Reviews (102)

The Importance of "Seeing" Earnest
Since I have not read the play by Oscar Wilde nor seen any previous performances of this work, I came into this movie completely unprejudiced, and left utterly delighted. I thought the film was hilarious; in particular the interplay between the two male leads, Colin Firth (Jack)and Rupert Everett (Algy). Judi Dench, as the austure Lady Bracknell, is of course perfection, and although less impressive, yet still quite good, are the two romantic interests of the gentlemen: Francis O'Connor (Gwendolyn) and Reese Witherspoon (Cecily). The tangled webs woven by our two heroes lead to some wonderful moments for Firth and Everett, especially when Algy shows up at Jack's manor to woo the fair Cecily. The scenes where Jack takes matters into his own hands had the audience roaring, and it was a treat to see Mr. Firth in a more playful role then is his usual.
There is also a sort of side plot involving the vicar (Tom Wilkinson)and Cecily's tutor (Anna Massey) which is also quite entertaining, and both actors display their humourous sides most credibly. All in all, a wonderful movie. I thought it was a shame, however, that the studio saw fit to release it only as a limited engagement. I, myself, had to drive nearly 200 miles to view this gem(well worth the trip, I might add), yet the lack of accessability disturbed me as it seemed to assume that only those in "larger metropolitan areas" would make the effort. Well, not only did I make the effort, I fully intend to purchase the DVD when it is released, and am looking forward to that date with relish, so that I may watch Firth and Everett over and over and over....

Run! (don't walk!) to see "The Importance of Being Earnest"!
This movie is a must-see and the epitome of a playful, feel-good comedy. Having never seen nor read the original play by Oscar Wilde I went to the theater with the expectation of merely staring at Colin Firth (whom i LOVED in P&P2!!) & Rupert Everett for an hour or so. I was pleasantly surprised and elated to discover that the movie was comedic, witty and filled with a cast of actors who played off each other wonderfully.

The movie is hysterical-i laughed throughout the entire thing-and it was not merely the verbal wit, but the physical comedy and dare I say again the chemistry of the actors that made the movie a true delight. Colin Firth and Rupert Everett are absolutely perfectly fitted to their roles, and "the muffin scene" (which those who have seen it must remember!) had me laughing so incredibly hard! Reese Witherspoon is grand, as is Frances O'Connor. Judi Dench's role was perfectly suited to her, and the twists of the story put the characters in such hilarious situtations. I must say, my only regrets after viewing this movie are:
1. It was only opened in limited release
and
2. I did not go and see it sooner.

I cannot wait for the DVD ~ the extra features *sigh* ~
...i can only imagine...

a treat
I haven't seen the 1952 version of Earnest, but I must say that I love this one. I laughed the whole way through. Purists might say that the dialogue goes too slowly, that the acting was underdone, or that Reese Witherspoon was miscast. My opinion: the dialogue is, of course, brilliant. It's Oscar Wilde. It is also delivered wonderfully, with perfect expressions that make the witty lines even more funny. Attention is, at times, required to catch these little expressions, but they are what help make the film so great. Also: I loved the casting. I loved it the first time I saw the film. I appreciate the casting even more now that I've read the actual play--the actors portray the characters exceptionally well, with all the quirks and nuances that I gleaned from the book. The add-ins (like the knight in Cecily's daydreams) make the movie, in my opinion, even more delightful. It should be quirky, and, thank goodness, it is. I highly recommend this film--it is a very well-done, lighthearted story full of wit. I definitely enjoyed it.

GOOD except some...
Brilliant, lovely, impeccable casting by the entire Oliver Parker's production team. Almost perfect performances by GORGEOUS actors and actresses upon beautiful costumes design, greenest of the countryside, and exquisite interior decorations. This Oscar Wilde adaption will no doubt remain timeless for the next three decades at least before another remake emerges in Hollywood.

Everything's so agreeable except Reese Witherspoon's cast here... Parker must have been mistaken for Christ sake! Witherspoon is so NOT right for the choice. Her indifferent beauty and bubbly profile are totally incompatible with the rest of the casts - who has got the lordly Englishness. She plays the "ward" of Jack Worthing (Colin Firth) who's kept and schooled in his country house, no wonder.

Superb
I must admit that I decided to watch this movie for just one reason. Colin Firth. And needless to say, I was not disappointed. The movie itself was very funny, not the slapstick stuff that has invaded the cinema screens in the recent past but hilarious dialogues and characters that are so rich in their stupidity that you can't help but laugh away. The concept of the play itself is lovely, the fact that so much importance is given to being christened with an appropriate name. However, I was quite upset with Witherspoon being cast as Cecily, there are a million wonderful British actresses for God's sake, why her ? I have this image of her in Legally Blonde, and then you see her faking this Brit accent and its sad, to say the least. Evert, Firth and Dench are superb in their roles, a must must watch movie. ... Read more

Reviews (227)

Brad Pitt as Achilles
Brad Pitt stars as the legendary Greek warrior Achilles in "Troy," an epic drama full of action and adventure based on Homer's Iliad. Lovesick Prince Paris has run off with Helen to his land of Troy. Helen's husband wants her back, and convinces Greek King Agamemnon to "launch a thousand ships" and bring Helen back. The King enlists the aid of Achilles, and the battle begins.

On the plus side, the movie looks just great, with spectacular sets and thousands of soldiers who fight gallantly. The supporting cast is wonderful; in particular Eric Bana as Paris' brother, Hector, and Peter O'Toole as his father, King Prium. Their scenes are the best in the film.

On the down side, Brad Pitt, while ruggedly handsome and sincere, never really loses himself in the character of an ancient Greek hero; you can't forget he's Brad Pitt. The actress who plays Helen is not the classic beauty one would expect and looks like so many modern starlets. The battle scenes are for the most part filmed in close-ups and edited in very quick shots, which makes them look blurry and chaotic, and you may need a scorecard to keep up with all the characters.

Troy has the look and feel of a good epic, but isn't a great one. If you enjoy sword and sandal war movies with handsome leading men, you'll like Troy. Brad Pitt is delicious eye-candy and that just may be good enough after all.

A Beautiful War
If you happen to be a fan of Homer's epic, be warned that it is time, place, and character that are the same but not truly the story. Filled with beautiful people, scenes and clothes, this movie misses the mark. Helen could no more inspire me to go to dinner than to war and I need to eat to live. Orlando Bloom as Paris, is so beautiful of a boy that it is unbelievable that he would have the requirements needed to steal another man's wife, no matter how usavory the other man proved to be. Yet he would be just the fool to wage a ten year war over a woman. Only in the movie the war accounts for slightly over 12 days worth of action.
How the Greeks managed to be so hard up that after 12 days or so of war they need to build a wooden horse to enter the city is beyond me.

However Hector is amazingly played as are most of the other roles, with the exception of Achilles who falters here and there. You manage to be blinded by the beauty of the spectcale presented to you, and when you begin to object to the brusing of Homer's great works you see Brad Pitt semi-naked and forget all about it. For that alone I give this move 3stars and well worth seeing. You should know, that if you plan to see this move instead of reading the book you will fail. Neither is this movie a match to the TV movie of the Odyssey which manages to capature the book and you along with it. But Brad Pitt naked should not be missed.

Not Homer, but great, lively entertainment!
OK, so the film's not faithful to Homer's epic. That doesn't really matter. It's good, old-fashioned entertainment with lots of spectacle, fine battle scenes, gorgeous performers (mostly male), and some fine acting. Critics tend to penalize Brad Pitt for his remarkable good looks, but he does a very nice job here. His Achilles, of course, looks godlike whether in armor or in the buff, but he also conveys an undercurrent of humanity, even sensitivity, beneath the sullen, violence-prone facade. Eric Bana is also excellent as the stoic, honorable Hector. Brian Cox has a hammy old time as Agammemon, and Peter O'Toole is memorable as Priam. Two pretty faces, Orlando Bloom's and Ms. Kruger's, don't do much for the movie acting-wise, but provide some eye candy for the younger viewers. Quibbles: it would have been nice to have a little greenery in the scenery instead of all that sand, but the walls and city of Troy looked spectacular. All in all, "Troy" is worth seeing more than once (perhaps not for those under the age of 12).

