Amazon.com

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a seamless continuation of Peter Jackson's epic fantasy based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. After the breaking of the Fellowship, Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) journey to Mordor to destroy the One Ring of Power with the creature Gollum as their guide. Meanwhile, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) join in the defense of the people of Rohan, who are the first target in the eradication of the race of Men by the renegade wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee) and the dark lord Sauron. Fantastic creatures, astounding visual effects, and a climactic battle at the fortress of Helm's Deep make The Two Towers a worthy successor to The Fellowship of the Ring, grander in scale but retaining the story's emotional intimacy. These two films are perhaps the greatest fantasy films ever made, but they're merely a prelude to the cataclysmic events of The Return of the King. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (1869)

Stupendous!
"They don't make movies like that any more." This is reference to Cecil B. DeMille's spectacular remake of THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. I mention one of the few universally acclaimed film epics of all time because with THE LORD of THE RINGS-THE TWO TOWERS,
Director Peter Jackson has staked unchallengable claim to motion picture immortality. Visually the movie is staggering in technological excellence. It seamlessly combinines sweeping photographic grandeur with superlative integration of CGI and modelwork(Claymation & Superdynamation)that humbles even the work
of IL&M, and would have made Ray HarryHausen proud.

Thematically, the story is truly grand and has raised film making--again--to the level of Mythological. Those familiar with Tolkien's literary epic--with rare exception--have been astounded by this director's monumental artistry in cinematically incarnating one of the greatest "stories" ever written.The cast(humans;creatures; monsters;)is brilliantly essayed.(Sean Astin deserves particular recognition as Frodo's "guardian" friend, SAMWISE). The complex plotting is clearly delineated;and ACTION(quest development;battles; epic romance interludes)ranges from apocalyptic to majestic. THE LORD of THE RINGS-THE TWO TOWERS magnificently continues what was begun in THE FELLOWSHIP of THE RING. Peter Jackson has created a unique work of film making that is both artistically wonderous and breath taking entertainment.It is a stupendous achievement.(10 Stars)

Incredibly, once again, Peter Jackson does the impossible
From gliding through the Misty Mountains and reliving Gandalf's battle with the Balrog to the Battle of Helm's Deep, the climactic scene of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, I think that, even though Frodo Baggin's (Elijah Wood) quest is still unfulfilled, a group of hard-working New Zealanders have once again created an epic adventure confection of a movie, full of fantasy, courage, imagination and flair. J.R.R. Tolkien would not have been disappointed.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, since is a continuing of a story, doesn't stop to introduce us to the quest or the characters from the first part, The Fellowship of the Ring. Beginning right where the first left off, Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) must continue their quest to Mount Doom and destroy the evil One Ring. Hunting them done is the rascal Gollum (Andy Serkis) but promises to lead them in to Mordor secretely. In Fangorn Forest, captured hobbits Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) escape from the Orcs and are rescued by Treebeard (voiced by John Rhys-Davies), an ancient ent.

Meanwhile, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) enter the country of Rohan. After the miraculous return of Gandalf (Ian McKellan), the four see King Theoden (Bernard Hill). But the king isn't doing too well. He's doing practically everything his servant Grima Wormtongue (Brad Dourif) is telling him. Wormtongue is in league with Saruman (Christopher Lee) and therefore is kicked out of Rohan. Aragorn, Gandalf and Theoden must discuss Rohan's plans to counter Saruman and Sauron.

Saruman is preparing for war, as we've also seen in The Fellowship of the Ring. He has been crossing orcs with goblins, breeding the dreadful Uruk-Hai to launch against Men of Gondor and Rohan. Gondor has it's own problems holding off Sauron's evil army. It all comes down to Saruman against the country of Rohan: A war of 10,000 Uruk-Hai against hundreds of Rohan people. Can Men claim a victory against Barad-dur and Orthanc, the union of the Two Towers?

The Two Towers, for me at least, had a quicker pace and sharper sense of movement than the more-episodic Fellowship of the Ring. Peter Jackson easily presents a film that will keep your attention for the full three hours. In many ways, The Two Towers is a much livlier film than it's predecessor. It takes a deeper look into it's character's own problems, dreams and future, covering many subjects: The war for Rohan, the war for Gondor, the war for the ents, and possibly the most important, the fate of the One Ring.

If The Fellowship of the Ring was a beautiful-looking movie, The Two Towers easily surpasses it visually. With the use of a program called MASSIVE, Peter Jackson and company takes flawless computer animation and simplistically adds it to real-life to create a stunning world. The Battle of Helm's Deep is one of the most memorable scenes of all time, while it uses a fantastic blend of live-action and computer animation. I say it's already got the Best Visual Effects Oscar in the bag. Not just because of the CGI, but with the camera trickery to make the hobbits small and the great backdrops.

I am appalled by the number of reviewers saying that this isn't faithful to Tolkien's book. Everyone should know that books and film are two different media, and should be treated as such. Many things in Tolkien's story would've gone horribly wrong on screen. As Peter Jackson said, if you were to film LOTR page by page, faithful to everything, what you would get is a mess. Many don't realize that what works in a book will NOT work on film. Be happy that you actually have a LOTR movie. Many filmmakers would not have been up to transferring Tolkien's story to the big screen. Jackson did make a few unnessesary changes, but he's a brave filmmaker to actually take on LOTR and still make something this good. Quit whining.

It might need a bit more humanity, but I'd say the chemistry between characters is much more alive and vivid in The Two Towers than with The Fellowship of the Ring. The relationship shared by Gollum and Frodo, or more importantly, Gollum and Sam, works wonderfully. Aragorn trying to convince King Theoden to go to war and the characterization involving Gimli was exceptionally. The Return of the King will see a lot more of this.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers continues Tolkien's trilogy with very few missteps. It is on every count as good as the first, and in many ways, even better. It could possibly be the most sinister film ever, a banquet of monsters and beasts. It's doing so much better at the box-office than the first, and it easily surpasses it in spectacle. It's still unclear how it will do at the Oscars. Being a sequel, it might not get nominated for Best Picture. However, I'd say it has already sweeped the technical awards. It certainly deserves it.

This is the best of the three!!
Usually, the second movie in a trilogy is the weakest. It doesn't have the freshness of the first movie or the finality of the final movie. The Two Towers, however, is the exception to the rule. For lack of a better phrase, it rocks!!! The extra material included in this extended version DVD really fleshes out the movie. After you watch it you'll wonder why Peter Jackson left it out; it makes the movie complete. The fight scenes at Helm's Deep are great, and you forget that a lot of what you're seeing is computer generated. Several new characters are introduced, but you feel like you've known them all along. The best part of the movie is the addition of a Boromir/Faramir scene. Of course, I could be biased. I love Boromir (Sean Bean). This movie is a cinematic masterpiece. It's great!!!

Excellent
Not just pasting in deleted scenes, this version was assenmbled from scratch with additional material that add to the depth of this movie. THIS is the version to buy for watching at home.

You haven't seen LOTR until you've seen this!
OMG! I love this movie so much, I never put it back in the case...it's always in the dvd player. If you at all liked the original theatrical version, you HAVE to get the extended version. The addded footage completes the story and fills in character developement. And you HAVE to listen to the cast commentary. Dom and Billy are hilarious. And the bonus disks are well worth the money. Forget that...added Viggo footage makes it WELL worth it. Plus, the box is beautiful. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

First rate acting
Lee Marvin as Jekyl plays the embodiment of evil, unforgetable facial expresssions! However, in the sixties there was a TV film where Stacy Keach played Jekyl equally well, if not better.

