DVD

Average customer rating:

Different and Refreshing
Very Unique and Entertaining
The Bizarre and the Beautiful
Riveting performances from Jackson & Ricci
Do Not Fear the Title

Black Snake Moan
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson , Christina Ricci , Justin Timberlake , S. Epatha Merkerson , and John Cothran Jr.
Director: Craig Brewer
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Shooter (Widescreen Edition)
Ghost Rider (Two-Disc Extended Cut)
The Fountain (Widescreen Edition)
Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition)
Smokin' Aces (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000PY52EU
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Amazon.com

The lurid scenario--a nymphomaniacal white trash nymphet (Christina Ricci) is held prisoner by a bitter bluesman (Samuel L. Jackson)--gives way to an affecting tale of redemption in Black Snake Moan, writer/director Craig Brewer's follow-up to the acclaimed Hustle & Flow. Lazarus (Jackson, Jungle Fever, Pulp Fiction) finds Rae (Ricci, Monster, The Ice Storm) beaten unconscious on the road in front of his backwoods house. After bringing her inside, he learns of her wanton ways and decides to exorcise his own demons by curing Rae of her sexual compulsion. Black Snake Moan could have been terrible, but Brewer takes his story seriously enough to dig into the genuine emotions of such a situation (though along the way he certainly flirts with sexploitation overtones--several scenes look like they were plucked straight out of a hitherto unknown 1970s trash classic). Ricci, Jackson, and the supporting cast (including pop star Justin Timberlake, giving a surprisingly good performance as Rae's boyfriend) treat the characters with respect, honesty, and humor. The result is off-kilter and maybe a little too fond of its sleazy cinematic forbears to truly hit the emotional notes it's after, but Black Snake Moan has considerably more substance than its marketing would suggest. --Bret Fetzer

Beyond Black Snake Moan

The Soundtrack
More Music Stars on DVD
More DVDs with Samuel L. Jackson

Stills from Black Snake Moan (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

Different and Refreshing.......2007-07-03

Black Snake Moan sure has a weird hook. Setting: Deep South. An older black man who plays the blues keeps a white nymphomaniac on a chain to cure her of her horniness. About half-way through, my husband turned to me and said "And why exactly did you think I would like this movie?" I winced and said I thought it would have blues as more of a central theme. But guess what, he stayed around and pronounced it a good movie after all! His summary is the best: "everyone has their struggles, and you are never really free of them."

The performances are exceedingly strong, the setting of Tennessee bucolic and beautiful. You really feel as if you are in this small, rural town where everyone knows each other.

Black Snake Moan is bold, and really gives you a sense of empathy for the different characters. Most importantly, it provides hope that if you have your own struggles, someone will be out there for you as well, not to judge you or cure you, but to love you.

Very Unique and Entertaining.......2007-07-02

Craig Brewer (Hustle and Flow) directs his second mainstream film and John Singleton produces. Black Snake Moan stars Samuel L. Jackson as Lazarus, a religious man living in a small southern town. Lazarus is also a blues musician. His demons are that his wife left him for his own brother and for this he is riddled with anger. Christina Ricci plays Rae, who is an overly promiscuous girl who is traumatized by a history of child sexual abuse. On top of that her boyfriend Ronnie has left to join the National Guard. Ronnie is played by Justin Timberlake. After Ronnie leaves, Rae ends up having a pretty bad evening that leaves her scantily clad and beat up in the middle of a dirt road. She is left on a road just in front of Lazarus's house. After helping her get better, he soon comes to find out who Rae is and what kind of reputation she has. Lazarus sees this as a sign from god that he must heal her of her wickedness in order to receive some redemption for himself. So he ties her up to a giant 40 pound chain.

The film has a great atmosphere. It comes off as sticky and sweaty throughout and plays with that imagery as the characters develop. It consistently offers references to blues music and the characters are loud and full of life. It comes off as exploitative in some ways but that is ultimately done for a greater cause. Samuel L. Jackson is always good, even in really bad movies, but this is one of his best roles in many years. The real star here though is Christina Ricci who I've always felt is doing whatever she wants for now but one day she will be hailed as one of the best actresses around after a performance that hits the mainstream just right. Unfortunately for her though Black Snake Moan has not yet been a commercial success. None of that really matters though because it is still a very good movie although both Jackson and Ricci are even better than the screenplay and direction demand.

Some people say the film is hypocritical for sexualizing Rae and offering several erotic scenes with her, while at the same time presenting a negative view of sexuality. Firstly, I disagree that the film portrays sexuality as a negative but instead portrays excess as a negative. I did not feel hammered down by any messages that sex is wrong. Secondly, Black Snake Moan is definitely not meant to be erotic. It certainly rings of exploitation films but by watching Rae's transformation away from nymphomania and toward stabilization, away from her history of abuse to some degree of resolution, away from vulnerable to honest and confident, and away from being naked to being clothed; I can't help but think this is a fiercely unsexy film that is against hypersexuality alone. To be pro-spirituality and critical of actions often perceived as sinful is not puritanical and not even necessarily anti-sex. I would even argue that this movie uses religion only as a tool, but healing in general as its primary message despite the powerful Christian overtones. No matter how you look at it Black Snake Moan is, above all, a film that reinforces morality. It also happens to be quite entertaining.

The Bizarre and the Beautiful.......2007-07-01

This is one heck of a movie experience that you won't soon forget. Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci turn in amazing performaces, especially Ricci. She shows the kind of acting talent I never knew she had. Even Justin Timberlake isn't that bad here. The story is graphic and brutal at times, but it really progresses into something beautiful as it moves along. The blues music just adds to the mystique. Black Snake Moan deserved a better audience than the 11 million dollars it made in theaters. Here's to hoping Christina Ricci gets Oscar consideration.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Riveting performances from Jackson & Ricci.......2007-06-30

I honestly didn't know what to expect when I first viewed this movie - the trailer seemed lurid, and suggested a sexy, exploitative movie. Well, on the surface it does appear to be that, but it is so much more - Black Snake Moan is a southern tale embedded in blues music, and portrays a very real human drama of two tormented souls that heal each other, albeit in an uncoventional manner. Samuel L Jackson , in one of his best performances since Pulp Fiction , portrays a god-fearing man, Lazarus, who finds a half-naked young hussy, Rae [sexy, amazing Christina Ricci] on the road near his house and takes her in to nurse her...only he finds that Rae's wounds go way beneath the superficial, and it is her soul and spirit that need nurturing and healing. When Rae decides to bolt, Lazarus chains her to a radiator [!], and eventually a grudging acceptance develops, and in healing Rae, Lazarus finds his own redemption and salvation. Despite the torrid background [Ricci is half-naked in most scenes in the movie] & the foul-mouthed Lazarus, there is a poetic beauty to this movie...the pain of the main characters is altogether palpable, and one can't help empathise with their respective plights, and there is even humor, though of the darker variety...all in all, a very watchable human drama with sexy undertones that don't really seem exploitative to me, just a means of enhancing the story.

Do Not Fear the Title.......2007-06-29

Sure, I went to the theater for the lurid scenario, but I was caught off guard by the strangely sweet story and the palpable passion of the characters.

If you think that this is one of "those movies," you're only half right, and maybe less than half. This movie is a surprise. If you are apprehensive of the title, all I can say is "Get over it." You don't want to miss this film.

Average customer rating:

Sets the benchmark for Police Parody...
Comedy Genius - Good Production
greatest movie of all time
Rated F - For Funny!
Worst TV-to-Film Ripoff Since Battlestar Gallactica

Reno 911! - Miami (Unrated Edition)
Starring: Kerri Kenney , Paul Rudd , Mary Birdsong , Niecy Nash , and Carlos Alazraqui
Director: Robert Ben Garant
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Reno 911! - The Complete Fourth Season (Uncensored)
Ghost Rider (Two-Disc Extended Cut)
Shooter (Widescreen Edition)
Black Snake Moan
Smokin' Aces (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000PISZ8Q
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Amazon.com

For Reno 911 fans who believe that Comedy Central's improv-driven mock-reality series could benefit from more unbleeped profanity, uncensored sex scenes, and nudity, the feature-length R-rated Miami will be just the ticket. Perhaps less a movie than it is a Very Special Episode, Miami transplants short-shorts-bedecked Lt. Dangle (Thomas Lennon) and company to Miami for the American Police Convention ("They invited everybody"). No sooner can you say "bio-terrorism" than the hotel is quarantined, and Wahoe County's hapless misfits, shut out when their credentials can't be found, must step in and save the city from "complete chaos." Complete chaos ensues. As with the series, Miami unfolds in a series of hit and miss bits. The funniest are those that hew closest to the Cops template, such as an early "814" call that does not, as the officers believe, decode as armed intruder, but actually involves a loose chicken, and an encounter with a taunting good ol' boy who, when faced with an alligator in a swimming pool, boldly goes where officers Jones (Cedric Yarbrough) and Garcia (Carlos Alazraqui) fear to tread.

