DVD

Average customer rating:

Pumpkinbore
Its alright
Ok I guess
Creepy Vision from Director Stan Winston
One of the best monster movies out there...

Pumpkinhead
Starring: Lance Henriksen , Jeff East , John D'Aquino , Kimberly Ross , and Joel Hoffman
Director: Stan Winston
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

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Pumpkinhead 2 - Blood Wings
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ASIN: 0792846478
Release Date: 2000-08-01

Amazon.com

A starkly original visual treat, this Halloween-themed exercise in terror is uncommonly well made, seeking to add yet another creature to horror film lore. A group of teenagers camping in a remote mountain resort accidentally kill a boy and cover it up, and his aggrieved father (Lance Henriksen) vows revenge. Enlisting the help of a local witch, he conjures up a mythic demonic monster to kill those responsible for his son's death. The plot and dialogue are not very original, but the creepy mood and some fine work by director Stan Winston (the special effects whiz behind Jurassic Park) make Pumpkinhead an eerie gothic horror tale and great viewing for Halloween nights. --Robert Lane

Description

Lance Henriksen (Aliens, Millenium ) stars in this vivid, stylish, atmospheric (The Hollywood Reporter) and heart-poundingly scary fright fest directed by four-time OscarÂ(r)winner* Stan Winston and written by Mark Patrick Carducci and Gary Gerani. When a group of rambunctious teenagers inadvertently kill his only son, Ed Harley (Henriksen) seeks the magic of a backwoods witch to bring the child back. But when she tells him the child's death is irrevocable, his grief develops into an all-consuming desire...for revenge! Defying superstition, he and the witch invoke 'the pumpkinhead a monstrously clawed and fanged demon which, once reborn, answers only to Ed's bloodlust. But as the invincible creature wreaks its slow, unspeakable tortures on the teens, Ed confronts a horrifying secret about his connection to the beastand realizes that he must find a way tostop its deadly mission before he becomes one with it forever! *1986: Visual Effects, Aliens; 1991: Visual Effects, Make-Up, Terminator 2: Judgment Day; 1993: Visual Effects, Jurassic Park

Customer Reviews:

Pumpkinbore.......2007-07-01

My Dad loved this movie. The difference between he & I is that he grew up with the Universal monsters, his childhood was filled to the brim with slimey, hairy, ugly, disgusting, vile creatures, so he was always partial to anything with a demon in it.

I, on the other hand, have always hated this movie. I hated it when I was young, and hated it when I watched it about 7 years ago. I've given it a third and final chance and, safe to say, I still hate it. It sucks, that's it.

But why does it suck? Well, numerous reasons, but I'll pinpoint the main ones:

- the acting. yes, it's an 80's B movie, but still, come on, the "teenagers" were just abysmal, with these horribly fading in & out JFK accents.
- severely cliche...well, everything. from the twilight zone "twist" end, to the campy dialogue.
- the monster looked like a joke. it didn't look like a monster so much as it seemed more like a really tall, really thin, old man.

I'm sure Winston made this with the idea of paying homage to the likes of The Creature From the Black Lagoon, but in comparison to the vastly superior movies of the 50's Pumpkinhead is just Pumpkinseed.

Its alright.......2007-06-20

Plot: A father and his son live alone together and run some kind of store out it the country. Some 'city people' show up and one accidentely hits the fathers son with his motorcycle. The father wants revenge and goes and hires some witch to conjure up this demon called Pumpkinhead to kill all of them but gets more than be bargained for. He starts to have some kind of psychic connection with the Demon, then when he figures out how bad he screwed up he tries to kill it himself.

The atmosphere is good. Very eerie, Good use of colors, perfect movie to watch on Halloween. Only reason I give it 3 stars is cause im not big into monsters but its really like 4 stars for people who like that stuff. If youre into monsters and fairy tales and stuff like that youll like this one. Its more a kids type of movie to me. Overall, it was a good story but nothing spectacular.

Ok I guess.......2007-05-05

My biggest gripe with this movie is that it credits Richard Weinman with the story when in actual fact it originally appeared in an old warren magazine EERIE #11. In fact, the cover depicts the same creature, same color in the same type of swamp. It seems movie makers today (1980s to the present) can only steal ideas, not create them. Unless you happened to have grew up in the 1970s, loving comic books, you won't be privy to how much today is swiped in both books and movies and entertainment in general.

Creepy Vision from Director Stan Winston.......2007-02-18

Horror can be defined in many ways and by many names. Add PUMPKINHEAD to that list!
Actor Lance Henriksen (one of the most underated actors in film history in my opinion) makes this film a timeless and authentic horror classic. Right up there with The Evil Dead only nobody will be laughing.

Watch what you do or PUMPKINHEAD will be looking for you.

