Description

A shrink-wrapped VHS four-pack that includes a copy of William Friedkin, Lawrence Kasdan, Terry Gilliam and Spike Lee. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Unnesasary continued...
This sound similar to the more focused documentary included with the Criterion edition of Brazil. And anyone interested in his works would benefit greatly from that as well. (More so mayhap since it includes an actual film)

perhaps unnecessary ?
I suspect that if one appreciates Gilliam's work enough to want this disc, (like me) they probably already own all his movies anyway. And since most of his DVDs have an abundance of info included, you'll probably discover (like me) that you knew all this stuff already. Like buying a "best of" album, when you already own a group's entire collection. But if nothing else, it sure looks cool to have this DVD in my rack - it sort of "announces" the collection of Gilliam films stored beneath it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good info but not enough one-on-one
This documentary has some great information on new and unclassified military objectives from the U.S. arsenal. However, if you're looking for one-on-one cockpit views and interviews with pilots this isn't where you want to start. There was almost too much information and not enough inside commentary. Since I am a jetaholic, I really wanted to see more of the inside of the cockpit and listen to the pilots talk to each other, and to AWACS, and feel the g-force of the maneuvers. I also would liked to have seen more strategic action plans,(within limits of military intelligence), you know, more war stuff. This was basically a mediocre demo for military aircraft and other machines and artilary.

Firepower 2000
Very Good & very rare ... The subject of modern military equipment is hard to find in DVD format. Firepower 2000 covers AIR , LAND & SEA ... Crise Missile , Stealth Bombers , Carriers , Tanks , Fighters , And much more. You will understand how a modern military works after you watch FIREPOWER 2000. God Bless America

Great Value for a Great Price
Although the information presented here is not Y2K current (the DVD shows were released in 1998), Firepower 2000 is a great collection of info for the price.

All video footage is filmed on location in the field or in training exercises. Covered are current weapons and a few major future projects. While it doesn't go "in depth" on any one systems, what makes Firepower 2000 great is it does "cover a lot of the bases" in the one to two hours on each DVD.

Firepower 2000 is presented under two approaches: "show-off" of weapons and "threats and countermeasures."

The Land "Battlefield" DVD contains footage taken at a MidEast armor show were various countries "show off" their armor for export sales. You'll see T-80UDs, T-84s, T-72S, BMP-3s and other armor move and fire their weapons along the obstacle course. The footage is very impressive to see the mobility and speed of such heavy armor. Also included are Paladin and MLRS firing their artillery and Apache attack helicopters firing in the range. All footage is pretty up close and not taken at a distance. There is talk and footage of active defense, ERA armor, SAMs, IR jammers, and mine survivability. A few computer graphics is included to help the viewer understand the concept.

The Navy DVD talks about US Navy carrier battle groups and the carrier aircraft. Covered are the future Arsenal Ship, Marines and their equipment, amphibious ships, NATO carriers and Russian ships, countermeasures against mines, anti-ship missiles, UAVs, Harrier jump jet, and submarines. Discussed is the role of stealth in ship design (Sea Shadow and European frigates) and if it's practical.

The Air DVD covers current aircraft such as the F-15, F-15E, F-16, SU-27, Tornado, MIG-29, F1 Mirage, and new upcoming variants such as JSF, Gripen, Mirage 2000, F-22, and the Eurofighter. The footage of these planes performing maneuvers is great, as is the video and description on missiles and bombs carried by these aircraft.

"Fast Strike" talks about how the US Military will respond to a crisis with airborne, naval, and air power. Covered are the B-2, F-117A, B-52, B-1, Tomahawk cruise missiles, hovercrafts, AAAVs, UAVs, spy satellites, and the V-22. It presents current US weaknesses in mounting a "Fast Strike" and how the US hopes to remedy this with future programs.

Firepower 2000 goes deeper than the general glossing over of what these weapons do. Included are comments and opinions from experts such as Bill Sweetman and Jane's defense magazine authors as to why they are designed in this way. The "threats and countermeasures" are covered in good detail such as anti-ship missiles are used against aircraft carriers and what the US Navy did to prepare for this threat. Or how stealth is or is not important to an aircraft. There are some debates...one expert saying stealth is needed and another saying it's not.

One thing is for sure, despite all the color photos in great military books, nothing beats seeing how the actual weapon moves and fires on the TV screen.

For the price, Firepower 2000 sums up a lot of information covered in many expensive defense magazines.

