Reviews (13)

To Be Continued
I am a big Star Trek fan and I enjoyed the idea of going back to where it all began, 150 years from now but also 150 years before the original with Capt. Kirk and crew.The problem I have is the continuing story line that started at the end of season 2.There are too many shows on TV where you have to have seen the previous show to know what's going on.It works for Deadwood and Desparate Housewives, but not for Enterprise.They tried to fix this in season 4 where they were like a series of mini series, but I much prefer stand alone episodes.I have some life and don't have time to keep up with all the shows that are now using this soap opera format.To be fair to this second season most of the shows are stand alone but ends with a major cliff hanger.Season 3 is one very long episode.

Well written, acted, and filmed - just one thing wrong...
As a long time fan of the Star Trek franchise, I tend to be among the more lenient fans as far as where the writers and producers take the stories.I suppose this is what to expect from a fan who was drawn in by Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed Enterprise as a series on it's own, but it is very obvious that there are differing views on where the fans wanted the series to go as opposed to the writers.

I understand the producers desire to explore new ideas (Temporal Cold War, Xindi) but we Trek fans are nitpickers, and there were so many good opportunities to "fill in the gaps" created by the other four series.What caused the various conflicts with the Klingons and the Romulans?How was Section 31 started?And season four left me wanting for more about the early development of the Federation.

There were some very notable episodes this season, particularly Carbon Creek, Horizon, and Bounty.Minefield makes you want for more of the origins of the Starfleet-Romulan conflict, and Dead Stop seems to foreshadow the Borg storylines better than Regeneration, as I feel it was unnecessary to actually have the Borg in Enterprise at all.

The ultimate shame is that the last season was the one that the fans wanted, and was actually so good that I was anxiously awaiting the next episode after watching each weeks' story.It might be nice to see an occasional made for TV movie with this cast, maybe with a creative idea for a Romulan war (hint, hint.)

I will say, though, if you are only willing to invest in a single season, wait for the fourth one.It's truly worth it.

The Worst of the Four Seasons
If in season one "Star Trek:Enterprise" lurched to its feet like an amnesiac zombie formerly known as "Star Trek:Voyager," it just resigned itself to keeling right back over by season two.Retread plots, inconsistent characterizations, and a thumb to the nose regarding continuity with the original series were just some of the offenses that helped drive millions of viewers away.Most of the blame rests with the producers, who seemingly saw fit to endorse these obvious shenanigans, and the writers, who took a paint-by-numbers approach to plot and dialogue. Scott Bakula, despite a fine turn in "Quantum Leap," continues to register "zero" in the charisma department; it's amazing that William Shatner is so often lampooned for his staccato and swagger in later episodes of the original series when Bakula, with his herky-jerky, angry-for-no-reason approach to Jonathan Archer, is just as affected in his acting style--he's simply not remotely as effective.The rest of the cast is fine.In fact, Connor Trinneer, Jolene Blalock, and John Billingsley easily could have carried the show without Bakula, even if the producers and writers insisted on propping up his bland character as someone of significance while making the others look like sycophantic observers.Too bad the U.S. ethnic minorities on the show generally get less attention than the guest aliens of the week or the many cumbersome and jargony phrases that no real person would utter, like "polarize the hull plating." However, many episodes of season two are blessed with topnotch special effects, so there are pretty pictures to look at, even if the pacing and music that accompany them are usually as directionless as space itself.

By season three, "Star Trek:Enterprise" started to show signs of life, even if it had turned into a soap-operatic serial involving a "Star Wars"-ish race to stop a planet-killing weapon.The best season easily is its last--save for the high-school-quality "Daedalus" and the insultingly awful "These Are the Voyages."Cheers to Manny Coto for a valiant effort at breathing life back into a series so determined to commit dramatic suicide.Too bad he wasn't around from the beginning, when it would really have mattered.

Enterprise crosses intoSeason two
The second season dealt with the completion of the Shockwave cliffhanger. Unfortunately the show really took a turn for the worse viewer-wise as many trek fans abandoned the show. I liked the idea of the temporal cold war but it was indeed a bit ambiguous and confused fans. Not enough appearances by the Andorians or Tellarites in season 2-two races that helped form the UFP. This show had so much potential and by the end of this season, with an exciting episode "The Expanse" ,we see a Xindi story-arc that would take us through all of season 3.

In all honesty the seeds of failure were planted in the second season with some truly weak episodes, despite that the idea of this show remained bright, it was only the poor writing that drove off viewers. Cannon violations and lack of addressing important pre-federation issues was obvious.

But I still loved ENTERPRISE...after all it was in its infancy as a series.

Reboot or parallel timeline?
With the second season, ENT continued to anger many long-time fans as Archer and his crew tangled with the Borg, the Ferengi and the Romulans long before TOS and TNG did. The back door excuse that continuity was maintained was that the crew never learned of their names (though the Borg issue remains very muddled). Brannon Braga -who was asked by a fan to explain the Borg episode Regeneration - seemed to confirm that this Trek was a complete Reboot of the franchise or a Star Trek that occurs in an alternate universe. There is something called Many Worlds, a parallel time theory that contends that most historical occurrences, such as the signing of Magna Carta and what not, did happen only that principles might have been slightly different.And that essentially, since Star Trek: First Contact, the entire franchise now exists in this parallel timeline.Essentially, what happens is the Borg and TNG Enterprise journeys into the past and changes history. Here, then, reality splits into two versions -one road depicting the changed history, and the other road is were the original reality exists before the change.In the end, it is the only way to explain the Borg episode and Star Trek: Enterprise. Had Braga and Berman basically thought this out, maybe I could've forgiven them for the drivel they put out for three seasons until Paramount and UPN let Manny Coto take over the last season (which has been the best since DS9). I'm sad to say that Trek really ended with DS9. All others, have just been pale imitations.
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Reviews (39)

NOT the original version of the show - music edited
If you are one of those idiots who says "oh shut up and stop complaining, it's just the music, waaa waaa", take your DVDs and BURN them. You know nothing about what it means for the music to be an important part of the show and are just a complete moron (I can't express in words the anger that goes through me reading someone go "it's just the music"; it's NOT just the music!!!, it's the SHOW that is screwed up!!!)
Quantum Leap is one of those shows where the music is crucial aspect of show; the music is not just some background noise; it sets the mood. The show is completely ruined and is not worth a cent without the original soundtrack. Awful job on the part of Universal.

excellent series
No matter what this series is excellent. Anyone griping about the music must remember its better to have the series on dvd rather than not available at all. Hopefully season 4 will come out soon as its my favorite!

Hey, Universal, call me when you come to your senses.
Having read that Universal once again mucked up the music, I won't be buying Season 3 of Quantum Leap.There are some shows in which the music doesn't really matter - Laverne & Shirley's first season, for example, mentions on the box that the music is different, but the songs in Laverne & Shirley are merely incidental, background sounds.In QL, the music was a major part of the show, helping to set the time period, helping to set the mood.

I have read some of the reviews from people who claim that the change in music makes no difference (generally such comments are written in a boorish, bumptious, hectoring tone, a fact which I find rather interesting and quite telling).No?Close your eyes and imagine the Lord of the Rings movies with elevator music instead of the soaring splendor of its real score.Ponder "American Graffiti" with the sort of synthesized slop that has replaced the original music in QL. Then try to tell me that music doesn't matter.

