Amazon.com

Austin Powers undoubtedly stole a few moves from Matt Helm, the swinging secret agent embodied by Dean Martin in four intentionally dopey late-'60s movies. The Silencers is the first and best of the bunch--but at that, it's barely a movie. Dino is first seen reclining in his automated bed, and he hardly wakes up for the remainder of the picture. (When a stunt double performs athletic moves in the action scenes, you rub your eyes at the impossibility of Martin moving that quickly.) And yet Matt Helm manages to stave off a nuclear disaster in the southwest desert, the nefarious plot of a Chinese archvillain (Victor Buono). The 007-style gadgets include exploding sportcoat buttons, plus the wet bar in Dino's station wagon--so he cangulp whiskey while he drives. The women are, of course, outrageously sexist playthings, although Stella Stevens remains the most adorable of '60s sex kittens. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Censorship and bad cropping give Helm hell!
I've waited many years to see this fearsome foursome of cheese find a decent release in DVD. Sadly, thanks to bad cropping and seemingly random censorship, it still hasn't happened yet.

The four films are, of course, The Silencers, Murderers' Row, The Ambushers, and The Wrecking Crew. (A fifth intallment was storeyboarded but never shot.)

Letting the studio off the hook by saying things like "widescreen areas always crop full frame versions," is being much too gracious in the face of these money-grabbing studio weasels who also CUT entire parts of the film and never even gave you an original trailer.

And I should know about the widescreen concept, since I am, after all, the chairman of the WWS - the Widescreen Watchers Society. (Yes, my organization has a movie site online, but an Amazon review is not the place to plug it by posting links to it.)

Rather I just wanted to point out that it is instead within the "full frame" or "standard screen" format that all cropping takes place. The most dominant style is pan-and -scan, which is done by zooming in on whatever the TV film editor decides is the most important area on screen at any given moment.

That's why you often end up with the ridiculous sight of one person chattering happily away to the air for long periods of time, since you can't see the other person he's talking to. And because of the zoom effect, naturally you also get a more blurred focus on the overall picture.

But a presentation in widescreen, whether it be a regular rectangle (Vista-Vision style) or a more narrow rectangle (Panavison style), or somewhere in between, never crops and/or zooms in after the fact at any point - resulting in a vast difference of ultimate picture composition in crystal clarity, giving you the best total viewing experience possible - which is why the original director filmed it that way for its theatrical release in the first place!

How today's studios stamping out inferior DVDs think the public will never notice such a huge difference is completely mind-boggling! And who buys most of the DVDs of older movies anyway? Film buffs who are very picky about such things to begin with!

RECOMMENDATION: Wait until all four films are put out together in an improved deluxe edition - TRUE widescreen (non-cropped and non-censored), featuring behind the scenes featurettes (which they shot back in the '60s as long commercials for such films), surviving crew interviews, trailers, etc. Otherwise, forget it.

Hey, Rat Pack fans - or just fans of Dean Martin in general - you know ol' Dino deserves far BETTER than this shoddy treatment! Mama mia!

Funniest spy spoof ever
Although I loved reading James Bond books and Matt Helm books, I also enjoyed the first movies of those books very much. After "Thunderball" 007 moved further away from the book each new movie. In the meantime I discovered Matt Helm on film. The first film was a very humorous impression of the book "The Silencers". Dean Martin, to me, was a very good choice for the Helm-figure. His jokes appealed to me, especially the autoradio-joke on his own hit-music. Also the joke with the reverse-firing gun takes care of some fun. But I must admit: Stella Stevens' appearance was the real finishing touch. I still have a clear image in my mind (after 33 years) of the scene where Helm tears off her dress in the hotel room. I guess it must be considered now a typical 60's movie, but reviewing it will undoubtedly amuse you again. If so ... you could also try other Helm-movies, especially "The ambushers", and another amusing Spy spoof, with James Coburn, called "Derek Flint". You could even try Bond's own spoof "Casino Royale", but that's very much pop-art and confusing, next to being funny. Even if you don't like secret agents you can enjoy these movies. But ""The silencers" is the best as a try-out!

The Silencers Revisited
Dean Martin's Matt Helm and James Coburn's Derek Flint were both well done serio-comic Superspies in the James Bond genre. While the two Flint flicks have been available on DVD for some time, The Silencers is the first Matt Helm film to make it to DVD. After watching The Silencers, my only question is--When will the rest of the Matt Helm movies be available on DVD?

Glad I Read Reviews
As much as I would like to have this movie on DVD, I would
not buy this issue because of the reviews posted here. When
are studios going to get it? We don't want DVD issues of movies
that are sub-standard or something that is different than
theatrical release.

A word about The Silencers.
This is a very nice transfer to DVD and only appears cropped to other reviewers because this is the way audiences saw it in the theater almost forty years ago. The 1.85:1 widescreen area is indeed cropping the full frame but the cropped area was never meant to be seen. Only television introduced the full frame area to viewers. To fully understand this one must discard his ignorance of projected film formats and do some research in this area. That way, a decent film to video transfer like this one won't receive such bad billing and we can all be happy! ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Excellent Performance by Jodie Foster
This film is pretty much a run of the mill made for TV flick up until the startling, graphic rape scene. However this distinction must be made. First, TV movies just weren't made about this subject until after this film came out--it opened many doors, and for that it should be applauded. Second, Jodie Foster gives an excellent performance and provides an unflinching look at how rape can ruin a victim's life.
Also, this film deserves credit for portraying the victim as a strong willed character who is far from perfect-and it sends the message that flirting with someone does NOT mean that you deserve to be raped. And I applaud the fact that this film doesn't take the extreme view (hello Lifetime channel) that all men are pigs who either enjoy victimizing women or don't see anything REALLY wrong with doing so. On the contrary, this film has many likeable male characters (even one who helps the victim with her case, despite the fact that one of his friends raped her).

Though it's not perfect, there are many redeeming qualities to this ground breaking film.

Brilliant Foster
Based on a true story, "The Accused" is a wrenching, harowing portrait of a woman from the "wrong side of the tracks" who is raped by a group of men in a bar's back room. Jodie Foster's first Oscar winning performance is a wonder to experience - she is mesmerizing in the role, both as a victim and protagonist. She plays her character Sarah to perfection, with the right combination of bad-girl guts and unequivocal sorrow. Her eyes tell volumes about the woman, so that the audience feels for her despite being willing participants in the actual rape sequence. Did Sarah ASK for this abuse, the actress seems to ask us? Certainly not is the answer we come away with, yet Foster makes Sarah a real, human character, not the martyr-like victim presented in similar docu-dramas of the same type. In doing so, she accomplishes a rare thing - straddling the thin line between Sarah's tough exterior and inner nurturing. A lovely, calibrated performance from one of the world's best actresses.

Compelling yet Harrowing
Jodie Foster won an Oscar for her portrayal of Sarah, a young woman from the wrong side of the tracks, who is gang raped in a bar after a drunken night out. Foster delivers a mesmerising performance as the traumatised victim fighting for justice against a system that has labelled her as 'worthless' due to her previous lifestyle. Kelly McGillis plays the district attorney who initially lets Sarah down and agrees to a plea bargain that Sarah doesn't want. When the realisation hits of what she has done, she fights to ensure the perpetrators of this brutal rape are brought to justice.
This is never an easy film to watch. The crime is too violent and the emotions too raw for that. The audience is left with a feeling of unease at the brutality of the crime and at the judicial system that is supposed to protect the innocent.It is however, a compelling film due to the outstanding performances of the lead actors and it cannot fail to touch and move the most hard hearted of viewer.