The only downside is that it's not Y2K current. There is talk of the F-111, A-7, and A-6 Intruder, aircraft all since retired in the US military. Pretty minor stuff. Firepower 2000 is probably one of the best and cheapest up-to-date videos on current worldwide weapon systems. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

waste of shelf space
Technical quality? Terrible. Content? stupid. You're watching it and thinking "this guy is hosting a TV show- how stupid." It's just a bunch of TV shows with the commercials taken out all put together. Not very entertaining. Try "Coral Sea Dreaming" ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Not the best but not that bad
First of all let's get something straight: (1) I'm an Infantry Officer in the US Army Reserve; (2) My family is Colombian and I grew up all around the "Italian-American" mob; (3) I studied Organized Crime at John Jay College of Criminal Justice; and (4) I plan to soon begin Law School. I have also done extensive independent research on the phenomenom of "organized crime."

That having been said, yes, this documentary set might not be the best, but hey, I don't regret buying it. Yes, it is rather humorous at times due to its sillyness, but there is some useful information on here. There's so much more they could have done, though. They could have done so much to make this better.

For one they could have left out the retarded phone interviews with the horrible actors (very funny). They could have made more references to leading books on the subject. They could have also expanded their "up-to-date" analysis on Global Organized Crime by including Escobar's threat to the kids of George Bush I, the Gambino family's recent involvement with the governments of certain African nations, the Pizza-Connection case in which Giuliani single-handedly brought down all 5 of the NY families, the Russian Mafya's extortion of Russian-born NHL stars (echoing the Black Sox scandal of 1919), the use of Hell's Angels in Europe as enforcers, the fear of a 3-way alliance between the Chinese Triads, Colombian Drug Cartels, and Russian Mafya, the contruction of airports in Russia to facilitate the flow of drugs into the country from Colombia, the fascination Russian gangsters had with Escobar, the participation of US Special Forces in the Assassination of Escobar (with references to the books Killing Pablo and Black Hawk Down), the complicity of the CIA to allow Heroine exports from Afghanistan so that the local warlords continue to support Hamid Karzai, the alledged CIA-Cocaine operation in the United States during the 1980s, the Black Organized Crime Operations of the 1970s that almost formed into a National Syndicate, former Vietnamese Navy SEALS that were granted asylum in the US after the fall of Saigon which then went on to become a gang called the Frogmen (which performed commando-style raids on jewelry businesses), the Yakuza's growing presence in New York City, the powerful Cuban Organized Crime family operating out of Miami and the New York Area, the list is endless.

So yes, this series wasn't all that great, but I still get a kick out of watching it. A much better series than this one would be Lords of The Mafia, which I would give 4.25 stars.

Not That Bad; Educational
Although I am a regular Amazon.com customer, I must admit, I bought my DVD set for $21 at a base in Sicily. I visited this sight to see what others had written, and I disagreed.

The silhouetted and blacked out narrator, with the cigar that never burns down, is obviously a fake - not the ex-Mafia guy we are supposed to think he is. What he has to say though, is well scripted and pertinent.

The editing quality is somewhere near acceptable, but not as crappie as a porn movie. The audio is functional, if you adjust your player accordingly. Some scenes are reenacted by actors, but most footage has historical quality and is authentic.

Someone did do their historical homework, and was able to compile very interesting actual footage. The report was well written and performs like Amazing Videos crossed with 1970s 60 Minutes.

Strangely presented, but the information was valuable. I was pleasantly surprised too, when I found that the set had much more than the standard regurgitation of the New York and Chicago mob history, that we all have seen before. This covered the Russian Mafia, the sale and transport of nuclear materials, drug cartels and much more.

Chapters I would like to see in the next edition include; Dixie Mafia and US Governmental Corruption, such as the Clinton Mafia in Arkansas, and other such concealed facts, and one disk devoted to street gangs, their proliferation and affiliation with established organized crime.

Bottom line, I liked it. I devoured the whole thing and was sad when it was over. If I accidentally lost my set, I'd order another before they became unavailable.

Big pile of garbage
If only there was a rating for 0 stars. This is quite possibly the worst product on the face of the earth. While watching these dvd's, I actually had to hold back the vomit. Not because it was gruesome in any way - it is just THAT bad. Whoever produced this DVD should be banished from this planet.
Their "so-called" mafia member is nothing but an amateur actor who couldn't land an acting role if he was Al Pacino's son. PLEASE - DO NOT EVEN CONSIDER BUYING THIS DVD SET!!! If you want to waste your money, give it to me and I will send you a box of vomit. I guarantee you would enjoy that more.

