The Frighteners (1996)

Just before doing "Lord of the Rings," director Peter Jackson (who can be seen in a cameo as "Man with Piercings") made an off-kilter horror/comedy movie called "The Frighteners," the tale of the undead and the guy who makes a living off of them. Though "Frighteners" was barely in theaters at all, this cult flick is funny, creepy, well-acted and wonderfully directed.

Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox) has seen spirits and apparitions ever since the car crash that killed his wife. Now he operates an amateur "ghostbusting" operation that is supposed to exorcise ghosts from people's houses -the problem is that the ghosts who haunt those houses are in league with him (Chi McBride as the opinioated afro-ed Cyrus, Jim Fyfe as the nerdy Stuart, and most of John Astin as what is left of The Judge).

Frank's business certainly isn't hurt by the fact that for years after a serial killer's murderous spree, people have died mysteriously of heart attacks. Then Frank starts seeing fiery numbers emblazoned on the foreheads of people who will die, including the husband of doctor Lucy Lynskey (Trini Alvarado). As if trying to stop a specter of death weren't hard enough, crazed FBI agent Milton Dammers (Jeffrey Combs) believes that Frank is the one murdering people. But the evil specter is still killing -and Lucy is the next victim.

Peter Jackson once said that he has a "moronic" sense of humor, and it shows up in all its glory here -from bug spray dissolving a ghost's face to a piece of talking oily sludge to a drill sargeant ghost with submachine guns, this is weird and absolutely hilarious. It's the perfect blend of comedy and horror.

But he's also good during the more serious moments, such as Bannister's flashbacks to his wife's death, or the eerie sight of homicidal young lovers dancing with a gun. The opening shot is pure Jackson, with the camera swooping through a window, past fluttering curtains, and though a hole in the attic floor to a screaming woman below.

Jackson also takes the opportunity to poke a bit of fun at more conventional ghost movies: the big Gothic house, crazy old lady, ghost in '70s clothes, and Fox's hilarious turn as a ghostbuster. Nothing horrific is sacred. "There ain't nothing worse than a bunch of pissed-off brothers... that's ALREADY DEAD!" Cyrus yells at one point.

Does it have a flaw? Yes -the opening scene doesn't seem to make much sense later on in the movie. But Jackson makes up for that with a surprisingly tight, coherent plot, and a satisfying finale that makes more sense than most other horror movies do.

The cast is brilliant, whether it's the twitchy, wild-eyed FBI agent, or the three weird ghosts. Michael J. Fox does an excellent job as Frank, with the right combination of cockiness and pathos, while Alvarado is solid as the idealistic young doctor. But the scenes are reallystolen by Dee Wallace-Stone and freaky-eyed Jake Busey, as homicidal young lovers.

"Frighteners" might not make you believe in ghosts, but it will make you laugh, shiver, and maybe even shed a tear or two. Wildly funny, weird, gross, and sometimes really peculiar, this is Jackson's splatter-gore at its best.

Practically bashed by critics everywhere when released in 1996, the Frighteners can be appreciated today as an underrated gem. After crafting a landmark gorefest with Dead Alive and scoring a hit among critics with Heavenly Creatures, future Lord of the Rings trilogy director Peter Jackson directed this wildly inventive and surprisingly innovative film starring Michael J. Fox as a psychic investigator who, with the help of three ghost pals, runs a phony ghost busting business. Soon enough, people are getting picked off by Death himself, and it's up to Fox to find out what's really going on. So much is going on in the Frighteners that it's easy for the film to become incoherent, but it's exciting visuals and special effects, along with the performance of Fox and the energetic direction of Jackson, make this film a surprise gem that should be (and very well may be) a cult classic. The rest of the cast includes R. Lee Ermy, Jake Busey, and genre stalwart Jeffrey "Re-Animator" Combs.

Buy The Frighteners (1996) Now

Just before doing "Lord of the Rings," director Peter Jackson (who can be seen in a cameo as "Man with Piercings") made an off-kilter horror/comedy movie called "The Frighteners," the tale of the undead and the guy who makes a living off of them. Though "Frighteners" was barely in theaters at all, this cult flick is funny, creepy, well-acted and wonderfully directed.

Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox) has seen spirits and apparitions ever since the car crash that killed his wife. Now he operates an amateur "ghostbusting" operation that is supposed to exorcise ghosts from people's houses -the problem is that the ghosts who haunt those houses are in league with him (Chi McBride as the opinioated afro-ed Cyrus, Jim Fyfe as the nerdy Stuart, and most of John Astin as what is left of The Judge).

Frank's business certainly isn't hurt by the fact that for years after a serial killer's murderous spree, people have died mysteriously of heart attacks. Then Frank starts seeing fiery numbers emblazoned on the foreheads of people who will die, including the husband of doctor Lucy Lynskey (Trini Alvarado). As if trying to stop a specter of death weren't hard enough, crazed FBI agent Milton Dammers (Jeffrey Combs) believes that Frank is the one murdering people. But the evil specter is still killing -and Lucy is the next victim.

Peter Jackson once said that he has a "moronic" sense of humor, and it shows up in all its glory here -from bug spray dissolving a ghost's face to a piece of talking oily sludge to a drill sargeant ghost with submachine guns, this is weird and absolutely hilarious. It's the perfect blend of comedy and horror.

But he's also good during the more serious moments, such as Bannister's flashbacks to his wife's death, or the eerie sight of homicidal young lovers dancing with a gun. The opening shot is pure Jackson, with the camera swooping through a window, past fluttering curtains, and though a hole in the attic floor to a screaming woman below.

Jackson also takes the opportunity to poke a bit of fun at more conventional ghost movies: the big Gothic house, crazy old lady, ghost in '70s clothes, and Fox's hilarious turn as a ghostbuster. Nothing horrific is sacred. "There ain't nothing worse than a bunch of pissed-off brothers... that's ALREADY DEAD!" Cyrus yells at one point.

Does it have a flaw? Yes -the opening scene doesn't seem to make much sense later on in the movie. But Jackson makes up for that with a surprisingly tight, coherent plot, and a satisfying finale that makes more sense than most other horror movies do.

The cast is brilliant, whether it's the twitchy, wild-eyed FBI agent, or the three weird ghosts. Michael J. Fox does an excellent job as Frank, with the right combination of cockiness and pathos, while Alvarado is solid as the idealistic young doctor. But the scenes are reallystolen by Dee Wallace-Stone and freaky-eyed Jake Busey, as homicidal young lovers.

"Frighteners" might not make you believe in ghosts, but it will make you laugh, shiver, and maybe even shed a tear or two. Wildly funny, weird, gross, and sometimes really peculiar, this is Jackson's splatter-gore at its best.

Read Best Reviews of The Frighteners (1996) Here

I caught this movie on TV, and it was entertaining enough for me to sit through the whole film. I would have liked to give it a 3.6 stars if I could. I think it has a spark of something which makes it a little better than average, but I hesitate to call it excellent (4 stars). Since I knew nothing about this film, I was quite amazed to find people categorize it as a horror-comedy when I later looked it up here on Amazon.

I am an easily terrified person, so I generally stayed away from horror or gory movies. I remember when I finally gathered enough courage to watch "The Shining" because it is said to be such a classic, I had to turn my head away every time I sensed something potentially scary coming up. In the end, my total viewing time of that movie was less than 5 minutes. I suppose this explains how much I can stomach a horror movie. When I watched this movie, the word "scary" never came into my mind. I though it was fun, the special effect nice, and it was nice to see Michael J Fox again after a long while (although I wished his character wasn't so headstrong, as usual). The plot could have been a little more unpredictable. But it was fun, entertaining, but no horror movie.

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Originally, this film was supposed to have had a Halloween 1996 release date, but Universal, in its infinite wisdom, elected to shift the release date into the summer probably because of the awesome special effects. Unfortunately, the summer of '96 was dominated by ID4 and its city-destroying effects, which left the ghosts of Peter Jackson's The Frighteners spinning in the dust. I didn't think much of the film then.

I remained aloof until one night two or three years ago; I was up late, just flipping through the channels, when I just happened to run across this film. I recognized it, and seeing as nothing else was on, decided to give it a chance. Needless to say, I enjoyed it. It had quirky humor blended with horrific dark elements; the blending is done in such a clever way that it never completely loses either element, yet the tension is ratcheted up by shifting from more humor in the beginning to more horror towards the end. The film really walks a fine line, and it does so beautifully.

