Reviews (163)

A comedy classic
Whether or not you've caught the hot Broadway remake of Mel Brooks' 1968 classic - 'The Producers,' anyone who appreciates satire along with Brooks' zany style of humour will find great enjoyment in this 90 minute ode to show business, hucksterism, broadway musicals and nazism. While the humour is somewhat dated at times, no one can deny the sheer comedic energy given off by the likes of Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder, Dick Shawn, etc that will leave you laughing out loud every 6 mintues or so. Also of note is the craziness in the musical numbers themself that border on the fine line between absurd and offensive yet always manages to pull itself out brilliantly in the end.

For those planning on purchasing the DVD make sure that you get the 2002 released 'Special Edition' version. This edition includes over one hour of documentaries that actually manage to be viewable. Aside from the numerous other extras on this disc the video transfer is great (for an older movie) and a remastered 5.1 surround mix is included as well.

Zero is Hero - One of the great comedies
Zero Mostel glides and sparkles like a medal-winning ice dancer in Mel Brook's irreverent masterpiece. A terrifcally tasteless script is rewarded with some of the most outrageous performances ever grouped for one sitting. Mostel plays a down-at-heel producer looking for an easy return to the big time who stumbles on a cert thanks to Leo bloom (played by Gene Wilder). Leo realises you can make more with a sure-fire flop than with a smash, and so they herd together failsafe flops (Kenneth Mars as the Nazi playwight, Dick Shawn as the hippie Hitler and, unforgettably, Christopher Hewitt as director of "dopey dancers in gooey gowns," Roger Debris). Moments of unadulterated joy pepper this movie; Dick Shawn as LSD gives an otherworldly audition for Hitler, the opening scene of "Springtime for Hitler" is a jaw dropper and Zero dancing in the bar at the interval is priceless (even the way he gets from the bar to the jukebox and puts in the coin is poetry). If you haven't seen this gem a dozen times, don't rent it, buy it. It's one you'll never tire of.

DOOZY PREMISE WITH *SOME* GOOFY GAGS, BUT..
The theme held so much promise -- a couple of spent-out producers setting out to create the worst play ever to exploit an accounting glitch with finances. But something happened on the way to the execution.

The comic timing is good, and Zero and Gene have an engaging chemistry which dangles a promise in the first 30 minutes. There was even an occasional giggle here and there, but soon the clock was ticking and I had only found the film annoying, overacted and frequently just downright silly.

It's basically two guys fumbling around like a couple of idiots for a farcical hour and thirty minutes. "Springtime for Hitler" could've been hilarious, but even that fell flat. Come on, a drug-induced sixties, flower-power stoner playing Hitler is supposed to be funny?

There's a whole bunch of weird bits of comedy that are definitely original. But that's all they are. That originality sports very little zest or appeal. Did I have to be born in the late sixties to get the humor? Is this a dated comedy?

Maybe I missed something. Perhaps a rental if you have a particularly open evening.

Still Funny After All These Years
I saw this movie at the cinema when I was in high school...many moons ago...and I laughed until I cried that evening...this movie holds up well with time and it is still hysterically funny...especially the wonderful performance by the Dick Shawn, as "LSD".

Where Did I Go Right?
The Producers is the best of Mel Brooks' trio of masterpieces, which includes Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles. Who knows if this is one of the funniest movies of all time? It's on my list of the funniest, though. You either love Mel's work, or you think he's inane and over-the-top; or both. Gene Wilder's best work may be found in Mel's movies; and Zero Mostel would certainly have been a mainstay in Mel Brooks movies if not for his unfortunate demise. The Producers is full of funny one-liners, and outrageous sight gags. Even the aspects that seem "dated" are still funny, because they were played over-the-top ridiculous in the first place; their datedness just plays into their over-the-topness now. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's enlightening to view Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! as his twisted satire of the blockbuster film Independence Day, which was released earlier the same year, although the movies were in production simultaneously. Burton's eye-popping, schlock tribute to 1950s UFO movies actually plays better on video than it did in theaters. The idea of invading aliens ray gunning the big-name movie stars in the cast is a cleverly subversive one, and the bulb-headed, funny-sounding animated Martians are pretty nifty, but it all seemed to be spread thin on the big screen. On video, however, the movie's kooky humor seems a bit more concentrated. The Earth actors (most of whom get zapped or kidnapped for alien science experiments) include Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Rod Steiger, Michael J. Fox, Lukas Haas, Jim Brown, Tom Jones, and Pam Grier. The digital video disc features an isolated track for Danny Elfman's score, as well as a few other clever and nasty little Martian surprises. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (163)

Hollywood Attacks
"Mars Attacks!" a film by director Tim Burton, was like a 1996 who's who of the movie industry. Stars were not attracted by a script that showed high art or the greatest feat of the screen writers guild, but rather the chance to work on a fun movie with an amazing director.

"Mars Attacks!" is viually appealing, special effects were state of the art for the time of the movie, and the concept built around a "Topps" trading card set was a wonderful parody of 1950's sci-fi/ horror movies.

The all star cast: Jack Nicholson, Annete Bennning, Michial J. Fox, Glenn Closse, Natalie Portman and Tom Jones (to name a few), were all in rare and wonderfully funny form.

Unlike the majority of director Tim Burton's work, this film is by no means "dark," but both funny and satirical at the same time. The movie is well made, fast paced, funny and a feast for the eyes.

This is by no means high art (or even middle art for that matter), but worth a watch. A definite must for any Burton fan, or fan of those cheesy old sci-fi movies that it is poking fun at.

Campiness at its best!
Hollywood has made movies from books, TV shows, even other movies. However, "Mars Attacks" may be the first time a movie was made from a trading card.

Back in the late 1960s, Topps Cards created a line of Mars Attacks trading cards. However, these cards were pulled off the shelves after only a few months because the aliens depicted on them were considered to be too gruesome. My, how times have changed.

Director Tim Burton has taken those old trading cards and recreated them into this Sci-Fi B-movie throwback. In the process, he has created a movie that is pure, guiltless fun.

"Mars Attacks" also benefits from an all-star cast, including Jack Nicholson (in a dual-role), Michael J. Fox, Sarah Jessica Parker, Pierce Brosnan, Martin Short, Danny Devito, Glenn Close, Natalie Portman, Tom Jones, Annette Bening, Lukas Haas, Jim Brown, and many others. The fact that you get to watch the aliens disentegrate (and otherwise kill) many of these stars only adds to the fun. Unfortunately, Tom Jones wasn't one of those unlucky stars. Maybe someday a sequel will be made that will rectify that. :)

Oh yeah........ did I happen to mention that Congress gets vaporized? This proves that the Martians aren't all bad!

The DVD comes with many extras, including quite a few production notes that helps you to understand how the movie came to be. This is one movie that you will want to see over and over again (especially anytime that Congress is getting on your nerves).

mars attacks-an all star cast
well theres not much of a story.mars attacks.stars are many.jack nicholson is the president.christina applegate is a rednecks ol lady.is that wyona ryder?maybe not.danny devito plays a gambler.wayne newton as well wayne newton.the kids can watch it,but it could freak out the real little ones.tim burton directs this one so it is great as usual.it is one of his best films.there are many creative ideas and imagination galore all throughout this one.the aliens are abselutely hysterical.christina applegate is in it but only for a second.then theres this chick who cheats on michael j fox with pierce brosnan.is this guy always stealing someones woman on his movies?anyway,shes tacky.the hippie chick in it is hot but very deeply emotionaly disturbed.this is a really funny movie and everyone but jack nicholsons personal best.the special effects are not fantastic but the ideas that go into them are very creative.