An Unforgettable Learning Experience
Jodie Foster and Kelly McGillis star in the unforgettable 1988 film "The Accused". Its plot of a young woman, Sarah, getting raped and struggling to get past it is emotional through every second. Its hardhitting scenes, namely the rape scene, hold enough power to hit audiences' hearts like nothing else. Such events express truth in the court system about rape cases. It teaches audiences that it's difficult to convict rapists, even with a lot of evidence. The emotional stance of the film is true. The trauma and fears during and after is expressed to the fullest. Every struggle keeps audiences interested in every event, leading to a surprising conclusion. Its certain graphic scenes were necessary to film to show the issue's depth. The details prove that the writers researched rape to its fullest, which deserves them tremendous respect.

Jodie Foster's Oscar winning role (Best Actress) as Sarah is one of her career bests. She performs with every drop of heart and soul that adds to the film's powerful message. Kelly McGillis's role as Sarah's determined lawyer is wonderful. However, she was wrongfully overlooked by the Oscars for Best Actress. As a real-life rape victim, she used her own life experiences as influence for her performance quality. It resulted highly powerful. All other actors, major or minor, also performed their roles wonderfully.

"The Accused" is a great film for everyone to watch. This is sure to touch many viewers for a long time. Afterwards, keep the film playing for a few more seconds after it ends. The rape statistics shown are interesting, yet shocking.

hard-hitting but forced
the accused is a gripping tale of one woman's fight for justice. jodie foster pulls out a brilliant performance, the movie is hard-hitting, disturbing and very evocative. however at times it seems a little forced and unnatural. a lot of it is due to the inept acting of kelly mcgillis who gives a horrible performance.

the story raises a lot of questions about how we perceive people by what comes out first, without looking beyond the external appearances. however this could have been a much better film if handled a little more sensitively.

most of the performances are downright horrible and the rape scene shown only at the end seemed a little forced and unnecessary. despite all these flaws the movie is touching and is worth a watch if you're willing to spend a serous 2 hours.

A disturbing 7 out of 10 ... Read more

Reviews (14)

...not all butterflies are free...
Not a bad love story if one doesnt take it too seriously.We tend to forget that Goldie Hawn used to act in some very good movies at one time.She manages to shine in this charming but unoriginal romance between a flower child and a handsome young blind man played by Edward Albert,seeking independence from his over protective mother.The story is set in the Haight-Ashbury area of San Francisco during the early seventies prior to Watergate and gay rights and the onslaught of AIDS.

Eileen Heckart gives a memorable and touching performance as the mother and well deserved her best-supporting-actress oscar that year.There is a wonderful scene where Goldie first meets Donnys mother in his apartment in the most inappropriate of circumstances.In her underwear!Enough said. Not exactly Shakespeare but it will keep your interest,and besides theres a happy ending...

Heart warming and funny
This is one of the best movies I have ever seen, and I saw it for the first time yesterday on HBO. Goldie Hawn is hillarious in this movie, and the story is beautiful. If you like Goldie Hawn, and if you like a good, real love story, you will LOVE this movie.

Very pleasant though a bit too stagey
There are two things that made me really enjoy seeing this film again for the first time in years. One is Goldie Hawn. She was both terminally cute and utterly adorable in this. The past few years I had mainly seen her in films from the past decade or so, and while she has remained extremely attractive, I didn't remember her in her twenties well enough to realize just how much she and her daughter Kate Hudson resemble one another at the same age (or nearly, since Goldie was 27 when she made this, and Kate is not yet that old). Kate Hudson is a chip off the old block if ever there was one. Goldie Hawn has had a fine career, but I always thought it should have been better than it was. She was a truly gifted comedienne, and one of the cutest women to ever walk the earth. Perhaps her sixties connection with LAUGH IN kept people from taking her seriously for many years, but she definitely should have been in more major projects. Even if everything in this film were bad, just being able to gaze at her extraordinary smile and riveting blue eyes would be enough.

A second thing that makes this film click is the remarkable Eileen Heckart. One of the premiere stage actors of her generation, the husky voiced, long-faced Heckart simply never found her place in the movies. While she managed a great stage career, many of us didn't have the privilege of living in New York so as to see her perform. One advantage of the movies is the ability for talented performers to display their talents in every godforsaken corner of the glove. Heckart is stellar as Don's overprotective mother, and it is an utter joy to hear her squeeze out a put down or insult. She won a well-deserved Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in this one.

I am not overly fond of the rest of the film. The problem is that this isn't really a movie: it is a play captured on celluloid. Some film versions of plays manage to transcend the source to make an exciting film. A classic example is TWELVE ANGRY MEN, which takes twelve jurors and locks them in a single room for nearly two hours. But it makes a great film because the camera is so magnificently active, moving agilely from close up to group shot to isolating a couple of figures. The camera in BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE is, however, static and passive. It merely stands in front of each scene and lazily absorbs the action. It doesn't get close and explore what it happening. In other words, the camera isn't an important part of the telling of the story. As a result, it never becomes more than what it was onstage. I also am not fond of Edward Albert Jr., but that is a strictly personal reaction, and not an objective criticism of the film. My final problem with the film is that sometimes, because it is merely a filmed play, it sometimes gets a tad dull in the dialogue. Some of the talk is [not good]. For instance, the scene that takes place the morning after Jill and Don sleep together, before Don's mother shows up, is quite dull. I almost wondered if the reason Goldie Hawn spent the entire scene in her underwear wasn't to make up for the dullness of what the two of them were saying.

So, not a masterpiece, but definitely worth seeing for catching the young Goldie Hawn and for the magnificent Eileen Heckart.

An understated, but beautiful score.
This movie had very little music score, which worked well with the Broadway Play adaptation. Yet the few music moments were charming as well as beautifully written. It might be noted that the opening song was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. That, along with the 'Picnic On the Floor' music and several others, were delightful, overlooked segments, which happens more than often to the Hollywood film music people.

"Might I Have Seen You in Something Besides Your Underwear?"
The movie "Butterflies are Free" is a comedy/drama which is an old favorite of mine that I have seen in various forms on TV and video for a number of years.I am very happy now that it has finally been put out on DVD.This is basically a filmed play (with a couple of added scenes to "open it up")which explores the meaning of concepts like freedom and independence within the framework of a love story.The story takes place in a San Fransisco loft during those heady, 'groovy' days of flower power.Don Baker (Played by Edward Albert) is young man, blind from birth, who is trying for the first time to break away from his overbearing mother's apron strings by living on his own.One day he meets his new neighbor, Jill, a young, commitment free hippie and wanna-be actress.At first she is freaked out by Don's blindness, but soon they are "getting it on" and she spends the night.The next morning their little private, three room Eden is invaded, when Don's mother barges in unannounced, with the intention of taking her son home.It is within this scenerio that the three characters shout, argue and pontificate about such concepts as 'freedom', 'independence', 'commitment','love' and finally 'letting go'.They all learn a little bit about themselves and the changes they must make to get on with their lives.This is really a wonderful, funny movie that has a lot of heart. The three lead actors do a simply amazing job with their roles.Goldie Hawn is in all her giggly, post "Laugh-In" splendor.Underneath the bubbly persona she shows us a character, who is emotionally crippled and must learn not to be frightened of being loved.Edward Albert does a fine job as the blind, young man who is fighting for his independence.But the real scene stealer is Eileen Heckart (who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for this role)who is brilliantly funny as an overbearing, cynical, mother,who obviously loves her son, but must find a way to let go. The script by Lenord Gershe is very fast and funny featuring hilarious exchanges between Albert, Hawn and Heckart's characters. It is filled with lots of one liners that remind me a bit of the comic style of playright, Neil Simon and his comedies such as "The Odd Couple" and "The Sunshine Boys".Some of the hippie, flower power references and language in the movie are a bit dated, but I think it adds a touch of charm and quaintness to the script.Milton Katselas's direction of this film is a little stagey, but it does not detract as the story progresses.The DVD presentation is very clear and the sound quality is not bad for a film from 1972.My only real complaint is that the DVD features bonus trailers, but not for this movie (at least two out of three of them are for old Goldie Hawn films).For an evening of funny, yet thought provoking entertainment I highly recommend this film. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The last of the old Andromeda
Not the end of the series but the end of the series as envisioned by Robert Hewitt Wolfe. The show had great potential and was living up to it, but Tribune wanted to go in a different direction. The first two seasons showed how closely it was tied in thought to the last three seasons of ST DS9 (RHW also wrote/produced for them). Character and idea development gave way to fantasy and lowering the intellectual standard. I still enjoy the show, but clearly season 4 and the upcoming season 5 are like another show.