One of the best monster movies out there..........2007-02-11

Pumpkinhead is scary and awesome at the same time. I watched this when I was around three years old. I've seen it almost a dozen times since then. This is one of my favorite movies of all times. You should definetley buy this if you want to be scared.

Average customer rating:

WORTH GOLD JUST FOR ANN'S PRIMITIVE MAN ROUTINE!
New York, New York, it's a wonderful town !!!
Still the Prototype for All the Great MGM Musicals Thanks Mainly to the Dazzling Kelly-Donen Choreography
Toast of the Town
On The Town 1949

On the Town
Starring: Florence Bates , Bea Benaderet , Don Brodie , Claire Carleton , and Tom Dugan
Director: Gene Kelly
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00004RF9J
Release Date: 2000-05-02

Amazon.com essential video

New York, New York--it's a helluva town; the Bronx is up and the Battery's down; the people ride in a hole in the ground.... Well, you get the idea. Those lyrics (by Betty Comden and Adolph Green), set to Leonard Bernstein's music, have made On the Town a permanent part of the psychological landscape of New York City. The story (inspired by Jerome Robbins's ballet Fancy Free) is pretty slight: Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Jules Munshin play sailors with 24 hours' leave to take their bite out of the Big Apple. When they meet, and then lose, this month's Miss Turnstiles (Vera-Ellen), they scour the town in search of her, bumping into a lady anthropologist (Ann Miller) along the way. Shot mostly in the studio, but with location exteriors all over town, from Coney Island to the Statue of Liberty to Central Park, this 1949 gem was the first of three great musicals codirected by Kelly and Stanley Donen, followed by Singin' in the Rain (1952) and the underrated It's Always Fair Weather (1955). --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

WORTH GOLD JUST FOR ANN'S PRIMITIVE MAN ROUTINE!.......2007-06-14

Just think, 58 years ago, a few years after a horrible war ended, and a new "Cold War" was beginning, MGM decided to do a full color musical about 3 over-age sailors hitting the town (NYC) for a short 24-hour leave! Today, it's hard to imagine any studio making such a terrific song and dance flick, one that is as close to perfect as you can get. You have Ann Miller, stealing the show singing and tapping, and amusing everyone in an unbeatable role for the ages! Vera Ellen almost as good, and perfect in the "Miss Turnstile" act knocking down even the toughest guys! A tough girl cabbie brassing it out with none other than the #1 Star of all time (Frank, if you need to ask) here playing a thoughtful near- straight man, along with the 3 Stooges-like (think a slim Curlie) Jules Mushin, and a typically loud and flamboyent Gene Kelly. All the song& dance acts are top of the line, the scenery is great, the whimsy tough to beat, with just a very few dated routines (mainly with the rather sad roommate). And the Empire State act with Mushin "hanging out" actually gave me a slight case of vertigo! But I could fly through the incredible primitive man act at least omce a month and still not get bored, corny or not!

New York, New York, it's a wonderful town !!!.......2007-03-14

New York, New York, a helluva town.
The Bronx is up, but the Battery's down.
The people ride in a hole in the groun'.
New York, New York, it's a helluva town!

On The Town let MGM showcase some of their very finest talents: Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly and Jules Munshin play three sailors who get a 24 hour pass to see the city. These men play their roles as Chip, Gabey and Ozzie magnificently. They sing and dance with three wonderfully talented ladies: Betty Garrett plays Brunhilde 'Hilde' Esterhazy, Chip's love interest; Ann Miller portrays Claire Huddesen, Ozzie's flirting partner for the day and Vera-Ellen plays Ivy Smith, or "Miss Turnstiles," who is chased after by Gabey.

The movie plot is not very sophisticated; the idea of three sailors on shore leave to see the New York City and find some girls to celebrate with does not require much imagination. However, this remains a classic musical from "The Dream Factory" even today. The song and dance numbers impress me and the campy dance number in the archeological museum amused me and impressed me both at the same time.

The Technicolor cinematography is excellent; and it is my understanding that this was one of the first films, if not the first, to ever be filmed at least partly on location in New York City. The choreography will never cease to amaze you and hold your attention; I couldn't believe how fast Ann Miller could spin around like a top as she danced her way through one of several gigantic and splashy song and dance routines. Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Jules Munshin shine as they dance; and Vera-Ellen dances to perfection as well. Wow!

MGM wanted to inject some humor and some mild suspense into the plot so there is the scene in the archeological museum where an exhibit is destroyed and of course the cops begin the chase for our heroes. The car chase scene reflects careful planning and much forethought.

I completely agree with the reviewer who writes that the film allows the actors to play parts that they could excel at before they became famous for performing other types of roles. For example, Frank Sinatra DOES play a somewhat introverted soul instead of the much rougher guy or "a heavy" as he did in his later years.

