Cinema Paradiso (1989)

Cinema Paradiso is one of my favorite movies. I finally found the new version available for rent through Netflix when I couldn't find it in any Blockbuster.

For those who have already seen Cinema Paradiso it needs no introduction. For everybody else, it won the Academy Award for Foreign Language Film in 1989 and features one of the most nostalgic treatments of the role of movies in people's lives. Ennio Morricone's theme song has also been recycled in countless commercials and movie montages and trailers.

What's good about the Director's Cut or "New Version" DVD is that one can view the director's cut with added scenes on one DVD side and the originally released version on the other.

For those of us who wanted some kind of closure to Toto and Elena's relationship, the Director's Cut has it-there's about an hour more of footage of their relationship. The new version also more footage of Toto's military service and his adulthood. The added scenes somewhat mute the focus of the movie, so I could see why they were originally cut out. But, at the same time, the added scenes fill in the blanks that originally made a lot of us think, "Hey- What about...?" And although Toto's childhood scenes are, as far as I can tell, unchanged from the original version, we also find out more about Alfredo.

After finishing the New Version I appreciated the original version better. I highly recommend the new version not because it makes Cinema Paradiso more of a masterpiece, but because it adds more characterization to what, arguably, is a masterpiece. The added scenes can be a bit superfluous, but they show how important editorial decisions are to shaping the structure and momentum of a movie.

I became aware of the existence of over 50 minutes of additional scenes in this film in the past two years. The original, pruned version received the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1990. I have owned the video for a decade. Then, last summer, the "new version" was shown in limited release, and a DVD was promised. With the addition of the deleted scenes, an entirely different film is created. Owning this DVD is owning a brand new version of the film's events.

Initially, the film was considered too long, and massive scenes were cut, removing any and all references to whatever happened to Salvatore's great love, Lina. The original version of the film focused mainly on the young boy, fatherless in post-WWII Sicily, bonding with the childless cinema projectionist, Alfredo. The young Toto grows into the teen-aged Salvatore, who falls in love with the beautiful and unattainable Lina. They are parted. That is the last we see. Salvatore returns to his village many years later to attend the funeral of Alfredo, and the film is told nearly entirely in flashback.

In this version, Salvatore is reunited with his lost love when he returns for the funeral. To think that this entire plot was removed from the film initially is almost unthinkable. There are other parts of the film that could have been edited to keep these additional scenes in. I don't know what the producers, directors or the studio were thinking when they edited a huge part of the movie out.

Well, now the film is complete. Whereas the original version focused mainly on the relationship of Toto and Alfredo, we now see a conclusion to Toto and Lina as well. And, we understand the ending of the film in an entirely, much less sentimental light. Salvatore has spent the bulk of his life mourning his lost love, not returning to his village, and not knowing of Alfredo's hand in the matter. He is facing life-changing decisions, and must ultimately dip into a pool of acceptance and forgiveness. Without the addition of these scenes, the point is lost.

This was an excellent film to begin with, now it is nearly perfect. It is bittersweet and touching, and all the more realistic with the deleted scenes returned. If you own the original version, you must own this version. You will see this film in a completely different light.

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5 stars I've seen the original in Italian (at least 25 times) since its release... however, the version we saw in the U.S. was half hour shorter than the Italian release (I was lucky enough to obtain the original length VHS version years ago.) In the original, after 30 years we learn that Elena did come to meet Toto prior to her departure as they had planned but... well ... It would be a crime to give it away (In the hopes that you see the original.) The missing pieces make the ending and all the pieces in between fit like a perfect glove. The gift that Alfredo made to Toto (the pieced together clips of missing kissing scenes) has a greater meaning when put in the full context (I still get emotional seeing it.) It's even more poignant than before but, unfortunately, the meaning of a lot of the symbols and scenes, although pretty good in the U.S. release, were catapulted onto a different level in the longer version.

Read Best Reviews of Cinema Paradiso (1989) Here

Like many people I've seen this film countless times, and each time I end up blubbering by the end of it. A valentine to the movies, "Cinema Paradiso" tells the story of Toto, a boy in the small Italian village of Giancarlo, who is fascinated with the movies. This is long before televisions and vcrs.This was when movie going was an event to be cherished and savored. Much of the film centers on his friendship with the older Alfredo,(a heartbreaking Philippe Noiret) who runs the projector. But more than that it is a sweeping romance, and a bittersweet story of letting go of our past and moving towards the future. Its setting and characters will transport you for two magical hours and you'll feel like you've just spent time with old friends. My only beef with the DVD version of the film is that in the credits they've removed a scene. Elena, Toto's girlfriend in the film is shown in the final moments of the credits as an older woman. A scene that was obviously cut from the final print of the film. Toto turns, the camera cuts to her turning, their eyes lock, and the credits end. The DVD fades out before we see her. I don't know who's decision it was, HBO's or the director, but it's too bad because it was a neat tag for those people who stay through the credits till the end. Still, a must have movie for collectors.

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In spite of some extra scenes that I think are unnecessary, this extended new version of "Cinema Paradiso" stills makes a great impression on me. This Italian masterpiece about the growth of a Sicilian kid (Salvatore Cascio, in a brilliant debut) from childhood, adolescence (in the person of Marco Leonardi), to manhood (in the shape of French actor Jacques Perrin) through movies is marvelous, touching, and truly entertaining.

When I first saw "Cinema Paradiso" back in 1990, I fell in love instantly with it, thus becoming one of my favorite movies. The innocence of Toto as he wants to learn how to handle a projector, thanks to the help of Alfredo (French acting legend Philippe Noiret); the tough times in his adolescence, working as a projectionist, having an impossible romance with Elena, doing military service; and his loneliness as a movie producer in his adulthood. Everything caused me a great impact, and still does everytime I watch this film by Giuseppe Tornatore.

Now, in this extended version, I like the fact that Toto -as an adult -has the chance to see Elena again and discovers why they failed to meet at the Paradiso prior to his departure for Rome. In my opinion, that's the most important new scene of the movie. I really wanted to know that, and now I feel satisfied.

All in all, I still like this great work of love everytime I see it. A work of love towards life, innocence, romance and, above all else, movies. A great homage to cinema.

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Dead Poets Society (1989)

"I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." (Henry David Thoreau, "Walden.")

Hands up folks, how many of us discovered Thoreau after having watched this movie? *Really* discovered I mean, regardless whether you had known he'd existed before. How many believe they know what Thoreau was talking about in that passage about "sucking the marrow out of life" cited in the movie, even if you didn't spend the next 2+ years of your life living in a self-constructed cabin on a pond in the woods? How many bought a copy of Whitman's poems ... whatever collection? (And maybe even read more than "Oh Captain! My Captain!"?) How many went on to read Emerson? Frost? Or John Keats, on whose personality Robin Williams's John Keating is probably losely based? Judging by the vast majority of the reviews on this site alone, you just can't fail to notice that this movie has a powerful appeal like few others; "inspirational" is probably the most frequently used word in the opinions represented here. And justifiedly so, despite the fact that charismatic Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard), one of the movie's main characters, tragically falters in the pursuit of his dreams, in the wake of apparent triumph. Because although Neil's story is one of failure, ultimately this movie is a celebration of the triumph of free will, independent thinking and the growth of personality; embodied in its closing scene.

Of course, lofty goals such as these are not easily achieved. Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) in particular, the last scene's triumphant hero, is literally pushed to the edge of reason before he learns to overcome his inhibitions. And Thoreau said in "Walden:" "If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; That is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them." Anyone who takes this movie's message to heart (and Thoreau's, and Whitman's, and Emerson's, Frost's and Keats's) knows that success too easily won is often no success at all, and most of our truly important accomplishments are based on focus, tenacity and hard work as much as on anything else. And prudence, too ... dashing Charlie Dalton (Gale Hansen) pays a high price for his spur-of-the-moment challenges of authority; although of course you just gotta love him for refusing to sign Keating's indictment. "Carpe diem" live life to its fullest, but always know what you are doing, too.

You won't enjoy this movie if you are afraid of letting your mind and your feelings run free. Shot on the magnificent location of Delaware's St. Andrews Academy, "Dead Poets' Society" is visually stunning, particularly in its depiction of the amazingly beautiful scenery (where the progression of the seasons mirrors the progression of the movie's story line), and it is as emotionally engaging as it invites you to mentally reexamine your position in life. Robin Williams delivers another Academy Award-worthy performance (he was nominated but unfortunately didn't win). Of course, Robin Williams will to a certain extent always be Robin Williams ... "Aladdin's" Genie, "Good Morning Vietnam's" Adrian Cronauer and "Good Will Hunting's" Professor McGuire (the 1997 role which would finally earn him his long overdue Oscar) all shimmer through in his portrayal of John Keating; and if you've ever seen him give an interview you know that the man can go from hilarious and irreverent to deeply reflective in a split second even when it's not a movie camera that's rolling. Yet, the black sheep among Welton Academy's teachers assumes as distinct and memorable a personality as any other one of Williams's film characters.

Of its many Academy Award nominations (in addition to Robin Williams's nomination for best leading actor, the movie was also nominated in the best picture, best director [Peter Weir] and best original screenplay categories), "Dead Poets' Society" ultimately only won the Oscar for Tom Schulman's script. But more importantly, it has long since won it's viewers' lasting appreciation, and for a reason. As the Poet said: "Camerado! This is no book; Who touches this, touches a man" (Walt Whitman, "So Long!"), this is no movie; who watches this, watches himself!

