Reviews (56)

Many Songs are missing...but still great
Ok, when a movie stars Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, Jack Gilford and Buster Keaton, you know it is going to be an outrageously funny movie. As is the case with "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum." "Forum" was adapted from the highly sucessful, extremely comical Broadway musical of the same name. The show, the first show featuring the music AND lyrics of now legendary composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim, was a huge hit.

When it was made into this movie version, many of Sondheim's songs were dropped. In fact, at some points it doesn't even seem like a musical. However, the movie is still extremely hilarious. Mostel played the role of Pseudolous, which he originated on Broadway. When filming began, he was just done wih a little musical called "Fiddler on the Roof". Mostel is great in this , as is the great Phil Silvers.

This movie is highly comical, seeming almost like a Monty Python movie. If your a fan of wild antics and very funny songs including "Comedy Tonight" and "Everybody Ought To Have a Maid", than you'll love this movie. By the way, it also features a very young Michael Crawford, who many years later would win a Best Actor Tony as The Phantom of the Opera.

Classic Funny Men enliven this trip to the FORUM
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM is one of those shows that you just have to let go of all disbelief, in order to accept the broad and wacky humor. Using the 2 stars from the original cast (Zero Mostel & Jack Gilford), this film is a fun and silly romp for everyone to enjoy. Mostel leads the pack as the crafty slave plotting his way to freedom, while Gilford is perfect as his VERY nervous cohort. Buster Keaton is a gem as the befuddled, blind-as-a-bat, old man searching for his long-lost children, while Phil Silvers is oily perfection as Lycus, the buyer & seller of the flesh of beautiful women. Leon Greene is vanity personified as the roman soldier, Miles Gloriosus. Richard Lester directs using his trademark quick-cuts and cinema tricks, and while they don't always work, they keep the film from dragging too much. Fans of the stage show will be disappointed to see some of the musical numbers cut, as well as the liberties with the script. (The part of Lycus is expanded in the film to accomodate Silvers.) However, the chance to see these old pros of burlesque humor strut their stuff makes this trip well worth taking. Be aware, however, that this film is NOT for the PC inclined. This is a "Comedy, Tonight" worth recommending.

Overall not great, but has its good isolated moments
I do not claim to have a broad knowledge of Broadway musicals, and so this, Richard Lester's film version of Stephen Sondheim's A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, was my first experience with this musical.

Mr. Sondheim is certainly something, isn't he? In such classic musicals as GYPSY or WEST SIDE STORY, his lyrics always seem to sparkle with such exhilarating wit. It's the same here, at least in the few numbers the filmmakers retained from the Broadway show in the film, particularly with the catchy opening tune "Comedy Tonight" (a tune that's still stuck in my mind right now).

As for the stretches without music---well, for me it's a mixed bag. Having not seen Richard Lester's more famous previous films (like A HARD DAY'S NIGHT), I can't say whether the frantic editing style he employs here is a trademark of his or not. Mostly it works here, giving the material a welcome screwball farcical edge. Lester, though, pursues this chaotic style at the expense of clarifying the story, resulting in a movie that eventually becomes a mess in terms of plot (since so much seems to be going on at once). Perhaps the climactic chase scene towards the end is the prime example of this fault: Lester and his editor John Victor-Smith hardly bother to clarify at certain points who's chasing whom---it's simply chariots and horses flying by, in a visceral whizz of fast motion. That's basically the problem with the storytelling overall. In short, the style is mostly effective but self-conscious (although perhaps it is a forbear of the blitzkrieg comedy style of later movies like AIRPLANE!).

Still, the movie has its moments, although most of those moments come in the witty songs and Zero Mostel's likably over-the-top performance as Pseudolus (a precursor to his classic portrayal of Max Bialystock in THE PRODUCERS). It's not a great film, but for the most part, it's good entertainment.

Schizophrenic; and hardly a MUSICal
This movie is schizophrenic. It is not funny. It is just half-funny slapstick gags delivered as if by a schizophrenic on drugs. Example: the Chariot race... What the hell is going on during that scene? It looks like everyone is just chasing everyone else and has no idea where they themselves are going. It's frightening. Another example: choreography for "Everybody's Gotta Have a Maid"... what the hell is going on during that scene? Rapid cuts from totally different settings and really random choreography make this one of the most bewildering stagings I have ever seen.

I've seen this stage musical, and it is far funnier than the film. Firstly, because it retains the music. Sondheim's music is absolutely hilarious, in many ways funnier than the book. Songs like "That'll Show Him", "Dirty Old Man," "Pretty Little Picture", "Love I Hear", and of course, the fabulous "I'm Free" are all missing. Why? For the love of God, why? And secondly, because the director did not replicate the good pacing of the musical. The musical itself is fast-paced but funny. Apparently, while making the transition to film, the director figured "I can do even more with a film" and thus WAY overdid it. Seriously, this film could give you a heart attack.

Also, other than Zero Mostel (who arguably is not at his best) the performers are not very good, except for the "Lovely (Reprise)" which was the highlight of the film. And the Captain has a good voice too.

Horribly Dated
With apparently no faith in the pretty strong material, the filmmakers decided to do away with most of the aspects that made the musical charming in the first place (like, oh, most of the music!) and replace it with groovy 60's trickery that looks like something right out of Benny Hill (look, the action is sped up to make everyone look like they're running really, really fast...isn't that funny?)

Zero Mostel does what he can, but he can't salvage this. No one else even registers.

I saw this on stage, and that version blows the film version out of the water.

Grade: D ... Read more

Reviews (185)

"It's a strange world, isn't it?"
That line of dialogue from David Lynch's unquestioned masterpiece BLUE VELVET describes Lynch's film universe perfectly. With the new SPECIAL EDITION dvd out we truly get a glimpse inside the making of a great film and how it can immediately be misunderstood by someone like Roger Ebert. The behind the scenes documentary is great with interviews from many of the film participants. To enter the world of David Lynch is to cross into an unknown vortex of subconscious desires, fears, and dreams. The film brilliantly shows us the illusion of the perfect smalltown life vs. the city underworld right next door. The images stay with you long after the movie is over. Dennis Hopper is absolutely perfect in a harrowing, funny, and brutal psychopath filled with self loathing and anger. I just saw a revival showing at a theater in Los Angeles and I highly recommend to anyone to see it in a theater if possible. On the big screen the movie envelops you into its world from which there is no escape. BLUE VELVET is definitely not for everyone, and that's ok. Lynch wasn't trying to make a film for the masses, but rather as a complete personal expression in the movie art form.

Blue Velvet, the best film of the 80's
In what one could regard now as a precursor to TWIN PEAKS, David Lynch explores his primary fascination, the possibly seedy under-belly that may or may not exist in Middle America.

Jeffrey(Kyle Maclachlan) lives in an idealic small town. It's picturesque, everybody knows everybody, and the doors are left unlocked at night. However, evil is lurking. Jeffrey discovers this one day as he walks through a remote field, he finds a human ear. Jeff takes the ear to a local Police Detective, who thanks him and then asks him to stay away from the case. But Jeff, with the Hardy Boy inside getting the better of him, does no such thing, and with the help of the Detective's Daughter(Laura Dern) he decides to investigate. His snooping eventually leads him to a mysterious and seemingly disturbed night club singer, Dorothy(Isabella Rossellini), who Jeffrey is uncontrollably intruiged by and attracted to. In fact, it is only when Jeffrey meets Dorothy's derranged tormentor Frank Booth(Dennis Hopper at his twisted best) that he starts to realize that he just might be in way over his head.

