The Guns of Navarone (1961)

The second movie in Columbia's newest wave of World War II movies (along with "The Caine Mutiny") is the 1961 Academy Award-winning film for Best Special Effects, "The Guns of Navarone," which stars Gregory Peck as Keith Mallory, the leader of a group of British commandos tasked with destroying two gigantic German anti-ship guns.

The British are desperate to evacuate 2,000 soldiers from the Aegean island of Kiros, with the only sea route through a stretch of water commanded by the guns that are encased inside a massive cliffside bunker that is immune to air attack.

Based on the best selling novel by Alistair (Where Eagles Dare) MacLean, Mallory has been working on occupied Crete for two years and as an expert mountaineer is the perfect choice to ferry the team to the only part of Navarone not monitored by the Germans a 400-foot cliff.

Joining Peck is David Niven as explosives expert John Anthony Miller and Anthony Quinn as a Greek resistance fighter.

MacLean is known for being able to weave together a great story and this movie is consistently entertaining. In fact the film was already afforded a respectable special release on DVD in 2000. Columbia though have outdone themselves with this 2-disc set by adding a second audio commentary and four new documentaries.

The original release included a rather dry, faltering, but informative commentary by director J. Lee Thompson, a smattering of archival featurettes of varying quality and an anecdotal documentary on the making of the picture featuring on-camera interviews with Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, James Darren and J. Lee Thompson named "Memories of Navarone" and running at 29:34. It's a nice, breezy documentary and entertaining detailing some of the experiences the cast had working on the picture.

However this new release includes a lively commentary with historian Stephen J. Rubin who mentions that this film started the trend of Hollywood going outdoors. Up until this time most movies were filmed on the studios backlot, whereas this movie was filmed on the island of Rhodes. He also discusses the cast (including a very young Richard Harris). Rubin also discusses some of the differences between the MacLean novel and the movie which appear to be a number of changes to characterization and details some of the criticisms of the movie when it was released including the fact that the actors were too old to play commando's, many being as they were in their 40s and 50s. Though Rubin quickly adds that he feels it was cast perfectly.

Also included are two new documentaries, the first of these "Forging the Guns of Navarone" runs at 13:58 and includes on camera interviews with Eve Williams-Jones (the former wife of producer Carl Foreman) and Assistant Director Peter Yates (who himself went on to become a very successful director in his own right). Apparently Thompson was not the original director for the project and Yates credits Thompson for his ability to jump straight into a film that had already shot much of its second unit work as well as his ability to manage so many big name actors. Yates also reveals that despite their on-screen animosity towards each other, both Niven and Peck got along well together determined to have as much fun as possible on the picture. Yates also recounts how the crew would refer to it as "The biggest B-feature ever made."

The second new documentary "The Ironic Epic of Heroism" runs longer at 23:38 and is essentially an on-camera analysis of the movie by noted Film Historian Sir Christopher Frayling (who was mistakenly credited with providing an audio commentary in the press release for this DVD release). Frayling is quite engaging as he recounts such facts as Foreman's initial reluctance to handle the project. Foreman once said that he was incapable of making a movie that did not make statements and he initially saw the MacLean book as a simple action adventure. It was not until he re-read the novel that he realized it could serve to make statements about the futility of war and the ability of war to bring out the best in people.

Frayling also reflects on the fact that the movie was the first global production caper-style World War II movie to be played as an action adventure in a style he describes as "incredibly innovative."

Also included on this new release is the restored intermission with score that was seen in some European cities (it is listed as an extra since it is not part of the official cut of the movie) and featurettes on the Dimitri Tiomkin score which details the subtle differences throughout the movie and a fascinating look at the UCLA restoration.

The restoration featurette details the tortured path towards restoring a film that was in such terrible shape that they needed several sources of original negative, both from Columbia and a private collector. In an example of the work the UCLA team had to do, the print they were provided by Columbia had the plane crash at the beginning of the movie happen in broad daylight. This apparently is how most people have seen the scene in recent years. That was until one of the eagle-eyed team at UCLA noticed that one of the trucks had it's headlights on and wondered why. Sure enough they were able to track down a copy of the print from a private collector that showed that the crash happened at night with the screen various shades of blue and that is how it was restored.

In another instance the print UCLA had also had the infamous dubbing of Richard Harris where the censor had the word "bloody" replaced with "ruddy" for some of the screenings in the UK (the word "bloody" is considered a swear word in the UK). The UCLA team prevailed again and were able to locate a copy of the correct audio still intact).

On a sidenote the DVD also affords fans of Tiomkin the opportinity to hear the opening sequence sans the narrative as a special feature on the second disc. This apparently is a special feature that had been requested for years.

The Guns of Navarone is a wonderful film that touches upon the issue of how difficult it can be to make moral choices during the course of a war. The screenplay is fascinating in the sense that every major character in the film has their own notions of just how far they should go in applying the necessary force "to get the job done" in a war.

The movie is about six saboteurs who must destroy two gigantic guns, which present a danger to the Allied Navy. At the very beginning of the movie, viewers immediately have their first taste of a moral dilemma when Commodore Jensen, the organizer of the mission, has to decide between sending six qualified men to an almost disastrous and suicidal mission or simply scrapping the mission and leaving 2,000 trapped British soldiers to a certain doom. Commodore Jensen sees the choice as a foregone conclusion and thus resorts to lying to the leaders of the mission in order to boost their confidence. Jensen however does feel the pains of leadership as he tells a fellow officer "I'm just a man who has to send men off to die".

The six saboteurs each have their unique specialties and views of morality. The first saboteur is Captain Mallory, the best mountain climber in the world and a competent linguist. Captain Mallory is a soldier who now has a utilitarian view of the world and no longer sees the world as black or white. The second saboteur is Major Roy Franklin who is known for his luck and determination. Roy is as focused to the mission as Mallory, only he does not appear to be so in the eyes of his friend Corporal Miller, the third saboteur. Corporal Miller is the self-righteous chemical explosives expert whose philanthropic perception of the world directs his loyalty only to his friends and himself. The fourth is Private Brown "the Butcher of Barcelona" whose specialties are working with engines and using a knife. Although Brown is a seasoned veteran with many kills under his belt, he has become wary of the war. The fifth saboteur is Colonel Stavros. Stavros, like Mallory and Franklin, focuses to the task at hand, but is also ever thoughtful of his personal vendettas. Finally, the last saboteur is Private Pappadimos, whom Jensen describes as a "born killer".

The moral views of the six saboteurs will clash with each other several times during the movie as they debate about how to conduct a war and deal with human life. The moral perceptions even prove to be the undoing of some of the men. The beauty of the movie is that ultimately the ongoing theme of morality further extends to the two women who later join the mission. Even the Germans are not exempt from this theme as the "normal" German soldier's character contrasts itself sharply from that of the inhumane SS officer.

It is not surprisingly to find that many world leaders enjoy watching The Guns of Navarone, since here is a film that touches upon an issue that is constantly ever-present in their minds. The burden of choosing the fates of others is after all, a burden that is felt by both the commander and the individual soldier alike.

The superbit version of The Guns of Navarone is an improvement over the first regular DVD release. The noticeable improvement is found mainly in the sound. A particular standout scene in terms of sound is where Stavros uses his sniper rifle to give cover against the advancing German Army. The superbit picture quality while an improvement over the regular DVD release, is not as noticeably good as the superbit sound quality.

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The Guns of Navarone is, to film experts, a forgotten classic, but to the mass movie viewing audience that has continued to watch it during its numerous television dates, it remains a favorite among war movies. Why a forgotten classic? Because the American Film Institute didn't even consider it among its 400 nominated movies, and I've yet to see any other "Top 100" list that includes it. Maybe this DVD will awaken some of those so-called experts to a movie with both action and intellectual depth. As for the DVD itself, it is the best transfer yet of this magnificent film. Yes, there are flaws. It will not look like a movie made in 1999. It was filmed 40 years ago and it shows it. But if the viewer isn't one of those people who take a magnifying glass to the screen or who view it in stop-motion, scene by scene, it holds up well. As for the sound, it is the best yet. The 5.1 Dolby enhancement is great -much better than anyone could possibly expect from a movie so old. The four featurettes are pure fluff (and very short), but are enjoyable. The 30-minute documentary is interesting. Director J. Lee Thompson is an old man now and his commentary reflects that, but it beats no commentary at all. The viewer learns much about how the film was set up and where scenes were shot. Fans of the movie will enjoy that. And Thompson's comments give insight into the difference between an action movie in 1961 and today's variety. As for the film itself, it is a wonder. The story moves smoothly. It is a film for its time and has much to offer to the younger generations that will be rediscovering this movie for many years to come. Anyone who chooses to knitpick the DVD can do so with ease. Anyone who chooses to sit back and enjoy a solid piece of 1960s filmmaking with an excellent script and cast will find this an enjoyable package.

