The Big Picture (2010)

We've all experienced the desire to disappear. For whatever reason, we've entertained the idea of simply pulling up our stakes, packing it in, and vanishing from the face of the Earth or, more likely, those we know so well. No, that doesn't mean that we don't love them; nor does it even possibly imply we've done anything wrong. Life wears us down, and, occasionally, we long for escape. This reality only underscores the very human desire to sometimes merely assume a completely anonymous existence one devoid of greater meaning or purpose all with the hope of `fitting in' brand new.

However, if we had a legitimate reason to withdraw from the society of which we're a participant, there's certain a `right way' and a `wrong way' to go about it. What's chiefly on display in THE BIG PICTURE is a life lesson about the lesser risks and greater dangers of doing it without adequate preparation.

(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and character. If you're the kind of person who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I'd encourage you to skip down to the last two paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you're accepting of a few modest hints at `things to come,' then read on ...)

Paul Exben (played convincingly by Romain Duris) is a successful Parisian lawyer who's "living the dream" (or so he thought); his wife Sarah (Marina Foïs) and their two children have only started to wear on his real-world sensibilities, and his boss Anne (the lovely Catherine Deneuve, in too short an appearance) is about to retire from the business for medical reasons that would leave him completely in charge of the firm. However, Paul senses something isn't quite right at home. Realizing his wife is having an affair with their neighbor Greg a photojournalist with a carefree, unpredictable lifestyle the lawyer confronts the man. After Paul accidentally kills him, he assumes his identity and completely vanishes. The question remains: can he become someone new, or will he be forever haunted by his true past?

Based on a novel by Douglas Kennedy, THE BIG PICTURE is a lean and muscular exploration of the psychological dangers of creating a new identity, especially one tied to closely to elements of one's concealed biography. In reality, Paul ends up living two lives simultaneously the one he's suppressing (his own) as well as the one he's stolen (Greg's). The script smartly achieves a balance between truth and deceit when it becomes clear that circumstances are spiraling out of control despite the man's best efforts to keep them `under his thumb,' and, if he's not careful, Paul will ruin not only his own life but also those he comes into contact with forever.

Also, there's a brilliant visual metaphor at the heart of PICTURE, and that's the fact that both Paul and Greg shared a singular fascination: photography. Whereas Greg's passions we never anything special, it's established fairly early on that Paul has great talent a true eye for detail and it's this personal obsession that drives him closer and closer to the brink of ruin. As we all know, a single picture is worth a thousand words; pictures tell stories not only those of the photographer and his (or her) subjects, but also, due to the nature that photos are highly interpretive as art, they inspire tales of the viewers. Therein lies the beauty of having our narrator in peril: he spends much of the second half of this picture snapping candid photos of people in real-life situations, all the while desperately trying to conceal the truth of his own.

As you may guess, this hobby ends up playing into Paul's unraveling, so much so that he finds himself on the run once more, this time facing even greater peril. Odds are, PICTURE may not go where you expected, but, once it arrives, it still presents a sight to behold. It's filled with some nice performances even from its lesser players as a modern-day fairy tale reminding us to think twice before we leap.

THE BIG PICTURE is produced by Europa Corp., TF1 Films Production, CiBy 2000, Canal+, CineCinema, and Cofinova 6. DVD distribution (stateside) is being handled through MPI Pictures. For those of you needing to know, this is a French-language picture with English-subtitles; if foreign films are not always to your tastes, I'd still give this one a spin if it interests you as the second half of the flick has a great amount of English-spoken scenes (won't spoil it more than that). As for the technical specifications, the film looks and sounds tremendous. Additionally, I'd be remiss in my duties if I didn't mention that the film was nominated for the `Best Adapted Screenplay' Award at the 2011 Cesar Awards (France). Lastly as is often the case with imports there are no special features to speak of.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Much of THE BIG PICTURE plays out relatively slowly. Paul's story the state of his personal and professional affairs takes some time to establish in the first half. Some might call it slow; I prefer to call it `reflective' and `French.' But, once the stakes are raised, it's clear that he's only one option left: run. He does the unimaginable he abandons a cherished existence, even one that'll require some re-invention, all in favor of salvaging what's left of his family and hoping to start anew elsewhere. The problem remains that who we are is never quite far from how we live, and there's risk waiting for him around every corner.

In the interests of fairness, I'm pleased to disclose that the fine folks at MPI Home Video provided me with an advance DVD screener copy of THE BIG PICTURE by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review.

Truthfully, I would watch Romain Duris in just about anything. When you add the great Catherine Deneuve and promise me a twisty thriller, I'm in absolute heaven. Once again, though, I've been fooled by the marketing of the French film "The Big Picture." The movie certainly employs elements that might effectively be utilized in a thriller, but suspense is not the primary aim of the film's screenplay. The critical blurbs reference both Patricia Highsmith (for obvious reasons that I won't discuss in any depth) and Alfred Hitchcock, and perhaps the first half of the movie steers you in that direction. But the principle themes developed in the more languid second half (a huge stretch of the movie is virtually wordless) are more in line with an introspective character study. When situations force Duris to embrace a new path in life, he comes to understand just what was lacking in the past. It's an interesting notion, handled quite well.

Duris plays a successful lawyer with a seemingly perfect life. He has wealth, high profile clients, a business partner who wants to put him in charge, two cute kids, and a supportive wife. To all appearances, he is living the dream. But the veneer of normalcy and happiness starts to crumble when he becomes suspicious that his wife is discontent. Even as he struggles to rebuild intimacy, he doesn't want to face the evidence in front of him. When unexpected tragedy strikes, however, he is thrust headfirst into a nightmare from which there may be no escape. But a careful plan sets him on a new course. And in the least likely way, he will begin to understand just what is important in life and learn to become the man he was meant to be. But his grasp on this new realization is tenuous as well. Can he hold on? And should he?

Duris, all shaggy hair and sullen looks, is terrific here. The movie is basically divided into two distinct sections with different demands, and Duris balances the needs of each part perfectly. Deneuve, however, doesn't have much to do in a cameo as Duris' boss and friend. If you don't come to "The Big Picture" expecting nail biting suspense, mystery and action--there is a lot to recommend the film. My suggestion, though, is NOT to read the movie's description or any of the Blu-ray/DVD case. They give away all the film's major surprises. "The Big Picture" should best be appreciated by letting it unfold at its own pace, with little to no expectations. It has some pivotal moments and plot points that are completely ruined by its own marketing. KGHarris, 3/13.

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Paul Exben (Roman Duris) has it all, a lovely wife, great job, bags of cash, great home and yet he seems a bit insecure. Catherine Deneuve plays his boss Anne, she has a terminal illness and is about to leave her controlling share in the company to him. So he is about to gain even more albeit with the loss of a caring friend.

He loves his two children and put on acts of capriciousness to endear him to them, which seems to have the opposite effect on his wife. Then he starts to notice subtle changes in his wife's behaviour; Sarah (Maria Fois) seems to be on a short fuse when ever he is around and more relaxed around a certain other man. This man is a jobbing photographer Gregoire; Paul is a rich amateur who had once held ambitions of being a good photographer himself once upon a time.

Then her sudden new taste for New Zealand `Cloudy Bay' and long lunch engagement gets him more suspicious. Things come to a head at a dinner party where one sauvignon blanc too many leads him to act the oaf. The following day spur of the moment decision start a series of events that even `The A Team' would be hard pushed to put right.

This is a well crafted drama with an under lying current of tension that lends more to a thriller than a life tale. The ever presence of photography runs through out and acts like a thread tying all the disparate parts of the story together.

It is beautifully shot too, with some almost iconic shots and great use of scenery and space. The acting is all well above average and Roman Duris does a particularly good performance. Director Eric Lartigan has made a beautifully filmed, challengingly framed and original piece of cinema. Some may find the plot a bit of a stretch, but it is dealing with a situation that few people would ever find them selves in and I found it very entertaining.

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"The Big Picture" ("L'homme qui voulait vivre sa vie") is a French adaptation of the book by American novelist Douglas Kennedy. Paul Exben (Romain Duris) is a high-priced Parisian lawyer married to Sarah (Marina Foïs), with two young children and a posh home in the suburbs. Paul gave up his passion, photography, to make money in the family law firm, now owned primarily by Anne (Catherine Deneuve), a friend of his deceased parents. But Anne has given Paul some bad news, and Sarah is increasingly disinterested in her husband since he adopted a pragmatic approach to life. Just as Paul tries to rekindle their stale relationship, he suspects that Sarah may be having an affair with a local photographer Grégoire Kremer (Eric Ruf). When an accident changes everything, Paul decides to pursue a new life, reluctantly but also with a sense of recapturing the freedom he lost.

There isn't anything particularly bad about "The Big Picture". There just isn't anything interesting either. I've seen this plot too many times before. I had a sense of déja vu while watching it. There is a twist toward the end, but the writers drop the ball and cop out on the ending. The situation with Anne feels contrived and is superfluous to the story. I didn't buy the hotshot lawyer with a permanent 5 o'clock shadow and responsibilities that seem limited to babysitting a trust fund baby with a video game addiction. As for the main plot points, the film tries too hard to make petty problems out to be serious existential crises. One might argue that Paul has real problems after the accident, but not before. Mostly it's just predictable and mediocre. Mostly in French with optional English, English SDH, and Spanish subtitles. The MPI 2013 DVD includes a theatrical trailer (2 min).

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I bought this movie exclusively on trailers that I saw of it. It has turned out to be far, far more than I expected and also introduced me to another French actor who I will be looking to see more of.

An affair, by Paul's wife, is the catalyst for what is to come: a jealous rage, that turns into murder, which breaks up a family and plunges him into a life of lies and hiding. His talent as a photographer, which he had put on the back burner for more job security (being a lawyer in Paris), is forced out into the open as a man in hiding. It is heartbreaking to see him leave his children behind, not wanting them to grow up being known as the sons of a murderer. He fakes his own death trying to close that life he left.

