Description

In this epic mini-series based on Jules Verne's novel, Englishman Phileas Fogg (Pierce Brosnan) prides himself on his clockwork discipline. Fogg is so confident of his ability to beat the clock that he bets a small fortune with members of the Reform Club that he can use modern transportation methods to circle the globe in 80 days! With servant Jean Passepartout (Eric Idle), Fogg soon finds himself crossing war-torn Paris, traversing the jungles of India and Burma, and dueling with Jesse James on the American prairie! And if that weren't complicated enough, Fogg is the prime suspect in a London bank robbery, and Detective Wilbur Fix (Peter Ustinov) is pursuing Fogg and Passepartout, in hopes of returning Fogg to England to be arrested-and to collect the reward money!

The voyage even brings an unforeseen responsibility when Fogg rescues the beautiful Princess Aouda (Julia Nickson) and she arouses long-dormant feelings in Fogg's bachelor heart. Can Fogg acknowledge those feelings? Will he win the bet? Will he give Fix the slip? The ending is one you don't want to miss! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Great Entertainment
This is a charming and wonderful journey to watch. I enjoyed it a great deal, but be warned... this is NOT a family movie. Today's youth with short attention spans who like blood and monsters won't understand this one. Save it for the adults. Its well written, well acted and simply great fun.

journey with lots of obsticales
I saw this movie last summer on tv. When I started watching it I had no idea that it was as long as it is, otherwise I probably wouldn't have watched it, what would have been a mistake. Then this movie is wonderful. The only reason I can see that some people might not like it is, that it doesn't use all this high technology, full of action and sex scenes that we are used to now a days, when watching a movie. For me it is a welcome change and I enjoyed it, but everyone has their own opinion and is entitled to it.
Another thing I like about this movie is all the build in obstacles Pierce Brosnan has to go through on his quest. Often, it seems to me, that once he got out of one problem, he faces another one, what creates suspence on whether he will reach his goal or not. Also I highly appreciate the differente cultures portrayed in it.

Lost a lot of fun!!!
I watched the same film in VHS few years ago.
It was very impressive and had a lot of fun.
But after I got this DVD, it really disappointed me!!

A lot of scenes have been REMOVED: just like the chapter in China, Japan and India.And that part(saving the princess) has gone also.

If this is a miniseries, I guess they really didn`t have an idea about when and where to cut it!!!

Excellent movie however DVD lacks quality
This is an excellent movie which aired as an mini movie in 1989. The movie has a nice flow and the characters are quite vivid. Around the world imagery is quite colorful. It was a delight to watch it again. Unfortunately, the DVD quality resembles that of VHS. It was a poor quality transfer for a DVD considering that this movie was shot using Panavision equipment.

Wonderful family movie
I think this is a perfect movie to watch when you have several hours to spend relaxing. It's very long but you don't have to watch it all in one sitting. You'll want to get back to it as soon as possible though because it keeps you wanting more!
I divided it up into two evenings. This is one movie you can watch with your grandmother or with children around and not be embarrassed. I think it's a great family movie. And the picture was fine. I used to have the VHS copy and this DVD was much better quality. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

I DARE YOU NOT TO CRY YOUR EYES OUT
Brian's Song is one of the saddest movies ever made, based on the too-true story of the black/white friendship between Gale Sayer and Brian Piccolo. James Caan does a credible, if self-absorbed job as Brian -- his sickly scenes definitely do not hold up as well as you might remember, and though this movie definitely looks and sounds dated, it still packs a powerful emotional punch, in the same way that Terms of Endearment does. Beware: you are headed for very rough waters. And that Michel Legrand theme song, a classic for the ages, turns the nozzle to full-tilt. That final still image remains firmly etched in my mind, and the special relationship engendered here carries a special weight as one of the first of its kind ever seen in a film.

EXTRAORDINARY...
I was fifteen years old when "Brian's Song" premiered as a "Movie of the Week" on ABC-TV. I had no interest in sports then (I still don't), and had no intentions of watching this movie, but my dad persuaded me. "Just watch the first few minutes," he said. He knew that this was NOT a sports movie. He had read Gale Sayers' book "I Am Third" (upon which this movie is partially based), and knew that this was a movie about PEOPLE, not about football. The fact that the two lead characters are football players is almost incidental. This is a movie about friendship, love and courage. Needless to say, I watched it from start to finish, and have watched it many times since. Although its roots as a TV movie are obvious (the production values are nothing more than ordinary), "Brian's Song" is one of the most extraordinary films ever made, a particularly remarkable achievement when you consider its length of only 74 minutes. James Caan and Billy Dee Williams, both virtual unknowns at the time, play Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers with a sense of realism, and with respect for their real-life counterparts. Jack Warden is excellent (as always) as coach George Halas, and Shelley Fabares and Judy Pace turn in fine performances as Joy Piccolo and Linda Sayers. David Huddleston and Bernie Casey make the most of their small parts, and even real-life Chicago Bears provide some fine moments, particularly the "hazing" sequence. The sincere performances, along with William Blinn's beautifully-written teleplay, keep the action from becoming mawkish or sappy, Buzz Kulik's direction brought out the best in his actors, and Michel Legrand's score comments on the emotions in the film with exactly the right tone. (Legrand's penchant for marking musical cues to sudden movement onscreen is notable, and the gorgeous theme is one of the most emotionally charged pieces of music ever written.) The film ends on a freeze-frame of James Caan's face over narration by Jack Warden of William Blinn's words, and when that musical theme pulls out all the stops after Warden's narration ends, well...even the Chicago Bears themselves would be dissolved in tears. It's one of my all-time favorite movies, and I would recommend it without reservation to anyone, sports fan or not. Thanks, Dad.

