Strangers on a Train (2012)

"Strangers on a Train" is that rarity, an Alfred Hitchcock film concerning which one talks about an actor's performance almost as much as the director's. The actor, of course, is Robert Walker, presenting his remarkable portrayal of Bruno Anthony, the rich, unstable man who offers the hero Guy Haines a deadly proposition: he'll kill Guy's wife Miriam (played by the interesting Laura Elliott) if Guy will kill Bruno's father. Because they are strangers on a train who do not know their intended victims, there will be no motives, therefore perfect alibis. Guy doesn't take Bruno seriously, which turns out to be a fatal mistake. Bruno is a complicated part. Although he is obssessed with his own superiority, he can be incredibly petty (popping a little boy's balloon just for the meanness of it), not to mention prissy ("I'm afraid I don't know what a `smoocher' is!"). The character seems to overshadow the entire movie, which is appropriate, because Bruno casts a shadow over the easy, affluent world in which he lives. When he crashes the senator's cocktail party, it's like Satan has arrived, striding through polite society. And, no, Walker was not nominated for an Oscar. Neither was Joseph Cotten for "Shadow of a Doubt". Neither was Anthony Perkins for "Psycho". The Academy evidently had difficulty with Hitchcock's anti-heroes. Hitchcock originally wanted William Holden for the role of Guy Haines, but I think Holden was so savvy and macho, it would have been difficult to accept him as a psycopath's pawn. Farley Granger is atheletic enough to be convincing as a tennis champ, but he has a boyishness which makes the vulnerable aspects of the character believable. The film is filled with the touches one associates with Hitchcock. Some are obvious, like Miriam's strangulation reflected in her eyeglasses. Others are more subtle: After the murder, Bruno approaches Guy outside Guy's apartment house. At first Guy cannot tell who is calling his name in the dark. Bruno is standing near a large gate with wrought-iron bars; and, as Guy comes near him, he steps behind the gate -in other words, he's behind bars. Then, after he has told Guy about Miriam's death and Guy is absorbing the shock, a police car pulls up in front of Guy's apartment house and Guy himself ducks behind the gate. Now they're BOTH behind bars. Hitchcock was a genius, no doubt about it.I wonder how many viewers have noticed the odd discrepency near the end. Bruno has stepped off the train at Metcalf, holding the incriminating cigarette lighter he hopes to plant on the amusement park island, thus framing Guy. A pedestrian brushes by him and the lighter falls into a storm drain in the street. Bruno, frantic, tries to enlist the aid of passersby. However, he says (not once but twice) "I dropped my cigarette CASE in the drain!" Walker, of course, was in the process of drinking himself to death; but the mistake could easily have been corrected with a little dubbing. It's bothered me for years why it wasn't.Director of Photography Robert Burks began his long association with Hitchcock on this picture. He must have worked night and day to satisfy Hitchcock's demands, but his loveliest effect is the amusement park's neon lights against a glowing black-and-white sunset.The film's mood is enhanced by Dimitri Tiomkin's romantically mysterious score. It's particularly striking in the movie's"coda" when Guy is trying desperately to finish a tennis game (allegro) and Bruno is desperately trying to reach that damn lighter (adagio). Hitchcock and Tiomkin worked a couple of more times together but never more effectively than in thisdazzling masterpiece.

It's important to note two things about this edition of "Strangers on a Train." First off, the description on Amazon.com's page is incorrect. This DVD is not in widescreen. The second thing is, to you widescreen buffs out there (including myself) -Relax! This film was never shot in widescreen. In fact, prior to 1953 (The Robe), there was never anything bigger than 35mm! This is why this film (and you'll be surprised to hear), many, many classic films will never be produced in widescreen. They don't exist. You should buy this DVD because of the video quality and the extra "goodies." Gone with the Wind in widescreen? Nope, never was, even though it was blown up to 70mm and cropped horribly in the 1968 re-issue. What's out there on DVD on Gone with the Wind is standard 35mm "TV semi-square" framing, because that's the way it was shot. Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Citizen Kane? Nope, never shot in anything greater than 35mm. It's a Wonderful Life? No again. Widescreen is limited to theatrical films issued for the most part, after 1953, when competition with television forced studios to come up with the "panoramic" gimmicks to bring people back into the theaters. This is period (1953-1963) when Cinemascope, Todd-AO, VistaVision, Super Panavision 70 and other widescreen formats were born -and the most extreme example was Cinerama, which used three cameras and is used to best effect in the DVD version of How the West Was Won. So don't fret, this DVD is good, crisp and clean and formatted as Alfred Hitchcock intended! Tomorrow's movies will be in IMAX (see Fantasia 2000, in selected theaters now).

Buy Strangers on a Train (2012) Now

"Strangers On A Train" should be rated as Hitchcock's absolute best.

To begin with, it features a perfect performance by Robert Walker, an actor who would be dead within a year after making this great movie.

Walker had previously played some wonderful roles, but he astounded the world with his acting ability once "Strangers On A Train" was released.

Aside from Walker's amazing performance, "Strangers On A Train" is full of half-hidden meanings which relate to the dual personality each of us possesses.

Hitchcock was a true genius, who not only understood both the dark and the bright sides of the human psyche, but who also knew how to depict that understanding by way of film.

I have watched "Strangers On A Train" a dozen or more times, and never tire of watching it yet again, each time finding something new that I had not noticed the time I watched it before.

But, the main reason I watch this film so often is to enjoy the exceptional , perfect performance by Robert Walker. Walker was only in his 30s when he died. He was a tragic figure in real life. He died much too soon, and we are very fortunate to be able to observe his wonderful talent, preserved in this movie, almost fifty years after his passing.

Read Best Reviews of Strangers on a Train (2012) Here

This review refers to the Warner Bros. DVD edition of "Strangers On a Train".....

Had I only been reviewing the film alone, there is no doubt I would go 5 stars for this great film. Five stars hardly covers it for this cinematic work of art, that defines the genius of Alfred Hitchcock. But alas, the transfer to DVD will be a big disappointment to Hitch fans, as it was not given the attention this treasure deserved.

First the story... Even if you didn't know this was a Hitch film, you will immediatley recognize this as a work from the master of suspense. All the tell-tale trademarks are there. As the film opens, the camera work brillantly shows everything in pairs. Two pairs of shoes, from what are obviously two very different styles of dress,two pairs of railroad tracks criss-crossing, and finally the two very different men that fill the shoes... have a chance meeting. Guy Haines,professional tennis player and an upright kind of guy, and Bruno Antony, a mysterious,slick fellow have a conversation. Guy, it seems has an unfaithful wife, who won't divorce him, so he can be with the woman he loves. Bruno has a deep resentment for his father.It is then we learn how really psychotic Bruno is. His idea...a "Criss-Cross"."I'll do your murder"..he tells Guy "and you do mine".Guy sluffs off this very chilling notion, but soon learns that Bruno is not going to let it go. Soon Guy finds himself as a murder suspect and must prove his innocence.

The story, with the screenplay by Raymond Chandler and Czenzi Ormonde, is suspensed filled and as in all Hitchcock films, we feel the need to warn the hero, but can only sit and watch with our hearts in our throats.The shadows, light, and expert camera work all add to the thrill of it all.Hitch as usual picks the perfect cast. Farley Granger as Guy has you in his corner all the way. Robert Walker couldn't be any more chilling. Rounding out the cast with wonderful performances are Ruth Roman, Patricia Hitchcock, Leo G Carroll, who appears in many of Hitch's films and always immaculate, and for a real treat look for Marion Lorne, the beloved 'Aunt Clara" from "Bewitched".The music by Dimitri Tiomkin is masterfully chilling as well.

Looking for Hitch....You won't have to wait long..about ten minutes in..more double trouble as Hitch boards a train with his 'double' bass fiddle.

Now for the DVD transfer. There's good news and bad news. The good news is that this disc contains the recently discovered British pre-release. This version has been edited differently in some places as Hitch felt certain scenes would play better in England, and some better in the states.You'll find some production notes included explaining the reasons. There is also an old publicity newsreel of Hitch promoting his film, and although there is no sound it is still fun to watch. There are subtitles in English, French and Spanish, and may be viewed in French as well.The bad news..as mentioned above the transfer itself. The black and white images, seemed dingy. Jump to almost any scene and you will see signs of age. It is scratchy and grainey. The sound is in DD1.0. Some enhancement would be a welcome addition(we want to hear every sound that Hitch intended).It really pains me to go three stars for this treasure..but I can only recommend the film and not the DVD.

This was a pretty intense film way back in 1951 and still is today! Unless you are as crazy for Hitch as I am(and feel an intense need to have everything every filmed by him), you may want to wait and hope for a better release(Warner Bros..are you listening?).If by some chance, you have not seen it though, and love a great film-noir..rent it, borrow it, do whatever it takes to see this classic.

It's a geat ride....Laurie

also recommended:

Best Picture Collection Epic Dramas (Casablanca/Gone With the Wind/Ben-Hur)

Hitchcock's Notebooks: An Authorized and Illustrated Look Inside the C

Want Strangers on a Train (2012) Discount?

Although there's no doubt that Hitchcock directed a number of classic films before "Strangers on a Train", it seemed as if this film somehow liberated him in some way. After "Strangers" he directed a string of classic films which have rarely been surpassed. The themes that always sprinkled his best work come to the fore in this terrific film. Although the narrative and the film has some minor flaws, they're easy to overlook given the power of this marvelous motion picture.

