Album Description

Import only NTSC/Region 1 DVD. Megan Follows, Tony Award-winner Colleen Dewhurst & Academy Award-nominee Richard Farnsworth give unparalleled performances in this critically-acclaimed motion picture, based on the international best-selling novel. Filmed amidst the spectacular scenery of Prince Edward Island, Canada, this Emmy Award-winning production follows the provocative life drama of orphan Anne Shirley (Follows), from her struggles as an adolescent to her triumphs as a young woman. A delicate epic full of wit, style & emotional power. Special features include behind-the-scenes clips, missing scenes, director's commentary, cast bios, previews, Megan Follows' audition. production stills & scene index. 1995. ... Read more

Reviews (231)

Excellent film!
This is a terrific adaptation of the classic L.M. Montgomery coming of age story. It centers on young Anne Shirley, a strong willed, independent orphan who is adopted by siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. They originally wanted to adopt a boy to help out at their farm, but instead received a surprise when Anne arrived at the train station. Anne's adventures growing up are both funny and heart-warming. This is a fantastic movie that will please youngsters and adults alike, as there is something here for everyone! Megan Follows is excellent as Anne Shirley, Colleen Dewhurst is wonderful as the stern but loving Marilla and Richard Farnsworth is great as gentle Matthew. The supporting cast also give splendid performances. Highly recommended!

Timeless memories of a Canadian childhood
I can still remember the excitement I felt when I first saw Anne of Green Gables almost fifteen years ago. It accurately and lovingly captures the thrills of childhood, of breathless anticipation, the joys of friendship, and the final moment when we must bid our childhood goodbye and take our place in the grownup world. The performances are flawless and capture the original flavour of each of the characters from the book. Megan Follows IS Anne Shirley, Shuyler Grant is a kindred Diana Barry, and Colleen Dewhurst is the stern Marilla Cuthbert who finds her heart unexpectedly embracing the joys of motherhood.

Everything about Anne of Green Gables is done with the utmost love and respect in regard to the original novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Anne is every child, with her eyes open to the world, her thirst for knowledge, her immediate trust, her quest for adventure, and most of all her imagination. Megan Follows captures the timeless appeal of the orphaned Anne with spirit, grace, and wit. Her humorous mishaps, personal struggles, and her newfound love for the Cuthberts as well as her love for Avonlea make her an enduring heroine throughout the ages. Who knows? After seeing this film you may discover that you are a kindred spirit as well!

its a classic!!!
What can i say, I LOVE this movie. I grew up watching this one and Anne of Avonlea(now the sequel) I also read the books when i was young. I still enjoy watching them as an adult. I just wish i had a daughter to watch it with and enjoy with me. (we have two wonderful boys and most likely wont have any more) The characters fit the roles perfectly and are excellent. You just fall in love with them all.

DVD QUALITY GREAT ! I can see the print of the wallpaper
After watching this often on vhs I bought a DVD and I noticed the difference right away! You can see the print of fabrics, wallpaper, and details of everything much better. This is a wonderful story and the music is beautiful. All the actors are excellent. Great movie for little girls with red hair! Its not easy growing up with red hair. I love the way Anne is portrayed in this movie. There is a black and white version made in the 1930's and its okay. This movie also shows a girl taking her education seriously. The only thing I didn't like was that Gilbert is a little too much the lovesick fool. I think most guys would have given up on her, she was very mean to him.

A Favorite For Any Generation
This series has always been in my heart and always will be. I can always see myself in Anne Shirley, just as I'm sure every other young girl will. Kevin Sullivan did a beautiful job of bringing to life the works of Lucy M. Montgomery's series of Anne of Green Gables. I loved this movie the first time I saw it on television on PBS and I was thrilled to finally find it on DVD. Anne Shirley is a young orphan girl with a huge imagination, daydreams, and a huge talker. She's transferred from home to home and then back to the orphanage until she is finally picked to live in a town called Avonlea. She lives with a family Marilla & Mathew Cuthbert (played by: Colleen Dewhurst & Richard Farnsworth). After worrying she wouldn't be adopted because she's not a boy she warms their hearts and starts a new life with them. And she then soon meets her bosom friend Diana Barry (Schuyler Grant) and of course Gilbert Blythe (Jonathan Crombie). We follow the lives of these characters that Anne meets along the way. This series is for any young girl or for any girl at any age to enjoy and the entire family. The fun part is you can also see parts of the cast that end up being in Kevin Sullivan's production of Road to Avonlea. But this series is wonderful, charming, and full of adventures. The supporting cast is quite amazing as well they include: Rachel Lynde (Patricia Hamilton), Miss Stacy (Marilyn Lightstone), & Aunt Josephine (Charmion King) just to name a few of my favorites. This movie is also about life and the human heart that we see through Anne's eye's. The DVD is full of tons of great stuff such as Megan Follow's audition, a small behind the scene's moments, missing scene's, & tons more. So I do highly recommend this film for everyone. ... Read more

Description

Caligula may very well be the most controversial film in history. Only one movie dares to show the perversion behind Imperial Rome, and that movie is "Caligula," the epic story of Rome's mad emperor. All the details of his cruel, bizarre reign are revealed right here: his unholy sexual passion for his sister, his marriage to Rome's most infamous prostitute, his fiendishly inventive means of disposing of those who would oppose him, and more. The combined talents of cinematic giants Malcolm McDowell, Peter O'Toole, John Gielgud and Shakespearean actress Helen Mirren, along with an acclaimed international cast and a bevy of beautiful Penthouse Pets, make this unique historical drama a masterwork of the screen. Not for the squeamish, not for the prudish, "Caligula" will shock and arouse you as it reveals the deviance and decadence beneath the surface of the grandeur that once was Rome. ... Read more

Reviews (165)

Porno or poor movie, absolutely unique among movies
This movie is a masterpiece in that it accomplishes what it set out to do: to depict decadent, pagan Rome circa 37 AD. I cringed throughout the FIRST VIEWING, unsure what to expect, fearing revulsion in each scene. The SECOND VIEWING was better, I knew what to expect: a simple plot about unchecked power with gratuitous violence and sex. Guccione may have overstated the sex and violence but that is what you get from pagan cultures. The THIRD VIEWING reveals the movie as art: as pornographic and dangerous as ancient Rome at its worst with interesting props and sets. Maybe Guccione wanted to contrast sexual cultures of ancient Rome with his magazine culture of today: to prove that he himself and/or current exploitation of women isn't so bad after all--only sexually explicit. Generally, sex of any kind still has a bad reputation. This movie only needs be a reasonably accurate historical account (ostensibly derived from museum artifacts commonly found around the world) to maintain historical relevance. Many will hate this sort of reality, but not every movie has to "sublimate" reality according to family movie standards to please puritanical hypocrites. Face it: only a world as lost as Caligula's could crucify Christ. (Notice how persecution against the spiritually pure was greatest then?) Yes (?) Nevertheless, this movie entertains by being so over-the-top that exquisite sound and editing are not necessary. Again, this was the real Rome. Finally, if you are an adult who desires full knowledge of the depth of human depravity, then Vidal, Guccione, et al. should be praised for accomplishing such an important (by virtue of its controversy) historical film. I recommend this film to everyone to either love or hate. I love it!

A graphic depiction of a decadent time and a ruler gone mad
Caligula is a non-stop parade of perversions, gore, and stunning sets. Mix all that with a decent job of acting from some brilliant actors and you find that while you may be repulsed by some of what you see, you'll also want to see it again.

The movie graphically depicts of the rise and fall of Caligula (Malcolm McDowell), one of the most notorious of all Roman emperors. It's rather straight forward in it's portrayal of the man and his exploits. Throughout the movie you definitely get a feel for how demented Caligula became and in the end you are almost relieved when his life is ended. The major draw back to the story line is that they never really develop any of the other characters and it leaves them as shallow figures.

Keep in mind that this movie was brought to us by Penthouse so to say that there is a fair amount of nudity and sex is an understatement. There are also some rather gruesome scenes as well. I've read many reviewers use these points to put the movie down, but what they fail to realize is that Rome did have it's dark days of mass perversion. Yes, the movie did go over the top a bit, but it's not too far off from the decadence of the time. If you keep this in mind you will love the movie.

