Reviews (30)

Felicity is the best
I love felicity series and I can confess because I'm new in this town and I miss my friends so much, watching Felicity over and over makes me feel that I'm among my friends. It is so dynamic and you can't wait to see what will happen in the next episodes and season. Thank god season 3 is going to be released and I can't wait for season 4. My favorite characters are Felicity and Noel, and I was hopeful that felicity ends up with Noel instead of Ben. A masterpiece of friendship and college life! Please we are waiting for season 4 too, be quick!

CAN'T WAIT!
We all thought this DVD pkg. wasn't going to get released! Thank you Buena Vista for picking it up. I can't wait to get it when it's released on July 20. We all know it will include the late John Ritter as Ben's dad...so that is maybe why they decided to press it for sale. Either way, 1,000's of Felicity fans worldwide thank you - including me. I can't tell you about how great the series is -- Season 3 will be a great add-on to my collection of Season 1 & 2. Let's now get a date set for Season 4. I watch the entire collection, back to back, day after day within one week from receiving it. You'll enjoy it too.
I want to relive my college years (I'm 33) - How about you? Live them w/Felicity and the gang, over and over again. The tale sure speaks of life in a realistic and flawlessly acted, humourous way!
Peace!

obssesed
I have to say that i was soooooo excited when i found out that Felicity season 3 was coming out. My boyfriend pointed it out to me in the Target flyer. All of the sadness that i was feeling that day flew out of my body and i immediatly became estatic. I have a tendacy to become obsessed with shows and this is one of them. I watched the first 2 seasons within a matter of about 2 weeks combined. I would put it on in the morning before i went to work to watch while i was blow drying my hair. I would be late to work because of it, then while i was at work all i would do is think about how i have Felicity to go home to(I know i am crazy). I became obsessed with the scenes between Felcity and Ben. I need to get season 3 so i can sit in my room and do nothing but watch it.

Wednesdays
when I was working in NY I asked for Wednesday to be my day off so that I could watch Felicity, no other reason but to not miss felicity. I didnt miss one episode of any season and I taped most of them! and when I saw the first dvd set come out on sale I almost cried I was so happy! then I got the second one and I am so psyched about the third, I just wish it was here already. I loved this show soooooooooo much and was sad that it ended but sooooooo happy I can watch it all over and over again!

Three cheers for junior year!
I am so glad to see so many people as enthused as I am about Felicity. I loved the show so much in 2000 I had a little girl and I named her that. The show was the best on television and at the time the WB was really doing a terrific job of putting out really good drama. With Buffy and Angel and The Gilmore Girls. I am sad to see so many of these shows gone now because there is really nothing on TV. I am about put out with Reality shows and women degrading themselves to marry an ex athlete or some rich guy or better still an Australian outback dude. The state of television is literally down the tubes. I have to say FX is the only station doing a good job with releasing any good new shows. So thank you thank you Buena Vista for releasing something I can watch at the end of a hard day that has some substance to it. If it wasn't for DVD's like these I do not know what would happen to us. If anyone agrees with any of this give three cheers!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

When a movie can blend passionate social concern with good old-fashioned suspense, it must be doing something right. Maria Full of Grace scores high on both counts. Maria is a Colombian teenager who, for a large paycheck, agrees to be a mule for drug-runners:she has to swallow dozens of thumb-sized capsules of heroin and smuggle them into New York. This debilitating process is painstakingly described, and of course not everything goes as planned when Maria and her fellow mules land in America. Director Joshua Marston is working on a low budget, which explains the film's narrow, single-minded focus--but this may be a strength, not a weakness. The trump card is the lead performance of Catalina Sandrino Moreno, who won awards at the Seattle and Newport Film Festivals. Her empathetic face carries us along on Maria's journey, and humanizes a problem that is too easily relegated to a headline. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Amazon.com

Whether you view it as an alternate reality or the illusions of demented mind, Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere is an intriguing place to visit. The Sandman creator's first TV miniseries suffers from the same traditional shortcomings that plague all British "telefantasy"--namely, micro-budget production values and slapdash direction that betrays a conspicuous shortage of rehearsal time. And yet, within those limitations, Gaiman and director Dewi Humphreys have crafted an ambitious exploration of "London Below," a vast, subterranean capital, far below "London Above," where office drone Richard Mayhew (Gary Bakewell) unwittingly finds himself after rescuing Door (Laura Fraser), an underworld dweller determined to learn why her parents have been killed. Gaiman teases the viewer with hints that Richard may be insane, but Neverwhere maintains its imaginative ambiguity, and presents a dark, dangerous domain of baronies and fiefdoms, bearing familiar British nomenclature but decidedly unfamiliar landmarks. Once you've visited, you might prefer to stay. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Worth seeing; but don't expect too much
I read the book before I saw the DVDs, so my comments come from that perspective. The book is richer, more detailed, and better. The characters are mostly like I imagined them from the book except that Richard wasn't as nerdy, and the Marquis wasn't the dominating personality, as he was in the book. The bad guys: Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandermar are great. I haven't watch much British SciFi (though this is a Fantasy) but I gather that this DVD has the same low production values. I was too-often aware that I was watching a set. This is not really a problem since the setting and the charactors have the unique Neil Gaiman touch. The acting is mostly quite good; underplayed in that British kind of way. If you've read the Sandman series, you'll know that particular Gaiman imagination - it's here in this story too. One of his many talents is an ability to make his fantasy characters and settings plausable, though, of course, they are full of impossibilities. But then, isn't that what makes fantasy work?

Good... but obviously the book is better
I was one of the few people who actually watched this when it was first on television back in the UK. And come to the think of it I'm not sure why I did, as at the time I hadn't read any of Neil Gaiman's work and just knew that he wrote some comics or something. Obviously in the intervening years I have discovered what a genius Gaiman is, and what a throughly nice man he seems to be as well.

As for Neverwhere: it's good, but it could have (or should have) been great. The premise is interesting and the story is engaging, most of the actors are very good -- particularly those playing Croup and Vandemaar, not to mention the excellent portrayal of the Marquis. But it's let down by a somewhat strange combination of shooting on tape and lighting for film, or something or other, that made all the on location scenes look as though they were amateurishly faked. That coupled with the un-terrifying Beast of London, really let down the whole show.

For me what made the DVD worth buying was the commentary by Neil Gaiman (yes it is on the DVD, strangely located under the individual episodes sub-menu). You get to hear all about the different locations used during the filming. And about what he thought worked really well, and what he was disappointed with. After all he wrote the book to put back in all the things that for one reason or another didn't make it in to the series, or didn't make it in the way he originally envisaged them. All very interesting. After watching the show and then listening to the commentary I really wanted to go and re-read the book... sadly my copy is somewhere over in London Above.

I loved it, but WHERE OH WHERE is the commentary?????
Sorry for substituting a question in place of a review, but I've got a real mystery on my hands. On the back of the slipcase (as well as on the backs of the two DVD cases), it states that there is a "Commentary with Creator Neil Gaiman". If there is, it's VERY well hidden. The first DVD has only the first three chapters on it, as well as a PLAY ALL feature (there are NO BONUS FEATURES ON IT AT ALL). The second DVD has the last three chapters, and a Bonus Features choice, which offers "The Original BBC Neil Gaiman Interview", a "Neil Gaiman Biography", "Character Descriptions", and a "Photo Gallery". On several of the reviews, people rave about the feature-long commentary. Why does my set not include it. I would suspect that someone had switched discs for this set, but that's not possible. I bought this set at Best Buy, and it was shrinkwrapped. Is the commentary hidden, like an "easter egg"? If so, can someone tell me how to access it? Thanks in advance for your help.

