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This big, boisterous adventure is more inspired by than based on Rudyard Kipling's famous poem. Legendary screenwriters Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur have fashioned a rousing Hollywood movie full of high adventure, knockabout comedy, and old-fashioned male bonding. And old-fashioned it is: the trio of British officers and best friends who form the core of the film are a 19th-century three musketeers in India, threatened by the interventions of a woman who means to marry the dashing Ballantine (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.). Blustery commander MacChesney (Victor McLaglen) schemes to keep Ballantine in the army while his second in command, the treasure-hunting Cutter (Cary Grant in a hopelessly mugging comic performance), continues searching for his elusive mother lode, but all their plans are thrown into chaos when the rise of the bloodthirsty Thugs threaten Britannia's soldiers. Sam Jaffe takes up the rear guard in turban, loin, and full-body make-up as the titular Gunga Din, the loyal water carrier who dreams of becoming a soldier. Bombastically chauvinist and naively imperialist, the film is bound to rub some people wrong, but Stevens creates a thrilling spectacle in the grand Hollywood mold, a handsome, exciting classic comic adventure that helped make 1939 Hollywood's grandest year. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Rollicking Adventure in Late Nineteenth Century India
GUNGA DIN is a great story about British army life in India in the late nineteenth century. It contains plenty of military action reminiscent of BEAU GESTE and a lot of humor.

Victor McLaglen, Cary Grant and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. are superb as they play three veteran non-coms. The supporting cast of Sam Jaffe, Edwardo Ciannelli, Joan Fontaine, Montagu Love and Robert Coote is excellent. Jaffe excells as the native water carrier and Ciannelli gives a memorable performance as the crazed leader of a group of rebel religious fanatics.

The film received no Oscars mainly because the 1939 Academy Awards competition was dominated by GONE WITH THE WIND and THE WIZARD OF OZ.

George Stevens is also remembered for his fine work as director of SHANE, GIANT and A PLACE IN THE SUN. He received Oscars for the latter two movies.

A classic adventure movie...
Gunga Din is truly a classic adventure movie. Furthermore, in addition to being very exciting, it is quite humorous and is perhaps the original "buddy" movie. Often imitated but never surpassed, Gunga Din is essentially the story of three British Army men stationed in India who get involved with an evil cult known as the Thugees (I'm not quite sure on the spelling), which worships their god, Kali, by strangling people.

The movie features many exciting and funny scenes - and it also has spendid black-and-white cinematography. And it is well acted: Cary Grant is hilarious as the clownish Sgt. Cutter, and Victor McLagen and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. are very good as his brave companions. The other actors give good performances as well, especially the actors playing Gunga Din himself and the evil leader of the cult.

My only complaint about this movie is that it condones, if not totally supports, British Imperialism in India and to some extent presents the natives as savages. Although this view is not totally surprising given that the movie was made in 1938 - before the days of politically correct movies - it is somewhat irritating to see the British Imperialists portrayed so heroically.

Nevertheless, the sheer entertainment value of Gunga Din balances out its Imperialist tendencies and political incorrectness. It is a fun adventure movie the whole family can watch and enjoy!

"Kill, Kill, Kill for the Love of Kali!"
Just one of the lines that makes your hair stand on end in this best of all 1930s action films, "Gunga Din". I recently rediscovered this old classic in the New York Public Library while hunting for something to occupy my four-year nephew while I was going to baby-sit him. Since he loves Flynn's "Robin Hood", Power's "Mark of Zorro", and Wilcoxin's "The Crusades", I thought that the little guy would probably take to "Gunga Din" like a duck to water, and was I ever right! Not only that, but even I, Aunt TutorGal, bought my own used copy because I just had such a good time with it. As far as I know, this is Cary Grant's only true swashbuckler, and he and the gang are A-one!

Here we're back in Colonial India again, with three soldier comrades: Cary Grant, a Cockney always looking for hidden treasure; Victor McLaglin, a blustery two-fisted elephant lover; and Douglas Fairbanks, the most elegant of the three and the best swordsman of the lot. The crisis comes early when Fairbanks reluctantly announces to the other two that he's not going to renew his term with the British Army because he's going to marry Joan Fontaine and go into the tea business. Classic case of two angry friends trying to bust up a guy's romance or at least find a way to get Doug to re-enlist, even by tricks if necessary.

So who's Gunga Din? Why, he's the Indian water carrier of the regiment who longs to be a soldier-bugler himself. Unfortunately, he has to endure a lot of racist remarks from the prejudiced McLaglen, but at least Cary Grant takes a shine to him, though perhaps he's a little patronizing himself. Sam Jaffee, later Ben-Hur's father-in-law, does a creditable job as eponymous Din. Montague Love, erstwhile Bishop of the Black Canon from "Robin Hood", checks in as the commanding officer, and turns in a good job. Joan Fontaine, in an early role, hasn't much to do as Doug's fiancee, except be a figure of scorn for the other two buddies.

Kudos to Eduardo Cianelli as the evil Guru who has resurrected the devilish Tugghee cult. It's he who directs his swarms of shrouded followers to go out there and strangle as many British soldiers as possible, for the love of Kali, their blood goddess.

Every time The Nephew and I watch the movie, he always asks me in a very worried voice, "But the British are going to win, aren't they?" as though the ending might change while sitting in the video case. But rest assured, that "Gunga Din" satisfies its viewers with action, thrills, and even some tears for A Noble Sacrifice on one character's part. If you really want to have a rollicking good time, "Gunga Din"'s your man.

The Template
Possibly the best pure action film ever made and certainly the inspiration for many that have followed. Inspired by, rather than based on, a poem by Rudyard Kipling (who briefly appears as a character in the uncut version of the film in the guise of a journalist traveling with the British army) this tale of adventure, comedy, and action in 19th-century India under the British Raj has it all. Superb b&w cinematography (nominated for an Academy Award in Hollywood's greatest year). Perfect casting, with Cary "Archie" Grant as the cockney Sgt. Cutter, Victor McLaghlen as gruff Master Sgt. MacChesney, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. as the dashing Sgt. Ballantine, Sam Jaffee (in full body makeup) as the humble water carrier Gunga Din, and the scene-stealing Eduardo Cianelli as a ferociously intelligent villain who is far more frightening than any '30's movie monster.

The setting, outside the small town of Lone Pine, in California's eastern Sierras, beautifully mirrors that of northwestern India. Filmed in 100 degree heat, the picture's sets and backgrounds have a look of sere authenticity rarely achieved by location filming in the '30's. The superb score borders on the operatic, with leitmotifs for characters as well as scenes.

I vividly remember thinking as a child, when I first saw a grainy print on our b&w tv, that this was the first time I had seen a non-white person in a film who was obviously smarter than the Caucasian heroes. Yes, Cianelli's guru is a fanatic at the head of a cult of ritual murderers, but his discourse on what makes a good officer ("Great generals, gentlemen, are not made of jeweled swords and mustache wax. They are made of what is here [touches hand to head] and here [touches hand to heart]!") has stayed with me ever since. Not to mention, before throwing himself into the cobra pit so that his soldiers will move against the British, that "India is my country, and I can die for my country as well as you for yours".

Of course, there is also his rousing speech in the temple to his devotees to "Kill for the love of Kali, kill as you yourselves would be killed, kill for the love of killing...kill, kill, kill!" that carries rather chilling relevance to all too many fanatical groups today (though not worshippers of poor slandered Kali, whose temple in Kolkata I have visited). And it's the bravery of a mistreated Hindu, Gunga Din, who saves the day, and British behinds.

This is a film that functions on many levels and inspired far more than the forgettable remake (SOLDIERS THREE). Its lack of availability on DVD in a fully restored version, together with the accompanying George Stevens, Jr. documentary footage on its making (including color film shot on the location), makes it the number one omission in the current DVD catalog.