As for the DVD itself. The sound quality is much better the the original VHS version, but still leaves a bit to be desired. The picture is a bit grainy and that does tend to draw away from the breathtaking sets. I recommend the unrated version for the sole fact that the R-rated version cuts out a large chunk of the movie. It also has a nice documentary on the making of the film.

Whoops! Caligula isn't anything like Gladiator
Let me share a true story.

Ridley Scott's Gladiator is probably one of the best movies I have ever seen. You know, the film with Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, etc. Totally jazzed after seeing the epic Gladiator in the theater, my girlfriend and I rushed over to the local video store in search of another Roman-era flick.

In the New Release section was ... Caligula. (It had just come out on DVD.) We had never heard of it before. But starring Malcolm McDowell! and Helen Mirren! and Peter O'Toole!, we were certain we had found a winner.

Boy, were we surprised! Caligula turned out to be a banal porno movie albeit a lavish one (a lot of money must have been spent on this production). Beyond the overwhelming flesh and violence, the plot was simply ridiculous! My girlfriend fell asleep in 20 minutes, but I watched the whole thing (hey, it was too outrageous to stop).

Thank goodness it wasn't our first (or last) date!

I need a shower
What a horrid, disgusting little movie "Caligula" is. If anyone knows much about history, then thay know that Caligula was an insane Roman Emperor who had most inappropriate relationship with a lot of women (including a prostitute and his sister), played sick games with gladiators and political opponents, and was too self absorbed for the Imperial Senate to let rule. That story would be very interesting to tell, and to film. But this is not that movie. I guess I should have known better than to go watch a Bob Guccione movie (for those of you who are unaware of who Mr. Guccione is, he is editor in cheif of "Penthouse" magazine). But I like Malcolm McDowell, and it was about one of my favorite historical periods, so I took the chance. The plot of the movie is as I had stated above. We are introduced to Caligula while he is commiting the moral crime of incest. He is then summoned by the current Roman Emperor (played by Peter O'Toole), and sees (and approves of) the perversions and corruption of the current throan. After O'Toole's death, Caligula is appointed Emperor, and then brings the Empire through the most depraved and perverted era of human existance. The violence in the movie is done with such a combination of malice and nonchalance that it was hard to take, even for me. The many (many) sex scenes are handled much the same way, with all the sensitivity that an ape would have. "Caligula" has to be the most unpleasent movie I have ever set through and watched. There was absolutly no redeeming value to this move what so ever. The spirit of the movie is so mean that it is almost like the directors (well Guccione anyway) is daring you to like it. I have a feeling it will appeal to only the most hardcore members of the S&M lifestyle. I usually don't have a problem with some sex and violence in a movie for gratuitous sake only (look at my reveiws for the "Friday the 13th" movies); but this was too over the top, completly and pointlessly sleezy. I just couldn't stomach it. The cast is an odd assortment. Like I said, Peter O'Toole is present, which really sort of shocked me; I would have thought he would have been above such junk as this. Malcolm McDowell I can imagine in a movie like this; his Caligula is like Alex from "A Clockwork Orange" if Alex had remained unchecked. Helen Mirren looked totally lost here, and indeed she probably was. And the rest of the cast was filled out by "Penthouse" centerfolds who are subject to humiliations innumerable. I would like to see a movie that takes the material about Ancient Rome and the Emporer Caligula seriously. But not this piece of junk; not by a long shot.

One of the best movies ever produced
I first saw this movie when it came out in the movie theatre. I have been waitng since then to purchase the movie. I almost bought it on VHS about 10 years ago but wasn't prepared to pay $80 then. This is a must see. It has one of the best story lines of any movie in recent history. Oh the sex scenes aren't too bad either. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This sweeping miniseries from 1986 captures the rise and fall of an African emperor. Shaka Zulu begins following a British expedition sent to bargain with the fearsome Zulu army assembling on the outer edges of the British colonies in South Africa. Led by Lt. Francis Farewell (The Day of the Jackal, A Bridge Too Far), the expedition hopes to bamboozle a superstitious primitive, but their arrogance gets taken down a notch by a cunning and ruthless warlord who has unified vast territories through a combination of political charisma and military discipline. At this point, the focus shifts to how Shaka (the riveting Henry Cele), king of the Zulus, rose from a brutal childhood to royal grandeur--a semi-mythological tale filled with family strife, political intrigue, witchcraft, and bloody warfare. Powerful performances by Cele and Dudu Mikhize (as Shaka's iron-willed mother, Nandi) give this sprawling epic the drive and emotional scope of a Shakespearean drama. Shaka Zulu also draws sneaky parallels between the Zulu and British empires, often to sharp satirical effect. Full of richly conceived characters and compelling political maneuvering, this eight-hour series brings faraway history to living, breathing life. Also featuring Christopher Lee (whose always-steady career exploded at age 79 with juicy roles in The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars: Episode II, Attack of the Clones). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Amazing
This is a Brave heart movie wayyyyy ahead of time, great plot, landscapes, action, and is a real history that is a "wanna see movie"

S P E C T A C U L A R !!!!!!!!
AN "EXTRAORDINARY" FILM IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE WORD ! A 4 DVD SET UNLIKE NOTHING I EVER SEEN BEFORE, IT'S WORTH EVERY PENNY. GET THIS MOVIE WHILE IT CAN STILL BE FOUND.

Something to remember.
I saw this mini series when I was 13 - ten years ago. Even then it had a major impact on me. I've been trying to find it at rental stores for the last five years, but unfortunately, I'd been living in a small town and the movie rental stores were less than impressive in regards to selection. Only recently did I find out that Amazon sells movies as well as books (and lots of other merchandise) and so I immediately searched for it.

And Voila! I found it.

I can't in good conscience put five stars here, since I haven't actually seen the DVD version - but I KNOW that the mini series merited at least four stars. I highly recommend this set to anyone interested in history, Africa, or even just an excellent epic story of adventure, adversity, and triumph over the life-sucking blood-spattered desert sands.

I honestly don't think cutting 3 hours of film out of this does the film creator's vision justice. I suggest you at least rent the mini-series, even if you decide to buy the 5-hour version.

Turning The Tides of Warfare
Empires rise for the sole purpose of cresting in the valleys of time, destined to always find a stumbling block and fall into the sea. From those that never see the setting of the sun to those rapidly built on the dreams and conquests of one man, this is the legacy of anything that rises to power. So has it been with many, and so it was with the birth of the Zulu nation and their prophetically foretold figurehead, Shaka, as they moved forward and conquered all.

The validity of this tale, well, that would remain something of a speculative tale since there are so many elements of witchcraft and prediction riddling it. Here, things that might have been mentioned briefly are accented to play out the 220 minutes of production, birthing a legacy of darkness and shadows. Still, as far as a tale adapted for television goes, it was brilliant and enjoyable to watch. Many of the elements that led to the myths of this man and the growth of his empire are included herein, from tales of a son that would one day slay his father and propel his people into power to those that spoke of how he would succumb. It covers the boy himself, his relationship with his mother and how they were outcast, and it shows him grow into something that was propelled only by the need for vengeance. Here, turns that could have prevented this from happening are showcased and the markers making him are defined, helping one understand his accent from nothing to a soldier to a feared ruler.
And it also introduces many people that know nothing of history to a name they should all know; that of Shaka Zulu.

Presented alongside this is the European side of the coin and what Shaka Zulu meant to it. It shows the overestimation of how expansionism into areas fueled by "savages" were, and how the cultures of those neighbors shared were actually more than the occupiers bargained for.
Seeing the Zulus as nothing more than barbarians, the British Cape Town establishes itself and survives with little to know interruptions. Then, out of the blue, the Zulus begin taking over everything. Tribesmen could be found running to the hands of the slavers, trying to avoid Zulu spears.
And that makes the British apprehensive.
Then it one day finds itself looking at a situation of enormous proportions, the Zulu close at hand and the white men knowing nothing about them. Added to this was the fact that the garrisons therein weren't equipped to deal with a force of that size, the journey for reinforcement is a four-month journey by sea, and they could find themselves overrun by then. So, an alternative solution is rendered, sending a crew of men out to negotiate and to showcase fear in order to provide a solution.
And thus begins a tale of gunpowder and magic, of chess and tactics, with groups of men from different worlds playing mental games of chess.