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We don't have movie stars anymore; we have "actors." If nothing else, the Guns of Navarone proves this point, as no less than the talents of Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Quayle, and David Niven bring Alistair MacLean's gripping novel to life. The result is one of those old-fashioned, sweeping adventures that never sacrifices character for empty-headed action sequences or expensive but ultimately pointless special effects. Peck leads a rag-tag group of commandos to destroy a German fortress whose giant cannon threaten the English Navy. Like all such cinematic missions, however, there is a traitor in the group threatening their success, as well as a series of setbacks from the Germans and Mother Nature. There's never any real question about whether or not the mission will succeed, only who will be left when it's all over, and verbal sparring by Peck and Niven adds to the tension (perhaps the best scene in the film occurs when Niven challenges Peck to execute the traitor). Young audiences, particularly those spoon-fed on the palp generated over the last 10 years, will probably scoff at the film's unhurried pace and tame action sequences, but the real action occurs inside the characters' heads and hearts. A must-see for anyone looking for a thinking person's action movie.

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This was one of the first war movies I ever saw & even after watching modern masterpieces like Saving Private Ryan this is still one of my very favorites. This classic WW2 flick has it all: suspense, awesome & believable characters, great action (of course!), humor, & even romance. The three main stars are Gregory Peck, David Niven, & Anthony Quinn. Peck is perfectly cast as the leader of the group of commandos, & I've always thought he was great playing officers in war films (Pork Chop Hill, MacArthur, Twelve O'Clock High, etc.). Niven is both fun & annoying as the uptight Brit who constantly challenges Peck's authority. Quinn is a real treat as a deadly Greek who holds a grudge against Peck for a past "incident". This movie has many unforgettable scenes: Quinn taking on an advancing German column of troops with his sniper rifle, the confrontation with the traitor, & the incredible climax. I agree with other reviewers that they don't make 'em like this anymore! Whether you love war movies or are new to the genre, this is a definite must!

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Heavy Traffic (1973)

I remember very well the effect this film had on me right after leaving the theater; everywhere I looked on the drive home, people looked like cartoons. In Heavy Traffic, animation artist Ralph Bakshi presents us with a look at life in the early 70s (late 60s?), city style .... and this city is gritty, not entirely pretty ....

Michael Corleone (not the only reference to other popular films of the times) scribbles away at his drawing board while his Catholic father and Jewish mother wage Armageddon outside his door. He finds comfort and release seeing the world as an absurd, psychotic cartoon. Pretty much a loner, his main connection to the outside world is a black bargirl named Carol who works right downstairs from him and slips him drinks for his entertaining sketches. An unfortunate incident with a drag queen associate costs Carol her job, and she and Michael end up out on the streets together, since he can't seem to make ANY sort of job situation come together. They form a sort of hustling alliance, with him as her pimp, and they nosedive into dark urban realms of the quick buck and the inevitable personal compromises involved.

All this is interposed with images of live city backdrops and numerous references to a pinball game. Ralph Bakshi's animated vision is a moving work of underground pop art which, despite limitations, was a groundbreaking achievement that pushed the frontiers of American animation thousands of miles. I can see the influence of this film (and Bakshi's work in general) on the likes of Matt Groening, Don Bluth, and yes, even parts of Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Heavy Traffic is dark, rude and dangerous. At times it has an almost experimental feel, moving at a stream of consciousness pace more than any conventional narrative. Its portayal of characters is raw and extreme, has an exaggerated sort of believability to it. It also has the feel of a semi-autobiography, with its portayal of a creative misfit struggling against the odds for survival, if not personal validation.

This very personal work goes places other animations of the time wouldn't even consider, was rated X at the time of its original release, and was re-released very shortly afterward in a lightly watered-down R-version. The recent DVD release appears to be a restoration of the original artwork, is a nice clean print, despite the full-frame format and mono soundtrack. It would be nice to see this touched up with a slightly refurbished soundtrack (it IS animation, after all); at the same time the compressed sound lends to the quaint sort of 70s feel to it, creating an air of nostalgia rivaling that of The Iron Giant. And these guys weren't even trying!

My appreciation for this special film has not diminished over the years; indeed, I understand it a bit more as an adult. It captures the dark, skewed out, surrealistic beauty of the urban underbelly, delivers some nasty bellylaughs, shows us the world as an oversized cartoon arcade game, and reminds us that all we can do sometimes is just keep playing that game. Even if we do end up getting our head blown off by a paraplegic midget on a skateboard. This stuff happens .......

Heavy Traffic will likely never receive the attention or respect it deserves as a piece of honest to goodness Americana. Like most of Ralph Bakshi's most personal work, it is rough hewn, obscene (though never pornogaphic) outrageous and damn honest. Along with Coonskin and Fritz the Cat, Heavy Traffic is about life in the 60's (in fact, taken together these three films form a kind of animated triptych). All three films are about revolution of one kind or another, personal or social, contain plenty of poetry, both visual and narrative and are more about life as we know it then the fantasy of life as we might wish it to be, which seems to be the standard for most animation today. Let's hope that eventually Ralph will get his due as a pioneer of animation.

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"Heavy Traffic" is a masterpiece of animation, despite the flaws it has. It dares to tackle with more complex human emotions and issues, far more than had ever been done since the Golden Age of Animation. The story deals with the trials and tribulations of young Michael Corleone (yes, that's his name), a 22 year-old Half-jewish, Half-Italian aspiring cartoonist. He lives with his parents, Angelo and Ida Corleone, whose relationship make Al and Peg Bundy look like Ozzie and Harriet. The film also talks about life in 1973 New York (tough place to be).

First off, there is a lot of great animation in here, although it lacks precision and professionalism , although I chalk that up to lack of funds for pencil testing and Bakshi's relative inexperience with feature animation. However, the animators do manage to get the personality of the characters across quite well. The characters in this film feel real, although they have caricatured appearances, but in some ways, the cartoony drawing style of the movie enhances the emotional realism of the characters. They're both lovable and deplorable at the same time, which makes them feel like real people. You'll never see Mickey Mouse or even Bugs Bunny do any of the stuff they do in this movie. One of the most interesting aspects of this movie is that it prides itself on being a animated movie. A lot of animated films have followed the Disney pattern of trying to disguise the animated factor by following a live-action pattern (trying to emulate live-action). This film tries to do what can only be done in animation. As such, there is a lot of surreal moments loaded with symbolism, although you will have to watch it a few times to get them. A key strength to any Bakshi film, but particularly his early ones, is collage of different styles. The characters are sometimes traced over live backgrounds (actual photographs), or the animation takes a whole new turn and transforms into something like the brilliant Maybellene sequence (set to the classic Chuck Berry song). Bakshi in those days was all about forging ahead and trying to create something new.

However, despite its brilliance, this film has a few rough patches. There are many good parts to this movie, but it's only after multiple viewings that the film connects as a whole. This shows a lack of clarity in storytelling, which isn't surprising since Bakshi tended to improvise as he went along. Although it adds a sense of adventure for production, it doesn't help create a coherent film. Also, did we really need to see Ida's breasts or have the gag about Angelo crapping his pants. I could have done with out those.

Aside from these minor complaints, "Heavy Traffic" is a great movie that is lightyears beyond Bakshi's previous film, "Fritz the Cat". This DVD does no justice to the films. We need a DVD commentary from the man himself, along with the animators who worked on this. Thank you for reading.

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It is about time that studios started looking into their back catalogues and releasing some old gems especially animated ones. This is a surreal reality cartoon from the genius Ralph Bakshi, a blighted but brightly lit urban landscape filled with far out characters. NOT FOR KIDS Now if we could get them to release all of Bakshi's work

Wizards Fritz the Cat Fritz the Cat 2 Streetfight Lord of the Rings I would especially love to see the short lived but spectacular Mighty Mouse series he did put on dvd! Even todays animated laugh fests on tv don't compare to this mans work.

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What is to be highlighted: The highest quality of this truly classic surrealistic piece. I take it as a qualifying American answer to such European surrealistic classics as Luis Bunuel's "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie." Each absurd of our life, pictured there, is blown-up to a quite visible and sensible proportion. It is my opinion, that "Heavy Traffic" even surpasses "Fritz the Cat," regarding such qualities as range and depth of depicted ugliness of the "dark side" of human nature.

Also important is than not everybody appreciates surrealism. Therefore, this item is not for everyone, and especially is unsuitable for not mature audience (because of quite credible quality of certain graphic scenes).

I find as no surprise that some of the most notorious faces from "Heavy Traffic" can be spotted in recent times in many places, take "The Simpsons" as example.

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Easter Parade (2013)

I really like "Easter Parade" and was eagerly anticipating how beautiful it would look as a result of Warner's Ultra Resolution process. This is a method that electronically aligns the elements of the famous 3-strip Technicolor process to deliver greater sharpness and even details that weren't visible when the film was brand new. Unfortunately, this film doesn't look nearly as good as the other films that previously underwent this process: "Singin' in the Rain," "The Adventures of Robin Hood," "Meet Me in St. Louis," and "Gone With the Wind." Even "The Harvey Girls" and "Annie Get Your Gun," which were restored without the Ultra Resolution process, look much better than "Easter Parade."