The choice is not these travesties or nothing for most QL fans; it's a choice of a poorer-quality taped-from-TV video with the real music, taking up more shelf space than a DVD set; or a better-quality picture with no commercials that has had much of the atmosphere stripped from it. I'll take my tapes, thank you very much.If Universal comes to its senses and releases QL in unmangled form, even if it costs more, I'll buy it. Until then, count me out.

Classics never get old!
I have been waiting for this season for a long time now. The series reached its peak with episodes like "The Leap Home" and "The Boogie Man". Scott and Dean do their best work when the story really gives them the chance and the episodes of the third season really give them the best chances of the entire five-year run! It is pure pleasure to watch them perform. It is a shame that they only got five years! They could have gone on for many more!!!
(BTW, if anyone is confused by the other reviewers complaints about the change in the music, don't worry about it. What you heard on TV is what you get. They didn't change the music for the DVD release - which is exactly what I thought they were complaining about!) So buy this DVD set! You won't regret it!

Forget It
Music replacement abound, once again.A truly great show is being given the shaft by Universal, who only percieves it's formidable fan base as an open wallet.Boycott.Don't listen to the soulless collectors who only want to line their DVD shelves.QL without the original music arrangements is a travesty. ... Read more

Amazon.com

You won't need a bottle of rum to enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, especially if you've experienced the Disneyland theme-park ride that inspired it. There's a galleon's worth of fun in watching Johnny Depp's androgynous performance as Captain Jack Sparrow, a roguish pirate who could pass for the illegitimate spawn of rockers Keith Richards and Chrissie Hynde. Depp gets all the good lines and steals the show, recruiting Orlando Bloom (a blacksmith and expert swordsman) and Keira Knightley (a lovely governor's daughter) on an adventurous quest to recapture the notorious Black Pearl, a ghost ship commandeered by Jack's nemesis Capt. Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), a mutineer desperate to reverse the curse that left him and his (literally) skeleton crew in a state of eternal, undead damnation. Director Gore Verbinski (The Ring) repeats the redundant mayhem that marred his debut film Mouse Hunt, but with the writers of Shrek he's made Pirates into a special-effects thrill-ride that plays like a Halloween party on the open seas. Aye, matey, we've come a long way since Jason and the Argonauts! --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (1787)

YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!
Any one who has not seen this moive or dosen't like it has poor taste in movies!! This is a MUST see! This is my new all time favorite movie! I can't waite till they make the next one! Jonny Depp is PERFECT to play Captain Jake Sparrow! If you like the ride, you will love the movie. It will make you want to sing Yo HO Yo Ho A Pirate's Life for Me.

Leave 'yer Disbelief behind, Matey!
Disney went on a new marketing binge a few years ago and decided to commission feature films loosely based on attractions at their amusement parks.There were a couple made based on the Haunted Mansion and the Country Bear Jamboree that were not well-received, but Pirates of the Caribbean hit a lot of people in their "lets-have-fun-at-the-movies" bones and won Johnny Depp a well-deserved Oscar nomination as a pirate captain named Jack Sparrow who teeters constantly at the edge of over-the-top.As Roger Ebert observes - there's a scene where Captain Jack gets drunk as a skunk on rum on a deserted island, and his personna really doesn't change at all.Captain Jack has lost his beloved pirate ship, The Black Pearl, to his rival Captain Barbossa, played in an equally fun and over-the-top performance by Geoffrey Rush.Barbossa is the yang to Sparrows ying and he gets absolutely fantastic lines like "I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request - that means NO!"

Barbossa and the remainder of the Black Pearl crew are also inflicted with a curse that makes them undead, and when hit with moonlight they turn into skeletons - which makes for some fun and convincing special effects.Keira Knightly plays the beautiful governor's daughter in the damsel-in-distress role and Orlando Bloom is rather bland as her intended.

As long as you can accept pirate curses and fighting skeletons - suspend your disbelief and enjoy the ride.... er movie.Keep your hands and feet inside the boat at all times and absolutely NO flash photography....

Heeeeeeer's Johnny!
Yep, Johnny Depp has priate blood in him for sure otherwise how could he play this role so magnificiently?He's lovable, serious and funny and I think his best role ever. Just his actions, and much black mascara, convince you he is a true pirate. Orlando Bloom and him make the perfect duo. We loved the ghost pirates and the excitement of the curse and how it played out in the movie, kept you on the edge of your seat.This is a definite "have to own" DVD just because you can watch it over and over without getting tired of it.

A Fun Pirate and Ghost Adventure
.
Warning: NOT FOR THE VERY YOUNG!!!
.
Summary:

An enjoyable, interesting and fun pirate adventure with lots of good humor, great scenery, solid script supported by excellent acting all around.

WARNING :

ONLY for older kids and possibly teenagers and not too squeamish adults.The "Living Dead" pirates (shown 2/3's of the way through the film) can bother more sensitive viewers!!

With that said, my young son - the pirate lover -was able to differentiate between the story's realism and the "Living Dead" make believe - but, his older sister was not able to.

Review:

Fun movie with a great script, great filming, great editing, great special effects, great story, great acting, good humor, great scenery, lot's great story evolution, of fun. (this review is just too easy).

But, too scary for some people and not appropriate for the very young.I really wish this had not been so well pursued, because I think this would otherwise be a fun movie for my young son.

Story:
Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is an affected pirate Captain in port in search of a ship in the 18th century Caribbean who finds the "leverage" (blacksmith and expert swordsman Will Turner played by Orlando Bloom) to re-acquire "his" "Black Pearl" ship that was taken from him by his mutinous crew and the infamous Captain Barbossa (expertly played by Geoffrey Rush).Sparrow and Turner's adventure is propelled forward by Turner's love for Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley - in a very talented role as the Governor's daughter) who has been kidnaped by Captain Barbossa by mistake in her identity.

DVD's Extra's

Commentary is good, not great.I wished for more.Other DVD extra's are plentiful and excellent:like making of the film, deleted scenes, etc. and well worth the time and investment for the DVD.

Brilliant family entertainment
This book is based on the Disneyland ride of the same name, not something that would inspire you to watch it....however, suspend any preconceptions because this is a terrific film. Starring Johnny Depp as the pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow, Orlando Bloom as Will, the young blacksmith and Keira Knightly as Elizabeth, the governor's daughter, this movie couldn't fail.
The story is a simple one. There is a ship, the Black Pearl, formerly owned by Captain Sparrow and now led by an evil captain (Simon Callow) and crewed by pirates cursed never to die until a final piece of stolen gold is returned to its rightful place. Elizabeth has been in possession of this missing gold since she was a girl but never known its significance. When the Black Pearl discovers the whereabouts of this missing treasure they set forth to Elizabeth's home and kidnap her. Soon Will and Jack are in hot pursuit, Will because he loves Elizabeth and Jack because he wants revenge on the pirates who stole his beloved ship from him.
Johnny Depp is brilliant as the camp, funny Captain Sparrow (whom he based on Keith Richards of Rolling Stones fame) and he certainly steals the show in spite of worthy performances from the rest of the cast. This, alongside excellent special effects and a myriad of extras (some hidden) on disc 2 make this a DVD well worth purchasing.
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Description

