Reviews (219)

Kiki Delivers
Face it: any kids' video you buy will be watched over and over, mostly in your presence. You want to choose carefully, since you will be spending so much quality time with this video. Kiki's Delivery Service won't disappoint you. This sweet, gentle movie is a coming-of-age story about Kiki, a 13-year-old witch-in-training. As part of said training, she is required to spend a year away from home practicing her craft. Her subsequent adventures are the subject of this endearing film by Japanese anime director Hayao Miyazaki. The animation is splendid, the casting mostly inspired (Kirsten Dunst, Janeane Garofalo, Debbie Reynolds, and even the late Phil Hartman as the voice of Kiki's companion cat). Unlike the standard Disney fare, this movie has no violence, no sex, no profanity, and not even a dysfunctional family.

The themes of Kiki's Delivery Service are noble ones. There are far worse ways to spend a few hours (or a few dozen) than watching a young girl make friends and gain self-confidence, especially one as appealing as Kiki. Buy yourself an extra copy of this video. When you wear the first one out watching it by yourself, you'll need the spare to placate the kids.

Kiki Delivers
Face it: any kids' video you buy will be watched over and over, mostly in your presence. You want to choose carefully, since you will be spending so much quality time with this video. Kiki's Delivery Service won't disappoint you. This sweet, gentle movie is a coming-of-age story about Kiki, a 13-year-old witch-in-training. As part of said training, she is required to spend a year away from home practicing her craft. Her subsequent adventures are the subject of this endearing film by Japanese anime director Hayao Miyazaki. The animation is splendid, the casting mostly inspired (Kirsten Dunst, Janeane Garofalo, Debbie Reynolds, and even the late Phil Hartman as the voice of Kiki's companion cat). Unlike the standard Disney fare, this movie has no violence, no sex, no profanity, and not even a dysfunctional family.

The themes of Kiki's Delivery Service are noble ones. There are far worse ways to spend a few hours (or a few dozen) than watching a young girl make friends and gain self-confidence, especially one as appealing as Kiki. Buy yourself an extra copy of this video. When you wear the first one out watching it by yourself, you'll need the spare to placate the kids.

An exciting film for all ages
When enthusiastic young witch Kiki leaves home one full moonlit night to make it on her own, she discovers that more than magic is needed to overcome life's obstacles. Miyazaki has created a wonderful world not that different from our own, wherein lies the movie's appeal. Great characters and voice acting, including the late Phil Hartman as Kiki's cat, make this movie extremely enjoyable and highly recommended. You will root for Kiki all the way.

The flying scenes are especially exhilirating. Like much of the movie, these scenes are slow paced so you can enjoy them. As Kiki wends her way high over ocean, countryside, forest, city, you feel as though you are flying with her. My favorite is when she is flying over the city lights at night.

Not Miyazaki's finest hour
Once a young witch turns 13 she must go live on her own for 1 year to a town with no other witches to learn her craft. Kiki has just turned 13 and found her own city by the sea. She is befriended by a kind, and very pregnant baker woman, who suggests Kiki uses her flying broom to start a delivery service to make some money. She meets a boy a nice old lady, gets a cold, makes friends with a strange artist and delivers stuff. The End.

A few spoilers I left out aside, that's the gist of the movie. I read once in an interview with writer/director Hayao Miyazaki that he does not sit down and write scripts so much as he sits and draws, letting the story evolve from there. This method has worked beautifully for Miyazaki in movies like PRINCESS MONONOKE and SPIRITED AWAY (two far superior films). Sadly, KIKI is not such a film. The movie, like the story's heroine Kiki, just kind of wanders around, pointless. The movie tells the audience Kiki has to go away for a year to "learn how to use her powers," but how exactly is she supposed to learn without anyone to teach her? She has no real mentor. And Kiki's main ability is flying. But she can already fly before she leaves home on her journey in the first place. The reclusive artist lady who lives in the woods is also another mind-boggler. Other than a semi-sage like character (who doesn't give any really great advice), she serves no real purpose.

The translation for this film was also the worst. Stay away altogether from the English dub with a young Kirsten Dunst as the voice of Kiki and the late Phil Hartman as the voice of Kiki's talking black cat, Gigi. The translation for that dub was terrible.

A good example of the variations in translation and their impact on the film is the scene when Kiki encounters another witch while looking for her own city. The original Japanese has the witch being a bit curt, by Western standards, yet polite to Kiki. In the English subtitles she is a bit snobby and in the English dub she is an outright jerk! The suits at Disney were obviously trying to turn this into an American film and also added all sorts of unfunny, smart-aleck dialogue for Gigi the black cat that is nowhere in the Japanese dub!

I think the point the film is trying to make under all these silly adventures is that young women can be strong and independent and overcome obstacles. A good message, but one that can be gained much more effectively and entertainingly in other films, such as Miyazaki's own film SPIRITED AWAY.

not much to say but THIS MOVIE ABSOLUTLEY ROCKS!!
i love this movie. it rules. its so awsome. when i rented it, i fell in love with it. the pacing is slow, but the art and plot are great. it seems to take place in between 1937 and 1942. i recomend it. it has trains. i love thoes. it has cars. ilove thoes. it has a smart allek talking balck cat. i love thoes. BUY THIS MOVIE! BUY IT! YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Inspired by "Gulliver's Travels," the fantasy-adventure Castle in theSky (1986) was Hayao Miyazaki's third feature, and helped to establishhis reputation as a visionary in both Japan and America. The orphan Sheetainherited a mysterious crystal that links her to the legendary sky-kingdom ofLaputa. With the help of resourceful Pazu and a rollicking band of skypirates, she makes her way to the ruins of the once-great civilization.Sheeta and Pazu must outwit the evil Muska, who plans to use Laputa's scienceto make himself ruler of the world. Castle echoes elements inMyazaki's earlier Nausicaä, and anticipates imagery in his laterfilms, from My Neighbor Totoro to Spirited Away.Disney's newEnglish dub, which features Anna Paquin (Sheeta), James Van Der Beek (Pazu),and Cloris Leachman (pirate matriarch Dola), is lively and close in tone tothe original Japanese, if a bit talkier. The excitingflying sequences, appealing characters, and fantastic vision of asteam-powered future Jules Verne might have imagined make Castle in theSky a must-have for fans of Japanese and Western animation. (Unrated:suitable for ages 10 and older: violence) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (132)

Castle in the sky - Laputa
This is definetly the one of the best animation ever made. One of ealier classic that defined Miyazaki's crown as king of animation. It's so good that Disney had to copy designed, action scenes, and story from this movie. Guess what movie was that? Atlantis. Don't get me wrong. Atlantis is not a rip off of Laputa, because Disney can't even do a good job ripping people off. There is no way Disney can steal the spirit of Laputa, no one can. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate Disney, this is not a political review, I am just disapointed seeing what Disney ls doing. Once you've seen the movie, you'll see what I mean.
The movie ages very well because it is still aa funny, and heart warming as I first saw it almost 10 years ago. It's got a beautiful story, great character design, beautiful Miyazaki style machinaries, amazine and funny action sequences, and definetly one of the best score ever written. Too bad that Disney bought the right of this movie so it can rip this movie and Nadia off to make the stupid Atlantis. It's heart brokening to see Disney don't respect a classic just because it is not from Dinsney. Heck, Disney haven't made a classic since Disney him self died. I hope all Miyazaki's movie gets what it deserve, and I hope Disney respect other's work when it decides to buy the right off them. I hope you guys gets to see this movie whenever it comes out. It's been in Disney's storrage room for how -ever long.