All of these films, although not perfect, look almost like they were filmed yesterday with wonderful sharpness and contrast range, an almost three-dimensional clarity, and beautiful, sparkling colors--rather like a Kodachrome slide. "Easter Parade," on the other hand, looks like a very old movie that's had it colors artificially pumped up--like an old tart that thinks a lot of warpaint will make her look young, but fools no one. This transfer HAS to be several generations removed from the negative. It has a thick, flat, dull look: very little contrast or modeling, flesh tones the color of red clay mud, and colors that look as if they were applied to the film with a spatula--no light or life can get through! When there is some contrast and a bit of brightness, the effect is very garish and detail is washed out. Warner Brothers either shortchanged this film financially in its restoration or it was working with elements that were far removed from the original negative or color separations. Yes, this is the best this film has looked on home video. Yes, it often has decent detail, but it looks everybit like a film from 1948--or even older--rather than the almost brand new look we have come to expect from Warner's other major restoration efforts.

"The Band Wagon," another classic musical that was released in conjunction with "Easter Parade," is better, but still has that rather dull, flat, copy-of-a-copy-of-a-copy look, and reddish brown fleshtones. Compare it with "Singin' In the Rain," released just a year before: the difference is like night and day! We have come to expect better than this from a company that has given classic film fans the best DVD transfers of any company. I am more than disappointed; I am shocked! What happened, Warner Brothers?

Originally intended as a re-teaming of Judy Garland and Gene Kelly, EASTER PARADE ran into trouble when Garland's doctors advised against her working under the direction of her husband, director Vincent Minnelli--and no sooner did director Charles Walters take the helm than Gene Kelly broke his leg. Out of such confusion are movie musical miracles born: although a bit old to act as Garland's leading man, Fred Astaire was coaxed out of retirement. He and Garland had tremendous chemistry, EASTER PARADE was a box office smash, and Astaire unexpectedly found himself reborn as an MGM star.

Set in 1900s New York, the film's story line is flimsy but enjoyable. After long-time dance partner Ann Miller abandons the act, Astaire hires chorus girl Garland and attempts to recast her in his former partner's mold--a situation which offers Astaire and Garland considerable comedy and gives Astaire the chance to parody several of his own famous dance of the 1930s. Garland eventually convinces Astaire that she needs to be herself, and once the act is revamped they become a hot ticket--and, once their several romantic complications are resolved, romantic partners as well.

Astaire is every bit as charming here as he was in his Ginger Roger days, and his choreography retains his signature sharpness, wit, and elegance. Although Garland isn't really a dancer, she holds her own with Astaire and she tears strips off a brillant score of Irving Berlin favorites. Both are well supported by Anne Miller, who gives a brilliant turn with 'Shakin' the Blues Away,' and Peter Lawford, who is quite charming as one of Garland's admirers. Although this really isn't as inspired as the truly great MGM musicals of the late 1940s, director Walters keeps it going at a smart pace, and the star power, clever script, memorable score, and those legendary MGM production values elevate it well above the pack. Musical fans will be in for a treat! Recommended.

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Some movies (especially movies from today) are really to me just a waste of time and money. People just don't seem to care about what people see on the screen anymore. And that is one of the reasons I LOVE old movies! Because you can always, almost, well, you can really never go wrong!! And Easter Parade is one of those movies to just treasure. To save for your children and grandchildren. So they can's appreciate the past, and know that there once was a time when people cared about the things they put on that larger than life screen.

Easter Parade begins with the ballroom dancer, Don Hews (Fred Astaire). Who is in love with his goregeous partner (Ann Miller) Oh, what a star!

Those two are a great team that audiences love. But when Nadene, (Miller) becomes hungry for renown, she dumps him for the Zigfield Follies, and Don's best friend, the handsome Johnny Harlow (Peter Lawford).

Angry Don sets off to prove to Nadene that he can dance with anybody and he doesn't need her! So he finds the chorus girl working at a bar, the Lovely Hannah Brown (Judy Garland). Wonderful songs that put a smile on your face. And clever lines that will make you laugh! Easter Parade has it all!! And as Don Hews realizes he's fallen hoplelessly in love with Hannah. And he proves to the narrow minded, jealous, Nadene, he DOESN'T need her, and he CAN dance with anybody.

Clinton Sundberg plays the bar tender where Hannah used to work. And thinks he knows everything. Lines like:

Astaire: I bet you know alot about women.

Sundberg: I should, been single all my life.

Wonderful songs like: Easter Parade, Love the Piano, A Fella With a Umbrella, Michigan, shakin the Blues away, and more!

Ann also does a jaw droppin performance of Shakin your Blues Away. Wonderful!!! This movie is all smiles!! And let me tell you something, this movie DEFINETLEY cannot miss! I'm only practically 14, but my opinion is very decided, I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!

PLEASE DO ME A FAVOR: SEE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Hello everyone!

I just thought I'd share with you all that Warner Brothers is in the process of making Corrected Blu-Ray discs for Easter Parade. I got an e-mail today from a Representative at Warner Brothers after I e-mailed them with my concerns regarding the missing "Judy Garland: By Myself" that was advertised and not put on the disc. I was told that they were just made aware of the problem and are in the process of making the correction. They asked me for my address and told me that they would ship it to me as soon as it became available. So, I would e-mail Warner Brothers through their website (warnerbrothers.com) and express the same concerns as I did and someone SHOULD respond to you within a few days and hopefully, ask you for your address so you can get one sent to you. Hope you all didn't run out and buy the 2 Disc Special Edition on DVD just to get this missing extra. :)Easter Parade [Blu-ray]

UPDATE: 3-26-13 Well, I FINALLY got my copy and, as with the rest of you, it was Disc 2 of the DVD 2 Disc Special Edition. I must say, I am rather disapointed that Warner Brothers didn't fix the Blu-Ray version of this Movie and add the missing documentary. I'm sure all they did was tear open a bunch of the 2 Disc sets and take Disc 2 out and throw away the rest of the set; just to satisfy the requests for a fix from me and the rest of you. So, OK. They put a band-aid over the problem. What happens from this point onward?? Are they going to just keep sending out Disc 2 of the DVD collection everytime someone writes or calls to voice their concerns about the missing documentary?? Will they send a bunch of these Disc 2's to Amazon and everyone else selling this movie on Blu-Ray and tell them to include it with the Blu-Ray if someone orders it from them?? Are they EVER going to produce the Blu-Ray with the missing documentary and if so, will they send US a free copy to give us what we should have had all along?? I guess only time will tell.

"I don't wanna complain. But, I drove around that revolting block 51 times and my feet are killing me!" :)

UPDATE: 4-2-13 I just contacted Amazon Customer Service to ask them (now that they are begining to sell this as a "2 Disc Version" Blu-Ray) "Would I get 2 Blu-Ray discs or 1 Blu-Ray disc and 1 DVD disc containing the missing Documentary "By Myself" if I purchased this from Amazon"?? Well, I tried 3 different people and got nowhere. One person denied that this movie was ever put on "hold" by Amazon and only available to purchase through Marketplace Sellers. Are they SERIOUS!?!? So, my suggestion is, buy at your own risk! I suspect that Warner Brothers just sent them a bunch of the same DVD's they gave all of us who contacted them regarding the missing Documentary and told Amazon to just throw it in with the Blu-Ray if someone orders it. But, to call this a "2 Disc Version" is misleading to consumers if this truly isn't a 2 Disc Blu-Ray set. Unless Amazon can give us a straight answer, I would hold off on purchasing this. You want to know exactly what you're getting, don't you??

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This film is a joy from start to finish and, as has been mentioned elsewhere, the colour and sound reproduction on the DVD are excellent. On this `special edition' there is also an interesting extra in the making of documentary Easter Parade: On the Avenue in which you get to learn interesting little snippets such as the fact that Anne Miller had to dance her numbers in a surgical corset due to the fact that, shortly prior to shooting the film, her husband had pushed her down the stairs and broken her back! Also, some might not have known that, but for a similar, though not quite so severe injury, Gene Kelly might have been playing the lead. The aspect ratio also means that you get the full screen image rather than it being cut down.

There is so much to enjoy: not least, of course, We're a Couple of Swells, in which Judy had to persuade Fred to `dust on' and go very much against the normally suave, sophisticated and elegant grain! It is in this number that she seems almost always to be teetering on the edge of going overboard but just, somehow manages the restraint necessary to achieve a superb piece of vaudevillian pastiche. And then there is Fred's `Steppin' Out With My Baby', in which he ends the number by dancing in slow motion against a backdrop chorus dancing in real time: sheer brilliance.

In an era in which we are often served up garbage and expected to accord it the status of entertainment; of reality TV and Hello magazine and, seemingly, commonplace `mega stars' it isn't often that we get to witness and appreciate true and sublime genius on show.