Read the Book Instead
I absolutely loved this book. So I was very eager to watch the mini-series. I started it up and was disappointed immediately. I let it play for about 1/2 an hour before I had to make it go away. My imagination did a much better job at depicting this story than this mess. It was so horrible I nearly cried. My view may not be a popular one, but I think for this story to translate well to the "big screen", it would need to be done by someone like Tim Burton and have wonderful character actors like Johhny Depp as the Marquis, Ewan McGregor as Richard Mayhew and Vincent D'Onofrio with possibly Steve Buscemi as Mr. Vandemar and Mr. Croup respectively. This story deserves to be shown as magically as it is depicted on paper, and this mini-series just doesn't cut it.

If you can live without millions spent on CGI...
and love programs with strong writing and acting, you'll probably love this collection that has seen little airplay since it's original release. Having cut my teeth on Dr. Who, I was able to look past the lack of 'whizbang' special effects. To see an example of flash and eye candy w/o story to back it, rent Underworld. On second thought, don't!
Neverwhere is a delightful romp through the London tube system with an interesting array of characters and ideas. To try and compare this program to anything else out there doesn't truly do Neil Gaiman any justice. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Something like a perfect artistic union is achieved in the major components of Paris, Texas:the twang of Ry Cooder's guitar, the lonely light of Robbie Muller's camera, the craggy landscape of Harry Dean Stanton's face. In his greatest role, longtime character actor Stanton plays a man brought back to his old life after wandering in the desert (or somewhere) for four years. He has a 7-year-old son to get to know, and his wife has gone missing. The material is much in the wanderlust spirit of director Wim Wenders, working from a script by Sam Shepard and L.M. Kit Carson. If the long climactic conversation between Stanton and Nastassja Kinski renders the movie uneven and slightly inscrutable, it's hard to think of a more fitting ending--and besides, the achingly empty American spaces stick longer in the memory than the dialogue. Winner of the top prize at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Paris, Texas
I truely hope this wonderful film is released on DVD soon. If it's been released by the time you read this review however, please disregard that first line.

The script for Paris, Texas was written by playwrite and actor Sam Shepard. Shepard has written numerous plays (and the Book Cruising Paradise) including True West and The Burried Child, both of which won numerous awards and put The Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago on the map.

Paris, Texas is the simple story that begins with a man who's been found wandering in the desert for what could have been years. He cannot speak and seems unwilling to communicate. He is brought back to his brother's home in LA, where his seven year old son is now living. Father and son hesitantly become reaquainted with each other and the memories of thieir past together. And as they do so, the man begins speaking again. They grow closer and eventually decide to find the boy's mother.

Directed by the visionary Wim Wenders and scored by the brilliant slide guitarist Ry Cooder, the film is both subtle and beautiful. Scenes and shots are drawn out and realistic. Do not expect anything cliche, formulated or predictable. Essentially, do not expect a "Hollywood" film. Unfortunatley, with todays media pace, you will have to watch the film with some patience. This is not a crtiticism however. It is a large component of why the film is so warm and almost haunting.

A unique, emotion filled, artistic masterpiece
Paris, Texas is a movie unlike any I've seen before. It uses images, facial expressions, masterful character interactions in a way that takes you on a deep psychological journey with the main character "Travis." This movie wrestles with universal themes that have to do with our attempts to resolve our personal demons, rectifying horrible mistakes, and the restoration of personal dignity and relationships.

The opening scenes reveal an amnesic man whom has been discovered wandering through the desert in Texas and Mexico for four years. His long lost brother claims him, brings him back to civilization, and his journey to remember and to reclaim his life begins.

The story, screenplay, casting, acting, and direction is supurb. The cinematography is wonderful. One word of warning. This is not a movie for people who want a "mindless, don't think or feel movie." Paris, Texas has a lot to say about our country, its people and barriers to closeness with each other.

Not very good
I really wanted to like this movie, but the movie wouldn't let me. Sorry to disagree with everyone, but this movie is a real stinker. I gave it 2 stars for the music and the cinematography. To call this movie slow is the understatement of the year ... it moves like a sedated tortoise. I really can't understand those people who say that this is the best film they have ever seen ... they can't have seen many films. I have been watching films seriously for about 30 years, and have seen many great ones ... but this ain't one of them.

"Okay, wise guy, you didn't like it. Why?" First of all, let me say that the first part, when the main character interacts with his brother, brother's wife, and his kid (who has been raised by his brother), is far better than the end, when he and his son search for his wife. They find her in Houston by waiting outside a bank and following her car (why not try the phone book first?). Then, unexplainably, Travis leaves the kid with her while he takes off again (going to Paris, Texas? Does he intend to come back?). This, after spending much time re-establishing a relationship with his boy. I'm not one that demands happy endings, but I do like endings that make some sort of sense. I hear that much of the ending was unscripted, and it shows.

Dramas require tension, whether between characters or in the plot ("don't ever open the green door!"). This movie has none, which is a primary reason why it is so terminally dull. Travis (Stanton) is a complex character, but is never fully revealed, and although we may feel sorry for him and his condition, he remains simply a screwed up individual.

Dramas also require some kind of contrast. There is very little of that in the film in any respect.

Great dramas usually have great dialogue. Don't look for any memorable dialogue here. I don't expect Shakespeare, but the totally mundane, inane dialogue in this picture does not serve it well. Shepherd could have done better. And the director must have been watching too many Antonioni films, with all the pauses and lacunae.

Acting? Stockwell, as usual, does a good job. Stanton is mute for much of the first part of the film. When he does finally talk, his lines are delivered in a monotone that could put anyone to sleep. Kinski, Travis' wife, is gorgeous, but doesn't have much of a role.

I recently viewed "Scarecrow" with Gene Hackman and Al Pacino. This is a truly fine drama. "Paris, Texas" could have been a very good drama, but it would have taken a lot of tinkering.

A Brilliant Cinematic Journey
A man wanders aimlessly in the Texan desert as he collapses in a rural bar looking for water. The man is brought to a doctor who finds a phone number in his empty wallet, which he calls in order to find out the identity of the man. The man is Travis (Harry Dean Stanton) and his brother, Walt (Dean Stockwell), comes from California to pick him up as he vanished four years ago and left family behind. Walt is puzzled about Travis's whereabouts for the last four years, but Travis remains silent as he keeps a secret deep within himself. When Travis vanished his wife, Jane (Nastassja Kinski), disappeared after she had left their son in the custody of Walt and his wife.

Paris, Texas is a straight forward story, yet mystifying as it discloses very little for the audience. This is Wim Wenders intention as he directed the film. He wants to coerce the audience to participate cerebrally, and if not the cinematic experience will be lost in time. The bewildering element surrounds Travis and his emotional journey through loss, grief, and love. It is through these emotional states that the story expands, but the tale seems to be fixed in time as the progress is minimal. This simplicity brings about a brilliant cinematic experience, which is enhanced by stunning cinematography and vivid colors as the mirage of the desert heat plays tricks on the mind.

Moored and broken.
It's not surprising that Wim Wenders production company is called 'Road Movies'. In the vast majority of his films geography is just as important as characterization and plot. So it is with 'Paris, Texas', where the remarkable vista shots give some sense of the awe and wonder the average European must feel when confronted with this vast American landscape. Originally, Wender's vision was much larger in scope. He wanted the Harry Dean Stanton character to zig-zag his way across the entire country hoping to capture the enormous contrasts of the landscape. In the end though screenwriter Sam Shepard persuaded the German director to base the core of the movie in Texas as this could easily represent the U.S. as a whole.

It's rather unusual to see America through the eyes of a European film crew. The film has a slow, observant quality that contrasts sharply with prevailing American dramas where constant close-ups try to make you feel more involved with the characters. In 'Paris, Texas', Wenders lets the quality of the acting speak for itself without recourse to sentimentality.