We don't own a DVD player, this review refers to the original movie, seen back in the seventies.

"So you wanted to meet Mr. Hyde eh?"
This 1968 atmospheric and chilling Dan Curtis (Dark Shadows fame) production, made for television, is without a doubt, the best version of the Stevenson story ever done. Jack Palance stars as the submissive, shy, Jekyll and presents an image of Hyde that you will never forget! Portrayed in a Satanic, violent manner, the appearance of Hyde is clever in make-up design. He is not portrayed as a monster but rather as an unabashed hedonistic barfly, somewhat agressive, comical and evil at the same time. Hooked on the excitements that the night can provide; He eventually becomes "addicted" to being Hyde, enjoying the power and rule over women that it brings him. He eventually comes close to criminal prosecution and reforms back to the quiet life that Jekyll provides. However, his associate in chemical research demands money after he discovers that Hyde is Jekyll and Jekyll is Hyde. This leads Jekyll to rely on the drug transformation once more (his leftover bottle) to kill his associate and in doing so, also signs his own death warrant (he is dependent on his associates process of a certain drug to be combined with his own) Seeking escape he contacts a friend of Jekyll and agrees to meet at Jekyll's classroom in the medical academy. This is where a truly monsterous confrontation takes place with police in pursuit and the end will put a scare into you! Palance deserved an emmy for this but was robbed!

Atmospheric Victorian Thriller!
This was the first version of the story I ever saw so I may be a bit biased. As a long time student of this genre and of this story in particular, I can say that while not the Stevenson novella verbatim, it is still much closer than other adaptations. Of particular note are the references to drug addiction of young people in Victorian London. Mr. Palance gives a bravura performance in the dual role. Is it my imagination or does the Mr. Hyde make-up created by Master Make-Up Artist Dick Smith resemble classic depictions of Satan or perhaps the Satyr? Dan Curtis assembled an excellent cast in a sterling production. The new DVD version offers enhanced picture and sound quality as well as various subtitles for your viewing enjoyment. You may consider this video/DVD a valued asset to your collection of this strange story of one man's facination with man's dual nature. Perhaps there is a bit of Edward Hyde in all of us!

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Jack Palance is outstanding in this very chilling and engaging version of Jekyll and Hyde. I fully concur with the prior review posted on August 22, 1999. This is my favorite version of this Gothic classic.

Gothic, atmospheric version
A chilling and atmospheric version. I wish it could have been taped on film rather than video, but that's a small matter. If you're looking for one of the best adaptations of the Jekyll and Hyde story, look no further than here. Jack Palance turns in a magnificent performance, capturing the meekness and nervousness of Jekyll, and then contrasting it with the energy and violent glee he invests in Mr. Hyde. Palance also does great in portraying the struggle between Jekyll and Hyde for dominance. He is also surrounded with Billie Whitelaw as a dancer Hyde seduces then abuses, named Gwen. She is terrific and sensual. Denholm Elliot also delivers a strong performance as Jekyll's friend. Much fog abounds and one gets the feeling of being in London at the time of Jack the Ripper. Also, worthy of note, is that Hyde is portrayed as charasmatic and devilishly handsome rather than hideous. ... Read more

Reviews (630)

one of the best comedies ever and dvd extras to rave about!
This is what dvds were invented for -- there are so many great features here! So in addition to seeing one of the funniest movies ever made, you can be entertained for hours with the extras, and the extras are terrific: subtitles in English, French or Spanish; audio track choices -- English (the original mono or a brand new full stereo version), French, a directors' (Gilliam and Jones) track or a commentary track with Cleese, Idle and Palin; a copy of the script overlaid on the film; a painstaking, hilarious Henry the IV-ish subtitle for those who don't like the film; a hard-of-hearing feature; killer rabbit easter eggs; animated menus using Gilliam's original animation; karaoke renditions of 'Knights of the Round Table', 'Sir Robin' and the 'Monks Chant'; a delightful 45 minute visit to the locations with Jones and Palin; an educational film about the 'other' uses of coconuts; Japanese versions of the French Castle and Knights Who Say Ni scenes, including references to the 'holy sake cup'; a 1974 BBC Film Night visit to a location site during filming; photos of tickets, press releases, reviews, posters, production stills and original artwork; trailers; cast credits (Palin played over a dozen parts!) with pictures of each character; a Lego knights version of the Camelot scene; pictures of sketches that were never used (a killer snail?!); a web link.

A lot of effort went into this special edition dvd, and it shows. I particularly enjoyed seeing Jones and Palin visit locations. They were in a jolly mood, their comments are interspersed with film footage, and they meet affectionate and funny fans along the way.

If you like this film you will love this dvd version; if you love the film, you wil adore this two-dvd set. An essential item for your collection.

Highest recommendation.

I Never Thought Looking For A Shrubbery Would Be This Fun!!
In the early 1970's the Monty Python troop (Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, and Terry Jones) stars from the immensely popular television series Monty Python's Flying Circus began producing, with the help of a fundraising concert headlined by Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd (You lie!! No, I didn't!), initial photography on what would later become (from all my extensive years of movie watching) the single most unforgivably sidesplitting, enormously irreverent, shrewdly perceptive, unremittingly uproariously aggressive, gruesomely hysterical, and endlessly quotable comedies EVER. Not even Mel Brooks's Best Efforts (The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein) comes very close to the revolutionary medieval merriment sustained in this royal purebred of cult classics. BAR NONE. No contest here.

Endlessly stockpiled with hauntingly hysterical sketches that will probably never leave your mind (no matter how hard you try) including, The Knights Who Say Nei, The Self-Abusing Monks (Eah aay ess eay dom eay nay), The Black Knight, The Trojan Rabbit, the Ever-Appearing Verbally Abusing French (I don't want to talk to you no more!!!), The Enchanter Named Tim, The Killer Bunny, The Bridge of Death (What is the capital of Hysteria?), The Old Woman Named Dennis, and so many countless more great sketches to include here that I'd die trying. Monty and Python and the Holy Grail remains an ever-enriching mirthful cult-classic that just seems to improve with age. Since Columbia has a bountifully hefty new special edition of the Holy Grail out now there should be no excuse, if you've never seen it (I think I'll go for a walk!!), just drop everything your doing (including Bringing Out Your Dead) and go experience this life changing movie today. You won't be disappointed, just tell them the Knight Not Appearing In This Film sent you, and they'll know what to do.

As for the options on the special edition here's a run-down:

Disc One: -"21st Anniversary" cut of the film running an extra 24 seconds; -Anamorphic Widescreen; -Dolby 5.1 track; -Original Mono Track; -Audio commentary with Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Eric Idle and Michael Palin; -subtitles "for people who don't like the film" (you get the text from Shakespeare's Henry IV instead); -an "on-screen screenplay" feature which lets you read the screenplay as you watch the film; -"Follow the Killer Rabbit" feature;

Disc Two: "Three Mindless Sing-Alongs"; -"The Quest for the Holy Grail Locations" featurette; -"How to Use Your Coconuts" educational film; -"Monty Python and the Holy Grail in Japanese" (with English subtitles); -the BBC Film Night special "On Location with the Pythons; -an interactive cast directory; -still galleries with Terry Gilliam's original sketches and behind-the-scenes photos; -"A Load Of Rubbish" with mystery items; -unused ideas and other material; -two trailers
and web-links.

Both discs represent the absolute final word resource for EVERYTHING and I do mean everything you'd need to know about the Python's greatest film. An Absolute Necessity for any Python Fan!!

P.S. You can't base a system of government just because some watery tart threw a sword at you.