Bizarre, captivating, hypnotic, and haunting. You've heard these words describe BLUE VELVET before. But that's because these descriptions are very accurate. This is David Lynch's brilliant painted portrait of what might lie beneath. It's violent, it's comedic at times, it's disturbing at others. It's a film that Lynch fans will love, and that non-Lynch fans will find pointless and boring.

But then again, that's true of all of Lynch's work. His films are definately an acquirred taste. Here's the best way to describe it. All the mystery aside, it's about a young man who loses his innocence on his way to adulthood. That's BLUE VELVET in a nutshell. In way it's one of Lynch's most straight forward stories(THE STRAIGHT STORY being an exception).

So to all Lynch fans to have yet to see BLUE VELVET for themselves, log off your computers, run to your nearest Blockbuster, check out this masterpiece, and be prepared to pay some major late fees. Because this is one film you will want to experience over and over again.

Thanks for reading my review.

Much Less Than its Rep
Weird, dully acted, occasionally gross and sometimes unintentionally funny. Lynch desperately wants to have his cake and eat it too by being so uncool that he's cool. Lynch cannot just tell, he has to show. All the time. Like the weird kid in 3rd grade who always brought something unsettling to show-and-tell and the kids told their parents and the parents complained and the teacher had to talk to his parents about his not bringing anything else. The weirdos Lynch populates his underworld with are hilariously overacted by actors who obviously don't know what the heck is going on and probably think Lynch is full of it. Dennis Hopper is hysterical. He basically didn't change his act a bit from Apocalypse Now and, of course, the critics and fans raved about how "brilliant" ansd "electrifying" his performance was. After Blue Velvet, I imagine Hopper got down on his knees every night and thanked God for giving most people short memories and short attention spans.

Hey neighbor
I've had a weird experience with this movie. The first time I saw it, I couldn't help being disappointed having already seen some of Lynch's other films. While Dennis Hopper's performance was impressive and many of his quotes from Blue Velvet stuck in my memory, somehow things just didn't click and I more or less thought of 'Blue Velvet' as a somewhat interesting, but ultimately forgettable experience. The seemingly good vs. evil theme of the film (the robins and Sandy's dream) in particular annoyed me and the whole thing added a definite 'cheese' factor.

One night I decided to give Blue Velvet another chance and surprisingly the experience was a much richer one; in fact, I would now say that this is an excellent movie.
[Incidentally, Lynch's Lost Highway had a somewhat similar, but completely opposite effect - I went from thinking that it was a great flick to thinking it was an alright one].

I would say that it is wrong to say that this film is about 'good vs. evil' or that Lynch is trying to make any sort of a moral statement in it; the nuances of Blue Velvet are much more subtle than that and the characters more complicated. As most of Lynch's work, Blue Velvet is about obsession and obsession luring people into dark corners of the world. The film pulls the viewer (as a voyeur) into its dangerous and strange universe and relies much (as a lot of other Lynch movies) on the pure flow of images, the atmospheric experience. The sound element adds much to enriching this powerful experience and Blue Velvet as a whole invites multiple viewings.

In my opinion this is one of Lynch's fairly straight forward films in terms of the linear-time progression (along with The Elephant Man and The Straight Story) and as such might serve as a good introductory movie to those who want to become more familiar with his work. (Mulholland Drive is, I believe, so far the consummation of Lynch's previous efforts into one crowning achievement).

Also, there are many interesting bonus materials in this little DVD package.

Weird film
Blue Velvet has got to be one of the strangest films I have ever seen. It started off o.k. but when we first see frank booth it just gets weirder and weirder. The film also suffers from bad script. The acting in the film is very poor expect Dennis Hopper.
There are so many films like this and I can't understand why people think this one is so special. I was really looking forward to watching this when I bought the DVD but after watching it I felt cheated into buying a poor film.
Overall bad film, bad acting and bad script. People who appeciate those three should steer clear. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

So Many Favourites In One Film!!
Henry Fonda stars in one of his most famous roles as Mr. Roberts, an officer on board a cargo ship, a man who underestimates his importance and the respect he is shown by an appreciative crew. The reason they admire him so much is because he stands up to their dictatorial captain, played ferociously by James Cagney. Fonda brings a lot of dignity and quiet strength to his character. The great William Powell is Fonda's confidant and ship's doctor, and Powell plays him with wisdom and class. Jack Lemmon, as Ensign Pulver, gets many of the film's best laughs, as he broadly plays the officer who is a lot of talk, but not much action. Mister Roberts combines humour, honesty, and drama very well, giving the viewer a real sense of the camaraderie onboard the ship. We also see how the human spirit can triumph under difficult conditions. And it's also a great chance to see four of Hollywood's greatest actors in one film, each one showing what they did so well. This is one to watch.

Thank you, Mr. Roberts
When Henry Fonda received the Kennedy Center honors in the late 70's, as part of his tribute, the Naval Academy glee club sang. Red River Valley saluted Grapes of Wrath, but the highlight was Anchors Away, when the Midshipman director of the glee club turned about face, saluted and said "Thank you, Mr. Roberts." As each Middie left the stage, he saluted and former Lt (jg) Fonda returned each one. Mr. Fonda was reported to have said that that was the greatest honor he received in a truly distinguished career.

This movie has that impact--it is a salute to "all those brave men who sailed from Apathy to Tedium, with an occasional side trip to Monotony" (I hope I have this right). When he died, the network news tribute was a dark screen and the sound track as Dolan and the others, having learned just what Mr. Roberts had done for them, each repeated those magic words "Good night, Mr. Roberts."

This is my favorite movie, one which I have watched at least 100 times. With marvelous performances by William Powell (Doc), James Cagney (the Captain), and Jack Lemmon (Ensign Pulver), as well as a fine supporting cast, this is a "must have" selection.

Review is of DVD - Not the movie
Given the "classic" status of this movie, it seems meaningless to discuss the content for this review. Thus, I will stick to reviewing Warner Brothers DVD release of the film.

First, I commend them for the inclusion of the excerpt of an Ed Sullivan "Toast of the Town" (1948) tribute episode featuring the movie's stars. This was really interesting viewing.

However, for the movie itself....this is the worst Warner release I have seen since "National Velvet". The picture frequently becomes out of focus, and the picture is often very undefined throughout the whole movie. There are a couple of places in the movie where the picture jumps, as if the film from which the transfer was taken "skipped a sprocket".

Overall, this is an embarassing release of a classic movie....despite the great extras which are included. Warner needs to go back to the drawing board on this one.

I love this movie!
The film "Mister Roberts" has everything.

Great Story, great cast, great meaning. If I had my choice of only a dozen movies to recommend to anyone, this would be one of them.

After fifty years, it's still an inspiring story of how sometimes small, seemingly insignificant details and the consideration of the human factor contribute to effective leadership.

In fact, this film is still in use as a motivational tool in the U.S. Naval Services.

I highly recommend this movie.

One of my favorite movies
I loved this movie when I saw it many years ago, it's timeless and still funny after all these years. I'm so glad it's available on DVD and now part of my movie collection. ... Read more

Reviews (68)

A Blazing Saddles style parody
Steve Martin is one of the funniest actors on the planet and also one of the best comedic writers. This movie is styled somewhat after Blazing Saddles in that the characters alternate between crazy and outrageous. The plot centers around three silent film stars who are summarily canned from their studio for the audacious request of actually being paid for their work. Broke, they are sent a telegram from a small town in Mexico with what they think is a request for a personal appearance. Unfortunately, the request was not clear because the town was so poor they could not afford all the words needed in the telegram to explain they want the Amigos to rid the town of a killer bandito by the name of El Guapo. The movie is very funny, filled with bizarre characters, such as the singing bush, surreal moments, like the Amigos singing around a campfire or singing to a room full of desperados, and extremely funny conversations. Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short all do good comedic turns. The only thing I do not understand is how this movie got rated R; besides the sometimes rough language, this should be a PG-13.