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Panic in the Streets (1950)

Love him or hate him (many in Hollywood still do, hate him, that is, based on his cooperating with the HUAC House Un-American Activities Committee back in the early 50s), Elia Kazan knew how to make damn good films, including such features as A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), On the Waterfront (1954), which won eight Academy Awards, including one for best direction and one for best actor in leading role for Marlon Brando, Splendor in the Grass (1961), and this earlier effort titled Panic in the Streets (1950), which also won an Academy Award in the best writing motion picture story category for Edward and Edna Anhalt. Starring in the film is Richard Widmark, whom I last saw in the one of the unfunniest comedies I've ever seen in National Lampoon's Movie Madness (1983), so I really relished this opportunity to put that experience in the past as I knew Widmark capable of much better things having seen Pickup on South Street (1953), which I think is one of his best films (I have yet to see them all). Also appearing is Paul Douglas (It Happens Every Spring), Barbara Bel Geddes (Vertigo), Zero Mostel (The Producers), Guy Thomajan (The Pink Panther), and Jack `Believe it...or not!' Palance (The Professionals, Torture Garden) in what appears to be his first silver screen role, credited as Walter Jack Palance.

The story, which takes place in New Orleans, or New Awlins', if you prefer, begins as a seedy poker game breaks up early due to one of the players feeling all sick like...the others are annoyed, especially Blackie (Palance), as the man was winning, and they believe he's using the old `I'm leaving early because I'm sick, not because I'm winning' ploy to get out of giving them the chance to win back their money, so they follow him because the aforementioned Blackie is an especially poor loser and wants his dough back...to which they end up killing the man and dumping his corpse in the harbor...only thing is, the now deceased was truly sick, suffering a pulmonary form of the bubonic plague aka the black death (you know, that bug that spread across Europe and killed millions?), diagnosed by Lieutenant Commander Dr. Clinton Reed (Widmark) of the U.S. Public Health Service. He tries to impress upon the local authorities the importance of finding everyone who had contact with the relatively unknown man due to the extremely communicable nature of the pathogen, but police captain Tom Warren (Douglas), whose been assigned to work with Reed, has little faith in finding the killer as there are virtually no clues (the dead man has no ID as he recently arrived by steam shipper and entered the country illegally). Now Reed and Warren have 48 hours to crack the case, lest the disease take a foothold and spread across the country.

My favorite exchange in the film was between the characters of Reed and Warren, the two civil servants stuck with each other, Reed feeling Warren isn't taking things serious enough, while Warren thinks Reed is over-reacting.

Reed: You know, my mother always told me if you looked deep enough in anybody, you always find some good, but I don't know.

Warren: With apologies to your mother, that's the second mistake she made.

This is a really strong film, although I'm not sure if it did too well the time it was released. The most striking aspect about the movie, in my opinion, is the dark haired Palance who played the role of the lead antagonist Blackie. He's a truly scary individual, not only because of his lean, almost gaunt, towering physique, but also because quiet nature of his character, sort of a calm exterior barely containing seething cauldron of violence ready to spill over on anyone who goes against him (check out the scene where Blackie dumps the sickly Poldi, mattress and all, over the stairwell)...one really interesting thing, and something I think often tends to screw films up in less capable hands, is the inclusion of so many different facets of a story...the disease, the killer(s), the relationship between Reed and Warren, the relationship between Reed and his wife (played by Bel Geddes), the withholding of information from the public, risking the possibility of full blown outbreak vs. the fear of causing a panic that drives the killer, who may be infected, out of town, etc. Yes, there was a whole lot going on (perhaps too much), but it handled well, and with little or no confusion. One aspect that I really liked was the perception by Blackie that police were putting so much heat out there because he thought they thought the man had smuggled something valuable into the country, something he would be interested in...is it me, or did Zero Mostel play the role of flounder lap dog to Blackie just a little too well? I mean yeah, I wouldn't want to get on Blackie's bad side being the man's a gorilla that trusts no one, but Mostel seemed a little too comfortable in the role. All in all I enjoyed this film, and I thought it provided a somewhat different and unique spin on a well-established genre...plus I've always been a fan of Richard Widmark and would strongly recommend two of his other films from the same period in Night and the City (1950), directed by Jules Dassin, and the one I mentioned earlier Pickup on South Street (1953), directed by Samuel Fuller.

The picture on this DVD is presented in original full frame aspect ratio (1.33:1), and looks very sharp and clean. The audio is available in both Dolby Digital stereo and mono, and comes across very well. In terms of special features, there's a commentary track by authors and film historians James Ursini and Alain Silver, along with a theatrical trailer and liner notes for the film. There are also trailer for other 20th Century Fox noir films like Call Northside 777 (1948), House of Bamboo (1955), Laura (1944), and The Street with No Name (1948).

Cookieman108

If I learned anything from this film its not to play cards with Jack Palance...he doesn't like to lose...

This excellent documentary-style noir was superbly directed by the great Elia Kazan, who made great use of actual locations in New Orleans to create a very realistic and believable atmosphere. The cast is nearly flawless, with great performances from Richard Widmark (in a rare good guy role!), Paul Douglas, Barbara Bel Geddes, Zero Mostel, and Jack Palance, in his stunning film debut.

Richard Widmark plays Dr. Clint Reed, a public health doctor who must work with New Orleans Police Captain Tom Warren (played by Paul Douglas) to find the killer(s) of a man who was already dying of the deadly bubonic plague (he was carrying a virulent strain of it). They have only 48 hours to find the killers before they can escape the port area and unknowingly spread the plague throughout the country.

Jack Palance plays the ruthless killer who's on the run from the police, not knowing that he's already infected with the plague. Barbara Bel Geddes plays the patient wife of Dr. Reed (Widmark), and Zero Mostel plays the cowardly sidekick of Jack Palance. The memorable music by Alfred Newman only adds to the mood of this entertaining film noir. The dvd has a virtually perfect picture and sound quality, and includes several film noir trailers and an outstanding commentary by film noir authors/historians Alain Silver and James Ursini. Highly recommended for any film noir buff!

Buy Panic in the Streets (1950) Now

Dr. Clint Reed (Richard Widmark) and New Orleans Police Captain Tom Warren (Paul Douglas) frantically search for a pair of criminals involved with the murder of a card player who may have been infected with plague by the victim. Reed and Warren have 48 hours to find the criminals before they become infectious and spread plague through the population like a wildfire. Although it doesn't compare to the gorefests that pass for suspense thrillers today. Kazan's eighth film as a director is filled with long takes influenced by Welles (although far more naturalistic looking without the unusual angles that Gregg Toland used on Welles' masterpiece "Citizen Kane") creating as much suspense by letting the action play out as the quick cutting style of Hitchcock and other directors working at the time. Featuring the lovely and underrated Barbara Bel Geddes as Widmark's wife, "Panic in the Streets" continues to astound with its suspenseful direction and brutal violence. A young Jack Palance steals the film with his role as "Blackie" one of the infected criminals and Zero Mostel appears as the other criminal a year or two before Kazan ratted him out to the House of Un-American Acitivies. A believable, powerful drama that still resonates today because of Kazan's on location shooting and powerful down-to-earth performances. Writer Murphy and Kazan would frequently allow the actors to improvise some of their scenes changing dialogue around to bring a sense of spontaneity. Kazan's film, unlike many of the time, shows interdepartmental conflicts slowing down the hunt for the infected men.

"Panic in the Streets" looks good in its first presentation on DVD. There's a predictable amount of grain and dirt but, on the whole, there's nothing to panic about. The sound is presented in the original mono mix and an augmented artifical stereo mix as well. The former sounds the best of the two. The sound occasionally comes across as harsh but there's little hiss or other analog problems. Image qualtiy is exceptionally good for the movie and this is a must have for fans of film noir featuring one of Palance's best early performances.

Unfortunately, we don't have any featurettes or documentaries on any of the stars from the film. I seem to recall A&E Biographies on both Jack Palance and Richard Widmark and am a bit puzzled as to why they weren't licensed for this project. Perhaps it's because this is a lower profile classic film that doesn't have the built in audience of, say, "Laura" or "Letter to Three Wives". We do get the theatrical trailer for the film as well as four trailers for four other Fox Noir Classics available on DVD.

A great, involving commentary track authors and film historians James Ursini and Alain Silver is a highlight of this release. The authors point out Kazan's more straight forward style relying much more on lighting the actors to maintain the mood of the film. There's also scenes here that are echoed in later Kazan films such as "On the Waterfront" and "A Streetcar Named Desire".

A sharp, vivid looking transfer for this classic noir is a highlight of "Panic in the Streets". It's a pity that there's no background on the production of the movie provided in the form of a featurette or documentary. As it is, though, we get plenty of information from the two film historians and authors on the commentary tracks and their efforts aren't as dry as some commentators. We also get the original theatrical trailer as well as four original trailers for other Fox Noir DVDs.

Read Best Reviews of Panic in the Streets (1950) Here

I remember catching this movie on TV about 15 years ago, and I immediately fell in love with it, despite the fact that I wasn't particularly crazy about any of the stars, or even 'film noir'.

This amazing gritty documentary-style film just jells perfectly; the setup of the plague, Richard Widmark and Paul Douglas' dilemma, the sleazy New Orleans waterfront dives and characters.

Director Elia Kazan used real locations and often real local people; some of the cops were New Orleans cops, etc.

I'm so glad that this has finally been released....and hopefully most of you will discover one of the most distinctive films of the late 1940's...right up with there with "White Heat".

And....to top it off, the opening theme music by Alfred Newman is, in my mind, one of the amazingly spirited and exiting themes in the history of motion pictures.....

Want Panic in the Streets (1950) Discount?