Betty Comden and Adolph Green wrote magnificent lyrics for the songs; and the music by Leonard Bernstein could not be any better. Top notch talent!

The DVD does not come with many extras. The best "extra" really is the three minute theatrical trailer for the movie. You can access scenes one at a time or just view the whole movie straight through as I did. There are French subtitles, too.

Despite the many years since On The Town was filmed, this movie remains a classic musical from "Hollywood's Dream Factory," MGM. I am confident that On The Town will remain a classic musical for quite some while to come as well. The dancing, the singing, the filming on location and the superlative cast all make for a timeless and somewhat sweetly sentimental masterpiece.

I highly recommend this film for fans of classic movie musicals. People who enjoy MGM musicals in particular will forgive the thin plot and love this musical forever. Great job, everyone!

Still the Prototype for All the Great MGM Musicals Thanks Mainly to the Dazzling Kelly-Donen Choreography.......2006-11-02

While 1952's "Singin' in the Rain" is definitely the more accomplished musical film, I think this buoyant 1949 classic best typifies what MGM produced during Hollywood's golden era when talents were at their peak. Co-directed by Gene Kelly and a 25-year old Stanley Donen in his feature film directing debut, the movie has a consistently propulsive energy thanks mainly to the remarkable choreography by Kelly and Donen, the seamless blend of Leonard Bernstein's familiar music with studio tunesmith Roger Edens' original compositions, and the sheer ebullience of the performers.

Written by the estimable team of Betty Comden and Adolph Green, the threadbare plot is simply about three sailors - Gabey, Chip and Ozzie - on a 24-hour leave in New York City and the women they meet and romance. Based on a subway poster, womanizing Gabey falls for Miss Turnstiles and spends his time searching for her. Phobia-ridden Ozzie finds romance with anthropology student Claire, while timid Chip is focused on sightseeing in spite of the persistent attentions of aggressive lady cab driver Hildy. The closest the story comes to dramatic tension is in the deceptions around Miss Turnstiles, who is not the big-time celebrity Gabey assumes she is but an aspiring ballerina named Ivy, who has to work nights as an exotic dancer in Coney Island.

The film is obviously at its best when it's focused on the musical sequences - beginning with the actual locations used for "New York, New York" in establishing the sailors' energetic arrival, continuing with the elaborate "Prehistoric Man" number at the Museum of Natural History and bouncing through the title tune ensemble with all six principals singing and dancing their way down from atop the Empire State Building. Everyone gets a chance to shine, though as Gabey, Gene Kelly clearly dominates with his graceful athleticism. As Chip, an overshadowed Frank Sinatra mainly gets to sing to Betty Garrett, who admirably contains her brassiness as Hildy.

Though hardly believable as an academic type, Ann Miller gets to tap impressively during "Prehistoric Man", and rubber-faced Jules Munshin provides mostly comedy relief as Ozzie. When dancing rather than acting to deceive Gabey, Vera-Ellen dazzles as Ivy from the fantasy-laden "Miss Turnstiles Ballet" to her superb duets with Kelly on "Main Street" and "A Day in New York Ballet". The only sour note is the patronizing attitude toward Hildy's squawk-voiced roommate Lucy (played with gumption by the original Gladys Kravitz from "Bewitched", Alice Pearce). Harold Rosson's color-saturated cinematography has been maintained quite well in the print transfer on the 2000 DVD, though the only extra is the now-battered theatrical trailer.

Toast of the Town.......2006-04-24

Even though this is not the musical in which Gene Kelly dances with Jerry the mouse, the 1949 film ON THE TOWN still has much that is cartoonish about it--and that's not a bad thing. It is cheerfully outlandish, in the way all the best animated cartoons of the era were. It's one unlikely or downright absurd event after the other, and like a good Bugs Bunny short, the audience knows that suspension of disbelief goes without saying. We delight in the absurdity.

The story of three sailors on 24-hour leave and the NYC gals they pick up during their various misadventures should logically be fast-paced, which the film certainly is, or even a little frenzied, which it is not. Despite the crawling time-line, which should theoretically make the viewer feel as though time's a-wastin', the action almost seems suspended in time, rather than weighted down by it. It's the old romantic notion of one day lasting forever. And in such a magical setting, who needs to sleep? And there can't possibly be truly serious consequences for a lady cab driver failing to turn in her car for the next shift or for that matter for destroying a dinosaur at the Museum of Natural History.

All that absurdity opens up a world of anarchic fun--just as in the best cartoons--and even the most staid of audiences can briefly escape into this loony world of antics with no consequences and true love found at the drop of a sailor's cap.

