Reviews (28)

SEUL CONTRE TOUS aka ALONE AGAINST ALL.
the DVD is indeed very poor, no trailers, no short films from the director are available. on the other hand, the transfer is exellent!... "SEUL CONTRE TOUS",(i stand alone) was directed by GASPAR NOÉ... the story takes place in france in 1980. it is the story of a jobless butcher struggling to survive in the bowels of his nation. the butcher (played by french actor philippe nahon) only wants one thing:"to escape the dark tunnel of his existence". unfortunatly for him; his life is gonna hit the bottom,plagued by misfortune,betrayal,sadness..etc.. 70% of the film takes place inside his mind,the voice over is sometimes even more frightening than anything else. needless to say,do not watch this movie if you have suicide tendencies. the cinematography is really exellent.(the film was shot with a super 16mm anamorphic camera), the acting is impressive, it sometimes feels as if you're watching a documentary. the film contains pornography,disturbing violence... the ending is also extreme.., I wont spoil the rest, but "I STAND ALONE" is a must!...a masterpiece. ps:the short film entitled:"CARNE" (also directed by gaspar in 1991) is the first part of "i stand alone" it is 45mins long and is equally good!.."carne also marked gaspar noe's debut in the cinema industry. -philippe nahon can also be seen in "le pacte des loups" aka BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLVES..."la haine" aka THE HATE...and "les rivieres pourpres" aka THE CRIMSON RIVERS.

memorable lines from the butcher: -"your mother. you love her as long as she gives you milk. & your father when he lends you money. but when her breats are all dried up. or when your father's pockets are empty. the best thing to do is lock them up. and let them die before they cost you too much. that's how it goes. the law of life.children pretend to be nice only when there's an inheritance."...

A warm fuzzy flick? Noe way! A cinematic kick in the teeth!
"The tragedy of a jobless butcher struggling to survive in the bowels of his nation" says the script at the beginning of Gaspar Noe's I STAND ALONE.
The movie is the tale of a horsemeat butcher, the son of a French Communist & solo parent to a mute daughter; with whom he has an incestuous relationship. The first five minutes of the film has him telling his background & history.(The majority of the film is told as a first person narrative, with little actual spoken dialogue.) He is unable to get a steady job as a butcher because the simple act of smiling and being friendly to cusomters is next to impossible to him, so he winds up sitting around watching TV all day. His home life is lousy: he lives with his elderly mother & his wife, who miscarries after he kicks her in the stomach (presumably) because of his fear of them producing another disabled child. To escape from this cesspool which makes Robert Crumb's home life look like the stuff of cookies -&- milk style 50's suburbia , he goes to a sleazy hotel- where he always rents the same room: a room that holds special memories for him. The room in which his daughter was conceived.
And it is in this room where life REALLY starts for him. On this day, January 3, 1980 The Butcher makes the decision to start his life over again. He has with him a gun, and three bullets. And sets off on an odyssey of vengeance against those who have looked down on him and made his meager existance all the more miserable. Three bullets. Three deaths. How will he make the right decision?
Noe slowly but surely builds the tension until your heart is pounding in your throat & the blood is pounding in your temples.
Noe also does a "William Castle" &, as a prelude to the film's ultra-violent climax viewers are given 30 seconds to leave the theatre; only this is no gimmick. The ending even had my stomach in knots. Naturally this wil anger the SPCS. IT'S JUST A MOVIE!
Sometimes to put across a message of MORALITY you must show IMMORALITY, to convey an ANTI-VIOLENCE message then violence of the most graphic and disturbing nature must be portrayed. And that is exactly what Noe has done here. I STAND ALONE is certainly not for the faint-hearted. Noe is indisputably a master film maker. He has crafted a technically briliant film which is powerful, literate and compelling. Highly recommended. I hope IRREVERSIBLE comes to Dunedin soon. I'm really keen to see it now. As for David Lane, he really needs to find something more productive to do. The SPCS must be shut down once and for all.

One of my favorite movies
I really love Gasper Noe's two films. They have simple messages and convey them simply, and beautifully. One would have to be blind not to see how talented this guy is. And he really is.

There are already plenty of synopses in the other reviews, so I won't repeat the story here. I do want to say that this is not a film that is ugly for ugliness' sake. It is a movie about a man from certain social stratum trying, and failing, to deal with faliure. He is filled with hatred, for himself and for everyone else. The most interesting thing is, as I listened to him spew his bile, I couldn't help but nod my head now and then. The Butcher has moments of insight, and you can tell that Noe empathizes with his character, because he proves him right again and again. I even found myself forgiving our protagonist's racism and homophobia - because it was so obviously misdirected anger. He is brimming over with anger and self-hatred and, I'll admit it, I felt very sorry for the poor [illegitimate].

I only spent so much time on my half-assed analysis because I feel that Noe's films are misunderstood. They are nihilistic, but so what? They both honestly explore some aspects of the human experience that most humans don't want to think about. And I think they are fascinating.

Irreversible is a better film, but this one is my favorite. Noe is a genius.

I Stand Alone....indeed you do...
Gapar Noe is a great filmmaker. He is actually my new favorite Director and
I look forward to seeing anything he touches upon seeing
Irreversible (which completely blew me away). It seems at first that his main focus is to
take the things we have not yet endured in film and make us numb to it all.
Noe is technically sound and writes an a decent screenplay here
(particularly the dialogue). Subtitles aside, if you speak English or
French, the dialogue takes you deep into the mind of the film's
"protagonist" (a character we briefly encounter in Irreversible as well).

Let's dissect the word protagonist for a moment. It can mean the principal
figure or it can mean the leader of some kind of cause. Noe uses his
protagonist for the former and destroys any positive connotation the word
may have held at any point. Michael Corleone (The Godfather) and William
Munney (The Unforgiven) are examples of villains directors are sympathetic
toward, but there we find reason for their downward plunge, whether it be
selfishness or simply the ever-relative feelings of retribution. These
classic films pose some intriguing questions. Does real evil exist and
assuming it does why should we care about what it thinks? or worse yet
how we may actually see ourselves in their errors? Why can't we just put
them in films and let their actions speak for themselves and let their
consequences carry the audience toward a satisfying feeling of payback or
resolution?

This story is about an old man released from jail and attempting to live his
life plagued with guilt and hopelessness. He is a sad, indirectly sorry,
unrealistic and profoundly disturbed character. He is mislead and careless
to everything around him. The kind of person we want to ignore completely
and not know anything about. The kind of person whose motivations when
taken into account entirely, make many of us cringe and want to warehouse
him and others of his ilk in the demonic subculture of the American
"Correctional" Facilities. But Noe takes a different approach completely.
He not only engages this character but he refuses to sympathize, he just
shows us what makes him tick. The film serves as a sort of diary for this
character and shows us little in way of hope. He shows us a man who
rationalizes ever single dark thought and action he completes regardless of
the fact that they are all so impulsive, primal and damaging to everything
and everyone around him.

What Noe seems to understand is that the world is not always black or white,
good or evil but sometimes evil and more evil, black and even darker. So
here we can attempt to understand why a man would have a difficult decision
to make between rape or murder, no matter how scary this proposition may sound. If you dare to take
yourself into this character's mind then you may begin to realize that
sympathy for anyone with even the potential to be like this is probably
pointless, but your opinions are your own observations.

Keep in mind that Noe is not an advocate for his dark characters, he is
really just a host. There are no messages in his film beyond how ugly life
is in some circles. I'm not sure he means to say that life is as pointless
as it seems here and in Irreversible. The film is definitely not for
everyone; in fact chances are you will hate it very much but if you make
similar observations that I have made after watching a movie than please go
right ahead but be careful. The film does contain some extreme violence and
a brief pornographic sequence, so be wary of these elements as well.