Also recommended:

Good Will Hunting (Miramax Collector's Series)

A Midsummer Night's Dream (The New Folger Library Shakespeare)

Henry David Thoreau : Collected Essays and Poems (Library of America)

Whitman: Poetry and Prose (Library of America College Editions)

Robert Frost: Collected Poems, Prose, and Plays (Library of America)

John Keats: The Complete Poems (Penguin Classics)

Be careful about the label 'Special Edition' if you are still waiting, like me, for the fabulous Director's cut that was released on laser disk but not on DVD. It contains essential extra footage added by Peter Weir that fleshes out the motivations behind many of the characters and answers some questions that the theatrical cut raises. The Director's cut is 142 minutes so this DVD is just a re-release of the original theatrical version.

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I just received the "Special Edition" and was disappointed. The reviewer who advised caution was correct-this is just the same version with a few "bonus" features. The "Deleted Scenes" or "Raw" footage contains only the couple of minutes of Keating meeting the boys at the cave after Neil's performance. The version shown on USA (I haven't seen the Laser Disk Director's Cut) containing the extra footage of Knox's dinner at Danbury's and meeting Ginny Danbury, the scene rehearsing near the lake, the boys being assigned their extracurricular activities are all missing. The original script called for Knox and Chris to kiss near the frozen waterfall after the Keating-led meeting. That's not here, either. Too bad those scenes really tie up the story much better.

Read Best Reviews of Dead Poets Society (1989) Here

No matter how many times I watch a particular movie, certain ones have a way of moving me. Dead Poets Society was one of them. It was the most influential film I had ever watched, and the only one that I could relate to directly and indirectly.

Robin Williams plays the English teacher, John Keating, who brings enthusiasm to the classroom of young scholars whose only sense of fun is spending time together in their study groups. But his method of teaching was rather unconventional. Keating did not conduct an in your face way of teaching, and nor did he spoon feed the boys in his class. Keating suggests to the students that in any formal environment, there is the strict expectation that one follows the straight and narrow, and free thinking is the antagonist where there should not exist any curves or turns. He simply opens the minds of the students who only thought that going to prep school was the easiest way to get to Harvard. And in essence, the main gist of the film has to do with, no matter what direction in life one takes, poetry is the path to expression.

This movie was high with emotions and of course relationships. I particularly thought Ethan Hawke's performance was very convincing. If you've ever been a situation like Hawke's character, you would know what I mean; watch the movie and you'll understand. Also, the relationship between Robert Sean Leonard's character and his father was very realistic of a person who's dying to break free from parental influence.

As in any movie depicting honor and respect (School Ties and Scent of a Woman), someone suffers the consequences, but no one is left standing alone. In the case of Dead Poets Society, the circle of friendship that existed between the students became a hard lesson. The film makes a good of emphasizing that those whom you thought were invincible, turned out to be less of your expectations, and the movie was good at presenting that scenario.

If you like a movie that doesn't preach to you, but nourishes your mind with words to ponder, or words of encouragement, I recommend Dead Poets Society.

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I Love DPS. It's my favorite film, and, I think, one of the best made in my lifetime (30 years). During my own boarding school days, it was life-altering. So, I got the new Special Edition, assuming it would be the director's cut. I remember once seeing it on television, about 20 mins longer. Not so. They included one cut scene (in the bonus stuff) which was supposed to be intercut with the suicide scene (and mercifully, wasn't).

The interviews with the actors were odd. Ethan Hawke was a tad flaky -he called Robert Sean Leonard "Terry" (his character's name in the Hawke-directed Chelsea Walls) He also was mysteriously unclear on where they were staying during filming -"We were staying at a Radisson -or maybe it wasn't, but something like that -in Dover. No, New Castle. No, it definitely wasn't New Castle. Dover? I don't know where it was." (It was New Castle, according to the credits. But why wasn't this monolouge of uncertainity cut out?) RSL didn't have much to say for himself, considering the importance of his role. They talked to Dylan Kussman (Cameron), Allelon Ruggiero (Meeks), Kurtwood Smith (Mr. Perry), Norman Lloyd (Mr. Nolan), who was very Mr. Nolan-ish ("They wanted ME to audition! I had been on St. Elsewhere! _I_ wasn't going to audition!") and oddly, Melora Walters (One-Line Townie Girl, Gloria), who was rather annoying. Obviously, Robin Williams was conspicuously absent, and I would have liked to see Gale Hansen (Charlie) and Josh Charles (Knox). The only interesting information was that RSL and Ethan wrote the desk set scene themselves, because what the script called for wasn't working.

Then I watched the feature with commentary by Peter Weir (who was interesting), the cinematographer, and the screenwriter who was quite irritating. In the original script Keating was supposed to have cancer, and die at the end. He kept referring to him as being sick/dying, without explaining that was an earlier version of the script. Also, although he said Neil was based on his best friend, and Welton was what his school (private, but a day school) wanted to be, he neglected to say that Keating was based on an English teacher (Samuel Pickering, now a professor at University of Connecticut) he had at school. Perplexing.

All in all, if you have the regular DVD, don't bother buying the special edition. So disappointing. Also, I had the distinct impression from the film commentary that it was meant for the 10-yr anniversary. Wonder what the hold-up was? The bonus material here wants to fly like a desk set and instead falls with a resounding thud.

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Oliver & Company: 25th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray/ DVD Combo Pack) (1988)

During the 80's, the studio hit an artistic, creative, and commercial slump. However, I still find that I quite enjoy Disney's 80's films, many of which experimented with computer animation, non-musical storylines, and different source materials. One of my favorite pre-Little Mermaid 80's Disney films is Oliver and Company. Boasting a soundtrack filled with great songs and a wonderful cast of characters, Oliver and Company finally gets the DVD treatment, albeit a less-than-stellar one.

For one, the transfer is good, but it could be much better and it has a fair amount of grain.

The bonus features could have been much better as well. A few fluff EPK-type featurettes, which are nice, but still fluffy, are sadly enough the meat of the bonuses. Also included, fortunately, are the original trailer, original TV spot, and the 1995 re-release trailer. Two sing-alongs are included as well as two classic Disney short cartoons.

Overall, it's nice to see Oliver and Company on DVD at last. This is probably the best DVD edition Disney will give it for at least a while, so if you're considering picking it up, go for it.

Poor, abandoned kitten Oliver is homeless on the streets of 1980s New York City, until he meets a streetwise dog named Dodger. The cool canine takes Oliver under his wing and, with the help of the rest of his all-dog pickpocket gang, begins to teach him how to survive on the wrong side of the law. But when one of their con jobs goes awry, Oliver ends up in the hands of a sweet, lonely, little rich girl named Jenny. Suddenly, Oliver is living the high-life in a Fifth Avenue penthouse, much to the chagrin of Jenny's prize-winning, pampered poodle, Georgette. When the old gang shows up to rescue Oliver from his ritzy new life, they're disappointed to find that he wants to stay with Jenny. Their human ringleader, Fagin, however, is more than happy to send Oliver home, if he can get a healthy ransom in the process. Fagin isn't really a bad guy, he's just one step above homeless and has a really nasty loan-shark breathing down his neck. Jenny shows up on the dark and dangerous docks to pay Oliver's ransom and rescue her little kitty, and her sadness is too much for Fagin to take, but loan-shark Sykes has no troubles from a conscience and sees a chance to make even more dirty money. He snatches up Jenny and plans to hold HER for ransom! Suddenly, Oliver, Dodger, Fagin and the gang find themselves on a desperate rescue mission to save Jenny from the ruthless Sykes and his bloodthirsty Doberman Pinschers, Roscoe and Desoto, and even Georgette is getting in on the heroic action!

There's no doubt about it, Disney's wonderfully charming classic "Oliver and Company" is one of the most dated animated films you'll ever see. Of course, that's a big part of its charm. What could be more "`80s" than 1980s New York City? How about the music of Billy Joel and Huey Lewis? I know they were two favorites of mine in the `80s! Okay, to be honest, Billy Joel and Huey Lewis aside, the `80s is something you look back on and mock rather than view fondly, especially the clothes, and Oliver and Company captures that aspect, along with many others, perfectly. So, it's dated. Everything is, really. Call it nostalgia. Anywho, as strongly `80s as "Oliver and Company" is, it rises above it! It is simply a great film! That's something that's easy to forget if you haven't seen it in a while. "Oliver and Company" is Disney's twist on Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist," and it is an EXCELLENT modernization! All the best characters are there, and the cast is star-studded! The piano man himself, Billy Joel, voices the artful Dodger, a canine so cool he puts Snoopy to shame (we still love ya, Snoopy)! The hilarious Cheech Marin is Tito the Chihuahua, animation alumnus Dom Deluise is Fagin, the divine Bette Midler is one of Disney's funniest characters as Georgette, Robert Loggia is the excellently slimy villain, Sykes, and a very young Joey Lawrence plays Oliver, just to name a few! With seamlessly incorporated computer animation and painstakingly acquired "dog's eye view" shots of New York City, "Oliver and Company" was the film that kicked off Disney's big comeback as an animation heavyweight, though this cute little film was easily forgotten in the wake of Disney's mega-hit, "The Little Mermaid," the following year. But don't let that stop you from enjoying the magic of "Oliver and Company" yourself! Even the soundtrack is terrific, despite that it is powerfully "80s." And, it's amazing how well Disney has translated "Oliver Twist" into a tale about cats and dogs on the streets of New York without losing the heart of the tale and its underlying messages. The DVD is fantastic as well, especially for a single-disc Disney release! This is the way DVDs should be! In addition to the widescreen presentation of the film, you get a behind the scenes featurette from the original theatrical release, 2 shorter featurettes, a TV spot, theatrical trailers, a scrapbook gallery of art and other materials, 2 sing-along-songs, and the best part: You get two classic Disney shorts! Included as extras are "Puss Cafe," a hilarious Pluto cartoon where the pup goes up against two troublesome felines invading his backyard, and "Lend a Paw," the Oscar winning Mickey Mouse short in which Pluto saves a kitten from drowning and quickly regrets it. Outstanding stuff, and an amazing selection of extras for a single-disc Disney DVD! Rediscover this Disney Classic on DVD today! You won't regret it!