Oh Madonn'! - A Mob of Bad Actors
Mamamia! Pizans, dis is de woist eva' DVD collection. In my house, deze tapes sleep wit' da' fishes. Look at me - I'm droppin' da' dime on deze here tapes. Bing! You listenin'? I'm commiseratin' wit' you to tell you 'dat deze tapes is miserable. Afta' this review, I'm goin' into da' tape protection program to get away from deze rotten tapes.

Ever since I was a little kid, all I wanted to be was the owna' of good Mob tapes. You know why I bought dis tape? Outta respect! I wasted good dough on dese tapes, good dough! I gotta toughen up! My goumar asked me how I could afford deze tapes, but it was easy since I'm a union delegate.

So me and my goumar sat down wit' some nice gabagool and baked zitti to watch this miserable flick - then we were gonna have some nice veal 'dat was sliced just right. On my mudda's grave, dese tapes was the most dispicable I eva' seen. Not for nuttin', but I tell youz, ironin' my joggin' suit is more entertainin' dan deze here tapes.

Deze tapes are way outta order (even if they don't mean to be). Actually, deze tapes made me laugh, you know, the way they waz produced all low quality and what not. Only 'ting, they wazn't supposed to make me laugh and they wazn't supposed to be there to amuse me. Dey really are funny tapes though.

From dis tape, I learned the two greatest 'tings in life: 1. Never buy this tape; and 2. Don't watch this tape eva'. I thought my goumar would be angry dat I bought deze tapes, but she was proud of me cuz I learned the two greatest 'tings.

I'm tellin' everybody, my brudda, my sista', my aunt, even my kids, don't let me catch you watchin' dis tape - you listenin' - not even a little. I know what goes on in that tape and it's no good. Back in the old neighborhood, we called this tape BadTape because it was so bad. Capice.

See yaz.

Not quite what I expected...
I'm fairly disappointed in this "5 DVD Box Set" that I assumed was a history of the Mafia. Well, it's not. These are five 48-minute docudramas. Why on 5 DVDs when they all could have fit onto one? The answer is more money, of course.

Instead of a history of the Mafia, this is what you get:

THE NUCLEAR MAFIA - The Mob's influence in moving nuclear bomb materials to terrorists. Not much about the Mafia here, but mostly about the scary fact (?) that the old USSR's nuclear materials aren't as secure as they should be, and how they're ending up in the hands of terrorists. A lot dealing with "red mercury" which has yet to be proven to exist. Bad acting all around, and that's what it is - dramatizations. This is the only episode I could bring myself to watch so far, but I imagine the others to be just as bad.

INTERNATIONAL SYNDICATES - A look at "the rise of the American mob and it's [sic.] spread and adaptation to the ruthless organized 'firms' of England... and the Yakuza."

GANGLAND CONFESSIONS - "The life story of a mafia insider and how the Russian Mafia, The Columbian Cartels, and Mexican Mafia have merged their resources and joined forces."

KILLERS OF THE UNDERWORLD - "Takes you into the mind of the mafia killer... and the killers of today's vicious ethnic gangs."

MAFIA NATIONS - "The growth of organized crime is often due to the assistance of corrupt officials..."

Special Features include photo slideshows and trivia quizes to see if you've learned anything.

Save your money - these have almost nothing to do with the American Mob at all. And I could swear that their shadowed "former mobster" informant is an actor. And a bad one at that. ... Read more

Description

Winner of the coveted Peabody Award, Heritage - Civilization and the Jews is the monumental nine-part series spanning five millennia of Jewish history and culture. The series is hosted by former Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Abba Eban, who describes it as "a celebration of our common humanistic and moral heritage, explored through the mysteries of preservation, renewal, and resonance of the Jewish people." From the stony heights of Sinai to the shores of the Dead Sea, from a Greek amphitheater in Delphi to the Forum of ancient Rome, out of the ashes of concentration camps to the rebuilt cities and villages of Israel, Heritage brings to life the long and complex history of the Jews and their centuries-old interaction with the rest of Western civilization. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Excellent!
This nine-part documentary is not only a history of the Jews, it's a history of the western world! Hundreds of thousands of dollars were probably spent in the production of this series. Abba Eban takes the viewer all over the world to examine one of the world's most gifted and intriguing people - the Jews. These tapes will not put you to sleep. The music and images allows the viewer to relive Jewish history. And consequently, come to understand the world we live in today much better. I know the tapes are pricey, but own this documentary if you ever have the chance. You'll never regret it.