UPDATE FOR THE BLU-RAY:

Warner has done a nice job of transferring this film to Blu-ray. The film looks exceptionally good with a crisp, sharp transfer. The Blu transfer sports strong blacks. The film has very consistent grain except for a few scenes where it's clear that they might have had to use a different source and where grain is a bit rougher compared to most of the film. This happens in only a couple of brief sequences but, on the whole, the film looks marvelous. I didn't detect any use of edge enhancement.

Audio sounds quite strong with a very nice lossless mono track with dialogue close and clear.

Unfortunately the alternate cut of the film (an early preview version that was prepared for the UK but, evidently, was never shown) is presented in standard definition. A high def transfer of the alternate version could have been prepared for this edition. I'm unclear as to why a high def version wasn't included of this although it's a minor point (for others it might be a major issue).

The carried ove special features are in standard definition.

The Blu-ray is Recommended although a high def transfer of the alternate cut would have been appreciated.

2 DISC DVD EDITION:

Guy Haines (Farley Granger)a tennis pro wants a divorce from his gold digging wife Miriam(Laura Elliot aka Kasey Rogers). Turns out she doesn't want a divorce anymore now that Guy has a socialite girlfriend (Ruth Roman)who is the daughter of a prominent senator. Miriam (curiously, also the name of Janet Leigh's character in "Psycho")is pregnant with another man's child and wants as much as possible from Guy. On the train back to Washington D.C. guy meets Bruno Antony (the marvelous Robert Walker)a psychopathic killer in the making. Bruno engages Guy in conversation and Guy tells him about his wife. Bruno suggests that he can come up with the perfect murder; they swap murders and, since they don't really know each other, the police will not be able to connect the murders to them. Guy humors Bruno thinking nothing of it. Until Bruno follows through on his part of the "bargain" in a brilliant, stunning sequence reflected in the glasses of the victim. Now Bruno is stalking Guy insisting that he complete his part of the bargain.

THE DVD:

This deluxe two disc edition improves on the previous single disc dual sided edition of a couple of years ago. This set includes both the theatrical release and the preview release (mistakenly referred to as the "British" release on the previous edition). We also get a number of terrific extras on this two disc set including 4 short documentaries and an extra carried over from the previous edition of Hitchcock promoting "Strangers on a Train" with some local performers dressed in colonial costumes. Although this section has no sound and has no titles explain the action (it is explained on the previous edition however), it's a fascinating glimpse into the past. We hear about the Hitchcocks from their daughter and granddaughters. We also hear about the making of the film from Robert Walker's son, Patricia Hitchcock O'Connell, film critic Richard Schickel and others. The only short I felt was a waste of time was comments from director M. Night Shyamalan who sounds a bit like a drolling film student here. That would be OK but he doesn't make any observations that amount to anything.

The first disc contains the original theatrical version with a commentary track by "Psycho" and "The Outer Limits" screenwriter Josephn Stefano, director Peter Bogdanovich, Patricia Highsmith biographer Andrew Wilson, various cast family members and Hitchcock himself from an interview. The film has never looked so great before on DVD. The previous edition looked good but had signficant grain problems, analog artifacts and had a picture that tended on the soft side. The picture here is sharper with better clarity and richer blacks, whites and grays than the single disc edition.

Disc two contains all the extras plus the preview version which has a couple of minutes that were cut from the final version. In this version there's a bit more interplay between Bruno and Guy "suggesting" that Bruno is gay. Again, the picture here is a marked improvement for similar reasons. Evidently when Jack Warner saw Hitchcock's preview version, he agreed with the original ending that Hitchcock had in mind.

A great movie just got greater and the fact that this is in a plastic amray case vs. the cardboard snapcases is a marked improvement. Highly recommended for both Hitchcock fans and those interested in learning about the master of suspense.

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Dr. No (50th Anniversary Repackage) (2012)

A landmark film in many respects, "Dr. No" (1962) introduced Ian Fleming's 007 to cinema audiences. Despite the author's initial objections, Sean Connery defined the character of James Bond with his remarkably self-assured performance. Ursula Andress' iconic beauty and Joseph Wiseman's restrained villainy were equally memorable. Thanks to the contributions of director Terence Young, set designer Ken Adam, editor Peter Hunt and composer John Barry, the 007 style was immediately established in this Jamaican adventure. Producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli should be applauded for getting the most out of their limited budget. "Dr. No" succeeds as an unpretentious spy thriller minus the gadgetry and gimmicks in later Bond outings. The film's impact on popular culture cannot be underestimated.

My comments apply only to the newly released Blu Ray version.

I will not review the film it's self since everyone has no doubt seen it at least once.

I have waited 2 years for the Bond films to be released in a HD format, and the waite was worth it.

The picture quality of this old film is simply awesome. The color saturation, the "depth" and contrast are very film-like.

I felt like I was discovering the film for the very first time.

Watching it on my 60'' display, it looked like I was seeing a brand new, fresh from the lab, film print in my own living room.

And it gets better, I am told (but havent viewed my copy yet) that Thunderball looks even better.

If you are a Connery James Bond fan, and own Blu Ray, this is a no-brainer.

Highest possible recommendation, and Amazon has it for a good price.

Buy Dr. No (50th Anniversary Repackage) (2012) Now

Outside of Bond fandom very few people know that Sean Connery was actually the second actor to play the character of James Bond. In the 1950s there had been a television production based around Ian Fleming's first spy novel "Casino Royale" in which American actor Barry Nelson had played 007 as a US spy with Clarence Leiter as his British counterpart. Fast forward to the early 1960s and work is once again getting underway to bring the fictional spy to the screen. Cast in the lead role is what one UA executive referred to as a "lorry driver" and with a small budget (a measly $1 million) there seems to be little hope for the fledgling franchise. Yet when Doctor No (the final choice for the first of the series) hits screens it changes the film industry, sending reverberations the likes of which are still being felt today. Staying largely faithful to the Fleming book of the same name (something that was not to last) the rather modest movie set screens afire, helped enormously by the performances of Sean Connery and Swiss beauty Ursula Andress. In fact for many, Andress is the quintessential Bond girl, establishing one of cinema's most iconic images as she emerges from the sea in a white bikini). Right away the trademark violence is evident as three assassins murder a British operative and his pretty secretary in Jamaica. The break in communication has the British nervous and they send for their top agent. Switch to a smoky casino in London. And we see the back of a man, his hands moving his cards about the table and then taking a cigarette out of its case. Lighting it he is fully revealed and the trademark line "Bond, James Bond" is heard on cinema screens for the very first time. Arriving in Jamaica Bond learns that the missing operative was investigating the mysterious character of Doctor No who operates from a private island named Crab Key. Determined to learn the truth he arranges to sneak onto the island with his colleague Quarrel to discover the truth behind the disappearance. Taken on its own Doctor No is a nice, taut, suspenseful movie with some wonderful performances from its leads. New York actor Joseph Wiseman is particularly chilling as the title character with his metal hands (some disfigurement or quirk has since become a necessity for Bond villains). Taken as the initial outing in a franchise the movie is a low-key effort that ably sets the stage for the films that were to follow. Today this movie rarely tops people's lists as a favorite in the series, but that is largely because in the ensuing years the Bond series came to mean spectacle and special effects, often at the expense of good storytelling. Initially released on DVD in the cardboard snapper cases with only Bond trivia to complement it, in 2000 MGM did the movie justice by reissuing it as a special edition with improved video and audio and a nice collection of extra's. For the time the Bond special editions were considered the "cream of the crop" as far as DVD releases were concerned. Here we have an audio commentary which is comprised of spliced together interviews from earlier many behind the camera had since passed on including director Terence Young. An easy movie and DVD to recommend.

Read Best Reviews of Dr. No (50th Anniversary Repackage) (2012) Here

This review refers to the MGM Special Edition DVD od "Dr. No"....

How dissapointed was I, when I saw this transfer of this great classic by MGM to Dvd?..REALLY dissapointed. If you already own the VHS..hold on to it for a while longer, even if you see it come on TV you will probably get a better picture and sound quality then you do with this package. I'm not saying it is not a viewable film, just that when you get a DVD, especially one from a production studio like MGM, you expect better. The film itself seems to be in pretty good shape. Even the colors are good. But the picture seemed grainy and the sound was the worst.

With all the great action and music in this film it should have been at least in stereo, 5.1 would be even better. The dialouge was less than good. I had to keep back tracking to hear what I missed and had to keep turning the volume up and down. I've seen alot better on transfers of films much older than even this one is. And there's more...now this may be just my copy, but there was alot of pausing and skipping thoughout the film. I have recently purchased a new DVD player that is pretty state of the art, and any DVD that ever skipped on my old player does not skip now..except this one....Please MGM...try again with this one.

Okay, okay, so now that I got that off my chest... I Love "Dr. No!" The first(of 20) in the 007 series(based on the novels by Ian Fleming), made in 1962 is exciting , full of action and lots of fun. Sean Connery in his first of 7 Bond movies sets the bar for all the ones to follow. And I must also mention that Ursula Andress likewise sets the bar for the "Bondgirl".

We meet James for the first time, where else..at a gambling table, looking dapper as ever in his tux, where he immediatly catches the eye of a beautiful woman who cannot resist him. Although he must leave immediatly on his first assignment, he does have a few minutes to spare for the lady. Then off to beautiful Jamaica, where the movie is filmed and the action begins.