But his talent is undeniable... and he finds himself in a impossible situation when the man he befriends causes his photographs to be seen by a gallery owner. She recognizes his talent and does a show for him... with one alarming problem: people want to SEE the photographer. Knowing he cannot do that, he is forced to flee again and books passage on a cargo ship. When he witnesses a cruel incident aboard ship, and takes the pictures to document everything, he is thrown overboard, in the middle of the ocean, along with the stowaways. His life and one of the stowaways is saved by a member of the crew, who, unwilling to let him drown, throws a life raft overboard. When they reach land, he sends the surviving man into town with his film & he takes the pictures to a local news agency... thus bringing light to what happened to them... and what became of so many others.

While he deserves to be punished for the crime he committed, I feel, even though he is still in hiding, he has earned the right to a new life.

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The Trouble with Harry (1955)

In a way, Alfred Hitchcock making a dark comedy makes perfect sense -his movies have dead bodies AND clever dialogue. Why not make a movie about both of them?

To be fair, "The Trouble With Harry" is nowhere near Hitchcock's best work, mainly because the central story is very repetitive. But it's kept aloft with Hitchcock's clever dialogue ("Marriage is a good way to spend the winter") and a cast of likably quirky characters who end up spending a few days trying to hide/excavate a dead body. How did you spend YOUR weekend?

Kindly old Captain Wiles (Edmund Gwenn) is out hunting rabbits when he finds the body of a dead man, whom he assumes he killed by accident. Free-spirited artist Sam Marlowe (John Forsythe) comes across Wiles dragging the corpse through the woods, and offers to help him bury the corpse -at least, once they find out what the connection to the perky widow Jennifer Rogers (Shirley MacLaine) is.

However, the whole scenario gets even more muddled when both Mrs. Rogers and kindly Miss Gravely (Mildred Natwick) claim to have accidentally killed the corpse (aka, Harry). The entire situation becomes even more problematic as they try to figure out what to do with Harry, especially with the suspicious Deputy Sheriff Wiggs (Royal Dano) breathing down their necks.

The trouble with "Trouble" is simple: most of the movie consists of the same few jokes, repeated for different people. People keep claiming they killed Harry accidentally, the body is dug up, the body is reburied, and everybody (except Sam) worries about what to do. That's most of the middle of the movie, summed up in a single sentence.

So it's a testament to Alfred Hitchcock's skill that this relatively lightweight movie is still pretty diverting. Most of that is because the dialogue is just so funny and clever, with lots of snappy lines ("We had a fireman on board who hit his head on a brick wall and died two days later." "Where did he find a brick wall on board a ship?").

He never plays the whole corpse angle for too many/few laughs -there isn't any slapstick or gross-out humor, and only one real visual gag (hello, bathtub!). No, the humor comes from the tart, slightly snarky way it's handled.

This is also the closest thing to a romantic comedy that Hitchcock ever made, because the subplots are all about how finding Harry's corpse has brought romance into the lives of Wiles, Sam, Jennifer and Miss Gravely. It's a rather charming focus, and between the wink-wink-nudge-nudge dialogue and flirting, it's pretty entertaining.

Admittedly none of the roles are very demanding, but the actors all do excellent jobs with them -Gwenn and Natwick play a pair of late-in-life lovers who are brought together by the discovery of a corpse. Forsythe provides a lot of the quirky humor in this movie as an artist who doesn't seem to have any idea of societal conventions, and he has decent chemistry with an elfin Shirley MacLaine (who seems similarly unconventional.

"The Trouble With Harry" is one of Hitchcock's weaker films plotwise, but it's still a fluffy, fun little diversion. Any comedy with an ambiguous wandering corpse is worth checking out.

Most Hitchcock movie plots center around things like murder, espionage, fear, and terror; The Trouble With Harry is a very different sort of Hitchcock film. Yes, there's been a murder, or at least a body, but the body in question is really more of an annoyance than it is a mystery to be solved. There's a bit of a confusion over how Harry died, and who's to balm, but the big question isn't about solving a mystery. It's more "now that Harry is dead, what shall we do with him?"

The cast is first rate, and includes John Forsyth as an artist in a small town, a very young Shirley McLaine in her first movie role as a young widow, an even younger Jerry Mathers (later to gain fame as Beaver Cleaver) as her son. There also a number of faces very familiar to fans of the classic era of movies, like Edmund Gwynn, who played Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street, and Mildred Natwick, who made a specialty of playing spinsters in a great many movies.

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A young kid Arnie Rogers (Jerry Mathers, Theodore 'Beaver' Cleaver in the Leave it to Beaver series) is playing in a field and some shots are fired. Soon Arnie comes upon a body. We are now prepared for suspense and mystery.

Turns out pretty formula; in the sense that everybody and nobody could have done it. At first it seems slow and weird as no one acts normal even for a movie character. They are all slow, nonchalant, and distracted. Harry gets dragged around and buried in controversy.

Soon you can really get wrapped up in the story and anticipate the end. The movie never picks up speed; you just have more loose ends to follow. No one cares who bumped Harry off or if they did as long as it does not affect his or her future.

The draw to this movie now days and maybe then is the list of actors and the introduction of Shirley MacLaine. Edmund Gwenn looks pretty old here and is remembered also for his performance in "Outward Bound" (1930) 25 years earlier. Being directed by Alfred Hitchcock, there is still that Hitchcock feel. So sit back and enjoy it for what it is.

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Hitchcock's "The Trouble With Harry," about a body that won't go away, is far more odd than suspenseful, probably making it among the least watchable of the master's 1950s color classics. The rich landscapes and fall colors, though, make this light look at the subject of death the logical choice for Blu-Ray's sharpening technology. This was among the movies Hitchcock locked away after its initial release until after his death. Did he suspect, I wonder, that advances in technology would one day be able to make this box office failure into a feast for the eyes?

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3:10 to Yuma (Criterion Collection) (1957)

'3:10 To Yuma' is a stark monochrome Western that has been praised for its suspense and high moral tone. Van Heflin, in a darker variant on his role in 'Shane', plays a character who picks up where most Westerns leave off. The genre is usually concerned with taming wild loners or men with pasts. rewarding them with the joys of civilisation. Heflin has seen what civilisation really means. He lives on a drought-dry farm with a wife and two children he often fails to feed. The grind of fruitless labour has worn them all down, and Heflin's identity as a man, having been once the greatest shot in these parts, is now undermined by humiliation in front of his family by outlaws stealing his cattle and horses, or forced to beg money from indifferent acquaintances. His wife can't understand that his inability to 'be' a 'man' is the result of the civilisation she represents.

What's a poor honest farmer to do when he sees murderers and thieves throwing money around, drinking their fill, bedding beautiful strangers, and generally living the whooping-it-up life? Glenn Ford is the not-completely-irredeemable leader of a gang of devoted sadists so feared throughout the region that no lawman dares touch him. Such men are usually let down by their sexual desire, and when he leaves his gang to schmooze a barmaid, he is captured by the locals. Knowing that they will be no match for the manpower or ruthlessness of the gang when they return to rescue Ford, the sheriff plans a decoy, which will need two foolishly brave men to take the bandit to the train station at Contention City. The initally reluctant Heflin accepts the job when a farm-saving reward of $200 is offered.

In many ways, 'Yuma' works against the conventions of the Western as it seeks, like the hero to avoid action and the inevitable climactic shoot-out for as long as possible. The film's centre-piece is a lengthy, stagy sequence in a hotel room in which Heflin holds Ford prisoner potential ponderousness is offset by the terrific acting of the two aging actors, one goading and testing the other, tempting with crooked offers that are all too tempting; the other struggling manfully to resist. At first, Heflin's taking the job is strictly economical he needs the money. Then it becomes ethical, a stand against socially disruptive forces threatening the community. It is also a test of the masculinity that has long been buried by family duties. Finally, it is an existential struggle, with Ford as the man Heflin could easily become (and perhaps once was?), and his men as the instruments of inexorable Fate the farmer must face and outwit on his own, stripped of support, just as Man must eventually face Death.

The film's mise-en-scene is suitably austere, the black-and-white cinematography emphasising sharp contrasts, the alienating outlines of buildings and landscapes, and the vulnerable men and women who walk through them sometimes watching 'Yuma' is like leafing slowly through an album of stark 19th century photographs taken of the West. The 'city' in which the film is mostly played out initially seems like a ghost town, and a surreal funeral sequence interrupting, or accentuating, the tension, gives a quality of dream. Delmer Daves' direction is not self-effacing every shot is meticulously, often heavily composed, character patterns structured in frames creating a sense of constriction and claustrophobia that serves to turn the plot's screws. What saves the film from being just another superfical 'High Noon' 'allegory' is the sudden bursts of violence rupturing the tense silence, and the ultimate refusal to wholeheartedly embrace doom-and-gloom existentialism.

When speaking of the great Westerns such as SHANE, THE SEARCHERS and HIGH NOON, 3:10 TO YUMA should definitely be mentioned. All of these films came out in the 50's, but 3:10 has somehow been forgotten.

Van Heflin plays a farmer suffering from a drought. He is a quiet, seemingly passive man who becomes a reluctant hero. Heflin agrees to hold criminal Glenn Ford in a hotel room for $200 just long enough for the train to Yuma to leave at 3:10. Ford's gang, however, learns about the situation and plans to take action. The characters and performances by Ford and Heflin make the film work. Heflin is outwardly reluctant to take this job, but his strength lies within. The struggle within him is evident: Here's a family man who can save his farm or do what he knows is right. Ford, the criminal, is alluring, almost charming. He's a con artist and a cold-blooded killer, but you can't help liking him just a little. Sure, he's a criminal, but not your typical stereotyped Western bad guy. The suspense and tension waiting for the train rival that of HIGH NOON (just without the clock!). Even if you don't like Westerns, you'll like 3:10 TO YUMA.

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Firstly the four stars are for this wonderful film and the performances of it's cast.

