Reviews (189)

As memorable as the book
As a lifelong fan of the works of Austen I am always leary of film adaptations, for fear they are glorified costume pieces. This film was so remarkably well done, the characterizations complete and fleshed out, it was as "clinging" as the book. It truly stays with you. Cirian Hinds and Amanda Root are wonderful of course, but the rest of the cast is just as ideal. I would recommend it to all but the most cynical non romantics.

A Worthy Adaptation of a Favorite Book
I thoroughly enjoyed this adaptation of Jane Austen's "Persuasion." Unlike some other reviewers on this site, I found Amanda Root to be a perfect choice for the role of Anne Elliott, who had "lost her bloom" at age 27. At the beginning of the movie, Root's Anne is timid, often self-effacing, and her physical appearance is, frankly, plain. Thoroughout the course of the film, as she rediscovers her feelings for Captain Wentworth (Ciaran Hinds)she becomes more animated and self-assured, and by the end of the movie, sure of the captain's love, she positively blooms again. I liked the cast in general, although I thought that Hinds may have been an older Captain Wentworth than Austen envisioned. Corin Redgrave gave his usual excellent performance as the vain and foppish father of Anne and Elizabeth. I did not care for Phoebe Nicholls interpretation of Elizabeth Elliott, however. Ms Nicholls, who was so brilliant in "Brideshead Revisited," played Elizabeth (who is in her late 20s) as a spoiled teenager who would have been more at home in the Los Angeles of the 1990s than early 19th century England. Sophie Thompson (sister of Emma) and Fiona Shaw were outstanding as Mary Musgrove and Mrs. Croft, respectively.

The film makers did take some liberties with the story....it has been commented on several times by critics that Anne and the Captain never kissed in Austen's novel. While this is true, most of the film adaptations of Austen's works that I have seen include scenes of kissing between men and women who have come to an understanding of their love for each other. "Persuasion" is certainly a more faithful adaptation of Austen than is "Mansfield Park," which was released about the same time, probably because it does not have a political ax to grind.

Sweet Persuasion
What a wonderful adaptation of Jane Austen's fine novel. The performances bring to life the characters that Jane Austen's words inspired. Amanda Root's performance as the long-suffering Anne Elliott is perfectly understated. Her transformation from 'one who has lost her bloom' into one who is able to love again is wonderful to observe. Who cannot fall in love with Ciaran Hinds portrayal of the dashing Captain Wentworth? It is perfection itself. Supporting actor Corin Redgrave obviously relished his role as the ridiculously vain Sir Elliot, and most impressive was Sophie Thompson as Mary Musgrove. After watching her performance as the old maid Miss Bates in the 1996 version of Emma, I appreciate her portrayal of the jealous hypochondriac Mary Musgrove even more. Fiona Shaw & John Woodvine as Sophie and Admiral Croft were a breath of fresh air. Susan Fleetwood is convincing as Lady Russell and honorable mention should go to the actors who portrayed Captain's Harville & Benwick and of course those who portrayed the Musgroves. My only complaint as a Jane Austen purist: I loathe convenient deviations from her original novel and this version fails the novel through it's portrayal and storyline involving Mr. Elliot and Mrs. Smith. I was most particularly grieved by the insertion of an unnecessary scene involving Captain Wentworth offering to quit Kellynch on behalf of Admiral and Mrs. Croft. Despite these two atrocities, I find that the performances make this a must see adaptation.

A gem
This movie is not only the best film adaptation of a Jane Austen novel, it's also a wonderful film in its own right. What did I love about it?

1) It isn't stuffy and unnatural. The characters sound human when they speak; you can imagine that this is how people spoke in the 19th century - not like pompous orators, but like real people. The world surrounding the characters isn't overly polished or brightly lit; again, there's a natural, "lived-in" feeling to all the buildings and landscapes; they do not look like they came out of a glossy postcard.

2) The performances. I don't have enough praise for Amanda Root, who plays Anne Elliot, a woman whose marriage prospects are slim to nil, and who has just been thrown into the company of a man whom she rejected years ago. Root can speak volumes just with her eyes, and everything about her fits perfectly with the gentle, wry and intelligent Anne Elliot. As Captain Wentworth, Ciaran Hinds is also great; he disappears into the character. Both actors aren't conventionally beautiful or handsome either; Root in particular blossoms before the viewers eyes - at first she's very faded and quiet, and then we (like Wentworth) see her spirit shine out. In addition to Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds, the rest of the cast also do a wonderful job. Perhaps because there aren't any big name actors, we can get totally immersed in the film.

3) It's true to Austen. There's subtle humor, real human feeling, and a keen understanding of human nature. It's an unforgettable love story.

4) The kiss. One kiss - perfectly timed, perfectly executed... you will melt.

5) The soundtrack. This holds true particularly for the assembly at Bath, and the Italian vocal pieces.

The DVD made me buy the book
I have always been a Jane Austen fan, but never read this particular book. Very well acted, and contains the sentiments of the book. Would definately recommend ... Read more

Reviews (206)

Enjoyable!
Don't listen to all the bashers of this film who criticize it because it isn't 100% accurate to the book. This is an elitist view from a bunch of purists who don't have a grasp of what film making is supposed to be about. In the beggining titles the movie blatantly states that the movie is based on the book "Mansfield Park" by Jane Austen as well as her own life.

Mansfield Park is a story about a young girl Fanny Price who goes to live with her rich relatives. But instead of being accepted by her relatives as one of their own. She is mostly used as domestic help especially by her Aunt Norris (a character which JK Rowling borrowed in Harry Potter)whose only esteem in the entire movie comes from bullying poor Fanny. The only person who is kind to Fanny is her cousin Edmund. Fanny grows actually to fall in love with Edmond but can do nothing about it because they are out of each others social circle. During the course of the movie a diletante brother and sister moves into the neighborhood and have wide spread reprocussions on Fanny and Edmond. There is also a bit of social commentary on slavery and how the family supports iself. Tom's drawing of the treatment of the slaves are horrifying, but true to form. African slaves who were brought to the Americas were treated worse than animals, and it is remarkable how this has not been addressed yet.

I really enjoyed this movie very much. Not so much from the story itself but from the solid acting and the feelings that are shown. I especially loved Francis O'Connor (Fanny) and Alexandro Nivola (Henry) I think that they had very strong chemistry and played well to each other. The only problem I had was tha the ending was way too contrived, The makers seemed to give Henry a blatant flaw simply to throw Fanny and Edmond together.

If are looking for a dissertation on Mansfield Park then perhaps this movie is not for you. You might do much better taking an English Litterature class. But on the other hand if you are looking for a good costume Drama with solid acting, then don't miss Mansfield Park.

Dare I say better than the book?
When I first saw this film, it bothered me a bit that it wasn't faithful to Jane Austen's original. But upon reflection and a few more viewings, I fell completely in love with it. Rozema has made a remarkable achievement, seamlessly blending Austen's novel, letters and journals into a more compelling story, while also adapting it for modern sensibilities. While I love the novel, the film Mansfield Park tackles so much more than the "manuevering business" of marriage and societal mores that Austen's novels are singularly concerned with. It harshly examines the strict limitations that women, especially poor women must endure and takes a rare look at how slavery benefitted the British Empire. All this serious stuff aside, the film also has plenty of comedic moments. The dim Mr. Rushworth and his bouffant provide some laughs, as does Fanny's attitude toward courtship, balls and her money-grubbing cousins. And don't miss the doped-up Lady Bertram. The entire cast is excellent, and Frances O'Connor and Jonny Lee Miller make a sweet and aesthetically pleasing couple. For all us girls, Miller and Alessandro Nivola make an already great film even more of a pleasure to watch. The only Austen film to which this measures up is Sense and Sensibility (though I adore all the films, of course, being an Austen buff). The costumes, the cinematography, the breathtaking shots of the English countryside and of course the beautiful soundtrack round out this rich confection of a movie. Watch it now!