What was the name of this movie???
I don't think it was Troy! Why? Because it had nothing to do with the written story by Homer. Menelaus dies only because he has to be the bad guy in this movie... and there wasn't enough time to show the real death of Agamemnon, (he was killed in his bath by his own wife after returning to Greece) , so they killed him in a way they liked best. Also, Achilles (Brad Pitt) and Hector are the only ones who fight quite well. The rest just get slaughtered. But as we know from the Iliad there were also other great fighters which in this film were left at home! The only strong thing in this movie is Brad Pitts performance but he alone can't save this fiasko! The t.v. movie HELEN OF TROY is closer to the true story although its low budget and this unbelievable and unexeptable bald Achilles... Just read the book! You will love it!

"This will be the greatest war the world has ever seen"
Hollywood's recent obsession with historical epics has produced some truly amazing films... and some truly not. "Troy", mercifully, falls into the former category. The whole production was a risky endeavor; would mainstream audiences be interested in ages old myths? Would scholars and classics devotees condemn the film for it's reworking of Homer's "The Iliad"? And of course there was the expensive price tag; $200+ million, which brought to mind the similarly-themed and legendarily pricey box office bomb, "Cleopatra". Though never quite reaching such wondrous heights as historical epics such as "Braveheart" and "Gladiator" and not earning enough domestically to make a profit, "Troy" succeeds as a fine film reminiscent of old Hollywood epics such as "El Cid" and "Ben Hur".

The production values are simply astounding. Wolfgang Peterson's flawless reproduction of Ancient Greece engulfs audiences in the wonder and glory of the age. The breathtaking cinematography by Roger Pratt makes this a film best seen on the silver screen. From the pulse-pounding battle sequences to the sweeping shots of the Greek fleet that shall be emblazoned in my mind forever, this is a truly handsome film. James Horner creates yet another pitch perfect score that works perfectly with the film's visual style.

The acting chops of Brad Pitt are (quite literally at times, ladies) put to good use here. It is my belief, and one that is most certainly not shared by all, that Pitt is a wonderful and versatile actor. Consider some of his most prominent roles; as Death in "Meet Joe Black", a vampire in "Interview with the Vampire", a criminal in "Ocean's 11", a mental patient in "12 Monkeys", a cowboy in "Thelma and Louise", an Irish boxer in "Snatch", a detective in "Seven" and on and on. This boy has talent! He proves himself even further with the role of Achilles. Pitt 100% becomes the legendary fighter, from the body to the mannerisms to the swordplay. He IS Achilles. I pity all actors who have played Achilles or will play him in a future film; their performances are/will be tremendously dwarfed in comparison. The rest of the cast; Brian Cox, Brendan Gleeson, Diane Kruger, and Eric Bana are all fantastic with the exception of Orlando Bloom, who proves without a doubt that a handsome face does not equal talent. Bloom should take notes from fellow heartthrob Pitt, who does indeed know how to act!

Like the old Hollywood epics, "Troy" does regrettably lack that certain level of emotional pull and human drama that modern audiences demand (i.e. don't expect to be sobbing uncontrollably by its finale as you might very well have done in "Braveheart"). "Troy" and old Hollywood epics also share a certain level of melodrama and almost joyful corniness. Audiences nowadays dislike this style of filmmaking, yet I found myself embracing it simply because it helped to make "Tory" even more old Hollywood. ... Read more

Description

The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training is the comic and poignant second-in-the-series of adventures with the pint-sized sandlot ballplayers initiated with the smash success, The Bad News Bears. The picture picks up the Bears' career a year after their infamous second-place finish in the North Valley League. Faced with a chance to play the Houston Toros for a shot at the Japanese champs, they devise a way to get Texas to play at the famed Astrodome. On their pilgrimage to Houston, the Bears gain a new coach; dump that coach; add a new pitcher who can't get his fastball over the plate; find another coach who shows him how it's done, and go on to a come-back victory with all eyes on Japan. ... Read more

Reviews (144)

In defense of Diana Scarwid's performance...
I feel I must add to the previous reviews: I really do feel Ms. Scarwid is an exceptional actress (She's outrageously funny as Cher's beautician lover in Silkwood! ), and that she does justice to Christina Crawford's life--or, at least, the cinematic version of it. I don't see how else the performance could be played. It has to be that low-key, because Faye Dunaway is taking up so much space, with her virtuouso turn as Joan Crawford. Also, as Pauline Kael noted in her excellent review of the film, "Scarwid has good low tones in her voice which suggest the ordeals Tina has been through, and she brings the role a twinkle, a gleam of rude humor, that seems to sustain Tina through her mother's most fiendish persecutions." At the end of the film, her character's unresolved anger and sorrow is especially pungent to me. And all of you who feel that doesn't ring true aren't being entirely honest about your relationships with your own parents! Maybe viewers who appreciate the film only as a "camp classic", don't really want to acknowledge the tragic realism of the material? It IS funny, but then it's horrifyingly funny, and worse that that. This film may be one of only a handful to suffer from a feminist double standard: I wonder how many members in the audience would kick up their heels and laugh about it if a father was doing the same things to his kids onscreen?

A big disappointment full of painfully BAD acting!
This is an example of a book with great movie potential going horribly awry! Christina Crawford's autobiograhical bestseller about her Hollywood upbringing at the hands of her alcoholic, moviestar 'Mommie' Joan Crawford, was powerful, enfuriating, and heartbreaking. The movie, unfortunately, is just a mish-mash of overblown acting and there is little continuity between the scenes. I nearly walked out on this movie when I first saw it, and it's not much better on the small screen! The period sets, costumes, and Faye Dunaway's makeup are right, but the tone of the film is way off! Both the Christinas were horribly cast, and I had no sympathy for either one. Diana Scarwid's acting is downright embarrassing (since when did Christina have a Southern accent?)! It's really sad that the original message about child-abuse is lost in this ridiculous, campy trash.

"Tina!... Bring me the Axe!"
This movie scared me to death when I was a kid. I had absolutely no idea who Joan Crawford was, so I just naturally took the whole thing as a tale of a goofball mother who abused her kids a lot. I had nightmares of Faye Dunaway wearing a facemask beating me with wire hangers while screaming, "Don't f--- with me, fella!"

Seriously, I never had the nightmares, but as a child, Faye Dunaway played one vicious bitch who I was glad wasn't my mother. I'm 22 now and know who Joan Crawford is. The physical resemblance between Mrs. Dunaway and Mrs. Crawford is striking at times. As far as Faye's acting goes, well... I'm suprised she didn't gain a little weight during the production from all that scenery she chewed. This is THE definitive "ham" performance. It's just so over the top and hysterically wacko. There's so many instances where the character does something off the wall that it'd be impossible to list them all. In short, it's one of the most memorable performances of the 80's. I would say "bravo," but I'm not sure if this is what Dunaway was going for.

It's also the only interesting performance in the entire movie. At least Dunaway knows how to deliver her lines in a SLIGHTLY realistic manner; the rest of the cast is basically just pathetic. The girl who played Christina (name escapes me) is god-awful in this film. Behold:

"I'm... not... one of yourrrr [FANS]!"

It must be seen to be believed. The entire film revels in the realm of all things bizarre and awful. And that's exactly why it's so darn entertaining. Some of the quotes are so nutty that they've earned a permanent rank into the lexicon of pop culture, the most famous being, of course, "No wire hangers... EVER(....)!"

If you're into this goofy stuff, I'd highly recommend buying it. No interesting extras to speak of, but the price is good. Place it on your shelf right next to your MST3K collection.

NO WIRE HANGERS!
Possibly my fav. movie I've ever watched!

I want the director's cut
Movies are all being re-made these days. How about this one? As much as I love this movie, I must admit it is sloppily edited, and as Christina herself says, it leaves only the highlights and turns the whole story around from a child trying to live through abuse to a woman of Hollywood who just wasn't obeyed.

At the beginning of the movie we see Joan's morning routine of getting ready for work. The movie begins just before she adopts Christina so we don't see anything about her childhood or her early days as an actress. But that is excusable because the movie is based on the book, which is really Christina's autobiography.