And it's all done to a great Comden-Green and Bernstein score (much taken from the Broadway play of the same name on which it is based) and handled with aplomb by its talented cast. The casting is near perfect, with Kelly and Frank Sinatra heading an able cast of singers, dancers and comic actors. Ann Miller and Vera-Ellen shine in their dance numbers, and Betty Garrett and Alice Pearce are remarkable for their comic--as well as their musical--timing. Probably the only disputable casting would be that of Sinatra as a somewhat nerdy, control freak. But it's nice to see him out of the "ring a ding ding" mode for once.

ON THE TOWN's great entertainment--and like so much of the entertainment of the era expresses a joy and optimism that now seems (sadly) naive to us today.

A previous reviewer noted, in fact, that the film was emblematic of the post-WW II optimism that dominated American culture in the late 40s and early 50s. That's for sure. This is a world in which sailors can get in a bit of trouble (on leave) but are not about to get blown up (on duty). And it's also a world, in which invoking military honor and sacrifice can get excuse a bit of nautical mischief.

Probably the sole bit of sobering realism is the fact that when the gobs and the gals say goodbye at the dock the next morn, they don't promise to stay in touch. Not even Gene and Vera, who have declared true love.

The audience members can draw their own conclusions. But with all this free floating optimism how can they conclude anything other than a romatic reunion--for all three couples?

We can suspend our disbelief on that point too.

On The Town 1949.......2006-04-12

New York , New York , its a wonderful town -especially when sailors Gene Kelly (1912-1996) , Frank Sinatra (1915-1998) , Jules Munshin (1915-1970) have a 24-hour shore leave to see sighs..and when those sights include Ann Miller (1923-2004) , Betty Garrett (1919- ) , and Vera-Ellen (1921-1981) . Co-directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen (1924- ) , based on the broadway hit . On the town changes the landscape of movie musicals , opening filmaker?s eyes to what could be done on location and when brilliant location and Studio production numbers are blended , it could be -as here -embulient , up-and-at-?m perfection . The Bronx is up and the batterys down , butno one can be down after going on the town . Super,Super Musical , your see a wonderful performance and how N.Y looks in 1949 and buildings and people have gone long time ago , it?s a time capsule for nostalgic tours . Transfer in Ultra-Resolution Quality picture . Recommended

Average customer rating:

One of the Best Movies
if you love bull terriers....
Wonderful story

It's a Dog's Life
Starring: Jeff Richards , Jarma Lewis , Edmund Gwenn , Dean Jagger , and Willard Sage
Director: Herman Hoffman
Manufacturer: MGM (Warner)
ProductGroup: Video
Binding: VHS Tape

Anderson, Richard | ( A ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Fraser, Sally | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Gwenn, Edmund | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Jagger, Dean | ( J ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Kulky, Henry | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Richards, Jeff | ( R ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

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Hoffman, Herman | ( H ) | Directors | VHS | Video

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best Movies.......1999-03-08

This is my favorite movie of all time!! My grandmother saw this movie in the theater back in time and she was able to get a copy of it and play it for me when I was 7 years old(I'm 23) and it has been my favorite since then. It is a great story and the whole family will love it.

if you love bull terriers...........1999-02-06

if you love bull terriers youll love this movie. i have tried to find it for a long time. thank you amazon.com! this is a great movie thats funny and has a happy ending. much better than "baxter" and fortunately dosent show any fighting. its plot is simple, the life of a bully. kind of a rags to riches to rags to riches again story. youll see some beautiful bullies, and some different colors of bull terriers. since it was made in the 50s, youll see why your bullie acts like it does. what a great breed!

Wonderful story.......1998-12-14

This movie is nice family movie. Through the story you learn about how the bull terrier breed evolved from a gaming dog to its current primary status as a show dog and family pet.Well done and entertaining. Along the lines of a disney story using the dog as the main character and narrator.

Average customer rating:

WORTH GOLD JUST FOR ANN'S PRIMITIVE MAN ROUTINE!
New York, New York, it's a wonderful town !!!
Still the Prototype for All the Great MGM Musicals Thanks Mainly to the Dazzling Kelly-Donen Choreography
Toast of the Town
On The Town 1949

On the Town
Starring: Florence Bates , Bea Benaderet , Don Brodie , Claire Carleton , and Tom Dugan
Director: Gene Kelly
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: Video
Binding: VHS Tape

Bates, Florence | ( B ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Brodie, Don | ( B ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Ellen, Vera | ( E ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Garrett, Betty | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Holliday, Judy | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Kelly, Gene | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Pearce, Alice | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Sinatra, Frank | ( S ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Williams, Robert | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Kelly, Gene | ( K ) | Directors | VHS | Video

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | VHS | Video

Deals Under $8 | Today's Deals in Video | Features | VHS | Video

Anchors Aweigh
An American in Paris
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Singin' in the Rain (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Summer Stock

