Description

When a nasty neighbor tries to have her dog put to sleep, Dorothy takes her dog Toto, to run away. A tornado appears and carries her to the magical land of oz.Wishing to return, she begins to travel to the city of Oz where a great wizard lives. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Why no commentary?
I already expected this DVD Gift Set to be 5 stars in every way, and for the most part it is, but i was just wondering if anyone else out there has the Laserdisc "Ultimate OZ" set that came out a few years ago. It has everything this new package has (minus the great menu scenes) but something that i was sad to see is missing from the DVD version: where is the running commentary from OZ expert John Fricke? That was one of my favorite parts of the Laserdisc OZ special edition and i guess i just assumed it would be included here. I feel sorry for those OZ fans who might never get to hear the interesting and fun facts and anecdotes. For example: the coat that Professor Marvel wears was bought from a second-hand store and when they turned out the pockets the letters LFB were stitched inside-Baum's widow confirmed that the coat had indeed belonged to her husband; the female voice heard during the TinMan's song ("wherefore art thou Romeo") is the voice of Snow White- without the success of that movie OZ might never had been made; when Jack Haley replaced Buddy Ebsen thay shot for three days before anyone noticed that he was wearing Buddy's shiny Emerald City outfit instead of the rusty one for the woods scenes- the footage had to scrapped at an estimated cost of $60,000- another time when Oz production was almost shut down. There are also great stories about all the major players and hpw they felt about OZ and each other. Well, maybe you don't care to know all this but it added another fun dimension to my OZ watching and I'm curious why DVD owners were left out. Otherwise i couldn't be happier with the transfer of this classic and would definitely recommend it OZ- and DVD- fanatics alike.

Attention viewer from San Jose
First, excellent DVD Deluxe Edition. Second, I would like to respond to the "viewer from San Jose" who posted on 10/20/99. Movies made before 1953 were filmed in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Television has an aspect ratio of 1.37:1. When you view a movie such as THE WIZARD OF OZ in a full screen transfer you are losing a mere .04:1 of the original aspect ratio. If you would like to understand widescreen ratios better send me an email and I would be glad to assist you.

Oz is "OZsome!"
This is like the best movie ever filmed! It is so cool, and what makes it even better is the cool things you get when you purchase the gift pack. Everyone should own this gift pack!

The girlfriend loves it!
Bought it as a gift for an Oz lover - forget it - she loves it so I'm a hero!

Cautionary 5 Stars!
I give this DVD version a cautionary 5 star rating only because of the actual film itself, which stands on it's own as a wonderful classic for all ages. However for the extra money you'll shell out for the "Deluxe" DVD version be warned this is only for the true OZ collector. The boxed set includes some very nice suitable for framing lithographs, a large, paperback bound script and of course the DVD itself. Finally that's where my caution comes into play, the usual added tidbits on the DVD are nice but the Angela Lansbury 50th Anniversary section is obviously transferred from video and though watchable it is still slightly fuzzy. Last but not least is the film itself which is still wonderful and magical but be warned there is no "widescreen" version included and this was my biggest disappointment with this Deluxe version. ... Read more

Description

A decadent German family of great wealth wallows in its own decay as its factories produce armaments for Hitler and his followers. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Twilight of the Industrialists
"The Damned" is an entertaining soap opera concerning the destruction of a German Industrial family during the early years of Hitler's consolidation of power. There are many very good performances in this movie such as Dirk Bogarde, Ingrid Thulin, Helmut Greim, Charlotte Rampling (seen in the recent Swimming Pool), and especially Helmut Berger who is evil personified as Martin Von Essenbeck. Luchino Visconti directs the movie with operatic opulence though there are a few sections in the movie that tends to slow to a crawl. Despite these moments, you will find yourself immersed in a compelling story. I have to agree with other reviewers who are critical of the sound, as I occasionally activated the subtitles to catch what was being said.

Finally, regarding whether or not The Damned has in fact been edited to an R rating. I saw this movie in a theater when it was first released, and while I will concede that my memory may be flagging, I honestly do not recall any scene that has been trimmed. I believe that the X rating in 1969 is a reflection of the moral standards of the period. This movie includes issues of rape, pedophilia, and incest which were taboo in movies during this period. Think of the landmark X rated movies such as "Last Tango in Paris", and "I am Curious Yellow". In both cases, seen by today's rating standards, these two movies only warrant an R rating. I believe "The Damned" falls into the same category.

Mesmerizing
I was quite young when The Damned was originally released, but remember the controversy when it played on television in the mid 70s. The DVD release was my first opportunity to see it, and I did so with apprehension. I have seen Pasolini's "Salo" and wished I hadn't, and I still don't have the nerve to watch an "Ilsa" movie, so I wasnt quite prepared for what turns out to be a lush and gorgeously photographed family psycho-drama. Its a difficult film to wrap around, I felt a lot of the dialogue was dull and mundane and on second viewing I had to watch it with the closed captioning on just so I could absorb the first half hour. Im not very familiar with Italian filmmaking styles but I can see the influence of this movie in Coppola's The Godfather, from the "look"* down to the story structure and pacing. Not understanding the historical significance of some of the background events, the burning of the Reichstadt and the night of the Long Knives, didnt make my first viewing any easier. But Ive watched it 4 times in the first month of release and I am very happy with the purchase of the DVD and feel I have received my entertainment dollars worth. Its a big fat scandalous family saga!

*"the Look" of the damned is nothing short of beautiful: the clothes and fashions of early 1930s Europe, the oppulance of the Von Essenbeck's home, the use of the color red against sombre tones. Mesmerizing!

Yuck
Wallowing around in all of the sensationalism is an interesting story--about how the German upper classes tried to use Hitler and wound up being used by him--and how a lucky few, particularly the Krupp family, lived to tell about it and keep getting rich . . .

Unfortunately, this story gets lost because of two things--the Marxist viewpoint of the script, which sees Hitler as the natural product of capitalism (Hitler was the product of a lot of things, but he wasn't natural and whatever the numerous flaws of this particular economic system, it has yet to produce a fascist dictator is this country) and Visconti's determination to prove just how bad the Nazis were by piling on the perversions, never more so than in the character played by Helmut Berger, the cross-dressing, child-molesting, drug-abusing, mommy-loving Nazi. Apparently, just oppressing the entire German population, murdering six millions Jews, and starting World War II just wasn't wicked enough--to make sure we really hate the guy, he has to shoot up and wear nylons as well . . . Saddest of all, the film completely lacks the combination of epic sweep and intimate storytelling that characterizes Visconti's best films, such as SENSO and THE LEOPARD. It moves like lead, is lit like a campy horror film, and reduces one of the great evils of world history to camp. And that is a crime against art.

GREAT FILM - VERY BADLY PRODUCED DVD
Oh, how disappointing! This is such a great movie and it deserves better treatment. As somebody already pointed out, the sound is aweful, but the compression as well is so low en. It just looks aweful! Shame!

EXCELLENT ... DVD!
I posted earlier in anticipation of this DVD and my expectations were far exceeded! Thank you Warner Bros! By now you've probably read the plot about a rich, decadent family's empire crumbling in sync with the rise of the Nazi party. This DVD is the ultimate way to experience the film!

First off, this is indeed the UNCUT VERSION, don't let the R rating fool you. It runs 157 minutes (as compared to my old 147 minute VHS tape), and according to the MPAA ratings database, this uncut version was resubmitted this year and received an R rating (it was originally X-rated in 1969). Way to go WB DVD giving us this classic in all it's uncut, shocking glory!