Being so impressed, I had to have it on DVD, and within a few weeks of that late night viewing, I had the original DVD release. Happy as I was to have the film, I was somewhat dissappointed by the lack of special features and, knowing it was from Peter Jackson the man behind LOTR and the bevy of supplemental materials those films had on their DVD releases somewhat surprised. I figured it must have been due to the film's poor box office, and assumed a more comprehensive release was out of the question.

I am pleased to say I was wrong, and this new Director's Cut DVD edition is the answer to any desires I might have had for a better release. A full 14 minutes has been restored to the movie, there's a full-length commentary by Jackson, storyboards, a trailer...but, by far, the best thing about this disc is the 3 hour and 45 minute documentary on the second side. It is the most comprehensive special feature I have ever seen, and considering I managed to watch it all in one sitting, it's also one of the most enjoyable. It's very in-depth and virtually any question one might have had about the making of the film is sure to be answered within. Regardless of the other features, the upgrade to this disc is worth it for the documentary alone.

I whole-heartedly recommend a purchase.

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Zombie (1979)

Originally perceived by critics as a Dawn of the Dead rip off, Lucio Fulci's Zombie is an over the top gorefest that has become a classic among fans over the years. Featuring some of the most realistic looking zombies ever to be seen on film (they're rotting and decomposing and look brilliantly disgusting) and plenty of memorable scenes (including the infamous splinter in the eye scene and the beautifully shot underwater battle between a shark and a resiliant zombie), Zombie is a gorehounds' dream. The story is simple, a few inhabitants of a cursed island all become chow for a horde of zombies, but it works for the film as it is simple, unsettling gorey horror Fulci style. There's no social commentary or dark humor like in Romero's Dead trilogy or Dead Alive, just pure horror all the way; and while it may not be as profound as Fulci's The Beyond, Zombie is still a more than solid horror flick worth seeing if you have the stomach for it. Anchor Bay has assembled a solid DVD for the film (they always do great jobs for cult horror films on DVD) with enough extras to satisfy most fans of the film.

"Zombi 2" is the same film as Zombie. That much we've figured out. There's also a "Zombi 3" and a "Zombi 4." What some reviewers have asked is where is the missing chapter? So here goes.

When George Romero's "Dawn of the Dead" was released in Italy, it was released under the name "Zombi." "Zombi 2" was written before Dawn, but was slightly changed to cash in on Romero's success. Thus, rather than call it "Zombi" again, they stuck on a "2," making it seem like a sequel.

When "Zombi 2" was released in the U.S., the name was changed once again, this time to "Zombie."

And the confusion ends.

Buy Zombie (1979) Now

A boat on a New York City coast is discovered by the coast guards as abandoned but only with a literally undead creature on board but gets destroyed, leaving the coast guards puzzled. A reporter with a young woman in search of her missing father try to investigate by going to the caribbean islands with the help of some friends, but a terrible voodoo curse or virus is causing the dead to come up from the graves of the island to devour the flesh of the living as the reporter and company must struggle together to survive the island of the dead.

A shocking and excellent Italian horror thriller from Lucio Fulci whom was fresh off of doing comedies, westerns and thrillers gives us one of the most repulsive and scariest cult classics of all time. There is a creepy tropical atmosphere to give the movie's feel a tender eerieness with it's groovy music score by Fabio Frizzi and graphic gore effects such as the memorable if absolutely horrifying scene involving a woman getting her eyeball stabbed through a large splinter of wood.

The 2-Disc anniversary edition is certainly an improvement over the Anchor Bay version with better picture and digital sound quality that also contains the original Italian language track with English subtitles. It's extras are terrific, it's got featurettes on the history and behind the scenes of how this movie got made with it's success around the world, it's original european theatrical trailer, other trailers to zombie movies avalible from Media Blasters DVD, interviews with the actors & filmmakers and a photo, poster-and-still gallery.

This movie belongs in every horror lover's DVD collection, i highly recommend it but not for light sleepers or the squeamish.

Also recommended: From Dusk Till Dawn, The Evil Dead, Night of the Living Dead ( 1968 and 1990), Dawn of the Dead ( 1978 and 2004), Day of the Dead, City of the Living Dead, House By The Cemetery, Burial Ground: The Nights of Terror, Bio-Zombie, Demons, Suspiria, Tenebre, Cannibal Ferox, Jungle Holocaust, Cannibal Holocaust, Blood Feast, Battle Royale, The New York Ripper, Scanners, Maniac ( 1980), Freddy Vs. Jason, Nightmare City, Cannibal Apocalypse, 28 Days Later.., Return of the Living Dead Trilogy, Re-Animator and The Beyond.

Read Best Reviews of Zombie (1979) Here

Synopsis: When an abandoned ship is found in the New York harbor the local police show up to investigate and they are shocked to find that the living dead are all that's left on board. Anne Bowles (Tisa Farrow), hasn't heard from her father in months and the last she heard of him was that he was on a remote island called Matoul. Reporter Peter West (Ian McCulloch), has been assigned by Gotham newspaper to investigate the bizarre homicide that took place on the derelict boat found in the New York harbor. Anne and Peter join forces as they set off to find her father and the truth about the living dead found on the boat in the harbor. They set off for Matoul and they run into a vacationing couple on a boat Brian (Al Cliver), and Susan (Auretta Gay), who come along for the ride. They encounter Dr. Menard (Richard Johnson), once they arrive on the island and it doesn't take long before all hell breaks loose.

Zombie was written by Dardano Sacchetti as an action/adventure thriller before George Romero's Dawn of The Dead was released in Italy. Dario Argento would re-cut Dawn of The Dead for Italian audiences and rename it Zombi. The success of Zombi in Italy Dardano Sacchetti's script would be reworked by Elisa Briganti to more resemble Romero's movie making Zombie (Zombi 2) a sequel in name only.

Lucio Fulci has always been able to create tension and atmosphere in his films creating nightmarish visions on minuscule budgets. Zombie isn't filled with great performances, but then most of Lucio Fulci's work from the late 1970's on isn't about the actors as much it is about using the actors as objects to achieve his vision. Zombie is filled with some of Lucio Fulci's goriest set pieces included the eyeball being forced on a splinter sequence. Sergio Salvati who has worked as cinematographer on ten Lucio Fulci films and on Zombie he serves up a visual feast as he uses every inch of the frame to capture all the carnage. Through the years Lucio Fulci's Zombie has built up quite the reputation making it a fan favorite and one of the zombie genre's all time classics.

The BluRay:

Zombie comes on a 25 GB single layer BluRay. The film is presented in a 1080 progressive anamorphic widescreen. Colors have never look as vibrant as they do for this transfer, also black and contrast levels look consistently strong throughout. Details generally look crisp and there are no problems with compression. It should be noted that though grain is evident throughout, there are a handful of moments in which its look likes some DNR has been applied to the image.

This release comes with six audio options, a 7.1 DTS-HD mix in English, a 7.1 DTS-HD mix in Italian, a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX mix in English, a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX mix in Italian, a Dolby Digital Mono mix in English and a Dolby Digital Mono mix in Italian. There are a multitude of audio options to choose from and all of the them are in very good shape and for purists the original mono mixes have been included. New to this release are a pair of 7.1 DTS-HD mixes in English and Italian respectively. Channel separation of these two mixes is extremely good and the lower end frequencies are also well represented. This release comes with ten subtitle options, English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Português, Deutsch, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Thai.

Extras for this release are spread over two discs.

Extras on disc one include a brief intro before with film with filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro, a poster & still gallery, four radio spots, two T.V. spots and two trailers, international trailer (3 minutes 45 seconds anamorphic widescreen) and U.S. trailer (1 minutes 33 seconds anamorphic widescreen) and a audio commentary with actor Ian McCulloch and Diabolik magazine editor Jay Slater. Outside of few moments of dead silence, this is actually a pretty good audio commentary that provides a lot interesting information about this film.