Happily, as was not the case with Borat, no innocent or unsuspecting citizens were emotionally harmed during the making of this movie. All of the jokes and humiliations are at the Reno squad's expense. Miami benefits from some subtle (and not so subtle) stunt casting, including Patton Oswalt (The King of Queens) in a small but pivotal role as the deputy assistant mayor, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's hilarious, albeit short-lived cameo as a gung-ho bomb squad leader. It is a tribute to the crack ensemble that Reno's intimately etched characters do not need much of an introduction, and can be appreciated by those who have not seen the show. But longtime viewers are issued this warning that Miami crosses with even more impunity the thin blue line of good taste. A Rear Window homage in which we view each officer indulging in some alone time in their fleabag motel rooms may not be as bad as Borat's wrestling match, but really, there ought to be a law! --Donald Liebenson

Description

The story centers on a rag-tag team of Reno cops that are called in to save the day after a terrorist attack disrupts a national police convention in Miami Beach during spring break. They're not the best, but that's all we got. Based on the successful Comedy Central TV series.

Customer Reviews:

Sets the benchmark for Police Parody..........2007-07-03

With earlier reviews that have been posted, it's just not necessary for me to delve into specifics about the why I enjoyed this movie. If you enjoy dry, dark, and crude humour, this movie is for you.

Enough said.

Comedy Genius - Good Production.......2007-07-02

Whoever gives this movie less than a full 5 stars is a comedic idiot. Do you know how rare it is for a TV show of this variety to succeed at all in adapting their material to the big screen? Let alone do it with the cohesiveness and consistency that this movie pulls off? It is done in mini comedy vignettes, just like the TV show, and manages to stay hilarious for 99% of the movie. And I'm tough. This blows away any comedy in recent memory and even beats the readily compared super troopers by a long shot. A real long shot. In short, as long as you don't have a limited social filter when rating your enjoyment of movies, you really can't lose with this comedy.

greatest movie of all time.......2007-07-02

this movie is hilllarious, its not exactly like the show, but has some of the same elements, but they made it feel a little more like a movie on parts, the features on the unrated dvd are great, and its in widescreen and the theatrical is in fullscreen only, i was highly impressed with that

Rated F - For Funny!.......2007-07-02

In "Reno 911!: Miami," Lieutenant Jim Dangle (Thomas Lennon) takes "the stupidest group of people I've ever worked with who are not legally retarded" (his quote) to a national police convention in Miami Beach during spring break. Unfortunately, they discover that they are not on the list of invited police groups. After a night of heavy drinking and sexual debauchery in a fleabag motel, they return to the convention, and learn that the other police groups are quarantined in their fancy hotel because of some biohazardous material. The Reno Sheriff's Department have greatness thrust upon them, becoming the thin blue line that separates Miami from chaos.

Apart from several police cars crashing into each other as they leave the station house, and a local citizen being killed by an alligator, things proceed smoothly. Unless you take into account Deputy James Garcia (Carlos Alazraqui) and Deputy S. Jones (Cedric Yarbrough) continually being kidnapped by a drug lord, and Deputy Travis Junior (Robert Ben Garant) ending up in the guts of a dead whale. Not to mention Lieutenant Jim Dangle and Deputy Travis Junior doing a striptease at a rapper's party, and Deputy Trudy Wiegel (Kerry Kenney-Silver) blowing up a police car with the deputy mayor in it. Trust me, Lieutenant Dangle and company save the day, and triumphantly return to the city they love. As Deputy Travis Junior said, "Reno is a lot like Mayberry on the TV, except that everyone's on crystal meth, and prostitution's legal."

Worst TV-to-Film Ripoff Since Battlestar Gallactica.......2007-06-30

At it's best, the film is as funny as the TV show but due to the different venue, it was raunchier. As a whole, however, this is just a longer but less funny version of the television program. The story line is full of holes, the writing is of uneven quality. I have DVDs of the television series and have watched them more than once. I doubt that I will ever bother to watch this version again.

Average customer rating:

graceful
Perfection
An ink blot on thanatopsis, to tell you whatever you want
Yuck
If there was a -1 this movie gets it!

The Fountain (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Hugh Jackman , Rachel Weisz , Ellen Burstyn , Mark Margolis , and Stephen McHattie
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Pan's Labyrinth (New Line Two-Disc Platinum Series)
Children of Men (Widescreen Edition)
Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition)
Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition)
The Good Shepherd (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B00005JPAR
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Amazon.com

Science fiction and romance collide in The Fountain, the ambitious third feature from director Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream), who labored for four years to complete this epic-sized love story that stretches across centuries and galaxies. Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz (Aronofsky's real-life companion) play lovers in each of the film's three settings--16th century Europe and America (Jackman is a Spanish explorer searching for Incan magic), the present day (Jackman is a doctor attempting to cure his dying wife), and the 26th century (Jackman is a space traveler seeking a gateway to the afterlife)--who struggle mightily to stay united, only to lose each other time and again. Aronofsky may not have chosen the easiest presentation for audiences to absorb his theories on the lasting qualities of life and the transformative powers of death--the final sequence, in particular, with a bald Jackman floating through space in a bubble, harks back uncomfortably to "head movies" of the late '60s--but his leads have considerable chemistry (and look terrific to boot), which goes a long way towards securing viewers' hopes for a happy ending. Critical reception for The Fountain has been nothing short of bloodthirsty, with Cannes audiences booing, but there are elements to enjoy here, even if the premise throws one for a loop. Ellen Burstyn (who earned an Oscar nomination for Requiem) delivers a typically solid performance as Jackman's boss in the present day sequence, and special effects (most done without the benefit of CGI) are also impressive given the film's low budget (spurred by a mid-production shutdown after original stars Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett ankled the picture). And science-fiction fans whose tastes run towards the metaphysical (Asimov, Le Guin) will appreciate the attempt to present the genre in a serious light. -- Paul Gaita

Description

Yesterday, today, tomorrow. Past, present, future. Through time and space, one man embarks on a bold 1000-year odyssey to defeat humankind's most indomitable foe: Death. Hugh Jackman plays that man, devoted to one woman (Rachel Weisz) and determined to protect her from forces that threaten her existence. His quest leads him to a Tree of Life...and to an adventure into eternity. Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream) directs, continuing his string of imaginative, involving filmmaking with a tale alive with ideas and filled with astonishing vistas. "Not many films can blow your mind and break your heart at the same time, but this one will" (Drew McWeeny, Ain't It Cool News).

Customer Reviews:

graceful.......2007-07-02

I enjoy watching movies that stretch my imagination, and bring me in and pose large questions. However, I often find that art movies go out of their way to make things too complicated. The focus is too often on the plot - it might have a bazillion jumbled pieces, which actually fit together (say, Momento), or which don't even come together (say, anything by David Lynch), or which are made to represent something I don't understand (say, The Last Temptation). But if I were looking for mere symbolism or complexity of thought I'd read an essay about mechanics or something. The truth of the matter is that artistic cinema has a more to offer than mere complexity or intellectual wackery.

The premise for The Fountain is deceptively simple: A cancer researcher's wife is dying of cancer; in the meanwhile, she is writing a historical / mythical book about Spain's conquest of the Mayans. The movie progresses by interweaving her book and his experiences - threads of reality, history, and myth - none of which, again, are very complicated.

Written above, it all looks somewhat bare perhaps a bit cheesy. But movies aren't meant to be read, they're meant to be watched. And this one unfolds very graciously. It quite literally ebbs and flows, thanks to the accomplished cinematography, editing, and score. The style has a way of digging its way inside your head: A shot of a smiling woman spontaneously running around a house feels like a personal revelation and a past regret about life slipping away; a shot of a warrior being boldly carried off by the enemies seems like a body attacking a bacteria. The movie can even be seen as a story of movement, with some story arches literally going up, others going down. A passing shot into an intriguing piece of wallpaper feels like an inevitable approach.