Also, the quality of the DVD is probably as good as it's going to get! No need to complain when we've got a widescreen uncut print on our hands, right? The movie is old so it's not going to look clean and crisp and new like a DVD of "Daddy Day Care" or "Gigli." I'm just glad it's out on DVD now and I hope that in this format the movie will now be discovered by people who haven't yet seen it.

Maybe I'm hyping it up too much, and I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with me and find the movie too boring, but it takes its time and after watching it, you look back and everything you've been exposed to in the film seems like an unsettling dream. That's entertainment! ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's reassuring to know Lars von Trier was always unconventional. Epidemic, von Trier's second feature, comes close to being a horror movie, except it keeps derailing itself to noodle while a director (played by von Trier) and screenwriter (screenwriter Niels Vorsel) improvise a scenario about a plague epidemic. Their struggles are shot in grainy 16 mm., while flashes of the intended film are in stunning 35. Epidemic is meandering enough to test the patience of even devoted von Trier fans, but it always looks good even when it looks bad, if that makes any sense, and the finale--which involves hypnotism, one of the Danish director's early obsessions--will give a chill to genre fans looking for a "gotcha." Von Trier regular Udo Kier pops up, and the film wouldn't be complete without its logo:the title branded onto the upper-left corner for most of the movie. Lars, you devil. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Description

Funnyman Martin Short (INNERSPACE) plays an inept, klutzy bank robber who, on his first heist, grabs Nick Nolte (DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HILLS, 48 HRS.) as a hostage. Nolte plays a notorious ex-con who is trying to go sraight, so naturally, no one believes he's innocent or Short guilty, forcing the mismatched pair to become reluctant partners in crime. Add to the mix-up Short's adorable six-year-old daughter who desperately tries to keep this very odd couple together on a hilarious wheel-screeching run for the Canadian border! There's no escaping laughers with miles of slapstick humor and nonstop adventure in this box office winner! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The movie is like a prize fight - laughter hit after hit
The Three Fugitives will bring out many emotions that you normally do not get to feel. You will laugh out loud so many times at the outrageous comedy scenes with Martin Short (wait until you see the hospital delivery scene with Short as the pregnant mother!). The girl is so cute you will love to watch the bonding with Nick Nolte. It will touch you deep inside. Emotions galore in The Three Fugitives!!!!

Great comedy movie
I must have watched this movie about 8 times, it's a very funny movie, from beginning to end, it keeps you entertained with some great laughs along the way. This is another classic movie, pick it up today if you don't already own it. :)

Very funny
I was surprised when I saw how few reviews there were for this film. It must be a real sleeper, but boy is it a good movie. Funny, a bit serious and fun to watch.

Notle delivers a solid performance but it is Short that makes the movie shine through his brilliant comedy. There were many laugh out load scenes in this movie and it is fun to watch more than once.

Notle is an ex con going straight and Short is the straight but desperate man turning to crime. The straight man/comic routine really comes across well between these two characters. If you enjoyed "Pure Luck" with Glover as the straight man, you'll also enjoy this film. I give a strong recommendation to this movie.

the best!!!!!!
its a heart-felt comedy for everybody children and adults. martin short and nick nolte are the funniest together and have great chemistry.and the little girl who plays meg is just adorable you just fall in love w\her.i highly recommend it for anybody thats into a good old comedy,and mainly if you're a big fan of martin it makes it all worth it!!!!!!!

Though the ending was not what I was hoping for, watch it!
Martin Short and Nick Nolte are fantastic in this adorable film. James Earl Jones and Alan Ruck (That guy from Speed, Twister, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off) also do great jobs. Both kids and adults will love it. I searched for this movie for three months and I finally found it. Searching was no fun, but it was worth it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Paul Verhoeven's story of three dirt bike buddies withmotocross dreams in a small Netherlands town is just the kind ofworking-class soap opera one would expect from the director of BasicInstinct and Showgirls. Conniving fox Renée Soutendijk(The Fourth Man) seduces all three boys in hopes of landing aride out of her miserable existence selling fried snacks from a gypsyvan. At least she's honest about her schemes of escape, and in thispredatory world that makes her a prize. Verhoeven's tone is uneven ashis melodrama of dirt track glory, casual sex, and small townrestlessness bounces into Fassbinder territory with scenes of gaybashing, gang rape, and suicidal despair. Only Verhoeven could pull ahappy ending from all of that. Rutger Hauer and Jeroen Krabbé makeappearances as the dirt bike champion and a self-promotingsportscaster. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (17)

BETTER THAN EVER ON DVD....
This is a revision of my earlier concerns. "Spetters" is blissfully intact on DVD and looks better than ever. The directors' cut I had on tape didn't look this good. I was afraid it had been edited when I saw it was listed as "R" but it's unrated still and 8 minutes longer than on my tape. This film is about the lives of three young men who race motorcycles. They long to compete with their hero (Rutger Hauer) who is wealthy and famous. They come from diverse middle class backgrounds. One is abused by his violent father and bashes gay men for their money. Their lives are disrupted and changed forever by a beautiful ambitious blonde who rolls into town with her fast food wagon that she operates with her butch gay brother. Her involvement with the boys will lead to triumph and tragedy as well as sexual awakening. Renee Soutendjik walks off with the film as the golddigging blonde. She is amazingly beautiful and sensual in her earthy performance. She would play another vamp of a different kind in Verhoevens' "The 4TH Man". "Spetters" is a must see for Verhoeven fans of his earlier pre-Hollywood work. It is also sexually explicit and contains a disturbing homosexual rape scene. This scene is important to the story developement but it is graphic. Some may be put off by it. Still, "Spetters" tells a story and I can't recommend it enough for lovers of truly cinematic film.

Dynamic drama packs a punch
While the American 'teensploitation' picture was dominated throughout the 1980's by a series of lowbrow comedies (PORKY'S, MEATBALLS, REVENGE OF THE NERDS, etc.), Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven took the familiar themes of this critically reviled subgenre and transformed teen angst into high drama with SPETTERS (1980), an exploration of youthful idealism and the journey from adolescence to maturity. Though the three main characters - ultra-confident Rien (Hans van Tongeren), closet case Eef (Toon Agterberg) and clumsy loser Hans (Maarten Spanjer) - are just as raucous and oversexed as their American counterparts, the screenplay (by Verhoeven's longtime writing collaborator Gerard Soeteman) locates their activities within a conservative small-town environment where their friendship is tested by a selfish young gold-digger (Renée Soutendijk) who seizes an opportunity to benefit from their mutual ambitions. But the narrative takes a darker turn during the latter half of the picture, where the protagonists are forced to confront such hot-button issues as sex, disability, religious faith and homosexuality. In a commentary recorded for this DVD release, Verhoeven reveals how the film was originally condemned in Holland for its perceived 'misogyny' and 'homophobia' (similar accusations were also levelled against some of the director's Hollywood features, including BASIC INSTINCT and SHOWGIRLS), but none of these complaints can withstand close scrutiny. True, Soutendijk's heartbreaker is portrayed as little more than an avaricious trollop, but - as Verhoeven demonstrates - she's the only one who exhibits genuine loyalty towards van Tongeren following a horrendous accident which changes his life forever. It's also true that Agterberg's sexuality is only awakened by a brutal assault which occurs late in the film, but his character is ultimately redeemed by the brave stand he takes against his ultra-conservative father in the aftermath of his sexual awakening. Beautifully filmed and acted (there are extended cameos from Verhoeven regulars Jeroen Krabbe and Rutger Hauer), the movie benefits from an extraordinary sexual candor, a million miles removed from the cowardly R-rated rubbish flooding American cinemas at the time. And though the sexual imagery here is only fleeting, it's also remarkably potent, and the actors are to be commended for their bravery. Sadly, Verhoeven's commentary reveals that van Tongeren - a hugely talented actor with a bright future in international cinema - committed suicide two years after completion of the film.