Extras on disc two (25 GB Blu-Ray) include eight featurettes, `Zombie Wasteland' interviews with actors Ian McCulloch, Richard Johnson and Al Cliver and actor / stuntman Ottaviano Dell'Acqua (22 minutes 19 seconds anamorphic widescreen, in English & Italian with English subtitles), `Flesh Eaters on Film' interview with producer Fabrizio De Angelis (9 minutes 39 seconds anamorphic widescreen, in Italian with English subtitles), `Deadtime Stories' interviews with co-screenwriters Elisa Briganti and Dardano Sacchetti (14 minutes 30 seconds anamorphic widescreen, in Italian with English subtitles), `World of the Dead' interviews with cinematographer Sergio Salvati and production / costume designer Walter Patriarca (16 minutes 29 seconds anamorphic widescreen, in Italian with English subtitles), `Zombie Italiano' interviews with special make-up artists Gianetto De Rossi and Maurizio Trani and special make-up artist Gino De Rossi (16 minutes 34 seconds anamorphic widescreen, in Italian with English subtitles), `Notes on a Headstone' interview with composer Fabio Frizzi (7 minutes 25 seconds anamorphic widescreen, in Italian with English subtitles), `All in the Family' -interview with Lucio Fulci's daughter Antonella (6 minutes 8 seconds anamorphic widescreen, in Italian with English subtitles) and `Zombie Lover' Guillermo Del Toro shares his thoughts on Zombie (9 minutes 37 seconds anamorphic widescreen, in Italian with English subtitles).

Topics discussed in these eight featurettes include, the lasting legacy / popularity of Zombie, make-up and special effects the shark and the eye ball scenes, what is was like to work in Italian cinema in the late 1970's and early 1980's, guerilla style filmmaking like how they were able to steal the shot on the zombies crossing over the bridge, the origins of the screenplay including a once proposed western / zombie hybrid, how Lucio Fulci became involved with this film, how this film changed Italian horror films, production related topics like the visual look of the film, the sets and creating a new zombie, audience reaction to the film, the score and all the participants discuss what it was like to collaborator with Lucio Fulci. The interview with Antonella Fulci is well balanced discussion about who Lucio Fulci was in his personal life and professional life, while the interview with Guillermo Del Toro is nothing more than a super fan discussing how he became of a fan of this film.

In all there is a lot of ground covered in these eight featurettes, which were all put together by Red Shirt Pictures, who are without a doubt the best company currently working on special features for Cult movie releases. Overall Blue Underground gives Zombie its strongest home video release to date.

Note: Blue Underground are also releasing Zombie on DVD.

Written By Michael Den Boer ,Thanks Micheal.

Want Zombie (1979) Discount?

Repeated.

First, this movie from an entertainment value from 1 to 10 is a 10 plus.

Second, this movie from a technical visibility and technical audibility release value on DVD from 1 to 10 is a 4.

Reason for the first critique: The PROS

1. Director Lucio Fulci directs a fast paced nail biter from start to finish.

2. Excellent film scoring as the music really accentuates the drama.

3. Excellent casting, the actors are solid for this type of film no phonies.

4. Excellent locations from New York City to the exotic Carribean where the two main characters meet up with vacationers who agree to charter their boat and take the main two characters to the island of Matool where the horror begins you'll know why there going there as you see the film.

5. Excellent makeup effects for zombies and the gruesome and great death scenes.

6. Excellent cinematography to heighten the tension during the film.

Reason for the second critique: The CONS

1. Anchor Bay Entertainment's DVD release of this movie is poor. This critique of poor DVD quality is rare when it comes to Anchor Bay Entertainment releases as their remastered-from-the-good-old-cellar-movie reputation normally puts out excellent quality DVDs with full frame-by-frame color correction, removal of original picture blurriness, and excellent audio track remastering, but this movie somehow slipped through the cracks as perhaps there was a rush to get this movie out on DVD due to its immense popularity among gore hounds and Fangoria Magazine fanatics. The rush job to DVD certainly shows. And below are the main points to look out for on this particular Anchor Bay Entertainment release.

2. Poor picture clarity. The picture from start to finish is viewable, but not at all crisp and without blur. This will be corrected see ALTERNATIVE DVD below.

3. Poor color management. The color from start to finish lacks vibrance and richness. The color frame-by-frame is as dead and bland as the zombies themselves. The opening scenes especially as the abandoned yacht( or so you think ) sails into New York Harbor as it is coralled by the New York police, you will see that the city buildings including the World Trade Center towers look more purple/grey in tone, the harbor looks dark brown-grey in color, the sky looks grey in color, and the facial tones of the characters look more fuscia-pinkinsh-beige. The color on this release is horrible and will be corrected. The most frustrating aspect of the poor color is when the movie shfts to the Carribean as two main characters meet up with two vactioners and the four somehow agree to sail for the Island of Matool, after some hesistancy, you will see that the color really suffers here. The exotic locations the beautiful water, the green of the palm trees, and the like are painfully lacking the vibrant standout color correction needed to make every film frame standout with crisp clear picture quality and life like color. This will be corrected see ALTERNATIVE DVD below.

3. Muddled audio track. The sound is clear, but not at the level of a remastered audio track with either DTS or THX Sound treatments. The musical score periodically steps on the sound effects This will be corrected see ALTERNATIVE DVD below.

4. From the original uncut full-version, there are some scenes missing on this DVD. This will be corrected see ALTERNATIVE DVD below.

5. Periodic purple outlines on the edges of the widescreen black bars.

This will be corrected see ALTERNATIVE DVD below.

-----> ALTERNATIVE DVD

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Boys from Brazil

When the film was made almost a quarter century ago, the concept of "cloning" was the stuff of science fiction, as far as the general public was concerned. However, with the recent developments in the area making headlines worldwide, the idea is not reserved to the imagination. Therefore, the basic premise of Hitler authorizing his own cloning doesn't seem as farfetched as it may have been. Hey, the Germans have given the world the Volkswagen; thus, their scientists could have possibly been working on the cloning process prior and during World War II.

Regardless, the film features excellent work from stars Peck, Olivier, and Mason. Peck went against type by portraying Josef Mengele as a crafty, calculating, and ultimately evil scientist who would go to any length to preserve the Third Reich. Olivier, as the Nazi hunter Lieberman, displays his versatility with accents by doning a very believable Jewish brogue. Mason shows his usual cool as a Nazi hesitant but forced to support the machinations of Mengele.

But, the film has an outstanding group of supporting players whose on-screen time may be brief but is memorable. Uta Hagen as an imprisoned Nazi nurse is captivating; stage veteran Rosemary Harris stands out as the widow of one of Mengele's victims; A young Steve Guttenburg shines as a Nazi hunter; and comedy team member Anne Meara (sans her husband) is great as another "mother" of a Hitler clone.

But, it is Jeremy Black, a young actor who seems to have drifted into obscurity since the release of this motion picture, who is impressive as four of the "boys."

Oh, yeah, the great Michael Gough is "hanging around" in this one, too! Look fast and you will see Prunella Scales from "Fawlty Towers" as Gough's wife.

Do not buy this supposedly new, anamorphic version. It is not, and the quality is terrible. I think they slipped the old cruddy DVD version in this "new" case. The region free Bluray looks like it is probably of good quality.

Buy Boys from Brazil Now

When this film was released, science could at best clone a frog's egg, and that was about it... but now that cloning mammals seems to be a piece of cake, it can make you queasy when you see this film. The premise is that surviving Nazi's save some of Hitler's DNA for cloning. Knowing that it's a mixture of nature and nurture that makes a person who he his, they make several copies and distribute them around the world, putting them in family situations that best mimic the childhood that Hitler had as a child.

As the aging Jewish Nazi hunter, Sir Lawrence Olivier travels the world and is stunned to see what on the surface seems to be the same identical young boy in different countries, speaking different languages. Jet black, straight hair, blue eye, smart mouth. The child they got to play this part is nothing short of remarkable.

I'm sad to hear that the DVD version of this film was such a disaster. I was hoping to pick up a copy, but I'll hold out for a collector's edition if they ever come out with one.

Gregory Peck is flawless in his performance of the evil Dr. Mengele bent on raising a race of little Hitlers.

An interesting concept that is even more realistic in light of today's scientific advances in cloning. Definitely worth watching.

Read Best Reviews of Boys from Brazil Here

Terrible picture quality and very poor sound ruin an otherwise excellent film it looks like Artisan have sourced the DVD from a VHS tape picked up at a garage sale. The film is also in a 'matted' (ie letterbox) format rather than true anamorphic widescreen.