FUNNIEST COMIC TRIO SINCE "THE THREE STOOGES"
I have this very funny movie in my collection. SUPERBERBLY directed by John Landis, here is an UPROARIOUS comedy about three loveable bumblers, who are way in over their heads. But come what may, they'll always remain the "THREE AMIGOS". Steve Matin, Chevy Chase, and Martin Short travel a dusty road to adventure and laughter lin this ZANY mix of sharp one liners and clever sight gags. The "THREE AMIGOS" are a silent screen comedy act who have seen better days. So has a remote Mexican hamlet which is being TERRORIZED by a FIERCE bandit gang. FINALLY, in desperation, a naive villager sends the actors a telegram asking for help. [THREE AMIGOS HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA. YOU ARE VERY GREAT. 100,000 PESOS TO COME TO SANTO POCO. PUT ON SHOW. STOP. THE INFAMOUS EL GUAPO.]. THINKING they're being offered a fortune for a personal appearance, the hapless trio arrives in Mexico. ONLY TO DISCOVER that this time they're dodging REAL bullet!!!. This is a VERY FUNNY movie and I recommend to my fellow viewers to buy it and add it to their video library collection. I PERSONALLY CAN NOT WAIT FOR A SEQUEL TO BE MADE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

The (Un) Magnificent Trio
The movie was produced at a time when Martin and Chase were trying to revitalize their movie careers. Martin Short was just starting to make films. THE THREE AMIGOS was supposedly a live action variation of Disney's THE THREE CABALLEROS but couldn't secure the rights and its a good thing. This is pretty much an unwatchable one joke premise film. Three soon-to-be unemployed silent screen actors whose movie screen personas are "The Three Amigos" are unknowingly hired to go to a south of the border town to get rid of a bandito (El Guapo) who is wreaking havoc to all the village townsfolk. The three arrive thinking they are to perform for the people and end up fighting the villian. Not much here as all three 'Amigos' have the same lame-brain personalities. Director Landis (ANIMAL HOUSE, THE BLUES BROTHERS) can't get much from the one-joke, not-very-original script (SNL's Lorne Michaels) and not one funny performance from either leads. There is a musical sequence reminiscent of the old singing cowboy movies that is mildly amusing (and again not very original). Otherwise, this is a very forgettable movie.

Funniest movie of all time
The Three Amigos is the absolute funniest movie of all time. Each time you watch it you will find new things that will crack you up. Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Martin Short are gods.

three aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamigos!
Are you ready to laugh your socks off? If yes, get this movie and start watching it! This mix of three amazingly hilarious comedians make an outstanding team that will certainly make your stomach hurt from laughing. Chevy Chase, Martin Short, and Steve Martin play the "Three Amigos," who are out-of-work actors asked to go fight the infamous El Guapo in Mexico. Thinking that El Guapo is "more than famous" instead of horrible, they take the job. As you can probably see, this mix-up causes quite a few problems that aren't at all too serious. After seeing this movie once, you'll be wanting to see it again and again. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Spike Lee's semiautobiographical, 1994 film about the good and bad times for a Brooklyn family in the '70s has passion and nostalgic good feeling, but it is also a mess of random reflections and arbitrary storytelling. The centerpiece of the movie is a little girl (Zelda Harris) who views the ups and downs of her parents' experiences (mom and dad are played by Delroy Lindo and Alfre Woodard), and who navigates the life of her neighborhood. Lee tosses in a lot of '70s detail (watching The Partridge Family) and other diversions (Harris's journey through suburbia), but he has no master sensibility controlling the flow of it all. The film is more wearying than anything, although bright spots include Lindo's fine performance as a talented man suffering from irrelevance. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (31)

A Great movie about Family
"Crooklyn" is a nostalgic story of the ups and downs of an African-American family living in 1970's Brooklyn . It is probably the second best movie that director, Spike Lee has ever made. Lee's best was the classic 80's flick "Do the Right Thing".But while "Do the Right Thing" was about ethnic tensions, racism and strife, "Crooklyn" is a film about love.In the movie we meet the Carmichael family. They yell, scream, call each names, even get into physical fights.But it is very evident, that love is very strong among this large brood.Dad (well played by Delroy Lindo) is a musician who is trying to create some honest music thats important to him. Mom (fabulously played by Alfre Woodard) is pulling her hair out, trying to keep this inner city family's finances above water, while trying to stop the kids from killing each other.But the film really centers on 9 year old Troy (Zelda Harris) who shows us the ins and outs of her family life and the close Brooklyn neighborhood that she is growing up in. Juvenile actress, Zelda Harris gives us an amazing starring performance that is totally believable. The movie is pretty much autobiographical (Lee wrote it with his sister Joie)and it richly lays on the 1970s nostalgia with cultural references among other things to "Soul Train", the "Patridge Family", Walt Fraiser, and baseball stategamatic.The film also has a wonderful soundtrack which is packed with '70s R&B and pop music from groups like the Jackson 5, the Spinners, Curtis Mayfield, the Staple Singers and Sly and the Family Stone.In fact, my favorite part of this movie is the opening credit sequence, where you hear Marc Dorsey's "People Make the World Go Round", while the film shows us the neighborhood's children playing various sidewalk, kids games.Between Soccer practice and video games, do kids even do this anymore? I just love this movie and I highly recommend it!

LOVE,LOVE,LOVE this movie !!!!!!!
This movie will take you "Back Down Memory Lane."
I grew up during the 70's and this movie hit home to me 100%. The sound track alone will sell you on the movie. Spike Lee as well as ALL the characters in this movie will allow those who did NOT grow up in the seventies to know what the experience was like. The young girl in the movie is a STRONG actress and carries her role as the "MISS KNOW IT ALL" sister in the family while each of the brothers give her a hard time. It is up to the sister to keep the family together in the time of crisis.

Much love SPIKE for bringing this time period in the lives of African Americans to the big screen for those to enjoy!

This film's a mess, but still enjoyable.
I think Spike Lee was trying to make an African American version of the wonderful book "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" -- but all of the Gershwin-esque music and fabulous camerawork can't hide a story severely lacking in purpose and that wastes too much time on irrelevancies. When it suddenly turns to serious drama, the performances warrant it but the tone and direction of the film do not. The most glaring shortcoming of the film is the attempt to pull of the various "characters" of the neighborhood -- with very little to no success. It's a shame because this was one of the great things in "Do The Right Thing." Still, he has such fabulous style and such an ear for dialogue that this film is a rich pleasure to watch. If it weren't for Lee's masterful talents this film would be quite poor -- maybe even a one-star review. That's quite a complement to him I think.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES
THIS MOVIE IS GOOD AND SEMI-REALISTIC....ALL THE ACTORS WERE GREAT(ESPECIALLY ZELDA HARRIS AS LADYBUG)I JUST HATE THE CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE END(IT'S REALLY SAD)BUT OVERALL IT'S A GOOD MOVIE