Emotion in Neon, Austen style
I just saw Mansfield Park on DVD (which is average in terms of DVDs. Not extensive at all, but does really well with what it gives you). I think it's becoming my favorite Jane Austen movie, even over the beloved Sense and Sensibility and Pride & Prejudice. It's not as finely crafted as others, but I think what I love so much about it is how VIVID it is, emotionally, visually, thematically. It's very passionate and alive. It's more colorful, darker, deeper than most period films, just because it takes off a top layer of gloss and polish, and it doesn't lose that definite delightful Austen humor and bite. It's more at ease with itself, lacks some reverence, and even brings some techniques more associated with modern movies, and all this, although used carefully and even minimally, serves the film well.

I love how they tell a lot of it visually, I just fell into the film during some scenes, it's mezmerizing; and some shots and scenes are just bursting off the screen. But this is one of those movies where the cinematography really works for the story as opposed to being something to stare at as a separate entity. The film being a character drama, over and over in scene after scene it works to enhance the story of these characters.

And the best thing is how you FEEL these characters, the tension and heartache etc. is so palpable, more than most period films, probably because this strips away a very fine layer of "preciousness" and lets the characters really breath and be realistic people, in fact there are points where the film tries to show us some of the grittier realities of the time, but all this done without ever losing the FAMILIAR historical context and setting. Now, some films go hog wild in the other direction, which can also be alienating if not done correctly because it makes it feel too much like we are watching a modern people in old clothes and that doesn't do justice to the people of the period. We have to understand them at their own level, but often the expanse of time can cause a communication gap, if you will. In this film, the vividness of the inner world of these characters is what counters the "period" setting of the film. It's a perfect balance. We are always firmly within the era, the historical setting, but completely taken with these characters and their feelings and the sparks in the air, we are all on a level where we can relate to each other clearly. This is thanks to fine, emotionally lucid acting from the cast (Frances O'Connor, gasp! I bow down to thee m'lady) an amazing writing and directing job by Patricia Rozema, and I have to say the brilliant, brilliant cinematography by Michael Coulter. Wow. And I have to rave about the gorgeous score which I didn't actually realize how great it was until the end credits.

The only problems I think there are in this is that it could have done to have been longer in order to flesh out some parts and to just use the great vehicle they created to carry the story even further. And I think it would have done to have slight fine tuning in terms of some of the writing and some specific shots (some of which kind of earmark it as "Indie! Indie!"). And I'm no expert on regency, but I don't think the costumes looked entirely right. But all in all, undoubtedly one of the best movies I've seen.

I guess I'm no Austin purist.
Besides the heavy splits from Jane Austin's novel, I think this movie is absolutely wonderful. The characters are some of my favorites. I love Jane Austin novels, but I also believe that some license can be taken without offending anyone. I really don't think Alexandre Dumas would sue the recent movie portrayal of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO (starring Jim Caviezel) which was almost completely opposite of his novel. If movies were exactly like books, then I wouldn't really have a desire to see them. It's much more fun for me when I've read the book and I sit down to watch the movie and it throws me a curveball. It puts the book in a different light and I see things from a different perspective. THEN I choose which one I like. It was the same for GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING and I like both versions of the story. Life's too short to nit-pick about this kind of stuff. Live it up! Love the book AND the movie!

Mansfield Park (1999)
This was not my favorite Austen book. Fanny Price is a
pretty dull, overly moralistic character. The movie jazzes up
up this little family scene with issues like the dubious
origins of the family fortune but takes away from Austen's
story. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

ASTOUNDING EROTICA.....
This is an amazing film to watch. Not only is it beautifully filmed but the atmosphere is quite vivid in its' depiction of a Japanese servant girl who becomes mistress of the master of the house and sexually obsessed with their relationship. She leads him deeper into the sexual realm until it becomes the focus of both their lives. Their relationship becomes so intense that it can only lead to destruction. Film is extremely sexually graphic and to be honest, I wasn't even aware that I was watching "pornography" because the acting and story were so mesmerizing. By then, I didn't care because it wasn't offensive---just honest. The two leads are wonderful actors and they made me forget I was watching a supposedly one-time controversial film. The film is supposedly based on a true incident. The ending is shocking and depressing but that's allegedly what happened. I consider this film a classic and a must see for foreign film buffs. It's one of the most beautiful erotic love stories ever made and one of the most disturbing.

An actors film, based on a true story.
Based on a true story, Nagisa Oshima's 1976 film about possession, sexual obsession and love, is still fresh in its portrayal of a woman named Matsuda who struggles to posses her husband Fuji, wholly and completely.
In what must be one of the most shocking movies to come out of Japan in decades,
Nagisa's skillful use of location builds a claustrophobic atmosphere of intimacy, with very little light, cramped space and no fresh air (minor character comments about the smell that builds in the room the couple are in). Though at times seemingly pretentious, my feeling is that this may be due to the translation.
From beginning to end the controversial and explicit nature of the film will either turn you on, or off or leave you in jaw-dropping awe. Its still amazing what the two main actors do for this film, and the levels they go to, to bring these two characters to life. Still fresh and worth a good unbiased viewing every other year.

Serious Minded Erotica......
Nagisa Oshima has achieved what few other directors have managed in dealing with the very touchy subject of sex, in this instance, with sexual obsession. If you plan to watch this movie for a cheap sexual thrill, you will be most disappointed. Oshima has drawn from a real incident reported in a 1936 Japanese newspaper. The film centers around the love between two people expressed physically, graphically, into realms of the senses where few dare to tread. And with good reason. This is a very intense film as it progresses from the attraction of two people through increasing experimentation in an effort not only to express their passion but to try to find the outer most limits of passion itself. Oshima must have had something metaphorical in mind but the journey as chronicled in the film also has retained the feel of the specifics. It's quirkey and eccentric. The backdrop of the story is as interesting as the story itself. It is an amazing spectacle to observe, giving the viewer a perspective on Japanese life not usually rendered but often alluded to in some historical accounts. One wonders what this experience must have been like for the actors. Oshima has managed what I have always believed should be done in order to treat the subject of sex fully and without shrinking from its' less savory aspects. This is serious minded erotica and quite unlike anything else on screen. The only other film I can recall that compares at all is "Taxi Zum Klo" which was autobiographical and starred a number of actual people playing themselves.Obviously a different catagory in that regard from what is going on here, but both films draw much of their power from explicitly sexual scenes without compromising the integrity of the story being told. This is a film experience that should not be missed.

Interesting movie...
I have to say that this movie is most certainly not one for everyone. That's quite obvious from it's NC-17 rating, and the fact that it was banned for quite some time.

But aside from that.... It's an interesting movie about obsession and sex. The characters don't really get too deep, and you don't necessarily feel much sympathy for them, but that's part of the point of the film. You're supposed to feel the obsession, and the fact that the two lovers really only ever have sex on their minds, that it's taken over their lives.

It's graphic, violent even, with tons of sex... But if you know what you're getting into and can look beyond just the simple act of sex, you might find it a worthwhile movie.

Not worth the time or money
After reading some of the other reviews I was expecting a film that would leave me thinking about something of significance in life, even if was an extreme reaction to sexual obsession. I also, often forlornly, hope for a cathartic experience whenever I watch drama.

Unfortunately, this film provided neither. I was left thinking that there was something left on the cutting room floor that would explain the actions of the main characters. There was little in the film that would help me understand how the two 'lovers' could end up in their final situation. It was northing more than a voyeuristic following of a couples' series of sexual experiences that were neither erotic nor enlightening of motivations.

Then there were those unexplained forays by the female lead that had nothing to do with the main theme of the movie. The only reason for them seemed to be "comic relief" to the sex. The problem is that they were not funny and did not inform the audience about the main character.