KALI!!! KALI!!!
This is THE greatest adventure movie of ANY time. I agree with every reviewer who has pointed out that this movie really ought to be on DVD (and to think its even out of print??? I guess that's because Hollywood doesn't want us to know they've been `homaging' this movie for the past forty years). I remember when I first picked this up...just thinking `hmmm...Cary Grant and Victor McLaglen, can't be all that bad...' I was utterly rapt when I finally watched it. When they find that deserted town and the one prisoner starts calling out `Kaalii!! Kaalii!' and all those figures appear in the hills, MAN OH MAN! After that, your face is inches from the screen! Three brawling British soldiers (Cary Grant, Victor McGlaglen, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) go toe-to-toe with the murderous Thuggee cult in India (years before Indiana Jones knew what a Thuggee was). The action in this picture is stupendous! Douglas Fairbanks Jr. CATCHES a hurled throwing axe and returns it to its owner!! Cary Grant drops a stick of dynamite on a cultist, the guy bends over to pick it up, and EXPLODES! This is inspired by the Rudyard Kipling poem of the same name, which concerns a plucky Hindu waterbearer who proves to be the best man of all in the climactic battle sequence at the end. The villainous Guru-head of the Kali worshippers is played with sinister, quiet menace, the heroes are as likable and swashbuckling as you can get, and when young Mr. Kipling reads that poem at the end, you WILL be in tears (manly tears, of course...) This movie is astounding! Great black and white cinematography that really ought to get the digital treatment. ... Read more

Reviews (403)

Masterful and Commanding
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is the latest attempt by the Hollywood establishment to revive the nautical adventure genre that enjoyed great popularity during Hollywood's "golden age." Based on Patrick O'Brian's phenomenally successful novels about British heroism during the Napoleonic Wars, the film traces the efforts of Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and his loyal crew to intercept and destroy an errant French warship in the Pacific waters near the Galapagos Islands. Although this movie will disappoint any audience member who is expecting a great deal of background information about the historical intricacies and personalities of the Napoleonic Age, it will thrill and entertain all filmgoers who love the kinetic energy and old-fashioned showmanship of a well directed swashbuckler.
Veteran director Peter Weir is entitled to an Oscar nomination simply for staging some of the most dazzling and exhilarating naval battle sequences of all-time. The violent encounters between Aubrey's HMS Surprise and its French counterpart the Acheron were so gripping and realistic that several audience members at the showing I attended were literally gasping for breath as they left the theater (the sound of cannon fire and rushing water no doubt reverberating in their ears). However, Weir deserves the most credit for his detailed and provocative portrayal of every aspect of life aboard a British warship, circa 1805. Audiences get to see the chief lieutenants create strategies and chart courses, the midshipman cope with the responsibilities holding authority over much of the crew while still conforming to the expectations of their superiors, and the common sailors, mates and boatswain confront unbearable weather and inedible food as they prepare to risk their lives for the country they love. Several characters leave an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of viewers, particularly Max Pirkis as a prepubescent crew member who faces the amputation of an arm with unwavering courage and Lee Ingleby as an indecisive midshipman who becomes convinced that his presence is cursing the ship. The battle scenes owe much of their punch and power to Weir's realization that it is far more engaging to watch complex, multifaceted figures battle it out for God and country than it is to watch caricatured personalities scramble through combat without purpose or motivation.
At the center of the fray is Russell Crowe, who thoroughly captures Captain Aubrey's intensity and charisma. It isn't easy to play a character that orders the vicious beating of an unruly sailor in one scene and makes charming toasts to wives and sweethearts ("may they never meet!") in another, but Crowe succeeds brilliantly by imagining Aubrey as an impulsive individualist who stands by his instincts and emotions in any context. When the Captain engages in heated philosophical discussions about loyalty and leadership with his friend Dr. Steven Maturin (Paul Bettany), it is riveting to watch the star's fascinating portrait of a man obsessed with his own righteousness. Crowe will almost certainly reap some significant awards from this impressive performance, and at the very least he has found a profitable new franchise to sail through the rest of the decade with.

The War on the Waters
I came to 'Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World' with little expectations beyond reasonable entertainment. I was thus surprised that this was a powerful little human drama about a vicious chase in the high seas.

What makes 'Master and Commander' successful is not the plot, which is a straightforward cat and mouse story. Rather, it succeeds because of its gritty sense of realism and the ability to capture the feel of time and place.

While most historical movies feature ordinary, contemporary people in period dress (see 'Gangs of New York'), Master and Commander does feel like it takes place in the early 19th century. It is little things, like Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) motivating his troops by demanding "Do you want your children to sing 'La Marseillaise'?", or the real excitement the characters display in discussing Nelson.

Also powerful is the film's feel for the hardships of warfare on the Sea. Early in the film, a child loses his arm, and throughout the movie real characters suffer casual death. At one point Jack Aubrey must choose between saving one man and saving his crew, and he allows the man to drown. This form of realism is so rare in Hollywood films, in makes 'Master and Commander' truly unique.

The great weakness of the film is its episodic nature. There is scarcely a plot - the hunt for the French frigate "Acheron" is merely a framework for the individual happenings, which include a storm, a suicide, and most infamously, a rather overlong subplot about Crowe's sidekick's (Paul Bettany) Darwin-like expedition to Galapagos Islands.

Indeed, the emergence of this subplot makes the second half of the film slow and much less interesting then the first half. Although the scenery is breathtaking, the story just fails to move, until Bettany's accidental discovery of the Acheron, which sets the stage for the climatic battle.

Director Peter Weir and his crew should be commanded for a great adaptation of Patrick O'Brien's seafaring adventure. If there will be a sequel, I will go with high expectations.

EVERYTHING --& more!!
1. this is THE cute guy movie. from 8 to 80, small, tall, thin or round, this movie will have someone for you. i can only imagine my sister, who once had a list of 254 men she Truly Cared About that included people like the guy 3d from the left in the second scene of Star Trek 2, drooling like a pet of pavlov w/in the first 3 minutes.

2. & speaking of star trek-----

russell crow _IS_ Captain James T. Kirk.

this is the most postmodern movie i have ever seen!!

here is an actor playing a captain playing an actor playing a captain!!

i think captainhood has been forever embedded in the mind of anyone young or old & privileged enough to see the _real_ & _only_ Star Trek as meaning one thing: William Shatner. watch the timing!! watch the _gestures_!! watch the way he looks at the camera. the likeness is uncanny!!

my partner watched this movie a couple of days before i did & when i said to him, "you know who that is--" he said he had thought the same thing.

amazing!!

dont worry, i LOVE Captain James T. Kirk. when i was a very little kid, even younger than any of the little kids in this movie, my parents & i saw him (the actor, not the captain) screaming at his girlfriend at a folk dance festival. that image is embedded in my brain as well!!

anyway.

Captain Kirk, in order to be Captain Kirk, MUST have his Spock. & here, of course, he does. but oddly his Spock is only the entrée into........

3. the Monty Python element. think John Cleese, younger (much much younger), w/ a lot of freckles & a slightly skinnier jawline. think his uppercrust gestures & the way he often looks up at you (thru the camera) w/ those eyes..... right here. Mr. Spock as a naturalist-warrior-sailor-doctor who also, on the side, runs the Ministry of Silly Walks.

but thats not all!!

you also get, in this movie that was modeled on "Star Trek transports itself into Monty Python & the Holy Grail on the High Seas" --the old guy. you remember the Old Guy. he is embedded in yr brain too. i know he is. & it will be very very hard for you to watch a scene wherein he appears w/o thinking of eric idle, hanging on a dungeon wall & singing. every single time.

but nobody is singing "la marseillaise" b/c when you finally do meet those french types, they are too busy yelling things like:

"oh you english pig-dogs!!" --you get that too!! i almost expected a bunch of fruit & a cow to come flying over the side of the boat.

& theres more-- so much more-- it makes ones brain itch trying to remember it all.....

4. &, speaking of an itchy brain, in addition to heroic self-surgery, one also gets: trepanning. woohoo!! personally, i recommend amanda fielding's video (worth looking up) as she is doing real-life, real-time self-trepanning, but this one works as a little preview. & besides, she doesnt stick a quarter into her skull.

5. &, wait, there is so much more!! poop on the poopdeck (rewind or you will miss it. my partner, who worked on lots of boats made us rewind so i wouldnt miss it)-- & LOTS & LOTS of animals. i LOVE this movie!!

but probably not in the way that peter weir intended. which is why i gave it 4 stars. it is the most postmodern movie i have ever seen. the whole thing seems plotted, directed & acted as if it were a bunch of archetypal television programs strung together or laid on top of one another (lets not forget marlon brando (rip) in "mutiny on the bounty," although that might just have been inspiration for the costumes) (& do remember "the poseiden adventure" & undoubtedly "titanic" (i havent seen it)) w/ unbelievably fabulous images of oceans, islands, ground & ships-- just gorgeous stuff from the director of "the last wave."

