Reviews (136)

From Russia With Love
From Russia With Love is certainly an excellent OO7 film to date and is Connery's third best in my opinion, I like Thunderball and Goldfinger slightly better. The plot is that SPECTRE is bent on getting the LEKTOR, a top-secret decoding device. They plan to offer it to Bond from a young girl. SPECTRE plans then to kill OO7 and take the LEKTOR for themselves. The acting is excellent. sean Connery is in top form as the dashing British agent OO7, and few Bond girls are better than Daniela Binachi's Tatiana Romanavo. Robert Shaw and Lotte Lenya are superb villains, especially Shaw as Rosa Klebb and Donald "Red" Grant. Kerim Bey is wonderful as Pedro Armendariz. The action includes OO7 being chased by a helicopter, the famed "gypsy camp" scene, an incredible and long hand-to-hand fight aboard the Orient Express between Connery and Shaw, and a good boat chase near the end. The gadgets include Bond's attache case, Grant's garoutte wire watch, and Rosa Klebb's switchblade shoes. The script is very good, the cinematography is dark and brooding, and the settings are nice. The only problem is I didn't like the song that much but I loved the score. Overall, everything from the acting to the dark atmosphere, to the good DVD quality make this film a terrific OO7 film and a welcome edition to your DVD library.

Beautiful looking DVD
James Bond is given the opportunity to obtain a Russian Lektor decoding machine but he needs the services of a beautiful Russian defector, Tatiana Romanova (Daniella Bianchi) to help him steal it from the Russian Embassy in Istanbul. The British think it's a trap, but one worth taking as they are desperate to get their hands on the Lektor. It is indeed too easy to be true - but the treachery and manipulation comes not from the Russians, but from a totally unexpected quarter.

The story may appear simplistic but if you let your concentration lapse you'll miss key information to understanding the plot. Because there is more dialogue it helps to own this movie so you can watch it again. Everything becomes much clearer after a repeat viewing. This was the first 007 DVD I bought because it's one of my favourite Connery Bonds. It features ice-cold assassin Red Grant (Robert Shaw), and one of the best bond girls ever ('James, will you make love to make all the time in England?'). Pedro Armendáriz fits the role of 007's ally Kerim Bey very nicely.

From Russia With Love doesn't overwelm you with a main villain's secret fortress blowing to pieces, nor does it have a heart-pounding car chase scene. The real action is between the characters and within the story.

This series deserved better.
It is hard to imagine that only the 2nd 007 flick would be one of the worst, but this one is just so horrible! The romance plot is laughable and badly acted, Connery and Bianchi don't even have any chemistry. A ton of scenes in the film don't make any sense either--- the gypsy camp sequence for instance. It has NOTHING to do with the plot, yet a good deal of the film is spent here. It's almost as if the filmakers had 2 scripts, couldn't decide between the two, and just used them both, resulting in one huge convoluted mess. Perhaps this was because they were trying to get the movie out in only a year after Dr. No came out. A shame--- had they given FRWL more time and not rushed it, it could have been something really good.

the second young bond and the best of them all
fighting gypsies (one of whom is the delectable martine beswick) in scantily clad clothes, a beefcake blonde assassin robert shaw, a killer old hag with poisioned shoes, the most beautiful blonde imaginable wearing a choker, and connery's ultra cool bond non chalantly smoking his way through half the fim.
what more can you ask from terence youngs second bond flick and the best bond of them all.
from russia with love.

Number 2 yet full of firsts
The second installment of James Bonds adventures starts with the post gunbarrel pre-title chapter which in this movie sees an expert assasin take out what appears to be our intrepid agent untill it is revealed that it is a stage set up.

Q makes an apperance with the first of many gadgets that Bond will call on during his lifetime. We also get to see his Bentley before it's famous replacement in the next film. The three modes of transport (air,sea,rail) and exotic locations are to the fore and of course, the Bond Girl, this time Lotte Lyna. ... Read more

Description

A photographer's blind wife, trapped in her New York apartment by an evil trio who are ready to murder to retrieve a heroin-filled doll hidden in her apartment, cleverly outwits them. Music by Henry Mancini. Based on the long running Broadway play by Frederick Knott. ... Read more

Reviews (76)

A Spine-Tingling Thriller
I was extremely impressed with this movie. As I am a blind individual myself, I truly appreciated that this was not one of those ridiculous movies which dealt specifically with how blind people function in the world, but instead presented a realistic portrait of a woman fighting to survive.
Audrey Hepburn realistically portrays Susie Hendrix, a woman who has recently lost her sight due to a car accident. She still struggles to adjust to her new lifestyle with the help of her husband Sam. My only complaint of the movie is Sam's often harsh treatment of his wife. I realize that it necessary, but considering that this was a recent loss of eyesight, he possibly could have been more patient.
The main premise of this film concerns a villainous drug dealer, Harry Rote (portrayed by Alan Arkin.)
Alan Arkin is superb in his role. He is the most effective villain I have ever seen portrayed. Rote enlists the help of two recently released conmen to retrieve a heroin-filled doll from Susie's home, where it accidentially was taken by Sam. The ensuing struggle is between Susie and the three men, who attempt to deceive her in to handing over the doll. The climax of this film is extremely suspenseful and scary. Another quick note: Julie Herrod, who portrays Gloria, a young girl who assists Susie is extremely good.
This film is truly worth your time, not only because it is suspenseful, but because it tells of the importance of overcoming obstacles in order to help yourself and others around you.