Over all, the only reason to watch this film would be to see what really bad movies are like. ... Read more

Reviews (436)

I love my kitty Cats!
I first saw Cats at my friends house, and I fell in love with it. I still do love it-- I watch it every single day, at least five times! It is the best musical in the entire world. The cast is absolutely SPECTACULAR!!!! Some of my favorites are Aeva May as Demeter, Rosemarie Ford as Bombalurina, Jo Gibb as Rumpleteazer, Leah Sue Morland as Electra, Jo Bingham as Etcetera, Veerle Castelyn as Jemima, Phyllida Crowley Smith as Victoria, Michael Gruber as Munkustrap, Jason Gardiner as Alonzo, Karl Morgan as Pouncival, Drew Varley as Mungojerrie, and, of course, John Partridge as Rum Tum Tugger!!! The twins rule too-- go Tommi and Kaye!!! Anyway....if anybody nice out there has any information about my beloved Cats, whether I listed them above or not, I would REALLY appreciate it if you sent it to me. By the way, did you guys notice that Elaine Paige wrote a little note on this review board?! That is so awesome! If any of you other cast members are out there reading this, I LOVE YOU!!! I would recommend this video to EVERYONE, but young children may require a little parental discretion, since there are a few, um, PG-13 moments. But otherwise, everything about this video is terrific. Gillian Lynne, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and T. S. Eliot are all geniuses beyond their time. This video is well worth the price, and it is a timeless treasure to be enjoyed over and over!!! I'm a jellicle cat--are you?

Excellent
"Mungojerrie and Rumpletezzer have a very strange way of working together and some of time you would say it was luck! and some of the time you would say it was weather"

"Macavity , Macavity theres not one like Macavity there never was a cat of such deceitfullness and suavity he always has an alabi or one or two to spare at what ever time the dead took place Macavity wasnt there"

These are only two of the great songs in the show! it is really really good; great songs, funny, good acting, good dancin!
all around excellent!

Perfect! Excellent! What else can I say...
I love ALW musicals of that includes JCS and many more. My favortie action/fantasy film is Lord Of The Rings, my favortie comedy would go to 13 Going On 30, my favortie romance is Alex & Emma, and my favortie horror-musical is Little Shop Of Horrors. But, my favortie musical would have to be "CATS." Here is the story of how I came to love it: We got this tape in '98 and for 4 yrs. I let it pass me by. It was sometime after my 13th birthday (oh...I'm 14 now!) and I found this sudden urge to watch it. I was a little scared of Macavity, I mean who isn't? But after watching it a few times, I became use to him and fell in love with the musical. Now today, me and my twin watch it all the time. My favortie characters are listed below and the reasons why.
FAVORTIE CHARACTERS
TOMS
_____
1. Rum Tum Tugger- Uh, hello? He's H-O-T, and I love his H-I-P_'-S.!
2. Mungojerrie- Hard to tell why I love this character, is it the way he jolts his tongue out? Or the way he smiles? Or maybe it's the fact that he is brave? Wait, it's all of that! I think it's sweet when he looks at Munkustrap after getting knocked down and then he turns to Macavity and hisses! Awww...He loves Munku. Speaking of which...
3. Munkustrap- He is another hot tom! I think him, Mungo & RTT are the hottest. Not to mention, I love the way he sings!
4. Pouncival- He is so cute! Adorable! And so precious!
5. Alonzo- He is Munkustrap's best friend, I think they might be brothers...Anyhoo, he probably has broken the flirting record, but who cares? I love this tom!
QUEENS
______
1. Demeter- She is everyone's favortie! Of that includes mine, she is so sexy!
2. Jemima- The prettiest kitten out of the tribe, and by- God the sweetest!
3. Rumpleteazer- Brother of Mungo, and so pretty. She has this cute little giggle..which is fun to hear in the video!
4. Electra- THE CUTEST KITTEN IN THE WHOLE TRIBE!!!!!
5. Victoria- She's the lucky one...Did you see who her mate was during TJB?
Well, this sums up my review! I love this musical! I LOVE the characters! And I ADORE the music in it! See this movie, you won't be sorry.
P.S I hate Cassandra!!!

Kids will love it!
I bought this DVD for my 7 year olds birthday, guessing that both she and her 8 year old sister would love it. I can tell you that I wasn't wrong. One week later they are still loving it, in fact they seem to get more out of it each time they watch it. The songs and dance routines are suberb, it's a lot better than I think I imagined it would be.

I'm no great Andrew Lloyd Webber fan, but that's not really the point. I don't think that you need to be to recognise when something is well done. And whilst it may help? to have seen the stage show before, it's clearly not essential to enjoy the DVD. Sometimes it can be the opposite, as people may feel a film version does not live up to their expectations/memories of the live show.

If you are considering buying this then please do, and for goodness sake, do not worry AT ALL about this being unsuitable for children. Some previous reviews commenting on it's unsuitablity for children are way off the mark. I can only imagine they live in households where table cloths are required to reach to the floor, lest young ladies in the house are offended by the sight of the table legs! Unreal...

Lovin the music!
hey musical-lovers,
Im actually yet to see the musical in all its wonders but am currently using one of the songs for a school project and am loving the music! Not to sure how I'd like the real thing but if the mystical tunes are anything to go by, you've got yourself a good source of entertainment. An amateur production of it was put on at my dance school a while ago and it was very impressive without the expenses so if you consider this a reliable source, I'd recommend you and even myself to get out there and see what 'Cats' is all about. Just venting my views. . . but feel free to protest! ... Read more

Description

One of the most celebrated screen adaptations of Shakespeare into film, Akira Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood re-imagines Macbeth in feudal Japan. Starring Kurosawa’s longtime collaborator Toshiro Mifune and the legendary Isuzu Yamada as his ruthless wife, the film tells of a valiant warrior’s savage rise to power and his ignominious fall. With Throne of Blood, Kurosawa fuses one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies with the formal elements of Japanese Noh theater to make a Macbeth that is all his own—a classic tale of ambition and duplicity set against a ghostly landscape of fog and inescapable doom. ... Read more

Reviews (83)

Akira Kurosawa's Japanese version of Macbeth
I'm a student from Nagoya International School and have just seen the movie "Throne of Blood" in our unit in Shakespeare's Macbeth. By watching the movie, I saw how Kurosawa has adapted Shakespeare's Macbeth to a setting in the Japanese feudal time period. As a person who reads and speaks Japanese, I felt the Japanese title "Kumonosu jou", meaning Spider-web castle had a strong impact on the film. One of the most interesting characters in both Throne of Blood and Macbeth was the witch. The witch took a big part in the story where he/she tells Macbeth his destiny. This drives Macbeth to his tragic end. In the original version of Macbeth, there were 3 witches telling Macbeth his future which motivated Macbeth to his murders. But in Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood, when Washizu was lost in the woods, he meets an old man spinning a wheel and making thread. By seeing that, I thought Kurosawa recognized that the witches controlled the story in the original version of Macbeth. So the old man spinning symbolized that the witch had everything in control. I think that is another reason that Kurosawa named his film Spider-web Castle, with the idea of spider-web suggesting the witch was in control of everything. I recommend this film to students who have read Macbeth and studied the play carefully, as they will be are able to compare this film to the original version of the play and enjoy the differences between the two.

witches counts as 'mononokes'?
I am a student at Nagoya International School, and have recently studied Shakespeare's Macbeth in my English class. After reading the original Macbeth, we watched several versions (Polanski, BBC, and RSC) which included Kurosawa's version of Macbeth, "Throne of Blood". Each of Polanski, BBC, and RSC version reflected Shakespeare's original version of Macbeth, its rich and fluent language, and its fabulously distributed plot. Because of language difference, and difficulty to transfer Shakespearian language directly into Japanese, it seemed as though the value has been lost, but as a Japanese citizen, I was eager to understand that Kurosawa had used old fashioned Japanese language in his film, which created an harmony which can be compared to or to support the lackness of Shakespeare's language. I also enjoyed the way how Kurosawa transferred the witches of the original version, into 'evil spirits' or what is called 'mononoke' in Japanese. Kurosawa probably named the forest and the castle to match the evil spirit , or Macbeth's (Washizu) fate. The evil spirit appeared in white robe, with white messy hair, spinning a wheel in its hand, a stereotype of what a Japanese would imagine as a 'mononoke'. Cobweb or 'spider' was such a great aspect to extract the evilness of the original witches of Macbeth, because of the replacement of the witches to a 'mononoke'. The black and white film also contributed to express the 'spookiness' in the evil spirit. With some of these changes, Kurosawa perfectly fitted Macbeth itself from an English story into a brand new Japanese film, using ancient Japanese culture (ex. feudal systems, japanese chivalry). He was successful in translating the original Macbeth for the Japanese, to spread the wonderfulness of the Shakespearian plays to a new and wide ranged people.