MGM's region 1 disc is a bit of a mixed bag. For some unaccountable reason, the company refuses to provide anamorphic enhancement for widescreen movies that were projected theatrically at anything less than 1.85:1, and SPETTERS - photographed by Jost Vacano (DAS BOOT, ROBOCOP) at 1.66:1 - is duly presented in the lesser ratio, letterboxed only. And while the image here is perfectly acceptable, it would have benefitted enormously from the added clarity of anamorphic encoding. Viewers with 16:9 monitors can blow up the image to fill the screen, cutting off part of the top and bottom, but this option obscures a number of important visual details (such as an early sexual encounter during which Agterberg is masturbated on-camera by a female one-night-stand, where the focus of the shot is located at the very bottom of the frame). That aside, the disc preserves the unrated director's cut - running 122m 15s (minus the MGM logos at beginning and end) - and the mono Dutch soundtrack is supplemented by optional English subtitles and closed captions. A trailer is also included.

NB. The film's title - which goes untranslated in this DVD presentation - is Dutch slang for handsome, arrogant young men.

This is no "American Movie"
Paul Verhoeven's Dutch films almost always shock Americans becasue they are full of sex and violence, but sex and violence are not being used to sell something. That is a VERY un-American attitude. This film, with its unflinching look at the selfishness, callousness, sentimentality, veniality, generosity and prejudices of young people trying to figure out how to live in a world that does not particularly value them - or anyone - who has not money or power, still has the power to involve its audience.

It's amazing
I love paul verhoven's movies after seing The 4th Man and Flesh and Blood. So i tried to check this one,it's amazing. It potraits of dutch youth in 80's period. It has complex story about friendship, ambition, and sex. Well done for the actors and actress, and so for directing. It's suprising, this movie contain full frontal nudity, and explicit oral sex. Just check it out!

Incredible
Verhoeven's films astonish me. This is one of the best coming of age films I have ever seen. Great acting, cinematography, music, editing etc...A magnificent in your face masterpiece that will linger with you long after it is over. ... Read more

Description

When Cheyenne Rogers (Glenn Ford), a hunted gunman, rides into Red Valley, he meets and falls in love with Allison MacLeod (Evelyn Keyes). Trying to go straight, Cheyenne is enmeshed in a web of intrigue and killing that leads him to the brink of a lynching. Escaping with Sheriff Upton's (Randolph Scott) help, he returns to Red Valley long enough to learn about the underhanded dealings of some of the town's supposedly respectable citizens. With the sheriff jailed for his part in Cheyenne's escape, the gunman returns amid the thunderings of a wild horse stampede to free him and clean up the lawlessness of Red Valley. The Deperadoes was Columbia Pictures' first technicolor feature film. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Pleasant, But Not Great Western
This is one of those early films where they just seemed to throw in a little bit of everything in hopes that they would draw large audiences.

Briefly, Glenn Ford is a young outlaw who is supposed to ride into a town and rob a bank. He gets delayed, and by the time he gets there, the bank has already been robbed by his gang members. The local sheriff, Randolph Scott is an old friend of his, and they get reacquainted while Ford tries to figure out what to do next. Edgar Buchanan is an avuncular town mainstay who befriends Ford. And from there, it gets even more complicated.

The Desperadoes isn't a bad film. It's not unpleasant. It's just not up to the best of either Scott or Ford, who were two of our greatest Westrn movie heroes.

Blockbuster from Columbia....
THE DESPERADOES was Columiba Pictures first technicolor production, and the studio spared no expense to make this a truly signal event. Randolph Scott, a young Glenn Ford, Claire Trevor, and Edgar Buchanan head afabulous cast. THE DESPERADOES, in a sense, was Columbia's answer to Foxstudio's JESSE JAMES, another epic western. The results are veryenjoyable--the dialogue crisp, the action fast, and the acting well aboveaverage. And the technicolor print is superb; THE DESPERADOES is one of thebest shot pics of its time. A classic. ... Read more

Description

In the second collection of Troma’s Pre-Code Hollywood, discerning fans of truly unbridled cinema can see two slices of wild and raw movie magic from the days before the puritanical rule of the Hays Office!First up on the menu is Bird of Paradise!â€"In this early risque classic, Joel McCrea stars as a handsome South Seas soldier of fortune who falls in love with Dolores Del Rio, the daughter of a Polynesian native chieftain who has a tendency to go for nude swims at night. Alas, their idyllic romance is destined to come to a sudden and violent end: tribal custom decrees that Del Rio is to be sacrificed to the local volcano. After initial resistance, the heroine nobly resigns herself to her fate, realizing that there is no place for her in her white lover's civilization.Features Del Rio’s famous skinny dipping scene in an early example of the cinema nude scene.Our second slice of pre-code entertainment is the bona fide classic The Lady Refuses--A British aristocrat befriends a woman and hires her to begin distracting his son away from a conniving golddigger. She does, but finds herself falling in love with her titled boss instead.Gilbert Emery, as a patrician English peer, Sir Gerald Courtney, dominates this film as he tries to bring his rakehell son Russell (John Darrow) closer to him through a secret strategem involving June (Betty Compson), an economically distressed young woman. Veteran director George Archainbaud has strong vision for whatever niceties the scenario might bring, and his handling of the cast and storyline are top-notch. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Delores Del Rio shines in a lackluster effort
At the time it was filmed, "Bird of Paradise" cost an astronomical 1 million dollars. Producer David Selznick okayed the project and said that he didn't care anything about the plot as long as Delores Del Rio's character was thrown into a volcano at the end. The disregard for a good story line clearly shows and the result is a boring and tepid film highlighted only by actress Delores Del Rio. Although Del Rio's voice is high pitched and she speaks little English here, her beauty and presence holds your attention. The exotic locales are not that impressive in black and white and some underwater footage was taken from another film, "The Most Dangerous Game".

The flip side of the dvd features "The Lady Refuses" a low budget "adult drama" popular in its' day for presenting provocative story lines. This one involves a wealthy man hiring a prostitute (Betty Compton) to seduce his son away from a gold digger that he is dating. In the process, Compton falls in love with her employer instead. Interesting only for a peek at how films got around the censors with sly word play and innuendos.

The dvd quality of both films is very good.

BEAUTIFUL DEL RIO.
Director King Vidor found Richard Walton Tully's play of the same name on which this film is based hopelessly dated and uninteresting. Producer David O. Selznick countered thusly: "I don't care what story you use as long as the title remains intact and Del Rio jumps into a flaming volcano at the finish". The stunningly exotic beauty of Dolores Del Rio made her the first Mexican actress ever to become an international film star. Del Rio had weathered the transition from silents to talkies, but due to her accent and somewhat rudimentary acting ability, her roles had to be carefully chosen; this is probably her most memorable available to the public on video. Filmed on location in Hawaii, the movie's plusses lie in its appeal to the senses, namely in the striking black-and-white photography by Clyde De Vinna - he won an Oscar in 1928 for his work on WHITE SHADOWS IN THE SOUTH SEAS - and Max Steiner's richly evocative background score, designed to illustrate everything from Polynesian native dancing to idyllic, romantic interludes. The film was made rather quickly - stars Del Rio and McCrea had other commitments - and the script was was literally slapped together. BIRD OF PARADISE cost RKO more than a million dollars to make, a high expence in 1932; this lush, albeit antique romantic drama has long been overshadowed by the largely inferior 1951 Technicolor remake with Debra Paget and Louis Jourdan.