James begins investigating, the murder of the agents stationed there and all roads lead to the manical Dr No(Joseph Wiseman), who has secluded himself on a small island and is killing anyone who gets too close. Dr. No is messing with the U.S. Space Program and must be stopped before he can strike.

Once James does get himself onto the Island, he first meets 'Honey Ryder"(Andress), who is a vision as she makes her entrance emerging from the water like some beautiful mermaid. Together they fight off the army of Dr. No's guards,and thwart the impending disater.

You'll meet "M"(Beranrd Lee) and "Miss MoneyPenny"(Lois Maxwell) for the first time in this one. "Q" and all his gadgetry have not made into the story yet. There are the great cars and car chase scenes. You'll get that "Bond" feeling immediatly as the theme begins. And don't forget to look for Jack "Book-em Danno" Lord.

A great start to a great series.The DVD does come with some great extras. I especially enjoyed the featurette about Sean Connery fitting into the mold of the first 007, which was made at the time of the filming of Dr. No.(see tech info for complete list of bonus material.) If your a huge fan and cannot wait for a better DVD to come along then go ahead and have that first vodka martini with James and here's hoping for a new restoration. Enjoy....Laurie

Want Dr. No (50th Anniversary Repackage) (2012) Discount?

Outside of Bond fandom very few people know that Sean Connery was actually the second actor to play the character of James Bond. In the 1950s there had been a television production based around Ian Fleming's first spy novel "Casino Royale" in which American actor Barry Nelson had played 007 as a US spy with Clarence Leiter as his British counterpart.

Fast forward to the early 1960s and work is once again getting underway to bring the fictional spy to the screen. Cast in the lead role is what one UA executive referred to as a "lorry driver" and with a small budget (a measly $1 million) there seems to be little hope for the fledgling franchise. Yet when Doctor No (the final choice for the first of the series) hits screens it changes the film industry, sending reverberations the likes of which are still being felt today.

Staying largely faithful to the Fleming book of the same name (something that was not to last) the rather modest movie set screens afire, helped enormously by the performances of Sean Connery and Swiss beauty Ursula Andress. In fact for many, Andress is the quintessential Bond girl, establishing one of cinema's most iconic images as she emerges from the sea in a white bikini).

Right away the trademark violence is evident as three assassins murder a British operative and his pretty secretary in Jamaica. The break in communication has the British nervous and they send for their top agent.

Switch to a smoky casino in London. And we see the back of a man, his hands moving his cards about the table and then taking a cigarette out of its case. Lighting it he is fully revealed and the trademark line "Bond, James Bond" is heard on cinema screens for the very first time.

Arriving in Jamaica Bond learns that the missing operative was investigating the mysterious character of Doctor No who operates from a private island named Crab Key. Determined to learn the truth he arranges to sneak onto the island with his colleague Quarrel to discover the truth behind the disappearance.

Taken on its own Doctor No is a nice, taut, suspenseful movie with some wonderful performances from its leads. New York actor Joseph Wiseman is particularly chilling as the title character with his metal hands (some disfigurement or quirk has since become a necessity for Bond villains). Taken as the initial outing in a franchise the movie is a low-key effort that ably sets the stage for the films that were to follow. Today this movie rarely tops people's lists as a favorite in the series, but that is largely because in the ensuing years the Bond series came to mean spectacle and special effects, often at the expense of good storytelling.

Initially released on DVD in the cardboard snapper cases with only Bond trivia to complement it, in 2000 MGM did the movie justice by reissuing it as a special edition with improved video and audio and a nice collection of extra's. For the time the Bond special editions were considered the "cream of the crop" as far as DVD releases were concerned.

Here we have an audio commentary which is comprised of spliced together interviews from earlier many behind the camera had since passed on including director Terence Young. Added to that is a documentary on the making of the movie including on-camera interviews, some archival and some new and a documentary on the aforementioned director. Rounding out the set us the usual collection of promotional material.

An easy movie and DVD to recommend.

On a sidenote work is currently underway by Lowry Digital to restore this movie, if audio and video is of primary importance to you then you might want to wait until that is released in 2006.

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009)

Ok before I start, let me clarify something: Unlike the reviewers before me, I have actually SEEN this movie, so my review is not based on the graphic novel of which the movie is based, nor what the movie might be like based on who's behind the making of it. I HAVE SEEN THE MOVIE. Now that thats out the way, onto the good stuff.

I know a lot of Batman, Superman, and Batman/Superman fans were holding their breath on this one. With all classic the DC Comic character movies coming out lately (some of them not as good as others) it was reasonable to assume that "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies" the movie could have gone either way. Well good thing for the loyal fan base, this was definitely a hit. I can say I am more then pleased with how this came out, and I have every intention of buying this DVD and watching it again the day it comes home with me.

One thing is abundantly clear when watching this movie: WB Entertainment, and more importantly, DC Comics actually LISTENS to their fans. One of my (and others) biggest fears in this was that we were going to be hearing some sub-par voice acting for the main characters involved, i.e. Superman, Batman, and Lex Luthor. As with past offerings from WB Entertainment ("Superman: Doomsday" for example) we got some weak casting for the voices of Lex and Sups. That alone detracts greatly from the overall enjoyment of the movie. With Public Enemies however, we have the best voices ever cast for the starring 3 roles: Tim Daily as Superman, Kevin Conroy as Batman, and Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor. For those who could give two flips about these guys, they are the same voices from the popular shows Justice League Unlimited, Batman The Animated Series, and Superman the Animated Series.

On top of superb voice acting, the animation is crisp, sharp and just plain beautiful. Again, faithful to fan feedback, the artists from Justice League Unlimited seem to have had their hands in this project, because the art is pretty much the same (which is by no means a bad thing), and it looks great. Almost straight from the comic.

Speaking of which, as far as the story goes, keep in mind while watching this that its an adaptation to the comic. That being said however, the movie stays remarkably faithful to the story told in the comic. Minus a few altered frames, scenes and situations, its like reading the comic all over again, except with no imagination needed to enjoy it. The story in general is a very good one, highlighting Batman and Superman's friendship and giving you a glimpse into how deep it really goes. Granted, you get more of that in the comic then you do in the movie, but the movie compensates for the lack of inner dialogue with good script writing, full of the humorous exchanges between Sups and Bats and emotional moments and outburst we know and love from our favorite caped heroes.

This is a great movie, and you don't have to have read the comic first in order to enjoy it. Even the review value is moderately high, I can and WILL be watching this again as soon as I can, and some more times after that. This is worth price, grab it and enjoy a motion picture work of art.

Peace

So I watched Superman/Batman:Public Enemies twice in one day after I got it. And I will keep this review short as most of the main points have been hit by the people who reveiewed this already (at least the ones that waited till it came out). So here's my break down and the end will be final comments.

STORY:

It was adpated from Jeph Loeb's first arc on the ongoing comic. Love it or hate it, but it was a very faithful adaptation, streamlining something that was basically a set up for the subsequent arcs as well as Infinite Crisis. It was silly, and balls to the wall, and the only gripe I had was not explaining why the Robot was a better choice than Luthor's missles (Answer, robot was made of Metallo, not the guy, the alloy.) But hey all and all I liked what they did.

Characters (voice and portrayal):

WHOA! Okay I read the comics and almost forgot the laundry list of vilains who come out the cracks for the bounty. Batman and Superman were pitch perfect and their banter was great after seeing them so serious with each other all the time in Justice League and JLU. Tim Daly returning for Superman was great to have, though I'm one of the few that feel George Newburn's performance as the character is just as good. Kevin Conroy and Clancy Brown however are the quintessential Batman and Lex Luthor respectively. Props to getting CCH Pounder to return as Amanda Waller even if the charatcer model looked horrendous. Lastly the supporting charatcers were great. However I wonder why so much fuss was made about LeVar "Reading Geordi LeForge's Rainbow" Burton as Black Lightning when he had one line. Killer Frost was a throwaway villain that had more to say. *Sigh* Wasted talent.

ART AND ANIMATION:

Again based on the source material, the art style took a muscular turn and was fully mimicing Ed McGuiness' style where every male looks like a "Masters of the Uninverse" figure. I personally love his style and always though it would translate well to the screen. I was mostly right. They made Superman look too young, and I think it's because of the eyes. McGuiness does the squinty look better than most, and we see this in Captain Marvel's design, and in the comics Superman has the same look sometimes. That plus the cheekbone line makes him look a bit older. Well probably out of fear of backlash (last time they put lines on his face people said he looked too old, and in "Doomsday" he looked even older)they elft those lines out and he looks too young. Everyone else in my opinion looked fine. Okay Powergirl's eyes bugged me too but I was distracted by something else.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I liked it. It was a great action flick, and didn't need too much character development. It's Superman and Batman, if you don;t know who they are why are you even picking up te movie. It's a buddy flick with wall to wall action. My biggest issue is it felt rushed. At 67 minutes it's like 15 minutes shorter than previous releases and could have really benefitted from them. That said if you like the characters and you like action this is worth it.

AFTERTHOUGHT:

The preview for the next upcoming animated feature, Jusitce League: Crisis on Two Earths was great. Yes I know after Public Enemies going back to new voices will suck but they got some good ones. Mark Harmon makes a pretty good Superman, I'm on the fence for Billy Baldwin as Batman (needs to be grittier), James Woods does an amazingly devious and twisted Owlman, and Gena Torres was great as SuperWoman. Hope you enjoy!