Buy Oliver & Company: 25th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray/ DVD Combo Pack) (1988) Now

This Disney release is a joy especially considering the poor film-only DVD releases of late on Region 2 format.

Oliver and Company has been given a quality treatment and the DVD boasts the new technology with an animated menu and sound (not just a static picture). From the menu you can choose your various options including the well-endowed Bonus Features section.

The Bonus Features are fitting and plentiful including a lovely animated short (cartoon) called `Puss Café' from Disney's Golden Age. The 14 page extensive gallery with conceptual art, character development and layouts makes for good viewing and is a rare peak in to the wonderful making of the film progress which is also documented in an ample featurette.

In addition to these features Disney have also included a short featurette on the theatrical re-release of the film as well as a featurette on the animation of Disney animals throughout Disney history a gem of a bonus on this disc.

In true Disney style, as on R1 DVD releases, the DVD also has two Sing Along features.

The presentation, detail and consideration that has gone in to this DVD release sets a high standard for the new wave of UK DVDs from Disney. The included documentaries feature interviews with Bette Midler and Billy Joel et al. and are padded with interesting information which fans will welcome.

This film is a historic one for Disney just note the trial of CGI and rebirth of Disney magic under the omniscient eye of Roy Disney in his foundation attempts to regain dwindling love for the House of Mouse.

A winning feature with no flaws and many paws.

Read Best Reviews of Oliver & Company: 25th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray/ DVD Combo Pack) (1988) Here

So Happy this is finally coming out on Blu-Ray Disk. Oliver and Company is a fun take on the Dickens Classic. No it doesn't follow Dickens. It's just based on the idea. Great movie.

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I really adore this movie. It's been one of my favorites for a while. The songs are really good and I've memorized them all. My favorite song is definitley "Once Upon a Time in New York City". It matches my voice perfectly which is odd because it's also my favorite song.

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The King's Speech (2010)

There always seems to come a time in every British actors career where they must play the role of a historical British monarch. Riding on the success of his career defining performance in "A Single Man" and sampling the glory of Best Actor nominations across the award circuits, Colin Firth comes storming back with another film, determined, this time, to take the all the prizes with him too. But is "The King's Speech" worth its pre-Oscar hype?

Set across the years between the First and Second World War, "The King's Speech" concentrates on the rise of King George VI (Firth) and his personal woes, including his infamous stammer and disdain for public speaking. Obviously being royalty, having an ability to engage the public in moving and inspirational speeches tends to be a necessity of the job. In attempting to overcome this disability, he's entrusted in the care of the eccentric and flamboyant speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush).

Over the course of the film, the two men of distinctly different social classes come to blows but ultimately forge a friendship which will last a lifetime.

Colin Firth's portrayal of George VI (or simply Bertie to his family and friends) was a fascinating insight into the king's troubled personal life. His tragic inability to speak, both in public and to his family, was also tender and, in a way, heart-warmingly humbling.

While Firth will deservedly get the plaudits for his regal starring role, it was Geoffrey Rush's witty, genuine, off-the-wall performance as Logue which personally blew me away, with immense comic timing and inability to be overwhelmed while in the presence of his most prestigious client.

The supporting cast was littered with enough real quality to make any award body take notice, and make most audiences marvel in delight.

The graceful and articulate Helen Bonham Carter gives a honest and loving performance as the late Queen Mother, Elizabeth.

Michael Gambon is sharp and somewhat intimidating as Bertie's father, King George V. Guy Pearce is arrogantly brilliant as Firth's brother and predecessor, King Edward VIII.

While the excellent Timothy Spall shone once again, in his second portrayal as the great Winston Churchill (his first was in October's god awful stop animation, Jackboots on Whitehall). It was also a pleasure to see the classy Jennifer Ehle who starred opposite Firth in, perhaps, his most famous role as Mr Darcy in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice as Lionel's wife.

Hooper should also be credited for making a visually engaging period drama, which never once felt tired or dull on the eyes, as a lot of these quintessentially British affairs can so often become.

The film's themes are also an uplifting and enjoyable treat for all; a story of friendship between essentially a prince and a pauper, a man's journey to overcome his own personal adversaries and become the king he was born to be.

Yes we won't lie, this isn't original by any means: these are classic tried and tested formulas that transcends cinema of the ages but rarely to this level of detail and panache.

Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush's performances make "The King's Speech" an enthralling journey which is heart-warming, humorous and genuinely sincere.

Highly recommended.

Andrew Moore

**** 1/2

THE KING'S SPEECH is one of those rare films that rely on the brilliance of the actors to bring a story/screenplay alive. But the success of this extraordinary film does not stop there. This re-telling of history as written by David Seidler and as directed with enormous sensitivity by Tom Hooper, as captured on film by cinematographer Danny Cohen glows as a background for some of the finest acting before the public today.

The film opens in 1925 as King George V (Michael Gambon) is beginning to fail, leaving the heir apparent to the throne at the time of his death to be Edward VIII (Guy Pearce), a man more concerned with love with the twice divorced Wallis Simpson (Eve Best) than he is with the Royal Lineage. Once the now senile George V dies, Edward VIII takes the throne but soon abdicates to marry Wallis. This passes the throne to the tender but severely stammering Prince Albert (Colin Firth), a man terrified of facing his beloved countrymen because of his speech defect a defect that his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) has encouraged him to correct through a series of speech doctors. Elizabeth hears of Australian émigré Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), a poor wannabe actor who gained his knowledge for correcting speech defects teaching returning WW I victims in Australia. Prince Albert (Bertie) and Logue meet and begin therapy by Logue's tough rules before Albert takes the throne. Through a series of rigorous exercises and lessons Logue helps the Prince learn to speak, finally accompanying him to the throne as a speech therapist and giving Bertie (now known as King George VI) the courage and strength to rise to the occasion of leading England through WW II.

Though the above is a brief synopsis of the story, the real message of the film deals with the gradual building of a close friendship between Bertie and Logue or between royalty and commoner. The manner in which Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush create this memorable relationship represents some of the finest acting in cinema history. The very large cast includes such luminaries as Claire Bloom as Queen Mary, Derek Jacobi as Archbishop Cosmo Lang, Jennifer Ehle as Logue's wife, Timothy Spall in a brilliant turn as Winston Churchill, Anthony Andrews as Stanley Baldwin, and Roger Parrott as Neville Chamberlain. Alexandre Desplat provides the original music allow heavy portions of Beethoven's 7th Symphony and Emperor Concerto (with Steven Osborne as piano soloist). This is a perfect film, well deserving to win the Oscars for every category for which it is nominated. Grady Harp, January 11

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Earlier this year when I started hearing raves about "The King's Speech" on the film festival circuit, I knew it was a film for me. I have eagerly awaited its arrival for many months and, as expected, it is a dignified and well scripted effort. Intelligent, adult entertainment of this sort only hits the theaters around awards time and there is no denying that "The King's Speech" is positioning itself perfectly for the year's biggest competition. In an unusual bit of bravado, David Seidler's screenplay is fashioned as a feel good underdog story. Yes, that's right--King George VI is a plucky survivor who must overcome adversity to win the respect of his family and his nation. It's an unusual tactic, really, but I think that's why so many people are responding to "The King's Speech" in a more personal way than past stories of regal history. The film humanizes this world leader in a very identifiable way.

The plotting of "The King's Speech" is pretty straightforward and most people will know the principle story through either history or the film's advertising. Colin Firth plays King George VI who battled with a bad stutter for most of his life. Trying to stay out of the spotlight, Firth has never worried about ascending to the throne as he has an older brother (Guy Pearce) who is in line for that distinction. However, Pearce ends up being more concerned with an inappropriate romance than with ruling a nation. Firth's wife (Helena Bonham Carter), meanwhile, has contracted an unusual speech therapist (Geoffrey Rush) that breaks all the rules. Insisting on equality with the future King, Rush and Firth form a tentative friendship. But as Firth takes his place in the monarchy just as World War II is imminent, he must unite the nation with his inaugural radio speech. Guess how it goes?

Obviously, you can't beat the cast of "The King's Speech." Bonham Carter is a delight--both haughty and approachable. Rush is as solid as always and Firth is terrific. Truth be told, I personally would have given Firth last year's Oscar for "A Single Man" and Bonham Carter deserved it for "The Wings of the Dove" many years ago. They will, undoubtedly, both be in the running again this year as will Rush. Despite Rush's classification in the supporting actor category, however, don't be fooled. It is clearly a lead role! Guy Pearce is particularly amusing as an elder brother as he is about seven years younger than Firth. And I like seeing Derek Jacobi as an archbishop (amusing because Jacobi also played a famous historical stammerer in the glorious mini-series "I, Claudius").