Fantastic High-Flying Adventure
The third feature film of acclaimed writer/director Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away), Castle in the Sky showcases his talents for creating great adventures yarns with substance as well as style.

Set in an alternate 1920's earth, where airships rule the skies and entire continents can fly, Castle in the Sky is the story of two orphans who meet by chance. A young girl, Sheeta (Anna Paquin), floats literally from the sky after narrowly escaping capture from a band of pirates, wearing a mysterious glowing necklace. She is caught by Pazu (James Van Der Beek), a brave and resourceful young assistant engineer, who notices that the crystal she wears has fantastic magical properties. It is this crystal that several suspicious parties are trying desperately to get their hands on, including the Dola Pirate Gang, and the Army, led by the nefarious Colonel Muska (Mark Hammil). It soon becomes clear that the real prize in this race is the ancient, supposedly mythical, floating island of Laputa.

What follows is a grand chase towards the Caste in the Sky, with captures, narrow escapes, air battles, and more. Miyazaki's love of flight is more than apparent at the way the action soars, moving easily from land to air, and the pace of the movie, though the film runs over two hours, only lets up when and for as long as it needs to. Miyazaki showed in both The Castle of Cagliostro and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind that he has a talent for making rousing adventure movies, and, though Castle has some of the ecological messages found in Nausicaa (and later, in Princess Mononoke), they always take a backseat to the events that drive the movie.

The characters here are a varied, strange, and incredibly fun lot. The Dola Pirates are always entertaining when their banter flys, Mark Hammil has a blast as the scheming villian, and Pazu and Sheeta are two of the cutest leads you could ask for. They're also a refreshing taste from the "ordinary" in the anime genre. Sheeta is more than capable of handling herself, and Pazu is a cheerful idealist, a nice break from the surly teenage leads that overpopulate anime. In addition, their relationship is wonderfully done; it's the simplest, most pure form of love imaginable, that neither tries to be romantic or plutonic, but is just shown as it is. There is never a single kiss on screen, but the audience knows, through the body language and the words in their moments together that these two will be together one way or another for life.

And even though this is one of Miyazaki's earlier films, the animation is still fairly impressive. Of course, it looks a little dated next to the likes of Spirited Away, but it still looks and feels like a wonder. The character designs are Miyazaki's usual simplistic but expressionistic fare, and the vehicles that populate the world are imaginative and plausible, and the architecture has a surprising amount of variety.

The real treasure on this DVD release is the completely redone musical score on the English Language version of the film. Back in the mid-'80's, Studio Ghibli was not nearly the powerhouse it is today, and consequently, composer Joe Hisaishi was at times forced to put his rather sparse score on sythesizers and such. However, the new score contains everything from the original release, and a heck of a lot more, all done in beatiful orchestral renditions. And as for actual quality of music, the score for Castle in the Sky easily holds its own against Mononoke in terms of quality and power.

Of course, you have to watch the english dub of the movie to hear this, but having said that, it's not a bad job, arguably superior to Mononoke and Kiki's Delivery Service in terms of the actor's performances. Cloris Leachman is hilarious as Dola, Paquin does a fine job of Sheeta, and even Van Der Beek manages to be only marginally annoying. And really, how can you not like Mark Hammill?

Overall, Castle in the Sky is one of Miyazaki's best films, showcasing some of the most imagination, colorful characters, and dazzling adventure, it also carries some fairly powerful emotions. It also looks great, even after eighteen years, and is simply a great deal of fun to watch.

Castle in the Sky....
Is it just me, or do those very words, without even knowing what they refer to, contain a whimsical, imagination-inspiring power to them?

"Castle in the Sky" is by Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, who I've come to believe is one of the most masterful storytellers alive today, and maybe of all time. It begins with a young girl, Sheeta, drifting down from the sky into the arms of a young miner named Pazu. From there begins an incredible adventure as these two search for answers to the girl's origins while running from both air pirates as well as mysterious agents. I don't intend to reveal much of the plot here, but suffice it to say, this movie reignited the feelings I used to have as a child when watching such classics as "The Wizard of Oz" and the "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (which I also just recently purchased on DVD.

The movie was created several years ago, but was recently brought to America, with a wonderful redubbing into English, thanks to Disney Studios. If you're looking for visuals like the mind-blowing, computer simulations in recent Disney hits such as "Finding Nemo", this isn't it. However, if you're a fan of traditional cel animation, this film may be one of the best ever produced. Miyazaki's attention to detail, his ability to bring these two dimensional characters to life, is awe-inspiring.

For me, the greatest thing about this movie is that it's reminded me of the kind of fictional magic I hope to create myself one day, and makes me wonder if it's too late in my life for me to become an animator. The bad thing about seeing a movie like this, is that I know that I could never produce anything nearly as beautiful.

Fortunately for me, if I ever get the opportunity, I'm just stubborn, determined, and delusional enough to give it a shot anyway.

Wonderfully strange story with fascinating images
This is a wonderful movie. The story is enchanting, with fantastic flying machines and cities in the air. The land and air are full of strange and mysterious people who range from the kind and good to the power hungry evil types. What is especially nice about the characterizations in this film is that only a few are wholly good or wholly evil, most are a mix and are trying to work out their place in the plot of the story.

The story opens with an action sequence without any explanation about what is happening. This causes us to focus our attention and to try and figure out what is going on and what all these strange people and machines are. In some ways it seems like a 1930s serial, in others futuristic, and in others ancient myth without connection to the world in which we live.

While this isn't as beautiful as "Spirited Away" or even "Princess Mononoke", it is still head and shoulders above nearly everything you see passing as an animated movie nowadays (with a couple of exceptions). My kids encouraged me to get this DVD and they enjoyed it immensely. I expected to like it, but enjoyed it more than I expected.

Miyazaki has a unique imagination and has a powerful ability to use his wonderful images to tell the story in delightful and beautiful ways that go beyond conventional live action movies - no matter the special effects budget - or even most animation. Watching his stories is a special experience that I am grateful to him for sharing with me.

please watch the original version with English subtitle !!!!
I'm a Japanese and have watched this film so many time over the last 18 years and remember all its details, since
this is my favorite film of Hayao Miyazakis'.
I have now a French DVD together with synclonization and subltitle in English and Japanese original voice.
I'm shocked and furious about English voiceover version because the BGM music is changed from original Japanese version and I found it the absolute disaster.
So far when I watced it in French I found no alterlation of BGM.
I don't have the same DVD which is sold in USA and haven't checked it but I guess this English version in French DVD comes from DVD in USA.
SO please be careful, please watch this film in Japanese with English subltitle.
I cannot believe why Miyazaki's prodction allowed the music to be
changed. ... Read more

Description

Join Joel and his "robot friends" as they're forced to endure two of the worst movies ever made. To maintain their sanity, they hilariously skewer the films' performaces, special effects and dialogue. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Thank you, Rhino!!!!
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is one of the all-time best MST3K episodes ever. Manos, while previously available, is too. But, of course, it's Santa Claus that's the true draw of this set b/c it's the first time it's available on DVD.