One of my favorites
A drug dealer enlists two conmen to help him retrieve a drug-filled doll from a blind woman.

Audrey Hepburn is very credible as the lovely Susie Hendrix, a feminine and insightful lady who has recently lost her eyesight in an accident. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. plays her rigid but compassionate husband; one of his emotional reactions is my only problem with the movie, and even that can be overlooked. Julie Herrod is the bratty but fairly well drawn Gloria, and Richard Crenna and Jack Weston play the two conmen. Jack Weston's character is the simpler of the two, and Richard Crenna is the dishonest but convincingly charming. The intelligent Harry Roat (or however you spell it) is played by Alan Arkin. Roat is just creepy. He gives bad vibes.

'Wait Until Dark' is one of my favorite films. The mood, supported by music, excellent acting, and an interesting plot, remains tense throughout the movie.

Truly Terrifying!
Based on Frederick Knott's Broadway hit, Wait Until Dark is a chilling film, even by today's standards. This is a masterfully crafted thriller about three deranged crooks who manipulate a blind woman to recover their lost smuggled goods.

Audrey Hepburn is fantastic as Suzy, in her Oscar nominated role, showing us a fairly realistic portrait of a fragile woman coping with her dark new world. She manages to garner our sympathy, especially with Efrem Zimbalist Jr's demanding husband watching her every move.

Alan Arkin is equally terrific, making a terrifying villain.

Wait Until Dark manages to create a paranoid environment devoid of any human life. The apartment building Suzy lives in is perpetually empty; Suzy's husband, Sam, leaves her on her own for most of the day, and the dorky young girl upstairs is apparently motherless most of the time. The cave-like arches of the apartment has an unsettling effect of positioning Hepburn in a nondescript underground (the windows only look out on the feet of passersby, emphasizing Suzy's disconnect from her neighborhood). It all creeps up on the audience, making for a suspenseful, claustrophobic and effective shocker. I literally could not breathe during the film's final ten minutes.

Definitely wait until dark and watch it with someone who likes to scream. This is a true nail-biter if there ever was one.

"The blinds moving up and down. . . the squeaking shoes. . .
...and then the knife whistling past her ear. . . "

At the ripe old age of 38, Audrey Hepburn proved that she had aged like fine wine in Terrence Young's "Wait Until Dark", for which she earned her fifth, and last, Oscar nomination. Despite obviously being based on the long-running Broadway play; as the majority of the story takes place in an apartment and there are few characters; it translates surprisingly well onto screen and is remarkably intriguing and suspenseful. Alan Arkin, who plays one of the vilest villains of 60's cinema, Richard Crenna, and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. make up the stellar supporting cast and all turn in excellent performances.

The sheer terror "Wait Until Dark" inflicts upon its audience comes from the filmmakers ability to place us in Suzy's shoes. The very idea of being blind and trapped in an apartment and horribly alone even though you are in one of the most densely populated areas of the world, just plains scares me. The nail-biting climax has some truly classic moments in it (who knew Alan Arkin was such a gymnast?) and will stick with you long after the film is over.

As always, Audrey is simply perfection. Charming and beautiful even in the most unflattering situations, she yet again proves her star power. The constant distress and anguish Audrey portrays onscreen is achingly real, and unfortunately, not very far from the truth. She was suffering from anorexia and marriage troubles with the producer of the film, Mel Ferrer, throughout the entire shoot. One can only imagine how draining it must have been for her to be required to be screaming and crying the whole shoot while dealing with these problems. Her Oscar nomination was most certainly deserved!

WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT
Few actresses have lit up the screen in the same fashion as the late Audrey Hepburn. In this 1967 thriller (her last Oscar nomination), she plays a blind woman who finds herself terrorized by a trio of men looking for a heroin-stuffed doll.
Relying on pure psychological suspense as opposed to gore and violence, WAIT UNTIL DARK is still a powerful movie. Miss Hepburn is perfect for the role---she seems so frail, and yet there is an inner strength that comes to her aid in the final moments of the film. She lost the Oscar that year to another Hepburn (Katherine in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"), and it just goes to show how Oscar at times relies more on sentimentality than the actual power of a performance.
Richard Crenna eschewed his good guy roles by playing Mike Talman, one of the cons who does appreciate Suzie's intelligence. Jack Weston, a great comic actor, also goes for more visceral drama, and his performance as the buffoon is right on target. And what about Mr. Alan Arkin? His cold, insensitive evil is just right!!! Little Julie Herrod as Gloria also does a credible job.
Terence Young's direction is tight and Henry Mancini's impeccable music also heightens the suspense.
WAIT UNTIL DARK is a classic thriller, and one of Miss Hepburn's finest moments. ... Read more

Reviews (153)

James Bond secret agent 007, licenced to kill
Dr. No was the first movie to launch the legacy that would span out into 20 more official movies and 2 unofficial ones. Sean connery brought a suave, witty and violently exciting role to 007.