ASIN: 6302363306
Release Date: 1995-02-24

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

WORTH GOLD JUST FOR ANN'S PRIMITIVE MAN ROUTINE!.......2007-06-14

New York, New York, it's a wonderful town !!!.......2007-03-14

Still the Prototype for All the Great MGM Musicals Thanks Mainly to the Dazzling Kelly-Donen Choreography.......2006-11-02

Toast of the Town.......2006-04-24

On The Town 1949.......2006-04-12

Average customer rating:

Tops is a work of genius

Films of Charles & Ray Eames Volume 5
Starring: Deborah Sussman , Dick Hoffman , Nan Martin , Philip Abbott , and Dolores Sutton
Director: Ray Eames , Charles Eames , and Glen Fleck
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

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( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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The Films of Charles & Ray Eames, Vol. 6
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Films of Charles & Ray Eames Vol. 2

ASIN: B000051S7C
Release Date: 2000-12-19

Description

Charles and Ray Eames are among the finest designers of the 20th century. They are best known for their groundbreaking contributions to architecture, furniture design, industrial design and manufacturing. The legacy of this husband and wife team includes more than 75 films that reflect the breadth and depth of their interests. Volume 5 of this DVD collection includes nine of the Eames's unique films: Tops (1969, 7 min.), IBM at the Fair (1965, 8 min.), A Computer Glossary (1968, 9 min.), Eames Lounge Chair (1956, 2 min.), The Expanding Airport (1958, 9 min.), Kepler's Laws (1974, 3 min.), Bread (1953, 7 min.), Polyorchis Haplus (1973, 3 min.), Tops [from Stars of Jazz] (1958, 4 min.).

Customer Reviews:

Tops is a work of genius.......2000-12-22

PLEASE NOTE: Amazon is calling this Volume 6, but it's actually Volume 5. (Click on the enlarged picture and you can plainly see that it's Volume 5.)

Volume 5 contains: Tops, IBM at the Fair, A Computer Glossary, Eames Lounge Chair, The Expanding Airport, Kepler's Laws, Bread, Polyorchis Haplus and a rarely seen precursor to Tops, (also called Tops.)

Customer Reviews:

"Get with the program, kid....or get the hell out.".......2006-11-15

Written and directed by Scott Wiper (Pearl Harbor), who also stars, A Better Way to Die (2000) features Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba, Young Guns), Andre Braugher ("Homicide: Life on the Street"), Natasha Henstridge (Species), Wayne Duvall (The Fan), Matt Gallini (2 Fast 2 Furious), Carmen Argenziano (Blue Streak), Mirjana Jokovic (Side Streets), Jefferson Moore (The Perfect Stranger), and Joe `Joey Pants' Pantoliano (The Matrix, Memento). Speaking of better ways to die, if I could choose the method of my demise, I think a pretty good way to go would be under an avalanche of Jessica Alba clones...

As the movie begins we see three Chicago undercover cops, including a rookie named Boomer (Wiper), waiting to hook up with some underworld types, which they do, but things go down badly (the criminals get word ahead of time the men are with the police), leading to Boomer deciding to quit the force and move out to the country to be with his girlfriend Kelly, played by Henstridge (smart move as Ms. Henstridge certainly has it going on). Anyway, around this time we learn of a gooberment agent named Harrison James (Moore), who's got information that could effectively bust up a national security threat in the form of a spy ring run by a mysterious criminal kingpin named Van Adder, has gone missing, and Special Agent William Dexter (Phillips) is tasked to find the man...only thing is, given the covert nature of James' work, seems no one is really sure what he looks like. Various events, of which I won't go into, all lead up to Boomer being mistaken for James (primarily because they sound alike over the phone) by numerous parties, including Van Adder's men, who've been assigned to kill James, among them a hired gun named Cleveland, played by Braugher. Things get extremely complicated and very messy as Boomer is drawn further into the situation and various individuals get killed along the way. All the twists and turns eventually lead to Boomer being forced to take on James' identity if only to find a way out, along with a surprising revelation in terms of the identity of Van Adder himself...