Strange, engrossing
Strange and amateurish in many regards, yet fascinating and engrossing in its own way, this David O. Selznick production is the original "Bird of Paradise" -- not the 1950s remake starring Debra Paget and Louis Jourdan, which will make for an interesting comparison if it's ever released on DVD.

The stars of this one, Joel McCrea and Delores Del Rio, make quite a strange pair. Joel seems like a hayseed just off farm (his dialogue is peppered with "huhs?" and "whats?" as he seeks to communicate with the mysterious island beauty, Delores). As for Dolores, she seems to belong in a different, and probably more interesting, movie than this one. And even her fabled nude swim scene is pretty tame and unimpressive.

The movie was filmed on location in 1930s Hawaii. Although the focus always seems a bit off, the scenery is still beautiful -- and a good reminder of what Hawaii must have been like before "they paved paradise and put up a pink hotel (the Sheraton Waikiki by the way)." There's also quite a bit of underwater photography, which is pretty impressive given that this movie was filmed approximately 70 years ago.

Cheap and fun, this "Bird" is worth looking into if you're interested in old movies, and if you'd like to see what David Selznick was up to just a few short years before filming his masterpiece, "Gone with the Wind."

Hope I like it
I have only seen the 1951 remake of Bird of Paradise when I was a lot younger and I loved it then! I have been relentlessly searching for the 1951 version, but to no avail. Apparently, it was never made on VHS or DVD...I just ordered the 1932 version and hope it is like I remembered. I'm sure it will be slightly different than the one with Debra Paget, but if the storyline is the same, I will enjoy it just as much. I would still like the 1951 version. Chip Kaufmann in his review seems to be very knowledgeable in the movie industry even though he thought the other version was "lame". If anyone knows how I can get a copy of the '51 version, I would be very interested.

One film's a turkey, the other's kinda fun
This DVD gathers two little-known, lesser films of the early sound era. "BIRD OF PARADISE" is an incredibly offensive exercise in exoticized racism, charmingly set in the Hawaiian Islands, and featuring a callow young Joel McCrea as the studly white guy who hooks up with the local chieftain's "tabu" daughter (played by Dolores Del Rio, who I find kind of icky). It's the same sort of dazzle-them-with-modern-gadgets-before-they-throw-us-in-the-volcano plot that was explored a few years later in "Waikiki Wedding" (which is a much more charming movie...), here handled clumsily by director King Vidor. (And I'm not being touchie-feelie or overly sensitive in a hyper-PC way, the racism of the script is very explicit, particularly in the dialog, but also in the plotline...) There's a modicum of interesting, reasonably authentic Polynesian dancing (some of which was choreographed, unremarkably, by Busby Berkeley), and the indigenous cast speaks in real Hawaiian, but in the main part this is simply an exploitative and unentertaining film. By contrast, "THE LADY REFUSES" is a B-movie with a heart of gold, featuring Betty Compson as a London streetwalker who enters an aristocratic family torn apart by a Jazz Age generation gap. Although the script contorts wildly to avoid offensive language, the underlying content is pretty raunchy, and pretty overt. Compson had an unusual onscreen presence -- compelling, although not as picture-perfect pretty as the starlet that would later flood Hollywood. Gilbert Emery, as the family father, Sir Gerald Courtney, is also quite charming. For folks looking for fun pre-Code material, this is a film worth checking out. ... Read more

Description

Page Fletcher is "The Hitchhiker," walking a lonely road where terror awaits around every curve. Walk with him, and you'll find yourself in some very dark places...places you wouldn't want to visit alone. That's why he's there. That's why he's always there. He won't hold your hand - but he'll make sure the only ones who get hurt are those who deserve to. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Where's Episode 4 : Love Sounds????
While it's nice that this series is out on dvd, I'm disapointed to learn that "Love Sounds, episode 4"" was not included here as it's the best episode from THE HITCHHIKER series.

Is there going to be a SECOND dvd release with MORE episodes on it?. Please, anyone, email my agent if you have any info on this.
Thanks. Tovrich

AGENT : perillij@yahoo.com

Welcome back Hitchhiker
Wow, there's a great collection of talent there! With episodes featuring award-winning actors such as Helen Hunt and Joe Pantoliano, and participation from fan-favorite director Paul Verhoeven, this surely is a must-have for any DVD collector
Koch Canada will release The Complete First Season on DVD April 20th. This 3 disc set will contain 26 episodes The show must have aired differently in Canada because what Koch considers the first season is actually the first 3 seasons according to the episode guide at EPGuides.com. It's not all good news though; the people at Koch Canada said that they don't own the Canadian rights to the second Canadian season so they're unable to release those episodes.

The Hitchhiker series is stil the Best
The Hitchhiker was the best show on tv(then again, my parents never wanted HBO in their home so they could keep their kids from having access to TV T&A, thus, I didn't catch it in the early years.) Page Fletcher, however, was like a cooler Alfred Hitchcock, the Fonz of suspense. And that intro (bump-dump-bump-chhhhhhh-bump-dump-bump-chhhhhhh-ooorrrwouoonnnnhhhhh) with the rattlesnake chiming in as we see him walking through dust on the shoulder of the highway

The Hitchhiker Rules!!
The Hitchhiker was an awesome show! I remember watching it on HBO when I was a kid. I also enjoyed the later episodes on USA network. The stories were great. I just wish some network would show the Hitchhiker again

Going my way?
I watched this show all the time back int he old HBO days. It had that eerie them music and good stories. The sex scenes weren't bad either. ... Read more

Description

With routines from some of today’s hottest comedians, LATHAM ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS delivers Earthquake, an explosive performer whose ability to engage an audience with his straight-ahead humor has been heralded by critics; Bruce Bruce, who is best known for his adult comedy without vulgarity and derogatory remarks; Rickey Smiley, who has established himself as a clean comic with down home southern humor; Sommore, who is best known for her piercing looks at today’s issues which she delivers from the perspective of a woman who lives and loves life; D.L. Hughley, who has made an indelible impression in the feature film and primetime TV arenas most notably with his own sitcom, "The Hughleys;" and J Anthony Brown, whose funnyman antics are most often heard as co-host of the internationally syndicated "Tom Joyner Morning Show." ... Read more

Reviews (5)

NON-STOP Laughs!!!!!!!
Yes, you'll probably want to wait until the kids are sleeping to watch this... but then again if they're in the same house - you'll be waking them right back up from all the laughing you do! Every single comedian had us in tears - they were all HILARIOUS! Don't even think of renting this one... just BUY IT!

Sooooooooooooooo Fuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnyyyyyyyy
This DVD has all the hottest African American comics around. I laughed throughout the whole show and then laughed some more after it was over. If you are into comedy, this is one DVD you can't be without.