In the rendering of this tale I personally liked how both sides were shown as players trying to outmaneuver the other. More impressive than that, however, was the fact that Shaka Zulu was portrayed as a powerfully intellectual leader and not as an insignificant threat. Instead of falsely delivering a savage into our midst, the viewer is shown a world outside of the world that the Europeans knew, introduced to its continental customs the people that conquered it with shields and spears. Within those showings, the game of cat and mouse is played and the outcomes, they have more to do with internal afflictions than anything delivered by the white man.
It also covers the effects Shaka had on the way wars were fought, on the way people were encouraged, and on the impressive way that one man's mind functioned.
And then there's all the lovely impalings that begin to fall like rain, too.

Shaka Zulu an Exceptional Production
Shaka Zulu was by any standard an exceptional production. The cinematography, script, actors and setting were all superb. Henry Cele was extraordinary as Shaka and I can't imagine that there is an actor anywhere in the world who could have portrayed him any better.

The native settings and attire added greatly to the production.

The characters and performances were all top notch and the relationship between Edward Fox (as Farewell) and Henry Cele (as Shaka) was portrayed beautifully and powerfully. Drama at its very best.

This production is without doubt as good as anything I've ever seen on television or in the movies.

The DVD would have been greatly enhanced if post production interviews could have included Henry Cele. He was truly the star of this series, and that's saying a great deal given the quality of all of the other performances. ... Read more

Description

An epic in the spirit of THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, this widely acclaimed motion picture is a meticulous recreation of the turbulent era of Jesus and the events that changed the course of history! Narrated by Golden Globe nominee Christopher Plummer (Best Supporting Actor, AMERICAN TRAGEDY, 2000), it’s the bold and powerful story of Jesus as told by his disciple John. The best-loved but least understood of the gospels, John presents a uniquely human portrait of courage and passion encompassing Jesus' entire three-year ministry, the final years of his life. Intimate and reflective, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience the incomparable life and times of Jesus Christ. ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Very Graceful Storytelling.
I have watched both the 3 hour version and the 2 hour version and have found both to be very accurate in their presentation of the Gospel of John.I think the film will along with the free 'Jesus' film being distributed by Billy Graham are good tools in presenting the message of the Gospel.My middle son who has dyslexia and finds it hard to read his bible without help especially likes it.

Since it is an almost direct word for word presentation of the Gospel of John it does suffer somewhat in entertainment value but the original source was written to inform not entertain.

It is definitely a more graceful telling of the Gospel than 'The Passion of the Christ', and is probably a better medium for reaching unbelievers.

The only quibble I have with the presentation is that Mary Magdelene seems to appear everywhere.She is in the upper room, she is at Gethsemane, places where it is not mentioned she actually was.It is as if she is the 13th disciple.It is almost as if they are trying to play to the Davinchi Code mania.

Visual John...
So much positive feedback has been given about this film that to say anything remotely negative about it seems like the highest form of blasphemy. But what the film's supporters fail to grasp is that we curmudgeons are not attacking the content nor the message, but instead, its delivery.John's gospel is as intricate as it is explosive in its spiritual implications and this film conveys neither its richness nor its power.'The Gospel of John' falls far short in its attempt to recreate this supremely complex evangel.Phillip Saville simply wasn't equal to his task.

I approached this film with trepidation and great expectation. At last, John's power put onto film.Needless to say, I was greatly disappointed with what opened before my eyes.So much so that my interest waned and I pressed 'stop' at John 18.Therefore, my review isn't completely fair, but in its defense, I doubt Saville's depiction of the Passion and Resurrection would have proved any more powerful than the first half of the film.

Other reviewers have done a much better job of illuminating this film's many faults, so I wouldn't like to repeat them.Instead, I would like to examine 'why' this daring project doesn't succeed.The main problem is its over-riding tone.From the opening scene of the evening sun floating down over the water and Christopher Plummer enlightening us with the 'Word became flesh,' I felt I was back again in Sunday school. The film wants to instruct rather than show and thus fails at both.Its greatest drawback dogs it the whole way through: a lifeless literalism.OK, be true to the text. Include every and, but and thus, but at least make it come alive!Visceral energy and power are absent from this film.Although John is the 'most spiritual' of the Gospels, that doesn't mean it is in any way two-dimensional.Rather, there is layer upon layer...but we only get the bare surface withSaville's 'The Gospel of John.'

The source of such flaccidity is the amateurism that pervades in scene after scene. With their undisguised Brit accents and wooden presentation, the Baptist and followers ruin things from the start. They are hardly believable and the film cheats with the 'inserted' baptismal scene, another homage to the certain 'interpretation' that the film seeks (under-the-cuff) to present.And ironically, such creative allowance is none too 'literal' as John is oddly silent about Jesus's baptism.

With the Baptist's cry of 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,' Henry Ian Cusick's Yeshua comes before us.As one reviewer stated correctly, Cusick does the best he can and helps to save the film from complete mediocrity.According to John's Gospel, Jesus is God incarnate who visits us sinful humans to fulfil His redemptive mission.To play God incarnate?Is that possible?Cusick should have declined and Saville should have been thinking. Unable to give us neither the Son of Man nor the Son of God, Cusick falls into a bland no-man's-land.He gives neither passion, nor power--human or divine--and instead shouts and smiles his way through the Gospel. He states his part, but has he come to terms with it?I doubt it.Instead, what Cusick does manage to capture sometimes is the impenetrable authority of the Rabbi from Nazareth.The scenes when Jesus returns to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles provide a glimmer of what this film could have been.Jesus's stern corrections of the Pharisees contain a fragment of the righteous anger that is found in the text.(And yes, anger is there!)These spiritual sparring matches hold the viewer until a grinning Cusick lets out a mundane, 'You belong to your father the devil!'

Outside of Cusick's performance, nothing can hold its own.Only the integrity of the text remains, but the lack of power in its presentation seems almost blasphemous.The miracles are all there:Cana, feeding the 5,000, walking on the water and Lazarus, but all shown so shoddily that they lose their 'unbelievability.' Isn't that the point of a miracle????How can you believe that the water indeed became wine when it is served up in plastic cups????How can we believe when Cusick walks across the waves with the left over background from the Ten Commandments??? And the Samaritan woman?Her forced facial contortions invoke more laughter and revulsionthan sincere consideration of Jesus's words.

If this film had been truthfully marketed for what it is--an evangelical tool--then, I wouldn't have felt so cheated.I would have known what to expect.And had it been done more professionally--with true craftsmanship and respect, dare I say, awe, for its source material, then its message would have hit harder.Gibson's 'Passion,' with all its faults, succeeds in forcing the viewer to react, to confront, to decide.'The Gospel of John' provokes more blasphemous laughter than meaningful tears or serious self-inspection. For those who want the real kingdom, power and glory, then READ The Gospel of John rather than watch it.

Inspirational and illuminating
This movie is cast and acted and directed with great sensitivity and veracity. It brings the familiar words of The Gospel of John to life in an entirely convincing way. It is both inspirational and educational. Every member of the cast is believable in his or her role. This is the best Biblical movie I have ever seen, not detracting from its source but illuminating it. Outstanding!!!

Excellent
If you've seen The Gospel of Matthew (TGM), know that this movie is as excellent as TGM is horrible; thus it's excellent indeed. I watched it soon after seeing The Passion of the Christ, and it's even superior to that. The Gospel of John excels on every level, particularly with the performances of those who play Jesus and John the Baptist. It's not simply great "entertainment" as the AP says in its review. The Gospel of John DVD has transformative power. I recommend that you read John's gospel first, then watch the film; you'll see how exact this word-for-word rendition is. I can't recommend it more highly.