The last part of the film was unscripted and tends to drag a bit, but Stanton's understated performance keeps you glued to the screen as the story unfolds. Ry Cooder's score adds a traditional American soundtrack that somehow manages to be something much more ethereal. A poigniant score that colours the film's theme of hope and longing. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Some boxed sets claim to be definitive, but are haphazardly selected. Not this one. Four of the five titles here can legitimately lay claim to being essentials in the film noir canon, and the fifth, The Set-Up, is a terrific boxing picture with a strong noir atmosphere. If you're a fan of noir--or have no idea what it's all about--this collection is a treat.

Of course, none of these movies were made as "film noir." The term was coined later by French critics to describe the moody, anxious feel of postwar American movies, especially the genre that highlighted duplicitous dames and susceptible men lost in the criminal jungle. Indeed, the title The Asphalt Jungle conveys the edgy urban arena of these pictures. That film is John Huston's masterly 1950 account of a heist, with Sterling Hayden the disenchanted, noirish hero. Joseph H. Lewis's Gun Crazy (1949) is one of the most supercharged (and sexually perverse) of noir films, with John Dall and Peggy Cummins as young criminals in love.Murder, My Sweet (1944) is a straight adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel Farewell, My Lovely. Amid the film's shadowy chiaroscuro, former musical comedy star Dick Powell makes a career-changing transition as Chandler's private dick, Philip Marlowe. Out of the Past puts Robert Mitchum (perhaps the quintessential noir actor) in trouble with gangster Kirk Douglas, complicated by classic femme fatale Jane Greer. Jacques Tourneur provides the evocative direction. And The Set-Up plays out an ingenious boxing tale in "real time," superbly enacted by (former boxer) Robert Ryan. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (10)

STUNNING BOX SET OF VINTAGE FILM NOIR!
The mid to late 1940s produced a string of classic film noir motion pictures that effectively paved the road to more cynicism and realism in the movies. Now, Warner Brothers Home Entertainment effectively brings together five of the most riveting examples of the genre in one compelling box set. What follows is a brief plot outline of each of the five films included.
GUN CRAZY: Sigmund Freud would have a field day with Bart Tare (John Dall), the gun crazy marksman who just can't live without always having a firearm in his possession. Feeling more than a little inadequate, shall we say, Bart soon teams up with Laurie Starr (Peggy Cummins) a woman for who the moniker - girls gone wild - must have been invented. Laurie's high life fuels both their rabid passions for each other and a life of crime. The film is one of those cautionary tales that attempts to chart what happens to individuals to whom life does not follow the straight and narrow trajectory. THE ASPHALT JUNGLE: is an artfully gritty jewel heist caper gone horribly wrong. Director, John Huston employs both an economy of plot and depth of his characters to flesh out the story. Sam Jaffe is Doc, the criminal mastermind with a weakness for hoop earrings and tight skirts. Louis Calhern is the middle aged, penniless fencer, Ennrich, and sugar daddy to Marilyn Monroe. There is nothing cartoonish or cliché about Sterling Hayden's particularly powerful Dix Handley, the tense enforcer of the group.
Jacque Tourneur's OUT OF THE PAST stars Robert Mitchum as sleepy-eyed Jeff Bailey, the ultra-cool, ultra savvy former P.I. hiding out from his former life as a gas station owner. But the past catches up with Bailey in the embodiment of Whit Sterling (Kirk Douglas). Kathie Moffat (Jane Greer) enters the picture as the atypical femme fatale, whose bite is more venomous than the poisonous web of destruction and deceit that she manages to ensnare everyone in. In "MURDER, MY SWEET Dick Powell is detective Philip Marlowe - hired by an ex-con (Mike Mazurki) to hunt down his old flame. But the plot spins out of control when a murder leads to Marlowe's engagement by a manipulative woman (Claire Trevor), to recover her missing jewels. Finally, there's the forgotten gem, THE SET-UP, a taut and exciting 71 minute masterpiece that pulls no punches when it comes to exposing the seedy underworld racket of professional boxing. The sadly forgotten Robert Ryan stars as Stoker, a once optimistic, once handsome pugilist who falls prey to two unscrupulous fight promoters who make a deal with an underworld kingpin to throw the fight. The wrinkle: nobody tells Ryan that he's got to lose, hence he's driven to win.

THE TRANSFERS: In keeping with Warner's current trend of not doing all that is humanly possible to completely restore and remaster classic movies on DVD, the cumulative quality of these film is just above average. The gray scale for each is nicely balanced with deep solid blacks and relatively clean whites. There's a considerable amount of film grain and a lot of age related artifacts for a visual presentations that, while a considerable improvement over previously issued VHS tapes, are still below par for what might have been if more digital wizardry had been applied. There's also a considerable amount of fine detail shimmering, particularly in OUT OF THE PAST as well as pixelization and edge enhancement. Though the picture quality of all films in this box set can be solidly rendered, over all the quality for each is inconsistently rendered. The audio is mono but nicely balanced.
EXTRAS: The real disappointment here is in the extra features which amounts to little more than a string of audio commentaries by film noir authors. But the commentaries aren't very informative. James Ursini's commentary - for example - boils down to the obvious with him telling the viewer throughout every scene how dark and starkly contrasted scenes are a hallmark of film noir. Drew Casper doesn't even introduce himself or his credentials for his audio commentary on THE ASPHALT JUNGLE until a good fifteen minutes into his rambling viewpoint. There are theatrical trailers too but hey, for a box set it would have been nice to have a retrospective of the history of film noir, don't you think?
BOTTOM LINE: These films are a definite must for anyone's home library. Their lack of consistent quality not withstanding, I recommend this box set.

Five Phenomenal Film Noir Faves-GORGEOUSLY RESTORED FOR DVD!
The irresistible lure of 5 film noir classics, handsomely packaged in one classy prsentation is certain to make this boxed-set a best-seller.

The official Amazon reviewer sums it all up beautifully. Each one of these films is a true American masterwork, a definitive example of why film noir continues to captivate audiences as a unique style of filmmaking.

I've spent the better part of the last three days watching all five films, and then again exploring the commentaries. It's been an amazing experience. I've seen all these films before in battered condition, but each one of these DVDs present the motion pictures with stunning quality that brings out all the nuance in the gorgeous cinematography. Obviously a great deal of meticulous restoration as gone on here, and Warner Bros. should be proud of the fine work that they've put in to these releases.

They look so good, you could almost say they look like they were filmed yesterday....except I doubt anyone today could quite re-create the look of the way these films were shot as exqiuisitely today. Just wonderful.

Do yourself a favor, a get this collection. Settle down with Robert Mitchum, Kirk Douglas, Sterling Hayden, John Dall, Robert Ryan, and a bunch of hard-boiled dames like Jane Greer or Peggy Cummmins. Your life will never be the same!

What a deal!
Five terrific noir films in pretty good to excellent transfers, all in keep-cases (thanks, Warner) with wonderful period cover art, and commentaries too! I had not see three of the five films in the box - I bought it for "Asphalt Jungle" and "Gun Crazy," but all are worth watching and re-watching. And at $35 this is an amazing bargain.

Can it ... Can it Really Be?
I'm shocked and dumbfounded!

Is it even... well, truly conceivable?

Do my eyes deceive? I mean, can it really be ....?

My gosh, yes .. yes, it really is!

A completely DUD FREE DVD boxed collection.

Lord in Heaven! Not a turkey among 'em!

Whoddathunkit?