I am disappointed Faye Dunaway regrets making this movie because it is one of her finest. Whenever I hear her name I think of this movie. Can anyone else name 3 other movies she was in? I can't.

I don't know what really happened between those two, but I would have LOVED to be a fly on THAT wall. Also, in closing, Christina has said she has not recieved any residuals from this movie which is outrageous. Many will say that hearing her gripe about money discredits her story, but I think if anyone was in her shoes and shared their story that had a huge impact, they deserve a little kick-back. ... Read more

Description

A mysterious traveling circus unleashes a torrent of magic and mysticism in a dusty Arizona town."In what may be the finest performance in a fantasy film" (Guide for the Film Fanatic), Tony Randall charms and spellbinds as ringmaster Dr. Lao and his multitude of faces, a virtuoso turn that earned a special Oscar for Outstanding Makeup Achievement.Step inside the tent...and marvel. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

A well told morality tale
7 Faces of Dr. Lao can be looked at in two different ways. The movie, released in 1964, can be seen as a morality lesson. It is the story of the small Arizona town of Abalone full of citizens who suffer from greed, vanity, loneliness, and pettiness. When Dr. Lao brings his mystical circus to town, the townsfolk get a good look at themselves and don't always like what they see. For today's audience the movie is a bit slow and ponderous. The film is highly predictable and you know by the end of the film that everyone gets exactly what they deserve and once the errors in their ways are pointed out to them then they will miraculously change for the better and everyone will live happily ever after.
The second, and more enjoyable, is to focus on the performance of Tony Randall. Randall is amazing as the Chinese impresario Dr. Lao. Tony Randall portrays all seven inhabitants of Dr. Lao's circus: Dr. Lao, Merlin the Magician, Medusa, The Abominable Snowman, Pan, the serpent, and Apollonius of Tyana, he also makes a brief appearance as Tony Randall. As you are watching the film you forget that it is the same man playing all those parts, and it is widely considered one of Randall's most impressive performances. William Tuttle, who won an honorary Academy Award for his astounding make-up work, flawlessly transforms Randall from one character to the next. The film also comes from Director George Pal, who is also known for directing such classics as Time Machine and War of the Worlds, brings his distinctive blending of reality and fantasy to this film. Randall's performance, along with the incredible make-up work of William Tuttle and fine direction by George Pal make this a must see film...

Strange, wonderful, uplifting
I saw this film over 25 years ago. It made a permanent imprint on me. I had never seen anything like it (and haven't, since). It's a western, and a fantasy (but not science fiction). It's also mythological and even a bit religious. It's also a wonderful, life-affirming film. I've never been a fan of Tony Randall, who I always remember as the prissy little neurotic in "The Odd Couple," but I have to give him the greatest credit in this movie (he plays six parts!) The special effects are Ray Harryhausen stop-motion (and obviously fake) but that is part of the enormous charm of this movie--as exemplified by the amusing-looking snake in the cage with a man's face on it, and the goldfish-bowl-dwelling monster than attempts to snack on Dr. Lao. In some ways this movie reminds me of Ray Bradbury's _Something Wicked This Way Comes,_ but this is a far superior film. In fact, I'd have to call it a classic.

Tony Randall Is Pure Magic (& is also a mystical Asian man!)
"Mike, the whole world is a circus if you look at it the right way. Every time you pick up a handful of dust, and see not the dust, but a mystery, a marvel, there in your hand - every time you stop and think, 'I'm alive, and being alive is fantastic!' - every time such a thing happens, Mike, you are part of the Circus of Dr. Lao." I am so glad another fine reviewer quoted this immortal passage, and I will begin with the same, for it has informed much of my life!)

My friend Carlo mentioned to me that this fine film was playing at my local library recently and I had to pause and hold back my shock - I have not yet gotten over Tony's passing, and now I was confronted by so much lost time. Was it really forty years ago that Tony Randall stepped out of the shadow of his lightly comic performances on Broadway (of course you all remember "Oh Captain!" at the Alvin?) and shattered the world (yes, the world!) with his tour de force in "Dr. Lao?"

Now - regarding critial analysis of this film over the years, far too much emphasis has been placed on George Pal's "effects" and the like for my taste. Let's turn the spotlight back on Tony and the fine job he did playing eight different personae in this tale. Eight!

I will say this without hesitation: Certainly the finest hour (or hour and thirty one minutes) of his young career. Buy this movie for that reason alone (and children will most likely enjoy it too, I suppose. But if you do not have children, then buy it for that reason alone).

Serendipity Cinema #1
This won an Oscar for Make up, but it is not the kind of film that one would think right off as an award winner. Hey, it has the feel of Roger Corman and George Pal, with a hint of Ray Harryhausen thrown in (Although I am told it was Jim Danforth and crew who did the actual fx)I remember interviewing Tony Randall years ago, when he was touring in "The Music Man." He said his main memory was having his head and eyebrows shaved. He was distressed because it gave him ``this horrible unborn look.'' All that aside, the film is a joy. It is simple, and while seeming simplistic it is far from that. It humbly powerful. There are a thousand reasons to belittle and put down this film. If if you go in with that mindset, you will find them all. But, if you give it a willing suspention of disbelief and let the magic that hints around every corner over take you, this will be a little gem that you treasure and share with others.

I'd give Seven Stars for Dr. Lao if I could
One of the most charming and wonderful fantasy films of all time. This is the story of Abelone, a dying town in the desert at the turn of the 20th century. In arrives Dr. Lao, played with great effect by Tony Randall in what is probably his best performance ever.

With him, he brings his unusual circus and its performers. Including an Abomidable Snowman (who is barely used in the film and has no scene to himself), Merlin the Magician (very good), Pan the God of Joy, The Great Serpent, Apollonius the blind fortune teller who sees the future with absolute clarity, and the Medusa.

Basically, the townspeople must decide whether to sell their town to the misguided Clint Stark (played wonderfully by Arther O' Connell) or to stay and risk going thirsty with the town's only water source coming through a crumbling and very expensive to fix pipe.

With a little help from Dr. Lao and his circus, the townspeople eventually make the right decision.

There are just too many great scenes for me to describe, nor would I want to give away too much. I would encourage you to see this movie as it's one of the best fantasy films ever made.

Unfortunatly, Tony Randall passed away recently and he never liked giving interviews about this film. Which is a real shame since the DVD extras are pretty barren. My understanding is that Mr. Randall did not like how the script left out so much of the original book and that too much attention was paid to "romance" between Barbara Eden (who is just gorgeous) and John Ericson (in a great supporting turn).

I found it rather interesting that Dr. Lao pronounces his name "Dr. Low", yet everyone else, including a very attentive boy, calls him "Dr. La-ow". As an aside, the episode of MST3K when Joel Robinson leaves the Satelite of Love for good ("Mitchell"), he recites the "Circus of Dr. Lao" poem. But he calls him "Dr. Loo". I guess no one is ever suppose to get the pronounciation right.

Look for an eight character played by Tony Randall. He appears briefly without makeup just after Dr. Lao introduces his pet fish after the "parade of performers" scene. While the crowd around him claps with delight, Tony just slowly shakes head in disbelief. A wonderful little scene. ... Read more

Description

Farscape is an adventure as broad and weird as the universe-full of strange creatures, bizarre twists,irreverent humor, raucous, action, passion, and romance!Produced in Australia with the incredible talents of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, Farscape is the fantasy-scifi-drama-romance-comedy-adventure you will always rememeber! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

This a great deal, for fans of the show
I happen to really like the show, so I am biased. But, I bought the singles dvds for over $100 so this is a great deal. This season the production values were so much better than season 1 and it shows, a lot more action, most of it, took place away from sanctuary. They all start to grow in their powers which reveals a dark side to Emma, and Brennan acts like a petulant teenager and questions and confronts Adam on everything. Fans, be sure to check out episodes 201, 205, 206,218, 220. The "Inferno" episode is truly the best.
Buy it you won't be disappointed.

Load of Garbage, Maybe one good show in the whole disk...
They release the whole second season, while different episodes were released on earlier disk sets.Where's the goal to do that?A.D. Vision must really be run by geeks who smoke weed.

i cant believe they ended it!
mutant x is one of the best shows around i cant believe they ended it on a cliff hanger and never made any more. i think season 2 is a really good season as it shows when ashlock gets into shalimars head, which is really interesting to see.