More! More! More! The Comedy Central era is MST3K's finest hour. I repeat: More! More! More!

By the way...words could not express how grateful I would be to see a "Master Ninja I and II" Essentials set...

Wonderful choice for an MST DVD Release!
It's about time that there was a release of one of the classic MST3K holiday experiments, just in time for the season. 'Manos' is the definitive example of an MST experiment - goofy, meandering movie with cutting riffs. The 'Poopie' outtake collection is a longer-than-normal selection of bloopers and alternate takes - a must have for any MSTie.

But the real treat of this dual set is "Santa Claus Conquers The Martians". If you're tired of normal holiday fare such as "Home Alone", "A Christmas Story", and "It's a Wonderful Life" place this disk in the player and watch your kids' squeal with delight. "Santa Claus" is a bizarre tale about pathos and depression - among Martians! It seems the only way to cure the holiday blues on Mars is to stage a spectacular kidnapping of the Earthling Santa Claus. Four children (two from Earth and two from Mars) join forces with Dropo, a renegade Martian to rescue Santa, save Christmas on Earth, and bring holiday joy to the Children of Mars. The plot makes sense with the electric performance of a young Miss Pia Zadora. Ok, well maybe not.

Sounds interesting, yes? No? Well, it's a truly awful film, a definite jaw-dropping example of bad cinema. Fortunately, the MST3K treatment is hilarious. Joel and the 'Bots even give us the classic Christmas standard, "A Patrick Swayze Christmas".

I'm chucking my "Charlie Brown Christmas" and "Rudolph's Shiny New Year" in favor of this twisted classic.

Recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

this is the best fukin SNL movie ever
this is one hilarious gut busting comedy with all of chris farleys greatest SNL moments. GET THIS DVD

Mostly great for boring times
I saw this at a friends house. It's pretty funny, but some is not. ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Wonderful! Spectacular! Sheer fun!
Aladdin is a triumph for disney. Along with Lion King, this is one of my favorite movies of all time. I loved the Genie, voiced by Robin Williams, and his humorous antics and impersonations. I couldn't stop humming along with the songs as they played. The animations is spectacular for a disney movie. I couldn't stop laughing at the scene where the Genie says, "...Jafar, Jafar, he's our man, if he can't do it..GREAT!"

And I loved how Iago was the perfect foil to Jafar, a serious villain. I also enjoyed the love story that unravels around Aladdin and Jasmine. Jasmine is the girl that every guy wants, and Aladdin is the sweet, handsome young man that every girl dreams of. I also enjoyed the personifications of the carpet, and his expressions. Gilbert Godfried was the perfect voice for Iago.

I love everything about this movie, and can't wait 'till it comes out on DVD. I've heard that it comes out in 2004. I guarantee I'll be one of the first people to place an advanced order on Amazon.com for this DVD.

I loved it!

It's a hit!
One of Disney's better "late release" animation films, proving once again that the studio can still produce the magic.

I'm basing this review from the VHS tape version (since the DVD is not released yet), however, I believe Disney Studios will probably continue to follow the path they've set with other DVD releases -- that is, look for a straight VHS to DVD transfer. You'll get the film, but little else. Naturally, the DVD will outlast a VHS tape and the quality of both the picture and sound should be higher.

On the movie, it's a great rendition of the tales of 1,001 Arabian Nights (with Disney's own plot and characterizations) which will entertain members of the entire family. Robin Williams does an exceptionally fine job as the voice of the Genie -- giving him comic personality and wit.

The story line is a good one and is followed by two 'add-on' sequels ('Return of Jafar' and 'King of Thieves'), both worth purchasing when they become available (Williams is missing from 'Return', but back for 'Thieves').

The film's music is top rate and in line with many of their earlier successful animations (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast).

All in all, a worthwhile purchase for your home library. Children and adults will enjoy this one for decades to come.

~P~

almost essential
There are a select few of the films made by Disney that can almost be considered essential Kid fare. My personal faves are : Robin Hood, Lion King, and the great Aladdin. This is one of Disney's all time greatest moments ever. This is truly one of the best. Adults will find it amazing, kids will love it! An awesome and incredible tale of magic, wishes, coming of age, love, and temptation by absolute power. Wonderful, simply wonderful. Also was one of the first animated movies to really make use of a seamless blend of computer graphics and traditional animation styles. Perfect.

Complete the Platinum Collection
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King are all magical Disney animated films and the best choices for the ultimate in DVD collecting, the PLATINUM EDITION. Only one title was missing from that list, but this October, Aladdin will finally join and complete the Disney Platinum Series. Aladdin is one the best stories ever made into a Disney animated film with memorable characters and songs.

Put "A Whole New World" into you Disney DVD PLATIUM collection with Aladdin.

Truly a Disney Masterpiece
When this movie first came out it was obvious that it would become an instant classic. 12 years later it has indeed continued to touch the hearts of children.
One of Disney's finest, this movie brings everything together. The animation is simply beautiful, the voice acting very convincing, the plot both imaginitive and entertaining, and the original songs are a masterpiece on their own. The characters are all believable, and gauranteed to touch a special place in your heart.
This movie has a great supply of adventure and humor, with a healty dose of morals thrown in for good measure. The title character Aladdin learns throughout the course of the film the significance of being himself. We also witness the value of friendship, the importance of freedom, and the fact that people are people no matter where their life has put them. While the film portrays these messages very touchingly, it does so without making the lesson heavy handed.
Whether you're sharing the magic of this movie with your children, or indulging in your own entertainment, Aladdin won't dissapoint. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Best known today as the series that helped launch Johnny Depp to stardom, Stephen J. Cannell's 21 Jump Street was also one of the first hit programs for the fledgling Fox network, a status that lasted for most of its five-year run (1987-91), thanks to its engaging mix of youth culture and police drama. As outlined in the pilot, Depp's baby-faced Ofc. Tom Hanson is transferred to the special Jump Street division, a unit that utilized young cops to infiltrate juvenile crime. Unlike many of Fox's youth-oriented shows of the period (i.e., Beverly Hills 90210), Jump Street took its stories seriously, and addressed numerous social issues in its episodes; though some of the fashions and slang seem dated, the program remains entertaining decades later. The Jump Street set compiles all 13 episodes of the debut season, including the two-part pilot; the solid extras feature commentary by co-star Peter DeLuise, as well as interviews with fellow Jump Street officers Dustin Nguyen, Holly Robinson Peete, and Steven Williams (whose Captain Fuller replaced Frederic Forrest's Jenko halfway through the first season), as well as the prolific Cannell. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (12)

21 Jumpstreet Where Are You?
I watched the first 4 seasons of Jumpstreet and it was good. This was the first show on the Fox network to be a hit. This show pulled higher ratings than Married with Children before the departure of Johnny Depp and newcomer Richard Grieco. This show deserves to be on dvd!!!!

YM
I'm so glad 21 jump street is coming on dvd. i've been waiting for it for a long time. I recently discovered this series and they stopped showing it on public TV so I was bummed out, but now I can buy it! yey Depp!

Woo-Hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They have all these ridiculous shows on coming out on (i.e, ALF) DVD, finally a show with more substance (I'm fibbing, I just love Johnny Depp). I'm looking forward to buying this on October 26..........

