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Amazon.com  From Hollywood's legendary Cocoanut Grove to the pioneering conquest of the wild blue yonder, Martin Scorsese's The Aviator celebrates old-school filmmaking at its finest. We say "old school" only because Scorsese's love of golden-age Hollywood is evident in his approach to his subject--Howard Hughes in his prime (played by Leonardo DiCaprio in his)--and especially in his technical mastery of the medium reflecting his love for classical filmmaking of the studio era. Even when he's using state-of-the-art digital trickery for the film's exciting flight scenes (including one of the most spectacular crashes ever filmed), Scorsese's meticulous attention to art direction and costume design suggests an impassioned pursuit of craftsmanship from a bygone era; every frame seems to glow with gilded detail. And while DiCaprio bears little physical resemblance to Hughes during the film's 20-year span (late 1920s to late '40s), he efficiently captures the eccentric millionaire's golden-boy essence, and his tragic descent into obsessive-compulsive seclusion. Bolstered by Cate Blanchett's uncannily accurate portrayal of Katharine Hepburn as Hughes' most beloved lover, The Aviator is easily Scorsese's most accessible film, inviting mainstream popularity without compromising Scorsese's artistic reputation. As compelling crowd-pleasers go, it's a class act from start to finish. --Jeff Shannon
DVD Features
In his commentary track, director Martin Scorsese offers his own impressions of Howard Hughes and rattles off his memories of experiencing Hughes's films.He mentions how he made Cate Blanchett watch every Katharine Hepburn film from the '30s on the big screen, and observes that Kate Beckinsale had "a real sense of the stature of a Hollywood goddess."But in general he doesn't talk much about the craft of making the film.That area is covered better by editor Thelma Schoonmaker, who also appears on the commentary track, and producer Michael Mann makes a few appearances (all were recorded separately).The picture is brilliant, but the 5.1 sound is not as aggressive in the rear speakers and subwoofer as one might expect, other than some nice surround effects in the Hell's Angels flying sequence.
The second disc collects almost three hours of features.There's one unnecessary deleted scene, and an 11-minute making-of featurette that's basically the cast and director heaping praise on each other.More interesting are the short featurettes on visual effects (including the XF-11 scene, of course), production design, costumes, hair and makeup, and score, and Loudon Wainwright discusses his and his children's musical performances.Historical perspective is provided by spotlights on Hughes's role in aviation and his obsessive-compulsive disorder, and a 43-minute Hughes documentary from the History Channel (part of the Modern Marvels series, it focuses on his mechanical innovations and spends less than a minute on his movies).More unusual are DiCaprio and Scorsese's appearance on an OCD panel, and a half-hour interview segment DiCaprio did with Alan Alda.--David Horiuchi The Personalities ofThe Aviator Click the links to explore more movies by these stars.  | Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes
"Sometimes I truly fear that I... am losing my mind. And if I did it... it would be like flying blind." |  | Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn
Howard Hughes: "You're the tallest woman I have ever met."
Katharine Hepburn: "And all sharp elbows and knees. Beware." | |  | Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner
Howard Hughes: "Does that look clean to you?"
Ava Gardner: "Nothing's clean, Howard. But we do our best, right?" |  | Gwen Stefani as Jean Harlow
Jean Harlow in Hell's Angels: "Would you be shocked if I put on something more comfortable?" |
 | Jude Law as Errol Flynn
Errol Flynn in Captain Blood: "Up the riggings, you monkeys! Break out those sails and watch them fill with the wind that's carrying us all to freedom!" |
 | Director Martin Scorsese
"You get a sense of Howard Hughes being Icarus with the wax wings. Those wings were great for a while, but he flies too close to the sun." --Martin Scorsese |
Other Movies by The Aviator's Oscar® Winners
Production Designer Dante Ferretti
Film Editor Thelma Schoonmaker
Costume Designer Sandy Powell
Cinematographer Robert Richardson
See all the Oscar® winners atOscar Central
The Aviator at Amazon.com 
The Aviator soundtrack | 
The Screenplay | 
Howard Hughes: The Real Aviator |
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"Bring in the milk!"
Let me state a few facts about myself and, in doing so, set up a very sincere question about "The Aviator."
1) I'm a huge fan of Howard Hughes, an absolute buff on the guy.I've read two biographies of him and have to say he's one of the most interesting historical figures of the past century: His brilliance, his wealth, his flaws, his successes, his peculiarities and the periods in which he lived all combine to create a fascinating figure.
2) I'm a tremendous fan of Martin Scorsese.He's made some of my favorite movies and I think he's probably one of the top five greatest directors working today.There's just something about the way he photographs images and people that makes even his worst movies worthwhile.
3) I also think Leonardo DiCaprio is a really good actor, a fact that has been publicly obscurred (but not hampered) by the "Titanic" hype and by some poor choices (or lack of choices, in recent years).
4) And I think "The Aviator" was probably the best produced movie of 2004.The cast is excellent, the sets and costumes and designs are fabulous, the cinematography is exquisite.
So, THAT SAID, why didn't I like the movie more?It's an impressive achievement but I seem to appreciate the parts more than the whole.And as good as DiCaprio is, I think he may have been miscast.Only a star of his level could've gotten this kind of budget, but he simply doesn't look right in the part.It's not until after he grows a moustache that he really start to resemble Hughes.Most of the time, Hughes looked like a guy who was quietly trying very hard not to leap out of his skin but DiCaprio seems more intent on burrowing deeply *into* his body.
He just doesn't have the same kind of intrinsic uncomfortability.
Still, it's an impossible movie not to recommend.There are long stretches of space but every so often, there's a brilliant explosion.
The opulance and scope. Brought to you by Scorsese.