What are you going to do, bleed on me?
excellent. Possibly the funniest movie ever made. Who could forget such a line as "I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of eldeberries." This is a great movie and a great dvd edition that gives it justice. This is completely worth the money. A comedy Classic.

This movie didn't make me Run Away! (or) Run away FASTER!!!
Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail is, by far, my favorite movie -and I'm sure it always will be! Being a truly hilariously-random film, this DVD does an awesome job of showcasing this fact to the highest extent. The killer white "rrrrabit" will live on in my heart forever, and I will always be knowledgeable that African swallows are non-migratory. What other movie has a group of knights requesting shrubberies -from King Arthur, no less- to create a 'two-level effect with a path through the middle'? Only Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
The movie might sound strange as I mention these things out of context, but I assure you it is much stranger when Monty Python says it!
So, to conclude this review, I definitely give "Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail" DVD a 5 star rating, as I know it will entertain millions for years to come. Enjoy!

The Lego Camelot Number Alone is Worth the Price
Who would have thought that, after nearly 30 years, the world's goofiest movie could be made even moreso? Not only is this DVD a comedy triumph (it would be simply if it were the DVD version of the classic film, in which a crew too broke to afford horses for King Arthur and his Knights changed history and college kids' banter forever by introducing coconuts as migrating props). Oh, no, this DVD is one that may become a standard for other DVDs. Just look at this list of extras above! To be sure, some of them are fluff. The "load of rubbish" selection is simply some receipts and a few odd notes. But most of it is stupendous.

The first disc contains the movie itself, along with some choices of how to watch it.... subtitles, commentary by directors Terry Jones & Terry Gilliam or by John Cleese & Eric Idle & Michael Palin. Then "for people who don't like the film", there's subtitles from Shakespeare's "Henry IV, Part II". Now, these do not faithfully follow Henry IV verse by verse, but they do come from the play, and it's hilarious how the phrases Shakespeare wrote do actually match up with the action on the screen.

Disc Two contains several mementoes: a film of John Cleese, Terry Jones, and "Grail" production manager John Young (who also played the hapless "Historian" towards the end of the film, and the "I'm not dead!" guy) paying a return visit to Castle Doune , in 2000. At first it's fun to hear them reminisce at the filming site, but since it's a very small spot with nothing but a wall and a bit of ground, they appear uncomfortable and that quickly gets old. More interesting is the home movie made by the two Terries when they looked for prospective film locations in the seventies. Their excitement is palpable.

A somewhat painful scene (except for the chance it gives us to watch Terry Jones in action as a director) is the BBC documentary made during filming. The interviewer seems more interested in trying to be funny himself than in the Pythons. But there are several great comic extras, including words to some songs, a coconut skit, two scenes dubbed in Japanese, and best of all, an animated feature of the "Camelot" scene and song done entirely in Lego...must be seen to be believed.

Finally, someone has made good use of the storage space on a DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Prettty good mix of old and new
I'm a pretty big SNL fan. I don't get to watch as much as I'd like to anymore, but it's the most consistent funny show on tv. The SNL Christmas special is a great DVD.

It does have some notable skits. I love the skit with Alec Baldwin and the NPR ladies. It's so funny because all of them play being so serious so well. I laugh so hard every time I see this skit.

I liked the Martha Stewart topless christmas. She is such an easy target to make fun of and they do it great in this skit. Martha Stewart is annoying because of the way she talks and the way she presents herself. They spoof it so well in topless christmas. It's one of the better skits on the dvd.

All the skits with old SNL members are great. Dan Akroyd is one of the funniest guys to live and his skits as the toliet paper saleman and the toymaker are great.

Are two favorite SNL drunks Farley and Belushi both have some good stuff there fans should like.

Adam Sandler does the Hannakuh song. It's not the best version of the song, but it is the original and what a funny song it is.

I love this DVD. It's one of the better best of's they've made and I'm glad it's part of my collection.

SNL XMAS PAST AND PRESENT. a little more past please!
A good look at the best xmas skits from SNL, except they forgot
Hannakuh Harry & Gumby's X-Mas Special. It was great though to see Chevy Chase (as President Ford) open the collection, with other appearences by the BEST & ORIGINAL Not Ready For Prime Time Players Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtain, Garrett Morris, Gilda Radner and Second Season replacement Bill Murray.
Why Wont Lorne Micheals release SNL Season by season? It would be great to catch ALL the great performances, like the 1st season,PLEASE! Hail Chevy Chase!
Also Recommend:
UNDER THE RAINBOW-Chevy Chase
CADDYSHACK-Chevy Chase, Bill Murray
N.L. CHRISTMAS VACATION-Chevy Chase
SNL-Halloween
SNL-25 Years Of Laughs

Funny, but no Hanukah Harry!
This video was pretty funny. It had mostly newer stuff. I would have liked to have seen stuff from the earlier years. Also, a sticker on the package advertises that the Hanukah Harry skit with Jon Lovitz is on the video, but mysteriously it is nowhere to be found! I am certain there is more material they could have put on this 65 minute video.

Not worth purchasing
I'm a big fan of SNL, but most of the skits on this video weren't that funny. Adam Sandler singing the Hanukkah Song, and Chris Farley as Santa were the only two skits that made me laugh. I bought this as a gift for my father-in-law and I wish I hadn't! Maybe next year I'll buy him the Best of Chris Farley.

WELL BALANCED MIX
THIS 65 MINUTE TAPE IS A WELL BALANCED MIX OF OLD SCHOOL AND RECENT SNL CHRISTMAS SKETCHES. ADD THIS TO THE SNL HALLOWEEN VIDEO AND YOU'RE SET FOR LAUGHS OVER THE HOLIDAYS. I SERIOUSLY HOPE THAT THEY ARE HARD AT WORK ON VOLUME 2. THEY'VE CERTAINLY GOT PLENTY OF MATERIAL. I PRAY THE NEXT TAPE INCLUDES THE SANTA THE TERMINATOR SKIT (DECEMBER '84). EVERYONE I DESCRIBE IT TO THINKS I'M MAKING IT UP. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

A wonderful journey
I first saw this movie in San Francisco and loved it immediately. Having lived in Memphis, this movie helped me feel, smell, and taste Memphis as I remembered it. The review by Sean Axmaker for Amazon.com describes the movie well. I can add that, if you have lived in Memphis, you will love this movie, as it brings a very diverse and unexpected group of people (Japanese, Italian, and an English Elvis want-to-be) to such a unique city that really must be experienced first hand. For those unfamiliar with Memphis, it may take several viewings to develop a strong appreciation, but I think it is well worth the effort. This movie is an artistic masterpiece.

Memphis Soul Stew
Jim Jarmusch's follow-up to 1986's "Down By Law" is an engrossing trio of stories revolving around one night in a run-down Memphis hotel. Continuing his tradition of casting musicians as actors, he enlists Joe Strummer as a British Elvis and the late Screamin' Jay Hawkins as the hotel night clerk. R&B great Rufus Thomas appears in the train station, and Tom Waits is the voice of the radio DJ. John Lurie provides the score, along with a fabulous soundtrack of classic Memphis music (from Elvis Presley to the Bar-Kays). The stories are intertwined, with certain events being shown from the perspective of each of the three sets of characters. The town has fallen a bit since its heyday as a musical hotbed, but the spirits of its past can be sensed in the delapitated buildings and landscapes, all lovingly embraced by Jarmusch's lens. All of the night shots were actually filmed at night, and some scenes are subtitled in Japanese and Italian. As is typical with Jarmusch's work, the action unfolds at a leisurely pace, and not without some humor. The film's juxtaposing of cultures is a popular theme with the director, and one he would use again in his next anthology piece, "Night On Earth." For fans of independent films, this is a wonderful and offbeat movie that would make an excellent addition to your DVD library.