On the flipside I am extremely disappointed at what purports to be a "special edition" I can't for the life of me see what the addition of a trailer and a teaser trailer for the remake makes this so "special". Where are the commentaries, documentaries or featurettes? C'mon guys this is what DVD is all about. Vanilla release are a shameful waste of a brilliant versatile format.It's a disgrace. This is false advertising at its worst and shame on Sony for trying to squeeze a few last bucks out of this version before the remake hits the shelves. Those behind this "special edition" should themselves be put on the 3.10 to Yuma.

If you don't own the movie already then you may wish to buy because I would'nt hold out much hope for an Ultimate edition (they might add a photo gallery!)If you're looking for something extra here well there is always that controversial new cover art!

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3:10 to Yuma is an interesting blend of Western and Suspense, but more captivating still is its methodical examination of fleeting morals, blind justice, and the charismatic villain at the heart of the conflict.

Notorious outlaw Ben Wade (Glenn Ford) and his gang rob a stagecoach transporting significant funds of one Mr. Butterfield (Robert Emhardt) and end up killing the driver in the process. Farmer Dan Evans (Van Heflin) and his son are witness to the tragic events but are unable to help, save for notifying the authorities. When Dan returns home and his son explains the day's harrowing event, his wife appears disappointed by his apparent lack of courage, though his family's safety was foremost in his mind. When Dan is forced to go into town to borrow money for his farm's upkeep, he discovers that Ben Wade has stayed behind and the desperate farmer agrees to help apprehend the nefarious criminal. Upon Wade's capture, Butterfield employs Dan to guard the outlaw until 3:10 when the train to Yuma will arrive and take him to prison. But when Wade's gang arrives in town to free their leader, Dan will find that honor and dedication may only lead to an early grave.

While 3:10 to Yuma may appear to be an action film, it is actually an intricate examination of character, both hero and villain, set against a suspenseful game of cat-and-mouse in the old West. Van Heflin's protagonist represents the forces of good and parallels the difficulties present that don't always allow justice to prevail at least not at first anyway. Honor and pride play an important role in Dan's decisions, as his wife's initial chagrin instigates his desire to bring Wade to justice. His belief in this subjective moral is so determinate that he even protects Wade from certain death just to attempt to deliver him to the law's judgement.

As unique and interestingly obstinate as Dan's demeanor is, the villain of the film actually overshadows him in charisma and stage presence. Glenn Ford's portrayal of outlaw Ben Wade is one of the finest character studies in cinema, as he approaches the role with a full palette of emotions and intentions, complete with a similar belief in honor and morals that deceptively shifts as the film progresses. The opening scene finds Wade nonchalantly killing one of his own men when held hostage, and such dispassionate violence would lead one to believe the vilest of villains stands before him. However, the narrative follows Wade just as much as Evans and we discover he stays behind in the town of Bisbee to woo the young bartender Emmy (Felicia Farr). His presence is so captivating in fact that not only does he get the girl, but she seems completely unfazed to learn that he is the notorious Ben Wade. When the outlaw is captured by Evans, their witty back-and-forth banter often reveals Wade to be the more entertaining of the two and most often it's hard not to root for the bad guy. The final confrontation with Wade's gang cements what we'd been expecting all along the line between heroes and villains is a thin one, at least in this engaging battle of wits and integrity.

Though the plot is light on action, the story is heavy on suspense as Dan attempts to carry out his suicidal mission. Mind games replace gunplay and while the film's running time doesn't outstay its welcome, those expecting a nonstop shootout extravaganza may leave unsatisfied, while the film connoisseur will be delighted by the intricate character study. Reminiscent of deliberately paced suspenseful westerns like John Sturges' Bad Day at Black Rock and of course Fred Zinnemann's High Noon, 3:10 to Yuma deserves a place of its own in classic cinema for its daring antagonist and intent focus on the composition of heroism and the trials and tribulations it requires.

Joel Massie

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Now this is a great western! This original is far superior to the remake in so many ways. But the main factor has got to be the realism.

Right in the beginning there is a stagecoach robbery. This one didn't have a 200lb. gatling gun that was mowing down any bandits dumb enough to get in its path.

Other things done better--the hero's wife and kids had more respect for him. In the newer version they basically treat ole Dan Evans like a loser, which doesn't seem to fit with the timeframe.

The romance between the head outlaw, Ben Wade, and the beautiful bartender was much better developed.

In this original, Dan doesn't go from crippled wimp to fearless hero. He was already a tough man, so his refusal to take any bribes from Wade was so much more believable.

Then of course there is the ending. This one is just as intense and 10 times more believable.

I didn't think the remake was horrible, but this is so much better. I am glad I've seen them both, and I recommend giving them a look.

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Bullets Over Broadway

Why do "reviewers" of Woody Allen always have to qualify their praise with something lame like "not his best, but...". It sucks! This move is as good as any Woody Allen movie I've ever seen, and that's saying a hell of a lot, and I've seen a hell of a lot of them. Own a lot too. This movie was colorful, funny, filled with fascinating characters, had more plot twists that a dog's hind leg, and the perfect ending. It was as original as anything could possibly be. I won't give away any of the plot, I'll leave that to the clods who have nothing else to say about the picture. Woody Allen is not in this movie, that disappointed me the first time I saw it, but now that I've seen it again, I don't mind. It was great. Though as a rule I prefer his movies with him in them. Also the movie had substance and structure. It was well-constructed and moved fast. I liked it a lot. Note: pay attention to the background music (songs actually) at significant events in the flick. I highly recommend it.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe no poll has ever been made about which one is most deemed as Woody Allen's masterpiece by far. I once thought that we seemingly tend to pick whichever we can best relate to, but recently when I had a chance to sit down and watch five of his movies all over again -"Annie Hall", "Manhattan", "Hannah and her sisters", "Bullets over Broadway", "Mighty Aphrodite" -I realized that any of us could easily relate to at least something in each of those great films. That would define Allen's genius when it comes to directing (romantic or un-romantic?) comedies. When it comes to casting, though, "Bullets over Broadway" must be the best of all, featuring the finest performance of every actor. Not only the credit must go to those in lead roles (John Cusack -who played Woody Allen's would-be character, Dianne Wiest, Jack Warden, Jennifer Tilly), but the supporting cast was superb as well (with Tracy Ullman as Eden, Chazz Palmenterri as Cheech, Rob Reiner as Flender, Mary-Louise Parker as Ellen, and Stacey Nelkin -Allen's ex-girldfriend -as Rita). This film was perfect in each of its scenes, but if I had to pick my favorite one, it would be the final dialogue between Cusack, Parker, Reiner and Nelkin. I don't remember having heard in any other comedy a dialogue that's so hilarious and so thought-provoking at the same time.

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Departing from the modern realism of 'Interiors,' 'Annie Hall,' and 'Hannah and Her Sisters,' director Woody Allen uses old-time, deliciously over-the-top Broadway to execute with brilliant precision themes concerning the artist, his art, and the motivation to create.

In a problematic but never unexciting performance, John Cusack is David Shayne, a play-write living in New York City in the midst of a stable relationship whilst directing a play found to be pretentiously unrealistic. He casts two generally wonderful actors, the melodramatic but passionate Helen Sinclair (a hilarious Dianne Wiest in a brilliant, Oscar-winning performance), and finally, a gangster's girlfriend, Olive Neal (Jennifer Tilly), who simply cannot act...at all. Every word she speaks is painfully bland and obnoxious, and she can't even recognize a few of the more complicated ones (she has a bit of trouble reading "masochistic"). David has no choice but to cast her, though, lest he face the mob and/or lose all financial support for the play. In addition to her obnoxious...erm...stage presence, she brings along Cheech (Chazz Parliminteri), a body guard who often contradicts David's directorial decisions and dialogue.

This storyline could have easily been played off as farce. But under the hands of master auteur Allen, it is obvious that art, theme and credible side-splitting comedy are first and foremost on his mind at all times. Through dinner conversation, casual walks through a serene park, and wonderfully portrayed rehearsals, Allen harnesses this potentially absurd setting with a grace that allows emphasis on the crucial themes concerning all that surrounds an artist's yearning to capture life at its brightest and darkest moments.

Dianne Wiest's powerhouse of a comedic performance only strengthens the fluidity of the writing and direction. Her seductive Helen Sinclair not only overacts her lines, but also everyday expressions (whenever David attempts to say something self-doubting, she shoves her hands in his face, screaming, "Don't...speak"). In addition to these hilarities, Wiest allows us to believe David began to fall for her. She injects a strong, luminous quality into Helen that could intoxicate the most impervious of hearts. Behind the cigarettes and the sparkling hats and dresses, Wiest developed a glowing gem of a human being who feels comfortably real.

Also notable was Chazz Paliminteri who successfully and convincingly began to shed Cheech's "tough gangster" persona to reveal a naturalistic talent for writing that clashed purposefully and appropriately with David's forced poeticism.

Despite some memorable performances and a well-written screenplay, 'Bullets' unfortunately concludes a little too easily. Fortunately, the tone is never monotonous and the laughs keep on coming. What's wonderful about Allen's comedy is that it doesn't feel contrived or trite at any point in time. Even when he plays with the dazzlingly over-expressive lights of old Broadway, whatever comes out of his characters' mouthes feels absolutely natural, and for the most part endearingly uproarious.

Read Best Reviews of Bullets Over Broadway Here

Oh Woody, Woody, Woody. When he is funny, he is one of the best comic writers around, and in this movie his writing is hilarious. What other auteur in the cinema today can poke fun at those little idiosyncracies that we all see in ourselves, and get away with it?

Our hero, in a rare departure is not played by Woody Allen but rather, John Cusack, who gives a subtle performance, rather than the over-the-top pisstake by Kenneth Branagh in "Celebrity". He is trying to get his latest play staged, and can only do so by accepting money from the Mob and having a mobster's girlfriend, with no talent, take one of his lead roles. The humour that ensues centres around each of the plays characters, from the fading diva played by Dianne Wiest to the compulsive eater played by the magnificent Jim Broadbent, as they prepare for the play's debut on Broadway. All the performances are spot on and the only criticism comes in the ham-fisted fashion that the film concludes with a mobsters shootout and its all too happy ending.