Soul shattering
When I recently viewed Gaspar Noe's film "Irreversible," I noticed with interest a scene at the beginning of the movie where an elderly man waxes philosophic about the various problems in his life to another poor soul while both men sit in a filthy, cramped room. I chuckled inwardly about Noe's in joke since anyone who has seen "I Stand Alone" recognizes the elderly gent with a bad attitude as none other than the suicidal butcher, the main character in this gripping film about the psychological free fall of a man with nothing left to lose in life. If I had to compare "Irreversible" with "I Stand Alone," I would definitely pick "Irreversible" as the better of the two in nearly every aspect of filmmaking, but "I Stand Alone" is a memorable experience nonetheless. If you thought watching Monica Bellucci suffer indignity after indignity was bad, you should watch the last twenty minutes of "I Stand Alone" for a whole knew outlook on what constitutes "disturbing." Gaspar Noe is quickly turning into my favorite "foreign" film director. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

The plot of "I Stand Alone" is frighteningly simple. The main character is an unemployed butcher, middle aged, whose life is one long series of disappointments. We learn he is the son of a French communist executed by the Nazis who eventually married, had a child, and lost his business after he killed a man he mistakenly assumed had brutalized his daughter. The incident sent his young child over the edge mentally, requiring her to check in for a lengthy stay at the local mental motel. The butcher, now on the ropes emotionally and recently released from prison, leaves his child behind to take up with an obnoxious woman and her overbearing mother because of a vague promise made by said woman to set our hero up in the meat business again. Sadly, this woman becomes pregnant and begins to berate the butcher about his taciturn nature, using the excuse of being with child to get what she wants from the relationship. The constant pressures of unemployment and the nagging from his woman causes the butcher to snap; he beats the pregnant woman viciously, and then flees when he worries that he has killed his unborn child and could again end up in prison for his actions.

Heading back to Paris and points north, the butcher wanders through the blasted landscapes of a France never seen in travel brochures. As he roams around with a diminishing supply of money and no job prospects, meeting old friends that refuse to help him and sleeping in pay by the day rat holes, the butcher engages the audience through a largely internal monologue that wallows in misogyny, racism, nihilism, and general misanthropy. This guy hates everyone and everything; he feels that the whole world is out to dump on him and seeks to pay back all of his enemies in the most vicious of ways. When he procures a gun with a few bullets in it, he begins formulating elaborate plans for bloody revenge. He'll kill the smug jerk that refused to give him a job, the man at the bar who gave him some grief over the tab, and anyone else that gets in his way. The butcher finally decides to pay a visit to his daughter since he hasn't seen her in ages, and it is during this visit that "I Stand Alone" enters its final, most horrific stage. Nothing will prepare you for the terrible final moments of Noe's movie. It's deeply disturbing, sick, morally reprehensible, and just plain nasty. Come to think of it, the whole movie is an exercise in depravity virtually certain to give most mainstream viewers conniption fits.

The best elements of "I Stand Alone" have little to do with the lengthy dialogue of the mad butcher or his rambling journeys through Paris. After awhile you get used to the run down buildings, the litter clogged streets, and the redundant blatherings of the butcher. You probably won't feel too much pity for the guy after awhile anyway, seeing as how he's such a sick, hateful soul full of loathing for his fellow man (and women, especially women). What does strike a chord is how Noe portrays this unpleasant chap. Noe rubs your nose in this guy's misery to such an extent that you shudder to think there are people like the butcher around us every day, adrift in their frustrated lives and ready to explode at any minute. In an effort to bring home the gut wrenching stresses in the butcher's existence, the director employs an unusual but very effective extreme focus camera technique--accompanied by a dramatic thudding sound--at certain important points throughout the film. There's even a flashing sign towards the end warning the viewer the movie is about to take an extreme turn just in case you wish to switch the whole thing off. Brilliant!

A few caveats are necessary with "I Stand Alone." The conclusion of the film, with its graphic violence and whirlwind dialogue, will upset viewers unaccustomed to such things. Moreover, at one point in the movie the butcher sits in an adult movie theater to be alone with his frustration. That's not too bad in and of itself since we already know the thought processes of the butcher, but we get an eyeful of the definitely XXX rated movie playing on the screen. If pornography really bothers you, take a pass on "I Stand Alone." I, however, thought Noe's a film a brilliant piece of cinema exploring the dark recesses of a man on the verge of a suicidal breakdown. If that sounds appealing to you, certainly give this one a glance. Then watch "Irreversible." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Assured, headstrong Joan Webster (Wendy Hiller) knows exactly what she wants and how to get it, until she's stranded in a rough, windswept Scottish village--in sight but out of reach of an island where a richfiancée, a lavish wedding, and a loveless marriage await. While a raging storm prevents her crossing, a quiet, modest, and penniless Scottish laird named Torquil (Roger Livesey) slowly wins her cheerfullymercenary heart and upsets her carefully arranged plans with messy emotions.Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's much-loved romantic drama is a handsome work full of vivid, offbeat characters (Pamela Brown is especially striking as an earthy villager always accompanied by a pack of bloodhounds) living in a world that's part tradition and part myth. Villagers work and celebrate with the simple spirit of common folk ("We're not poor, we just haven't any money," Torquil admonishes the materialist Joan). Powell brings his lively manner and bold visual invention to the creation of his beautiful but harsh primal paradise, culminating in the awesome spectacle of a massive whirlpool that could be the work of the "legend of Corryvreckan" or the stormy embodiment of Joan's hysterical heart. Awash in mystic power of ancient castles and chanted legends, I Know Where I'm Going is one of the most romantic visions of Britain's most magical director. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (31)

actually, she doesn't
This very fine romance tells the story of Joan Webster, a determined young woman at the tail end of WWII, who has always known where
she's going, which is mainly getting ahead. At the moment, she's on her way to the island of Kiloran, off the coast of Western Scotland, to
marry Sir Robert Bellinger. Sir Robert has amassed a considerable fortune during the war via his Consolidated Chemical company. He makes
sure that Joan travels in style, according to a precise schedule, with folks waiting on her every step of the way, right up until the time comes for
her to take a boat over to the isle. At that point, nature intervenes, in the form of gale force winds, and she's prevented from joining Sir Robert
for several days.

Meanwhile, she meets the colorful inhabitants of the little town, among them the handsome and dashing Torquil MacNeil, a Naval Lieutenant,
who it turns out is the real Laird of Kiloran, forced to rent out the family estate for several years at a time to get the money to maintain it the
rest of the time. The entirely predictable complications follow, but where a modern film would rely on slapstick and broad humor, Pressburger
and Powell are more subtle. The film is humorous, but the filmmakers are more intent on exploiting the natural beauty and wildness of their
setting than in getting cheap laughs and they cleverly tap in to several mythological themes. There is a castle with a curse on it and a
treacherous whirlpool lies between the town and the isle. In the end, legend and convention combine to bring the story to its necessarily
romantic conclusion.

I have to admit, I normally loathe these stories where one betrothed, or the other, or both, break off an engagement because they've found "true
love." (I guess at the time it was also considered daring to implicitly criticize war profiteering by having Joan choose the poor sailor over the
industrialist.) But the movie's so enchanting and the use of myth so effective that I eventually surrendered to it. Powell and Pressburger made
many great films and this one, though I'd not rank it with their very best, is delightful. Highly recommended for husbands who owe their wives
a chick flick.

GRADE : A-

Beautifully scripted, acted and photographed.
Bless my public library having offered this on video tape in the past, and bless the Criterion Collection for now making it available on DVD. This simple movie has not one false step. Those who have only seen Wendy Hiller in old age (e.g., in "A Man for All Seasons") will love seeing her play a modern (1940's) woman who "knows where she's going."

In this case, she is going to the Scottish Hebrides to marry one of the richest men in the world when a storm intervenes, stranding her among an eccentric mix of locals, including a (young, handsome, down-to-earth) naval officer on leave from the war.

The rest of the cast is as charming as Hiller, playing characters who are utterly believable. (A young Petula Clark endures particularly materialistic parents, who are not, of course, locals.)

A DVD edition should make the black and white photography of this film even more striking.

An excellent film with great scenery
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

This movie is one of the more interesting that I have seen. The story follows a woman on the way to her wedding to a wealthy man on an island in Scotland. Inclement weather prevents her from taking a boat to the island and she subsequently meets a naval officer and begins to have feelings for him.

The film has excellent scenery of Mull Island in Scotland.
The DVD special features include a revisit to the sites featured in the film.
There is also a theatrical trailer. There is feature length audio commentary by Ian Christie. There are several home movies made by Director Michael Powell, narrated by his widow Thelma who also narrated a slideshow of production photos on the DVD.