& yes, it is a roiling barrel of entertainment.

Cat and Mouse on the high seas
Set in the Napoleonic Wars of the early nineteeth century, Master and Commander is based on the Patrick O'Brian's historical novels. The essence of the story is a chase starting off the coast of Brazil and ending up off the Galapogos islands, between a French ship with its clever commander and the HMS Surprise- the ship at the center of the story.

The movie itself is richly laid out in genuine props of the era, which succeeds in giving it an air of realism. Russell Crowe does a fine job as Captain 'Lucky Jack' Aubrey, a man with a history of experience and well respected by his sometimes grumbling men. The supporting cast is excellent with a list of characters that adds to the richness of life on a seafaring ship of that era.

Crowe doesn't grandstand and take over the movie allowing the story, other characters and action to speak for themselves. A lot of credit should of course go to Peter Weir for his direction and his adaption of O'Brian's novel.

Master and Commander is very reminiscent of old Hollywood epics and a quite enjoyable movie. I honestly didn't expect much and came away very satisfied and entertained.

Highly entertaining and recommended.

Well acted action-adventure film
A definite surprise - I enjoyed this movie much more than I thought I would. Very well acted, especially Paul Bettany as Dr. Stephen Maturin and Max Pirkis as the very young midshipman who loses his arm in the opening battle scene. While the special effects of the movie are amazing, they didn't overshadow the depth of the characters protrayed. Unless you are a reader of the O'Brian novels (which I recommend even more highly than the movie), you wouldn't notice one major change. The Acheron was really the USS Norfolk - an AMERICAN ship - not French. I guess the producers figured we wouldn't put down our dollars to see a movie where we were the losers. ... Read more

Reviews (403)

Masterful and Commanding
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is the latest attempt by the Hollywood establishment to revive the nautical adventure genre that enjoyed great popularity during Hollywood's "golden age." Based on Patrick O'Brian's phenomenally successful novels about British heroism during the Napoleonic Wars, the film traces the efforts of Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and his loyal crew to intercept and destroy an errant French warship in the Pacific waters near the Galapagos Islands. Although this movie will disappoint any audience member who is expecting a great deal of background information about the historical intricacies and personalities of the Napoleonic Age, it will thrill and entertain all filmgoers who love the kinetic energy and old-fashioned showmanship of a well directed swashbuckler.
Veteran director Peter Weir is entitled to an Oscar nomination simply for staging some of the most dazzling and exhilarating naval battle sequences of all-time. The violent encounters between Aubrey's HMS Surprise and its French counterpart the Acheron were so gripping and realistic that several audience members at the showing I attended were literally gasping for breath as they left the theater (the sound of cannon fire and rushing water no doubt reverberating in their ears). However, Weir deserves the most credit for his detailed and provocative portrayal of every aspect of life aboard a British warship, circa 1805. Audiences get to see the chief lieutenants create strategies and chart courses, the midshipman cope with the responsibilities holding authority over much of the crew while still conforming to the expectations of their superiors, and the common sailors, mates and boatswain confront unbearable weather and inedible food as they prepare to risk their lives for the country they love. Several characters leave an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of viewers, particularly Max Pirkis as a prepubescent crew member who faces the amputation of an arm with unwavering courage and Lee Ingleby as an indecisive midshipman who becomes convinced that his presence is cursing the ship. The battle scenes owe much of their punch and power to Weir's realization that it is far more engaging to watch complex, multifaceted figures battle it out for God and country than it is to watch caricatured personalities scramble through combat without purpose or motivation.
At the center of the fray is Russell Crowe, who thoroughly captures Captain Aubrey's intensity and charisma. It isn't easy to play a character that orders the vicious beating of an unruly sailor in one scene and makes charming toasts to wives and sweethearts ("may they never meet!") in another, but Crowe succeeds brilliantly by imagining Aubrey as an impulsive individualist who stands by his instincts and emotions in any context. When the Captain engages in heated philosophical discussions about loyalty and leadership with his friend Dr. Steven Maturin (Paul Bettany), it is riveting to watch the star's fascinating portrait of a man obsessed with his own righteousness. Crowe will almost certainly reap some significant awards from this impressive performance, and at the very least he has found a profitable new franchise to sail through the rest of the decade with.

The War on the Waters
I came to 'Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World' with little expectations beyond reasonable entertainment. I was thus surprised that this was a powerful little human drama about a vicious chase in the high seas.

What makes 'Master and Commander' successful is not the plot, which is a straightforward cat and mouse story. Rather, it succeeds because of its gritty sense of realism and the ability to capture the feel of time and place.

While most historical movies feature ordinary, contemporary people in period dress (see 'Gangs of New York'), Master and Commander does feel like it takes place in the early 19th century. It is little things, like Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) motivating his troops by demanding "Do you want your children to sing 'La Marseillaise'?", or the real excitement the characters display in discussing Nelson.

Also powerful is the film's feel for the hardships of warfare on the Sea. Early in the film, a child loses his arm, and throughout the movie real characters suffer casual death. At one point Jack Aubrey must choose between saving one man and saving his crew, and he allows the man to drown. This form of realism is so rare in Hollywood films, in makes 'Master and Commander' truly unique.

The great weakness of the film is its episodic nature. There is scarcely a plot - the hunt for the French frigate "Acheron" is merely a framework for the individual happenings, which include a storm, a suicide, and most infamously, a rather overlong subplot about Crowe's sidekick's (Paul Bettany) Darwin-like expedition to Galapagos Islands.

Indeed, the emergence of this subplot makes the second half of the film slow and much less interesting then the first half. Although the scenery is breathtaking, the story just fails to move, until Bettany's accidental discovery of the Acheron, which sets the stage for the climatic battle.

Director Peter Weir and his crew should be commanded for a great adaptation of Patrick O'Brien's seafaring adventure. If there will be a sequel, I will go with high expectations.

EVERYTHING --& more!!
1. this is THE cute guy movie. from 8 to 80, small, tall, thin or round, this movie will have someone for you. i can only imagine my sister, who once had a list of 254 men she Truly Cared About that included people like the guy 3d from the left in the second scene of Star Trek 2, drooling like a pet of pavlov w/in the first 3 minutes.

2. & speaking of star trek-----

russell crow _IS_ Captain James T. Kirk.

this is the most postmodern movie i have ever seen!!

here is an actor playing a captain playing an actor playing a captain!!

i think captainhood has been forever embedded in the mind of anyone young or old & privileged enough to see the _real_ & _only_ Star Trek as meaning one thing: William Shatner. watch the timing!! watch the _gestures_!! watch the way he looks at the camera. the likeness is uncanny!!

my partner watched this movie a couple of days before i did & when i said to him, "you know who that is--" he said he had thought the same thing.

amazing!!

dont worry, i LOVE Captain James T. Kirk. when i was a very little kid, even younger than any of the little kids in this movie, my parents & i saw him (the actor, not the captain) screaming at his girlfriend at a folk dance festival. that image is embedded in my brain as well!!

anyway.

Captain Kirk, in order to be Captain Kirk, MUST have his Spock. & here, of course, he does. but oddly his Spock is only the entrée into........

3. the Monty Python element. think John Cleese, younger (much much younger), w/ a lot of freckles & a slightly skinnier jawline. think his uppercrust gestures & the way he often looks up at you (thru the camera) w/ those eyes..... right here. Mr. Spock as a naturalist-warrior-sailor-doctor who also, on the side, runs the Ministry of Silly Walks.

but thats not all!!

you also get, in this movie that was modeled on "Star Trek transports itself into Monty Python & the Holy Grail on the High Seas" --the old guy. you remember the Old Guy. he is embedded in yr brain too. i know he is. & it will be very very hard for you to watch a scene wherein he appears w/o thinking of eric idle, hanging on a dungeon wall & singing. every single time.

but nobody is singing "la marseillaise" b/c when you finally do meet those french types, they are too busy yelling things like:

"oh you english pig-dogs!!" --you get that too!! i almost expected a bunch of fruit & a cow to come flying over the side of the boat.

