Reviews (97)

Five stars despite the fact that the DVD is Fullscreen only
I have no idea what corporate dolt made the decision not to release this film in a letterbox edition, but it utterly mars the DVD version of one of my favorite films from the last ten years. The reason I buy DVDs is because of the superior picture, but one of the reasons DVD is superior is the fact that you can see the full--i.e., letterboxed--picture. This DVD chops off each side of one of the most visually beautiful films made in recent cinema. This decision was just a dreadful mistake. This is a film I would purchase on DVD if only it were available in letterboxed format.

Still, I give BABE five stars because the film itself is just so delightful. I think most viewers focus on the story, and I am enough of a kid that I enjoyed it thoroughly. But other things seem to get overlooked. The human performances are just as charming as the animals, and if Magda Szubanski and James Cromwell (who received a well deserved Oscar nomination for his role as Farmer Hoggett) hadn't been so superb, the movie would have been nothing but a technical display. The art direction for this movie doesn't get the praise it deserves, probably because people perceive it to be a kid's film. But very, very few films look this good; the art directors created a unique, beautiful, and magical looking world.

Interestingly, the person who did the voice for Babe is Christine Cavanaugh, who does the voice of Chuckie on Rugrats. The voice for Babe in BABE: PIG IN THE CITY was done by Elizabeth Daily, who does the voice of Tommy Pickles on Rugrats. Keeping it in the family. The voice of Rex, the Sheepdog, was by Hugo Weaving, who played the main Agent in THE MATRIX and Elrond in THE LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING.

Great Movie For Those Who Don't Like Kids Movies
If you loathe children's movies, you'll like Babe. Its hard to explain how smart, funny & charming this movie is. Part of the charm is the fact that almost all of the characters have distinctive personalities. The humans act like normal humans and the animals have normal human emotions. Endlessly inventive and with a heart of gold. Tremendous fun for everyone.

GREAT movie - TERRIBLE DVD
This is by far one of my all time favorite movies. My wife always loved it, so has my 3-year old boy. So we went ahead and purchased this movie on DVD. However, how annoying is it when the DVD doesn't allow you to skip the previews of other insignificant movies before you actually get to see the feature film. This thing locks up your DVD player control completely (disables functions of menu / stop / fast forward) and forces you to sit through previews of five movies before ever getting to the Babe feature. It is simply the most offensive and intruding thing my family has ever experienced in DVD's and VHS.

I have a lot of words to describe those folks at Universal Studio, I will try to be gentle. Let's just put it this way - your limited creativity in marketing really must be the ultimate lowest of all.

One of the best ever
This is the movie which I have guided my young children too, so that we can both enjoy it on the 50th viewing.

It is visually terrific, the script and delivery have great little twists. The message of respect and communication is well delivered (and not saccharine).

I think Entetainment Weekly magazine was right when it included Babe as one of the timeless classics produced in the 1990's.

Fantastic Movie, Terrible DVD
What were the JERKS at Universal thinking? One of the great thing about DVDs in the ability to skip the previews at the beginning of most VHS tapes. The first thing this DVD does is disable all controls so it FORCES the viewer to watch ALL of the previews, including one for that horrible 'Cat in the Hat' flick. The only button that works is EJECT. That's right, you can't even select STOP! ... Read more

Description

Paul Scott's STAYING ON This delightful drama, based on the award-winning novel by Paul Scott (The Jewel in the Crown), reunites the magnificent Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson for the first time since their appearance in the classic 1947 romance, "Brief Encounter." Retired Indian Army colonel Tusker Smalley and his wife Lucy made the decision to stay on in India after the British withdrew in 1947. While most of their friends returned home, Tusker decided to continue in military service. Now retired, he and Lucy are the only remaining British residents in the once-busy hill station of Pankot. Residing peacefully in a bungalow annex of the run-down Smith's Hotel, aided only by their long-suffering servant Ibrahim, their peace is about to be disturbed by the hotel owner, Mrs. Bhoolabhoy, whose plans for the hotel - and their bungalow - will permanently change one corner of India that had remained forever England. Stunningly filmed at the hill station of Simla at the foot of the Himalayas, a once-popular retreat for the British in India, STAYING ON is a memorable dramatization of this acclaimed novel, which perfectly captures a place, a time, and two timeless performances from Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent Sequel to Jewel in the Crown.
This is an excellent rendering of Paul Scott's book Staying on, which is in itself a sequel to the Jewel in the Crown Quartet also writen by Paul Scott and also made into a TV Drama by Granada the same British compny that made the Jewel in the Crown sereis.
Staying on is a double success, it is an excellent rendering inhnto film of the book itself and in acting and dialogue it does not fall below the excellent TV series the Jewel in the Crown.
The story is set in post independent India, COL Tusker Smalley of the British Indian Army decides to stay on after India gains independence. He stays on as COL of his regiment.
Yes these things happened many British officers stayed on in the Indian Army and many British civil servants stayed on also. They were kept on by the Indian Government. The plot is set some 10 years after Independence when Smalley in his late sixties or early seventies is already pensioned off and living in a small cottage.
The film captures all the poignancy of the end of Empire and how it affected the British and Indians on an individual basis and above all it shows that despite claims to the contrary British Rule was not over resented by the Indians. They wanted Independence yes but the British were rather liked. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Judy Garland's last, and perhaps best, film
Yes, you read that title right. I think "I Could Go On Singing" is greatly underrated. I actually consider it better than the excellent "A Star Is Born," which frankly -- George Cukor, forgive me -- needed some of the cuts it got.

In the semi-autobiographical role of Jenny Bowman, Garland gives an amazingly vulnerable and vital performance. She's in great vocal and physical form for the musical numbers, and although she doesn't look her best (you'd swear she was 10 years older than her actual age), she's fully engaged dramatically as well. Her hospital scene with Dirk Bogarde, where she talks about the life of a performer, has so much subtle shifting between emotions that it takes one's breath away. That alone should have earned her an Academy Award for this performance.

But the film offers even more than that. It's extremely well directed by Ronald Neame. The musical numbers boast very creative camerawork that considerably heightens the excitement -- "It Never Was You" is a case in point. They are the closest we have to seeing Judy Garland "in concert" in a movie (it can be argued that her TV series did the same on the smaller screen).

And the supporting performances are very fine. Bogarde, always an excellent actor, holds his own against the force of nature that is Garland by playing ying to her yang. The other actors are equally good. The script, too, is solid, and it refuses to take the easy "happy ending" route at the end, to its credit.

Unfortunately, MGM has released this movie with minimal care. The image transfer should have been much better (the reds, in particular, are highly unstable). As another reviewer mentioned, the DVD should have been anamorphic (enhanced for widescreen television). This film also deserved a commentary track and other extras, and there are none here. But, that said, this bare-bones DVD is inexpensive, so don't hesitate to buy it. Perhaps if MGM sees a high demand for this title, it will release a Special Edition in the future -- not likely, I know, but we can always hope.

Judy went out with a Bang!
This is probably in my top five favorite Judy movies! She is and always will be the greatest entertainer who ever lived. This film shows that Judy was an amazing actress! In the early MGM days, she made some fabulous films, but they never gave her the chance to play a dramatic role she deserved. I think another reason Judy was so amazing in this film is that she practically lived the life of Jenny Bowman. I also love the plot, Judy is kind of an Auntie Mame charecter, anyone who's seen the film knows what I'm talking about. It's a great movie for anyone who likes Judy, drama, or just a damned good film! What's also interesting is that in the hospitol scene (which I'm sure most of you know) Judy helped write a great deal of the dialogue. I'm glad they finally gave us a dvd of this film. I've been waiting forever! I actually paid $80 for a vhs copy of it a few years ago! But of course I still bought the dvd lol, after all, IT'S JUDY!