There area also excerpts from Michael Powell's "The Edge of The World" a documentary "Return to the Edge of the World" and another documentary "I Know Where I'm Going! Revisited" by Mark Cousins.

A haunting and treasureable film.
IKWIG (as its creative team of Powell and Pressburger dubbed it) was made on a black-and-white stock right after WWII, when technicolor film and equipment were temporarily unavailable. It was the tale of a London-based woman who has always known what she's wanted all her life, and has decided to marry a wealthy, nice, but elderly business tycoon. ("You can't marry Consolidated Chemical Industries!" sputters her father. "Can't I?" is her reply.) He has rented a sprawling castle on a distant isle of the remote, nature-claimed Hebrides Islands, off the coast of Scotland, and she's traveling to meet him for the wedding, there. Unfortunately, the weather doesn't cooperate, and she's stuck for days one island short of her goal, where she encounters endless local traditions, people, and scenery, along with the young Laird of Killoran. Her desperation to achieve her goal nearly causes the death of several people, and has a profound effect on her understanding of the culture she's dropped into from London.

I would venture to call IKWIG the uber-chick film. It has several of the qualities that succeed so well in romance novels/film making: a self-reliant, intelligent heroine; a rugged hero who is at first perceived as the antagonist; a growth in understanding about the world around her, that allows ultimately for a complete change of POV in the heroine. It is that rare creature, a romance film that isn't a romantic comedy. It has some brilliantly inventive comic moments, especially (and significantly) before the film moves leaves England--like the heroine's dream sequence as she sleeps aboard a train, climaxing in a distant shot from above that has the hills covered in tartan as the train passes into Scotland--but that isn't the focus. (If anything, it is a bit of magical theater that represents a flight *away* from reality, showing us the early values of the heroine; just as the culture she finds in the Hebrides becomes a massive section of magical theater which, less brilliant, hammers away at her preconceptions both through its human and elemental aspects.)

However, there are many things about IKWIG that lift it above the chick film genre presented by such horrific stuff as Scriptless in Seattle. Powell was in love with the Hebrides, and, unusually for a fictional film of this period, IKWIG is filled with the culture of its surroundings. There's no sense of embarassing "types" as in so many Hollywood films-on-location, but rather more than a dozen subsidiary characters, none of them models, who fit naturally into their assigned roles, with or without dialog, and contribute to the film's sense of otherness. The writing is unsentimental and never cloys, but brings out many of the local traditions, superstitions, and myths surrounding the Hebrides in a natural and seemingly impromptu fashion; so that when we attend a party given in honor of the sixtieth wedding anniversary of the Laird of the Campbells, we actually see three bagpipers playing as the floor shakes under the heels of dancers; and we witness an extremely good amateur a capella group sing a glee. IGWIG takes its time to give us the full value of these things, and we're left grateful for the sense of connection. How different it feels than Pretty Lady, with a cliched plot hitched to endless shopping sprees and "let's do lunch" dates.

The extraordinary beauty of the environment was captured live without special effects--in fact, Powell said they never used a smoke machine; all their fog, brilliant sunshine, gales, and scenery were natural. Everything save the interiors (and shots with the Laird; Livesey had a commitment that kept him in London) were made on location, near a village of several hundred inhabitants which was largest settlement on the isle. Erwin Hillier, the editor on the film, was a student of Fritz Lang, and much preferred the heavily contrasted depth photography he'd been trained in to the soft-edged, romantic tone of Hollywood, or the stolidly outlined b&w of contemporary British films.

The script is subtle, rich, and impeccably characterized, with a lot going on beneath the surface. (For example, it's a film about growing up emotionally; of coming to terms with the world around you, and determining what values are real. Yet on another level, there's an unstated three-way contrast among the heroine, an ambitious, educated, lower-class girl, the tycoon and his new money, waiting out the war safely in his island castle, and the traditional upper-middle class landowners and gentry of the Hebrides, impoverished by war deprivations but quietly, heroically making do.) The acting is flawless, without any of the "beautiful people" syndrome in evidence which has so dogged cinema over the years. A comparative failure upon its release (critics and audience weren't in the mood for mystical landscapes and romance after WWII), it's racked up numerous awards and a very large following, since. Martin Scorsese speaks of it as among his favorite films. Although a few stylistic points creak with age (notably the use of music in the background behind dialog in some sections), this is a powerful, lyrical, intimate film with enormous replay value, thanks to the great subtlety of its images and performances. If you're looking for the perfect film to see with a date, or a loved one, consider this. Even if you're not, consider it, anyway. You won't regret it.

Highland Fling !
What are the truly great, classic romances on film ? Many would think of "Casablanca", and justifiably so. However, in its own charming, subtle way, "I Know Where I'm Going" deserves a high place on any such list. My wife and I decided to watch this as our "Valentine's Day" movie--a perfect choice.

I suppose the big question is--why is a movie that is so predictable, so great ? As usual, the answer is a combination of fine ingredients--script, direction, setting and performances, both lead and support.

Dame Wendy Hiller stars as a bright, independent and arrogant young woman who "knows where she is going". Actually, she is "going" to a remote island off the west coast of Scotland to marry a much older, but incredibly wealthy man. There is never any suggestion of a relationship between these two people or that they love one another. It is presented to us as an "arranged" marriage, just as this fellow ( we never actually see him on screen ) would set up one of his business deals. Of course, fate intervenes.

Several days of bad weather prevent our heroine from leaving the coastal village to meet her intended on the island. During this time, she meets a naval officer who also happens to be the local laird, played by Roger Livesey. Even though he is attracted to Ms. Hiller, the Livesey character does not try to "sweep her off her feet"--he simply opens her eyes to the charms and rewards of a simple life where "people are not poor--they just don't have any money". Before long, she develops feelings for this man, which makes her even more anxious to reach the island and her husband-to-be, so that she can keep her word and "do the right thing". Of course, you can't fight fate--can you ?

There are various subplots involving an ancient Scottish curse, a terrifying encounter with a whirlpool, and relationships involving some of the local people. Although shot in black and white, the beauty of Scotland is definitely one of the "stars" of this film. While Hiller and Livesey are superb in the leading roles, they receive fine support from Pamela Brown and a group of Scottish actors, including Finlay Currie. Actually, were there any films involving Scotland from the 30s to 60s which did not have Finlay Currie in the cast ? He is like the patron saint of Scottish movie actors !

Criterion, as usual, gives us a beautiful image, and some nice extras to go with this Powell/Pressburger classic. When Martin Scorcese is asked if he would "remake" the film, he basically says no--why mess around with perfection ? Thank you, Mr. Scorcese--a man of taste, as well as talent !

This is a movie where you can just curl up with your partner, relax ( except for that whirlpool ! )and enjoy some unforgettable characters who learn what is really important in life. A wonderful DVD to own. Now--when is the next flight to Scotland ? ... Read more

Reviews (264)

Gate to the Kingdom of Disillusion
First, a few reasons why I bothered to see this movie:

1. Roman Polanski is one of my favorite directors. 2. The theatrical/tv trailer looked intense 3. Interesting subject matter (occult). 4. French actress/wife of Polanski Emanuelle Seigner 5. Emanuelle Seigner 6. Last but not least, Emanuelle Seigner

Now, a few reasons why I was left disappointed:

1. The ending 2. The ending 3. ...and the ending.

This film was excellent for it's spectacular cinematography and various global locations. The plot and story itself were easy to comprehend . The mood, setting, atmosphere was very creepy and at times Gothic. Yet, it was not enough to frighten or thrill. As for the climax, maybe some of us are lazy and lack imagination to draw conclusions;However, I still wanted to know what really happened to Johnny Depp's character Corso at the end ( and have it explained to me by the director and actors) The ending was too ambiguous and symbolic (though the movie was filled with symbols figuratively and visually). As for Emanuelle Seigner, she is one underrated talented beauty only known for her modeling and acting in Europe. I wanted to know more about her character; Was she one of Satan's dominions or Satan himself ? She was definitely not heavensent(only to the eyes)...