21 JUMP STREET!
21 jump street was my favorite TV series in my childhood..and I became Johnn Depp fan since 21 jump street...*_*....With this DVD my Johnny Depp collection is complete!! ^.^....Hope all seasons will release soon!!

Doug Penhall is the man!!!
How could anyone not love this show? The cast was awesome. Johnny Depp, Holly Robinson... but my favorite was Peter Deluise. That guy was both a stud and a riot.

I also must acknowledge the honesty the show brought to the air in terms of showing how emotionally hurt the school kids who got arrested were when they were busted by people they once thought of as friends. Some of the kids understood it was truly for their (and societies) own good, and others did not.

My favorite episodes involved Doug Penhall marrying Marta (a beautiful girl from El Salvador), and the pain of his wife being deported and murdered by their government once she returned home- extremely touching (and not what one expects from a teen cop show!)

This is one of my favorite series ever- and I really encourage everyone to go back and relive the first season. It's really a fun ride!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Fog of War, the movie that finally won Errol Morris the best documentary Oscar, is a spellbinder. Morris interviews Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, and finds a uniquely unsettling viewpoint on much of 20th-century American history. Employing a ton of archival material, including LBJ's fascinating taped conversations from the Oval Office, Morris probes the reasons behind the U.S. commitment to the Vietnam War--and finds a depressingly inconsistent policy. McNamara himself emerges as--well, not exactly apologetic, but clearly haunted by the what-ifs of Vietnam. He also mulls the bombing of Japan in World War II and the Cuban Missile Crisis, raising more questions than he answers. The Fog of War has the usual inexorable Morris momentum, aided by an uneasy Philip Glass score. This movie provides a glimpse inside government. It also encourages skepticism about same. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (85)

Brilliant insights
Errol Morris's stunning documentary is about one of the 20th century's most significant players: Robert McNamara, who reprises the highlights of his life and professional career. The movie covers a lot of ground, including McNamara's stint as a Ford Motor Co. executive, his participation as a war planner in World War II, and his crucial involvement as secretary of defense under President John F. Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and under Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson during the Vietnam War. There are some stunning revelations, including his role in the firebombing of Japan, as well as the nuclear face-off between the United States and Cuba. This is another brilliant coup for Morris, the inspired documentarian who has made a career out of conversations with the most fascinating subjects. He tells a story that knocks you right off your feet.

Mr. McNamara reveals all...In His Own Words!
While network & cable news television reveal(s) inside political information to its' viewers, they only tell a fraction of the story, and only reveal what the viewer wants to hear at that. Docudramas/biopics, on the other hand, tell the complete & entire story as is, all without leading the onlooker astray in the process. Former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara's account is no exception, of which, during the course of "The Fog of War"'s one hour, forty-five minute run, enlightens its' viewers with a biographical and pictorial collage of Mr. McNamara's hectic and universal life in government. Also contained within the fascinating, as well as extremely personal pages of Mr. McNamara's diary, this "Soldier of Fortune" really gets down to business, and isn't gun-shy in the slightest when discussing issues relating to the Cuban Missile Crisis (including Fidel Castro's reign of power [as well as his reign of terror against the United States Government and its' proud citizens]) and the Vietnam War. McNamara also manages to sneak in a poignant and mesmerizing real-life story pertaining to his frienship with the Kennedy family, as well as standing toe-to-toe with President Johnson and his administration. Robert discusses said wars from a business standpoint as well, including a "lesson" in the economic laws of supply and demand. Even with an I.Q. ranging in the 99th percentile (I.Q. of 140 or higher), McNamara concedes that even he has his faults, and acknowledges that no one's perfect by any means imaginable. By looking at this insightfully provocative and candid account, even I don't have to be a genius (of which I'm not, trust me!), to see that a man of Robert S. McNamara's talents and intellect, has any noticable flaws, of which there are extremely few, I'm quite sure. But, don't just take my word for it, just weigh all the merits of this particular "...Fog...", and see your way clear for yourself (either at an art-house cinema locale near you, or on video or DVD in the not-too-distant future) real soon!

Another Powerful Errol Morris Film
The Fog of War is basically a well-packaged two hour interview with Robert McNamara, the subject of this feature because of his position of Secretary of Defense under Kennedy and Johnson. It is a captivating glimpse into a man who served in America's most important war of the 20th century (WWII) and helped build its most infamous.

While the subject of this film is clearly McNamara's role in and reflection of Vietnam, filmmaker Errol Morris begins his piece by sculpting the life of the now 85 yr old former wiz-kid. The film traces his role as a strategic analyst for bombing raids against Japan, his short stint as President of Ford Motors and his eventual place alongside Kennedy and Johnson. We also get to see some personal moments about him, such as his claim to be the person who selected Kennedy's gravesite at Arlington. But Morris does not get side-tracked giving us too much irrelevant information; his piece is clear and to the point.

The film attempts to place McNamara in the position of a sage-like wiseman, who near the end of his life can educate the rest of us on the lessons that should be drawn from his successes and failures. Make no mistake, the film clearly attacks the logic behind the Vietnam War (and war in general) and even gives McNamara the chance to pass the buck to Kennedy and Johnson. But I find a refreshing attempt at truthfulness in this film that is usually lacking from most political texts aimed at persuasion.

While I disagree with many of the conclusions the film wants its audience to embrace, I can't deny the skill of the filmmaker who has given the world a piece of history that should be cherished forever. Nothing is more historically relevant than to hear tapes of McNamara's conversations with Kennedy and Johnson, two strong-willed men whose fearless determination is noticeably absent from the leaders of their political party today.

It is impossible for me to review any political documentary in 2004 without comparing it to this era's most famous documentarian, Micheal Moore. Errol Morris's The Fog of War is what I consider a true documentary (a claim I cannot make about Moore's works). His film attempts to display the truth of the situation he sees, rather than the tricky way Moore tries to shape the world to fit his views. Moore could learn a lot by viewing the powerful works of Errol Morris. The two men get to the same conclusion about war, but Morris does have to resort to half-truths and outright lies to prove his point. Compared to true documentaries like this, Moore's works are shown to be what they really are: entertainment.

Worth watching with the noted reservations
The Fog of War has received rave reviews on Amazon.com, but this review will not add to that long list. Fog is the word most appropriate for McNamara's discussion of Viet Nam. After two hours of hit and miss questions and answers, we are left with the conclusion that Viet Nam was a mistake and that McNamara was not responsible for it; that honor goes, according to McNamara, to Lyndon Johnson.

McNamara was a statistician/accountant who understood the numbers, but he was not a leader who could translate his knowledge into forceful action. Instead, it appears as if he supported Lyndon Johnson long after he realized that Viet Nam was going to be a war we could not win. Additionally, the information that he received about Viet Nam was sometimes innacurate and misleading. In hindsight he knows that it is unsafe to trust as fact reports given by subordinates. Without a historical perspective with which to judge the data he received, he arrived at false conclusions which resulted in the deaths of 58,000 Americans and millions of Vietnamese.

Not only was McNamara ignorant of history, but he also understood little about ethics. He concludes that it is morally acceptable to do evil in order to arrive at a greater good. Machiavelli, in The Prince, would certainly agree with McNamara, but The Prince should not be a handbook for American foreign policy, even though recently it appears that Machiavelli's recommendations are alive and well in American government today. Torturing and abusing Vietnamese and Iraqi prisoners may provide useful information, but few would argue that the evil of torture is justified by what we learn from it. McNamara would have done well to study Kant's Categorical Imperative. If we approve of torture, or firebombing in the example given by McNamara, we must recommend that all other nations follow our example, at least according to Kant's Imperative.