Buy Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009) Now

The first DC animated movie to make an impact with me since New Frontier (I love team-ups and big action sequences), Public Enemies features the World's Greatest Heroes joining forces to stop President Lex Luthor.

First off, other than the first Superman serial, Superman and the Mole Men and Superman III, who has been the featured villain in every movie? Luthor of course and while he can be an interesting character, when he's reused as a villain over and over, I grow bored with the character. It's not like Superman doesn't have other villains that can be used in a movie. It's also a shame that they never use any Batman villains when he's teamed with Superman. Yes Joker, Harley Quinn and Ra's al Ghul were villains in team-up episodes of the animated series, but in the team-up episodes (except the one with Ra's) there's always a Superman villain involved and my favoritism of Batman and his Rogue's Gallery aside, the Bat-Villains have always proved more interesting due to their psychology. Granted, I never read the Public Enemies graphic novel or the comics that featured Luthor as the President, its just one of the problems I have with the Superman movies; the overuse of one villain over others and the fact that when Batman`s teamed with the Man of Steel, the impression I'm given is that his villains aren't a big enough threat (sort of why the only villains we ever saw in JL were Superman villains). And why does everyone but Batman and Superman go to Luthor's side? They've battled each other for years and then just because he's the President, they think he's turned over a new leaf. And they automatically attack the two heroes that they've known and worked with for years just because Luthor says so? I find that pretty hard to believe, let alone a man who's had no political background, wins everybody over with pretty speeches of promised change and then gets the presidency (that sounds so familiar doesn't it, if only this movie had been released around late 2007-early 2008). On the other hand, the thrill I get when I see heroes team up was satisfied. Even seeing the other heroes and all the villains was enough to satisfy my tastes. But at 67 minutes (the second shortest movie I own next to Dumbo at 64 minutes), it feels rushed and with all of the action sequences, there's barely enough time to catch my breath.

I'm a little divided on my feelings on the animation. On one hand, everyone looks different than what we've seen in previously, which I like since most of these movies are adaptations of comics with different art styles. We also get many heroes and villains making their animated debut like Power Girl, Major Force, Lady Shiva, Icicle, etc. Though I have two problems with the animation; first off, why is Amanda Waller so fat? I know in JLU she wasn't that skinny but in this she looks as big as a whale. I've never read any of her appearances in the comics so JLU is the only reference I have to go by, but was she a bigger woman in her original appearances? Also why do all the males have six pack abs? I know they work out (Batman especially) but not in any comic I've read have the males been bulging out of their costumes.

A DCAU voice reunion as we get Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, Clancy Brown AND CCH Pounder reprising their roles. Heck even Jennifer Hale has a small speaking role as Killer Frost! All still make their characters believable and its always to hear them voicing their iconic characters again. My only problem with the voicing is that, while I know not every character gets to speak, why they go through the trouble of promoting LeVar Burton as Black Lightning (going so far as to feature him in the preview feature on First Flight and getting an interview at The World's Finest) and the guy has one line of dialog! He's featured more than Hawkman and Captain Marvel and those two get much more to say than him (Hawkman's actor doesn't even get credited)!

Read Best Reviews of Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009) Here

The way I measure a movie's success is by how much I want to watch it again. I watched Watchmen five times in the first month of owning it, on the other hand, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies I've watch twice in the entire time I've owned it.

Lex Luthor is president, and a giant meteor made out of Kryptonite is headed for Earth. While "trying to work with Superman," and I use that very loosely, Lex frames Superman for murder, and declares him and his ally, Batman, public enemies. The reward money Luthor offers has wave after wave of supervillains coming after them, and a few well intentioned superheroes searching for the Dark Knight and Man of Steel. While it all leads to a fairly entertaining climax, it's basically one big slugfest.

Part of what hurt the film from my point of view was the hype made about the voice cast. Sure Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, and Clancy Brown all bring their normal brand of excellence to the voices they played in Superman and Batman the Animated series. But, for instance, I remember they made such a big deal about LeVar Burton playing Black Lightning, and he has ONE LINE in the entire film. Plus a handful of stars playing other bit parts. So, in the end, you have all these heroes and villains, and they have nothing to work with, because it's only a 72 minute film.

I must admit I haven't read the source material, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness, but from the few glimpses I've had, they do make a good attempt to replicate McGuiness' "rippling muscles" art style. And more than likely, the book was a slightly more complex slugfest. But whatever they cut, and I have heard stuff was cut, has left the plot pretty thin.

Extras on the two disk include, "Behind the Scenes of Blackest Night" DC's major summer event focusing on Green Lantern. A short Documentary "A Test of Minds: Superman and Batman," it's fairly informative, especially for those viewers who don't understand the dynamic between the two heroes. And "Dinner with DCU, with Special Guest Kevin Conroy" where most of the team behind the film, and the other DC Animated series, converse over dinner about +10 years in animation. If you're the type of fan that likes to know the behind the scenes stuff, this is one conversation worth overhearing.

Finally, a look at Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, and two episodes from Superman the Animated Series. The Demon Reborn, where Rah's Al Ghul tries to kill Superman, and Knight Time, where Superman impersonates Batman.

It's an okay film, but I say rent it first.

Want Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009) Discount?

Superman and Batman are two of my favorites. I watched their animated series, their straight to dvd movies, the comics, and pretty much anything I can get my hands on. So when I watch this movie, I was very entertained, hearing the classic voices from the animated series return, and feeling like a story that could fit into the shows continuity if you let your mind go. The trouble was that I can't help feel that I loved the nostalgia and the memories watching this brought more than the actual movie itself. Sure, it was fun, but a bit uneven, with a little less character development than I had hoped for. While I ordinarly would ding the movie, it didn't really bother me. I'm not sure if it was because the animation and story was entertaining enough to get past the flaws, or because I felt like a kid again watching my cartoon. Either way I liked the movie and will watch it again. I'd only recomend caution when watching this movie, as you may not get the same level of entertainment as I did.

Down by Law (The Criterion Collection) (1986)

This "Down By Law" DVD is a perfect example of why I love the Criterion Collection's catalog. First off, the film looks and sounds fantastic. If you are familiar with this film, you are aware of Lurie's incredible soundtrack. The DVD does not disappoint. Visually, it is stunning. If this DVD package only delivered these elements, I would be happy. But, this DVD is filled to the gills with extras. Not only are there extras, but a double disk of extras! Remember, this is "Down By Law", not LOTR, Star Wars I, etc. This is a borderline cult/ art house film with a small, but strong fan base. Never, never, never would another company pour as much love and energy for the DVD of a film of this type. Take for example "Stranger than Paradise:" no face lift and no extras. "Down By Law" DVD notables: the entire Cannes press conference, Lurie interview for French TV in 1986 plus his 2002 commentary on his interview, extensive audio tracks of Jim Jarmusch discussing the film and answering fans QA (sent from the Criterion web site Was Tom Waits really drunk? What does 'Down By Law' mean?), Robby Muller interview, Tom Waits video directed by Jarmusch with commentary, etc. etc, etc.

If you are a fan, there is no reason to miss this one. If you are curious about Jim Jarmusch as a director, this is the DVD to start on. A flawless package.

I can't say enough good things about the "Down By Law" Criterion DVD! The high-definition digital film transfer is wonderful and it really shows off Robby Muller's breathtaking b/w camera work. The DVD has 2 discs and the packaging is well done. The first disc contains the film itself and the second disc is packed full of goodies such as the insightful "Thoughts & Reflections" from director Jim Jarmusch, a "2002 Video Interview" with director of photography Robby Muller, "1986 Cannes Film Festival Press Conference" with Jarmusch and cast members John Lurie, Roberto Benigni & Nicoletta Braschi that is fun to watch, a great "1986 Interview" with John Lurie + his hilarious commentary on the interview, a bunch of film "Outtakes" which feature some great never before seen bits (especially with Lurie!) a terrific Tom Waits music video for "It's All Right With Me" also directed by Jarmusch and 3 wonderful recorded phone conversations from 2002 that Jarmusch had with Waits, Benigni and Lurie about making "Down By Law", etc.

The extras on the DVD give an intimate view of this very personal film and are amazing to watch and listen to. It's so complete that I can't imagine what else could be added to the Criterion release to make it more perfect. Many years from now when Jarmusch and the cast have left this sad and beautiful world, this gem will no doubt be a priceless look at one of the best American films ever made by one of America's best directors. Fantastic! One of the best films Criterion has released.

Buy Down by Law (The Criterion Collection) (1986) Now

I haven't seen all of Jarmusch's films, but I've seen plenty (Ghost Dog, Mystery Train, Stranger than Paradise, Dead Man) to know this is probably gonna go down as my favorite of them all. Jarmusch and photographer Mueller do a brilliant job setting everything up. Its style is as classic and effective as the film noirs of the 1950s, including the seedy characters, the dialogue, and the moody jazz courtesy of John Lurie, one of the film's stars. Story wise, we're dealing with two lowlifes, a pimp and a recently fired DJ, who don't know each other, who are each set up and sent to prison for crimes they didn't commit. They are thrown in a cell together, and eventually an Italian who accidentally killed a man after cheating at a game of cards (hit him with an 8-ball--CLASSIC!) and find a way to escape. John Lurie is the pimp, Tom Waits is the DJ, and Robert Benigni makes his American film debut as Bob, the Italian. (Ironically, he is the kindest, funniest, most jovial of the trio, yet he is the only one who actually is guilty of the crime he's in for).