I just read Macbeth in British Lit class
After reading Macbeth in Lit class, I wanted to watch a movie adaptation and I happened to run into this one, I had heard on amazon.com that this was a Japanese adaptation of Macbeth and I picked it up, I really enjoyed it, much more than I expected to. Akira Kurosawa did a great job in this, it is old and the technology is limited but I loved it, I showed it to my friends who had not read the book but they loved the film as well, especially the ending, if you have seen it, you'll know what I mean, I do not wish to ruin it for anyone, anyway, the DVD price is quite high but if you are thinking of buying it, I suggest trying to rent it somewhere or obtain it temporarily from somewhere or someone and then decide to buy it or not, good movie, enjoy.

Akira Kurosawa just knew how to make great movies.....
Akira Kurosawa's Throne Of Blood may very well be his best, ranking up there with Seven Samurai, Ran, Yojimbo, Rashomon, and The Hidden Fortess.
A telling of Macbeth the film takes place in the time of the samurai. Tashiro Mifune plays Washizu a worrior who betrays his master and friend on his climb to the ultimite of power.
After encountering a witch in the woods who tells Washizu that he will take the place of his master Washizu, with the not so suddle proding of his wicked wife, dose everything in his power to gain, the lose control, of everything.
Kurosawa had done Shakespear before, quite possably the best telling of King Lear was Ran, but this time he strips everything down to the bear bone and unlike some films from Japan, the acting, manic and frantic, seeems only to enhance the film. Mifune is fantastic as Washizu, the ill fated worrior.
The movie grabs you right from the beggining and never lets go. It's a very violent film for it's time but if you ever want to see a master at his craft look no further than Akira Kurosawa'a Throne Of Blood.

Macbeth around the globe
Throne of Blood is an Akira Kurosawa's rendition Shakespeare's Macbeth. The story pretty much is the same with a few minor character changes, one sprit instead of three witches for example, and some obviously included contextual changes, set in pre-modern Samurai Japan. I understand that it has historical relevance and all, but really the movie itself is nothing too special. It is just an ok movie.
Now that I have said that, I feel I need to warn the viewers out there who do not usually watch foreign films. These people must be wary of, if it bothers them, the fact that the film in black and white. I understand that some people cannot sit through black and white films. There is also lack of ongoing action, typical Shakespeare, that we are used to, and that puts some people to sleep, so be warned about that too. I feel that you should watch it for your own cultural and mental advancement, but unless you like the genres of Japanese/Samurai films or Shakespeare adaptations then you probably will not like it. In addition, it is in Japanese, so if you do not like subtitles then you should be warned once again. I recommend you watch it, but at the same time I feel that once is enough. ... Read more

Description

After a decade of battling in the Crusades, a knight challenges Death to a fateful game of chess. More than forty years after its initial release, Ingmar Bergman's stunning allegory of man's apocalyptic search for meaning remains a textbook on the art of filmmaking and an essential building block in any collection. Criterion is proud to present The Seventh Seal in a pristine new transfer. ... Read more

Reviews (109)

Death and a masterpiece
After ten years in the crusades, Antonius Block (Max von Sydow) returns to his homeland with his squire (Gunner Bjornstrand) to find it is blackened with plague. Upon his return he is faced with a meeting with Death and the realization of his ultimate fate. The clever knight prolonges his destiny by challenging Death to a game of chess. Through the film Antonius strives to find the meaning of life and the existence of God. The story is joined by several other intriguing characters played by many of the familier Bergman Actors and Actresses.
Truely a masterpiece by Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. This film displays the true soul of man and his ignorance and acceptance of his existance. I was particularly marveled by the contrast between the beliefs of the knight and the squire. Whenever Antonius' search for faith became too ambitous, his squire always levels him with reality. Through the charcters of the film, Bergman shows us the living fabric of man's contradicting natures and ambiguous answers to life. As an avid film viewer I strongly recommend this film to serious movie spectators. This DVD is truely a treat as all the films in the Criterion Collection. The transfers are considerably noteworthy. If you have already seen this film and found that it was enjoyable, check out other Bergman films or look into some of the other Criterion titles.

A Compelling, if Somewhat Dated, Classic of Existentialism
I recently watched the Criterion edition release of this film, The Seventh Seal, with some friends. Although the film's techniques -- innovative and startling in 1957 -- are somewhat cliche today, the film still packs a powerful message, which is that although we cannot know if God exists, it is still possible for us to perform meaningful acts in the time allotted to us.

The story focuses on the story of a Swedish knight, Antonius Block, returning to Sweden from the Crusades -- played by the ageless Max von Sydow. The knight and his squire, Jons, are on the way home through a land ravaged by the Black Plague. On a lonely beach, the knight encounters Death, played with admirable restraint, and a good dose of dry humor, by Bengt Ekerot. Before Death claims Block's life, the knight challenges him to a game of chess -- if Block wins, he goes free; otherwise, when the game is over, Death will come for him. In that Death is busy, the game is renewed throughout the movie.

The movie also focuses on a troupe of actors who are traveling along the same road as the knight. Block knows that Death plans to come for the young actor and his family, and by prolonging his game with Death and thereby distracting him, he enables the young family to escape.

The movie, although obviously shot with a very small production budget and featuring a very minimalist approach (it could well be a stage play), is haunting -- one thinks about the movie's simple lessons for days afterward.

The film has often been parodied -- by Woody Allen in Love and Death, or in the recent "Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey" where Death is forced to play games such as Twister and Battleship with the film's heroes -- but it is still well worth watching.

The Criterion edition features both a Swedish and English-dubbed soundtrack, as well as a commentary track from a noted film critic.

An amazing and thought provoking movie.
This film is absolutely amazing. It is one of the few movies I watch more than once or twice.
It is an achievment in style. The film manages to look amazing by virtue of Bergman's skill with lighting and cinematography alone. Especially compared to the big budget, color Hollywood titles of the time (such as The Ten Commandments) which look plastic despite their "special effects" and use of color (this film is black & white).
The subject of the movie is man's search for the meaning of life and the question of whether or not God exists. The film is both thought-provoking and blunt in its presentation of this subject and the answers which Bergman provides are suprisingly blunt.
The DVD quality is great, as it always is with Criterion Collection DVDs, and Peter Cowie's commentary is particularly good.

However, I will admit that this film is not for everyone. It also seems to require (for me anyway) one to be in a certain "mood" to view it. If you want to simply be entertained then this is not a film for you, but if you want to view a skillfully directed and wonderfully thought-provoking (if a bit dated) film then go for it.

The silence of God!
Ingmar Berman(1918) established a challenging premise a chess mate between a knight from the Crusaders and the Death (Bengt Ekrot). If he wins, he'll live ; otherwise the Death will claim him . And this original duel happens after Sydow has left behind the misery, the plague and an unending war. He's deeply dissapointed with God and certainly he concludes that it doesn't exist.
This game will let exchange , scrutinize several ideas concerned with the faith , the silence of God and its own existence. God is a comfortable idea for the mankind ; it keeps them warmth , besides the man can dream with the hope of a celestial Paradise after this journey through this awful and miserable world. The ending sequence with the Dance of the Death is one of the most captivating and fascinating images in all the cinema story.
Many people state this is the Masterpiece : and obviously to me it's one of the three major achievements ; Persona and Cries and Whispers would be the rest .
But I've watched almost forty films of this brilliant swedish film maker and in his particular case ; a minor film from Bergman is above the average . So my advise is try to find out and watch all you can from this outstanding director.
This film won the Special Jury Prize 1957.
A timeless cult movie.

