on. The story of a highwayman (Grant) who saves a damsel in distress (Anthony) in 17th century England. Lavish costumes, good sword play, and an intriguing story. One of my favorites, even if it is from the 80s. This is one of Grant's earlier films, before coming to Hollywood.

a remake of robin hood but still a great love story
i think that if your looking for a love story to watch on a lonely night or just to make you feel like your in love then this is a good movie. but if you are looking for a movie that requires thought or any brain power then this is not a movie for you.

not even worth buy from the discount bin
...Alas, the print quality is terribly bad. It looks like it was made from a video tape that's been copied over and over and over - dark, fuzzy, flattened colors. So, I couldn't even appreciate the lovely costumes and settings.

The story is so badly predictable and corny, the dialog is stilted, and the editing is terribly choppy. It's silly. It's boring. Not even a terrific cast (Hugh Grant, Oliver Reed, Michael York to name a few) could lift this one out of the doldrums.

Pass on this one.

Pretty to look at but not much else.
A romance set in 17th century England should be irresistable to me; especially one with such gorgeous costumes and scenery as this. However, this movie not only suffers from an insipid, silly storyline but from bad dialog as well. All you have to do is watch the very first scene of the movie for a shining example of truly awful dialog. I read Barbara Cartland novels when I was in my early to mid-teens and the story reminds me of some of the romantic tales my gal pal and I would cook up just for fun. Even so, I will give the movie two stars for its beautiful and mostly accurate costumes, especially the women's. It is also nice but rather surprising to see revered veteran actors like John Mills, Robert Morley and Gordon Jackson playing smaller roles in the movie.

Unfortunately the video tape quality is awful and was almost unwatchable in the beginning. Luckily the tape was a gift and I didn't spend a dime on it!

What a stinker!!!
I wasn't expecting high art when I bought this movie but I was at least expecting good acting considering the cast. This movie was so bad it was funny. I watched with a friend and we ended up making comments similar to those on Mystery Science Theater just to stay mildly entertained. The story was lame (to be expected) but the acting was lousy with the exception of Oliver Reed who was pretty good as the bad guy. All this on top of a truly hokey sound track. I have seen other movies in this genre, but YIKES this one takes the cake as the worst by far! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

a powerful telling of a story that needed to be told
A film by Mark Jonathan Harris

Winner of the 1997 Academy Award for Best Documentary, "The Long Way Home" is the story of the Jewish survivors of the Nazi Holocaust and what happened after the concentration camps were liberated. This is a very important, though little told story. Much of what I have been taught glosses over this period, telling only that Americans helped to liberate the camps and then three years later the nation of Israel was formed by the United Nations. "The Long Way Home" is the story of how the Jewish survivors made it from the camps to having their own nation, and the title of the film is a very apt one. It was a long, long way home and for many of the survivors, the war did not truly end until they made it to Israel.

We are taken through the horror of the Jewish experience from the end of the concentration camps up through the creation of the state of Israel. After the camps, when we might expect that the situation of the survivors would improve dramatically, it didn't. There were so many survivors, so many "displaced persons" that the Allied Forces had to set up camps of their own to provide shelter as the survivors can get medical treatment and food. Many of these camps had the misfortune to be surrounded by barbed wire, so that some survivors remarked that it was as if they traded one camp for another and nothing had changed. From these temporary camps for "displaced persons" (as the survivors were called), the survivors were searching for a home even though they no longer had a home in their native countries. Finding passage to Palestine was just as difficult.

Somehow I naively assumed that after the war the survivors had an easier time in founding Israel and finally finding peace in their lives (whatever peace that was left to be found), but this film shows the Jewish people in a constant struggle even as nations that had fought to help free them from the concentration camps turned their backs on the Jewish people. This is a powerful, powerful story and the documentary does it justice. I don't know what other documentaries came out in 1997, but I can scarcely imagine one that is nearly as good as this one. Highly recommended, and for anyone who has an interest in this topic, or the stories that came out of World War II and the Holocaust.

The story of the Second Exodus after World War II
This 1997 Academy Award-winning documentary presents the lives of Holocaust survivors from the end of World War II in 1945 to the founding of the state of Israel three years later. In the interim period the survivors were moved into "Displaced Persons" camps and lived in a strange sort of limbo until they were finally permitted to immigrate to Israel or the United States. Basically, this is the story of Jewish survivors again wandering in the wilderness, albeit one made by man, before finally finding the Promised Land. This is an often ignored period in the history of the Jewish people and while and at least this documentary provides a historical record. A fascinating documentary. "The Long Way Home" features narration by Morgan Freeman, Ed Asner Martin Landau, Helen Slater and others. Directed by Mark Jonathan Harris would won another Oscar in 2000 for "Into The Arms Of Strangers - Stories Of The Kindertransport,"

Great movie - but where are the subtitles?
Great movie. A part of history that I didn't know about, even though I'm Jewish and nearly 50 years old. But ... There Are NO Subtitles OR Closed-Captioning. This is inexcusable, to me, especially since many older people who will have a personal interest in this film (like my parents) have hearing problems and rely on subtitles and CC when viewing TV or movies. So be forewarned, if you are one who needs subtitles.

What a great story...
This is one excellent and very moving film. Though it is a documentary, it is gripping in its telling of the history of the Jewish refugees in the post 2nd World War years, until the creation of the state of Israel. It makes it understood, I think, even to those that are not very familiar with the subject matter. It's very good for a history class and the people interviewed are unique in that they really make you feel how they felt back then, over 50 years ago. The closure is also extremely potent, as it gives another dimension to this story of the Holocaust and the fight for a homeland. From an almost complete annihilation of a nation of a 3 thousands years of history, to be revived in our day and age - it gives the story depth I rarely seen in previous documentaries. Morgan Freeman's excellent narration, with voices of fine actors and especially with the participation of excellent witness who can tell their story in such an engaging way make this a gripping history lesson. Though made by "our team" (two Jews, one of them being a Rabbi...) it maintains a fair standing in the delicate issues of the Jewish-Arab conflict in Palestine. One cannot stop and wonder how the same story may look so trivial in a day-to-day life. A movie like this simply makes it clearer. I actually got several insightful observations that were really new to me. Note Clark Clifford, a White House counsel at the time in the Truman administration. He hardly has a voice by now, but he is as vivid in his details as he would be telling the details of one of the most important story of his life. And perhaps it was for him. This one doesn't get a 5 star simply because I reserve that to films that are truly innovative in their story telling, craftsmanship or in their bold statement. This one makes neither, but nevertheless, it's a great classic-style documentary film.

Excellent post-war primer (from 45-48)
This is a terrific primer that takes you on a course of what happened from the end of WWII until the UN voted for recognizing the existance of a state Israel (bascially 1945 thru 1948). There are interviews from various people who were close to the events of this period, as well as decent B&W stills, news archives and films showing otherwise lost archives. It is well produced, and worth every penny. I watched this around the same time I watched The Sorrow and the Pity and the PBS production of 50 Years War - Israel & The Arabs. The Long Way Home DVD fills in more historical information about how the Jews were viewed and treated just after WWII, especially by the US, the English government and the radicals of Poland. This is a must (as are the two other titles I mentioned in this review) for anyone who wants to better understand this topic and the obstacles the Jewish people ran into in trying to build their own homeland. ... Read more