Best Film Noir Bargain Yet
What a treat & great bargain this set is ! Three key classics,and two other outstanding Films Noir. I thought the quality was fine considering the age of the films,available prints,and the price.Look at the cost of "Pickup on South Street" for example.My only complaint would be that they used prints that cut ,or cut themselves the end credits from "Murder My Sweet", and "Gun Crazy" .
This set says "Vol. 1" on the slip case,lets hope that means there will be more excellent collections like this at such a reasonable cost. I'd like to see a few of the classic Noirs that never made it to VHS included on future sets. Outstanding Films Noir such as "The Big Carnival,[Ace in the Hole]"; "Nightmare Alley";"Angel Face";"Thieve's Highway", and many more that need to be released. Amen !! ... Read more

Description

Treachery.Madness. Murder.The story of Hamlet has been told for 400 years...but it's never been told like this!Mel Gibson (the Mad Max and Lethal Weapon films) takes on his richest part to date, the title role in a dynamic new version of Shakespeare's Hamlet.Directed by Franco Zeffirelli (Romeo and Juliet, Jesus of Nazareth), the location-shot production has a sumptuous look that won Academy Award nominations for Art Direction and Costume Design.Gibson plays the prince of medieval-era Denmark, who senses treachery behind his royal father's death.Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons) plays Hamlet's mother Gertrude, all too dangerously entangled in that treachery.A brilliant supporting cast, including Alan Bates as Claudius, Paul Scofield as the ghost of Hamlet's father, Ian Holm as Polonius and Helena Bonham-Carter as Ophelia, adds its powerful presence to this immortal tale of high adventure and evil deeds.Big, bold and heroic, this is a vivid and virile Hamlet for the modern age and all time. ... Read more

Reviews (124)

To Thine Own Self Be True...
While this is a complex movie that demands your full attention, this has to be one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. It is beautifully acted out in a gorgeous castle filled with tapestries and everything you would imagine a castle to be from the candlelight to the dimly lit spiral staircases.

The most enjoyable scenes are when Hamlet expresses his thoughts in soliloquies and gives insight into what his character is feeling. Mel Gibson becomes Hamlet and I thought this was perhaps some of his best acting ever! Glenn Close is exceptional as Gertrude, the incestuous mother. The uneasiness and distrust in Denmark since King Hamlet's death and Queen Gertrude's remarriage sets the mood for the rest of the movie.

The story begins on the outer ramparts of Elsinore castle. A ghost appears and Hamlet, speaks to his deceased father. The ghost asks Hamlet to revenge his "most foul, strange, and unnatural murder." Hamlet then deviously plots a psychological revenge by putting on a play in which a scene portrays the actual murder of his father.

"I'll have grounds
More relative than this-the play's the thing
Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King." -Hamlet, Act 2, 603-605

Once guilt takes hold of the King, the pieces of the puzzle start to fit together and you realize that one immoral action only makes another wrong even more probable.

Throughout the play, Hamlet shows his intellectual superiority and states his case by saying: "Do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe?" While he desires to have the upper hand until the end, he cannot of course know all the intentions of those around him nor can he escape his own fate.

An Unforgettable story that made an impression on me in school and still holds a
certain fascination for me. Did Hamlet ever really love Ophelia? That is the question.

"It is in my memory locked." -Ophelia

hamlet
The movie Hamlet directed by Franco Zefferelli is a historical drama, based on the popular Shakespearean Tragedy. Zefferelli decided to retain the name Hamlet, which I think could be modified to be more effective. Theoretically, a title is a microcosm of the theme, which 'Hamlet' doesn't really accomplish; a title that can foreshadow the theme of the play will be more formidable. Perhaps the director could have excerpted one of the dominant quotes out of the play, the most famous being "To be or not to be". This would have at least given a foreshadowing to the indecision seen by the tragic hero throughout the plot. Generally speaking, the movie was well done and I comment the director for his concise but accurate representation of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'.
On the whole the actors depicted the roles of their characters quite well. Hamlet played by the Australian, Mel Gibson took command of his part, and captivated the viewers with his emotional conversations, as well as addition of humor and a masculine vigor to Hamlet. He portrayed his part with a great deal enthusiasm, bringing the play to life. The royal couple played by Alan Bates and Glenn Close, as king Claudius and queen Gertrude respectfully, were able to capture the conduct of a monarchial leadership, of the middle ages with little difficulty. Claudius displayed an exceptional representation of a lusty, murderous king. The minor characters such as Ian Holm as Polonius, Nathaniel Parker as Laertes, and Helena Bonham Carter as Ophelia gave considerable support to the leading characters, as they were subtly but effectively able to dictate the plot.
Hamlet is noted as one of Franco Zeffirelli's best productions as he recreated yet another Shakespeare masterpiece. He took a conventional approach to this production of Hamlet as he kept with the mindset most people would have to character and setting, in other words he tried not to give any surprises. Zeffirelli's main goal was to create a lighthearted enjoyable movie that would appeal to the general public who don't have the time and stamina for Branagh's four-hour version. In keeping with typical Shakespearean movies the director chose a soundtrack consisting of classical pieces, which is suitable for what he was trying to achieve. Little special effects were used, which may be a major flaw when trying to grasp the attention of modern day viewers, perhaps he could have included some more dynamic effects, especially with the ghost who appeared almost as though he was a living character.
This movie is a concise version of the original text and has left out and/or shortened many scenes keeping only the ones necessary to tell the story. I really liked the way he incorporated old Hamlet's funeral in the beginning and the voyage to England. However, there were a few scenes like the fight between Laertes and Hamlet in the graveyard, which could have been further accented. The major flaw I observed in the movie when compared to the book was the exclusion of the sub-plot with Fortinbras and the Norwegian influence. This led to the ambiguity the viewers were left in once the movie ended, as there was no hint to the outcome of Denmark.

best film version i've seen (and i've seen them all!)
through my endeavors i've had to read Hamlet 7 times (twice my senior year of high-school). much as i don't like Shakespeare this play is part of my life.

The Olivier version is more accurate to the stage version but the camera techiniques are over-blown and hokey (circling the swords before the duel to see which one is tipped, it made me dizzy). the Branagh version, while creative in it's set up (modernizing it to imerial Russia), and using the entire text, complete with Prince Fortinbras of Norway, is SO long and SO over-acted (especially on the part of Branagh) that i needed a nap after i saw it. and i choose not even to dignify the Ethan Hawke version it was so terrible.

This one is my favorite, all the scenes which are cut aren't necessary for the forwarding of the plot in my humble opinion (the opening scene with the palace guards meeting the dead kingis cut yet horatio's explaination of this happening later in the movie is sufficient). Gibson chooses to play Hamlet as insane (that decision is left to the director) and as i am in the camp that Hamlet IS insane, you could also see why i favor this version. Glenn Close is EXCELLENT as Gertrude as is Helena Bonham-Carter as Ophelia.

solid performances with a great cast, what more does a 400 year old play need?

Mel has captured Hamlet's soul
What a masterpiece. As much as I love Braveheart, I truly think this is Mel Gibson's finest work. It throws all over attempts into shadow, including the great Lawrence Olivier and certainly Kenneth Branaugh or Ethan Hawke. So often the female characters are reduced to cardboard mock-ups of feminine ideals of the Shakespearean age. Not here! Ofelia and Gertrude have souls and minds to probe, filled with as many dark secrets as Hamlet himself. I could never say enough about the caliber of this film. Suffice it to say that it is THE Hamlet of the ages and worth a look as well as a few dollars to own it.