& theres more-- so much more-- it makes ones brain itch trying to remember it all.....

4. &, speaking of an itchy brain, in addition to heroic self-surgery, one also gets: trepanning. woohoo!! personally, i recommend amanda fielding's video (worth looking up) as she is doing real-life, real-time self-trepanning, but this one works as a little preview. & besides, she doesnt stick a quarter into her skull.

5. &, wait, there is so much more!! poop on the poopdeck (rewind or you will miss it. my partner, who worked on lots of boats made us rewind so i wouldnt miss it)-- & LOTS & LOTS of animals. i LOVE this movie!!

but probably not in the way that peter weir intended. which is why i gave it 4 stars. it is the most postmodern movie i have ever seen. the whole thing seems plotted, directed & acted as if it were a bunch of archetypal television programs strung together or laid on top of one another (lets not forget marlon brando (rip) in "mutiny on the bounty," although that might just have been inspiration for the costumes) (& do remember "the poseiden adventure" & undoubtedly "titanic" (i havent seen it)) w/ unbelievably fabulous images of oceans, islands, ground & ships-- just gorgeous stuff from the director of "the last wave."

& yes, it is a roiling barrel of entertainment.

Cat and Mouse on the high seas
Set in the Napoleonic Wars of the early nineteeth century, Master and Commander is based on the Patrick O'Brian's historical novels. The essence of the story is a chase starting off the coast of Brazil and ending up off the Galapogos islands, between a French ship with its clever commander and the HMS Surprise- the ship at the center of the story.

The movie itself is richly laid out in genuine props of the era, which succeeds in giving it an air of realism. Russell Crowe does a fine job as Captain 'Lucky Jack' Aubrey, a man with a history of experience and well respected by his sometimes grumbling men. The supporting cast is excellent with a list of characters that adds to the richness of life on a seafaring ship of that era.

Crowe doesn't grandstand and take over the movie allowing the story, other characters and action to speak for themselves. A lot of credit should of course go to Peter Weir for his direction and his adaption of O'Brian's novel.

Master and Commander is very reminiscent of old Hollywood epics and a quite enjoyable movie. I honestly didn't expect much and came away very satisfied and entertained.

Highly entertaining and recommended.

Well acted action-adventure film
A definite surprise - I enjoyed this movie much more than I thought I would. Very well acted, especially Paul Bettany as Dr. Stephen Maturin and Max Pirkis as the very young midshipman who loses his arm in the opening battle scene. While the special effects of the movie are amazing, they didn't overshadow the depth of the characters protrayed. Unless you are a reader of the O'Brian novels (which I recommend even more highly than the movie), you wouldn't notice one major change. The Acheron was really the USS Norfolk - an AMERICAN ship - not French. I guess the producers figured we wouldn't put down our dollars to see a movie where we were the losers. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The iceman cometh
THE HUNTERS is a good war movie saddled with a lame and unconvincing romantic subplot. Robert Mitchum plays Major Cleve Saville, a little long in the tooth fighter pilot newly arrived in Korea to lead a squadron of F-86 Sabre jets. While stationed in Tokyo awaiting assignment he meets weak little 1st Lieut. Carl Abbott (Lee Philips) and his cute little wife Kris (May Britt), as well as slang spewing rookie pilot Lieut. Ed Pell (Robert Wagner.)
As an action picture THE HUNTERS is incredibly entertaining, especially the filming of the jet dogfights. Unfortunately, there's a rather substantial romantic subplot involving a sour little triangle whose points are Carl and Kris and Cleve. Every romantic scene sucks the life right out of this movie. May Britt may be beautiful but her "affair" with Saville borders on the melodramatic and is pretty unconvincing. How often do you tell a married woman after your second platonic visit that you love her? The only reason for the romance is to establish tension between Saville and wing man Abbott, anyway.
Mitchum teamed with director Dick Powell a year earlier on THE ENEMY BELOW, one of the best WWII movies available. With that movie in mind, it's doubly disappointing to see him fall back on cliched characters, like the cocky rookie Ed Pell, and a trite and time consuming love story.
There's more to like than dislike in THE HUNTERS, but not nearly as much as I expected when I popped this dvd into the player. I liked this movie a bit less than I wanted to. Make sure to play both sides of this double-sided disk, as there are a different set of 'Special Features' on each side.

The Citizen Kane of modern air/space combat movies!
When I was 11 years old, I saw this movie when it was released. In its air combat sequences, The Hunters is the Citizen Kane of all modern air/space combat movies, as revolutionary for its time as Star Wars later was to be for its time. While prior air combat movies had been on the square screens, usually in B&W, The Hunters was filmed in state-of-the art CinemaScope (widescreen) and Technicolor. Its air combat sequences -- twisting jets on each other's tails soaring in mountainous clouds, then diving and roaring a treetop level through valleys -- were brilliantly conceived and breathtakingly executed -- unlike anything that had been seen before. They still hold up with the best ever filmed, although they've been copied so much (by movies such as Top Gun and Star Wars) that they no longer have the knock-your-socks-off novelty that they originally did. Unfortunately, the feel-good screenplay, with a distracting romantic subplot, bears no resemblance to the gritty, macho novel on which it was based. In James Salter's best-selling novel, the Robert Michum character, Cleve Saville, is a WWII veteran fighter jock who can't get a kill to save his soul, then has no witness when his first-and-only kill (before he himself dies) is the legendary enemy ace. Hence, The Hunters movie is really a first-rate action-hero fantasy set in wartime. (...)

Jet-Propelled Action !
"The Hunters" is a well-made, exciting Korean war drama, with the accent on aviation. It has an above-average plot for this type of film, and the whole movie, particularly the aerial sequences, is expertly directed by Dick Powell. If you are interested in combat aircraft, there are many scenes of F-86 Sabre Jets engaging MIGs in dogfight battles to the death.

While the planes are great to watch, this film is primarily about human beings caught up in war. It stars Robert Mitchum, and he is terrific--his fighter pilot character is a born leader, yet he also suspects there is something important missing in his life. He enters into a guilt-ridden relationship with the wife of another pilot, played by lovely May Britt. When there's a war on though, the feelings of two people aren't worth--as someone once said--"a hill of beans". Mr. Mitchum's main job is to lead a fighter squadron, and satisfy his boss on the ground--Richard Egan in a strong performance, knowing that every day he may be sending a man to his death.

Just to make things even more interesting for Mr. Mitchum, his squadron includes Ms. Britt's husband ( a paranoid, self-doubting Lee Philips ) and a cocky, young "hotshot" who doesn't like "rules" ( a young, excellent Robert Wagner ). It would be unfair to reveal more of the plot, but the film is consistently interesting and exciting.

The DVD is full screen on one side, and wide-screen on the other. The colour is very good for a 46-year old film. It does not have "surround sound", of course, unlike that 1986 aviation hit, "Top Gun"--then again, "Top Gun" didn't have Robert Mitchum ! Tom Cruise has a nice smile--but, for leadership and grit, I'd follow Robert Mitchum through the gates of hell !

Actually, I'll give "The Hunters" 4 1/2 stars. Action--suspense--romance--Sabre Jets--Robert Mitchum--what more do you want ? Thanks, Fox--a very nice disc !

The Hunters--Fighter Pilot's Attitude
The HUNTERS catches the atttitude of the Fighter Pilot Ace. Great performances by Robert Mitchum, the WWII veteran who won't fly a desk and Robert Wagner as the kid "hotshot" pilot.
Additionally great work by Richard Egan who is Mitchum's commander and flew with him in WWII. The scenes between Egan and Mitchum are the highlight of great acting in the movie. Perhaps Egan's best work ever.

Definitely an Ace
"The Hunters" (1958) and "The Enemy Below" (1957) are 2 war movies produced by Dick Powell for 20th Century Fox filmed in Cinemascope both with Robert Mitchum in the leading role.

Major Cleve Saville (Robert Mitchum), the squadron commander, is a famous ace and veteran fighter pilot of World War II. He is a career man whose world was his squadron and the men who flew with him. Lt. Pell (Robert Wagner), in the early part of the movie, is a reckless but eventually courageous young jet ace to whom Saville owe his life. Lt. Abbott (Lee Phillips) is the confused husband of Kris (May Britt) whom Saville falls in love with although their acknowledged desires are never to be fulfilled.