Most movies use such stylistic techniques for the sake of character development, or to move along the plot. However, in The Fountain, these elements are in fact the movie. Like the directors other great movies, this one capitalizes on these elements in order to portray a progression of events and feelings in a manner that only cinema can. While such attention to style can often be devastating for a story, The Fountain uses it in good taste: And why not use the tools of cinema, in congruence with the way in which humans watch and register things? Ignoring such tools would be like writing an essay without any periods.

Consequently, some people might ask, "What's the message this guy's trying to get across?" and "Who are these characters?" But these questions miss point, (and any movie that could answer such questions, I'd argue, is a bad movie, because it might as well be a book); The Fountain feels more like a symphony - you wouldn't ask those questions to Beethoven about his Fifth, would you? Of course, much of the movie's impact will depend on its aesthetic effect on you: It's difficult to explain why you like a piece of music, it just feels right. But if you surrender yourself to this one's feelings - its progression, texture, and flow - you might get totally sucked in. And at the center there isn't an idea, a message, or an unforgettable character; there's a feeling: Awe. The feeling is wrapped in timeless questions about the pursuit of science, man's mortality, the differences between man and woman, and the reality of myth; it's wrapped in the steps that one needs to take to experience it. But at the same time it's not too removed or abstract; it registers as brutal and thought-provoking, and so very *human*.

Perfection.......2007-07-01

It was nice to see some bigger names in an Aronofsky film finally. I suppose this means he's jumping a little more into the mainstream, which is great because his films are thoroughly enjoyable and different than the cookie cutter crap that comes out of Hollywood. The effects in The Fountain are gorgeous and the plot is original and touching. I absolutely love the score, it has a wonderful sound that will stay with you. Hugh Jackman is great as the lead. My favorite scene is the part shot in the mosque in southern Spain, it is absolutely flawless. I definitely recommend having a look at this one, it is very mellow and has some great allegories and allusions for everyone. Enjoy.

An ink blot on thanatopsis, to tell you whatever you want.......2007-07-01

Years back we had "Love Story," with Ali McGraw. Anyone remember that movie? A beautiful rich guy in love with a beautiful woman who dies beautifully, rather than live happily ever after. "The Fountain" is another clever film that takes some ideas, myths, and cliches mainly about death, mixes them up, then uses sophisticated imagry to create a film without much of a plot, just two beautiful people in love and dying, thru the ages this time..... but oh, does this film look good! And you can argue endlessly about the story, the symbolism, and its "meaning."

The macro photography creates elegant eye candy that conjures up a convincing trip thru a nebula. Kudus to the film's producers, who used limited funds creatively, rather than skimp on fancy computer imagry limited by human capabilities. For my money, the space trip bests Kubrick's famous space "trip" sequence in the movie, "2001: A Space Odyssey," and Hugh Jackman looks great with and without hair, as conquistador, scientist, and budha, and you can play with the ideas and interpret the film in many ways. The title has only a vague and tenuous relationship to the story, to make of what you will.

If you are looking for a film maker buring with a message to convey, go see a documentary. This film is like a piece of clay. You can have your fun pulling a lot of philosophical ideas out of it.

Yuck.......2007-07-01

Rachel Weisz's character is ill and her husband, played by Hugh Jackman, is a doctor trying to find a cure. The movie centers around these two characters. The movie flashes into the past lives of the two characters and into what looks to be the future.

I thought this movie was terrible. I don't think this movie flowed right. It jumped around too often where it didn't make much sense.

If there was a -1 this movie gets it!.......2007-06-30

Ok, the people who gave this 5 stars, what illegal drug were you on? If you can enjoy a movie where a little man lives with a tree and floats around in a X-mas bulb most of the movie, then trust me you must be on some type of drug.... I am serious people, I never would advocate drugs but you would have to be high to actually like this movie. Don't waste your time.. unless you enjoy a man, a tree and X-mas bulb rolled into a movie....

Reno 911! - The Complete Fourth Season (Uncensored)

Average customer rating:

reno sd

Reno 911! - The Complete Fourth Season (Uncensored)
Director: Michael Patrick Jann , Brad Abrams , Thomas Lennon (III) , and Ben Garant
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Reno 911! - Miami (Unrated Edition)
Reno 911 - The Complete Third Season (Uncensored)
Reno 911 - The Complete Second Season (Uncensored)
Reno 911 - The Complete First Season
Reno 911! - Reno's Most Wanted (Uncensored)

ASIN: B000P5FH5S
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Amazon.com

The beat goes on for Reno 911 with a season that is definitely "off the chain" (to quote one of the officers' curious turns of phrase). Season 4 brings us such developments as Det. Wiegel's unexpected and somewhat disturbing pregnancy, the suspicious demise of the Reno County sheriff ("Avenge my death," he croaks as he's being loaded into the ambulance), and the passage of Proposition C, which may (or may not) result in a pay raise for Wahoe County's self-described "(effed)-up family" of "mostly cordial coworkers." While not at all a bust, the fourth season is more scattershot than previous seasons. Some of the recurring signature set pieces (the traffic stops, the school appearances) are getting stale, but for anyone who has suffered through amateurish local TV commercials, the "Police Tek" product spots are devastatingly spot-on (and, as in the case of the infrared-controlled "Rape Shield" undergarments, all kinds of wrong). There is much "mean-spirited mirth" this season, aimed mostly at mother-to-be Wiegel (Kerri Kenney-Silver), who ends the season going into labor while stuck in a ceremonial cake. Questions about the sexual orientation of Cherisa "I am not a lesbian" Kimball (Mary Birdsong) and Jim "You know what I like" Dangle (Thomas Lennon) are asked, and, in one case, answered in the jaw-dropping cliffhanger season finale.

Every episode serves up at least one inspired bit of cop-show craziness. At one point, Kimball tries to arrest a street magician who keeps breaking free of his restraints. In another scene, Dangle patronizingly frees an adorable Little Leaguer brought into the station only to discover the true, horrible nature of his crime. Guest stars this season include Knocked Up's Paul Rudd as Lamaze instructor Guy Jericho (spelled "Gerricault"), Patton Oswalt as the local Renaissance Faire's Boozehammer of Galen, Oscar Nunez (The Office) as the charming and elusive prisoner "Spanish Mike," and Paul "Pee-Wee Herman" Reubens as Rick of Citizen's Patrol. Always good for a laugh is Nick Swardson as citizen and "attention whore" Terry. Packback, as ever, eludes Dangle and company (as witness their brutal smackdown at the hands of some "Hotties" waitresses, but their misery makes them great company. They may be beyond (or beneath) Emmy consideration, but they are surely worthy of a (Police) Academy award. --Donald Liebenson

Product Description

The brave men and women of the Washoe County Sheriff's Department give you the 411 on the thin khaki line that keeps Reno, Nevada on the straight and narrow. Led by Lt. Jim Dangle, the officers of Reno 911! will teach you all you need to know about law enforcement and the nitty-gritty lives of a group of cops who won't hesitate to beat you with your own shoe.

Customer Reviews:

reno sd.......2007-07-02

season 4 is a great season, paul rudd is in a few of the episodes as a lamase teacher he does a great job, pretty much all the episodes are 5 stars, the features on the dvd arent that great, it would bet better if every season was like the season 2 dvd that came with three discs and better features, but there is profiles for all the officers that are about 4 - 5 minutes each, which are really funny and a good way to learn more about each reno member, and there are a few commentarys which are always great, im stil a little bitter than they havent put this show in widescreen yet, i hope they do, the reno miami unrated looked awesome, so hopefully they take a hint from that and make the show in wide, buy the dvd if you like the show, its a good buy, you can probably get it for somwhere around 17 bux if you look around

Flags of Our Fathers (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

2nd Film is better but this has its merits
BORING AND DEPRESSING
Too much bouncing around
Flags of Our Fathers (HD DVD) Review by Justin Sluss
Simle Review

Flags of Our Fathers (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Ryan Phillippe , Jesse Bradford , Adam Beach , John Benjamin Hickey , and John Slattery
Director: Clint Eastwood
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Combat | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

World War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Departed (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Babel
Letters from Iwo Jima (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Casino Royale (2-Disc Widescreen Edition)
Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B000M4RG42
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Amazon.com

Thematically ambitious and emotionally complex, Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers is an intimate epic with much to say about war and the nature of heroism in America. Based on the non-fiction bestseller by James Bradley (with Ron Powers), and adapted by Million Dollar Baby screenwriter Paul Haggis (Jarhead screenwriter William Broyles Jr. wrote an earlier draft that was abandoned when Eastwood signed on to direct), this isn't so much a conventional war movie as it is a thought-provoking meditation on our collective need for heroes, even at the expense of those we deem heroic. In telling the story of the six men (five Marines, one Navy medic) who raised the American flag of victory on the battle-ravaged Japanese island of Iwo Jima on February 23rd, 1945, Eastwood takes us deep into the horror of war (in painstakingly authentic Iwo Jima battle scenes) while emphasizing how three of the surviving flag-raisers (played by Adam Beach, Ryan Phillippe, and Jesse Bradford) became reluctant celebrities - and resentful pawns in a wartime publicity campaign - after their flag-raising was immortalized by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal in the most famous photograph in military history.