Judys last is her best
Judy is without a doubt at her best in her last movie role. She plays the title role with such pazazz that you would think its her life shes playing. A big plus is all the songs she sings are from one of her concerts. A must have for any Judy fan!!!!!!!

CLASSIC GARLAND TOUR-DE-FORCE!!! BRAVO JUDY!!!
By the time Judy Garland filmed her final classic "I Could Go On Singing", she knew how to act and pull out all the stops better than anyone and was in superb voice giving many of the most powerful film vocal performances ever in this sadly overlooked brilliant motion picture that has for years been one of my favorites!!! Judy looked sophiscated and every inch the superstar that she was and had a great supporting cast who were all perfectly cast including an engaging performance from Jack Klugman as her fiesty manager. Musical numbers filmed before a live audience added so much excitement to Judy's magnificent performances and the electricity of Judy's preparation moments before her entrance before the audience are incredible to experience!! Garland was the most soulful performer around and this performance should have been nominated for an Academy Award just as Miss Garland should have won Best Actress for the classic "A Star Is Born" but that is a totally different story that is one of the legendary "Oscar Blew Stories"! I was in High School when this classic came out and played at the Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. and people wildly applauded after the musical numbers and I have only witnessed this in the musical films of Judy, Barbra, and Liza!! The power of Judy's performances of the riviting "By Myself" which is a powerful vocal masterpiece and the stunning "Hello Bluebird" are among the all time top performances ever in motion picture history. The quite and haunting "It Never Was You" which has Judy just with a piano is a masterful live take that is Judy at her sublime best and again incredibly riviting on the great title song "I Could Go On Singing" and you just wish she would have! Dramatic scenes are intense and try not to be incredibly moved when you watch the brilliant interplay between Judy and Dirk during the amazing hospital scene!! Throughout Judy is at a dramatic peak playing out each scene with her "Son" and his "Dad" with remarkable depth and sensitivity. Thankfully this movie has been preserved first with its VHS release and now on DVD for anyone wanting to enjoy the best entertainer of the century giving one of the greatest performances of her incredible lifetime!! Bravo Judy!!! I am happy that this classic Legend happened in my lifetime...Enjoy!!!!!!

Garland Shines In Simple Story
Where does Jenny Bowman end and Judy Garland begin? That is the question one asks when viewing her last completed film, "I Could Go On Singing." It is a modest little film with a weak story about a singing mega-star who tries to reconnect with her child some fourteen years after giving him up to his English father.
Dirk Bogarde gives a solid and thankless performance as Jenny's lost love and father of her son. He seems to be present only to give Miss Garland something to rail against. Gregory Phillips plays the young son with charm and genuine gentleness. Jack Klugmann is the irascible manager to Jenny during her tour. The ever wise and understanding Aline MacMahon presents the ever wise and understanding Ida, assistant and soggy shoulder to Jenny.
What holds this film together is the incomparable talent and presence of Judy Garland. She gives it her all and shows us something of what the mythmakers might call "a glimpse of the really Judy Garland" in several scenes. In particular the scene in the hospital room with Dirk Bogarde seems to slide from fiction to a revelation by Miss Garland of what it cost her each time she walks out on a stage to sing. There is no doubt that we get to see Miss Garland at the peak of her performing style both as an actress and a singer. For this reason she raises the film to the level of beyond what could be expected of a lesser talent. The concert segments of the film are particular highlight and have a wonderful documentary feel to them. We are given a view of her transformation just before going on stage at which point Miss Garland sings at the top of her form and is both stunningly powerful and touchingly vulnerable. The highlights are "So Long Bluebird" and "By My Self".
The DVD is picture is fine despite a few odd lights that pop up from time to time. The monophonic sound is clear and clean giving a wonderful fullness to the songs. And the DVD can be viewed in either widescreen or full screen.
This film is well worth adding to your library and is a fitting end to Judy Garland's fine film career. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

an okay vampire flick
Vampire Journals is a take-off of the Subspecies series from Full Moon, but it stands on it's own as it only makes one brief reference to that aforementioned series. As a horror film, I would say the movie is sub-par. It's never really scary; it's more of a gothic Dark Shadows-esque drama featuring vampires and the sad life they lead. Some of the dialogue is hilariously bad, but the story is fairly well written and paced and the acting is well above average for a Full Moon flick of this caliber. Lots of blood, lots of nudity, and moderate gore should please splatter enthusiasts, however mainstream horror fans should stay away. But if you are a fan of Full Moon, I can't help but recommend this film.

definately worth your while
a definate gothic sound track with portray an erie atmosphere in which the movie will play around...Although the acting isn't the best and the movie at times is a little choppy it is worth your time to sit and watch. Maybe even to buy so you could enjoy it more than once.

Subspecies 3 1/2
This can be considered Subspecies 3.5 as it takes place between Subspecies 3 & 4, and some characters from Vampire Journals even turn up on Subspecies 4. Though not near as good as the Subspecies series, this is still worth a look. Great atmosphere and lighting. What this film suffers from is sub-par acting. Sure everyone looks good in the film, but the acting hinders it. This film is still a must for Subspecies fans and worth a look for Ann Rice fans, because the subject material is closely related to Interview With the Vampire, only with a much lower budget.

Vampire Journals
I think this movie was very romantic yet dramatic. I just wish that it was longer and told more of what became of the lady and her vampire friend. Great movie!!!

great vampire pic
I really enjoyed this one. I saw it on the sci-fi channel a year ago and then I found in at a local store which sells movies and I bought it. I liked the setting and the way its all played out. you got a master who takes a woman who plays piano this one vampire(good vampire, I think his names Zack) likes and then Zack comes and kills them all. the end where the master comes out in a hall where Zack chases him with a sweet sword and then flings him off the top into sunlight below is the highlight. highly recommended if your a vampire movie fan ... Read more

Amazon.com

Perhaps the most striking feature of this strikingly different film is the moral ambiguity of all its characters. While contemporary cinema seems mired in simple distinctions between good and evil, Georgy Girl presents an odd assortment of losers and users who live in a world without an absolute ethical center. Lynn Redgrave stars as the homely girl who takes on the role of mother to her beautiful roommate's unwanted baby. With her father's employer trying to take her on as a mistress and her roommate's husband taking her on as an easy lover, Redgrave's Georgy navigates the narrows between prostitution and purity as she tries to hang on to the baby she has grown to love. Worth viewing for the seamless performances and the complex understanding of ethical interaction. --James DiGiovanna ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Self-Esteem Wanted
If the British DVD is any indication, SONY Columbia will be releasing this film on DVD in the same bare format they accorded to BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING and many other quality films deserving of better treatment.If only they had managed to find even one "deleted scene" featuring Charlotte Rampling, whose disappearance from the movie far too early is the biggest disappointment of them all.(After she leaves, a bit of the film's energy goes with her; the audience feels deflated, like a paper bag.)GEORGY GIRL was a huge hit for Columbia in 1966, one of the biggest of the year, and it still holds up today.Lynn Redgrave was nominated for an Oscar, and the press made much of a possible rivalry with her far more glamorous sister Vanessa, who was also nominated the same year.Neither sister won, for the prize was taken from them by Elizabeth Taylor's stylish harridan in WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?Rachel Kempson, mother to Lynn and Vanessa, has a nice character part in GEORGY GIRL as well, in a role which makes her a sort of romantic rival to Lynn's character-a little kinky.