CLARISSA EXPLAINS IT ALL focuses on the life of teenage Clarissa and her family, consisting of her annoying know-it-all younger brother, Ferguson, her eccentric health-conscious mother, Janet and her architect father, Marshall. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Great! You got to buy this1!!! Clarissa is the best!
Clarissa Explains It All is a great show! I love the dvd! It has her on cribs while she was filming/doing or after Sabrina! Her house looks great! And she has a huge pool w/ waterfall! She loves art! The picture quilty is awsome contrary to what others has reported! It has 13 eps from the 1st season! She looks sooo young lol I was sooo excited when i saw these in the mail yesterday! This a 2 disc dvd set! disc 2 has a picture ofclarissa and freg on it. disc 1 has a picture of clarissa laying on her bed.rated g by canadian home video.Also it has the Nick Time capsle on disc 2! It is sooo great! It has about 10 old nickelodeon ads/shorts with the nick logo at the end. Please go out and buy this dvd! Its 18.00 in most online and real stores! Thats i way better price then i got lol i paid 25. So u can say u got it cheap/on sale and its a great show with great extras!!! BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT lol

The Best Nickelodeon Classic Shows Ever!!!!
I love Clarissa Explains It All it was one of my favote Nickelodeon shows growing up.This show was wholesome & entertaining for childern of all ages & espeically teens.They should have the other Nickelodeon Tv Classics on DVD is Alex Mack & Are You Afriad Of The Dark.And I love Melissa Joan Hart that she did a great job playing Clarissa.Thanks for having Clarissa on DVD.I HAVE TO GET IT!!!!

Paramount Does Good With Nickelodean Classic!!!
Forget everything that you've seen on Nickelodean in the last six or seven years, and take a remarkable journey into what Nick used to be: a classic sitcom. Memories stand in my mind of a happier time, when "Are You Afraid Of The Dark?" was still showing new episodes and Lori Beth was still hitting the cocunts and giving us Vital Information on "All That." And somewhere in this brain of mine, I remember "Clarissa." A show about nothing that became a something in short time. This first season introduces us to the Darling family and, like most first season's, it starts off rocky but smoothes on through the next few years. Now, I can say "Clarissa" was not my all time favorite show, but the reason I am excited about this set is because it shows what might be in the not-so-distant future. However, on the whole, I think Paramount (our new-found leader in this TV-On-DVD obsessed world) has presented a great set that is easy to use and presents everything in a nice, orderly fashion. The mini-cases, which are now customary in these DVD sets, show descriptions for the episodes and features, and while the menus may be devoid of motion or special effects, they present to us the DVD's contents in a way that makes it easy to use. All in all, this set is a box of anticipation for what
Paramount's <-Rewind Collection my be sending our way in the future.

Here It Is
On Saturday nights in the '90s, I was about 7-10. For these three years that stick out in my memory, I used to watch SNICKelodeon, with All That! Are You Afraid of The Dark? and many more classics! The weekday was just as great. We had Alex Mack, Allen Strange, and, of course, Clarissa! I only faintly remember this show, but I remember it was something great! I hope to buy more classics in this NICKELODEON REWIND collection, and hope Nick doesn't screw it up like they have their network! If $30(With S/H) is too high, try eBay. Presale auctions are still going on, and there's always a chance Amazon goes out of stock, making you wait longer for this.

Finally!!! :)
Yay, Nickelodeon is finally bending to my whim!!Having grown up in the 90's, I think I saw every episode of Clarissa ever made more than once.I love all the Nickelodeon shows of that time and I am so glad that they are not going to be lost in oblivion.I know I sound like a dork, but I will be totally reliving my childhood, which is what every wavering college student needs to do every once and a while :) ... Read more

Description

Conagher is both a hard-riding actioner and a character-driven look at Western life. Katharine Ross plays Evie Teale, widowed after coming West and forced to prove her mettle in many ways. Sam Elliott plays Conagher, a cowhand who, when not tracking rustlers, drifts in andout of Evie's life. Something about that frontier woman keeps drawing him back. But can Evie ever keep him from drifting out again? ... Read more

Reviews (21)

MR. AND MRS. ELLIOTT SHINE IN L'AMOUR CLASSIC
While Sam Elliott has become (along with, perhaps, Tom Selleck) the personification of the Louis L'Amour screen hero, it's especially nice in CONAGHER to see him opposite one of the first ladies of western cinema, Katherine Ross.It's especially nice when one remembers that Ms. Ross is also Mrs. Elliott in real life.

The two provide a power-packed performance in bring Louis L'Amour's classic western tale to life.CONAGHER is the story of an honorable cowhand who almost single-handedly takes on a gang of marauders bent on doing all the damage they can to everyone they meet. Yes, a classic battle of good against evil ensues but it's done sincerely and lacks some of the schmaltz that surfaces in similar western sagas.

Add to Elliott and Ross an all-star western cast including Dub and Buck Taylor, Barry Corbin and Ken Curtis and you have an enduring western classic.Great to finally have this one on DVD!

THE HORSEMAN

Top Notch Western!
Outside of the Duke's "Big Jake", Conagher is my favorite western as it is done right. The country is beautiful and Sam Elliot and his beautiful wife Katherine Ross made this movie out of deep respect for Louie L'Amour. This film captures the loney life of ranchers and cowboys in the old west. This is also the last picture that Ken Curtis (Festus from Gunsmoke) ever made.
As mentioned in another review, the line "It's a hard country kid" is probably THE classic line of all cowboy movies.

One strange thing concerning the ending though, in the book Conagher finds the remains of Mr. Teal, along with the gold he was taking to buy cattle, and on the outside of the Conagher VHS box there is a picture of Conagher looking at the bones of Mr. Teal, but this scene never made the movie? That would have give more closure but I guess it was cut to fit in to a TNT time slot.

Conagher-The Best
I happen to like all of Sam Elliott's movies, but this one is the best he has ever done!

Louis Alford

"You couldn't hurt Conagher with an axe."

Format: Color
Studio: Warner Home Video
Video Release Date: May 11, 1994

Cast:

Sam Elliott
Katherine Ross
Gavin O'Herlihy
Daniel Quinn
Barry Corbin
Ken Curtis
Cody Braun
Anndi McAfee

Conagher was written by Louis L'Amour (Lamoore) about life in the West around the end of the 19th century, with trouble with the Indians, rustlers, and a widow woman (Katherine Ross) tryimg to raise her children on a hard scrabble farm.Conagher comes to their aid.

L'Amour was a student of Western history.He understood the common man, having worked as a cowboy, circus roustabout, merchant seaman, boxer and served in the U.S.Navy.He was also a prolific writer of Western fiction, among other things.

This is not the first L'Amour story that Elliott has played in.He also performed as Tell Sackett in The Sacketts, which was an amalgamation of several of Louis's stories in that series on that family.

