Reviews (92)

One of The Last Great Westerns
Before the advent of the Spaghetti Western and the few good films that followed came The Magnificent Seven. The Wild Bunch, The Long Riders and several others owe their creative souls to this movie. I like Yul Brenner, if you have seen Westworld, well this is where Mr. Brenner began the character he later used in that film. Charles Bronson , Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach, what a cast! And the heroic notion of helping a village of peasants fight tyranny....what more can you ask for!? The special features, well maybe not like in some more modern videos, but it is nice to hear Eli, and James Coburn and the directors and producers wax nostalgic about said movie...I admire their acting capabilities and their knowledge of film in general, so I enjoyed this a lot. If you are a lover of the Western genre, then by all means you have to have this for your collection! And the music too. What a score!

An Epic American Western
"The Magnificent Seven" combines the great elements of a successful western...exciting story, stellar cast, scenic locations, and a legendary soundtrack. A Mexican village plagued by a gang of bandits led by Eli Wallach solicits the aid of mercenary gunfighters. Yul Brynner, with his commanding presence and black attire, recruits a band of diverse characters, including a wry-witted drifter seeking excitement; a brash young man seeking respect; a skilled craftsman seeking challenge; an opportunist seeking wealth; a tough sentimentalist seeking redemption; and a man on-the-run tormented by fear. Together they assume heroic proportions in an altruistic fight against near-impossible odds.

Elmer Bernstein's memorable musical score has achieved a lasting stature. From his rousing signature title to the haunting Spanish-flavored themes, the music teems with scope, drive, and energy. After 40 years, "The Magnificent Seven" remains vibrant, robust, and enduring...a hallmark for American westerns.

Wanted to Give it 5 Stars, BUT...
This movie was excellent, from the brassy music to the awesome cast and storyline (from The Seven Samurai. It is just too bad that there are at least three scenes that require the viewers to leave the room until they are over. All three of these feature a certain person, played by Horst Buchholz. They say that his character's name is Chico, but I prefer to call him the "Stupid Kid." He is the only damper on an otherwise perfect movie. It is a terrible shame, from his lovely appearance, as he stupidly follows the hearse, to his speech to the farmers about how cowardly they are, to his love affair with the stupid girl, to his ....oh I can't go on.....

A review of the DVD in specific
This is a superbly remastered and restored film, It comes with some brilliant extras including original trailers and more interestingly a documentary on the film named "Guns For Hire".
If you are a fan of the actors in this classic you'll love the doco which shows what they went on to do and includes some interviews showing the actors today and telling how Yul Brynner brought this tale to life.
For Steve McQueen fans you get a little insight into how he tries to steal every scene he appears in.
The film is a great telling of an adventurous story based on the Toho studios film "The Seven Samurai".
The commentary features actors James Coburn, Eli Wallach, producer Walter Mirisch & Ass Director Rob Reylea. It covers many interesting stories from a set which saw several stars of the time and even the wedding of Yul Brynner.
Worth a viewing.

A cultural transplant that wasn't rejected
A small village in Mexico is repeatedly harassed by outlaws, and decides to hire seven gunfighters as protection. A simple idea, transplanted out of Akira Kirasawa's "Seven Samurai", but when the cast is right, the film is right. Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, and Robert Vaughn were all up-and-coming stars, and Yul Brynner was perfect as the essence of cold, efficient, authoritative leadership. Add an unforgettable musical score, and you have a winner. ... Read more

Description

John Huston won the Academy Award(R) for writing and directing this powerful saga that pits gold and greed in the wilds of Mexico and stars his father (Walter Huston) and Humphrey Bogart. Year: 1948 Director: John Huston Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, Tim Holt ... Read more

Reviews (77)

A BONA-FIDE CLASSIC STORY OF GREED AND BETRAYAL !
Here you have a trully great package: a top director (John Huston) and a top star (Bogart) with an great screenplay, music (by Max Steiner), great photography (by Ted McCord) and a top cast. The story revolves around a group of stray losers (stranded in a mexican town) who decide to join forces and go after the (gold) riches of the wild, lawless mexican lands. They are greedy Dobbs (Bogart), honest Curtin (Tim Holt) and wise old Howard (Walter Huston). But the gold fortune they gain from the mountain soon transforms their views and relationships as Dobbs quickly falls into paranoia.

This is a trully classic film which deserved a trully great DVD edition... and this is it!! A two-disc edition with everything you can dream of... A great documentary (The Story of TTOTSM) with Martin Scorsese (lots of and others), another documentary about John Huston, two great Bugs Bunny films (one is a funny spoof of this film), A Lux Radio Theater broadcast, a vast gallery of photos and publicity material, a dozen Bogart trailers, one short film, a newsreel... everything you need to reproduce a classic night at the movies back in 1948!!!!!!

Obviously, the film in this edition has flawless sound and image... and along with this incredible tray of extras, this is surely the DVD edition to buy.

It seems that Warner Home Video is commited to release deffinitive editions of some of its classics (Thanks, WHV!!). I bought this DVD in a box that contains also Yankee Doodle Dandy and The Adventures of Robin Hood (two other two-disc editions who got this first rate treatment).

A great buy for an affordable price! Check for the 3 film box containing The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Yankee Dodle Dandy and The Adventures of Robin Hood.

John Huston appears briefly (and repeatedly) as the american in a white suit who gives Bogart a coin - surely, the greatest director-cameo I've ever seen in an american classic film.

Bogart gives outstanding performance in this classic film
"The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" won Oscars for best director (John Huston), best supporting actor (Walter Huston) and best screenplay (John Huston). The film was also nominated for best picture but unfortunately lost out to Laurence Olivier's "Hamlet". This was yet another marvellous performance by Humphrey Bogart in a difficult role and proves once again what an outstanding actor he can be when given the right material.

Fred C. Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) and Bob Curtin (Tim Holt) are two Americans down on their luck in Tampico, Mexico, who manage to acquire a temporary job working for Pat McCormick (Barton MacLaine) but don't get paid for their efforts as McCormick does a disappearing act with the money. Dobbs and Curtin catch up with him later in a bar and after coming to blows manage to get the money that was owed to them. A young Mexican boy (Robert Blake) approaches Dobbs who reluctantly buys a lottery ticket from him. Dobbs and Curtin spend the night in a flop house where they meet Howard (Walter Huston), a grizzled old timer who tells them stories of the times he went prospecting for gold in the mountains. They are both quite interested in this but don't have the necessary funds to purchase the equipment they would need. Next day the young Mexican boy comes to find Dobbs to tell him that his ticket has won some money in the lottery. It is not a fortune but enough to invest in some tools and equipment so that Curtin and himself can team up with Howard to search for gold in the Sierra Madre mountains. Greed and distrust inevitably take hold of Dobbs and he gets increasingly suspicious of his two companions and becomes more and more paranoid as the days go by. He is sure that they want to steal his share of the gold which is just not so. A group of bandits led by Gold Hat (Alfonso Bedoya) come across their camp and try to rob them of the gold but with the help of James Cody (Bruce Bennett) they manage to fight them off.

Some favourite lines from the film:

Humphrey Bogart (to John Huston): "Hey, mister, will you stake a fellow American to a meal?".

Bogart (to Bruce Bennett): "Tonight you're our guest. Tomorrow morning look out - no trespassing around here, you know, beware of the dog - get it?".

Alfonso Bedoya (to Bogart): "Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinking badges".

Bogart (to Tim Holt): "Fred C. Dobbs don't say nothing he don't mean".

Writer/director John Huston played a cameo role at the start of the film as an American tourist ("White Suit") who Bogart approaches for money (three times!). Robert Blake was the small boy who sold Bogart the winning lottery ticket. Blake later went on to appear in many feature films such as "In Cold Blood", "Electra Glide in Blue", "Tell Them Willie Boy is Here", and also starred in the TV seies "Baretta".