As the surviving flag-raisers reluctantly play their public roles as "the heroes of Iwo Jima" during an exhausting (but clearly necessary) wartime bond rally tour, Flags of Our Fathers evolves into a pointed study of battlefield valor and misplaced idolatry, incorporating subtle comment on the bogus nature of celebrity, the trauma of battle, and the true meaning of heroism in wartime. Wisely avoiding any direct parallels to contemporary history, Eastwood allows us to draw our own conclusions about the Iwo Jima flag-raisers and how their postwar histories (both noble and tragic) simultaneously illustrate the hazards of exploited celebrity and society's genuine need for admirable role models during times of national crisis. Flags of Our Fathers defies the expectations of those seeking a more straightforward war-action drama, but it's richly satisfying, impeccably crafted film that manages to be genuinely patriotic (in celebrating the camaraderie of soldiers in battle) while dramatizing the ultimate futility of war. Eastwood's follow-up film, Letters from Iwo Jima, examines the Iwo Jima conflict from the Japanese perspective. --Jeff Shannon

Beyond Flags of Our Fathers

Other World War II DVDs
Essential DVDs by Director Clint Eastwood
Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley

Stills from Flags of Our Fathers (click for larger image)

Product Description

From Academy Award-winning director Clint Eastwood (Million Dollar Baby, Unforgiven) comes the World Was II epic Flags of Our Fathers, produced by Eastwood, Academy Award winner Steven Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List), and Rob Lorenz (Mystic River), and from a screenplay adapted by William Broyles, Jr. (Cast Away) and Oscar winner Paul Haggis (Million Dollar Baby, Crash).
February 1945. Even as victory in Europe was finally within reach, the war in the Pacific raged on. One of the most crucial and bloodiest battles of the war was the struggle for the island of Iwo Jima, which culminated with what would become one of the most iconic images in history: five Marines and a Navy corpsman raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi. The inspiring photo capturing that moment became a symbol of victory to a nation that had grown weary of war and made instant heroes of the six American soldiers at the base of the flag, some of whom would die soon after, never knowing that they had been immortalized. But the surviving flag raisers had no interest in being held up as symbols and did not consider themselves heroes; they wanted only to stay on the front with their brothers in arms who were fighting and dying without fanfare or glory.
Flags of Our Fathers is based on the bestselling book by James Bradley with Ron Powers, which chronicled the battle of Iwo Jima and the fates of the flag raisers and some of their brothers in Easy Company. Bradley's father, John "Doc" Bradley, was one of the soldiers pictured raising the flag, although James never knew the full extent of his father's experiences until after the elder Bradley's death in 1994.

Customer Reviews:

2nd Film is better but this has its merits.......2007-07-02

Though not as good as it's companion piece, Flags takes a unique perspective of WWII. War is depressing, tragic, and horrible. It may be something that we have to participate in because of circumstances, but I think the message is that it isn't a simple solution and the price is high. The film does suffer from lack of good characters which is surprising for an Eastwood film. I liked the battle scenes and thought they were well done. Overall Saving Ryan was better in some respects, but then it suffered from the contrivance of the German soldier killing the American soldier after he was let go. So yes the film is flawed but still worthwhile.

BORING AND DEPRESSING.......2007-07-01

I like war films like Saving Private Ryan and Pearl Harbor, but I found this film depressing, hopeless ("everything is a lie!") and downright boring. It seems interesting but after a while you just feel aweful about your own country and feel fooled. I love you Clint but you should have just changed directions of the film from the beginning

Too much bouncing around.......2007-06-30

I'm a little bit of a history buff and like to watch movies about different periods of history to learn a little bit. I was disappointed with this movie. Seemed like we were bouncing around a little too much and it was hard to track events and people. In the end, I felt the movie was more about Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome than about Iwo Jima or the war.

I would probably pass on this one and watch something else, unless you are really curious about it.

Flags of Our Fathers (HD DVD) Review by Justin Sluss.......2007-06-21

The Movie Itself is one part of a pair of films done by legendary actor/director Clint Eastwood about the battle at Iwo Jima in World War II. "Flags of Our Fathers" is one of two films that Clint did about the battle from both side's perspectives. "Letters from Iwo Jima" (this movie's counter-part) tells the Japanese perspective. While this film tells the American perspective I guess you could say, it's primarily about a real life photo that can be found on the cover of this release. The picture is a very patriotic photograph that shows six soldiers raising the American flag after the battle at Iwo Jima. This picture starts a lot of media coverage and hype labeling the three surviving soldiers "war heroes." This film follows the lives during and after that battle of those three remaining soldiers, John "Doc" Bradley (played by Ryan Phillippe), Rene Gagnon (played by Jesse Bradford) and Ira Hayes (played by Adam Beach). I'd like to point out that this film is based on true events and the names of the soldiers are real. In fact the original book "Flags of Our Fathers" was written by James Bradley (son of John "Doc" Bradley). This film was also produced by Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg.

These three soldiers are brought home labeled as "war heroes" as stated above and soon being used by the U.S. government to help sell war bonds to help the war effort. Which they do accomplish but at the same time there's a lot of demons inside these men that came from seeing such a horrific battle at Iwo Jima. This is especially true for both John Bradley and Ira Hayes who throughout the film have post-war stress induced flashbacks that really got to them on a really emotional level that they can't talk about with anyone or even come to terms with themselves. This movie is not one that glorifies war but instead one that shows the hell that comes with it. So if you're expecting to see a bunch of Japanese get slaughtered you might wanna look elsewhere and seek therapy. That's not what this movie is about. This movie and what it stands for can really be stated best by a quote by the real John "Doc" Bradley, "The real heroes of Iwo Jima are the guys who didn't come back". I think after watching this film that Clint Eastwood made you'll have a better understanding for that quote.

Video Quality on this release is presented in 1080p VC-1 encoded on a 30gb HD DVD for the feature film. This film visually is up there with "Saving Private Ryan" in terms of amazing visual CG special effects and such. Even though war as it is portrayed in this film is a very ugly and disturbing thing to watch at times, this release in terms of video quality itself really does offer just an amazing transfer with great picture. The blacks are perfect, no artifacts or pixilation to be found in this video presentation. The cinematography style that this film as well as it's counter-part, "Letters from Iwo Jima" uses might lead some to think the contrast is off but it's just the visual style that Clint Eastwood was going for to show the time period in both films. This release is one of the best in terms of video quality yet from Paramount and I hope it's a sign of things to come.

Audio Quality on this release is the standard Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 @ 1.5Mbps. One thing most important to this sound mix is the fact it's a film about war, World War II at that. So it's kind of expected a movie like this have a great surround mix and I can honestly say it lives up to those expectations very much so. Dialog comes out in obviously the center and front channels as you'd expect in the less intense scenes of the film. When you're in the flashbacks of battle scenes of the film you really notice an awesome surround presence that will make you hear gunfire up close, distant or passing gunfire as well as mortar shells. The surround experience on this release is one that is sure to please any action film fan.