This film is entertaining, and much more effective than any one biography of Howard Hughes. The pace of the movie, coupled with the fantastic acting by Leonardo DiCaprio as the livid Howard Hughes, gives an aura of 3hrs much in the way of inspiration. For underachievers this is a shockingly, unbelievable film. You can feel the energy pulse out of the life of Howard. Sharing his passions for aviation. Revealing the breadth of his contributions to air america. The esprit de corp is flavorful, in symbolisms of the fastest jet planes and the hardest hitting reality at zero hour. A much more breaking of the usual norm of film. It is so wonderful to think that movies such as these aren't being overlooked by the latest craze. When will Scorsese win a *(**( academy award for best director!
IT WAS OKAY!
THE AVIATOR WAS OKAY I REALLY DIDN'T CARE TOO MUCH ABOUT IT IT WAS TOO LONG!
FROM KIRSTEN
Another Oscar-worthy epic from Martin Scorsese.
Director Martin Scorsese makes filmmaking look so easy sometimes.With "The Aviator" he once again breaks from the Gangland themes of his more famous films such as "Mean Streets" and "Goodfellas" and journeys off on yet another unexpected road (e.g. "The Age of Innocence," "Kundun," "The Last Temptation of Christ").Yes, he recently directed "Gangs of New York," but he followed that with yet another left turn by doing a biography on the intensely eccentric Howard Hughes, "The Aviator."Leonardo DiCaprio owns his role here of the off-center genius who has frequent and exponential mental breakdowns, leaving all around him wide-eyed and wondering why he keeps repeating himself as if a record in his brain is skipping.This is easily the best work he has done in years.There are two other actors here that match him.One is Cate Blanchett who nails her characature of the late, great Katherine Hepburn and her short-lived romance with Howard Hughes.Her performance is a breath of fresh air amid all the seriousness of the story.The other is a diabolical and utterly slimy turn from veteran actor Alan Alda.It doesn't hurt that he has some of the best lines in the script, but his scenes with Leonardo DiCaprio have some of the best ebb-and-flow, subtelty acting that I've seen in a very long time.The two pros are butting heads and enjoying every minute of it!There are many solid acting performances from a stellar cast of name actors, though it would have been nice to see the character of Ava Gardner, played competently here by Kate Beckinsale, in depth and her more substantial connection to Howard Hughes.But the movie was long enough, anyway.The visual effects and overall production value are excellent, and the scope of the picture is epic and professionally done.This is top-notch filmmaking in every respect, and is easy to recommend.
Hughes Air West
You have to give credit where credits due. "The Aviator" is a fantastic film.I think it will be more appreciated by film fanatics, it's not what I would call a "popcorn movie".I enjoyed the cinematography more than anything.I have never seen a film using the shades of colours they used.It was enough to wake up the senses.The acting was phenomenal, Leo was fantabulous as were the rest of the cast.Cate Blanchett soared as Katheren Hepburn, in some scenes emulating Ms. Pac Man with those outrageous red lips flapping away."The Aviator" soared with creativity and good quality film making.The score, which evokes a deep yet frantic appeal tells the story of a flawed, troubled soul as it unravels into a quary of intense and manic emotions. Martin Scorsese directs another classic film, although overlooked by the Academy (which seems to have cast a blind eye).R U blind or do u have 20/20 vision, "The Aviator" paints an abstract portrait of someone who had too much and didn't know what to do with it.
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5. The West Wing - The Complete Fourth Season
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Amazon.com The winning streak for this veritable show continues through its fourth year. As with many long-running series, The West Wing faces the inevitable--a cast member chooses to leave. But this show handles Rob Lowe's exit with such well-executed grace, a could-be-harmful experience (or at least sudden) is turned into an asset. The season begins with three staff members marooned in the heartland (played mostly for laughs) and ends with a dramatic cliffhanger even more powerful than the initial season's shooting. In between are 20 excellent episodes packed with the series' trademark wit and pace, and an uncannily ability to create excellent moments for the entire cast. The election nears and West Wingers brace for the final onslaught including a make-or-break debate. There's a horrible genocide in Africa changing the course of the Bartlett administration and a covert assassination with effects lingering throughout the season. There's also the now-annual flashback episode, this time to the first days at the White House (with another comforting appearance by Kathryn Joosten as Mrs. Landingham). The series also has its first episode set mostly outside the West Wing when C.J. (Alison Janney) goes back to Ohio for a high school reunion and visits her father (Donald Moffat) who is starting to feel the effects of Alzheimer's. Lowe's Sam Seaborn picks a new fate at the spur of the moment and is eventually replaced by the very person whose verve he was swept up by--a harried, vastly intelligent campaign manager, Will Bailey (Josh Malina, best known for his work in creator Aaron Sorkin's previous show, Sports Night). He's an excellent fit for the West Wing, both fictionally and for the series. Part of the show's success belongs to the continuity, helped immensely by high-caliber guest stars continuing long runs on the show, including Mary-Louise Parker, John Amos, Marlee Matlin, Tim Matheson, Timothy Busfield, Lily Tomlin, Anna Deavere Smith, and Ron Silver (hey, that's a pretty good cast for their own show). One-time guest stars are also used to the fullest. Notice how a single-episoe appearance by Christian Slater (as a naval attaché who strikes Donna's fancy) turns into a three-episode arc. Matthew Perry delivers an Emmy-nominated performance in a key role in the season's final arc. This fourth season was capped by the departure of creator-writer Sorkin and producer-director Thomas Schlamme, plus another Emmy win for Best Drama, its fourth straight. Many were surprised or even angered that the series kept up the winning streak. Perhaps the series was not as relevant to the times as four years earlier, but the proof is in the pudding--the series was still in rarefied air by the end of this season. Luckily, Sorkin and Schlamme were invited to air the commentaries for the DVDs, here on three episodes. It allows them to talk about their departure, a subject barely mentioned in the two making-of featurettes. One deals with speechwriters and other with Stockard Channing's role on the show. Note: the documentaries and deleted scenes are hard to find. Look for the pointer (>) at the bottom right of the special features menu of the sixth disc. --Doug Thomas ... Read more Reviews (31)
West Wing - Thanks
I just wanted to write and thank the reviewer (Chris - Hamburg, NY) who informed me how to get the extras on the 6th disk.