Heritage Civilization & the Jews by Abba Eban
I thought the documentry was thought provoking, and set a good example of what documentries should convey -- "the facts" -- minus "too much" so-called "perspective". I took an amature film-making class years ago, and as much as I like classic films; it is always super to view "factual" documentries (minus the "revisionist" approach to manipulating the facts!) The legacy of the relative time factor puts adequate perspective on such "factual" documentries. It's NOT a regular movie after all -- it's a "review of historical facts". ... Thank you for the great books, and service you provide at Amazon.com. :)

Heritage - Civilization and the Jews DVD
WOW! This is an incredible set to have. The DVD is a reprint from a PBS special in 1984 (Peabody winner, at that). Abba Eban is an incredible, captivating speaker. My only problem is that there is so much information, I can only watch about two hours at a time. This is a must have whether you are Jewish or not. The series pulls together world history unlike any class I took in college. The addition of the DVD-Rom with tons of maps, historical documents, and video clips is awesome. It has answered most of the questions I had, and let me view a moving graphical history by sliding the scroll bar. Super buy for a history buff!

superb! Teaches us that Jews and christians are brothers
and sisters. One realizes how alike we are andwonder how we could have persecuted our Jewish brothers for the past 2000 years.

Re-issue of a great documentary from the 1980s
This DVD is a re-issue of a 9-hour mini-series that first aired in the 1980s, and was recently (Nov-Dec. 2001) aired again on PBS. Each segment is 1 hour long, making it a useful tool in history classes covering many different periods. Since the "history of civilization" textbooks rarely mention what the Jews were doing in the 1900-year period between the rise of Christianity and the Nazi Holocaust, this series plays an important role in helping to make the curriculum more inclusive. Plus, The DVD version has a lot of additional resource materials not in the original PBS series.

Regarding classroom appropriateness in public schools, this is a documentary, not a "religion" series. Yes, the series does talk about religion in some places, but it's called "Civilization and the Jews" for a reason. To be Jewish is not just a "religion," it is also a culture, with its own art, music, literature, etc. The approach is a mix of history, theology, archaeology, art, architecture, etc. that is intended to inform, not preach. The series clearly shows how Jews have contributed to the various civilizations where they lived, and how, in turn, the Jews benefitted from interaction with many of the different cultures where the Jewish communities were located. Yes, it also covers the pesecutions of the Jews, but it's well-balanced with positive experiences and events. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Eight hours of shoddy images:^(
An aviation buff, I thought I could not go wrong getting this 4-DVD documentary for less than $20.I was wrong.This is far from the documentary quality one can find on the History and Discovery channels, in fact it actually reminded me of the murky and dull 16mm films seen in school (half a century ago) as a feeble gesture toward audio-visual "education".

Most of the early archival film clips didn't look as good as similar clips seen on TV, while the newer clips were almost uniformly unsharp or in bad color.The narration was half-decent, but overall the visual quality was so lacking this entire production seemed a distinctly amateur project done on a shoestring.

I had been fooled into thinking this DVD set might be a quality item because of the packaging in a neat metal case.I might as well keep the case and throw away the DVDs.The DVD publisher Madacy is one I DEFINITELY will try to avoid in future. ... Read more

Description

A shrink-wrapped VHS five-pack that includes a copy of Steven Spielberg (WHE71244), Barry Levinson (WHE71245), Milos Foreman (WHE71246), Adrian Lyne (WHE71247) and Robert Altman (WHE71248). ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Learn how to taste wine
This DVD series comes in a box set of 5 DVD's (2 series per DVD). The first DVD is an introduction to wine, with the second program being about the grape variety Chardonnay. DVD 2 is about Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sauvignon Blanc. DVD 3 Syrah/Shiraz, and Riesling. DVD 4 is about Pinot Noir, and Merlot. DVD 5 is about fizz, and grape invaders.

I first saw this BBC series on TV Ontario, a few years ago, and since I missed a few programs I decided to buy the series on DVD. I'm glad I did. Jancis takes a sensible view of wine, and wine tasting. This program is not for wine snobs, but for those people who want to know how to understand and appreciate wine in general. If you know how to taste a wine, then you'll know how to enjoy what appeals to your own taste buds, and not what you think you should like based on intimidations from others. You can also tell if someone tasting a wine knows what they are doing from the way they smell, and taste the wine to the way they hold the glass. Likewise if you order a wine in a good restaurant it helps to know if they are serving it correctly (in an appropriate glass, and at the right temperature), else they shouldn't be charging high prices for a product they don't know how to serve.