All in all, "The King's Speech" is both witty and touching. It's a well made and literate film, one that I admired a lot. It did, however, play out exactly as you might expect with little narrative surprise. But that's a small point that is definitely overshadowed by the many great attributes present in the film. KGHarris, 12/10.

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This isn't just another period piece or costume drama. It's a slice of history with a very real problem that many people deal with: stammering or stuttering. In this case, it's King George VI of England. He takes over after his brother abdicates the throne. George's problem is public speaking, and imagine just how hard it would have been for someone who had to make many broadcasts during his reign. He gets help from speech therapist Lionel Logue and from his loving wife as well.

Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter are at their best here as the three main characters. The interplay between Firth and Rush is especially moving to watch. The two men end up becoming close friends, not just a king and his subject/therapist.

Excellent and highly recommended.

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The plot is simple enough. A loving but frustrated wife seeks help from a speech therapist for her husband, whose severe stammer has defied treatment by renowned specialists. The new therapist, who uses unorthodox techniques, manages not quite to turn the man into an orator for the ages, but to make him a comfortable private conversationalist and a credible public speaker.

Of course, the man will become the King of England, and his speeches will encourage and comfort a nation during an all-consuming war that shaped what it was next to become. That, perhaps, is what first packed movie houses for this small little British set piece.

And packed they should have been. This movie is a masterwork. It does take some forgivable dramatic liberties, though. When Lionel Logue first met the Duke of York, he was already more successful than the sets for his office and flat would suggest. And he worked with the Duke for more than a decade before "Bertie" became King George VI and the stakes of the game soared as the King tried to restore dignity to a crown that had been sullied by his brother's pro-Nazi shenanigans and self-indulgent involvement with Wallis Simpson.

No matter. Filmmaking just doesn't get any better. And in this one, it's all about the actors.

Colin Firth is an actor I have always liked but also found a bit disappointing in his choice of roles. He had settled into too comfortable a groove as a pompous twit whose humanity is slowly called forth by surrounding people and circumstances. True, he played some of these roles to near-perfection, such as Mr. Darcy in A&E's stupendous "Pride and Prejudice". But now I realize that God must have been using these roles to prepare Mr. Firth for this role-of-a-lifetime as King George VI. It is truly one of the finest performances I have ever seen an actor deliver on a screen.

Then there is Geoffrey Rush. As Lionel Logue, he strikes a perfect note as the Australian provincial who must force his way into a fortress of British snobbery and regal reserve to deliver his ministrations to a lonely, emotionally-abused man who is being forced onto a stage that terrifies him. Lionel Logue was a humorous, gentle humanitarian who used his fees from the British upper crust to fund his charitable work for the poor. The writers, director, and Rush take the more subtle tack of bringing these traits forward in the charming scenes where Logue stages a bit of theatrical horseplay with his sons and where he and the King press themselves against the wall to hide from a wife (played by the wonderful Jennifer Ehle) who comes home unexpectedly to find the Queen of England sitting at her dining table.

Then there is Helena Bonham-Carter who, as Queen Elizabeth, was spot on in portraying the remarkable woman who combined regality with compassionate earthiness to make her a rallying point for the British during World War II and a veritable cult figure to a later generation, who admired her heart, her humor, and, ultimately, her astonishing longevity.

I could go on, as the entire cast was beyond reproach. But I'll end now by saying just buy this movie. You'll wear it out before you tire of it.

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Pleasantville (2011)

Pleasantville may be one of the best, most underrated movies of all time. I admit, when it was first released, the premise seemed a bit goofy: two teenagers (played by then-unknown actors) are suddenly cast into a Leave It To Beaver-like classic TV town called Pleasantville by none other than Don Knotts (reminds you a little of the forgettable "Stay Tuned," doesn't it?). Upon their arrival, however, they discover that Pleasantville isn't everything it's cracked up to be and that being "pleasant" means missing out on some basic, vital parts of life (such as toilets, and of course, sex). What follows is an amazing transformation: of the main characters, the town, and even the movie itself, whose stunning cinematography slowly adds bursts of color to Pleasantville's black and white world while simultaneously providing a metaphor for the race conflicts of the 1950s and 60s. The two unknown actors turn out to be the now-famous Tobey Maguire and Reese Whitherspoon, both of whom shine like the stars they are in one of their first movies. Added to this are excellent supporting performances by some of the best in the business, including William H. Macy, Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels, and the late great character actor J.T. Walsh. An absolutely incredible, must-see film.

Pleasantville is a fantastic film experience, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. A true, striking, and original masterpiece; Pleasantville is a must for any movie fan. What makes the film such a joy is how it exists on so many levels; almost anyone can find something to like here. It's at times a simple fantasy, others a biting satire, and even others an account of our history and change as people. Pleasantville is purely original and very well-structured. It deals with mature themes and if you're someone who likes to analyze films, then this is a great choice. The DVD warrants a purchase, even if you already own the VHS version (as I do), one of the few DVD's that does. Do yourself a favor and listen to writer-director Gary Ross's commentary-it's dynamite, even if you generally do not like commentaries. It's incredibly enlightening and adds much to the film's depth. Ross cleary illustates all of the overlapping themes and symbolism, and adds a personal touch to the movie's meaning. (The unintended rip-offs of The Shawshank Redemption and Citizen Kane are particularly interesting). The film has a bright, crisp transfer and excellent sound. The only way to enjoy Pleasantville (other than the theater) is on DVD. Newman's music is magical, also. There's a neat (oh, I'm talking like a 50's person now) behind the scenes documentary on the film's jaw-dropping special effects. The included Fiona Apple music video is pretty neat and directed by P.T. Anderson. (Anderson fans take note: watch for Anderson regular John C. Reilly at the video's end.) Overall, a DVD to buy: one of '98's best films with tons of extras to boot. Swell.

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Pleasantville is like a colorized movie version of Twilight Zone. A modern day boy (Toby McGuire) dreams of going back to the innocent days of the 1950s. When he gets his wish via a magical stranger played by Don Knotts, he and his sister Reese Witherspoon steps into a black and white world of Pleasantville, a town stucked in the 1950s. As the town's innocence is wiped away with the introduction of books and knowledge, color replaces the black and white starkness of the town and its people. Beautifully acted and filmed, this movie has heart and a brain.

Read Best Reviews of Pleasantville (2011) Here

O.K. I'll to try to help people get the most out of this movie.

First, I recommend you wait to see this movie until you're atleast 18 years old. And, no, I'm not saying that this movie should be rated 'R'. I just think you have to have a certain amount of education under your belt, and be contemplating life in general, to fully embrace this film.

Now, regarding what the movie is about...

It's about two siblings who have different views of what the perfect world should be--neither of which is totally correct. Despite the title, I don't think the movie is about the town of Pleasantville. Sure, almost everything we see happens there, and there are plenty of scenes that don't show either David or Jennifer (the two kids); but, I think that the town is there more as a learning device for the kids, and as a reminder to us, the audience, of our real-world history. You have to keep in mind that this movie is partly a comedy. If you get bogged down trying to figure out what everything is a metaphor for, you may miss a laugh, because most of the time there are only partial metaphors. Pleasantville doesn't represent 1950's America. (They actually did have toilets and "real rain" back then.) It's a fake world that David thought would be a great place to live in. Unfortunately, a world where nothing bad ever happens just doesn't exist (when real people are involved). David, himself, helped mess up his perfect world just by being late for work once. Jennifer, on the other hand, is upset that she's been unwillingly thrown into this world that is far from her ideal one; so, she does her best to try to change Pleasantville into what she wants.

The following are my comments on what other reviewers have said:

--Unlike what some reviewers have said, it seems like both liberal and conservative views are expressed here; and in the end, neither one is found to be always better than the other. Sometimes, change is forced on us even when nobody wants it (e.g., natural disasters). Either you find a way to deal with the change, possibly learn from it, and move forward; or, you can spend the rest of your life wishing for the olden days, feeling miserable, because you know they will never return.

--Whoever brought up Nazis in relation to this movie must have been watching something quite different from what I was. Religious freedom and sexual orientation are two subjects that this movie never even tried to touch on. And, the most physical harm that I can remember seeing in this film, was one guy with a bloody lip. Or, if you're referring to the book burning, it's not like the Nazis are the only ones who have tried to remove certain literature from society.

--Anyone who said this movie promotes sexual promiscuity wasn't watching closely enough. In fact, they must have completely ignored everything that went on with Jennifer in the second half of the movie. David and Jennifer even talked about how becoming colored couldn't just be about sex. However, I do wish that sex hadn't been used as frequently as it was, and probably shouldn't have been, if they really wanted this to be a family-friendly film.

--This story was also NOT an allegory for the Garden of Eden. The garden was made reference to a couple of times, but it certainly is not what the movie is all about. Especially with the Don Knotts part, I can't understand why anyone would seriously think that the TV repairman was supposed to represent God in anything but the loosest sense. That character was there almost solely for humor. The citizens of Pleasantville never make any mention of any religion at all. So, how anyone can say that this movie is an attack on their religion is mind-boggling to me.

If Gary Ross is guilty of anything, it might be too much ambition. But this story worked for me on all levels. I enjoyed the serious parts and the silly parts. And I hope I can continue to live in color.