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I have waited a long time for "The Boys from Brazil" to be released as a Blu-ray Disc. The standard DVD had a dreadful transfer. Why this movie is still not sold in the U.S. is puzzle.

However, luckily this Blu-ray is indeed region-free--and relatively cheap if ordered directly from Amazon.uk. I just ordered a new Blu-ray directly from Amazon.uk for about $17, including shipping (and there is no VAT charged to foreign customers). Shipping takes less than a week. All of my high-def equipment was sold in the U.S.--I do NOT have any region-free type equipment. The movie, menu, everything, played flawlessly. The Blu-ray transfer of this 1978 gem is fairly good--not "reference" quality (but still a solid, sharp video image and good audio)--but a huge improvement over the previous DVD issue.

Ordering from Amazon's United Kingdom site is quite easy--the site's format and layout, etc. is nearly identical to the U.S. site--and all of my information (address, preferred credit card, password, etc.) was, to my surprise, already there!

There are a number of other region-free Blu-ray Discs that could be ordered from the U.K. site, but be sure to check out the details (by reading reviews such as this) to make sure that the particular disc is indeed region-free (some of them are coded as Region B or C--which will not play in the U.S./Canada, which is Region A)--otherwise you will be stuck with a Blu-ray that you cannot watch.

There are a number of other "region-free" Blu-ray discs as well that can be purchased from the UK site for much lower prices than in the U.S.: I have recently purchased "Zulu"--which looks absolutely stunning, "Equilibrium", "Dances with Wolves" (go figure, this is a U.S. movie, with an American cast, about the American Old West--but not yet available on Blu-ray in the U.S.--who makes these crazy decisions?), and "Silverado".

Before making a purchase from overseas, make sure that the Blu-ray Disc you want to order is indeed region-free--by reading reviews such as mine. It takes a little digging, but you'll save money and/or be able to purchase a Blu-ray that is unavailable in the U.S.

Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

This review refers to the Paramount ("Widescreen Collection") DVD of "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance"...

For over 40 years this western has stood the test of time. It's one that I could watch anytime,a great story,with a tremendous cast and a legendary director. I was thrilled to see it on DVD and even more so when I saw how good it looked.

Directed by John Ford, it stars, Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Lee Marvin and Vera Miles.Stewart plays "Ransom Stoddard", an Eastern type bookish lawyer, who arrives in "Shinbone" naive to the code of the west. After witnessing the terroristic ways of one bad hombre, Liberty Valance(Lee Marvin),and his group of thugs, Ransom plans to rid the town of this menace, but is gonna do it legal like. At the same time, he is in competition for the fairest lady in town, with another good but tough guy...John Wayne.

The story of Liberty Valance's demise is told by Stoddard after returning to town decades later.He is now an esteemed Senator, and has been a legend in his own time for freeing Shinbone from the hold Valance had on it. But what is the real story of what happened that fateful day? The story unfolds captivatingly.

A great DVD. This 1962 Black and White looks crisp and clear,it is presented in widescreen, and is enhanced with Dolby Digital 5.1 or may be viewed in the restored mono. Other than a theatrical trailer, you wont find any special features, although this is a film you can just kick back and enjoy for itself. There are English subtitles for hearing impaired.

As I said it has a tremendous cast and you can never go wrong with a John Ford Western. But the cast doesn't end with the major stars. Here are some other notables to look for. Edmond O'Brien, Andy Devine, Lee Van Cleef, Ken Murray, John Carradine, Jeanette Nolan, Woody Strode, Denver Pyle and Strother Martin.....WOW!

Westerns are my favorite genre, I probably have more Westerns in my collection then anything else.This one is a more subdued storyline than most shoot em ups, but is one of my personal favorites. I consider it right up there with "Shane" and "High Noon". If you love Westerns, this is a great addition to your collection.

Happy Trails.....Laurie

also recommended:

The Searchers / Stagecoach

Great Hollywood Westerns: Man Without A Star

Great American Western V.10, The

"The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" is without a doubt, one of John Wayne's best western films. If you don't own this film, I highly recommend it. It is fun watching over and over again as the script is solid and engaging, and the acting performances among the three principle stars is more than superb!

"Vallance" is Oscar winning Director John Ford's last best effort in western film making. He put together an all-star cast and the cast put out for Ford as well, with stunning performances from John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, and Lee Marvin. Wayne's acting is Academy Award material. He brings a depth of character to the Tom Doniphon role that will have you remembering his performance long after the film ends. In one scene, a drunken and despondent Wayne returns to the home he has built for his future wife Hallie. In a rage, he lights a lantern and sets fire to the new structure, with the intention of burning it, and himself, to the ground. The scene is riveting, and the expressions and movements of Wayne are some of the greatest ever filmed.

Although John Wayne is the "star" of this film, the film in reality has three stars, Wayne, James Stewart, and Lee Marvin. Jimmy Stewart plays Ransom Stoddard, an idealistic lawyer who comes to bring legal law to the west. Stoddard is introducted to the west by none other than the terorist outlaw Liberty Valance, who robs the stage Stoddard is on. When Stoddard tries to resist the robbery of an elderly fellow passenger, Valance, played by Lee Marvin savagely beats him with a whip, leaving him to die. Wayne's character, Tom Doniphon, happens upon Stoddard and brings him to town. This sets the stage for the rest of the movie, as Stoddard tries to bring Liberty Valance to justice.

Lee Marvin's "Valance" is yet another superb acting performance. Whenever Marvin is on screen, there is tension and conflict, as Marvin plays the out of control Valance to the hilt. Marvin's acting rivals and matches those of Wayne and Stewart, making this a film that you will want to watch over and over again, for the acting performances alone.

The film hosts a fine supporting cast. Vera Miles very adequately plays Hallie, a young girl who has to decide upon the man she will spend the rest of her life with Wayne or Stewart. Andy Devine provides comic relief as the bumbling overweight sheriff who avoids conflict any way he can.

Although a bit old in real life for the roles they play, both Stewart and Wayne excel in their parts to such an extent that the ages of the actors are forgotten. The plot is satisfying and in the end we finally learn who REALLY shot Liberty Valence, and what the death of Valance has on the lives of the characters.

In my list of the best westerns of all-time, "Liberty Valance" is certainly in the top 10. An added bonus is that this film can be viewed by the entire family; my boys especially have enjoyed the film. You will not regret buying this DVD.

Jim Konedog Koenig

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Critics of John Wayne have often said that he only ever played one kind of Western character: a crude, tough-as-nails, trigger-happy, and irrational man who mistreated women but got their love anyway. Well, this movie should silence those critics. Wayne plays a gunslinger all right, but the character here (Tom Doniphan) is a unique one, to be sure.

Also starring in this movie is James Stewart, who plays a young lawyer coming to bring 'law and order' to the West. He manages to get tangled up with a notorious villain, Liberty Vallance (Lee Marvin), and from there he and Doniphan's paths cross until SOMEBODY shoots Liberty.

This is a great film by a great Director (John Ford). It leaves you with something to think about, and will definitely not allow you to think of the Duke's character (Doniphan) as a flat, one-sided gunman. In fact, this is Ford's idea of a sort of Western tragedy, and it is a good one. For storyline and plot, there are few John Wayne movies that top the Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance.

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Undoubtedly, one of the finest westerns ever made...this exquisite example of film making is proof positive that not every western is a simplistic plot about "cowboys and indians".

John Ford's stylish film is a brilliant psychological story about very different personalities and their violent meeting in the town of Shinbone. James Stewart plays the young, idealistic lawyer Ransom Stoddard...heading west in the hope of bringing law and justice to an untamed land. Enter Lee Marvin as the cold blooded and ruthless outlaw, Liberty Valance, ruling Shinbone and the surrounding territories by his own laws. And finally, John Wayne as the strong, iron-willed and well meaning Tom Doniphon....the only man with the courage to stand up to Liberty Valance.

Ford's movie is additionally supported by several dynamic character actors...Andy Devine as the cowardly sheriff Link Appleyard, Edmond O'Brien is simply brilliant as habitually drunk news paper editor Dutton Peabody, Woody Strode as Doniphon's loyal ranch-hand Pompy, plus the villainous duo of Lee van Cleef & Strother Martin.