My guess is that McNamara is a much smarter man than appears to be the case in The Fog of War. Unfortuntely, the director made McNamara appear to be often confused about the facts which were his stock in trade. He is an old man reminiscing about his life in public service and his memory is conveniently selective and self-serving.

Even so, I can recommend this film with the reservations noted for this reason. No viewer will ever think again that our safety and well being as a nation depend on rationality. McNamara prided himself on being a logical man of reason and often he was. That did not stop us, according to his own testimony, of coming an eyeblink away from the apocalyse during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Luck was on our side then. After watching The Fog of War many viewers will ask: When will our luck run out? This is a question well worth asking. Hopefully some will answer that we must replace evil intentions and actions toward other countries with moral behavior that stands as an example for the world to follow. This imperative puts us on the right if not always the winning side.

valuable retrospective of the decisions of war
In his own words Robert Strange McNamara tells of his early life and his career, notably his service as Secretary of Defense under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Through his narrative, viewers obtain a unique retrospective on critical international events, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, the bombing of Japan and the Vietnam War.

McNamara sticks to the history. His personality is revealed by the way he speaks about events he found moving, but he dodges the tough personal questions, such as those about his family, his responsibility and his sense of guilt.

Clearly a reflective man, the lessons he provides are worthy of consideration by all, not just government leaders. In seeing some of the same mistakes made in current foreign relations as those McNamara recounts, viewers recognize the cycle of history, and human falliability. ... Read more

Reviews (55)

A MOVIE PARODY THAT MEL BROOKS WILL PROUD OF.
Peter Medak directs this HILARIOUS film about the masked 'ROBIN HOOD' of early California. After his AMAZING success of spoofing 'DRACULA' in "LOVE AT FIRST BITE", George Hamilton returned to portray Johnston McCulley's masked hero. Hamilton plays "DON DIEGO VEGA" the son of the original 'ZORRO'. He also plays "RAMON VEGA/BUNNY WIGGLESWORTH" Diego's homosexual long lost twin brother. After an accidentally fall which gives him a swollen ankle,Diego persuades his brother to take over the role of Zorro, which Diego has adopted from their father, until he heals. George Hamilton is HILARIOUS in his dual role, Ron Liebmann is EQUALLY HILARIOUS in his role of Diego's arch rival. Brenda Vaccaro and Laurn Hutton round out the cast as the female leads.

We named our cat Esteban
We named our cat Esteban because he has the same arrogant attitude that the character Ron Leibman plays. They say that cants can't make expressions but this one sometimes made the same faces. This is one of my all time favorite George Hamilton movies. It is right up there with "Love At First Bite (1979)" that is still available at amazon.co.uk. Lauren Hutton also gets to be a vampire in Once Bitten (1985) ASIN: 0792842421. And Brenda Vaccaro makes you feel sorry for Florinda's situation. Brenda also is a seasoned actress who appeared in several movies before this and later in Ten Little Indians (1989) as Marion Marshall.

Actually the movie follows the original script better than the old TV programs. And I would like to know what the music is that they play in the beginning. This movie is so packed with mirth that you can not convey this by telling the shoreline. One of my favorites is when Zorro makes the sine of the Zee and asks a peasant what that symbol stands for. "Senior that is the sign of a two." "My daughter learned this in the school."

Highly recommended
I love this flick. Saw it in the theatre when it was released. Saw it again a few times on television. Recently purchased the DVD.

I concur with the other reviewers here. Was a bit sad when it ended because I wanted to see more adventures of Bunny Wigglesworth!

Zizzling zorro
My family and I have watched this movie so many times that we can recite word for word. It is a classic. We never tire of it. Unfortunately we have it on the old Beta system and it is not to be found in Australia to purchase. I heard about Amazon and what a wonderful surprise to find it here. We have to go out and purchase a multi region DVD now to play the movie. It will be worth it though. Now I won't have to worry about the poor state of the video at the video shop.
Patricia
Brisbane

Australia

One of the Great Memories of the Eighties
I was four when this film came out. I loved it then and I love it now. It's a true spoof classic up there with Naked Gun and Hot Shots! If you have an ounce of humor in you you won't want to miss George Hamilton twirling both his swords ( no pun intended ). Have fun and get this film. ... Read more

Reviews (351)

A Predictable, But Delightful and Optimistic Gem
Pretty Anne Hathaway, who, interestingly enough, has the same name as Shakespeare's wife, plays the lead character in a modern fairy tale that the Bard himself might have found amusing.
Hathaway's Mia Thermopolis is a gawky teen living with her artist mother (gently and generously portrayed by Caroline Goodall) in San Francisco (whereas, in Meg Cabot's book, her home was New York). She attends a private school via the financial support of her father, who had passed away shortly before the story begins, has a best friend involved in social activism, (played by a loud and cynical Heather Matarazzo), a crush on a heartthrob who doesn't notice her, and a clique of annoying cheerleaders who constantly taunt her, led by pop singer, Mandy Moore.
One day, a meeting with her grandmother changes her life, and Mia discovers that her father was the Crown Prince of Genovia. While reluctant to accept her heritage at first, Mia gradually warms to the idea. As the very regal Queen Clarice, Julie Andrews combines her two Broadway roles in "Camelot" and "My Fair Lady" as she begins the process of training the gawky Granddaughter she had never met before for the role she may one day have on the world stage. Scenes of Mia's Princess lessons are reminiscent of scenes in the film, "Gigi".
The makeover scene is enjoyable to watch, as we see Mia turn from looking like Sarah Jessica Parker's character in "Square Pegs" to looking more like Queen Rania of Jordan. She is truly beautiful with her big, sparkling doe eyes and softened hair as she sees her outwardly polished self in the mirror.
Her friend, Lilly, taunts her about her metamorphosis, while Lilly's brother, Michael, played by an adorably sweet Robert Schwartzman, admires it. After a few tumultuous and embarassing incidents, Mia must make a final decision about where she belongs, and is ultimately influenced by her best friend's opinion in so doing. Genovia may receive a new heiress, and the prospective Princess might be on her way to finding true love as well.
All the while, it is the cool-headed Hector Elizondo's Joseph, the head of the Queen's security detail, who helps the young girl through her dilemma, providing sage advice, and helping to reconcile both grandmother and granddaughter after Mia generates some bad press.
The books on which this film was based have a bit more of an edge and may be more cynical. The premise is a teenage girl's answer to the 1991 film, "King Ralph". But once again, Disney has provided viewers with light and wholesome entertainment.

DELIGHTFUL FAMILY FILM
In the great tradition of such Disney live-action family films as The Parent Trap, Garry Marshall spins a perfectly fine fairy tale with The Princess Diaries. Featuring a sparkling performances from natural comedienne Anne Hathaway and seasoned vet Julie Andrews, this movie is one virtually all members of your family can enjoy together -- it is truly G-rated, and in this case, the G-rating does not mean boring. A nerdy San Francisco highschooler is dumbfounded -- and not terribly happy -- to learn that she is in fact royalty -- and the chaos that ensues is both compelling and highly entertaining. What a welcome sight to see Julie Andrews -- the 60s queen of G-films -- return to form in the role of a Queenly grandmother! The movie has the amiable pacing and gentle humor of a romantic comedy, and unfolds in a way that is predictable without being flat. The score, laden with pop music, adds to the fresh warm-hearted gloss. Watch for a minor car accident, and its subsequent scene, to earn the biggest laugh, though there are giggles and smiles aplenty.