This story of Conagher was one of his good stories, which you will find typical of L'Amour's writing...good entertainment.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

A lover of Western American history
Only a few westerns have become true favorites of mine over the last 40 years. Conagher ranks with the best of them. Why? The movie was not filmed in a movie lot specially made for movies, like Universal Studios or Old Tucson. But rather, you could say it was filmed 'on location' in a rugged, true-to-life environment that honestly represents what it was really like in the Old West. The Teal cabin and the surrounding country, the ranch of Seaborn Tay, the town - all have that authentic realism that lend excellence to the movie. Often in the film the lighting in certain scenes appears lacking as compared to other films in the genre. But actually, this is what gives the film a special feel, a special ring of realism. It's because you feel as though you are really there as a bystander, watching this drama play out right in front of you in the same way it would appear in real life. The direction of the film by Rebaldo Villalobos is superb and the performances by the actors are absolutely memorable. The musical score couldn't have been better because the selections chosen for the soundtrack apply perfectly and leave an indelible impression on the viewer. I don't know what Sam Elliot would think about this, but I believe this film is his best, most memorable performance of his career, bar-none. His rendition of Conn Conagher imprints Sam Elliot on my mind for all time - he IS Conagher. I don't think he has played characters in any of his other films that have struck me the way that Conn Conagher has in this one. But this is not to detract from the other performers in the film: Catherine Ross, Gavin O'Herlihy, Daniel Quinn, Barry Corbin, Ken Curtis, Cody Braun, Anndi McAfee, and the rest - they've all portrayed believable characters that make for a very enjoyable, memorable film that you will want to watch again and again over the years because it brings something special to the heart. Don't pass up the opportunity to see Conagher if you haven't seen it yet - you'll never regret it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A summit meeting of great Italian directors of the era, Boccaccio '70 is an antipasto platter of vintage sex symbols and naughty material. Cooked up and bankrolled by Carlo Ponti and American producer Joseph E. Levine, the four-part film was meant to tap the international smash of Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita, which gave audiences some refreshingly, you know, "mature" subject matter. Four directors were hired to create segments ostensibly based on the tales of Boccaccio:Fellini himself (in the lull between La Dolce Vita and 8-1/2), Luchino Visconti, Vittorio De Sica, and Mario Monicelli.

Monicelli's story, Renzo and Luciana, is an agreeable tale, full of everyday Roman life:an office worker (Marisa Solinas) must marry her boyfriend when she gets pregnant--although marriage is against company rules. Fellini's segment, The Temptation of Dr. Antonio, is fantastical and big-scaled. It tells of a censorious bluenose (Peppino de Filippo) who becomes incensed at the presence of a billboardfeaturing a sexy portrait of Anita Ekberg (selling milk)--a portrait that comes to life. For this bizarre escapade, Nino Rota composed an advertising jingle that will stick in your mind whether you want it to or not.

Visconti's The Job is the best segment, tracking the emotional chess game between a playboy (Thomas Milian) and his wife (Romy Schneider at her most gorgeous) after he is publicly exposed in a sex scandal. Finally, the De Sica piece (The Raffle) is a fairly broad romp that uses Sophia Loren as the reward in a raffle. Sophia's delicious, needless to say.

The finished product weighed in at a whopping 208 minutes, and Monicelli's segment was lopped off before the film showed at the Cannes Film Festival. It has never been restored, until this DVD release. All the segments are frankly too long, and none qualifies as an essential gem, but they do give the flavor of Italy's best at an especially exciting cinematic moment. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A must for fans of the directors
BOCCACCIO 70 is made up of four short films, each around 45 minutes long.The DVD set is broken up into two DVDS, with two of the shorts on each, and the second DVD containing a few extras.

The transfer for all the shorts is absolutely stunning.I don't think it could have looked this good when it played in theatres.

Disc 1

The first segment, directed by Mario Monicelli, had long been unseen, at least in the US.It was removed from the US release of the film.It is the least of the four, but still quite watchable, about a newly married couple, dealing with their family and work.Not much to it, but an interesting view of everyday life.

The second is probably the strongest, by Fellini.I would argue that this is one of Fellini's most focused works (although I would admit that I find him to be overrated to some extent).It is a very funny film about a moral crusader who objects to a large billboard for milk, with Anita Ekberg on it.

Disc 2

The third segment is directed by Visconti starring Romy Schneider.A wealthy man is caught in a scandal, having to do damage control with his business associates and his wife.It is one of Visconti's lightest works, and also quite fun.

The final segment is De Sica's THE RAFFLE.A group of men enter a raffle, the prize being Sophia Loren.

The extras on the disc include the original US credits, trailers, and some brief interviews made at the time of the films release, as well as a photo gallery.

The film is a must watch for all fans of the directors.

Drink your meelk!
This film I picked up more out of curiousity and because Fellini directs one of the viginettes. I had never seen any of the 4 mini films before, nor did I know of the controversy surrounding its universal release. Each film deals with sexuality in different ways. All of the films have impressive looking anamorphic transfers for being almost 45yrs old. There is English dubbed audio tracks though my copy kept switching back to Italian on its own.. English subtitles looked fine.
All of the films looked great and are restored anamorphic transfers. The Fellini film was my favorite by far. This is his first feature using color as well as featuring dreams/fantasy in his films. I couldn't help think of Attack of the 50ft Woman seeing thecharming Anita come to life off a billboard. This is as close to comedy as Fellini got , too bad he didn't explore this more often. Fellini's segment is almost an hour.

The Visconti piece was lavishly produced and feautured a troubled wife trying to rekindle that spark. This takes place in a high class French styled mansion. Romy is nice to look at even if she is rather pathetic. This mini drama was the most serious of the 4 and rather depressing as it unfolded.

The last two were rather light and forgetful even if Sophia Loren looked fabulous, and was omni present in her role as a carnival spinster with a change of heart.

The extras are fun. Lots of on set pics and lobby cards , plus a large fold out booklet with press clippings and news reviews.The U.S. and Italian trailers are intresting to compare.

If your a Fellini fan, you would do well to see this for his giantess fantasy alone!





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Robin Williams won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck nabbed one for Best Original Screenplay, but the feel-good hit Good Will Hunting triumphs because of its gifted director, Gus Van Sant. The unconventional director (My Own Private Idaho, Drugstore Cowboy) saves a script marred by vanity and clunky character development by yanking soulful, touching performances out of his entire cast (amazingly, even one by Williams that's relatively schtick-free). Van Sant pulls off the equivalent of what George Cukor accomplished for women's melodrama in the '30s and '40s: He's crafted an intelligent, unabashedly emotional male weepie about men trying to find inner-wisdom.

Matt Damon stars as Will Hunting, a closet math genius who ignores his gift in favor of nightly boozing and fighting with South Boston buddies (co-writer Ben Affleck among them). While working as a university janitor, he solves an impossible calculus problem scribbled on a hallway blackboard and reluctantly becomes the prodigy of an arrogant MIT professor (Stellan Skarsgård). Damon only avoids prison by agreeing to see psychiatrists, all of whom he mocks or psychologically destroys until he meets his match in the professor's former childhood friend, played by Williams. Both doctor and patient are haunted by the past, and as mutual respect develops, the healing process begins. The film's beauty lies not with grand climaxes, but with small, quiet moments. Scenes such as Affleck's clumsy pep talk to Damon while they drink beer after work, or any number of therapy session between Williams and Damon offer poignant looks at the awkward ways men show affection and feeling for one another. --Dave McCoy ... Read more

Reviews (345)

JCMICHAELS.COM Good Will Hunting Review
Good Will Hunting is one of those films that I wasn't expecting much, since the writers, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are so young. But surprisingly this young duo was able to write a sophisticated script that, with the direction of Gus Van Sant, became an Academy Award winner. Those awards, Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Screenplay definitely show the movies strong points. Unfortunately the acting is a little wooden and awkward at times, but is forgivable.