Superb !!!!!!
This is a great film about some kids it is about the oldest child being a girl and living with her litle brothers and how they got on her last nerve and how she had stood up for them and living with her mother and father and growing up in the 1970's . This film also showed how it is living in New York the terms and the conditons, and challenges tht you have to face growing up I really enjoy this film!!! I would reccommend anyone to buy this movie!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce star in this 1939 adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's frequently filmed novel, and the result is one of the most atmospheric and purely enjoyable versions of The Hound of the Baskervilles. Except for minor changes, the script is true to Doyle's enthralling mystery about a centuries-long curse against heirs to the Baskerville estate, situated within the haunting and deadly Grimpen Moor in northern England. With the arrival of a new master, Canadian Henry Baskerville (Richard Greene), Sherlock Holmes (Rathbone) and Dr. Watson (Bruce) are called upon to solve the strange case of the "gigantic hound" that may be readying to savage the poor fellow. Wonderful sets, crisp performances, and Rathbone's accessible but no-nonsense take on the Great Detective make this a real delight. Typical of the 20th Century Fox Holmes pictures, there's an in-joke, a final line of censor-defying dialogue alluding to Holmes's little problem with cocaine. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Avoid the "moor," but don't miss this classic tale!
Finally a pristine version of the 1939 Twentieth Century Fox classic, "The Hound of the Baskervilles," has been released on DVD -- fully restored, with unsurpassed audio and video quality.
No contemporary film comes close to the suspense you will encounter in this Darryl Zanuck production. Life-long friends Basil Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes) and Nigel Bruce (Dr. Watson) play off each other to perfection in "Hound." What is amazing is that, in actuality, Bruce was three years younger than Rathbone!
There are myriad twists and turns in this thrilling tale. From the opening scene of Sir Charles Baskerville's death to the moment when Holmes reveals the name of Sir Charles' murderer, this classic film will not disappoint.
A stellar supporting cast, lead by horror villains Lionel Atwill (Dr. Mortimer) and John Carradine (Barryman), delights for the entire 80-minutes. In fact, Atwill's Dr. Mortimer is so innately menacing, that it is almost a disappointment that he is not found to be Sir Charles' murderer at film's end. Alas, Holmes' fans are well aware that Atwill returns in the 1942 Universal film, "The Secret Weapon," as Professor Moriarty. As a side note, Atwill was blacklisted by the major studios (Fox, Warners, MGM, and Paramount) after it was made public that he conducted an "orgy" at his Brentwood estate in 1941; thus only the studio known for horror films, Universal, would give him work in the 40s -- a waste of tremendous talent.
Do yourself a favor and purchase "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," (also on MPI DVD) in addition to this classic tale of suspense.

Watson's finest hour on film
Many actors have tried, but none has surpassed Basil Rathbone's embodiment of Sherlock Holmes. The razor-sharp profile, hawk nose and cocaine eyes seem torn straight from the pages of Arthur Conan Doyle. This is, undeniably, one of the great pairings of actor and character in film history.

Odd to think, then, that the first Holmes film with Rathbone and his faithful Dr. Watson, Nigel Bruce, gave neither man starring credit. That honor on "The Hound of the Baskervilles" went to the romantic leading man, Richard Greene.

The lapse in logic was quickly corrected, with Rathbone and Bruce going on to top-bill 13 famed Holmes movies from 1939-46.

The UCLA Film and TV Archive has rescued the films from public domain hell, in a restoration that aims to return them to 35mm theatrical condition using original elements and acetate copies. The results as seen on MPI's DVDs are indeed impressive, with shadows and light elegant and edgy. Wear is within reason, and the audio suffices.

Film historians' commentaries have been added to some of the feature films, explaining, for instance, just how the 19th century detectives ended up battling Nazis in WWII.

The MPI collection -- whose titles are available separately and in sets -- started rolling out in the fall. The series concludes at the beginning, with "Baskervilles" and "Adventures," both made by Fox before Universal took over and "modernized" the Doyle stories. The Uni films have their moments -- "Woman in Green," for example, is grand and grisly entertainment -- but there's no topping these initial releases, set in Victorian times.

"Baskervilles" remains one of the most famous and fondly remembered Holmes films, but it is largely Dr. Watson's tale. Nigel Bruce's Watson quickly became a buffoon in the series, but here he is not to be trifled with. (Rathbone later defended his friend and co-star against critics, saying a "less lovable" actor would have ruined the series.)

The restoration puts Fox's amazing sets on full display, including the fog-engulfed moor where the hound fillets his victims. The commentator, chipper British author David Stuart Davies, churns out minutiae and unmasks plot inconsistencies.

HOUND: A Child's Memory
I first saw this movie on TV when I was 9 or 10 in 1963-64. We lived in Los Angeles, and local channel 9 would run the SAME movie, Monday through Friday, for one week at 7:00 or 8:00 on its "Million Dollar Movie" program (a ridiculous title nowadays). Anyway, I watched it all five times in one week and adored it. I didn't see it again until its special, limited re-release to theaters in 1975; by then, I was a dyed-in-the-wool Sherlockian. Remarkably, my 10-year-old mind hadn't exaggerated the greatness of Rathbone or this film. It remained marvelous!

Now it's available on DVD...and what a wonderful transfer. And the commentary is superb. I haven't yet watched it five nights in a row, but it certainly deserves that kind of attention. Highly recommended!

See where Scooby and Shaggy got their Inspiration!
This film isn't perfect: the production values are a bit low and the supporting cast weak; it looks and feels like an early talkie. But that said, The Hound of the Baskervilles is great fun for the whole family. If you have kids in the 7-15 year old range, watching old movies like this is a great alternative to most of the garbage put out today. Basil Rathborne is wonderful in the lead role, and this is one of the finer screen adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous literary character. I would definitely recommend adding this to your DVD collection.

Not Perfect, But Excellent DVD
You will read dozens of reviews of the movie, I'm sure, so I'll leave my review of the movie to two words: "LOVED IT."

DVD quality is really quite good; of course, leaps and bounds beyond ANYTHING available to the home market EVER before. Nice, clean packaging with a thin-looking but richly written booklet included inside. The disc has the photo from the front imprinted, with almost a purple tint... for nighttime I suppose.

As I understand, this restoration was done a number of years ago, and was not digital... I believe it, although I will say I believe the restorers squeezed every square inch of detail out of their source material possible in the analog domain.

First, the flaws: there are still occasional nicks and scratches, although not many more than I see in my DVD of "It's A Wonderful Life."

The sound has some low-level hiss, and there is occasional pop and crackle, only occasionally (once? Twice?) of any significant volume.

About 18 minutes in there appears to be some minor damage, possibly the degrading of the nitrate print they were working from?

Additionally, there are about three places in the film where a single frame appears to be warped, creating a "blip" in the flow of the motion on the screen.

Also odd was my first playing: when it came to the end of the 9th chapter, instead of going on to the 10th it jumped back to the beginning of the 9th! This might have been my player, as I was unable to reproduce this either by scanning back or by playing through the movie from the beginning.

One other oddity is that in multiple places the background seems to "pulse," usually getting slightly darker, and it appears to be two "pulses" per second. Perhaps the processor was averaging contrasts, or perhaps it was the DVD compression, slowly filling in the right computations... I am not sure, I have never seen it before, and it seemed to not at ALL affect the main action / elements on the screen. I also was not aware of it when the camera was in motion, only when we were stationary observing somebody or something.

A minor annoyance was the darkness of the train before we go "inside" to see Holmes & Watson... I'm guessing this was stock footage, a condition of the original print and not something from a historical standpoint that you would WANT to correct.. But the train looks like it's going at night yet the window in Holmes & Watson's car shows a midday countryside passing by. Just odd.