As far as independent action films go, I thought this one was really good, a diamond in the rough, in fact. The story's a little convoluted, and there seems, at times, more characters than necessary running about, but Wiper does a good job in keeping things orderly and moving along at a good pace. One aspect I appreciated a lot about the film was the fact characters were often shown reloading their weapons as it added a slight realistic touch often overlooked within the genre. This may not seem all that important, and it probably isn't, but I can't tell you how many action films I've seen where you never see a character reload making it seem like their weapon has unlimited firing potential. I'm guessing one of Wiper's influences may have been John Woo, as there are a few action sequences that seem to emulate his style, but not to the point where it felt like Wiper was copying directly from Woo's films, at least my opinion...another element I like were the comedic touches interspersed throughout the film. My favorite bit comes as a bunch of gooberment agents are in a conference room, being briefed on one of James' contacts, a sleazy, greasy, balding, chubby, former agent named Rifkin (Duvall) whose blind (complete with milky eyes), sports a ginormous scar on his face, and teeth that look much like baked beans. As the agents are watching some surveillance video featuring Rifkin, Rifkin turns to face the general direction of the hidden camera and all the agents turn in disgust given the man's extreme ugliness. I think I described the scene pretty well, but it's really something better seen than read about as the reactions are very relatable. There is sort of a cartoon like element with Wiper's character in that it seemed every other scene he was getting seriously smacked around, along with having to implement unusual, and generally disgusting, methods of escape from perilous situations. In one scene he's brawling in what appears to be a pigpen (full of muck but sans any swine) as someone chucks an incendiary through the window. Boomer manages to escape by making use of nearby sewer pipe, most likely filled with the same material that was in the pen. This may sound bad but there's an earlier scene that's much worse, one that takes place in a secluded cabin, as Boomer is forced to hide in a very uncomfortable place. As far as the performances I thought most everyone did pretty well and there was enough talent from some recognizable faces to make this a better than expected experience. I did notice a few plot holes (one major one at the end), but overall there felt a strong and entertaining effort, so it was easy for me to dismiss some of the perceived flaws in the production. The film is rated R, but not because of any nekkidness (if you wanna see Ms. Henstridge in the buff go watch Species) but because of depicted violence and a whole lot of swearing (the latter seemed a bit excessive, but then again if someone was shooting at me on a regular basis, I'd probably let the profanities fly). All in all this is a solid, entertaining action feature, one that was much better than I would have credited it for prior to viewing.

The picture on this DVD release, presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1), looks sharp and clean, and the audio, available in English 5.1 Dolby Digital and English 2.0 Dolby Surround, comes through well. Other audio options are as follows; French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, and Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Digital. Extra features include an audio commentary track with writer/director Wiper, a theatrical trailer for the film, detailed biographies/filmographies on the cast & crew, and subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai.

Cookieman108

Hidden Gem !.......2006-02-17

This movie is awesome. The opening scene dialogue between Carlos, Fletcher, Boomer in the car and later with the dealers is an excellent piece of script; powerful, exciting and packs a wicked punch. The rest of the movie is action packed throughout. The story line is great and unravels with many unexpected twists. Boomer plays his role extremely well while the other cast members bring the exact acting touch necessary for each character to fit perfectly into this script. This movie is underrated and should have been a box office hit. The writer succesfully managed to entwine action, romance, humour and suspense in one movie script. I have viewed this movie many times. A great movie to be added to a home collection.

NOBODY'S NERVOUS.......2002-09-08

A Better Way To Die is a action-packed,dark-comedy about a ex-chicago-cop named "Boomer" who quits the force after his partner is killed in a undercover drug bust by ruthless gangters, and desides to go up north to wire things up with his estranged girlfriend, but on the way he gets robbed,shot at,beaten,framed,and his girlfriend killed in the process, and is mistakenly identified as a missing FBI agent the Chicago mob and corrupt FBI agents are trying to track down which leads Boomer to a quest of bloodshed and revenge.

A Better Way to die is the best action-packed film of the year 2000, and its dark humor and hilarious gun fights and won't leave viewers disapointed. I highly recommend A BETTER WAY TO DIE.

A Good Action Movie with Solid Cast.......2002-01-05

"A Better Way to Die" provides what action flick fans would like to see -- like, a twisted plot peppered with bullets-showering shoot-outs -- and moreover, it is proud of the solid supporting cast.

The star (and writer & director) is Scott Wiper, who plays the role of 'Boomer', who, tired of violence in the police work, decided to go to his love (Henstridge), only to find himself involved another chain of bloody violence, being mistaken for "Harry," missing agent who went away with a secret of the government. To hunt down the hero, lots of hitmen (including Andre Braugher, seen with Nicholas Cage in "City of Angels" and with Paul Giamatti in "Duets") chase him, his love, and whoever he is concerned, causing many body counts on their way. The story itself is, frankly, very unbelievable, but thanks to Scott Wiper's impressive skills of direction to produce the high-octane action scenes, it is always entertaining, if too violent sometimes.

But there are still some flaws; some of the supporting cast, most notably Joe Pantliano (seen in "Memento" as Teddy), is given too short screen time to give vitality to the film. Henstridge is also wasted in a minor role, so her fans would not appreciate her being in this movie very much, and the star Scott Wiper's acting (a little one-dimentional) seems to pale beside these colorful cast.

However, the movie itself is a fast-paced, good action film, and certainly Wiper has a considerable talent to create an exciting gun-fight scenes with unexpected off-beat humor. But the best thing of the film is always underrated Braugher, who astonishes us, portraying the hitman's humane side and menace at the same time. Watching him act is another fun you can get in "A Better Way to Die."