The > was too near the Main Menu to seem to be a separate icon. To Brother Ziegler of the recent request - check out April 8th 2005 for the correct method.
As regards the series, Aaron Sorkin or no, it is still the best thing on television.Intelligent, witty, well acted and well written; it will be watched for many years to come.
I do agree that the constant introduction of guest characters, can be a little tedious at time - but at least it hasn't sunk to the level of 'Will and Grace' - also a very well written series, but for different reasons. There, an episode seems not to go by without some celebrity popping up.An ensemble cast of the calibre of the West Wing (or indeed 'Will & Grace') doesn't need it so much.
The 4th Season box set is well worth the purchase price.Enjoy it for what it is - good television, and many thanks again to Chris from Hamburg NY for unlocking the key to the extras problem.
Not up to the first three seasons
Not only has it become even more TOO LIBERAL AND PREACHY, to agree with a previous reviewer, it's become just plain boring!This season is much more soap opera and less a plausible look at real issues than the earlier excellent seasons.Whereas I used to easily watch a whole disk (3-4 episodes at once) in one sitting, it now takes five sittings to get through a single episode.I don't plan to buy any more season sets.
the good and the bad...
First the good:great program, and Season Four continues the good acting from this cast, as well as Aaron Sorkin's superb writing, mixing informative dialogue with amusing banter, that keeps one caring about this ensemble, and makes this whole series one to return to again and again. The bad:the boxed set was sent without the booklet listing the episode titles and descriptions, so it is hard to find the episodes ones wants to watch. Returning for exhange didn't help, as ALL the stock in a major outlet was also missing the booklet, so I tried to track down the booklet separately, from the online seller, as well as from Warner Home Video directly - still waiting, after 2 months.I'd advise potential buyers to wait until this is sorted out, and ask specifically if the booklet is included, before purchasing.
Consistency.
"The West Wing" is easily the most reliable series I have ever purchased.The level of quality filmmaking that this show achieves is remarkable.From the professional direction, to the great ensemble chemistry, to the often incredible writing, there really is no reason to hesitate gathering all the episodes currently available and showcasing these DVD collections prominently and proudly.Having praised "The West Wing" with all due accolades, Season 4 is actually the least effective of the first four seasons.The acting is good, as per usual, as are the direction and cinematography and writing; but it was a rare moment when I got that buzz that made the second half of Season 1 and all of Season 2 so phenomenal.Season 3 was an effective continuation, but during Season 4 I frequently felt the throughline story was sent to the back of the bus to be tabled for a later date, or ignored altogether, so a new character 'name' actor could be introduced in the hopes of injecting some charisma.Of those I remember, there was Christian Slater, Matthew Modine, John Goodman...To be completely honest, these actor-infusions were more distracting than helpful.The cast is already one of the best ever assembled in the history of dramatic television.Then there is the one episode where C.J. goes to her hometown reunion and has to deal with her Father's descending mental capacity.I thought I had put in the wrong DVD.This is supposed to be "The West Wing," not some Sunday afternoon melodrama.Regardless, Season 4 does have plenty of stellar moments.There are no standout episodes, in particular, such as episode 17 from Season 3 entitled "The U.S. Poet Laureate," which is absolutely all-around brilliant, but there is enough excellence strewn throughout Season 4 to recommend it highly."The West Wing" is, without a doubt, the most consistent dramatic program I have ever had the pleasure and privilege of watching.Thank you.
Sorkin's "Swan Song"
Great season - "Game On" and the espisode about Toby's father are some of my favorites.
QUESTION:Can anyone tell me HOW you access the special featurettes?Not the commentaries...but the "Behind Every Good Man..." and Unaired Scenes.I can't play these items!!!
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6. Dawson's Creek - The Complete Fifth Season
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Asin: B0007V6IW6
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Amazon.com It's goodbye to Capeside, hello to Boston in Dawson's Creek's fifth season (a.k.a.: Dawson's Creek: The College Years).While the end of the fourth season sent the five friends their separate ways--Dawson (James Van Der Beek) to USC Film School, Joey (Katie Holmes) to Wilmington College, Jen (Michelle Williams) and Jack (Kerr Smith) to Boston Bay College; and Pacey (Joshua Jackson) to the high seas--it doesn't take them long to find themselves together again.That's a good thing, especially when tragedy strikes a family member and threatens to tear the survivors apart.More than anything, the fifth season seems to be about falling into bad relationships.Jen dates a cute but sleazy musician (Chad Michael Murray), Pacey gets a job in a restaurant where he pursues a woman (Lourdes Benedicto) already having an affair with a married man, then fends off a vampish new boss (Sherilyn Fenn, Twin Peaks).Joey is drawn to her handsome English professor (Ken Marino).And Jack joins a frat, becomes a jerk, and starts a devoted relationship with his beer bottle.Dawson meets an eccentric young filmmaker (Jordan Bridges) which in turn leads to a meeting with his favorite Boston film critic (Meredith Salenger).And Joey's new roommate, the annoyance-with-a-heart-of-gold Audrey (Busy Phillipps), becomes the newest major addition to the cast. The irritation factor is high this season, a couple of "Joey is threatened" interludes don't have the punch that they could have, and in the season finale, the inevitable resolution of the show's central relationship doesn't really resolve anything at all.But viewers who have followed the Capeside crew for four seasons will still want to see what happens in the fifth. The fifth season is the first to have no DVD extras at all, and it continues the music-replacement strategy (which, since the second season has replaced much of the music, and since the third season has replaced Paula Cole's theme song, all due to licensing expenses).In addition to the usual background-music switches, some scenes have been edited (for example, the episode "Highway to Hell" has cut two of the performances on-stage at the Drunk & Dead).Also, the opening credits of "The Long Goodbye" and "Downtown Crossing" had originally used instrumental versions of "I Don't Want to Wait," which had underscored the emotion of those episodes. In the DVD set, those have been replaced by the standard version and an instrumental version, respectively, of "Run Like Mad." --David Horiuchi ... Read more Reviews (26)
happy but not satisfied
I loved season 5 all the way back to season one but I have to say the cuts and change of songs are pretty disapointing I to delt with the changed theme song all though i hate it. anyways I don't have any thing to bad to say but i do feel like i got ripped off I was looking forward to extras and bonuses. i red in some one review that we would pay top dallor if thats what it takes and i second that if you need to bump up the price then please do so .