Powerful & riveting film!
What a wonderful movie made about Jesus. This is an extremely powerful and riveting film. It is a word-for-word adaptation of the 21 chapters of the Gospel According to John. Christopher Plummer narrates parts of the film. Henry Ian Cusick is the most realistic Jesus I have seen portrayed on film. My other favorite Jesus performance is by Robert Powell in "Jesus of Nazareth" - a mini-series that first appeared on TV in 1977 and is 382 minutes long. That is also an excellent movie and worth buying on DVD.

The directing, acting and musical score are done extremely well. This is an inspirational movie with a positive message and I highly recommend it to everyone.

I recently bought the 2-disc DVD set of "The Gospel of John". My only complaint about this new 2-disc DVD set is that they got rid of the 3-disc DVD set and replaced it with the 2-disc set. So far, the only difference between the two sets that I can see are that this new 2-disc set dropped the DTS audio track but kept the Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Also, this new 2-disc set includes a new 2-hour version of the film plus the original 3-hour theatrical version. I have no idea why someone would want to only watch a cut up version of a "word-for-word" movie version of "The Gospel of John".I'm assuming that because they included this chopped up version of the film, they dropped the DTS audio track to make room for this other version of the film. I tried to buy the 3-disc set version of this film but I waited too long. I cannot find it (brand new) even on the film's website. But I'm still glad I bought this 2-disc set - It's a lot less expensive than the 3-disc set was. I haven't finished watching everything on it yet so I hope it has all the extras that the original 3-disc set had. It seems to have most of the extras except the DTS soundtrack.

This movie is HIGHLY recommended for anybody and everybody but especially those who prefer to SEE and HEAR the Gospel of John in a "visual" way in addition to reading and studying the Bible. It's a treasure to keep forever. I think the Gospel of Mark is coming soon to theaters made by the same people that did this movie.I hope they do as good of a job with that movie as they did with this one.My rating: A+ ... Read more

Amazon.com

When 12-year-old Renato, riding through his small Italian town on his new bicycle, sees the voluptuous Malèna, little does he know he's launching on an infatuation that will carry him through the tumultuous days of World War II. Malèna begins as an enraptured depiction of Renato's adolescent mind--the way he stares, hypnotized, at Malèna's garters pressing through the material of her tight skirt, or his frustrated rebellion against the indignity of wearing short pants--but soon transforms into a portrait of small-town prejudice. Malèna's looks spark lust and envy in the townspeople; when her husband dies in combat, the gossip only intensifies, to the point that Malèna is dragged into court to defend herself against accusations of adultery. When the women of the town refuse to sell her edible food at the market, Malèna has little choice but to become what she's been unjustly accused of being. At the end, a twist of fate turns this tale of longing and jealousy into a heartbreaking love story. Monica Bellucci exudes the can't-help-it eroticism that makes Malèna such a lightning rod for everyone's desires; she's like a more zaftig Isabelle Adjani. The movie seems to wander at times, but the ending has a powerful emotional impact. From the director of Cinema Paradiso. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (79)

One of the best!
Malena is truly a great film. It works on so many levels. I have a relative who doesn't usually like foreign films but had to admit this is a great one. Its funny, its sad and it has a message. The story of the beautiful Malena is one that is heart-breaking. Malena is a beautiful woman whose husband is fighting in World War II and is left alone in this town. She is subjected to constant rumours and harassment by the men and women in their village.

Renato is the young boy obsessed with her. He is also the only person who knows the truth about her and knows she doesn't do the things people say she does. Malena wasn't dating everyone, she was sewing for people into the night, carrying her husband's picture and dancing to their favorite music. The sad thing is that Malena has to become what everyone had labeled her once word got back that her husband was killed. Women refused to sell her food and she had to sleep with men to survive. There is a scene towards the end that really upset me. This movie shows how rotten both the men and the women were to her. Malena shows how dangerous lies and assumptions are to a person's standing in their community and their own self-respect.

Malena is a very funny movie at times. There are scenes with Renato that made me laugh out loud. However, its a film that goes deeper than many out there. I would have to say this has become one of my all-time favorites. A beautiful, thought-provoking film.

A Beautiful Film
This lovely and heart-wrenching movie was made even more special by the fact that the two main characters barely speak (well, one of them IS the narrator). I had never heard of the beautiful actress Monica Belluci (Malena) but now look forward to seeing her perform again. She was exquisite and spoke volumes with just her facial expressions.

Giuseppe Sulfaro played Renato, a young boy feeling the first stirring of his sexual awakening who falls in love/lust with the beautiful Malena. His acting was very touching, especially when he goes to the church and lights a candle every day to try to ensure that Malena will come to no harm.

This coming of age film about love, jealousy, ostracism, and hate during four tumultuous years of World War II was filmed on the coast of Sicily - and what beautiful cinematography it was. The score was also magnificent, befitting the gorgeous setting.

ETMR - Malena
1. Humanity: The boy Renato, we learn, is a free spirit. He expresses, out of all the characters in the film, the willingness to step outside his natural, cultural boundaries and grow past his traditional philosophy. This film is not only about the life of Malena, but also about Renato's growth into an adult. What events force Renato to grow into this new kind of thinking?

2. Implications: The film shows the evolution of Europe, and the break from traditional values, not only through Renato but through the insanity of the war. In what ways does the movie show a critical eye to the old world?

3. Evolution: In what ways is the movie distinctly European, and yet more in detail, distinctly Italian? Do you think the film is trying to make a general statement on the madness of war, or is it trying to make a visceral attack on the rigidity of Italian traditionalism?

4. Realism: The story premise is interesting: imagine if you had a guardian angel in the form of a young boy, but you never knew he existed... do you think the set-up of the story was meant to describe an actual sequence of events with the boy, or is the movie playing a more important role with symbolism?

5. Stageplay: The script provides for a seedier look at the foundations of Fascist Italy. Do you think what was included was sufficient, do you think it was lacking in raw material, or do you think it contained too much teenage sensuality?

Lopsided film that doesn't have much life
This is a story of an Italian boy who grows a adolescent infatuation with a married woman who is so beautiful that she is horribly gossiped about. Here are the reasons this is a bad film. 1)The film often drifts into the fantasies of the main character(all of them are about Malena). At one point, this is so prevalent you wonder sometimes what's real and not. You also start to wonder why the filmaker did this and I have no real answer except that he couldn't come up with anything else. These dream sequences pull the film away from a grounding reality that the film fails to establish. 2)The title character is almost non-existant as a real character. We see her in real life and in fantasy, but she hardly says anything, or reveals anything about her inner character. This makes her a hollow basis for the film because she is in fact hollow and the character who is infatuated is vacuous as well. 3) The combination of these characteristics makes this film get to its conclusion heavyhandedly and it never feels real even if the results at the time were close to what we see. Dramatically, it's just dumb and vacuous. You wish it were more because you feel that Malena would have something interesting to say, but the filmaker chose not to. These things only approach my biggest gripes with the film. The gossip sequences, which are many, seem flippant and careless, and not the razor-sharped judgement that they would have to be in order to be a real factor in her life, which they are in the film. Sloppy, just sloppy storytelling. How the film ends is also very telling of just how bad this film truly is. He speaks about how he's loved many women, but the one he remembers best is Malena, the ideal that never came to grips with. An ending like this would be good if the film developed a relationship beyond what is in this film. This would be compelling if the protagonist was someone with more of a vocal perspective rather than a visual one. As is, it would have been far more effective to use yet another fantasy to illustrate her historic importance to him, but by then I'm sure that the film would seem incredibly redundant because of the rest of it. If this film had established the strong importance of the difference between fantasy and reality and how the protagonist felt about that it would be better. The film doesn't take this road, however, by putting in the scenes of harsh realism which aren't earned from the deadpan, flippant tone of the rest of the film.

La Bella Bellucci
Titillating, tantalizing, and tragic are just a few adjectives that come to mind...It takes no genius to realize Monica Bellucci is one of the most drop dead gorgeous international beauties of the current cinema. She is the Italian version bonafide beauty of Catherine Zeta Jones ! If that isn't saying much...