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The Karate Kid (1984)

Karate Kid is not what you may think it is. The premise of a young fatherless boy trying to survive a completely new environment is how this movie gets its humanity. For anyone who has ever had to move to a new town, be raised by only one parent, or face overwhelming odds, and almost everyone has done at least one of these, this movie can be related to on many levels. Ralph Macchio plays Daniel, a teenager from New Jersey who is forced to move across the country with his mother and start a new life in a foreign place, California. Setting aside the differences between East & West coast alone, there is plenty for him to realize. When faced with bullies that he doesn't understand, he finds a friend in an unlikely place; Mr. Miagi, a Japanese handyman, played by Pat Morita, who's hides many talents. To say Karate Kid is a story about over coming your fear is to say that life is just a thing we do everyday. This movie mixes a friendship, a romance, a coming of age story, gaining self confidence and learning to appreciate that which you may not understand right away. After getting sufficiently beat up by the bullies more than once, Daniel enlists the help of Miagi and soon finds himself training for a tournament. This may seem outrageous, but Miagi knows it is a much safer place and a more controlled environment for Daniel to defend himself and gain respect. Miagi's training techniques are unique to say the least, and just as Daniel begins to question what is going on, he realizes that Migai really does know what he is doing. The story is good and solid and allows sympathy for both sides of the characters. They fill a void for each other, an obvious father/son, mentor/student relationship. The chemistry between them is very solid. Elizabeth Shue is good in her first major role, playing the sweet rich girl who sees Daniel for the person he is and not for his social status. Although sounding clichéd on the surface, this movie is well done and not superficial. The characters are very real, the emotions are deep and the fear of growing up with bullies hits home for many of us. The ending will have you cheering as Daniel moves his way through the tournament to the final climatic ending. Highly recommended and highly entertaining.

"Wax on, wax off" is a catchphrase that will forever be instilled in the human psyche, thanks to the eighties release, The Karate Kid.

Now, as you cringe at the images racing through your head of disco balls, pastels, hair spray and corny one-liners and you decide to bury yourself in a deep hole and hide, dust off the cob webs because no matter how many times you've see it, this is one eighties flick you can't help but love.

Now available on DVD as an Ultimate Collectors Pack, we can relive this inspirational story of courage and friendship.

While teens of today may call this a retro disaster, and use the video cover as a coaster during a drinking fest at one of their underage parties, there's no denying the saying, "an oldie but a goodie" loudly rings true.

Moving to a new home and starting over is never easy. Just ask Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio). Leaving Newark for LA, Daniel's the new kid and he thinks the whole world is coming down on him.

It's all doom and gloom until like any other 16 year old teenager with rushing hormones, meets a beautiful blonde, Ali Mills (Elisabeth Shue).

However, Ali brings baggage to the picture, a wild ex boyfriend Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) who also happens to be the leader of the Cobras, a ruthless youth karate gang.

Subject to constant bullying by the cobras, Daniel turns to an unlikely source for help, Japanese war veteran turned apartment block handyman Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita).

Mr. Miyagi, who has been taught karate by his father becomes the helpless teens mentor and teaches him the craft, not as an offensive tool, rather only as a means of self-defence.

After months of unconventional training such as washing cars, sanding decks and painting fences and houses, Daniel's prepped for his toughest battle, a fight against Johnny in the thrilling conclusion. Will good prevail over evil?

It's the finale that's most exciting. My finger is always drawn to the rewind button, where I can't help but recap those final gripping moments again and again.

The youth of today's movie going generation will have a field day laughing at the funky eighties pop music, the tightly worn jeans, and (I must admit) the outrageous hair styles. Despite this, 20 years later, a lot can still be learnt as its messages transcend across the boarder of time.

An everlasting masterpiece the whole family will enjoy, John G. Avildsen's The Karate Kid, the original of the trilogy, is undoubtedly the standout.

Though a little hackneyed and slightly predictable at times, it's the relationship between Macchio's and Morita's finely tuned characters that still make this a heartfelt film, two decades after its cinema release.

It's a shame Ralph Macchio can't brush off that teen type cast. Struggling to get adult roles because of his boy like features is unfortunate as his acting ability is second to none.

It sadly seems he'll forever be remembered as 'The Karate Kid'. A great performance is somewhat to his detriment. Still, only one word can describe this movie, unforgettable...that's for sure!

Dim the lights, heat up the popcorn and enjoy this timeless classic.

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This movie deserves only 3 stars instead of 3 for the following reasons:

1) There are no extras other than the trailer on this DVD. Why didn't Columbia Home Video include the trailers for the two sequels? Why didn't they get Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita (academy-nominated for this role) or director John G. Avildsen to supply commentary?

2) The movie was shot in 1.85:1 which means that the movie was shot full frame (1.33:1) but was projected in the theatre with the top and bottom blocked. This practice gives a widescreen look to movies. Since 'The Karate Kid' was done this way, pan and scan was not needed. You actually see more but this causes the composition to be a little off because there is so much space above the actor's heads. Funny thing, The Karate Kid parts 2 & 3 are letterboxed. Does this mean that an old video transfer was used for this DVD?

3) Where's the Dolby 5.1?

Read Best Reviews of The Karate Kid (1984) Here

People dismiss this film because of it's simplicity. Well I'll tell you right now, it isn't a movie about Karate. Daniel overcomes an insurmountable goal, the type of goal you achieve once in your entire life (this is why I disregard the sequels, apologies for fans). The Karate Kid is a truly beautiful piece of Cinema. If you believe the Karate Kid is a bad film then hire out the Avengers, then MK:Annihilation.

What I will say is that I am DISGUSTED at the fact that this film is presented in Pan and Scan. I paid full price for a movie I am seeing half of. I wanted Widescreen. Did I get it? In a word, No. So now I have a VHS and DVD which are both Pan and Scan. Will I ever see this film in it's original format? This is a question I leave to you, Columbia. Regards Mas

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The Karate Kid was THE sleeper hit of 1984 ! A wonderful film that entertains and inspires, a true 80's classic that remains as good today (perhaps better) than when it was released. With that said, this review will focus on the technical aspects, both audio and video, of this Blu Ray presentation rather than the film content itself.

Bottom line is whether or not 'The Karate Kid' on Blu Ray is a good investment and a good choice for upgrading your current DVD or VHS copy.

The Answer? A resounding YES !! and here is why:

'The Karate Kid' come to us on a BD-50 dual layer region free disc in Glorious 1080p and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and housed in an 'Eco' case. We are given the OAR (Original Aspect Ratio) of 1.85:1 which gives the best pixel concentration and preserves the original framing. (it also gives you some very slight black bars at the top and bottom of your screen, unless you have your over scan engaged)

The video is very good. It is easily a solid 4 out of 5 stars and is a MAJOR upgrade from all previous versions. I detected a few very small and very short instances of telecine wobble but they are over so quickly you may not even notice them. The color timing is impeccable and lends itself to reproducing all the proper hues the way you saw them in your theater back in the 80's. I am VERY glad they did not tamper with it.

ON the problem end of things, there is noticeable black crush in dark scenes from time to time, but only slight and never enough to ruin a scene. Also, this transfer has obviously had DNR applied here and there to clean up what the transfer team probably thought was 'noisy' film grain. It is not particularly egregious and only removes SOME of the fine detail from faces. It is hard to tell if this was arbitrary or the print truly required the DNR application, but either way we are stuck with it and for the most part it is not bad at all and the film as a whole retains a very nice pleasing film-like look to it. I noticed NO bad DNR artifacts such as smearing or motion blur.

I have a very large video library and I am being overly picky here, to most folks this transfer will do nothing but please you from start to finish, and basically it did the same for me! All in all, 'The Karate Kid' looks really REALLY good on Blu Ray, borderline great in fact!

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is a HUGE improvement over all previous audio mixes of this film including the theatrical presentation.

While dialogue remains a bit one dimensional and flat sounding and the ADR/Dubbing is more obvious now , the overall sound of the mix is just wonderful. Music, effects, foley and ambient room sounds are greatly enhanced with a very surprising 5.1 lossless mix that adds much to the overall presentation of this film. Every sound in the film is more audible than ever before and presented in a much more pleasing way. The same applies to panning and overall sonic fidelity/dynamics.

Bill Conti's score soars like never before, greatly benefited by the lossless audio presentation and the Pan Pipes of The Amazing Zamfir sound absolutely beautiful with more presence and dynamics making the entire soundtrack more powerful and ultimately effective.

TWO HUGE THUMBS way way UP for the audio on this disc!

As for the extras, you get PLENTY! Staring with a super commentary track featuring the films writer and director plus the two male leads, this is an above average track and especially good for real fans of this movie. I loved it!

Next up is a 45 minute documentary (broken into parts one and two) that gives you behind the scenes info, interviews, etc. called 'The Way of the Karate Kid' and again it is a very nice inclusion here. You probably wont watch it more than once, but it is great that they included it.

Three more shorter documentaries including an short interview with the films composer, Bill Conti , round out the extras package. All extras are presented in SD and if you already have the DVD collectors set then you have seen them all before. The only extras in HD are a collection of HD movie trailers that I skipped. Also included is the gimmick laden 'Blu-Pop' feature which functions as a pop up trivia track that plays along with the movie. Honestly, this is not something I would ever even check out so I can't comment on it's entertainment value.

'The Karate Kid' has been a favorite of mine for many years (since it's release) and I am totally pleased with this Blu Ray presentation. The newly energized soundtrack and 1080p picture adds much to an already endearing classic. This Blu Ray is a giant step up from any previous home video release and I do think the audio is better than it EVER has been before! Top it off with a generous helping of quality extra features and you have a real winner here.