This was a superlative performance by Humphrey Bogart - one of his best - and completely different to his smooth portrayal of Rick in "Casablanca". His character of Fred C. Dobbs was shifty and devious verging on paranoia and madness. The film has now rightly become a classic and is much admired by "movie buffs". Clive Roberts.

A must see classic movie with Bogie
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is a classic movie that has to be watched by movie fans. Set in Mexico in 1926, the movie tells the story of two down and out Americans who have nothing to their name except their meager salaries. The two men, Dobbs and Curtin, decide to team up with a weathered, old prospector, Howard, to go prospecting for gold in the mountains of southern Mexico. Soon enough, the trio happens upon a mountain just full of gold waiting to be found. What follows is a condmenation of human greed and want of unlimited wealth and riches. The three men become suspicious of each other immediately, thinking that the other two might steal their share of the gold. At the same time, the three must deal with bandits who will stop at nothing to get their possessions. The ending does provide for a brief message of hope. Everything from the cinematography to the acting to the writing is great in this movie. Movie fans everywhere should see this classic movie.

Humphrey Bogart gives an excellent performance as Fred C. Dobbs, a wayward American who believes that the power of gold would never make him change his ways and beliefs. Watching Dobbs morph into a money hungry, paranoid man is frightening. Walter Huston, father of director John Huston, plays Howard, the grizzled old prospector who is the only calm one in the group. Tim Holt stars as Bob Curtin, Dobbs' partner and the moral leader of the trio. The movie also stars Bruce Bennett, Barton MacLane, Alfonso Bedoya, and Manuel Donde. Also look for a brief appearance from John Huston as a well-to-do American who gives Dobbs some money for a meal. The 2-Disc Special Edition offers a ton of great extras. If you're a fan of this classic movie, you will love these extras. For a classic movie, ranked #30 in the AFI Top 100, with great performances, an excellent script, and beautiful scenery, check out The Treasure of the Sierra Madre!

Classic depiction of greed wrapped in grand adventure tale
The beauty of this classic film is that, while it certainly is a shattering depiction of how greed destroys a man and depletes one's innocence, THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE also works as an exciting adventure, with great-looking black-and-white scenery serving as perhaps a counterpoint to the darker things going on in the soul of Humphrey Bogart's Fred C. Dobbs. That a movie can be so entertaining yet so powerfully reflective of human nature is most likely what has allowed this film to live on ever since its release in 1948. Great entertainment that is also food for thought seems in such short supply in movies today that we really should treasure movies like this, especially when it's made this well.

Greeeeeed!!!
Greed wrecks Bogarts life.In the end I'm happy. Why? At least his two pals didn't die.The only one who suffered was himself. A ironic line of Bogart"My friends are coming behind me on horses" when he's faced by bandits after ditching his friends.In truth,his friends are riding on horses to get their gold back from him.They arrived too late.Chilling..... ... Read more

Description

Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, Rashomon is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice. Through an ingenious use of camera and flashbacks, Kurosawa reveals the complexities of human nature as four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife. Toshiro Mifune gives another commanding performance in the eloquent masterwork that revolutionized film language and introduced Japanese cinema to the world. ... Read more

Reviews (90)

Kurosawa's breakthrough film
Akira Kurosawa, known as one of the greatest directors of all time, got international attention with this film, that opened up the Japanese film market to the world. Released in 1950, this film, along with the director won many coveted awards. The story is simple, but at the same time the film is very complex. Tajomaru, a bandit, played wonderfully by the great Toshiro Mifune, is accused of raping a woman, and murdering her husband, in the woods. Tajomaru, the woman, a witness, and the man himself (speaking through a medium) tell their version of the events. The thing is each one tells a different story, with their own perspective on the events, and perception of those involved. So as each story is told we go into flashback and see the different events, and how the characters act differently.

The film from a technical standpoint is perfect, with innovative use of the camera, and editing. Acting is done superbly, with each actor, playing a slightly different version of their characters in each flashback. The script cannot get better, based on two short stories. The film is very serious, and is a meditation on the nature of truth.Its about how truth is relative, and how we each have a different viewing of events, tastes, and concepts. It is also about how each person makes up their own truth, lies, to deceive themselves. Our ego is so big we need to comfort it, and keep it safe from harsh reality. In all this film is perfect, and is even sometime called Japan's Citizen Kane, in the way it impacted Japanese filming. The two films have many similarities. If you enjoy serious films, investigating the nature of truth, and ourselves, see this film. 5 stars.

Truth is elusive, reality subjective. A tale well told.
I've heard about this 1950 Japanese film all my life and have even incorporated the word "Rashomon" into my vocabulary. It means that the truth is elusive and people will remember things with their own particular spin. When the film first came out it was nominated for an academy award and is still considered the masterpiece of the director Akira Kurosawa.

Shot in black and white, the mood is set right at the beginning, as there's a rainstorm going on and a priest and a woodcutter are seeking shelter in an ancient temple. Both of them are troubled, as they have heard witnesses to a crime explain events that they just "don't understand". When a third man joins them, they tell their stories. Eventually the audience watches the reenactment of four different versions of the same incident. At the end, there is still confusion.

The acting is done in classical Japanese style, which is more appropriate for a large auditorium than for a small screen. The actors shout, they roll their eyes, and every gesture is exaggerated. There's passion throughout and a great mythic theme. It seemed all to be set on a great stage. And the interesting part is that three out of the four people telling the story claim to be the killer. The cinematography is also special, using the rain as one realm of reality and harsh sunlight as another. The woods in which the crime takes place look hot and stifling, and the actors are all excellent.

However, once the novelty of the setting and the dramatic elements of this stylized film wore off, I found myself restless. It was only 83 minutes long but it seemed much longer. I do applaud its art and its message. I therefore recommend it. However, I just can't help the fact that it didn't engage me completely.

Classic stuff
A man travelling with his wife in feudal Japan is murdered by a bandit... or is he? As the main protagonists - the bandit, the wife, a passer-by and (I kid you not) the man himself - tell their versions of events, a series of contradictions emerge. Who, if anyone, is telling the truth?
Rashomon's Byzantine plot structure was unique at the time, and still feels fresh over half a century down the line. Presenting no easy answers (there is reason to doubt the motives, and thus the stories, of all of those involved), it leaves the audience to make up their own minds about who to trust. Fans of latterday head-spinning efforts such as The Usual Suspects and Memento will find plenty to get their teeth into here.
It all looks gorgeous, to boot (Kazuo Miyagawa's cinematography is done justice by an excellent DVD transfer here), and the performances - especially Toshiro Mifune, as the bandit Tajomaru, cackling hysterically and pausing mid-fight to swat mosquitoes on his neck - are superb. If I've got one gripe, it's the slightly pat "redemptive" ending, but that's a minor fault at best.
Otherwise, Rashomon is downright essential. It's too easy to get all rose-tinted when trying to assess a long-established "classic", but this is one that's more than stood the test of time.

The one that set the standard
When Akira Kurasawa released this film in 1950, it was not expected to do well. When it won various awards around the world, including the Academy award for best foreign film, the reaction was one of some surprise. Now, over 50 years later, Rashomon stands as a benchmark in cinema, a film that has been copied and ripped off countless times, but never duplicated. The camera work, storytelling, script, and setting are flawless, giving us the proper mood right from the start.

The start is a torrential rainstorm, where several men sit around discussing a trial they have either witnessed, or taken part in. The trial concerns the murder of a samurai and the rape of his wife, apparantly at the hands of a famous bandit (played by Toshiro Mifune, a Kurasawa favorite). The story of what actually happened is told through the point of view of the bandit, the woman, the dead man (through a spriritual medium) and a woodcutter who was there and now is standing with these men at the beginning of the film.