319 - Illusion of Majesty. In this episode, the crew ends up in a garbage dump star system and cannot get out. A woman who poses as a princess and a priestess as a scam promises to get them out. Much innuendo later, Dylan outwits everyone to get out. Not a great episode.

320 - Twilight of the Idols. Excellent episode. In this one we find Dylan's old mentor and Admiral still alive after 300 years in the form of Michael Ironside's character. Finally a person who can out maneuvre Dylan. This is like a classic Andromeda with good conflict and tension and a moral delimma that is left unresolved.

321 - Day of Judgement, Day of Wrath. Another good episode. An old adversary, the founder of the Restorians, and a former commonwealth ship AI comes back to take over another ship in the new commonwealth. But before that, he takes over Andromeda's avatar and leaves everyone questioning. This show was filled with emotional tension and was quite good. It helps that in real life Shanks and Doeg are married.

322 - Shadows Cast By A Final Salute. Bittersweet episode. Very good one but sad as it sent the show into a whole different universe from how it was created. Tyr finally makes his move and promises to deliver the Andromeda to the Drago Kazov. But, really, he has his own agenda: the annhilation of the Drago Kazov home planet. Keith Hamilton Cobb leaves the series in style and Andromeda never quite recovered.

Final episodes of Season Three
319 - Illusion of Majesty - Dylan and the crew take a wrong turn ending up in the Prolon System where they discover a princess who is not what she appears to be.
320 - Twilight of the Idols - Dylan and the crew set out to find a colony that disappeared. We discover the surprising story behind the Genites and their creator - an old friend of Dylan's from before the fall - a person who is still alive.
321 - Day of Judgement, Day of Wrath - Michael Shanks (Stargate SG-1's Daniel Jackson) reprises his role as the Balance of Judgement's AI. He forces Rommie to steal a new High Guard vessel and forces Harper to build a new avatar. Includes a battle between the Balance of Judgement Avatar and the Resolution of Hector's Avatar (played by Christopher Judge - SG-1's Teal'c). In another part of the story, Tyr begins his move to take unite the Prides under his banner (third SG-1 crossover, the actor who played the Tokra Martoof plays a Drago Kasov field marshall. One of my favorite episodes as I am also an SG-1 fan and the SG-1 actors play very different roles from what we are used to seeing.
322 - Shadows Cast By A Final Salute (season three finale). Tyr makes his move and forces Dylan into a confrontation which threatens to shatter the new Commonwealth fleet and the Commonwealth. A massive battle between the Commonwealth forces and a variety of enemies. Tyr leaves at the end but does he make it? Watch Season Four to find out. Excellent but dark episode. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Buster Keaton's second feature, Our Hospitality is his first masterpiece. He plays a New York city boy who travels south to receive his inheritance, only to discover he's in the center of a generations-old feud. While his sworn enemies (the family of the girl he has fallen in love with, naturally) vow to gun him down, Southern hospitality forbids them from harming him as long as he's a guest in their home. Plenty of comic mileage is mined from Buster's desperate attempts to prolong his stay, and highlights include a deliriously surreal train (run by Keaton's father, Joe) and a heroic rescue involving a rope, a log, and a mighty waterfall.

Sherlock Jr. is a delightfully surreal fantasy of a film projectionist and amateur detective who climbs into his movie screen. Like Daffy Duck in the famous cartoon "Duck Amuck," Buster is at the mercy of sudden scene changes, sent from desert to snowstorm to lake in simple cuts while he remains helplessly fixed onscreen. (Even more astounding is that he accomplished this engineering marvel with nothing more than surveyor's tools and an exacting eye.) Settling into his dream role as a master detective and society bon vivant Sherlock Jr., he chases the dastardly villains in a world as wild and unpredictable as the French serial Les Vampires: bombs are hidden in billiard balls and Keaton leaps through the torso of a peddler woman and into nothingness! No other silent film turns logic on its head with such grace and comic hilarity. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Brilliant movies, mediocre DVD
I don't think filmmaking has reached the peak of genius set by "Sherlock Jr." since. The sheer volume of imagination on display dazzles even the most jaded modern viewer. I showed the climactic chase scene from this film to some high school students and they were flabbergasted and awed by the stunts, the set ups, the effects (including some seemless in camera special F/X that go undetected by most viewers!). "Our Hospitality" is also wonderful, though the climactic waterfall is a set (someone else on this page claimed it to be a real one-- it isn't) the risk was certainly real. And the dress on the horse gag gets me every time. The picture quality on these films is variable, with SJ looking better. I wish someone would invest $$$ to make all of Keaton's work as pristine as modern technology will allow. However, I must lament the musical score on SJ. the rest of the Keaton Kino releases have very tasteful, very supportive scores, but SJ's is so out of touch with the rhythms, feelings, and pulses of the film that it kills many gags and deadens the entire effect. OH's score is fine, however. It's not that I am such a purist I can't abide anything that deviates from the standard organ/piano meanderings, but the score has to support the film, has to punch the gags, not shift the punchlines. The atonal scratchings during the billiards scene belong in a Chaney horror film, not in one of the funniest, most awe inspiring and sublime stretches in film history.

Sherlock Jr.: A genuine legend
Keaton's "Sherlock Jr." One of the genuine legends of film history. While it's not as tragic as Erich von Stroheim's "Greed," "Sherlock Jr." is an experience that simply must be seen to be believed. Buster Keaton's mastery of physical comedy reached its zenith with this exercise in surrealism that is pure joy from beginning to end. It's only forty minutes long and there's not much of a plot to it -- Keaton plays a projectionist at a movie theater who wants to be a detective, but stumbles at his first attempt to solve a crime. He falls asleep in the movie theater, and his dream-self walks into the movie and takes part in an comedy adventure consisting of stuntwork so incredible, it made my jaw drop when I saw it for the first time. Most of the stunts here are filmed live, and Keaton uses masterful editing to bring them all together. One scene here, where he falls from a water tower onto a railroad track, actually broke his neck in real life -- but he didn't even realize it until a physical examination several years later!