Paul Stupin, you're killing me!
I've heard it all before.It costs a lot of money to get credits for songs.But when I think I'm buying Season 5 of "Dawson's Creek" and what I really get is some whacked-out EDITED version of the show, I'm gonna be unhappy!This is the situation.I dealt with the theme song change.I dealt with some horrendous replacement songs.But I shouldn't have to deal with the decision to edit out some scenes for licensing issues.I hope I speak for many when I say that I am willing to pay top dollar for the unedited, as they aired versions of each and every episode of "Dawson's Creek".The DVDs as they are do not do the show justice.Only Season 1 is in its original state.It's the only set I suggest buying.
Pretty Good Season. Not As Bad As Everyone is Saying.
The fifth season saw alot of change for Dawson, Joey, Pacey, Jen, and Jack, but it also brought a more "adult" and loose feeling to the cast that, otherwise, wasn't there in seasons 1-4. Having said that, I feel that this season isn't as strong as other seasons, but it still worth the watch. I definitely think if you skip this season, then you will not get the season six. The reason I said that is because I quit watching Dawson's Creek around the middle of this season. I quit watching not because I thought it wasn't any good at the time, but rather that I was really busy with work and school.
Anyway, this season as I said, brings forth change, but one thing remains is the Joey-Dawson-Pacey love triangle and the Jen and Jack friendship. College really messes these characters up. They find themselves in a new environment with new characters like Audrey (Joey's college roommate), whom I think isn't that great of a character, but does add a nice break from the five.
People can say what they want to about this season. I like it. I know it's not as good as the other seasons, but it does have an interesting feel that the other seasons didn't. Things change and so do people. This is most comfortable I've seen these characters since their early beginnings in Capeside. It's definitely a different season, but I think it's a very welcoming change that has some interesting plots and twists.
its missing alot
I can understand the idea of not including certain songs because of the cost, but at the same time there are soemthings you just shouldn't change and should be forced to pay the money for. For example joey only sings one song when she performing with charlie at the dive bar.They totally edited that out, also when jenn dedicates a song to dawsons, how do u not get the rights for REM's Nightswimming.That song was chosen in the Tv series especially for that scene, i just dont get it.Also coem on Paul how about a little commentary, you definityl shoudl have had some words to say about a few episodes, such as the episode where Joey gets mugged and the episode with Mitch's funeral.Oh well at leats we have the episode on dvd
Dissappointing!
Okay, I am a hardcore Dawson's Creek fan...and yes I have bought this set of DVDs...but for a producer who was very passionate about this series, he didn't really put much into it. Some of the episodes look very grainy and the 100th episode, in the first flashback between Joey and Dawson, they forgot to mix in Dawson's dialogue so you only hear Joey talking, and Dawson's mouth moving, but no sound...all I have to say to Paul Stupin is..wtf? If he cared enough he might have taken the time to do some commentary, perhaps even get the rights to some of the better songs that they played during this season. For instance, the song in "Downtown Crossing"...the one Joeys dad used to sing to her, they cut out Joey humming the song and they replaced it with some other song. Mary Beth Meziarz is an awesome pianist and singer and they should have tried to keep her in the soundtracks. All we have here is the 23 episodes of the 5th season with music changes. Paul Stupin, I beg of you, please do something with Season 6...make buying these DVDs worth while!