The picture is based on the novel "The Hunters" by James Salter who is himself a jet ace in the Korean conflict. In the late 50's long before the development of CGI technology, real fighter jets F-86 Sabrejet and F-84 Thunderjets (painted gray with a red star to simulate MIG-15) were flown in the aerial battle sequence which made it the more realistic than Pearl Harbor (2001).

I have kept like a treasure a copy of "The Hunters" VHS tape and it is pretty worn out by now from years of repeated viewings. Thank you Fox for putting it on DVD...46 years after its theatrical release. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Cary Grant's penultimate feature before retirement was thischeerful 1964 effort to overturn his career-long image of urbanesophistication. As the unshaven, messy misanthrope Walter Eckland, a WorldWar II-era beach bum who monitors Japanese air activity for the Australiannavy in exchange for booze, Grant makes a convincingly hard-bitten,hard-drinking antihero. Until, that is, a pretty French schoolmistress(Leslie Caron) and her seven little charges (all girls) survive a nearbyplane crash and invade Eckland's raunchy isolation. Directed by 1960shit-maker Ralph Nelson (The Lilies of the Field, Charly),Father Goose is a glossy comedy that also does justice to its moresuspenseful scenes (a deadly snakebite suffered by Caron's character isespecially memorable) and leaves plenty of room for Grant to indulge in someentertaining if atypical screen behavior. All in all, this is a minor treatin the actor's magnificent filmography. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (27)

A Charming Comedy
FATHER GOOSE is a charming comedy about a decadent American expatriot (Cary Grant) who gets pressed into service as a coastwatcher by the Australian Navy during World War II. Grant is stationed on a lonely South Pacific island until he unwittingly is forced to rescue Leslie Caron and her band of young French refugees who join him at his outpost.Trevor Howard is an Australian Navy Commander who maintains radio contact with Grant.

Much credit goes to Director Ralph Nelson and Peter Stone with his fellow screenwriters. Cary Grant is superb as usual and Leslie Caron is gorgeous.

FATHER GOOSE won an Oscar for Best Original Story and Screenplay. It was also nominated for Best Editing and Sound.

Fancy and Reality play well together
Essentially a comedy FATHER GOOSE dabbles into some of the realities of World War II in the South Pacific. Credit for this can be given to Cary Grant's surly yet sophisticated approach to this type of role and Ralph Nelson's direction which uses comedy as a canvas to spin his tale tinged with the realities and frailties that are encountered in life's many challenges not to mention relationships. I could not help but think as I watched this film that Cary Grant really stood his ground as an actor because the seven little girls really could have stole this picture away from most adult actors. Leslie Caron is also good as she brings a sense of level headed femininity to counter Cary Grant's gruff response to having his solitude encroached on by "civilization" and all that implies. This is an enjoyable film.

Cary Grant plays an unshaven outcast!

Director: Ralph Nelson
Format: Color
Studio: Republic Studios
Video Release Date: November 23, 1999

Cast:

Cary Grant ... Walter Christopher Eckland/Mother Goose
Leslie Caron ... Catherine Louise Marie Ernestine Freneau
Trevor Howard ... Commander Frank Houghton RAN/Big Bad Wolf
Jack Good ... Lieutenant Stebbings RAN/Bo Peep
Sharyl Locke ... Jenny
Pip Sparke ... Anne
Verina Greenlaw ... Christine
Stephanie Berrington ... Elizabeth Anderson
Jennifer Berrington ... Harriet 'Harry' MacGregor
Laurelle Felsette ... Angelique
Nicole Felsette ... Dominique
Alex Finlayson ... Doctor Bigrave
Peter Forster ... Chaplain
Richard Lupino ... Radioman
John Napier ... Lt. Cartwright, USS Sailfin Executive Officer
Simon Scott ... Captain of Submarine, USS Sailfin
Don Spruance ... Navigator
Ken Swofford ... Helmsman, Submarine USS Sailfin

An unkempt, scruffy Cary Grant plays an American ex-patriate during WWII who is running from civilization, but is recruited into the coast watcher service against his will by Commander Frank Houghton (Trevor Howard)of the Royal Australian Navy with promises of whisky as a bribe. While on an island radioing aircraft and ship traffic, he is induced to take a teacher (Leslie Caron) and her girl charges into his custody. Japanese forces are a constant threat, as well as the danger of snakebite, for which Cary Grant maintains a supply of snakebite remedy. Of course, it is suspected that he also carries a supply of snakes for the same purpose.

This is one of the last movies that Grant made. Two years after it was made, he retired from the movie industry.

The usually dapper, suave Grant, was out of character in this part: unshaven, scruffy, and a drunkard. It was a refreshing part for him, and he played it superbly.

It is a thoroughly entertaining film.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

Cary Grant driven mad by Leslie Carron
Cary Grant plays an American drifter in the Pacific during WW2, who is blakcmailed by Australian Naval officer Trevor Howard into staying on a small island to keep a lookout for Japanese (Howard rams Grant's boat to make sure he can't get away from the island). His peaceful island existence is disrupted when he has to accomodate a French diplomat's daughter (Leslie Carron) and the seven little girls in her charge. Carron is an insufferable prig who forces Grant to give up his hut to accomodate them, and to add insult to injury hides his supply of whiskey. There is a charming scene where, after he has saved the life of one little girl when Japanese land on the island, she shows him where the whiskey is. From then on the girls become friends with Grant, and even the self-righteous Carron unbends a bit and becomes less obnoxious. Then he teaches Carron to catch fish by hand, and as he is fondling her in the water, they start to smoulder at each other, and you probably can guess where it goes from there. The girls are all very good,particularly 'Harry', who is inseperable from her cricket bat. This is a very funny film,though Carron is infuriating through a lot of it. Personally I think it would have been better if Grant had - oh well, perhaps I'd better not finish that thought, it's very politically incorrect.

Father Goose is Cary Grant at his best!
"Father Goose" is a lot of fun and is arguably Cary Grant's funniest and finest film. Yes, he was great in "Charade", "North by Northwest", "Notorious", etc -- but here his honed skills and comedic timing pay off in this very funny film and makes it well worth seeing. You don't have to be a Cary Grant fan to enjoy this film -- but after seeing it, you will be.

"Father Goose" was nominated for Best Picture (Musical/Comedy) by the Golden Globe and won an Oscars for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen in 1965. The cast, production, direction, photography, story -- all are top notch.

The film looks terrific on DVD with an aspect ratio of 1.85. The South Pacific cinematography adds greatly to the visual impact of this film. There are brief bios and filmographies of the priniciples. That's all. No further extras. This film is 16x9 enhanced.

Highly recommended! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Ronald Reagan 1980s were all about going back to the future--rewriting the past to better suit Reagan's upbeat vision of the present. So, Sylvester Stallone's John Rambo (a psychotic, shell-shocked Vietnam vet in the original film, transformed into a flag-waving hero in the sequel) was able to go back to Southeast Asia and "correct" history by decisively (and single-handedly) winning that messy ol' war on behalf of America. Red Dawn is a paranoid cold-war cautionary tale that presents us not with a rosy alternative past, but with an ominous vision of the future, metaphorically plopping a piece of Russian-occupied Afghanistan into America's back yard.In this celebration of the Second Amendment, storm troopers from the Evil Empire descend upon the inadequately defended United States and hold America hostage. Stealthily avoiding the invaders, a motley group of red-blooded, small-town, gun-toting teenagers go underground to form the Wolverines, a guerilla resistance squad dedicated to making those Russkies rue the day they parachuted onto U.S. soil. It's a darn good thing those kids had the right to keep and bear arms, huh! Written and directed by macho filmmaker John Milius, the self-described "Zen fascist" who also cowrote Apocalypse Now, as well as the horrifying shark story Robert Shaw tells in Jaws.The cast includes Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Jennifer Grey (a few years before she and Swayze took up Dirty Dancing), Charlie Sheen, Powers Boothe, Harry Dean Stanton, and Ben Johnson. Red Dawn was a commercial success, although audiences invariably split into two camps, finding it either patriotic or appalling. Whatever your verdict, the film remains a telling reflection of its era. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (138)

Great entertainment--a Cold War cautionary tale
"Red Dawn" made its debut in the latter days of the Cold War, and is reflective of the fears and anxieties as regards the Soviets that characterized the times. For that reason, it was a controversial movie. Liberals and Leftists detested "Red Dawn" while conservatives loved it.