Our Sherlock
OUR HOSPITALITY is an amusing little film. Buster Keaton is a New York gentleman returning to his family's ancestral seat in order to collect an inheritance. However, he falls afoul of an old rivalry; his new neighbors have vowed to kill all remaining McKays (they themselves are, of course, the Canfields), and Buster appearing in the town has given them opportunity of ridding the world of the last member of the family. Oblivious as ever to the danger he is in, Keaton ends up falling for the daughter of the house. He has a temporary reprieve during his courtship -- the Canfields won't kill a man while he's enjoying their Southern hospitality. In other words, while he stands in their house, he's safe; if he puts a foot out of the front door, he's a dead man. Catching on to the situation, Keaton goes to extraordinary lengths to avoid exiting their abode.

Any summary of OUR HOSPITALITY makes it sound like a one-joke movie, but that would be a misleading impression, as there are lots of quick little sight-gags and set-pieces that make up this film. Keaton's journey from his New York home to the Deep South of Trenton, New Jersey is a surreal voyage on a ramshackle train that travels as well on its tracks as it does on a dirt road. He faces a variety of physical obstacles, the most famous being his rescue of a woman in midair as she falls over the lip of a waterfall. Okay, so he's actually rescuing a prop rather than a real person, but the stunt is still quite impressive: Keaton with a rope around his waist swings from above the waterfall straight down into the downpour, plucks the doll from air, swings back towards a rocky outcrop and delivers it to safety.

Keaton testing the limits of the Canfield hospitality (figuratively and literally) is quite a treat. Joe Roberts, a regular in these Keaton films, makes a welcome addition to the cast playing a sort of demented Colonel Sanders. The chase scenes (a staple of any good Buster Keaton film) are fast and well executed.

Also included on this disc is SHERLOCK, JR. Sherlock Jr. is the name that Buster Keaton's character goes by in his dreams. By day, he's a rather put-upon projectionist at a cinema. But he yearns for a more exciting life. He reads books on becoming a private detective and even has a magnifying glass and a false mustache for his undercover work. However, he's quickly accused of a crime that he didn't committed, and, having lost the affections of his beloved, is soon stuck back at work with nothing to do but change reels and sleep. While napping, he dreams, and places himself inside the story of the rather dull-looking melodrama that is playing in front of him.

The first thought that strikes me about the dream sequences of SHERLOCK, JR. is that they have a very 60s feel to it, which just goes to show you how ahead of his time Keaton was. At first Buster just walks through the screen to interact with the action. But the scenes change quickly, and he remains in the center of the picture. It's a neat metaphor for the way Buster Keaton character always seemed to stay calm and collected regardless of the madness of the world around him. But you could imagine these camera tricks being done in a student film, although they'd probably be much less inspired.

The film then moves on from its surreal scene/camera changing jump cuts, and Keaton begins to interact with the movie and its characters directly. This is where the movie really feels like a 60s production. It's a James Bond spoof, nearly forty years before the premier of DR. NO! It's uncanny. We have exploding billiard balls, booby-trapped chairs, a damsel in distress, motorcycle and car chases, and a suave, sophisticated hero. I thought myself extremely clever for noticing this... until the orchestra suddenly burst into a snatch of the James Bond theme at the moment when Buster Keaton's car turns itself into a boat. These Kino Video releases usually claim to have used the original score performed by a modern orchestra. Obviously, the score here isn't from the original, but it certainly made me laugh at that point.

You can see the filmmakers (mostly Keaton, I assume) really letting loose and experimenting. One of the movie's most notable features is the film within a film, where Keaton takes great pains to point out that his character is dreaming the action. It's interesting to view in comparison to the way movies have since developed; a modern audience would have had no trouble picking up on the clues, but Keaton couldn't rely on his viewers having enough familiarity with the medium. The clues that audiences today notice without even thinking about were still being developed at this time.

I wasn't overly wild about the two films on this disc, although they are still a hell of a lot of fun. Upon reflection, I think I prefer Buster Keaton's faster paced short films, which isn't to say that there aren't some great gags here. SHERLOCK JR. seems to be the better regarded of the two, and I'll agree with conventional wisdom on that one.

Two great Keaton comedies
"Our Hospitality" and "Sherlock Jr." are two of Buster Keaton's finest silent films.

In "Our Hospitality", Buster plays Willie McKay, a naive New York City resident (if you can call New York a city in 1830) who returns to his native south to collect an estate from his mother who has just recently died. Unfortunately, McKay's family has been involved in a backwoods feud with the Canfield family who are determined to kill off the last surviving McKay.

Further complicating matters, Willie finds himself falling in love with the elder Canfield's daughter who invites him to dinner. The Canfields will not shoot McKay in their house as this violates their code of honor (there is apparently nothing dishonorable about shooting McKay outside). This leads to a series of hilarious comic situations as Willie must find ways to prolong his visit. Later, when he runs out of excuses, he must find a way to sneak out without being recognized. Wait till you see what he uses for a disguise!

The film leads up to a hilarious and exciting chase sequence ending on a river. Buster Keaton was quite the acrobat. It's amusing how throughout the film he pokes fun at the south's twisted sense of hospitality. There's also a surprisingly touching finale.

"Sherlock Jr." is another great, albeit short film. Buster plays a hapless movie projectionist and amateur detective who is wrongly accused of stealing his girlfriend's father's watch. Ostrasized by his girlfriend, Buster falls asleep in the projection room and in his dream, walks into the movie and interacts with the characters. In his dream, he imagines himself as the great detective Sherlock Jr. and attempts to find the culprit of a stolen watch.

"Sherlock Jr." is an interesting film as it deals with Keaton's fascination with the film medium. The special effects for the scene where Buster walks into the screen were incredible for their time. This scene has been copied a lot in subsequent films. Unfortunately, the film is marred somewhat by the inane music score which someone decided to tack on. Nevertheless, it's well worth viewing.

Buster Keaton was a genius. His best films matched, if not surpassed those of his rival Charlie Chaplin. They were cinematically superior and had better stuntwork (nothing wrong with Chaplin mind you). A must for any lover of silent comedies.

The art of Buster Keaton.
Personality diviners: which Beatle is your favorite? did you think *The Big Lebowski* was funny? Coke or Pepsi? Keaton or Chaplin? If you answered John, Yes, Coke, and Keaton, you're my type of person. But to focus on the topic: Keaton's films have unarguably aged better than Chaplin's. Whereas the latter's films have a good-for-you, culturally-enriching aura, Buster's movies happen to still be unpretentiously entertaining. Kino, with this double-feature set, offers a great showcase of Keaton's many talents:

*Our Hospitality* (Four Stars): Somewhat primitive but still accomplished comedy about a city boy (Keaton) who embarks on a journey Down South to claim his ancestral inheritance. The joy of the thing is in the journey, which involves an amazing, diminutive, jerry-rigged "train", replete with roof-chairs on which passengers bob and sway like reeds in a high breeze. Once arrived, Keaton discovers that he has also inherited participation of a blood feud, of the Hatfied-McCoy variety, with another family. (Of course, the girl he falls for on the train ride is the daughter of the enemy family.) Much humor (and irony) is derived from Keaton's character taking advantage of the fact that the enemy clan must not, out of Southern Honor, shoot him down like a dog as long as he's a guest in their home. Other points of interest: costumes and architectural details are surprisingly accurate (the movie takes place in the 1830's); and Keaton's stunts in this movie are among his most death-defying.