The movie begins with a British agent in Jamacia called Stranways and his secretary being murdered. Then back in London we are introduced to James Bond. James Bond is called to office, and we are introduced to his boss "M" and the flirting secretary Miss Moneypenny. Bond is told that Cape Canaveral is worried because their rockets are being toppled and they think the destructive energy waves are coming from Jamacia where Strangways was investigating the mysterious Dr. No before he was killed. Bond is sent to Jamacia, where is identity is quickly noticed by a photographer and a phony chauffeur who tries to kill him. Bond then meets up with CIA agent Felix Leiter and a local fisherman called Quarrel who are also investigating Dr. No and his island Crab Key. Bond's life is also on stake when a spider is released into his room. Bond discovers the Professor Dent is behind the spider attack and kills him, since he does not talk. Bond and Quarrel travel to Crab Key to hunt down Dr. No. Bond awakes on the island to find the alluring girl called Honey Ryder, who tells them that she collects shells on the island. Suspecting visitors, Dr. No's men fire on the beach to try to find Bond. Bond, Honey and Quarrel travel deeper into the island where Quarrel is killed and Bond and Honey are taken captive. They are taken to Dr. No's laboratory, where they finally meet him over dinner. Dr. No explains to Bond that he is a member of the greatest criminal organization called SPECTRE. His job has been to jam all radio signals to USA rockets in order to destroy each one. Dr. no leaves Bond in a cell to jam the upcoming rocket. Bond escapes and battles Dr. No in the nuclear laboratory, with Bond drowning Dr. No. The rocket is not harmed, and the entire islands lab explodes while Bond and Honey escape in a nearby boat., where they are picked up by Felix Leiter and the CIA.

Dr. No was the movie that set the standard for all other 007 movies with the exotic locales, beautiful girls, dominating villians and the exciting, adventerous missions of agent James Bond 007!

"My name is Bond. James Bond." -James Bond 007
This is it ladies and gentlemen!! The very first film in 1962 that started the most popular series in the world! It's got villians with globally-fantatsic schemes, sexy girls, gadgets galore and the most famous spy of all- James Bond. Sean connery get this movie off to a great start with a high-stakes card game with the alluring Sylvia Trench. Then we are introduced to M, Miss Moneypenny and Q. The villian is Dr. No, who plans on destroying USA rockets from is base on Crab Key. The girl is Honey Ryder. She has set the standard for all girls to follow with her unforgettable walk in that bikini from the water! The James Bond theme is played by the John Barry Orchestra and the director is Terence Young. A top-notch spy thriller that CAN NOT be missed by anyone!

Two Great Entrances = A Great Start To A Great Series
From the opening strains of The James Bond Theme over the first gunbarrel opening, Dr. No propels the audience into the world of James Bond. The trio of Dr. No, From Russia With Love and Goldfinger got the series started with a bang and created a standard that has never quite been matched, even by great later entries like On Her Majesty's Secret Service, The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only. Director Terence Young's tough, violent tone in Dr. No does Ian Fleming's books proud and it's unfortunate that that tone wasn't maintained throughout the series. The locations, editing and casting are top notch. The only way the film really fails is in the casting of the wooden Jack Lord as Felix Leiter. In the books Leiter was a tall, blone, skinny gregarious Texan. Lord, in contrast, looks like he wandered off the set of Hawaii-Five-0 onto this film. Luckily, Leiter isn't that important to the film, so any negative effect is minimal.

However, Dr. No owes its success chiefly to two moments -- two of the greatest entrances in screen history. One is Honey Ryder's (Ursula Andress) entrance on the beach on Dr. No's Crab Key. Andress immediately became an object of desire for millions of red blooded males with her tanned sensuous body and skimpy bikini (in the book Dr. No, Ryder was naked). After 42 years and god knows how many sexy women, Andress' Ryder is still the standard. And unlike so many of the later Bond heroines, Andress' Ryder is a tough, intelligent woman who can take care of herself. When Bond promises he won't take the shells she sells to support herself, Andress answers, "I promise you you won't, either." Later, when she tells of killing her rapist with a black widow spider, even Bond recoils in mild shock. Andress' entrance opens the concluding act of the film and creates one of the more memorable Bond heroines of all time.

The moment that defines the film and is probably one of the greatest moments in screen history is, of course, Sean Connery's entrance as James Bond. Legend has it that Ian Fleming was horrified when he met Sean Connery, but quickly changed his tune when he saw his entrance as James Bond onscreen. Connery says the famous line "Bond, James Bond" with such confidence and sex appeal, he instantly burns his mark into the series (which turned out to be a double edged sword when he tried to work outside the series). Next to Orson Welles' entrance in The Third Man, Connery's entrance in Dr. No is probably the best. Every time the clip is shown at the Academy Awards or other such award show, it still draws applause from the audience. It isn't a stretch to call it a landmark in film history.

terence young's bond
it is terence young, more than sean connery, more than ian fleming and more than broccoli who created the movie bond.
it is all here.
while this first movie is a little rough and has a somewhat bland villan, we enjoy the roughness of it, which was part of youngs inimitable style.
the first shot of bond smoking at the poker table is a classic and who knew what it was going to unleash.
the second memorable scene involves a long legged girl in a white dress shirt and a golf club. bond's entry into this scene is again, classic and ultra stylish.
too, bond is ruthless here, shooting an unarmed victim. he would not be this cold blooded again until license to kill.
andress looks like a perfectly formed candy bar and any red blooded male would love to unwrap her.
another mention is the sets, which are fantastic and again, very stylish.
one cant help but using that word; style, again and again because thats what sets the young bonds apart from all the rest of them.
young's bound abounds in style!