I've read the other reviews, and I'm dissapointed in why some people don't like the film. First off, I believe that Criterion has once again given us a top of the line DVD transfer. The extras are great for folks that are into the "hows" and "whys" of a film, as I am, and the transfer itself is clear and beautiful to watch.

The acting may not be the best (Lurie was adequite), the dialogue and storyline are right out of the 50s, and help the mood of the entire thing. The characters are introduced perfectly so that we don't really need to know why they're being set-up. Our imagination can do the walking for us there. We know they're both kind of shady guys, and there are any number of reasons why someone would wanna see them put away, or use them so that someone else doesn't get caught.

And as far as the reviewer wondering why we don't see the dogs, only hear them; don't see the escape, only the afterwards; and don't see the prison, only their cell, the answer is simple: its an indie film made before indie's were all the rage. Jarmusch could only afford so much, and I find that he did an incredible job giving us all the necessary information without having to show us everything that was going on. The only thing I might raise an eyebrow to is Bob and Nicoletta (Benigni's real life wife) falling in love in under an hour or two. But hey, sometimes, if its worth it, you gotta suspend reality. The chemistry between the two characters is enough for me to believe they're in love, so who am I to argue!

All in all, this is one of my favorite movies to watch. Criterion did a great job with this DVD, and at the very least, its a fun flick in the noir tradition, with a bit of a smart-ass underworld, beatnick edge to it.

...but that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.

Read Best Reviews of Down by Law (The Criterion Collection) (1986) Here

This unique and original film is a personal masterpiece, a real sleeper. I'd recommed it to anyone interested in non-formula American cinema in general, and fans of the macabre. It ranks up there with some of the better black and white movies of recent times, in the mold of Woody Allen's "Manhattan".

What made this film great for me, was that the director masterly chose to leave out extraneous footage and instead keep our focus on character development much the way Jean Luc Goddard does. Indeed Goddard's stamp is felt everywhere in this picture, which is why I liked it so much. This is America's answer to neorealism and done very well. The fact that we don't really see exactly how the main characters escape from prison, nor do we see how Zack rescues Bob from his fear of swimming add (rather than detract from) the plot, and give us more time with the personal nature of the characters, their "everyday chit-chat", etc, is what gives this film its charm. I won't give away the ending, but even that is told in an unorthodox manner, which is a breath of fresh air from formula Holywood films.

The acting is surprisingly naturalistic and believable, and Tom Waits gives an especially brilliant performance here. Roberto Bernini is hilarious as the sort of comic sidekick to the two streetwise contenders of the trio this is a truly original chemistry of character mixes, and the film could have taken the more traditional path of "straight-guy/goofy-guy" as in Laurel & Hardy or Abbot & Costello, but instead wisely opts to break new ground by having two "straight" characters that battle it out for leadership.

The "We All Scream for Ice Cream" segment is one of the funniest bits I've seen in a film in years and should be one of those rare legendary film icons by this point.

The DVD transfer is wonderful a crisp, clean print that looks great onscreen. Criterion have done yet another great job here.

This is a gem of a movie and I highly recommed it!

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Zack (Tom Waits) has just been fired from his job as a DJ and he is thrown out by his girlfriend. Jack (John Lurie) is offered another prostitute under his wings as a pimp by a competitor who wants to make amends. The circumstances lead to both men being framed and they end up sharing a cell in prison. Both men are bitter over their situation and they can hardly stand each others company. One day the peculiar Roberto (Roberto Benigni) is put in the same cell with Jack and Zack. This is the beginning of a new friendship between the three men where Roberto is the glue that holds the friendship together. Down by Law is an intelligent and cynical film that is presented in an anxious societal situation, which provides amusement for the audience.

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Chocolate

Chocolate is the perfect "acid test" to determine who are fans of action movies and who are not. How so? Let me explain. A true fan of action movies has the ability to overlook some flaws in film-making (e.g., script, acting, character development, etc.) if the action sequences are exceptional enough to make up for them. This is no different from fans of art-house dramas who can overlook minimal content if the film can portray everyday life in interesting ways. With that said, Chocolate is one of the best examples of an action movie that has such extraordinary fight sequences that they easily overpower any deficiencies in the script.

An autistic girl with martial arts skill attempts to collect on the debts of her sick mother. This movie is not well written, and requires some patience from the viewer to slug through the early moments. Once the 30 minute mark arrives, however, the viewer is treated to one of the most amazing displays of asskicking by a female protagonist in the history of action cinema. Virtually all of the remaining 50 minutes is devoted to high quality choreography and bone-crunching maneuvers. The settings and scenarios change frequently, thereby avoiding any feel of repetition or monotony. This is brainless action at its very finest. JeeJa Yanin an amazing specimen with her fluid moves and hard strikes catapults herself into the upper echelon of female action stars with this single movie. Her punches and kicks start off rather basic, but get increasingly more complex until they peak during the jaw-dropping finale that lasts a whopping 20 minutes. Lots of fun to be had here.

Now, a snobby moviegoer will cry about the negatives without even considering the positives. Anyone who does not enjoy the action in this movie seriously needs to get their pulse checked, or at least schedule for a re-alignment of their action movie tastes. There's nothing more scintillating than watching a cute girl kick the living hell out of hundreds (quite literally) of stuntmen in a variety of environments. Basically, if you're not entertained by this, you're not a fan of action movies. (You probably didn't like So Close or Azumi either, right?) Stop fooling yourself and go watch another Tsai Ming-liang film.

Some critics have claimed that this movie "ripped off" other movies. It didn't. There are a few homages that last a few minutes at most (a few Bruce Lee references, a locker scene reminiscent of Jackie Chan, and some footage from Tony Jaa's movies). These few scenes are only a drop in the bucket, because 95% of the action is independent of any references to other movies. The sign-post battle on the apartment complex balconies is one glaring example of a completely novel (and breathtaking) sequence that pays homage to no one but itself.

This is definitely worth a blind buy. True fans of martial arts mayhem will end up re-watching the action scenes about a thousand times.

My rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Premise

*An autistic girl learns martial arts through imitation, and uses her skills to collect money from some unsavory people who owe her mother, who is is need of medication (and was formerly associated with the Yakuza). Then the Yakuza retaliates, and all heck breaks loose.

The Good Things

*Video quality is almost perfect; it's very clean, sharp, and colorful, with only a couple of grainy scenes. The sound quality is pretty good.

*Includes a short 8-minute making-of featurette and a few trailers for other movies.

*Includes both English dubbing and the original Thai language track with optional subtitles.

*The movie has a lot of phenomenal fight scenes. They are extremely well-choreographed and distinctive. Judging from the outtakes, it also looks like they were made to be completely authentic, and the actors sustained some serious injuries in the process. Even though the fighting is fantastic, it's also very real.

*The movie is also very well-filmed, with lots of good camera angles and unique colors.

*Production design is good. Sets are interesting, costumes are good, props are good. Look out for one or two unique motifs.

*It looks like there were one or two homages to earlier films by Prachya Pinkaew ("Ong Bak" and "The Protector").

*The storyline is good and easy to follow. Aside from the action, it has some drama and emotional parts, but it's nothing too sappy. It's actually quite invoking, and seems to carry a strong message about love (believe it or not).

*The characters are excellent. The main character, aside from performing so many amazing stunts, shows some good compassion and emotion and makes the character believable. Other characters are great too.

*Music is good.

The Bad Things

*Not very many special features; it's especially dissapointing since the region-free British import seems to have deleted scenes and featurettes and other stuff. Oh well...

*Not for the squeamish; contains brutal violence, some blood, and some brief sensuality.

Thailand seems to be pumping out some of the coolest martial arts films these days, and "Chocolate" is probably my favorite of them all so far. Aside from boasting some incredible fight scenes and stuntwork, it is a surprisingly emotional story with strong characters. This Blu-Ray has exceptional video quality, and would highly reccomend it to any martial arts fan.

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This film by the makers of Ong Bak, was both heartmelting, and spectacular in its choreography, featuring as centerpiece the new action star of Asia, Nicharee Yanin (Jeeja) Vistmantananda, who is nothing short of a wonder of the world. The plot of course is simple, focusing on the efforts of young Zen, (Jeeja) to recover funds owed to her cancer stricken mother from her days as a moneylender for a criminal gang, a mission which brings her into several violent confrontations with gangsters. The plot twist, which makes the whole film, is that Zen is an autistic savant, who has assimilated the techniques of the greatest martial artists whom she has watched on TV, from Bruce Lee, to Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and of course, Tony Jaa. (who helped train Jeeja for this part, a program which took her 4 years.) There are many things to criticize in this film, but these fall away quickly and are overcome with the escalating storm of adrenaline which kicks in, as Jeeja demolishes wave after wave of attackers using techniques which are right up there with the best in their execution and form. The one thing which explodes from the screen, is the ferocity and fighting ability which flows from the 5'3" 93 LB little Jeeja, who uses her lithe frame like a whip with a hammer on the end, bringing more power to bear with each kick and elbow strike than you can believe from someone so small, and so cute. She is also very authentic in her sensitive portrayal of an autistic girl, which she prepared for by spending time at a home for autistic kids to observe. For her acting debut, she is superb, and has a fantastic future ahead if she can broaden her audience to the West, and get some Michelle Yeoh type parts.

Read Best Reviews of Chocolate Here

Chocolate [Blu-ray]

I went into this movie expecting a so-so movie with a girl that can do decent fight scenes. Well, the girl can do some awesome fight scenes. Using no stunt doubles and no wires, the only fake stuff in this move are the baseballs she catches (you can tell that it's 3D effects there). If she makes another movie, she could become as big of an icon as Tony Jaa.