The Timeless Classics DVD is a low-quality bootleg. The picture is all messed up and looks like a VCD. It even scrolls text across the screen when you start it up telling you who is responsible for "ripping" the film. Unfortunately the Timeless Classics bootleg has all the reviews copied from the Panic in the Streets (Fox Film Noir) page, which is the version to get. Not looking quickly I just thought that the so-called "Remastered" version was a new release. Avoid this hunk of junk and make sure to get the Fox Film Noir release of this amazing movie.

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Experiment in Terror (1962)

Take an early, lean Blake Edwards, a tension filled script, a cast of fine actors, great San Francisco location shooting and a suspenseful score by Henry Mancini and you have "Experiment in Terror"---one of the best suspense thrillers ever made. Adapted by the story's authors, it pits innocent bank clerk Lee Remick against asthmatic madman Ross Martin who terrorizes her in an extortion plot to rob her bank. His threats include harming her kid sister Stefanie Powers. When Remick contacts the FBI, agent Glenn Ford and his associates barrel into action. The result is a bizarre cat & mouse game between Remick, Martin and Ford. Martin is slick and murderous. But he manages to finance expensive hip surgery for a 6 yr.old Asian boy whose mother he's seeing. His heavy breathing is some of the most realistic I've ever heard in a film. Edwards directs "Experiment" in a fast paced style that keeps you glued to the screen all the way to the Giants game finale. Again, his on location shooting is superb. He never goes for the cheap shot in this film. Some scenes are just down right creepy. "Experiment in Terror" gets my vote as one of the best DVD finds around and deserves collector's status. It's wonderful b&w photography is preserved in a nice crisp print and the sound is fine. This is a first rate keeper all the way. Enjoy.

The calendar year of 1962 sure was a fantastic year for movies! Just look at this impressive lineup of cinematic gems released in '62 ---

"Lawrence Of Arabia", "To Kill A Mockingbird", "The Longest Day", "The Music Man", "Mutiny On The Bounty", "The Miracle Worker", "Cape Fear", "Days Of Wine And Roses", "The Manchurian Candidate", "How The West Was Won", "What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?", "Advise & Consent", "Birdman Of Alcatraz", "Requiem For A Heavyweight", "Lonely Are The Brave", "Long Day's Journey Into Night", "Knife In The Water", "Dr. No", and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance".

Holy smoke! What a great year for moving pictures it was. (The first five films I listed above were the five nominees for "Best Picture" at the Academy Awards, with "Lawrence", starring Peter O'Toole, taking home first prize.)

And -in addition to that grand laundry list of goodies above -there is also the 1962 film contained on this exceptional DVD -"Experiment In Terror" -which is one of my top '62 favorites.

"Experiment In Terror" was produced and directed by 39-year-old Blake Edwards, who also directed one of those other memorable '62 flicks on my list above ("Days Of Wine And Roses", which co-starred Jack Lemmon and "Experiment" star Lee Remick). Both Lemmon and Remick were nominated for Oscars for "Wine And Roses". The trophies, however, were won by Gregory Peck and Anne Bancroft.

"Experiment In Terror" is a brilliant and compelling black-and-white thriller. It makes you squirm in your seat from the extraordinarily-eerie beginning right through to its climax, which takes place on the pitcher's mound at San Francisco's "Candlestick Park". (Glenn Ford was firing bullets alright, but not the kind of "bullets" you might expect to see fired from Candlestick's pitching rubber.)

This underrated gem of a flick runs for a tad more than two hours and is methodically slow-paced, which is a good thing here IMO. It gives you time to absorb each scene and think about what's coming next.

The city of San Francisco, California, has been used as a backdrop to many a motion picture over the years, and "Experiment In Terror" is one of the best for showcasing that beautiful western U.S. city. Lots of outdoor footage is used in the film -from cable car close-ups to Coit Tower to Lombard Street to Candlestick.

26-year-old Lee Remick is superb (and stunning as all get out) as the terrorized "Kelly Sherwood"; while Glenn Ford is rock-solid as the FBI agent ("John Ripley") attempting to crack the case; and Ross Martin is completely convincing as "Red Lynch", the wheezing bad guy.

And I certainly don't want to forget about the sensational Henry Mancini music score, which is fabulously creepy from beginning to end. Mr. Mancini's very fitting theme that is played as the Main Titles roll is truly chill-inducing, especially that very first elongated note, which (from its timbre) lets all viewers know right off the bat that what they're about to see isn't going to be a Walt Disney-like, laugh-a-minute cartoon-fest. It's an ominous and downright spooky-sounding opening theme that sets the tone for what's to come.

"Experiment In Terror" debuted in movie theaters on April 13, 1962, and was just Miss Remick's 8th film; but she had already appeared in some excellent movies by the time "Experiment" hit movie screens -such as her very first motion picture, 1957's "A Face In The Crowd" (opposite Andy Griffith) and 1959's "Anatomy Of A Murder", in which she couldn't have been any sexier if she tried (co-starring with the great James Stewart).

Stefanie Powers, age 19, has a very good supporting role in "Experiment", playing Remick's victimized sister, "Toby". Stefanie, like the rest of this top-notch cast, is outstanding in her part here. This was Powers' fifth film role.

Moviegoers in the United Kingdom might also recognize this film by its alternate U.K. title -"The Grip Of Fear".

This DVD version of "Experiment In Terror" became available for purchase on June 10, 2003 (from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment), and it exhibits virtually perfect picture quality. The DVD's Anamorphically-enhanced Widescreen transfer is so clear and free of "noise" and all other video blemishes that this black-and-white film actually takes on a "multiple tone" quality from the depth of the B&W imagery that can be seen here. Excellent "PQ" indeed! You can distinctly discern between the different "shadings" of gray, black, and white throughout the movie (which is something that I've always considered to be indicative of a very well-done transfer of any B&W material to DVD).

The cinematography that can be found within "Terror" is one of the superb features of the film. It is a movie that is well-suited for black-and-white, with its nerve-racking, shadow-filled opening sequence providing a prime example of the admirable photography composed for the film.

The DVD displays the film in the originally-seen Widescreen Aspect Ratio of 1.85:1. Audio is English only (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono).

Special Features are very minimal here (three Theatrical Trailers and three different Subtitling options for the feature film), but the movie itself is certainly "special" enough for this DVD release. And it's a treat being able to see this flick in its intended "Widescreen" format; and, as I gushed previously (but it's worth repeating) -Man, it looks good here!

The Trailers on the disc include one for "Experiment In Terror" itself (with a running time of 2:48), plus "Bonus Trailers" for two other movies, "The Big Heat" (from 1953) and 1947's "The Lady From Shanghai".

Other information about this DVD:

>> Feature Running Time -2 hours, 3 minutes.

>> Subtitles -English, Japanese, and French.

>> Scene Selections? -Yes (28 Chapter Stops included).

>> Menus -All "static"; No animations; No music.

>> Paper Insert Included? -Yes (A one-sheet / two-sided Chapter Guide).

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"Experiment In Terror" has everything a great suspense thriller needs -A fine cast of characters, great actors to portray them, a first-class script which builds mounting tension and drama, superb on-location scenery, and a goose-bump-raising musical score from one of the best composers ever. And the film is made all the better via this winning DVD presentation.

Friendly warning -You might not wish to watch this movie's opening scene alone! It's very realistic .... and scary.

Buy Experiment in Terror (1962) Now

this one was very daring for it's time. the opening score is one of the most ominous music compositions i've ever heard. it's simple but terrifying. you know from the beginning that "something" is going to happen and it does. a woman is manipulated and extorted and threatened all in the first 10 minutes, inevitably compelled to involve the FBI. to divulge any more of this ominous little film would be unfair. a thriller in the most definitive form of the word. it boasts two of the best actors ever to grace the silver screen: Glenn Ford and Lee Remick. this was director Blake Edwards sole attempt at a dramatic film. this attempt proved to be sufficient. it's a cinematic masterpiece. watch it with the lights out!!!!

as for the DVD, not much in extras but the transfer and audio are very good.

Read Best Reviews of Experiment in Terror (1962) Here

Blake Edwards' "Experiment In Terror", released in 1962, is a brilliantly-effective black-and-white thriller/suspense drama. I challenge anyone to try and keep from squirming in his or her seat during the movie's first eerie scene (which takes place in Lee Remick's dark garage).

This gem of a flick, which rates as a "mini-classic" in my own personal opinion, has a running time of a little more than two hours, with the script playing out methodically and unhurriedly. The film's screenplay gives you time to absorb each scene and time to contemplate what might be coming next.

"Experiment In Terror" has everything a great suspense motion picture requires -A good cast of characters, great actors to portray them, a top-drawer script which builds the mounting tension, superb on-location scenery, and a goose-bump-inducing musical score from one of the best composers ever.

The city of San Francisco, California, has been used as a backdrop to many a motion picture over the years, and "EIT" is one of the best for showcasing that beautiful U.S. city. Quite a bit of outdoor footage is used in the film -from cable car close-ups, to Coit Tower, to Lombard Street, to Candlestick.