The interesting thing is that we as the audience are left to assume what really happened, as the film gives no definitive solution. The subject is really the nature of man, and how point of view will change the perception of a scenario to favor or in some cases, cast a negative light on events that transpire.

This was the first film to shoot directly at the sun. In fact, the beginning shot of the woodcutter traveling into the woods to cut lumber is breathtaking, the camera weaves in and out, up and down, through branches and leaves, showing just how far out of the way these things will be happening. The excellent DVD has a feature on the camera work, which you will find interesting and will help you when you go back to the film for a second viewing.

Also included with the disc is a booklet with the two short stories Kurasawa used as the premise for the film (most notably "In the Grove")along with an excerpt from Kurasawa's book about the shooting of the film and the apprehension of the Japanese film companies about the fact that the story seemed to have no good ending. Kurasawa explained that the story was not about the solution of the murder as it was about the nature of man.

Film fans need to see this movie. So many movies made in the last few years (Snake Eyes, The Usual Suspects) owe themselves to Rashomon, movies which show us points of view that are not necessarily the truth. The fact is that four people can see a situation but report it four completely different ways. What's the truth? The truth is--that's just human nature.

A milestone in the story of cinema in any age
Rashomon is a masterpiece. This film shows us a hard statement that maybe disagree to many people; the truth doesn't exist. We see always fragments of it no matter how old you are.
Aesop in his fables states: in every man always there are three ; that who he thinks he is; what other people think he is and finally that one who really is. In that sense Goethe talked about four levels of the reality; lineal, literal, methaporical and finally the cosmic.
In what level are you when you assume the judgement about a fact?
Remember his beliefs are always relative; your ethical world depends about a lot of issues; such as your social status; your religion; your birthplace; your culture and even your age; so be careful when you say are in possesion of the absolute true.
And that's what the movie shows us; a terrible murder; five persons state about the fact ; and before you five different versions are given. So, the questions is; who of these persons is lying and who is true?
All of us have a sight blind; and because of this you may agree with some of these people; and your close friend or even your couple may be perfectly disagree with you.
The reasonable doubt is a very well konwn device employed by all the lawyers in their cases . Indeed, this term inspired to Sidney Lumet for making his opera prima "Twelve angry men" in 1957.
Back to Rashomon we find to Akira Kurosawa in one of his major achievements. The handle camera is superb; and this is the first film in the story where , by the first time the camera shows us the sun; a brilliant methapor and also a challenging aaproach by this master director.
Mesmerizing ; unforgettable ; you'll be shocked every time you watch. Remember what the woman says uin a sequence: "The men lie because they are weak".
And this point is remarkable, just because the fragile human condition; the human being always will keep his dignity, pride and a set of values above all the odds; and through this process, the truth is always put in a second place, by obvious reasons.
Heissenberg established the uncertain principle in 1930 and this review is far to explain about this issue, but what it deserves to call your attention at the time you say ; I found the truth; or even worst; I represent the truth.
This procedure is typical of dictatorial regimes; the state is me and other similar statements reveal a syntom of being out of the life and even the nature, a wise mind always thinks and acts; after rethinks and reacts; but never remains quiet.
Kurosawa adapted this film from a novel from the same title Rashomon from 1927 written by Yabu no Naka.
This film is a wonderful exploraton of truth and human weakness.
In fact this film is watched and analyzed in Post Grade School of Management, for purposes related with another goals.
This film was remade in 1964 as Outrage for Martin Ritt, where Paul Newman plays the role of Toshiro Mifune in the original version.
A true landmark. Don't miss it.
A superb classic! ... Read more

Description

James Stewart stars as Elwood P. Dowd, a wealthy alcoholic whose sunny disposition and drunken antics are tolerated by most of the citizens of his community. That is, until Elwood begins to claim that he has a friend named Harvey who is an invisisble six foot rabbit. Elwood's snooty socialite sister, Veta, determined to marry off her daughter Myrtle to a respectable man, begins to plot to keep Elwood's lunacy from interfering. ... Read more

Reviews (69)

Pookah Power!
Loving Veta thinks her brother Elwood has a problem. But Elwood feels he doesn't have a problem at all! Okay maybe he drinks a little, but when he is bothered by something he can always turn to his best friend, Harvey. Where is the problem in that? The problem stems from the fact that Harvey is a six foot three invisible rabbit. From this simple concept spins a most charming story about psychoanalysis.

The film was adapted from the Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same name and it never falls far from those roots. The entire film carries most of the dialogue and farcical scenes that thrilled theater crowds. The cast is stellar but the strongest performances come from Josephine Hull as Veta and from Jimmy Stewart's surprisingly dark turn as alcoholic Elwood P Dowd.

The DVD has a special audio introduction by Jimmy Stewart recorded just before his death. As it was shot, the film is in a pristine full-screen black and white and will keep purists happy. However, younger children may find the stage-like pacing and lack of color nothing short of deadly. Otherwise, this is a great family film sure to spur some interesting discussions.

Aren't We All A Little Crazy?
Jimmy Stewart stars as Elwood P. Dowd, a very ordinary man except for the fact he sees and talks to a large white rabbit (a pooka, actually). His overwrought sister Veta can't take it anymore, since he is ruining the chances of her daughter Myrtle Mae finding a suitable husband. She wants to get him committed to the Chumley Sanitarium. And that's when things begin to get very complicated for all concerned. As comedies go, Harvey isn't one of those riotous, laugh out loud howlers. It does have some laugh out loud moments, mostly supplied by the inimitable Josephine Hull as poor Veta. She's extremely funny, with her quavering, fluttery voice, and expressive eyes. The comedy is more gentle and rooted in human nature. Stewart hits all the right notes as Elwood, a terminally calm and happy man who seems much more at peace with himself and the world than the apparently sane people around him. He and the film leave you questioning what the harm is in a man who sees a big white rabbit, but loves life and making friends and who really disturbs no one. After all, don't we all have our own oddities and quirks - myself excepted, of course ;) .

One of James Stewart finest...
Elwood P. Dowd's (James Stewart) best friend is an invisible 6-foot rabbit named Harvey with whom he likes to spend his time with in bars drinking. This is something most people in Elwood's hometown find disturbing so his sister attempts to put Elwood in a mental institution. However, Elwood is perfectly happy with his situation and with Harvey. Harvey is a story that depicts two sides, one pessimistic and one optimistic. The gloomy side presents problems such as alcoholism, isolation, and cynicism. However, these negative issues are presented through light comedy and Elwood's positive view of life, which is a result of his friend Harvey. This story offers a blissful journey, which presents moments of self-reflection and amusement.

"Harvey and I warm ourselves in these golden moments."
Mostly everyone has had an imaginary friend at one time or another when growing up. Henry Koster's "Harvey" posits the notion that perhaps some imaginary friends are not imaginary after all. Yep, according to this film, it just might be true that there are invisible entities among us who are in actuality playful spirits. Therefore, think twice about dismissing the next person you see talking to no one in particular.

Elwood P. Dowd (James Stewart) is a simple man who is befriends everyone he meets. However, he does have one eccentric characteristic about him - his constant companion is an invisible rabbit who is over six feet tall named Harvey. Elwood always is keen to point his friend out but no one can see or has ever seen Harvey. Concerned about his mental health, Elwood's sister, Veta Louise Simmons (Josephine Hull) decides to have her brother committed to a sanatorium. The plan goes awry when the sanatorium staff mistakenly commits the wrong person and releases Elwood. A chase ensues when the situation is sorted out even though Elwood hasn't the slightest clue about what all the fuss around him is about.