This movie gets 3 stars because it left me with more questions than answers; No closure whatsoever...and leaving the ending for personal or individual interpretation doesn't count Mr. Polanski

The Worst Movie I Ever Viewed
I made the mistake of seeing this in the theatre...DO NOT BUY THIS MOVIE! It is far and away the most disappointing movie experience of my like.

2 hours of my life I wont get back.
Your time and money would be better spent if you were to commmit these rescources to the study of your own ass!

not a FLOP by any means
I'm currently watching the TRIO channel's disgusting butchery of this film as apart of their "month of flops" promotion. The only FLOP I see is their editing of essential footage. They have condensed the movie to under 2 hours...and have subsequently made certain scenes appear as "stupid" (for lack of a better word).

This movie grew on me. I was not intially impressed, but after viewing it with friends and family, I have become a big fan of its haunting yet calming persona. The subject matter deals with Satanic idolatry, but the movie is in no way "goth". It's the kind of film you could watch with your children and not worry about them being scarred for life.

As far as comedy, Johnny Depp's bad luck with women is hilarious. His facial expressions (even while killing "the albino") are a hoot.

As for the ending, after many viewings I believe Depp went to hell where he was praised for being the human father of the anti-Christ. All along, the lady in the sneakers was Satan.

YES, THE END IS A GYP. OTHERWISE A HAUNTING THRILLER!
The absolutely creepy yet sublime direction of this Polanski endeavour makes it a worthwhile watch. Almost Kubrick-like, wide angle shots and lax-paced screenplay and all.

I was riveted. Riveted, that is, right until the somewhat confusing fire and cobblestone ending, which admittedly leaves you with very little to chew on and instead of appearing clever and ambiguous, as it perhaps wanted to, mostly comes off as complacent.

Yet, the point of a mystery noirish film is to keep you intrigued through out, and the movie manages to do that quite successfully. The sleuthing process is almost done in tandem with the audience, which is fun. Johnny Depp is immaculate in his potrayal of a detached book detective and all others contribute richly. The music is tacky in bits, but not too distracting.

Recommended rental for haunting cinematography of Portugal and France, and a fabulously captivating atmosphere in general. ... Read more

Description

One of the very first prison escape movies, Grand Illusion is hailed as one of the greatest films ever made. Jean Renoir's antiwar masterpiece stars Jean Gabin and Pierre Fresnay, as French soldiers held in a World War I German prison camp, and Erich von Stroheim as the unforgettable Captain von Rauffenstein. Following a smash theatrical re-release, Criterion is proud to present Grand Illusion in a new special edition, with a beautifully restored digital transfer. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

The strangely gentle vision of Jean Renoir
I was absolutely floored when I first saw this movie about a year ago, at the house of a friend. I adore old war films (think "The Great Escape," "Stalag 17," and "Bridge on the River Kwai"), and thought I had the genre just about memorized until I saw this. It is an intense film, a grand one, but ultimately gentle. It takes place during World War I, which, the director once said, was "almost a war of gentlmen." The Nazis were two decades from gaining power, the nations of Europe enjoyed relative prosperity, and the upper classes ruled over all. In this setting, the necessary brutality of such films as I've previously mentioned seems out of place. Indeed, in the first few scenes, a German pilot who has shot down two French fliers invites them for lunch with his officers (!). This kind of respect, this illusion that war abides by certain rules and expectations, seems anachronostic and dated at first, in a post-Vietnam, post-9/11 world. But there is such hope, such desire for a world where the classes between nations are united, that the movie never seems jingoistic or naïve, just optimistic.

The performances are exceptional; Jean Gabin, Erich von Stroheim, Pierre Fresnay--all seem to really live in their characters, not simply portray them. Von Stroheim, in particular, brings intense poignancy to the tragic figure of the German commandant von Rauffenstein, with his neck brace, stilted walk, and desperate yearning for companionship (which makes him turn to, of all people, his own enemy, Captain de Boeldieu, whom he shot down 18 months previous). Indeed, a lot of the film's message can be summed up in this character: his friendship with an enemy soldier, expressing Renoir's hope for a more peaceful, less divided world; his accoutrements of wealth and station, which hold him firmly in place, unable to change his views of the structure of the world, even as it shifts around him; and his belief in the eponymous "grand illusion" of the continued supremacy of the aristocrats over the working classes in a world scarred by war.

As a bit of a side note, this film, considering its age, is in startlingly pristine condition. The story of the film negative is told on the DVD, as part of the many supplements, so I won't bore you with it here. Suffice it to say that this version of this seminal film was lost for over 60 years before its discovery in the 1990s, resulting in its near-perfect condition today. The picture is as sharp as that of any contemporary film, crystal clear, and refreshingly free of dirt and tears that usually mar most older prints by virtue of constant use. This version is about the best you will find, as it has gone through a tedious, time-consuming restoration process that has given it this impressive sheen. My recommendation: Buy this DVD post haste.

Number 1 DVD transfer for the Number 1 movie !
Grand Illusion is sometimes considered as one of the greatest movies ever shot. It was Orson Welles' favorite. Even though many consider that "Rules of the Game" is more important and brillant. The two movies are very different, both incredible. Grand Illusion is easier to catch immediatly while Rules let you think endlessly. In regard of the DVD : BUY IT EYES CLOSED ! The picture is incredible, looks like it was shot yesterday because coming from the original re-found negative film. It has not even one small spot or crack. It is PURE. And it is the original 114 minutes version, not the well-known 105 minutes. The DVD is full of bonus, the best being the filmed introduction by Jean Renoir, and also the audio archive of Von Stroheim. I cannot express how much I love Renoir and this movie and I hope that Rules of the Game will come up in DVD soon in Zone 1 (it exists in France in Zone 2 with a beautiful master, but has no english subtitles). Then the world can contemplate this masterpiece again and again. Buy Grand Illusion and you'll never think of war and humanity the same way again.

So....you like war movies?
grand illusion is so well known that is almost not worthy to comment on it other than it is the best war/antiwar film of all time bar none, and is also very funny. it has been copied by the great escape, stalag 17, paths of glory, just to name a few. so if you haven' t seen this; it is essential. if you have, you know exactly what i am talking about.

"quite frankly, i find the theatre is much to deep for me....i prefer bicycling"

A timeless film
The bitter and wonderful dialogues about the decadence and the primary and secondaries effects about the war support the structure of this brilliant movie.
*The miseries of the war brought the richness in my brain*, this sentenece is pronounced by Stroheim to the men in the remarkable sequence at the dinner.
Jean Renoir made his masterpiece around the hope and the enjoy of living, despite the horrors of the war. The message is clear : you must to follow your bliss even in the worst circunstances : no matter how awful be the world that surrounds you. The great men are not prisoners of the fate : they follow his principles and the powerful will struggles the fate and so it becomes a consequence of their acts , the point is that they are just a few .
Andrei Tarkovski wrote once this wisdom statement:
*The art is possible in the world due its no perfection : if the world was perfect the art would have no sense*.
Thta powerful statement is the meaning force that feeds the behavior of these men . May be they are not conscious about the spirit of the statement of Tarkovsky , but they are doing precisely that.
The great illusion is a big slap in the face about the WW1 : but beware this is not an anti belic flim : it goes beyond this simple aspect : we should expect fifteen years after for Jeux Interdits , another supreme film of Rene Clement , which reflects with greatness the slap about the WW2.
This film is not only an extraordinary work. It's a thousand carats jewel.
So it's timeless movie.

A good movie great start for Criterion Collection
This movie shows a compassionate side to World War I This movie was made before WWII started so don't be surprised if the Germans seem a lot nicer. In it we have 2 men, a Catholic and a Jew escaping from a German POW camp during WWI. It is an excellent film and statred the popularity of prison escape movies.

One theme is the respect the German General had for his French counterpart in spite of the fact they were sworn enemies. It can also show that in war, that your enemies are people too.

The film is also viewed by some as a (failed) last cry to Germany (where it was banned) to avoid the destruction and senselessness of yet another war.