Underneath The Mango Tree
The start of the epic life that is James Bond. Sean Connery enters as the suave MI6 agent with a licence to kill number 007.
With the traditional enemies of the West and their devious ways set in his sights.

Of course one cannot avoid the fact that James will have a large female fan base and the first and most famous of all "Bond Girls" the bikini clad, knife welding Ursula Andress. Special effects of the times were spectacular but today a little unbelievable.

The DVD is absolutly full of information and worth it's price. A slightly light weight movie that has it's place in history as the first. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A hilariously campy piece of garbage
This is such an atrociously awful movie that it's a joy to watch. You have to be aware of the real life events that were ongoing during the making of "The Klansman." Burton and Taylor were busting up and Burton was awash in vodka. He arrived in Oroville, California and promptly proposed to an 18 year Denny's waitress. His costar, Lee Marvin, was also drinking a bottle a day. Neither was sober for a single syllable of this terrible movie and their struggles to appear sober make for some hilarious moments.

Burton, as usual, dreadfully overacts and his attempts at a Southern accent are pitiful, to say the least. Marvin's acting is much better, but when he has to speak inane lines from a miserable script, he can't fare much better. The highlights has to be the scene in the bus station when Burton karate chops poor Cameron Mitchell nearly to death. The movie was so cheaply edited that you can clearly hear director Terrence Young yelling, "Cut, Cam! Get up! Cut!" They don't even bother to edit out the director's instructions. You will be laughing yourself into a choking fit during this lengthy bus station melee,

This is a great movie to watch with a couple of beers. If you appreciate a terrible script, crude sets and two major stars who were drunk out of their minds while filming, you'll love this one.

Truly disappointing!
Firstly, poor sound. Secondly, the film has been cut, heavily.
Let us hope that Paramount release it on DVD soon, as it is their film. In the meantime, if anyone wants to see this film then just buy the Paramount VHS tape- it's very good quality for picture & sound & it is UNCUT! Do not waste your money or time on this poor attempt at a DVD release!!!

"THE KLANSMAN" WAS A DISASTER
In the Spring of 1974 Director Terance Young and company came to Oroville, California to film the Klansman. The locals were excited to have a big studio film made in the small town. However, when it opened at the State Theatre in Oroville, there was widespread horror.

The film included a castration, an attempted rape and two rapes, plus a whole lot of racial comments and some god-awful acting. You would have thought that Richard Burton would have done well with his acting, but he was one of the worse. He was drunk and chasing an under-age girl for most of the shooting schedule and could not seem to handle the southern accent. (This may have been the incident that destroyed his and Liz Taylor's marriage.)

Lee Marvin, Cameron Mitchell, Lola Falana and a few others did well in their acting but the script shot them down. It was full of racial stereotypes that probably set back racial relations for the next 100 years. (This was OJ Simpson's first film.)

I was there in 1974 and saw a lot of the shooting of the movie. It's only redeeming value to me is the fact that it showed a lot of areas of Table Mountain, Cherokee, Oroville and Sugarloaf Mountain (75 miles north of Sacramento in Northern California).
The scenery is beautiful but the movie is awful.

There are many scenes that are unintentially funny because of the bad acting plus a hilarious scene where Richard Burton "slaps" Cameron Mitchell into a blood pulp. A Classic!

All in all a minor film but worth seeing if you want a laugh or two. Warning, the rape scene with Lola Falana is not for the faint of heart! Plus the castration scene makes ME grit my teeth!

Sad waste of two powerhouse talents
Richard Burton was one of the all-time great thespians and it's a travesty that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences never honored him with an Oscar for any of his numerous nominations. Lee Marvin was a dynamic actor in his own right as well. Why they are wasting their time in this ugly, worthless (...) movie is anybody's guess.
Many films that incorporate a racist theme merit importance when they depict the horror and any subsequent violence that such bigotry and hatred derives. This film does nothing but present a shallow glimpse into the racial tensions stemming from the South (a common and unfortunate stereotype).
One interesting note: OJ Simpson made his film debut here as a radical "Black Panther"-type militant who murders white folks whenever he has a chance. (...)

Campy in the extreme!
This is such an atrociously awful movie that it's a joy to watch. You have to be aware of the real life events that were ongoing during the making of "The Klansman." Burton and Taylor were busting up and Burton was awash in vodka. He arrived in Oroville, California and promptly proposed to an 18 year Denny's waitress. His costar, Lee Marvin, was also drinking a bottle a day. Neither was sober for a single syllable of this terrible movie and their struggles to appear sober make for some hilarious moments.