"Harvey" is a cute film on one level and an insightful commentary on perception and sanity on another. Yet, it is a one-joke film that gets more and more tired as it goes along. Stewart brings much conviction to his role but his trademark charm is not enough to save the production. The screwball-comedy-inspired sequences at the sanatorium are amusing but are nothing people familiar with the genre have not seen before. "Harvey" is unfortunately too simple a film for adults and too slow for children. It boasts a great Jimmy Stewart performance but is one of the mid-tier films in his filmography.

Say Hello to Harvey
True insight comes from within-and it doesn't hurt to have an oversized friend giving you some guidance. Just ask Elwood, an eccentric bon vivant who has just that- a seldom seen, but often heard ( through Stewart ), six-foot-plus Rabbit friend, named Harvey.

Some in town just don't get it, and others even want to lock Elwood and Harvey away, so that they are out of view. Our two protagonists take it all in stride and teach those around them about the value of seeing the good in everybody instead of the bad.

Elwood is having too much fun to let life get in the way. Timeless film about societal concern of keeping up one's image, over substance and true friendship. One of James Stewart's best screen performances. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Swab the deck, me matey!
The Disney studios first official full length, live-action feature, TREASURE ISLAND is good fun. Although it lacks the slick story-telling flair of recent family films, the story, based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel, is precise and fluid. Robert Newton chews up the scenery as Long John Silver, paving the way for many lovable villains. Bobby Driscoll (Song of the South) plays the brave little Jim Hawkins (or "Jim Harkins" if you speak pirate) who gets involved in a treasure seeking adventure of good vs. evil. In the end, like the viewers of the video, the line between the two is not so well defined. That is a clever twist, especially for a Disney family film. The VHS format already shows some deterioration after a few viewings so I look forward to a DVD release but in the meantime. Yo ho yo ho, A Pirate's Life for Me!

All Aboard With Long John Silver
Jim Hawkins is a tavern owner's son who acquires a map showing the location of buried treasure. He shows it to an adventurous squire who recognizes its value and outfits the good ship Hispaniola to set off in search of the prize. The squire hires Jim as a cabin boy and persuades his own physician to join the crew as ship's doctor. The gullible squire's first big mistake is to sign up a rascal named Long John Silver as ship's cook. His second mistake is to allow Silver a chance to recruit some of his old shipmates from his pirate days as members of the Hispaniola's crew.

TREASURE ISLAND is an excellent movie with plenty of realistic action and convincing settings. Robert Newton is brilliant as Long John Silver and Bobby Driscoll shines as young Jim Hawkins. A strong supporting cast includes Basil Sydney, Denis O'Dea, Ralph Truman, Walter Fitzgerald, Finlay Currie and Geoffrey Wilkinson.

Director Byron Haskins also directed THE WAR OF THE WORLDS.

Old memories
Emotions ran high when I saw this movie again after more than 50 years. It was as exciting now as when I was a young child. Robert Newton's performance is a classic. After half a century, he is still the baddest (best) pirate ever.

"The Disney Version" is better than the novel.
Don't believe it? Read the book. The reviewer who said "...every screen production I have seen comes across as a cartoon or at best, 'an animated feature'," wasn't paying attention.

Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate story _is_ a children's fantasy. (Stevenson - whose grandson would later become one of Disney's "house directors" -- says as much in the book's introduction.) The principal characters are well-drawn and believable, but the story is 98% adventure. There is no _dramatic_ thrust to events. And it's told from the view of a 20-year-older Jim Hawkins, which tips off the reader that Jim is never in any real danger.

The emotional focus of the story is Jim's attraction to / repulsion by Long John Silver. In the novel, the adult Jim briefly acknowledges that he was attracted to Long John Silver as a surrogate for his recently deceased father, but turned away, because Silver is plainly untrustworthy. Stevenson fails to develop the relationship any further.

Not the screenwriters -- they bring it front and center. The story is now properly focused where it should be -- can Jim _really_ trust Long John Silver?

Silver is also worried about Jim, who plainly doesn't need "Piracy for Dummies" to recognize Silver is not altogether on the up-and-up. In a scene not in the book, Long John attempts to sweet-talk Jim -- one might even call it a seduction -- ending with the presentation of his parrot as a gift. The effect is subtly erotic -- especially as the gift comes from someone with such an obviously phallic name. (One is tempted to think Stevenson's name choice was deliberate -- he must have known how cabin boys were "mistreated.") And though Silver is married in the novel (to an unseen wife), the movie leaves his marital status unstated.

Long John Silver is a morally ambiguous character, and the film plays up this ambiguity. Silver alternates between protecting and threatening Jim, and you believe his sincerity in both instances. At the end, Jim is forced into deciding whether he should let Long John escape or be turned over to justice, completing the film with a solid dramatic "bang!" (The novel simply peters out -- Silver is taken captive, later wandering off with some of the loot.)

Robert Newton's interpretation of Long John Silver has always been controversial. There's no question it's totally "over the top." But that's how we expect pirates to behave, and it's how Stevenson wrote the character. I've seen "Treasure Island" several times -- Newton isn't simply chewing the scenery. His is a conscious interpretation, and he's in full control at all times. It's a great performance.

Arr, maties! Climb abord for a rip-roaring adventure!
The first time we watched this movie I watched it for about five minutes before walking away, because it wasn't interesting to me at the time. But when I caught the last twenty minutes of it, I decided that it was interesting after all and watched it from the beginning again.

I loved it! Bobby Driscoll was wonderful as Jim Hawkins, and Robert Newton gave the performance of his life as Long John Silver. The rest of the cast was also tremendous.

I had tried reading the book before, but it hadn't been interesting to me, and I ditched it before I was halfway done. Now, because of this movie, I think I'll dust it off and have a go at it. Who knows, I might even like it enough to review it! :) ... Read more

Reviews (41)

"..OH, PA-PAHHH...SELLING A FAKE MASTERPIECE IS A 'CRIME'! "
This delightful comedy has all the delicate sparkle of a newly-opened bottle of French Champagne. Forget "My Fair Lady," forget "Breakfast At Tiffany's,"...1966's "HOW TO STEAL A MILLION" is Audrey Hepburn's best film from the 1960's. One of the last great romantic comedies of style to be filmed before the anti- establishment films of the late '60's prevailed, "How To Steal A Million" combines the elements of visual elegance (opulence even, look at the purple velvet bannisters and carpet on the golden staircase in Audrey Hepburn's Paris chateau) with sophisticated dry wit; a beautiful, romantic score with a "kooky" twist on the "French farce." Beautiful scenery, sublime chaos, near-Hitchcockian-intrigue, zippy car chases in quirky autos, and Audrey Hepburn's wacky fashions make for one of the best combinations the screen has seen so far. Ironically, the best twist in this story is that the "MILLION" Audrey Hepburn's and Peter O'Toole's characters are trying to "STEAL" is not what they 'actually' ARE stealing (on purpose). To figure that one out...watch AND ENJOY this MAGNIFICENT movie! "Oh, Pa-Pahhhh! ..."

Fantastic Movie :)
I love this movie. It has everything: romance, comedy, quirkiness and a kissing-in-a-closet scene! Audrey Hepburn was as adorable and entertaining as ever, and this was the first time that I'd ever seen a Peter O'Toole movie and he was fabulous! He's extremely funny and pretty darn spunky! You could just instantly fall in love with him, the second you saw those bewildered round blue eyes peering over the top of the "Van Gogh" painting. I didn't find this movie boring for an instant and I loved watching them steal back the "Cellini" sculpture, using, amongst other things, a bucket, a magnet and a boomerang! I think that this is now my favourite Audrey Hepburn movie. They make an extremely likable couple and their exploits in "How To Steal A Million" are engaging and engrossing.