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7. Controversial Classics Collection (Advise and Consent / The Americanization of Emily / Bad Day at Black Rock / Blackboard Jungle / A Face in the Crowd / Fury / I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang)
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Amazon.com Otto Preminger expanded his vision in the 1960s with a whole series of ambitious, expansive dramas with huge casts and big themes. Advise and Consent (1962), an examination of deal making, party politics, and congressional diplomacy in Washington's legislative halls (based on the novel by Allen Drury), is one of his best. Preminger broke the blacklist with his previous film, Exodus, and it rings through in this drama about a controversial nominee for secretary of state (a confident, stately Henry Fonda) accused of being a Communist. The nomination process becomes the center ring of the political circus, with fidgety accuser Burgess Meredith in the spotlight; devious, silver-tongued Charles Laughton cracking the whip as a southern senator with a grudge against Fonda; and party whip Walter Pidgeon lining up votes behind the scenes. Arm twisting and diplomatic hardball turns to perjury and blackmail, and a melodramatic twist gives this lesson in party politics a salacious soap opera dimension. With The Americanization of Emily (1964), screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky (Marty) sinks his satirical fangs into a story of an American naval officer (James Garner) selected to be the first victim at the invasion of Normandy. Julie Andrews plays a prim, British war widow who falls for him. Cynical in tone, the story becomes an interesting collision of manipulative interests and renewed life, the same formula that worked so well in Chayefsky's scripts for Network and Hospital. One of the first Hollywood films to deal openly with white racism toward Japanese Americans during World War II, Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) (directed by action maestro John Sturges, The Great Escape) stars Spencer Tracy as a one-armed stranger named MacReedy, who arrives in the tiny town of Black Rock on a hot day in 1945. Seeking a hotel room and the whereabouts of an ethnic Japanese farmer named Komoko, MacReedy runs smack into a wall of hostility that escalates into serious threats. In time it becomes apparent that Komoko has been murdered by a local, racist chieftain, Reno Smith (Robert Ryan), who also plans on dispensing with MacReedy. Tracy's hero is forced to fight his way past Smith's goons (among them Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin) and sundry allies (Anne Francis) to keep alive, setting the stage for memorable suspense crisply orchestrated by Sturges. Casting is the film's principal strength, however: Tracy, the indispensable icon of integrity, and Ryan, the indispensable noir image of spiritual blight, are as creatively unlikely a pairing as Sturges's shotgun marriage of Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen in The Magnificent Seven. Novelist Evan Hunter burst America's postwar bubble when he described an inner-city school terrorized by switchblade-wielding juvenile delinquents. Director-screenwriter Richard Brooks's 1955 adaptation of Blackboard Jungle still packs a tremendous wallop (even if it was shot mostly on the back lot). A forerunner of Rebel Without a Cause and West Side Story, this black-and-white classic--set to Bill Haley and His Comets' "Rock Around the Clock"--is part exposé, part melodrama, part public-service announcement. Glenn Ford, at his slow-to-rile best, plays Richard Dadier, an incoming English teacher at North Manual High School. An idealist who knows how to handle himself in a dark alley, Dadier stands his ground and earns the begrudging respect of school thugs led by Vic Morrow and Sidney Poitier. Anne Francis plays Ford's especially vulnerable wife; Richard Kiley is the timid math teacher with the priceless jazz-record collection; Louis Calhern and John Hoyt are among the more cynical North Manual High veterans. See if you can ID Jamie Farr and director Paul Mazursky as gang members. The film was nominated for four Oscars. More timely now, perhaps, than when it was first released in 1957, Elia Kazan's overheated political melodrama Face in the Crowd explores the dangerous manipulative power of pop culture. It exposes the underside of Capra-corn populism, as exemplified in the optimistic fable of grassroots punditry Meet John Doe. In Kazan's account, scripted by Budd Schulberg, the common-man pontificator (Andy Griffith) is no Gary Cooper-style aw-shucks paragon. Promoted to national fame as a folksy TV idol by radio producer Patricia Neal, Griffith's Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes turns out to be a megalomaniacal rat bastard. The film turns apocalyptic as Rhodes exploits his power to sway the masses, helping to elect a reactionary presidential candidate. The parodies of television commercials and opinion polling were cutting edge in their day (Face in the Crowd was the Network of the Eisenhower era), and there are some startling, near-documentary sequences shot on location in Arkansas. An extraordinary supporting cast (led by Walter Matthau and Lee Remick) helps keep the energy level high, even when the satire turns shrill and unpersuasive in the final reel. Fury is tough stuff from director Fritz Lang (M), making his first American film with this 1936 story of an innocent man (Spencer Tracy) who escapes a lynch mob and then orchestrates his apparent murder at their hands. Tracy is superb, and the film is uncompromising, until studio interference takes some of the wind out of Lang's sails right at the end. But as the portrait of a character who comes to reflect the destiny he is trying to avoid, this is still essential Lang and a pre-noir classic. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932) is one of the toughest and most uncompromising movies to evercome out of Hollywood. Paul Muni stars as a regular Joe, just back from World War I, who is unjustly convicted of a crime and sentenced to 10 years of bruisingly unfair treatment on a chain gang. Even a successful escape can't shake the spectre of the chains, nor the amazingly fatalistic twists the screenplay has in store. This picture could only have been made at Warner Bros., where social-justice movies flourished in the 1930s and criticism of judicial systems and prisons was sanctioned. Muni's weird acting style (he was recently off Scarface) somehow fits the film's furious tone, and director Mervyn LeRoy--as in his earlier Little Caesar--was dexterous enough to build the action to an unforgettable ending. It's a film that filters the American Dream through Depression realities and noirish pessimism (with a streak of pre-Code sexual frankness--note the one-night "friend" Muni makes the night of his escape). This one holds up, folks; it's a stunner. ... Read more Reviews (5)
Adequate boxed set
Samuel Goldwyn once said, "If you want to send a message, try Western Union."This collection of message movies from the early '30s to the mid '60s shows just how right the old mogul was.
In most cases, the messages have aged badly.Hiller's "The Americanization of Emily" is a pathetic attempt to portray World War II as a sham, while the conciliatory pacifism of Otto Preminger's "Advise and Consent" seems naive now that the Cold War has ended.(Preminger's treatment of Gay themes is silly and superficial, especially when compared to superior British efforts of that time such as "Victim.")Elia Kazan's "A Face in the Crowd" is deeply condescending -- the people of Piggott, Arkansas, have never quite forgiven the director for turning their perfectly pleasant small town into a gallery of sweating grotesques -- and its satire of mass media was hackneyed even in the 1950s.Richard Brooks's "Blackboard Jungle" is a squaresville expose of juvenile delinquency disguised under hip rock-and-roll music.
I've always felt that John Sturgis's "Bad Day at Black Rock" is a much-overrated film, though I confess I enjoy Andre Previn's dramatic score; the film's message against racism, however, is surprisingly feeble, especially given that the film's only nonwhite character is a mute, grinning railroad porter.And who today seriously favors lynch law, the target of Fritz Lang's "Fury"?(Again, this is a movie about a racial issue -- lynching -- in which nonwhite characters are never granted a voice.)Oddly, the oldest film in this set is the only one that still packs a punch: Mervyn LeRoy's "I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang" helped put an end to this brutal form of incarceration.Now that the chain gang is making a comeback, perhaps this film should, too.