Luckily this movie has great bonus features including my favorite, audio commentary with Gus Van Sant, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Also included are 11 deleted scenes with audio commentary, production featurette, and "Miss Misery" music video. In other words this DVD is loaded.

Overall, with all the bonus material and sophisticated story this is definitely a great rental. If on the other hand, you are huge fans of Ben and Matt, and have already seen it and loved the movie, then it really is a no-brainer, just buy it.

Beautiful, thought-provoking . . . perfect
This movie is either perfect, or as close as it's possible for a movie to be. The acting is outstanding. The direction is terrific. The script is heartfelt and real. The soundtrack, featuring Elliot Smith, is perfectly suited to the movie. All in all, it's one of the greatest movies I've ever seen, and it's my personal favorite.

Will Hunting (Matt Damon) is a janitor at MIT who harbors a secret genius for mathematics. Rather than bank on his intelligence, he spends most of his time riding around and drinking with his buddies (Ben Affleck, Cole Hauser, and a particularly funny and excellent Casey Affleck). However, his gift is discovered by a professor at the university (Stellan Skarsgard) who bails Will out of jail (in on a count of assault) on the conditions that he start doing math regularly with the professor and that he see a psychiatrist. Enter the psychiatrist, Sean (Robin Williams). To add to the mix, Will meets a Harvard student, Skylar (Minnie Driver) who is possibly the first woman for whom he's ever had real feelings. Over the course of the movie, all of these characters in their own way try to make Will live up to his potential.

The movie doesn't have much of a plot other than this -- however, that's fine, because it's meant to be more of a character study and it's a great one. Pretty much every scene is two people sitting down talking to each other -- yet it holds the viewer's interest because the characters are so captivating. Sean and Will's scenes in particular are terrific. Matt Damon and Robin Williams, besides both being fine actors, have a natural chemistry that you just can't fake. Damon and Minnie Driver are also great together (of course, as it's widely known, the two dated during the filming of the movie) and it's my opinion that both were robbed of their Oscars.

Ben Affleck shows that spark in this movie which he showed in most of his '90s movies, and he's great in his role -- but even better is his brother Casey. Watch the movie with the audio commentary, and you'll gain so much more appreciation for both the role of Morgan and the actor Casey. The same goes for Stellan Skarsgard. Cole Hauser is good with the few lines he has.

All in all, this is a great movie -- beautifully shot, well-written . . . well, I've said it all before. If you're not offended by excessive use of the word "f***" (and yes, some people really do talk like that) you should love it. Forget the naysayers -- "Good Will Hunting" is one of the most heartfelt, poignant movies in recent history. Too bad all the awards that year automatically went to the movie with the grandest special effects instead of the one with better dialogue and better characters.

A drama with emotional depth
This quiet drama about what genius means was the surprise hit of 1997, with friends Matt Damon and Ben Affleck both collaborating on the screenplay and acting. Damon plays Will Hunting, a troubled, gruff young man who works as a janitor at MIT despite his incredible self-education and intelligence. When a mathematics professor discovers that Will has solved a complicated problem left on the blackboard, he pursues Will as a potential protégé. But Will is not good with authority figures, as his past includes abuse at the hands of his father. When Will lands in jail, however, and the professor manages to obtain his release with the stipulation that Will work on mathematics with him and see a counselor, Will's whole life begins to open up. As a patient of psychologist Sean Maguire (Robin Williams), Will forges a relationship that acts as a catalyst for a new future.

Matt Damon does a wonderful job with the title role, although at times he seems a little wooden. As the therapist with a painful history that Will eventually connects with, Robin Williams turns in one of his less flamboyant performances. His suffering is palpable, and his need to save Will from himself lends real passion to the film. Affleck provides solid balance as Will's friend Chuckie, although his performance is less memorable than the other two, more of a function of the role than the actor. Minnie Driver is charming and believable as Will's new girlfriend Skylar.

The screenplay is intelligent and skillfully developed despite some unbelievable facets of the premise, most notably that such a wounded individual, no matter how bright, would have the discipline to teach himself as much as Will knows. Still, this movie only gets better as it progresses. The relationship between Will and his therapist is dynamic, poignant, and meaningful.

This is a good film to own, as it uncovers additional subtleties on second viewing, as long as you don't mind revisiting emotional angst. Its feel-good story arc is somewhat predictable, but the dialogue and interactions are not, making this flick surprisingly complex given the young ages of Damon and Affleck when it was made.

Good film, good job for a first time screenplay/movie.
This film, which was the first time for Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, in writing a screenplay, turned into a movie, is an impressive piece of work. About a shy, yet with an attitude, young man (who as we find out later was abused) who demonstrates his brilliance, but who will not let people get too close. Ben Affleck (before all of this "Bennifer" nonsense) is good as his buddy, who really wants him to use his "gift". With an outstanding performance by Robin Williams (who deserved his award) and Minnie Driver, the lads have put together a funny, poignant, movie; which wasn't "overdone" as some movies might be. Williams and Damon interact with each other with the right amount of "attitude" as they help each other overcome their fears, hopes, missed opportunities, and dreams. A better film than I thought it would be. I'd recommend it. The downside (for peope offended by language, i.e., profanity, is that there is a lot of it, especially the "F" word). If one can overlook that, if one's offended [I'm not overly so]; then, this movie speaks to the person inside all of us, as we ask ourselves some basic questions; what do we want out of life, do we have regrets, did we try hard enough to succeed, what does success mean, and so on. Damon's character refused to be "manipulated" by anyone, including the professor who had his own issues. Definitely worth seeing. Had a pretty decent soundtrack too.

Some Outstanding Moments, but Not a Masterpiece
GOOD WILL HUNTING was actually written by two of its stars, boyhood friends, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. I was surprised when I first learned this; the screenplay, while still a little rough around the edges, shows a lot of insight for the twentysomethings that Damon and Affleck were in 1997.

GOOD WILL HUNTING is the story of, who else, Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a janitor at MIT and a young man with a very troubled past. Will was an orphan and a victim of child abuse. As an adult he's a petty criminal with a short fuse and an uncanny ability to reduce the most complicated math problems and theorems to simple answers, something he does at night on MIT's chalkboards. Will is a mathematical genius with a photographic memory, but he neither recognizes his gift nor cares. He'd much rather be out with his other blue-collar buddies, drinking and getting into trouble.

Two things happen to change Will's errant ways. The first is the fact that his genius is found out by one of MIT's professors, Professor Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard). Professor Skarsgard wants to do something to encourage Will to develop his gift. The second, and more pivotal thing that happens is that Will assaults a police office on one of his nightly binges and lands in jail.

Luckily, Will comes before a judge with some understanding of what he really needs. Instead of being sent to jail, Will is ordered to spend one day a week with Lambeau, studying math, and one day a week with a therapist in order to work through his short temper and his need to self-destruct. After a few false starts, Will ends up seeing Sean McGuire (Robin Williams), a teacher at Bunker Hill Community College and Lambeau's former college roommate. As things progress, it becomes more and more evident that Will is just as good for Sean as Sean is for Will. Will also receives help and encouragement from his childhood friend, Chuckie (Ben Affleck) and a pretty Harvard student from Britain, Skylar (Minnie Driver).

The plot of GOOD WILL HUNTING is very, very predictable, as is its ending, but that really didn't stop me from enjoying the film. There are some outstanding moments and set pieces, but overall, the film is only a little above average.