I always liked Julia Child because she taught the viewer the science of cooking. Jancis's Robinson does the same thing. She shows you the science of wine, and how it's made. I particularly like the program on fizz. It opened my mind to sparkling wines from other regions of the world other than France and champagne... especially since the series revealed that many of these sparkling wines from around the world are being produced with French methods by French companies.

Is it necessary to let a wine breath? What does corked mean? Jancis answers these questions. I also found it surprising to know that most wines should be drunk when they are young. Only a few wines need to be aged.

I've seen wine tasters appear on tv shows (Eg: Martha Stewart). They taste wines and ramble on about how good it is etc etc. However none of these experts show people what to look for when tasting. They don't show you how important the sinuses are in tasting. It's all fine and dandy to watch Martha Stewart look at the experts and agree that the wine they just tasted is excellent. They however neglect to show you how to do it yourself, and fine out what you consider to be excellent according to your own likes and dislikes. Jancis does show you in this series. Wine tasting is a personal thing... what one taster likes another dislikes.

Since watching the series I've decided to try Australian, New Zealand, and Chilean wines. I'm glad I did. Jancis is not afraid to place wines from these new wine countries, up against the best that Western Europe can offer. Jancis has opened my mind to wine. I recommend this series to anyone that seriously wants to learn how to consume wine. It's also handy to have Jancis Robinson's book as well "Jancis Robinson's Wine Course" BBC Books ISBN 0-563-37098-X.

And to top it all off.........................she's a dog.
This woman is so overrated it's a sin. At a Wine Spectator event many years ago, she insisted the white wine being served was a White Burgundy and the bag of hot air even insisted on the region..............and then it was revealed to her it was a 1988 Chardonnay from Gristina Vineyards on Long Island. Oh well, it sure stinks to be a know it all.

Not only is this not a course, it's such a pretentious piece of fluff I wanted to vomit.

This is not a "course" as you might expect....
This video set is not necessarily a "course" about wine. This video compilation is more about Jancis Robinson crusading all over the world being seen with all these important vineyard owners. These videos are not for those who have moderate or less knowledge of wine and there seems to be nothing of substance for those who are trying to figure out why Chardonnay's, Cabernet's, etc...are the way they are. The information that is given is often vague and the dialogue is hard to follow. In the strictness sense, its a waste of money.

Learn how to taste wine
This DVD series comes in a box set of 5 DVD's (2 series per DVD). The first DVD is an introduction to wine, with the second program being about the grape variety Chardonnay. DVD 2 is about Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sauvignon Blanc. DVD 3 Syrah/Shiraz, and Riesling. DVD 4 is about Pinot Noir, and Merlot. DVD 5 is about fizz, and grape invaders.

I first saw this BBC series on TV Ontario, a few years ago, and since I missed a few programs I decided to buy the series on DVD. I'm glad I did. Jancis takes a sensible view of wine, and wine tasting. This program is not for wine snobs, but for those people who want to know how to understand and appreciate wine in general. If you know how to taste a wine, then you'll know how to enjoy what appeals to your own taste buds, and not what you think you should like based on intimidations from others. You can also tell if someone tasting a wine knows what they are doing from the way they smell, and taste the wine to the way they hold the glass. Likewise if you order a wine in a good restaurant it helps to know if they are serving it correctly (in an appropriate glass, and at the right temperature), else they shouldn't be charging high prices for a product they don't know how to serve.

I always liked Julia Child because she taught the viewer the science of cooking. Jancis's Robinson does the same thing. She shows you the science of wine, and how it's made. I particularly like the program on fizz. It opened my mind to sparkling wines from other regions of the world other than France and champagne... especially since the series revealed that many of these sparkling wines from around the world are being produced with French methods by French companies.

Is it necessary to let a wine breath? What does corked mean? Jancis answers these questions. I also found it surprising to know that most wines should be drunk when they are young. Only a few wines need to be aged.

I've seen wine tasters appear on tv shows (Eg: Martha Stewart). They taste wines and ramble on about how good it is etc etc. However none of these experts show people what to look for when tasting. They don't show you how important the sinuses are in tasting. It's all fine and dandy to watch Martha Stewart look at the experts and agree that the wine they just tasted is excellent. They however neglect to show you how to do it yourself, and fine out what you consider to be excellent according to your own likes and dislikes. Jancis does show you in this series. Wine tasting is a personal thing... what one taster likes another dislikes.