Lynn plays Georgy Parkin, a dumpy instructor whose parents are very old-school servants to a wealthy gentleman played by James Mason.Georgy lives on her own with a gorgeous roommate called Meredith-the part played by Charlotte Rampling without vanity, without pretense, Rampling unafraid of seeming unsympathetic in a way that would be unthinkable to most US actresses of her generation.She's so awful you start to like her.And she's the wife's worst nightmare, and then she gets pregnant with Alan Bates' baby and the picture really launches into gear.Unusually for a 1960s movie, GEORGY GIRL is really a "woman's picture" which in the old days which have paired Miriam Hopkins against Bette Davis, and the plot, such as it is, is all about how will Georgy attain a shred of self-esteem if she's always comparing herself to supermodel-thin Meredith?

On top of everything else, the film also forecasts BRIDGET JONES by having two men fall in love with Georgy, but I can't say which ones, that would be telling.The Seekers, Australia's biggest pop group of the period, sings the title song as a commentary on the action, Judith Durham's angelic voice the aural embodiment of Georgy's questing soul.

DVD Release
Finally, it's what we've all been waiting for - the DVD of Georgy Girl is being released at the beginning of May.However, I don't know what the extras are - after this long wait, I hope the extras are worth it!

Why isn;'t GEORGY GIRL on DVD???
Georgy is a young adult with noone to love her (so it seems at first) except her parents' rich employer, who chases her in private.

The plot itself doesn't convey how fun (and sometimes wacky) this film is to watch.I remember the GEORGY GIRL song as a big hit back in 1966. But I didn't see the film till grown...

Couldn't have seen "GEORGY" then...Mom wouldn't have let me. GEORGY a little edgy for the times (the mod London mid 196's)...but I would let my daughter see it now...& we would wade thru Georgy's choices together
...(& learn & have fun at the same time).

Without giving it all away, James Mason is fun and weird; scary and even kind...all at the same time--- as he pursues Georgy. Watch his wardrobe versus the other leading man's (Alan Bates)wardrobe.Savile Row versus...Fruit of the Loom. Shocking then...Funny now.And Alan is as casual in pursuing Georgy as when in his "fruit of the looms"...

Georgy dives into love and makes her mistakes, but one of her choices is --- outstanding. And life defining.(I imagine her making similar choices &becoming later---when she gets power---a great lady of London.)

You go girl!!! (Again, I'm not telling you more.)

She's the cousin, older sister, friend that most girls want... So she belies the "ugly duckling" film inage. And actually, despite the film's not quite happy ever after ending.....in the car...
(Watch her face. She conveys without words "WHAT HAVE I JUST DONE!!???!)I always imagine "Georgy" rising above that too & actually findingan unlikely but loving "prince charming".
THIS FILM NEEDS TO BE ON DVD...NOT EXPENSIVE OLD VHS ($40 ++)

One of the Best!
This is easily one of the best and most endearing films to come out of the 60s.Everything seems to work in it; wonderful story, great performances, it just gels.It made me both laugh and cry.No matter how many times I see it, I still cry at the end when Georgy and her new husband are riding off with the baby.Highly recommended!

Charming, offbeat, and unusual.
This movie was better than I remembered it (saw it as a child).James Mason is a delight, the scripting reasonably well handled with a few minor obscurities, and the actress who played Meredith delightfully convincing in the role.Lynn Redgrave was winning and funny; yet handled the dramatic moments with exquisite vulnerability appropriate to the moment. Very enjoyable. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

COOL SHORTS
FULL FRAME DOCUMENTARY SHORTS is a terrific collection of seven documentary films. My favorites include the weirdly haunting Mojave Mirage, about that Mojave telephone booth in the middle of nowhere that became a cult destination (its number rang constantly from callers worldwide) and The Sunshine, an intimate and non-judgemental look at the eccentric, colorful and resiliant residents of one of the Bowery's last flop houses. Laughing Club of India is about people who religiously gather in groups to laugh themselves silly. Weird and wonderful stuff here. ... Read more

Description

"An exciting, absorbing drama" (The Hollywood Reporter) that "never lets up in action" (The Film Daily), Duel at Diablo stars James Garner, Sidney Poitier, Bill Travers, Bibi Andersson and Dennis Weaver in a tale that "will grip you" (The New York Times) from beginning to end! Frontier scout Jess Remsberg (Garner) bravely leads a wagon train through hostile territory to Fort Conchos. But underneath his valor, he has an ulterior motive: to settle a score with a man whom he believes killed his wife. When he arrives at the fort, Jess not only learns the shocking truth about the killer, but also that the wagon train has come under Apache attack... leaving Jess their only hope for survival. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A good western film with a few flaws
I love a good western, and Duel at Diablo certainly contained enough elements of the classic western movie to keep me interested throughout it's 103 minute running time, but some flaws seemed a bit obvious.

The movie centers on a plot to deliver a cache of ammunition from one fort to another through a harsh and foreboding desert land. The troops are green and inexperienced, and the desert terrain is the least of their worries as a local Apache tribe has decided to mount a last stand against the injustices heaped upon them and attack the convey and steal the munitions in an effort to free themselves and their spirits from the poor treatment and paltry reservation land given to them by the uncaring government.

James Garner plays Jess Remsburg, an experienced scout who has a personal interest in following the convey to their destination as he believes the murderer of his Native American wife is there. Sidney Poitier is also along for the ride, as Toller, an ex-army man turned horse dealer that supplies the cavalry with raw mustangs. Turns out he won't get paid for his recent delivery of horses as they are not saddle broken and he must ride with the convey and tame the horses along the way. The other recognizable actor is Dennis Weaver, who plays Willard Grange, a merchant who must get a load of supplies to the fort, and wheedles his way to tag along with the cavalry, despite protests from the lieutenant in charge, as the lieutenant thinks speed will be of the utmost importance, with the Apache tribe on the warpath and the lack of experience in his troops. Also, there is yet another interesting subplot involving Grange and his wife, Ellen, played by Bibi Andersson. Seems at some point prior to the events in the movie, she was kidnapped by the Apaches and escaped only to return to a disappointed husband and unfriendly townspeople as she has now been 'spoiled' with her extended contact with the Apache tribe. She has a special interest in returning to the tribe, which is revealed later in the movie.

The director does a wonderful job maintaining continuity between the various plot threads, and conveying the sense of danger between the harsh environments and the disgruntled Native Americans on the Warpath. The fighting is done with a sense of realism and seems quite brutal at times, but never really goes over the top and there is very little glorification of the old west, as seen in many other westerns. The various subplots do provide a nice sense of depth for the main characters, helping the audience develop a feeling of familiarity towards the characters, even the Native Americans. I never got a sense that the movie was portraying the Native Americans as bad guys, and the cavalry as good guys, but just people doing what they had to do based on either orders from superior officers, in the case of the cavalry, or the need for survival and a tired sense of being pushed around a regulated to less than hospitable lands by an uncaring government, in the case of the Native Americans.

The flaws of the movie, in my opinion, are few, but somewhat noticeable. The biggest one was the music. The western score was tinged with a sort of bouncy beat that detracted seriously from what was being shown on the screen. It would, almost in a humorous fashion, counteract the urgency and danger in specific scenes. Another issue I had, a subtler one, was the character Toller, played by Sidney Portier. He's an excellent actor, and I have no problems with his performance, but since this movie was probably set in the early to mid 19th century, I found it really odd how accepting all the Caucasian characters were of having an African American so closely in the midst as I believe the was a lot more racial intolerance at this time than the movie would have you believe. Sure, there was some towards the Native Americans in the movie, but no one seemed to notice Toller was an African American, and the cavalry troops certainly didn't seem to mind taking orders from him after their lieutenant was injured. On the flipside, it was refreshing to think that things could have been this way back then, but realistically, I doubt it. The total absence of any racial tensions between Toller and the Caucasian characters seemed to really stand out.