Red Dawn has its flaws. The acting (other than by Patrick Swayze) is not first rate, and the storyline is somewhat murky. On the other hand the special effects are pretty good, and the Soviet troops and equipment look authentically Soviet. The basic premise, I thought, was very entertaining--the Soviet bloc makes an actual surprise attack and ground invasion of the United States, which it partially occupies. The local high school kids form a partisan resistance movement which is suprisingly successful and effective. (Yes, this may be unrealistic, but who is to say?). While the acting is not brilliant, it is largely serviceable. It is a fact that this movie is unabashedly anti-Soviet. I guess critics can always go see Warren Beatty in "Reds."

In the final analysis this film succeeds for the reason that any movie succeeds--it entertains. It holds the viewer's interest. The movie will always be an entertaining reminder of how dreadful the Cold War was, and how grateful we should be that it ended successfully.

A classic Cold War movie that still packs a punch!
One of the best action thrillers of the 1980s is now available to buy on DVD here in the UK, and it was well worth the money! I remember seeing this when it first came out. Amazing to see such an impressive cast that went on to bigger things - Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Charlie Sheen and Lea Thompson among others. The story concerns a sudden invasion by Russian and Cuban forces into midwestern US, which takes everyone by surprise. Enter some spectacular military action scenes up Main Street as US Army helicopters blast Russian tanks to pieces, then our young heroes head for the mountains and learn to survive and develop guerilla warfare skills. They begin with pump-action shotguns and it isn't long before they end up with antitank missiles and AK-47s. Plenty of action and explosions for gung-ho fans and the new resistance, the Wolverines, take on the Soviet and Cuban forces. But . . . in time, they are not only trying to save themselves and their families from the enemy's firing squads and interrogation camps(at the drive-in. loved that nice touch!), but from their own fears and insecurities as their own comrades gradually get killed in action. The second half of the movie shows that wars can affect people in different ways - notably Powers Boothe as a downed F-15 pilot. Overall, this is one not to be missed. Authentic Russian military hardware(except the obviously disguised French Puma transport choppers which are too big for Hind Mi-24 gunships), pulsating action, great sound effects for your DVD, plausible scenarios(the descriptions of how WW3 was fought and how Europe fared was also thrown in well) and good performances from the cast. An eighties classic which should be in everyone's movie collection!

Red Sunset
Dreary "What-If" movie about a bunch of brat packers (a militia group calling themselves "The Wolverines") revolting against Soviet occupied America. The action/battle sequences are third-rate, the characters are one dimensional, and the script is very lame and predictable. The film's core point-of-view is a time-capsule for the Reagan Era paranoia of the evil red empire (Russia). Only thing worth watching in the film is the outdoor wilderness location shots, otherwise there is nothing that is remotely of value in this terrible John Milius film. If this reviewer was a wolverine, I would be very offended by this film.
A film which has almost the same premise and atmosphere, but is a way better film is THE POSTMAN with Kevin Costner.

Bad To The Bone
The words "great" and "classic" don't come to mind when considering this film."Moronic" and "stinky" do.Let's get this straight:A group of inexperienced teenagers with no military training whatsoever takes on crack Soviet and Cuban troops and fights them to a standstill.How'd those kids learn how to use captured Soviet artillery and rocket launchers?Did the weapons come with instructions on videotape?Did one of the kids read and speak fluent Russian?They're not just kids...they're Superkids.Truly amazing.This movie should be filed in the "fantasy" section in your local Best Buy because that's what it is.It's not even a good "what if" idea because the premise is so unbelievable.Why would the Russkies invade a big superpower of a country like the U.S. when they couldn't even conquer Afghanistan?Where were the Chinese in all of this?I'm sure they would have loved to get in on the action.Red Dawn is bad all around...bad premise,bad acting,bad direction and a bad script.I give it one star just for Powers Boothe, who plays the only semi-believable character in the whole film.

Wolverines!
This movie: Red Dawn, is a classic film. It is a film that every young man will love to watch and enjoy it wholeheartedly.

The script of the movie is creative. Communist Paratroopers have landed and are taking over. The regular soldiers are fighting them. However, the Russian communists have managed to land in many areas devoid of any regular American soldiers.

The movie depicts a slice of the bigger picture. The communist paratroopers land in a small town in the middle of nowhere. The adults are caught unaware and its upto few young teenagers to fight for their town(and country). They grab their rifles and head to the hills to wage a war against communist takeover.

There are some minor points in this film that made me give it 4 Stars instead of 5 Stars.

1.) The fighting scenes are unrealistic. It's hard to believe a few teenagers can take on such a large group of regular communist soldiers, again and AGAIN! It is true that it is just a movie but the movie that ads more realism to it becomes more suspensefull. The producer/director should have added few adults to the mix to make it more realistic and thrilling.

2.) The movie is somewhat like a comic book. There is not much depth to Action and some of the characters.

However, these two are just minor points. The movie gets 3 stars for a great storyline and another 1 for its memorable scene where a communist soldier takes away a brave man's gun from his cold dead fingers! and the bumper sticker behind the car is shown on the camera. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Scorned by reviewers when it came out, this concentrated dose of commando death-dealing to legions of Nazi machine-gun fodder has acquired a cult over the years. In 1968 Clint Eastwood was just getting used to the notion that he might be a world-class movie star; Richard Burton, whose image had been shaped equally by classical theater training and his headline-making romance with Elizabeth Taylor, was eager to try on the action ethos Eastwood was already nudging toward caricature. Alistair MacLean's novel The Guns of Navarone had inspired the film that started the '60s vogue for World War II military capers, so he was prevailed on to write the screenplay (his first). The central location, an impregnable Alpine stronghold locked in ice and snow, is surpassing cool, but the plot and action are ultra-mechanical, and the switcheroo gamesmanship of just who is the undercover double (triple?) agent on the mission becomes aggressively silly. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (156)

A great War Movie
This movie, filled with drama, action, and a complex plot that will make your head spin, has it all. Richard Burton is dashing as the cold plotting secret agent who is leading his team on a mission to save D-Day from disaster. Clint Eastwood, here little more than a teenager, is wonderful as the somewhat befuddled American army ranger who cannot figure out why he is even on the mission.

Any attempt to go into detail about the story would ruin some of the fun. Suffice to say that you will be riveted both by the action and the performances. One note though, Burton's monologue is amazing.

If you like WWII movies and have not seen this one, you don't know what you are missing.

Trashy and absurd, but still fun
This is a campy movie, but enlivened by gorgeous scenery, unintentionally funny dialogue and some of the most unbelievable action scenes ever devised (count how many times Clint Eastwood reloads... never!)

Richard Burton is his usual over-acting self, and he delivers his lines with more bombast that usual. A favorite is when he's pretending to be SS Reichsfuehrer Heinrich Himmler's brother in order to swagger around in a beerhall. Someone gets wise with him and Burton sneers, "My name is Bernard Himmler. Does the name mean anything to YOU? "

The last half hour of the movie is hilarious. Watch particularly the poker-faced Mary Ure, who hangs out of the back of a ski bus, machine gun in hand. She effortlessly mows down 10 German divisions single-handedly and never so much as twitches one facial muscle. Talk about a blase killer. Mary knocks off more German tanks, trunks and motorcycles in this movie than the Allied and Soviet forces achieved in all of World War II.

This is an enjoyable, escapist movie with plenty of laughs. Those of you who appreciate campy humor and enjoy ridiculing movies that take themselves too seriously will have a field day.

One of the Greatest War Films of All Time !
Quite simply one of the greatest war movies ever made. A top notch thriller loaded with action, espionage and double crosses, "Where Eagles Dare" is the kind of movie that Hollywood just doesn't make anymore. This isn't some politically correct drama steeped in reality. No, this is good guys vs. bad guys. This is pure unabashed fantasy which keeps the audience on the edge of its seat. This is just darn good entertainment!

Richard Burton is absolutely cunning as the British agent who leads an elite group of soldiers behind enemy lines and into a seemingly unpenetrable German castle to rescue an imprisoned American General. A young Clint Eastwood is the only American on the mission. Clint is his usual cool and calm self. However he, like the audience, isn't sure who to trust. Somebody's a double agent, but exactly who is anyone's guess. Don't worry about figuring it out, just sit back and enjoy the drama. You'll love the growing tension and suspicion between Burton and Eastwood.