Absolutely Brilliant
A profound, affecting movie. Excellent dialogue and performances. Stark black and white cinematography. One of Bergman's greatest films. In fact, one of the greatest films of all time. ... Read more

Reviews (59)

HANEKE RULES!!!!.....
o.m.g! this film is absolutely brilliant!__the intensity, the actors, music, directing...
MICHAEL HANEKE's style is a little like a combination of kubrick and gaspar noe.

i honestly don't know if haneke's adaptation is faithful to Elfriede Jelinek's novel "the piano teacher".
however, this film is so intense, so captivating..(and even funny)...

plot:
erika kohut is a middle aged piano teacher of the vienna music conservatory who is still living with her possessif mother.
she appears to be normal.
however, she is a sadomasochrist.She watches porn while sniffing used condoms,cuts herself with razor blades and..well..you get the picture.
she's a sadistic loner. she does not want to be loved,but humiliated and tortured.
Walter, is her admirant student.
he is fascinated and he adores her.
what follows next, is their strange relationship.
in short , Humiliation is part of the menu....

i think this film was rated nc17, but i'm not sure..anyway,do not bring any children with you!!
some scenes are really extreme!..apart from that,on a technical level, this film is perfect.

ISABELLE HUPPERT is not acting in this film, she's living her part.
she is incomparable.
defenitly the best actress of 2002
even the brilliant Naomi watts (of mulholland drive), is no match to huppert.

BENOIT MAGIMEL and annie girardot, are also Really, impressive!!
there are no false notes.

the conclusion of the film is sudden and imprevisible.
(like in every haneke films)

SUGGESTIONS: michael haneke's "CODE UNKNOWN" with juliette binoche._ FUNNY GAMES (made in 1997) _ BENNY'S VIDEO (made in 1992) _ and THE CASTLE (made in 1997).

THE ENEMY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
The porn in the sex shop scene of the unrated version of this DVD didn't shock me. Typical filth. What I found startling was Huppert's response to the graphic sexuality she was viewing. I felt pity for this woman. But I didn't know that my pity would turn into disdain and utter contempt for the demon inside her.

This movie takes female sexual frustration to an extreme, and shows just how painful and cruel it can be. It depicts the moral degeneration of a middle aged woman who never achieved personal or professional gratification despite her immense potential as a pianist. She has turned her art into a weapon of remorse and sadistic cruelty. This is a very adult movie, which I didn't enjoy, yet I found compulsively watchable. Huppert makes all female villains in all of the movies put together look like vestal virgins. This is the type of movie that plays with the viewer's mind to the point where one feels the need to take a shower after watching it.

Huppert plays the-piano-teacher-from-the-bottomless-pit to near greatness. It's a cold-blooded masterpiece of a performance.

Huppert All the Way
Erika (Isabelle Huppert) is a fortyish piano teacher with deeply repressed sexual feelings. She lives with her mother (Annie Girardot), a controlling, oppressive woman, and deals with her erotic longings through voyeurism, visits to sex shops and self mutiliation. She still sleeps with her mother. The film largely takes place at the conservatory where she teaches and at the apartment she shares with her mother.

Huppert in an excellent on-disc interview says Erika longs to be loved but is frightened of seduction. She treats her students coldly but is drawn to one who is vain and handsome, and played by Benoit Magimel. The rest is the story of her creating and accepting a masochistic relationship with the young man that spirals down into her own psycho-sexual collapse.

This movie won't be everyone's choice for an evening with the kids. It's a serious, disturbing film for adults that looks grimly at repressed feelings and emotional self destruction. For the grownups, it might put you off sado-masochism for a few days. It's a first-rate film.

Isabelle Huppert is one of my favorite actors. Like Depardieu, she has no apparent screen vanity; she'll do what it takes for the role. She also has the rare ability to express deep, unsettling feelings with an absolute economy of expression. She is incredible in this film.

I'm happy to have the disc, but to tell you the truth I'm not sure how many more times I'll watch it.

The DVD transfer is excellent, the audio is first rate, and the English subtitles are easy to follow.

Poetic, powerful, and disturbing
The Piano Teacher is a beautifully acted, wonderfully cinematic, and deeply disturbing masterpiece. It is quite unlike any other motion picture experience I have ever had.

Isabelle Hubert is a brilliant actress and she absolutely shines in her role as a psychotic piano teacher who can't get what she wants, so goes out to ruin the life of others. The movie reveals this slowly and beautifully. I was impressed that there was no attempt at pop psychology or mediocre explanations that you would expect in a Hollywood melodrama with similar subject matter. The film is done in a simple, elegant, and gut-wrentching style, sure to fascinate and disturb, even if the film is hated in the end. Also worth mentioning is that Hubert's troubled but sympathetic character lives with her mother, in what has to be one of the most chilling mother/child relationships since PSYCHO.

This is an exceptional film, thought-provoking, powerful, and strangely moving. It is not for those who can't face the dark side of human nature. It's far from being a life affirming "feel good" movie; it's a movie that is difficult to watch and raises plenty of questions. If the difficult subject matter of 'Irreversible' interested you, then this is your kind of movie. I enjoyed it immensely, as uncomfortable as I was watching it, and consider it a worthwhile, rewarding experience.

The film has a haunting and disturbing finale, and is not always easy to digest, and therefore, it is not for all tastes. For fans of French or art-house cinema, this is definitely your cup of tea.

Note: Stay away from the R-rated version, which goes so far as to blur out the video images in a porn shop.

Grade A.

A Comercial Success to say the Very Least
I entirely agree with the previous reviewers. The actors and actresses are of the best choice. The characters are so well portrayed and the settings are so well depicted. The overall effects are quite convincing. It's defintely shocking and at least commercially this film is a success.

The choice of Schubert's music at least serves two points. First, Schubert's music is one of the saddest in the history of music, it's the music of the loniest pilgrim. Second, contrary to Beethoven's music, which is so clear and straight forward, the change of moods in Schubert's music is so sudden and so abundant and that it is often difficult to follow, so are the turns and twists in this story.

A general survey of the life of the pianists would making this story more convincing. An American critized Kissin for knowing nothing but playing on the piano from day to night all his life; Glenn gould shut himself up in front of the piano since or before his pre-teens; Allica de Larrocha's mother begged her daughter to "live her life" (Allica's word), instead of sacrifying it to the piano; MargaretArgerich's "fiance" (Margaret's own word) was the piano... The life of a musician destined to become a concert pianist could be very lonely ( and boring )to the point of abnormality unless you really love it, or unless you can balance it with sufficient chamber music or the like. Yet, competition is so keen that 99 concert pianists out of a hundred would advise against a cereer of a concert pianist unless he is exceptionally talented.

Obviously the heroine here, despite her sacrifice, didn't make it as a concert pianist. Her mother, so possessive and dominating, openly urged her to earn more money in order to buy a flat. Furthermore, the family has a history of mental problem; and her mother sharing the bed with her even when she was forty something... Needless to say, this case is by no means a norm yet it is not at all unconvincing.

What is controversial though is the deliberate distortion of the sound of all music, be it's piano or vocal music, so that there is NO MUSIC LEFT AT ALL. Perhaps this serves the main theme of the story better, delivering a greater impact upon the audience. And yet on the other hand, one also wonders if that is really necessary, whether a mix of bitteress & sweetness would be more impressing. ... Read more

Description

Inside the walls of St. Vincent’s Orphanage, young boys fall victim to sexual, physical and emotional abuse at the hands of their guardians. Henry Czerny (Mission: Impossible, Clear and Present Danger) gives a terrifying performance as Brother Lavin, the head of the orphanage who must juggle the teachings of the church with his own personal demons. The plight of the boys under his care remains a secret until the orphanage janitor and a local policeman speak out against the Brothers’ appalling treatment of the orphans. During the ensuing investigation, the boys courageously testify against the Brothers. Fearing a scandal, religious and civil authorities conspire to shut down the case and quietly transfer the accused Brothers to new postings. Fifteen years later, still unhealed, the victims go public with their ordeal. As the veil of secrecy is finally lifted, their story will shock the world.

From the director of Dangerous Minds comes this controversial story that was one of the year’s most powerful and critically acclaimed films. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Truth is More Disgusting than Fiction!!!!
The movie, about the sexual abuse of children in an orphanage, the cover up on the part of everyone in the know, and the truth coming to light several years later, is based on a true story.