Disappointed
I was so disappointed with this comedy video. I think I actually laughed at two of the jokes Rickey Smiley told about funerals. The jokes Bruce Bruce told were actually shown on the comedy channel so I had already seen his material. What I remember most about this video is the cursing. It was tooo excessive. I would not recommend anyone purchase this video borrow it from a friend or rent it at the video store

3 1/2 stars, actually
I really wanted to check this out because I love The Original Kings of Comedy,and I had heard routines from Earthquake and J.Anthony Brown that I liked.It was good,but The Kings Of Comedy is better.I was greatly dissapointed with J. Anthony Brown's performance.He did not tell any good jokes,all he did was cuss.D.L Hughley's performance was good,but I have heard better from this King Of Comedy.I am generally not a fan of black female comedians,but Sommore gives a very funny performance.Bruce Bruce gives a very funny performance also.I like the way he tells the audience that he leaves the stage,and then leaves.Rickey Smiley gives a decent performance.My favorite comedian on here is definitely Earthquake.I love is joke about Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown.(You know how hard it is to find someone to cook your crack cocaine the way you like it?)Overall,this is good,but the Kings of Comedy is better.

3 1/2 stars,actually
I really wanted to check this out because I love The Original Kings of Comedy,and I had heard routines from Earthquake and J. Anthony Brown that I liked.It was good,but I was expecting more from it.I was greatly dissapointed with J.Anthony Brown's routine on here.All he did was cuss.There were no funny jokes at all.His song "Mall Security Man" is stupid.D.L. Hughley's performance was good,but I have seen better from this King of Comedy.I am generally not a fan of black female comedians,but I did like Sommore's performance a lot.Bruce Bruce gave a very funny performance also.He is not clean like Walter Latham says he is.Rickey Smiley isn't clean either,but he is definitely the cleanest comic here.My favorite comic here is definitely Earthquake.He gave a very funny performance.I liked his joke about Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown alot("You know how hard it is to find someone to cook your crack cocaine the way you like it!)Overall,this is good,but The Original Kings Of Comedy is better. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ossessione isn't just the finest film version of The Postman Always Rings Twice, James M. Cain's classic tale of murder, betrayal, and erotic obsession; it's also the first masterpiece of Italian neorealism and a key historical precursor of film noir. A handsome drifter (Massimo Girotti) fetches up at an isolated roadhouse, gets mutually besotted with the proprietor's sultry wife (Clara Calamai), and has soon carried out a plot to murder the older man in an apparent off-road accident. That's only the beginning, of course. In his directorial debut, Luchino Visconti weaves a sensuous, tragic spell, born equally of the stark, sun-struck settings--especially those utterly realistic yet somehow otherworldly highways, elevated above the surrounding marshland--and a dynamic camera style that lifts the storytelling to operatic heights. Yet another layer of erotic complication is added by the presence of "La Spagnolo" (Elio Marcuzzo), a philosopher-king of vagabonds who--like the director--is at least as infatuated with Girotti's studly beauty as the heroine is. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Traumatic but absorbing ride
Unhappy people in unhappy circumstances. Gino is a drifter. Not because he has no talent. He is a lost soul looking for an undefined future and is determined to not be tied to anything until he finds his personal nirvana. Giovanna wants the security of being settled, but is unhappy with the man who made it possible. She too, is a lost soul in search of an undefined future. With only passion as a common denominator, they cast their lots with each other and start in motion a chain of events that brings none of the joys anticipated.

Don't expect this movie to be a study of life in WWII Italy. Though made during the war, it is never an issue. Indeed, with the prevalence of young men throughout the movie, it is more likely an image of pre-war Italy. And although some reviewers speak of subtle references to homosexuality, such is unnecessary in describing the Spaniard. Identical scenes in American Westerns are understood to be simply friendship and the necessities of circumstance, i.e., one bed and two people in need of sleep.

Every nuance of the movie hinges upon the passion of Gino and Giovanna, complicated by his desire to be going somewhere, anywhere, and her desire to remain settled. It's a traumatic but absorbing ride, even with the distraction of reading sub-titles.

FATALISTIC NEO-REALISM.....
Early Italian version of James M.Cain's "Postman Always Rings Twice" by Luchino Visconti is the best I've seen. Set in a sparse Italian village in the white heat of summer, a drifter named Gino begins an affair with Giovanna, the unhappy wife of a cafe owner who offers him work. She tries to leave with him but returns to the husband afraid of giving up what little security she has. The drifter continues on the road and takes up with a self-styled King of the Vagabonds who does street shows and happily lives on nothing. The vagabond is attracted to Gino but Gino (who's hungry for more out of life) can't forget Giovanna. Later, Gino's and Giovanna's paths cross again and murder binds them together in a fatal (and ironic) bond. Earthy and stark storytelling as well as excellent cinematography make this a compelling film to watch. The acting is remarkable as is the casual sexual frankness that was off the screen in American films at the time. The utter desperation of the two characters' lives is beautifully realized and is nicely contrasted with the vagabond's existance that he is clearly happy with. The ending is unforgettably done. "Ossessione" is rich with atmosphere and detail and laden with irony. Highly recommended as a vintage classic of Italian cinema.

Visconti's First Film
As many of you know, this is the first film adaptation of James M. Cain's novel, "The Postman Always Rings Twice", but there's something, that to me is even more important than that. It was the first film made by one of my favorite directors, Luchino Visconti.
Before I saw this movie, I think like most I saw the two American films first. When you watch those movies first and try to compare it to this, this one will come off being much different. It doesn't seem to follow the same formula. There were two things that bothered me about this movie and they both deal with the same thing, the death of the husband. First of all I didn't like the way the idea was approached. There wasn't much of a lead in. Though, in fairness, we do "sense" it will happen. Secondly, if you remember in the American versions, remember how well planned out everything was? They both made sure that they had all the angles figured out. They made sure they had a witness seeing that the husband was drunk. That was something I liked about the movie. How it showed this "perfect" plan. Visconti doesn't allow such detail into the actually murder scene. Infact, he offers none. Does that ruin the movie? No, but, it would have been nice if Visconti would have given the movie more detail.
Clara Calamai plays Giovanna Bragana the unhappy wife who wants to murder her husband. Massimo Girotti is Gino Costa, the man who help Giovanna kill her husband, so they can be together. Finally there's Juan de Landa, the husband. Now most of the movie follows the story most of us are familiar with. There are some small changes in this movie though. I can't clearly remember the American movies, but I don't remember in either one, the woman coming on to the guy first. In this movie it's the woman that makes the first move.
Luchino Visconti to me has always been a bold filmmaker. He made the kind of films he wanted to make. All of his films, including this one, are all about much more than meets the eye. This movie for instance isn't just a movie about a murder, it goes deeper than that. Or what about "The Innocent". It's not just merely a movie about a man having an affair. Visconti is making a comment on high society. Though, of all the Visconti films I have seen my favorite would probably be "Ludwig".
If you've never seen a Visconti film, I'm not quite sure this is where to start. "Ossessione" is a good movie, but, I don't think it captures Visconti's style at his best. You should see this movie though, but, maybe after you've seen "The Innocent", "The Leopard", & "Death in Venice". From the three versions of this story I think this one and the 1946 version our my favorite. Most people didn't like the 81 film.
Here's a little triva for everyone. Did you know that French filmmaker Jean Renoir gave Visconti the idea to make this movie? Did you also know that Visconti never read the book. Renoir gave him a Frenh translation of a script made before.
Bottom-line: An effective adaptation of Cain's classic novel. Good directing by Visconti and a talented cast. Visconti's first movie showcases the genius that would come in his later films. Very entertaining film.

DO NOT MISS THIS!
This is one of the sexiest movies of all time! Pre-dating the Italian Neo-Realist wave of film-making by just a couple of years, its influence can be felt in the the movies of film-makers such as DiSica and Rossellini.