Where are the English subtitles?
When I saw this movie in the theatre many years ago, there were English subtitles during the foreign language scenes. However, the DVD version does not offer English subtitles. It does offer French and Spanish subtitles.

Brilliant piece of work
Jarmusch does it again with excellence!!!!
Great character piece....

This plum is from Japan

This simple movie is great! It really brings you in and tells a great story of three parties crossing paths in downtrodden Memphis.

The story of the Japanese couple was an excellent way to show America through the eyes of a foreigner. I almost felt like a stranger in my own country. The scenes with the local lowlifes were the movie's weaker points, but they were still good. "Son, I'm the man who's gonna make you use that gun."

Definitely worth purchasing for repeat viewings if you're a film afficianado. If you are into more mainstream films, rent it first.

-- JJ Timmins ... Read more

Description

This Canadian DVD, playable on USA systems features the pioneer metal band Deep Purple in interviews and rareconcert footage. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Okay, but a little dated.
I own this in the VHS version that is quite a few years older. This is nice because you get some interviews with the elusive Blackmore, and there iw a nice version of "Hush." However, they all take themselves a littel too seriously, and to hear Joe Lynn Turner talk about making his own footsteps in the group, (He was fired after only one album and tour) is in retrospect, rather funny.

There are some nice clips on this, but you can get more on the Machine Head DVD which catches a lot more of the creative process and does, in fact, have better footage.

A nice primer on Deep Purple, but nothing outstanding.

yes!
This one rocks. It includes interviews from Roger Glover, Jon
Lord, Ian Gillan, Joe Lynn Turner, Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Paice.
It also includes some live performances like Smoke on the water,
Speed king, Black night, Burn, Strange kind of woman, Child in time and more. If you like Deep Purple, buy this. ... Read more

Reviews (133)

Astounding
Directed by Peter Jackson who has newfound fame thanks to his work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, this movie (his second, after Bad Taste) has to be seen to be believed.

Jackson takes the basic concept of the Muppet show (combining puppets and humans in animal costumes to tell the story about the action backstage at a popular variety show) but carries the concept to a sick extreme, creating a hybrid offspring of the Muppets and such schlock entertainment-industry classics as The Valley of the Dolls. For example, look at the absurdity of the relationship between Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog. In the Feebles, animal characters eat other animal characters or have hybrid offspring. Characters have drug addictions, extramarital affairs, degenerative diseases, star in S&M porn movies on the side, etc. There is an amazing Deer Hunter inspired Nam flashback, a hillarious war between drug dealers and some entertainment bigwigs on a pier (which includes a whale, giant crabs and a giant spider), bodily fluids fly all over the place, a massacre ensues near the end, and it is all topped of by a "where are they now" type of ending as in Animal House or American Graffitti. Oh, yes, there are also musical numbers (I won't spoil the title of the best one).

Not as gory as Jackson's Dead Alive, but MUCH sicker.

Astounding
Directed by Peter Jackson who has newfound fame thanks to his work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, this movie (his second, after Bad Taste) has to be seen to be believed.

Jackson takes the basic concept of the Muppet show (combining puppets and humans in animal costumes to tell the story about the action backstage at a popular variety show) but carries the concept to a sick extreme, creating a hybrid offspring of the Muppets and such schlock entertainment-industry classics as The Valley of the Dolls. For example, look at the absurdity of the relationship between Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog. In the Feebles, animal characters eat other animal characters or have hybrid offspring. Characters have drug addictions, extramarital affairs, degenerative diseases, star in S&M porn movies on the side, etc. There is an amazing Deer Hunter inspired Nam flashback, a hillarious war between drug dealers and some entertainment bigwigs on a pier (which includes a whale, giant crabs and a giant spider), bodily fluids fly all over the place, a massacre ensues near the end, and it is all topped of by a "where are they now" type of ending as in Animal House or American Graffitti. Oh, yes, there are also musical numbers (I won't spoil the title of the best one).

Not as gory as Jackson's Dead Alive, but MUCH sicker.

One of the most bizarre, demented movies ever made
I've seen a lot of bizarre movies. Unusual, weirdo films are one of my biggest passions. I can easily say that Meet The Feebles ranks as one of the most bizarre, even downright crazy films that I've ever seen. It's about a puppet variety show, similar to Jim Henson's Muppet Show from the 1970s, The Feebles Variety Hour. It begins with a little musical number, "Meet The Feebles", complete with a singing hippo, bunny and all sorts of other creatures. Unlike the Muppet Show, however, Meet The Feebles is far from wholesome, as the backstage lives of the performers reveal. The boss, a giant walrus, makes porno films in the basement involving a cow in S&M gear. The walrus also does drug deals with an evil warthog. There's a heroin-addicted Vietnam Vet frog, a hippo with an eating disorder, a rabbit who believes he has AIDS, you get the picture. The film's finale must be seen to be believed. The hippo loses it and goes on a shooting spree while a fox sings a production number about sodomy. At this point, the viewer must think to him or herself, "this is one ... up movie". It will make you laugh, it will make you cringe, it will shock and disturb you, it will make you question the sanity of the filmmakers that made it.

The filmmakers who made Meet The Feebles, oddly enough, are now Academy Award nominees. Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh (director and co-screenwriters of The Lord of the Rings trilogy) were responsible for this sick little film. Who would have guessed that a mere ten years after making Meet The Feebles, Peter Jackson would be directing the greatest fantasy epic in film history. A grand epic completely devoid of vomit, porno and drug-addicted animals. Well, it's a crazy business. Peter Jackson earned himself a large cult of fans with his early films beginning with Bad Taste, a horror-comedy about aliens invading New Zealand and dining on the inhabitants. Meet The Feebles followed, and then came Dead Alive (aka Braindead) in 1992, a film that still ranks as one of the goriest movies in existence. These films cemented Jackons's status as a cult film icon. Now, added to that cult are millions of J.R.R. Tolkien fans, and soon Jackson may even claim the title of Oscar winner.

Anyone who was introduced to Jackson via Lord of the Rings would be interested to see his early films, but they should be cautious. He was a daring low-budget filmmaker. Admittedly, demented at times, he nonetheless displays a true passion for his craft. The title of his first film, Bad Taste, lets you know what to expect from his early films. They display a joyous dementia that is sure to offend prudish types. Those who get the joke however, will be delighted with his audacity and enjoy the ride.

Cult movie fans should certainly check out Meet The Feebles and Jackson's other early films. Just be sure that you know what you're in for.