In the late 80s St. Johns, Newfoundland was the sight of a major sex abuse scandal. The Mt. Cashel orphanage located there, which was supposed to a model institution, had been the scene of repeated instances of sexual abuse of its charges several years earlier. Investigations revealed that authorities had been made aware that approximately 30 boys had been victimized, but chose not to proceed with criminal prosecutions. As the scandal widened the Catholic church, social services agencies, the police, and certain politicians were implicated in the cover up.

Once all was said and done, several former officials at the school were jailed for their crimes.

Regretfully, it was only the tip of the iceberg. In the years following, there have been so many instances of institutionalized sexual abuse of children, particularly those involving the Catholic church, that it is no longer shocking.

POWERFUL, EMOTIONAL....
After just having viewed the VHS version of this film, I felt compelled to come back to this site and re-read the reviews posted by customers. Overall, I must say that I agree with the majority (particularly the praise for Henry Czerny, who portrays Brother Lavin) of positive recognition. The main things I had a slight problem with, however, were that I felt there were several important unaswered questions and was left wondering if I had missed a 3rd tape. By far, tape 1 of this 2 tape set was the more powerful & emotional of the 2.
Overall, a great movie for those who like true life drama (this is loosely based on actual events) but be forewarned: there are several scenes with (in my opinion) complete unnecessary child nudity. There, to me, was no need for the lingering shots of the young male backsides in the shower and it left me with more than a little bit of uncomfortable feelings and I question the need for those clips.
Excellent acting, great production value, great direction.

Priestly Abuse
An excellent movie for those interested in the law enforcement aspects of pederasty as practiced and hidden in the hierarchy of the Church. A good look at reality and is a movie to enlighten those who do not believe that this kind of abuse continues today. Used in my criminal justice course entitled Child Abuse, Investigation and Prevention. A Good teaching vehicle for those who wish to stop this most heinous of crimes.

The Boys of St. Vincent
This was a great movie, But for every man who seen it got so mad and upset. my son,husband, and other family men just left the room with so much anger. The movie is a True Story.

Fearsome
Horror films as such have nothing on the THE BOYS OF ST. VINCENT. Loosely based on the Roman Catholic child molestation scandals as they unfolded in Canada, this 1991 film was first show on Canadian television but later shown theatrically in the United States. Directed by John N. Smith, featuring an extraordinary cast, and boasting an excellent script, the film is one of the most fearsome experiences you could ever endure.

The story falls into two parts, first offering a portrait of St. Vincent, a Catholic orphanage for boys, as it existed in the early 1970s; then presenting a portrait of the various characters some fifteen years later as the original accusations of child molestation and abuse result in a high profile court case. The film focuses on a number of characters, but most particularly on Henry Czerny, who begins the film as Brother Lavin of St. Vincent--a truly dangerous pedophile who uses his position to sate his desires while also looking the other way re abuse of children by other Brothers at the orphanage. When the scandal at last breaks around him, it is quickly hushed up by the authorities, and Lavin leaves the church. Some fifteen years later he is a respected businessman, a husband, and the father of two sons when the long-forgotten and covered-up case begins to explode relentlessly in the public eye.

The cast is truly amazing here, chief among them Henry Czerny as Lavin, who creates a truly multilayered portrait of a man at once pitful but both vicious and dangerous. Equally amazing are the cast of children and their adult counterparts in the latter half of the film, most particularly Johnny Morina and Sebastian Spence, who play the role of Kevin as a child and an adult respectively.

Perhaps the single most impressive accomplishment of the film is the delicate balancing act director Smith achieves, a stance which does not attack the Catholic Church as an institution but which relentlessly exposes the corruption that can exist within it. The film does contain some child nudity, all of it "back shots," and while some may find this in questionable taste it is all carefully filmed and not explotational--and indeed has the effect of further demonstrating the innocence of the children while emphasizing the evil of those who abuse them.

Painful as the film it is, I cannot recommend it too strongly. It should be seen by every responsible adult, not simply for the artistry involved in its presentation, but for the warning it offers. A must see.

--GFT (Amazon.com Reviewer)-- ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Boys don't cry...or do they?
I vividly remember a summerday afternoon. I was a 4th grader boy. While I was watching this movie, I cried but didn't feel ashamed. I never cried while watching a movie until one of my freshman days. Then my favorite actor Robert De Niro's Mission was the one brought tears to my eyes (Remember the waterfall climbing scene he is dragging his armours?). La Strada is one of the most beautiful and powerful films in our history. It''s haunting! This is one of my top 20 if not top 5. But it's clearly one of TOP5 I'd feel like my life has a gigantic hole if I didn't watch it in my life. I'm glad watched this over and over again and I am glad we can own it now. How happy we are!

PS) My only complaint is (yes, there is one) at the end of movie, when Anthony Quinn hears a lady humming Gelsomina's song, it sounds too 'professional'. I always wish it had been recorded as if it's sung more casually.

Is there a "glitch" in the "English" audio element?
I agree with almost all of my fellow reviewers, that this is probably one of the greatest films ever made. Since DVD's came about, I've been writing letters to Criterion (the company which restored it), asking that "La Strada" be released (especially by them). First of all, the picture quality is 10 out of 10, it's wonderful. The original "Italian" audio track is a joy to my ear, from beginning to end. BUT....the "English" audio track seems to be flawed (at least with this, the first release). In the beginning of the film, when Gelsomina is introduced to Zampano, about 3:30 min into the film, until 4:04 min into the film, there is a complete loss of sound. And once again from 4:20 min into the film, until 4:35 min into the film, there is another complete loss of sound. From then on, the audio is flawless. I contacted Criterion about this problem, and I was advised that it was probably a bad copy, and to contact AMAZON for a replacement. I did this, and AMAZON sent out a new copy within 2 days. Unfortunately, the replacement disk was flawed in EXACTLY the same places on the "English" track. Please check YOUR copy, and if it IS flawed, please contact Criterion about it. I tried BOTH of my copies on THREE DIFFERENT DVD players, and it was SAME problem on each machine, and at the same times that I mentioned. What are the odds of that? I'm a HUGE fan of Criterion and their work, and I think it's just a bug that needs to be worked out. Other than that, their restoration is a jewel in my collection.

La Strada's English Soundtrack
In response to Stephen Lopez:I,too,contacted
Criterion regarding the English track.I received
the same reply.However,I can't accept their
answer because some years back,Criterion released
La Strada on laserdisc (a now-defunct video medium
used mainly by videophiles before the advent of DVDs)
which I've owned since its release.

The English soundtrack on this LD is flawless...not
a single "dropoff" from start to finish.

So...my hunch is that somebody at Criterion fouled

up somehow and the result is several minutes of
missing audio.

I'm still happy,however,that I purchased the DVD
because the video quality is outstanding!

Dreary
Okay, so it's a famous movie by a famous director. So what? The acting is not especially good. (Yes, I realize part of the problem may be that the original dialogue had to be dubbed in Italian. But it is what it is.) The Gelsomina character is particularly annoying, so obviously trying much too hard to be cute and appealing, and coming off mostly as artificial and rather stupid. The plot barely exists, the cinematography is ordinary, and there isn't a single character whose fate I cared about.

Overrated, Unimportant, and Poorly Produced
There, I said it. This film just doesn't have much going for it, other than positive word of mouth. I challenge you to find some substantive reasoning in the 5-star reviews... can't find it? That's because they're full of hot air.

Giulietta Masina is unattractive and a most unenjoyable screen presence. There, I said it again. Call me shallow, but I want my movie stars to be visually pleasing. Fellini reminds me of Citizen Kane demanding that his wife be a star. The original voice track production ruined the film: I wanted to hear the Italian voices but then couldn't hear Quinn's real voice (the whole film was dubbed, twice, it has no "original" sound). Also, Fellini's films are too long. If you are not telling the story of Gandhi or Lawrence of Arabia, then keep your drama to under 90 minutes. For a film with virtually no plot, La Strada takes a very long journey down such a short (and frankly, insignificant) road.