Destined to be a CLASSIC!
When I first heard that Tim Burton was going to turn the Mars Attacks trading cards into a movie I couldn't imagine how he could adapt them for the big screen for under 100 million, but when I saw it I said to myself, "FINALLY! Some has found a good use for CGI!" This very funny sci-fi comedy is destined to become a classic and is one of the most imaginatively produced films in ages. Featuring tons of great cameos by stars - particularly Jack Nicholson, who plays a dual role and Tom Jones - Mars Attacks also boasts a great score, lots of wild, funny action and, yes.... LOTS OF GREAT DEATH SCENES! Yes, folks, it is DAMN FUNNY when people get killed; heck, SLAUGHTERED, in this film! Yep, death CAN be funny, especially when it happens to movie stars who are all so obviously movie stars in a fantasy movie. I only wish they could have killed a "better" class of movie ACKters, the ones you WANT to see die, like Will Smith, Bruce Willis, Steven Segal, Arn-OLD, Julia Roberts, any model turned actress and virtually EVERY movie star who came to prominence from the time this film was released until NOW (and beyond, it seems). With today's atmosphere, where the world over, especially here in the U.S., people are so insanely and blindly freaful of a coming apocalypse, it's always good to bring it all out on screen, particularly when it's done in such an over-the-top fashion as this. I wouldn't be surprised to see this film become a big hit it it were re-released to theatres today (HEY, ANYONE OUT THERE REMEMBER ANOTHER LITTLE CLASSIC BY THE NAME OF DR. STRANGELOVE, WHICH CAME OUT DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE COLD WAR AND IN WHICH THE ENTIRE EARH WAS DEVASTATED IN THE END????!!!!) Sheesh, some "people"!

It is a comedy.
Neglected masterpiece, misunderstood and unappreciated by far too many. It is not perfect, perhaps could benefit from some extra production time, but the film's incredible inventiveness, brilliantly wacky humor and fantastic sets, more than compensate for its shortcomings. Great, brutal fun. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

growing up with hal holbrook and mark twain
if you have not heard the recordings or saw the television special 'mark twain tonight' starring hal holbrook, you are in for a real treat. my aunt took me to see the one man show many years ago in toronto. when he came a second time, years later, i took her.

i have listened to the two recordings of mark twain and mark twain tonight at least once a week for over twenty years. hal holbrook is not talente, he is gifted. listening to 'jim and huck on a raft' is so touching to me it defies description. if hou have ever trusted anyone on anything trust me. this is not to be missed. i have never heard or seen anything quite like it.

Holbrook's Mark Twain
If there has ever been a polished performance, this is it! I've been fortunate to see Holbrook do this show live on three occasions. He really catches the essence of Twain's marvellous story- telling, which sets the tone for later artists such as Gene Shepard and Garrison Keillor. Hal Holbrook changed his show at every performance, and this video features him at the peak of his craft. From ghost stories to humorous anecdotes to shaggy dog yarns and tall tales, this video has them all. You'll want to watch it many times.

wry genius returned to life
my only regret about MARK TWAIN TONIGHT is that it's only 90 minutes. holbrook apparently has about 12 hours worth of material that his life shows alternate among. these 90 minutes include his views on man (the only animal that blushes), his mississippi adventures as seen through tom's eyes, and jim blaine's story of the ram and old man wheeler. the ram story alone is enough to be twice worth the cost of the dvd. buy the disk. holbrook is now at just the age where his twain would be even more sublime. let's hope the sales of this dvd inspire him to do another all these years after this 1967 performance. the sound and video are good (for broadcast tv) -- mainly though, holbrook is outstanding and twain is -- twain IS twain. buy it. watch it.

Mark Twain Tonight!
I was introduced to Hal Holbrook as Mark Twain Tonight in a high school English class in 1962 and have been fascinated with Holbrook and his Twain presentation ever since. As the story goes, Holbrook took up cigar smoking to get the timber in his voice, spends three hours in make-up preparing, and has even listened to Edison recording tubes of Twain to get the voice and inflection just right. Sit back and enjoy tales from a hundred years ago that are just as germaine today. You'll soon be convinced that the man in front of you is actually Mark Twain!

Hal Holbrook-Mark Twain Tonight
Having seen Hal Holbrook live, in Mark Twain Tonight on two occasions, most recently this past January, I must say I was delighted to aquire the DVD of his 1967 television broadcast performance. My aquaintence with Mr. Holbrooks' Twain goes back to two LPs, recorded in performance in the early 60's, lost, but not forgotten. I have long believed, and this DVD confirms that Mark Twain Tonight is easily one of the greatest treasures of the stage in the last half of the 20th Century. That Mr. Holbrook has performed Mark Twain every year since 1954, in close to 2000 shows, is nothing short of miraculous. But there are twelve hours of material that he draws from. Hopefully, all twelve hours will one day, be available in this format. This 90 minute show brings the wisdom, humor and humanity of one of the most morally brave men of the 19th century to life; and his words are as funny, poignant and relevent going into the 21st century as they were then. I am simply in awe! ... Read more

Reviews (255)

Not Quite Titanic
Titan A.E. has a lot of to live up to. Recent Disney films, though very cliched, have followed a very straight forward, good conquers all storyline. As a result, these have grossed up and beyond the 100 million mark. So, coming up with a new idea is indeed very risky, especially when you spend 90 million dollars on it, like the makers of Titan A.E. did. The film takes place in the 31st century, the earth has been blown up by an alien race, and humans are now restricted to doing slave work in space and are dying of at a rapid pace. A drifter named Cal, whose father was lead designer of "the titan project", a craft which has the ability to reproduce earth as we know it. Cal (voiced by Matt Damon) soon finds out his destiny and goes on a quest to find the ship. The storyline is a mix of Star Wars and the recent flop Battlefield Earth. Its a shame the movie used cliches of both films, and could never develop the charcters into a group the people would care about. There are certain twists in the movie, but nothing that actually throws you. The animation is probably the only real reason to see this movie. The mix of CGI backgrounds and animation make the movie look outstanding. The developers had the unfortunate privilage of coming off the horrid Battlefield Earth and Dinosaur. If the story was a little more grounded, and the charcters were a little more developed, this could have been a blockbuster film. Unless you are looking for great animation, but shallow plot, stay away from this film.

A Steal From the Budget Bin
I'm always astounded when I see this dvd offered so cheap. It's usually thrown in the same budget bin with really bad movies.

To cut to the chase, the story is ok; not great, but not bad either. What really separates this one into the pile of DVD's that I like to watch are the stunning visuals and the even more stunning (DTS) sound. If you have a home theater, then this dvd will pay for itself in the first few minutes of the movie.

An indicator of the excellent sound on this dvd is that when I finally added a subwoofer to my home theater, the first dvd I put in to try out was Titan AE (and it left my whole family with mouths agape).