Now, the plusses: this print is beautiful! The detail makes it look like a high-quality print from the 50s or 60s, from Holmes' clothes to the lace on the headrest of the train seats. This is not an easy film to reproduce, with filming having started at the end of '38. The blackest blacks to the whitest whites are there, almost always perfectly balanced. Some shots with the right combination of light and shadow truly are breathtaking. So much fog, combined with pipe smoke and low lighting... an ultimate stress test for DVD compression to reproduce, yet it looks very good here. I cannot imagine you have EVER seen this film look this good, seriously.

The soundtrack, despite its minor low-level noise, is amazing for the time, with the noise present being so low, apparently without any artificial-sounding noise gates or expanders. Crank up the volume in quiet scenes and you will hear the papers being rustled, or the crickets in the distance, of the rustling of clothes. 30s soundtracks often sound HORRIBLE on music, and while the opening 20th Century Fox fanfare sounds like a copy of a copy, the music in the body of the movie itself appears to be clean and undistorted. I noticed it most on the closing credits, which genuinely surprised me with its lack of harshness or square waves. The ending music is downright enjoyable to listen to!

The dialog is both crisp, clear, and with respectable lower tones. You are not going to get earth shattering bass here, but if you are expecting typical thin 30s audio, you are in for a pleasant surprise. Every word is perfectly audible and in balance... I did not feel like I had to turn the volume up and down, nor did it sound "squashed." No "pull-up" of the noise floor, either, indicating no automatic gain controls! VERY nice.

For you audio nuts, I didn't put a spectrum analyzer on it, but to my ears, I was hearing undistorted highs over 5KHz, likely over 6K, maybe over 7, and it MIGHT be making it to 8K. I think it's gone by 10K, but STILL... I was amazed to hear the high frequency harmonics on paper rustling, metallic objects rattling together... and crisp "ch"s and "Th"s and the like!

One more comment, on the audio commentary: outstanding. Really, really good and absolutely worth the time to listen to and watch. A good balance of history, biography, and literary info. Hats off to Mr. Davies! You did a great job.

IN CLOSING: if you have ever wanted to own this movie, even if you already own another copy of it, BUY THIS ONE (from MPI Home Video). I cannot imagine you being disappointed.

For me, this is my first purchase... if the first movie from 1939 looks and sounds this good without the advantages of digital restoration... what do the others look like! Wow, I can't wait to order them!!! :) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Produced by Russell Simmons and hosted by Mos Def, this groundbreaking HBO series presents poetry for the hip-hop generation. The setting is New York's Supper Club, the performers are young men and women of every hue, and the tools are words: angry, funny--even profane--words. Taped live, each of the four 30-minute episodes from the first season features several poets and a guest or two (from the fiery Last Poets to the out-of-her-element Jewel). This isn't your grandma's traditional verse, but rather slam poetry--or spoken word--as influenced by Public Enemy as Langston Hughes and the evening news. Some are powerful (see Suheir Hammad), some clever (Sarah Jones), and some irritating (Yellow Rage), but each poem is sure to provoke some kind of reaction. Def Poetry would go on to beget a world tour, a Peabody Award and, in its Broadway incarnation, a Tony for best theatrical event. --Kathleen C. Fennessy ... Read more

Description

A hilarious comedy about a nightclub promoter and perpetual playboy who learns the hard way about the dangers of being a ladies man. Directed by and starring Martin Lawrence. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Uneven, but definitely another side of Martin Lawrence
Well, I think Martin Lawrence is a funny actor. I won't compare him to an under rated version of Eddie Murphy like most people do, since I don't think he is. He has his own style, his own way to act etc...and the mere fact that they both star in comedy movies is not that relevant to me.

Anyway I knew this movie would be slightly different from what Lawrence has done in the past. This time it would be a blending of comedy and thriller, something more personal, maybe because he wrote the screenplay and directed the movie. So I watched it trying to stay away from any prejudices and to enjoy it for what it is. I found the movie very uneven. The real plot took way too long to come up. Indeed, the first part trying to settle Lawrence's character and personality is way too long compared to the time left to the plot development and realization, which obviously leads to shortcuts and great haste when it comes to the real story. The goal of the movie, the real aim is therefore not reached entirely, for the comedy part of the movie maybe stole a lead over the drama or thriller part. It was indisputably interesting to try catching another 'usually hidden' side of Martin Lawrence, as a director, a writer trying to deal with something different from what he usually does, but this time it was not that big of a success. Let's not be too harsh there for it may be new to him, and I'm sure we'll see more from him in that field very soon, but I would not rank this movie as a must-see one. I watched it cause I really wanted to discover something new about Lawrence, and in a way I saw some good first steps, but somehow the intention outmatched the means and the way Lawrence handled the making and construction of his work.

But as you can see, this is not a 'Don't go watch this movie' kind of message, it is just a personal view of it. You should try this movie anyway, cause you'll see or at least guess what Martin Lawrence could do with a little more experience and writing discipline.

A cross between "Fatal Attraction" and "Boomerang"
Mixing the formula from Eddie Murphy's "Boomerang" (a player gets played) and Michael Douglas' "Fatal Attraction" (guy is stalked by heartsick ex-lover) plays well here, but I thought the subject matter was a bit too heavy to be considered a comedy, even a dark one, especially during the climax of the movie. I liked this film, though, because I love Martin Lawrence. Della Reese is great as Martin's mom.

A funny dark comedy
This is funny. Martin Lawrence is hilarious. I loved when his car windows were broken in front of the police station. How funny.

Fun movie
I thought this movie was a mix of Boomerang and Fatal Attraction. It had a nice cast (Martin Lawerence, Lynn Whitfield, Bobby Brown (small role, but he did his thing), Regina King). Ladies man gets caught up when he plays the wrong woman, and becomes a victim of her revenge. The movie is not super great, but it was a fun movie. There are parts that will make you laugh.

Love means never having to say, "I'm Psycho..."
...one day a bright young playa decides to go for the creme de la creme. An older lady with a little more style and a little more $ than the average club hopper. But see, the playa's kinda hung up on the lady who left him behind for the armed forces. Soldier girl shows up right in the middle of his playa antics with the classy dame and he finds out it ain't easy pulling the plug. That's where the cheese hits the fan. Martin's prat falls in response to Lynn Whitfield's evil woman scorned, starts out a bit funny, then it gets serious. Way too serious. Like, downright too real. As the adage goes, "You catch more flies with honey...", the powers that be here should have kept the film comedic. It would be a sought after video now, if it had been kept comedic. ... Read more

Description

On moratorium since the end of March, Fritz Lang's serial killer thriller starring Peter Lorre returns to DVD in a fully restored, special edition double-disc set. A simple, haunting musical phrase whistled off-screen tells us that a young girl will be killed. "Who is the murderer?" pleads a nearby placard as serial killer Hans Beckert (Lorre) closes in on little Elsie Beckmann... In his harrowing masterwork, Lang merged trenchant social commentary with chilling suspense, creating a panorama of private madness and public hysteria that to this day remains the blueprint for the psychological thriller. The Criterion Collection is proud to present a new restoration of this landmark film in an all-new two-disc set, also including audio commentary by two German film scholars; an interview film Conversation with Fritz Lang, directed by William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The French Connection); a short film inspired by M by director Claude Chabrol (La Ceremonie, Les Biches); classroom tapes of M's editor discussing the film and its history; and much more. ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Did Alfred Hitchcock have a mentor?
If he did it could have been Fritz Lang & his seminal talkie, M, made in 1931 & released in 1933. A deranged child murderer is loose in the city (played broadly & wonderfully by "newcomer," Peter Lorre).
The movie has scenes pitting citizen v. citizen, in accusations & counter accusations, near lynchings & mob hysteria. The police seem helpless & bereft of clues. Organized crimes seeks to find the murderer also. He's bad for business.
Crowd mentality is examined. It is a theme Lang returns to in later movies. His first American movie, Fury , (1936) deals with vigilantism & mob rule. This version, a poor print by the way, has English subtitles so your forced to pay attention. It was Lang's favorite film. It is a prototype, if you will, of the murder mystery genre. Kind of a precursor to Hitchcock's thrillers of the 40's & 50's.

dark; influencial; a classic
This early serial killer movie from Fritz Lang has influenced practically every other serial killer film ever made. Peter Lorre is the bug-eyed, pathetic and vaguely sympathetic child-murderer (the 'vampire of Dusseldorf') being captured and put on trial by the rough inhabitants of the town. Although this very early talkie is far slower paced then the equivalent films of today, it is intelligent and, in its day, seminal.