Bring on the third seson
the third sesaon is all that. its a shame that they took emma out of the show but oh well, what done is done. YOU HAVE TO RELAESE THE COMPLETE THRID BECAUSE SEASON TWO ENDED NOT RIGHT AND FOR THE MUTANTX DVD COLLECTION TO END WELL, YOU Need to have the complete third one out there. the second one, i loved soo much. everybody's powers were growing especailly emma's, her powers were the best. I loved it when she had went inside the guys mind and turn into three and used the lazr blast on him. The best part was when her eyes had turned black. Creepy. ... Read more

Album Description

Exclusive 2 DVD Canadian version features, Q & A with Roman Polanski, Production Diary, The Warsaw Ghetto - Historical Background, Wladyslaw Szpilman Biography, Filmographies, Bonus Audio Tracks from the Sony Classical CD Soundtrack, Soundtrack spot, 'Story of Survival' Featurette, Theatrical Trailers, Television Spots including Adrien Brody Interview Segments, Poster Gallery, Photo Gallery & Director's Note. Widescreen Version. Aspect Ratio 1.85 1. Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1. Region 1/NTSC. ... Read more

Reviews (281)

Intense Life Story During the Holocaust
"The Pianist" is one of the top 10 best films of 2002. It was rightfully nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture, going on to win three: Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Its true story of world-famous pianist, Wladyslaw Szpilman, who struggles for his life during the Holocaust is very powerful, yet brilliant. The hardcore drama begins the moment his passionate music career becomes threatened by Hitler. Its material is close to as graphic as the actual conditions, which is how it should be displayed. Such intensity, which is never lost for a second, guarantees an emotional reaction. All the emotions in the scenery and through the characters are heartpounding through Szpilman's entire unfortunate journey. The immense research of these events is present. The writer's own heart and soul was written in every word. This project was wonderfully led by Roman Polanski's brilliant vision. His directing talents answer why he deserves his legendary status.

The set scenery is as accurate to the actual buildings and living conditions of Europe in 1939-1945. The hard work through the construction paid off, adding extra living intensity. The clothing worn in the movie adds the necessary emotional value that keeps audiences watching. All other physical details in this film are also flawless, namely the make-up and the dirty scenery (dirt, burns, blood, etc.). The musical score was composed beautifully, blending perfectly with every scenes' particular mood.

The performances from all the actors are beyond words. Adrien Brody beautifully portrays Szpilman in his career-launching role. His every drop of heart and soul are obviously presented through his character. This is one of the best Holocaust movie roles in cinema history. His talents prove that he'll be around for many more years. A few other actors could have received Oscar nominations for their supporting roles without critic complaints.

"The Pianist" is a great movie for entertainment and education. This future classic is sure to please many audiences. Those looking for more perspectives on the Holocaust should also watch "Schindler's List", which offers a more graphic look.

One of the best films ever about the Holocaust.
In an earlier review, I proclaimed "Chicago" the best film of 2002. Now I realize my judgment was hasty: "The Pianist" is really the year's best film. Roman Polanski has fashioned a horrifying, deeply moving film based on the life of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Jewish pianist who manages through the kindness of friends and strangers and the sheerest strokes of luck to survive in Warsaw during the six years of World War II. Polanski's understated style makes the horrors he records all the more powerful, as Nazis matter-of-factly murder Jews in the street for no other reason than that they can. Polanski actually lived through these atrocities, and makes them absolutely real on the screen. Polanski also had the enormous luck to find the perfect actor to play Szpilman, the young American actor Adrien Brody. With his soulful eyes and aquiline, otherworldly face, Brody was born to play Szpilman; in a performance that is nearly wordless through long stretches of the film, he moves us to tears. Brody brings Szpilman to breathtaking life, a decent, reasonable, exceptionally talented man in a world where decency, reason and talent count for less than nothing. In the early portions of the film, Brody bears more than a passing resemblance to portraits of Chopin; toward the end, long-haired and scraggly-bearded after years of hiding in bombed-out buildings, he looks like Jesus on the road to Calvary. There is one scene in which, ordered by a German officer to play, Szpiilman plays a Chopin ballade--the first time he has touched a piano in years. The performance, technically choppy but impassioned, reaches heights of emotion the cinema rarely achieves. This moment, and many others in the film, are magnificent testaments to the artistry of Polanski and Brody. At the end, it's not that you shouldn't leave before the credits are finished rolling, as Szpilman returns to his old life at the end of the war, playing Chopin's Grande Polonaise with the Warsaw Philharmonic, the beauty of the performance and the human triumph it represents leave you transfixed in your seat. No other non-documentary film about the Holocaust--not even "Schindler's List"--has moved me as deeply as "The Pianist."

For shame
Even though barely deserving a rebuttal, some of the reviews here are so beyond asinine that I cannot restrain myself, particularly with regard to those reviewers who had the gall to call Mr. Szpilman a coward. Mr. Szpilman risked immediate death every time he helped to smuggle a weapon or ammunition into the ghetto. The ghetto uprising itself was essentially a suicide mission, and everyone involved probably knew that. So Mr. Szpilman was a coward because he wanted to live, then? How dare you. While I don't believe that any work of art should be above criticism no matter what its subject matter, I have not read a single negative review here that has any remotely intelligent criticism of this film whatsoever. They pretty much describe it as "boring" or "another Holocaust movie." Schmucks. One reviewer couldn't even remember the protagonist's name, yet had no shortage of would-be scathing things to say about the movie. Almost as absurd are the unfavorable comparisons to "Schindler's List." Yes, Oskar Schindler was a great man, but the very straightforward good vs. evil nature of the subject matter must have appealed to Steven Spielberg's very American sensibilities. "The Pianist," on the other hand, boldly treads a ground that is decidedly messier, morally less clear-cut, and I think that only a man like Roman Polanski, who understands the particular time and place where these events transpired, could have made this film. And Adrien Brody fully deserved the Academy Award for this performance. And, yes, he does spend a good deal of time searching like a "rat" for food. What do these buffoons think it means to survive in such an environment? Idiots. Anyhow, this film is a masterpiece, an artistic triumph of the highest rank. The naysayers have not been able to level a single legitimate criticism against it.

Some lied when they vowed "Never Again"
For the record, let me comment on Dennis Littrell on his same review of this film. I find his opening statement repulsive, as he used the persecution of Jews during WW II as an excuse to justify Zionist persecution against the Palestinians here. Littrell is solely wrong if he thinks The Pianist is a film of Jewish supremacy overcoming all odds. Adrian Brody commented that in Szpilman's book (which this film is based), he narrates his experiences in an objective view. There were not just evil Nazis running around persecuting Poles and Jews, but there good Poles and bad Poles, good Jews and bad Jews and even good Germans among Nazi ranks. Even Polanski allows this in his film, where poor and suffering Jews complain of rich and influential Jews doing nothing to allevate their suffering. You can see the extreme contrast of rich and poor gap where you see the Jews in the restaurant where Szpilman plays the piano and the streets where you can see corpses lying on street, victims of starvation.

In the beginning of the film, the Germans have invaded Poland and the Szpilman family are adjusting their lives to the new ruling of the Nazi Germans. They find their living conditions deteriorate as they are hustled away from their comfortable home to Ghetto and finally to the "melting pot". We see two brothers conflicting with each other as Hendrik, Szpilman's brother did not like the way he supposedly grovel to the authorities and using his privilage as a famous pianist which many Jews may envy. Even Hendrik was ungrateful when his brother freed him from prison. "Are you mad?" Szpilman asked. Hendrik's reply was "That is also my business."

Szpilman's influence was so great that he was spared when his family was sent off to the gas chambers. He lost every one of his family and when he goes back to the Ghetto where virtually all Jews were wiped out, here is a man completely devastated. We see the second half of the movie being akin to The Fugitive where he wriggles away from the claws of ever-suspecting Nazis.