The story itself is fine, though it would have been better if it were developed more. There is a good story there, it's just not fully presented. Some of the secondary characters are very forgettable. In other words, it's pretty much on par with most SciFi movies. I could have written this same paragraph about any Star Wars or Star Trek movie. That may not be high praise, but it's no indictment either. It's SciFi; enjoy what it gives you and don't be overly critical.

Not exactly "Titan"-ic...
Although I'm a fan of both "space opera" sci-fi and 'toons geared more towards the older crowd, I didn't find "Titan A.E." to be a particularly interesting or original melding of these two elements. On the story side, I found the whole "boy-man-destined-to-save-humanity" angle that the central character plays a bit derivative of, and not played out quite as well as such previous sci-fi messiahs as the 'Star Wars' trilogy's Luke Skywalker and 'Dune's' Paul Atreides/Muad'Dib. I also would've preferred they put a little more exposition into-- and explained with a bit more detail-- the period between the Earth's destruction and the commencing of the hero's search for the Titan. On the technical end of things: although the folks who put this together made an admirable effort to meld both 3-D computer animation and traditional cel animation together as seamlessly as possible, It rarely ever looked quite right. This lack of cohesion is especially noticeable in one scene where a cel-drawn character is walking down a CGI spiral staircase. Or was he walking UP it? See, the thing looks so odd I couldn't even tell which direction the guy was goin' on the staircase! How's THAT for a case in point, eh? Otherwise, the 'toonage was some of the most detailed and painstakingly-rendered I've ever seen in a non-anime feature.

But even though I found the story and animation less than stellar, I thought some of the deleted scenes in the bonus features section were moderately interesting. A few parts of these scenes were rough-drawn, giving the viewer a little window into the animation process and what the film's producers worked with before adding the finishing touches to the 'toonage. The feature-length commentary track featuring co-directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman also lets the viewer in on the more technical aspects of producing animated features in general and 'Titan A.E.' in particular. Sadly, I found their commentary so dry that I bailed out on them about twenty minutes into the feature. It also didn't help that they spoke in an almost hushed tone half the time, prompting me to turn the volume up just so I could understand them.

Also included among the special features were the usual trailers and TV spots for the movie, and a behind-the-scenes special on the making of the feature. My viewing of the BTS special made me come to the realization that I've become rather tired of most of these "making-of" featurettes that they throw onto most "special-edition" DVDs nowadays. About halfway through the show I realized I really didn't give two doots about how the animation was done, or the voice actors talking about the complexities of their characters. Immediately after making this realization, I bailed on the special and decided to go do something a little more productive-- like writing this review about the DVD.

And people say I'm a slacker...

'Late

Visuals!
Some of the most beautiful visuals of any movie to grace the screen. Should appeal to fans of Star Wars style action. Too intense for the wee ones though.

Wasted potential
This is what happens when the guy who did "Pebble and the Penguin" ventures into "Heavy Metal 2000" territory.

In the beginning I actually liked this movie. Visuals were nice, and storyline seemed promising: earth has been destroyed and humanity has spread out among the stars while being persecuted by the Drej, a race of pure energy, because they fear what we might become and also the construction of the Titan AE. Yet there were some problems I noticed that put the film on thin ice: cliche, archetype characters. For example: the brave, handsome hero and the tough, independant woman. And of course they hate each other, because after all two people can't fall in love unless they hate each other's guts first.

Things start to go downhill in the storyline though. For example, the Drej are not scary at all, nor are they dangerous. Characters are continually saying through out the film, "You can't defeat them!" Yet through out the film their fighters and ground troops are killed with one shot. And this includes one shot with a PISTOL! I don't care if its a laser pistol, its still a freggin' pistol versus a giant fightercraft.

The plotholes get bigger in the next thirty minutes. Some examples:
1) How did the hero know what the Drej lord was saying? Did he read the subtitles?
2) Do you know the hero breaks out of prison by going through the electric shield door? You're telling me one of the most advanced civilizations in the universe can't come up with a better way to imprison people?
3) Why could the hero fly the Drej plane? Where did he learn to fly it? Did he read a "Drej Plane for Dummies" in a cut scene?
4) The hero and heroine find out the captain is in league with the Drej by peeking through the door. OK...why the hell did he leave his door open if he's talking with his race's archenemy?! Didn't he think that a little bit of secrecy was in order? And then he gets mad at they heard him...he should be mad at himself!
5) So our two main characters just convinced an entire colony of people they didn't know to help build a busted spaceship, make it work, and cheer them on as they left? And how long did it take them to do this because they make it seem like it was less than a few days.
6) They didn't really flesh out why the Drej hated us so much. They keep saying "It's because of what we may become." Well all right, but isn't every race capable of being great? Why doesn't the Drej just kill every one? The Drej's despise of Titan AE seems to hold the answer until it's revealed at the end that Titan AE is meant to rebuild earth after it's destroyed. OK that explains why the Drej want to destroy it...but it doesn't explain why they hate us so much.
7) How did the little annoying green guy survive an explosion point blank?

The turncoating of the captain through out the film was totally unconvincing. He's suddenly gone from the nice, father-like figure to "I AM GOING TO KILL THEM ALL" villain stereotype. Then near the end he suddenly sacrifices his life to let the hero and heroine go, saying, "No! It's better this way!" I seriously doubt they thought that character out, instead going for every side-character cliche in the book.

The voice acting in this wasn't too great either. I wonder why? I wonder who came up with the idea that Drew Barrymore would be a great choice to play an Asian chick. And Jeanine Gerafelo's voice couldn't be any more monotone. I'll admit Nathan Lane's character had some class, although it seemed to add needless humor to a character that becomes serious in the second act, adding yet again more bad character continuity in the film.

This film had a lot of potential considering the basic storyline and the budget/artists involved. Unfortunately, it's marred by the poor script that doesn't take itself seriously at all. It's pretty much over by the end when the hero calls the new Earth "Bob." Wow what a great way to end a movie. I'm surprised Stanley Kubrick didn't have a clown instead of superhuman baby at the end of "2001."

Wait a minute...the writer of the "Buffy the Vamprie Slayer" TV series wrote this? THAT'S YOUR PROBLEM! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The reigning masterpiece of Italian horror cinema, Mario Bava's Black Sunday remains one of the most stylishly photographed of all horror films, ranking with any other black-and-white film of lasting repute. This was the master cameraman's official directorial debut, and his striking compositions are the work of a genuine artist in peak form. Loosely adapted from a story by Nikolai Gogol, this chilling vampire tale begins in17th-century Moldavia, where the evil Princess Asa (Barbara Steele) is executed for witchcraft and vampirism, along with her brother Javutich (Arturo Dominici). Two centuries later, a pair of traveling doctors discover Asa's crypt and inadvertently revive the evil princess, whose scheme of vampiric revenge is aimed at her own identical descendant Princess Katia, an innocent beauty (also played by Steele) whose lifeblood will ensure Asa's immortality.