The dialogue is sometimes above average and, much to my delight, there was actually subtext, something so much screen and literary dialogue lacks these days. The thing that really rescues the film from mediocrity, though, are the performances from all the actors, especially an uncharacteristically subdued performance from Robin Williams. The scenes between Williams and Damon feel "real" and the chemistry between Affleck and Damon and Damon and Driver is palpable. Of course, the fact that Affleck and Damon have been lifelong friends and that Damon and Driver were romantically involved during the filming of GOOD WILL HUNTING didn't hurt the "chemistry" one bit. Still, it could have gone wrong. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were engaged when they made GIGLI and that fell flatter than any proverbial pancake ever could.

GOOD WILL HUNTING is a very solid, though predictable piece of entertainment, with strong performances from all concerned. I would recommend renting it before buying it, however, as it's not a film that one wants to see again and again. At least not in my opinion. ... Read more

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It's tempting to call this harrowing picture a World War II version of All Quiet on the Western Front: both films take the perspective of ordinary German soldiers at ground level. Stalingrad surveys the misery of the battle of Stalingrad, the winter siege that cost the lives of almost one and a half million people, Russian defenders and German invaders alike. Not unlike Spielberg's approach to Saving Private Ryan, German director Joseph Vilsmaier rarely steps outside the action to comment on the higher purpose of the war, assuming the audience is aware of the evil of the Nazi regime. Instead, we simply follow a group of soldiers as they endure a series of gut-wrenching episodes, events which have the tang of authenticity and horror. Vilsmaier has a taste for symbolism and surreal touches, which only add to the unsettling sense of insanity this movie conjures up so well. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (149)

Best war movie I've ever seen
I liked this movie from the very start. Not only does it give the viewer an eye-opener into how ordinary German soldiers thought (not all or even most Germans were Nazi fanatics and anti-Semite but Hollywood doesn't know or care) but it offers something different from typical American propaganda. The combat scenes are as powerful as the opening of Saving Private Ryan (a good movie until the end, when the heroic Yanks defeat the evil Krauts) but we know that it will all be a waste and for nothing, and what's worse, Hitler or the senior officers don't even care (neither do American leaders, but they keep a lid on that kind of stuff).
I don't need to say much about the film itself (there are other reviews for that) but I will say that this film does an excellent job at showing how the fighting at Stalingrad was, and how the German army struggled to gain Hitler his Lebensraum. It displays the character's slow realization that their cause is lost and their reaction, which would happen to just about any soldier in any army (yes, even the Waffen-SS, uh, the U.S. Marines).

All in all, an excellent movie.

A balanced account of the German Soldier in WWII
It seems to me that so-called "Anti-war" movies make the best accounts of warfare and "Stalingrad" is no exception. This acclaimed anti-war film delivers solid acting and characters with depth, excluding the two-dimension Military Police Captain, who fulfills the obligatory role of as the film's token "true Nazi" (there had to be at least one!). Aside from that, I'm hard-pressed to name another movie that portrays the German soldier in World War II with such historical accuracy and objective portrayal. Military history buffs will appreciate the attention given to uniforms and the correct organization of the unit in the film as an Engineer battalion with an attached Feldgendarmerie company. (Though in the English version, the translators botched this, choosing to translate "Sturmpioniere" to the politically pejorative "Stormtroopers" rather than the more accurate "Assault Engineers") Real Russian T34s, magnetic anti-tank mines, a PAK 40 and a host of other authentic equipment make the setting for the tale believable.

But the movie is more than an active display of 1942 militaria. It is an intensely human tale of person within the soldier. For me, the film was strongly reminiscent of Guy Sajer's "Forgotten Soldier", particularly in capturing the deadly misery of the Russian winter and the daily lot of the common soldier. "Stalingrad" will be of interest to military viewers for leader professional development training. In particular, the film is solid precursor to values training and discussions of the boundaries of duty, selfless sacrifice, and loyalty.

I am extremely pleased to add this film in my collection and thank you for the opportunity to recommend it further.

About as much fun as being there.
"Stalingrad" is the most depressing film I've ever seen. Mind you, I didn't think a story about the death of 260,000 German soldiers would be as uplifting as, say, "The Sound of Music" but this movie pulls out all the stops in an effort to leave the viewer a quivering, glassy-eyed emotional pulp.

Made by the same producers who gave us the seminal "Das Boot" I found it not in that league. The film is overlong, sterotypical, and spends too much time cramming postwar German conscience pangs down the viewer's throat. Moreover, the last hour or so reminds me of those interminable scenes from "Born on the Fourth of July" that seem more interested in punishing the audience than advancing the story. The battle for, and siege of, Stalingrad, was no doubt an experience of horror and misery beyond the power of words or images to describe it, but what I was hoping for here was a German version of "Saving Private Ryan" -- high on combat and confusion, short on moralizing. Unfortunately, all postwar German cinema is filtered through the same revisionist political opinions; this explains why all German war movies inevitably leave you with the feeling like you've been punched in the stomach or clubbed over the head. After about an hour I was hoisting my own flag of surrender; but the pummeling continued.

The scene at the airfield, for example, when the wounded men are trying desperately to get out on the last transports, is very hard to watch. From what I've read, however, it seems that discipline in the Stalingrad pocket was maintained until the bitter end, and the airfield scene may more resemble how the producers of the film wanted history to unfold rather than the actual way it did. In fact, the 90,000 men who lived to surrender (all but 5,000 of whom died in captivity) did so only when they were completely out of fuel, medicine, and ammunition, and had no other means to resist; but the producers, of course, permit to trace of pride in military accomplishment to enter into their film.

Most American movies and television portray the Germans in World War II as heel-clicking cartoon idiots ("I know nutink! Nutink!"). Most German war movies portray the Germans as either villainous martinet Nazis, or cynical disbelievers who carry arms only for Germany and not for Hitler or the Party. In fact, the record shows that the Germans overwhelmingly trusted Hitler and were deeply inspired by his ideology. It is this fact, and not what was done in the name of National Socialism, that seems to sit very hard in the modern German stomach.

What's my motivation to buy this dvd?
Why does this dvd have an english (dubbed) soundtrack only. It was obviously made in german (like Das Boot), so why no german soundtrack available? Surely some people would prefer to watch the film in the original german soundtrack with english subtitles. But no subtitles either! What were the people who compiled this dvd thinking! Why not include the original soundtrack. Surely this was available.
One of the best parts of the film, a scene showing the platoon listening to a speech by Hitler (the actual recording) over an improvised radio, also has no subtitles! So good luck to anyone who would have been interested in knowing what the speech was about.

If ever there was a film that could benefit from rudimentary features like a choice of language or subtitles - this is it.

Probably one of my favourate war films. Probably the worst DVD in my collection.

The way war should be shown : Vivid and Horrifying
I had never heard of this film untill I spotted this DVD out of the corner of my eye in the store and bought it, and I am glad I did. This movie has surpassed any previous depiction of the stress and hardship's that the common soldier and civilian alike faced in WW2 that I have ever seen and I felt this is also the first war movie to take the glory out of battle and replace it with the truth "war is hell".

I like many other reviewer's here have seen the endless stream of documentories about stalingrad and have heard the accounts from veteran's of the battle and about the horror and suffering that wen't on, but I feel that the word's and tear's from these veteran's never quite sunk in. After seeing this movie I feel like the pain that was depicted has allowed the words of these veteran's to finnally sink in and I have a new understanding of just what these men had endured...and yet I feel like I still dont know the whole truth.