The journey into the castle is classic heart-stopping drama. Even better is Burton's fight with a German soldier high atop a ski lift -- truly one of the most riveting action sequences ever filmed. Bullets are flyin' and bombs are blastin' throughout. In the end, heroes emerge while evil perpetrators get their just due. Classic, absolutely classic!

And yes, as several reviewers have noted, the stunning scenery and beautiful cinematography in this film would greatly benefit from a widescreen DVD treatment. So, how 'bout it, I want my DVD!

Commando raid at its most ludicrous
OK. Stellar star cast. I'll give you that and no dearth of action as well. But to portray the German Fallschirmjaeger and alpine troops as a bunch of bungling flat footed idiots is a little far fetched. It is history at its worst portrayal and hollywood action at its golden peak. Some dumbass marine from New Jersey might fall for this drivel but not well read students of history. It gets failing grade for portrayal of reality based fiction but gets high marks for choice of location and choice of cast. If you want a better war flick, pick Operation Daybreak.

Whats up with the dubbing
I happened to think that this was a cool movie.
Being a ex-marine I understand that alot of this
if not all of it is fantasy but hey its a movie not a documentary its suppose to be fun. My main concern was the dubbing was this an american movie or european ? it was Burtons and Eastwoods voices on the film but it was advanced meaning the sound occured before the action now I dont know if it was my dvd player I dont think so but man that was annoying ... Read more

Description

A 40,000-year-old race of snake people resurface, and with help of Serpentor, Desto, Baroness and Dr. Mindbender, plan to eliminate all of mankind and rebuild Cobrala.Once rulers of Earth, the Snake people were driven underground by ice-age temperatures. While in exile, they developed a plant whose spores turn ordinary men into mindless, weak animals. The key to their plan is G.I. Joe's secret project--the Broadcast Energy Emitter. Only this device generates enough heat so that the spores can mature. Humankind's very existance depends on G.I. Joe, but are they strong enough, smart enough, cunning enough to fight a warrior race with 40,000 years of experience? ... Read more

Reviews (93)

Hmmmm....
GI Joe the Movie is kinda like Transformers the Movie was....you end up with mixed feelings about it.

Luckily, unlike Transformers, GI Joe the Movie doesn't kill off main characters. Duke was originally killed, but they redubbed it to just have him badly hurt after the backlash from killing off Optimus Prime in the Transformers movie.

I dislike the plot, as this was the period of time that saw GI Joe start to abandon the military style plotlines and pick up on some really weird stuff. Cobra-La is a total waste, and simply doesn't fit into the GI Joe series well at all. I also totally hate how Cobra Commander turns out to be some sort of mutant under that mask, as I always liked the idea that he was just another faceless terrorist that could have been anyone. I think GI Joe really screwed up here.

A lot of new characters are introduced, though, and many classic ones are shown frequently. Just about every one created by this point appears somewhere in the film.

Interesting note: GI Joe the Movie was originally slated for theatrical release, but never made it out. It was released straight to video in 1987 and shown on TV as a mini series.

The quality of the picture and sound is excellent.

As for the special features, for once, Rhino gets it right. 25 of the original Public Service Announcements that aired at the end of the daily cartoon series are included. Everyone remembers the "Now I know....and knowing is half the battle" line. These are super cheesy, and hilarious to watch in rapid fire succession like this. Worth the purchase just to see these, honestly.

The special features also include movie trailers, though they are not for this movie, but rather for the mini-series that aired in 1984 and 1984 before the cartoon went into a regular daily series. Still neat to see, though. There are also toy commercials, but they are for the original toy from decades ago, and seem very, very out of place here. They needed to include commercials for the generation of GI Joe toys that appear in the rest of the DVD.

Overall, the price is right for this one, and it's worth owning if you are a GI Joe fan. Yeah, you have to put up with Cobra-La and Serpentor, but that's a small price to pay.

The Patriotic DVD
"G.I. Joe - The Movie" is a great film that along with "The Transformers - The Movie" really rekindles the memories of the days of my youth. I played with all the toys and watched the cartoon everyday after school. This was the ultimate pro-U.S.A. cartoon of the 80's (and pretty much of all-time) and it finally makes its triumphant debut on DVD.

Though the movie introduces fun, new characters like Lt. Falcon and the Roughnecks, I would have preferred it if more time was spent on the "old guard". Duke, Scarlet, Flint, Lady Jaye, and especially Snake Eyes are sorely underutilized. On the Cobra side, Destro, the Baroness, and others get a little more screen time but pretty much have to bow to the presence of the new villains. Still, this a terrific movie with much better sound quality. The graphics are re-mastered but are basically the same as the television show.

The premise is that the G.I. Joe team is sent out to protect a new device that could provide the world with an unlimited source of energy. Of course, Cobra Commander and the rest of his evil regime have better plans for this...namely world domination. After the Joe's beat down Cobra for the umpteenth time, Emperor Serpentor is about to finally give CC the boot. He is stopped when a race of snake-like creatures appears and informs all that they are the real rulers of Cobra...and the Earth. Then the battles begin, with Cobra getting the upper hand throughout much of the film.

The new Cobra wants to gain control of the energy device to heat space spores in Earth's orbit, which upon gestation, will turn every human on Earth into a drooling slave. I know it sounds weird but I suppose they had to do something "different" to separate themselves from the series. Finally, Lt. Falcon (Duke's half brother as it turns out) leads a group of rag-tag Joe's to save the day, thus closing the book on one of the best cartoons of my childhood.

So overall, a fine film with a fun, if a little weird plot. This DVD comes complete with two trailers, vintage toy commercials, and the best part of the whole thing...classic G.J. Joe PSAs! There are about 25 of the "Knowing is half the battle" vignettes that I know are trying to be serious, but still make me crack up. (Remember not to pet strange dogs!)

Do yourself a favor and get this DVD. If not for you, than for your kids who should get a kick out of the outdated graphics and stories that their parents used to think were cool.

outstanding movie!
i saw this movie a long time ago when i was a kid. i found it at best buy and i knew i had to have it. i am still a big G.I. Joe fan to this day! i used to own almost all the vehicles and soldiers when i was a kid and they are all long gone but the movie lives on! one thing that touches my heart is the opening scene. the opening scene was outstanding! the song they created for this movie was very good. it made me feel great deep down inside when duke raised the american flag and once again, the Joes save the day. i am in the military and very patriotic towards our country. Even though times have changed and most kids now dont know much about G.I. Joe, i will make sure that my kids will learn about it! YO JOE!!

good but not great
This movie was good, but i was disappointed. that whole cobra la thing just ruined the movie. they could've done much better. i think they just got extremely lazy with the movie. this movie is probably what sealed the fate of G.I. Joe. I felt really bad for cobra commander. i mean, REALLY REALLY bad. It did introduce some new characters but got rid of some old ones. so i give it 3 out of 5.

Great, BUT not better than Transformers the movie
This is the SECOND greatest animated movie made in America.

The opening 10 minutes is so amazing!!!! The camera moves smoothly through a fighting sequence without cutting to another camera angle. And that was created without the use of high tech computer special effects that is used in current cartoons.

I love this G.I. Joe movie, but the title of "Greatest American Animated Movie" best belongs to Transformer the movie. Buy that and this together!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (219)

A fun action film
Well, despite a few very minor errors, this is a great action movie. It's one of those movies that at times tends to keep you at the edge of your seat waiting on "how is the main character gonna evade his pursuers this time?" (hope i didn't give away much). The movie is great in the sense that it has lots of action for all those action-junkies like myself, and yet it still makes a lot of sense. It's not just one of those shoot-em-up and run-around-for-no-reason movies. The movie is suspenseful in a sense and has a great story, plus occasional comedy relief from no other than Owen Wilson. Some do consider Owen to be completely wrong for this part but he kind of has the right chemistry for the role. Plus, him and Gene Hackman kind of connect and depict in many ways a relationship between a "captain" and his "troop". Plus the movie is directed really well that it makes this film seem so much more realistic. (that maybe also have been caused by the fact that this movie really was shot in southeastern Europe and some of the cast were actual natives of these lands, not some americans trying their hardest to impersonate people of other nations.) Overall, a fun, exciting movie for the family, and it really does deserve the full five stars.