But even when the messages don't work, the films themselves usually do -- with the exception of "Emily," this collection's one real dud.Each DVD features a transfer that ranges from merely adequate ("Black Rock," "Fury") to superb ("Advise and Consent"), with an original theatrical trailer and, in all but one case, an audio commentary.(The commentaries come from film scholars or directors, and as such are far more interesting than an average gabfest.)Perhaps to break the monotony, "A Face in the Crowd" foregoes audio commentary in favor of a brief documentary, comprised mostly of interviews with the aging cast.A few of the DVDs also offer period theatrical shorts.
This is hardly Criterion quality, but for the money it's not a bad value.
A MAGNIFICENT ASSEMBLAGE OF LANDMARK FILMS AT A GREAT PRICE
Warner Brothers home video department just keeps topping their previous exceptional achievments.
Here we have SEVEN magnificent, acclaimed feature films from the 1930s to the 1960s that still have the power to reach the "gut" of the viewer and be profound and provocative. Of course, each film is available individually, but the value of buying this boxed set brings the price to around $8 per film. Unreal.
Any serious cinema afficiando owes it to him or herself to buy this.
Pre-release reviews have praised the exceptional transfers (typical of WB), and I cannot imagine anyone not being blown away by this boxed set of incomparable films.
Superb Selection of Socially Sensitive Cinema
Warner Home Video has done it again.Their "Film Noir Classics"
collection was an excellent quintet of seminal noir movies, and
this collection is an equally well-considered compilation of
socially conscious movies, movies that challenged the American
conscience, and helped effect politial and social change.
This collection is also a good introduction to the work of
a number of prominent directors, including Otto Preminger,
Elia Kazan, and Fritz Lang.
I must quibble with a previous reviewer who stated that
BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK was a black-and-white movie.It
is, in fact, in color.
"Bad Day At Black Rock" on DVD?!?!? Finally!!!
I've been waiting for years! My first chance watching this was renting the Criterion Laserdisc 500 years ago or so when the dinosaurs still walked the Earth (we needed the larger Laserdiscs to fend ourselves from the dinosaurs). This is a black and white, widescreen (they better not crop this thing) noir/mystery with great wit and an edge. Spencer Tracy rocks the house in BDaBR as the one-armed man. Gotta love it. Great twists, lovely female co-star. If you can't afford to go to film school, buy this pack of films and take notes (I'm only familiar with "Blackboard Jungle" - but the rest are supposed to be classics as well, especially Chain Gang, and Fury is German filmmaker Fritz Langs first American film, also with Spencer Tracy) - buy Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in The West" too since that movie is a class in filmmaking in itself. Oh yeah, if you're gonna skip film school you should probably buy some books from these guys too. And get some popcorn, ice cream and beverages too.
Thanks George!
Vice President of Warner Home Video's classics catalogue, George Feltenstein, recently promised us this fantastic collection of films and here they are way sooner than expected! While individually they have very little to do with one another, aside from their controversial response upon initial release of course, they are all a very worthwhile addition to the collections of serious film lovers.
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8. Hotel Rwanda
Director: Terry George
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Amazon.com Solidly built around a subtle yet commanding performance by Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda emerged as one of the most highly-praised dramas of 2004. In a role that demands his quietly riveting presence in nearly every scene, Cheadle plays real-life hero Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager in the Rwandan capital of Kigali who in 1994 saved 1,200 Rwandan "guests" from certain death during the genocidal clash between tribal Hutus, who slaughtered a million victims, and the horrified Tutsis, who found safe haven or died. Giving his best performance since his breakthrough role in Devil in a Blue Dress, Cheadle plays Rusesabagina as he really was during the ensuing chaos: "an expert in situational ethics" (as described by critic Roger Ebert), doing what he morally had to do, at great risk and potential sacrifice, with an understanding that wartime negotiations are largely a game of subterfuge, cooperation, and clever bribery. Aided by a United Nations official (Nick Nolte), he worked a saintly miracle, and director Terry George (Some Mother's Son) brings formidable social conscience to bear on a true story you won't soon forget. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more Reviews (146)
OPEN YOUR EYES - see it
In 1994 a mass genocide took place in an African country called Rwanda. Have you not heard of this tragedy or have you CHOSEN to turn the other cheek? Now, let us break down the word genocide, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines genocide as "the deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group." Does Hitler pop into your mind? Well, less then ten years ago (in your lifetime) this event happened. The movie Hotel Rwanda is an excellent portrayal of the absolute devastation that took place. Millions of Rwanda natives were killed in this mass genocide. Don Cheadle gives an astonishing portrayal of Paul Rusesagagina a savior for thousands caught up in the madness occurring right outside the gates of the Hotel Mille Collines. "When the world closed its eyes, he opened his arms," a tagline that fits oh so well into the heartfelt movie that puts you right into the conflict. Perhaps you did not care to pay attention in 1994 when the conflict fully unraveled, but see this movie and you may change your thoughts about looking at the horrors occurring abroad within our own small world.
A horrifying, eye-opening, yet uplifting and inspiring film.
One of the most intensive killing campaigns in human history was conducted in the tiny Central African country of Rwanda in 1994. The brutal ethnic conflict between the Tutsis and the Hutus, which exploded into mass murder that year, have origins which go back to Belgium's colonial rule, where the minority Tutsis were favored, thus exacerbating differences between the two tribes.
In April 1994, the plane carrying Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana was shot down. This event was the last straw which, after years of strife, triggered the tragic and brutal genocide. Extremist Hutu militia, aided by the Rwandan army, launched systematic massacres against Tutsis almost immediately after the plane crash. Despite reports of mass killings, most of the world turned a blind eye to the people of Rwanda. The UN failed to take immediate action to stop the bloody genocide, due to opposition from France and the US. Militiamen broke into supposedly sacrosanct Red Cross ambulances and hospitals searching for victims. Around 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed within 100 days, and over three million people fled to neighboring countries.