The transfer to DVD is excellent considering the film's age, definitely superior to the crackly version I used to own on VHS.

This serial killer film is artistic and influencial, although I preferred Fritz Lang's earlier classic sci-fi Metropolis.

Murderous Molester Meets Mob Mentality...
While watching this story unfold, I found myself on quite a rollercoaster ride of emotion. First, I hated Beckert (Peter Lorre's character) for luring innocent little girls to their hideous deaths. Beckert is scary due to his ordinariness, his gentle face and small stature. He's the opposite of what we tend to expect (even today) a child molester / killer to look like. I really wanted this guy caught! I cheered for the cops to nail this maniac at all cost. Then, I wanted the underworld types to nab him and dole out their version of justice (regardless of their selfish, criminal motives). The scenes of the crooks surrounding / hunting Beckert in a deserted office building are paranoic and intensely claustrophobic. I could feel the terror in Beckert's head. No longer the predator, he was now the prey. Once caught, he is taken to a deserted brewery and put on "trial" by the crime bosses. Beckert must plead for his life before a mob that's not all that interested in his side of the story. He delivers one of the most desperate pleas for mercy in movie history to an audience concerned only with his destruction. Just as the mob leaps at him to tear him apart, the cops arrive, becoming Beckert's (temporary) salvation. In the end, we are left with the words of one of the victims' mother. She sadly states that while Beckert may die for his crimes, this will not bring her baby back to her. Such is the great paradox of justice. Fritz Lang gives us quite a lot to think about in this legendary tale. Buy it and see what I mean...

Film as Allegory
"M", Fritz Lang's ingenious story of the hunt for a child molester, is a remarkable snapshot of civilized German society at the moment predating its collapse. The child murderer Beckert (who would later be used in Nazi propaganda films as a prototype of Jewish/sexual deviance) is presented as an enemy of motherhood and the people, and therefore all of Germany. The authorities are hapless in their investigation, causing a gathering of vigilante forces - crooks, killers, pimps, and prostitutes - who capture Beckert, and try to bring him to justic before being stopped by police. Lang's working of cinematography provokes a sense of outrage at police attempts to enforce law: there are prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges in the underground kangaroo court of the criminals, but no jury -the audience is intended to be. With lawlessness everywhere, 1931 Berlin crowds cheered approvingly of the near assasination of Beckert by the underground. The austere judges of the actual law who sentence Beckert (likely to an asylum from which he will eventually be released) are shown as overlords on high, unresponsive to the three mothers of murdered children who weep and warn, "We must all take better care of our children." Whether Lang intended it or not, taking better care of the children seemed a system entirely unlike the Weimar Republic - what would eventually become Nazism. Lang was no Facist, but this is one of the classic films heralding is birth.

an excellent film, poor print. wait until late 2004 to buy
This review is for the Criterion Collection (1st edition) of the film.

This movie is Fritz Lang's first "talkie" and an excellent film about a serial child murderer. The police are so obsessed with catching him and are everywhere. This prevents the other criminals like pickpocketers and burgalrs from doing their criminal activity so they team up and enlist the help of beggars and the "underworld" to find and apprehend the murderer.

This Criterion DVD, now temoraraily out of print, has bad picture quality but still is a good film.

Later this year the DVD will be rereleased with far better picture quality and special features which this version does not have. This edition has no special features of any kind. I will put up a new review when the new version is released. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

If you don't get it...
To the person who gave this movie five stars yet panned this film, this is a film parodying life at a fictional HBCU during its homecoming, with a focus on three groups on campus: "Da Fellas" and their women (the women are known in the "Straight and Nappy" musical bit as the Jiggaboos, a racist term for African-Americans, because the women refuse to relax their hair), the people who would rather urge Mission College to divest from South Africa because of discrimination at that time; Gamma Phi Gamma and the Gammites, men who claim to have true brotherhood but dish out abusive punishments and orders to "obtain" that brotherhood; and the Gamma Rays (also known as the Wannabes because most--note I did not say all--of these women are light-skinned African Americans that relax their hair and are apparently rich), women that are just mere sex objects and trophies to the Gammas. And no, Spike Lee does not play Urkel--otherwise, he'd be wearing suspenders and speaking in an annoying nasal voice. He plays one of the Gammites who just happens to be connected to Dap (Lawrence Fishburne), one of Da Fellas. Of course, during its time, several people didn't understand this film. For example, while "School Daze" was shooting, the then-president of Morehouse kicked Lee and his cast and crew off of the college (Lee's alma mater) for the portrayal of the Mission College school president in the movie, who is dark-skinned. "School Daze" is a parody focusing mainly on colorism (discrimination among African-Americans based on skin tone), such as the view that the lighter your skin is if you're black, the more doors open for you (which was true prior to intergration laws). I really do like this movie, especially the song sequences done by cast members ("Straight and Nappy," "Be Alone Tonight"). I really encourage people to see this film. Although I realize this movie is not considered to be as good as "Do the Right Thing" or "She's Gotta Have It," this movie does have a point, and most people, despite their race, can relate to the themes presented in this movie.

Great Messages For Any College Student
The movie "School Daze" is as good in my opinion as many movies on "college life" that it transcends time and never becomes archiaic. actors Giancarlo Esposito,Lawrence Fishburne,Spike Lee and Tisha Campbell give talented performances as students and the best lessons were geared to the girls as when Tisha Campbell learns only too late that "she was being tested" as well by the rules of "eliteness":(don't assume that what's popular is considered protocol).The movie ends with the "ringing of the class bells" at sunrise bringing faculty and students out of their dorms "et al" as Lawrence Fishburne's charactor yells "Wake Up"(e.g alert your mentality to a bettr you via smarter actions).

Getting to the Root of Yesterday's and Today's Problems
I have to totally disagree with the editorial review stating the movie doens't come together. The movie does come together speaking of divisions on different planes. Whether it's on the campus of an HBCU or urban city, people of color have come across that division of "wannabees" & "jigaboos". In so many movies, we point our fingers at "them" for not treating us as equals but this movie made us to forcible point at ourselves. It made us look at how we discriminate among ourselves that white is right and black in bad. What is the real purpose of sororities & fraternities. We need to be reminded why HBCUs were built - because we couldn't attend elsewhere because of discrimination - yet we discriminate ourselves. Spike is reminding us to not become lulled into a deep sleep with material trappings (cars, jewelry, etc.) and wake up to reality. We can't stand together if divided among ourselves. I highly recommend this movie. It also allows you to see stars in their early years. I also cherish scenes of the late Phyllis Hyman.

Brings Back Memories!
I saw this film when I was in fifth grade elementary school. It was great seeing it again especially after the black college experience. Mission College...hmm I was there in Atlanta, in "the bottom" and I actually went to the KFC where Samuel L. Jackson's encountered. Brilliant performances by all characters especially at the step show. A must have dvd!