The Fine Cast:

The stunning Lee Remick, age 26, is perfect as terrorized bank teller "Kelly Sherwood"; while 45-year-old Glenn Ford is rock-solid (as always) as FBI agent "John 'Rip' Ripley". And Ross Martin, 42, is completely convincing and menacing as the wheezing bad guy ("Garland Humphrey 'Red' Lynch"), who wants Miss Remick to swipe $100,000 from her bank and hand it over to him.

Nineteen-year-old Stefanie Powers has a very good supporting role in "Experiment", as Remick's younger sister, "Toby". Stefanie, like the rest of the top-notch cast, is outstanding in her part too.

It's also interesting to take note of the early 1960s-era baseball stars that can be seen in the movie (via the tense Candlestick Park finale, part of which was filmed during an actual major-league game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the hometown San Francisco Giants). Don Drysdale, Harvey Kuenn, and Mike McCormick are among the ballplayers that can be glimpsed during the course of the film's Candlestick scenes.

And then there's Henry Mancini's spectacular music score that he composed for "EIT", which is fabulously creepy from beginning to end. The Main Title theme is positively chilling, especially that very first elongated note. It's an ominous and downright spooky-sounding opening theme that sets the tone for what's to come.

The B&W cinematography in "Experiment" is another of the movie's superb features. This is a film that is well-suited for black-and-white, with its nerve-racking, shadow-filled opening sequence providing a prime example of the admirable photography that was composed for the film.

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Some "Terror Trivia":

1.) The number on Lee Remick's automobile license plate is "TAH570". It's a 1961 California plate, which is attached to Lee's (Kelly's) Ford Fairlane two-door convertible.

2.) The baseball ticket that Lee Remick takes from an envelope near the end of the picture reveals some interesting things (trivia-wise). It's a genuine "Upper Stand Reserved" ticket (priced at $2.50) for the actual National League baseball game played on Friday, August 18, 1961 (a Dodgers vs. Giants night game at Candlestick Park).*

* = By the way, the Giants ended up winning that game of 8/18/61 vs. Los Angeles. Orlando Cepeda swatted a lead-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give San Francisco a 2-1, extra-inning victory over the Dodgers. Don Drysdale was the starting pitcher for Los Angeles that night, and he threw a very good game too, working 7 innings, allowing just 4 hits and 1 run. Larry Sherry relieved Drysdale and took the loss by giving up the Cepeda game-winner. A Friday-night crowd of 30,145 saw their Giants pull out the sudden-death win. I'm unsure, however, if that attendance figure includes the "Upper Stand" ticket that Columbia Pictures acquired for Miss Remick's use in this motion picture. Could be, though. I'm assuming Columbia had to pay the $2.50 to get the ticket. ~wink~

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Quotes:

"You've got a small waist -measurements: 34-22-35 -right? Oh, I know a lot about you, Miss Sherwood." -Red Lynch

"I don't like the way you're talking, Kelly. I'm giving you twenty percent of 100,000 dollars; you can afford to talk a little nicer." -Red Lynch

"Why don't you come out of your hole and get me?!!" -Kelly Sherwood

"Take off your clothes. .... The sweater too." -Red Lynch (to Toby)

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This VHS videotape of "Experiment In Terror" provides a Standard/Full-Frame (1.33:1) version of the movie. But for the ultimate "Experiment Experience", I'd recommend the first-rate DVD edition of this movie. The film is presented in its intended Widescreen ratio on that Digital Disc -and it looks sensational too.

Want Experiment in Terror (1962) Discount?

Experiment in Terror is one of those now rarely seen films from the tail end of the

film noir era.

Made in 1962 by Blake Edwards, who would later go on the make the Pink Panther films and Victor/Victoria, starring his wife Julie Andrews.

This film showed what might have been, if Edwards had of kept on making detective and film noir thillers, instead of light fuffy comadies.

A real edge of your seat movie.

But I would like to know why the Marketplace Sellers want so much for this film

on dvd. 60.00 buck is an outlandish price for a film, just because it's on dvd.

Stanley Kubrick Visionary Filmmaker Blu Ray Collection (Region Free) (2011)

Really? I suppose they had to sell them somehow. Hahahahaha I probably would have included Dr. Strangelove or Spartacus or Paths of Glory instead. Still, the rest of the set is brilliant.

I love Kubrick and all of these movies are absolutely brilliant and genius and classic and all the other things people normally say about Stanley Kubrick. This box set is good. The special features on most of the movies are nice and the majority of them have commentary. The two problems I had is that the extra disc is actually the second bonus feature disc for A Clockwork Orange so the menu is A Clockwork Orange's menu which is wierd to me because it is the last disc while A Clockwork Orange is the third disc. The second thing is: Where is Dr. Strangelove. That movie is arguably more important than Lolita. This boxset goes from Lolita to 2001 and I don't know why Dr. Strangelove was excluded. I mainly got it for a cheaper way to get Blu-rays of Kubrick movies and I got exactly that.

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Safety Last! (Criterion Collection) (1923)

Although he is generally considered the equal of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd's films are much less widely available--with the exception of SAFETY LAST, which turns up with great regularity at film festivals and on cable television. Like most of his films, SAFETY LAST finds Lloyd struggling to make good in order to win the girl of his dreams (in this case his actual wife, actress Mildred Davis)--and when the big boss offers a thousand dollars for a promotional idea that will draw hundreds to the store, Lloyd suggests a human fly act... but at the last minute circumstances go awry, leaving Lloyd to make the climb himself.

While the first half of the film abounds in brilliant, hilarious sight gags, it is Lloyd's climb up the skyscraper that is best remembered: attacked by pigeons, entangled in a net, running afoul of a mouse, and ultimately hanging from the hands of a clock face hundreds of feet above a cheering crowd. Filmed without stunt-doubles or such devices as rear-screen projection, the squirm effect of the sequence is still tremendous--and the film is all the funnier for it. Always wearing his signature straw hat and round-frame glasses, Lloyd's eager optimism personified the go-getter mentality of the 1920s, when the sky seemed the limit and progress hadn't yet gone on too long. If you are a fan of silent film but have not yet encountered Harold Lloyd, SAFETY LAST is the perfect introduction--and an essential for your collection.

Okay, when we think of Harold Lloyd we think of the famous image of him hanging onto the hands of a clock outside a building, right? Well, this is where the shot was taken from. "Safety Last" was one of the few Lloyd comedies I actually saw when I was younger. I mostly saw his short 2 and 3 reelers growing up. But, I happened to see "Safety Last" on tv yesterday. It's been about 15 years since I last saw, and I was still amazed.

"Safety Last" tells the story of a couple in love (Lloyd and Mildred Davis). Lloyd is going to become a big businessman so he can marry the girl of his dreams. As soon as he gets enough money he will send out for her to come. At best Lloyd gets a job as a salesman making $15 a week. In 1923 I'm guessing that was pretty good, but, even by those standards not enough to get married on. So, naturally like any man would do, he lies to his girlfriend pretending that he's doing much better than he actually is. He goes without eating so he can buy her a chain. He writes to her everyday of the week dreaming of the day they can be together.

Feeling she has waited long enough for Lloyd, Davis decides it's time for her to go to him. Thus making things worst for him due to the fact she visits him at work! But, as fate would have it the department store where he is working is looking for a scheme to draw costumers. And Lloyd gets a great idea that will earn him $1,000!

Okay, I feel I have to commet on the building climbing piece. It is one of the most daring scenes I have scene in comedy history. Now, I know that no harm came to Lloyd making shooting that scene. I know he survived the making of that scene and went on to make other movies, but, I became so caught in the moment that my heart was in my throat. I was sitting on the edge of my seat. Everytime it seemed as if Lloyd would fall off the buliding I jumped lol. I kept thinking to myself, "Why did he do this?!" "How did he do this?!" "How did they shoot this scene?!!" You forget that it's only a movie. because most of us know that Lloyd did his own stunts. It really is something everyone has to see.

Would I say this is his "best" movie? No, to be honest I don't think so. Do I think it's one of his funniest? Sure. It's right up there. I also think it's one of the best comedies not only made in it's day, but of all-time. So go out and buy it.

Bottom-line: Probably Lloyd's most famous movie due to the "thrill" scene at the end. One of the best comedies of all time.

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Harold Lloyd is without question the funniest and most daring filmmaker of his day, if not the entire 20th century. SAFETY LAST is a classic example of Lloyd's films: an average, All-American boy, full of optimism and hope, finds himself in a simple mixup that quickly multiplies with hilarious complexity. When SAFETY LAST first debuted in theaters in 1923, audiences literally fainted while watching the stunts Harold performed, and they are no less powerful today, for they were all filmed without the aid of special effects. He made more films than Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton combined, but has been all but forgotten by late 20th century film lovers. SAFETY LAST is only one of the multitudes of fantastic movies this genius made, and if you're not impressed when you see it, remember this: due to a stunt accident early in his career, Harold Lloyd lost his thumb and index finger on his right hand. All the stunts you see in SAFETY LAST including the infamous skyscraper climb were done with the use of only ONE complete hand! If you like SAFETY LAST (and I'm sure you will), I also highly recommend GIRL SHY, SPEEDY and HOT WATER, just to name a few.