Nevertheless this is well worth watching to hear great comic lines and the splendid cast who deliver them.

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It's always all or nothing with Woody Alan. Either the film is brilliant, hilarious and wonderful (as this is) or tedious and flat (Celebrity or that Godawful Everyone Says I Love You). This film flat out makes me laugh hysterically. If you are a theatre buff--add even ten more enjoyment points!

It has a great sense of time and place---thirties Broadway that is just wonderful. What a thrill to see NYC circa 1933

with a great thirites soundtrack including Toot Toot Tootsie.

From Diane Wiest's over the top self absorbed Talullah Bankhead type actress ( Academy award winning performance) to Jennifer Tilly's hysterical mob girl to James Broadbent's nervous actor who just can't stop eating to Chaz Palmentiri's sensitive gangster (also an Academy Award)...this is a hoot and a half! Just can't stop laughing from this film. When I'm down, I watch it and it's a pick me up.

Lots of great surprises--Harvey Fierstein, Rob Reiner,

and other classic character actors in minor roles. This is one of Woody's best! Some of the funniest lines to ever come off an hors dourve tray. See this one. The plot is very surprising and outrageous and lovers of black comedy will

smile.

As for some of Woody's other good ones, see Radio Days or Mighty Aphrodite, Broadway Danny Rose or Hannah and Her Sisters. Avoid at all costs Deconstructing Harry and Sweet and Lowdown and the aforementioned Celebrity and Everyone Says I love you.

Prom (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2011)

*No spoilers*

Prom is from Walt Disney Studios, and is rated PG. That should have conveyed a lot of information to prospective viewers. You can't expect the characters to reflect the darkest depths of any high school population--no cussing, no sex, no drinking, and no drugs. And you'd do well to be prepared for some corny and idealized moments.

But, considering this movie's upfront identity and obvious target audience, people are unjustifiably harsh towards it. This movie knows what it is, and what it is is nothing to be ashamed of! It's cute and fun and still manages to possess relatability and discernible depth.

The fact that this movie doesn't delve into the truly bad and ugly doesn't make the characters that ARE presented any less real. We all know/knew the star athlete and the "it" girl, the loner and the oddball, the stellar student and the awkward kid, the gossip and the forever couple. They're all there. I love every character because they're relatable, and those meant to be likable are. It doesn't hurt that I think the newcomer cast is excellent. I especially hope to see more from the actors playing Lloyd, Nova, and Jesse. The parents are represented here, too, and we know them as well: the protective dad, the mom who works her tail off to support the family, and the open-minded, uncritical mom...Parents being given presence and some substance in teen flicks is rare and refreshing. The movie even got the clothes and music right. (And the soundtrack is great!) I can't say the same about others of its kind, whose crew didn't seem to have stepped foot in a high school of today.

I liked what critic Leonard Maltin had to say about the movie: Teen feelings aren't trivialized in this film. And, I might add, they're not dramatized, either. It's not as simple and artificial as, "OMG, Johnny is so hot. He should have asked me to prom, not Melissa! How dare he?!" Nova combats her preconceptions about what defines a person; how far she is or is not willing to go to adhere to her image, one her father supports; and how well she can take others at face value. Jesse fights taking after a detrimental role model, works on containing his rage, and tries to shed his bitterness from being judged. Jordan chooses between having the night she's built up in her mind falling flat, and taking on the less perfect night her self-respect demands she take on. These are meaningful emotions and conflicts, and they lead to as many warm moments as there are funny ones. Sure, maybe it's on the messagey side, but do I need to remind you this is from Disney?

So, ultimately, this movie isn't about prom. It's about what prom stands for in the lives of each of the characters, and it's the setting for the culmination of every student's four-year journey of personal and social development. This isn't some empty Cal sweet treat: it has some substance, too!

Prom. The anxiety of trying to find a date, going with your friends to get a tuxedo or a dress, renting a limo and finding out what to do later in the night.

And when it comes to movies, there have been a good number of prom films in the '80s from "Footloose" and "Pretty In Pink", the 90's with "She's All That", "American Pie" and "10 Things I Hate About You" but lately, prom films have become more horror-driven, and in recent memory for non-horror prom film's in recent years, the only thing that comes to mind is the 2004 film "Mean Girls" and the 2008 film "High School Musical 3'.

But in terms of a film that primarily focuses on a high school prom, I guess America's due for a new prom film.

And so we have Disney's "Prom" directed by Joe Nussbaum ("George Lucas in Love", "American Pie Presents the Naked Mile") and written by Katie Wech.

The film focuses on a group of teenagers from the same high school preparing for the prom.

VIDEO:

"Prom" is presented in 1080p High Definition (widescreen 1:78:1). For the most part, "Prom" is a beautiful looking film. Because there are so many characters, various locations, outdoor, indoor, you get a wide range of colors featured throughout the film. Colors are absolutely vibrant, black levels are nice and deep and you can see actually see the detail on the faces of the characters as well.

Picture quality is very good!

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Prom" is presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (48 kHz/24-bit), French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital. The film is primarily dialogue and musically driven. So, dialogue and music is crystal clear and when it comes to surround usage, its pretty much the music that envelops the soundscape. From Katy Perry's "Firework", Taio Cruz's "Break Your Heart" and plenty of Indie music playing throughout the film, definitely makes the film upbeat. But aside from that, I don't recall any major use of the surround channels. "Prom" is pretty much a front and center-channel driven film.

Subtitles are in English SDH, Spanish and French.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Prom" comes with the following special features:

Last Chance Lloyd (10:18) Scenes featuring Lloyd trying to ask a girl out for the prom and his younger sister Tess trying to help him out.

Putting On Prom (5:58) Producer Justin Springer, writer Katie Wech and director Joe Nussbaum talk about how they cast the characters for the film and the cast talk about working with each other.

Bloopers (2:34) Outtakes from "Prom".

Deleted Scenes (7:44) Featuring an introduction by Director Joe Nussbaum and producer Justin Springer for each of the four deleted scenes.

Music Videos (24:16) Featuring the following music videos: All Star Weekend Not Your Birthday, Neon Trees Your Surrender, Moon Time Stand, Nolan Sotillo We Could Be Anything (English Version), Nolan Sotillo Junto Lo Havemos Bien (Spanish Version), Those Dancing Days I'll Be Yours and Girl in a Coma Come On, Let's Go.

EXTRAS:

"Prom: 2-Disc Combo Pack" comes with the Blu-ray and DVD version of the film. The DVD is presented in widescreen (1:78:1) Enhanced for 16×9 Television, English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 DVS Dolby Digital and subtitles in English SDH, French and Spanish. Also, a slip over case is included.

JUDGMENT CALL:

Prom films are not the easiest films to create especially if you incorporate many characters to the film.

Back in 1999, "She's All That" incorporated a lot of people but opted to include Hollywood's up-and-coming stars such as singer Usher and Lil' Kim, actor Freddie Prinze , Paul Walker and actress Rachael Leigh Cook, Gabrielle Union and Anna Paquin. But what made the film work was how you have high school life outside of the prom and everything leading to the prom as the climax.

We have seen the efficacy from that formula for prom films such as "Pretty in Pink", "Footloose", "Mean Girls"...you have to showcase the high school life of these characters and then lead to the prom.

And sure, you have the banality of the dance scene, the fight scene that you typically get from prom films but with "Prom", the problem is that there is too much focus on different characters, there is not enough story development to make you care for them. The only couple you are emotionally invested in is Nova and Jesse. Two people who are opposites but are attracted to each other.

But when it comes to the other characters of the film, you just don't care. Mei and Jared, we assume they a long time couple but there was no plot device to setup the friction between the couple until later into the film. The same goes with the love triangle between Tyler, Simone and Jordan. Jordan's character wasn't really explored. She shows up earlier in the film and disappears until prom day.

There is so many of these situations where you felt blocks of story may have been edited out for time, that it's unfortunate. In fact, there are deleted scenes that probably shouldn't have been cut out at all. And this is sad, considering Joe Nussbaum mentions it right after his commentary for the deleted scenes, in which he tells viewers "hopefully, you agree that these scenes should have been deleted"...but unfortunately, some should have stayed in.

"Prom" is a film that feels incomplete because the pacing of the storyline for the characters outside of Nova and Jesse is off. I liken it to a child's first try at connect the dots. When the child forgets to follow the correct order and miss a dot, the picture doesn't seem right. It's the same thing with "Prom" and how it introduces so many characters without building the storyline around those characters.

But Aimee Teegarden and Thomas McDonell do a wonderful job playing the main couple of the film. For those who grew up in the '90s, it was quite interesting to see Christine Elise (who was the spunky teenager, Emily Valentine on "Beverly Hills 90210') playing Jesse's mother and also a brief cameo by actress Faith Ford ("Murphy Brown" and "Hope & Faith") as the mother of Nova.

As for the Blu-ray, there a quite a few special features and its cool to see a good number of music videos included on the Blu-ray. The only thing that I wish was included on the Blu-ray are the web episodes of "Corey & Lucas For the Win" featuring "Prom" Sophomores Cory (Cameron Monaghan) and Lucas (played by Nolan Sotillo).

Obviously the purpose was to show how different types of students deal with prom and also, its target audience are more than likely tweens and teens who probably are not going to delve so much into how deep the story is. If anything, it's a safe film as well, so parents wondering if there is going to be any hanky panky teen sex ala "American Pie", they need not worry about that with "Prom". There is a fight scene and teens ditching class but nothing else beyond that.

Overall, "Prom" has its fair share of fun moments but also is hurt by its missed potential. If you are a tween, teen or a parent looking for an upbeat prom film, then Disney's "Prom" is definitely for you!