PRETTY GOOD!
PRETTY GOOD MOVIE!GREAT ACTORS,GREAT EVERYTHING!JULIE ANDREWS IS REAL GOOD AS THE GRANDMOTHER!ME AND MY MOM LOVED IT!WE LAUGHED THE WHOLE TIME!

really cute
this was a really cute movie, really different from the books which i think are better. Something for the whole family to watch.

The book is better!
Apparently based on some of the reviews I've seen here, a plethora of people do not seem to know that the movie is based upon (or is supposed to be) the book "The Princess Diaries" by Meg Cabot, I believe.

This movie is cute. However, this is not to say that it barely follows the book. The only things that are in the movie that are like the book, are the fact that Mia acquires princess lessons, goes out with Josh to the dance, finds out she's a princess, Mia's mother dates one of her teachers, Lilly yells at her when she sees her hair, and a few other things.

In the movie, when Lilly sees that her friend is turning to someone similar to Lana, she becomes angry. In the book, she ignores her for quite a large bit of the story. In The movie gives the impression that Mia's grandmother is a loving woman but they have not spoken in fifteen years. In the novel, Mia does speak to her grandmother but never was able to figure out that she was a princess (in the book grandmother is a princess, not a queen) of Genovia herself. In addition, Mia's grandmother is not the nicest of people. Furthermore, the Prince of Genovia, Mia's father is still alive. The only thing is that he can not have any more children.

I think you understand my meaning. Please, read the book instead. ... Read more

Description

A young boy is awakened during a storm to witness a flying saucer land in the field behind his home. No one will believe his story as, one by one, the townspeople are captured and put under the control of sinister forces from the planet Mars! Brilliantly created by visionary set designer and director William Cameron Menzies (designer of "Gone with the Wind" and H.G. Wells' "Things to Come") with a haunting musical score by Raoul Kraushaar, this golden age sci-fi classic has lost none of its chilling power. Surreal imagery brought to terrifying life in a Cinecolor world just beyond our nightmares! ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Prelude to "Taken"
The prototype for later scifi movies, "Invaders from Mars" a 1953 Color film will take you along an exciting course... implants are introduced as well as theories about an underground Martian civilization are well integrated into the plot of the film.

I thought the ending was very novel for it's time... a time loop. The British edition is also featured on the DVD and is interesting but not as original as the American version... You decide which ending you like.

This film is also probably the fore runner to the abduction experiences recounted by so many these days...

The special effects are of course almost childlike by todays standards...particularly the explosions and the sand pit scenes...but other scenes where the alien head uses telepathy are ahead of their time and were later used by Star trek episodes later.

A classic 1950's Sci-Fi
If you like 1950's Sci-Fi movies, or enjoy watching them with your kids (I love educating my kids to the classics),this is the perfect "watch-at-night-with-popcorn movie." There are no whiz-bang effects (ballons and something that looks like boiling spaghetti sauce are used inside Martian tunnels under the sandpit) and the Martian costumes are pretty silly, but the story and character development more than make up for any shortcomings. I own both the VHS and DVD of this movie and I love the DVD. I don't think a print worthy of total restoration exists and the audio is just OK (no spectacular Surround effects) but the DVD does have original trailers on it and it does not have the inherent pifalls of tape (drop outs, even worse color and audio). My kids (and even my wife) get hooked on this film when I play it. The suspense starts right away and the film gets you "inside" David (the starring character in the movie) so you feel his frustration in his attempts to reveal the secrets of the "Sand Pit." Everyone, at some point in their lives, will have a nightmare where they run from an enemy and can never escape. This is the movie made from that nightmare.

oh, come on!
This is one badly made, poorly directed, cheesy 1950's sci-fi movie. And I'm a collector of this stuff! At least you can understand about Ed Woods' "Bride of the Monster", etc, because they were made on about $75 and in one take only. This movie doesn't have that excuse. The inflated condoms passing for..what, exactly? on the walls of the underground tunnels, the boiling Campbell's soup image intended to depict...what, exactly? when the Martian ray gun is pointed at the condoms on the walls, the absolutely laughable Martian costumes with the zippers up the back. I tried to convince my kids that the zippers were ridges on the Martians' backs but hey my kids have seen zippers before. I enjoyed the avant garde minimalist sets and it would have been interesting if it had been intended. This thing is really bad and that's where all the pleasure can be drawn from it. Enjoy!

Form ruins substance
While the term "classic" is thoroughly overused to describe movies, "Invaders from Mars" is definitely a sci-fi classic in the truest sense. Sadly, this version of the movie is simply atrocious. As another reviewer here correctly stated, "What you get is a scratchy, jumpy film with more interference lines than you used to get on TV before cable. Stay away from this version." I found the poor picture quality so distracting that it ruined the experience of watching the film.

No communists just aliens
Yes, this has been one of my all time favs, it scared the bedoobies out of me as a kid, along with The Preying Mantis, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and The Fly. But some of us kids who stayed awake frozen at with fear at night hearing strange noises due to the movies and our imaginations were not afraid of communists, but that our parents could turn into something OTHER than our parents, (i.e., alien monsters who had destroyed our REAL parents) only we would know it and the other grown-ups would not believe that our parents were aliens, either because they were also aliens or because we just "kids". I have no idea if this movie would have such an impact on me today, if I were to see it for the first time as a grown-up, but it is a memory that I won't forget. Now I have a lot of fun watching it, when I was little I was just really scared. And it really is a GOOD MOVIE...I am thankful that it is available.. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Can you handle the truth? If you're Mickey Mouse, George Will, a Philip Morris executive, or any one of the corporate no-good-doers who pollute the environment, abandon their customers, or cheat their workers, best be on your guard: Michael Moore has got your number, or at the very least, your home address! Moore, muckraking journalist, guerilla filmmaker (Roger & Me), and all-around nonpartisan offender, follows up his Emmy-winning, albeit short-lived, TV series TV Nation with this even more confrontational series that can be seen on Bravo ("Between the Playboy Channel and Cartoon Network"). This set contains all the episodes from the show's premiere season. It is perhaps the most outrageous television you have never seen. The series is much more than Moore "going in someplace to bug somebody." There is method to Moore's madness. His outrage is palpable as he shames an insurance company into paying for a customer's life-or-death pancreas transplant by staging the man's mock funeral outside corporate headquarters. At the height of Monica-gate, Moore shows Washington, D.C., what a real witch-hunt looks like, complete with shrieking costumed Pilgrims. Other season 1 highlights include the return of Crackers, the plucky Corporate Crime-Fighting Chicken, who visits Disneyland to advise Mickey Mouse about Disney's alleged unfair labor practices. Moore also spreads holiday jeer inside Philip Morris by leading a choir of cigarette-ravaged carolers, each of whom must use a voice box. The Awful Truth is not for the faint of heart (or conservatives, for that matter). As Moore remarks after a segment in which his "Gay Team" cruises America in a pink Sodommobile, "We'll never be back on NBC now." You go, Mike!