What makes this movie so outstanding is that it appeals on so many levels....as an adventure, as a love story, as a tragedy, and ultimately as a tale well told. It moves with such eloquence and style, and the viewer is carried through each layer of this complex story with precision and feeling.

This is easily one of my most watched and most enjoyed films, and a moving reminder of a talented film maker and some very fine actors excelling in their craft.

I'm eagerly awaiting the DVD release of this one !!

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My favorite Western. An endlessly fascinating and tragic look at the American West, the evolution of legends, the nature of courage, the nature of love plus John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart too. Not to mention a snarling Lee Marvin as the villian Libery Valance

When this movie came out, some critics complained that Wayne and Stewart were too old for their roles. Critics also complained that the film looked studio bound. Later critics made much of the cynical newspaper publisher at the end of the movie who says "This is the west, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." Through the lens of 60's anti-heroism, these critics saw Ford's film as being about the debunking of all heroic American legends.

Director John Ford knew exactly what he was doing. He eschewed the grand expanses of Monument Valley for the cramped back lot. He chose Wayne and Stewart because they were icons of the brave action hero and the law abiding community leader. He made these choices because he was making a stylized dirge to a frontier west where the code of facing your rival directly with a Colt .45 had given way to the complications of lawyers and lawbooks.

After countless viewings of this movie, I am not so sure Ford was being all that cynical, either. At least not in the way the debunkers want to make him out to be.

To me, the heart of this movie is an ultimate act of tragic romantic heroism and not cold political cynicism. The critics who focus on lawyer Stewart's physical confrontation with the villian, Libery Valance, and Stewart's later rise to political fame shortchange the second major conflict in the film.

Can a cowardly act ever be courageous? For Liberty Valance also tells the story of a man of honor who loves a woman very, very much. And then, one day, she asks him to do that one thing that goes against his own moral code. He thought he was strong enough to live with it.

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Alexander Revisited / Troy / 300 (Triple-Feature) (2012)

Just a heads up, Alexander is split on two discs. Disc one has the first two hours of the film, and disc two has the last hour of the film plus extras (see this thread for more info: . You'll have to swap out discs to watch the entire final cut. All three films share one thick case with a slipcover. Each movie has its special features. Picture and audio quality are great for all three films. For under $17, its a great deal, even though Alexander is average at best.

Great Value, Great Picture. Nice Price for 3 great movies! Troy is one of my favorites, it is hard to beat the action and story.

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3 of my favorite war epics all for one low price in high-def. Movies look phenomenal on bluray and the package only cost 14$ with shipping. 300 is an instant, violent classic while Troy keeps you on the edge of your seat. Alexander is a tad slow, but if you pay attention you'll learn to appreciate it. GREAT DEAL

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Bought it for 15$. Worth the money spent. Though i dont like the movie Alexander.. other two movies are my favorite.

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As for me, I thought three blu-rays for this cheap was a steal. I recommend this to any fan of these types of movies.

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Enemy of the State

MOVIE: Enemy of The State is another one of Jerry Bruckheimer's mid 90's action extravaganzas. He reunites with Tony Scott to bring us this action flick about government coverups and how technology is used to basically track every aspect of your life. The movie is about a lawyer who is unwillingly thrown into a wild cat and mouse chase. A congressman is murdered near a reservoir where research is done on migratory geese. So, unknowingly, the whole thing is caught on tape and ends up in the hands of a nerdy and young Jason Lee. He realizes what he has in his possession and during a foot chase he bumps into his old friend played by Will Smith and secretly drops the tape in his bag. Now Will Smith's character is thrown into a world of espionage without knowing why he is being hunted. He meets up with Brill, played by Gene Hackman, an ex NSA agent who ends up helping him. Hackman basically plays a reincarnation of his character in Coppola's The Conversation. The movie is directed at a fast pace by Tony Scott, and it's an overall entertaining action flick. I felt the movie tried to be smarter than it actually was and that the characters were very plain and boring.

ACTING: I didn't like Hackman in this role, but Will Smith brought some life into the movie. For people who haven't seen the movie in awhile you should check it out to recognize some young faces including Jack Black, Jake Busey, Jaimie Kennedy, Seth Green, and the of course the previously mentioned Jason Lee.

VIDEO: The great thing about the recent releases of Con Air, Crimson Tide, and Enemy Of The State are the new anamorphic transfers of the films. They are greatly appreciated and are so much better than the old ones. The quality of the transfer has not improved greatly in terms of picture quality, but there is a noticeable difference.

AUDIO: As for sound we get a very dull Dolby 5.1 mix. All the dialogue is usually center heavy, and rarely does action actually envelope you from the surround speakers. The track is the same from the old release, so it's not the best. There are some scenes with helicopters and some big explosions that utilize the surround speakers well, but overall it's a very dull mix.

SPECIAL FEATURES: The "making of" featurette was actually more extensive than I was expecting. They talk more about the gadgets used in the film versus the actual movie, but overall I found it to be interesting. All the interviews were done back during the making of the movie and it was a pretty extensive behind the scenes for what the movie is. One thing I found extremely interesting was that they talked about a scene where Will Smith is chased by cars in an underground tunnel in his bathrobe. In reality, the cars didn't fit into the tunnel so they had do take the cars apart and weld them back together in the tunnel. The entire scene was maybe a minute long! I just found it interesting that all that work was done for maybe a blip of action. Anyway, the next featurette is basically some on set footage. Overall the two featurettes do justice for what this movie is.

BOTTOM LINE: I got confused whether this was indeed an "extended" cut of the film or not. The cover you see on places like Amazon is not the cover that you actually get. The cover of the film is actually labeled "Special Edition", but the menu does indeed say "Unrated Extended Edition". So, I am thoroughly confused. I didn't notice anything noticeably new, and the running times listed are identical between the old disc and the new one. Still, the upgrade is worth it.

Despite the fact that we both like Gene Hackman and Will Smith, my wife and I put off seeing this movie for along time, thinking that it was probably going to be just another run-of-the mill Jerry Bruckheimer action flick, all of which get to be a bit overblown and "samey" after awhile (IMO Crimson Tide, and the spoof, ConAir, are his best films)...but what would otherwise just have been another pretty good action/suspense film, took on an eerie resonance in the post 9/11 era--the legislation that the Jon Voigt character was willing to kill to get passed had more than a faint aroma of "The Patriot Act"-and I'm surprised that more reviewers haven't mentioned that.

As far as the "lack of substance" that some reviewers mention, that is entirely subjective, and I do not agree with it. As far as reviewers who talk about this not being as good as 1974's The Conversation, get a clue that elements of this movie are conscious homages to that earlier (and IMO, badly dated, and overrated) movie--one of the things that's fun about Bruckheimer's movies is that they are full of homages to earlier suspense/action flicks, esp. those that influenced him. Also, folks, get a clue to the fact that the Will Smith character's "dumbness" and naivety, is part of the point of this movie: his ignorance of technology, and his over-reliance on other people for information, put him at the mercy of the "heavies" in this movie, and left him wide open to the crisis in which he found himself embroiled. As an aside, along the lines of the eerie resonance of this movie in the wake of 9/11, it gave my wife and I a bit of a chill down our spines when Gene Hackman's character revealed by "hacking" into the NSA computer that the Jon Voigt character's birthday was "9/11"--an eerie coincidence three years before 9/11/01.

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I'll be brief. Enemy of the State is a good action flick with a lousy transfer to DVD. If you have a standard television stop reading this review now: you won't notice what I'm talking about. If you are running a 16:9 TV then read on.

Like many before, this supposedly "wide screen" version is nothing of the sort. The DVD is encoded in a standard 4:3 image, with black bars matting the top and bottom. In other words, this is a non-anamorphic transfer. What that means is that the image you are seeing is lower resolution than a standard NTSC TV signal because of the fewer vertical lines present. On a 16:9 TV the image looks "squished" shorter and "stretched" longer. Most 16:9 TV's have a mode that can re-stretch the image to achieve the proper aspect ratio. The problem there is now the horizontal lines are clearly visible throughout the film.

I wish studios would stop the absurd practice of releasing "matted" widescreen transfers, and only call a DVD "Widescreen" if the transfer is anamorphic. But as long as they're doing it, hopefully enough people will protest to get the studio's attention.

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This is an excellent thriller/drama movie with a very relevant plot for todays society. It may have been far fetched when it was made but it is more of a blue print for todays reality.