I am beginning to watch the Criterion Collection DVD's in order of the spine number and will review them when I have the chance. ... Read more

Description

In this carnivalesque portrait of provincial Italy during the Fascist period, Fellini satirizes his youth and turns daily life into a circus of rituals, sensations and emotions. Adolescent desires, male fantasies, and political repartee are set to Nina Rota's music in this beautiful transfer of Amarcord. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

The magic of Fellini
Fellini's theme of coming of age memoir works as a beautiful nostalgic piece. The film resonates from an earlier film of his 8 1/2 showing the director's flashes to his seaside hometown. I've watched this film several times and on every occassion find something new. Here's a tip to enjoy watching a foreign film - Do NOT watch the English dubbed version if there is any - so much is lost in the film. Fellini's films work with subtitles because they make you forget you're reading them at all and as always, Fellini pleases both eye and ear and subsequently the heart. The musical score by Nino Rota is something one looks forward to in every scene. His music perfectly sets the tempo of each image, and I mean each and every one. What a duo of artistic genius these two men are! Watching the film on its excellent Criterion-restored DVD version, one can only wonder what the cinema world would be without Fellini.

This work may be well Fellini's masterpiece
This collections of vignettes around his early youth, still remain as an outstanding triumph in the italian cinema.
The Fellini's style still influences in this age. Watch Ettore Scola (C'erovamo tanto amati) ,Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso and 1900)and Kusturica (Underground).
The irreverent moods created by this only surrealistic ambassador italian are a song to the freedom , a true 'ode to the joy' and a monumental rendition to the fertile imagination.
Amarcord in my view, is the peak of Fellini as dream maker, as story teller and above all as natural and organical sense of humor, in all of its possible and imaginable frequencies, since the virginal, poignant, irreverent, bitter and austere till the most no mercy satire.
Watch this unsurpassed film in its genre.
One of the glorious achievements not only of the cinema, but the art widely speaking.

and i thought my uncle was nuts
this is a great cast of characters that intertwine with one another to tell the story of boys growing up. great anti-facist satire, and visual comedy. perhaps the best coming-of-age film ever, amarcord gets a standing ovation at precisely the 100:00 minute mark (check it yourself) as every young mans dream comes true, in this case, 100 times over.

fantastic transfer that shames my old VHS copy. check it out

Fellini's greatest accomplishment
I can't believe how much I love this film. This is a film with splendid visuals: of course, there is the peacock in the snow, but how about the scene of Tio climbing the tree during his outing with the family, the motorcyclist racing through the walls of snow, or the fantasy marriage conducted by Mussolini. Fellini's imagination, and the visuals he produces to match these memories, makes this an unforgettable treat. He looks back fondly, perhaps too fondly, on the pre-World War II era in Italy. But we also see a memoir of a young man, coming of age during one highly eventful year of growing up.

Fellini's Other Deeply Personal Extraordinary Film
Like 8 1/2 before it, Amarcord marks an extremely personal film for Fellini. Like his relationship to Guido in 8 1/2, the character of Titta serves as an extension of Fellini on film. Whereas Guido served as an extension of Fellini's state of mind, Titta serves as an extension of Fellini's childhood memories.

Through the retelling of emotional stories that deal with Titta and his family, Amarcord (which translates into "I Remember") presents a cyclical collage of wondrous nostalgia for the Italy of Fellini's childhood. Starting in the spring and ending their one year later with the return of the yearly "puffballs", we are presented with and touched by the many experiences that Titta comes face to face with.

At the same time, the film is much more than a mere visual presentation of Fellini's own nostalgia, for it also questions the true validity of one's own memories. This questioning of memory by Fellini is made apparent in the manner in which single scenes can go from "reality" based to fantasy-like parody back to "reality" based in a manner of moments.

One of the more noteworthy examples of this technique is the scene in which El Duce visits the local town square. In the scene the serious yet joyous procession of El Duce eventually turns into a comedic/fantasy experience in which schoolchildren are shown happily carrying guns in the imagined wedding of two schoolchildren in front of a giant talking Mussolini head. Moments later the film cuts to nightfall, in which the local Fascists soldiers wreak havoc on the town and afterwards interrogate and beat Titta's father. Depending on Fellini's own presentation of the Italian Fascists, (and just as importantly, the view in Italy towards the Fascists at that time) very different interpretations can be read of them. In using such a juxtaposition, Fellini (in his echoing of Arnheim's formalist theory) is purposely trying to express the impossibility of remembering and re-presenting a true account of the past as a result of the individual nature of memory itself.

Another scene that blurs the real and the imagined is Titta's late-night encounter with a large busty Tobacconist (she is given no true name within the film) just as she has closed up her shop. The woman, who Titta has fantasized about at an earlier point in the film, playfully flirts with Titta, a flirtation that eventually ends in a moment of extreme foreplay between the two. But the inexperienced Titta is unable to please the tobacconist, and she soon forces him to stop. At this time she acts as if nothing has happened, she gives him his tobacco and shows him out the store. How much of this was real, and how much of this was imagined both within the film and with regard to Fellini's own experiences? As is the case with many of the other sequences in the film, the answer is left up to the viewer.

Amarcord is thus not so much about reconstructing mirror images of the past, but rather more about how we would like to, and thus do, remember the past through our own distorted points of view. Andrei Tarkovsky deals with very similar themes in his film Mirror, albeit in a manner that is much less entertaining than Amarcord, which was released shortly after Amarcord.

**** (10/10) ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

There was a time before Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago when David Lean made smaller, more effortlessly picturesque movies, and this splendid Venetian travelogue and love story is one of them--the last, actually, before the epic onslaught started with the Oscar-winning The Bridge on the River Kwai in 1957. "Sometimes I think a schedule in Venice is just, well, all wrong," observes a bewitched tourist to Katharine Hepburn's vacationing spinster near the beginning of Summertime, which is based on Arthur Laurents's play The Time of the Cuckoo. Before the end, however, Jane will have thrown her idealized romantic notions into the canals and embarked on a passionate affair with a married art dealer (Rossano Brazzi). More blissful than Lean's adulterous fable Brief Encounter 10 years prior, but not entirely guilt- or pain-free, this deceptively simple romance is an often-fascinating glimpse at a time when sexual revolution for Americans--and especially middle-aged women--was confined to fanciful European trysts. Plus, with all the architecture, art, Italian conversation, music, and fine cuisine around you (all richly photographed on location by Jack Hildyard), who's to pish-posh a furtive all-nighter between one repressive country and a free-loving one? The two leads are graceful and even musical in their movements and line deliveries. Hepburn's initial outrage at the idea that illicit love is part of her impossibly beautiful surroundings may at first seem outdated, but the Academy Award-winning actress is too good not to suggest as well the poignant, deep fear her character has of opening up emotionally to anybody. Ultimately, Summertime is the movie equivalent of a deep, satisfying sigh. --Robert Abele ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Venice, Katharine, Rossano, Romance; enough said!
I have watched this magical bittersweet movie at least 25 times. And it only gets better every time. Katharine Hepburn is just superb as the spinster who finally makes a much anticipated trip to Venice, Italy. 'Everything' about this delightful film creates the ultimate escape for the true romantic viewer. The scenery of Venice, filmed in 1955, is breathtaking. Katharine is at her very best and Rossano is perfect as the married Italian man she reluctantly but helplessly falls in love with. The symbolism expressed throughout the film is sweet, sad and haunting. The little boy she befriends is adorable, and the almost ever present theme song quickly becomes, "One of your favorites"... I cannot recommend this charming, captivating and heart-warming film enough!

take me to venice!
this criterion collection "sleeper" is a treasure! the film itself is a poignant love interlude for the independent but lonely jane hudson on her long-awaited trip to venice. hepburn gives a beautiful performance and is matched every step of the way by rossano brazzi as her love interest.a bitter-sweet tale of "be careful what you ask for" that doesn't sweeten the pill. the real winner(apart from you, if you purchase this disc!),is the stunning dvd transfer by criterion-simply one of the most beautiful of films and a showcase for the format venice has never looked as ravishing!a must have for any serious collection.