Burton, as usual, dreadfully overacts and his attempts at a Southern accent are pitiful, to say the least. Marvin's acting is much better, but when he has to speak inane lines from a miserable script, he can't fare much better.

This is a great movie to watch with a couple of beers. If you appreciate a terrible script, crude sets and two major stars who were drunk out of their minds while filming, you'll love this one. ... Read more

Reviews (132)

A Must Own on DVD
Explosive action, stunning locales, a tight plot and Sean Connery's most convincing turn as the world's favorite spy make Thunderball one of the finest-- if not the finest -- entries in the James Bond film series. Add to that a DVD package chock full of dynamic extras such as "behind the scenes" documentaries and two highly informative audio commentaries and you've got yourself a must own movie.

The most visually stunning of all Bond films, Thunderball's sheer cinematic beauty comes glistening through on the remastered DVD print. The light, tropical hues of The Bahamas radiate like never before and the vast scope of the dazzling underwater scenes are fully appreciated on the widescreen transfer. Having personally viewed this Bond classic at least 200 times on standard video, I felt as though I was seeing it for the first time via widescreen DVD.

The plot involves Emilio Largo(Adolfo Celi) as sinister SPECTRE baddie #2 who threatens to nuke Miami unless paid a hefty ransom by the British government and NATO. Of course, Bond has just four days in which to save the world -- four days filled with such distractions as an array of willing women, killer sharks, and exploding cars and boats!

Celi is absolutely captivating as Largo,the eye-patched criminal mastermind. Deliberate and understated, Largo catches on to Bond, and his intent, early on. The ensuing cat and mouse chase begins cordially before turning deadly. The pursuit of Bond through the Junkanoo Parade in the streets of Nausau is positively nerve-wracking. Ditto a pair of horrific scenes in Largo's swimming pool which convieniently doubles as a deadly shark tank.

Italian actress Luciana Paluzzi nearly steals the show as Fiona Volpe a femme fatale killer who yearns for Bond in more than one way. Paluzzi lights up the screen, oozing equal parts temptation and evil.

Former Miss France, Claudine Auger turns in a fine performance as Bond's main love interest Domino. The fact the Domino just happens to be Largo's mistress doesn't stop our favorite super-spy from pursuing her.

Rik Van Nutter's portrayal of CIA operative Felix Leiter is perhaps the series' finest. Of course, Moneypenny, Q and M all flawlessly reprise their respective roles.

A perfect blend of From Russia with Love's suspense and Goldfinger's fun-filled explosiveness, Thunderball is undoubtedly one of the best Bond films. MGM did a great job on the DVD, thus making Thunderball a necessary addition to every Bond fan's collection.

Connery at His Unadulterated Best on DVD
Double entendres abound in this aquatic tale of intrigue, action and adventure 007 style. And make no mistake about it; Sean Connery makes this his picture. This may not have the narrative flow of a "Goldfinger" but Connery's confident and energetic performance and the villain's well-laid out caper makes this one of the most entertaining, realistic and tongue-in-cheek films in the series. This film was made at the pinnacle of the James Bond phenomenon and it shows. No cost was too great. This movie is big and it looks and feels big in every way. The underwater bellicose -ballet is one of the best pieces of action ever put on film thanks to Lamar Boren's colorful and beautiful photography and John Barry's original, innovative and intuitive scoring. The opening fight scene between Bond and Jacques Boitier in the chateau is one the best choreographed and edited of the series. What really makes this film is the dialogue. Connery's one-liners, his banter with Adolfo Celi as Emilio Largo and Luciana Paluzzi as Fiona Volpe and his delivery is brimming with aplomb, wit, humor and confidence all rolled into one. Claudine Auger, Molly Peters, Luciana Paluzzi and Martine Beswick are the ultimate 'Bond Girls.' Production designer Ken Adam, Art design Peter Murton, Cinematographer Ted Moore, Special effects expert John Stears, Editor Peter Hunt, Composer John Barry, Screenwriter Richard Maibaum and Director Terence Young make this one of the best Bond films of the series. Bernard Lee as "M," Lois Maxwell as Moneypenny and Desmond Llewelyn as "Q" all give their best performances. One of the best looking Bond films! It sounds better than ever in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound!

The second best film of Bond series
Thunderball is a feast eye. Visually stunnig with advanced and ingenious twist and ideas.
The presence of Adolfo Celi as Emilio Largo and one of the most beautiful Bond's girls - Claudine Auger , are winners components.
The unforgettable submarine fight deserved for this film won Best special effects . And from its release became in a classic sequence.
Funny and plenty of chases , sharks and arresting locations.
After Goldfinger , this could be the most clever and kinetic movie of Bond series.