Read Best Reviews of Safety Last! (Criterion Collection) (1923) Here

The LA Conservancy has a great pdf document on how SAFETY LAST was filmed. It was very clever how perspective tricks were used to make it look like Lloyd was actually dangling over a downtown LA street (you knew he wasn't really...). Google "laconservancy.org/tours/HaroldLloyd" and you'll be rewarded with photos of the locations as they look today, plus fascinating information on the filming of this comedy classic. Pages 7 and 8 show specifically how the clock scene was shot. Makes a terrific addition to this film.

Want Safety Last! (Criterion Collection) (1923) Discount?

Anyone who knows anything about cinematic history knows that the payoff in SAFETY LAST is Harold Lloyd's harrowing and comedic exploits hanging from the hands of a clock on the side of a building high above the city streets. As many times as I had seen excerpts from that sequence in various places, I had never seen the movie in its entirety until now.

Harold Lloyd was a comic genius. The story is simple enough--boy goes to the big city; boy lies to girl about how well he is doing; girl comes to the city to surprise boy--but the movie is so rich in site gags that it is truly enjoyable throughout. Because this is a silent film, the comedy is physical and universal and appealing even to the jaded sensibilities of the present day.

Lloyd plays "The Boy," a fresh-faced country lad who bids "The Girl" (Mildred Davis) farewell in order to pursue his dreams of riches in the city. When he arrives, however, he lands a job as a lowly sales clerk, and it is a daily struggle for him to avoid being fired. Bill Strother plays "The Pal," The Boy's roommate and compatriot in misery. The Pal, as a construction worker, has a talent for scaling tall buildings. When The Boy's boss offers $1000 to anyone who can draw shoppers to the department store, The Boy proposes a human fly stunt (by The Pal) to bring in the crowds. Unfortunately, The Boy unintentionally draws the ire of "The Law" (Noah Young) onto The Pal. As the time for the stunt draws near, The Boy needs to start climbing, at least until The Pal is able to shake The Law.

Even after seeing excerpts from this scene hundreds of times, the clock-hanging sequence in SAFETY LAST is utterly breathtaking, more so when you consider that (evidently) no special effects or trick photography was used in the filming. The impact of this scene, therefore, is so much more powerful than any analogous scene in a modern film could ever be.

SAFETY LAST is a classic and important film in the history of cinema, but one that is surprisingly accessible today, considering its age. It should certainly be part of any serious film buff's video library.

Jeremy W. Forstadt

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Ghost in the Shell 2.0 (2009)

I'm going to break this review down into two parts.

The movie itself:

This is Ghost In The Shell in HD. It's beautiful, but for a smoother translation into the look of Innocence the greenish colors of the original film have been touched up and made to be more of an amber color like that seen in second film. This isn't really a change that I mind, and it's pulled off fairly well. I assume that several scenes were cleaned up digitally because the line art looks amazingly clean.

Sadly, someone felt it would be appropriate to replace some of the most iconic and stunning animation from the original with CG. A few scenes are done well like those where the CG is only helicopters or buildings, but whenever it replaces characters with crappy looking CG models it becomes stunningly bad. If you watch the making of the original movie you can see that their limited use of computer assisted animation was carefully planned and fit in with the other artwork and improved the film. The CG in 2.0 sticks out like a sore thumb in most cases. The only CG part that I liked was the pan over the cityscape at the end of the film.

If you have a bluray player and haven't seen GitS yet 2.0 isn't a bad way to see it, but fans of the original will probably be disappointed with the lack of any significant changes and the quality of what was changed.

The bluray by Manga:

Somehow Manga Entertainment never ceases to screw something pretty major up on their releases. The box lists a commentary with Oshii, an interview with Oshii and a making of GitS 2.0. None of these features are present on the bluray. You get throw away character profiles, glossary, and the old english trailer. The original making of GitS is here in VHS quality along with the unlisted bonus feature of the original cut of the movie. When I heard that I was pretty excited because in all honesty it's the only version I truly care about, but it looks to be taken from non-HD masters and only includes 2.0 audio tracks. If memory serves me correctly I believe that my GitS DVD looks better upscaled than this version does.

It would have been nice to do a re-dub of the film with the SAC cast, but I guess most of them were in the original anyway and it's a nice dub in it's own right.

This whole release just makes me want the original film untouched in HD. I can't give this less than three stars if only because seeing this movie this way is better than not seeing it at all because it's a one of my favorite films ever, but be aware of the problems with this release before deciding to buy it.

Ahh...Ghost in the Shell. The 1995 movie based on the manga that was called by some the second coming of Akira. I can't help but agree with that. So here we are almost 15 years later and we now have a sequel, a spin-off TV show, with a TV movie and it's influence is seen in movies such as "The Matrix." Now we have GitS 2.0, which is not a sequel (though I can see why people could be misled into thinking that.) but a redone version of the first movie. The colors has been changed and some CG has been brought in to replace the old animation. Its supposed to look more like the sequel, "Innocence," but honestly it looks weird since the original movie was made 9 years before the sequel. But I'm not going to review the movie itself, I'm just going to tell you why you should buy this on Blu-Ray.

The first thing all you purists need to know, the original Ghost in the Shell is included on the disc in HD. It doesn't look that great but it looks better than the DVD for sure. Also, the transfer is not the DVD master from the 2005 re-issue simply upconverted (contrary to popular belief), it is the Blu-ray master from Japan. They didn't really clean up the film but this is pretty much the best it's ever going to look unless Bandai, Manga or Production IG want to put up the money for a full re-master.

Which brings us into the new 2.0 version. This puppy has demo worthy video. The animation has been nicely cleaned-up, the new CG pops, and the re-mixed soundtrack (which I'll get back to in a minute) can bring the house down. This is one of the best animated Blu-rays out there, up there with "Cars," "Wall-E," and "Akira." While consistency is off thanks to the new CG, new colors and old animation, but this is not the fault of the transfer.

The soundtrack for the original Japanese version has actually been thrown out the window completely. Not only are there new sound effects, but the original cast has re-recorded all their lines, with one exception: the Puppet Master. The Puppet Master was originally voiced by a man, and has now been replaced by a woman. Also the song that plays in the background during the market chase with Batou has been removed. It is such a small thing that people probably won't notice (but I brought it up for a reason).

Now, I'm going to be honest, I'm a fan of the English dub of GitS in all of its forms. When this was announced I thought for sure they would re-dub the movie with the new GitS: Stand Alone Complex cast. This is not the case. They used the original dub from 1995 for this version (So Mimi Woods is playing Motoko, not Mary Elizabeth McGlynn from the SAC dub.) with the new sound effects thrown in. Which brings us to a inconsistency because in the 2.0 version the Puppet Master is supposed to be played a female, but instead, is still played by a man, since this is literally the same dub. This isn't the only inconsistency, the song from the marketplace is now back in the movie. There some other small gripes but only the hardcore fan would notice.

Now onto the extras. They consider the old version of the movie as a extra, and it is a pretty cool extra, having both versions in HD. Then we come into a couple of weird quirks. On the box, it says there is a commentary with the director, as well as a making of feature for 2.0. What we get is a making of feature....for the original movie and a theatrical trailer...for the original. Along with come bios and glossary. The features on the box are no where to be found, which is quite a big gaff. Maybe future re-prints will correct this but as of now, the features on the box are not there. To me, it isn't a big deal, but it kind of sucks that we don't get what the box promises.

All in all this is a must buy for every GitS fan. Not only do you get the new version of this movie, you get the original in HD. That way, you get the best of both worlds. Everyone else, give this one a rental, because this is really for the fans.

EDIT: 9/29/11 The included original version of Ghost in the Shell is not the HD master from Japan. It is a laserdisc master, upconverted to 1080i. Also, they've fixed the back cover in later prints to have the correct features on the back. I still recommend this if you're a fan.

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Movie: 4.5/5 Video Quality: 4.5/5 Audio Quality: 5/5 Extras: 2.5/5 Overall: 4.1/5 (rounded down in total star ranking)

This was the second genuine anime film I ever watched, and even after repeated viewings I've been confused and confounded by it. It may be short and it may boast some cool action scenes, but for the most part it is a tight, complex, and highly cerebral thriller. The combination of philosophy, psychology, technology, and politics is often overwhelming in this film.

Only recently have I been able to understand the movie's plot and issues, and I must say that it is a very sublime picture with some very deep issues concerning the human soul, technology, and society. For that matter, each viewing does reveal deeper meaning. On this basis, the movie not only makes for quintessential anime, but it is also an essential (and influential) piece of cyberpunk sci-fi.

The movie's plot and characters may seem muddled, but they have nuances and complexities of their own. I do find that other features in the "Ghost in the Shell" series (namely, "Innocence," "Stand Alone Complex," and "Solid State Society") offer easier storylines and more understandable characters, but they are not quite as original or distinctive as what's in this film. The movie is slowly-paced, but has lots of interesting visuals and some brilliant action scenes. Production design features some very interesting and original sets, props, costumes, vehicles, and weapons. Music is interesting.