Belucci seems to play recurring roles of women in great distress and abuse.She does this so convincingly and makes it look so effortless that she is a rare actress who can say much with her facial expressions and actions without really saying much; It's all in the eyes, baby. Malena is the telling of a 27 year old widow left to fend for herself in a small Italian village after the downfall of her husband during WW2.No one will employ her and the women sell her rotten food;it's cruelty in severe doses for Malena. Her father has disowned her due to false allegations of being the town temptress. Men and boys alike fantasize and want her. The women hate her. In comes a young 12 year old boy named Renato Amoroso who develops an obsessive crush over Malena but guards her and holds vigil from afar. This "crush" is what propels Renato into becoming and maturing into a young man who begins to understand that there is much more to romance and life than just lustful sex. He watches and follows Malena secretly and witnesses the many transformations she goes through to survive in a town that has turned hostile against her simply because of her striking beauty ! All of this will culminate towards an unexpected ending which will leave a strong impression to stay with Renato for the rest of his life!

Cinematography is...well, it's filmed in Italy, what more can I say except stunning panoramic views of the Italian coastline.Plenty of comedic and colorful characters in the beginning. The film starts off with much humor when the viewer is permitted to see into Renato's mind concerning fantasies of farce and romance. But things turn sinister as a town bent on hate begins to enclose on Malena... The film score by Ennio Morricone is extrememly effective, captures the time period and also is very likeable and memorable ! The best surround effects take place during a German air raid over the town. You can also hear great detail in the surrounds of the ocean waves crashing and wind rustling through trees;this transports the viewer to an Italian vacation. The only gripe is that this Miramax dvd version of Malena is missing about 12 to 17 minutes of scenes that were included in the Italian or European release.This was due to more nudity involving Belluci's character and some scenes that raised eyebrows between more explicit sexual fantasies of Renato's. ... Read more

Description

Catherine Breillat's controversial first film centers around the sexual awakening of a young girl on summer vacation. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Discovering Hiram Keller
I give this film 4 stars for its bold character. It confronts issues of sexuality head on. The pubic phase of a young girl's life is in lugubrious presentation here. Yet, even with all the nudity and sexuality, what I remember most about this film occured in the first 15 minutes when the real young girl spoke these three words: "I hate people" It chilled me to the bone.

My initial interest in the film came from my curiosity about the film career of Hiram Keller, who had recently died in Atlanta, GA, his place of birth as well. I am puzzled at his reticent presence in the film. "The Face", as he was called did not enjoy much of a career but he certainly got a great start.

It's a film to watch for you will certainly leave with an impression for better or for worse.

Entertaining and sexy
Acting on a whim, I rented this DVD from my local video store. It's a delightfully decadent little French trifle, if you can get over the salaciousness of the story. Although I would never rank Breillat high on my list of French directors, she sure can spin a good yarn. The plot is about a fourteen-year-old girl who discovers her sexuality is more of a burden than a blessing. This is a better film all around than "Romance", and I highly recommend it.

POSSIBLY THE WORST MOVIE EVER
First of all this movie's origional content is from the 70's and has terrible resouloution. The movie it self is in french with subtitles. This movie is very disgusting and the sex is so gross it makes you want to turn it off and never watch it again! I think I am permanently scared from theses images I cant get out of my head. DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS MOVIE!!!!!

A fine student film
Perhaps Catherine Breillat was well into her career when she made this film and the title is not appropriate, I don't know, as I don't follow careers, I watch movies. This movie strikes me as pretty much a student film with sparkles of brilliance. Catherine Breillat deliberately juxtapositions scenes that should be erotic to disgusting, like breaking apart a worm and placing its pieces onto the star's pubic hair while she is tied. This technique is played out so much that "A Real Young Girl" could be used for a curing film like those poor Alex in "A Clockwork Orange" was forced to watch to cure him from his urges. A fine film for anyone following Breillat's career. Otherwise, jump right to Breillat's "Romance", which is an exceptional piece of filmwork and the single most organic representation of life I have ever experienced captured to celluloid.

Quite disturbing and replusing film
Probably one of the worst films I've ever seen. Not that it was absolutely awful, it's just that it was actually quite disgusting. The sexual parts are not so disturbing as are the symbolic parts (i.e., chicken heads being sliced off, etc.) The film is reminiscent of the French New Wave, perhaps it even was classified as such. Then again, I have never see a New Wave film as repulsive. All-in-all, not a film for the light-hearted. Also, the title "A Real Young Girl" doesn't really have bearing on the main girl character. The girl in the movie actually looks like she's in her 20's. ... Read more

Description

What starts out as a weekly anonymous tryst between a divorced man and a married woman turns into a searing portrait of loneliness and emotional need. Directed by Patrice Chereau (Queen Margot), INTIMACY won the Golden Bear for Best Film at the 2001 Berlin Film Festival where lead actress Kerry Fox also won the Best Actress Award. Based on Hanif Kureishi’s controversial novel, INTIMACY was selected to play at the Sundance and New York Film Festivals. DVD extras include the original theatrical trailer and cast and filmmaker bios. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

When the center doesn't hold
This amazing movie is a look at the ways that a man, the protagonist Jay (Mark Rylance) once-married, and a once fairly conventional husband and dad, can utterly fall apart in divorce, the heartbreaking ways he might try to put a life back together, and the ache for connection and communion that can't necessarily be soothed - within or without "happy" marriages.

By now the plot and the fact of its depiction of acts of sexual intercourse are well-known. There is a woman, Claire. She shows up at Jay's door, Wednesdays at 2 PM. We don't know anything about her at first - just that once she's in his apartment, her clothes (and his) come off. The five to ten minutes of intense once-weekly sex on Jay's apartment floor is no less important for being quick and wordless; it is a sort of a pact between the couple, and their shared illness, really. But it can't, ultimately, do the trick, and the film succeeds - unmoralistically - in showing us how and why. The urge to find either oblivion or ecstasy - whether via alcohol or sex or other means - fuels the couple. There are amazing surprises along the way, via a script that is utterly believable and natural.

In fact, every aspect of the protagonist Jay's life is in fact shown harshly, "graphically," whether it is his hectic job tending bar, his messy, depressing apartment (further evidence that he has lost his moorings), his several friends, or his frantic travels through London. (The camera chases him, and he is chasing her). We're by turns frustrated, confused, and focused. One's attention never wanders during this story.

Children (Jay's and Claire's) are used well in this film. They can tell the truth, and they do. They use the word "love" - and the adults in this movie really can't. In several scenes Jay is at his ex-wife's apartment, bathing his beautiful little sons. He lies on what was the marriage bed and makes a sort of sad and frantic fetish of his ex-wife's underwear, and is interrupted by his son, who needs his help. We are never asked to be voyeurs, but witnesses to a lot of sadness, distress - and the difficulty, really, of the attainment of happiness.

This is an astonishing film about broken hearts - and what people might do to try to mend them.

A Limp Mess
Helmed by French auteur Patrice Chéreau, who directed the vastly superior "Queen Margot," the Birtish film "Intimacy" is a limp mess. A man and woman carry on an illicit affair - they meet at his house Wednesday afternoons for sex. They know nothing about each other, not even names. Eventually, the man (Jay, played by Mark Rylance) finds himself wanting to know more about the woman (Claire, played by Kerry Fox), and he begins following her after their trysts. What he finds out about her throws their relationship into question.

"Intimacy" gained attention and notoriety for its explicit sex scenes (the R-rated version is also available, and these scenes are edited a great deal). The sex scenes are among the most graphic ever seen in a mainstream movie, including a rather shocking scene where Fox fellates Rylance (everything is shown). Ultimately, however, the sex scenes are quite un-sexy as the characters are so distant from each other. A movie called "Intimacy" that lacks any intimacy whatsoever? Sounds like an elaborate joke to me.

Aside from the explicitness of the sex scenes, the movie offers nothing new. The characters are not well-delineated, and the conflicts are ill-defined. On the plus side, Mark Rylance ("Angels & Insects") and Kerry Fox ("Shallow Grave") give good performances; however, it's rather disconcerting seeing such talented actors engaging in graphic sex scenes in a tepid movie. Both actors have impressive backgrounds in the theater, and Rylance has acted extensively in Shakespearian productions at the Globe Theatre. Shaking his spear indeed!