Most Highly Recommended !!

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The Great Escape (2013)

I received my Blu Ray copy of this classic film today, May 6, one day before the actual release day of May 7. Thank you, amazon!

I'd also mention that I pre-ordered this BD with Amazon's price guarantee. I noticed that the BD was put on sale yesterday morning at amazon for only $9.99, which was less than the $14.99 I had paid on pre-order. I assumed I would get the lower price, but when my BD shipped last night, it was at the higher price. I dashed off an e-mail to amazon's customer service last night, and by this morning, I had a response AND a credit of $6.71 toward my Visa card to give me the lower price of $9.99! Thank you AGAIN, amazon! Now, THAT'S customer service!

Props to amazon duly noted, on to the review:

I've now watched the BD of the film twice, and I find myself largely in agreement with the review that is up at Bluray.com. The soundtrack sounds very good, especially for a 50-year-old film. The music comes through powerfully, especially the bass end, which is smooth, not boomy. Dialogue is crisp and clear, which makes for a nice listening experience.

That's the good.

The bad unfortunately has to do with the picture quality. The opening credit shot is really excellent, and it got my hopes up that Fox had done a good job of cleaning up the film and sharpening the picture. Things continue in fine fettle as we reach the prison camp, with the opening scenes at the camp looking sharp. The initial scene of Hilts and Ives (The Mole) in the cooler looks good as well I had forgotten about their extended dialogue in this opening scene in the cooler (is this scene sometimes cut when shown on TV?).

As the film progresses, the picture quality varies, most often being not much better than that which was on the DVD. The worst scene picture-quality-wise has to be the exterior footage in the 4th of July scene, where the prisoners imbibe in some moonshine and the "Tom" tunnel is discovered by the German guard, Werner. The interior shots in this scene are much crisper than the exterior shots, no doubt because they were shot on the sound stage while the exteriors obviously were not. The exterior shots are almost blurry at some points, at least to the extent that a Blu Ray image can be blurry. Perhaps this is an accurate representation of what was shot by John Sturges, but I'm not convinced. I had really hoped for something a bit better.

I'm no expert, but it looks to me like DNR has been used in the BD mastering of this film. I say that because the faces just don't have the kind of detail and rawness that one sees in the best 4K and 6K restorations. The faces aren't as washed out and waxy as I've seen on some BDs, but the detail just isn't there.

The above noted, the picture throughout the movie is still steadier, crisper and clearer than it was in the VHS and DVD versions, at least the ones I've owned (I never owned the 2-DVD CE). Maybe this is the best we can hope for in this age of BDs being shoved out the door ASAP before the hardcopy industry collapses and online/streaming video takes over. I just expected higher and more consistent picture quality for this 50th-Anniversary, initial BD release of this very popular film.

And so, the questions arise: why wasn't a major restoration done on this film? Why was DNR employed when I thought we'd gotten beyond that? Will the Steelbook version due out in June be any better visually than this just-released Blu Ray? The answers to those three questions are, sadly, 1. major restorations are very expensive; 2. if you're not going to do a real restoration, DNR is a cheap substitute that won't bother most people, and; 3. the Steelbook version will probably include this same BD.

As far as the extras on this BD, they're the same extras that were on the DVD, all 8 of them. One wishes that Fox had put the extras on a separate DVD and used the entire 50GBs of the dual-layer BD to allow more information for the movie itself. But I guess they didn't have to do that as they used DNR in the mastering process and didn't really have extra data to eat up the storage space on the BD.

One final note about the menus: the BD boots up and immediately goes right into playing the film. I prefer that over the endless previews that are loaded onto many BDs and DVDs who is going to watch those previews once a BD is a few years old? The menus for the "extras" are all accessed while the film is starting to play, which feels sorta cheap. If one wants to back out of an extra, you're sent back to the film to access any other extras. It gives me more appreciation for the sophisticated menus one gets on, say, Disney product. But then, there aren't many Disney products around that get discounted to under $10.

I can muster only three stars for the BluRay of this classic movie: 4.5 stars for the big improvement in the soundtrack, mitigated by the visual issues noted above.

I watched some of the Blu Ray and compared it to the 2 disk DVD set. All I can say is wow. The colors looked great on the Blu Ray.

The buildings are wood color on the Blu Ray, on the 2 disk DVD, they almost looked yellow.

The sound, DTS-HD Master 5.1, much better than the 2 disk DVD set, which is Mono.

I have not looked at the special features, but it looks all of the special features from the 2 disk DVD set is on the Blu-Ray.

I hope this helps you out.

**Update**

On the Blu Ray, there were some scenes that were filmed with a filter, those were not as clear as the rest of the film. The Blu Ray was so much better than the DVD.

This film I have owned from VHS, DVD, to the 2 disk DVD and now the Blu-Ray.

When I posted my review, Amazon did not have very much informtion about the Blu-Ray.

I feel that this is a worthy upgrade.

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This was and still is an amazing classic film. The Blu-ray version of this though simply explodes off the screen and brings the film out even more than in previous versions that have been released in the past in different formats. The movie itself is full of action, suspense and drama and the acting is tremendous. I was always amazed at the array of great actors that were pulled together to make this film and what they did with the help of a great director, to develop a movie that has become a great within the cinema. One of the things that I found interesting was that McQueen played two characters in the movie and within one scene he two characters were chasing each other strange but true! If you have never seen this movie, you have to pick it up today, and what better time than to pick it up on Blu-ray, as the quality is superb and you will definitely not be disappointed in the overall movie itself!

*I received a copy for review all opinions are my own*

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The blu-ray of The Great Escape is not bad to my eyes. From what I have read, the film uses opticals in the fade outs that are generations removed from the original camera negative. Scenes were shot through diffusion filters, which make the picture--even when properly mastered for blu-ray--look soft. Colors are accurate. There is no DNR applied, there is grain intact. This is a far cry better than the previous DVD releases.

For $10-$15, you can't go wrong with a purchase.

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This 1963 film is an all-star classic headlined by the 'King of Cool' Steve McQueen with his trademark scene stealing. Garner, Bronson, Coburn, Attenborough et al all do a great job. Has the look and feel of the 'Magnificent Seven' since it has the same director, John Sturges, and some of the same actors. The 2:52 running time goes more like 20 minutes; never a dull moment.

The blu-ray quality was great and this is another example of an older film brought in at high quality. I was having a disagreement with some on here about how we were getting shorted on quality in some films like 'Rosemary's Baby' and 'Bridge on the River Kwai' and told not to expect high quality in older films. This film along with other oldies such as 'Ben-Hur', Lawrence of Arabia, The Godfather, etc. disproves that older films don't do as well on blu-ray while clearly proving that some older films are sold without having gone through the technical tradecraft (and investment) necessary to bring them up to blu-ray standards. Sadly, I think it's about 50-50 and we can't get much of a warning on the stinkers.

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Le Beau Serge (The Criterion Collection) (1958)

I feel that "Le Beau Serge" is a very sweet and well thought out film. It tells a story of a young student (Francois Bayon) who returns to his countryside hometown to recuperate. Upon arrival, he runs into a drunkard whom he recognizes to be his childhood friend (Serge). Francois' friend Michel tells him how Serge is on the verge of self-destruction after failing to get his architectural degree. Later, both friends are reunited and have an opportunity to catch up on old times. Francois observes Serge's inconsistent and erratic behavior and tries to help him mend his way. Along the way, Francois meets Serge's wife (Yvonne) and her sister (Marie). Francois has a brief affair with Marie before finding out she is raped by her "father". One night during the village dance, their affair ended with everyone humiliating and ridiculing Francois. Serge, angry with Francois for coming to his life while he's at his lowest point begins to despise beat him up in public. After the incident, Francois realizes that the people in the old village he used to remember are no longer the same. His conversation with the village priests destroyed all the innocent illusions he initially had. While the priest advises him to leave the village, Francois vows to stay on to help Serge and his family mend their lives.

I believe "Le Beau Serge" was Chabrol's first feature film. He later went on to make another feature "Les Cousins" which might be intended to complement "Le Beau Serge". Chabrol engaged actors Jean-Claude Brialy and Gerald Blain for both films with their roles and situations reversed. I first saw "Les Cousins" before "Le Beau Serge". Jean-Claude Brialy, being a brilliant actor that he was, gave out a stellar performance in both films. He's so good that I could not identify him as Jean-Claude Brialy anymore. Instead, I was so taken in by his acting ability that he became a sly, cunning snake whom I hated so much (Paul) in "Les Cousins" or a gentle, sensitive and wonderful young man whom I fell in love with (Francois) in "Le Beau Serge".

You have to watch both films to appreciate a surreal, mocking quality and ironic effects that Chabrol wanted to create. I love both films very much. Chabrol has an amazing eyes for details (scenes, storyline) as well as depth for the films' dialogues, story lines and plots. If I have a choice, I think the title of this film should be changed to "Le Beau Francois" instead :P Once again "Le Beau Serge" is a beautiful film that deserves many stars.

When discussion is brought up among cinema peers of nouvelle vague (The French New Wave), its easy to think of names such as Francois Truffau, Jean-Luc Goard, Eric Rohmer, Jacques Rivette. Individuals, colleagues and contemporaries who each worked for Cahiers du cinema before they became filmmakers.

But there is one man that was a colleague who may have not received the prestige as his contemporaries but is respected for his contribution towards cinema with his thrillers but also years of cinema as part of his oeuvre. The man I am talking about is Claude Chabrol.