*Sherlock Jr.* (Five Stars): The first movie turns out to be a starter for the main (yet smaller, at 45 min.) course, the masterpiece *Sherlock Jr.*. Falsely accused of stealing a watch, wanna-be detective Keaton returns to his dreary projectionist job at the local movie-house and has a dream that begins with him leaping into the movie screen and becoming master detective "Sherlock Jr.", a hero of his own film. I could put my egghead's cap on and blather about the movie's postmodern immersion in its own medium; how it influenced filmmakers like Woody Allen; how it's arguably the greatest achievement in silent comedy. Or: I can tell you that the scenes involving an explosive billiards-ball and a daffy motor chase through the city are laugh-out-loud hilarious. Many of the special effects (this is 1924, mind you) still defy easy detection . . . which is more than can be said for 2002's *Spider-Man*, to use just one current example.

[The DVD is adequate. *Sherlock Jr.*, actually, has somewhat better-than-adequate picture quality. Good job, guys. And I'm rather more glad than not that there are no "special features": the last thing I need is some film scholar stripping away, piece by piece, Keaton's layers of artifice.] ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Don't call th police!!!!!!
This is a very suspenseful film that is probably Kurt Russell's best & most believeable performances, the film begins with Russell as a self-employed business man who it seems works out of his home putting deals together, Madelyn Stowe is perfect as Russell's wife, & they live a pretty normal life in the L.A. suburbs, then a theif breaks in & holds Stowe hostage with a knife after Russell has a confrontation with him, the man escapes & Russell & Stowe do what any couple would do, call the police & report the incident, Ray Liotta(fresh off GOODFELLAS) is seen here a one of two cops who show up to take the report, it is clear that he is smitten with Stowe & soon befreinds them, at one point him & Russell become close in that Liotta surprises Russell by catching the man who broke into the home, Russell, still angry about the incident is given a chance for payback courtesy of Liotta, but refuses when Liotta gives him the go-ahead for beating the guy, Liotta instead does the deed & Russell senses that Liotta is not all there & decides to cut all ties with him, this is where the worst in Liotta comes out, we discover that he is a loose cannon that even his partner knows but does little to intervine, until Liotta threatens Russell, Liotta messes with Russell in many ways, such as messing with his credit cards, his business deals, & even at one point intruding on him & Stowe as they have sex, he even sets Russell up for a drug bust as a way to get to Stowe, soon Russell is making bail & it is a race against time as he must save his wife from Liotta who at this point is obsessingly deranged, (...)Liotta performance is chilling & one of his best so far.

a creepy highly provocative thriller
kurt russell and madeline stowe play a normal husband and wife when suddenly there house is broken into by a theif. so they call the police played by ray liotta and his partner. and as soon as madeline stowe comes down the stairs and ray liotta looks at her that way you can tell he has problems. so ray liotta starts following them around all over and wants the wife so he frames kurt russell and puts him in jail so that ray liotta can be with madeline stowe. but when kurt gets out it will be a showdown between him and ray. rated r for strong violence,language,sexuality and nudity.

russell's great, liottas nutty and stowe is sexy
theres greatness and nuttyness and sexiness to this movie. great performances by the leads,especially Russell and Liotta, man they bash heads in this one and Liotta is surprisingly scary. and Stowe barring in that one scene when Liotta walks in on this is great

great film
to chris in new zealand,madeline stowe wallows ??you must be from mars,madeline stowe carries the film she's the most realistic actress iv'e ever watched,i felt like i was in danger
a superb film and fine performances all round

Now this is a suspenseful thriller!!!
This movie has all the right elements, and creates one entertaining and suspenseful movie! Ray Liotta was just remarkable in this movie, and those interesting eyes of his makes you think you are looking into the pools of insanity! The movie is so suspenseful, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the conclusion... which didn't let me down for a second. This is one excellent movie, and I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Akira Kurosawa's sequel to Yojimbo is more lighthearted and less cynical, a rousing adventure with Toshirô Mifune reprising his role as the scruffy mercenary who becomes an unlikely big brother to a troupe of nine naive samurai. Shuffling into a secret meeting where the proud young men discuss the graft choking their clan, Mifune's Sanjuro scratches his scraggly beard and distractedly rubs his neck like some common peasant while giving them advice on appearances and truths: "People aren't what they seem," he warns the dubious lads. "Be careful." Naturally they aren't, and Sanjuro grudgingly adopts the well-meaning but hopelessly ill-equipped heroes, giving the starry-eyed youths a series of lessons in real-world honor and respect while saving their skins from reckless attacks and impulsive plans. It isn't the subtlest of Kurosawa's films--the repetitious lessons and speeches delivered to the thickheaded samurai are rather obvious--but it's one of his most entertaining. Mifune, gruffly at ease with the boys, is hilariously discomforted in the presence of a cultured lady, who sees through his shaggy exterior and imparts a little wisdom of her own. Mifune bounds into action in a number of impressive sword fights--wonderfully choreographed lightning-quick battles in which Mifune leaps all over the widescreen image--but an increasing sense of waste, of futility, hangs over the action scenes, culminating in a tense but meaningless duel of honor. The accompanying trailer on the DVD features brief behind-the-scenes glimpses of Kurosawa directing Mifune through an action sequence. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Sanguine samurai.
Companion piece to 1961's nihilist comedy *Yojimbo*. Not so much a sequel or prequel but rather a redux sort of thing. *Yojimbo* was a boffo hit in Japan (and drew raves from all over the world), and Kurosawa, whose quest for cinematic art never precluded showmanship, gave the audience more of what it wanted: even more action, more comedy, more Toshiro Mifune than in the previous movie. A legitimate criticism of *Sanjuro* is that it somewhat lacks the originality of *Yojimbo*, in particular the End-Of-The-World rancidity in tone, atmosphere, and characters. The liner notes in Criterion's DVD even go so far as to call this movie "sunny" (what an insult! Mifune's samurai would cut your head off if he heard you call him that). "Sunny" is not the apt adjective to describe the sudden, explosive violence in the film; the body-count is too appallingly high to laugh off. The violence here still hurts, and there's a lot more of it here than in *Yojimbo*. Kurosawa may have become weary of the whole samurai genre: a very nice patrician lady admonishes Sanjuro with "good swords stay in their sheaths"; he remembers this advice following the satirically bloody, over-the-top climax. The slice-and-dice duel between Sanjuro and his enemy is, I think, Kurosawa's way of saying, "You want violent action? I'LL give you violent action!!" Though it's designed to elicit shocked guffaws, the evident disgust with the whole samurai mindset leaves the larger impression. For that matter, the old "code of honor" is represented by 9 good-hearted samurai who also happen to be idiots. Just because there might be something worth fighting for here, unlike in *Yojimbo*, the bloody work required to ensure the victory of Good still leaves a bloody stain on the psyche. (Significantly, there was no "three-peat" in the Sanjuro series.) Considering all that, the amazing thing is how entertaining and funny *Sanjuro* remains. Of particular note is how discommoded Mifune appears whenever a pair of very civilized ladies (i.e., the antithesis of himself) show up. When the 9 good samurai keep waking Mifune up with their excited gibbering is also a classic. *Sanjuro* is a minor masterpiece fully deserving of standing alongside *Yojimbo* on your shelf.

A Great Adventure
I love Toshiro Mifune. It's so wonderful to see him play this character. He cracks me up every time he does his little shoulder-twitch character trait. Brilliant!

SANJURO delves a little deeper into his samurai character. There's some themes about killing and comparisons of his character to a good sword that should be sheathed. Other than that, it is flat-out adventure on the menu!

Again, Kurosawa is a wonderful story teller. I find his work (the three films I've seen so far -- HIDDEN FORTRESS, YOJIMBO, and this one) to be so economical. He can add a wrinkle to the story with one word; one look. He truly transcends the language barrier because the storytelling is so good.