Buy Prom (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2011) Now

I really liked this movie. It is a classic teenager movie about relationships, cliques and going to Prom. The characters in the movie all have their own relationships and problems, but Prom brings everything together. The main characters though are a classic good girl and bad boy, but there are many other great characters that surprise and make you laugh! The movie doesn't have any sex, bad language or anything inappropriate so it is really good for any ages. I think teens and pre-teens would really like this movie, I mean I did and I'm way to old for it! I really like how the characters deal with going away to college issues, cheating, being a third wheel in a relationship, being dateless for Prom, and most importantly not judging someone without getting to know them. It does have some great lessons in it. The music is fun and modern, I actually think I'd like the soundtrack too! The Blu-ray combo set is probably the best bet too since it comes with the Blu-ray and DVD discs.

Read Best Reviews of Prom (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2011) Here

A lot of people are going to give this a bad review over the hokey status this movie. I simply went into this film with no expectations rather than a simple clean family film. It delivered. I think this film was great fun and in this day in age it was great to just watch a film like this!

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Prom

Rating: 5 Stars

Grade: A+

I loved this movie!

My description to my father was "guys want to ask girls to prom, and girls want to be asked by guys. And the guys and girls end up going together!"

For a movie with such a simplistic summary, it was spectacular.

The jokes were funny, the characters were sweet and likable, the plot had no holes, and throughout the movie I just had a string desire to say "YAY!"

If you like rom-coms, this is for you. You won't be disappointed.

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Analyze This / Analyze That (Double Feature) (2010)

As an avid viewer of the gangster genre, I went into this one with high hopes...and wasn't disappointed. This film paints mobsters in the same sympathetic light that the original Godfather does (not the other ones, of course). DeNiro reenacts his famous heavy-handed mobster role with a whole new perspective in this very entertaining comedy. His off the wall character of a mob boss who breaks into tears at random intervals is priceless. Crystal works as the perfect dichotomy as the nervous psychologist who winds up over his head before he knows what has hit him. This film, although nothing past a simple comedy, is terrifically written and has more than it's fair share of laughs. Watch it. Have fun.

These comments apply to the "Comedy Double Feature" Blu-ray.

Inside the case, there is only ONE disc even though two movies are bundled together.

This would have been fine if they had used a dual layer (50GB) disc, but to me it appears that both the movies have been crammed in on a single layer (25GB) disc.

The bit rate is really low and the video quality suffers badly, to the point that it is virtually indistinguishable from that of a DVD.

Don't waste your money on this Blu-ray. Just buy the DVD or opt for the two dollar download.

Buy Analyze This / Analyze That (Double Feature) (2010) Now

"You, you're good, you." Yes! Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) is brilliant as the mobster who cries and gives no mercy to his enemies. Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal) becomes his shrink after one threat and there goes on! "Analyze This" is funny with Sobel trying to get married, but Vitti interrupts his life and shoots pillows for no reason. "Analyze That" is funnier with hilarious parts including the woman and the midget picture, the tuna casserole, and the "West Side Story" sing-a-longs. Momentous! These are two funny movies that people need to see.

Read Best Reviews of Analyze This / Analyze That (Double Feature) (2010) Here

In case you were wondering, this is a double sided DVD with the main menus and special features as they were originally released, so it really is like two DVDs for the price of one.

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still very funny depiction of mobsters and their doctors...

How can you go wrong with DeNiro and Crystal?

The scene with Chaz Palmenteri in the warehouse with Billy Crystal speaking for the Family is still one of the greatest scenes...

The sequel is good too but buy it for the original.

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Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

It's not until you are well and truly wading through the wealth of special features on the 2-disc special edition DVD of the 1947 Christmas favorite "The Miracle on 34th Street" that one realizes that the release features not just two versions of the movie, but three.

For not only does the release feature the original black & white version shown in theaters and the circa 1980s colorized version of the same feature film, but also hidden away on the second disc is the curiously titled "20th Century Fox Hour of the Stars: The Miracle on 34th Street," which turns out to be a 46 minute 1950s remake for television that is surprisingly in incredibly good quality.

The inclusion of this feature is indicative of Fox's loving tribute to this family movie gem that is this 2-disc release. Prior to its release the studio had no idea how to market what it considered to be an "unimportant program picture" and stuck it in the middle of its summer schedule with a trailer (shown here as a 5-minute promotional short) that did not feature one single clip from the movie and went at lengths to conceal it's Yuletide theme.

The story is so well known that it hardly bears relating in this review. Suffice to say that it charts the efforts of a man (played in an Academy Award winning performance by British actor Edmund Gwenn) to be legally recognized as Santa Claus, which in fact he is and to persuade a doubting young girl (played by Natalie Wood in a star-turning performance) and a practical realist (played by Maureen O'Hara) that he is indeed Father Christmas. Picked to replace a liquor induced Santa as the Macy's Parade Santa he is a smashing success and indeed Gwenn's performance is so incredible that Natalie Wood really did believe that she was acting opposite Santa Claus.

Perhaps the best special feature in this release (in what is a tough choice given its incredible company) is the feature length audio commentary by Maureen O'Hara. Recorded at her home in Ireland this past August the DVD warns us that this is merely excerpts of that interview with frequent silent sections. But I must say that this is happily not entirely accurate. O'Hara is clearly watching the movie (discussing elements on the screen as they occur), but also is more talkative than other commentaries that I have listened to that do not have a similar warning.

In the commentary O'Hara recounts being forced to remain in the United States following the outbreak of hostilities in World War II and subsequently furious when (after being allowed to return to her native Ireland) on being ordered back to the U.S. to make this film. She tells us that other considered titles were "The Big Heart" and "It's Only Human" and how once she read the script she was determined to be involved in what she saw as a warm and affectionate movie. O'Hara also talks about the parade itself and reveals that it was the actual parade with people in the crowd not being aware that Fox was shooting a movie that day.

Also included in this release is the 22-minute "AMC Backstory" that takes us behind the scenes of the production. Including are on-camera interviews with film historian Rudy Behlmer, actress Maureen O'Hara, actor Robert Hyatt (who played Thomas Mara Jr.), actor Alvin Greenman (who played Alfred), Natalie Wood biographer Suzanne Finstad and Natalie's sister Lana Wood. The documentary traces the genesis to the movie back to a fateful trip to a Los Angeles department store by screenwriter Valentine Davies. Fighting through holiday shoppers on 1944's Christmas Eve in an effort to buy a gift for his wife, Davies wondered what Santa Claus would make of the commercialism of Christmas. After working on the screenplay for over a year the project was optioned by Fox, who evidently had no idea what they had.

In what was a huge risk the filmmakers agreed when Macy's and rival store Gimble Bros. said they would withold permission for their names to be used in the film until they had seen the finished film. Thankfully they loved it for if either store had objected Fox would have had to drastically re-cut and re-shoot major portions of the movie.

So it was that at the height of the 1946 shopping season over 100 cast and crew descended on the Macy's store in New York City to shoot interiors of the movie and when it wrapped used the likes of Rex Harrison and Anne Baxter (who were on the Fox lot shooting other pictures) to rave about the production. Fox need not have worried though because it was a critical and commercial success staying in theaters for over six months and taking home three of its nominated four Oscars. In fact its popularity is such that it has not only been remade in the included 1950s TV production, but again in a 1970s TV movie and then in a 1994 big budget production (and clips from all three are featured in the AMC Backstory).

An archival MovieTone News reel (running 1:42) covers those awards presentations and includes the famous quote from a clean shaven Gwenn when receiving his statue, "Phew. Now I know there is a Santa Claus."

But that's not all this bumper release contains. Also included is a 15:30 featurette on the history of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and in particular its pivotal role in the movie. This new documentary features on-camera interviews with Robert M. Grippo (author of a book on the parade) and John W. Straus who worked on the parade for 22 years and coordinated with the studio that the filming of the parade (with their 14 camera's positioned along the route) went off without a hitch.

The special features are rounded out with nine posters for the movie.

Audio includes English 5.1 Dolby Surround, English mono, French mono and Spanish mono. There are English and Spanish subtitles.

NOTE: Amazon in its wisdom has attached this review to a different DVD version of the movie. They have a habit of doing this unfortunately. Please consider the date of this review and the fact it was for a 2-disc release.

Delightful Christmas fantasy of a charming old man who believes he is Santa Claus, and the wonderful change he brings to the people around him. This perennial holiday classic is on many short-lists of the all time great Christmas movies. The film just oozes with warm-hearted humor. Very young Natalie Wood sparkles as Susan, who learns to stop being so grown up, and enjoy childhood, with all its wide-eyed wonder. Edmund Gwenn plays Kris Kringle, and lives the role. He totally connects with the kiddies who visit "Santa" at Macy's department store. The brief scene with the little Dutch refugee girl is a definite emotional high point in this movie. The combined reaction of relief and wonder in the child's face as she visits Santa and finds he speaks her language is memorable. Gene Lockhart as the harried judge, and William Frawley as his street-wise political advisor provide the needed comic relief to keep the court-room segments from becoming too overwhelmed by lawyers and their tactics. Even Jack Albertson shows up as an ingenious postal clerk who helps Kringle solve his legal problem. The on-location scenes filmed on the streets of New York assist the viewer in suspending disbelief. An enthusiastic cast, crisp direction by George Seaton, a sentimental holiday message, and great humor make this movie a solid holiday treat for the entire family. Multiple viewing only enriches the rewards. Beware remakes! ;-)

Buy Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Now

Since "Miracle on 34th Street" begins with the Macy's parade on Thanksgiving Day, it is the obvious movie to watch on Turkey Day to begin the Christmas season (when you watch "White Christmas," "A Christmas Carol," and "It's a Wonderful Life" is up to you). I know am not alone in my belief that Edmund Gwenn IS Kris Kringle, which means he IS Santa Claus. Of course they gave Gwenn the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 1948, but the film also won Oscars for Best Writing, Original Story (Valentine Davies) and Best Writing, Screenplay (George Seaton). Maureen O'Hara plays Doris Walker, a single mom who insists on bringing her daughter Susan, played by adorable Natalie Wood in one of the great childhood performances of all time, in a no-nonsense manner, which means no fantasy, no fairy tales and certainly no Santa Claus. Boy, is she ever wrong.