This film has a permanent home in my collection....I only regret that this movie was not embraced by the U.S. film industry and shown to a wide audience a long time ago....I recommend that anyone who is fan of war movie's or just curious about the war that changed the world.... this is a movie that you cannot pass up seeing. ... Read more

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Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (Widescreen 30th Anniversary Edition)
Having proven itself as a favorite film of children around the world, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is every bit as entertaining now as it was when originally released in 1971. There's a timeless appeal to Roald Dahl's classic children's novel, which was playfully preserved in this charming musical, from the colorful carnival-like splendor of its production design to the infectious melody of the "Oompah-Loompah" songs that punctuate the story. Who can forget those diminutive Oompah-Loompah workers who recite rhyming parental warnings ("Oompah-Loompah, doopity do...") whenever some mischievous child has disobeyed Willy Wonka's orders to remain orderly? Oh, but we're getting ahead of ourselves ... it's really the story of the impoverished Charlie Bucket, who, along with four other kids and their parental guests, wins a coveted golden ticket to enter the fantastic realm of Wonka's mysterious confectionery. After the other kids have proven themselves to be irresponsible brats, it's Charlie who impresses Wonka and wins a reward beyond his wildest dreams. But before that, the tour of Wonka's factory provides a dazzling parade of delights, and with Gene Wilder giving a brilliant performance as the eccentric candyman, Wonka gains an edge of menace and madness that nicely counterbalances the movie's sentimental sweetness. It's that willingness to risk a darker tone--to show that even a wonderland like Wonka's can be a weird and dangerous place if you're a bad kid--that makes this an enduring family classic.

The Wizard of Oz
When it was released during Hollywood's golden year of 1939, The Wizard of Oz didn't start out as the perennial classic it has since become. The film did respectable business, but it wasn't until its debut on television that this family favorite saw its popularity soar. And while Oz's TV broadcasts are now controlled by media mogul Ted Turner (who owns the rights), the advent of home video has made this lively musical a mainstay in the staple diet of great American films. Young Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland), her dog, Toto, and her three companions on the yellow brick road to Oz--the Tin Man (Jack Haley), the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), and the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger)--have become pop-culture icons and central figures in the legacy of fantasy for children. As the Wicked Witch who covets Dorothy's enchanted ruby slippers, Margaret Hamilton has had the singular honor of scaring the wits out of children for more than six decades. The film's still as fresh, frightening, and funny as it was when first released. It may take some liberal detours from the original story by L. Frank Baum, but it's loyal to the Baum legacy while charting its own course as a spectacular film. Shot in glorious Technicolor, befitting its dynamic production design (Munchkinland alone is a psychedelic explosion of color and decor), The Wizard of Oz may not appeal to every taste as the years go by, but it's required viewing for kids of all ages. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (50)

Funny, Intentionally-Horrid Camp / Cult Sci-Fi Flick
Jane Fonda may regret opting Barbarella as one of her earlier films, but fans of bad camp and cult sci-fi are happy to see the actress in this horridly funny sixties film.

Fonda plays the title role of a spaice vixen / astronaut in the exceptionally distant yet sixties-fied future. When genius but mad scientist Dr. Duran Duran (presumably from whom the band took their name) disappears, Barbarella is sent to track him down and given weapons she has no clue how to use (war has been outlawed for ages) and little warning of the planet she'll be landing on.

Pursued by evil children with cannibalistic dolls and rescued by a tough man in furs, Barbarella finds out about real sex (thankfully not pictured) when she offers to use a mood-linking pill, the 41st century method of copulation. From there she's off to a city of evil, avarice, and sin, to be caught by the demented Dr. Duran and put through such tortures as a cage of pecking budgies to the doctor's notorious and sensual machine for execution by sheer pleasure to a lake of liquid evil whose effects look to have been done by lava lamp. Along the way she meets various helpers (most of whom she ends up sleeping with), including a blind angel named Pygar.

Barbarella's costumes vary with each scene, all skin-tight and definitely satirizing the garb of women of golden-age science fiction. On the whole, the movie pokes fun at the field of early science fiction rather well with a heaping helping of sixties hippie culture thrown in for good measure. The DVD doesn't include any exceptional special features.

Barbarella is by no means a good movie, but it is excellent fare for fans of campy sci-fi that would be right at home on MST:3K and quite humorous when taken with a grain of salt.

The hottest hottie ever?
Okay, so these days Jane Fonda is weird, which is entirely understandable given that she is married to Ted Turner, who can often be found snoozing during Braves games, wearing a cap 3 sizes too big for his head. But in "Barbarella," Jane Fonda is unbelievably hot, to the point where I questioned whether this movie was real or a mere figment of my fantastical imaginations. Well, it's real, people, and you need to see it. Not only is Jane utterly flawless (which can be easily seen by comparing her to today's "hot" stars like Britney Speers, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Denise Richards), she also invites every male character in the film to basically have his way with her. Um, waiter, check please? But seriously, we cannot be supporting this type of wanton behavior (primarily for the reason that the women who act this way in the real world look more like George Forman than Jane Fonda), so this type of vision is best left to the campy comedy known as "Barbarella." I am 21, mind you, so I am not biased towards the 60's, but I am telling you not to miss out on the world's perfect female--watch it.

A trip
This movie is a trip. In spite of what agenda-driven, right-wingers have to say about it, based on their personal dislike for Jane Fonda and her oppinions of the Vietnam war, this movie is a true classic. It's campy to a point that it makes you think how serious, pragmatic and booring people have become over the past decades. It's a total groovie trip. It doesn't take itself seriously at any moment. And best of all, it actually has lines to read between.

Hanoi Jane in her best role
The only movie she ever made that I can sit through.

Ban Jane Fonda
Read up about her role in the Vietnam War before giving her your patronage. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Doris Day: Greatest Pop Vocalist, Great Actress & Person !
In the annals of pop music, musical films and outstanding entertainment careers few can match that of Doris Day, either in longevity or quality.Her naturally superb vocal talents were honed at a very early age (17) singing with top territorial big bands and ultimately with the great Les Brown Band of Renown with whom she had her first hit record, "Sentimental Journey", in 1945.That experience helped her develop the power, depth, phrasing and lyrical vocal style that made her the finest pop vocalist of all time.Nowhere is that talent more evident than in this Academy Award nominated film on the life of songstress Ruth Etting.Music wise the songs are incomparable as are the orchestrations and Doris' renditions.One need only to listen to the emotion and purity of "Never Look Back", "It All Depends On You" and "I'll Never Stop Loving You" with just piano accompaniment to hear how she had no rivals then, and especially now, in the vocal arena.

The film takes some liberties with facts and characterizations as all bio films do but who cares?The acting is first rate with Jimmy Cagney as the controlling minor league thug, Marty Snyder, Cameron Michell as her real love and musical director, Johnny, and veteran character actor, Robert Keith, as the faithful supporting booking agent.It is said that Cagney, who was nominated for his third Oscar as Snyder, had no qualms about getting second billing to the much younger Day.