As for the fight scenes, there are mainly around 4 really good leangthy ones, with the last one being really long and nonstop, taking place in multiple areas of a building, one inside with guns and samurai swords, another on the roof against a transvestite, a couple of women (the only women who actually fight the main character), and one other sequence that has to be seen to be believed, on the side of a building where Chocolate and the never-ending bad guys (seriously, there were too many, but that can be forgiven since it's a martial arts flick) duke it out on narrow ledges, big street signs sticking out of the walls of the building, and the side of a subway line only a couple yards away from the structure, easily connected by the street signs. 3 stories of 2D fighting goodness, and the people who fall take hits that will make you cring, including, but not limited to, a guy falling 3 stories straight down, while others hit a few obstacles on the way down (ouch).

It's also funny to see scenes from Ong Bak and Tom Yum Goong (also great movies) on a television Chocolate watches, as well as hearing sound effects from Bruce Lee movies (supposedly). It's great in the first fight scene hearing her immitate Bruce Lee's hoowaaah-ooo! voice. That'll put a smile on your face.

Yanin "Jeeja" Vismistananda is good in her role, playing an autistic girl who learns from watching, fast. She was already a taekwondo practitioner before production, but then trained extensively for 2 years before the film shooting began, and another 2 years during the shoot. She is somewhere between the age of 21-24 during the filming of the movie.

For anyone who loves martial arts, they'll enjoy this. Anyone who wants to see a woman who can hold her own in these types of movies, definitely watch it. And one more thing, be ready for some bloopers at the end credits to show the real hits that the cast (including Chocolate herself) took during the shooting.

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CHOCOLATE, named for its protagonist's favorite snack, is about an autistic young Thai girl who is a martial arts savant--parallel to the compensatory abilities of Dustin Hoffman's character in RAINMAN. Early in the film she takes on and defeats a gang of nasty kids. Next, she demolishes an array of deadbeats, who owe her sick mother money. Finally, as we can easily foresee, the evil gangsters who have split up her parents are going to be no match for her. (Telling you this is not "spoiling" the story--anyone who can count to three can see it coming.)

The excellently choreographed fight scenes have a sweet and fairly touching story around them. If you enjoy watching women "kick butt," Yanin Vismitananda (Jeeja Yanin), the star of this film, is sort of a tiny female Jackie Chan. Another big plus in my view is that this film is not pretentiously artsy and "meaningful" the way the excellent CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON was.

As a bonus feature, the DVD includes a rather short "making of" piece that shows just how dangerous its stunts really were and how amazingly athletic these people are!

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Thunderstruck (Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet Digital Copy Combo Pack) (2012)

Every now and then, a film comes along and changes our perspective into the realm of logic and life. A film that warps reality, forcing the viewer to completely re think their entire life. A film that leaves you in such awe, words can do no justice. I have seen this film more times than I can count, and every single time I finish it, I want to immediately watch it again.

To start out, the director. When my children have children, they'll talk about the great directors making some of the best cinema of the 21st century. Paul Thomas Anderson, David Fincher, Terrance Malick and now John Whitesell. After previously directing the brilliant Big Momma's House trilogy, which are on par with the Star Trek Trilogy (Wrath of Khan, Search for Spock, The Voyage Home), the Lord of the Rings films, the Star Wars films and the Dollars films. Along with Malibu's Most Wanted, proving that Jamie Kennedy deserves an Oscar, and Deck the Halls with the comedy duo of Matthew Broderick and Danny Devito, in the shadow of Abbot and Costello. This is a man who has a vision to change the way we think but Thunderstruck completely wipes the floor with his other films. "Wipes the floor", get it?

I'm no sports fan but Kevin Durant needs to put down the basketball, and pick up an Oscar. He completely sells his role and you see him not as an actor, but as a man. On top of that, newcomer Taylor Gray, the Marlon Brando of the 21st century. You feel his struggles, see his anguish, jump for joy when he succeeds, mixes the bag of emotions that you won't be able to help yourself from. I found myself in tears walking out of the cinema, from his groundbreaking performance that not even the great Daniel Day Lewis can poke at. Once I left the theater and immediately purchased my ticket for the next showing, I had such tears in my eyes that after they hit the ticket, you could barely read the title.

It mixes comedy and drama well, going back to my previous point of the film stupendously mixing the emotions. At one moment, you laughing your basketballs off at the perfect chemistry of Durant and Gray as they struggle trying to get their powers back. You feel the anger when Gray's bullies rough him up with some foul talk, unaware of the genius in front of them. Feel the joy of their companionship and how the thing that brings them together is a game of basketball.

Aside from the acting, the writings is on par and doesn't feel outdated with it's various references. The film required two writers since it can't take just one to create a masterpiece. Eric Champnella who's previous work is Mr. 3000, the definitive baseball film, and the straight to Disney Channel (should've been permanently in cinemas) Mailed to the Chief. The other writer should also be noted, Jeff Farley who had a brilliant role as Tabby's Security Officer in the mind blowing Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Jr.

I could write a book on the brilliance of this film but words can do it no justice. It just HAS TO be seen to be believed. Make way for your top favorite films list, if this doesn't crack the top 3, don't ever act like you know cinema. Please, PLEASE experience this masterful, genius, brilliant work before you die. I PROMISE you won't regret it.

Sixteen-year old Brian (Taylor Gray) wants to be on the high school basketball team, but he has no skills. After Brian meets Kevin Durant, his game is perfected.

Although I'm not very interested in basketball, I enjoyed this movie. The beginning was okay, but it became much more entertaining once Alan (Durant's Agent played by Brandon T. Jackson) figured out what happened. Jackson's performance was as funny as I expected it to be. There are also important messages for young people about friendship and 'fitting in' I liked that.

Thunderstruck is a good family film.

Favorite Line: Coach, is that from Hoosiers?

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This movie is basically "Like Mike" as a kid, in this case with no basketball talent, gets an NBA stars talent transferred to him. Not through magic shoes though in this case it's just like Space Jam where the talent is transferred through the ball.

The kid is usually picked on but because of his new basketball talent he becomes popular and shows up his bully before he becomes a jerk himself.

The basketball in it is pretty fake as the kid dunking looks like he's flying rather than jumping and the same play is shown a few times but from slightly different angles and supposed to be different plays. Mixed in are some Kevin Durant highlights/lowlights from actual games.

Durant plays himself and it is a good thing they gave him an energetic manager to pair next to him as otherwise his scenes are fairly boring. A Durant fan might like seeing him but he's not in it that much besides shooting poorly in a gym on a few occasions and trying to get his talent back from the kid

The highlight of the film is the charming Tristin Mays as Isabel. She plays the female lead of the movie and the love interest to Brian. She liked him for him and before his basketball transformation and calls him out for turning into a conceited jerk later on in the movie who's more focused on living the good life than staying true to his friends

In the end though the message is that teamwork and effort can trump overall talent and Brian somehow does more with a lack of talent than Kevin Durant ever did as he switched talents with Brian and is doing terrible in the NBA while Brian enjoys all of his success and no amount of practice has improved Durant's game. Brian does well with his lack of talent though and even after the switch back occurs he's supposedly better at basketball even though he practiced a lot before the switch and still stunk

Some mixed messages and limited basketball realism but recommended if you have small children who are a fan of the Thunder and or Kevin Durant

Read Best Reviews of Thunderstruck (Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet Digital Copy Combo Pack) (2012) Here

Good story, decent acting, everyone in the family enjoyed the movie from kids to adults. I would recommend for an all around entertaining family movie.

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Reminds me of too many others like it. Remember Space Jam? It was a bit entertaining though, at that price.

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Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2-Disc Unrated Edition + BD Live) (2007)

Ya'd figure that classic zany comedy was dead. Sure, there have been ambitious stuff, but more often than not, a lot of today's "comedy" movies are either blatent "gross-out" fests written for 12-year-olds, or the tired "let's-make-a-satire-of-the-current-favorite-genre" formula. Truthfully, the last great American comedy for me was "There's Something About Mary." Sure, it was a stupid-humor film, but it had genuine laugh-out-loud surprises and, more importantly, heart. Basically, it was a sweet romantic comedy with slapstick thrown in for good measure.

Judd Apatow, whether he's directing or producing, seems to be the guy who'll revive well-done dumb-guy humor. All by himself, judging by the list of hits he's thrown out. "Walk Hard," unfortunately, was the least commercially success ful of them, and for what reason I don't know. He did satire right, focussing on one character through a much-travelled formula, created a believable (and funny) body of work for the fictionally tributed, got a great director in Jake Kasden, and casted extremely well by putting veteran John C. Reilly in the lead.

This would be the most important thing, as few realize how talented and multifacited Mr. Reilly really is. Sincerity in character? He makes poor Dewey a sweetly believable guy who'd be really entertaining in any story he was plunked in. Creative? John C. can keep up with the rest of the brilliantly funny folks in the film. Most importantly, can he sing? Hell yeah! Reilly toured through Boston a few years back in a musical stage adaptation of the Ernest Borgnine everyman love story, "Marty," and carried a hell of a tune (even before "Chicago"), showing he has the singing chops. In a more sane universe, Reilly would be headlining more major films, rather than being relegated to "character actor" or "second banana" status.