All in all good, solid western movie, with some pretty violent scenes that portrays both sides of the conflict in a seemingly real sense, allowing for empathy to develop for both sides, showing us the world is not black and white, figuratively speaking. The picture is in wide screen format, and is crisp and clear showing many beautiful desert landscapes between all the killing. The audio was quite good, also, sounding clear und unmuddled. There are subtitles available, but I didn't need to use them as I could hear all the dialog clearly. Throw in a trailer and that's it for the special features, but, as always, I'd prefer an excellent print and good audio to gobs of useless features I'll probably never watch.

Exciting western
Duel at Diablo is an excellent western that deals with more than just the battles between the cavalry and Indians, but also the tensions among the groups. The movie follows a supply train through the desert as they are harassed by an Apache chief, Chata, and his band of renegades. Trapped in the desert without any water, the supply train must fight their way out. There is plenty of good action here as well as very good characters. The movie deals with racism throughout since one of the main characters was kidnapped by Apaches and forced to live with them. When she escapes from the village, the people at Fort Creel look down upon her with disgust.

James Garner stars as Jess Remsberg, the army scout who is also trying to track down the killer of his Indian wife. His role is very good and also different from what his fans might be expecting of him. Sidney Poitier plays Toller, the ex-sergeant who now accompanies the wagon train to break in their new horses for him. I hadn't seen Poitier in a western, but he is very good in this role alongside Garner. Dennis Weaver and Bibi Anderson star as the Granges. Anderson's character was abducted by Apaches and escapes but now wants to go back and live among them. Weaver's Will Grange is a rascist and very dislikable. Bill Travers plays Lt. Scotty McCallister, the leader of the wagon train who is desperately trying to get a promotion. The DVD offers widescreen presentation that looks very good and also a theatrical trailer. This is not your typical western but it is still very enjoyable. Check it out if you haven't seen it before!

Good action western with beautiful Utah scenery
"Duel at Diablo" is another cavalry-Indian affair that has the Apaches rising one last time, going on the warpath to settle old grievances and mistreatment on the reservation at the hands of corrupt agents and military police. The deserts and multicolored canyons and mountains of Utah provide a beautiful panorama for the hostilities between a column of troopers and Apaches that result in several bloody skirmishes in which the pony soldiers must battle thirst as well as their fierce adversaries. There are similarities between this film and "Ulzana's Raid" that was released several years later, with the Apaches fighting desperately for a return to the glory days of the warpath who are trailed by army scouts who know Indians and lead cavalry troopers into the field against them. Both films are quite violent but this film has a romantic angle between Indian scout Jess Remsberg who seeks revenge on the man who murdered his Comanche wife and Ellen Grange, the spurned wife of a freighter who has borne an Apache son. The film's music score has a bouncy, carefree quality that doesn't really work because it lacks the traditional heroism and tension of strings, woodwinds and tom-tom beats that give cavalry-Indian films much of their unique sense of drama, character and urgency that is part of the fiber of this kind of film.

Guns Across the Badlands? Arrows of Vengeance?
Films like this one are what gives the whole western movie genre such a contemptable reputation. For every SHANE, THE SEARCHERS, DUEL IN THE SUN, MCCABE AND MRS MILLER, UNFORGIVEN, or one of Sergio Leone's innovative and classic spaghetti westerns, there are 50 dozen of these dime-a-dozen stinkers with their cliché-ridden scripts, staging and acting. They present a steady stream of bar scenes, knock'em-sock'em brawls, charging and re-charging cavalry, charging and re-charging Indians, incessant bugle-tooting, with nameless faceless Indians and cavalry falling from their horses (to remount out of camera range for multiple passes, for maybe a hundred bucks a pass; ever wonder why the attacking forces never seem to diminish?) This cookie-cutter flick would have been better served with a cast of unknowns, the second-rate portrayals quite possibly being improved.

In one of several heartwarming sub-plots, the Garner character (protagonist) seeks to avenge his Indian wife's premature (off-camera: we never meet her) scalping. By a typically preposterous coincidence, this dastardly scalper just happens to be right under the protagonist's nose all along, thereby conveniently saving lots of time getting the Fort Concho cavalry to the rescue, since the protagonist doesn't have to spend precious minutes (or hours? who cares?) before the troops can ride out. Consistent with this sub-plot's pertinence, perhaps the script writers and actors drew straws to determine who the guilty character would be?

At one point, Neal Hefti's unavoidably ever-present and at times (unintended) toe-tapping musical score swelled to suggest the entire encampment of Indian women and children were about to break out into a fully choreographed cha-cha sequence. This reviewer had to check the credits to verify that Mel Brooks or Rudy DeLuca (or Gene Wilder lurking somewhere about) were not implicated.

Charles Wheeler's Utah landscape photography is gorgeous. The DVD picture and sound are probably as good as the originally source allowed and more than adequate for this cardboard cutout.

tough, gritty and action packed
When this film originally came out in 1966 it held the distinction of being the most violent western made to date. Viewed today, it still packs a fair wallop - which is hardly surprising considering that director Ralph Nelson went on to make the ultra-bloody Soldier Blue a few years later. The movie closely follows Marvin H Albert's novel (he's had a few of his western novels adapted for the screen, including The Law and Jake Wade) in its story of a cavalry patrol that inadvertently ends up in a life and death struggle with an Apache war party that has skipped the reservation. The action sequences are among the most exciting on film, particularly the initial ambush and the race to reach Diablo Canyon (the only source of water for miles). James Gardner is suitably tough as the army scout and Dennis Weaver comes across well as the rascist trader with a nasty secret. Neal Hefti's pulsating music score adds to the tension. I'd put this up there among the top ten westerns, because it succeeds in doing what it sets out to do - to give you a roller coaster of a ride while being relatively intelligent to boot. Shame about the 1.77.1 screen ration tho. Was this really the original theatrical screen ratio? ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Bravo, Valentino!
The quality of this film (or at least the version I purchased) did not seem to be to the standards of other Valentino films (picture seemed grainy and the speed seemed much faster), but I still rate it among one of the best. Like one review wrote, it does lack the style of the later Tyrone Power remake; however, Power comes nowhere close to Valentino's brooding, sensual portrayal of Juan Gallardo, and Nita Naldi was much more convincing as the witchy Dona Sol than Rita Hayworth, and plays the range of emotions (from begging Gallardo to love her to coldly reacting to his death)extremely well. This 1922 version captures the spirit of the bullfight remarkably well in spite of the limitations of silent film-making, and seemed incredibly authentic.

Now - about Valentino. I was puzzled at the over-emphasized eyebrows and wish the make-up artists had not found it necessary to use the effect, as Valentino would have projected a Spanish image easily with his natural dramatic looks alone. But, either way, he is intensely sexy, powerful, brooding, smoldering and hypnotic as usual. I enjoyed his portrayal of the youth Juan, especially his tenderness toward his mother. His transition from youth to adult matador was natural and believable. The scene in which Dona Sol begs him to love her and proclaims that she longs for him to "beat" her with his "strong" hands was highly erotic and was packed with a sexual tension that can't be matched by anyone other than Valentino and his leading ladies. I may be biased, because I am crazy about any vehicle which showcases Rudolph Valentino; however, this film carries its own and I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. Once again, Valentino has captured my heart, and I recommend this film to all lovers of romance.