Bonus Materials are included on their very own extra HD DVD and are in High Definition. First off there's "An Introduction by Clint Eastwood" (5 minutes), then "Words on the Page" (17 minutes) which tells us a bit about the original book written by James Bradley. James is the son of John Bradley (played by Ryan Phillipe in the film). This feature offers interviews with James Bradley (again the book's original author) as well as the screenplay writers William Broyles, Jr. and Paul Haggis. Next is "Six Brave Men" (20 minutes) which tells the personal stories of each of the six real life soldiers in the photograph and offers interviews with the actors who portray them in this film. "The Making of an Epic" (30 minutes) is your typical making of documentary of a film. It includes interviews with everyone from the producer (Robert Lorenz), director of photography (Tom Stern), special effects coordinator, editor (Joel Cox), art director, costume designer and even the military technical adviser. "The Making of an Epic" is really by far the real highlight of the bonus materials for this film and looks amazing in High Def. "Raising the Flag" (3 minutes) is a short feature about reenacting the photograph that the film is primarily about in the film just as it was in real life. "Visual Effects" (15 minutes) is exactly what the name says, a feature on the visual ("CG") special effects used on this film. "Looking into the Past" (10 minutes) offers up a lot of old historical military video footage of the actual battle at Iwo Jima. History Channel fans will definitely love this while some of the more action film oriented crowd may want to skip this. The last feature included is the original Theatrical Trailer in High Def. This release definitely packs some great bonus materials on it's very own disc and is really impressive.

-- Review written by Justin Sluss of HighDefDiscNews.com

Simle Review.......2007-06-20

If you are thinking that this movie is "Saving Private Ryan" in the Pacific -- it is not.

If you are curious how World War II soldiers dealt with the experience of war, and the efforts of the U.S. government to fund World War II then you may find this movie interesting.

If you are interested in the battle of Iwo Jima take a look at Letters from Iwo Jima or the History channel.

Hannibal Rising (Unrated Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

It Started With Revenge and Ends With Disappointment...
Boo, I'm so tired of this series
Sympathy for the Devil
Out For Revenge Or Made A Monster?
The Best Hannibal Ever

Hannibal Rising (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Helena Lia Tachovska , Richard Leaf , Michele Wade , Martin Hub , and Ingeborga Dapkunaite
Director: Peter Webber
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition)
Ghost Rider (Two-Disc Extended Cut)
Pan's Labyrinth (New Line Two-Disc Platinum Series)
The Fountain (Widescreen Edition)
Deja Vu

ASIN: B000NVT0SO
Release Date: 2007-05-29

Amazon.com

Though Hannibal Rising's Lecter (Gaspard Ulliel) is a pussycat compared to Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs, this sequel's story of revenge is grizzly enough to satisfy lovers of Thomas Harris's epic tale. After young Hannibal (Aaron Thomas) is forced to watch his little sister, Mischa (Helena Lia Tachovska), devoured by starving soldiers in his homeland Lithuania, Hannibal vows to avenge his sister's death by slaying those who committed not only war crimes against the Lecters, but also against other families during WW II. In detailing Hannibal's revenge plan, the film investigates the psychological implications of witnessing cannibalism to justify Hannibal's insatiable appetite for human flesh. The most interesting aspect of Hannibal Rising—its analytical connections drawn between Hannibal's childhood traumas and his murderous adult obsessions—is also the film's weak point. The links oversimplify Lecter's complex character. For example, though titillating to see flashbacks of Lecter's sister hacked up and boiled while Lecter visits a Parisian meat market, the reference is too obvious. One learns why he excels in his medical school classes dissecting cadavers, and we're given explicit explanation for why he slices off and eats his victims' cheeks. The story only complicates when Hannibal interacts with his sexy Aunt, Lady Murasaki (Gong Li). When Murasaki educates him in the art of beheading, the viewer sees Hannibal's sword fetish as a manifestation of physical lust. --Trinie Dalton

Description

(Horror/Suspense) The terrifying Silence of the Lambs prequel that reveals the history of the infamous Hannibal and how he came to be a cannibalistic murderer.

Customer Reviews:

It Started With Revenge and Ends With Disappointment..........2007-06-30

In the history of cinema there are many great cinematic villains that have terrified movie audiences over the years. Often times they are frightening in appearance or deeds, sometimes they are misunderstood or victims of circumstance, and they can even be so captivating that you can't help but pay attention to their many evil acts. These great villains range from the dreaded Darth Vader, to the slashers known as Freddy, Jason, and Leatherface, or the brilliant evil genius' of the James Bond films, to the most feared psychological villain of all time, Hannibal 'the cannibal' Lecter. Moviemakers lately have felt the need to explain the origins to some of cinema's classic villains from George Lucas' prequel trilogy of 'Star Wars' films, to Leatherface's lackluster origin story in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning", the most recent addition to the list of villains getting the origin treatment would be Hannibal Lecter in the Weinstein Company's adaptation of Thomas Harris' novel, "Hannibal Rising".

"Hannibal Rising" is the origin story of Hannibal Lecter, showing how he went from being an innocent young boy in Lithuania to society's most deadly, cannibalistic serial killer. As a young boy in Lithuania, Hannibal witnessed the deaths of his parents in World War 2, leaving he and his sister Mischa to fend for themselves. Just when Hannibal thought things couldn't get worse, a group of militia men invade their home, taking Hannibal and Mischa hostage. Soon, food begins to become sparse, and the militia gets desperate and chooses to survive by taking Mischa's life for food. Some time after that, grown up and in college, Hannibal (Gaspard Ulliel), is mastering every course he takes, and well on his way to earning his doctorate. Little does his professors know that Hannibal hides a dark, deadly secret. In his own time he is obsessively pursuing the men that formed the militia that took his sister's life, and if there's one thing Hannibal intends to do when he finds them, it's take his pound of flesh for their crime.

The decision to make a prequel to the popular Hannibal Lecter trilogy of films seemed like a waste of time and space, simply a way for the studio to just cash in on the character's well-known name. Which left me feeling like this would be a pathetic movie, because more than likely not a single person associated with the previous films would be involved, and for the most part I was right on that count, but there was a glimmer of a chance that this movie would be more than expected. Shortly after the film was greenlit, it was announced that the movie was being written by none other than Thomas Harris, the creator of Hannibal Lecter, based on his novel of the same name that he was in the process of finishing up. With that prospect, I thought that "Hannibal Rising" (at the time the movie was being called "Young Hannibal") just may stand a chance of equaling its predecessors in terms of quality storytelling and acting that is among the best Hollywood has to offer.

Well, as good of a writer Thomas Harris is, or I should say was (his other three books in the Lecter series are great works of fiction), this novel and the screenplay that was based on it are far inferior to anything offered in the other installments. I was disappointed by the movie for several reasons; first I felt the actor chosen to portray young Hannibal was only okay. I understand he was trying to only give hints as to what this character will become later on, and I'll give it to the actor, there were a couple of times that I saw a glimpse of Anthony Hopkins' creepy portrayal seep in, but these were few and far between. For the most part the actor was just flat in his performance and apparently the only expression he really knew how to make was a snarl, he didn't really have any of the nuances that Anthony perfected in this character. Second, it seemed like Hannibal took to cannibalism a little too easily. I understand that he saw his sister suffer at the hands of evil militia men, and seeing that would definitely scar a young child, but when he kills the first soldier and commits his first act of cannibalism, there is no uncertainty or disdain for what he's doing. He simply does the deed, doesn't appear to be bothered by it, in fact he may even have enjoyed it (the movie really doesn't explain this), and moves on in search of the next victim on his list. Which brings me to my third problem with this movie; aside from revenge being his motive for killing the killers of his sister, he doesn't show any further conviction to commit murder. Leaving one to wonder why he continued after achieving his vengeance, did committing all those acts of murder and cannibalism become such an obsession for him outside of revenge that he just felt compelled to do more or what? This was an aspect that wasn't explained, and I felt should have been, especially since this was to be the origin of his evil life and a deep psychological profile into the why of his life of crime. Instead, Thomas Harris' screenplay and novel barely scratched the surface, no doubt because the Weinstein's are hoping to cash in on further installments of prequels, since Hopkins is probably through portraying the character. And my final complaint would have to be that there was no cameo by Anthony Hopkins, the least they could have done was bring him in during the final moments of the film to link it in to the other three. Instead, he gets his revenge, the story ends, and the credits roll. Nothing linking it in to the other films, aside from the name of the lead character.