As mentioned before, this is satire done right built around a well-rounded comedy character, rather than a series of sight gags (although the film has those aplenty). Kasden and Apatow took every cliche about the recent musical biopic craze and ran them through the Dewey Cox prism. What made it even more funny was the character and their viewpoints. It looked like every biopic out there, and made most fun about that.

"Walk Hard" deserved more box-office love, but it will be a long-lived successful film because of home video. There are worse fates than that.

(3.5 *'s) Judd Apatow's `Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story' is a familiar project. As the producer of `The Forty Old Virgin, 'Knocked Up,' and 'Superbad,' he takes another irreverent comedy, this time a parody of music biopics of popular music icons. Sometimes savvy, sometimes obvious, the movie is mostly an effective and witty trip through pop music history.

One of the best decisions was to cast John C. Reilly in the title role. Watching the film, I kept thinking Will Ferrell could have been cast as Dewey Cox. As much as I like Ferrell, his overexposure to such familiar loopiness may have made the movie overwrought. With Reilly's fine performance as "Lefty" in 'A Prairie Home Companion,' they made the right choice. There's a certain restraint he brings to the role that's welcome and refreshing.

For those who have seen `Ray,' and, especially `Walk the Line' the referenced parody will be clear, but those who haven't undoubtedly will be in for a fun time, too. It's basically a rags to riches story about a man from the South who gets a recording contract much the way Elvis and Johnny Cash did.

On the down side, tragedy is given a lighter treatment. Anyone who's read Cash's autobiography or seen 'Walk the Line' will recognize when Dewey accidentally cuts his brother in half that it's a reference to Cash's brother who lost his life to an electric saw. Throughout the movie he's haunted that he was the "wrong one" to die. They don't exactly glamorize drug use, though, which shows Dewey always making the wrong informed choice. (Backstage he's tempted by a band mate who says, "You don't want to use this stuff." Dewey always asks, "What does it do?" "It takes away every negative thought..." as if he chides.)

The real pluses come as Dewey goes through his phases of music. He has his early rockabilly years. He rocks during the early sixties, gets cosmic and hippie later, and becomes the familiar casualty of substance abuse and ego (with the usual infidelities) in his life. Some of the best scenes include his meeting with the squabbling Fab Four and an interview where he tries to reach the mainstream with a comeback family TV show. Fumbling with questions, Dewey reveals that he's off PCP and his estranged children will be watching his program. Some family man.

While not a comedy classic, `Walk Hard...' is more often unpredictable than not with a witty script that is delivered with a brisk comedic pace. It had me laughing loud and often, and I'll bet you will, too.

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I have never before been inspired by a satirical, fictional comedy. (Is that half redundant?) But by the end of Walk Hard, I felt fantastic! That was the unexpected curve. The comedy though, is what I was after and I got it by the fistfuls! Sight gags, the absurd, live action caricatures of famous people, plenty of drug humor, etc. There were aspects of Steve Martin being channeled by John C. Reilly. And, I feel you can't really go wrong with John. He's not Academy Award material, he's just a perfect character actor. I enjoyed immensely his will to succeed coupled with his faulty decision-making processes. He was an idiot, but an intensely focused idiot. They basically made fun of every "unknown boy from nowhere makes it big" movie that came before it. And they did it well. The beginning had me wondering if the level of comedy was going to be elemntary school or not. And maybe it was. Who cares? It got funnier to me the longer I watched. And it even had a moral to it.

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Why this film didn't do better at the box office, I'll never know. If you enjoyed Spinal Tap, then you should certainly enjoy this film. You'll enjoy it more if you have a general knowledge of the history of rock 'n roll, since some of the gags run pretty deep. I hardly ever buy videos, preferring to move on to something I haven't seen, but I expect to enjoy this one over and over for years to come. I was shocked that the title song didn't receive an Academy Award nomination for best song.

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This movie's a classic! It's funny, but not in the current definition of "funny" these days. It's funny like the old Leslie Neilsen / Airplane / Naked Gun movies were. With jokes that are truly humorous without relying on stupid gross-out humour like most movies these days. I rented it because I was in the mood for something ridiculous, and what I got was much more than I expected! Not only is it good for a laugh, but John C. Reilly can really sing! And kudos to the costume designer! The movie spans 60 years, and they nailed the period clothing to a "t".

Very funny, ridiculously smart, well acted, and worth watching.

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Kathleen Madigan: Gone Madigan (1905)

My husband, grown kids and I have really liked Kathleen Madigan for years. I hadn't seen much of her lately so I looked this up on Amazon, ordered it and we watched it tonight. The whole family got such a kick out of this DVD. It is hysterical. I agree with the first reviewer, she doesn't miss a beat. I love her irreverance. Viewing this DVD made for a very enjoyable evening. This is her best work yet.

Watched "Gone Madigan" on Showtime this morning and Kathleen Madigan is absolutely a SCREAM!!! Is she politically incorrect? Of Course!! Is she crude and vulgar? No!!.. Coming from a large Irish Catholic family from St Louis,Missouri.. I found her observations and dry humor to be refreshing. Yes...she is irreverent... and takes on everything from California healthy living..Wee people in Ireland ... her parents and siblings.. a tour of the Mormon temple... she hits such a variety of topics but didn't miss a beat on any of them. Beware ... she is a democrat and she does think.. so if you find either of those threatening or offensive this is not your cup of tea. Otherwise... get ready for a very entertaining stand-up set with a very intelligent lady who has just a little different twist on life!!! I love every moment of her routine and am pre-ordering this DVD!!

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This is seriously laugh-out-loud funny without the anger or the filth! It takes an extremely creative mind to relate normal life experiences in such a creative and hilarious way! Great Christmas Gift! If you have the opportunity to see Kathleen live, go! Her comedic timing is the best!

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Funny in spotsactually really funny. Towards the end it wasn't as funny, but overall, it was good. Worth a look.

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I love Kathleen Madigan and this was a very entertaining dvd. Would consider buying

another. Arrived on time and in good condition. Thanks!

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Ironclad (2011)

Note, some spoilers follow.

Ironclad is your typical formulaic medieval movie; a motley band of brave warriors makes last stand against overwhelming forces led by evil, despotic ruler. Warriors are slowly whittled down to just a few, with the hero and the cleavage-baring princess sharing smoldering glances.

Ironclad is unique in the strength of its cast, despite its small budget. You have Brian Cox, James Purefoy (how far he has fallen since Rome!), Derek Jacobi, Jason Flemyng, Paul Giamatti, Charles Dance (plays Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones), Kate Mara (who replaced Megan Fox), and one of the pirates of the Caribbean who plays a Legolas-type role. Paul Giamatti is entertaining in his over-the-top role as the murderous King John, bent on killing all who forced him to sign the Magna Carta. However, even with the star-studded cast, the storyline is insufficient to keep the movie together. We're left with brutal action sequences, but even the action sequences were only average. They used too much "shaky-cam" footage, leaving this viewer with a slight headache.

It's clear that Ironclad takes liberties with historical events, but I do have to give them credit for at least alluding to those historical events. For example, historically, the Rochester Castle keep was undermined with fat from 40 pigs. However, in the movie, whole pigs were burned to undermine the keep (which would have made a delicious barbecue). Historically, King John did cut off the hands and feet of surrendering rebels, and we certainly see that here in rather gory detail. Historically, King John starved the rebels into submission, and in the movie, we do see some effects of starvation.

Ironclad isn't an Oscar-winning picture by any stretch, but it's an entertaining movie. Sure, it might be formulaic, but it's fun watching Purefoy hack through scores of woad-like blue Danes with his historically inaccurate five foot long Zweihander. I rate it 3.5 stars (more than generous) because the film tried to push the limits of its small budget.

**I had some concerns about the extreme level of gore in the movie. Most of the violence has digital blood added in, but there are several gory bits that one should be aware of. A tongue is chopped off, a limb is repeatedly hacked by a blunt instrument until severed, said severed limb is used to beat another enemy combatant, a man is chopped in half, faces are crushed, a man's collarbone is hacked repeatedly, throats sliced, abdomens opened, hands/feet lopped off, and corpses tossed against buildings. Ironclad is definitely not for the faint of heart.

I'm a bit of a sucker for Medieval period films: always excited by the prospect of seeing something that might hew a little closer to history while exploring the origin of some of today's more persistent cultural tropes; often disappointed by the repeated turns to violence and rather cartoonish proclamations. Ironclad lands somewhere in between by managing to find a few moments which straddle these extremes.

Fellini had once made a very compelling point about the way in which we would view peoples and cultures of the distant past. While discussing "Satyricon" he pointed out that such peoples and cultures would seem very alien to contemporary perception: their behavior, beliefs and motivations becoming border-line incomprehensible to us. Ironclad does not come anywhere near such a portrayal of the Medieval mind, allowing itself instead to make a rather broad number of interpretations vastly more at home in the present day than would have been likely or even possible during the period in question. But even though the film exhibits many of the usual tendencies, it avoids the pronounced sense of romanticizing either the valor or violence surrounding the aftermath of the signing of the Magna Carta and gives a greater dimension to the ideas behind the events with an unexpected and beautifully executed apologia by one of its principal characters.