What I think....
I think this is the best film Valentino ever did! His acting in the romantic scenes lacks the over the top feel that the loves scenes in "The Sheik" have. He brings a sincere, believeable quality to the character. Also, something that the reviews here seem to miss is the comedic moments in the film. In the scene when the black Moor servant offers to light Valentino's cigarette... the look on his face is priceless! Having the video of this film as well I noticed several scenes on the DVD edition that were missing from the VHS edition.
The DVD edition also includes a wonderfully funny piece of Will Rogers' "Blood And Sand" spoof.

CREEPY VAL BROODS AGAIN
Rudolph Valentino blazed on the silent screen with a weird, smoldering sensuality that seems kind of laughable when seen in stills or clips.

Not so in "BLOOD AND SAND," his most celebrated role. Rarely seen today, this classic silent in a new digital transfer from a 35mm archive negative does justice to the enigmatic Valentino's portrayal of Juan Gallardo, a young Spaniard who achieves his boyhood dream of becoming a famous matador only to fall under the malefic charms of mysterious Dona Sol (Nita Naldi).

The compilation, exotic stereo music score is performed by the acclaimed Mont Alto Motion Picture orchestra. The disc comes with a wealth of supplemental features including a filmed introduction by Orson Welles, a great parody starring Will Rogers, footage from Valentino's funeral and more. Brooding and hypnotic and funky. No one smolders like Valentino. Was he gay or just pleasant?

One of Valentino's best!
I recently bought this movie and loved it. I disagree with Maltin's comments - the seduction scenes are a lot of fun and really make the movie, whereas the bullfighting sequences are less impressive - though Valentino does look great in his matador's costume! What really struck me was the sensitivity in Valentino's performance and the overt sensual quality he possesses that just lights up the screen. Nita Naldi plays her role as the 'the vamp' very well and her scenes with Valentino are great (they played together again in 'Cobra'). Of course, the movie is wildly dated - it's 80 years old! But it holds up well as a piece of entertainment, and fans of silent movies should enjoy it. And if you're a fan of Valentino then you're going to love him in this - he looks stunning and gives one of his finest performances, and according to what I've read it was one of his personal favourite parts to play.

Bravo!
Another of Rudolph Valentino's cinematic triumphs. He stars as a bullfighter who is torn between two women. It's a very good film and the bullfighting scenes are very interesting to watch. Great performances by Valentino, Lila Lee and Nita Naldi make this a good film. ... Read more

Description

Music-based romantic drama about the late singer/songwriter Frankie Lymon, who was responsible for many hit records but whose self-destructive life ended early, with many relationships left unresolved. three women, each claiming to be his wife, each with ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Entertaining delight!
The filmmakers know you've heard this tale before - true life chronicle of a young singing star's rise and tragic fall - and so they wisely downplay the standard bio trappings and instead focus on a raucously entertaining ride through Frankie Lymon's woman troubles. The smart screenplay revolves around the court battle of Lymon's three wives (yes, three!) over song royalties, leading to vivid (and often humorously contradictory) flashbacks of their lives with the singer. Larenz Tate is magnetic playing the many different sides of the ever-changing lead character, but the film ultimately belongs to Halle Berry, Vivica A. Fox and Lela Rochon as the wives. Each is allowed to shine as the trio portrays 30 years of changes in the women's lives, with Fox drop-dead hilarious as the most outrageous of the three. There's beautifully detailed '60s-era cinematography, sets, costuming and musical numbers, plus a side-splitting turn by Miguel Nunez as a young Little Richard. Major issues (such as '60s race relations) are barely glanced at, but what this film lacks in depth, it makes up for ten-fold in entertainment value. A winner!

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I may be in the minority, because...
I really didn't care for this movie very much. It told you virtually nothing about young Frankie Lymon's career with the Teenagers, and the focus was on his three wives fighting over whom was most entitled to the small fortune he left behind when he died at age 26 of a heroin overdose in 1968. Instead of a true biography of this young man's tragic story, we got this.

"Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" never really gives you the reason why Lymon (played by the talented actor Larenz Tate) was so very important in the history of R&B/rock and roll. Ignoring the fact that he was the first teenaged idol of rock and roll (like the little Michael Jackson of his era) and was an influence on other groups that would come after his, in this film Frankie was overwhelmingly portrayed as nothing more than some '50s rock music has-been who was a bigamist and a drug addict. On top of that, the three actresses who played his wives (Halle Berry, Lela Rochon, Vivica A. Fox) got more screen time than Larenz Tate did, and was billed over him. Excuse me, but wasn't this film supposed to be Frankie's story? I was not interested in seeing a movie about his wives.

Tate did his best, and I had no problem with the rest of the cast...but the script was just not worthy of his talents. I gave it three stars for the musical performances, but I feel the definitive movie about Frankie's life has yet to be made.

Love is Blind and So Are the Women!
The title fits the movie's subject because these women were foolish to falll in love with him. Despite his early career in music and rise to fame, he was on a path to destruction, which he could have controlled. Frankie Lymon, lead singer for the group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, had the voice that made girls across America scream. But watching the movie, he was also selfish because he used his own members, who were also his friends to pursue a solo career; which was never achieved. He married Zora Taylor, a member of The Platters, Elizabeth Waters, and Emira Eagle; none of whom he divorced.
The movie got me to wonder if any of these women could see below the surface of this man. Why did they allow him to descend into drugs and self-loathing? If one really loves someone, they would either help them through or send them packing. It was obvious that he had them on a string. All three of them had to go to court to prove they were legally married to him and collect money from his estate. Unfortunately, the music industry wasn't as legally together as it is now. Therefore, any claim to what he sang is out of their reach.
Lymon's music still lives on as a reminder of the "good old days" when music wasn't sexually explicit and musicians could actually sing.

Frankie Lymon for Beginners
I never knew much about Frankie Lymon until I watched this movie. He was one of my father's favorites. This movie, while it did not cover everything and sometimes it was historically inaccurate, it gave a good review of Frankie's rise and fall as a doo-wop star. The acting by Halle Berry, Lorenz Tate, Vivica Fox, and Leah Rochon was superb!

Fools in Love-Great Acting
Didn't know much about Frankie, except that he was a bigamist. The acting is great! It is worth having in your library. ... Read more

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The greatness of John Garfield was that he was a tough guy who wasn't afraid to wear his sensitivity on his sleeve. What makes this such a great film is that director Jean Negulesco and his two writers (including Clifford Oddets) construct a complex web of ambiguity around Garfield's own torment. He's a violin virtuoso from the slums of New York who rises to the top with the assistance of socialite Joan Crawford (who was never better). There's a sexual intensity to his art that she wants to possess, and there's a vulnerability behind her lacerating façade that he wants to expose. They play each other like a couple of virtuosos, stripping each other's spirit away. What helps transcend this depression-era class struggle is its cool sophistication. It's a sublime noir about loneliness. Everyone knows his dream has hit a dead end, except Garfield. He refuses to give up, even after his soul is long gone. --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Warning for those on the wagon ... Smoking & Drinking
This is a wonderful film but I wanted to warn viewers who are not supposed to be drinking alcohol or smoking:Joan Crawford is smoking and drinking in each and every scene!She never puts her glass down and always has smoke coming out of her.I have been on the wagon for smoking for 16 months now and I would not watch it.It's not fair for someone else to be smoking when I can't.Just a simple warning and I do not mean to denigrate the movie.I think Joan looks her best in this film, she is ultra glamourous and is dressed to kill in every scene.John Garfield did his finest work and his role is very believable.The violin music is great, too.5 stars but be warned, it makes one want a glass of bourbon and a Chesterfield filter tip in every scene.