A great BRIEF history of The Bard's greatest Play
There are two main versions that currently work the best in getting a feel for this play, Gibson's & Brannaugh's. Gibson's is very much stripped down to focusing on the three main character's. It does loose a lot by this device, but it does gain considerably in that the viewer doesn't have to shift through all the sub-plots. Brannaugh's, however is far more complete & I would consider it far more the best " study " version of the play. If you've read the play ( & this is the reason I give it 5 stars ), Gibson's version is great beause you can fill in the blanks quite easily & nothing is lost. The Ghost is by far better in Gibson's version ( remember, this is not a ghost in the modern sense, so it's important not to judge by appearences ), & the interplay between them in their first meeting is just amazing. However, the politics of the play suffers badly, in my opinion, becuase many of the characters in the sub-plots are missing, especially Polonius' machinations....however, he certainly DIES better in Gibson's version. I personally like this version & I am impressed with all the actors. If this had been the entire play, I think it would definitely have given Brannaugh's version a run for it's money, but being so stripped down, I feel the actuall story suffers greatly. As one reviewer put it, a CLIFT NOTES verion, with which I must agree. ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Rice & Lloyd Webber's Operatic Passion Play on Film
After the bizarre Broadway staging of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera, the film version of "Jesus Christ Superstar" had to be a more traditional offering. Producer-Director Norman Jewison filmed on location in Israel, using natural settings and sparsely constructed sets for what is essentially a string of music videos (since it was written as a studio album first, the music presents problems for moving from one scene to the next). The framing device for the film is the cast arriving/departing by bus. Ted Neeley's voice is suited to the role, but certainly he is the shortest Jesus I can recall seeing in films. Yvonne Elliman and Barry Dennen remain from the original studio album and Broadway production as Mary Magdalen and Pilate, which is perfectly all right. However, it is clearly Carl Anderson as Judas who gives the best performance in the film. The film version suffers from the inadequate voices of several of the supporting cast members (most notably Josh Mostel as Herod) and the grossly reduced chorus of singers which never comes close to matching the number of bodies on screen, and there are a few unintentional laughs (as when Israeli tanks come over the dune and chase Judas). But the use of paintings depicting the crucifixion and the final shot of sheep being herded past the cross the cast leaves behind on the hill, are particularly effective. Of course as with most movies, if you want to watch it you want to get a hold of the widescreen edition, otherwise you cannot appreciate the Last Supper tableau or just enjoy the compositional elements of the shots. Every Easter weekend I watch this film, even if I do not have time to do all of "Jesus of Nazareth" or "The Greatest Story Every Told." The only thing radical here is the music, but I still have to think it qualifies as the requisite joyful noise.

Controversial Rock Opera
Jesus Christ Superstar was Andrew Lloyd Webber and Time Rice's first major success. The rock opera was first a concept album that exploded on the charts hitting number one and spending almost a year in the top ten and unleashed Murray Head on the world. It was then made into a successful Broadway play starring Ben Vereen. In 1973, respected director Norman Jewison (In The Heat Of the Night, Fiddler On the Roof) brought it to the big screen. The film was shot on location in Israel and that gives it an authentic feel. There is no dialogue in the film, everything is sung in true opera fashion. It kind is like a forerunner of the music video in that fact. Mr. Jewison mixes the biblical setting with modern nuances such as guards carrying machine guns, tanks and planes appear and at the beginning of the film, the cast arrives by bus and at the end it leaves on the same bus. The beginning of the film shows the cast setting up what appears to be a play. They get into costumes and set up for the play. The movie focuses on the last seven days of Jesus and Ted Neeley appears in the title role. The movie focuses on Jesus' relationship with Judas, who is played by Carl Anderson. The plot likens Jesus to a modern-day rock star, who rises above all the other prophets due to the hype-machine. Judas thinks that Jesus is believing the hype and moving away from his humble roots. He turns traitor in the belief he is helping the nation. At the end, we are left wondering if this was just a play or was it real as all the cast members get on the bus except Mr. Neeley. The movie fades out quite powerfully in the sunset on the cross. The movie moves along through the series of songs and is well choreographed. The album, play and film were highly controversial due to its take on the Passion of Jesus, but putting religious beliefs aside, it is an excellent film.

Most powerful movie ever produced!
Too many people miss the point. This movie was not made as a literal portrayal of Jesus' last days...it was (and remains) a figurative interpretation of the last days of one who would inspire a new branch of religion.

From the opening moments of the movie when Carl Anderson (Judas) sings ("...my mind is clearer now, at last, all too well, I can see, what we all, soon will be...") through Ted Neely (Christ) during "Gethsemane" ("Allright! I'll die, just watch me die!") the viewer is mesmerized by some of the most powerful music, lyrics, and staging ever written and performed. This particular sequence (when Jesus is climbing the mountain, fairly crying out for God's explanation of things to come ~ "Show me just a little of your omnipresent brain") still brings tears to my eyes and I've seen this movie at least 100 times!

The movie was shot on location in Israel a few years after the 6 day war, and during the Vietnam war. These realities are not lost on the writers, and evidence of their beliefs and opinions are sprinkled throughout the movie (the tanks coming over the horizon and the F-16's flying over Judas' head were a nice touch). Their religious convictions are displayed in such moments as when the priests are on the scaffolding ("He is dangerous") and the crowd extols Jesus below ("Haysanna, hosannah, sanna sanna ho, sanna hey sanna hosanna; hey JC, JC won't you die for me...") watch Jesus' face at that moment....

Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdelene) does a fine job of balancing the angst of Judas with the over-arching compassion of Jesus, and Barry Dennen (Pilate) captures a high point when he washes his hands of Jesus' plight. Bob Bingham's (Caiphas) bass rattles your soul with his deep melodic tonality.

While the acting is certainly not on par with the great actors of our times, one has to take that with a grain of salt. I was 7 when I first saw it and I still watch this movie at least once per year (can you guess which day? :) By far this is Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice at their best.

Who the Hell did they get to play Jesus?!
The guy who plays Jesus is an awful singer. He ruined the entire movie sounding like the lead from some punk band. Also, it's clear they did not cast the actors based on their looks (or even their talent for that matter). I tried very hard to like this. I love musicals but this ranks down there with Cats, Hair, and Nine. If you want a great musical based on the scripture, check out the amazing Godspell.

awesome
OK, granted this musical was done in the early 70's and therefore has some 70's overtones, but the acting and singing are magnificent. The relationship between Judas and Jesus is powerful, and Ted Neeley stares right into your soul. I first saw this movie when I was about 7 years old and it left a lasting, positive influence on me regarding Christ. ... Read more

Description

The John Wayne Legendary Heroes Collection features five classic films from the larger-than-life American hero, including Blood Alley, McQ, The Sea Chase, Tall in the Saddle and The Train Robbers, all available on DVD for the first time.

Born Marion Robert Morrison in Winterset, Iowa, John Wayne first worked in the film business as a laborer on the Fox lot during summer vacations from U.S.C., which he attended on a football scholarship. He met and was befriended by John Ford, a young director who was beginning to make a name for himself in action films, comedies and dramas. It was Ford who recommended Wayne to director Raoul Walsh for the male lead in the 1930 epic Western The Big Trail, and, although it was a box office failure, the movie showed Wayne's potential. For the next nine years, Wayne worked in a multitude of B-Westerns and serials in between bit parts in larger features. Wayne's big break came in 1939, when Ford cast him as the Ringo Kid in the adventure Stagecoach. Wayne nearly stole the picture from his more seasoned co-stars, and his career as a box-office superstar began. During his 50 year film career, Wayne played the lead in 142 movies, an as yet unsurpassed record, and was nominated for three Academy Awards., winning the Best Actor award in 1970 for his performance in True Grit.Blood Alley (1955) - An American seafarer patrolling the South Seas is asked by the daughter of a missionary doctor killed by the Communists to help transport the citizens of a small Chinese town to freedom in Hong Kong. This action-adventure based on A. S. Fleischman's novel, marks the first on-screen pairing of movie legends John Wayne and Lauren Bacall. DVD special features include: Newsreel footage (The Hollywood Foreign Press Honors John Wayne, Crusade for Freedom, John Wayne and The Legion Poppy Sale (silent clip), Air Force Honors the Cast of Blood Alley), 1955 Promos on Blood Alley (Wayne discusses how he made it into the movies; "the monster" of movie land; the Mitchell BNC camera and his use of his home movie camera to capture scenes while on Blood Alley), John Wayne trailer gallery

McQ (1974) - John Wayne forcefully enforces the law in this high-velocity thriller that's a revenge western set in the big city. Police Lieutenant Lon McQ (Wayne) investigates the killing of his best friend and uncovers corrupt elements of the police department dealing in confiscated drugs. Directed by John Sturges (Ice Station Zebra, The Magnificent Seven), McQ also stars Eddie Albert (Roman Holiday) and Colleen Dewhurst (Annie Hall, Dying Young).