In the sophomore season, Moore rails against politics as usual and exposes what he calls your "basic, everyday, run of the mill evil corporations." The Awful Truth was anything but comfort television, as witness the episode "Compassionate Conservative Night," in which "Team Dow" and "Team Nasdaq" engage in such contests as "Dunk the Homeless" and "Pie the Poor." In another segment, Moore launches an orange day-glow wallet exchange program after a spate of shootings in which police mistook African American victims' wallets for firearms. Moore makes hay with the 2000 presidential election. In one audacious segment, he offers his support to any candidate who will jump into the Awful Truth's portable mosh pit. George W. Bush's response, "Go find real work," made its way into Fahrenheit 9/11. Only Alan Keyes is game, incurring attacks by the other candidates during a televised debate. In this series' version of a Very Special Episode, Moore presents a short film he directed, "The Choice," in which Moore runs a Ficus plant against an unopposed candidate for the New Jersey House of Representatives.Throughout the season, Moore plants the seeds that will pollinate in his two controversial cross-over theatrical documentaries. Anticipating Bowling for Columbine, one segment takes aim at the NRA with the introduction of a new gun mascot, Pistol Pete, a costumed weapon, who is summarily tossed out of a Las Vegas gun show, NRA headquarters, and our nation's capitol. Moore also turns up the temperature on then-Texas Governor George W. Bush in a segment that pits the man who would be president against his brother Jeb to see which of their respective states, Texas or Florida, will prevail in the number of executions. For a brief and shining moment, the revolution was televised. At 30 minutes an episode, The Awful Truth remains swift (or Swiftian) satire. For fans, this two-disc set will complete the Moore manifesto, and give more ammunition to his critics. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (36)

can't handle the truth?
I feel an overwhelming sadness for people who are so polarized by the convictions their daddies instilled in them that they cannot think for themselves. Michael Moore has an agenda: that is true. But he also uses only facts and TRUTH. For lies, check out Rush Limbagh or the Fox News channel. Anyone shopping at Amazon lives in a free country, and it is the duty of all free people to think for themselves and look at all sides of every issue. That most of America refuses to do so is a travesty in itself. And this is the heart of Michael Moore's documentaries. You don't have to agree with everything he says, but you have to be open to being challenged by facts you have not been exposed to before. You have to realize that sometimes (gasp!) the powers that be LIE. Once upon a time investigative reporters were hailed for their duty to the people when they uncovered hidden truths such as the Watergate scandal. Now most people want to ignore the truth and stay locked in their happy bubbles. Michael Moore is here to pop those bubbles, and it is about time someone did. This series is a great place to start, since it is not too much information at once when taken episode by episode. As a whole, this program is powerful, revealing, sometimes shocking, and always entertaining. The point here is to THINK, not to accept blindly. This should be required viewing for everyone.

Love the DVD
I watched this series on Bravo and Michael Moore has a lot of hear and soul and guts. He's filled with empathy for his fellow beings, and it's not just lip service empathy. He used to make 15,000 year for many years and worked to get what he has now.

He wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

Vote for the party that doesn't have Ashcroft! Bush is nothing compared to Ashcroft. This guy quotes Al Capone. People generally quote people they admire. Martin Luther King, for example, quoted Mohandas Ghandhi. John Ashcroft quotes a Mafioso. That's really nice.

Why Are People So Angry?
I appreciate having the opportunity to see things from different perspectives. That's just what Michael Moore presents. Intellegent, curious, well informed individuals are not threatened by his extremist points of view. Thinking, questioning, people of moral character welcome the opportunity to evaluate situations, people, policies etc. in manner presented by NO ONe ELSE. He provides one more data point...the continum and complexity of situations require us to evaluate the whole picture. It is our responsibility to weigh all the information... not just what we like to hear or what is popular. His positions create tension, tension creates dialogue, dialogue encourages learning. Why are people so angry... our country was built on questioning the status quo... isn't that a good thing?

What a waste of space
I do not think about Michael Moore, other than in disgust. What a waste of an intelligent (if he even is) human being. What a waste of a human life...his.

Find a cause worth living for, Mr. Moore. There are people with AIDS in Africa, starving in the Sudan and India - and all you can see is the nose at the end of your face. Again, what a waste.

My attitude is, change the channel and ignore this man. Since when is crudeness worthly of being thought provoking?

yulk.

I actually watched the episodes
Has anyone noticed that the negative reviews on this DVD collection mention absolutely nothing about the content of the material itself. Moore's segments on corporate crime, corporate greed and the social plight of many in this country is eye opening. Compared to many of this country's forefathers Moore is closer to being a "Real American" than the vast majority of his critics. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The brainchild of veteran writer-directors Danny Arnold and Theodore J. Flicker, the comedy/drama Barney Miller (1975-1982) offered a very human look at the inner workings of a New York City police precinct; its wry and observant scripts, aided by a stellar cast, helped earn the series three Emmy Awards and a devoted fan base, which should be pleased by this two-disc set that compiles its entire first season. Viewers familiar with the series' later seasons will notice substantial differences in the cast and storyline; episodes divide Barney's (Hal Linden) time evenly between the 12th Precinct and his apartment, which he shares with wife Barbara Barrie and two children (all of whom would be phased out of the series). The first season squad was composed of Abe Vigoda's dyspeptic Fish, the overeager Wojciehowicz (Max Gail), dry-witted Yemana (Jack Soo, who passed away during the fifth season), and street-smart Chano (Gregory Sierra, who departed the series after the second season); Ron Glass's dapper Harris would not be listed in the opening credits until subsequent seasons.

Arnold, along with Chris Hayward (Get Smart) and other scribes, would pen the majority of the first season, which set the tone for the series by pitting the squad against a host of offbeat criminals, other cops, and regular citizens, several of whom would become semi-regulars; James Gregory's crusty Inspector Luger makes his debut in "Vigilante" (episode 9), while unscrupulous lawyer Arnold Ripner (Alex Henteloff) and Detective Wentworth (a pre-Alice Linda Lavin) have their first appearances in "The Experience" (episode 2) and "Ms. Cop" (episode 8), respectively.

Columbia/TriStar's two-disc set offers all 13 episodes of the first season, as well as short credit lists for some of the major players; the little-seen 1974 pilot, "The Life and Times of Captain Barney Miller," might have made an interesting supplemental feature, but fans should be pleased to have this set regardless. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Dum...da da dum...da da dum...
Who can forget that classic bass line intro! Barney Miller is finally on DVD in a two DVD set featuring the first 13 episodes of season 1 totally uncut and commercial free for the first time! Barney Miller ran from Jan. 1975 to May 1982 (8 seasons, 170 episodes). The sitcom was a new concept, concerning a group of Police Detectives and their Captain and the goings-on in a NY precinct squadroom. The cast, which would make slight changes over the years, had to be one of the most diverse in TV history. In season one, the cast includes Barney (Hal Linden), Wojciehowicz (Max Gail), Harris (Ron Glass), Fish (Abe Vigoda), Yemana (Jack Soo) and Chano (Gregory Sierra). Season 1 is also the only time Barney's whole family were shown. In Season 2, only his wife Elizabeth (Barbara Barrie) had appearances and by Season 3, even she was written out of the show. Barney Miller is a rare sitcom from the 70s that is essential and makes a welcome addition to other classics like All in the family, Sanford & Son, and the Jeffersons. Season one includes these episodes:

Disc One:
01. Ramon
02. The experience
03. Snow job
04. Graft
05. Courtesans
06. Stakeout
07. The Bureaucrat
08. Ms. Cop
09. The vigilante
Disc Two:
10. The guest
11. Escape artist
12. Hair
13. Hero

Trivia:

*The characters of Barney, Wojo, & Harris would be the only detectives to remain throughout the entire series as regular cast members. Fish left after 3 seasons, Chano after 2, and Yemana after 4 (Jack Soo passed away in January 1979). In season 3, Detrich (Steve Landesberg) & Levitt (Ron Carey) would join the cast as regulars until the series ended.