"Hannibal Rising" is not the worst film ever made, it's actually an average movie, and if it was the first in the series to be made, it may have seemed better, but when comparing it to the other three already in the franchise, it pales in comparison. The other movies contained many psychological aspects to them, especially "The Silence of the Lambs", "Red Dragon" and "Hannibal" did to an extent just not as much, but this film didn't contain any. There was potential, especially given that Hannibal endured a horrific childhood which is the root of his evil, but aside from a few dream sequences we don't get much insight into his character, and the dreams only serve to show us exactly what the militia did to him and his sister. Which is probably where the biggest problem of this film lies, is that in trying to explain why Hannibal is who he is, the makers of the film try to make the audience feel sympathy for him. This is one of modern cinema's greatest movie villains, I don't want to feel sorry for him, I want to see what made him who he is. The filmmakers tried to accomplish the why of the character, but went about it wrong, all they explained was why he was killing the militia, it never explained why he felt the need to continue killing other people that weren't involved in his sister's death. So, because of that the audience feels that his killing is justified, at least in this movie (it's just a really sick brand of justice), and in doing so you sympathize with him. What this all boils down to is that the filmmakers, especially Thomas Harris, really dropped the ball on explaining the origin of Hannibal Lecter, opting simply to give audiences an average revenge tale, just a little gorier than most.

"Hannibal Rising" is unrated containing violence, gore, and language.

Boo, I'm so tired of this series.......2007-06-28

Ok, the first movie was shocking and told a gripping tale with a human
dimension, although decidedly opaque. Now it's just regurgitating.
Furthermore, if it has to be unrated to tell a story, forget about it.
There's enough real gore in the world as it is.

Sympathy for the Devil.......2007-06-28

Hannibal Rising suffered severely at the box office because it was implied in the trailers that we'd mainly see a young Hannibal Lecter slashing up the countryside. That kind of marketing certainly didn't lure me into theaters to see it, and--based on its less than $30 million box office gross--much of the public had the same sentiment.

At the end of May, Hannibal Rising gets released on DVD and the memory of the slash-'em-up trailer is still in my head, so I'm not compelled to see it, but 4 weeks later I finally do. And it turns out to be one of the better movies that I've seen this year.

Funny though...I'm not sure that I'd have appreciated Hannibal Rising as much without first seeing 1991's Silence of the Lambs The Silence of the Lambs (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) . Oh, it certainly isn't necessary to see Silence of the Lambs prior to seeing Hannibal Rising. Ironically, seeing Lambs before seeing this prequel just puts a better perspective on the things to come as you watch Lecter in his early years. It did for me anyway.

In Silence of the Lambs you fear Lecter and what he'll do next. In Hannibal Rising you actually find yourself rooting for him with a kind of sympathy. Hannibal Rising is more a story of revenge than it is a story about a serial killer...kind of like a Rambo First Blood (Special Edition) with class.

In Hannibal Rising, you get a great directorial from little known Peter Webber and a terrific performance out of mostly French film actor Gaspard Ulliel. In the beginning sequence Webber went a little overboard with getting us to believe that those who committed the atrocities that ultimately turned Lecter into what he bacame would all be so unified in the decision to commit the atrocities. But the movie really is done well overall and Ulliel played a masterfully diabolical young Hannibal Lecter.

So forget that the movie poster and DVD cover have a picture of Lecter in what looks like that this'll-prevent-you-from-bitng-me mask (turns out that's not what it is at all). And forget that the trailers showed mainly a young, sinister looking Hannibal Lecter as if about to cut someone open. Hannibal Rising ultimately is less gory than you probably think it will be, and less gory than 2001's Hannibal Hannibal . It's not a Horror movie. It's just a very good movie like 1986's Manhunter Manhunter (Restored Director's Cut Divimax Edition) and/or its 2002 remake Red Dragon Red Dragon - Collector's Edition (Widescreen) .

I wouldn't go so far as to say that Hannibal Rising is a classic, as Silence of the Lambs was, but it's very good. Fans of Lambs should take a chance with Hannibal Rising.

The missing story in the Lecter chronicles is his doings in the US leading up to his capture by FBI Agent Will Graham (between Hannibal Rising and Red Dragon). Can't wait.

Out For Revenge Or Made A Monster?.......2007-06-27

I just got done watching "Hannibal Rising" this evening. Hmmmm, not sure what to make of it! I've read and seen "Red Dragon" (which I loved by the way), "Silence of the Lambs", & "Hannibal"....

After reading many negative reviews for both the book and movie versions of "Hannibal Rising", I wasn't sure if I wanted anything to do with the book or the movie.... However, decided to watch the movie for myself and form my own opinion.

Honestly, I don't think "Hannibal Rising" is as bad as everyone has made it out to be. It is suppose to be a prequel, giving us the idea of why Hannibal is the way he is as an adult. I thought "Hannibal Rising" was suspenseful and well acted by the cast members. We see Hannibal as a monster out for revenge for those who killed his younger sister. This is where Hannibal begins to learn and refine his murderous appetite that we later refined when he becomes an adult..... What starts out as revenge turns into gruesome psychopathic behavior.

The Best Hannibal Ever.......2007-06-23

Love this movie, amazing acting with hannibal and lady murasaki... I don't know why people bashes this movie, in every serial killer their is always a beggining. Oh well this is just the bomb... very recommendable...

Average customer rating:

Schoolboys In Disgrace
IF only I could decide...
Just one of the Greatest Unknown Films of the 20th Century
Don't forget the music!
Much anticipated!

If... (Criterion Collection)
Starring: Malcolm McDowell , David Wood , Richard Warwick , Christine Noonan , and Rupert Webster
Director: Lindsay Anderson , and Guy Brenton
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

All | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video

Army of Shadows - Criterion Collection
Sweet Movie (Criterion Collection)
La Jetee/Sans Soleil (Criterion Collection)
Ace in the Hole - Criterion Collection
Sansho the Bailiff - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B000OPPAEW
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Description

Lindsay Anderson's If.… is a daringly anarchic vision of British society, set in a boarding school in late-sixties England. Before Kubrick made his mischief iconic in A Clockwork Orange, Malcolm McDowell made a hell of an impression as the insouciant Mick Travis, who, along with his school chums, trumps authority at every turn, finally emerging as violent savior against the draconian games of one-upmanship played by both students and the powers that be. Mixing color and black and white as audaciously as it mixes fantasy and reality, If…. remains one of cinema's most unforgettable rebel yells.

Customer Reviews:

Schoolboys In Disgrace.......2007-06-27

The exclusive private school portrayed in "If.." serves as a scathing metaphor of class and privilege in the United Kingdom. What makes the statement that director Lindsay Anderson is trying to convey more stinging is that he treats his subject matter as dark comedy. What I also found interesting is that Anderson doesn't direct most of his criticism at the school administrators, whose crimes are allowing such a stifling atmosphere to perpetuate. Rather, the worst criticism is directed at the Whips, the sniveling fascist students who are given free reign to terrorize and subjugate their fellow students to the worst kind of torment. It's easy to criticize authority but our worst enemies are our peers who will later become the leaders of our world because that's the way it is. The film is anchored by a mesmerizing performance by Malcolm McDowell who portrays rebel iconoclast Mick Travis. Travis belongs in this stifling environment as much as he needs a hole in the head. Travis serves as everyman and reacts to the inanity around him with a knowing smirk. In one memorably hilarious exchange with a Whip Travis accuses him of serving Coca-Cola to the underclassmen while expecting them to lick his fingers for the rest of their lives. What gives this scene more power is that Travis says it knowing it will subject him to a more severe beating. If you could best describe "If..." I would say it's a dark comedy with dramatic and surreal elements. It would serve as a good double bill with another indictment of English classism, Peter Medak's "The Ruling Class". On a final note will somebody, Criterion or Warner Brothers, release "O Lucky Man" on disc.

IF only I could decide..........2007-06-21

In high school in the middle 1970s we never could get to see this movie but we all owned a copy of the screenplay. Finally I saw the film at a university showing in 1978 or 1979. I hadn't seen it since. From the reviews since 2000 it appears some people in the US had it on VHS or DVD but I don't know how that was possible. I never could find it. I assumed it was being surpressed out of political fear. Anyway, all these years later, I'm still not sure I like how the movie slips the bounds of reality to the point where you're not sure this isn't supposed to be just a fantasy (the vicar in the drawer, the main characters not speaking the last 15 minutes of the movie, the charage across the clean quad that in the previous shot was battle strewn). This shift to fantasy is jarring because up to the last half hour of the movie it is as brutally naturalistic as This Sporting Life (except for the fantasy sex sequence - clearly meant to be fantasy - in the cafe). Am I wrong to find this shift to fantasy an artistic capitulation? Am I the only one who thought the lads burning the stuffed crocodile meant this was all to be seen as something like the collages with pictures from Africa? Nevertheless, I know I'll be watching this DVD many times.