Meet the Feebles
Hey, I was just noticing that of the two DVD's in question, the first choice is the one with better quality. That's the one without the colored lines across the front. An excellent dark look into the mind of Jackson. Even Elijah Wood like this flick. Chances are that your video store doesn't carry this title, but a speciality store like 'Suncoast' for example may be the best place to go. Buy this before you can't find it.

another cult favorite of mine
I could probably recite every part of this movie by heart if I wanted to. I have seen this movie literally over a hundred times, and I love it each time I see it. I love impersonating my favorite characters, like wyniard the frog, Wobert,Harry, Heidi and all the other hilarious characters with so many excellent one liners. Reading through the reviews I don't understand wy peiple are offended by this movie. It is just hilarious, and it really isn't even that disgusting. So many memorable moments, including the sodomy song( "I want that fudgepacker eliminated"), Wyniard's war flashback,and his numerous knife throwing slipups(...) Harry's vomiting incident, Bletch's drug deals.... I just can't give this movie enough praise. Very hilarious movie. Great to watch with friends at sleepovers over and over again ... Read more

Description

Dick Tracy serials from Republic Pictures in 1937. In this super thriller, a clubfooted criminal, known only as the Lame One, masterminds a war on G-men. One of his villainous plans is to destroy the new Bay Bridge (which lookssuspiciously like the Golden Gate) by bombarding it with high-frequency sound waves from his stratospheric aircraft, "The Wing." In the meantime, Dick Tracy's brother is kidnapped and forced to aid the notorious Lame One, who turns out to be...? This serial features fistfights, car chases and aerial stunts as only Republic Pictures could stage them. For lovers of serial thrills and action, "Dick Tracy" really delivers the goods. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

CALLING ALL CARS
IF YOU ARE A SERIAL FAN... THEN THIS IS A GREAT DVD FOR YOU. THERE ARE ENOUGH CLIFF-HANGERS TO SATISIFY ANY BUFF AND IT IS WONDERFUL TO SEE THESE OLD MOVIES MAKING A COMEBACK ON DVD. MARENGO FILMS HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF RESTORING THIS OLD FILM THE VIDEO PORTION IS NEARLY PERFECT AND THE SOUND QUALITY IS EXCELLENT... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE WHO LOVES SERIALS.

The Flying Wing Was Ahead Of Its Time
DICK TRACY was a serial produced by Republic only six years after the popular comic strip hero made his first appearance in the Chicago Tribune- New York News Syndicate Newspapers. Throughout fifteen chapters the detective dueled with the Spider Gang whose leader was known as the Lame One. DICK TRACY was one of the better serials made during the 1930's.

Ralph Byrd had the role of Dick Tracy and the supporting cast included Kay Hughes, Smiley Burnette, Lee Van Atta and Francis X. Bushman. My favorite movie prop in this serial had to be the Flying Wing.

Chester Gould's 1937 "Dick Tracy serial" comes to DVD!!
This is a great treat for Dick Tracy fans. Before television we had to go to the Saturday morning movie matinees to see our action heros.

Cartoonist Chester Gould created this action hero in the early 1930's and by the middle 30's the FBI and gangsters were in all the newspaper & radio headlines. So Gould countered with Dick Tracy G-man (in the movie serials) & Dick Tracy cop hero in the comic strip.

The "Dick Tracy" (1937) Republic Pictures 15 episode action serial launched Ralph Byrds career as the super crime solving G-man/Sherlock Holmes sleuth. The movie version was always the international view while the comic strip was the local city crime storyline.

Thanks to VCI Entertainment for a great restoration job & super loaded 2 DVD package.

This 15 episode action packed serial is over 290 mins long and is presented with great picture & sound.

Extra features include: a background Commentary by famous Dick Tracy writer Max Allan Collins who penned the comic strip for 15 years after Goulds retirement. Special photo montage & Photo Gallery. Bonus 1945 Radio Show: Dick Tracy in B-Flat - a musical rendition of Dick Tracy with the voice of Bing Crosby as Tracy, Dinah Shore as Tesh Trueheart, Bob Hope as Flathead and many more big radio stars of the 40's. This is fun stuff.

Summary: Action serials are always more about the action packed journey & how our hero escapes the bad guys at the cliff hanging ending chapters than the actual story. We need to have a thrill filled 20 minutes each week and then painfully wait until next week for the continuing saga to take us to more excitement until the finale on chapter/week 15.

Dick Tracy delivers all we expect in an action hero and this being one of the first serials gives us a taste of the world of 1937. Enjoy.

Great adaptation of the comic strip
There are lots of familiar faces in this one, such as Smiley Brunette, Lee Van Atta, Carleton Young (who was Ellery Queen on radio), Francis X. Bushman. But part of the charm of this serial comes from the sprinkling of rather bizarre characters such as the clown, the demented scientist, the miner, and of course the principal bad guy, the Lame One.

Anyone who has seen FIGHTING DEVIL DOGS will notice lots of similarities and for this reason, I suggest getting DICK TRACY first. The other serial used a lot of footage from this one. The flying wing, the hunchback scientist, Carleton Young, the crushing ship chapter ending are all in the later serial.

Ralph Byrd is the definitive Dick Tracy. I didn't remember his being a G man, but the serial does predate my acquaintance with the comic strip.

All in all, this is definitely one of the better serials. As an earlier Republic serial, you won't see as much stunt action, choreographed fights and telegraphed chapter endings as in the later ones, but the elements are still there. This is one of the times I wish there was a 4 and a half star designation.

Byrd a believable Tracy
Ralph Byrd and the supporting cast do a fine job of bringing Dick Tracy to the screen. There's plenty of action, of course, and the well-known "stealth bomber" plane that is indeed worth seeing. Lee van Atta does a fine job as the kid (equally good in Crash Corrigan's Undersea Kingdom serial too) helping Tracy, while the villains are smart and sinister. John Piccori, as a mad scientist assisting the ringleader hams it up splendidly, and Carleton Young, as Tracy's brother who is turned into a villain by the mad doctor, is wonderfully cold and unscrupulous. Personally, I like the Dick Tracy vs Crime, Inc. serial that came a little later better. It has a more intimate story with a more convoluted mystery as the suspects are eliminated one by one by the real killer. That is the only reason I rate this a 4 instead of a 5. I hope the other Tracy serials turn up on DVD soon. ... Read more

Description

Drama. When a respected New York homicide detective (Robert De Niro) discovers the prime suspect in a murder case is his estranged son (James Franco), he is forced to return home to the decaying boardwalks of Long Beach, Long Island to confront the darkness of his past. During the course of the investigation, he realizes that his failures as a father - and his unresolved anguish about the painful estrangement - have deeply influenced his son's life, and he must put his own life on the line in order to do right by both his family and his profession. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Excellent Character Sketches
This is an above average cop drama. In addition to the typical murder plot and good guy vs bad guy theme, the primary focus is on the intense and tumultuous relationships between a few finely developed characters.

The guilt, regret and heartache of DeNiro's character do not allow him or the film to be be humorous however a few scenes generate an unexpected laugh. This film is virtually all drama. The relationship of Deniro's character with that of McDormand's and Franco's, richly illustrate man's ability to confront all of the grief and anguish of his past. Robert DeNiro, Frances McDormand and James Franco are all excellent in their acting.

Because the relationships are so intense and the characters so richly developed, you can't help but to empathize with every one of them. The twists and turns in the plot make you wonder how much DeNiro's emotionally closed off character can handle before something changes. This movie makes you sit with the discomfort of each of its characters.

City By The Sea was filmed in the decayed ruins of the shore town and boardwalk of Asbury Park NJ. The Atlantic Ocean and the dilapidated remains of the boardwalk and vacant buildings provide an excellent urban yet coastal set for this story which takes place in the seaside NY town of Long Beach just outside NYC. There are also a few excellent and vivid images of the Twin Towers in this film which only add to the emotional experience by reigniting more feelings of anguish and loss. The Dolby Digital background sound effect of the ocean surf in a few scenes adds a sense of tranquility to this drama.

Although the movie includes the typical shooting and violence scenes, this cop drama is more about real relationships.