A thoughtful and colorful Hepburn film
Katharine Hepburn plays Jane Hudson, an unmarried woman vacationing alone in Venice. The city captivates her, though it's not long before her loneliness begins to take away her enjoyment of its sites. When she meets Renato, an Italian who owns an antique shop, she is nervous and thrilled by the near instantaneous attraction between them. Like the city itself, Renato holds out the promise of an unforgettable experience, even though he's a married man. Hepburn does a fine job as a spinster seeking a little bit of romance before she grows too old.

Summertime
My second all-time Katharinge Hepburn movies. I have seen it at least five times. It is the epitimy of romance movies. Miss Hepburn and Rosana Brazzi, with the masterful touch of David Lean, make Venice come alive on film. Watching it is the best 90-minute summer a movie lover can spend.

An really good movie for Criterion
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD release of the film.

This is a good movie filmed entirely on location in Venice, Italy. Just getting back from a trip to Italy a week before writing this review makes it more interesting. The film stars Katherine Hepburn in one of her most memorable roles. It is also filmed in Technicolor making it more interesting.

There is also a memorable scene where she backs up and falls into a canal while attempting to photograph a certain building. This scene was filmed in the same location of the exterior shots of the "library" in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. This building is actually a church. Chiesa di San Barnaba. Located south of the Grand Canal in Venice.

The DVD itself only has the theatrical trailer as a special feature but it still is a nice movie to watch and very well photographed. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Wow! (That's all I can say)
This film impressed me from begining to end. It is one of those few films about two women in love that doesn't drag in all the extra baggage that one usually sees (besides the unavoidable things caused by the time setting) It's simply about two women finding each other in a desperate and unsettling time. Jaguar is such a strong character and is portrayed beautifully by Maria Schrader who's performance was flawless. I think the film does a good job of building and conveying the strength of the relationship in the short time it has. The passion and intimacy of the love scenes is brilliant! What works beautifully is the concentration on their story but with an integration of several other issues brought on by World War II. It provides a much different perspective on the war than most people are used to. I recommend getting the DVD so you can see all the extras about the real Aimee and Jaguar. I fell in love with this film right away and have watched it many, many times now. It is one of my favorite movies ever and I can't emphasize enough how much I recommend it to everyone!

Maria Schrader nearly saves this movie
There is a remarkable performance contained within this unremarkable movie. It is given by Maria Schrader whose brilliant portrayal of the revolutionary Felice Schragenheim represents everything this movie lacks: nuance, depth, and earned emotional response. Her outstanding presence leaves one inspired at the capabilities of the human spirit and equally chilled at the human ability to crush it. The film on its own failed to convey what Schrader so effortlessly could. And sadly, Aimee and Jaguar falls into the category of yet another movie with homosexual themes that seems a little too enthralled by its subject matter, and, in turn, neglects to properly develop its movie into exciting cinema.

Aimee and Jaguar tells a lesbian love story between a Jewish resistance fighter and a Nazi housefrau during the Holocaust. This combination of ethnic, sexual, and historical intrigue compelled me to see it. I am not sorry I did. A better example of the artistry of filmic acting is seldom found. Really. I can think of only a handful of modern performances that have touched me as much: Dr. Haing S. Ngor in The Killing Fields and Nicolas Cage in Leaving Las Vegas being two. We can add Maria Schrader to this list of performers who not only tap into the brain but also the heart and soul of their characters, in turn, giving the audience a memorable, rewarding experience. Schrader captures the shrewd survivalism of Schragenheim's identity as a closeted Jew and lesbian, and also her vulnerability as a regular person caught in horrific circumstances. Schrader, neither Jewish nor a lesbian, handles the character with an empathy unparalleled.

The impact of her performance is nearly suffocated by the abundance of irritating supporting characters, tv-melodrama directing, and flash-forward sequences of the characters as senior citizens that are, to put it bluntly, cheesy. Schragenheim's lover, Lily Wust is irritatingly underdeveloped. Certainly the dynamic Felice Schragenheim would have chosen a partner who reflected her strong values and personality. Alas, this portrayal of Lily Wust (both erroneous in writing and performance) fails to convey any traits worthy of desire. Other than the obvious physical attraction and risk-taking inherent in the relationship, Schragenheim's attraction to Lily makes little sense, though Schrader does a remarkable job of compensating for this lapse in situational development by enacting her character's passion and love for Wust with true understanding. Due to the poor filmmaking, we are never truly exposed as to how this character wound up in the state of passion. It is a great tribute to Schrader that we don't wind up caring because her performance is that compelling.

I recommend Aimee and Jaguar on the basis that it features a wonderful performance, and does a beautiful tribute to a real woman who clearly had desirous qualities. Too bad then that it is trapped within a movie far beneath its level of brilliance.

Gorgeously Emotional!!!!
A story of forbidden love in WWII Nazi Germany, "Aimee & Jaguar" follows the lives of two very different women: Felice Schragenheim, a Jewish revolutionary sneaking through Germany under a false German name. Then there is Lilly Wust (pronounced 'Voost', in German) whose husband is a Nazi soldier fighting on the Eastern front, leaving her at home with four boys. Frau Wust's babysitter, Ilse, is one of Felice's many girlfriends and when Felice is introduced to Lilly, she falls madly in love. She writes Lilly love poems and signs them as Jaguar and soon, the two are forced to accept their feelings for one another amidst the hatred and odium.

A movie of raw power, "Aimee & Jaguar" is not a story just about love but also accepting it in times of need and fear. You may find yourself crying and i admit, i cried myself (i cry endlessly when seeing Felice's and Lilly's "mistake" when coming home from the picnic, i cry every time i see that part). The love scenes here are done tastefully (and quite romantically, may i add) and the words of wisdom are...amzing. especially when Felice is talking about "Now's" and Lilly talking about "50 years of one person"...Powerful!!

One Great Love
Felice (aka Jaguar) is a Jewish woman living in Berlin during WWII. In her underground life she is the dynamic center of a group of avant-garde lesbian women artists and eccentrics and a sinful seductress of fair-haired women. She is avant-garde in her tastes and in her always stylish appearance; with her dark eyes and perfect form she looks like she has walked out of a painting by Klimt or Schiele. She uses her charms on her female conquests and to assist the resistance in any way she can. As a secretary for a prominent Nazi newspaperman she has access to valuable information which she covertly passes on. Felice presents a convincing facade but beneath the elegant profile and pretty lipstick and dark eye-shadow is a woman who lives in fear . So it is shocking at first that Felice should be drawn to the very blonde and very Aryan and very bourgeoisie Lily Wust. And yet it makes perfect sense too. Because Lily is the perfect German Felice feels safe in her home and in her bed. These two are instantly drawn together from the first time they lay eyes on one another. Felice immediately goes about seducing Lily even though Lily is married and has four children and has never had a lesbian relationship. Reluctantly at first but then wholeheartedly Lily succumbs to Felice's advances. And once they take that first trembling step they both realize they are made for each other. Soon they are living as a couple in Lily's large apartment while her husband is away at the front. The bliss these two find together is something to behold; for the first time in their lives they feel a content they've never felt before. Felice's friends at first can't believe the avant-garde Felice has fallen for the bourgeoisie Lily but soon they all can see its the real thing and they all accept her. Eventually, however, the husband stumbles onto what is going on when he arrives unexpectedly one night and finds the women in bed together. Lily is utterly devoted to Felice and decides to leave her husband and for awhile things are perfect for Lily and Felice (Aimee and Jaguar are their pet names for each other)but one night when they come home from a perfect day of swimming in the country and tumble on the floor kissing each other in the dark of the apartment they hear a voice -- a Gestapo agent and his men -- tell them to enjoy that kiss for it will be their last. This is not a perfect film but it does a few things so well that you are willing to forgive it for its few minor faults. The most important thing in a film like this is the chemistry between the two leads and that we believe it when they say that they are in love and we do.

Lesbian splendor
Two aspects of Aimee and Jaguar can be seen in a negative light. The first is that it's subtitled, so it takes a bit of work. The other is that it's sad, so it's not meant for a giddy date.

That said, this portrayal of two women falling in love in Nazi Germany is gorgeous. The acting is spectacular, the costumes are exquisite, and the script is flawless. It's best suited to a somber or appreciative mood, but every lesbian (and arguably every person) should see Aimee and Jaguar.