The Sea Chase (1955) -John Wayne and Lana Turner are a formidable romantic team in this harrowing adventure directed by Academy Award-nominee John Farrow (Wake Island). Sea captain Kal Erhlich (Wayne) is an anti-Nazi German freighter captain at the outset of World War II attempting to sail his ship from Australia to the North Sea rather than risk internment. Both Allied and German ships follow in pursuit, while Erhlich battles storms, sharks, and romances.

Tall in the Saddle (1944) - In this fast-paced entertaining western, John Wayne stars as Rocklin, a cowboy who upon arriving at a ranch to work as a cowhand finds his employer was just murdered. Although he has no friends, and no money, Rocklin stays in town, intent on tracking the killers and uncovering a plan to inherit the dead employer's riches.

The Train Robbers (1973) - The action never stops in this western starring John Wayne, Ann-Margret and Ricardo Montalban. A gunhand named Lane (Wayne) is hired by a widow, Mrs. Lowe (Ann-Margret), to find gold stolen by her husband so that she may return it and start fresh. However, once they cross the border into Mexico to recover the loot, they discover two very different pursuers: a large group of bandidos and a lone horseman (Montalban), both of whom know their every move. DVD special features include: Two featurettes (Working with a Western Legend - an inside look at Wayne with stuntmen Jerry Gatlin, Dean Smith and Terry Leonard;The Wayne Train), John Wayne trailer gallery ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Problems with Blood Alley
This is a great set. However, I've gone through four sets which were purchased/returned at Sam's Club!!Blood Alley is defective as it keeps on freezing or skipping. I've tried all four on three different machines. Has anybody had this problem? If the set from Amazon is alright, I'll buy it here.
Thanks!

Not Top-Drawer Wayne, but Entertaining Collection!
When you look at the MASSIVE number of feature films John Wayne made in his nearly 50-year career, some films link together easily (the Howard Hawks' westerns, the John Ford 'Cavalry' trilogy, most of Duke's War-themed movies), but many enjoyable features aren't as easily combined, and the "John Wayne Legendary Heroes Collection" offers a strange but entertaining mix of several different genres, from three eras in the Duke's career.

From the 1940s comes the best film of the collection, "Tall in the Saddle", one of the finest 'B' westerns ever made. Written by lifelong friend, actor Paul Fix (who plays a villain), and co-starring two Wayne favorites, Ward Bond and Gabby Hayes, the film is really a 'whodunit' set in the Old West, spiced up with liberal doses of humor and sex appeal (provided by smouldering Ella Raines). Tightly scripted, with a short (87 minute) running time, this RKO release makes up for any lack of polish with plenty of excitement, and the Duke's sexy 1940s charisma.

The 1950s are represented by two Warner productions; "Blood Alley", the more entertaining of the pair, is a farfetched but enjoyable anti-Communist adventure set in China, as captured sea captain Wayne is rescued to transport a Chinese village to freedom, in a run-down steamboat. Lauren Bacall is one of his romantic interests (an imaginary girl Wayne created to stay 'sane' in prison is the other), with Paul Fix, Mike Mazurki, and even Anita Ekberg(!), playing 'Chinese' villagers. Cheesy, but it offers plenty of action, and does keep your attention! "The Sea Chase" is another story; starring Wayne as an anti-Nazi German ship captain(!) attempting to return his vessel to the Fatherland at the start of the war, the film manages to be both boring AND unbelievable, with little chemistry between him and Lana Turner (in their one teaming, together). Paul Fix again appears in a small role, as does James Arness, Wayne's protege and future star of "Gunsmoke". Wayne looks suitably serious in the role, but is totally miscast.

Skipping the 1960s, the collection finishes up with two more Warner films from the twilight of Duke's career, in the 1970s. "McQ", Duke's late entry into the 'Maverick Cop' genre that Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen had made popular, was, in a sense, making up for his turning down "Dirty Harry", a few years earlier (he was offered the role, before Clint Eastwood!) As a grizzled veteran cop investigating his partner's murder, Wayne discovers a trail of corruption leading back into his department, and in true 'Duke' fashion, he gets hold of a lethal-looking machine pistol and starts blowing away the bad guys! Honestly, he was looking far too old and tired for high-speed chases and hopping into the sack with Colleen Dewhurst(!), and seems distinctly ill-at-ease in the role (he would be far better in his next 'Cop' film, "Brannigan").

Fortunately, the collection finishes up on a brighter note, in Burt Kennedy's "The Train Robbers". While this comic western is, at best, a pale shadow of Duke's classic oaters, it does team him up with long-time friend/co-star Ben Johnson, as well as Rod Taylor (who works surprisingly well with the two western 'veterans'). Best of all, Wayne and Ann-Margret are terrific together, with teasing asides of her obvious sex appeal and his being too old to take advantage of it! Forget the plot, of a buried payroll and the various people out to get it; enjoy the easy comraderie of a group of screen pros!

While this collection certainly isn't the finest of the Duke's work, there are some good titles, here, and these ARE 'New to DVD'...If you are a John Wayne fan, you certainly have reason to celebrate!

JOHN WAYNE WAS THE BEST EVER
John Wayne stood tall then and today. The man stood for class, respect and America.Many today could learn alot from John Waynes example. This DVD contains some good but relatively unknown movies. But all have John Wayne being the MAN!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Perhaps the highest compliment you can pay to Edward Norton is that his Oscar-nominated performance in American History X nearly convinces you that there is a shred of logic in the tenets of white supremacy. If that statement doesn't horrify you, it should; Norton is so fully immersed in his role as a neo-Nazi skinhead that his character's eloquent defense of racism is disturbingly persuasive--at least on the surface. Looking lean and mean with a swastika tattoo and a mind full of hate, Derek Vinyard (Norton) has inherited racism from his father, and that learning has been intensified through his service to Cameron (Stacy Keach), a grown-up thug playing tyrant and teacher to a growing band of disenfranchised teens from Venice Beach, California, all hungry for an ideology that fuels their brooding alienation.

The film's basic message--that hate is learned and can be unlearned--is expressed through Derek's kid brother, Danny (Edward Furlong), whose sibling hero-worship increases after Derek is imprisoned (or, in Danny's mind, martyred) for the killing of two black men. Lacking Derek's gift of rebel rhetoric, Danny is easily swayed into the violent, hateful lifestyle that Derek disowns during his thoughtful time in prison. Once released, Derek struggles to save his brother from a violent fate, and AmericanHistory X partially suffers from a mix of intense emotions, awkwardsentiment, and predictably inevitable plotting. And yet British director Tony Kaye (who would later protest against Norton's creative intervention during post-production) manages to juggle these qualities--and a compelling clash of visual styles--to considerable effect. No matter how strained their collaboration may have been, both Kaye and Norton can be proud to have created a film that addresses the issue of racism with dramatically forceful impact. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (555)

This film was flat out amazing!!
Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) loses his father Dennis (William Russ), who is a firefighter , that died putting out a firefighter in a crack house. Ever since then, Derek has been filled with hate, rage, violence, and racism. He joins up with Cameron Alexander ( Stacey Keach) who is the leader of the Nazi movement in Los Angeles. One night Derek catches three African American men breaking into his car, and he kills them. Derek is sent to prison for six years. While inside, Derek reluctantly becomes friends with an African American prisoner named Lamont (Guy Torry). Over time, Lamont causes Derek to realize that all his hate and anger never made his life any better. Now he is out and a changed man. Unfortunately , his brother Danny ( Edward Furlong) is headed in the exact same direction Derek was, and loves the life of a Nazi. Now it is up to Derek to save his brother and teach him the true meaning of redemption.