Behind Enemy Lines-A Interesting War Film
Behind Enemy Lines, was a decent war film, as for debuting director John Moore I say it was a good start. Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman star. Owen Wilson plays a Navy pilot, Chris Burnett who is shot down by Serbs. Gabriel Macht, plays Stackhouse who is Wilson's co-pilot, but sadly gets executed by Serbian troops in Camo. From here we get thrilling action sequences and death-defying stunts, that only one can imagine. Loud and explosive, espeically if you have watched the DVD. The DVD features many extra features, from Behind-the-Scenes to Director's Commentary and even a trailer for Minority Report. The acting is good, I must say I like Owen Wilson he is quite funny, and Irish director John Moore does a fine job, for his first film I should add. Good performances and loud action sequences as well as some historic facts and beautiful scenery make this film what it is. Despite upsetting reviews, I enjoyed this film. Behind Enemy Lines is rated PG-13 for War Violence and Some Language, so an exceptable choice for preteens. I should add that some review attacked the violence portrayed in this film, they said it was too violent and way too bloody, I happen to disagree. Behind Enemy Lines is worth owning and I enjoyed it. Maybe you can too, atleast rent it. Now available to rent or own on Video and DVD.

Dire !
This film just goes to show how pompous and stupid Americans are ! Not just through the highly stereotyped film but due to the completly DIRE direction.
The scene in which "our boy" arrives at the (first) rendezvous point and radios in, for example, when Hackman looses the radio signal then blares out "where is he ? I need a location" (after he was just told he'd reached the rendezvous point) closely followed by a quick radio conversation with no location whatsoever resulting in everyone going to the same place. The only reason you would want to see this film is to make you feel good that the Americans only came into World War 2 at the last minute! Pedictable and Lame (Soundtrack is ok though Fluke and Feeder both English bands ... how patriotic :) )

Behind Terrible Movies (like this one)
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In "Behind Enemy Lines," the writer, producers, and director apparently got together with some military PsyOps people at which point they asked each other, "How can we best portray the US effort in the Balkans?" "I know," they exclaimed in tandem, "we'll create a glossy, patriotic movie that's completely inaccurate!

"Let's make the Serbs the unshaven evil guys who assassinate Americans. Let's make the Muslims the clean-shaven, peace-loving victims who save the American(s). And let's make the Americans, well, just normal Americans with normal attributes like incontestable honesty, unimaginable bravery, irrefutable nobility, and the rest of it. The problem is, of course, none of it is true.

It's not difficult to understand why movies like this get made. Obviously, to fetch some money. It also helps if they can bolster support for, and simplify the explanation of, dubious wars. But it's a boring template -- a tired, salami-factory formula.

The film does have some special effects -- jumpy ground-level cameras attempt take the nervous viewer closer to bleak, desperate landscapes, etc., -- but it's all been done before. There's nothing remotely innovative here. Indeed, adding special effects on top of so many clichés makes the film seem triter, stupider.

Unless movies co-scripted by the Pentagon are your thing, "Behind Enemy Lines" makes for pretty awful viewing. That it fails on so many levels isn't surprising -- when was the last time the US Government made a good movie?

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Wow
This movie is based upon a true story.

It's Christmas day but that doesn't mean that Burnett and Stackhouse will be spared of a mission to fly over war-torn Bosnia.
As they fly over Bosnia, these two brave American soldiers notice that the serbs are still roaming the Bosnia's region but worst of all they discover a mass grave. The hand-blooded serbs don't like the idea of Americans shooting photographs from the plane and reveal their ugly deeds to the world so they Shoot the plane succesfully then things start to go terribly wrong as the Americans are behind dangerous enemy lines.
One gets captured and executed immediately. The other one escapes and this movie is how he survives.

Absolutely accurate. The Serbs and French commanders who back up their war crimes are shown like they truly are.

A must see movie.

Highly Recommended ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Changed Lives
Never say movies do not affect children's lives, for bad or the good. This one set many of us on the path to becoming U. S. Navy Frogmen then SEALs.I will treasure this DVD.

John Carl Roat
Class-29, UDT-21, UDT-11 SEAL Team 1

Thanks god!
This is a collector item. One piece of the Golden Era (50s and 60s). Great cast and plot.Richard Widmark,Dana Andrews, Jeffrey Hunter, Robert Wagner, the guys are all there. Fantastic underwater scenes. I was longing to see the DVD. Simply great! Hope "The Red Skies of Montana" and "White Feather" are coming next. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Escaping? Why Not Take the Train?
A lot of effort went into this 1965 military war film classic. Now you don't have to wait for the movie on American Movie Classics to see it in wide-screen. The DVD version was released in Summer 2001. Frank Sinatra, playing the part of a downed American pilot, leads hundreds of POWs on a dash for the Swiss frontier in this action packed movie. Most of the action takes place on a hijacked Italian train, formerly commanded by the German military, as it winds its way ever deeper into enemy territory. Trevor Howard and Edward Mulhare (Known best for his roles in American television shows such as The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, and Knight Rider)co-star. Also, look for Wolfgang Preis reprising the role of a German officer for the un-teenth time in his long career (The Longest Day, Anzio, Raid on Rommel, A Bridge Too Far, Battle of the Commandos, The Train, Is Paris Burning?, Ike the War Years, etc.). This film has nonstop action, train chases, aerial attacks and scenic Italian locations. If you haven't seen this film in wide-screen, now's your chance.

Frank Sintatra Express
Von Ryan's Express is a somewhat unheralded -- yet must see -- film for WWII fans and Sinatra fans alike.

Granted, the movie is a smidgen below The Great Escape, but not by much. If you liked that movie, and who didn't, then you are sure to like this one. Instead of Steve McQueen this has Frank Sinatra who carries this role off to perfection. What makes Von Ryan's character so appealing is the believable character growth. Ryan begins appeasing his captors in exchange for fairer treatment; but over the course of the movie this changes radically and he leads a prison escape on a hijacked train through the spectacular Alps of Northern Italy.

The movie also offers fine acting by Trevor Howard, and an unknown Italian beauty. The costumes and sets are perfect recreations and of interest to people who reminisce or read about that era. Dialogue is excellent. And scenery is of sweeping beauty. I also loved the old trains.

This movie is an unheralded gem. Recommended.

outstanding WWII action film
Easily one of the best action movies I've seen, and it just goes to show you that action movies don't need gratuitous violence to be awesome (it's rated PG). If this had been made today, it would have probably starred Brad Pitt and would have been gruesome just for the sake of being gruesome, but instead it stars Frank Sinatra (?? didn't know he could act well, this was first movie I saw him in) and most violence is implied, making it seem almost more intense. Awesome and highly recommended.

Surprisingly good
My apologies in advance to the legion of fans out there, but somehow the idea of a "good" Frank Sinatra film seems oxymoronic. But this is a fine film, with Sinatra believable as the American martinet, and a simply outstanding supporting cast. I must single out for special mention the wonderful performance by Edward Mulhare, a much underrated actor, who rarely had the opportunity to show what he could do. His performance as Father Costanza is a gem, and one of the elements that makes this movie really work (and his German is excellent!).

Top Quality
This is a great WWII movie with a wonderful storyline. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Dismissed in 1968 as a plodding rip-off of The Dirty Dozen--without that 1967 film's sardonic, antiestablishment satire--The Devil's Brigade now plays like a nostalgic last gasp of the sentimental World War II action genre. Celebrating the 1st Special Service Force (a commando-like unit formed to fight in Norway but ultimately deployed in Italy), this typically broad Andrew V. McLaglen production recounts the teaming of some miscreant GIs with "the handpicked best of the best-trained army in the world"--the Canadians--under a U.S. officer (William Holden) who had never commanded men in combat. The first hour, heavy on machismo and low comedy, depicts the unit's training at an abandoned base in Montana, with nonstop international rivalry until Yanks and Canadians bond in a lusty saloon brawl. After that, the Germans are easy meat. Holden is solid, as usual, and so is the widescreen work of veteran cameraman William H. Clothier, impeccably rendered on the DVD. --Richard T. Jameson ...