Since watching the series I've decided to try Australian, New Zealand, and Chilean wines. I'm glad I did. Jancis is not afraid to place wines from these new wine countries, up against the best that Western Europe can offer. Jancis has opened my mind to wine. I recommend this series to anyone that seriously wants to learn how to consume wine. It's also handy to have Jancis Robinson's book as well "Jancis Robinson's Wine Course" BBC Books ISBN 0-563-37098-X.

Very misleading title
I bought this video based on good reports. I know a thing or two about wine. I love good wine. But I really don't feel that I know all the subtle differences between the many varieties. I would surely fail a blind taste test. Though somewhat interesting, this video taught me nothing about wine itself, it focused primarily on the politics, society and industry that surrounds it. If you want a wine "course" that teaches you about the aspects and qualities of the different wines, this IS NOT for you. If you like to watch rich people sipping expensive wine at fancy dinner parties, then maybe you'll like this. I consider this a huge waste of money. My worst Amazon purchase to date. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

uninteresting and almost NO color film
I would have given it zero stars if the system had let me. The set is arranged alphabetically, giving "articles" about various topics. They are all short and not particularly useful. I got this on tape a few years ago because it advertized it included color footage. However, there are only a few minutes of color in one article. The rest is the same b&w one can find anywhere. About the worst documentary I've seen. I gave mine to the local library within the week.

Encyclopedia is a Bust
The most dissappointing aspect of this set is the fact that one must wade through an entire CD to get to a specific sub title. There is no means for skipping directly to the topic of interest. Additionally, the brevity of each topic renders it, "not worth the money." ... Read more

Description

This special DVD box set features the DVD "In Spite of all the Dangers," an audio CD "In His Own Words," and a super32-page booklet "Lennon's Life and His Crusade for Peace." The DVD uses rare footage to spotlight Lennon with his life prior to and beyond the disintegration of the Beatles andthe quintessential events that helped to shape and definethe man and his beliefs. The Audio CD features 50 minutes of The Voice of Lennon, In His Own Words, and provides rare insight into the man who dreamt of peace and his coming to terms with the reality of the Beatles and the finalbreak-up! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Oy! My head hurts
Well, I'm very happy about two things, 1) it was free, 2) it was only an hour long.

Any John Lennon fan would find this hurtful. Why would they release this? My favourite part has to be the horrible music that fills the soundtrack because they couldn't afford Beatles or Lennon music. Worst of all is the band trying to recreate a song that they only know the title of. Well they don't create anything good. They think that "In Spite of all the Danger" is a John Lennon song, but anyone who owns the Beatles Anthology can tell you that it's a McCartney/Harrison composition... which was not lost and is widely available on that CD collection! They spend a third of the time talking about the arse who killed Lennon, but if you're going to do a documentry on this blow hole, perhaps use some compassion and make an interesting film about mental illness. I'm not sure if these people have ever heard a John Lennon song before.

this is worse than horrible. this is trash.
i recently bought my first dvd player. my neighbors knew this, so they gave me this dvd for christmas, knowing my appreciation for john lennon. i'll never tell the neighbors, but this thing is horrible. i was shocked by how bad it was. the liner notes do not match the content. the longest section shows m.d.c. detailing the events of that night. who wants that? kate millet then tries to fill us in on lennon's death... wait a minute. i don't know WHAT she was talking about.
this whole thing is hideous. this is bad. you do not want to own this. this is embarrassing. now....what do i tell the neighors?

Dreadful
I bought this on a whim, having never seen or heard anything yet about it. What a mistake...
I won't rehash the one review that's been done, but I personally didn't care to see Chapman drivel on about 'the event', and the mourning of Lennon by others, which make up the first half hour of the disc.
Some of the older interviews were interesting, if only one could *hear* them...horrible sound reproduction.
The added pictures as a 'extra' were useless, they were only about a quarter of the screen size, and me having a regular sized television rendered them imperceptible.
I haven't listened to the audio disc yet, but if it's as boring as this disc, it won't be too interesting.
The only high point? Seeing such figures as Groucho Marx, Edward G. Robinson (who'd have though he'd make rather a dashing figure as an older man?) and Rock Hudson (hmm, wonder why he liked the Beatles?!) give short words as they were going to the Hollywood Bowl concert.
Overall, don't bother...save it for something good like Gimme Some Truth, the making of the Imagine album.

Buy something else.
The audio CD included rates a 2 star, maybe 2 1/2 in some spots, the DVD should never have been made (or released once anyone had seen it). The video quality of most of this looks like a 12th generation down VHS copy, horrid. Combine that with the "artistic effect" of having a good amount of time being displayed as movie film running off the sprockets at an angle, with a third of the frame being cut off the top, showing instead at the bottom of the frame (like a TV that needs to be vertically adjusted). Not an enjoyable way to spend even 5 minutes, let alone almost 55 LONG minutes.