The REAL version
Yes, this IS the best filmed version of James Cain's classic The Postman Always Rings Twice. The first version, with Lana Turner and John Garfield, was much too tame and polite. When the husband gets bumped off, it's a matter of fact event, as though the two lovers were going out shopping for wallpaper. And the eroticism of the story is just not there at all--nor is the desperation.

The 1981 version with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange certainly showed off the sexuality of the story, but was much too vapid and superficial; the director, Bob Rafelson, had apparently decided that the story's core was its sexuality and so focused on that at the expense of pretty much everything else. The desperation that should be brimming over in the development of the story is really not in evidence in this version--the two good looking leads basically just want to have sex a lot and that's what they do. They yell and scream, too, but it's the sex that everyone remembers in this film.

But Luchino Visconti, in this 1943 Italian neo-realist noir, gets it just right. Eroticism is here, but so is desperation, which is just as important, if not more so. This comes through so well because the setting is a small Italian village where there are no really wealthy folks. Everybody's engaged in his or her small activities to get by. The one exception is Giovanna's paunchy husband Giuseppe who's squirreled away a lot of dough.

And the desperation comes through in the doomed couple--Gino the drifter and Giovanna, the wife. Gino's labile temper and emotionality are well portrayed by Massimo Girotti, and Clara Calamai balances Girotti's performance with her depiction of Giovanna as a wife desperate to be free of her gross (to her) husband. The story introduces characters and situations that epitomize Italian culture--an opera singing contest, for example--but follows Cain's story closely enough to make this an early film noir, albeit a non-American one.

Even above eroticism and desperation, the overriding tone of this story is irony--unquestionably missing in the first American version, and only half-heartedly on display in the 1981 version. But irony is the soul of this film. The tragic ending is the most bitterly ironic scene here, and it is done simply--thus, very effectively. Visconti was intelligent enough to see that simplicity, combined with an emphasis on strong emotionality, would carry this ironic story through to its supremely ironic ending.

This is a surprisingly strong film for a first directorial effort, and one that should be remembered for some time to come. It's interesting that a non-American director made the best cinematic version of a seminal American noir story. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Yes this story is descended from reals events many centuries
...Ago ! MARTIN GUERRE ( WAR MARTIN ) was existe many time ago ! And this story of this movie sentimentalize the inquisition period, the differents credences of our french ancestors who could are able to succeed some incomprehension by the ancient people and when a man as much as MARTIN GUERRE was able to to store the wole of privacy from a frend during the war who has never loved his wife and throught that has leave behind she, thus, subssequently he can appropriate the idendity of his bad friend which is not able to love his wife ! But when his family and more its adbenturess enemy past begain to discern the subterfuge, it's too late for them, because MARTIN GUERRE with his lage, big capacity to store evry events can frustrate them easily ! But his illegitimate wife begin to be scared ! And this is the debut of the end for the poor MARTIN GUERRE who's not a coward, he accept his destiny ! VERY GOOD DVD FILM !

Medieval verismilitude....
I bought "The Return of Martin Guerre" because I am a history buff, and the film had been described by a leading historian as the most accurate film one could find depicting the life of the middle class in Medieval France. The story line has been redone by Jody Foster and cast in post-Civil War Virginia, but this film is head and shoulders above the remake. If you can't understand French, read the subtitles and watch it more than once.

The setting is a small village in France during the late Middle Ages. The tale centers on a soldier, Martin Guerre played by Gerard Depardieu (in his younger slimmer body), who returns home after years of absence. He renews his relationship with the wife he deserted (or rather begins again since his former relationship left much to be desired). His years away have made him a better person than the callow youth he was when left the village seeking adventure. He has become a loving husband and a hard worker, and discordance seems a thing of the past.

After much hard work, one day, he asks his family to relinquish a parcel of land he says rightfully belongs to him. This request disturbs the family who had assumed he was gone for good and would never assume ownership of the land. Their greed leads them to begin a court proceeding against him charging him as an imposter who has no right to the land.

I found the legal angles of the story quite intriging. It was illuminating to discover there were laws and jurisprudence as well as thoughtful judges during this period. The "humanist" movement had begun, so there were newer provisions for protecting individuals from the group. The contrast of these provisions with the archaic punishments that date from an earlier period is instructive.

Why, O Why
Great movie, concur with the other comments, but what moron decided to cut the beautiful love scene between Depardieu and Baye from the DVD (the one just before he gets arrested the 2nd time). The perpetrator should be flayed and hanged and everybody who bought the DVD should be provided with a free replacement that includes this scene to compensate for the emotional anguish at seeing this jewel damaged by an incompetent, hypocritical editor.

Stand-Out performances in this true story!
Gérard Dépardieu is exquisite in this true tale of medieval identity theft. Nathalie Baye is excellent in her role as an ingenue who allows herself to believe in a man who she knows is lying to her.

The story flows well and the cinematography is great. The film rises above all expectations and is in a league of its own!

R I D I C U L O U S
This "film" starring the talented French actor Gerard Depardieu is one of the most absurd, unbelievable stories to be set to film--made doubly so by (or perhaps because of) the ridiculous casting of the uniquely cob-nosed Depardieu as the husband who goes off to war and comes back "improved" (both as a person and we're lead to believe, a lover). No doubt the wife knows he's not the same man who left years before (and this makes the story idiotic from the outset) although she pretends she doesn't (how could she not know?). And (big surprise!) the townsfolk are suspicious. Afterall, how many people look like Depardieu? Well, the movie carries this ruse out for all of two, fairly boring subtitled hours of annoying French-speak and gushy google-eyed lovelooks from the movie's "hero" and "heroine" as the viewer is treated like the fool he (or she) is for watching this drivel. The movie gets two stars (instead of one) because the acting is top-notch.

Believe it not, this movie was remade several years ago (I think it was called "Somersault" or something like that) with better (from a believability standpoint) and worse (from an acting standpoint) casting and starred Richard Gere and Jodie Foster. As ridiculous as the original is, the remake is worse. Avoid both if possible. ... Read more

Description

From the director of Drugstore Cowboy and My Own Private Idaho comes a star-studded comedy based on the best-selling novel by TomRobbins.The cowgirls on the Rubber Rose Ranch are staging a rebellion. Delores Del Ruby (Bracco) is leading the uproarious uprising, but it?s really Sissy Hankshaw (Thurman) who?s providing the spiritual leadership for this rag-tag bunch of female bandits. With her marvelous thumbs and her funky brand of femininity, she shatters all male chauvinist illusions and boldly goes where no woman has gone before. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Stop Making Sense
After reading the Robbins novel my sophomore year in high school, I was fortunate enough to see this movie three times in the theatre shortly after it got released. Watching it again tonight reminded me of how much it blew my mind back then. Granted, the whole thing is gratuitously symbolic, and most of the actors speak as if they'd just skimmed their lines for the first time seconds before going on camera. Still, Even Cowgirls has a fun, campy quality to it that shouldn't be overlooked. If you like Tom Robbins then you'll appreciate the narration and the way Van Sant has the characters talk to one another. Plus the story is lovable ("greater freedom of movement"), the cast is all-star, the costumes are a riot, and William Burroughs is in it! Just relax and enjoy.

Some kinda awful
I can't believe the actors who lent their talent to this no-talent film.