Entertaining!!
This definitely was one of Spike's weaker joint's. Though it was refreshing to see entertaining musical numbers in his film. Once again, race is the topic. However he concentrates on black America's preoccupation with light and dark skin. At the end of the film, you're bound to get into a conversation about it. That's the one thing Spike wants, a deep conversation about what we can do to improve relations with each other. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Director Doug Liman's follow-up to the winning Swingers is a rollicking adventure that, while lacking in any substantial plot, speeds along with nonstop adrenaline and style to burn. Taking a cue from Pulp Fiction, Liman plays tricks with time and overlapping plots, all of which play out in L.A. and Las Vegas in a 24-hour period sometime between Christmas and New Year's. Slacker grocery-store clerk Ronna (Sarah Polley) is trying to score rent money by selling hits of Ecstasy at a rave party, but winds up inadvertently double-crossing a ruthless dealer (sexy and scary Timothy Olyphant). She's also invading the dealing turf of her coworker Simon (Desmond Askew), a Brit on his first trip to Vegas, which turns nightmarish after a jaunt with pal Marcus (Taye Diggs) to a "gentleman's club" turns violent. And then there's the two soap-opera actors (Jay Mohr and Scott Wolf) who cross paths with Ronna more than once in their attempts to divest themselves of a drug-related charge by participating in a sting.

The way Liman and writer John August layer these stories owes a huge debt to Quentin Tarantino, but the comedy and action sequences rocket like a bat out of hell with energy, humor, and genuine surprise. In addition to some hilarious dialogue exchanges--including a classic scene between Ronna's stoned friend (Nathan Bexton) and a Zen cat--Liman works wonders with one the most winning ensembles in recent memory, a cast that includes both established actors and TV cuties. Mohr, Diggs, and especially Polley (doing a 180 from her turn in The Sweet Hereafter) are as excellent as you'd expect, but it's Wolf (of Party of Five) and Dawson's Creek's Katie Holmes (as Polley's best bud) who turn in revelatory work; Holmes especially seems poised to be a breakout star. An amazing cinematic ride--like a roller coaster, you'll want to go back again and again. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (210)

One of my favorites from 1999
The cast of Go doesn't have a lot of star power, and the director is familiar only to people who keep up with independent films. He directed the critically acclaimed Swingers in 1996. The cover art for the video box is atrocious. If you are over 25, you are not apt to have heard of the artists who make the music for the soundtrack. And in a period where the shallow reigns at the boxoffice, this movie was not a hit. Don't worry about these things. Go is the hippest, hottest, funniest and most unflinchingly honest American movie about young people since Fast Times at Ridgemont High. In fact, it's much better, and it takes place nowhere near an institution of higher learning.

The movie begins normally enough. The fanfare music plays, and there's the statue of the lady with the torch, which tells is this is a Columbia Picture. Suddenly, the studio music is cut off by lively rock and roll. We are suddenly in the midst of a huge rave party. The credits quickly roll, and we are whisked off to a supermarket, the kind where today's kids unhappily toil in order to get the money to pay for their fun, which is lot more expensive than the fun their parents had.

We see young Ronna [Sarah Polley] waiting on a customer in the check out line. She's the kind of customer who quickly puts the work ethic on shaky ground. Then Ronna goes to clock out. Her friend, Claire [Katie Holmes], advises coworker, Simon [Desmon Askew], that this is not a good time for him to ask Ronna for a favor. He doesn't listen. You need to pay close attention to this scene, because it is repeated twice later in the movie and is critical to the densely woven plot.

I don't want to give away much of the story, because it's one of the delights of Go. The plot is not complex, but it unfolds in such a clever way that, if you blink, you miss something. I will say only that it revolves around a drug deal gone wrong and that it is told from three different viewpoints.

The young cast is far from being world famous, but it's a sure bet that some of the actors will be one day soon. The Canadian Sarah Polley is an awesome talent. Taye Diggs, who played Angela Bassett's young lover in How Stella Got Her Groove Back, is hysterical as Marcus, a bright but somewhat too impulsive hustler. Equally amusing is Desmon Askew, whose character, Simon, does bad things because he is too clueless to know the difference between right and wrong. All of the players are first-rate. I think we have in Doug Liman a true directorial talent. The mark of a great director is the ability to elicit from actors performances that are several cuts above what they normally give. They make even ordinary actors shine.

Go is a very modern movie. It uses all the techniques people learn while working on commercials and music videos. Liman uses them wisely. All the quick cuts and odd camera angles are in perfect synch with the style and subject matter of the film. Too often, such tricks are used to mask the fact that a movie is all style and no substance. Here we have both elements in equal parts.

This is a movie for people who either are or who yearn to be free spirited and open-minded. It is certainly not for the judgmental or the self-righteous. It's subject matter may be on the wrong side of the tracks, and it may not send the politically correct messages we insist our kids should see and hear today - as of they were incapable of forming their own opinions. But its heart is in the right place, it is very funny, and it rarely treats its characters unkindly. That's more than can be said of many so-called uplifting Hollywood pictures which are ultimately hollow and empty.

There are so many memorable moments in Go that some of them are still playing in my head. The movie is full of memorable characters, most of which you wouldn't bring home to met Mom. Still, in a way that only the magic of movies can do, they are a lovable bunch of rascals. I am sure I will see them again several times.

Rollicking, Fast Paced Good Time Film
Looking for some fun, action, comedy, great performances and interesting story-telling in a film. Grab yourself a copy of this movie, throw it in the DVD/Vidoe player and let yourself "Go". (Sorry, it sounded better in my head.) Okay, bad pun aside, this movie is seriously enjoyable (substituting a bad oxymoron for a bad pun). Starring a young cast of pretty faces, this movie "borrows" from Tarrantino the overlapping/shifting through time device to tell the story of several groups of people and their adventures over a 24 hour period around Christmas. Centering mostly around a drug deal gone awry and a trip to Vegas, the characters are thrown into a wild adventure that will thrill and amuse the viewer throughout.

For the most part, the movie is very good. The story is fast-paced and avoids slowing down, sometimes at the expense of developing characters or plot. And despite the overuse of some already tired modern character devices (haven't we seen enough of the "white guy who thinks he's black" character?) for the most part the movie follows a fairly original path through it's narrative.

The cast is young, pretty and can actually act. Katie Holmes, Sarrah Polley, Desmond Askew, Adrienne Harris, Scott Wolf and Jay Mohr are outstanding as the relative strangers whose lives intertwine over the course of a day's activities.

As for the plot, there is plenty of humor and a wild car chase, so what else do you need to know?

A near great movie, it is definitely worth a watch. Rent it first. You may like it enough to add to your DVD collection.

Sarah's a babe... mmmmmmm
This dvd is worth buying just to fantisize about Sarah... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

GO is fast but its not that fast
what I thought about this film is the following: good actors, the script is OK and the outcome is alright. Somethings about this movie lack a lot and some might say its a Pulp Fiction-esque type movie and it is in its only little world. Sarah Polley, Katie Holmes and Timothy Olphant were the only ones that did outstanding performances in this movie. the others were average: Jay Mohr, Scott Wolf, William Ficthner, Desmond Askew, Taye Diggs, Breckin Meyer, James DuVal, J.E. Freeman and many others. highlight would have to be all of Sarah Polley's characters story view because she is so damn hot.