A hidden treasure. Where did this come from?.......2001-08-04

Boomer (Scott Wiper) is tired of all the violence in his job and the city that he lives in. He decides to quit the police force and return home to a small town and his girlfriend (Natasha Henstridge). On the way home he is mistaken for a government operative and becomes the target of several hitmen and a government agent (Lou Diamond Phillips).

After reading nothing but great reviews everywhere I looked, I decided to finally pick up this movie and I was not disappointed. This is a movie all action fans will love. There is also a great plot and the story serves up several twists and turns. The great thing is not many of them are predictable. This film was written, directed and stars Scott Wiper. He has also put together a great cast including Andre Braugher, Joe Pantoliano, Natasha Henstridge and Lou Diamond Phillips. I can't wait to see more of his work.

Customer Reviews:

"A case to Watch".......2007-01-11

Very surprising movie. Great Performances by Jennifer Grey, Eugene Roche and Samantha Eggars. I don't think that I have ever seen Peter Berg in too many other films. In the 40s this would've been called a B-Movie, but quality wise it gets an A. Surprising, but logical ending. In the last scene Berg echoes Cagney's famous last line from "White Heat". Movie will really hold your interest.

AN INTERESTING STORY, PERFORMED WITH SKILL........2004-09-30

An interesting scenario, solid direction and capable acting combine in lifting this suspense film above the pack. Although the storyline abounds with melodramatic episodes leading to the solution of two murders, the editing provides a model of how to move a work towards its climax without becoming prey to incongruity. It is fair to say that this is one of the few attempts in cinema to utilize dialogue in a creative, i.e., aesthetic, fashion by having all of the major characters speak in a realistic syntax, utilizing restatement and repetition, as is customary with most of us. Intensity is heightened as well as interest developed for the players. Despite the film having obviously cost less than a pretty penny, director Duncan Gibbins derives fine performances for the actors by permitting them adequate camera time for displaying emotion. Peter Berg, Jennifer Grey and Belinda Bauer prove their worth in their roles. With all of the filming in and about Chicago, production design and art direction were both appropriate. There is a nicely flexible score by composer Randy Miller. A CASE FOR MURDER is not a whodunit; it is grounded with solid filmmaking, requiring some attention by the viewer to determine the forces that move the principals.

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Comments index for A Case for Murder

Average customer rating:

FILMS ARE ENJOYABLE, DVD IS NOT
Haunted houses

House on Haunted Hill
Starring: Vincent Price , Carolyn Craig , Richard Long , Elisha Cook Jr. , and Carol Ohmart
Director: William Castle , and William Malone
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Pet Sematary Two
Beyond Re-Animator
Justice League Unlimited - Season Two (DC Comics Classic Collection)
Black Christmas (Special Edition)
Re-Animator

ASIN: B000FOPPBU
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Description

Welcome to the House on Haunted Hill, where the host pays you to stay! There'll be no valets, no mints on pillows. But each guest receives a needed bonus: a tiny coffin with a gun inside. In William Castle's 1959 mix of fright and fun, Vincent Price plays the macabre host offering $10,000 to guests who survive the night. The going rate is $1,000,000 in the effects-filled Dark Castle Entertainment 1999 remake. Geoffrey Rush portrays the twisted big shot who throws a birthday bash for his wife (Famke Janssen) at an abandoned insane asylum. Taye Diggs, Ali Larter, Bridgette Wilson, Peter Gallagher and Chris Kattan play strangers invited to the get-rich-quick event. Party on, dudes!

Customer Reviews:

FILMS ARE ENJOYABLE, DVD IS NOT.......2006-09-19

Another attempt to go cheap fails. Warner was wise to market these two movies together, but then they went and put them on a double-sided disk.

I'm returning the third unit I bought later today. All three DVDs were defective on one side (the 1999 version). Same defect in the same place on all three disks. Great quality control, right?

Hollywood wants to sell you on DVDs, then Blu-Tooth, HDTV, ad nauseum, but the fact is that DVD sales are dropping because the quality of the DVDs are sinking fast. Like Universal, Warner--the company that brought us Brokeback Superman Returns--is now shipping shoddy DVDs. Everytime I get a bum disk, I buy less DVDs in the ensuing weeks. Get it yet, Hollywood?

Haunted houses.......2006-09-02

They say remakes are horrible, and "they" are usually right. The poster child for unnecessary Hollywood remaking is "House on Haunted Hill," remade from a Vincent Price cult hit of the same name.

In the case of the "House on Haunted Hill" two-pack, viewers can see a prime example. One of the movies is a dark, witty, well-acted horror-mystery with a nice twist at the finale, and the second is trashy, plotless, and hasn't got a single surprise in the mix. Only half of it is worth having.