An abomination, disappointment, and travesty
I was terribly excited when I learned of the film version of the first Tom Robbins novel I read. Learning of Gus Van Sant, Uma Thurman, Keanu Reeves, John Hurt, and even Rain Pheonix excited me even more. However, I was severly let down. This is, without question, the worst movie I have yet to see. As tavision so eloquently put it, "It is so bad, it isn't even good for being bad."

The plot is an abbreviation of the novel, to say the least. Granted, some cuts are to be expected, but some characters were reduced to such a shred of their literary counterparts it raises the question why Van Sant included them at all. The character of Dr. Robbins is completely absent, and the brevity with which the Chink is represented reduces him to a fortune-spewing, mountainman horndog. Pheonix is unbearable as Bonanza Jellybean. Her monotonous tones, lack of presence, and persistent lack of any cuteness destroy what could have been an excellent role. The character of Dolores Del Ruby is also disappointing; she lacks the wildness and distinction from the other cowgirls that the novel provides. This is despite an annoying soliloquoy directly to the camera and all too abundant whip-cracking. Uma Thurman would be the film's saving grace, but salvaging anything from this bastardization is akin to making sno-cones in hell. Hurt's Countess is fair, but again, the rest of the film drags it down. The voice-over by Robbins isn't spectacular, but his prose does carry some charm over.

At the end of the film, if K.D. Lang's original soundtrack hasn't been associated with the most painful cinematic experience of your couch's life, you are "treated" to a music video of the most played song in the movie, K.D. Lang's "Movement."

Do yourself a favor and spend the time reading some Robbins or praying if he attempts a film again he finds a director who can do his work justice.

Re-Defines how bad a movie can be.
There are movies like "Plan 9" that are so bad they have a charm about them, there are some like "Waterworld" that have the same inexplicable draw as a car accident, and there are some like "Desperate living" that you hate to admit you love. Cowgirls have none of these redemptions. The cast assembled has enough talent to make almost any plot watchable, and from what I've been told, the book is enjoyable.

How then could this movie be so intolerably bad? To begin with, it seems the director brought together a cast of names with no other tie than what will bring in the 20 somethings. Then tell them to do their best Kevin Costner imitations. Open the book at random and start shooting whatever is on the page making sure to keep the wide expanses of America from being interesting in any way. Finally give the editing job to your brother-in-law, because the meat packing plant just laid him off. He does have twenty years of cutting experience.

This movie now defines the basement for me. It is so bad, it isn't even good for being bad.

A brave project from the director of Good Will Hunting
Gus Van Sant is a bold film maker. He experiments with unusual ideas and occasionally hits the jackpot. Most would agree that Good Will Hunting and Finding Forrester were successful in every way, but this picture generates violent disagreement. Sadly the majority would dismiss this film as a failed experiment to bring an odd 1970s lesbian cowboy novel to the big screen. There is however a vocal minority who absolutely love the quirkiness of this film. Its difference is at the heart of its charm, and together with Uma Thurman's star quality and k.d. lang's score this movie rises above the everyday action comedy dramas or romances most film-makers are producing.

I have read the book and Van Sant's adaptation is very faithful. The sexuality is only hinted at and this is carried forward in the film in the brief scenes of touching between Rain Phoenix and Uma Thurman. Despite being twenty years old, Rain still manages to look like a young teenager, and this perhaps undermines the intention of the scenes with her. If there is such a thing as perfect casting it is that of k.d. lang as the soundtrack composer and performer, which fits as perfectly as you would expect. John Hurt almost reprises his Quentin Crisp in his role as The Duchess, a much louder performance than I imagined from the book, but nevertheless funny and well-observed. All in all, there are some enjoyable and interesting bits and pieces in this film, even if it doesn't quite hit the high tide mark of Van Sant's other achievements. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Universal's Incredible Hulk DVD will satisfy fans of the CBS television series by offering the two-hour 1978 pilot, as well as the feature-length second-season opener, "Married," and a commentary track by series creator Kenneth Johnson. In bringing the Hulk to TV, Johnson decided to focus on its human alter ego, scientist Bruce Banner (here renamed David), rather than its rampages. In the pilot, Banner (Bill Bixby) is haunted by the death of his wife and unleashes his untapped rage in the form of a monstrous creature (Lou Ferrigno) after experimenting with radiation. And in "Married," Banner falls for a researcher (Mariette Hartley in an Emmy-winning performance) who attempts to cure his "hulk-outs." Johnson's solid scripting and direction and fine performances from the leads made the series a critical and audience favorite during its network run, and the DVD--deceptive cover art aside (which features images from the 2003 Hulk theatrical feature)--should again please longtime fans and novice viewers alike. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (34)

"Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry"
"Within each of us, oftimes; there dwells a mighty and raging fury".
Thanks to the success of the HULK movie, the premiere of the original TV series has been released to DVD. Personally, I like the TV show better. I hadn't seen it since I was a little kid, and was surprised to find I enjoyed this DVD a lot.
The first episode on this is the series 1 pilot. As all fans of the show know, Bill Bixby plays Dr. David Banner; who is haunted by nightmares about the death of his wife Laura in a car accident after a tyre blows out and the car goes off the road. Banner escapes but is unable free Laura before the car explodes.
Later, Banner is conducting research for an experiment on superhuman strength. Interviewed is a woman recounting how she saved her son from burning to death in a car accident that is startlingly similar to Banner's own experience. After hearing more testimony, Banner seems to be the only one who has failed. Guilt and anxiety lead him to go one step further and become a guinea pig for his testing. He discovers that the source of this strength is gamma radiation, so he subjects himself to a course of it, but has no results. So he tries again- only this time exposing himself to seven times the amount. Nothing happens. At least... not immediately.
Matters come to a head when Banner, frustrated at his lack of progress is driving home in a thunderstorm and has to change a flat tyre in the rain; this combined stress leads to his first "Hulk-out"...

More intelligent than most TV movies, the pilot also has a memorable sequene paying homage to the drowning scene in James Whale's FRANKENSTEIN, where the Hulk tries to save a little girl from drowning but her screams alert her father who tries to shoot the hulk. Naturally the bullets just bounce off. Special mention must be made of the wig Lou Ferrigno wears- he looks like he should have a golf tee tacked into the top of his head. Also of note: Banner watches himself changing back through the reflection in the water. Strange considering in the 1990 TVM, DEATH OF THE INCREDIBLE HULK Banner comments he's never before seen the creature after watching a tape of his transformation!
The bonus episode on the DVD is the series 2 pilot "Married"; again Written, Produced and Directed by Kenneth Johnson, who also produced SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN and BIONIC WOMAN.
This installment has Banner, using the alias David Benton; in Honolulu seeing psychiatrist Dr. Caroline Fields (Mariette Hartley, in an Emmy winning performance) to try and control his "hulkouts".(He even shows her a newspaper photo of the Hulk and confronts the beast while under hypnosis! So that's three times on this DVD alone!) Banner falls in love with her and learns Caroline is terminally ill and has only 6-8 weeks to live. Of course, Banner is none too happy to discover his nemesis, tabloid reporter Jack Magee (Jack Colvin) is sniffing around trying to catch the creature.
MARRIED is an intelligent emotionally charged, (but not sappy) episode which is appealing to adults as well as kids. There are also a few laughs, most notably in the scene where the Hulk trashes a weasly bachelor's "swinging" pad! The bell bottoms are good for a giggle too. "Groovy" stuff. I hope more episodes of the show are released on DVD.