Extras: The DVD includes minimal extras: a photo gallery, brief bios of the actors, and the trailer. A director commentary would be much appreciated, or even a commentary from the actors. I'd love to hear what filming the explicit sex scenes was like!

NOT VERY INTIMATE.....
Like other reviewers, I was disappointed in "Intimacy". I found that the film had very little to say in terms of why the two main characters (Mark Rylance and Kerry Fox) carried on such an unpleasant sexual relationship. Their weekly meetings in Rylance's grungy apartment for sex obviously indicated they each had deeper more emotional needs. But neither find what they are looking for. They are both frustrated, unhappy people with unfulfilling lives and blunt, crude sex grants them the temporary escape valve. However, it's obvious that the sex isn't really fulfilling either one of their needs. Rylance and Fox are good actors and Marianne Faithful is good as one of Fox's friends. But neither Fox nor Rylance is terribly attractive so their nude sex scenes aren't that interesting which makes the sadness and desperation of their acts even more downbeat. I agree the film is more explicit than most but without a good story and at least a positive note or two I can't really recommend it. If the film's intent is to show that an empty sexual relationship gets you nowhere, then it succeeds very well on that premise.

Mark Rylance in all his glory. James Bond for 2008?
Some films from England, France, Italy and Germany are allowed to have such freedom and liberties to filming nude scenes whether they are in the natural state or erotic. Very few American actors in American films will allow themselves to be seen in a natural state. Most American actors wear a willie stocking or a clamshell or prefer a body double. But those actors that agree in their contract to full frontal nudity know they will get more pay and a very handsome paycheck at that. Some have reached success very quickly. It could make a film successful too. (...). Mark Rylance is not afraid to show his erotic side in this very adult film. This unrated DVD version pushes the red line of sex and nudity on screen and yet it is still simulated sex. The nudity is more shocking as the actor allows his uncut member to be seen in various stages. I have also seen Mark Rylance in Angels & Insects were his performance is more tender and soft. (...`).

Sex and the City
For a while, this arty movie about sexual encounters between two strangers in London is actually quite intriging and unsettling. Unfortunately, after the first half hour the plot starts repeating its premise with little further development and moving at a slow, ungaging pace.

"Intimacy" tries to deliver some food for thought about loneliness and despair in the modern world, focusing the relationship (or lack of it?) between a divorced man and a married woman that get intimate before they even manage to know each other properly. It`s an interesting idea, even if not completely original, but it could work better here.

The movie has some good elements: the acting is consistent (Mark Rylance is excellent), the soundtrack captivating, the photography well-crafted and the direction is moody and atmospheric enough. However, the character development isn`t that great, and the story loses its point halfway through, turning this project into a curious yet semi-failed picture. The sex scenes, which generated some controversy, aren`t really that strong or offensive, and director Patrice Chéreau portrays those moments with a sense of style and cleverness (an harsher perspective was done in Catherine Breillat`s ridiculous "Romance").
"Intimacy" has some guts and ideas, still it soon loses its strenght, approaching a bland and tepid development on its second half that fails to seduce.
Another case of "and all it could have been". ... Read more

Amazon.com

Leading off the set of four Akira Kurosawa classics is Seven Samurai (1954), unanimously hailed as one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of the motion picture. It was the inspiration for countless films modeled after its basic premise, but has never been surpassed in terms of sheer power of emotion, kinetic energy, and dynamic character development. The story is set in the 1600s, when the residents of a small Japanese village seek protection against repeated attacks by a band of marauding thieves and hire seven unemployed "ronin" (masterless samurai), including a boastful swordsman (Toshiro Mifune), who is actually a farmer's son desperately seeking glory and acceptance. The climactic battle remains one of the most breathtaking sequences ever filmed and one of Kurosawa's crowning cinematic achievements.

In another of the many Kurosawa-Mifune collaborations, The Hidden Fortress (1958) tells the story of a warrior and a princess trying against all odds to return to their homeland with their fortune. Along the way, they are simultaneously assisted and thwarted by two itinerant and not-too-bright farmers with their own designs on the treasure. Frequently cited for its thematic influences on Star Wars, The Hidden Fortress combines an epic tale of struggle and honor with modern comic sensibilities.

The partly comic Yojimbo (1961) was inspired by the American Western genre. Mifune plays a drifting samurai for hire who plays both ends against the middle with two warring factions, surviving on his wits and his ability to outrun his own bad luck. Yojimbo is striking for its unorthodox treatment of violence and morality, reserving judgment on the actions of its main character and instead presenting an entertaining tale with humor and much visual excitement. One of the inspirations for the spaghetti Westerns of director Sergio Leone and the 1996 Bruce Willis vehicle Last Man Standing, this film offers insight into a director who influenced American films even as he was influenced by them. The 1963 sequel, Sanjuro, is more lighthearted and less cynical, a rousing adventure with Mifune becoming an unlikely big brother to a troupe of nine naive samurai. It isn't the subtlest of Kurosawa's films, but it's one of his most entertaining. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Must-buy for anyone even interested in Kurosawa...
I bought this as a "blind buy" at Best Buy. I had never seen any of the 4 films and had about 100 dollars in my pocket. I had been wanting to see "Seven Samurai" for the longest time but could never find it. I saw that my local Best Buy actually had a few copies and immediately picked it up. I was sure I was going to buy it when someone who worked there asked me if I had seen the box set. So he pointed me to the box set and I bought it without a second thought.

When I put in "Seven Samurai" I had never seen a Kurosawa film and 3 and a half hours later I had a new favorite film and new favorite director. The other three films, "The Hidden Fortress," "Yojimbo," and "Sanjuro" were equally amazing, most notably "Yojimbo." These films were so great that two days after buying it I bought Rashomon. I would recommend this to anyone with 80 dollars lying around and even a slight interest in seeing a Kurosawa film. You will not regret it.

It's no newborn, but it's a bundle of joy!
While I certainly can't fully recommend this set to those who already own most or all of the DVDs included within, I can recommend it to those who don't. And I do so, wholeheartedly. Not only does it look great sitting on a shelf, but the four DVDs inside are all absolute classics (all the DVDs are the exact ones released already, individually, by Criterion). Seven Samurai is, I believe, one of the greatest films ever made (perhaps THE greatest as my Listmania List suggests). Yojimbo is simply excellent as well. It's funny, phenomenally shot, terrifically acted, and contains a brilliant climax. Mifune is the ultimate screen bad @$$ in Yojimbo, and while Sanjuro isn't quite as good, it's a ton of fun just seeing Mifune reprise the role. Then there's The Hidden Fortress, the film that inspired R2-D2 and C-3PO in Star Wars. The Hidden Fortress is a superior film to the original Star Wars with excellent cinematography, adventure, and a tremendous spear battle set piece. This is a wonderful set and well worth every cent, especially if you don't own any of the Criterion releases of these films already. I personally owned all four of them prior to getting this set, and that didn't stop me. Then again, I'm what you call a Kurosawa fanatic so...just pray for me as you buy this set. :-)

Tony the Tiger would say, GRRRREAT!!!!
Awesome films by Kurosawa! It would have been nice if they were all digitally remastered with color added, but you'll have to settle for black & white which isn't too bad.

4 Timeless works of art
Akira Kurosawa usually makes it into the top 5 directors of all time on most people's lists. He set the standard for epic battle scenes and the telling of a great epic story. He is sited by many directors as their greatest influence (including George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg to name a few). Kurosawa was trained in the samurai genre with some of the early great Japanese directors. These 4 samurai films show Kurosawa at the height of perfection. A couple of these stories went on to inspire "The Magnificent Seven" and "Star Wars". With the addition of the recent Tom Cruise flick, where one can clearly see the Kurosawa foundation at work, the samurai genre is still as timeless as "Shakespeare". If we were to continue with the same analogy then Kurosawa would be considered by most to be Shakespeare himself. This DVD set is worth every penny, you will watch these films many times over.

Four classic films
Action movies like Akira Kurosawa's are a rarity. They have stories, and the action revolves around that; there's nothing used for shock, but they manage to hit you in the gut anyway. Each film in this collection of "Samurai Classics" is vivid, compelling, often humorous and stars the fantastic Toshiro Mifune.