I thought Criterion did another good job with the transfer. The trailer does, indeed, feature Kurosawa directing Mifune in an action sequence, which is interesting. I wish Criterion would use pictures on its chapter lists. When I want to access a certain scene and am unfamiliar with the movie it is hard to do based on chapter names that make no sense to me. Other than that, no qualms about the rest of the DVD.

Next, I'd love to see HIDDEN FORTRESS on DVD. Criterion, are you listening ?

One of Kurosawa's best samurai films
In my own opinion, I find Sanjuro to be one of my favorite films by the Kurosawa. Unlike Yojimbo, which mainly showed the violent side of humans, Sanjuro shows a much deeper meaning. A woman in the film comments that he should not use too much violence. At first, he ignores her and thinks that she's completely stupid. In the end, he ends up killing a man in order to save his own life. He understands that "Good swords are kept in their sheaths." Another translation of this would be that violence is bad. This is a continuing theme for Kurosawa, especially in his samurai period movies. I highly recommend it.

a cool follow up to yojimbo
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

This film released shortly after the release of Yojimbo, has the same main character. In this film, Sanjuro withthe help of some friends eliminate corruption in his town and rescue his uncle was was jailed on trumped up charges. The film has a famous 'splatter' scene in the climax which is almost Hitchcockian because of the filmmakers use of chocloate syrup for the stage blood. (in B&W films, one cannot tell the difference anyway)

The DVD only has a theatrical trailer for a special feature, but it is still worth getting for those interested in films like this.

"A good sword is best kept sheathed."
I've never been fond of sequels, and when I found out Akira Kurosawa, a film maker I respect and admire more than any other, had done a sequel to his classic "Yojimbo," I had to wonder just how it was. I saw it and needless to say I was very impressed. This is with out a doubt probably one of the best sequels I've ever seen.

Sequels are commonly one of two things: 1) a rehash of the first movie, or 2) a continuation of a story that should have ended with the first film. "Sanjuro" is none of the two - instead, its just another adventure for our ronin friend Sanjuro in his quest for money. This time he finds himself accidentally nearby where some clueless samurai retainers are trying to figure out who in their clan is plotting to take over while their lord is away. Sanjuro steps in to help them out (almost out of aggravation at just how incompetant his new acquaintances are). He guesses correctly that it is the Super-Intendant and not the Chamberlain (as originally guessed) who is the traitor, and the story continues from there.

"Sanjuro" has all the right doses, and even more, of what you got in "Yojimbo." There are more fight scenes - or perhaps I should say there are more chances for Toshiro Mifune to slash through a crowd of hapless enemies. There are also more chances for our hero to figure out traps and plan ways out of sticky situations. With out a doubt, I think Sanjuro ranks as one of the most clever heroes I've ever seen on film, and you just get a joy at his wit and quick-thinking (I especially like how he got the villains to throw petals into the stream).

I would suggest any one who loved "Yojimbo" to give this film a good chance. It's just as enjoyable as its predecessor, and hey - if it has the name Akira Kurosawa on it, it can't be the least bit bad. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Yul Brynner returns to lead a new band of gunfighters in this sequel to the classic Magnificent Seven, which delivers enough Western action to please genre fans. Return has Brynner's Chris recruiting a new Seven to rescue original member Chico (Julian Mateos, replacing Horst Buchholz), who has been kidnapped by a bandit (Emilio Fernandez). The Magnificent Seven is such an established critical and fan favorite that comparisons between it and Return will inevitably yield negative reactions, and while some aspects of the second film are inferior (in particular, a colorless new Seven, save for veteran scene-stealers Claude Akins and Warren Oates), it's capably directed by Western specialist Burt Kennedy, who is aided in no small part by returning composer Elmer Bernstein's rousing score. Two sequels followed--Guns of the Magnificent Seven and The Magnificent Seven Ride!--with George Kennedy and Lee Van Cleef, respectively, in the Brynner role. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Good but not great sequel
Return of the Magnificent Seven is a good sequel that picks up ten years after the first one ended. The story follows Chris, the gunman in black, who is trying to free Chico, from the original seven, from a bandit who has kidnapped the men from several small villages. Joining Chris is another group that he puts together to help him free his old friend, Chico. This is an exciting movie that examines several questions about the Old West. What if ten years after it happened these men are beginning to think if they have accomplished anything or what is their value? The movie poses this question as the seven ride to Chico's rescue.

The only returning star from the original is Yul Brynner who takes the role of Chris again and plays it to perfection. Robert Fuller takes the role of Vin, previously played by Steve McQueen. This movie could have been much better with McQueen in the role. Other members of the Seven include Warren Oates, Claude Akins, Julian Mateos, Virgilio Texiera, and Jordan Christopher. Also starring are Emilio Fernandez, Elisa Montes, and Fernando Rey. Part of the problem with this sequel is that the characters are not as likable as those in the original. The film is still very good, but just doesn't reach the same level of the first one. Elmer Bernstein's music is still one of the greatest movie soundtracks of all-time. The DVD is pretty good with a widescreen presentation and theatrical trailer included. Different tone than the original Magnificent Seven(still a classic) but a good movie nonetheless. Check it out!

MISUNDERSTOOD SEQUEL THAT ENTERTAINS
Yes this one is darker than the first, but I don't think that's a bad thing. It's a very good film if accepted for it's what it is: a great Western. I'm glad they didn't just copy the first but came up with a different and darker approach that really drew me in. I know that the party line has been to dislike this sequel, but man is it great! Some have said on here that there's no character development. Not true! There's plenty of depth here. Not as much humor as the first perhaps, but it's gritty and really entertained this Western fan. Great cast. Great action. Plenty of absorbing character elements that drew me in. Much better than some say it is. I loved every second of this movie.