I give 5 stars to everything I review...Don't I?
I love Breakfast at Tiffany's, but this has to be my absolute favorite Audrey Hepburn film!!! It will be released in December 2004 on DVD!!! Very good plot...cool cool cool....beautiful actress...yeah yeah yeah.....what more could you ask for???...It is a long wait, maybe you should order the video cassette used......!

You don't think I'd steal something that didn't belong to me
Charles Bonnet, Nicole Bonnet's incorrigible father, makes a living forging long-lost masterpieces and then selling them at auctions or to private collectors, such as American business magnate David Leland. Bonnet's quite a character and is an artist, albeit a forger, living the moment, but also being the artist. When he paints a Van Gogh, he IS Van Gogh. Nicole is exasperated, worried that he'll be caught and sent to prison. Charles' flippant response is "The trouble is, you're so honest." So when he authorizes the loan of the prize of his collection, the Cellini Venus, a copy of it sculpted by her grandfather which her grandmother posed for, Nicole thinks her father has flipped his wig. It is worth a million dollars--hence the title.

What Nicole dreads the most occurs when the museum announces that one Professor Bauer will be conducting tests to determine the statue's authenticity. To that end, Nicole enlists the aid of Simon Dermott, a burglar she caught in her father's house trying to steal a Van Gogh (fake, of course), to steal her father's sculpture to save him from being jailed for fraud. She doesn't tell him the real reasons, of course. Dermott thinks it's a crazy idea, given the high-tech security devices and the numerous police detail milling around the museum, but combined by Nicole's persistence and her charm, finally gives in. But just what does he hope to accomplish with a toy boomerang?

The actual heist and scenes in the museum are worth waiting for, as that's where the exciting parts are. The cramped quarters in the broom closet underlines the tension of two people scared that they'll be caught, although it furthers the budding romantic storyline. And Dermott's ingenuity is well demonstrated. As he says, "wait for normal human reaction." A particular comical touch comes in the form of a portly museum guard who has a large mustache and quite a fondness for the bottle. Oh, and that alarm is pretty annoying, so beware!

Audrey's Givenchy fashions become ridiculously funny, such as the pillbox hat and large-rimmed sunglasses in her opening scene, and even becomes a point of parody when Dermott remarks at Nicole dressed as a cleaning woman, "It Givenchy a night off." As it turned out, one night turned into thirteen years, as Givenchy was pressed back to work for Bloodline.

The last comedy Audrey acted in, How To Steal A Million, originally titled Venus Rising, was the third and last film Audrey did for William Wyler, after Roman Holiday and The Children's Hour. It was also the first time Hepburn acted with a leading man closer to her own age since Anthony Perkins in Green Mansions, Peter O'Toole being three years her junior. Her wide expressive eyes and that winning smile are put to good use here. And she does have a great line: "You don't think I'd steal something that didn't belong to me?"

Hugh Griffith is fun to watch as the rascally Charles Bonnet, with the same bulging eyes, funny hair, and goatee. O'Toole (Simon) is also an asset, suave, calm, clever, and quick with one-liners. So is Eli Wallach (Leland), an excitable and impulsive millionaire with his sights on the Venus. And Jacques Marin, who is the befuddled senior museum guard, previously appeared with Ms. Hepburn in Charade, as the chief of police.

Panned when it first came out, I'm not sure why this doesn't hold out even today. Hepburn herself acted in it because she felt indebted to Wyler, who made her what she became, but at least she had fun with O'Toole, as the two were gigglers and many takes had to be required, especially in the broom cupboard scene. It's an enjoyable and frantic caper film, a genre popularized by Topkapi six years ago.

Who Knew I'd Fal, For Someone old Enough To Be My Father?
After watching this movie I was struck by how gorgeous Peter O'Toole's blues are. He's funny and sweet and sarcastic, as well as wealthy and intelligent, in other words, any straight woman's dream. The plot is sweet and quick and very tongue in cheeck. Audrey's at her best and "gives givenchy a break" "in one of the scenes, a genuinely hilarious one that I won't describe lest I ruin the plot. And remember - boomerangs and empty whisky bottles are a lot more useful than you might think them. ... Read more

Description

Includes the following movies, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Mexican Hayride Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man Comin' Round the Mountain Lost in Alaska ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Except for A&C Meet Frankenstein...these are bombs!
Universal has squished another 8 Abbott & Costello movies out on a 2 disc set that will obviously please the ardent fans, but these films (with one exception) are really AWFUL.

The only one worth any note here is A&C MEET FRANKENSTEIN which actually has a good script, and a clever way of intergrating Universal's horror franchise with their then-hugely popular comedy team. It's the only A&C film I can sit through (except for their earliest).

SKIP THIS DUD!

The best of Abbott & Costello Vol. 1
I have waited so long and now to have them released is fantastic. These are true comedy and can now be shown to my grandkids to experience a good laugh without swearing. Kudos to Universal for releasing these gems and hopefully more soon.

This DVD collection is a must - for any A&C Fans
I remember growing up watching old Abbott and Costello movies on Sunday afternoons with my Dad (along with the classic monster movies and the old Blondie shows). Buying these DVD's is like reliving great memories from my youth. The picture quality on these DVD's is outstanding - they are very well done. This third volume in this series is going to be the best of them all - this DVD will have some of my all time favorite A&C movies. I have watched the first two volumes numerous times since purchasing them and look forward to this next volume with great anticipation.

Worthy of More Than 5 Stars...
I just can't get enough of Abbott and Costello!

I waited for quite a few years for ANY Abbott and Costello movies to hit DVD. There were very few in print. It was frustrating.

Well, the wait paid off big time. The first two sets were incredible. Universal has gone the extra mile and these sets are winners on so many levels.

Each set thus far includes 8 HIGH QUALITY films for under $20!

When I say HIGH QUALITY, I'm not just talking about the quality of the prints, which is very high, but the movies themselves are not lost turkeys. These are the truly all classics, and this set includes some of the great Universal Monster tie-ins, which were previously sold individually for more than the price of this set of 8!

Based upon the track record for classic movies going out of print, I suggest you buy them while they are still in this format.

keep em coming!
This is what offering a great value is all about! I've got vol. 1 & 2 already and this one on order. This will be one of my favs for sure! 8 movies, fantastic quality, all for under $20!!! Man, the CD music industry needs to stand up and take notice of what's happening in the DVD industry. This is one of many great collections that have/are coming out. The Universal Monsters, The Marx Brothers, Don Knotts and several other collections all reasonably priced. You can't even rent movies this cheap. Vol 1 & 2 of this series are stellar for quality and the packaging is top notch and very convenient, they take up very little space in a storage unit. I'm not sure how many movies are left to release after this but if there's enough to do another vol 4 please do so! Thanks a million Universal Studios! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

It was instantly acclaimed the crowning masterwork of Ingmar Bergman's career, and time has not dimmed the Olympian status of Fanny and Alexander. Bergman drew upon memories of his own childhood for this portrait of the Ekdahls, the upper-class Swedish family whose celebrations and tribulations are seen through the eyes of 10-year-old Alexander (Bertil Guve). The world of the theater, of puppet shows and magic lanterns, does battle in this scenario with the cold realities of the palace of the bishop--a man whose influence over Alexander's mother gives the movie the stark outlines of a fairy tale.

As for the Criterion five-disc DVD:This may be the most beautiful DVD release ever devoted to a single film. The original 188-minute international release is here, of course, in all its original glory. (It won four Oscars:foreign language film, costumes, art direction/set decoration, and cinematography--the last to longtime Bergman collaborator Sven Nykvist.) An audio commentary by Peter Cowie gives useful background.