Excellent made for TV Pilot on DVD!
This is the pilot for the popular 70's classic show based on the Marvel comic books. It tells about Dr. David Banner ( Bill Bixby) who studys the hidden strengths that all humans have then he experiments on himself with gamma radiation but overdoses it. When he got angry after his experiment, he transforms into a raging green beast who's really gentle but misunderstood by society called " The Hulk" ( Lou Ferrigno).
This is an excellent pilot that tells the origin of everyone's favorite green giant, Bill Bixby is truly incredible as David Banner and Lou Ferrigino is great as Hulk with the make-up, wig and silver eyes. The DVD is great, it offers commentary by series writer, director and producer Kenneth Johnson, an introduction by Lou Ferrigno, a look in the making of the 2003 Hulk movie and a bonus episode " The Incredible Hulk Married" with commentary by Kenneth Johnson.
If you are a fan of the series, own this to know the origin of the Hulk.

A masterpiece
The pilot film of the Incredible Hulk tv series may very well be the most heartwrenching film ever put to film. To have "Married" (another heartbreaking moment realized by series developer Kenneth Johnson) on the dvd is just icing on the cake. If you love the Hulk, pick this up. It doesnt dissapoint.

The first episode is the best!!!!
When I saw the pilot episode I really hated it. I don't remeber why I hated it but now I love it!!!!! It's about a man named David Banner(Bill Bixby) who's wife died in a car acident. Angry that he was not able to save his wife, he finds out that the same thing has been happing to other people, only they saved the person in the person car. David finds out that it is the gamma energy that is helping the other people save the person in the car. David put gamma energy into his body, but so much that it made this creature called the Hulk( Lou Freggino). Great start to a great series. Better than the movie. This DVD has another episode called "Marride" which is very good and has lots of Hulk sceans. Well worth your money.

My favorite show is back on dvd!!!
In 1977,CBS introduced all of us to a great show based on the marvel comics superhero created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1962.We meet Dr.David Banner,a research scientist and physician,trying to tap into mans source of strength,Banner is trying to cope with the death of his wife Laura,played by Lara Parker of Dark Shadows fame,through this unfortunate accident,Dr Banner and a fellow scientist,Elaina Marks,played beautifully by the lovely Susan Sullivan interview people when in times of emotional stress display unusual strength,but Dr.Banner discovering that Gamma Rays are responsible for making them strong and because he could not save his wife because of low gamma activity decides to experiment on himself absorbing a massive amount of gamma radiation he fails in the experiment on himself and feels no effects at first,but when he becomes angry or frustrated,he transforms into a hulking monster with super strength,7 feet tall,green and powerful.Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk was magnificent and I think the best one in the world who played the role and also a bodybuilding champion.The late Bill Bixby in the role of Dr.David Banner will be truly missed,he was a wonderful actor and played the role of Banner with compassion and inginuity.The episode Married is a truly great episode of the series.Banner is trying to seek help for his condition with a physchiatist and doctor named Caroline Fields played marvelously by Mariette Hartley,who unfortunatly has an illness of her own.the both of them marry and Dr.Fields life comes to an untimely end.This dvd is a must have for every fan of the series,and has a great introduction by Lou Ferrigno who plays the hulk,I will always be a fan of this marvelous show which ran on cbs from 1978-82. ... Read more

Description

Three giants of world cinema conspire to bring the dark prose of Edgar Allan Poe to the screen in Spirits of the Dead.Roger Vadim, Luis Malle, and Federico Fellini direct Jane and Peter Fonda, Brigitte Bardot, Alain Delon, and Terence Stamp in three separate stories of souls tormented by their own phantasmal visions of guilt, lust, and greed.In a stunning new transfer enhanced for 16X9 televisions, Home Vision Entertainment is pleased to present this marvelous volume of the macabre.

... Read more

Reviews (13)

The best is last
Spirits of the dead is a mixed bag of cinematic delight. Of the 3 episodes, only the last one "Toby Dammit" sustains interest. Fellini is at his best in this segment & Terence Stamp puts in a self destructive performance that has to be seen to be believed! His character, a self destructing actor who has reached the end of all worldly hope & desire wants only to leap into the chasm of death & destruction & he does so in spectactular fashion. This segment alone is worth the price of admission & Fellini caries the weight of the entire film on his capable talents. Images to delight & dialogue to astound, Terence Stamp should have won some kind of award for this brilliant performance as he portrays a burnt out actor with a death wish. You can't help but sympathize with him as he jolts his way from one bizarre interlude to another. You know you're at deaths door when you can turn down that blonde in the awards segment! Yikes!!! Never bet the devil your head!! See it!

Five Stars for "Toby Dammit".
There really is only one reason to watch this film and that is Fellini's "Toby Dammit". Terence Stamp takes the title role of an actor arriving in Italy to appear is some kind of weird religious western. He is at the end of his tether and all seems alien and disorentated to him. The Edgar Allen Poe story from which this segment is adapted from is called "Never wager your head to the Devil" and thats exactly what he does! All with the usual Fellini touch of class. Excellent.

Fellini Makes Films Like My Dreams--Exquisite Bliss
These three short films, loosely adapted from stories by Poe, are all packed with stunning landscape and exquisite set design. However, only Fellini's film manages to create a story worth retelling in its own right.

The first film is Roger Vadim's "Metzengerstein". The best thing I can say about it is that the gorgeous horse was the most effective actor in it. He knew his lines, and nodded when appropriate. Jane Fonda plays Contessa Frederica, an occasionally sadistic libertine who develops a passionate romantic attachment to the aformentioned horse. She is wondefully cruel and gorgeous, making the most out of some truly inspired little outfits. The segment is filmed by Claude Renoir, who captures some stunning images breathtaking beauty. Again, the scenes with the horse galloping and cavorting with Frederica are rather intoxicating. The story itself, however, is sacrificed on the alters of atmosphere and aesthetics. The end result is a very empty film.

Louis Malle's "William Wilson" basically has two really excellent scenes that make this worth watching. The first is a simple send-up of an autopsy. Wilson is demonstrating for his fellow Medical School classmates, the proper introductory procedure for performing an autopsy. Except, where his instructor had used the corpse of an old man--Wilson had bound a lovely, living lass and is preparing to dissect her. The other great scene involves Brigitte Bardot. Throughout this film, Bardot is unflatteringly coiffed in a black wig that is pulled back in a rather schoomarmish fashion. Her eyes are seductive, but she doesn't demand the kind of camera worship she has so often received in other films. However, the hair comes down and Bardot is soon being subjected to Wilson's birch rod. Her face, hair, and the slashes on her back are aesthetically quite sublime. Alain Delon is fair in the title role, but he lacks any real charisma. Between him and his doppelganger, I think they both possessed nearly as much charisma as the horse in Vadim's film. Overall, this film also sacrifices its story to the look of the film. The end is rather intense and powerful in its own right, but it lacks significance because the story itself isn't carried forth with any conviction or authority.

Terence Stamp is Toby Dammitt in the final film, directed by Federico Fellini. He really does an outstanding job looking washed out, confused, sick, drunk, and completely at the end of his tether. The film itself is phenomenal. It is by far the most absurdist and melancholy of the three films. In this adaptation of Poe's story, "Never Bet the Devil Your Head", Toby is jaundiced with everything possibly gained by fame in this life. He seems to represent the insidious truth of fame. He is also haunted by a sweet little girl in white, bouncing a big white ball. The scenes relating to her are the best, in my opinion. She is a sylph with terrible symbolic power. What does the ball mean? Why is she so demonstrably joyful? She can be read as pure and active--a regenerative force that