The DVD version includes an exclusive short featurette, "Gale Sayers: First and Goal" in which present-day Gale Sayers discusses the movie and his career. It's interesting, but nothing special. Also included in audio commentary by Williams and Caan. Caan is a cutup and does most of the talking, and little of any real substance is said, but it IS quite entertaining, and definitely worth another viewing.

But then, "Brian's Song" is ALWAYS worth another viewing...

One of the most emotional and best stories of all time
I'm a huge sports fan. I want to be a sports writer and it's stuff that Brian's Song that makes me want to do it even more.

Brian's Song is based on the true story of Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers. Both were rookies when they joined the Chicago Bears. Brian Piccolo(Caan) was the funny loudmouth that everybody loved. He wans't the most gifted athlete in the world and his determination made him the player that he was. Gale Sayers(Williams) was the quiet one. He was the easily the most talented player on the team maybe in the league. The two are paired as roomates and the friendship starts.

The two are opposites and don't get along that well at first. Opposites attract and they especially do with these two. They quickly feed off each other though and become the best of friends. They fuel each other and are inspeperable. They become the first white and black roomates in the NFL. They ignore the whole idea of race and are like brothers.

When Sayers tears his ACL the next year Brain gets the chance to step up and show his talent. He however feels for his friend and is determined to get Gale back into his form as the best RB in the league. There bond becomes even stronger during this time as does the friendship of there families.

The tide changes though when Brian starts not to play well. It's a new season and the two are enjoying finally playing with each other as one of the best backfields in the league. Brians play starts to diminsh though and he's sent to the doctor. What the doctor finds is that Brian has cancer and is terminal. It's now up to Gale to help his friend through this most difficult time of his life.

This movie isn't about football. It's about the bond of love and friendship that these two men have for each other. James Caan and Billy Dee Williams play these roles to perfection. Both weren't known all that well at this time in 1971. Caan hadn't delivered his legendary performance as Sonny Corleone and Wiliams hadn't played Lando yet. The two give dramatic performances though that are sure to make anybody cry.

This is one of the greatest tear jerkers of all time. I've never wathced it were a member of the audience isn't sobbing at the end of it. I've cried numerous times while watching this movie.

You can tell it's a tv made movie. It doesn't take away from the quality though and this movie cleaned the Emmy's out in 1971 and in my opinion is the greatest made for TV movie EVER!

I love this movie. It's not about sports but is about life. You won't find a better tale of love and friendship anywhere. Everybody should see this movie at one time or another. It's a cinematic masterpiece. Buy this movie you won't regret that descion.

The Best Ever
I just need to say I am looking at this movie as I am writing this for about the 100th time, still with tears running down my face. I have loved this movie every since it came out when I was 10 years old. With the lost of my father the year before the movie really touched me and made my mother never want to look at it again. Then growing up with old timeer stopping me to tell me I looked so much like the real Gale Sayers made me love the movie even more. Now with what is running through my blood and not knowing what will happen to me all I can think of now is my best friend of 25 years and him standing by my side. As you can see this move has really been a part of my life almost all my life.

A Classic
A true classic and tear jerker. It includes one of the best title songs of all time. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Brisk minor PI movie
Shamus is not a great PI movie -like say The Big Sleep or The Maltese Falcon ;nor is it an especially good one but it is briskly paced ,with plenty of decently staged action scenes that divert attention from a convoluted and not especially believable plot.
The eponymous private eye is McCoy -played winningly by Reynolds-who is based in Brooklyn and whose economic state is more than a little parlous.His apartment ,like his wardrobe ,is sparsely furnished -he sleeps on a pool table in fact.A serial womaniser with a line of chat that was probably okay in the era the movie was made ,but now seems distinctly cheesy Mccoy is likeable and a personable man with the usual line of smart one lineres that is an essential part of any fictional pi's armourey
He is engaged by a millionaire to trace the whereabouts of diamonds stolen during a recent robbery/murder.In the course of the investigation he is shot at ;beaten up;is chased and chases bad guys across Brooklyn by foot and by car before a lively climax at a US army base where illicit arms deals are going down.Some measure of compensation is provided by the delectable Dyan Cannon with whom he falls in love.
It was perhaps unwise of the writers to evoke The Big Sleep in the scenes with Mccoy's employer -just as that classic saw the tec being engaged by a client with a passion for heat ,the millionaire here is a man who insists on near freezing conditions.
Best sit back and enjoy it for what it is -a star vehicle that gets by on action and solid playing all round while never rising above the acceptable.