"American History X" is one of the best films that I have ever seen. The story is amazing, all the actors are outstanding, and the script provides for shocking scenes and great dialogue overall. The film takes an extremely controversial look at racism and shows just how damaging it can be. Watching the film unfold will leave you in awe. The parts dealing with Derek's past are shot in black and white to give them more of an ominous appeal. The present is shot in color to give the appearance of hope. Edward Norton gives the performance of his career as Derek Vinyard. He plays both sides of the character great. He is very convincing as a skinhead, and after prison shows that redemption is possible. Edward Furlong in my opinion did the best job in the movie. Furlong supplies extremely realistic emotion to let the audience know the inner conflict that his character is dealing with. The reason the character has such an impact on the film is because he is only trying to be like his brother. The rest of the cast was filled with excellent actors that include Stacey Keach, Avery Brooks, Ethan Suplee, Beverly De Angelo, and Fairuza Balk.

"American History X" is a highly controversial and disturbing film. It has shocking scenes and a realistic look at racism. But the story and characters are emotionally driven, and Derek's fight towards retribution is inspriring! It is an entertaining film, but an important one as well. A truly memorable classic.

Racism learned and unlearned
Wow. I didn't want to watch this movie at first, but it has since become one of my all-time favorites. It is incredibly graphic in almost all areas (nudity, violence, language), but only to hammer the lifestyle these characters live home.

The movie stars Edward Norton as Derek, a Neo-Nazi skinhead in the city of Venice Beach, Cali. Angered by his father's death and the circumstances surrounding it, he turns to a path of race hatred culminating in the brutal killings of 2 black men. In prison, he learns that his rhetoric and propaganda won't save him here - he must rely on bribes paid to other race groups to survive. After a brutal rape by fellow skinheads, he renounces his racist views and, once released from prison, must prevent his younger brother Danny from following in his footsteps.

This is a very powerful movie, with scenes that can shock and sicken. It carries the highest possible RSAC ratings for violence, language, and sexuality. Beyond all that, however, you'll find an excellent film with a powerful message.

Incredible Film
This movie will, quite simply put, blow you away. An incredible look into the mind of Derek Vinyard(a skin head) and his little brother Danny Vinyard(a up coming skin head). You will find yourself repulsed at times as you catch yourself actually findng their convoluted arguements for white supremecy to make sense. Edward Norton took this part and made it his own and drags you into the movie in such a way that by the end you really feel like you've known the characters for years. This is not for those with weak stomachs, nor those who, for example, have trouble sitting through the first few scenes of a movie like Clockwork Orange, it has near the same gut wrenching effect. But like a Kubrick film, once you get past the initial nausea you truly learn something about a societal battle. This is an amazing work on the foundations of racism in America and how a family overcomes it.

listen close
this movie has a lot of skinhead philosophy in it.some crips try to steal a guys truck that his father who was killed by crackheads.he father was putting out a fire in thier crack den during the rodney king riots when a black dude shot him.so,the guy goes down and chases them off.things get intense and a few would be car jackers get killed by the skinhead dude.the crazy guy in fight club is the skin head.most people will be too offended by this movie to allow thier kids to watch it.it is the best movie involving racism ive ever seen.there is one very nasty part where some guys in prison rape the skinhead.once again,there is no place for this in movies.no one likes rape.no one like guys doing it.so why must we be forced to watch this?oh!its because the black guys who made this movie wanted to take a cheap shot at whites as if to say "if you are a white racist we will rape you but its perfectly alright to be a black racist."i think all racism should be taken out of movies.the slaves were freed over 130 years ago.ww2 was over 50 years ago.jfk officialy made everyone eqiual in the 60s.so,get the hell over it already!its old news.the chick from waterboy is the skinhead dudes ol lady.they get busy but no nudity.they do show guys butts in prison.ok,as long as youre reading this,WE LOVE BOOBIES AND HATE NAKED AND PARTIALY NAKED MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!the message here is cant we all just get along?or at least shut up about it?fight club is better.this one is way better than waterbot though.its good but will rub a lot of people the wrong way due to its inability to take a side.

amasing...nothing like it
this movie is the most amasing movie ive seen. there is no other movie like it. This movie shows how anyone can change and that u shouldnt judge people by there race. i could watch this movie over and over again. this movie is remarkable. its sad its mean its basicly everything a movie can be. i think this is edward nortons greatest movie and the same with edwark furlong. i think that everyone should watch this movie no matter what ages. even if it is graphic anyone can learn from this movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

La Belle Noiseuse is a thrilling and unconventional drama about the responsibility of an artist to his vision and the conflicts that arise when such responsibility is perceived as a threat to others. Michel Piccoli (Le Doulos) delivers one of his finest, most lived-in performances as Edouard Frenhofer, a famous painter living with his artist wife Liz (Jane Birkin) on a spacious estate in the French countryside. Frenhofer has lacked inspiration for a decade and has given up on painting. The idea behind his unfinished masterpiece, La Belle Noiseuse ("The Beautiful Troublemaker"), has been seemingly unattainable for a decade; Liz was the original model for it, and Frenhofer's exhaustion with the project has an emotional parallel to his dispassionate relationship with her.

Along comes a rising artist, Nicolas (David Bursztein), who suggests that his girlfriend, Marianne (Emmanuelle Béart), a writer, could help Frenhofer jumpstart the painting's completion. From this point, most of La Belle Noiseuse becomes a remarkable, seemingly unedited and privileged look at the development of a bond between artist and muse. Béart, fiercely brilliant, spends the majority of the film nude and continually molded into sometimes-painful positions as Frenhofer struggles--sketch after sketch, paint upon paint--to find something beyond the obviousness of Marianne's body. As the two struggle to meet each other halfway, Liz and Nicolas feel marginalized and jealous, putting pressure on Frenhofer to disregard such personal concerns or give in to them. Adapted by French New Wave master Jacques Rivette from a story by Honore de Balzac, the lengthy La Belle Noiseuse is fascinated by the artistic process; it is itself a patient process of watching ideas and aesthetic courage reveal themselves in the face of extraneous aversion. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Superb
I am not sure what the person before me knows about French cinema and the history of this film in particular but before posting comments that border sheer ignorance PLEASE do some research. This true masterpiece of a film was shot in 1.33 and that is how La Belle Noiseuse it was shown during the Cannes film festival. This is the prefered original aspect ratio (perhaps some have forgotten that not all films are supposed to be seen in widescreen, many were shot in an academy ratio of 1.33). Though La Belle Noiseuse is a modern film, just like Godard often does, Rivette has chosen a ratio that fits best his vision.

With this said the length of the film has nothing to do with the artistic merits it conveys. This is a strong, utterly sophisticated, yet bold and original film that reaches the very core of the creative process artists go through. Exceptional work!!

A word before it's released
This is a 4-hour French film, and I have seen the VHS version. Although the film is generally criticized for being way too long and boring, I personally found the film very appealing. I enjoyed the slow pacing. The film definitely involves the viewer, and 4 hours later, you feel like you really know these characters, who now have a life of their own. There is a substantial amount of nudity in the film, but it's more about posing for an artist than about sex. This is, in fact, an art film, not a mainstream film. As such, it delves into human emotion as much as it paints the beauty of the female form. I'm giving this film, in advance of its DVD release, 3 stars because it is being released in standard format, which is an insult to any film, and because it may not appeal to the average mainstream viewer, who may be too impatient to watch all 4 hours of it. But for me, it will be a welcome addition to my limited collection of French films.