For better or for worse, this disc showcases the 2.0 version, which offers enhanced CGI effects to replace certain scenes, as well as an enhanced soundtrack and a new music score. These changes do offer a different color palette than the theatrical cut, and the image overall looks cleaner, sharper, and more detailed. Above all, it is visually and conceptually more compatible with other features in the "Ghost in the Shell" series.

This disc offers decent quality. The video looks very clean, with excellent color and contrast. It is sharp with plenty of details; textures are strong and pencil lines are thin. I saw no signs of visual noise, pixilation, or aliasing. The only issue worth noting is that some scenes may have bright auras, but this is notably less intrusive on Blu-Ray than it is on DVD. A few scenes showed some slight banding as well. Sound quality is excellent (DTS-HD MA 6.1, lossless), and you have a choice between English dubbing and the original Japanese, with optional subtitles. Extras include a making-of feature, character profiles, creator biographies, and a trailer.

One of the special features is the original theatrical cut of the movie. Video quality on the original film in 1080i is notably weaker, for it shows greater pixilation, aliasing, and film artifacts. Colors are also more washed-out, but some colors are notably different than the 2.0 version (more blues and greens in certain scenes). Regardless, it is still a sharp and clean image. Sound quality is good, and it has the same language and subtitle options as the 2.0 feature.

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Let's get one thing clear: I love Ghost in the Shell. I have everything ever released on DVD. As far as Cyberpunk goes, this is it. Plain and simple.

Let's talk about what's wrong with GITS: 2.0

They took the 2008 Japanese Bluray and ran a blur filter over it. Want your DVD to look the same? Turn the sharpness down to about 20%. Ta-da!

Added in new 3d animation that looks like something from a Playstation One or 2 at best. Low rez, crap quality that has artifacting and residue. We're talking Youtube video quality. I'm not impressed. Going from one type of animation type to another in mid movie is really painful.

On top of all that, deciding to change entire color pallets, substituting Amber for Green. Ya that's great. Thanks.

This is worse than what Lucas did to Star Wars. Far worse.

It's crap.

I am very disappointed.

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I picked this up assuming that both 2.0 and 1.0 transfers would be of equal quality -such was not the case. While 2.0 looks great -that is, if you can put up with pretty dated-looking CG -1.0 looks like it's a direct transfer from the original 480p DVD master and looks pretty awful. Buyer beware on this one.

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Jim Gaffigan: Beyond the Pale (2006)

I caught this twice on TV and both times was laughing so hard it hurt. I just had to buy it so I could show it to more people. We must watch it at home at least a couple times a month now, and show it to everyone we can. Gaffigan is a genius in this: he is so funny, discusses so many common themes for his jokes (laziness, eating) with only a couple insinuating jokes that might be innappropriate, otherwise very clean-cut and not filled with bad language like so many other comedians. I am so glad I bought this, it has been so worth it and gotten so much time from my DVD player. We are always quoting from this, just so much of it is so true! You will love it and not be sad you spent the small price to buy it. There are some cute special features too, but the routine is the best part.

Jim Gaffigan is one of the best comedians I've seen in a long time. His jokes are great and fun for the whole family.

Jim Gaffigan manages to entertain and produce good quality comedy without resorting to sex jokes and dirty language. That's not to say crude humor can't tickle my funny bone just as well, but it's refreshing to listen to Jim Gaffigan's routine and not worry about offending the folks. =)

The bonus features on this DVD are sub-par, but the actual stand-up is great and well-worth the money. I highly reccomend this to all comedy fans, young and old.

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I didn't see this dvd, but did catch the special on Comedy Central last night. At first I was gonna change the channel, and was so glad I didn't. I loved his stuff about Hot Pockets, funny funny funny!! I absolutely LOVED his Inside Voice... "Hey, I like the IHOP!" "He's a crackhead!" "His pants look dirty." "Baloney hater!" "He better not!" One thing I really appreciated about his act was that it's clean, not vulgar or profane. It's something you can enjoy with your kids or elderly family members and not get embarrassed watching it. Humor in Hot Pockets, who knew?!

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This guy is the best comedian I've ever seen and I've seen 'em all. I drove out to Pittsburgh and listened to his CD for 10 straight hours, then bought the DVD the day I got back and watched it 3 times that week. I just can't get enough. My friends and I are still quoting him non-stop, 2 months later. His 'inner voice' is priceless! I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes to laugh, I've been recommending it to all of my friends as well.

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We caught this special on Comedy Central last night we NEVER watch this channel because most of the time comedians can't do an act without interjecting some sort of profanity. But, we were so glad we stopped to hear this truly original and so very funny man! From his bit about the different holidays to the hot pocket joke we laughed so hard we were hurting! Our favorite thing he does is to say out loud what some in the audience might be thinking...he surprises you with it, but always does it in the same voice so you catch on to what he's doing. We thoroughly enjoyed this program...so much I'm here reviewing what others read because I'm planning to purchase it as a gift for my husband!

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World on a Wire (The Criterion Collection) (1973)

Based on the American science fiction novel, Simulacron-3 (1964) by Daniel F. Galouye, World on a Wire is about virtual reality, world created inside a computer program, a pre-cursor to the Matrix. I believe this is the first movie adaptation of Simulacron-3, although there have been many sci-fi movies with similar themes since then. The Thirteenth Floor (1999) is another adaptation of the same novel (oddly, 1999 is also the year for the Matrix and The Dark City, another great sci-fi movie).

World on a Wire was made in 1972 for German TV. It is made of two parts each one is aboout an hour and half long. The movie has a very distinct visual style and atmosphere; the interior shots, camera angles, the locations, actors are very 1970 German.

I like this movie a lot because of its different style but it is probably not for anyone's taste. Even though the subject matter is sci-fi, there are no spectacular special effects or action scenes which are typical of Hollywood productions. However, I think the movie overall does a pretty good job of creating an eerie atmosphere and paranoid feeling of the world not being real.

I was especially amazed by how some of the scenes and ideas seem to be pre-cursor to the Matrix. For instance, the subjects sit in a chair with wires hooked up to their heads and they get downloaded to the computer world (you may think of that as the matrix) and if they want to exit the computer world, they use a phone booth. Sounds familiar?

I also like the love affair depicted in the movie; in my opinion it works so much better than the affair between Neo and Trinity in the matrix.

I recommend this movie for any sci-fi fan who can appreciate foreign movies with unique styles even if they lack CGI and spectacular special effects.

The only science fiction movie that German filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder ever made was this long-lost three-and-a-half hour long film made for German Television. It has traces of "The Prisoner" to it, along with influences of Stanley Kubrick, Kurt Vonnegut and Philip K. Dick. The satirical look at the futuristic world of computer technology was incredibly ahead of its time in 1973, and is a recently rediscovered gem for film fans to now experience on high definition Blu-ray.

The film's storyline is simple, and even familiar in the sense that these themes have been touched upon by countless filmmakers from David Cronenberg to Steven Spielberg ever since. Fred Stiller (Klaus Löwitsch) is a cybernetics engineer who is responsible for the creation of a complex computer world of virtual reality cities and people. It is like Sim City, but the cybernetic people aren't aware that the life they are living isn't actually reality, but virtual reality which can be visited though a machine.

When one of Stiller's co-workers dies suddenly, there are suspicions of foul play. As he investigates this mishap, a deeper corporate conspiracy is discovered, and Stiller begins to doubt his own existence and reality. There are hints that he may actually be living in one of the computer worlds himself, unable to trust the world around him. The labyrinth of computer worlds makes it impossible to know what--if anything--is reality. We follow Stiller on a mad escape from authorities who may very well be programmed to find and destroy him, as well as nearly every other citizen. As the most wanted man in his world, there seem to be higher powers preventing Stiller from finding the truth.

More:

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As a film buff, I have had a chance to see a number of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's works. He was clearly a genius and I have enjoyed a majority of the ones I've seen. However, I have never found myself utterly fascinated with any of the films as much as this one, World on a Wire. It helps that I love sci-fi in all its forms, from escapism to more serious works. This definitely falls into the latter category; the film that it strangely most reminds me of is the original Russian version of Solaris (and fans of that film should definitely check this out). It shares a (somewhat) slow pace, cinematography and visuals that are quite striking at times, and a quite serious examination of seriously fascinating material. The story concerns a computer project in which a virtual world, complete with simulated individuals who don't know they're artificial, is created with the aims of predicting trends and needs of the future. One leader of the project starts to have suspicions about the project and uncovers a conspiracy involving it. The main twist of the film will probably be figured out by most viewers before the characters do. However, I think for most viewers this will not hurt the film. For me, even after several viewings, the film retains the fascination that it had the first time I watched it. Most interestingly, the film's ending has become increasingly more intriguing, as my interpretation of it seems to change every time I watch the film. All in all, a must watch for anyone who loves sci-fi of serious ideas.

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It's perhaps best described as a somewhat interesting oddity that has resurfaced and worth watching for fans of the director's work.

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A predecessor to "Total Recall" about computer virtual reality, it's misuse, and glitches that could occur. It's not an easy story to follow bacause Fassbinder wants to blur the boundaries. It's worth sitting through even if only for the gorgeous cinematography by Michael Ballhaus.

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