When caught by Captain Wilm Hosenfeld and asked to play the piano, he plays the piano for the first time in a few years he had to be in silence for fear of alerting those around him (in apartment where he lives, he cannot play the piano as to alert everybody around him that there is a hiding Jew). This is one of the most redemptive scenes in the history of film, Szpilman plays the Chopin's Ballade reflecting the ordeal he went through. It is akin to Furtwangler conducting the great Beethoven Ninth in 1942 with battlefield sounds heard from distant.

At this age, where we cannot foretell the conclusion to the Middle East conflict and Americans squandering up their operation in Iraq, the pathetic music of MTV is contrary to music in Szpilman's time. Great music can only be created with great suffering. Gustav Mahler said that if his life flows like a calm meadow, he would not have the ability to compose anything. The classical music age has lost it's Szpilmans, Furtwanglers, Menuhins and the like. When another horrific World War comes, will there be another artist like Szpilman? Time can only tell.

A Stunning Achievement
The depiction of the brutality of the Nazis toward the Jewish population of Poland is heartbreaking and unforgettable. This film captures the range of emotions that a family experience as they subjected to the gradual increase in persecution that ultimately leads to Treblinka.
Adrien Brody is a marvelous actor and is perfectly cast as Spilmann the famous pianist who is the only member of his family to survive. Spilmann's Survival depends on the kindnes of others who take great risks to protect him. Thes heroic acts are contrasted with the forementioned brutality of Germans to great effect in the film. A final act of redemptive kindness by a german officer near the end of the war brings the absurdity of the circumstances we have just witnessed into full relief.

Based on Spillman's memoirs , the film is very accurate relative to the book. The cinematography is astounding, particularly the transformation of Warsaw to a spectoral ruin where Spillman struggles to survive. The movie is well acted, well written and shocking in it's realism.

IT will leave you numb if you haven't seen it yet. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This 282-minute version of Das Boot is the full-length TV series, originally shown in six parts but here edited into a seamless whole. Director Wolfgang Petersen has since graduated to mega-budget Hollywood productions (2004's Troy for example), but has never managed to even come close to this, his German-language masterpiece. Petersen and his sterling cast (including Jürgen Prochnow in his best role as the U-boat Captain) went to great lengths to ensure that this claustrophobic depiction of life aboard the German sub U-97 while attacking British convoys in the Atlantic is thoroughly authentic, and totally convincing. Even the set itself, which is a replica of a U-boat interior, had no false walls, so all camera angles are necessarily from within its horribly narrow, overcrowded and sweaty confines. The result is certainly the finest submarine drama ever made, and one of the most compelling depictions of the physical, psychological and emotional effects of warfare.

This miniseries is rather longer than the movie version, which is also available on DVD in a director's cut version. The differences are not in matters of plot, but in the pacing: everything here takes longer to happen, while the crew must sit around, bicker, swear, and sweat it out--the agonizing searching for action, the tension of the attack, the terrible stress of hiding from enemy destroyers. Everything unfolds as if in real time, which is the great advantage a TV production has over a movie (contrast, for example, Band of Brothers with Saving Private Ryan). This, therefore, is the definitive presentation of a World War II classic. --Mark Walker ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Great film, bad transfer...
The only reason that I do not rate this version of Das Boot with a 5 is the bad quality of the extra 100 minutes. While the rest of the movie is crisp, clear and clean, the added parts (which are mostly external shots) have not been restored, and you get scratches, grain and a thin blue line from the top of the screen to its bottom.
I seriously contemplated giving this version a 3, but the story is excellent, Petersen is in top form, the performances are stellar and the added bits enhance what was already a superb war movie (even with the problems).
Do yourself a favour, even if you already own a version of it, buy this - simply the best submarine movie ever made.

YES!! IT'S ABOUT TIME!!
Finally we can see the full cut of Das Boot on DVD. Not only does this new edition have a remastered anamorphic transfer, it finally has the full, original 4 hour 50 minute cut (290 minute)that was cropped into the US theatrical edition (2 1/2 hours) and the Director's Cut (3 1/2 hours), but in a movie where the quiet moments where we learn about the characters are the best, the original cut (it was originally made for TV as a 6 part mini-sieres)has my strongest recommendation. The movie itself is the BEST submarine movie ever made without question, and also a realistic portrayal of life in a crowded, dirty German U-boat in WWII, filled with people who just want to go home and live normal lives, but due to the war are denied the chance. You see throughout the movie that the characters are not sympathetic to the German cause and that they aren't really fighting for their country, but their lives. This is one of my favorite war movies for showing the war through a different viewpoint than the one normally seen and an example of great filmmaking (p.s. - aviod the dub at all costs - go for subtitles).

A Matter Of Perspective
The first time I saw director Wolfgang Petersen's epic film, Das Boot, I was about 13 years old. My cousin had a copy on laserdisc. When it was all over, I remember saying that I couldn't wait to see it again, so almost imediately, I had my cousin start it all over. There have been a number of "submarine" movies made over the last 20 years, however, none have even come close to matching the sheer brilliance of Das Boot (aka the boat). I alredy own The Director's Cut on DVD, but I was still curious to take a look at this 282 minute version, since I like the film so much.

Captain Hans-Jürgen Hellriegel, (Jürgen Prochnow) commands German U-Boat 96, during World War II. For him, this is a mission to defeat the enemy and bring glory to Germany. For his young crew, they are in this for respect and adventure. The U-Boat's mission is to engage and destroy all allied troops that they can. But they are being hunted as well DAS BOOT is intense and gut wrenching The film may be told from the German perspective, rather than the allied point of view, but it's really a story of courage and perseverance,. It's told in a way though, that anyone can feel for this crew. The film really does have a clausterphobic feel to it. As a viewer, you do get a true sense of what it must have been like for these men on this boat. The battle sequences seem quite realistic and have never been topped since the film's theatrical release in 1981

For anyone who wants to know how the three different versions of the film stack up: The director's cut (running 209 minutes) also on DVD, incorporates 60 minutes of footage, not seen in the 149 minute theatrical version. Most of this footage lets us get to know the crew better than ever before. Das Boot The Original Uncut Version allows the major events of the story to build a little more, rather than giving us any new crew insight or additional plot revelations. Like the director's Cut disc, the movie also boasts a remixed soundtrack, that sounds great, even without a home theater system. Viewers can watch the film with its original German language track or in its English form. The brief featurette on the making of the movie makes a return visit for this 2 disc set. It's a shame that the really interesting and enjoyable commentary track from Petersen and Prochnow was not included here for those checking it out for the first time. This is another great presentation for the BEST sub movie ever made. Period. Buy this if you like sub movies. As for me, I'm glad I rented the uncut set, but in the end, I'm still sticking with the Durector's cut as my favorite way to watch Das Boot. Highly Recommended in any form.

"Does he go to God?"
My 4 1/2 year old daughter walked in and out of the room as I was watching "Das Boot." In the climactic scene in which British bombers spread death and destruction in the LaRochelle U-boat yards, the movie ends with Werner, the reporter on the

U-boat's mission--find's the ship's Captain played by Jurgen Prochnow dying at dockside, watching his ship slowly sink. My daughter looked at the dead German captain and asked me, "Is he dead, Daddy? Is he going to Heaven? Is he going to God?"

And I couldn't answer her at first. All I could manage was, "I'm not sure, honey. He was a servant of evil." THAT is how powerful this movie, in actuality a German mini-series, actually is. This movie is so intense, the actors so brilliant at conveying emotions that can be understood without any language that I was easily lost in the movie. Excepting Peter Jackson's work, never have been so mesmerized by FIVE hour film. Tho' he long ago went Hollywood (e.g. the unfairly maligned Planet of the Apes remake), as the Amazon reviewer notes he still, with $100M budgets has never come close to his submarine masterpiece.

From the claustrophic recontruction of the ship, to the grim tension in what seems like their triumphant escape, we are presented not with cardboard cut outs, not with virtuous, fearless imaginings, but real men, real boys being blown to pieces and dying.

When Werner leaves the bombproof shelters to search for the Captain we are slammed with the war's reality as most of the crew is dead, strewn about in the random anarchy of destruction.

But they were NAZI's! My conscience screams. Some were. The First Officer is such a man. There were inevitably others. But most were simply men who were ordered to war by their country, as Joe Galloway wrote about America's Vietnam Vets in
"We Were Soldiers." And they went.