Sublime Masterpiece of Film!
"Humoresque" is one of cinema's sublime masterpieces.It is the apex of what any art form can be.It has a rich, complex script; superb performances; gorgeous black and white photography; impeccable, beautifully drawn characters; believable emotion; glamour; and music -- music throughout that is close to heaven.The violin solos are played by Isaac Stern.Gritty Paul Borae (John Garfield - never better or sexier) overcomes his humble background in the slums of New York City (largely Eastern European then) to become a concert violinist, generously aided by his mercurial patron/love interest Mrs. Helen Wright (Joan Crawford).Every character is perfect, the script amazing, the dynamics between Garfield and Crawford complex and intense.And if you've never been a Crawford fan, this is the film that will leave no doubts as to why she was the star in MGM's galaxy for so many years.She is breathtakingly beautiful here and her performance is real and unaffected; it is in films like this at her peak that one sees why Crawford was Crawford.There are numerous dazzling close-ups where a range of emotion and story are conveyed on the faces without a single word.The exquisite ending reaches a crescendo as in the music.Unforgettable.Cinema at its most masterful.

Great On Many Levels
I've seen this movie at least a dozen times over the years and never tire of it. So rivetting is Garfield and Crawford's performances that even without the great music it would have still been a great tragic love story (and I'm not one who cares for this genre). The volatility between the two lovers is what makes this movie so great; perhaps because they're complete opposites, or perhaps because the relationship is illicit. No matter, the chemistry between Garfield and Crawford is difficult to deny.

Another point. As a violinist myself Garfield does the most believable job of ANY actor I've seen in ANY movie, and I've seen almost all, that actually appears to be playing, it's almost unbelievable.

Finally, Oscar Levant, who was a great pianist in his own right, especially as an interpreter of Gershwin, does a splendid job as the comic counterbalance to Garfield's brooding intensity, and thought he actually stole some of the scenes with his sarcastic wit.

This movie has it all: great music, great story, great acting. Truly one of my favorites from that era.

Smooth as a Stern Cadenza
An apex of studio movie-making. 40's soap opera simply doesn't come any slicker than this. The black and white photography is rich, glossy, and superb, the luminescent glow behind Crawford's close-ups almost transforming this middle-aged warhorse into a fallen madonna. The screenplay anticipates Garfield's role in "Body and Soul" as he claws his way up from poverty using a bowstring instead of fists. For a tough guy, we still believe in his poetic soul and no one from that era was better at combining the two. Then too, no film has communicated an on-screen classical score more effectively than this, as Crawford is alternately beguiled, seduced, and overwhelmed by pulsating strains from the great composers. And, of course, there's that all-time smashing finale so lushly romantic, I'm still picking seaweed from my hair. I'm glad the screenplay gives an obscure contract player like Ruth Nelson a chance to show her thespic talents. Her face-off with Crawford over the direction of Garfield's affections is an epic one, though she's probably a shade too aristocratic for the long-suffering motherly role. Moreover, there are the many memorable throw-away lines, one could expect from a stellar cast that includes Hollywood's master cynic, the mordant Oscar Levant. In fact, his self-effacing personality and casual witticisms are so distractively entertaining, they threaten to undo the entire melodrama. For fans of Levant, it's a showcase, and I wouldn't be surprised if many of those sarcasms were his own. (If only the writers could have dispensed with that dreary stereotype of the wholesome-girl-in-waiting, this time the fresh-faced Peggy Knudsen.) With this film, director Negulesco proves he could spread the soap suds as smoothly as a Douglas Sirk or a John M. Stahl. Without a doubt, this is the Hollywood dream-factory hitting on all eight cylinders in ways that just don't happen anymore.

Nothing Good Can Come Of This Relationship
In HUMORESQUE we see a dedicated young musician (John Garfield) meet a wealthy possessive woman (Joan Crawford) who takes an obsessive interest in him and his career as a violinist. We know that nothing good can come of this relationship and we are surely looking at a tragedy in the making. In spite of all the warning signs we feel compelled to watch this movie to the end.

The acting of both Garfield and Crawford is superb. The role of Helen Wright seems to be the perfect vehicle for Crawford. Oscar Levant excells as a pianist and Garfield's friend. The rest of the strong supporting cast includes J. Carrol Naish, Joan Chandler and Tom D'Andrea. Garfield's violin is played by Isaac Stern.

HUMORESQUE received an Oscar nomination in 1946 for Best Scoring of a Dramatic Picture. Jean Negulosco directed many other fine movies during his career including JOHNNY BELINDA, ROAD HOUSE and THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Thanks to ultracrisp Technirama photography of great mountainside and river gorge locations in Colorado, Night Passage is often terrific to look at; you can almost feel the autumn sun and brisk air.This should have been another classic Western pairing James Stewart with director Anthony Mann.But after choosing the locations, cast, and crew, and directing the precredit sequence, Mann abruptly resigned.He found Borden Chase's screenplay an "incoherent" rehash of relationships and setups from their previous films, nor was he encouraged by Stewart's determination to play the accordion and sing.Stewart's an ex-railroad cop who became a pariah by letting a prisoner--Audie Murphy's "The Utica Kid"--escape.The two cross paths again in a ghost town where Dan Duryea, doing a zany version of his loony outlaw from Winchester '73, has holed up with his gang.Replacement director James Neilson, a newcomer destined for bland Disney servitude, fosters a lot of flatfooted standing-around.--Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (11)

SUPERB STEWART WESTERN
Night Passage is a classic western from an era when James Stewart stars as an accordion toting cowboy out to regain his good name and his younger brother, a kid gone bad portrayed by Audie Murphy. Stewart is out to deliver the railroad's payroll, redeem his brother, save the kid (Brandon DeWilde of Shane fame), and, though not his major motive, get the girl. He scores on every count.

Though predictable in its story, Night Passage is absolutely watchable and enjoyable. James Stewart is irresistible in a role not unlike others he had in Winchester '73, The Man from Laramie and Destry Rides Again. Audie Murphy is wonderful as the man in black who can't resist Stewart's renditions on the accordion of their father's favorite folk songs. Add the panoramic beauty of the west and you have a winner.

Douglas McAllister

Very good but unjustly-overlooked western.
Jimmy Stewart served in World War II in the dangerous role of a bomber pilot, and the experience clearly toughened the image he portrayed in the series of westerns he made after the war. Night Passage is a very good western and the role Stewart portrays is far tougher than the amiable character he played in the pre-war comedic western Destry Rides Again. Another thing I like about Night Passage is that it features a fine performance, as Stewart's outlaw brother, by Audy Murphie -- WW II's most decorated soldier, and a much better actor than the B movies he most often appeared in gave him a chance to show. Still another interesting aspect of Night Passage is a significant role for Brandon de Wilde -- a fine young actor who, regrettably, is all but forgotten except for his role as the boy Joey in Shane. Then there's Dan Duryea in an over-the-top performance as the ruthless leader of a band of train robbers. For some reason Night Passage has never achieved the recognition it's script, cast, and performances deserve. I hope its release on DVD will help cure this oversight. If you like westerns, please give Night Passage a try.