Influenced by Universal's classic horror films of the '30s and British Hammer films of the late '50s, Black Sunday (released in Italy as The Mask of Satan) is a dark fairy tale, with horror queenSteele as the definitive embodiment of erotic horror. With shocking violence (tame by today's standards) and visual emphasis on tombs, secret passages, ominous castles, and unseen forces, the film offers a wealth of memorable imagery and inventive technique. Redubbed, rescored, and harshly edited for its American release in 1961, Black Sunday is presented on DVD in the original English-language director's cut of The Mask of Satan, never before available in the U.S. The perfect movie to watch on a dark and stormy night, this timeless classic is the Citizen Kane of horror films, entirely worthy of its lofty reputation. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (58)

Classic Goth Guignol
The incredibly photogenic original Goth queen, Barbara Steele, couldn't have asked for a better film debut than this atmospheric black-and-white classic by famed director Mario Bava. She gets to play both the innocent and beautiful ingenue Katya, and Katya's evil twin ancestor, the diabolical witch, Asa.

Steele's performance is half the reason to watch this conventional black magic/ghost/vampire tale, the other half being Bava's cinematography and skillful direction. This is an especially violent film, opening on the execution of Asa and her evil manservant, Javuto, by the nailing of spiked devil masks to their faces (the original title of the film was Mask of Satan). The visuals in this, and all other, scenes in the film are archetypally perfect. The actual framing and composition of each shot is beautifully done, throughout. The scenery is lush, the makeups unsettling - especially the resurrected Asa, with the holes in her face from the mask - and many of the effects are equally disturbing, especially one in which Asa's naked ribcage is exposed.

European horror cinema of the 1960s was the best the genre ever produced, and this was one of its premiere features. Highly recommended not only for horror fans, but for serious film students as well.

Dark, gothic, evil fun
Let me start by saying Barbara Steele is just plain weird looking. She is not unattractive. She is just...disturbing. Maybe that is why she fits so well into the role of an ancient witch condemned to death, a horrible iron mask nailed to her face.

Time passes and some travellers wander into her crypt despite their coach driver's warning. And of course they manage to break the wards and symbols that keep her from returning to life.

Black Sunday features great set design and an oppressively dark mood that oozes evil and menace in every scene. Apparently the film is available in two versions. I think I got the bad one. One version is heavily edited but features voicework by the original actors in english and better overall sound quality. I bought the extended version which unfortunately has some pretty bad voice acting.

Buy Black Sunday if you like classic horror movies such as the old Universal monster films, but wish that they didn't pull their punches so much. I would have given Black Sunday 5 stars, but the voice acting in my version is going to cost it a star. Still, most people suggest this version (the full version) over the shorter version, so the choice comes down to your own preference.

The heavenly totality of Asa Vadya's eyes
(...)

This is certainly a minor stylistic masterpiece. It creates atmosphere that is thick, foreboding, and claustrophobic. The story, however, is not worthy of such a lush, lavish treatment. It just doesn't possess any emotional depth. The whole film is Barbara Steele's eyes. They possess power that the film as a whole simply does not. The fog the film is enveloped in is not pervasive enough to mask the bitter emptiness of the tale being conveyed. It is difficult to criticize the film on its cinematic qualities. Nevertheless, the story does not mesmerize, tantalize or excite beyond those moments when Asa is moaning in her blood ecstasy. Indeed, my grandest (futile) wish was for Asa to slaughter them all and then to hit the road looking for more victims to prey upon.

Barbara Steele weeps, shrieks, sighs, faints, screams, moans, gasps, and is undeniably fascinating to watch. She is far more interesting as Asa. As Katia, she is a cipher. She's drained of life and hysterical to boot. Asa has activated her will (if the undead can even be said to possess a will--the will of Satan?). Katia is receptive, helpless and boring. She's just a lonely princess longing for her prince (yawn). It isn't Ms. Steele's fault--the character is simply dismal. She's the "good" girl--she doesn't have to do anything, except mope about in a perfectly awful hairdo. The rest of the cast are perfectly plastic--save for Arturo Dominici as Javutich. He's a fine match for Ms. Steele and wondefully terrible. He has presence that the others lack.

Still, the film is simply gorgeous. The story might not be my glass of Absinthe, but the film is still visually stunning. It lacks emotion and depth--but it makes up for it somewhat in the sheer power of its images. Obvious films that clearly map out the binary opposites at play are just not that intriguing. When you know from the start that virtue will win and evil will be destroyed, it kind of takes the thrill out of the whole thing.

BRAVO BAVA AND STEELE
If you are a true horror connoseur of great horror films, BLACK SUNDAY or THE MASK OF SATAN, belongs in your repertoire of those films which defined what "horror" movies should be about.
Mario Bava's first film is full of eloquent imagery, darkly atmospheric sets and lighting, and an almost palpable sense of doom. Barbara Steele, who went on with Hazel Court, to be the true scream queens of the sixties, is perfect in the dual role of the witch and her descendant; Bava knew that Steele's beauty is not of the usual kind and he used his lens to soften some of her harshness, but yet to ignite those gorgeous eyes. Steele also knew how to handle the camera, how to peer not only into the eyes of her fellow actors, but into your eyes as well.
John Richardson's boyish handsomeness is a perfect contrast to Steele's dark beauty. (Only complaint about DVD is the obvious dubbing, with "radio dj" voices that at times lessened the impact of the movie). The silent stagecoach ride is as many readers have commented one of the eeriest scenes captured on celluloid.
This is a frightening movie, way ahead of its time, and maintains a crude brilliance that is still penetrating today.

Bava Lives!
BLACK SUNDAY (aka THE MASK OF SATAN) marks the directorial debut of prolific horror director Mario Bava, and what a debut! The story, a Gothic masterpiece about vampirism being an extension of Satan worship, is quite interesting. Barbara Steel, the first horror starlet, or scream queen, is amazingly beautiful and quite good as the evil Princess Asa, who curses her family after being condemned as a witch, and Princess Katia, her ancestor. A chairjumper every five minutes! It lulls you asleep and then slaps you awake with the next scary moment. True suspense is being built up as the plot goes along nice and slow (even under an hour and a half!) The whole film is gorgeous and really showed me that a black-and-white movie can be just as scary and cringe-inducing as one in bright color.
Yes, Mario Bava is the founding father of Italian horror as we know it! Not only is he a great director, but he is an excellent cameraman and special effects artist, just to name a few other things he did in his movies. Thanks to Bava, we have masterpieces from other great directors as Dario Argento (SUSPIRIA, DEEP RED, TENEBRE, INFERNO), Lucio Fulci (DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING, ZOMBIE, THE BEYOND), and even Mario's own son Lamberto (MACABRE, A BLADE IN THE DARK, DEMONS 1 & 2). Hell, even the Bavas helped Argento on occasion (Mario directed that awesome underwater sequence in INFERNO, and Lamberto was assistant director on that and TENEBRE). So remember, when you think about how awesome Italian horror movies were back in the day and all the masterpieces that came out of that country, remember Mario Bava. And watch BLACK SUNDAY and all of his other movies! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

MYSTERT MAGNIFIQUE!
It's no mystery why this is the most-watched detective show in the history of the PBS "Mystery!" series --- Christie penned a brilliant Belgian [detective]who solves crimes only using
his "little grey cells" and the aid of his affable associate Captain Hastings. And not one hair out of place on his perfectly coifed hairy lip! No mystery why fans shouldn't host sleuthing fetes: Acorn is releasing the entire canon! Mystery magnifique!