That film was carved out of Bergman's preferred 312-minute version, telecast on Swedish TV and included here. While the shorter cut remains a wonderful movie, and complete unto itself, the five-hour film is a deep, luxurious expansion. There is more of the Christmas Eve party that begins the film, more of the theater, more of Alexander's imagination. Especially meaningful is a long sequence between Fanny and Alexander and their doomed father, as he demonstrates the nature of storytelling with a simple chair.

Also here is The Making of Fanny and Alexander, Bergman's feature-length self-portrait, and a fascinating look at the rapt attention he bestows on actors and camera. DVD extras include a penetrating hourlong TV interview Bergman gave in 1984, and a 40-minute documentary shot in 2004 with reminiscences from cast and crew (including actors Guve, Pernilla August, and Erland Josephson). A handsome booklet includes essays by Rick Moody and Paul Arthur, and one disc is made up of pithy introductions shot by Bergman in 2003, for 11 of his classics, plus a sampling of trailers. Fanny and Alexander was Bergman's final theatrical film, though he has gone right on making TV movies and writing screenplays. This is a fitting treatment of his triumph. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (27)

A Universe of Humanity
I agree ... that Fanny and Alexander is not just a great film, but that it is a career retrospective of Bergman's art encompassing a universe of humanity and the artist's concerns and feelings for all of life.
As such, it is imperative that the US DVD release should not only come soon, but that it should be the complete five hour version released in Europe, but never seen here in the US.
With the Oscar winning art direction, costumes and cinematography, this is Bergman's most luxuriant film that sucks you in with a sweep that never drags. In repeated viewings in theaters and on VHS, I never had a moment of distraction, but always wanted more. Now we can have it, in one of the greatest films of all time.

Bergman's Powerful Farewell
Though I give Fanny and Alexander only 4 stars, I can totally understand reviewers who give it 5 stars. I did so only because I prefer more "artsy" or "ambiguous" Bergman such as Persona or Cries and Whispers. But Fanny and Alexander is by far the best mainstream film I've ever seen, and this is Bergman's most accessible. I can't believe how thoughtful and thought-provoking this film and others like it are, in comparison to average Hollywood fodder. Even young Bertil Guve and Pernilla Allwin give stunning performances as the title characters, portraying emotion and expression as genuinely as any of the adult characters. I won't even begin to analyze the plot, the film being over 3 hrs. long; see it for yourself. I will just say that Fanny and Alexander is among filmdom's best. Kudos to the master for going out in style!

Powerful
This ORIGINALLY THREE HOUR LONG film was extended for Swedish Television a couple of years after its release. I've seen both versions and must say that the story makes much more sense in the five hour version, and I hope that's the one we eventually will get. However, some stuff (15 to 20 minutes or so) could have been left out in the extended version without having affected the story line, but all shots are nevertheless enchantingly beautiful. Bergman has said that this film (apparently his last for cinema) sums up all his work as a director, and I have no doubt that his career in film couldn't have ended on a higher note. The movie is flawless and powerful, plus on DVD we'll be able to watch it in the widescreen format!

fanny & alexander
when you release the DVD version of Fanny & Alexander, make sure that it is the 5+ hour uncut epistle
or don't bother to contact me , i won't be shortchanged. you cannot EDIT a masterpiece !!!!

Bergman's finest contribution to the history of cinema...
The upper-class Ekdahl family is a warm and vibrant family and this shines through in their extravagantly decorated home in which they are about to celebrate Christmas Eve. They have the Christmas feast in the kitchen with the servants, and this is something some servants find inappropriate. However, the family is very close to everyone who is a part of the family or friends of the family. The mother Helena (Gunn Wållgren), who is on the later part of her life, has three mature and married sons, Gustav Adolf, Carl, and Oscar. Gustaf Adolf (Jarl Kulle) is a funny and happy fellow who is constantly cheating on his wife, who is aware of his cheating, but maintains a civil manner and still loves her husband. The family smarts went to Carl, (Börje Ahlstedt) who is a scientist with nihilistic life philosophy. Carl suffers from depression which is frequently expressed toward his loving wife in an emotionally abusive manner. Oscar (Allan Edwall) is the theater director full of love, which he shares as often as he can with his dear children, Fanny and Alexander. However, Oscar does not feel well, and he hides his poor health from the family as he believes that life must go on. Oscar passes out when he is rehearsing Shakespeare's Hamlet and dies a short time after. Fanny deals much better with the death of her father than Alexander, who does not know how to deal with the pain and anguish from his father's death. The warmth and love that the family has keeps the family together, despite many family issues, which all surfaces as the audience is brought to the issues through Bergman's story telling. A year after Oscar's death Emilie (Ewa Fröling), Oscar's wife, is remarrying the Bishop Edvard Vergerus (Jan Malmsjö). The Bishop who asks Emilie to leave all her past, issues, and belongings at home when they move into the Bishop's rustic home. However, Fanny and Alexander cannot leave their past behind them and they often end up being punished by the callous Bishop, who proclaims that his strictness is an act of love from God.

Fanny and Alexander is a film that dissects socially learned morals and values in the shadow of family secrets and issues. These secrets and issues are often the emotional engine behind the human motivation which produces certain manners and behaviors from the Ekdahl family members and those around them. For example, Carl's depression is partially inherited from his financial difficulty that is hampered by his mothers reluctance to give him money, which enhances his nihilistic self-perspective and deepens his negative self-worth. Bergman displays his vast insights into psychology and the human psyche in Fanny and Alexander as he displays the production of numerous emotional states such as happiness, anger, desire, anguish, and many more. These emotional states are clearly acted out by a terrific cast as they face several hurdles throughout the film. In addition, the misé-en-scene is outstanding, since it elevates the understanding for the different emotional states provided in the different homes. A great example is the comparison between the Ekdahl's home which has several strong colors and the art that awakens different emotions, which brings life to the home and the Bishop Vergerus' home that is very sparingly furnished with thick white prison-like walls, which almost suffocates any expression of feelings. The cinematography maximizes the use of the camera in order to enhance the emotional states of each scene. When all aspects of film making are put together in Fanny and Alexander it leaves the audeince with a brilliant cinematic experience. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

DOCTOR DOLITLE LOOKS GREAT ON DVD!
If you haven't seen the underrated original DR. DOLITLE in widescreen stereo as you will be able to on DVD, you haven't seen it! The photography is outstanding (shot in TODD-AO 70MM) and the orchestrations and songs sound great! The Laser Disc was the only way to experience this oustanding family musical...until now. Sadly, though, two of the films best songs, "Where Are The Words" and the beautiful "Something In Your Smile" were cut from the film right before its release and are not restored here as hoped; be sure to check them out on the soundtrack, available on CD (you can hear the melodies play in the overture, opening credits, and exit music). Still, this is a great looking, great sounding musical for everyone! Many muusicals of the late Sixties were unfairly compared (or indeed did try to emulate) "The Sound of Music" and "Mary Poppins" As time has gone on, they can be finally apprecaited as the outstanding entertainments some of them are, like DOCTOR DOLITTLE.

An Overlooked Treasure!
"Dr. Dolittle" is one of the most enjoyable family movies to view again and again. You'll find yourself humming the delightful "Talk To The Animals" for days! From the magical island to the giant snail and the 'push me-pull you', this movie is filled with wonderful cinema moments. The DVD version has obvious advantages, but I give 2 thumbs up even for the VHS version. Get the popcorn and enjoy this overlooked treasure!