THUNDERBALL = Best Bond Movie
This movie is Awesome. The story is the best and score is fantastic. Sean Connery gives one of his best performances as James Bond along with everyone else in the film. This is truly one of my favourite movies ever and I've only become a mega fan this past year. Make your life better and get this along with every other James Bond film!

borderline classic, borderline franchise popcorn
this is the pivotal bond film because it has enough of the same qualitites that rank it nearly alongside dr no, from russia with love and goldfinger.
but, it also has enough hints of the rot that is you only live twice and diamonds are forever that follows.
the first three bond films can actually be considered good films period and not necessarily 'franchise films'.
thunderball truly is the beginning of the franchise that will become furmulaic popcorn with the next one and that was too bad,
and connery, wisely, knew this himself. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Culture Clash in the 19th Century
This movie, to me, is a classic, with a star studded cast from 3 continents: Toshiro Mifune, the archetypal Samurai, Charles Bronson, the tough good guy, and Alain Delon the French Superstar as the very convincing bad guy. It has all the trimmings: fast paced action, enough humor to keep it entertaining, and, for a movie of this genre, very convincing storyline, acting and dialogue. Last but not least, though the story takes few surprising turns, it does have a surprising end. A definite must have for Western and Eastern buffs.

East meets the wild west
This movie to me is a great one to watch. It stars Charles Bronson and the late great Toshiro Mifune. Red sun has a lot of action and a few very funny seens. I would recomend it highly, and would rate it a classic, or near classic.

Great Movie
I thorougly enjoyed this movie. The combination of Toshiro Mifune and Charles Bronson was exactly what the doctor ordered.Enough humor and action to keep you watching.

Sol Rojo
This is an interesting and amusing internationally co-produced Western directed loosely by Terence Young. Charles Bronson (outlaw) teams with Toshiro Mifune (samurai warrior) in search of spoils, honor and Alain Delon (gambling con man). Ursula Andress and Capucine provide the major love interests. The highlight is Maurice Jarre's lively score integrating Eastern and Western musical idioms. This is a very entertaining film and which gets its inspiration from the Italian Westerns that were beginning to disappear into the sunset at the time of this film's release.

This is a pushy movie.
Even though Toshirô Mifune had been around years before, this was my first encounter with him. He plays a good counter personality to Charles Bronson. As I was saying, this is a pushy movie. Each character pushes the other to the brink. Gauche pushes Link who pushes Kuroda Jubie who pushes back and some where in there, among the Indians and others Cristina just gets pushed around.

I always think of this movie when I am watching "The Maltese Falcon" (1941) ASIN: 6305729328; The conversation between Sam Spade and Kasper Gutman where Sam insists that he can not be influence by the threat of death. If they killed him then they would not get the bird. Kasper says it takes a fine balance and not to push too hard, as there is no telling what a man may do in the heat of the moment and forget where his interests lie.

Well this film has a lot of heated moments and a lot of funny moments when the different cultures clash. This is definitely worth viewing. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not really what dreams are made of!
"Black Tights" belongs to an exciting part of my childhood which helped create a great love for ballet, opera and film art. So naturally, a DVD presentation of this rare - and at least for me - almost mythical film was something to look forward to! But unfortunately, this KINO presentation leaves much to be desired. I guess that this film is now a public domain title, which means that a negative or at least a perfect print might not be available anywhere. But the print used for DVD-transfer by KINO is often badly worn, especially at the reel change points appearing about every tenth minute - proof that a 70mm print was the base for the transfer. Considering this, the sound quality is surprisingly bad and the aspect ratio is not correct. (It should measure 2,2:1 if properly made.)Thankfully, the colors have not faded too badly (some reels display quite a gorgeous palette), but contrasts are weak, and scratches and dirt sometimes overwhelm the image to a point where you almost feel like throwing the disc in the nearest garbage can! But...it's still a rare and nostalgic film with lots of camp value and some very charismatic dancing stars, so it stays in the collection, if reluctantly. It will be interesting to see what the upcoming version from VCI will look like. I have no high hopes this time though! There surely must exist a better kept print somewhere in the world! Shame on KINO! They should have included a warning sticker on the package: For die-hard fans and fools only!

I expected more from Kino Video
I was really looking forward to the DVD version of this film. Too bad Kino didn't take the time to clean the picture and fix the audio. I guess I shouldn't complain. Ballet is so rare on DVD, I will grab any I can find. But a film with Cyd Charisse, Moira Shearer, Zizi Jeanmarie and Roland Petit deserves a better presentation. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Movie, Horrible DVD
I really liked this movie, I like Charles Bronson a lot. This is the worst DVD though. The colors change in the middle of a scene, one second the colors are fine and then they suddenly change and everything will have a bluish tint, the colors change several times during the movie. Try to find a copy by anyone except Direct Source.