Brooding and Absorbing Sequel
Scratching deeper beyond the surface one can find RETURN OF THE SEVEN to be significantly different from its predecessor, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. It is much more than a thematically framed sequel which it can easily be mistaken for. RETURN OF THE SEVEN is a dark film and it does not offer the hope of a truly optimistic future for any of its characters. In this respect it is a complete inversion of THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. Through their catharsis in the original we saw an attempt at redemption through an act of nobility on the part of the seven. They truly were noble and I believe were redeemed for their transgressions as gunmen. Some thought they could start their lives over again but inevitably they could not. That film had to end as it did with the seven ultimately all committed to their singular code of ethics and morality in an emotionally charged finale. In this film there is very little emotion on the surface. Instead director Burt Kennedy gives us a thought provoking study into the human psyche and the very nature of defeatism of the human spirit. In this film there are no pretensions on the part of the seven. For most of them this is just another gun job. There are no higher aspirations that they are cognizant of. If it were not this job, it would be the next. To tell his story Burt Kennedy focuses almost entirely on the character of Chris the leader, perfectly portrayed again by Yul Brynner. This is not really a tale of the seven. Instead Kennedy uses Brynner with all his aplomb and apparent stoicism to curiously examine and probe the motivations of the other six, Lorca the villain (pompously played by Mexican director Emilio Fernandez) and several other key characters. In effect Kennedy takes what was apparently a happy or satisfactory ending from THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN and asks what if. What if 10 years later the remaining characters are not so contented as prior events led us to believe they would be? Would friends be willing go up against innumerable odds? Would strangers once again sign on to go up against those same innumerable odds? Do the strong still have to help the weak? And who really are the strong and the weak? When 50 or more marauding vaqueros whisk away Chico (Julian Mateos) and other Mexican farmers from surrounding villages Chris and Vin (Robert Fuller) agree to come to his aid. However it is Chris alone that recruits the members of the "seven" this time out. Kennedy singularly endows Chris a sense of morality and level headedness in this film that comes from his wisdom and manner of nobility. In effect this is Brynner's film all the way. Just as John Sturges' directorial style was so smooth that his own storytelling glossed right over the depth and complexity of his own work so is Burt Kennedy's. However, Kennedy is challenged with a very dark and brooding tale to tell. Where Sturges' THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN could easily have been taken on a purely action film level and still been successful, Kennedy does not have that luxury. Kennedy has to deliver an action film built on previous events and he also has to approach the story from a different perspective to remain fresh yet keep it thematically to the concept of the original "Seven." Not an easy task! If the viewer does not look deeply into this film it may just appear as a well produced 'dud.' However, I believe Kennedy succeeds far beyond expectations the more times I view this film. Again it comes back to Brynner. He makes members of the seven (Vin, Chico and Colbee) all come to realizations about themselves with his subtle yet profound dialogue. He gives Riker and Luis a chance at redemption even though both men come from total opposites of the spectrum. He helps the failed priest rise from his failures "at least as far as his knees." Chris even gives Lorca, the villain a chance to ride out because when Chris was younger he gave him the same chance. However, Chris refuses to let Lorca now bathe his personal grief as an ineffectual father "in other men's blood." Yet even Lorca is literally redeemed by the end of the film. When Petra tells Chris that the farmers will never forget them he simply replies, "That's all a man can ask." That is the mystique and legacy of the "seven." Even the character of Chris is endowed with human flaws. He recklessly took on the young Manuel rounding out the seven "for luck" with tragic results and we see Brynner deeply grieved on the screen. This is a film of hard lessons learned. Technically this is a well-made film. The cinematography is full of crane, dolly and tracking shots, which gives it both perspective and movement. Bernstein's score is full and lush and this is the single cohesive element that keeps the seven together. The set designs are dark, grim and rustic giving the film a pensive psychological depth. The payoff for Brynner and the viewer comes in the final shot. Looking at the farmers rebuilding the village he comments, "I'll be damned." Vin looks at him and responds, "I doubt that. I doubt that very much." They both ride off. They just don't make heroes like that any more.

Great movie!!
This is a favorite along with the first, "The Magnificent Seven". There is a good plot and plenty of action. Both this movie as well as the first one have moral messages. Also both movies are really about the Vietnam War. The Magnificent Seven relaesed in I believe 1960 when our military advisors were in Vietnam. Remember the villagers asked for help from the Americans? The seven trained the villagers just like our forces in Vietnam did. Also the second movie released in 1966, just two years after official combat in Vietnam for our troops. Again strong parallels with the seven against the tyrant bully (North Vietnamese communism) and the seven (America). Who said Hollywood can't disguise a movie and subliminally give a message by the government to help influence us. Again the movie is great and with great performances by Yul Brynner, Robert Fuller Warren Oates, and Claude Akins. Good performnce by Emilio Fernandez as Lorca and Fernando Reyes as the priest, others also. I enjoyed this one better than the first one.

Underated, action crammed sequel!
This film (for almost no reason) was called drab and boring. It is neither. Explosive, exciting action scenes (the last one where they fend off hunreds of outlaws), great backrounds, and a good story is not what I call drab and dull. I don't care if Steve McQueen was absent, in fact I was relieved. He gave a boring, wooden indian performance in the first film (not to mention boring diologe. I did miss Charles Bronsan (who was killed in the first one).

There's almost no dull moments, so go rent it or buy it. It's a good pick for action or western fans. Peace out! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Creative And Refreshingly Rough
If you're here, you've heard a little about Lexx and perhaps are considering buying it. I'd like to recommend it whole heartedly, and here's why: we live in a world where entertainment is run by "money people" who don't really give a hoot about about anything other than a bottom line, and who usually have Delusions of Competence when it comes to creative decisions. This means that most projects, sci-fi or otherwise, are run by commitee and the results are almost always something which, while occaisionally effective, are necessarily watered down creatively. The perfect example is virtually all of the various Star Trek series, which can be very, very good, but are never EVER risk-taking in any meaningful way. They can also get somewhat annoyingly "smooth" and politically correct. Well, Lexx is the polar opposite of all that. The stakes appear to be lower for these guys and so they take many more chances, and the results, while often uneven, are almost always fun and sometimes genuinely inspired. The actors are extremely well cast, with both Zev and Xev offering a sexiness that doesn't descend into sleeze, Kai as the handsome and surprisingly moral dead assassin, Stanley as the sniveling but likeable anti-Kirk captain of the Lexx, and we get a witty, lovestruck robot head thrown in for good measure. If you want something a little different and fun, I urge you to check it out. I'm sure you won't have seen anything quite like it.

It's about time!
The science fiction world has been wrapped up for so long with Star Wars & Star Trek (great....I admit) that it only spawns clones of each. I love to see shows like Lexx & Red Dwarf get the credit they deserve. Funny and exciting, but yet maintain their completely science fiction qualities.

P.S. I expect that the Star Wars...Star Trek comment is going to bring a multitude of virginal nerds running from momma's teet....LOL. I rank the Star Wars prequals right up there with Titanic....not written for the loyal fans, but to make money. When you follow the herd your just another cow!

Looking for something different go with Lexx.........if you don't like it try getting out of the house more.

Buy it on DVD
If you only buy one DVD, from the entire series, make it this one. Unfortunetly, the first movie was only released on DVD in Canada. You'll want to return to this first episode again and again, if you're a Lexx fan. If you have not viewed any of the Lexx series from Showtime or SCI FI, then you NEED to see this first. It's well worth the wait to track down the DVD. What other series has you rooting for a chic that's half Cluster Lizard, a dead guy, an oversexed robot head and a cowardly captain? Live on Lexx, if only in late-night reruns!

The only Lexx that can be highly recommended
The Lexx series varies wildly in terms of quality and story. Not so with the first four episodes or mini-series.

This is truely one of the most odd and strange rendering of an alien society that's ever hit film. For that alone it gets high marks, but more than that, the world of Lexx is brutal, funny, sometimes sexy and nihilistic.

Most of the Lexx series is an acquired taste but this first installment is well-rendered and better than the majority of sci-fi fare out there.

If You only Buy one LEXX DVD this is the one
This is the first of the series. It set the basic premise for all that would follow in this series. The show moves quickly introducing the a villain, a hero, an anti Hero as well as the yor standards sex slave, planet killer and Robot head characters. The plot twist and story line are somewhat familiar with some good suprises along the way. Buy it, invite some friends over start the show up and have some fun where it all began for LEXX. ... Read more

Description

Sample some of the greatest comedy ever aired on television with this side-splitting collection of the best episodes from the legendary, Emmy Award-winning Dick Van Dyke Show! Episodes include: Oh How We Met the Night That We Danced, My Blonde-Haired Brunette, 4*, The Alan Brady Show Goes to Jail. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Laura's Funniest Crying Jag; Don Rickles' 2-Parter; & More!
Are you ready for 4 more funny programs with the Petries and assorted neighbors and friends? If so, this 4th installment of "The Best Of The Dick Van Dyke Show" won't disappoint you.

The four episodes housed on this digital disc are ............

1.) "Oh How We Met The Night That We Danced" (From Season 1; Air Date: 10/31/1961).