This version of this classic holiday film offers up the long trailer in which the publicity department tries to figure out how to market the film to the masses. A nice added bonus. However, the point of owning "Miracle on 34th Street" is to be able to watch it when it fits our holiday schedule and cry over our favorites scenes. The best times to cry during this movie are as follows: (1) When Susan overhears Kris talking Dutch to the little refugee girl; (2) When Mr. Macy admits under oath on the witness stand that he believes Kris to be Santa Claus; (3) When Susan writes "I believe in you too" on Susan's letter to Kris; (4) When Susan yells, "Stop, Uncle Fred! Stop!" and (5) when Fred sees the cane in the corner. Please feel free to add others to this list as you see fit. Now, excuse me, as I have to go dry my eyes and remember that some films have become holiday classics for good reasons and that remaking something in color does not mean just because it is new it is improved. Happy Turkey Day, everyone!

Read Best Reviews of Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Here

The movie itself is one of the all time classic family Christmas movies and should not be missed.

I am, however, very disappointed that Amazon has not seen fit to tell the buyer whether or not this film is restored or remastered. They continue to list these movies with minimal information, even after repeated complaints to their "help" center. Come on Amazon....provide the proper information so we can decide if this really is a "new" version or simply one that has been "repackaged".........we DESERVE more info if you expect us to spend our money.....!!!

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1947's "Miracle On 34th Street", starring the great Maureen O'Hara and Edmund Gwenn, is a motion picture that can be watched over and over again without losing one bit of its original flavor. And its flavor is quite tasty, in my opinion!

A very spunky 8-year-old Natalie Wood helps to make this movie an even bigger treat. Natalie shows an acting talent in this film that belies her tender age. She gives one of the best performances by a child actor in a film I've ever come across. "34th Street" was Natalie's 4th screen appearance, in a successful career that would eventually span 52 films before her sudden and tragic death at the age of only 43.

Miss Wood seems well-suited for her good-sized role as "Susan Walker" in this movie. She blends perfectly with the other actors, and her scenes with Gwenn (who, of course, plays the part of "Kris Kringle" to utter perfection) are highly memorable.

Could the studio have possibly found a better choice for the part of "Kris" (Santa) in this motion picture? Well, perhaps. But ONLY if the REAL Santa Claus were to have taken a break from his duties at the North Poll and played the part himself. Oh...wait...Gwenn turns out to BE the REAL Santa, doesn't he? LOL! :)

Yes, Edmund Gwenn actually DOES become "Santa Claus" for the 97-minute running time of this movie. He's *that* believable in the role. Gwenn was so good here that he won an Oscar for his memorable performance (Best Supporting Actor).

This is a perfect movie to show your children. It must be a lot of fun watching a child's reaction to seeing Mr. Gwenn's very realistic portrayal of the portly fur-clad Christmas-time gift-giver. To a child that still does believe that Mr. Claus visits his or her house every December 24, this movie must be quite an eye-opener.

This 20th-Century Fox DVD version of "Miracle On 34th Street" brings us the film in its intended (original) screen ratio of 1.33:1 (Full Frame); and the picture looks just dandy! The film, which was shot in "glorious black-and-white", exhibits outstanding clarity on this DVD. I can't spot a bit of grain or "noise". An absolutely beautiful digital transfer. Especially considering the age of this flick.

The audio comes via an English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono soundtrack. The audio comes across nice and clean, with just a small amount of background "hiss" present. There's also a foreign-language track here, too (French). This French track (which is also 2.0 DD Mono) sounds a bit on the "muffled" side. Not nearly as clear-sounding as the English track. There are subtitles in English and Spanish.

There's not a whole lot to talk about in the way of "Special Features" for this DVD release. But there is the Original Theatrical Trailer and a short "TV Spot" advertising the movie (which is a bonus *not* shown on the DVD's packaging). Plus: there's also a small text-only area on the disc, featuring "Cast Credits".

I *must* say, however, even though we don't get many bonus extras with this title, I'm very pleased that the Trailer is included. This Theatrical Trailer is one of the very best, and most innovative, I think I've ever witnessed. It's a relatively-lengthy trailer, which features a studio executive bumping into multiple actors while on the FOX movie lot. He asks several of these actors what they thought of the just-released picture, "Miracle On 34th Street". And what he receives in return (naturally) are glowing reviews for the film.

It's a very well-done trailer, and doesn't seem overly "hokey" or staged. And it's very fun to see stars the likes of Rex Harrison and Anne Baxter pop up here, promoting "34th Street". Harrison even speaks briefly in this trailer of his then-current work on "The Ghost And Mrs. Muir", which, ironically, also featured young Miss Natalie Wood as one of Rex's co-stars. This trailer is a real treat. And it's in remarkably good shape too. Very good video quality. The audio for the trailer is in DD 2.0 Mono, and sounds just fine.

Menus .... I like a good (and simple) Menu design. And this disc has just that. The Main Menu is a "static" one, with separate links to other Sub-Menus (such as Language Selection, Chapter Listing, and Supplements). When you select any of these three items, you'll be treated to a very short (but fun and well-designed) animated transition, which then dissolves into the chosen sub-menu screen. These short "transitions" are all slightly different, with each one featuring a Christmas tune playing as "background" music as the screen fades from the Main Menu to your desired selection. This themed music seems as though it's being played over a Department Store's P.A. system (which is appropriate for this DVD, since we often hear the soft playing of Christmas tunes during the "Macy's" scenes in the film). One menu transition also features a "snowflakes falling" visual effect, along with the music. Very cleverly done, IMO.

Additional Disc Information for this title ..............................

>> Enclosures? .... Yes. There is one here. A one-page Chapter List insert is included (21 chapters), with an excellent promo picture of actors Maureen O'Hara, Natalie Wood, and John Payne on one side; and on the "Chapter" side, an image of "Kris" (Mr. Gwenn). I particularly like the fact that FOX Home Entertainment used a different picture for the insert than what we see on the front cover (normally on DVDs, the two pictures are identical). I might also add, in case one or two picky people might be interested in such trivial matters, that this insert is made out of better-quality (thicker) paper than what we usually see for such paper enclosures.

>> Region? .... This is a "Region 1" (NTSC) disc. Single-sided.

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"Miracle On 34th Street" is one of those films that deserves to be seen more than once, and not only in the month of December either (IMO). It holds up very well even in the summer months. And this clear-as-a-bell DVD from FOX Home Entertainment makes viewing this 1947 classic an even more enjoyable experience -no matter if it's in December, March, or August.

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The River Wild (1994)

Kevin Bacon can so beautifully play a sadist, a charming and vicious creep, a bad guy that it's almost like he's not acting. And Meryle Streep, trying her hand here in an action film, NEVER seems to be acting she's always stellar, completely immersed in her character. In The River Wild, Streep plays a suburban mom and former white-water rafting guide who is taking her family on a raft trip for summer vacation. She's a bit on the outs with her husband, who is, at the last minute, too busy to go along so she and her son go it alone and quickly run afoul of some killers on the lam. Bacon and a buddy, of course. They coerce Streep to take them down a terrifyingly dangerous stretch of river rapids to escape from the pursuing cops.

Marvelous. And Streep did all the river scenes without the use of a stunt double which, if you've ever been white-water rafting on a Class 4 or 5 river, is utterly amazing.

An entertaining journey down a beautiful whitewater river with an age old theme of good vs evil. This is a good movie to just sit back and enjoy the ride even though as the plot develops you may feel bit uncomfortable.

Meryl Streep is outstanding as usual, however I feel Kevin Bacon is even better as the deceptive, yet charming 'bad guy'. There is also some excellent acting by David Straithairn (who portrays Meryl Streep's husband) even though his character is annoyingly pathetic.

The nature cinematography is spectacular and the high intensity musical score only adds excitement to the journey.

I highly recommend watching this one on a home theater system with wide screen and DTS sound decoding.

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Here is an action flix that belongs is everyone's DTD DVD collection. Loaded with action, great acting on all parts, the DTS sound was awe inspiring to say the least. GET IT, YOU"LL LOVE IT!

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The opening scenes of THE RIVER WILD show a very buff Meryl Streep rowing in Boston's Charles River accompanied by stirring theme music by Jerry Goldsmith. This promise of quality is fulfilled throughout the suspenseful albeit rather predictable movie after the setting switches to the western wilderness. Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon are among Hollywood's most talented and versatile actors and in this outing Streep believably plays a mom who meets extreme physical and emotional challenges (while piloting a white river raft no less) after she encounters Bacon a cunning criminal psychopath. The river scenes are beautiful and I've read that Streep actually did her own stunts for the most part. There are a couple of surprises along the way to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. A good movie for anyone but especially a family with older kids who want a little bit but not too much edge to their viewing experience.

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I am not an expert on Blu Ray transfer, but have watched enough of them by now to judge one from another. I am very disappointed in this new release. The movie itself is one of my favorites. I was excited to hear it was coming out on Blu Ray. The quality, in my opinion is mediocre at best. Usually I am in awe of any Blu Ray release because the picture is usually so perfect and unbelievable. No cigar on this one. It looks like someone took the regular DVD, slapped it into a Blu Ray recorder and sent it to me! Not impressed at all.

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Disneynature Four-Movie Collection (African Cats / Oceans / Earth / Crimson Wings) (Blu-ray/DVD Com

This set includes all four Disneynature films (all of which can be purchased individually):

Disney Nature Earth (Blu-ray / DVD Combo)

Disneynature: Oceans (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Disneynature: African Cats (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging)

Disneynature: Crimson Wing The Mystery of the Flamingo (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

These nature documentaries are some of the best around... my favorite is African Cats!

I know that the films "Earth" and "Oceans" did recycle some footage captured by the BBC team on "Planet Earth". So if you already own that set, you will probably recognize many of the key shots in these films.