One of the hidden westerns gems!
Cain and Abel once more work out for this western. Stewart works for the railroad and his brother belongs to a gang which is planning to rob train payroll.
This story turns around the ancestral myth of two brothers who live exactly opposite proposals.
Stewart made a credible role and Audie Murpphy is unforgettable too with this plot.
Believe or not this western - to me - has been underestimated, but it well deserves for you a sight. May be you 'll be surprised.
The climax is superb and towering.

NOT THE USUAL BACON AND BEANS WESTERN FARE
When it comes to westerns we like to think of stars like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and Tom Selleck (of late). But Jimmy Stewart is a name that should absolutely come to mind every time. Stewart sits his horse well, is believable in hat, boots and spurs, and seems more believable as the consummate good guy of the west.

NIGHT PASSAGE, the story of a shamed railroad troubleshooter who is out to redeem his name and his younger brother who has gone bad (Audie Murphy), showcases Stewart's considerable acting abilities very well.

And it's a musical western to boot! With toe-tappers like "You Can't Get Far Without a Railroad" and "Follow the River" both sung by none other than Jimmy Stewart, and a striking soundtrack that beautifully complements the mountains and skies that form the backdrop for this one and you've got nothing short of a very enjoyable western.

No, this isn't a western of the predictable genre but it's a breath of fresh air when all you've had is the bacon and beans set for your last ten western viewings. You want John Wayne then watch John Wayne. But don't miss this Jimmy Stewart classic. Available at last on widescreen DVD!

Might Have Been
This is a pretty intriguing picture if only because it's a case of a potential classic that didn't come off. It marked the beginning of Anthony Mann's decline as a director; he walked off just as shooting began, the same stunt he would pull on "Spartacus" two years later. James Stewart, who was his own producer for most of the Fifties, was furious, as well he might have been, and never worked with Mann again, despite their wonderful collaboration on eight previous movies. Its a shame the two of them couldn't have cooled off, put their heads together, and ironed out the script problems. There is some beautiful and novel material in "Night Passage," the story of an outlaw gang preying on a new railroad in the Colorado mining territory. Great performances by everone, especially Audie Murphy. It just needed a stronger hand at the helm to pull it all together. ... Read more

Reviews (66)

The Longest Story Ever Told
Having seen this movie twice now on TCM (in widescreen, no less), I still found my attention wandering away from the characters and towards the magnificent scenery. George Stevens last film was considered the biggest box office flop in Hollywood history until "Heaven's Gate" came out in 1980.

And no wonder, while Max Von Sydow is fine as Jesus of Nazareth, the supporting cast and cameo appearences run the gamut from inspired (Ed Wynn as an blind old man) to the insane (John Wayne as a thoughtful Roman centurian).

At times, this film seems more like a stylized retelling, rather than a faithful account. Take for example the scene of Jesus riding into Jeruselam on a donkey. Notice how nearly everyone is wearing spotless white garments. I guess the laundromat was just off camera.

But the major problem is the elephant-walk pacing of the film. It simply takes way too long to tell it's story, despite how great it is.

However, if there is a standout, it's the incredable scenery shot in perfect color hues and tones. What's even more inspired is that the film was shot on location in the American southwest. The mountains in the backgroud actually augment the "more than human" atmosphere that is the life of Jesus.

So, while it takes forever to get there, we at least get to take the scenic route.

Jesus Christ Never Existed.
'The Greatest Story Ever Told' is a famous film some people have seen or at least heard about. Most people fail to realize all of that doesn't matter because Jesus Christ never existed!! Jesus Christ is a mythological figure the church has exploited for hundreds of years and now the film industry has for almost a hundred years. There is absolutely no archeological or historical evidence that Jesus Christ existed. Even if he did exist, it would be highly unlikely he would have received that kind of punishment.
It is a shame that con artists like these filmmakers are using this mythological figure to make millions of dollars. People have to start swaying away from the manipulations of the church and the filmmaking industry and start looking at the hard facts. Jesus Christ and his crucifixion never happened.

a majestic, beautifully filmed epic
This film is often compared with the 1961 "King of Kings", and "Jesus of Nazareth", but this one is by far my favorite of the three, because of the exquisite beauty of it, and Max von Sydow's powerful portrayal of Jesus; his performance has a strength and boldness that is lacking in the other two, and therefore for me much more believable. Sydow was only known to fans of Ingmar Bergman's films at the time, having starred in the Swedish director's "The Seventh Seal" among others, and was a surprise choice to play Jesus, and a good one. He does a marvelous job, and I especially like the scene after Lazarus has died...it is brilliant, and very moving.

George Stevens' vision of the story has a stark majesty, and is taken at a leisurely pace; it is also quite verbal, with some of the major events in the gospels not pictured, but spoken of instead.
Filmed in Arizona and Utah, the cinematography by Loyal Griggs, who took over from William Mellor when Mellor passed away during filming, is glorious. There are scenes that have the composition and balance a fine painting, with extraordinary detail, often framed by doorways or windows, and it's a film I never tire of just looking at. Graphic artists should make a point to see this film, as there is much that can be learned from it. Alfred Newman also wrote a lovely score (with a little help from G. F. Handel) which adds to the aesthetic appeal of this film.

In the huge star-studded cast, some performances are truly memorable, like Claude Rains as a bitter and devious Herod, and Jose Ferrer excellent as his son Herod Antipas; Charlton Heston's ferocious, wild-man John the Baptist is impassioned and perhaps more like the actual Baptist than some of the tamer portrayals.

With its huge budget (over 20 million in 1965 dollars) it was a critical and commercial failure when it was released, but it has had a long life, and is being watched today while some successful films of the mid-'60s quite forgotten, and will continue to be appreciated by everyone who likes Bible epics. It was however, nominated for 4 Academy Awards: Best Art Direction/Set Decoration, Color Cinematography, Costume Design, and Original Score, losing out in all those categories to "Doctor Zhivago". There is "artistic license" taken with the story, but overall, it is a reverential, fairly accurate telling.
Total running time is 196 minutes.

huh?
Okay-- this is the movie on 1 disc ... no extras ... that's it. Why did they bother? You can still buy the 2-disc edition and get all the extras. Very confusing marketing move. I'd also like to see the complete 260 minute version.

the films not great but this is a beautifully acted christ
this film has an absolutely beautiful, poignant performance from max von sydow as christ.more than robert powell, defoe or clavell von sydow gives us a poetic, highly nuanced performance as a human, sensatively emapthetic christ. von sydow does more with facial expressions, his eyes and gestures than defoe did with his writhing or clavell did with his masochism.
powell came close but the quintessental acting role of christ belongs to von sydow.
the film itself has an abundance of flaws, most notably all the star cameos, but watch it for sydow ... Read more

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Babe
The surprise hit of 1995, this splendidly entertaining family film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including best picture, director, and screenplay, and deservedly won the Oscar for its subtly ingenious visual effects. Babe is all about the title character, a heroic little pig who's been taken in by the friendly farmer Hoggett (Oscar nominee James Cromwell), who senses that he and the pig share "a common destiny." Babe, a popular mischief-maker the Australian farm, is adopted by the resident border collie and raised as a puppy, befriended by Ferdinand the duck (who thinks he's a rooster), and saves the day as a champion "sheep-pig." Filled with a supporting cast of talking barnyard animals and a chorus of singing mice (courtesy of computer enhancements and clever animatronics), this frequently hilarious, visually imaginative movie has already taken its place as a family classic with timeless appeal. --Jeff Shannon