Just one of the Greatest Unknown Films of the 20th Century.......2007-06-18

I first saw "If..." during its original release in the late 1960s in a theater in Pittsburgh. I saw it several times then ...which was not the easiest thing to do as a grad student. Maybe it had something to do with having attended a New England prep school and my brother about to start one.

I have owned a copy on VHS, I own a book with the script and commentary by Lindsay Anderson, and I am ordering a copy of this DVD.

Most reviewers talk about the theme of rebellion due to repressive conditions and such. The concern ... I want to say fear ... that it will trigger more school tragedies is misplaced. What Lindsay Anderson has done is help us explore the challenges that are faced by young men coming of age so that as a society we can learn how to respond to those challenges. Why today do schools still tolerate bullies?

When I saw the movie "Animal House" a few years later, my immediate reaction was that it was an Americanized version of "If..." but with more humor. I am amazed that no other reviewer has spoken of the parallels. I have never read that Landis or the writers of Animal House were even aware of the film. Maybe that speaks to the timeless theme of the film.

This may not be an easy movie for many to watch, but the Missa Lubba soundtrack is unforgetable and continually brings you back into the film.

Enjoy.

Don't forget the music!.......2007-06-10

I have waited years for IF to be released on DVD - I trust that the amazing MISSA LUBA that was used as the sound-track will also get a new release.

Much anticipated!.......2007-04-24

I've been waiting for a release of If... for a long long time, and it is so good to see it will be given the deluxe treatment with Criterion. Lindsay Anderson created a landmark film which captured the talents of a young Malcolm McDowell at his best. You get the feeling that Wes Anderson took his cue from this film when he made Rushmore, but what sets If... apart is the surrealism that creeps into the movie and eventually takes it over, resulting in its wildly hallucinogenic climax. All the extras will make this anxiously awaited DVD a real treat, as hopefully we will be able to get a peek into the mind that created this film. The addition of Thursday's Children certainly makes this deluxe package worthwhile.

Cult Camp Classics 1 - Sci-Fi Thrillers (Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman 1958 / Giant Behemoth / Queen of Outer Space)

Average customer rating:

Extremely Fun Boxset
Outstanding treatment of 3 sci-fi camp classics
Good to see these films again
These are not real movies.....
What a bargain!

Cult Camp Classics 1 - Sci-Fi Thrillers (Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman 1958 / Giant Behemoth / Queen of Outer Space)
Starring: Allison Hayes , William Hudson , Yvette Vickers , Roy Gordon , and George Douglas
Director: Nathan Juran , Eugène Lourié , and Douglas Hickox
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Sci-Fi | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Cult Camp Classics 4 - Historical Epics (The Colossus of Rhodes / Land of the Pharaohs / The Prodigal)
Cult Camp Classics 2 - Women in Peril (The Big Cube / Caged / Trog)
Cult Camp Classics 3 - Terrorized Travelers (Hot Rods to Hell / Skyjacked / Zero Hour!)
Frankenstein Conquers the World / Frankenstein Vs. Baragon
The Classic Sci-fi Ultimate Collection (Tarantula / The Mole People / The Incredible Shrinking Man / The Monolith Monsters / Monster on the Campus)

ASIN: B000OHZJGO
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Amazon.com

Featuring three enjoyably "awful" movies from 1958-59, Cult Camp Classics, Vol. 1: Sci-Fi Thrillers turns nuclear radiation into cause for celebration, especially if you enjoy movies with extra cheese. With the Cold War in full swing and society's worries blamed on the threat of nuclear annihilation, sci-fi buffs (like future filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante, and John Landis) could see a new monster movie almost every week. Many of them came from Allied Artists, the low-budget B-movie production company (formerly Monogram) that rose from the ghetto of "poverty row" distribution to produce countless exploitation thrillers between 1946 and 1979. The '50s saw the rise of nuclear monster thrillers, and Allied popularized the trend with its own menagerie of giant, irradiated creatures. The key to Allied's success was its crowd-pleasing combination of exploitable ingredients, and what better way to combine sci-fi, sex, and horror than to unleash a towering babe with an attitude problem? That's exactly what Allied did with Attack of the 50-Foot Woman, a now-classic campfest in which a spurned wife (Allison Hayes) is irradiated by a glowing alien space-ball, grows to a height of (you guessed it), and exacts revenge upon her cheating husband (William Hudson). A year before she bared her shapely backside as Playboy's Playmate of the Month for July 1959, Yvette Vickers costars as Hudson's scheming mistress, giving the film an extra boost of sex appeal. With bargain-priced effects including a giant floppy-fingered hand, hilarious process shots, and cheesy models destroyed by the world's biggest bitch (for whom it is still possible to feel some sympathetic compassion), the movie's not as good as its celebrated poster (which now adorns movie-geek T-shirts around the world), but it's still a lot of fun.

The Giant Behemoth was director Eugene Lourie's obvious attempt to capitalize on his 1953 hit The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, starring a gigantic paleosaurus rising from the Atlantic with a bad case of atomic radiation. London is the monster's eventual stomping ground, but the lumbering lizard is camera-shy for nearly an hour; you can imagine Beaver Cleaver and his pals groaning through seemingly endless scenes of talky exposition, anxiously awaiting the climactic stop-motion creature effects supervised by the legendary Willis (King Kong) O'Brien. Scoring much higher on the camp-o-meter, and far more entertaining, is the cult classic Queen of Outer Space, which borrows props and costumes from Forbidden Planet, Flight to Mars and World Without End for its outrageously kitschy plot about manly astronauts who crash-land on Venus and discover an underground society of mini-skirted space-babes. Unfortunately the disfigured Venusian queen (Laurie Mitchell) is a man-hater supreme, so the spectacularly costumed Zsa Zsa Gabor (as a Venusian scientist, no less) leads a revolution against her. With a screenplay by Twilight Zone veteran Charles Beaumont and a story credited (almost incredibly) to legendary playwright/screenwriter Ben Hecht (who surely never suspected his idea would eventually yield this movie), Queen of Outer Space is exactly what you'd expect it to be: So bad it's good, and more than worthy of inclusion in this irresistibly priced triple-feature set. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVDs
Three feature-length commentaries accompany the sci-fi thrillers in Cult Camp Classics, Vol. 1. Two of the commentaries are hosted by Tom Weaver, a noted authority on sci-fi and horror films whose historical acumen is more casual than academic: While sharing the commentary on Queen of Outer Space with the film's titular star Laurie Mitchell (who became a mainstay at fan conventions at Weaver's invitation), Weaver fails to explain how the production came to use props and costumes from the classic Forbidden Planet, and that's a glaring oversight. He compensates as an amiable interviewer with the equally good-natured Mitchell, and it's a treat to hear them enthusiastically reading unfilmed scenes from the film's original screenplay. For the commentary on Attack of the 50-Foot Woman, Weaver is joined by the film's comely costar Yvette Vickers (another regular at sci-fi conventions), and their combined anecdotes provide an adequate oral history of this camp-classic production. Star Wars veterans and special-effects masters Dennis Muren and Phil Tippett provide the loose-and-lazy commentary on The Giant Behemoth, which consists mostly of Muren making sarcastic jokes about the film's glacial pacing. It's hardly the authoritative commentary that some fans might've hoped for, but Muren and Tippett are well-versed in special-effects history (Muren even owns the original stop-motion Behemoth creature model), and they share an infectious enthusiasm for the films that inspired them to excel in their profession. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Extremely Fun Boxset.......2007-06-30

If you like 50's sci-fi, this set is a must have. Nice widescreen, anamorphic prints of all 3 films--50 Foot Woman and Giant Behemoth are b& w, Queen of Outer Space is in glorious Cinemascope color!

The Giant Behemoth is another solid 50's stop-motion effect giant monster movie, in the vein of Beast from 20,0000 Fathoms, The Black Scorpion and others. Very enjoyable.

Attack of the 50 Foot Woman is actually not as campily bad as it's usually hyped. The special effects are occasionally lackluster and do add a comedy element, but the acting, dialogue, cinematography and score are all decent. Pretty standard, fun 50's sci-fi.