Oh, Eddie Murphy...
What were you thinking? I'll admit the 1998 remake was entertaining, the way "Wings" is at one o'clock in the morning when nothing else is on, but, like "The Nutty Professor" Murphy's kid-friendly remake looks like a crime against cinema when placed next to its source material. First off, this is a musical with a beautiful score by Leslie Bricusse (who wrote the songs for "Willy Wonka" and "Stop the World, I Want To Get Off" with longtime partner Anthony Newley, who stars in this film). Also, Rex Harrison WORKED to learn to talk to animals. It wasn't a magical power he was born with, the man studied! He doesn't need cheesy (if well-cast) celebrity voiceovers and computer-generated mouth-movement to convince us, either. So if you want your kids to settle for second best and, as a result, drag you to mediocre kiddy-fair after mediocre kiddy-fair (which, in the age of "The Cat in the Hat" is pretty bad) let 'em have Eddie Murphy. But if you want your kids to have taste and appreciate a quality piece of filmmaking, rent this film immediately. Even if you have no kids, buy it, rent it, whatever.

Never Appreciated Enough
This 1967 box office dud, came a few years too late to be appreciated. Although it had several Oscar nominations and a couple wins, it came at a time when musicals had fallen out of favor and had huge, overblown budgets. It still has many charms, including a very sincere performance by Rex Harrison. He talk-sings his way through the score like he did in "My Fair Lady", and actually performs many of his songs live on set. Composer/actor Anthony Newley made his American film debut and shows us all why he was such an amazing talent. The DVD looks and sounds great, if you've never seen the movie in all it's wide-screen glory, you need to see it this way. The sound is full-bodied and is very typical of 1960's sound technology. Fox always had a great sound department, and on a good sound system, you'll hear an awesome score. Highly recommended for the pre-computer effects generation. The film was cut after it's initial road-show version and there's 2 songs on the soundtrack album that are not in the film. Maybe someday the road-show version will show up again, but don't count on it. Also recommend getting the CD of the score with the missing songs.

A wonderful, timeless, and funny film!
I highly recommend this film for people of all ages It's a great film for the entire family to watch. Rex Harrison is absolutly brilliant as Doctor Dolittle. He's a wonderful actor in every film that he does. It deserves all the stars it can get. It's well worth the price and a film I never tire of watching. ... Read more

Description

A young boy is awakened during a storm to witness a flying saucer land in the field behind his home. No one will believe his story as, one by one, the townspeople are captured and put under the control of sinister forces from the planet Mars! Brilliantly created by visionary set designer and director William Cameron Menzies (designer of "Gone with the Wind" and H.G. Wells' "Things to Come") with a haunting musical score by Raoul Kraushaar, this golden age sci-fi classic has lost none of its chilling power. Surreal imagery brought to terrifying life in a Cinecolor world just beyond our nightmares! ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Prelude to "Taken"
The prototype for later scifi movies, "Invaders from Mars" a 1953 Color film will take you along an exciting course... implants are introduced as well as theories about an underground Martian civilization are well integrated into the plot of the film.

I thought the ending was very novel for it's time... a time loop. The British edition is also featured on the DVD and is interesting but not as original as the American version... You decide which ending you like.

This film is also probably the fore runner to the abduction experiences recounted by so many these days...

The special effects are of course almost childlike by todays standards...particularly the explosions and the sand pit scenes...but other scenes where the alien head uses telepathy are ahead of their time and were later used by Star trek episodes later.

A classic 1950's Sci-Fi
If you like 1950's Sci-Fi movies, or enjoy watching them with your kids (I love educating my kids to the classics),this is the perfect "watch-at-night-with-popcorn movie." There are no whiz-bang effects (ballons and something that looks like boiling spaghetti sauce are used inside Martian tunnels under the sandpit) and the Martian costumes are pretty silly, but the story and character development more than make up for any shortcomings. I own both the VHS and DVD of this movie and I love the DVD. I don't think a print worthy of total restoration exists and the audio is just OK (no spectacular Surround effects) but the DVD does have original trailers on it and it does not have the inherent pifalls of tape (drop outs, even worse color and audio). My kids (and even my wife) get hooked on this film when I play it. The suspense starts right away and the film gets you "inside" David (the starring character in the movie) so you feel his frustration in his attempts to reveal the secrets of the "Sand Pit." Everyone, at some point in their lives, will have a nightmare where they run from an enemy and can never escape. This is the movie made from that nightmare.

oh, come on!
This is one badly made, poorly directed, cheesy 1950's sci-fi movie. And I'm a collector of this stuff! At least you can understand about Ed Woods' "Bride of the Monster", etc, because they were made on about $75 and in one take only. This movie doesn't have that excuse. The inflated condoms passing for..what, exactly? on the walls of the underground tunnels, the boiling Campbell's soup image intended to depict...what, exactly? when the Martian ray gun is pointed at the condoms on the walls, the absolutely laughable Martian costumes with the zippers up the back. I tried to convince my kids that the zippers were ridges on the Martians' backs but hey my kids have seen zippers before. I enjoyed the avant garde minimalist sets and it would have been interesting if it had been intended. This thing is really bad and that's where all the pleasure can be drawn from it. Enjoy!

Form ruins substance
While the term "classic" is thoroughly overused to describe movies, "Invaders from Mars" is definitely a sci-fi classic in the truest sense. Sadly, this version of the movie is simply atrocious. As another reviewer here correctly stated, "What you get is a scratchy, jumpy film with more interference lines than you used to get on TV before cable. Stay away from this version." I found the poor picture quality so distracting that it ruined the experience of watching the film.

No communists just aliens
Yes, this has been one of my all time favs, it scared the bedoobies out of me as a kid, along with The Preying Mantis, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and The Fly. But some of us kids who stayed awake frozen at with fear at night hearing strange noises due to the movies and our imaginations were not afraid of communists, but that our parents could turn into something OTHER than our parents, (i.e., alien monsters who had destroyed our REAL parents) only we would know it and the other grown-ups would not believe that our parents were aliens, either because they were also aliens or because we just "kids". I have no idea if this movie would have such an impact on me today, if I were to see it for the first time as a grown-up, but it is a memory that I won't forget. Now I have a lot of fun watching it, when I was little I was just really scared. And it really is a GOOD MOVIE...I am thankful that it is available.. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

I'm so excited!
Both Bette & Joan collections on the SAME DAY!

I know some people are upset that this set includes 3 prior releases, but fortunately for me, I don't own any of these titles yet.

I agree with many others that Beyond The Forest & Hush, Hush definitely deserve that DVD treatment. Along with The Nanny, The Anniversary and The Petrified Forest.

I also wish TCM would do a retrospect on Davis like they did for Crawford.

I look forward to adding these 5 great titles to my own collection of All About Eve, Dead Ringer and The Burning.

what did you thinking???
Bueno cuando vi,.,que iba a poner una coleccion de las peliculas de bette davis... me emocione..mucho..ya que valoro mucho su trabajo...pero..por que incluir... peliculas que ya existen en dvd....a excepcion de Mr Skeefington y The Star....esta ultima..si bien..es de mi agrado..creo que hay muchas otras opciones para .realizar la transferncia a Dvd....asi tenemos.:
All this and heaven too, Marked Woman, In this our life, o hasta Hush hush sweet charlotte....creo que la coleccion de Joan Crawford esta mucho mejor escogia en cuanto a las peliculas.. ya que de las 5, 3 son titulos nuevos en dvd,,,favor tomar esto como unasugerencia,, para una segunda entrega,,,