*Look for Linda Lavin (TV's Alice) in episode 8 debuting as Det. Janice Wentworth. She would make appearances in the second season as well.

*Before Barney Miller, Gregory Sierra (Chano) was popular for his role as Fred and Lamont's neighbor, Julio, who had a pet goat named Chico, on Sanford & Son. He made appearances on everything from All in the Family (where he had no accent) to Miami Vice. After Barney Miller, Sierra joined the cast of Soap.

*One of the main series writers, Reinhold Weege, previously wrote on M*A*S*H* and went on to create one of the funniest sitcoms ever, Night Court! (by the way, where's season one?!!)

Jack Soo (1916-1979)
James Gregory (Insp. Frank Luger) (1911-2002)
Florence Stanley (Bernice Fish) (1924-2003)

Also Highly recommended on DVD:
All in the family
Sanford & Son
The Jeffersons
Good Times
What's Happening
Three's Company

At last. Now where are the rest?
This is one of my all-time favourite shows, one that I've been waiting for years for Sony / Columbia Tri-star to release (along with Newsradio).

Compared to some of the later Barney Miller seasons this probably isn't worth the full 5 stars, but it certainly deserves 5 starts compared to the zillions of average TV shows around, past or present.

I agree with the earlier review that mentioned that the picture quality isn't top-notch, but then it is almost thirty years since the original broadcasts and the quality is good enough that I forgot to worry about it within the first five minutes of the first episode. It's as good as other 70s television DVDs.

I don't mind the lack of bonus extras - as long the episodes are there I'm happy, though I miss not having "The Life and Times of Captain Barney Miller" mentioned in the other review.

Can't wait for the other seasons to be released, and well done to Sony for not coming out with a stupid 'best of' (which we all know would've picked the 'wrong' episodes). Full season releases are the only way to go.

Waiting for seasons 2-8
The first season was great...now let's get the other seven seasons (as well as the pilot episode) out as soon as possible. I will buy all of them.

Poor picture quality on DISC 1
I was very excited to hear that the first season would be available on DVD on 2-discs.

Unfortunately, on the first DVD, the picture quality is very bad, like VHS in the "LP" mode (e.g., way too much compression). The second disc is acceptable, but it only has 4-episodes on it.

Rather than cram 9-episodes on one DVD, they should have placed only 4-episodes per DVD, or a maximum of 6-episdoes on Disc 1 and 7-episodes on Disc 2.

If you can rent it (e.g., NetFlix), I would.

more barney miller
great dvd,but get more out soon,this is a classic show, and we are starved for good entertainment, ... Read more

Reviews (270)

A true cinematic masterpiece
Anthony Minghella's adaption of the novel by Michael Ondaggte, is proof that directors nowadays can still produce beautiful epic romances. This has everything a great movie can ask for and it deserved every single Oscar it was nominated for (sadly no Best Actor win for Ralph Fiennes). It's a quite complicated, yet simple, story about an English archaeologist (Fiennes) and his recollections as his memory and life are leaving him over War World II under the care of an emotionally-challenged nurse (Juliette Binoche, who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for this subtle, yet superb thought provoking performance).He remembers the desert, his love for a married woman (Kristen Scott Thomas) and of course, his wrong doings while he was alive. The movie is made up of flashbacks or shots of beautiful cinematography set up against even more gorgeous music. The performances are all top-notch. Juliette Binoche and Willem Dafoe (as a thumbless thief) are the stand-outs. The only bicker I have about the film is Kristen Scott Thomas's character. She was supposed to be overwhelmingly sensual and deep and if you ignore the acting of Thomas and instead listen to her lines it will prove more effective, but she just seemed shallow and unsexy. She nearly destroyed many of the scenes with Fiennes, but thankfully he covered up her flawed character (that for the most part, was well-written- just the wrong actress.) I would have also liked to see more of the relationship between the nurse and her lover who undoes dangerous bombs. Anyway, the movie in itself is like a sunrise beautiful and slow and meaningful. A true cinematic achievement and hopefully a classic to be remembered... Anthony Minghella is definitely a promising director although I think this magnificent accompolishment will be hard to out do.

An Affair in the Desert
Well, so much for the days of "if you can't say anything nice....". I don't mind people disagreeing with me, (as one reviewer wisely said, "Your review reveals a lot about your tastes") but when one needs to lambaste a film that is, by all accounts, well produced, I simply must Re-act. Trying to compare this film (or any other film for that matter) to others is like trying to compare animal species. Some may look similar but they ARE vastly different.

This movie on its own should be commended for its lush cinematography, brilliant actors, sweeping muscial score and fine war-era costumes. Since this film was publicly unpopular, it of course won 9 Academy Awards, just like in years past. I believe the Academy got it Right.

To those who (or know how to) care, give this near 3 hour movie a try. True, the main love story is adulterous,(I enjoyed far more the story of Hana and Kip), but the entire cast, including the desert, kept me involved. Lastly, I have yet to read the novel, since being a former drama student, you learn that different mediums require different approaches, so to compare book and film, for me, is without merit. The English Patient, the movie, however, is worth while and worth seeing.

PASSION SWEPT UNDER BY THE CHANGING WINDS OF WAR
Based on Michael Ondaatje's sweeping WWII novel, "The English Patient" is the story of a young Allied nurse, Hana (Juliette Binoche) who finds herself alone in an abandoned Italian monastery and tending to a mysterious burn victim (Ralph Fiennes). Like David Lean's Dr. Zhivago, this mystical and epic film is told through a series of flash backs integrated with a subplot that is supposedly taking place in the present. During the flash backs we learn of the tragic circumstances that have led to the current state of the stranger. Fiennes is Count Laszlo, an archaeologist - and assumed Nazi sympathizer - who is in love with Katherine Clifton (Kristin Scott Thomas). She, unfortunately, is married to the long suffering, dispassionate, Geoffrey (Colin Firth). The two are off gallivanting through the dessert in search of artifacts when the passionate relationship between the Count and Kate ignites. The resulting, all consuming, lust that overtakes these lovers is intricately balanced and compared to Hana's burgeoning romance with an East Indian soldier who defuses bombs, Lt. Kip Singh (Naveen Andrews). Willem Dafoe is brilliantly cast as Caravaggio - a man whose association with the allies (in a flash back) was exposed to the Nazis, the result being that Caravaggio had his thumbs brutally amputated with a switch blade. Caravaggio is determined to brutalize the man he believe is responsible for exposing his secret, the man he suspects is the burn victim lying helpless and dying in the monastery. Winner of nine Academy Awards "The English Patient"