Regarding the Criterion DVD, the image is crisp. That's it. The special documentary is boring and could have fit on the first disc, I don't know why they used two. As usual, Criterion offers no subtitles beyond English. Marty Scorsese offers up a 120 second summary in which he doesn't really say anything complementary about the film. How much did he get paid for that interview, $10k, maybe $20? Don't worry, you're paying for it, as this disc is highly overpriced in the Criterion tradition. If you must, Enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (109)

Can't Remember the Last Time I Laughed This Hard
For some reason, I had no idea that this was a Coen brothers production until the end of the movie. Then, when it was all over and the credits began to roll, it all finally made sense. In fact, I didn't know why I hadn't guessed it. Because this movie is so... Coen brothers.

Nicolas Cage plays Hi, a repeat inhabitant of the Tempe, Arizona prison, where he meets police officer Ed (Holly Hunter) and falls in love with her. After Hi's third parole, he agrees to give up his life of crime for Ed, and the two get married. Before long, they decide that they want nothing more than to start a family. Ed, however, is barren -- and they find that it's not exactly easy for a repeat offender to adopt a child.

When Nathan Arizona, owner of the furniture chain, Unpainted Arizona, is blessed with quintuplets, Hi and Ed decide that the Arizonas have more than they can handle -- so they decide to take one of the babies. But before Hi and Ed can settle into their new lives with little Nathan, Jr., Nathan Arizona offers a reward for the baby, and suddenly everyone's after him.

I honestly can't remember the last time I laughed so hard while watching a movie. I laughed so hard that I choked. I almost died -- but really, can you think of a better way to die? I can't.

Raising Arizona is bizarre and quirky -- and just the expression on Nicolas Cage's face throughout this movie (not to mention his wild hair) will keep you snickering from start to finish. Mix the perfectly ridiculous dialogue and the perfect amount of slapstick, and you've got the perfect addition to any DVD collection.

Quite possibly the funniest movie ever made
I've seen Raising Arizona far more times than I can count. It is, in my humble opinion, next to Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove the most original, inventive comedy ever made.

The dialogue is absolutely razor-sharp -- plenty of examples are certainly readily available in the reviews preceding this one -- and the camera work is wonderful, as well. I'd rank Raising Arizona a VERY close second to Miller's Crossing in a list of the Coen's best films. It is admittedly not as visually stylish as Miller's Crossing (then again, very few films ever made are), and the storyline is not as cohesive as Miller's Crossing, Fargo, or Barton Fink. However, the film is so full of verbal gems that it definitely ranks as the Coen's best dialogue writing effort. Cage and Hunter are wonderful, and John Goodman and William Forsythe are absolutely perfect as the Snopes brothers.

Admittedly, the DVD is nothing very special. All you really get is the more durable medium and a widescreen format. Some kind of "The Making of..." mini-documentary, or better yet, a commentary option with two or three of the actors, the director of photography, or ideally the Coens themselves would have been a priceless addition to the DVD.

Raw, Unvarnished Comedy -- Laughs Galore!
One of the earlier films of the Coen brothers (Joel and Ethan), "Raising Arizona" nevertheless lays the foundation for the Coens' later, more polished efforts.

H.I. ("Hi") McDonough, played with an earnest romanticism by Nicolas Cage, is a classic Coen protagonist. He means well, even if he can't get his master plan to quite come together (this is a man of dreams, forced into the life of a small-time hood by trickle-down economics), and he is prone to speaking in fits of poetry that often go awry ("There's what's right and there's what's right, and never the twain shall meet"). In one of the most inspired courtings ever to be put on film, Hi woos and wins Police Officer Edwina ("Ed"), played by Holly Hunter in a career-defining role, while being booked on numerous occasions.

Denied the joys of parenthood by Ed's infertile womb ("a rocky place where my seed could find no purchase") and Hi's criminal past - Ed's police service doesn't quite "cancel out" Hi's record like they had hoped -- Hi and Ed can't really enjoy their "salad days" in their trailer in the Arizona desert. That is, until the Arizona Quints are born to unpainted furniture magnate Nathan Arizona. Deciding that old Nathan and his wife have more kids than they could handle, Ed and Hi decide to kidnap one of the little nippers. In a scene that parodies "Jaws," Hi snags Nathan Jr., and Ed and Hi are parents.

Unfortunately, Hi's criminal past catches up wtih him as Gale (John Goodman) and Evelle (William Forsythe) break out of prison and hide out with Hi at the family trailer. Soon they are on to Hi's kidnapping, and they decide to pursue their own agenda. Unfortunately for all concerned, bounty hunter Leonard Smalls is on the hunt for the kidnapped youngster, too -- and a nasty bloodhound from hell he is, too. Surely casting "Tex" Cobb in this part is one of the most inspired bits of casting ever!

The movie is chock full of surprises, from the chase scenes involving what seems like ten packs of hounds and more gunfire than one could possibly imagine, to a fight in the trailer that won't be topped until "Kill Bill, Vol. 2," and an over-the-top cameo performance by Frances MacDormand as a nosy neighbor with a fondness for bibical names and a trove of baby advice. The dialogue is rich, filled with comic inspiration and a touching devotion to family. And, like most Coen brothers movies, things generally turn out all right for our heroes, they definitely don't wind up the way they planned.

For fans of the Coens, off-beat comedies, Nic Cage and Holly Hunter (which should describe an awful lot of folks), this is a heck of a film.

Did anyone else notice??
Did anyone else notice that while H.I. (Nicolas Cage) was working in the sheet metal factory after being released from prison, the patch on his jumpsuit said "Hudsucker Industries"??

Had the Potential to be Better
Although this movie had its funny moments and some very memorable lines and quotes, overall I thought it was mediocre. I'm normally a big fan of Nicholas Cage and Holly Hunter, however this movie just didn't deliver. The plot was original and it could have had the potential at becoming a real classic, amusing film, however the hysteria overshadowed the entertainment value of it. There was too much predictable shrieking, screaming, and yelling that it just got annoying after awhile. I thought the worst part was towards the end when things just starting dragging on. Because it's a typical Hollywood movie, the storyline climaxes towards chaos and turmoil, but you can predict that in a typical fashion, there will be a few carchases, some yelling and screaming, some explosions, and then a happy ending (surprise). This movie could have been outstanding if the humor were more carefully thought out and skillfully crafted. ... Read more

Description

It's the battle everyone's been DYING to see! Teenagers find themselves caught in the middle of a battle between two legendary boogeymen: Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger. Who will win in the bloodiest and goriest showdown in history? ... Read more

Reviews (540)

"Welcome to my Nightmare"
Freddy Vs. Jason started out on a fairly ok note. It brought back that old 80s horror movie feeling. The setup of Jason and Freddy fighting each other is very clever and an imaginitive idea. The acting is well-delivered from some of the actors, but there are lots of flaws in this movie: 1. It is not horror! It is simply not suspenseful, only includes a few genuinely scary moments, and focuses WAY too much on blood and gore instead of thrills and chills. 2. It is a self-parody, instead of a truly original piece of work. The movie is obviously supposed to spoof Freddy and Jason's routes, but couldn't they have thought of more original ways to do it? 3. Typical characters, with not a whole lot of psychological depth. When I watch a movie, any kind of movie, I like to be intrigued with the characters because of their psychological depth and their problems in life, their ups and downs. But, from what I recall, these characters are basically derived from the old 80s slasher movies. 4. The reslotion could've been a little bit more shocking and mysterious. 5. Unbelievable. A movie is only scary when it's believable, and this is just way too over-the top.
All in all, this movie is somewhat entertaining, and it is what I expected: A silly self-parody action film, instead of what it should be: A true horror classic. If you want horror, I suggest you see the original "Nightmare on Elm Street" (still ubelievable, and too gory, but much scarier) or "Friday the Thirteenth" (Which is somewhat scary), or even "Scream" (A clever self-parody that mixes comedy and genuinely scary moments) or "The Silence of the Lambs" (Terrifying and haunting). The list of smart horror movies goes on, and this movie, in my own personal opinion, is not an addition to that list. The fact that this ridiculous movie could be made and brought to screen and actually praised by so many should be saddening to me, since I am a young movie-maker. But, it's not. It's inspiring. If THIS can be praised, then the movie I'm making should be praised! If THIS could be made, there are a lot of things that could be made. Still, don't get your hopes up, filmakers out there. It's not as easy as it may seem.