"Seven Samurai" is the now-classic tale of an impoverished country village, which is regularly pillaged by bandits. Desperate to protect themselves, the villagers send out some young men to hire samurai to help them. What they get is a ragtag but willing band, led by a weary veteran and including an eager-puppy teen, a seeming nutcase (the predecessor of Captain Jack Sparrow?), and basically anyone who will fight for a square meal.

"Hidden Fortress" was one of the shaping influences on George Lucas's "Star Wars." In it, a general (Toshiro Mifune) and a princess are attempting to sneak across a border. The problem is, they are being helped by a pair of greedy, not-too-bright farmers (Kamatari Fujiawara and Minoru Chiaki), who bumble as often as they assist.

"Yojimbo" was an adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's "Red Harvest," the story of a detective who cleans up a city. This darkly humorous film introduces a wandering samurai-for-hire (Toshiro Mifune again), who stumbles onto a war between two clans. He's smarter than just about everyone else in the film, and so he begins playing both sides, deftly avoiding disaster as he deals with the clan war in his own way.

"Sanjuro" is probably the lightest of all Kurosawa's movies. The scruffy, wily hero of "Yojimbo" (Toshiro Mifune yet again) returns, this time taking nine naive, inept young noblemen under his wing. They have to somehow rescue the Chamberlain, his wife and young daughter from the Superintendent -- assuming that "Sanjuro's" army of nine doesn't botch it all up.

Kurosawa's filmmaking is not flawless. For example, when people are cut down in battle they have a tendency not to bleed (or they bleed too much). However, for form it can't be beaten. Battle scenes have a flash-bang intensity, or the slow, building pressure of duels. There's also early slow-motion effects, as demonstrated in "Seven Samurai" during a one-on-one fight.

Kurosawa was a lover of American cowboy flicks, and at times this shows, especially in the rugged hero of "Yojimbo" and "Sanjuro," who acts like a medieval Japanese gunslinger (he even has the piercing eyes for it). But first and foremost, these are stories -- no more and no less. Kurosawa's storytelling ability is laced with drama, humor, and all this without meandering or preaching.

For any rabid cinephile, Kurosawa's films are a must. Epic action movies with plenty of swords, mayhem and grizzled heroes don't come any better than these. ... Read more

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Fill a bowl with alpine strawberries, break out the Château Lafite (1899, of course), and bask in this benchmark 1981 British miniseries based on Evelyn Waugh's classic novel. Adapted for the screen by John Mortimer (Rumpole of the Bailey), this impeccable, nearly 11-hour production mesmerized American viewers during the course of its PBS run in 1982. In his breakthrough role, Jeremy Irons stars as Charles Ryder, a disillusioned Army captain who is moved to reflect on his "languid days" in the "enchanted castle" that was Brideshead, home of the aristocratic Marchmain family, whose acquaintance Charles made in the company of an Oxford classmate, the charming wild child Sebastian. Anthony Andrews costars as the doomed Sebastian, whose beauty is "arresting" and "whose eccentricities and behavior seemed to know no bounds." The "entitled and enchanted" Sebastian takes Charles under his wing ("Charles, what a lot you have to learn"), but vows early on that he is "not going to let [Charles] get mixed up with [his] family." But mixed up Charles gets. He becomes a friend and confidante, not to mention a lover, to Sebastian's sister Julia (Diana Quick). Meanwhile, the self-destructive Sebastian's life spirals out of control. Brideshead Revisited boasts a distinguished ensemble, including Laurence Olivier in his Emmy Award-winning role as the exiled Lord Marchmain, Claire Bloom as Lady Marchmain, and the magnificent John Gielgud as Charles's estranged father. Grand locations and a haunting musical score make this a memorable revisit of an irretrievable bygone era. For those who scheduled their weeks around the original Monday-night broadcasts or those visiting Brideshead for the first time, this boxed set release will be, as Charles rhapsodizes at one point while strolling the castle grounds, "very near to heaven." --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Great TV drama
This is a beautiful television production. Nothing I have seen captures so well the manners, dress, language and attitudes of upper and upper-middle class Britain in the twenties and thirties.

The acting is superb, the script even better. Based on the novel by Evelyn Waugh, John Mortimer's dialogue wastes not a word and uses pauses and silences to extraordinary effect.

As a portrayal of a family and its entourage this 11-part series bears comparison with the very best, even perhaps the Godfathers I and II, and with top notch photography to portray the stunning sets - on an art deco-drenched QEII, at Oxford, Castle Howard and at a Venice Palazzo - this could be the ultimate TV production of all time.

But perfect as it is technically, Brideshead has, for me at least, a couple of problems. The first is, the sheer improbability of the main plot. Essentially, the central figure and narrator, initially rather boring Charles, makes friends with dashing Lord Sebastien Flyte at Oxford (after the latter vomits through Charles' window), and finds himself immediately taken into the bosum of Flyte's highly aristocratic family; ultimately Sebastien's ravishing sister Julia falls in love with him and he comes very near to inheriting the family estate. The Flyte/Marchmain family is portrayed as charming, but also deeply and somewhat offensively dismissive of anyone they consider beneath them: Julia becomes quite vicious about her husband Rex, once she has tired of him. Lord Marchmain, a rather feckless former alcoholic and wife-hater, at one point muses on Neville Chamberlain who at that moment was doing his best to avoid world war "knew him. Mediocre fellow". I just can't believe that this family would have given tuppence for Charles, a mere middle-class architectural painter, far less virtually adopted him.

The second problem is that Charles is not even very likeable. He drifts through the film looking bored or worried and acting self-righteously. He cheats on his wife and generally bad mouths her, prefers to consort with his lover than go see his two year-old child who he's never actually seen due to a long trip abroad, and does little to actually help his dear friend Sebastien (who has descended into alcoholism) except frequently tell us morosely and self-indulgently how much he loved him and what a sacred love it was.

The cause of these problems surely goes back to Waugh himself and the original novel, which was part autobiography, part wish-fulfilment. Waugh was partly Charles, and like Charles, Waugh wasn't always lovable. The upper classes were Waugh's favorite subject, his bread and butter, and his vice. He was irresistibly drawn to them and wanted them to love him and confide in him too. Sometimes they did, because he was a brilliant society novelist, not just a good architectural painter. But not quite as much as everybody, from servants to Lord and Lady Marchmain, appears to love Charles.

However, I think this only makes the whole production more interesting. And such is the charm of the brilliant cast, which includes Jeremy Irons in the lead along with Olivier and Gielgud in majestic supporting roles, I suspect many people will consider my low opinion of the characters quite misplaced.

Well, it's about time!
Well, it's about time. One of the best (in my opinion, the best) of the British mini-series has finally made it to DVD. Although not perfect, the transfer is very good indeed, and a vast improvement over my ancient tapes.

My only (minor) complaints involve the sound, which is occasionally a little muddy; and now and again the dialogue seems ever so slightly out of sync with the actors. Also, there is no close captioning or English subtitles.

But forget that and think of what we're getting: an excellent adaptation of Waugh's fine novel; first-rate performances (keep a special eye out for John Gielgud, who gives what must be one of the funniest performances ever put on screen); glorious location sets and period costumes which can be appreciated fully now that their colors can be seen.

There are a few extras on the disc, and a small booklet with some interesting information. But it's the show that's the thing here, and it gets the treatment it deserves. Highly recommended.

British drama at its best
This must be one of the alltime classics of British drama. Saw it on TV when it was aired, bought the VHS and when released on DVD, bought it on DVD. Well, that must be saying something. It is one of my favourites. I think this must be one of those productions where you can say in hindsight that you would have done it in exactly the same way. I do not have higher praise to give. Shame the DVD release does not give extras and is really badly done. One would have thought that a high profile production like this deserved a better fate.

Et In Arcadia Ego
Brideshead revisited, Evelyn Waugh's portrait of a world trying to come to terms with the obliteration of what for its inhabitants were absolute certainties, by war and its aftermath represents a mountain of almost Himalayan proportions for any would-be adaptor, so much so that it's surprising that anyone was ever mad enough to try. Luckily for us though John Mortimer (more widely celebrated for "Rumpole of the Bailey") was indeed mad enough to give it a go. What he came up with has over the intervening years come to be seen as one of the finest adapted screen plays ever set before the viewing public.