The video/audio quality on all of these discs is above average. These would be excellent demo discs to show off your home theater. While many would prefer to see the majestic sights without commentary, these films are all narrated. I will say that the narration is informative and entertaining, and is particularly suitable for younger kids.All movies come in blu-ray sized packaging. In addition to the blu-ray disc, a standard DVD version of the movie is also included.

Just a quick note for anyone who thinks, as I did at first, that the "Earth" film here is actually "Planet Earth" put out by the BBC & Discovery. A lot of the footage is, in fact, the same; but this is a different, much shorter production: Planet Earth = 550 minutes; Earth = 90 minutes. So proceed to either buy this package or not buy it with that knowledge!

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So I must agree with the other review saying all of this is recycled from Plant Earth and other BBC documentaries. In addition I wanted to point out that this "collection" is just the four blu rays shipped together (four separate cases wrapped together). There is no collector's box or anything like that. In addition I want say that my family owns pretty much all of the recent BBC nature documentaries on Blu Ray (not just the well known ones like Planet Earth and Life but also The Galapagos, Wild Pacific, Madagascar, Rift Valley, etc ). That being said, Earth had no new material. We only started watching Oceans but we're pretty sure that's all recycled material too.

Crimson Wings was pretty much all new material. The only problem is it's really slow and this is coming from a family that loves nature documentaries. After watching it, we all came to the consensus that it would have been much better if they had edited it to about half the running it actually was but then people would probably complain it wasn't worth the money for such a short doc.

African Cats was pretty much all new material with some recycled shots we think but it didn't matter because it was much faster paced and whole family loved it. We've already watched African Cats multiple times.

My recommendation is if you don't have many other nature docs, you could consider this collection. Though, I would recommend the longer BBC ones over Earth or Oceans. But they are longer and more expensive. In hindsight had I known what I'd be getting I would have just got African Cats and maybe Crimson Wings if it was on super sale. I don't regret having the longer BBC docs. Having seen them, Earth and Oceans just doesn't have as much material.

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My grandson loves these movies. He gets so enthralled with them it is difficult to pull him away! I love the educational aspect of them. Nice change from the everyday movie or cartoon.

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Most importantly this package deal is a rip off. You can buy all four these Blu-ray/DVD combos individually and the total is less than $65.00 this is well below the $95.40 listed for this movie collection. Ordering this collection is paying the person who merely put them into a box and mailed them an extra $30 for their effort.

It is not often I am disappointed with Amazon, but this is one time I am very disappointed with this Amazon offering.

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Bruce Willis Triple Feature (16 Blocks / The Last Boy Scout / Last Man Standing) (2012)

decent films with lots of action all bruce willis films best one 16 blocks bruce willis should win an oscar one day for ass kicking bad guys

Vintage Willis is what I heard in another review and that is exactly what these films amount to. Damn if these action films were not 10x better than they are today. Much more original in many ways.

Of course this is action and humor mixed together. Boy Scout is simply one of my favorite films. A few unrealistic kills, the good guys win, and maybe too many great jokes but honestly I would not have it any other way. I am serious film fan and these ones never cease to cause enjoyment. They simply don't make buddy pics like TLBS anymore. Screenplay is F'ing WICKED funny. Makes the new Die Hards look so damn bad. Seriously, modern action films pale in comparison for the most part. This is one hilarious film to boot.

LMS is also great, more violent, arty, and still a pretty damn good film. Based on an old Japanese tale it really sets up its characters and setting like few films do. So don't expect Shakespeare but do expect to be very entertained. The cinematography is excellent.

16 Blocks is the only one presented in lossy audio but it doesn't seem to be that bad. An actually pretty good film as well. Willis is a down on his luck cop in a sea of corruption with an informant he must protect or give up. A lot of suspense. Some parts a little unrealistic but still a solid film in the genre.

On to the transfers: For being on one disc they both average around 22Mbps which is good not great but it clearly does the job. You haven't ever seen these films look this good despite the fact much attention was NOT paid to these releases.

Considering huge films like Batman Begins are STILL being sold with transfers around 13Mbps these are quite capable if nothing to write home about. It could have been better but this is cheap as heck IF you buy used and you can't go wrong here. I got it for 10 bucks and in perfect condition. Enjoy.

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I was willing to pay $10 for one movie but this was a way better deal and the supply was sent right away. Good Job.

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Details for this product are incorrect. The number of discs is two. "16 Blocks" is on one blu-ray disc. "Last Boy Scout" and "Last Man Standing" are combined on the second disc. The two discs come in a two-disc blu-ray hardcase. Do not order this set and expect separate blu-ray discs for the three movies. I am returning mine.

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If you like action, Bruce Willis, and variety in story lines, these 3 totally different films are right up your alley.

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The Music Room (The Criterion Collection) (1958)

Jalsaghar(The Music Room),made in 1958 is a masterpiece of World Cinema. It is must-see for all Ray fans in particualar and all the classic cinelovers in general.

The film is about a zamindar(landowning nobleman),played brilliantly by the great Chobi Biswas,whose tremendous passsion for staging very lavish musical arrangements ushers in his decadence.

The movie shows in flashback his best days with a happy family and most dignified presence in the sumptuous music and dance arrangements.

On the course of time,the nobleman loses money;his wife and son die in a shipwreck.

In a last and vein effort to bring back those yesterdays of glory and now-lost dignity the nobleman invests with all the money he had to stage another jalsa( musical arrangement ).

And this arrangement turned out to be his last.

The movie has got many memorable scenes notably one in the "jalsaghar" where he makes his presence felt by saying that he is the one who deserves (he being the host and organizer)to be the first giver of the token-money(as remuneration) to the artist ;and yet another one was when he gets the news of his kins' death and takes in hands restlessly his son's deadbody.

Who can forget the last scene where he becomes restless and takes out his aging stallion out of the stable and rides on it until he falls down.The scene aptly concludes the downfall of the zamindar .

Not many people know that Ray found the location of the this zamindar's palace in an awkward place in Nimtita in Bengal-Bangladesh border.

The palace in which the film was shot was actually that of the Chowdhurys and coincidentally enough the writer of "Jalsaghar",Tarashankar Banerjee, had one music loving Upendra Narayan Chowdhury (of this Chowdhury family of Nimtita) in his mind which served as the model of the Zamindaar of his story.

This is the film which can be seen time and again without getting tired.This is real genuine masterpiece.

Although I have not viewed the DVD yet, I will update as to any special features, but I am sharing you my review from VHS.

If you have not been introduced to the cinematic world of Satyajit Ray, this 1958 may not be your best film to start out. Instead, try his last movie 1991, Agantuk, (The Stranger) or begin with the world classic mid 50's Apu Trilogy. The Music Room features lengthy Indian music and singing that may be difficult to endure, but it is essential to listen, because it is the essence of the film, the love of music.

Jalsaghar (The Music Room) takes place in the 30's in a huge deteriorating palace as the soil slowly erodes too. The theme is a contrast between decadence and wealth. All he has now is two loyal servants, a few gold coins, a horse, and an elephant. As the movie opens, we are in the present time, when Biswambhar Roy, a feudal landlord is depressed, he has lost his wife and son and his love for the grand music room, where he entertained traditional concerts, drinking, and dancing.

Biswambhar Roy is annoyed by the lights going off from his neighbor's new generator. The neighbor is wealthy and he is modernizing, while Roy is not. Soon, we are taken into flashback where evidence shows he was already beginning to lose wealth, but he said he would spend his last on his love of music.

His wife and son have gone to visit family, and in preparation of another concert in the music room, upon return, he learns they are dead from a whirlpool accident. Now begins the death of the cherished music room.

Satyajit Ray is one of the world's greatest directors, he writes, produces, and directs. He is also a short story writer, and was a graphic artist. He is multi-talented and uses motifs, symbolism, themes, imagery, wide landscape shots. The mirrors, chandeliers, lights, and candles represent wealth and life. You will see an enormous views, especially one that depicts the size of the decaying palace. See how Ray sets the mood and slowly pans the dying, cold, deteriorating music room that was once had musical life. Ray's films offer great insight into human relationships, cultural life, hardships and triumph.

If you have seen Ray's films, you may be aware of the unique faces of his characters. He has said, he chooses people with interesting faces, and it is true with one of his bearded singers. He also doesn't focus on heavy dialogue as he once said that peak moments of a film should be wordless.

Enjoy this wonderful classic and don't see it while sleepy!! Satyajit Ray's movies are exceptional! As another great director, Kurosawa, said, " Not to have seen the cinema of Ray means existing in the world without seeing the sun or the moon."

--Rizzo

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Poetic, visually mesmerizing and I would expect nothing less from one of the greatest auteurs of all time.

Satyajit Ray. The Indian Bengali filmmaker was known for his non-traditional Indian films. Having directed 37 films in his lifetime, many which won multiple awards internationally and his contribution to cinema has earned him an Academy Honorary Award in 1991, his films are beloved by many and many have hoped to see his films receive the Blu-ray treatment in the U.S.

And who best than the Criterion Collection who will be releasing Ray's fourth feature film titled "Jalsaghar" (The Music Room) on Blu-ray and DVD.

"The Music room" is a film adaptation of Tarashankar Banerjee's short story but instead of creating an exact adaptation, Satyajit Ray would give his own spin to the film, making several changes but also creating a non-traditional film that would have music like most Indian films, but rather the music being an intermission, the music would be integrated as part of the original screenplay and featuring popular Indian music talent of the time: Begum Akhtar, Roshan Kumari, Ustad Waheed Khan and Bismillah Khan.

VIDEO:

"The Music Room" is presented in 1080p High Definition black and white. For a film that could have been lost (the original negative was destroyed in a fire) forever, fortunately, through the collaboration of various companies, "The Music Room" was among Satyajit Ray's films that were restored and given an HD transfer on Blu-ray courtesy of the Criterion Collection.