Queen of Outer Space--now this is the camp classic! From this movie, I learned that the only women who don't welcome overt sexual harassment from leering, agressive men are the ones who are too hideously disfigured to be the object of said advances! Imagine Forbidden Planet, with all the cool special effects and engaging plot themes removed and replaced with lots of scantily-clad alien beauties and 50's era "battle of the sexes" dialogue--on the planet Venus, of course! Botchino! Botchino!

All in all, a very fun set for fans of 50's sci-fi.

Outstanding treatment of 3 sci-fi camp classics.......2007-06-27

This three-pack is an interesting collection of B features that are typical of what was churned out pretty regularly by some of the lesser studios that were capitalizing on the sci-fi films that were popular during the 1950's. These B pictures often came out campy, and these three are a best-of-breed collection that make for great fun. Like Dr. Johnny Fever whose DJ career took a plunge after he said the word "booger" on the air until he eventually landed at low-rent WKRP, you have to wonder how some of the talent involved in these productions wound up in this position. You've got bad directors gone worse, special effects artists going the way of Ed Wood, and girls gone wild - all the makings of some great cheesy fun. What is so great about this pack is that Warner Home Video cleaned up the video and audio on these films quite nicely, and even put commentary tracks on these films. Not even James Cagney merited a commentary track in his Signature Collection! The films and their features are as follows:

Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958)
A great case of camp and sci-fi meeting a love triangle. Poor little rich girl Nancy Archer has been drinking heavily since she found out her husband has been cheating on her, and it has recently caused her to do a stretch in an asylum - there was no such thing as substance abuse clinics back then. When Nancy drives off angrily into the desert one night she has an encounter with a very big alien who infects her with his largesse. Now we have a very big girl with one bad attitude on our hands intent on taking the nearby town apart to find her husband. I used to see this one on the UHF channels late at night back in the early 70's when I was babysitting. Great fun.
DVD Special Features:
Commentary by Yvette Vickers and film historian Tom Weaver
Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)

The Giant Behemoth (1958)
Here's another movie where metabolism has been altered, this time by science and radioactive fallout. This was one of the later giant creature movies of the 1950's, and it hasn't been as fondly remembered as its forerunner "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms", but it is still great fun. This time a giant brachiosaurus, greatly enlarged due to improperly dumped radioactive material, emerges from the sea and is intent on destroying London. The poverty row budget shows in this one in spite of the presence of some skilled technicians that had worked on King Kong and The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. Wires are often clearly visible, as is footage of one car being destroyed by the giant beast being used repeatedly in the movie as though they are different events.
DVD Special Features:
Commentary by veteran special effects creators Dennis Muren and Phil Tippett (The Academy Award winning visual effects and dinosaur supervisors of "Jurassic Park" provide insight into this ground-breaking stop-motion monster.)
Theatrical trailer
Subtitles: English & French (Feature Film Only)

Queen of Outer Space (1958)
This campy outer space movie has a captain and his crew landing on a planet where men are not allowed. However, not all of the residents of the planet are happy about this edict. Thus it comes down to the man-hating queen versus the planet's leading scientist (Zsa Zsa Gabor). To add to the suspense, like Marvin Martian, Queen Yllana wants to blow up the earth. Everyone in this film seems to know they are starring in a campy production and they are just having fun with it. This movie actually borrowed its sets, costumes, and special effects from "Flight To Mars", "Forbidden Planet", and "World Without End", and has a screenplay by the renowned Ben Hecht of all people.
DVD Special Features:
Commentary by Laurie Mitchell and film historian Tom Weaver
Theatrical Trailer
Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)

Good to see these films again.......2007-06-26

Prints for these films look fine, and it's good to see such modest movies cleaned up and given the DVD treatment, though some purists will question the minor letterboxing on "50 ft. Woman" and "Behemoth". Yvette Vickers commentary on "50 ft. Woman" is a treat. She remembers the film well and speaks fondly of it and of her time spent making the movie. Be aware though: the advertisements say the trailer for "Woman" is on the DVD, but for some reason it isn't. Strange: probably an oversight. "Behemoth" looks sharp and clear, but Dennis Muren and Phil Tippet's commentary does a great disservice. They clearly don't respect the film at all, and spend much of their time insulting it, even mocking it, before wrapping up with "well, I guess now we know why they never made a sequel to this movie." Wish they'd had some affection for the film, or had at least familiarized themselves with it before offering such caustic feedback. By the ninth or tenth time they say, "Ray Harryhausen would have done this SO MUCH better" the novelty wears thin, and one wonders what Harryhausen himself might have said about the movie. "Queen of Outer Space" has the novelty of color, and the surprising pedigree of a Ben Hecht screen story. Kudos to Warner Bros. for putting these films out, and yes, the "Behemoth" disc has the often cut ferryboat scene, for those who are interested. Too bad about the shoddy "Behemoth" commentary, but fans should enjoy thoroughly these long-awaited B movies.

These are not real movies............2007-06-23

real Movies have great casting and scripts to work with. None of these B-movies have any of that. They are not even scary. They are just so badly made and it;s no wonder that few if any of these actors ever found work again.

What a bargain!.......2007-06-08

If you enjoy 1950s campy B movies, then I don't see you going wrong here with this first set. For details just search each of the movie titles and you see each movie alone runs almost as much as this set and you will see from the reviews they are all kind of legends as far as the genre goes. They actually are some of the best of that period of B movies. I know I like all three of these in this set. I can say I compare the "50 ft Woman" to the "War of the Colossal Beast" and "The Giant Behemoth" to "Beast from 20,000 Fathoms". The last one with Zsa Zsa Gabor on the planet of women is not to be missed if nothing more than to see how far we had plunged into skimpily clad women with bad lines in B class SciFi moviedom. Hmmm does B stand for bad? Well even if it does these movies are entertaining for most fans of science fiction.

The first two movies in the set are black and white movies but they look like they have been gone over and cleaned up. "Queen of Outer Space" is in color and very clear and sharp. I got my set a few days ago so my wife and I watched the first two in the set a couple nights ago and the third last night. All the DVDs are sharp and clear. Each had a commentary available by someone in the movie. "Does anyone know if the costumes, sets, and music for "Queen of Outer Space" was done by people that later worked on "Star Trek"? The mens uniforms and radios definitely looked like they came from the "Forbidden Planet" wardrobe. I'm definitely glad I got this set.

Average customer rating:

"What happens if a car comes?" "We die."
Awesome
The Notebook
My favorite movie!
Unforgettable Summer Romance

The Notebook (New Line Platinum Series)
Starring: Tim Ivey , Gena Rowlands , Starletta DuPois , James Garner , and Anthony-Michael Q. Thomas
Director: Nick Cassavetes
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

New Line Platinum Series | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Notebook
A Walk to Remember
The Lake House (Widescreen Edition)
Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Wedding Crashers - Unrated (Widescreen New Line Platinum Series)

ASIN: B000683VI4
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Amazon.com

When you consider that old-fashioned tearjerkers are an endangered species in Hollywood, a movie like The Notebook can be embraced without apology. Yes, it's syrupy sweet and clogged with clichés, and one can only marvel at the irony of Nick Cassavetes directing a weeper that his late father John--whose own films were devoid of saccharine sentiment--would have sneered at. Still, this touchingly impassioned and great-looking adaptation of the popular Nicholas Sparks novel has much to recommend, including appealing young costars (Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams) and appealing old costars (James Garner and Gena Rowlands, the director's mother) playing the same loving couple in (respectively) early 1940s and present-day North Carolina. He was poor, she was rich, and you can guess the rest; decades later, he's unabashedly devoted, and she's drifting into the memory-loss of senile dementia. How their love endured is the story preserved in the titular notebook that he reads to her in their twilight years. The movie's open to ridicule, but as a delicate tearjerker it works just fine. Message in a Bottle and A Walk to Remember were also based on Sparks novels, suggesting a triple-feature that hopeless romantics will cherish. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Behind every great love is a great story. Two teenagers from opposite sides of the tracks fall in love during one summer together, but are tragically forced apart. When they reunite 7 years later, their passionate romance is rekindled, forcing one of them to choose between true love and class order.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:2 Commentaries --Director Nick Cassavettes --Novelist Nicholas Sparks
DVD ROM Features
Deleted Scenes:12 Deleted Scenes
Documentaries:Nick Cassavetes Profile Featurette Author Nicholas Sparks Featurette Locating "The Notebook" Featurette Casting Noah and Allie featurette
Othe