Terry George's "Hotel Rwanda" is a gritty, realistic depiction of this terrible tragedy. The storyline is based on the true life activities of a single, man whose goal was to save as many people as humanly possible. Don Cheadle plays Paul Rusesabagina, a Rwandan who formerly managed the Milles Collines, a Belgian-owned luxury hotel in the capital city of Kigali. When Hutu extremists begin to slaughter members of the minority Tutsi tribe, Rusesabagina, who has been working as a diplomat, returns to the hotel and does everything in his power to save his family, friends, then orphans, and ultimately strangers. He uses the 4 Star facility as a refuge for as many as the walls will hold, and then some. The film follows Rusesabagina, through his real life drama, as he wheels, deals, finagles and barters for seemingly every single human life he touches. A Huti married to a Tutsi, Paul qualifies as a target for both factions. His story is that of an ordinary man who rises-up, courageously, to defy death in the name of his fellow man. "Paul Rusesabagina saved the lives of 1,268 Africans by standing with them at Hotel Rwanda."
The almost nonstop fear, suspense and sense of anxiety which permeate this film are due, in part, to Mr. Cheadle's extraordinarily believable performance, and in part, because Director George so clearly conveys here the chilling reality of recent history. George, who co-wrote the script with Keir Pearson, was assisted in his work by the actual Paul Rusesabagina and by eye witnesses to the events.
The supporting cast is excellent and features: Sophie Okonedo, who gives an outstanding performance as Tatiana, Rusesabagina's wife; Joaquin Phoenix as Jack, an American news reporter; and Nick Nolte as the indefatigable UN Colonel Oliver, who tries against all odds to keep the peace.
Man's wont to commit genocide, in the 20th century alone, makes a somber, shameful statement about the human race. Watching "Hotel Rwanda" does take an emotional toll. It is a powerful, disturbing, educationally eye-opening experience. There are some extremely unsettling images, as when Rusesabagina and a co-worker get out of their vehicle on a foggy morning, just after dawn, to inspect the road for obstructions. They find it littered with corpses, as far as the eye can see. I found myself sobbing more than once. Do not let this deter you, however. This is a brilliant movie with some incredibly uplifting and inspiring moments. "Hotel Rwanda" is a must see film about a period in recent history when most of us were too busy going about our lives to pay much attention to what was going on a small world away.
JANA
Too powerful to be described by mere words
"The Kite Runner" may be the best book I have read in recent history, and without a doubt, "Hotel Rwanda" wins the corresponding prize for movies.Unable to believe the senseless violence and slaughter of innocents, my eyes opened wider and wider as the movie progressed, until at some point, the tears could not be held back any longer.
Don Cheadle aces a career making role as Paul Rusesabagina, the quiet, understated hotel manager of a five star hotel in Kigali, Rwanda, who breaks every rule in the management book to protect not only the hotel guests, but refugees from both sides of the genocide that rocked Rwanda in 1994, while the rest of the world looked the other way.
A Hutu by birth and passport stamp, Paul is married to a Tutsi woman (Sophie Okonedo, whose voice changes drastically in octave as the role demands), and by this distinction, his children are also Tutsi, and therefore branded as cockroaches to be exterminated.
Because of his position and well-placed contacts, Rusesabagina is able to cling tenuously to his little safe house, putting up a brave front for the 1200 people he is sheltering from the Hutu tribal forces.When he finds out that the UN peacekeepers cannot help them, and that the rest of the world doesn't want to know about African problems, he resorts to the local language, securing protection by whatever means necessary from the authorities, led by General Bizimungu, who has a weakness for Scottish water of life, foreign currency and self preservation.Being only human, and in a crisis situation, he makes crucial errors in judgment, but by his conviction he manages to hold it all together for as long as necessary.
There are too many powerful scenes to describe, and you have to watch the movie to fully appreciate the horror.There are no gory images as in "Saving Private Ryan" or "Blade", but the Director manages to effectively portray the despair and mass killings without being offensively graphic or crude.One of the most heart rending scenes takes place on a road in the early morning fog, and this is the final straw that rips through Rusesabagina's brittle façade of being in control.
Joaquin Phoenix (you know I have to mention him), in a small role as a cameraman sums it up best when he said "I've never been so ashamed."
This one is a must see.
Amanda Richards, May 23, 2005
Everyone bailed, Anarchy reigned, and 1 MILLION DIED!
Whoah.
I was a freshman in college in 1994, and all I remember are bleeps on the news about Rwanda.Maybe I was like the rest of the world, and just wasn't paying attention enough.
This movie is about the modern day holocaust.A movie about people being killed for no reason, other than a cosmetic attachment of how certain people are labeled via "tribe name" by how wide their noses are and how tall they are.A movie about a man who risked his life again and again, playing games, telling white lies, and doing everything he could to ensure the safety of some 1200 people inside a nice hotel in the Rwanda.
What grabs you about this film as well, is the documentary.At first I was angered when I found out that NOONE, not a single nation, did a damn thing to stop it.Then I was even more outraged when it showed that the French military that were at one of the killing sites actually dug the holes to bury the 45,000 dead.That very same 45,000 had fled to that spot because they thought the French would help them.
Why is it we are in the 21st century but this kind of horrible thing still happens?It's minds boggling, sad, atrocious, and horrifying.
I can't tell you how much this movie could move you, and like the American press reporter played by Jaqioun (sp) Phoenix said:
"I've never been...so ASHAMED!"Nick Nolte does an excellent job playing a UN field commander who's hands are tied.Yes this movie show's that the UN, like in BLACK HAWK DOWN, really didn't accomplish anything.Like Nolte's character exclaims; "We're peace keepers, not peace makers".Of course that was right when they were getting all of the "white people" out to head to the airport and basically save them before the slaughtering came their way.