A Solid Story Behind This Film Noir
From the outset of this very interesting and touching little film we view the glory days of Long Beach, New York - a grand Atlantic City-type place with Americana spread all over it and old time music as played on a tacky old Victrola. This Eden fades into the deserted and dilapidated smarmy place that today is home for druggies and derelicts. We slowly discover that a kid whose father was a 'murderer' was saved by a cop and now plays that life role, only to have deserted his own boy through a tangled divorce. Both the father and the son and the grandson need to love, to belong, to find some degree of sense to the mutations of time. The general driver of the film is a reconciliation of boys and fathers despite all the real and imagined distance that can occur. The film is beautifully atmospheric but the true glory here is the cast: Robert DeNiro, James Franco, Frances Dormand, Patti Lupone, William Forsythe, and some new faces that really light up the story - all are consummate pros and really deliver top notch performances. Predictable, yes, but then there are so many many ways to examine father/son relationships and this is certainly one of the better ones.

Good acting, Very Good storyline.
This is a movie with a good handle on reality-- warts and all. It focusses on imperfect characters who feel completely real-- incuding DeNiro, whose acting, bad haircut, extra weight, and "average joe" clothing all successfully overcome our preconceived notion of DeNiro as a top-of-his-game mafiosa.
Instead, we see DeNiro, but AS THIS CHARACTER: a warts-and-all cop & bad father, looking for a second chance.

Also, DeNiro's star power doesn't overshadow this movie's second plotline, about a junkie (DeNiro's son), also looking for a second chance....and some kind of family life.

Likewise, the physical setting and peripheral relationships all have a REAL feel. Viewers will come away with the feeling that this is the seamy, redeemable side of real life.. a place you wouldn't want to live, but a state you can recover from.

*spoilers ahead. Stop reading now, if you hate spoilers.*
We get a happy ending, but not a Hollywood unbelievable ending. Some of the relationships STAY fractured, and other elements of the resolution also have that real, imperfect, but therefore acceptably non-saccharine happy ending.

Good Role Model
City By The Sea is an excellent video for my collection of
DeNiro movies, keep up the excellent movie making.

The Sins of the Fathers . . .
"City by the Sea" begins as a typical cop drama - Vincent DeMarca (Robert DeNiro) is a good solid New Jersey cop with a history. His father was executed as a "baby-killer", and now Vincent's own son Joey (James Franco), whom he abandoned as a young boy, is a strung out junkie suspected of killing DeMarca's partner. The scenes are predictably dingy and muted, with Frances McDormand popping out of her apartment now and then as DeMarca's girlfriend. The first part of this movie honestly felt like the pilot for a new television drama - with calculated character introductions and back story. But then something marvelous happens: the quality of the acting kicks in to elevate the film beyond its script. James Franco is astonishingly convincing as a junkie who both loves and despises his father, and DeNiro fools us into believing he's just an ordinary guy until the moment when all the layers are stripped off. Frances McDormand does a competent job with what she is given (not much) while adding a needed texture to DeMarca's life.

This film is probably the quietest cop drama I've ever seen because it's not about crimes one can be arrested for. It probes the fragile relationship between fathers and sons, and the obligations each needs to face. The film never picks up the slow paces it sets up in the beginning, so those hoping for the high action of traditional cop dramas will be disappointed. Make no mistake: this is a three-star movie raised to four stars by the performances of DeNiro and Franco. Still, the pivotal scene is a powerful one. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Very cheesy, but entertaining nonetheless
Being somewhat of a geek myself and former resident of silicon valley, this movie immediately appealed to me. However, my girlfriend, nothing like me, found it innane and stupid.

The film manages to deliver a few laughs and lots of cheese, all of which make for an entertaining movie. And really, that is the key to this one. You will be telling yourself while watching this that everything about it sucks, the plot is unbelievable, if not predictable, the acting, well for what it is the acting isn't bad, and there is a total lack of real character development. However, these shortcomings will quickly fade away as you find yourself enjoying this one in spite of your own inner critic.

On the whole it is fun to watch, not just once, but even multiple times. And in the end, even for all its flaws, it ends up being a cute and fun flick.

The 1 Hour and 45 Minutes are Very Entertaining
Somewhat predictable but deserving better praise, THE FIRST 20 MILLION IS ALWAYS THE HARDEST works because we care about the characters in this movie and it is very funny and entertaining. This is due in part that it was co-written by Jon Favreau (SWINGERS) with a script that has some thought and wit behind it compared to many low-brow comedies. Also, it is exec-produced by Harold Ramis (ANIMAL HOUSE, CADDYSHACK, STRIPES, GHOSTBUSTERS). Andy (Adam Garcia--BOOTMEN)is very likable as the high tech ad exec who leaves a high profile job in Silicon Valley to join a research and development/think tank company. He hand picks a team of creative and intelligent (but socially inept) engineers to create a "99 dollar personal computer" only to discover that the the assignment was given to him only because the company needs a tax write-off. In other words, the company expects that it can't be done. Instead, they invent a computer that uses no monitor and keyboard, only interaction with hologram icons. The special effects are pretty good in these sequences. Then, the movie shifts gears with the predictable corporate takeover twists and turns as they find their invention taken from them. However, these sequences are intriguing as they are a topical (yet satirical) look at today's headlines of troubles in the high tech industry especially among the dot-com companies. Jake Busey (tv's - SHASTA MCNASTY) as Darrell once again plays one of his patented support characters as one of the misfit engineers, and Enrico Colantoni (tv's JUST SHOOT ME)plays the evil corporate executive,Francis Benoit, out to steal their invention and get the profits. Lastly, Rosario Dawson (PLUTO NASH) as Alisa plays the down-to-earth artist and love interest to Andy. Overall, a decent comedy with great casting, a plausible inventive high-tech concept, good production values and issues that reflect the real world.

B version of Office Space!
Hilarious! I was entertained by all the great supporting cast members here - Rosario Dawson, Jake Busey, Enrico Colantonio! You find yourself rooting for these losers right from the very start! Not sure why this movie wasn't in theaters, you'll be seeing it on Comedy Central in five years! Some of the emotional connections in the movie weren't believable, but I guess that entertainment! I recommend this movie as a pick me up after any day at work! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

What more can I say?
This is a deliciously wicked satire of legal eagles and their media counterparts. The cast is flawless, not limited to Gina Gershon who skewers her sex-pot image by being both victim and preying mantis (watch the opening sequence -- it's schtick to die for). James Garner just keeps getting better with age. The script is sharp as a tack, the performances and direction right on target. I'll be adding this to my collection! ... Read more

Description

The holiday season in a small Quebec village provides the basis for this bittersweet slice-of-life comedy, written and directed by Claude Jutra. Orphaned 14-year-old Benoit (Jacques Gagnon) comes to live with a foster family in a Canadian mining village in the 1940's and becomes a part of the comical foibles and the heartbreaks of a French-Canadian small town. Gagnon gives a hauntingly realistic portrayal of an innocent discovering life's funny and tragic turns. Grand Prize Winner of the Chicago Film Festival. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

ONE OF OUR FEW TRUE CLASSICS
MON ONCLE ANTOINE is about rural life and the coming of age of a teenage boy whose uncle is an embalmer.Slow moving but immensely rewarding;one can feel the director's tenderness for his characters.The film can be hard to appreciate if you don't speak FRENCH or don't know much about the aspects of rural life in QUEBEC and it's mentality..JUTRA the director, plays a little part in the general store.JEAN DUCEPPE who plays ANTOINE was a very well known actor in QUEBEC;he formed his own theater company in 1973 ... Along the way,the teenage boy also makes his sexual awakening in a funny voyeurism scene in which some women comes to the general store to renew their wardrobes.The film remains the director's most acclaim work.JUTRA sadly died of the ALZHEIMER disease in 1986. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Did I watch the same film as the critics?
I got a chance to watch the much maligned Norman Jewison film The Statement on DVD this weekend.