The first quarter of the disc does a good job of trying to give "the Jerk of all Jerks" the undeserved fame he seeks. There is also a whole section devoted to a music video for the background music band. And we thought this disc is supposed to be about John Lennon? How silly of us, there is no time left for him! There does seem to be a few short rare old clips I don't remember seeing before, but it is so little of the content, and so poor quality, don't buy this just for those fleeting moments.

Save your money, buy the "Fun With the Fab Four" combo--a real bargain, and actually fun too. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A fascinating set of documentaries on the Third Reich
By and large, the Unsolved Mysteries of World War II box set is quite good, filled with important facts and oftentimes fascinating speculation. The running time of four and a half hours is broken up into 12 separate documentaries, all of which deal specifically with the Third Reich. The title is a little misleading because you will find almost nothing here dealing with the imperial Japanese army, and the American war effort is really only presented in light of its effects on German strategy and eventual defeat.

Volume 1 features The Riddle of Rudolph Hess, The Strange Death of Geli Raubal, and Drugs and the Fuhrer. I find much of the information on Raubal's death highly speculative, but the information on the medical facts of Hitler's case is quite interesting. As for the Rudolf Hess story, I think more attention should have been given to claims that the man imprisoned in Spandau was not truly Rudolf Hess, and the mysterious death of the Spandau prisoner also deserved more attention.

Volume 2 features Decision at Dunkirk and Stalin's Secret Armies. This look at what essentially constitute two of Hitler's biggest blunders is excellent. The Russian campaign, and the secrecy Stalin maintained over the state and number of his soldiers to both enemies and allies alike, is a war story too often neglected, and the speculation concerning Hitler's decision to essentially let the British live to fight another day is quite interesting.

Volume 3 features Hitler's Secret Weapon, Enigma of the Swastika, and Himmler's Castle. The term "Hitler's Secret Weapon" is rather lurid and overblown, but the fact that Hitler devoted a disproportionate amount of funds and essential supplies to his rocket program definitely contributed to his ultimate downfall. There is some speculation that the V-2 was to serve as the delivery mechanism for weapons of mass destruction, but this issue is not pursued as there is little evidence to support it. The other two documentaries on this tape delve into the occult nature of the National Socialist Party and, in particular, Himmler's feared S.S.; these are subjects I find darkly fascinating.

Volume 4 features Hitler's Secret War and Kill Hitler. This may be the best video in the series. "Hitler's Secret War" is something of a misnomer, as this documentary covers in great detail the allied breaking of the German military codes early in the war. Most interesting is the evidence that the Allies ignored significant portions of the information they intercepted for a number of reasons. The citizens of Coventry were apparently sacrificed because to remove the population before the bombs dropped would have clued Hitler in to the fact that the British knew his codes, and the surprise German counteroffensive at Ardennes in 1944 should have come as no surprise at all ' but it did. Equally surprising is the fact that the Germans never seemed to figure out that the Allies knew of many of their military plans in advance and thus staged some rather remarkable victories. Kill Hitler covers a number of plots to arrest or kill Hitler, and the analysis of Hitler's fluid relationship with the Wehrmacht is nothing short of riveting.

The final volume features The Eagle and the Swastika and The Last Days of Hitler. The first documentary covers Hitler's decision to declare war on the United States in the wake of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent American declaration of war on Japan. The analysis of the inexplicability of this decision is quite valuable to students of World War II. The look at Hitler's final days is rather disappointing to some degree, as facts that have been pretty well established by now are treated with skepticism or dismissed out of hand.

All in all, I found this an excellent series on the Third Reich's rise and fall. It must be said that the audio and video quality leave something to be desired, but the information and footage to be found in this set of documentaries is well worth the attention of those interested in the rise of a dictator and the eventual ruin of a conquered German state.

A rip-off. Only for the die-hard Third Reich fans
A utter utter rip-off. These bad BAD people are making a profit by ripping you off. There are some short sequences of interesting videos, packaged into a box set, but of low production quality. Inexcusable. Only for the true die-hard Third Reich fans. Wait for it to appear in the bargain bin. Very sad. Makes me Sick Heil! Or, as the Germans used to say, this is pure Kotz durchs Fenster (Vomit out of the Window) stuff.