As film bios go, this one is hard to beat.Outstnding talent, a great script, incredible music and outstanding musical performances puts "Love Me Or Leave Me" at the top of all music biographies.I first viewed this film in 1955 as a very young and impressionable kid.It has not lost a thing over time, especially when weighed against the tripe and fluff that eminates from Hollywood now.I recently got the soundtrack CD and it is outstanding in sound quality.Miss Day recently turned 81 and is still beautiful and active in Carmel California.This performance and her equally great 1951 performance in "Young Man With A Horn" remain my favorite Doris Day films.

No Tacky Virgin in This One!
I'd seen clips of Doris' more "known" movies and never thought I'd be purchasing a Doris Day flick.Then, I saw Doris' interpretation of "Shakin' the Blues Away" on "That's Entertainment III."Amazing.Had to buy the DVD "Love Me or Leave Me."

The film showcases an awesome vocal performer and surprisingly good acting on the part of Ms. Day. It made me feel that most of the other films of her career were a waste of her obvious talent. Let's put it this way--at many points of the film, she convinced me to be more sympathetic to her gangster husband than her.She was that convincing.James Cagney turns in a blistering performance with great subtlety.His obsession and misguided love for Ruth Etting (Ms. Day) are convincingly portrayed.

The DVD is in gorgeous Dolby Surround that will blow you away if you have a good system.The print is clear and clean--dripping in saturated Eastmancolor.Add this one to your collection of treasured DVDs and turn a friend on to Doris in a role suitable to her talent--if you can part with it!

DVD extras
DVD special features include: Soundtrack remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1, Three vintage shorts, the first two with Ruth Etting (A Modern Cinderella, Roseland, A Salute to the Theatres)

"Love Me or Leave Me" is a great movie!
I can't wait to see this movie on DVD.I first saw it about 15 years ago after taping it on TNT.This movie contains what I think is Doris Day's greatest performance---and what a shame she didn't get an Oscar nomination for it.This role showcases all of her talents and hints at the truly great acting ability she had and rarely had the opportunity to show.So many of her roles were lightweight.Nevertheless, she was one of the greats of her generation.I hope the Academy rewards her with an Honorary Oscar one of these days.If you're on the Board of Governors, think about it.

"Love Me or Leave Me" is one ofDay's crowning achievements
Doris Day can do ANYTHING!And in this film, she is cast against type as a woman who "makes a pact with the devil" to get the career she so strongly desires.Well, it isn't "Faust",
but our Doris certainly makes you think it is. Doris Day and James Cagney both give complex performances that enrich this
film so much, and Doris Sings a wonderful batch of standards
that rival ANYTHING she has ever done.If all you got was the songs, you would have more than your money's worth...but you get a fascinating movie about a real woman and the mistakes she made.And for those of you who think Doris can only play the coy virgin...I assure you...our beloved Doris is neither coy nor virginal in this film.SHE will knock your socks off!!!
THANK YOU DORIS...for ALL your wonderful performances...you can do anything and everything...and if proof were needed this is it. ... Read more

Reviews (1660)

Pirates Treasure
Whenever I found myself on a family vacation at a Disney theme park, one of my favorite attractions, was always Pirates of the Caribbean. When I heard that mega producer Jerry Bruckheimer was going to make a film, based on the ride, I was more than a bit skeptical. It's hard enough sitting through some movies, based on TV shows, Comics, or books, let alone one born out of a ride. How would Brucheimer and director Gore Verbinski pull off the seemingly impossible. Things turned out better than I, or most folks for that matter, figured that they would.

Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp)loves living on the high seas as a pirate. His world is turned inside out, when his mortal enemy, Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) steals his ship, later using it to attack the town of Port Royal. During the onslaught, Barbossa decides to kidnap Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), the daughter of the town's Governor. Her childhood friend Will (Orlando Bloom) is determined to save her--he and and Jack team up--to reclaim both the ship and get the girl.

A big reason, that the film exceeded my expectations, was due to the inspired performance from Depp. Once again, he proves his versatility, and becomes the character. The role allows him to show off his rare comedic side and he really runs with it. The rest of the cast is up to the challange as well...but clearly having lots of fun in the process. Verbinski fills the screen with plenty of action and great effects, but at no time do these elements overtake this pirate tale. Everything falls into place very nicely. I was a bit surprised by the film's running time though, at 2 hours and 23 minutes, I thought some of the pacing could have been just a tad tighter--just a minor quibble if I may...

The folks at Disney and Bruckheimer must have known what they had in the film. The 2 disc DVD set is loaded with some fine extras, for both the technical film buff and the casual viewer. For me, the three audio commentary tracks, are the highlights of the the entire set. The commentary by Verbinski and Star Depp is the most interesting though. Depp seems relaxed and not as one demensional, as I've seen him in the past, doing interviews for his other work. For the second track, actors Keira Knightley And Jack Davenport, have the most fun. Davenport is very witty and keep things light. Recorded separtely and added in on this track are comments from Bruckheimer to balance it out. The final track brings together writers Stuart Beattie, Ted Elliot & Terry Rossio and Jay Wolpert (Wolpert adapted the 2002 version of The Count Of Monte Cristo also recommended) for a look at the writing process.

Disc two starts out with a lively 37 minute look behind the scenes called aptly enough "An Epic At Sea: The Making of "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl". I mentioned the film's running time before--so to my surprise there are no less than 19 deleted and alternate scenes that were wisely trimmed or cut altogether.5 addtitional featurettes explore filming and life behind the scences--"Moonlight Saranade" scene progression, "Fly on the Set" looks at some of the specific scences as they were being shot, "Diary of a Pirate" is a behind-the-scenes look with cast member Lee Arenberg (best known for playing a alien Ferengi on the Star Trek spinoffs The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine), a Producer's Diary with Bruckheimer as your guide, and the
"Diary of a Ship" Video Journal. Some of these work better than others, in terms of content, but are still worth a look. Next up there is the well researched primer "Below Deck" - An interactive and fun History Of Pirates. An 18 minute segment from January 1968, as part of the TV show "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color", where Walt himself gives us a tour of the ride that inspired the film. It is very cool to have something like this as part of the set. A very extensive still gallery and a 3 minute blooper reelthat works once but not beyond that are here too. Finally, there are some really cool DVD-ROM Features for your PC: "Moonlight Becomes Ye" is an Effects Studio that allows you to create some magic of your own,there's even more history on the ride, a Virtual Reality Viewer, Scriptscanner & Storyboard Viewing Modes.

Who knew that a film, based on a ride, could be this much fun and entertaining? Pirates...is recommended with **** and a half stars

Blockbuster of the Summer DVD of the Winter
THE MOVIE
Movies about cursed pirates died out and flopped decades ago but this movie is brings new enthusiasm the pirate genre has been looking forward to. This is a great popcorn flick that has really put the Swash back into Buckling
This action/ adventure/comedy is loosely based on the ride at Disneyland. Although the similarities are somewhat few and far between this is probably a good thing as it escapes the Disney marketing attempt feel.
The extremely well chosen cast could never be better with Johnny Depp brilliantly playing the light-hearted mostly-drunk pirate Jack Sparrow (sorry Captain Jack Sparrow). He provides most of the comedy in his one-liners, lucky escapes and defiant bragging. The romance is between the kidnapped Governors daughter Elizabeth Swann, (Kiera Knightly) and Will Turner (played wonderfully by man-of-the-moment Orlando Bloom) who comes to her rescue. The typical cursed pirate, Captain Barbossa of the titula