STEP OUTSIDE THE BOX WITH POIROT
The supernatural provides an eerie undertone in this trio of episodes featuring Agatha Christie's most famous detective. Poirot's secretary Miss Lemon (Pauline Moran) experiments with the Ouija board and tarot cards; she even hypnotizes a murder victim's widow (with some success) in "The Underdog." And is an ancient Egyptian curse responsible for the four untimely deaths in "The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb"? Poirot braves the untidy desert sand to find out. Finally, in "Yellow Iris," friends and family gather for dinner to commemorate the second anniversary of a woman's death; the atmosphere at the table is so charged one almost expects the victim to come back from the dead.
As always, the fastidious habits of Poirot (played to perfection by David Suchet) and the charming naiveté of his assistant Hastings (Hugh Fraser) add just the right touch of levity to these grim tales. For this, one must credit the scriptwriters as much as the actors--their addition of witty exchanges and subplots make Christie's stories even more delightful onscreen than on the printed page.

HERCULE POIROT HELPS YOU STEP OUSIDE THE BOX

Yellow Iris RULES!
Okay, so it's my favorite one-hour episode, forgive me!

The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb - Great! Quite different from all preceeding episodes, and while a more complex solution would have been nice, the build-up makes the episode wonderfully multi-faceted! - 4.5 stars

The Under Dog - Well, this was the under dog of this set, but it's actually pretty good. Again, the solution was just a little too simple for my taste, but I did like the "Trapped behind the curtain" bit. - 3.5 stars

Yellow Iris - It's hard to say how much I like this! Probably only the third episode in which the music really hit home with me (the other two being the Cornish Mystery and Double Sin) and the whole recreation of the murder scene, and flash back, and the murder's Pshycological moment thing were intertwined incredibly well! BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO! - 5 stars

Box Set Overall score (Not an Average) - 5 stars

Three thumping good entries in the Poirot series
The seventh set of 3 mysteries is now available from Acorn Media and all three are very satisfactory indeed.

"The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb" starts with a wonderful mixture of old newsreel footage and newly filmed studio shots of an Egyptian tomb being excavated and the entire premise bears more than a passing similarity to the Karloff film "The Mummy." As always, a little subplot is added to the original scenario that somehow ties in thematically (and now and then dramatically). The seeming curse on all those who attended the original opening of the tomb is killing them off but in very dissimilar ways. By putting his own life in the hazard--though not very deeply, as it turns out--Poirot forces the culprit to show his hand. As with all of the episodes in this series, the production values are high.

"The Underdog" concerns British businessmen who don't mind turning a profit even if it is with Nazi Germany. The scenes at the chemical plant are imposing, the red herrings well cooked up, and the acting up to standard for these productions. If the murder scene is a bit overly crowded (even for Christie), it does give us a chance to see the crime from several points of view and the cast manages to keep things on the serious side of what is nearly a French farce of people hidden behind doors and curtains. Even Miss Lemon's abilities as a hypnotist help Poirot to gather the clues in this one.

"Yellow Iris" has Poirot caught up in a coup d'etat in Argentina and actually arrested for espionage, all of which prevents him from solving a murder at a French restaurant owned by an Italian in Buenos Aires. While his demonstration of how the first murder was done leaves one a little incredulous (are intended murder victims all such good actors on the spur of the moment?), the psychological assumption of the killer is quite clever, making one think, "Yes, it would work!"

For some reason, the box shows Poirot as he appears in an episode slated for Set 8. A little Acornian production slip up? Still, three examples of top notch little-gray-celling. ... Read more

Description

New hi def color transfer made from 35 mm interpositive - picture: 16x9 Anamorphic 1.85:1 presentation, 5.1 surround sound, subtitled in English, French and Spanish, commentary with director Bruce Beresford, 20 minute interview with actor Edward Woodward, in-depth character breakdown, photo gallery and original theatrical trailer. Synopsis: Based on a true story, Breaker Morant is the tale of three soldiers who are court-martialed at the end of the Boer War. When one of their comrades is ambushed and killed, three soldiers (Edward Woodward, Brian Brown and Lewis Fitz-Gerald) seek revenge and kill a Boer Solider. The act of murder and the mysterious disappearance of a German missionary leads to the arrest of the three men. In one of the most controversial court-martials in military history, they are defended by Major Thomas (Jack Thompson), small town Australian solicitor who has only been given one day to prepare the case. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Hilarious, odd, and wonderful
I remember a friend talking to me about this weird little show on Comedy Central. These sketches, involving a man wielding a poo stick, another person claiming to have the title line in Star Wars, and man forced to make "mini-movies" wearing a catsuit and delivering balloons. It sounded bizarre, but I trust this friends opinon, so I watched the show and fell in love. I missed most of the episodes on their cable run, and saw little to nothing of the first or second season. But it still remained one of my favorite sketch comedies ever.

So when I heard that the first season was available on DVD I snatched up fast. An excellent DVD with commentary from the UCB, deleted scenes, the unaired pilot, and more. I finally got to see those episode I never saw (including the excellent Saigon Suicide Squad). I hope enough folks buy it so that seasons 2 & 3 are released.

WOLFMAN JACK SAYS UCB IS AT THE FRONT DOOR BABY!!
UCB was the best sketch comedy show to ever be on television!! Its bizarre and off-the-wall humor is guaranteed to satisfy! This is a great DVD to get, even if you've seen all the episodes the special features are dreadfully funny and definitely worth it. The commentaries especially are hilarious, which features all the four actors from the show recently talking about the best episodes from the season. Season 1 personally is my favorite of the three seasons they were on comedy central. So many great episodes like "Bucket of Truth", "Poo Stick", "Time Machine", "Cyborgs", "Lady of the Lake", "Little Donnie Foundation" and many more. Plus, they swear!! I stole my copy of season one from the store, but it was ok, my sheet has a hole in it.

How did I miss this??
I saw an episode of this show last week during a marathon on Comedy Central - it was the first time I had ever watched the show. HOW DID I MISS IT?? This show is excellent - for me to mention it in the same breath as "Mr. Show" and "The State" is pretty indicative of how funny it is.

Random, arbitrary, but intelligent humor appeal to you? This is perfect.

I love it entirely
I can remember when Comedy Central was called HA network. I've seen brilliance slip through so many cracks like a plummbers convention. This show should be beamed into deep space to baffle alien races. Now run and open your front door and scream for no reason.

This is the best show ever.
This DVD is so hilarious. I've been waiting so long for them to put this show out on DVD. The shows are great, the commentary is even better! This show makes me laugh harder and longer than any other show in the history of time. I've watched every episode on this DVD many times and it never gets old. You and your friends will pick up enough catch-phrases to last a life-time.

COMEDY CENTRAL PLEASE PUT OUT THE OTHER SEASONS!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Adapted from the beloved novel by Walter Farley, this 1979 family classic was hailed by no less than hard-to-please critic Pauline Kael, who wrote that "it may be the greatest children's movie ever made." A visual feast from start to finish, the timeless tale of The Black Stallion plays out on almost mythic terms. A young boy survives a shipwreck and is stranded on a deserted island with a graceful black stallion, with whom the boy develops an almost empathic friendship. After being rescued and returning home, the two make a winning team as jockey and lightning-fast racehorse under the tutelage of a passionate trainer, played by Mickey Rooney in an Oscar-nominated role. From its serenely hypnotic island sequence to the breathtaking race scenes, this delightful film is guaranteed to enthrall any viewer, regardless of age. The Black Stallion is a genuine masterpiece of family entertainment. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (53)

The most magical childrens' (& adults') movie ever made!
I have been completely enchanted with The Black Stallion since first seeing this movie in the theater at the age of 7 and then having the opportunity to meet Cass Ole in Washington, D.C. shortly thereafter. I remember being the first in line to have my picture taken with that horse!