And that occurs in the performance Giamatti turns in as King John. In his display of profoundly brutal violence against his enemy -here portrayed by Brian Cox -and the breathtakingly belligerent tirade he delivers as his justification, this nearly pro-forma action flick momentarily becomes something that begins to provide us with a credible glimpse into the deep-seated societal conflicts of that time -some still present today. As King John rails about the royalty's ideas centered on divine rights of inheritance while, in a brilliant directorial turn, seemingly standing on water, the lights begin to come on about how utterly ignorant, self-absorbed, cruel and narcissistic the god-chosen rulers of the Middle Ages could routinely be. Such rulers postponed modernity as long as possible by ignoring human rights while clinging to ideas that consistently stunted the well-being and progress of their citizens in favor of brutality, ignorance and suffering. And all in the name of their personal, greater glory.

Giamatti's walk on the water makes this vile worldview palpable and terrifying in a manner that no historical text can. Had Brian Cox been provided with a counter monologue as eloquent and moving in support of the rights of man -something more substantial than merely repeating "Magna Carta" -as Giamatti delivered in favor of suppression, birth right and the arrogance of privilege, Ironclad would have made a profoundly long leap forward for the genre, perhaps even becoming capable of a theoretical joust with Bresson's "Lancelot du Lac".

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THIS MOVIE WAS VERY GOOD , IF YOU ARE A MEDIEVL FAN THIS IS THE MOVIE FOR YOU , PLENTY OF ACTION FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END

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This was a great medieval movie. Sure, it isn't perfect, but considering the budget I think the director did a fantastic job. We really don't get enough movies set in this time period, and when we do they aren't usually very good (Season of the Witch, Timeline). The cast is great, especially Paul Giamatti and Brian Cox. The action is brutal and satisfying, though shocking in a few parts. The story isn't bad at all, just really predictable. While it's no Braveheart, Ironclad is extremely entertaining and a welcome addition to the genre, and I highly recommend you watch it if you're at all a fan.

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Grunts, groans, grime and gore are the key ingredients here. English definitely wants to be sure his audience understands what thirty pounds of pointed steel can do to flesh. The rest of the film is basically a by-the-book castle seige carried out in drab dirty-dozen style. Worst of all, you have to wait over an hour for the sex scene and the stupid director decides to not go graphic after going over the top with all the slicing and dicing preceding it. Lame. Cornball performances make sure you don't have much sympathy for any of the casualties. Definitely a hack job, but at least it's the kind of Medieval entertainment that does manage to get the bad taste of a Summer Renaissance Fair out of your mouth.

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Black Narcissus (The Criterion Collection) (1947)

This stunning and atmospheric film from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, who were the team behind Archer Productions, is an engrossing and moody masterpiece one might term, religious noir. It was shot in lush colors by Jack Cardiff with a score by Brian Easdale performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. It is the story and the atmosphere created by Powell and Pressburger that gives this adaptation of a novel by Rumer Gooden its noirish feel, however, and it would easily be just as good in black and white.

Deborah Kerr is Sister Clodagh, fullfilling her duties at the Servants of Mary in Calcutta. She is assigned to helm St. Faith, high in the Himalayas, and is given the charge of Mother Superior in order to do so. She will be the youngest ever to hold such a position, and it is one her Mother Superior believes she is not ready for. Once she reaches the lonely place over nine thousand feet from the earth, with her small group of Sisters, she will discover that while they may be in closer proximity to the heavens, they will be much further from God.

The isolation, the drums, and the wind, will have an effect on each of the Sisters, including Sister Clodagh. She is strict and demanding, but becomes concious of the danger here when she herself begins to drift and dream of her past in Ireland before joining the Servants of Mary. Kerr has a graceful Irish beauty that is almost stunning in these flashback scenes. She was young and happy, and in love. She was from a small area and did not want to be shamed when the one she had given her love to decided to move on without her. Her decision was born out of her desire to avoid humiliation.

An older Sister will also find herself recalling a past she had thought forgotten, and no amount of hard work can keep her mind from it. It is the outside element of Mr. Dean (David Farrar) that will set in motion the biggest change, however, as the already unstable Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron), young and quite beautiful, is driven by repressed passion and jealousy to utter madness. She becomes jealous of Sister Clodagh, whom she believes wants the attention of Mr. Dean. Sister Clodagh, who originally found Mr. Dean to be objectionable when sober, and an abomination when drunk, begins to finally soften, and even goes so far as to confide in him her fears about what is happening to all of them.

Farrar is excellent as the somewhat irreverent womanizer who knows how to push Sister Clodagh's buttons. There is one scene where he is drunk and sings of how he cannot be a nun that infuriates Sister Clodagh and worries her at the same time. Sabu is also excellent as the young General who sends the children there to learn and is just as eager to do so himself. Jean Simmons shines as the exotic and sensual Kanchi. She is brought there by Mr. Dean for the Sisters to "tame" but her wild and earthy spirit will seduce the General and he will run off with her for a time. Simmons' dance sequence may be famous, but it is the scene between Kanchi and the General, where he refuses to beat her for stealing a necklace, which holds the most tension, and is charged with passion.

Kathleen Byron's performane as the unbalanced Sister Ruth is unforgettable. The elements she is exposed to, from the remote isolation of St. Faith, to the charming scoundrel Mr. Dean, will turn her already precarious mental state into true insanity. She will expand the tiny bit of attention shown her by Mr. Dean into a desire so intense, her fragile grip on reality will slip away. She orders a deep burgandy colored dress and makes the decision to leave the other Sisters. Once spurned she will return, with a fever of madness behind her eyes the viewer can actually see. Byron's scene in the doorway on the cloister, high on the mountains, as Sister Clodagh rings the bell Ruth had been so fond of, is unsettling.

Sister Clodagh will come to terms with the fact that we are all human, even herself, and will begin to learn humility. She will take a lesser post elsewhere and bid farewell to Mr. Dean, asking only one favor of him as she leaves. It is a request filled with sadness, as it is obvious to her now that they should not have come here, despite the fact it has made her grow personally, and given her a better understanding of human nature, and human weakness.

This is a very unusual film with an exciting and memorable conclusion. It will intoxicate the viewer with its mood, like the scent of the flower after which this film was named. A must see film.

I am not sure why the poster believes the film is missing a scene. I have the Criterion edition, and I have just watched the scene. It starts about 43 minutes into the film, and it involves the beggar girl looking at wall art, dancing, and trying to seduce the young General. In the commentary, Michael Powell says, in reference to the girl's dance: "When Larry Olivier saw this... he couldn't believe it. His Ophelia [from 'Hamlet' in 1948] changed into this..." I've posted snapshots from the film of this scene in the Criterion version.

There is one minor error in the Criterion and previous versions of the film that have been released. When Sister Ruth sees red and passes out, the screen goes to blue instead of black. This is most likely the result of some electronic sampler that thought "black" meant "no signal", and as VCRs will do, switched the screen to blue.

This film is excellent and Jack Cardiff was a genius. It rightly won the Oscars for Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration in 1947.

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One of the best British films ever made is this pioneering effort by independent filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Shot entirely in Scotland with painted matte backgrounds to recreate the Himalayas (and astonishingly well at that), the film is superbly textured and mature, thematically ahead of any movie made in its period. Deborah Kerr heads a superb group of performers as the Mother Superior of a group of nuns who move to a convent in a remote mountain village in India, only to find that their confidence and strength in their religion is no match for the mystic powers of the East. Sexual frustration over local white man David Farrar, weakening faith, harsh climate and the growing fondness for their homeland soon get to the women and they are forced to leave or die. Interestingly enough, Kerr's flashback scenes of her Scottish youth and teenage sweetheart were cut by American censors upon first release, even though they were completely without sexual content, explicit or implicit; it seems it was too taboo to show a nun who has taken her vows to escape a failed love affair (the scenes have since been restored and are now available on home video). Funny, the nun who throws herself off a mountain because she goes bug-eyed every time she sees Farrar in his shorts didn't even make the Prude Alert blink.

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From the same team that gave us THE RED SHOES this film is a must see for those who appreciate a great story fleshed out by terrific performances in lush settings with phenomenal art direction. Made over fifty years ago BLACK NARCISSUS could be considered significantly ahead of its time in its unique use of narration, and subject. (Hint: What happens when a group of British nuns is sent from their cloistered priory to establish an infirmary/school in a palace formerly inhabited by a sultan's harem located high in the Himalayas? Watch and find out.) Atmospheric and hypnotic (shot in truly glorious technicolor), this is a movie you'll want to watch many times. Definitely one of a kind. Deborah Kerr is outstanding as Head Sister Clodagh. (With Sabu and a very young Jean Simmons in supporting roles.)

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Black Narcissus stands as a peak film in the career of Michael Powell and Emerich Pressburger. A flawless script centered on the personal experiences of a group of nuns that live in the Himalayas. The beauty of the place, the beauty of Nature all soon start to have a strange effect on those women. This is a movie about the conflicts between spirit and flesh. And what a film!

On top of it we have a impecable cast and what I believe to be the best cinematography work I have ever experienced courtesy of the great Mr. Jack Cardiff. The cinematography IS BREATHTAKING. As breathtaking as nothing I have ever seen on the technicolor days.

I disagree with one reviewer who complained that Criterion Collection failed to bring us this film just because the aspect ratio was 1.33:1 (instead of a widescreen version). I strongly disagree with that idea and I must recall that Black Narcissus was made in 1947. At that time films had the 1.33:1 ratio. Widescreen only came up in the early 50's. It happeened that later on, some films had a fake-widescreen effect just for re-release purposes. Black Narcissus was filmed using a technicolor process involving 3 negatives and its correct aspect ratio was 1.33:1.

Criterion's edition of Black Narcissus is a gem. A great buy. You will never see anything like this again!

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