One of the chiefest difference is the attitude with which they went to war. They went to war ith the timeless energy of youthful idealism only to learn that heroism is paid for in blood and sanity.

As Americans did with Japanese shipping, these German submariners wrought tremendous death and terror amongst Allied shipping & crews and came within an ace of starving Britain into peace with Hitler. For this achievement they paid with the highest death rate of any service in any nation's military during World War II. Seventy-five percent of German submariners lie on the bottom of the ocean. 30,000 of 40,000 as the movie's preface tells us.

They had wives, children, girlfriends, families. It is easy to cheer on Tom Hank's sqaud in "Private Ryan" as they slaughter German troops. In the Anglo-Saxon world, at least, we've reveled, cinematically in the German war machine's total annihilation for sixty years. It is also a cornerstone of Russian patriotism; as the greatest victims of Hitler, it well should be! After this full version of "Das Boot" no one can ever look at the ordinary German serviceman again.

He was no Nazi thug--on average. Did he serve evil? Yes. And for that service Germany paid in fire and blood and occupation for her sins. Perhaps they can never be, as they should not be, erased from Man's memory.

But the actions of a fraction of 15,000,000 German soldiers at most can erase the precious ordinariness of the ordinary German soldier. Cannot change, as Hardy put it in a famous poem, the fact that if you'd met the German you just killed in a bar, you'd probably have bought him a drink.

As John Keegan so poignantly reminds us in his "The First World War," the German soldiers and sailors were fighting for their lives too. As with the men on the Wall in DC, these men were sons, brothers, fathers, husbands and friends. We would be bereft of all feeling if we withheld some portion of pity from them.

But we continually bump against this question: Can a servant of Hitler, however much against his will, however much contempt he carried for Hitler's minion Goering (even the Captain engages in brutally accurate observations on the procine slug), still go to Heaven?

My heart feels something of chill but the verdict must be no. I cannot imagine that any just God will allow servants of men such as Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Ho, however passive was their service, to go unpunished. They were willing to fight to place the planet in Hitler's control; to do that they had to be willing to turn their eyes from the real nature of the National Socialist regime.

As deeply as I feel the pathos of seeing so many dead boys and men, to see so much human life wasted, to see so many future hopes and dreams smashed to pulp, I cannot extend my sympathy to them. I had a deep and long friendship with someone who grew up Nazi Germany and she left me no doubt as to the insane nature of the regime and the enthusiam with which many of its goals were supported. And the ones that weren't were simply ignored.

And that fatal choice condemns not only those 40,000 U-boat men but every other man who served in Hitler's legions whether they committed war crimes or not. In an illegal war, all actions by the attacking force are committing war crimes.

So, no, honey, he can't go to God. But I can't speak for Him, I speak only for myself. Germany has paid in blood, treasure,
destruction and pain for her sins. But those who died in service of evil can no longer answer to us. We can only acknowledge the humanity they willingly gave away for a revenge unjust and a plan for the world's suffering exceeded only by Stalin.

(Two notes: the English dubbed soundtrack clashes hilariously with the subtitles. Unless you breakout in hives when you watch subtitles, I HIGHLY suggest watching it in the original German. The English version has been sanitized of its original Teutonic earthiness of phrase. Otherwise much of the diginitas of the movie is lost. Unfortunately and strangely, there's not "features" whatsoever; nor are there any commentaries.)

One of the best war movies EVER!
This is not only one of the best war movies ever, but among the very best films period. The story is based on a true story of a German Submarine and its crew during WWII. The plot is simple. A bunch of ordinary young guys are crammed into a little tin can and go out and do their duty while trying to avoid getting killed.

It tells the tale of live aboard the "boat" from the boredom, the fear of death, the hell they go through trying to sink allied ships and the insane fear of the boat being crushed by the water pressure as you go too deep.

This film is unique in that it is done from the German perspective. Most films about WWII are from the Allied perspective since they were produced in Hollywood or England. What is striking about this film is how it depicts war as a human event rather than a nationalistic conflict. It makes us realize that for the foot soldier and sailor on the battle lines, no matter what side, war is the same. It is more a matter of survival than glory.

Highly recommend - my second favorite war movie. ... Read more

Reviews (233)

Very stylish and enjoyable goth/graphic novel adaptation
I never saw this originally in '94 because I dismissed it as A. a martial arts film (and I hate those) and B. adapted from a comic (and I just can't get into those) and C. aimed at a teen/goth/punk audience (and I am way too old for that). What a mistake! Finally almost ten years on, a friend heard me say I really liked Alex Proyas' DARK CITY -- a neat sci fi film with a very different story but the same kind of dark fantasy look -- and couldn't believe I had never seen THE CROW and made me watch it.

I have to say that I really think this is a fine, well made movie and none of my preconceptions were remotely correct. The art direction is brilliant, with a wonderful and creepy gothic fantasy look, almost but not quite black-and-white, set in a mysteriously surreal "Detroit" that is in some kind of alternate universe from the real Motown. Brandon Lee is really charismatic and haunting in the role of Eric Draven, and not merely because of the tragic incident surrounding the film. He was real star material and just totally inhabits this part.

After seeing the film, I did read the O'Barr comic, which is very sincere and heartfelt, but I think the filmakers -- in what is a pretty rare event -- IMPROVED the plot and characters while keeping all of the angst and atmosphere. They totally honored the character of Eric and the basic idea of the avenger, the memories of his beautiful girlfriend, and sense of overwhelming grief that inhabits the graphic novel. Where they impoved the storyline in cinematic terms is in the treatment of the minor characters and villians. They really fleshed them out, and it enriches the movie and balances the storyline well.

Bookending the film with quotes from Sarah (Rochelle Davis), the little girl who narrates and observes much of the story is an example of a good idea that doesn't really exist in the comic, where the little girl is called Sherri and only appears briefly. Even more so is the expansion of the character of Top Dollar, who again is a minor episode in the comic and more of a grubby hell's angel/drug dealer -- in the film he has been transformed into a complex and compelling crimelord. Michael Wincott is simply amazing in this part, playing Top Dollar as a kind of depraved, satanic, renaissance prince, and clearly having a great deal of fun with this role, especially some wonderful and very clever dialogue. The very, very sick but quite sincere love story between Top Dollar and his psychic half-sister is the reversed-mirror image of the pure and innocent love of Eric and his fiance, a clever idea.

Wonderful music, great visuals, terrific acting...The Crow should NOT be missed.

NOTE: I bought the "Collector's DVD". Don't bother. There is NOTHING worth looking at on the second DVD, some production sketches and posters, nothing special. The director's commentary (on the first disk) is interesting to listen to ONCE, but you can get that on the single disk DVD. There is a smattering of extra footage, but nothing you will miss. Save some bucks and just get the one disk wide screen version.

Fantastic is an understatement.
For those of you don't know this movie is Brandon Lee's last. Tragically, he died during the last days of filming. This film would have catapulted Brandon Lee into major-stardom.

Knowing this only makes the movie darker, sadder, and more heart-wrenching.

Based on the comic book series of the same name by James O'Barr, the movie stays close to its comic book roots. Dark imagery, up-close shots, and stark contrasts add to the comic book feel and gothic look of the movie. The music in the film, both soundtrack and songs, convey thoughts and imagery.

The Crow is a story of love and revenge, loss and retribution. It is a portrait of the struggle between the pain of seeing the past, and the peace of gaining closure. Director Alex Proyas did a wonderful job of capturing this struggle on film.

While the bulk of the supporting cast is at the very least believable, Michael Wincott is disturbingly creepy as the main antagonist "Top Dollar." Ernie Hudson, here playing a cop who thinks he's seeing a ghost, delivers an even performance.
But the movie is ALL Brandon Lee. He brought his martial arts background and talent to this film and gave 200%. He was also the movie's fight choreographer. This means: sit up and watch!

This movie is 80% action, 5% comedy, and 15% heart-wrenching, tear-jerking tragedy. Be prepared to sit on the edge of your seat, and use up a box of kleenex.