I have never seen a movie more beautifully filmed. From start to finish you will be riveted during the trauma of the sinking freighter, the desert island scene (about 45 minutes with no speaking - you will be amazed at well they pull this off!), The Black's homecoming to New York and the final race.

I still watch this movie on occassion and my heart beats harder each time as Alec and The Black are rescued from the island and during the race. Still, my favorite scene is during the final credits where we return to the island and see Alec and The Black playing together and rolling in the sand on the beach as the most beautifully reminiscent music plays.

This is the stuff dreams are made of - I have always wanted to be Kelly Reno on that island!

Cinematography and visual storytelling at its best
If you can get past the labelling of "children's story" or "melodramatic fable", The Black Stallion has the kind of stunning filmwork reserved only for the grandest epics. The first half of the movie -- about a boy and horse shipwrecked on a small island -- is basically a silent movie. It is a story of friendship and trust that is told without the benefit of dialog. Deschanel's wonderful cinematography conveys both the island's beauty and Farley's storytelling without becoming maudlin or trite. The still photography alone brings to mind Adams, and the haunting score is near perfect for the occasion. The second half of the film reverts back to a formulaic Nerd-wins-Girl, or in this case, Boy-and-Horse-Win-Big-Race, but the performances are superb and the movie never patronizes to its adult viewers. Predictable ending aside, The Black Stallion is an awesome, visual masterpiece masquerading as a children's movie.

Great flick, poor DVD
The story and the cinematography were excellent. The transfer to DVD was very disappointing. It looked out of focus from time to time, the dark scenes were muddy, and there were film "remnants" in the transfer (scratches, film marks). And the sound, while Dolby, was 2.0 which was rather disappointing, too.
This isn't too recommend against it, just beware, it isn't the great audio/visual feast that it could be.

DON'T BE A HORSE'S PATOOT - SEE THIS MOVIE!
You don't want to miss out on this wonderful family film about a boy and his dog. The fact that Caleb Deschanel was not - huh? - a horse? Oh, yes, of course! A horse. A wonderful family film about a boy and his horse. -------- The fact that Caleb Deschanel was not even nominated for an Oscar for his extraordinary cinematography in THE BLACK STALLION goes to prove what a dog and pony show the Academy Award presentations really are. (Dang! How'd that dog sneak back in here again?) Deschanel's poetic work in this film belongs in an elite class which also includes KOYAANISQATSI and ONE FROM THE HEART. -------- Kelly Reno's work also belongs in an elite class of highly developed performances by child actors which also includes Bobs Watson in ON BORROWED TIME and Haley Joel Osment in THE SIXTH SENSE. -------- But what I really want to focus on with this review is something that only my fellow reviewer Candace Scott seemed to fully appreciate and note in her July 3, 2003 assessment: I was fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity to do a little (VERY little) professional acting in the late l970s and early '80s. It was a craft I seriously studied for many years, and having learned a bit about it, I'm here to say that MICKEY ROONEY's naturalistic performance in this movie is one of the finest ever filmed! I watch THE BLACK STALLION every couple of years and end up slack-jawed every time! -------- In acting there is something known as "False Notes", and these occur when a performer falls out of character and/or plays to the camera or audience. Even the greatest of thespians are guilty of committing False Notes in every performance. MICKEY's performance as horse trainer Henry Dailey may be the only PERFECT performance I have ever seen. Does it seem like he just isn't doing much? Does it seem like he's hardly even acting? EXACTLY!!! The viewer simply can't catch him "acting", and that's the whole point! His actions, his reactions, his speech patterns are so organic to the character he's playing that it simply floors me!!! He may have played a False Note for a brief moment in the scene where he reassures Alec who sits on the car bumper in the rain-soaked night. Maybe. MAYBE! It's arguable. I've seen many an extraordinary performance in my (nearly) 45 years, but this one is really something special. (You actors out there know exactly what I'm talking about, don't you?) There are many excellent reasons to see this film, but Mickey is the best of them. At least for me. -------- I suppose I should mention the movie's one notable flaw even though it is of such little consequence: The editing in the horse race always disturbs me a little. As they cut from the closeup on the thundering hooves to the long establishing shot and then back again, it leaves the false impression that The Black's position changes in the field of horses. But c'mon, are we gonna let a little detail like that spoil such an overall artistic success for us? No way! The bottom line is: THE BLACK STALLION is a real winner; you can bet on it!

the girl
i will like a boook on the girl. i will buy it for $5.00 ... Read more

Description

In WITHOUT A PADDLE, three friends from Philadelphia decide to go on a canoeing trip in Oregon after the death of a friend. While canoeing down the Columbia River, the trio soon finds themselves in trouble as the river turns dangerous and they encounter a crazy mountain man who lives nearby. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

LILLARD CANT COMMIT SETHS TIMID SHEPARD ISNT SCARED
This movie looks great-I've watched the trailer like 8 0r 10 times or something like that!

I'll for sure go see this at the theatre-since my idol Seth Green is in it!

All the guys in this movie are hott-especially Dax Shepard!

Yummy!

Hey look a deer!

growl!

Everything we've been through Im finally running out of things to be afraid of!

Who Would Have Guessed?
Look, I walked into this movie expecting a complete bomb, and I was being more than generous at the time. Having never heard of it before, this "action-comedy starring that guy from Scooby-Doo and Dr. Evil's son" seemed less than appealing to me. But once the film started rolling, I was amazed at how hilarious it was. It is a story about four childhood friends who are now in their late 20's. One of them dies and the other three set out on a childhood journey to find the treasure of DB, a man who was lost during a parachute-jump and never returned. On their journey they encounter many obstacles, including a bear, two pot-farmers, tree-hugging hippies and many other hilarities. Although the acting is not top-notch, the comedy is worth the ticket, it is so saturated with jokes that I'm sure that I missed a good third of them. ... Read more

Description

Marvelous mustachioed Hercule Poirot stamps out evil with savoir faire to spare in this British television production that became a hit on both the PBS Mystery! series and A&E. Based on the fiction of Agatha Christie and starring David Suchet as the definitive Poirot, the series features great ensemble acting, witty scripts, and gorgeous period sets and costumes. The dapper, diminutive Poirot and his lanky assistant Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser) sort out cases in and around 1930s London.

Dead Man's Mirror—At a fine furniture auction, Poirot loses in the bidding for an art deco mirror but wins a new client willing to part with the mirror for Poirot’s services.
Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan—Poirot tries to take a holiday but is soon required to save the day when a priceless necklace disappears.
The Adventure of the Clapham Cook—Finding a missing cook proves tougher, and more suited to his superior skills, than Poirot expects.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE biographies of Agatha Christie and David Suchet, cast filmographies, and Agatha Christie materials. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

3 strong entries in the almost complete POIROT series
Having sung the praises of Sets 1-8 of the Acorn Media releases of , I can find little to add about the general excellence of this series, which offers up the shorter episodes on VHS and the longer ones on VHS and DVD formats. With 3 of the projected 12 sets to go for the shorter entries, Set 9 offers up a trio of fairly strong tales.