Horrible film quality mars an otherwise decent film
I could not believe the bad quality of the footage. No, it has nothing to do with the original footage. Even the credits were very blurry and blocky. I have had the misfortune of buying another video set, on VHS, by this same company. Same dismal results. I would recommend looking elsewhere. The company that makes this video has released lots of video sets with flashy pictures, but when you actually view them, you realize how shoddy their workmanship is. It looks like a bad propaganda film from the 1950s. My other video set actually was: War in the Pacific.

Excellent Footage!
Thsi 5 Cd collection is quite captivating as well as thought provoking. It goes into the past of Nazi Germany and answers many questions while leaving just a few unanswered, possibly in the hopes of spurring on new research. I found myself stopping and rewinding each cd several times to go over the material presented.

The footage is excellent and the background material is top notch. There are a few glitches here and there in the filming but that can be attested to the age of the original footage and not the CD.

These cd's will make a great gift for the World War II buff or someone with a keen interest into the the secrets of Nazi Germany. I myself would like to know what was in Himmler's safe in his SS castle, as well as what happened to those who opened the vault. Somethings, only time will tell! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Boring
very boring. the discovery channel shows better shark programs
never buy another shark dvd again.

Shark Week all year long
I quickly recognised these dvd's as episodes of the Discovery Channel's Shark Week collection. I was impressed with the transfer and they are remastered! The only episode that had old video was the first one, Operation Shark Attack about Ron and Val Taylor testing a mesh shark suit. There are two pieces of trivia about sharks and five multiple choice questions (good for kids)on each dvd. I think this is a great value will provide enjoyment for both parents and children.

Good, bad and ugly.
I think that 5 DVDs could have been compressed to 3. There is repetition of information in a couple of places and there is no real "flow" from one program to the next. The footage is clear and the ommentary is good, but I was left feeling a need for more. I think one or two parts of the films could be skipped altogether. However, it's interesting if you like sharks.

poor
i am big time shark enthusiast, and this dvd colection was big disapointment. Picture and sound quaility are below what you would expect from dvd. i guess if you want to learn more about sharks, this would be good begining.If you are someone like myself , stick to good old WHS for time been. Since this dvd is nothing more but bad colection of footages taken from VHS tapes. I would recomend you to skip this dvds and browse amazon.com for whs tapes on sharks. there should be plenty of good ones. p.s. still is one good good thing about this colection,extremely cheap!

If you like shark,buy it !
Very good library about shark!Dvd quality is not very good for the movies, and audio is ok, but there are many interesting stories and documentation. ... Read more

Description

Steam in the '50s and '60s - Incredible original steam train footage from the '50s and '60s depicts Union Pacific Big Boys, Duluth, Missable and Iron Range articulates and more.
Twilight of Steam - A fantastic collection of steam locomotives running on mainlines of the East and the 2100 and 2102 double headers flying by at close to 60 miles per hour!
Steam Giants Across America - The nation's finest 16mm rail fan photographers bring you a collection of steam featuring the Union Pacific, Duluth Missable & Iron Range, Norfolk & Western, and more.
Also includes Shortliners of the South. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

5 stars for the footage, 3 stars for the DVDs
Don't get me wrong, this DVD set is awesome for railroad fans!!!!
But this DVD set only presents the footages as they are. There is no detailed introduction to each of the locomotives appeared in the DVDs. I think it'll be much more fun if detailed narration is available.
5 stars for the footage.
3 stars for the DVD set.

Excellent Film Footage Of The Twilight Of Steam In The USA
I ordered this DVD set primarily for my young son who knows steam trains only through pictures and is passionate about trains in general. I did not expect to like it myself. Imagine my surprise when I found the color film footage (from various amateur but dedicated sources) to be in excellent shape, in good focus, and fascinating to watch. Each disc is a compilation of many different steam locomotives, including those still in regular service during the 1950s and 60s. (In the U.S., steam engines were completely replaced by diesels by about 1962, a process that began in the late 1930s.) Locomotives featured range from Union Pacific "Big Boys", at 1.25 million pounds the largest steam engines ever built, running on the praire in Wyoming, to N&W articulateds in Virginia, to steam fan trips of the 50s and 60s. On the disc titled "Steam Giants Across America," some fantastic modern film footage from the 1990s depicts the last remaining articulated N&W engine running on a fan trip in South Georgia and UP fan trips through the Feather River Canyon using their last two big steam locomotives. I highly recommend this set to anyone who is even mildly interested in the steam era of railroading in America. Each disc contains 40-60 minutes, and is a bargain at the price. ... Read more