Okay I know I could go on and on...but watch this movie.Watch it with family..well not little kids it's a bit graphic of course.But watch it with your loved one.Hold them close.Talk about what you think brings people to be ignorant and hateful, what mistakes were made, and how it could be prevented in the future.If more people did this, perhaps we could stop the genocide that is happening around the world today.
Five stars, this one . . .
What can an ordinary Rwandan hotel manager possibly do? Plenty, as it turns out. Paul is a Hutu, but his wife, Tatiana (Sophie Okonedo), is a Tutsi, and so, by default, are their children. He is driven by a primal need to save his own family, but as the slaughter continues, more and more friends and neighbors beg him for help. By the end, Paul shelters 1,200 people in his hotel, saving them from certain death by doing what he always has done: bribing and cajoling the Hutu powers, calling in favors, lying and outsmarting his foes. He is the Oskar Schindler of Rwanda, a man who becomes a hero by chance and circumstance, using qualities not generally considered heroic. He's no Rambo: He's scared, and conflicted, and full of doubts. Throughout the film, you can see he'd rather just save his family and not have to shoulder this burden of heroism. Director Terry George (SOME MOTHER'S SON) knows not to get in the way of this harrowing story, which Rusesabagina himself insisted on telling straight, without movie-ish embellishment. It's all true and, given the context, remarkably subtle. (George earned the PG-13 rating by only suggesting the terrible violence, not showing it.) Still, as the tension builds you can't help but feel you're watching the heir to a classic Western -- perhaps the "High Noon" of modern times, or SHANE -- as this one man steps up to save the town from the marauding bad guys. Of course, he doesn't save the entire town. As with SCHINDLER'S LIST, you're left with the grim knowledge that the people Rusesabagina saved were but a tiny percentage of those who were killed. The triumph comes tempered by the greater tragedy.
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9. The West Wing - The Complete First Four Seasons (4-Pack)
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I say thee, YEA!
I just wanted to add my two cents to the review written by Mr. Marold of Bethlehem, PA.I agree with nearly everything Mr. M had in his review, with the exception of his comment about the episode where Bartlett stepped aside while his daughter was being held captive.I believe that was an entirely plausible situation and it was presented in an accurate manner.
Be that as it may, I have a different reason for enjoying "The West Wing".I too came to the show late in it's run and somewhat reluctantly.I thought, given the cast, that they would be laying on the liberalism with a heavy hand.Being an independent and a moderate, I have some liberal tendancies, but I do think of myself as a conservative and the thought of Martin Sheen and company preaching at me for an hour was too much with which to cope.However, once I saw the reruns on Bravo and some of the new episodes, I began to warm up to the show.I found that 95% of the time, the liberal cant is handed out in managable portions.The other 5%?Well, I can live with that because I found another overwhelming reason for loving this show.They...make...me...LAUGH OUT LOUD!The banter back and forth amongst the staffers gets to be hilarious and the President will joke with anybody from his aide, Charlie, to Adm. Fitzwallace, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.I cannot think of an episode that I watched where there wasn't something that made me burst out with laughter.Maybe the "Zoe kidnapping" episodes.
Watch "West Wing" for the political machinations and the insight into our political and constitutional systems.But also for the humor and wit.You will be well rewarded on all fronts.
Major Entertainment and Civics Class, all in one!
This DVD set includes all available `The West Wing' seasons in a single package and it represents the least expensive way of acquiring all four seasons, if you do not already own one or more seasons on DVD.
I am late in coming to appreciate this show, as my attention over the last four years has primarily been on retiring, learning to cook, and religiously following the careers of my various Food Network heroes. I have just recently started watching this show when the Bravo network started running `The West Wing' marathons and showing episodes on most weeknights.
The very first criterion I have for buying a DVD might be called `rewatchability'. There are certain movies and certain shows that are so rich that you are still detecting nuances after the fourth or fifth viewing. Compared to a show like the CSI incarnations, `The West Wing' easily retains its power on a third or fourth or fifth viewing. `CSI', except for those with a big element of office politics in the plot, loose their punch after you remember who the perp is as soon as you know what episode it is you are watching. Once the rush from listening to the great `The Who' intro passes, so does the thrill.
`The West Wing' has gotten lots of praise and awards for the quality of its writing and acting, but I am almost willing to believe it has gotten less than it deserves. I have never been moved so much by a scripted television show since some of the very best `All in the Family' episodes. Amid the flood of reality shows, I am even tempted to say that between `The West Wing', `CSI', `Law and Order' and all of the various spin-offs of these shows constitutes a golden age of scripted television drama, especially in this twilight of the great comedies of the past decade.
The quality of `The West Wing' for me lies primarily in the accuracy with which it portrays the realities of American politics and, beyond that, the realities of politics in general. In doing so, I believe the show can help to explain to most Americans why political `horse trading' is essential to the way our policy making works, why raw power is not always effective on the international stage, regardless of how seductive the use of that raw power may be. It also highlights that most important political virtue, loyalty. I have not read James Carvell's book on this subject, but I suspect that he would say that without party loyalty, government would simply be impossible, or at least much more difficult than it is now. As so many stories show so well, political loyalty works two ways. An elected official must be loyal to his constituents or the representative will not get reelected. An elected official must also be loyal to his party, or he will get no political largess bestowed on the people in his constituency. I can thing of no more dramatic example of this than in the change in benefits coming Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley after the election of Ed Rendell to be Pennsylvania governor, replacing Tom Ridge. Ridge and most other governors in my |
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For an even deeper immersion into the world of crime (movies, that is) see our guides to crime classics and our who's who compendium of famous mob bosses. 
Idiot's guide to WWII