The audio and video transfers are excellent and definitely rate a tier 1 presence for Blu-Ray.

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I am not a great Will Smith fan, but he does a very outstanding job in this HIGH TECHNO, EDGE OF YOUR SEAT, INTELLIGENT, DON'T GO TO THE BATHROOM WITHOUT PAUSING THE VIDEO video! You absolutely won't go wrong with this one.... promise!

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Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I - The Egg of the King (2012)

I'm going to start this review with a bit of backstory. This may be a long read but this is Berserk so I'm going to take my time and get this right.

The original Berserk anime is infamous for its massive cliffhanger ending. I was never into manga until I watched Berserk, then I simply HAD to read the manga, because I literally could not live with not knowing what happened next. The fact that Berserk is one of the most well drawn and well written (if poorly updated) manga series ever made.

For years the fans clamored for season 2, even after it became clear that it wasn't going to happen there were still some hold outs, but eventually even they died out as well. Then the past few years we have started to see a lot of old uncompleted anime series get reboots. Some like Ultimate Hellsing were just what the fans were waiting for, others like Inuyasha: Final Act were rushed and kind of disappointing. But if any anime deserved a reboot, it was Berserk. And now here it is, the long rumored Berserk reboot that we have waited for all this time.

Now I'm going to review the actual series itself of Berserk (be patient the movie review is coming).

I don't really look at Berserk like a manga, to me it's more like a great work of art, and it reads more like a classic novel that will survive the ages. It's also easily one of the best drawn series I've ever read. The detail Miura puts into his work is spectacular, and his stories are breathtaking. As we follow Guts on his journey we see him go from an aimless wanderer, to a soldier and a friend struggling to find his place in the world, to a revenge driven sociopath fighting his fate as he travels down his dark road, to a man doing his best to heal from the wounds inflicted upon his mind, body, and soul by the dark hand of fate.

His journey constantly exposes us to the very best and the very worst of humanity. We see the darkest and most depraved things imaginable happen in these pages, which only makes it all the more heroic when we see the characters we've come to love climb out from the darkness and hold on to their humanity against all odds. Berserk can make you cry one moment and laugh another, look on in horror at a characters depravity then cheer another's heroism.

There are really only two negative things I can say about this series. The first is that the updates are very irregular, Kentaro Miura will take very long breaks, and they kind of happen pretty often too. But what can I say; quality takes time, when you take a look at some of the artwork I can see why each page could take an entire day to create.

The only other thing isn't really a complaint since I don't have a problem with it, but as a warning to others the series is very dark. There are extremely brutal death scenes, with a lot of gore. There is also a lot of nudity, including some very graphic rape scenes. This series is NOT for the faint of heart, and certainly not for children.

Ok on to reviewing this actual movie, Im going to break it down into pros and cons.

Pros:

Great quality. The animation is absolutely superb, and the battle scenes were stunning. In particular I want to praise the Guts vs Griffith fight as well as Zodd's transformation. In fact I actually want to praise Zodd's entire scene. The big battle scenes were also warrant mention (although I think I already did that).

Excellent sound track, I loved the music in this movie. I didn't think it would be possible to top the soundtrack for the old anime, but this at least matched it.

Good cast. I used to watch nothing but dubs, but after my girlfriend forced a few subtitled anime on me I've grown a great appreciation for Japanese voice actors and this movie has some great ones. Their also recasting the original VAs for the English dub, which I've always felt was one of the really good English dubs out there. So whether you're watching it subbed or dubbed you should be happy.

The story is very compelling and manages to hold on to the feelings and themes of friendship and loyalty that are present in the original anime and the Golden Age manga arc.

Most importantly to me, it wasn't rushed. Inuyasha: Final Act was clearly rushed, and was a big disappointment to the fans. Covering over two hundred manga chapters in 26 episodes is a disgrace, no matter how pretty the animation is. And I'm happy to say that Berserk did not make that mistake. There were a few scenes that were cut, but nothing important was lost. The most important scenes are still there and are handled well.

This won't break your bank. Most anime is pretty expensive, but fifteen dollars (seventeen blu ray) is pretty good, especially for a movie that clearly had a very high animation budget.

Cons:

While it wasn't rushed there are a few scenes that were left out. Most notably Guts' childhood is just covered in a series of flashbacks that don't explain much. While this didn't bug me, there might be a bit lost for those who haven't read the manga or seen the original anime.

This is my main gripe, and the only thing that made me consider giving this less than a perfect five star rating. There are a few times during the CGI battle scenes where some of the characters faces get this kind of cheesy PlayStation 2 graphics look. It happens a few times during the opening castle siege, and once or twice during Guts' fight with Casca (that was what really bugged me because it was such an important scene). It didn't happen so often that it ruined the movie though, and the fans have been vocal enough about it that I'm sure it will be cleaned up for future movies.

So all in all this is a quality product. A great movie for old Berserk fans or newer people just coming to the series. I own the original Box of War anime set, as well as the remastered version, and every volume of the manga. I'll be proud come November to add this to my collection.

No new ground was covered in this first movie as it plays exactly along with the manga/original series. The quality of the blu ray is definitely an upgrade. I thought the CGI and art work was very well done for the budget, does it look as good as Evangelion 2.22, no but nothing does. The music and voice work was spot on. The only real complaints here are that once this movie ends, your totally ready for the next...with no official release dates...it could be awhile. So if your a Berserk fan and like watching your anime in high def blu ray then pick this one up. At 18 bucks its a little expensive but im sure the price will drop eventually or you can wait on a used copy. I am not giving 5 stars because i want to finish watching the series now and there are no extras on this disc.

Buy Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I - The Egg of the King (2012) Now

Been a huge fan of Berserk, both Manga and Anime series for over 20 years now. This film looks and sounds incredible! Much more brutal and violent then the original anime. I refused to listen to others about the CGI sucking...because it doesn't. I found the film very crisp and bloody. Action scenes are amazing and the sound offered on the disc is very loud and thrilling. However the film does not come with English subtitles. I was able to play the disc on both my Panasonic and PS3 players. I know the story well enough to understand the film. I love the art booklet this collection comes with along with a second disc that hold the soundtrack too. There is a commentary selection for the film but is in Japanese of course. If your a die hard fan and want to support the Berserk story then buy this. Otherwise you will have to wait till November to get the US release of the film which hopefully it is not butchered and censored. I can't wait to see the other 2 films and anyone else interested please SUPPORT BERSERK!!!

Read Best Reviews of Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I - The Egg of the King (2012) Here

I got this after watching the 1st 25 episodes released years ago. For starters if you have the seen the 1st Berserk don't buy this wait for the 3rd Movie. Movie 1 and 2 are only condensed versions of season one, done in CGI and with small things missing from the story. The 3rd movie is said to explain what happens after episode #25. Watching this was like seeing a dumbed down version, they crammed too much of the story into one hour. But if you haven't seen the 25 episode release, then I say go for it. As for me I'll be waiting for the 3rd movie later on this year I hope.

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I am a huge Berserk fan, so going into this I was pretty skeptical.

In the end, I think this is a great film adaptation of the chapters it covers.

There are some minor bits that are cut from the original anime that may help build a little more of an emotional connection to certain characters, but when you have to condense these chapters down into 2 hours segments cuts have to be made.

Fantastic job! I hope that WB funds them to keep producing more than the 1st three (which are really just an intro in my opinion.)

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King of California (2007)

KING OF CALIFORNIA may not break any records for innovation of thought or script but it is a tightly made little film that allows veteran actor Michael Douglas a lollipop of a wacky role to remind us that he does have comedic talent! It also gives 20-year old Evan Rachel Wood the opportunity to compete with a Pro and come out an equal quite a feat for such a young actress. Written and directed by Mike Cahill the story does have appeal, especially since it is set in Santa Clarita, California, a rapidly developing 'hinterland' that is suffering from the effects of too rapid industrialization, changing from a picturesque remnant of California raw beauty into yet another perky little town.