While debated of which film kicked off the French New Wave, many regard Chabrol's 1958 film "Le Beau Serge" (Handsome Serge) as the film that began the Nouvelle Vague. Feature films created by contemporaries of Cahiers du Cinema that went on to become filmmakers.

In fact, Francois Truffaut had given Chabrol the biggest compliment in 1958 for his directorial debut on "Le Beau Serge" saying, "Technically the film is as masterful as if Chabrol had been directing for ten years, though this is his first contact with the camera. Here is an unusual and courageous film that will raise the level of French cinema".

If there is one thing that can be said about Chabrol, although his name is not as well known as Truffaut or Godard in America, and while "Le Beau Serge" is a long awaited release for a Chabrol film from the Criterion Collection, he still remains the most prolific filmmaker among his contemporaries who nearly has released a film every year since 1958 starting with "Le Beau Serge" and ending in 2009 with "Bellamy", a year before Chabrol passed away.

For cinema fans, many have been wanting the Criterion Collection release of a Claude Chabrol film on DVD for a very long time but finally, the Criterion Collection will be releasing two Chabrol films, "Le Beau Serge" (1958) and "Les Cousins (1959) on Blu-ray and DVD in Sept. 2011.

"Le Beau Serge" is written and directed by Claude Chabrol and would star Jean-Claude Brialy ("A Woman is a Woman", "The Phantom of Liberty", "Elevator to the Gallows") and Gerard Blain ("Hatari", "Les Cousins", "Le Mistons"). The film would also feature the beautiful cinematography of Henri Decae ("The 400 Blows", "Le Samourai", "Elevator to the Gallows") and long-time Chabrol editor Jacques Gaillard.

VIDEO:

"Le Beau Serge" is presented in black and white (1:33:1 aspect ratio) and immediately upon watching this film, you start to realize how beautiful this film looks, from the symmetry of objects to the chose angles and shots of the characters as they walk towards the camera, away from the camera or trying to incorporate the city into the film.

And as Henri Decae had shown in the 1956 film "Bob le Flambeur", his cinematic style can be seen the following year through "Le Beau Serge", "Elevator to the Gallows" and "The Lovers". Beautiful cinematography and following the direction of Claude Chabrol who wanted to capture the look and feel of the city of Sardent in his film.

The film is over 50-years-old and on Blu-ray, the Criterion Collection did a wonderful job in making the film look absolutely beautiful. Black levels are nice and deep, contrast and showcasing the whites and blacks are beautiful and for the most part, "Le Beau Serge" doesn't have any artifacts, edge enhancement nor did I detect anything negative in terms of overall picture quality. The film looks fantastic on Blu-ray!

According to the Criterion Collection, the new digital transfer was created in 2K resolution on an ARRISCAN film scanner from the original camera negative. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using Revival Flame, and Smoke, while Digital Vision's DVNR system was used for small, grain and noise reduction.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Le Beau Serge" is presented in monaural French with English subtitles. Dialogue is clear, subtitles were easy to read and for the most part, the vocals were cleared and detected no hiss or crackle during my viewing of the film. If anything, I really enjoyed how Emile Delpierre incorporated music to this film, especially the quick music cuts whenever Serge or Glomaud are shown on screen.

According to the Criterion Collection, the original monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from a 35 mm optical track print. Clicks, thumps, hiss and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using Audio Cube's integrated workstation.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Le Beau Serge The Criterion Collection #580' on Blu-ray comes with the following special features:

Audio Commentary Featuring a wonderful and in-depth commentary on Chabrol's career and his work on "Le Beau Serge" by Guy Austin, author of "Claude Chabrol".

Claude Chabrol: Mon premier film (51:36) A 2003 documentary by Francis Girod on the making of "Le Beau Serge" featuring interviews with Chabrol and Jean-Claude Brialy.

"L'invite du dimanche" (10:00) Segment from a 1969 episode of the French TV series in which Claude Chabrol revisits the town of Sardent, where "Le Beau Serge" was filmed and the village where he grew up in.

Original theatrical trailer (2:54) The original theatrical trailer for "Le Beau Serge".

EXTRAS:

"Le Beau Serge The Criterion Collection #580' comes with an 16-page booklet, which includes the following essay "Homecomings" by Terrence Rafferty.

JUDGMENT CALL:

Hauntingly beautiful. These are the two words that I describe Claude Chabrol's debut film "Le Beau Serge".

An incredible feat. for the Cahiers du Cinema critic who produced, wrote and directed the film and I don't know if I can categorize the film as a psychological drama.

The late Francois Truffaut described the film as a chess game and perhaps if you see the film in that perspective, it does make sense. You have Francois (Brialy) who once lived in a small village now from a big city who comes back into town. Francois is actually a nice man, non-intrusive nor does he flaunt to anyone that he is better than them because he lives in the city.

But for the villagers, it's a preconceived notion that because he was able to move away from the village, he thinks he is better than they are.

I put myself in the shoes of Francois, also coming from a small town and having lived in the city and I know there are moments when I was younger in which I have flaunted to friends in town about the fact that the city is fun for its close proximity to shopping, beaches and as a young man, there were a lot of women. But looking back at it now, it was so trivial, so much of commodity fetishism in boosting one's ego of the have's to the have nots.

But I look at the situation that is presented in "Le Beau Serge", he doesn't flaunt but his presence in the village, wearing his nice clothing in front of those who are barely surviving and not so happy with life but have accepted their life in the village as final.

This is where I identify with Francois because when you go back, you want to help your friends, especially those you feel have so much potential to be something bigger. In the case of Serge, he is a man that had so many dreams, wanted to leave the village like Francois but got a young woman pregnant and found himself married and stuck in the village he desperately wanted to leave. He has kept this burden of having his first child dead at birth but knowing that the right thing to do is stick by your wife and living life to provide for one's family but in his case, drowning all the sorrows away through drinking heavily.

I've known to many people like Serge in my life who live their life as is...miserable and unhappy inside but are traditional. While Francois had left the city and his big advice to Serge, "to leave his wife". It may seem quite harsh but it is logical that if a man is unhappy with his marriage, you leave.

But with Serge, he knows with a baby along the way...he can't leave.

But it's the return of Francois that enhances Serge's negative and jealous emotions. You would think that there would be an ebullient sense of emotion but with each meeting between both Francois and Serge, you feel this ominous feeling that things are not right.

We see a scene with Serge wanting to tell Francoise of why he became a drunk. Why he lives this lifestyle. Why he is so miserable but if Francois only solution is for Serge to leave his pregnant wife, it's unacceptable.

And for Francois, he had forgotten how things were in his village and many who see potential within him want him to leave because he is better off than being back at home where many men do not aspire to be bigger, they just live life as is, even if its a life of effete, a lack of vitality that one can not escape. Life is what it is...you just live it, repeat it.

And of course, Francois seeing this...he wants to make a difference. But can he?

"Le Beau Serge" is a magnificent feat. for Claude Chabrol as his debut film. While his future in cinema may not have been as lucrative nor historic in comparison to his other contemporaries, the fact is Chabrol is a filmmaker who did things his way, his style and he continued to create films in 1958 with "Le Beau Serge" through 2009, a year before he died.

"Le Beau Serge" is a film that is mature but perhaps is also a film that brings Claude Chabrol back to his village of Sardent and is in someway a self-discovery of his present life and his past. The film is not autobiographical but it's a film that Chabrol was proactive in making sure the village of Sardent, what he saw in terms of life was captured onscreen. And of course, the cinematography is quite beautiful and it helps to have one of the best cinematographer's in French cinema at the time, Henri Decaë.

The film also has elements of Chabrol's life as he also wanted to become a priest at one time and help people. The film was raw in the way that Chabrol created a film with a small cast and worked in familiar territory, his hometown with a potential of many extras alongside him.

But through its visual beauty and its complex characters but accessible storyline, "Le Beau Serge" is a film that started the Nouvelle Vague era of film critics of Cahiers du Cinema taking up the mantle of becoming filmmakers. He inspired his contemporaries because he was able to go through his own filmmaking route and create this film with his own personal vision without having to follow any big studio or producer. It was his film, no ifs, ands or buts.

Surprisingly, "Le Beau Serge" while adored by film critics, it was delayed to the point that when it was released in theaters, his second film "Les Cousins" would be released a month later and it was his second film that would actually become the commercial hit.

While "Le Beau Serge" doesn't break any new ground, nor is it remembered as a non-traditional film when compared to Truffaut's "The 400 Blows" and Godard's "Breathless", in 1958, it's the fact that he was a man who had creative freedom to do what he wanted and capture the raw feel of his village onscreen with beautiful lighting and awesome performances by Brialy and Blain that make "Le Beau Serge" worth watching.

Once again, I applaud the Criterion Collection for bringing Claude Chabrol films to their collection but also giving both "Le Beau Serge" and "Les cousins" the Blu-ray treatment. The Blu-ray release looks fantastic and the addition of the documentary of Chabrol returning back to Sardent and watching these classic interviews is priceless!

Overall, if you are a Chabrol fan, a cinema fan or brand new to cinema and want important films in your cinema collection, then "Le Beau Serge", the first film of the French New Wave is definitely recommended!