The special features alone make this DVD worth buying. Extensive photo galleries and a mini-documentary provide more insight into the lives of the real Aimee and Jaguar. The quality of these extras is truly fitting for a movie of this calibre.

Bottom Line
Cuddles: ****
Tissues: *****
Hotness: ***
Laughes: *
Quality: ****
If you buy it, you'll get your money's worth the moment the menu comes on and you hear the music. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fans of the testudinate pace and art-house vibe of writer-director Sally Potter's other works (Orlando, The Tango Lesson) will likely enjoy The Man Who Cried. Fegele (Christina Ricci) is a Russian Jew separated from her father as a child. Raised as "Susie" by an English family, she makes her way to Paris, where although the city's multiculturalism is vibrant, the Nazis are already on the rise and the secret of her origin becomes increasingly dangerous. The cast of The Man Who Cried is excellent; Cate Blanchett, Johnny Depp, John Turturro, and Harry Dean Stanton all do fine jobs in what could have easily degenerated into an accentfest. Depp and Ricci do very well with minimal dialogue--both go through the entire movie almost without speaking. The film moves at a leisurely pace and is beautifully shot. Not a film to show to a roomful of action movie fans, but it's well suited to people who like their films a little more European in flavor. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (50)

Actors' Showcase
This is a great "acting" movie. The stars are great, but the rest of the movie was missing something--my interest.

I'm not saying it was bad. The acting was wonderful, masterful even. The cast consists of Christina Ricci, Johnny Depp, John Turturro, and Cate Blanchett, all doing work that is equivalent to their best. Ricci, especially, as the main character, gets to run the gamut of emotions and I couldn't take my eyes off her. Blanchett does a thick accent that is hard to understand sometimes, but her performance was as good as I've seen her give. And as for Depp and Turturro, well, they don't make wrong moves. Even if they are in bad films now and again, they can always be depended upon to give superb performances.

No, the cast was not the problem. It was the story. I just didn't care what was happening. I liked watching great actors practice their craft, and I cared about them, but I couldn't get involved in the story. I know there was some subplot involving a white horse, but I couldn't tell you the significance, except to make the Johnny Depp character look sensitive, but he does that anyway.

I would definitely recommend it for fans of the actors, but I couldn't recommend it as entertainment.

A visually beautiful film in the shadow of oppression...
A Russian-Jewish man travels alone to the United States in order start a better life for his family, which he intends to send for when he has raised enough money. However, the communist rule under Stalin separates the family which leads to the death of the mother and the escape of the daughter, Suzie (Christina Ricci). Suzie's escape brings her to England where she is adopted and forced to assimilate to the British traditions and culture that eradicates her of her own past. Years later when Suzie has reached adulthood she travels to Paris with hopes to raise money that can bring her to her father in the United States. In Paris she meets love, dreams, hope, and horror as she must face anti-Semitism brought to France by the Nazi's during World War II. Man Who Cried is visually stunning as it portrays the struggles of Suzie and those around her in a time of hostility. The visual elements are also enhanced by a terrific cast such as Christina Ricci, Johnny Depp, Cate Blanchett, John Turturro and many more. In the end, Potter ties together a meaningful cinematic experience that has both historical value as well as morals.

A beautiful artistic masterpiece of a film.
No, it's not a fast-paced story. It's slow, it is subtle, and you have to savor it to really enjoy it. Performances by everyone are perfectly wonderful. Turturo & Blanchett especially, Stanton included. Very well done. I loved it. If you reflect on the film after you see it, you realize how much LIFE this girl lived. Beautiful movie. Underappreciated.

\m/
I haven't seen this film either but I still give it 5 stars because it ... has Johnny in it.

The Holocaust goes Hollywood...literally!
From an impoverished Jewish settlement in Russie to the soundstages of Hollywood, this well intentioned but overwrought melodrama seems much longer than its nearly two hours.

In spite of the interesting, original premise, the story goes south with incessant lipsynching and an improbable melange of accents. Christina Ricci's tragic waif, "Susie," isn't a viable heroine in spite of excellent performances by the stars surrounding her. Blanchett, as usual, steals the show and captivates every moment of her screen time. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An excellent old war movie of the most terrible battle
A German war movie of the late fifties recreates the encirclement, agony and destruction of the German VI Army (and part of IV panzer army) in Stalingrad. Very well recreated battle scenarios inside the city and the surroundings of the "kessel". For all those interested in this horrendous battle, a "must see" film. Black and white, German.

A low budget movie & an expensive DVD!
Frank Wisbar weaved this tale on the Stalingrad campaign like a student of the Tolstoy school of thought with its strong emphasis on historical accuracies. Unfortunately, nearly every scene in this movie was melodrama over dramatic creativity.

All the basic facts regarding what had happened at Stalingrad is here; the Romanian(Rumanian as they were called then) division's sucumb to tank fright, the city in ruins, desparate street fights(not so desparate here), the encircling of the German Sixth Army and the 4th Panzer Army's(under General Hoth) failure to reinforced it, the Luftwaffe's inability to resupply 'der Kessel' and their insignificant crates of worthless goods, the Russian winter, the German soldiers' near-starvation diet and their attempt at AWOL by clinging on to JU-52 transport planes, Hitler's indifference to the Sixth Army's doomed fate, General Paulus' unswerving loyalty to the Fuehrer's directives, Paulus' promotion to Field-Marshal hinting of suicide rather than surrender, and the Field-Marshal's last act of defiance to Hitler's orders.

The acting was apathetic as characteristic in most '50s classics. So stiff were the actors' performances, don't even expect to learn the psychology of the German soldier here. But the set design was near perfect, if not a bit under-budgeted. The costume and makeup looked too flush on the depraved Germans, otherwise accurate. The military equipments remained faithful, except for the T-34/85(sans the T-34/76s from newsreel footage) that was featured prominently during the battle scenes. It hasn't been developed yet at the time of Stalingrad. But at least they didn't throw in a surplus Sherman tank in disguise with red paint seared over its white star.

The DVD itself is a dissappointment. It has no special features except for the chapter selections. There is also no dual language selection. And the English subtitle was permanently burnt into the feature. Occasional grain here and there has not been cleansed. Frankly speaking, it is like a cheap direct VHS to DVD transfer. The hefty price tag is simply not justified. This DVD is most certainly fit for yard sales. ... Read more

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Like compatriot Jackie Chan, martial arts champion Jet Li has long been revered in his native country and enjoys a cult following in the States among aficionados of Hong Kong cinema. After two decades, it took his villainous turn in Lethal Weapon 4 to put him on the Hollywood map, paving the way for the release of his earlier films. Fist of Legend is a 1994 production and a remake of The Chinese Connection (also known as Fists of Fury, which starred the greatest martial arts legend of them all, Bruce Lee). This film is set in 1937, when Shanghai was occupied by the Japanese and racial tensions were high. Li stars as Chen Zhen, who returns to Shanghai to avenge the death of his master, whom he learns was poisoned. His popularfreestyle fighting technique and Japanese girlfriend do not endear him to hisformer friend, now his master's successor at the martial arts school. IfJackie Chan is inspired by Buster Keaton, Li seems to be channeling SteveMcQueen. He speaks softly and carries a big kick. And like Steven Seagal,even when he is under siege by a horde of attackers, no one can lay a finger on this guy. The dialogue and dubbing are atrocious, but the fight sequences are incredible (they were choreographed by Yuen Woo-ping, who lent hisexpertise to The Matrix). Perhaps most memorable is a bout betweenChen and his girlfriend's uncle during which the combatants wear blindfolds. This is essential viewing for martial arts buffs and Li's growing legion of fans. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (243)

Bruce Lee's got nothin' on the Boss
Jet Li, affectionately called Boss Li in Hong Kong, stars in this remake of Bruce Lee's Chinese Connection (a.k.a. Fists of Fury in China). The difference is this one's better. You don't agree? I'll do my best to convert ya. Li stars as Chen Zhen, a student in 1930's Japanese occupied China. He returns home upon receiving news of his master's death, who was supposedly beaten by a Japanese master in a challenge. Li smells a rat and challenges the Japanese master in return, to find the master's fighting ability's terribly inadequate to have defeated his old master. Li has the body exhumed and tested for poison, and we find that the old master was indeed murdered after all. And Li wants revenge. This is a truly amazing flick. The fights, performed with minimal wire work as found in other period martial arts pieces, are a showcase for the stupifyingly amazing martial abilities of it's star, and standout moments include the opening fight between Li and a slew of Japanese fighters and the duel between Li and his japanese girlfriend's uncle, an older, wiser fighter who, before the duel, insists that older fellas need a minute or two to warm up. Unlike the Bruce Lee film the Japanese are not presented as monsters, and this film goes out of it's way to prove it, whereas the Lee film goes out of it's way to show how heinous they are. Jet Li is a true phenomenon, and to quote the Hong Kong movie oriented book,...'Nuff said.