Respectable cheese
If you have a weakness for early seventies/sexist/private eye B movies like me, this is about as good as it gets. It's not especially believable, but it takes itself less seriously than most modern superthrillers, i.e. Die Hards, Lethal Weapons. Actually, Reynolds gives a pretty good performance. Self deprecating, funny and, (seriously) believably tough. I don't think he lost his perspective until Smokey and the Bandit. Shamus is very much a product of its time; his character beds three different women in the course of the film, something that Hollywood now only allows in French farces and James Bond films.

I liked Dyan Cannon in the film. She didn't have a whole lot to do as "the girl" in the film, but she did bring a certain amount of class to the role. The romance between her and Reynolds was believable. It's somewhat sad, because were the film made today, she would likely have been, at around 33, too old to play the part of the girl. Instead, they'd seek out someone like Rachel Leigh Cook or other nineteen year old babe which would make for a rather unbelievable romantic subtext. Such are the feminist advances Hollywood has made.

Good score by Jerry Goldsmith, too. Good entertainment for a cold winter night.

Burt in top form
Burt Reynolds gets beat up so much in this film, it's a wonder he can make love to Dyan Cannon on top of a pool table mid-movie! A convoluted action-genre exercise designed to show off it's star, and Reynolds is very low-key, self-depreciating, and sexy in his Cosmo-pin-up era. Dyan Cannon looks even better, though she's given little to do as a woman involved second-hand in a murder. Pretty good for a one-time viewing, but I wouldn't buy it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Movie Does Justice to Women
I disagree on many points with the 1 star reviewer of this noble film about women and their valiant contributions as war nurses during WWII.

I believe this movie had strong performances and that it is a significant one in how few movies portray a women's experience and view of war. For this reason, trashing this movie isn't fair. Sure, it isn't a "great" war film and some of the portrayals of Japanese aren't realistic and even laughable. However, I have to say that this movie clearly stated in the beginning it was a fictional account and was created in order to show how valiant many women acted during war. The one star reviewer was unfair in their assessment of this movie as a result. Acting needs to be considered when making such a review and he did not factor that in fairly in their overall rating.

I treasure this movie, especially Kristy McNichol's performance. This movie is between a 3-5 depending on how one chooses to view it. I give it a 5 because of its unique message and content, and because the acting was superb. Anyone who gives it under 3 stars perhaps is more upset at how men are portrayed in this film -- not a typical depiction in a war movie. Men are sometimes humiliated, but really they only humiliate themselves.

Heinous garbage
A pretty much unwatchable smorgasbord of prison camp cliches.

It's clear that someone watched Bridge Over the River Kwai a few dozen times, but managed to do so without learning anything from it. It wouldn't be quite so bad if the abuse of the women POW's by their Japanese captors (while undoubtedly reflecting reality, and probably underplaying it) hadn't been staged in such an exploitative way. Someone has shrewdly cloaked the film in lofty bookends (Susan Sarandon doing dramatized "congressional testimony") and given it an honorable-sounding title, but there's no denying that not far underneath the veneer of disingenuous respectfulness lies a "women-in-prison" movie.

The development of the cardboard characters (Sarandon is the "loyal earth mother" to daughter-figure Kristy McNichol's "sullen rebellious one with a heart of gold") intrudes only as frequently as absolutely necessary to get us as quickly as possible from one rape, beating, or humiliation to the next. (The highlight(?), I guess, being when McNichol and Sarandon are forced by the "evil guard" to repeatedly slap one another across the face -- I'm sure that happened all the time in WWII prison camps.)

Since it was made for TV, we have to get by without the nudity, shower scenes, and lesbian love scene normally found in this sort of adventure; I guess we'll have to wait for the director's cut.

The Japanese are played to caricature as either socially inept, ridiculously "honorable," or insanely and stupidly mean; it's an amalgam of stereotypes.

Both McNichol and Sarandon do the best they can with what they've been given and McNichol, particularly, triumphs repeatedly over the bad dialogue and murky photography; she's worth ten times whatever they paid her.

An awful movie, of interest only to fans of McNichol or Sarandon.

Girlfriend made me watch it.....
I am am glad she did. Not only should "women everywhere" be inspired by the valor the women potray in this movie, but men should be inspired as well. Based on a true story, this movie will truely entertain, and make you realize that not only men fight wars. (Plus it should get a few "good guy" points from your girlfriend!!)

A powerful story of WWII, as seen through the nurses' eyes.
I saw this movie on television years ago, and was so impressed I have been looking for it ever since. Thank goodness for Amazon.com!! :) ... Read more