Buy Le Beau Serge (The Criterion Collection) (1958) Now

Credited as the first feature of the French New Wave, Claude Chabrol's first film as writer/director has little of the controlled tension that defines his best work. This study of a village which witnesses the return of Francois, who left 12 years ago to seek a future in Paris, has Chabrol's customary exploration of the class divisions in French society, with the prodigal son the bourgeoisie, and the villagers the pagan primal proletariat. Francois is determined to "help" his friend Serge and the lifestyle Francois clearly disapproves of. However the idea that these people need help is a sign of superiority and impertinent presumption, signified by Serge's wife's claim that Serge wasn't disatisfied with his life until Francois returned and pointed out that he should be. Chabrol makes Serge's wife pregnant, with her first child born mongoloid and dead, so that the condition of the unborn child symbolises the future, at least as seen through Francois. Chabrol's dialogue has occasional lapses into exposition which betray him as a novice storyteller and odd bursts of melodramatic music, and the only New Wave touch is the use of a torch to light one scene, where it points straight into the camera. Chabrol presents the bleakness of the village with Serge walking drunkenly through the cemetary, a lone dog walking the streets, and a gang of school children travelling to and from their school. His scenes of violence have an immediacy compared to the exchanges between Francois and Serge. and a romance between Francois and Serge's half-sister, and Chabrol provides memorable images an overlap of Francois' face and falling snow, an ominous slow closing of a door, a long closeup of a woman crying, and cutting from Serge's wife in labour to Francois falling and Serge being dragged along the ground. There is also an interesting dance sequence, which shows the villagers in a more sophisticated environment, and also featuring two women dancing together for one to interpret as you may.

Read Best Reviews of Le Beau Serge (The Criterion Collection) (1958) Here

Having seen several films by Claude Chabrol (-IE"Les Biches", "Le Boucher", "La Rupture", "La Cérémonie", "Merci Pour Le Chocolat") before having viewed this one -"Le Beau Serge" seems like the work of another filmmaker. Technically this was the first film of the French New Wave. As such, it features (1) some very good black and white cinematography (the snowy scenes towards the end of the picture are especially beautiful); (2) crude and quirky provincial characters that are well delineated; and (3) an excellent score by Émile Delpierre; Chabrol cleverly and effectively used the orchestrations of this score to highlight dramatic moments and character appearances via musical punctuation. Yet in spite of everything I like about this picture -Its style is not yet Chabrol to me. Although there is an innocence about this film that is refreshing -Especially in contrast to the sinister direction Chabrol would take to create his unique murder-mystery-thriller-type genre (albeit always tinged with humour).

Secondly -This picture seems like a companion piece / bookend to Chabrol's second feature, "Les Cousins", in which Gérard Blain and Jean-Claude Brialy are once again cast as the leads. However -"Les Cousins" exhibits a big leap forward in Chabrol's style -It offers up some verve in terms of its sophistication and polish. It is obvious that Chabrol learned a lot from "Le Beau Serge" and applied that knowledge to "Les Cousins". In closing: Besides the leads in "Le Beau Serge"-Brialy (François Bayon) and Blain (Serge), both of whom are well-cast and outstanding in their roles -There are other excellent performances in this film; notably Bernadette Lafont as Marie, the coquettish, seductive "stepdaughter" of Glomaud; and Edmond Beauchamp, a genuine character actor, who plays the "stepfather" Glomaud with serio-comic aplomb.

Stephen C. Bird, author of "Catastrophically Consequential"

Want Le Beau Serge (The Criterion Collection) (1958) Discount?

Monsieur Chabrol's first feature film is entirely impressive.

His early directorial genius is lucky enough to have utilized the dazzling, acting abilities of the handsome Blain and Brialy in their primes. In an interview, the actor Brialy comments that in this story the relationship of the two friends is ambiguous-and I quite agree. There's more than just plain, innocent friendship between the two. I see a double meaning in their interactions, sensing some homosexual undertone. Maybe there has been no actual physical intimacies

but solely emotional or pyschological. I have seen a few Chabrols and admire this director's capacity to challenge me such as the magnificent movie--Le Beau Serge--which I recommend to everyone who truly loves cinema.

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White Christmas (1954)

"White Christmas," one of my favorite movies of all time, had always looked bad on home video. The VHS version was a pale, pastel shadow of the original until the 40th anniversary edition of 1994 when all Paramount did was greatly darken the picture. Unfortunately, this was also the print that was used to make the first DVD release in 2000: a dark, dark picture with no contrast, tons of grain, and a barely-in-focus picture that revealed little detail. Fortunately, most of this has been improved in the newly-released 2-disc Anniversary Edition that has just hit the stores.

Although Paramount obviously did not want to fund a complete restoration, the picture now has vibrant colors (the "Mandy" number will knock your socks off!) with much better sharpness and detail and very little grain to speak of. However the picture is still a little too dark and flat, at least one scene still has registration problems (when Bing meets Doris, the "Mutual, I'm sure" girl), some scenes could have a sharper focus, and there's some trouble with minor flicker (stability) of the image. The bonus material is very enjoyable and above average, with family members, critics, and cultural historians to add perspective.

So in summary I definitely recommend this latest version of "White Christmas" as a rebuy on the strength of the improved picture alone, with the bonus material as a very nice plus. I would have given it my highest rating if the picture quality had presented absolute clarity and if the film itself were more inspired, but it still remains a sentimental favorite and a must-see!

This review refers to the Widescreen Collection(Paramount)DVD edition of "White Christmas"...

This DVD should be held up as an example of what DVDs are all about.The transfer and restoration of this 50 year old film is superb. It is the reason we are willing to spend a little more to upgrade from VHS and are awed when we see the wonderful results. Filmed in "VistaVision", the widescreen picture lets you take in every scene of this wonderful classic from edge to edge. The picture is clear, sharp and in glorious technicolor.The colors are beautiful and vibrant.

You have the choice of viewing it in DD5.1 surround or the restored Mono. For those looking for some special features, Rosemary Clooney helps out with a retrospective interview and also commentary. There are English subtitles for those needing them and may also be viewed in French(mono).

The film is a treasure in itself. Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye,Rosemary Clooney,and Vera-Ellen are the stars of this 1954 musical with songs by Irving Berlin that you'll want to sing along with and keep humming long after the film has ended. Directed by Michael Curtiz it's a feel good film that although takes place during the Christmas season, is one that you can pull out and watch anytime of the year.

Bing and Danny were Army buddies, now a successful song and dance team and are out to help their favorite old retired General(Dean Jagger),who is having trouble coping with retirement. The General is now running a country inn in Vermont, but the big problem is there is no snow to bring up the tourists. Bing and Danny to the rescue, as they turn the inn into a showcase of talent, and fall for the Haines sisters along the way. Can these wonderful voices also bring the snow out of the sky?...well..you know.

This film is filled with Berlin's wonderful tunes. When Bing takes Rosemary's little hand in his and croons "Count Your Blessings" to her..well it's movie heaven. Rosemary also treats us to several numbers, Vera-Ellen does some fabulous hoofing, and Danny clowns and keeps us smiling like only Danny can. And how much fun is it watching Bing and Danny do the "Sisters" number together?...alot! Then there's the goose bump evoking, wonderfully nostalgic scene of the four of them singing "White Christmas" together with the Winter Wonderland of Vermont as a backdrop.I would be remiss if I didn't mention the wonderful character actress Mary Wicks, she's a great busy-body who causes misunderstandings, and also keep an eye out for George Chakiris and Barrie Chase.

Thanks Paramount for bringing us this great old classic holiday film on this great DVD...enjoy...Laurie

also recommended:

It's A Wonderful Life (1946)

The Bells of St. Mary's

or both together on DVD:

Christmas Collector's Pack (The Bells of St. Mary's / It's a Wonderful Life)

Buy White Christmas (1954) Now

I do not have to relate the story of White Christmas. Anyone who watches Christmas movies has seen it over and over. It is a highly entertaining film that leaves you with a good feeling inside. The stars, Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen and Rosemary Clooney are all wonderful.

The new Blu Ray transfer is magnificent. The picture is so sharp, so crystal-clear, so detailed and so alive with brilliant color, that it is hard to believe that the film is over fifty years old. While watching it, I almost felt like I was there in person. Fortunately, the picture was shot in real Technicolor, and was filmed using Paramount's VISTA-VISION, which created a much larger image on the film allowing for incredible sharpness of vision. The newly remastered 5.1 DTS soundtrack fills your viewing room with rich, lush sound and sharp dialog.

You cannot go wrong by buying this new Blu Ray of White Christmas. It's a film the whole family can enjoy.

Read Best Reviews of White Christmas (1954) Here

Recently, Paramount has offered us wonderful new DVD-issues of classics like To Catch a Thief and Funny Face, both shot in Vista-Vision, and now looking better than ever on home video thanks to Paramount using original camera materials for the transfers. Naturally, I expected that the same loving treatment would be given an old favorite like White Christmas, which was the first feature film shot in Paramount's superb wide-screen process called Vista-Vision.

Not so! This new "remaster" is just as dreary-looking as the older DVD. Grainy and soft with an unstable look and dull colors except in some brightly lit "performance" scenes. Also lots of dirt marks and scattered speckles, plus an ugly splice or two. And NO new extras! Where is the expected featurette about the Vista-Vision system newly made or at least some old promotional reel taken from a shelf in the archives? A huge disappointment! And by the way, where are all the many beloved Paramount classics from the fifties and sixties that have not yet been released on DVD? Not a single title in sight for the coming months. Sad.

Want White Christmas (1954) Discount?

Just so no one else buys this and thinks they are getting a color version of this movie. It's in Black and white. In the descripion on Amazon it says it is in color. The color version is only on VHS.

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