Charlie (Michael Douglas) has been in and out of mental institutions for his wacky behavior. His life as a jazz bassist and entrepreneur has always veered off the map, leaving him alone with his only daughter Miranda who has survived her father's irresponsible life by keeping the old family home (in the midst of a huge housing development) with the money she makes double shifting at the local MacDonalds. When Charlie is released his focus is on discovering the gold left behind by Catholic priests in the mid 1600s, a fact he has researched while hospitalized, on the Internet, and from the journal of one of the priests. Miranda slowly buys into Charlie's madcap scheme and adventure as a gold hunter and the caper results in a bonding between father and daughter that has been teetering on the brink of disaster for years. The manner in which Charlie, Miranda, and an old ex-con friend Pepper (Willis Burks II) go after the treasure provides most of the energy of the film.

Yes, there are bits and pieces of this project that have been done many times before (and often better), but the pleasure of KING OF CALIFORNIA lies in the bravura and touching performances by Douglas and Wood. This is a pleasant excursion of a movie, worth an evening's gander. Grady Harp, February 08

You can read the synapses above and I can't do any better so I'll just give my opinion.

I enjoyed this movie a lot. The wacky-father straight-laced daughter interactions are what make it so fun. I also loved Michael Douglas' character in this film. His character reminds me a lot of a castaway (both in appearance and in his quirky mannerisms). There are tinges of other movie genres in this as well but the director puts the whole project together in a good way that gives is a fresh twist and feeling.

This is a great movie for a Saturday night with a bowl of popcorn and you'll probably tell your friends about it too (I did).

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These days, the lines between an independent film and a hollywood film are becoming more and more blurred. Films like Little Miss Sunshine and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind boast that indy feel, the themes and look and ideals that come with those trappings, yet they pack some real star power both on and off screen.

Kind of California is another one of those films, but after watching this great little gem of a film, I realized it really doesn't matter if this film is more of an indy flick or a Hollywood flick... in the end, when the movie is this good, who cares?

We could use more films like King of California, no matter who makes them. Michael Douglas and Evan Rachel Wood are fantastic here, at times quirky and manic, other times truly sad and tragic characters. I find it hard to believe anyone could not fall in love with these characters, and in turn not completely enjoy this film.

A must-see, and a must-buy, one of the better surprises of the year, hands down.

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Hoping to replicate the overwhelming positive critical response he received for his performance in Wonder Boys, Michael Douglas plays another quirky outsider in King of California. Despite being produced by Alexander Payne (Sideways (Widescreen Edition)), the film enjoyed a brief theatrical run and finally makes its debut on DVD.

Michael Douglas is excellent as the wildly eccentric Charlie. There is a mischievous glint in his eyes when he feels like he is getting closer to the treasure. The older Douglas gets and the more films he does, the more comfortable an actor he becomes. He delivers a nuanced performance that never veers off into showy scenery-chewing territory. With his mountain man beard, Douglas certainly looks the part of an ex-mental patient and, at times, seems to be channeling Jeff Bridges in The Big Lebowski (Widescreen Collector's Edition).

Evan Rachel Wood plays Charlie's extremely patient daughter and narrator of this unusual tale and so, naturally, our sympathies lie with her because she's, y'know, the sane voice of reason. Miranda is the responsible one to Charlie's childish antics. Wood is the ideal foil to Douglas, the straight man to his kooky eccentric.

King of California belongs to Douglas and the film sinks of swims based on how well he sells his character's mad quest kind of like Robin Williams' traumatized bum in The Fisher King. And while Mike Cahill is no Terry Gilliam, Douglas is more than up for taking on this wild ride with the charisma to draw us in, much like Charlie convinces Miranda to follow him.

There is an audio commentary by writer/director Mike Cahill, cinematographer Jim Whitaker, production designer Dan Bishop and first assistant director Richard L. Fox. Cahill talks about how a lack of money forced him to rewrite the opening scene and improve on it. Everyone takes turns pointing out the various locations used in the film which is as boring as it sounds. They also point out dry technical details like the wonders of colour timing. It's amazing that this commentary can be so dull with all of these skilled artists at hand but unfortunately this is the case.

"The Making of The King of California" your standard electronic press kit with soundbites from the cast and crew mixed with clips from the film. Douglas claims that this was one of the best scripts he has ever read and compares his character to Don Quixote. Cast and crew talk about the film's two main characters and gush about the film in general.

"Outtakes" is a fairly amusing collection of blown lines, miscues and goofs.

Finally, there is a theatrical trailer.

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....and find an old dream underneath waiting to resurface.

This bittersweet film about a madman and his long-suffering daughter takes place against the backdrop of the ongoing "development" (ecological destruction) of Southern California, forcing the viewer to wonder: Who are the truly insane in this film?

A lot of humor goes with this grim implication (the scene with the cop on the golf course is hilarious, if short; the filmmakers also shot a funny golf course scene for SIDEWAYS). I also liked the McDonald's shift manager looking over Miranda's shoulder to make sure she assembled a quarter cheese correctly--this actually happened to me when I was sixteen, working in a Southern California franchise. Some things never change. Miranda and her father stand in for everyone who tries but fails to live in peace with the standardization and industrialization going on all around them.

They also have whatever it takes to "follow your bliss" and try to find some sense of meaning in an increasingly orderly and planned and therefore quite insane urbanized landscape literally covering over the once-verdant earth walked by the so-called savages who appreciated and tended it.

Incidentally, although shot as a romp about a parentified daughter trying to give her bipolar father a sense of purpose, the film bears out what I've written about in Deep California: Images and Ironies of Cross and Sword on El Camino Real and in Terrapsychology: Reengaging The Soul Of Place: what happens to traumatize a colonized and paved-over place never goes away until we find some way to heal the recurring themes by understanding them and reshaping them from within them. Costco and McDonald's are but commercialized and updated missions to convert the locals to a globalized existence that eats their souls and landscapes. The counter-mission resides in the loving heart pursuing its dreams or helping others to, as well-named Miranda does in this Californian tempest.

p.s. For those of you with some knowledge of California history: yes, you're right: no Spanish expeditions during the 1620s. After Cabrillo had been by, landing his ships but making no tours through California, Vizcaino did another sail-by in 1602. After that, no known Spanish incursions came through the state until 1769, when Junipero Serra and his merry band came colonizing. "Santa Clarita" got its name from the river they named "Santa Clara" as they marched through. Incidentally, Miranda's mission history lesson was correct, and not only for the Chumash of the Central Coast: most of the Indians who entered the missions never came out again.

p.p.s. The part about how California got its name is true. The bestseller Miranda refers to was called THE EXPLOITS OF ESPLANDIAN. The author's name was Montalvo. He died just before it got into print.

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Summer with Monika (The Criterion Collection) (1953)

What started as a story of idyllic summer of love and journey, shared between very young Harry and Monica, became an interesting study of relationship that had to survive the demands of real world after the journey was over.

I kept thinking while watching this film what would've happened to Romeo and Juliet (who were close by age to film's heroes Monica, 17 and Harry, 19) had they been given a chance to live happily ever after. Would they be able to love each other after the reality of marriage would fight with their eternal love, when the baby is crying all night long and there is no money to pay a rent, and young and tender Juliet has learned about power and pleasures of sex but her Romeo is always out working, trying to make enough money to support her and the child? Would Juliet get bored and angry with Romeo for leaving her home alone? Would she start looking for fun elsewhere? Would be Romeo left heartbroken and bitter or would the memories of that unforgettable summer with his Juliet Monica still stay with him as the best time of his life?

Beautiful film with wonderful Harriet Andersson as a sultry teenager Monica, full of life, rebellious against her boring existence at home, ready for all pleasures of adult life but not ready for responsibilities of a wife and a mother. Will she learn? Will she remember the summer with Harry? Bergman, as usual, does not answer the questions. He never does. He tells the story we are the ones who are left with unanswered questions.

This 1953 film is available on region free Tartan DVD from amazon.co.uk as "Summer with Monika" (almost directly translated from the original title "Sommaren med Monika".) It's an OK edition, worth obtaining especially for Bergman fans. The film is also available on NTSC VHS as "Monika." Renaming the title of this film yet another time as "Monika, the Story of a Bad Girl" is just ridiculous. Even if the studio that will provide this DVD is going to be Criterion, I will certainly have to think twice whether or not I want "Bergman's Story of Monika the Bad Girl" on my bookshelf...who the hell is handing out these additional/optional movie titles over 50 years in retrospect, anyway...?