Remaining remarkably faithful to the spirit of the book, Brideshead Revisited is told from the prospective of the painter Charles Ryder (Jeremy Irons). From a decidedly upper middle class background, when we first meet our narrator, Charles is an officer in the British army at the outbreak of World War 2 whose general disillusionment is exceeded only by his distaste for army life. From this present we are taken back twenty years by Charles' reminisces to his first term at Oxford University at the beginning of the 1920's and to his developing relationship with the aristocratic and charmingly dissolute Sebastian Flyte (Anthony Andrews). Supported by a truly superb cast of characters including, Jane Asher, Diana Quick, Clair Bloom, Nikolas Grace, Sir John Gielgud and in what was to be his final performance Sir Laurence Olivier. The acting is just what you would expect from such an accomplished bunch, as close to perfection as can ever be obtained.

As absorbing as the story is, it is almost overshadowed by other aspects of this production. Shot on location at Castle Howard, Yorkshire (the home of the then chairman of the BBC George Howard, even though this production was made by the BBC's rival Granada Television), Oxford, Venice and aboard the cruise ship the Queen Elizabeth II. The location filming has a beauty that at times can be truly breathtaking, with a lushness and sensuality that is a perfect foil for the decadence of the Sebastian and his circle.

Just as in Waugh's original text, the whole atmosphere of the piece is redolent with nostalgia. This takes two forms, the most prominent from the beginning is Charles' nostalgia for his youth and idealism, his feeling that his life could be what he wanted it to be, the friends he knew, his time with the Flyte family and his love for Lady Julia. Secondly and perhaps most importantly is nostalgia for the world of the Victorian and Edwardian upper classes with its certainties and its view of Britain as the centre of the greatest Empire that the world had ever known. Post World War 1, it was rare to find an aristocratic British family who had not suffered the loss of a Father, Son or Brother in the trenches and this longing for a world which was as "irrecoverable as Lyonnesse" was all too real for many people of all classes and backgrounds.

In this story of the rise and to a certain extent destruction of a single man, Waugh has given us a metaphor not only for the British aristocracy, but for the wealthy and socially mobile wherever and whenever they may be. I remember once discussing the novel with my Father and he expressed the opinion that while Waugh may not have loved the aristocracy as such, he certainly loved the life of an aristocrat. In many way's Brideshead Revisited reminds me of Edward Elgars' Cello Concerto, possessing the same kind of painful beauty combined with the most agonising sense of grief and heartache, but in the final analysis it is this love that colours both the book and this adaptation, rendering it as sublime as the memory of a summers afternoon and just as unattainable.

An intriguing mini-series
I came across this mini-series completely by accident. The episode descriptions sounded interesting, and I am a fan of British period drama, so I decided to give it a try. I was really suprised at how much effort went into it--after taking a peek at a few chapters of the novel, I found that it's an almost word for word adaptation. The characters are all well developed and fascinating, but none is more intriguing than the tragic Sebastian. In addition to the story, the scenery and the performances given by all involved make this mini-series one to remember. ... Read more

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Banned in France, this Film Based on the Novel by Virginie Despentes Has Been Described as 'thelma and Louise' Without the Penetration. Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly Says Baise Moi is "Graphic, Hardcore, the Most Ungussied Expression of Female Sexual Rage Ever Thrown Up Onscreen!" this is the Story of Manu, who is Brutally Raped, and Nadine who Sees her Only Friend Shot. United by Chance, They Begin a Journey Filled with Sexual Rage. Not Your Typical Road Trip Movie! ... Read more

Reviews (73)

Sex, gory violence, and...nothing more.
Baise-Moi a.k.a. Rape Me has been banned in several countries throughout the world as it displays real sexual interaction between the characters and merciless violence that is burnt into your retina. The story surrounds two young women, one working as a prostitute and the other an adult film performer who has recently been raped. The argument that the women are victims is quickly discarded as both women seem to enjoy their occupation as they seek out environments where they can sexually interact with people. Their quest-like adventure for sexual domination while executing the men and women that cross their paths serves no real purpose more than filling the empty void within, which could be lust, greed, or any other of the seven deadly sins.

Baise-Moi gives a reference to Gaspar Noé as the film displays a scene from I Stand Alone (1998) while one of the girls is selling her body to a customer. Noé also directed a film named Irreversible (2002), which is in far more gruesome than Baise-Moi. However, Irreversible displays an artistic intellect and a moral to the story despite the stomach turning violence to which most viewers must turn away their eyes. In Baise-Moi there is not a direct moral to the story as the women show no remorse to their violent behavior which they happily embrace while cursing out their victims. The film illustrates that two women can act like pigs in a similar fashion which men have done for centuries. This is not a positive step forward for womanhood, but a couple of steps backwards. In the end the film will make many wonder why they made this film, besides purely monetary purposes. Nonetheless, there will undoubtedly be people who will defend the film and its meaning, which I am still unclear about.

Excellent Movie- Buy It!
First people need to learn the difference between a B-movie and a brillant written Independent movie. This is one of the most excellent independent films I have ever seen. Let me also add, this is also a foreign movie- so if your taste is not into subtitles and international cinema then you may not want to purchase it.

Now for the movie. I won't give anything away. This movie is about two women and their lives. Both are sick of the way they have been treated by society and people. The story tells a thrilling tale of what happens when someone snaps. That's all I am going to say about it. If you're expecting me to tell you the story well I don't do that sorry. Rent the movie and try it out for yourself.

The acting is superub and although never seen before, the actors/actresses pull off a dynamic performance that keep you watching, makes you think, and even at times make you blink.

This film is very sexually explicit, but not an ADULT FILM. Again people need to know the difference between pornography and a great story with some sex. I see why the director wanted to make this as explicit as it is, this movie is about violence placed upon women and how women fight back, it would have given the movie less impact if it didn't show some sexuality and sex. Besides most french movies ARE explicit anyway.

Children should NOT view this film. Also if you are easily triggered with your own personal stuff- Don't Watch It. Because certain scene are pretty gruesome.

This movie is in great connection with Natural Born Killers and Monster. So you decide.

The DVD allows you to turn off subtitles if you speak french. Also has Chapter headings, a Gallery, and some extra stuff.
A++++

GOOD!!!!!!!
It's easy to see why this movie is at the center of so much controversy. Its sexual content and its extreme violence surely made a few people walk out of its screening. The story is about two French girls who meet and go on a really special «Tour de France». They're on a killing spree and nobody seems to be safe from their new found libido (using a gun as to eliminate somebody else's life). (...) It's the hard-core version of Thelma & Louise. But at the end, you have the feeling that the movie could have been better. It would have been nice to know a little bit more why those two girls find satisfaction in killing. Yes, one has been raped (explicitly depicted at the beginning of the movie) and the other is a prostitute with her own problems, but what is it that draw them together. That's not entirely clear. Still, it's a good movie and it's about time that someone crossed the line of certain taboos.

a little bit of eye candy, a lot of lousy film-making
The eye candy comes from seeing the two quite sexy (but not necessarily "beautiful") lead actresses in a couple of pretty good and very graphic (as in *hardcore porn* graphic) sex scenes...the rest is just painfully bad, poorly acted, poorly directed and overdone. Sure it's trying to provide some IMPORTANT SOCIAL COMMENTARY, but does so very poorly...no comparison to "Thelma and Louise." Feels like it was done by some horny high-schoolers with Daddy's camcorder and a very big soapbox.

Definitely not a date movie, nor a particularly good Rosie And Her Five Sisters movie either.

Meaningless pornography
I could potentially accept some elements of pornography in the movie if this serves some purpose (like in 'Empire of Passion' by Oshima). But in this movie pornographic clips are totally meaningless. The movie itself is very pathetic and extremelly boring. It is very much like amateur home-made movie. The only thing that is common with 'Thelma and Louise' is that both movies have two women running loose as main characters. I understand that creators and actors came from porno business. Maybe it was their attempt to move to mainstream. Well, their attempt failed. ... Read more