Death.It's a living.
The story of The Crow begins when a rock'n'roll guitarist named Eric Draven along with his fiancee,Shelly Webster were brutally murdered by T-bird's gang.
However,one year after their death,Eric returns from the dead and tries to find out about the murder of himself and the love of his life.The Crow is a very romantic,action,battle story fill with a great historical event that Eric,the undead hero must solve with a police officer and a young kid from the streets.This is for Dar and Tao from Sarah:Dar and Tao.Together forever.

The Crow- A Comic Book Treasure Brought to Life
The Crow is based on the dark comic series by James O'Barr. The film was directed by Alex Proyas who later made Dark City and the upcoming feature I, Robot, which is due out July 16, 2004. The Crow is a stunning film, its visuals are dazzling. This film of course is always remembered for the sad and unfortunate death of Brandon Lee, son of martial arts legend Bruce Lee. Brandon Lee had emerged and stunned us with this great performance and if he had lived he could have had a promising and grand career as an action star.
Brandon Lee plays Eric Draven, a rock musician who is brutally murdered along with his fiancee. A year later he comes back to life by the powers of a crow and the crow guides him as he seeks revenge for those who took away his life. The movie does turn simply into a revenge flick, but it is a quite stunning one. This film features some great action sequences and Lee as I stated earlier gives a great performance. The film was released in 1994 and spawned two sequels, neither were as good as the original, infact the third went straight to video. Due to Lee's unfortunate death, the filmmakers were able to finish the film using digital technology by what they had filmed of Lee's performance so the film could be released. Proyas released the film to honor and in tribute of his death, some where upset by this but others think it was good of him. This is a great film and I'm pleased to say it is a part of my DVD collection.
The Crow is rated R for A Great Amount of Strong Violence, Language, Drug Use and Some Sexuality. The violence is pretty intense and some might be offended or upset by it, after it one can expect that considering this is a dark and gritty film. The violence includes the use of guns, knives, swords as well as fisticuffs. There's also use of profanity, most of which is strong, and some drug use. Overall a great movie and one which should be seen.

A truly dark masterpiece!
Brandon Lee plays Eric Draven in this story of revenge and justice. Eric Draven and his fiancee are alone on "Devil's Night" which has been named that because of the crime and arson that goes on in the city. Devil's Night takes place on the night before Halloween. Eric and his fiancee are interrupted by a group of thugs that rape and kill Eric's fiancee in front of him, and then proceed to kill him. Now the idea of The Crow is this; when a person dies, a crow carries their soul to the afterlife, but sometimes the crow will bring the person back for unfinished business. Guided by the crow, Draven returns to exact revenge on those responsible for the rape and murders, and he targets each and every person involved. He returns as a tortured soul, bent on revenge for taking the life that he and his fiancee Shelly wanted to live, a life that was taken from them for no reason.Along the way Eric is helped by Sargeant Albrecht, who is the only one who truly cared about bringing the killers to justice. Every time Eric kills one, the task at hand gets harder as he gets to the source of the evil.

This is a superb film, perfect in every way in my opinion. It is dark, graphic and I would even go so far to call this a true masterpiece of American cinema. Brandon Lee plays his role with a passion, truly giving the dark feel of this film and the message behind it. It really is a shame that he died, I think he would have been a great actor. But this is his legacy, and it is a great legacy to leave behind. I have not seen the 2 sequels yet, but I am fairly certain this is the best one. I encourage you to see this movie if you haven't already.

The dvd itself is packed with extras that take an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the film as well as other things. The movie really sounds great turned way up on a surround system, and the picture quality is great.I should also mention the soundtrack to the movie, which is one of the best I have ever heard. Seeing this will make you want to buy the soundtrack, it is just that cool. My only regret about this movie is that I didnt see it sooner. So I have given my opinion, and I really recommend that you see this movie. If it isn't considered one already, it will go down as a true classic in cinema for the rest of time. ... Read more

Reviews (500)

Great movie, but no extras
I admit, I was not one of those folks who ran out to see South Park as soon as it hit the theaters. In fact, I didn't even run out to rent South Park when it was released on VHS and DVD. But I finally did rent it in a moment of weakness, and am so glad I did. A few minutes into the film I had to scrape my jaw off the floor, but then I laughed my head off for 90 minutes and promptly watched the film again. After I returned the rental, I bought the DVD, and still watch it whenever I need a laugh.

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is, in a word, brilliant. From the Disney-esque musical numbers (skewered by the biting wit of the lyrics) to the I-can't-believe-they-just-said-that vulgar hilarity of Terrance and Phillip to the "Saddam is from Mars, Satan is from Venus" moments sprinkled throughout, South Park is the best piece of satire written in years, and is guaranteed to keep you in stitches.

The movie is set in, of course, South Park, home of our heroes Cartman, Kenny, Stan, and Kyle. The boys manage to worm their way in to a theater to see Canadian duo Phillip and Terrence's new R-rated movie, which is brimming with jaw-dropping language. It proves "educational" to the boys, and they're swearing with flair and gusto quicker than you can say... well... you'll have to imagine. From there, it's a short leap to horrified teachers, mortified parents, and then Mothers Against Canadians. And it would be criminal to give away any more of the plot.

Yes, the language is positively filthy.... Yes, the film ridicules networks willing to do anything for ratings, Hollywood families of fame, overbearing and misguided parents, and everyone in between.... Yes, there are many moments of plain grossness.... So if you're easily offended, generally uptight, or a member of any morally outraged group, this film is not for you. This film is ABOUT you. Find something else to watch.

But for everyone else: buy this movie. You'll laugh; you'll cry (well, maybe not cry...); it will become a part of you.

Last note: The only reason I rated this DVD 4 stars instead of 5 is the complete lack of extra features. The movie is certainly worthy of a 5 star rating, but the complete lack of extras for the DVD format, especially given this material that's just screaming for extras, is inexcusable. But I highly recommend purchasing the movie, anyway.

Incredibly funny!
Although not a highest-grossing film of the year, this movie was a surprise success when it was released. It has caused people like the writers of the Simpsons to reconsider making an animated feature film of Homer and the rest.

On the surface this is not much more than a long episode on South Park with slightly better effects. But under the hood they developed a lot of technology to create the film, and it has definitly smoothed the process for the show's production.

As for the plot, I'm sure it's been discussed to death, but I will say that the quality of the movie is at it's best! Terrance and Phillip (my favorite characters) play a starrng role, and the show wastes absolutely no time trying to explain to the audience who such-and-such is (except for a small blurb about Ike being Canadian). All of our favorite characters are in it, without it being a showcase. And of course, since it's a feature film, it's much more irreverent than what's on the public airwaves. But again, it's not a giant excuse to offend you. It's all done consistently and it remains hilarious.

Finally, as usual, Trey Parker is given full writing credits since he's usually the one that ends up physically typing the script. But like always the show is a full collaborative process between Parker and Stone. At least, this is what they publicly admit :).

Great cartoon.. yet anti christian
First off, i love south park. I love Terrence and Phillip's inmature fart jokes, cartmans loud mouth, how kenny dies in the movie, and how the usa goes to war with canada. But i hate how they make fun of christianity. It is morally wrong and as funny as the creators re, if they do not ask for forgivness, they will rot in hell. Then they will see how funny it is. If they stopped being anti christian, then more people would like it. That is why i am sticking with the simpsons, even though it has a little anti christianity in it. If south park changed there ways, it would be the best show and movie ever.

Warning-
No, I'm not giving the movie itself 2 stars. The movie's actually one of the funniest things I've ever seen and was the first dvd I ever watched back in 1999. But the dvd itself gets 2 stars. All it had was 3 trailers and that's it. Which is why I posted this review/news-

A special edition of this is being worked on right now.

So hold off on this and wait for the better edition, which is bound to have tons of features like commentary, making-of and maybe a deleted scene or two (I can't imagine what could've been deleted from this). There isn't any release date set for it as of yet, but I'm guessing it'll come out in November or December.

Totally outrageous
I remember when I rented this movie a few years back, and I tried to watch it at about 1 a.m. I had to turn it off....it was TOO funny....too much for my senses that late at night!!! The usual guys are here....Kyle, Cartman, Kenny, etc....with one very big difference.....they curse a LOT and dont bleep it out!!! As usual theres the fast rapid fire humor that South Park is known for.