saludos cordiales

All This and Bette, Too
At last, we're getting the legacy collections of some of our legendary stars. For the Bette collection, I do hope they've cleaned up and restored the DVD version of "Dark Victory." When I watched it, I was shocked by the poor, grainy quality. "Now Voyager" looked wonderful but there were no extras at all. There are several good Bette documentaries floating around that should be included on this collection. Like some of the other commentators here, I wish the next Bette collection would include the following:
1. In this Our Life. Bette burns up the screen as one of the most villanous psychopaths to ever appear in movies. As Stanley Timberlake, she says; "I'd rather do anything than be still." She lies, kills and destroys with abandon. A wonderfully atmospheric movie with the main part of the movie occurring against the backdrop of the decaying Timberlake mansion. Great musical score by Max Steiner.
2. Beyond the Forest. Another powerful portrait of evil as Bette sashays around as that over-sexed, frustrated Rosa Moline, who is described by one character as "Something for the birds, Rosa. Something for the BIRDS!" Bette is incredibly sexy in her Edith Head clinging dresses and robes. And you've never seen anything like Bette's death scene--all accompanied by one of Max Steiner's greatest film scores, all revolving around "Chicago, Chicago, that toddlin' town." Bette later told a reporter that there's one sequence in the movie that she had to return and re-loop (dub. "If I don't get out of here, I'll die! If I don't get out of here I HOPE I die--and burn." When she uttered those words, everyone in the projection collapsed with laughter because this is what she had been saying during the entire filming of "Beyond the Forest." Contrary to legend, Jack Warner did NOT force Bette to make this movie. She chose it. She had already turned down "Mildred Pierce," "Humoresque," "Possessed" (all Joan Crawford triumphs, "Hold Back the Dawn," (Olivia De Havilland's Oscar winner).
3. Old Acquaintance. This is a delicious brew of female rivalry, cococted into an exhilirating cocktail of catfights and threats by Bette and her arch-enemy, Miriam Hopkins. According to Davis, Hopkins pulled her usual scene-stealing tricks and did her damndest to upstage Davis in every scene. Poor director, Edmund Goulding, had his hands full.

ditto Scott's review
I couldn't agree more with what Scott wrote.I already own "Dark Victory", "Now, Voyager" and "The Letter" on DVD.Why not release new films?I'm glad "The Private Lives of Elizabeth & Essex" was just released; it's one of my favorites (see my review of the film)."Mr. Skeffington" is good, too; Davis at her lightest and most humorous. But "The Star" is dreadful...a B movie with an awful performance by Davis.Not even fun to watch as camp.

I personally would like to see these Bette Davis films on DVD:

1. Beyond the Forest (hilariously campy and noirish; Davis is on fire here, burning up the screen in every frame. Vidor brings a touch of German expressionism to the film. This is the film in which Davis utters the famous line, "What a dump!", which Edward Albee refers to in his play "Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf?")
2. In This Our Life (also great camp and atmospheric; nobody's better than Bette when she's bad. Directed by John Huston.)
3. Dangerous (Davis in an early role, more natural than in "Of Human Bondage" yet still full of histrionics.She looks great and is quite sexy here. Good chemistry with Franchot Tone.)
4. Marked Woman (Davis & Bogart are great here; tough, dark film. Davis' only gangster film. Bogey is quite likeable here and shows a softer side.)
5. The Old Maid (one of Davis' best soap operas; she & Miriam Hopkins are dynamite.Davis at her most beautiful. More of a tearjerker than "Dark Victory" or "Now Voyager")
6. Juarez (Davis steals the film with her small role as the Empress Carlota. Her mad scene is worth the price of the DVD.)
7. Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte (better than "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" Richer in detail and more complexity and subtlety to Davis' acting. Horror camp at its best. Great supporting cast including Agnes Moorehead, Joseph Cotten & Olivia DeHavilland)

"fasten your seatbelts, I'm gonna order this collection!"
i have to have me some Bette in my collection and i just love these movies. they are my favorites but i wished you added, "All about Eve" in the mix. I love me some Bette D. She was a legened. and i'm sorry, i think she was the better actress than Crawford. Joan had the looks but Bette had the talent and the balls to handle any tough roll and she brought it to the screen with both barrels. She will be a great asset to my movie collection. Now to find me some Barbara Stanywick. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Disney's first animated feature in CinemaScope is now available in widescreen presentations on video, and it is definitely good to get the whole picture. One of the studio's most original and charming movies, the 1955 film tells the story of a rakish, street-smart dog named Tramp, who helps an aristocratic pooch named Lady out of some trouble and then commences a romance with her. Sweet, funny scenes abound, and the combination of innocence and sophistication would have done well in a live-action picture. Peggy Lee cowrote the songs and provides the voice of the Siamese cats in one of the film's best-known musical sequences. This newly restored version spruces up both sonics and visuals, and a letterbox version is available. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (65)

How could I NOT give it 5 stars?
Lady and the Tramp is simply my all-time favorite Disney film! In my opinion, it is a 5 star masterpiece, and I would give it more if I could! I remember when I was just four years old, watching the characters Lady, Tramp, Jock, Trusty, and the Siamese Cats light up my eyes, as well as my TV screen, as very few films have done for me before or since. The music and songs are especially enjoyable, especially "Bella Notte" and "He's a Tramp." And the thrilling climax, which I won't spoil for the people who have yet to see it, ranks with the climaxes of "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King." I remember having to wait almost a decade for Disney to re-release this classic so that I could replace my old worn-out copy. Now that I have it on both VHS and DVD, and both editions are in widescreen, I can enjoy it for years to come as I never thought I'd be able to! Your kids will love it, and so will anyone who's still young at heart. Buy it today! Don't make the same mistake I did over 10 years ago!

How could I NOT give it 5 stars?
Simply speaking, Lady and the Tramp is my favorite Disney film of all time! In my opinion, it is a 5 star masterpiece, and I would give it more if I could! I remember when I was just 4 years old, watching the characters Lady, Tramp, Jock, Trusty, and the Siamese Cats light up my eyes, as well as my TV screen, as no other movie (except maybe Pete's Dragon or Superman) has done for me before or since. The music and songs are especially enjoyable, especially "Bella Notte." And the thrilling climax (which I won't spoil for the peope who have yet to see it) ranks with the "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King" climaxes! I remember having to wait almost a decade for Disney to re-release this classic on video so that I could replace my worn-out taped version. Now that I have it on both VHS and DVD, and both editions are in widescreen, I can enjoy it for years to come as I never thought I'd be able to! Your kids will love it, and so will anyone who's still young at heart! Buy it on DVD today! Don't make the same mistake I did over 10 years ago! (And don't let the lack of special features stop you, either!)

truelly magical
I grew up with this film. It was one of my all time favorite movies. The music the charictors the story the romance! Oh it is truelly one of the best disney movies I have ever seen! No pixie dust or fairy godmothers just a great film you could watch again & again & I'm sure the DVD is even better.
True This is based on VHS I got a DVD player only a month ago & cannot get ahold of a copy of the DVD. It is too much of a treasure bring it back out of the vault for all to enjoy! It is truelly not to be missed & always to be treasured.

Disney's 15th Animated Masterpiece!
Forget about princesses marrying princes or princes marrying peasent maidens, this is Disney's most romantic film ever. Lady and Tramp is the loving story of a beautiful girl dog named Lady who falls in love with another dog from the other side of the tracks named Tramp, after different adventures in the streets of the city, they both settle down for a nice, romantic dinner at a town's restaurant, this scene is probably remembered as one of Disney's most romantic moments ever, we all love this film. Something is troubling lady though, a new baby was born at the house where she lives, and she hasn't been receiving the attention her owners usually gave her, now in the care of Aunt Sarah, Lady is afraid to return home, but many different events will give this story one of the most beautiful happy endings ever.

This Limited Edition DVD, brings nothing in Bonus Features, this title really needs a much better release and it will get it since it has been officially announced as part of the Platinum Edition line, which will give the title a much better release.

How could I replace this movie from my heart?
This is an AMAZING movie. I feel really lucky to have such a movie. I read the other paragraphs in the category,and you can say I agreed with the other peaople whom liked it. I am glad i sticked to five stars for this amazing movie!!! It's an amazing love story that brougt my love for cartoons and animated movies back to