It's a damn fine film!!!

Without giving too much of the story away, the film is about an old Frenchman (played by Michael Caine) who is on the run throughout the south of France for war crimes he committed back in WWII. He has to excape both investigators and assassins (possibly from a radical Jewish organization) by taking refuge in primarily catholic churches.

It was actually filmed in France in real churches and government buildings. Excellent Hitchcockian cinematography and music. Well paced editing and outstanding acting from Tilda Swinton, Jeremy Northam, Ciaran Hinds, Frank Finlay, Alan Bates...and especially Caine. The screenplay was expertly adapted by Ron Harwood. And, for a film with a pretty low budget, the DVD transfer (anamorphic) is excellent and the 5.1 surround sound is decent.

What's up with the critics? OK, I'm a big Michael Caine fan, but that doesn't mean I like ALL the films he's in (Secondhand Lions was kinda corny, his role in Goldmember was far too small, etc.). This role is a true showcase for him. And anyone who respects Caine as an actor should watch this movie.

In truth, the storyline may be hard to follow...I'm sure that's the primary problem for the critics. I had the advantage of reading the original novel first, so there was virtually no confusion for me...and the film is remarkably faithful to the novel!

The novel was a bit complicated at times and I found myself having to re-read the occasional passage to keep up with the story...so maybe the film is similar in that respect.

Also, a lot of critics had a problem with the fact that the English actors aren't speaking with French accents...but this has been the case with many films before (Quills, The Last Emperor, Three Musketeers), I don't know why this film should be any different...besides, I can't think of anything more distracting than listening to a bunch of actors speaking with phony French accents for 2 hours!

I say take a chance on the film. It's definitely a thinking-person's thriller. I'd hate to see one of Michael Caine's best late-career performances go completely unnoticed.

A Very Powerful Film Full of Intrigue, History, and Mystery
THE STATEMENT has all the ingredients of a keenly written espionage film with all the added assets of superb acting, breakneck speed direction by Norman Jewison, and magnificent photography of France. Based on a true story, Pierre Brossard (Michael Caine in a finely nuanced tragic performance) worked with the Vichy regime during the Nazi occupation of France and was responsible for the murders of seven Jews in 1944. It is now 1992 and Brossard has been in hiding under the cover and support of the Chevaliers, a band of men connected with the Catholic Church. Politically he has been pardoned, but there are those who wish him dead. A new French Judge (Tilda Swinton in another fine performance) and military Colonel Roux (Jeremy Northam) join forces (somewhat unwillingly) and commit themselves to ferreting out Brossard. Their efforts are parallel to the forces who plot to assassinate Brossard and it is this bipolar cat-and-mouse intrigue that chases Brossard from Abbey to Abbey throughout France. The ending comes as somewhat of a surprise, but the chase makes it all worth the wait. Adding immensely to this film are the cameos by Charlotte Rampling, Alan Bates, Ciaran Hinds, Noam Jenkins, and Marr Cravens among a host of others. This is an underrated movie that is full of intrigue and deserves a wider audience, if for nothing else than to alert the world of yet another WW II atrocity.

a truly bland thriller
**1/2 In Norman Jewison's tepid thriller, "The Statement," English-accented Michael Caine plays Pierre Brossard, an aging French war criminal whose past has begun to catch up with him. In 1944, Brossard, a member of the infamous Vichy regime, not only collaborated with the Nazis, but was personally responsible for the cold-blooded execution of 14 unarmed Jewish Frenchmen as well. Immediately after the war, Brossard was tried and convicted for these offenses, but somehow managed to escape before he could face his deserved punishment. In the years since, Brossard has lived his life underground, finding protection and sanctuary from a branch of the Roman Catholic Church sympathetic to his cause. And although the French authorities have been unsuccessful in their attempts to locate him, Brossard has recently found himself the target of a mysterious group of assassins, possibly members of a secret Jewish organization seeking justice for his yet unavenged crimes against humanity.

The idea of a Nazi war criminal still living in hiding all these years after the end of World War II has the makings of an interesting movie, no doubt, but "The Statement" is not that movie. To the filmmakers' credit, they do at least attempt to present Brossard as a three-dimensional character, a man who, decades after his horrendous crimes, is still seeking redemption through his pious devotion to the Church. Caine, in a deftly balanced performance, manages to make Brossard almost sympathetic while still allowing us to see the "monster" hidden beneath the ravaged soul. Unfortunately, the actor is let down by a screenplay that seems more concerned with tired cloak-and-dagger espionage routines than with a serious study of a fascinating and conflicted character. Even more annoying is the attempt on the part of the film to paint the entire Catholic Church hierarchy as a bunch of diabolical, self-serving individuals who are busy either protecting one of their own at any or all costs or acting out of political expediency rather than true moral conviction. Fans of "The Da Vinci Code" may swallow this anti-Catholic paranoia without question, but the rest of us can merely wonder why the Church hasn't been able to cop a break from the movies since Father Damien kicked the be-Jesus out of the devil in "The Exorcist," thirty long years ago. I'm certainly no apologist for the Catholic Church (see my review of "The Magdalene Sisters"), but even we non-believers can wonder when we will be seeing a little more evenhandedness and balance in the movies' portrayal of the Church. Certainly there must be SOME well-meaning priest, nun or bishop out there that some filmmaker might consider as worthwhile movie material.

There are other problems with the film as well. Tilda Swinton, as an impassioned judge searching for Brossard, and Jeremy Northam, as a more pragmatic policeman who reluctantly joins her in her pursuit, make an annoying, constantly bickering couple who look, for all the world, like a minor-league Mulder and Scully, minus the attraction and charm. Alan Bates and Charlotte Rampling (reunited from "Georgy Girl," though the two actors never appear in the same scene together) are wasted in minor roles. And Jewison, who was once so fine a young director, fails to bring any of the scenes in this film to life. One also questions the propriety of taking a serious subject like Nazi atrocities and using it as little more than cheap window dressing for an undistinguished, run-of-the-mill thriller.

"The Statement," despite another fine performance from the ever-reliable Michael Caine, is a tired, lackluster and cynical exercise, strangely devoid of meaning, conviction and purpose.

Justice Done
I rented this DVD solely because of Michael Caine and wasn't disappointed in his performance. I agree with other reviewers that the plot is unreeled slowly and certain key points (the motaives of the conspirators, and the motives of the Roman Catholic Church) are undeveloped and remain cloudy.

My chief disappointment was with the ending. Brossard, the French traitor, is finally gunned down by the government assassins who suceed in placing their STATEMENT on the body. The statement says that Brossard was executed for his war crimes, but then further condemns the Catholic Church for protecting Brossard for nearly 50 years. Is this condemnation the true meaning of the story?

Directly after this scene, in which Tilda Swinton's character of a French judge arrives too late to take Brossard into custody, the film cuts to a ball-room scene. The judge goes up to several highly-placed French officials and subtly informs them that their time is up, and that justice is coming for them. The implication is that the actual assassin (a member of the French police) has been arrested and is naming names. However, we do not see that scene, only the vague reference (just one line) made by the lady judge. (That polieman, in my opinion, would never have named names because he is dedicated to what he believes is a just cause.) Thus the film reminded me of one of those crime dramas of the '30s, where the outcome must always be the same, even if it defies reason: G-Men always get their man and that "crime doesn't pay."

Since the screenplay does not go deeply into the nature of the conspiracy of the French ministers, and we never learn their names, their titles or positions, but instead focuses on Brossard's quest to "die in a state of grace and forgiveness" the film suffers from a split personaility. In the end, the audience is left in the middle. The filmmakers do not finish either story but instead make a statement of their own: that we should not forget the memories of those slaughtered by a reprehensible regime.