There is no better surviving element of the negative than what we see with this film on Blu-ray and I have to say that the film looks great on Blu-ray. With Satyajit Ray's films, there is a focus on aesthetics, the environment around them. And its no surprise as Ray was a big fan of filmmaker Jean Renoir and Vittorio De Sica's work. His attention to detail for his film definitely lends to a more artistic and visually pleasing look as there is a style to his film that one can truly appreciate. Frm the efficacy of Ray capturing the details of webs on a chandelier, a bug on a painting, to see his estate change through time and more. Possibly one of my favorite shot in this film was how we see a bit of the old, with the elephant grazing in the back, which is then disturbed by Ganguly's motor car that throws dirt all around. A visual of traditional India and modern India at the time.

The contrast was also well-done and while, I'm not going to say that the "The Music Room" is absolutely pristine, I will say that for a film that is over 50-years-old and the challenges it has faced in order to be restored, I have no doubt in my mind that the Criterion Collection Blu-ray release is the best version...the definitive version of "The Music Room" thus far! Blacks are nice and deep, really good contrast for the white and grays.

Because a lot of Ray's films were shot on triacetate, the film was in danger of deteriorating in warm temperatures. After Satyajit Ray received his Academy Honorary Award in 1992, the Academy was dismayed that there were few prints and masters of Ray's films in the US and many were now incomplete or in bad condition. So, the Academy decided to create a catalog of the surviving elements of Ray's films in the US and to assess what was in good condition or what films would be lost.

The Academy found that the majority of Ray's films were in jeopardy and so, together with the Satyajit Ray Society, the National Archive of India and the Satyajit Ray Film and Study Center at the University of California, Santa Cruz, the collaboration would ensure that every element that existed in the world could be accessed to make the best restoration possible. "The Music room" was one of the very first films preserved by the project.

According to the Criterion Collection, the laboratory in London suffered a fire and several of Ray's elements and the original camera negative of "The Music Room" were destroyed. But a second generation fine-grain master positive taken from the original camera negative existed in India. The film would eventually receive restoration and was supervised by Academy director Michael Friend and completed in 1995.

The Criterion Collection used a new high-definition digital transfer which was created on a Spirit 4K Datacine from an original 35mm fine-grain master positive. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using MTI's DRS system and Pixel Farm's PFClean ssytem while Digital Vision's system was used for small dirt, grain, noise, reduction and scratches.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

As for the audio, the audio is presented in Bengali and in monaural. The audio dialogue is clear as is the classical music of the film.

According to the Criterion Collection, "The Music Room" was remastered at 24-bit from the original 35 mm soundtrack print. Clicks, thumps, hiss and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube's integrated workstation.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"The Music Room The Criterion Collection #573' on Blu-ray comes with the following special features:

For the Love of Music (17:36) Satyajit Ray biographer Andrew Robinson talks about Ray's love for music and Satyajit Ray's idea and working on the film adaptation of "The Music Room" and the differences between Ray's version from the book.

Mira Nair (15:44) Filmmaker Mira Nair talks about Satyajit Ray's work, "The Music Room" and what she enjoyed about the film.

French Roundtable (10:36) An excerpt from a 1981 French roundtable discussion with Ray, film critic Michel Ciment, and director Claude Sautet

Satyajit Ray (2:11:05) A feature documentary from 1984 by Shyam Benegal that chronicles Ray's career through interviews with the filmmaker, family photographs, and extensive clips from his films

EXTRAS:

"The Music Room The Criterion Collection #573' comes with a 38-page booklet which includes the following essays "Distant Music" by Philip Kemp, "Winding Route to a Music Room" by Satyajit Ray, "On the Music of the Music Room: An Interview with Satyajit Ray by Andrew Robinson and information on the Satyajit Ray Preservation Project and restoration of "The Music Room".

JUDGMENT CALL:

Satyajit Ray may be known for the "Apu Trilogy", "The Chess Players", "The Visitor" to name a few but similar to many auteurs, to study and watch a filmmaker's oeuvre, you notice a change in style overtime.

With Ray, what was intriguing about this filmmaker is his goal to outdo himself from the previous films, to not have his films fit in a traditional sense of filmmaking but with hopes that his countrymen would enjoy the film, as well as people abroad. But for Ray, films that he expected to do well in his country would be popular internationally, while films he thought would do well internationally would be popular more in his country.

Suffice to say, his films often achieved the opposite of what he was expecting but nevertheless, nearly two decades after his passing, many are discovering Satyajit Ray's films and many are hoping companies would bring them to the US.

The Criterion Collection has stepped in by releasing "The Music Room" on Blu-ray and DVD but to also show tribute to the filmmaker with the inclusion of the 1984 feature documentary "Satyajit Ray" which focuses on the filmmaker's career.

"The Music Room" to me, if I had to describe the film, it was more poetic in the sense that elements of what was shot, had meaning. Satyajit Ray has talked about how Jean Renoir influenced him and Renoir was important to the precursor of Nouvelle Vague but his efficacy in using the elements in a room or outdoors to enhance the visual structure of the film. There is meaning behind the environment of "The Music Room" as it shows us the past and present of a zamnidar who has had a strong sense of pride but also a man who is incapable of leaving that pride, despite losing nearly everything in his life.

I have heard that "The Music Room" is different from the original short story that the film was adapted from but Satyajit Ray was able to accomplish a lot with this loose adaptation. For one, utilizing the character and showing us how he reacts to loss, sadness and rivalry. But also, possibly an audacious move on the filmmaker's part to include classical Indian music but incorporate it as part of the storyline.

In India, the film did well for seven weeks but because it was non-traditional and much different than what Indians were used to in cinema, "The Music Room" was no popular in Ray's country but found a big following internationally. Needless to say, the film was ahead of its time.

And as the storyline captures your attention as you see the character of Biswambhlar Roy get lost in his own pride, we see how music plays an important part in the film. Classical Indian music playing while we watch the characters are they react to the performances. And the performance is actually breathtaking, especially the final dance as we see the woman dancing and seeing how the men react to the dancing, it was a wonderful scene. But as mentioned, it was the scenes that featured traditional India and modern India that I found quite interesting.

In one shot, we see Roy's wife and son riding by horse and a carriage held by servants, in a later shot, we see Roy's elephant grazing but then seeing that natural setting disrupted by Ganguli's car as it drives through the pathway kicking up dirt all around.

But then there are shots where we know that darker things will be coming. From the dead insect swirling in Roy's drink, to the black spider crawling around his own painting. Once again, beautiful shots and a film that is well-composed, brilliantly acted by Chhabi Biswas.

As for this Criterion Collection Blu-ray release, it's a fantastic release. It's one thing to get the film, but to get the 1984 feature documentary plus other special features included, it's really enough for me to say that this is one of my favorite Criterion Collection releases on Blu-ray. An outstanding tribute to one of the finest filmmakers in the world!

I may seem biased as an ardent fan of Satyajit Ray's films but "The Music Room" is a wonderful, early Satyajit Ray film and as I'm confident we will be seeing Ray's masterpiece, the Apu Trilogy, sooner than later (knock on wood) and more Satyajit Ray films on Blu-ray, this is an excellent release to learn about Ray's work.

The 1984 feature documentary by Shyam Benegal is a wonderful tribute to the filmmaker and at over 2 hours, it's an excellent special feature to accompany this release. In the past, I would have bought this documentary alone just to learn more about Ray and his passion for cinema but also to see him work behind-the-scenes. But the fact that it's included with "The Music Room", for me, that is wonderful!

It's important to remind everyone when watching "The Music Room" is that Satyajit Ray didn't have a lot of money to make this film. But he made the film with what he had. Some may have comparisons to King Lear but while the film is indeed a study of pride and carried to the most extreme, the film is extraordinary.

And already, I know I have overused the word "wonderful" to describe "The Music Room The Criterion Collection #573' but it's definitely one of the best Blu-ray's to come from the Criterion Collection thus far. Granted it may not be too accessible for those not appreciative of cinema or Indian culture but if you are open and want to experience a film from one of the world's finest director's, then "The Music Room" is a must-buy for any cineaste!

Highly recommended!

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This is an amazing movie that explores the vanity and ruin of a once-prosperous feudal landlord (Biswambhar Roy) in Bengal around the turn of the century. Roy is a man who can not come to terms with a fast-changing world where his old feudal order is slowly disappearing and he is being upstaged by a vulgar money-lender (Ganguly) upstart whose family were once his beneficiaries and whom he considers beneath contempt for his lack of refinement. Even as he loses all else that he held dear, Roy remains a Zamindar to the end and decides on one last party in his Jalsaghar (music hall) that has remained closed for so long to teach the upstart a lesson.

The movie features excellent black-and-white cinematography, great acting and of course, the genius of Ray's direction.

To the lovers of music, this movie features a real treasure-trove of music with music direction by the late great Ustad Vilayat Khan, vocals by Akhtari Bai and a rare classic by the late Pakistani singer Salamat Ali Khan who was only 19 when he was recorded for this movie.

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Director Satyajit Ray's fourth feature is set in the fading decadence of India's feudal 1920s. It's a moving portrait about of a proud who clings to the rituals of the aristocracy as India moves into the modern world.

A popular actor of his time, Chhabi Biswas plays Biswambhar Roy, a zamindar, or once a powerful feudal lord who clings to the last ratty remnant of his glory days in his crumbling mansion. We meet him swaddled in his robes sucking on a hookah like a baby on his pacifier when he hears music from a neighbor's place that takes him back to his earlier days when he could fund lavish celebrations on his wife and son

But alas, Roy's indulgence his addiction -to his passions do nothing to rescue the slow loss of his fortune as he competes with his neighbor and spends the last of his money on irrelevant displays of master artists in his beloved music room. But what is mostly revealed is Roy's social impotence along with his false sense of entitlement and his sadly deluded sense of social superiority. But make no mistake; this great film is also about something more than the power of music and memory in a changing culture. It's about the conflict of living in the moment and letting go of the residue of the past. Something exceedingly difficult for us humans no matter when or what the age in which we live.

This engrossing film is Ray's best and a wonderful introduction if this director in not known to you. The best extra on this full-frame B&W restoration is the two-hour documentary "Satyajit Ray."

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