Great movie, Horrible DVD
I like Charles Bronson movies a lot, but this is the worst copy of a DVD I have ever purchased. The movie is very good, but the copy is awful. I have seen better on TV and videotape. There are places where the colors change within the same sceen, one minute the colors are ok and the next everything has a green tint to it, then the next minute everything will have a blue tint to it. The whole movie isn't like that, but none of it should be. Have you ever been to a theater and it looks like the movie has scratches and lint all over it, well this DVD looks just like that. There is even one spot where one of the bads guys suddenly changes the way he is looking without moving his head, just suddenly he is looking up instead of straignt ahead. This is the worst copy of a movie I have ever seen on DVD and I will never buy another DVD put out by Direct Source Special Products, Inc. The only place it says Direct Source is on the back of the DVD case, everyone of their DVD's that I have seen has a oval with a star that has a movie camera on top of it and has the works Critic Picks on either side of it, stay away from their DVD's.

outstanding action by the great Bronson
i loved this DVD. James Mason does an outstanding job...one can't tell it's him until you look closely and see his cheek bones beneath the beard. Charles is at his usual best. the story revolves around a group of people who know Bronson's character (Joe). it seems that Joe had once been the driver for this group of militants but bailed out at the last minute and escaped while the rest of the men were hauled off to prison. Joe had since moved to another country and married a British woman (his wife, Jill Ireland) but seven years later, the gang has traced Joe's whereabouts and they're out for revenge! Bronson's great acting combined with his trademark grin while he makes one insult after the other to Mason and his crew are not to be missed. also not to be missed is the car chases through the mountains at top speed. the DVD i have shows the 1980's Bronson on the cover with the graying hair at the sides but the film actually came out in 1971. this is a great film and one of James Mason's most under-rated. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A hilariously campy piece of garbage
This is such an atrociously awful movie that it's a joy to watch. You have to be aware of the real life events that were ongoing during the making of "The Klansman." Burton and Taylor were busting up and Burton was awash in vodka. He arrived in Oroville, California and promptly proposed to an 18 year Denny's waitress. His costar, Lee Marvin, was also drinking a bottle a day. Neither was sober for a single syllable of this terrible movie and their struggles to appear sober make for some hilarious moments.

Burton, as usual, dreadfully overacts and his attempts at a Southern accent are pitiful, to say the least. Marvin's acting is much better, but when he has to speak inane lines from a miserable script, he can't fare much better. The highlights has to be the scene in the bus station when Burton karate chops poor Cameron Mitchell nearly to death. The movie was so cheaply edited that you can clearly hear director Terrence Young yelling, "Cut, Cam! Get up! Cut!" They don't even bother to edit out the director's instructions. You will be laughing yourself into a choking fit during this lengthy bus station melee,

This is a great movie to watch with a couple of beers. If you appreciate a terrible script, crude sets and two major stars who were drunk out of their minds while filming, you'll love this one.

Truly disappointing!
Firstly, poor sound. Secondly, the film has been cut, heavily.
Let us hope that Paramount release it on DVD soon, as it is their film. In the meantime, if anyone wants to see this film then just buy the Paramount VHS tape- it's very good quality for picture & sound & it is UNCUT! Do not waste your money or time on this poor attempt at a DVD release!!!

"THE KLANSMAN" WAS A DISASTER
In the Spring of 1974 Director Terance Young and company came to Oroville, California to film the Klansman. The locals were excited to have a big studio film made in the small town. However, when it opened at the State Theatre in Oroville, there was widespread horror.

The film included a castration, an attempted rape and two rapes, plus a whole lot of racial comments and some god-awful acting. You would have thought that Richard Burton would have done well with his acting, but he was one of the worse. He was drunk and chasing an under-age girl for most of the shooting schedule and could not seem to handle the southern accent. (This may have been the incident that destroyed his and Liz Taylor's marriage.)

Lee Marvin, Cameron Mitchell, Lola Falana and a few others did well in their acting but the script shot them down. It was full of racial stereotypes that probably set back racial relations for the next 100 years. (This was OJ Simpson's first film.)

I was there in 1974 and saw a lot of the shooting of the movie. It's only redeeming value to me is the fact that it showed a lot of areas of Table Mountain, Cherokee, Oroville and Sugarloaf Mountain (75 miles north of Sacramento in Northern California).
The scenery is beautiful but the movie is awful.

There are many scenes that are unintentially funny because of the bad acting plus a hilarious scene where Richard Burton "slaps" Cameron Mitchell into a blood pulp. A Classic!

All in all a minor film but worth seeing if you want a laugh or two. Warning, the rape scene with Lola Falana is not for the faint of heart! Plus the castration scene makes ME grit my teeth!

Sad waste of two powerhouse talents
Richard Burton was one of the all-time great thespians and it's a travesty that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences never honored him with an Oscar for any of his numerous nominations. Lee Marvin was a dynamic actor in his own right as well. Why they are wasting their time in this ugly, worthless (...) movie is anybody's guess.
Many films that incorporate a racist theme merit importance when they depict the horror and any subsequent violence that such bigotry and hatred derives. This film does nothing but present a shallow glimpse into the racial tensions stemming from the South (a common and unfortunate stereotype).
One interesting note: OJ Simpson made his film debut here as a radical "Black Panther"-type militant who murders white folks whenever he has a chance. (...)

Campy in the extreme!
This is such an atrociously awful movie that it's a joy to watch. You have to be aware of the real life events that were ongoing during the making of "The Klansman." Burton and Taylor were busting up and Burton was awash in vodka. He arrived in Oroville, California and promptly proposed to an 18 year Denny's waitress. His costar, Lee Marvin, was also drinking a bottle a day. Neither was sober for a single syllable of this terrible movie and their struggles to appear sober make for some hilarious moments.