CLASH OF THE TERROR TITANS!!!
It was inevitable. Two of the biggest horror icons of our time finally meet in a terrifying clash that will satisfy fans of both title characters. In this modern Frankenstein meets the Wolf Man, Freddy is trapped in hell, his once fearsome name all but forgotten completely. He ressurrects Jason to kill a few kids on Elm Street so people will start to fear that Freddy is back: thus giving Freddy the power to return. However, Jason goes wild, and isn't leaving Freddy his share of victims. So, Freddy drags Jason to the dream world for a duel to the "death". The second battle takes place at Crysal Lake, giving each monster a home-court advantage. Both are evenly matched; the real advantage depends on where they fight.
This was a fun movie to watch. The fights are great, and there are plenty of scares. Enjoy, and welcome to MY NIGHTMARE!!!!!

Cool as heck!!!
I TOTALLY love this movie. I think it just rocks. If you like scary action packed movies, you will just love this one. so
please, please, please, buy it...

"2 OR MORE THUMBS UP."

eh...
not scary, it was funny, and a little cool, but not the best I've seen I'm afraid to say.

Entertaining Spin-Off of the Nightmare/Friday films.
Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) is been dead for years in the Real and in the Dream Wolrd. Since Freddy is Literally and Forgetten in Hell, Freddy has a plan to bring back Crystal Lake Serial Killer-Jason Voorhees (Ken Kirzinger) to Life in the Real World. Freddy thinks by bringing Jason back to life to bring Fear on Elm Street Kids and making Teenagers remember Freddy again. Since Jason is an Instant Killer Machine, He isn't willing to Step Aside. Now with a Terrified Town in the Middle, Freddy has to find a way to kill Jason by going his dreams before Jason takes the Elm Street Kids over. A Scared Teenager (Monica Keena) finds a way to bring Freddy to Reality from her dreams, So Freddy and Jason enter into a Horrific and Bloody Showdown.

Directed by Ronny Yu (Bride with White Hair, Bride of Chucky, Formula 51) made an entertaining Spin-Off to the "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and "Friday the 13th" Series. Englund, who played Freddy Krueger for the 8th Time seems that he had a Blast Making this Film. Kirzinger replaced Kane Hodder, which Hodder Originally Played Jason Voorhees in the last Four Friday the 13th Series. Kirzinger is Good as the New Voorhees. Sean S. Cunnigham, who produced the Original "Friday the 13th" is back producing this film. The film also stars:Jason Ritter (Which Jason's Father-The Late:John Ritter also worked with director-Yu on Bride of Chucky), Kelly Rowland (R&B Singer from the Group-Destiny's Child), Lochlyn Murno (Scary Movie) & Katharine Isabelle (Ginger Snaps Trilogy).

DVD has an Sharp Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer (also in Pan & Scan) and an Superb-Dolby Digital 5.1 Expanded Surround Sound. DVD has an engaining Commentary Track by the director-Yu and actors:Englund & Kirzinger. Disc Two has Deleted Scenes with/without Commentary by the Director and Executive Producer-Douglas Curtis, Many Behind the Scenes Feautrettes, Music Video, DVD-ROM Content and More. This film has an Strong Music Score by Graeme Revell (The Crow) that pays Tribute to the "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and "Friday the 13th" Series. The film ended up being a Profitable Hit for New Line Cinema. Extremely Entertaining for the Fans of the Freddy and Jason Films. Watch for New Line Topper:Robert Shaye in a Cameo, which he's One of the Executive Producers of the Film (Which Shaye was Involved with Every Nightmare Film). Great Gory Fun all the Way. Super 35. Grade:A-. ... Read more

Reviews (75)

Sheer delight
For my money this is Blake Edwards' most enjoyable movie. I've viewed it perhaps a dozen times, and its combination of a peerless cast, fine songs, supremely witty script and sure-footed direction make this a real gem that I will never tire of watching.

Robert Preston (in a role originally intended for Peter Sellers) practically steals the show as Toddy, a gay nightclub perfomer in 1930s Paris. Preston's vitality and charisma make the character of Toddy so warm, humorous and believable that he feels like an old friend by the end of the movie. What a shame Preston made so few films! (We do, however, have his memorable aoppearance in SOB - another Edwards triumph - to be grateful for.)

Julie Andrews is perfectly cast, with her distinctive voice and seemingly ageless face and figure all contributing to a convincing portrayal of a supposed female impersonator. The rapport between her and Preston is a joy to behold, and one can only applaud their classy professionalism.

The rest of the cast is top-notch, and the film reunites Julie Andrews with James Garner 18 years after their first movie together, the 1964 Americanization of Emily. Garner shows a fine comic touch - as always - and Lesley Ann Warren is inimitable as his supremely irritating ex-girlfriend.

The film positively overflows with 1930s Parisian atmosphere and sophistication. In short, Victor/Victoria is a real treat that offers a little something for everybody.

Essential viewing.

Le Jazz Hot!
Although he has just recieved an honorary Oscar, Blake Edwards is often looked upon as a purvayer of low comedy. Although he is the genius behind such sparkling classics as The (original) Pink Panther and Breakfast at Tiffanys, many people frown upon him for his later films such as S.O.B., Blind Date and Switch (let's not mention the post-Sellars Panthers). Victor / Victoria falls, chronologically, between the two sets of films and, in my view, is Edwards at his peak.
Edwards directs his wife Julie Andrews (never better and that includes being a nanny and a nun), in a tale of a [woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman]. The central plot serves as an excellent backbone on which to hang a wonderfully farcical script, some hilarious set-pieces and the fantastic song-and-dance numbers (Bricuse and Mancini's score makes you wish they'd worked together more often).
Andrews, as I say, is flawless coming somewhere between the innocence of Poppins and the lewdness of S.O.B. and giving a fantastic performance. From under her very nose though, the film is stolen by the ever-watchable Robert Preston as Toddy. Preston brings great depth and love to a part that could quite easily have been, as he is refered to in the film, 'a pathetic old queen'. James Garner commendably plays the straight-man (in more ways than one!) with a twinkle in his eye and Lesley Ann Warren hilariously chews every bit of scenery she lays her hands on.
The script, which bears Edwards' name as a co-writer, is as witty and moving as anything written in Hollywood's 'Golden Era' and the musical elements have as much vibrancy as MGM's in their hey-day. Musical highlights include Le Jazz Hot and The Shady Dame from Seville (not to mention the riotous reprise as performed by Preston for the films finale). One-liners don't come much better than "A lot of men can't get it ... up to now, you've been fine", "You look like a raccoon" (you need to see it) and the entire scene in the restaurant that leads to the line "It is a moron who takes advice from a horse's arse" (Edwards regular Graham Stark at his dead-pan best).
The extras on the DVD are limited to trailers and a commentary. The commentary by Edwards and Andrews is informative, if a little disappointing considering the wildness of the film and mainly consists of Edwards enjoying watching the film and Andrews making sure that all of the on and off-screen talent is name-checked.
A real unsung gem that deserves to be seen as often as possible. Tell your friends!

JULIE ANDREWS! A LEGEND!
I remember sitting through it in 1983 in the theatre with Mama and Grandmother. We all LOVED it. With Poppins, Maria and Gertrude; Julie`s Victor/Victoria is HER BEST effort on celluloid. Leslie Ann-Warren, James Garner, Robert Preston, Blake Edwards, Henry Mancini & Leslie Bricusse ALL excell in this comedy. It may be a trifle long and the Hercule Poirot-imitation unnecessary; but it really is the last of the GREAT MGM MUSICALS(although it was shot i England, released by MGM). The set-designs are a treasure 2 behold