It struck me that Brossard actually paid for his crimes when he was shot dead. Did it really matter who did the shooting? If the judge had caught him, he would have been put on trial and sent to prison for the rest of his life (probably a very short time as he was already quite old and suffering from heart disease). Since the entent and purpose of the "official" conspiracy wasn't dealt with in detail, I would have preferred the more ambiguous ending of seeing Brossard gunned down and his assassin successfully escaping into the night. This is a more perfect ending since Brossard kisses a religious icon just before dying, thus believing that he really did die "in a state of grace and forgiveness." I like ambiguity, and in this case, it works perfectly.

I am not familiar with the novel. Should I be? When I see a film, it's story should be enough. I realize that liberties are taken in translating books to screenplays, but either version should stay true to it's theme. But you have to have a theme in the first place. If the theme in this film was to make a statement that we remember the Jews who were betrayed and killed, (but at the same time provide some sense that "justice was done") then the final scene should have been supported by a previous scene in which the policeman responsible made some sort of statement of his own. That, of course, would have meant that the conspiracy story should have been further developed. Otherwise the ending is self-serving and the dramatic structure is betrayed.

Please nobody complains...
,,, about the English cast. Since my karma was bad enough to have me born in France, and aside from the (good) reasons given by N. Jewison (see special features), I can tell that shooting this movie in french would have been very difficult. Although there are a few hints about in the film, nobody is really aware (part of the few who are dont want to be reminded, and worse, the other part don't want to be exposed) that the main change in 1945 was to add communists (one of the worst indignities being that Maurice Thorez, upon Staline's earnest recommendation, got his death sentence commuted in a position as a minister in the governement by de Gaulle himself...) to the Vichy dignitaries who escaped the fate they deserved. And, although it is briefly mentionned, the communists only entered Resistance after Hitler and Staline parted; their only aim was to be his position to deliver France into Staline hands, and maybe their greatest achievement was to perform terrorist attacks when and where they were certain that reprisals victims would be those who didn't share their communist vision: so they could be seen as patriots while getting rid of their opponents.
One other reason for the leniency towards french police (a good one in the short term, but a most poisonous one in the long term), was that nobody wanted to alienate in any way the only organisation thought able (?) to take care of riots and miscellaneous disorders following the 'Liberation'; and, since they were in charge of preventing witch-hunts, it would have been very difficult to make them understand they should have been investigated as well.
One should not forget, for a better understanding of the story background, that after Pie XI (pro-fascit to the core, altough opposed to racism) died in 1939, Pie XII (who was convinced that Hitler represented the last defence against communism) never condemned nazism, and even gave (through his bishops) his blessing to german armies. But, since the Roman Catholic Church was the first one to practice large-scale genocides (remember South America and the Conquistadores' mudering and pillaging in the name of God, which is the proof that the so-called "no prescription for crimes against humanity" should be better understood), maybe he felt some sort of kindred sympathy... ... Read more

Reviews (30)

AIRPORT BOXSET
Airport 77 is probably the series best film. Second to Airport 75. The music score is great. To me the special effects were great. I didn't see any dumb effects. The cast was so fantastic. I am surprised some of them even come out of their shells for a movie but i am glad they did. Jack Lemmon heading the distinguished cast with Christopher Lee, Jimmy Stewart, Olivia de Havilland, Lee Grant & Brenda Vercarro.

A luxury 747 takes off from Washington DC packed with priceless art and lots of VIPs on their way to Steves (stewart) musuem where they will donate their part of the art. Grant as a drunk wife, de Havilland kindling old love and playing a hand, Lee planning for future living and dealing the with his drunk wife, Lemmon flying the big 747 and wanting to marry long time girlfriend Brenda Vacarro, Brenda Vercarro playing the head stewardess and girl friend to lemmon.

Bring out a boxset and a extra dvd with lots of info, bios and deleted scenes. And visit the AIRPORT DATABASE for lots of info and speak on our forum!

A lost treasure
This film, like all of the Airport movies is loaded with stars (something that a low-budget film could NEVER do today). Jack Lemmon, Jimmy Stewart, Lee Grant, George Kennedy, Olivia DeHavilland, Kathleen Quinlan, etc, etc...

While I must admit, the plot of the movie is rather fantastic, consdering a 747 hitting the water at 200 knots+ would break up. But, one thing that I am impressed with is the aircraft realism (the same goes for Airport '75). The production unit really went out of their way to represent the 747 in an accurate way. This film, along with Airport '75, utilized the American Airlines 747 flight simulators in Dallas, TX, thus providing the audience with a true-to-life cockpit environment. Therefore, this is a MUST for aviation buffs...

My only complaint about this movie is the quality of the DVD...Despite being a below-average transfer, it offers no special features or deleted scenes. Anyone who has seen the TV version of this movie knows that there is a lot of extra footage, especially in the beginning. Hopefully, there will be another release somewhere down the road...Maybe a collector's box of all the Airport films?

Airport '77 is all wet
Airport '77 is the story of bazillionaire Phillip Stevens (a slumming James Stewart) who is jetting some of his friends and colleagues and others on a luxury 747 to view his art collection which is going to become a museum, because, as we learn later...he has A FEW MONTHS TO LIVE!!! Unfortunately, some hijackers unleash some gas on the passengers and plan to swipe the artwork. But the plan goes awry when the plane crashes into the Bermuda Triangle.

Quite realistic, don't you think? The problem is the movie is boring. None of the characters make an impression. Let's see, there's the feuding couple with the wife who cheated on her husband, but that's never mentioned again; the old lady renewing a friendship with an old man; some kids who like to play Pong; a blind pianist who sings about seeing through "the eye of the beholder"; a bartender whose wife is about to give birth to twins, etc., etc. What are their names? I don't know, all I know is that they're bland characterizations meant to sustain interest before the big crash scene. Jack Lemmon is the pilot, and Brenda Vacarro is Eve, his love interest. They generate no heat at all.

To make a boring movie short, I just found this film bland and uninteresting. The big rescue scene is silly, and everything leading up to it is a waste of time. George Kennedy, who appeared in every Airport movie as Patroni, has about one minute of screentime here wherein he does nothing. Most of the movie is spent with people staring vacantly out the window, or squealing in pain. Much like the viewer would do.

The Sequels Have Never Been That Great
Since Arthur Hailey had his book "Airport" published which was later made into a movie in 1970, it became successful. The sequels that followed: Airport 1975 (1974) and Airport '77 (1977) did not have that big of a success, though the former fared better at the box office. I was not really that impressed with the latter in scientific terms. The plane crashes at sea and sinks to the bottom when only the forward cargo hold flooded. There was plenty of air inside the rest of the plane that, in reality, could keep it afloat for as long as it was available. The characters, like Airport 1975, overacted as well. Karen Wallace (Lee Grant) was an obnoxious alcoholic who was constantly rude to husband Martin Wallace (Christopher Lee) a professional scuba diver who drowns while accompanying Captain Don Gallagher (Jack Lemmon) to the surface to send out a mayday signal. She goes nuts and tries to open a door before she is subdued and kayoed by first stewardess and girlfriend of Gallagher, Eve Clayton (Brenda Vaccaro). There have been some sequels in the past that have meaning, but most are a waste of a movie watcher's time.

Quite primative,much room for improvement.
What can i say? There isn't much to say. A simple plot and not much to grab your attention, but some well known actors are present, so judge it how you will. ... Read more