Babe: Pig in the City
Deservedly acclaimed as one of 1998's best films, this sequel to the beloved 1995 live-action fantasy proved a commercial catastrophe and a source of dismay to parents expecting another bucolic, sweet-natured fable. Every bit as sly and visually stunning as its predecessor, Babe: Pig in the City is otherwise a jolting ride beyond the Hoggetts' farm into a no less vivid but far darker world--the allegorical city of the title, which for the diminutive "sheep pig" proves truly nightmarish. Australian filmmaker George Miller (Mad Max, The Road Warrior), who produced and cowrote the first film, this time takes the director's reins, and he ratchets up the pace and the peril as effectively as he did on his influential trilogy of apocalyptic, outback sci-fi thrillers.From the opening scene, Babe: Pig in the City means to disrupt the reassuring calm achieved by the conclusion of the previous film. Babe's prior triumph proves short-lived, and within moments Miller has us literally peering into the depths as he sets up a horrific well accident that nearly kills the taciturn but good-hearted Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell), Babe's beloved "Boss." Journeying with the equally pink, even plumper Mrs. Hoggett (Magda Szubanski), the young pig finds himself in a city where animals are outcasts, staying in the lone hotel that allows pets. When Mrs. Hoggett is detained, Babe must contend with the suspicions and rivalries of the hotel's other four-legged guests. The film's G status doesn't fully telegraph the shock Miller induces: bad things happen to good animals, and Babe's new acquaintances are a far cry from his colleagues on the farm. In particular, he must contend with a cynical family of chimps given wonderful, dead-pan voice characterizations by Steven Wright and Glenne Headly.Miller's use of effects to transform his animals into "actors" is even more seamlessly integrated than in Babe. The sequel's production design is crucial to the creation of a complete, absorbing world, and purely visual ideas--such as a deluge of blue balloons during the climactic ballroom battle--achieve a splendor and originality that a room full of computer-graphics desktops couldn't muster. Ultimately, though, the film does more than amaze: as Babe's compassion and courage transform those around him, we're moved in ways that purveyors of by-the-numbers family fare can only dream of. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Babe IS in WIDESCREEN.... Sort of
A previous reviewer (Peter Schlosse) made the only partially correct observation that Babe is in Full screen.

The reason for this is the 2-Pack actually has two editions... one where Babe comes in Widescreen and one where it comes in full screen. The sequel, Pig in the City, contains both Widescreen and Full Screen on the same disc.

The versin Peter obviously wanted is attainable... though since I did not buy it through Amazon, I am unfortunately unable to instruct as to how to make sure you get the version you want.

As for the quality of the films themselves, the only real things they share in common are sublime production design. The content itself is almost polar opposite.

And this is the part where you'd expect me to say that Babe is superior, but it's actually a pretty close call for me. The first is better, but the extra 5 bucks you'll be paying for the sequal is certainly worth it. The second is more mean spirited than the first but both have lessons for everyone.

Kudos to all involved.

Great Set Of Films
I watched the first Babe with apprehension but was pleasantly surprised at how well it was told. It never talks down to the audience and this is a quality that I find extremely important in children's films.
Then I watched the second movie, Babe: Pig In The City and thought it was two times as good as the first. I did not think it could be possible but it improved upon the original and surpassed it in terms of originality.
Ignore negative reviews in regards to the second film from people who would be much better suited watching Cinderella 2: Dreams Come True (a movie which contained everything I hate about childrens shows/movies). The Babe series is chocked full of fantastic situations and wonderful lessons for everyone.

Bizarre, Weird, Waste of Time and Money, Disappointing
The first was great. This second one is simply bizarre and lacking in every aspect. Probably one of the worst children;s movies ever.

A great double features films.
Babe:When a Little Pig named Babe (Voiced by Christine Cavanaugh) has been adopted by the Hoggett`s Family (James Cromwell & Magda Szubanski). Babe found a Apopted Mother by a Dog named Fly (Voiced by Miriam Maygolyes) and then Babe finds his dreams to becoming a Sheep Dog!

Babe:Pig in the City-When Babe has become a sheep dog. The Hoggett`s Family having problems, that they could lose thier land and farm. Hoggett`s wife, along with Babe travel in a Mythical Metropolis, so she could get the loan. When the two gets separted, Babe meets a family of Animals in a Motel, which Babe helps them.

Babe:Directed by Chris Noonan. Produced by George Miller (The Mad Max Trilogy). This is a amazing, live-action barnyard fable from Australia. This film pushes the envelope on both Animatronic Effects and Family Storytelling. It`s a Great Family Film and It`s also one of the Best Films ever made. Nominated for Six Academy Awards including:Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporitng Actor-James Cromwell, Best Music Score and Best Editing. Oscar Winner of Best Visual Effects. Grade:A+.

Babe:Pig in the City-This is a Very Dark Sequel. The film was a Huge Box Office Flop in 1998. This is not Successful loved by Modern Audiences but Fans of the Original and Critics (Who, most of them, deeply loved this more than the Original) will enjoy this one. Oscar Nominated for Best Song. This film has Superb Production Design by Roger Ford. This Sequel is a Very Underrated Film. Grade:A-.

Babe is NOT Widescreen
The movie "Babe" is a big hit in our family, having rented it (VHS) several years ago. The sequel, "Babe - Pig in the City" is very good, too. We recently purchased a widescreen HDTV, and I was on the prowl for widescreen DVDs the entire family could watch and enjoy. The "Edition Details" for "Babe" (the single) clearly state the movie is full-screen. However, the details for this two disk set, "Babe" and "Babe - Pig in the City" led me to believe BOTH titles were widescreen. They are not. Only the latter, "Babe - Pig in the City" is widescreen. Although I still love the movie, I am disappointed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Say this for Harum Scarum:At least it has the virtue of boasting one of the strangest settings of any Elvis Presley vehicle. Elvis plays an action-movie star on a goodwill tour of the Middle East who's kidnapped in a remote country that has turned its back on modernity. Vilified as an "American unbeliever," he is enlisted by the Lord of the Assassins in a plot to kill a monarch (they've mistaken his filmic kung fu fighting skills for the real thing). And this is an Elvis picture? The soundtrack has a particularly mad selection of faux-"Kismet" numbers relating to the setting, with lyrics such as "I'm gonna go where the desert sun is/I'm gonna go where I know the fun is." Hints that the whole thing is a Rudolph Valentino spoof help the early going, but it gets pretty draggy. Elvis looks liveliest in a Vegas sequence... a bit of foreshadowing. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The Memphis Sheik.
Entertainment, much as beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. No doubt the steadfast loyalty of dedicated Elvis fans will find value in this movie. Casting Elvis Presley in a spoof of Rudolph Valentino movies was unfortunate. This could be the film that left Elvis crying in the chapel, and it leaves the viewer indescribably blue. Good sense notwithstanding the film was made. That's when your heartaches begin. One could give some credit for attempting a different approach from Elvis' usual "fun in the sun" formula film, but the end result lacks charm. Describing the plot is pointless. The music is the '60s pop fluff that Elvis and the songwriters phoned in. It adds to one's reflective midlife melancholy to remember that in 1965, while Elvis' formidable talent was squandered in cheesy movies, the Beatles were leading the charge of the British Invasion; storming the ramparts and taking no prisoners in the realm of rock music and innovative style. Elvis, you left us much too soon. You really deserved better, and so do we. Return to sender. ;-)

ENTERTAINING!
THANK YOU WARNER BROTHERS for useing the original MOVIE POSTERS for the covers of these wonderful DVDs! They look EXCELLENT! I wish the other companies that put ELVIS films out would have followe