Burton, as usual, dreadfully overacts and his attempts at a Southern accent are pitiful, to say the least. Marvin's acting is much better, but when he has to speak inane lines from a miserable script, he can't fare much better.

This is a great movie to watch with a couple of beers. If you appreciate a terrible script, crude sets and two major stars who were drunk out of their minds while filming, you'll love this one. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Not a bad Bronson film
I liked the film and luckily I was able to get a pretty decent DVD copy from Amazon. To me Bronson dominates the screen in this film, he even outshines James Mason who is one of the most respected actors. This is one of the films Bronson made when he first went to work in Europe. Most of his films up to the late sixties he was always a supporting actor or an anchor as he himself called it. But if you like to watch Bronson on the screen you should check it out along with "Violent City". In Cold Sweat the plot is much easier to follow. The European films were where Bronson started to become a worldwide star and finally get the star billing he worked long and hard to achieve. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not really what dreams are made of!
"Black Tights" belongs to an exciting part of my childhood which helped create a great love for ballet, opera and film art. So naturally, a DVD presentation of this rare - and at least for me - almost mythical film was something to look forward to! But unfortunately, this KINO presentation leaves much to be desired. I guess that this film is now a public domain title, which means that a negative or at least a perfect print might not be available anywhere. But the print used for DVD-transfer by KINO is often badly worn, especially at the reel change points appearing about every tenth minute - proof that a 70mm print was the base for the transfer. Considering this, the sound quality is surprisingly bad and the aspect ratio is not correct. (It should measure 2,2:1 if properly made.)Thankfully, the colors have not faded too badly (some reels display quite a gorgeous palette), but contrasts are weak, and scratches and dirt sometimes overwhelm the image to a point where you almost feel like throwing the disc in the nearest garbage can! But...it's still a rare and nostalgic film with lots of camp value and some very charismatic dancing stars, so it stays in the collection, if reluctantly. It will be interesting to see what the upcoming version from VCI will look like. I have no high hopes this time though! There surely must exist a better kept print somewhere in the world! Shame on KINO! They should have included a warning sticker on the package: For die-hard fans and fools only!

I expected more from Kino Video
I was really looking forward to the DVD version of this film. Too bad Kino didn't take the time to clean the picture and fix the audio. I guess I shouldn't complain. Ballet is so rare on DVD, I will grab any I can find. But a film with Cyd Charisse, Moira Shearer, Zizi Jeanmarie and Roland Petit deserves a better presentation. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Must-not see
If you rent (or even worse, buy) this video, you will regret it. I know I did.
Acting is terrible and the version I bought (argh!) had a horrible transfer, both visually and audibly.
That's what I get for not reading reviews first...

Very bad reproduction on DVD
This DVD has a very bad image and sound. Altought it is a good movie, I don't recomend it if you are looking for a Charles Bronson movie for your collection due to its bad reproduction. No menu, no subtitles, no chapter selection. I wished I did not buy it. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Culture Clash in the 19th Century
This movie, to me, is a classic, with a star studded cast from 3 continents: Toshiro Mifune, the archetypal Samurai, Charles Bronson, the tough good guy, and Alain Delon the French Superstar as the very convincing bad guy. It has all the trimmings: fast paced action, enough humor to keep it entertaining, and, for a movie of this genre, very convincing storyline, acting and dialogue. Last but not least, though the story takes few surprising turns, it does have a surprising end. A definite must have for Western and Eastern buffs.

East meets the wild west
This movie to me is a great one to watch. It stars Charles Bronson and the late great Toshiro Mifune. Red sun has a lot of action and a few very funny seens. I would recomend it highly, and would rate it a classic, or near classic.

Great Movie
I thorougly enjoyed this movie. The combination of Toshiro Mifune and Charles Bronson was exactly what the doctor ordered.Enough humor and action to keep you watching.

Sol Rojo
This is an interesting and amusing internationally co-produced Western directed loosely by Terence Young. Charles Bronson (outlaw) teams with Toshiro Mifune (samurai warrior) in search of spoils, honor and Alain Delon (gambling con man). Ursula Andress and Capucine provide the major love interests. The highlight is Maurice Jarre's lively score integrating Eastern and Western musical idioms. This is a very entertaining film and which gets its inspiration from the Italian Westerns that were beginning to disappear into the sunset at the time of this film's release.

This is a pushy movie.
Even though Toshirô Mifune had been around years before, this was my first encounter with him. He plays a good counter personality to Charles Bronson. As I was saying, this is a pushy movie. Each character pushes the other to the brink. Gauche pushes Link who pushes Kuroda Jubie who pushes back and some where in there, among the Indians and others Cristina just gets pushed around.

I always think of this movie when I am watching "The Maltese Falcon" (1941) ASIN: 6305729328; The conversation between Sam Spade and Kasper Gutman where Sam insists that he can not be influence by the threat of death. If they killed him then they would not get the bird. Kasper says it takes a fine balance and not to push too hard, as there is no telling what a man may do in the heat of the moment and forget where his interests lie.

Well this film has a lot of heated moments and a lot of funny moments when the different cultures clash. This is definitely worth viewing. ... Read more