Great Film
No repeats of other reviews here only to say that this is a good, funny, fast paced film; however, it should be noted that during the beginning of the film where there's a contest to name dead actors, that there is a blaring error: Omar Sharif is very much alive at this writing!
Enjoy! ... Read more

Amazon.com

On October 20, 2001, this now-historic concert took place at Madison Square Garden, a mere six weeks after the horrific terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Thousands of firefighters, police officers, survivors, families, and fans witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime event as, in the space of nearly six hours, many legendary musical performers donated their time and their talent to one of the greatest causes ever, in the process giving their audience an unforgettable burst of pure emotion.

Organized by Sir Paul McCartney, the Concert for New York City was an overwhelming experience that deserves to be saved for posterity. The two-CD audio recording is crammed with dozens of superb performances but doesn't give a sense of the whole show that this two-DVD set certainly does. Not only can we relive such seminal performers from that evening as the Who, David Bowie, John Mellencamp, and Sir Paul himself, we can see the charming and personal short films made for the occasion by such New York filmmakers as Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese, or the dozens of celebrities and unsung firefighters and police officers who immortalized that day with their stories and musical introductions.

There is one quibble: the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris," one of the blues standards Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy played, and McCartney's "From a Lover to a Friend" and "Lonely Road" are all missing, which seems curious, considering that the entire show could have easily fit onto two DVDs. So don't erase that videotape you made of the concert the night it aired, because that remains the definitive version. But this DVD (with very good Dolby 5.1 surround sound) comes close. --Kevin Filipski ... Read more

Reviews (37)

POWERFUL
I preordered my dvd in early january, i was not fortunate enough to see this event live. Why buy this? You could cop out and only say: Mc Cartney, jagger,keif, elton john, james taylor etc. etc.. You could buy this to feel the emotions of the firefighters and police who lost so many. Listen to politicians who represent the emotion that we felt at the time. Not fighting for a partisan but for the people. Toss in a few entertainers who can make us laugh and cry. Still you have not gotten to the point of why to buy. This may be the most powerful dvd you can ever buy. You cannot watch washington cross the delaware or see lincoln give the gettysburg address. We have watched the towers be struck and tumble again and again. This concert is the beginning of the healing. We cry with our great servicemen and women We sing along to the songs that we have grown up with. We cannot, will not forget sept. 11th and if only one penny from each item purchased goes to help someone who lost a loved one. Then it is a penny well spent. GOD BLESS AMERICA and may god bless new york city. Thank you for a great piece of history and an even better night of entertainment

Heart and Soul of New York
This concert exemplified the magic of music as the background for Americans coming together to grieve collectively. Watching this concert will show you raw emotional energy rarely seen on television. It is a sad concert and there are many times where you can see individual instances of personal grief among the music of many different superstars. It is a long concert and well worth a viewing. Among other things, I thought Paul McCartney was cheesy and his song "Freedom" was a situation where you had an amazing song writer reacting to bad circumstances but with poor results. The Who in my opinion, stole the show and then some, they were amazing as always. I don't think Jay-Z was placed at the right time when he came out. Billy Joel was everything New York as he always has been.
The ultimate point for you, is that you should own this DVD as it is a recorded reminder of music's response to an American tragedy with an audience showing us the rawest and most powerful of human emotions out for the world to see. Some may say it was convenient for superstars to show up and act really concerned and to use their fame as a pulpit to try and relate to everyday people; however, those people are uptight, why else do you go to concerts?, to be taken away from everyday routines and tragedies of life, so a concert of this magnitude after 9/11 was exactly what the country needed.

The Best Concert Ever...With a Few Exceptions
Overall, 99% of this concert is very good. David Bowie, the Who, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney and Elton John all played fantastic sets here. But I have a problem with some of the other music. Eric Clapton plays "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man," totally unreated to 9/11. Jay-Z also had no business appearing at this show, especially if the only piece he can come up with is "H to the Izzo." My other complaint is that this DVD is incomplete. Two Paul McCartney songs, one Eric Clapton song, one Goo Goo Dolls' first song, and a good cover of "With a Little Help From My Friends" are all missing. The entire 6-hour concert could've easily been released. But what's here, for the most part, is very good. So on the whole, this is a good buy.

The Concert That Proved New York Is Still Number One
It was a night of healing. It was a night of reconcilliation. It was a night for firefighters, policeman, paramedics, musicians, actors and "Saturday Night Live" alumni alike to join together and prove New york did not grow weak after 9/11. It grew stronger and this 5 - hour concert showed those shems in the Middle East right.

Disc 1 is chock full of memorable moments. For me, the highlights were Billy Joel doing "New York State Of Mind", Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy doing a scorching rendition of the blues standard "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man" and Adam Sandler reviving Operaman. But as just about every reviewer pointed out, The Who blew everyone away. I think it was "Won't Get Fooled Again" that stood out. It was also a spectacular swan song for the band's bassist, John Enthwistle. This was his last live appearance ever. He died suddenly in June 2002.

Disc 2 is even better. My favorite performer here is Elton John, who delivers a powerful version of "Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters". Mick Jagger and Keith Richards do great versions of "Salt Of The Earth" and "Miss You", though I would have liked it if all of The Rolling Stones were onstage. Jimmy Falon does an interesting medley of 1980s' hits that includes "Who's Johnny", "Der Komisar", and "I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight". Paul McCartney brings down the house at the end. I really enjoyed it when Richard Gere got booed. He was asking for it.

Overall, a great concert.

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Just a reminder that proceeds from the sale of this video still go to the Robin Hood Relief Fund. ... Read more

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Rita Lee Lance and Chris Lorenzo solve high-profile crimes of passion for the Palm Beach Police Department.They'll stop at nothing in their pursuit of those who, due to their power or fame, feel that they are above the law of the land. ... Read more

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Mikhail Baryshnikov’s sparkling full-length production of Don Quixote captures all the excitement, Spanish color, and humor of Cervantes’ original masterpiece. It is one of the most popular and joyful ballets surviving from the imperial Russian ballet’s repertory. The famous virtuosic pas de deux is danced in this performance by Baryshnikov "like a dream," according to the New York Post, "a madcap bravado which combined with his pure classicism gives his dancing an edge of genius." His partner, Cynthia Harvey, who takes the part of Kitri, was reviewed in the New York press as possessing "a clear line and splendid grace that grow more wonderful on each viewing." American Ballet Theatre was ecstatically received by the New York press for this performance. The New York Times described how "the dancers had the audience gasping," while the New York Post felt that the company had "never looked better. Dancing flows out of the Ballet with a boisterous beauty." ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Don Quixote - sheer technical excitement
The DVD version of Baryshnikov's 'Don Quixote' is a must-have for balletomanes, and even new ballet audiences. Not only does it involve the wonderful lyric side of the ballet, it also has sheer flair and virtuosity displayed in Baryshnikov & Harvey's dancing.

Cynthia Harvey is a wonderful Kitri, with her childish playfulness and flair for turns. Her characterisation is perfect and the execution of the choreography is mostly accurate. Important solos to note are: her entrance, her variation in Act One, and then her Dryad variation in Act Two. Her variation in the Grand Pas (Act Three) is a little bit tired and not always timed accurately. To a certain extent, it's the choreography to blame. The Ballerina benchmark of 32 fouettes is pulled off accurately in the finale (with Harvey rarely moving off the same point), however, Harvey does not gain much momentum and almost appears that she is dragging.

Baryshnikov, as always, is wonderful. He is a charismatic Basil, portrayed beautifully with his lyricism and virtuosity. His pirouettes and tour en'lairs are amazing, and he has added extra moves that are quasi-contemporary (which is good to see). His variations are always a delight to watch (particularly Act 3 Grand Pas). Baryshnikov set a benchmark for male dancers of his time, and although most male dancers can now pull off what he was able to