So if you like it fast and raunchy, get a big bag of popcorn, a nice cold soda, and take a few deep breaths cause you will LAUGH!!! ... Read more

Reviews (79)

Definitely worth seeing. Worth owning? Questionable.
Dustin Hoffman is a living legend. You can read any of the other excellent reviews here to get a good idea of what the movie is about, so instead I'm going to give you 'the truth as I see it' about why you should see this movie.
Obviously, Dustin Hoffman plays the role of David wonderfully. Susan George does a good job, although it would have been nice for this intended town hottie to have a pretty smile along with her pretty physique. But I guess that's the catch 22 in selecting a British cast, especially from that day and age.
The controversial rape scene in this movie, is almost paralyzingly disturbing. (Yes, paralyzingly...I don't care if it's not a word.) It's disgusting really. It was also very confusing for me, because of the fact that she was saying no, but the viewer actually does get the impression that she doesn't mean no. She kisses her 'rapist' and pulls him closer, and she invites him in in the first place, and then tells him not to leave. A very awkward occurrence. When the second guy rapes her, we understand clearly that she does not want him, but still she seems to have some strange bond with the first guy (apparently and ex-boyfriend or something) as they have a sort of strangely mutually understanding chemistry throughout the movie. This was one of the most disturbing scenes in any movie I've seen recently. It doesn't help that all the while we get up close facial expressions from her, showing a sense of horror and disgust, but at the same time thrilling satisfaction.
Basically, she gives in very easily when there is any sense of punishment as a consequence of resistance. She is trapped in a kind of school-girl mentality, playing childish pranks and teasing the men by showing her breasts and underwear to them. I'm guessing this is related to the way she was treated when she was that age. David, on the other hand, is a controlled, maturing man, trying to focus on his work. He doesn't give in so easily, and although some have said that he plays the role of mouse time and time again until he finally emerges as a 'real man' in the end of the movie, I personally feel that he is not the timid guy everyone thinks him to be, but rather that circumstance does not allow him to show his manliness (for example, when his wife brings in the bowl of milk with the beers). He is more confused than anything because he doesn't believe there is any real reason to confront the hooligans, until the execution of Kitty.
Anyway, like a lot of other people I was very confused by the ending. The implications of David defending his house, his wife, his honor, and his sense of manhood by protecting a man that actually was guilty of murder (albeit accidental), raise a whole other topic of discussion.
The violence, with the exception of the rape scene, is pretty tame according to today's standards, but the psychological horror is in full throttle here. This is a thinker's horror/suspense (not horror in the conventional sense of the word) movie.
The laughter of the crazy hooligan was really annoying to me. I'm sure many people will disagree with my views on the movie, but I think it's important to look at the movie for what it IS, as well as what it means.
I'm definitely glad to have seen this movie, and would highly recommend it, but I don't believe I'll be adding it to my collection. I might see it again one day, but movies this disturbing and confusing aren't usually on my list of favorite flicks to cuddle up to late at night.

PEACENIK HOFFMAN GOES BONKERS
In 1971 Sam Peckinpah's controversial STRAW DOGS was censored by the British Board of Film Classification. The cuts made it even more provocative than Peckinpah intended. Consequently, Straw Dogs was labeled by the media as an obscene, misogynistic piece of filmmaking. Regarding the uncut American version, even the esteemed Pauline Kael said it's "the first American film that is a fascist work of art."

"Straw Dogs" stands as one of Peckinpah's best, and a reminder of the ongoing struggle between an artist's freedom and suppression by the powers that be. But more than that, it's a brilliant and harrowing exploration of man's primitive animal nature and its implied, inherent violence.

The transfer's clean and sharp. Extras include an 80 minute look at Peckinpah's films and a new interview with Susan George, who talks about her daring, controversial performance of a woman who for a few brief moments seemed to enjoy being raped.

What does "Straw Dogs" mean? Is it from the saying: Behind every coward's eyes burn straw dogs? If so, what does that mean? What are "straw dogs"?

Another thing. Recently (of this writingt) Dustin Hoffman has made a point of speaking out about certain military operations to free brutalized, oppressed people. Personally, I'd rather not know what an actor thinks and feels about politics. However, in "Straw Dogs" Hoffman shows what it takes to fight evil aggression. His screen performance will outlive his words.

Recommended.

HORRIBLE!!!
I agree with another reviewer in that you'll either love this or hate it. But I think most people will hate it. (Note: I have nothing against violence in films, and I liked the Kill Bill movies.) The main problem here is that almost every character in this film is utterly unlikable, and terrible things happen to the two characters who are likeable. But even that wouldn't be so bad, if the film had a message.

Dustin Hoffman's character is a whiney, wimpy, and mean spirited person who, when he finally decides to act, he does so for all of the wrong reasons & defends the wrong person. I end up hating him MORE than the bad guys.
I rank this as the most unwatchable movie I have ever seen, even below "Short Cuts".
However, if you liked "Short Cuts", you'd probably like this, and vice versa.

A Remarkable Film Which Stands the Test of Time.
This is a really interesting film on many levels. It's not perfect; but, few works of modern art are. Nevertheless, this work stands the test of time. Firstly, one of the most remarkable things about this film is the absolutely Hitchcockian editing, which is remotely primitivistic, but strangely compelling: the editing engenders a peculiar ambience to the film right from the beginning brawl scene in the pub. Then, from the denoument sequence--which begins with the equally primitive church function and runs through to the climax and epilogue--the editing is nothing less than fine art. Secondly, the sets of the pub and the farm house are very convincing and interesting in their own right: there's plenty to look at. Also, the outdoor scenes with the ocean in background and the Cornish village all have the verisimilitude of realism. Thirdly, the soundtrack is not at all bad. Fourthly, the acting is good: of course, Hoffman is nothing less than brilliant; Peter Vaughn is excellent as the burly boorish Englishman; and Susan George isn't bad: she begins weak, but by the middle of the film she's quite okay, and from the denoument mentioned above, she's fine. Also, David Warner as the half-witted cripple is excellent--though not given notice in the credits. Lastly, the story is fairly well formed and possibly plausible--though that's no recommendation for fiction! It is possible in realistic or naturalistic fiction that a university professor might get a grant and take a semester or even a year off to do research; and this professor might want to go to some remote European destination where his wife has ancestral property by the sea, to get away from it all to do his thought-work; and it is possible that this professor might have married the woman out of sexual attraction, fully knowing that she had much less education than himself and was his intellectual inferior. But the plot has a quasi-classical form of characters with flawed personality traits; tension and contentious issues; incident follows upon incident resulting in a shattering climax, followed by an ambivalent coda. What more can one say?

Another amazing masculine character study by Peckinpah.
It's not at all hard to see the connection between Peckinpah's two greatest movies: Straw Dogs and The Wild Bunch. Both are studies of what it means to be a man, a look at the masculine and sometimes violent male nature. Basically, Straw Dogs is about an extremely timid American intellectual who decides to escape the Vietnam-fueled violence of the USA by moving into the small English town where his wife was raised. However, the man soon realizes that violence is pretty much omnipresent, when the men he hires to fix up his new home begin pushing him and his wife around. I won't give away the ending, but if you know Peckinpah you can probably guess.

of course, most people will probably want to see the movie for its infamous rape scene (which got the film banned in the UK, where it was filmed). Not only is the rape graphic, but the victim actually appears to enjoy it; at least at first. Here I must disagree with the lengthy rant of a prior reviewer when I say that the rape scene is not simply an exercise in mysoginy, but rather helps to show just how immasculinated the main character has become. Throughout the first half of the movie we see his wife slowly flirting with the contractors (at one point even letting them see her topless). This suggests quite obviously that she has become so disgruntled with her husbands lack of backbone that she is actively seducing the very masculine contractors, and the fact that she enjoys the rape is simply the logical extreme of her desire to have a truly "manly" partner. Of course, those who've seen the movie know that eventually she's punished for her covetry of man's aggressive nature.

Overall, I highly recommend this movie. In fact, I'd suggest you get it ASAP, since the Criterion version has been out of print for months now and won't likely be available for much longer. You need a strong stomach to watch it, certainly, and the pace is very deliberate, but those who have patience and put effort into understanding the meaning of the film will be very well rewarded. ... Read more