"Dead Man's Mirror" concerns a ruthless millionaire who outbids Poirot on a mirror at an auction and then dangles the item as bait for the detective to investigate a case of fraud. There is much ado about inheritances, a second (unsigned) will, possible murderers, dinner gongs, and shots behind locked doors. And if the ending is far fetched, who cares? This one needs total concentration.

"Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan" is lighthearted and contains a wonderful spoof on the mystery plays popular in Christie's own time. You will enjoy not only the usual good characterizations by the supporting cast but also the very imaginative camera shots inside a chest of drawers.

"The Case of the Clapham Cook" hangs on a hoax that is a bit overly complicated, since the perpetrator could have accomplished his aims in a far less roundabout way; but then there would have been no plot. The use of disguises, fine in the original stories, often does not work on video, because it is too easy to spot the face behind the beard.

All in all, superior viewing for an evening. ... Read more

Reviews (105)

Ralph Bakshi's Wizards
While it is certainly not for young children, older teens and adults will get a real kick out of "Wizards". Set in a post-apocalyptic world wrought by radiation due to a nuclear holocaust, most humans have died, and the population consists mainly of elves, fairies, dwarves, and then the mutants. The world is in danger from the threat of technology, brought upon by the evil wizard, Blackwolf. It is up to his brother, the comical, yet good hearted wizard, Avatar, to stop him. Joining Avatar in his quest are Weehawk, chief of a tribe of warrior elves, Elenor, fairy princess of the land of Montagar, and Peace, a former assassin of Blackwolf's (formerly known as Necron 99) who changes his ways and fights against the threat of technology. The WWII references abound, and there are many more adult-oriented references throughout. It dares to go where cartoons usually do not, making allusions to sex, prostitution, religion, and there's even a rather racist Vietnam reference if you can catch it. However, I still highly recommend "Wizards", because in all it's brashness, it deserves to be seen. What the animation lacks in quality, it more than makes up for in imagination. It's quite funny, and it also delivers some unexpected twists. I personally really like the way it was done. The music really seems to fit the overall style of it, and the wonderful character designs and voice acting really pulls it all together. I definetely recommend it to anyone searching for something creative and different, and I'm sure any fan of cult classics will definetely want to check it out. However, I stress the importance of having an open mind. I think those who are more open to controversial subject matter will be able to better enjoy it, with all it's dark humor and it's alternative-type feel. I think it is something that everyone should see at least once. It deserves more credit than it has been given, and I think that it will really make people stop and think about our world, and about themselves.

Bakshi's masterpiece finally on DVD!!!!
This 1977 Ralph Bakshi made animated sci-fi fantasy is set in the post-apocalyptic future where mutants, monsters, fairies, elves, dwarves, and magical creatures roam. An evil wizard named "Blackwolf" plans on taking over the world with his mutant army using old Nazi propaganda films while a kind and powerful wizard named "Avatar" with a hot fairy chick named " Ellinor" and a brave elf named "Weehawk" including a robot named "Peace" join forces together to go to a place called "Scorch" then stop Blackwolf, the war and prevent the end of the world.

A unique, kadeldoscopic and entertaining animated fantasy from the director of "Fritz The Cat", " Animated Lord of the Rings" and "American Pop". The animation is quite good, it does have Mark Hamil's voice debut before he was in "Star Wars" of the same year this movie was released, a superhot fairy chick guaranteed to make guys smile and it's a good fun flick for the whole family even though it's rated PG due to some graphic animated violence, battle scenes, some language and some mild nudity.

The DVD is excellent, the extras include TV Spot, Trailers, a documentary on how Ralph Bakshi created this movie, still gallery and a audio commentary by Ralph Bakshi. So if you love fun fantasy, sci-fi and animated flicks then pick this up for your animation DVD collection.

Also recommended: " Terminator 2: Judgment Day", " Fist of the North Star" ( Anime version), " Braveheart", " Gladiator", " Mad Max", " The Last Unicorn", " The Secret of NIMH", " Rock & Rule", " The Dark Crystal", " The Princess Bride", " Star Wars", " Gettysburg", " Starship Troopers", " Total Recall", " Heavy Metal", " The Fifth Element", " Mulan", "Antz".

classic you will either hate or love
This is one of those rare movies that doesn't try to hide its flaws, and actually benefits from them giving the entire movie a campy feel to it. The accents are mixed up, the animation crude and often using recycled sequences, the movement is jerky, scenes are often using war footage that was animated over, and the jokes are often crude and dark natured. But the film in a whole works.

Though it is a bit preachy in its ways, this movie makes you interested in the characters. It also brings up some intersting and satirical ideas.

the world was destroyed in war, humans are few and most have mutated and live in badlands. Elves, faeries and dwarves, have returned and taken over the good lands, but nothing seems different. The factions are divided and uncooperative with each other. When the badlands mutants gets a powerful leader, they ignore it until it is too late. When the push is made for the mutants to take over the goodlands the enemy seemingly has too much up his sleeve.

The cartoon has a definite seventies feel to it. The humor is dark, twisted, and often times has a distinct feel of juxtoposition. It is a fantasy futuristic world that has the attitude and feeling of New York. There are fairy hookers, dirty streets with bums lying around, and bitter old men with brooklyn accents. The evil army has a strong Nazi theme to it, as well as their secret weapons.

It is also very violent, showing elves and fairies being killed by the hundreds, pow's being executed, and prisoners being forced to entertain soldiers any way they want.

This is a very warped movie that shouldn't work, but does. A classic from the 70's that had enough of a cult following to bring it to dvd today. watch it for the spectacle and you will either love it or hate it.

A Lost Masterpiece!
I remember seeing this film as young kid though I really wasn't supposed too. I saw it with the film LIGHT YEARS another film that I hope will come to dvd in the very near future. This film is basically about a centuries old battle between two brothers. One on the side of magic, the other on the side of Technology. It's basic good versus evil with a bit of social commentary in between. The animation may not be what people are used to now, but it serves it's purpose. I personally like the rendition of the elves. They look more like elves from say ELF QUEST and not the overly tall elves of D&D fame. Pretty good film. Check it out for nostalgia if anything else.

Finally a beautiful Bakshi release on DVD
Ralph Bakshi has his admirers and his detractors, as any good filmmaker should. Wizards is an important film for many reasons, but mostly, in my opinion, because it really began the experimentation of melding of rotoscope, traditional animation and live action. Bakshi masterfully mixes the three techniques in ways never before done, and seldom since. His powerful use of Nazi propaganda films melds perfectly with high contrast rotoscoping of Eisenstein's Alexander Nevski to give birth to a new and disturbing world. His use of traditional animation techniques then colors the fairy lands in another light and we see the contrast between these two worlds brought together in a terrifying realization. The melding of various methods of filmmaking might be too much for some who have become accustomed to Disney animation, Saturday morning cartoons and anime, but it gives us a rare glimpse into what might have been in an artform which never fully developed into its own right.