In the original, Frederick Loren (Vincent Price) decides to host a macabre birthday party for his devious wife Annabelle (Carol Ohmart), in the "House on Haunted Hill." He invites a test pilot, a columnist, a secretary and the house's unbalanced owner, and offers each one ten thousand dollars if they stay all night. Chandeliers fall, eerie people appear, doors slam shut, and they get little guns in coffins.

But as the night goes on, poor Nora Manning (Carolyn Craig) begins to see specters and rotted heads. The others think she's hysterical -- until Annabelle is found hanging in the hallway, dead. The unfortunate guests start to suspect that Loren brought them there to murder them (except for the owner, who blames ghosts). But the truth is far more complex and sinister.

William Castle made some middling movies in his time, but he was truly inspired with "House on Haunted Hill" -- good casting, good sets, low budget and kitchy scares. Unfortunately, whoever made the remake ignored every single thing that made the original good.

An oddball millionaire (Geoffrey Rush) invites several people to an old lunatic asylum, which is said to be haunted -- if they make it through the night, they will each receive a million dollars. They think it's an easy way to make fast cash, and that the gruesome stories of torture and death are just to mess with their heads.

But, of course, ghoulies and ghosties and things that go bump in the night begin to surface, and the guests start to suspect that they may not survive until morning. Especially since the millionaire and his cunning wife (Famke Janssen) may have murder on their minds. Will anyone escape the house alive?

An eccentric millionaire, murderous wife and supposedly cursed house are about all these movies have in common; it's as though the people doing the remake simply read a spoiler-free summary of the original, and based the entire film around it.

Castle's has understated scares, a giant Victorian-furnished house, eerie artificial visions and no ghosts whatsoever -- the real spooks in the house are the human ones. The plot is a remarkably clever one; by the finale, it has tricked you at least twice with plot twists that are not what they seem. Plenty of witty one-liners that will stick in your mind, too -- "Don't stay up thinking of ways to get rid of me. It makes wrinkles."

Don't expect that high quality in the remake -- appallingly cliched, plotless, and full of buckets of blood and deformed ghosts. It's also got some of the worst scripting in recent memory, such such pearls of wisdom as, "The house doesn't care what's fair, who lives or dies. Know why? Cause it's a f**king HOUSE!"

The original movie has amazing acting from the immortal Price, the sleek Carol Ohmart, and the screamy Carolyn Craig; even the unimportant characters are handled well. In comparison, the remake's cast is forgettable and show no signs of talent, with two exceptions: Geoffrey Rush doing his best to fill Price's enormous shoes, and Famke Jansson as his poisonous wife, who has "always loved... your money!"

This two-pack basically contains the perfect example of a remake gone wrong, and a magnificent movie that inspired it. The sublime and the ridiculous.

The Frank Sinatra Collection (Anchors Aweigh, High Society, On the Town)

Average customer rating:

The Frank Sinatra Collection (Anchors Aweigh, High Society, On the Town)
Starring: Florence Bates , Bea Benaderet , Don Brodie , Claire Carleton , and Tom Dugan
Director: Gene Kelly
Manufacturer: MGM (Warner)
ProductGroup: Video
Binding: VHS Tape

Bates, Florence | ( B ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Brodie, Don | ( B ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Ellen, Vera | ( E ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Garrett, Betty | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Holliday, Judy | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Kelly, Gene | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Pearce, Alice | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Sinatra, Frank | ( S ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Williams, Robert | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Kelly, Gene | ( K ) | Directors | VHS | Video

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | VHS | Video

General | Classics | Genres | VHS | Video

Deals Under $12 | Today's Deals in Video | Features | VHS | Video

Musicals & Performing Arts | Boxed Sets | Formats | VHS | Video

Classics | Boxed Sets | Formats | VHS | Video

An American in Paris
Judy, Frank & Dean - Once in a Lifetime
Bob Hope Tribute Collection - The Road Show Series (The Road to Morocco / The Road to Singapore / The Road to Utopia / The Road to Zanzibar)
Show Boat
Damn Yankees

ASIN: 0792839552
Release Date: 1998-10-06

Amazon.com

Three of Frank Sinatra's best musicals are bundled together in one boxed set. Anchors Aweigh teams Sinatra with Gene Kelly in a musical about sailors on leave who get into all kinds of adventures (including Kelly dancing with Jerry the mouse of Tom & Jerry fame). On the Town is a variation on the same theme, but a much better movie; again, Sinatra and Kelly are teamed as sailors on leave (with Jules Munshin) for a day in New York. This time, however, they have music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green, New York locations, and direction by Kelly and Stanley Donen. High Society is the Cole Porter musical based on The Philadelphia Story that teams Sinatra with Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby; one of the greats. --Marshall Fine