2.) "My Blonde-Haired Brunette" (From Season 1; Air Date: 10/10/1961).

3.) "4-And-A-Half" (From Season 4; Air Date: 11/04/1964).

4.) "The Alan Brady Show Goes To Jail" (From Season 4; Air Date: 11/11/1964).

--------------------------

The video and audio shine brightly on this 4-episode "Best Of" disc! The black-and-white images are crystal-clear, with very little "noise" or other video distractions.

Menus: An "episode" menu comes on screen right away. There are separate "Chapter" listings for each of the four shows on the disc. A "Play All" feature is also included on this disc.

In addition -- A few special bonus features are also present here. ..... TV footage from the Emmy Awards, cast interviews, and a nifty bonus featuring Dick Van Dyke singing the show's theme song. Plus -- A "Meet The Cast" section of text "bios" and "The Ottoman Tripper" (a cool trivia game that features a funny video clip after answering the quiz question).

Here are some more details about this disc ...............

Subtitles -- None included.
Video -- Full Frame (Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1).
Audio -- 2.0 Dolby Digital Mono (English).
Paper Insert? -- Yes.
Packaging -- Keep Case.
DVD Region Code -- "Zero". ... Read more

Reviews (19)

RAMBO WHO?
This was the first movie to address the previously hidden subject of soldiers missing in action after the Vietnam War. It predates Rambo First Blood II by almost two years. Comparing the two films is like comparing Muhammad Ali to a preliminary boy. Uncommon Valor is an excellent movie - well directed, well scripted and the incredible versatility of Gene Hackman shines through. It was the first movie to show Vietnam veterans in a positive light and changed the groundrules for portraying veterans and the war on the big and small screen. Many people were upset by the film's ending - if you like happy endings this is not for you. Still, it is handled sensitively and doesn't detract from the rest of the film. One shining talent is the fellow who plays Blaster (Reb Brown) whom producer John Milius previously used in Big Wednesday, another classic film. Reb appeared in several other movies as well as a guest spot on the 1970s TV sitcom Happy Days. Another actor who glows like a beacon is Randall "Tex" Cobb. Robert Stack puts in a glowing performance as the millionaire businessman who finances the mission to rescue the POWs. An interesting thing is the fact that this was one of Patrick Swayze's first films. The success of movies like Dirty Dancing and Ghost can be traced back to his role as the young and gung-ho marine who joins the mission to rescue his father. When this film was released in Australia it was called Uncommon Valour and had different opening titles. It was also rated PG. I can't for the life of me understand why the video is rated R. Perhaps the bad odor created by Rambo First Blood II has tainted all movies in this genre. Don't be put off by the rating - this is a movie you will want to play over and over.

Uncommonly Good!
I loved this one!It is so much better than those stupid Norris films!There is a great cast here that does a fine job(Hackman, Swayze, Stack, Randall "Tex" Cobb, Fred Ward,Reb Brown, Tim Thomerson, and Harold Sylvester).I almost wish they did a sequel, but this may not measure up. I saw this on the big screen when I was 14, and even then I was interested in learning more about the Vietnam War.This may not necessarily be a guidebook to what the war was like, but it certainly is a tribute to those that fought, got captured, and died in that war.Film is excellent and does not waste any time. Training scenes are best.One of the best parts is when the men learn that wanna be gung ho type Marine(discharged for striking an RTO who fell asleep!), who was not in Nam, wants to go save those men because his father was shot down in the war. Film is a fine production with good effects, and an effective use of location shooting. Interesting characterizations are conveyed to the audience rapidly as we learn a little about each man that is recruited by Hackman to go find the missing POWS(his son among them).I got teary-eyed at the end as survivor reveals to Hackman how his son died in the prison camp.If any American is not moved by this scene then you need about 20CCs of humanity.Highly recommended and important film.

Good, but not great
The plot for this movie was something that could result in a war-movie masterpiece. But everything is too jam-packed and fast-moving. Dramatic tensions aren't as strong as they could have been because he haven't been given enough time to get into the story, and at 107 minutes, they could have easily taken longer. But I liked it nontheless. Hackman is a good actor who plays the role well as a father rescuing his son, a Vietnam POW. He gathers up other troops in his son's old regime who've escaped capture, trains them in a replica of the camp, and they infiltrate in a well-filmed action squence. And I liked how the final scene show Hackman embracing a rescued POD who tells him that his so scrificed his life for that man's survuval. But all in all it was good, but not great, my main complaint is that we don't know enough about Hackman's character's realtionship with his son in the first place

Mission MIA remade into a movie
It had been a few years since I had last seen this movie but I can honestly say that it has held up better than most Vietnam War action movies. This movie is what those cheesy Chuck Norris vehicles aspired to be like but fell far short of. For all those who have seen and enjoyed this movie, I would reccomend that you try and locate the book by J.C. Pollack titled Mission MIA. Uncommon Valor was a blatent remake of this very entertaining book so much so, that you will be wondering why the producers just didn't credit the author. If I remember correctly, this was one of the first movies that actually portrayed Vietnam vets as honorable and in a positive light. All in all, this was a good movie about a topic that most Americans should think more about, our missing sevicemen. Let us not forget them.

Attention to Detail
Galveston, Texas, is located within a region called the Coastal Plains, which extend from Florida and border the Gulf of Mexico all the way around to the Yucatan Peninsula. The region stretches inland for more than 60 miles at most points. The Coastal Plains are sandy, covered with stubby scub-oak, and are flatter than anything you can imagine -- level, flat, completely flat, ugly and relatively barren.

So you can just imagine how Houston theater audiences reacted, about half an hour into this film, after a commando team has been assembled to train for a mission back to Nam... and we see a helicopter floating above a vista of beautiful, rugged, tree-covered low mountains divided by sparkling streams, with the onscreen caption "Somewhere Near Galveston, Texas." ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Appropriate adaptation
When asked what he thought of Kubrick's film of Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov said it was a "first-rate" film by an "artist." Even though only about twenty percent of his script made it into the final movie product, Nabokov was obviously impressed. The theatrical trailers ask the question, "How did they ever make a film of Lolita?" The only way, in 1962, a movie could be made about such a controversial subject was if it was presented as a comedy. James Mason as Humbert Humbert is excellent--speaks volumes with his eyes. Perhaps Sue Lyon as Lolita is a bit too old--she certainly doesn't fit the strict definition of a nymphet (aged 9-14, as the book mentions), although she was, I believe, 13 when the filming started. Maybe Peter Sellers as Quilty isn't as serious as his character may warrant, and may steal some scenes with his impersonations. But so what? We're talking about a movie made in the early sixties--the theatre audience has certain expectations.

Girls Mature Faster than James Mason
From the moment Humbert Humbert (James Mason) sees Lolita (Sue Lyons) lounging on the grass in her backyard in bikini and sunglasses, he's befuddled. Ain't no way he's gonna pass up renting a room from Lolita's mom, Mrs. Charlotte Haze (Shelley Winters) now. So the emigre spends the summer mooning after the 13-year-old nymphette while holding off the advances of the amorous landlady, as author Clare Quilty (Peter Sellers) and his beatnik girlfriend make a big splash at the local dance.

I enjoyed "Lolita" immensely, much more than I thought I would, although I didn't expect the movie to take the plot twists it did, some of which are quite jarring.

Still, the actors are all first-rate. James Mason does a great job as Humbert, appropriately out of it for some scenes, conveying a certain nonconversance with the English langu