Finally, we have DVD which treats master filmmaker, Ralph Bakshi, with the respect he deserves. After the atrociously inadequate release of Bakshi's Lord of the Rings Part One a few years ago, with it's incredible lack of special features and horrific overdub in the middle of the closing score (though thankfully finally released in widescreen format), I couldn't be happier with the treatment Fox has given to this film. The transfer is gorgeous and the colors are far more vivid than I have ever seen before - an element that is critical to the film.

The real treat, however, is the feature length commentary by Mr. Bakshi as well as the "documentary" on him and his work. I would have liked to have him chat a bit more about Lord of the Rings since we were robbed of a commentary in that DVD release, but he does give a bit of insight into the film, which was welcome.

All in all, a fantastic DVD release of a groundbreaking film. Bravo Fox and Mr. Bakshi! I hope Fire and Ice, Hey Good Lookin', Coonskin and someday a re-release of Lord of the Rings, will receive a similar treatment.

David ... Read more

Amazon.com

The second batch of eight episodes from the wonderful Monarch of the Glen series picks up precisely where Series One left off. Young Archie MacDonald, the London restaurateur forced to assume his role as Laird of Glenbogle--i.e., head of the MacDonald family's 400-year-old, 40,000-acre estate in the Scottish Highlands--has finally taken to his immense responsibility with seriousness of purpose and no little family pride. His cantankerous father, Hector (Richard Briers), long estranged from Archie and once bitter about asking his son to save the financially strapped estate, has gracefully accepted his own change in fortunes but now runs little ploys to maintain a semblance of aristocratic privilege. (In one near-slapstick episode, Hector and his old friend Kilwillie, played by Julian Fellowes, try to hide a valuable barrel of malt liquor from Archie, who is trying to profit from every MacDonald asset.)

Archie's efforts to keep Glenbogle solvent include turning the estate into a sprawling museum and renting the place out for weddings. The tricky bit is that Glenbogle is also a home and touchstone for the MacDonald's appealing staff and friends, and there will always be someone upset about changes in the status quo. Monarch continues to be as much about lovable, boneheaded Duncan (Hamish Clark), the MacDonald's all-purpose assistant; the sexy, strong-willed Lexie (Dawn Steele); grizzled Golly (Alexander Morton); and schoolteacher Katrina (Lorraine Pilkington), whose dodgy, romantic ambivalence toward Archie wears a little thin but finally settles into a promising groove.The radiant Susan Hampshire (The Forsyte Saga) has more to do in this set of stories and thus shines brighter as Archie's intriguing mother. Equally lovely are spectacular views of Highlands scenery: amazing castles, romantic vistas. One wants to stay forever. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Monarch of the Glen series
This British series is fantastic! I can't wait for season 3 and 4 to be sold in America. It is very funny, has romance, beautiful scenery, great characters that you get to know in depth. People of all ages will love it. My college age niece, my 80 year old mother, myself, my brother-in-law and sister all enjoyed watching it equally. Now that is something ot talk about! I wish they would show this series on A and E TV so more people would be exposed. It ranks up there with my favorite miniseries, "Pride and Prejudice".

even better
The second season of MONARCH is just as good as, if not better, than the first. This is one of those rare series where you care about every single character, so no matter which character is the focus of the episode you are right there rooting for them. Hector is as cantakerous and lovable as ever, and even surprising at one point. Molly is another surprise, as usual, shrewd one minute and air-headed the next. When she is around, you know everything will be all right. Archie, one of the few sane ones in the bunch, struggles and stumbles along, like most of us. The romantic obstacles get to be a bit much between him and his love interest(s). I guess they would have been easier to take once a week than all at once. All the 'supporting players' are strong enough to be the stars of the show, and sometimes they are. And there are some new people added in. I especially like the expansions into the village. It rounds out the story, placing it in a larger context. These are people you would love to know, to be friends with and to revisit over and over, which is why this DVD, along with its first season, is a definite keeper. ... Read more

Description

STRANGERS WITH CANDY - SEASON 3 twists the conventions of the classic after-school special and follows the antics of 47-year old Jerri Blank.Back at home after 32 years as a teenage runaway, the well-intentioned Jerri picks up her life exactly where she left it: at home and flunking her freshman year in high school.Special guest stars include Will Ferrell, Andy Richter, among others. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

FI-NA-LEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!
GAWD!!! I've been anxiously waiting for season three to come out! I was getting really impatient! AND I can't believe they are coming out with a movie!!!!! I could soil myself with excitement... oh Dizzy!

it's about time
It's about time they put close-captioning on Strangers With Candy! Down with WEA Corp, Go Paramount! If only they could release the entire series on a box-set with captions.

My favorite all-around season
Better than good, it's gooder. Thats right, SWC Season 3 is probably the best season of this sadly short-lived cult classic show. Each character fully comes into his own. The episodes are:
1. Jerri's Burning Issue
2. Is Freedom Free?
3. Trail of Tears-Will Ferrell guest stars, Andy Richter
4. Invisible Love
5. Is My Daddy Crazy-Stu at his best
6. Steroid Relay-Andy Richter
7. Ask Jerri- My favorite from this season b/c of Noblet and Jellineck, but really all episodes are great
8. Sexual Harassment
9. Bully
10. The Last Temptation of Blank-Winona Ryder guest stars
Also I want to remind everyone that the MOVIE is coming, probably in 2005. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Everything that was good about the 163-minute theatrical release of Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor in 1987 is even better in this new 218-minute director's cut. By contrast, much that was peculiarly distant and lifeless the first time around isn't really better or worse in this edition.Conclusion: the net gains are considerable if you invest time to appreciate Bertolucci's full feeling for the odd story of Pu Yi, China's final monarch.You remember the saga: taken from his mother at the age of three, Pu Yi is brought into the enclosed walls of the Forbidden City to replace the real emperor. There he becomes a pampered prisoner and hollow symbol of an older monarchy that has since given way to a ruthless, 20th century republic.With his pining loyalists beheaded or kept at bay by armed soldiers outside the City's walls, Pu Yi is tutored by an English gentleman (Peter O'Toole) and wed to a kindred spirit (Joan Chen). Eventually cast from his gated paradise, Pu Yi (wonderfully portrayed in adulthood by John Lone) becomes, by turns, a playboy, a dupe to the Japanese, and a victim of China's cultural reforms and re-education programs. This longer cut largely top-loads the film with greater reason to feel compassion for the emperor, with his often wordless sense-adventure in the mysteries that could only be known to one little boy plunged into indecipherable alien decorum, robbed of self-determination and common sense by his infinite privilege. Added scenes (including some in the political rehabilitation camp where Pu Yi is held for a decade) fill out not so much added facts as density of experience. This improved The Last Emperor is richer in soul and a pronounced sense of Bertolucci actually directing this film in the most personal and profound sense. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (103)

Masterpiece!
If you somehow missed this one, do yourself a favor and make time available in your schedule for viewing this masterpiece from director Bernardo Bertolucci! Nine academy awards, including Best Picture [1987], only gives partial credit to this magnificently epic and absolutely unforgettable true story. It is the story of Pu Yi, who at the age of 3 comes to the Imperial Dragon Throne to become the Last Emperor of China. His whole life is spanned in this film, from his chi