I absolutely agree with everything said by the 5-star reviewer (except for the statement about this being released in its orginal format, which is apparently erroneous). But having read contemporary French language critiques of this film, and having dicussed it with a few of my French friends (who mostly complained about its length), I still believe that the average mainstream non-French viewer will probably find the film a bit too long and boring. Fans of art film in general, and French films in particular, will definitely treasure it, though. Include me in.

See it any way you can...
La Belle Noiseuse is now available on DVD through Amazon.co.uk. Unfortunately it is transferred in 1.33:1 aspect ratio, which is falsely stated to be the original ratio, whereas in fact the film was shot and screened in 1.66:1 - while for some films this might be tolerable, here the cropped picture detracts woefully from the cinematic experience - profiles are severed, actors inexplicably move half off screen, the beauty of many tableaus is compromised. One can only hope that Criterion decide to provide an American edition. That said, the actually picture quality is good and the subtitles legible.
*
There is an interesting interview, however, with Rivette, in which he tells of Divertimento being edited together entirely from out-takes. To illustrate the point a dinner table scene is shown, first from La Belle Noiseuse, and then from Divertimento -in the first there are many cuts and changes of point of view, in the second a slow zoom in onto one couple and only a single cut. In a way, then, Divertimento is an entirely different film. Rivette explained the changes as in part stemming from a certain boredom attending the traditional editing process - he and his editor did their best to entertain themselves, and to create a significant variation on the original work of art.
*
As an exploration of the artistic process, and of the psychological danger involved in exploring the depths of another human, the film is wonderful. Of course, in terms of aesthetic beauty it is also hard to fault. Michel Piccoli is sensitive and somehow manages to vie for command of the screen against the charms of Emmanuelle Beart (who really is stunning).
*
This, I think, is by far Rivette's best work, and definitely worth viewing in whatever available format.

Only for hardcore "La Belle Noiseuse" fans (like me)
After receiving extraordinary acclaim for his 4-hour masterwork "La Belle Noiseuse", seminal French New Wave director Jacques Rivette edited it down to 2 hours (by jettisoning its long real-time takes of an artist at work), substituting alternate takes of certain scenes and making subtle but important changes in the scene order. The result is "Divertimento", a slightly darker and, in my opinion, substantially lesser work.

If you admire "La Belle Noiseuse" as much as I do, "Divertimento" will give you a thought-provoking but not revelatory new angle on a great film. If you haven't seen "La Belle Noiseuse" yet, don't cheat yourself by watching this one first. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A working girl's dream job!
I recently bought this tape again after I wore out my old one! The scenery in this film is truly beautiful as well as that of the many fountains. The movie starts off with three young ladies, one of which just arrives in Rome to start a new job taking over for another girl returning to America to be married. All three young ladies go through the trials and errors of finding love interests in the romantic city. One finds her handsome prince, one finds a hunky, floundering student and the third falls for her novelist older boss. All three ending up with their heart's desire. Guess those coins in the fountain paid off! Sure wish it was that easy these days!! Truly a delightful film.

One of the Most Romantic Beginnings in Any Hollywood Movie
I don't think you'll find much to top this opener, with the fountains of Rome being turned on one by one while Frank Sinatra croons an ulta-smooth rendition of the title song. Ohhhh!
This movie has a lot going for it after the opening song too, (unlike "Raintree County" for instance), so you'll be riveted to the screen. For starters, it's a wonderful travelogue of Rome, in glorious technicolor. And then, it boasts three of my favorite actors, none of whom ever gave a bad performance: Clifton Webb, Louis Jourdan, and Rosanno Brazzi.
These men each figure in a love story with one of three American secretaries living in Rome, respectively Dorothy McGuire, Maggie McNamara, and Jean Peters. In Webb's case, he is McGuire's boss, and has been totally unaware of her real feelings these past ten years. Jourdan is a wealthy playboy used to preying on innocent young girls who's having the tables turned on him by the very predatory McNamara. And lovelorn Rosanno Brazzi--who always makes my pulse flutter--has been pining after Peters, but afraid to tell her of his love, since he believes her engaged to another. How these unlikely scenarios resolve themselves is a delight for the viewer. Take my advice on this one: If you want to be swept away some night by romantic escapism, "Three Coins in the Fountain" is your best bet.

Great story, great cast and superb cinematography
I saw this movie when I was a child and liked it. Then saw it many times on TV and at a special screening in New York.The best thing about it I discovered is the dialog. It's smart and funny - of course, the script was written by a Pulitzer prize winner: John Patrick.
The film was nominated for an Oscar as Best Picture of 1954, and actually won for Best Cinematography and Best Song
The cast is marvelous - most outstanding are Jean Peters and Rossano Brazi (who are the best looking couple and also share the best story of the three featured in the film)and Clifton Webb, who delivers his lines full of sarcasm and innuendos with perfect timing.
The film's most valued asset is its photography by Milton Krasner. Although many will remember "Roman Holiday" as capturing the best of Rome, this film is much more superior visually - and in color and glorious wide screen Cinemascope.

romance is not that easy in Rome!
This movie tracks one month is the lives of 3 American secretaries working in Rome. It opens with the newest girl being picked up at the station and brought back to the apartment, where the other 2 fill her in on how hard romance is in the Eternal City. One even says she is returning to the USA to get married -- although there is actually no fiancee in question --- just to protect herself and her reputation.

There is to be no fraternizing with other employees -- after all, they are told, they are only secretaries -- but when one falls for a coworker she gets them both into trouble. Another has spent 15 years as the secretary to a great novelist who is obvlivious to her feelings for him. And another goes about being a "Rules Girl" (it IS the 1950s), learning everything about her Italian Prince Charming and pretending to like all the same things as he does, but then feeling horrible for misleading him.

Charming and beautifully filmed, this is a romantic film for audiences of all generations.

THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN
I LIKED THIS MOVIE BUT I THOUGHT THE REMAKE WITH LONI ANDERSON WAS MUCH BETTER. I'D LIKE TO BUY THAT VERSION BUT DONT SEE IT LISTED. ANY SUGGESTIONS? ... Read more

Reviews (311)

Dark and creamy
"Chocolat", chocolate in french, is one of the few quality fables filmed in history. Its sweet tooth theme is perfect with the characters' emotions. The old town french town was wonderfully crafted. The fashion designers crafted the costumes perfectly to look 1959. Lasse Hallstrom directed this movie brilliantly. The writers give the movie the extra unique touches that most other today's movies need. They make all the events fit together as one.

Juliette Dimoche was the perfect actress to play Vianne, a chocolate cook whom most of the town calls her "Satan" for no reason. Judi Dench wonderfully portrays a cranky old woman whose fate becomes unexpected. Both deserved their Oscar nominations. Johnny Depp proves that he's improved greatly in the past few years in his role as a river drifter who falls in love with Vianne. Lena Olin plays a battered wife emotionally.

***Important word of caution: One will become very hungry while watching this movie. A small bowl of chocolate will cure the craving and will give the experience an extra touch.

Yummy!!...
This movie is so well made, it is sometimes difficult to remember it was filmed in 2001 and not 1959. It's a mouth-watering experience. Being that I own this movie now, and have seen it 3 or 4 times, I always order chocolate-drizzled brownies from a local restaurant while we watch it. Beware, you don't want to see this one without something sweet.

Vianne(Binoche) and her daughter Anouke, travel with the North winds. On this new journey(in 1959), they land in a small town outside France that seems to be stuck in a time warp.

"Tranquility" , says the town mayer, is the "motto" of his small province. Vianne and her Chocolaterie, bright red shoes, sexy clothes, and illegitimate daughter are exactly what the mayor does not welcome into his quiet little town. Epecially, during Lent.

Vianne still manages to stir up love and lust with her ancient chocolate formulas under the watchful eye of th