You Won't Believe What You Are Watching
Fist of Legend is a true powerhouse of a Kung-Fu movie, where 2 minute dialog scenes only serve to bridge the most amazing martial arts fights you will ever watch. This movie is a remake of Bruce Lee's "Chinese Connection", which is appropriate, because Jet Li deservingly surpasses the Master in skill and talent with his performance in this movie. Forget dialog and acting, the fighting absolutely rules this movie, and the story is told thru the fighting, like any good action movie should do. I consider this film to be the Best Matrial Arts movie ever made.

Jet Li plays a star kung-fu student returning from afar to avenge his master's death. Along the way, he fights just about everyone he sees. While there are a couple of large-scale gang wars, most action scenes are 2 man duels. These duels advance the plot and develop the characters while they dish out the action, just like the kung-fu in the Matrix, or the lightduels in the Star Wars films. These fighters dig deep into themselves, get out old grudges they have with old friends, and learn about the mysterious ways of the universe as they watch it flow through their bodies. Everything is present in the punches and kicks of this film - power, grace, spiritual peace, comedy, raging emotion, revenge, personal courage. Wire-work is subtle and restrained, and takes a backseat to Li's amazing speed and precision. If you are reminded of The Matrix you have a sharp eye, because the same choreographer worked on this film, and it shows. Many of the little touches in the Matrix were lifted from this movie, in homage to its genius. One unbelievable moment has Jet Li fighting a Japanese master while both are blindfolded. The finale is a gruelly 40 minute duel between Li and an absolute evil bad-guy, two towering masters giving their absolute 100%. In the end, you are just as exhausted as the fighters are, but you certainly had more fun.

"Fist of Legend" is definitely a must-buy, as you'll get many, many viewings out of this film.

Essential To Any Kung Fu Fan.
I am already a huge fan of jet li, and this is the movie that started my whole fandom. This is my favorite kung fu movies without a doubt, the fighting scenes are terrific, the story line was in my opinion good although ive heard the talk about how this movie copies the bruce lee movie "fists of fury/chinese connection" and to me, that really didnt make the movie any less spectatular. i myself own many bruce lee and jet li movies, and personally i enjoy this movie over all of them, but thats just me.. definately a must buy for any kung fu fan. makes matrix look pathetic, and w/o all the flying either

Inspiring
This is my favorite Jet Li movie of all time. Jet put Bruce to shame with this remake of the 1970s classic. I really enjoyed the way he blended his traditional northern shaolin style with that of Bruce's Wing Chun inspired style.

The fight scenes were excellent, and of course the story was too.

there's no way i'm gonna rate this less than 5 stars, but...
ok, awesome kung fu film, required viewing for any even casual fan of the genre, jet li exhibits amazing speed and skill, little wire work, good costumes, great blindfolded fight, amazing final fight scene, good humor, easy to follow story, excellent fight coreography by the legendary yuen wo ping.

but.

let's face it. american distributors simply have to stop editing these foreign films, dubbing them into english, and assuming it won't make a difference. it makes a HUGE difference, and this is glaringly obvious through this DVD release of fist of legend. while the english dubbing in this film isn't as awful as it could have been, it still takes away immensely from the film. the mood is totally thrown off by the english dubbing, and it's almost hard to take the movie seriously as a result of this. do yourself a favor and hunt down the taiwanese uncut fist of legend DVD with the original language tracks and english subtitles! ... Read more

Reviews (182)

A Work Of Art
Carlo Cecchi's 1999 "The Red Violin" may not have won any Oscars but it is Oscar worthy material. On the whole, it was an underestimated film that year. It's truly a great film. The movie is rather long and very musical (after all its' a film about the voyage of a violin through different time periods and global locations) and this could be the reason why people were put off by the film. But even more likely it's because mainstream, youth-oriented MTV audiences don't care for art films. Many will be quick to label this movie art-house, eventhough Samuel L. Jackson is in it. The film follows the course of the life of a violin, from its creation in the 1600's Italian music scene- it's a Bussoti violin, close to perfection and monetal value as a Stradavarius. The violin's red color was made by blood, by the way, but you'll have to see the film to see why. The violin then undergoes a series of adventures as it is owned by different characters - from a Mozart-type child star in 1700's Vienna, to a Paganini-like violin virtuoso in the 19th century, traveling Gypsies and to the 20th century China where Communist/Cultural Revolutions are raging. Finally it ends up in an auction house.

The DVD contains the movie in great form, a soundtrack and trailers. The film is really more than anything musical. The violin is expressed in its every face- cheerful, vibrant, yearning, despair, drama, tragedy, sadness, romance, love, sensuality, lyricism and even spirituality. This film should get you into the violin. It certainly did as much for me. I recommend this film for any music lover or if you are taking music appreciation classes. Teachers ought to show this film to music classes. There is nothing R-rated about it. There is no violence and the only sex scenes comes with the Paganini violinist who cheats on his writer-girlfriend while she is traveling abroad and comes back to discover him en flagrance. But this is nothing to worry about and it's done melodramatically and even tastefully, like something out of a 19th century romantic novel. This film is a must have.

Sensuous, Sumptuous & Sonorous (plus DTS)!
"The Red Violin" is a fascinating and complex film which uses several plot devices to tell its story. Central to its emotional core is a beautiful original score by American composer John Corigliano which weaves a spell over all who encounter the violin. The DVD presentation offers DTS digital sound, a feature I had not before encountered on DVD. My receiver/amp lit up like a Christmas tree and my surround speakers took on an enchanted life of their own. The solo violin of Joshua Bell speaks for the violin throughout the film. I was very impressed with the sound and the video image was consistently clean and sharp throughout. There is an interesting look at the making of the film in special features, plus a partial cast listing that's a bit disappointing. No matter! The film story is what is important here. At the outset, the film takes us to Italy of the 1600s in the workshop of a violinmaker. The master of this shop has a young, pregnant wife and he shows her his finest violin...one he created for their unborn son. Troubled by strange feelings, the wife seeks out one of her servants who reads Tarot cards, and from this point on, the film's first plot device grabs the attention and never lets up. There are five cards. The first card is turned over and its meaning explained. We are then shown that the baby is dead at birth and the wife died shortly after. And you want to say, "Whoa!" The next plot device appears in modern-day Montreal where an auction of rare violins is in progress. Each time this scene appears throughout the movie, we see a different person in the audience and are treated to that person's connection to the prized item on which they wish to bid: The Red Violin. From there, the story unfolds in time...Austria in the 1700s, England in the late 1890s (a very, very sensual segment), China in the early 1920s and mid-1950s and finally back to Montreal. Back and forth the story moves, from auction to tarot reader (a new card interpretation with each visit) to story, along with the subplot of Samuel L. Jackson's master appraiser unraveling the mysteries of the red violin prior to the start of the auction. It's a fascinating, masterfully crafted film with wonderful performances and soaring music. "The Red Violin" entertains and stuns. This is a film crafted by filmmakers who not only love film but love music. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Don't analyze it, just watch it for what it is.
While I find this movie captivating to watch, and wonderfully done, the story does have a multitude of holes in it. The most glaring probably is how an instrument that spends most of it's life in such ordinary circumstance or in relative hiding becomes the sought after holy grail of a modern auction house. The instrument is really only in a position of high profile lime light once in the story that is documented in the film. The rest of the time it spends as a fairly generic piece being passed around to children in an orphanage, roaming the