Aside from unaccredited roles in past Ingmar Bergman films, Harriet Andersson is introduced in a leading role alongside Lars Ekborg (both in their twenties playing 17 year old Monika and 19 year old Harry.) As often in Bergman's films the story has a deeper meaning than its basic plot, and has a stable shifting of multiple emotion. This is also one of few Bergman films to feature so many beautiful Swedish archipelago images. Among his better from the early era.

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**** 1953. Co-written and directed by Ingmar Bergman. Two teenagers spend the summer in the country after having left their job and their family. When they return to Stockholm, Monika is pregnant and Harry must now find a way to support his family. Two years after Summer Interlude (Sommarlek) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import Great Britain ], Ingmar Bergman describes another figure of woman. But if the summer Marie spends with Henrik will leave a lasting souvenir in the youg woman's heart, Monika will soon forget the idyllic weeks spent with Harry and will not bear the prosaic return to the real world. A movie about innocence and responsibility that will leave you hating reality. Once more.

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The first half recalls Bergman's earlier 'Summer Interlude'. But the

second half goes further and explores the 'what if' of the summer

romance between teens; moving into parenthood, marriage, and

disillusionment.

The acting is excellent, and unlike 'Summer Interlude' these actors

look close to the naïve age they're playing.

The film's point of view sometimes felt a bit one sided to me with 'bad

girl' Monika, from a crude, poor family, less willing to extend herself

than her upper-class boyfriend Harry. Of course, along with being

selfish she is also the more complex and fascinating character,

especially as played by the young Harriett Andersson.

Some critics make the argument with merit that the film doesn't

judge Monika,the audience does. Indeed, it could be argued that the

film is meant to make us question our own judgment of a poor girl who

is brought up with dreams of marriage as a glamorous escape, and not

just a humdrum existence. It's not for nothing the heroine is obsessed

with Hollywood love stories.

Andersson's performance may be the first of the many hyper-real and

extremely complex characters in Bergman's body of work, transcending

'type' and moral judgment.

The film was beloved by the French New wave filmmakers, who saw in it's

complex attitude (and very brief nudity) a throwing off of the shackles

of conventional characters and storytelling.

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*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0

Right before the release of 'Sawdust and Tinsel', which marked the beginning of Ingmar Bergman's long string of profound films with metaphysical themes, he served up 'Summer with Monika', a film more in the tradition of the Italian neo-realists, about a young couple who spend a summer of abandon amongst the islands of the Swedish archipelago, north of Stockholm, before returning to the city and getting married.

The film's principals, Harry and Monika, are introduced when they meet at a bar. One is struck right away by Monika's liking for Harry--he really doesn't have to do anything and immediately scores a date with her at the local cinema. We soon discover that both young people are very needy. Monika comes from the more lower class background, residing in a tenement apartment with her mother and an alcoholic father, along with younger siblings who can't keep quiet. Harry lives in a bigger home but lost his mother when he was eight and hardly speaks with his father who suffers from health problems.

In the film's first act, Harry and Monika are at the point where they both want to run away as they both hate their jobs. Harry is a delivery person for a glass and porcelain factory and is constantly berated by his superiors as he's often late for work and shows little enthusiasm for the job. Monika works for a produce wholesaler and must endure the salacious comments and outright groping by crass co-workers and supervisors. It's understandable how Monika is so immediately attracted to the kindly Harry, as he doesn't treat her as a sex object like many of the men she knows from her side of the tracks.

Perhaps the only unsatisfying aspect of 'Summer with Monika', is the underdeveloped character of Lelle, one of Monika's neighbors who we can presume has either had a prior relationship with Monika or admired her from afar. Out of jealousy he socks Harry in the face out of the blue, after observing him escorting Monika home and saying goodbye. It's an awkward scene because we find out nothing about Lelle before, and wonder simply who this guy is.

The film's second act (where the principals commit themselves to an adventure outside their ordinary lives) occurs after Harry is fired from his job (and Monika quits hers); Harry ends up convincing Monika to take his father's motor boat up to the islands in the archipelago and 'live free' from the constraints of their drab lives back in the city. The cinematography, highlighting the natural wonders of this part of Sweden, is magnificent. The second act machinations include more revelations about Harry's upbringing as well as another awkward scene with Lelle fighting Harry after he attempts to torch their boat (has he been stalking the couple the whole time? Again, he's a character who always seems to be popping up out of the blue without a back story).

One of the great things about Bergman is that you can always count on him for his deeply nuanced female characters. 'Summer with Monika' is basically a brilliant character study about a very young woman who turns out to be quite different than what we're first led to believe. At first, Monika appears quite sympathetic, as she cradles Harry in her arms after he reveals how lonely he was as a child (due to the loss of his mother and distant father).

Even before Monika's sudden transformation, there are clues that she has quite a different temperament than Harry. When Harry is fired, he only brings himself to tip over one glass in the factory, instead of smashing many more glasses as he could have done. When Harry knocks Lelle down during the boating trip, Harry restrains Monika, who could have ended up killing him, by striking him with the oar.

Monika begins to sing a different tune when the intrepid couple find themselves subsisting on mushrooms for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Like a savage animal, she breaks into a well-to-do home on one of the islands and steals a pot roast. The husband calls the police but Monika breaks free and returns to the boat, where Harry chastises her for committing an illegal (and hence immoral) act. Monika has no scruples, and believes that the 'ends justify the means'.

The third act, perhaps the strongest of the film, chronicles the dissolution of Harry and Monika's relationship. They end up marrying due to Monika's pregnancy. She turns out to be the wife from hell as she doesn't want to care for her child and would like to resume the life she had when she was single. Meanwhile, Harry takes steps toward maturity by finding a job, with co-workers who treat him with respect.

Things go from bad to worse, when Harry discovers that she's been sleeping with Lelle and also spent the rent money on an expensive suit. When he asks her why she went to bed with Lelle, she cynically claims that she loves him. Harry then slaps Monika who ends up leaving him. Bergman's portrait of Monika is sympathetic but he doesn't excuse her behavior. In effect, she goes back to the very men she was trying to escape from in the first place. The famous close-up of Monika suggests that she's as empty on the inside as that vacant stare we see on the outside.

On the other hand, when we see Harry close-up in the last scene, we're first treated to a montage of the young father's memories of his summer with Monika. His expression changes from pride in his newborn, to a look of sadness, as he realizes that he has a tough road ahead as a single parent. The brilliance of Bergman is that he never sugarcoats reality. Monika's actions are vile but her difficult upbringing is no excuse for her rejecting her responsibilities as a mother. Indeed, Bergman is saying, there are people like Monika in this world! Deal with it!

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A Perfect World (2012)

Continuing his exploration of what makes a man good, bad -just plain human-is what this film delves into, even more deeply than in the stunning "Unforgiven" (to his credit, Eastwood never pretends, as some male writers and directors do, that he understands women; instead, he admits that we are mysteries to him, and concentrates his energies on what he does understand: American men). Refusing to subscribe to typical American cinematic over-simplifications of "good vs. evil," Clint Eastwood delivers films that make you realize very quickly that there is no room for such absolutes when dealing with human truths. This thesis, which he has been pursuing for some time now, perhaps starting with "Tightrope" where the line between good and evil blurs to invisibility, he has, with "A Perfect World," given us a translation of John Lee Hancock's brilliant screenplay that is both beautiful and almost too painful to bear. Noted by critics at the time of its relase, but completley ignored by audiences who, it seems, found Kevin Costner as an escaped convict just too unpalatable, this film takes us on a complex journey deep into the souls of two tortured men, Costner's "Butch Haynes" and Eastwood's "Red," the Texas Ranger who is charged with running the escaped Haynes down. The past and its consequences are a continual theme in all of Eastwood's important works, and in this film, the ironies are neck-deep and take time and patience from the viewer to unravel. Even the decision by Red to commandeer the vehicle the Governer intends to ride in the next day when President Kennedy will be in Dallas (this is 1963) brings up the question: would the Governer have been shot had he been in this vehicle instead of in the President's car? This is one subtle example of how decision and consequence are continously explored in this most thought-provoking of films.

Kevin Costner gave probably the best performance of his life, cast against type as a complex man who cannot be called either bad or good, merely profoundly human, whose life has followed a course laid by poverty, homelessness, a suicide mother and a felonious father, a bit of high spirits, and high intelligence with nowhere to go, but most importantly, the Texas penal system as it was managed in the 60's. Haynes' moral center, despite his acts, never wavers, and it is that moral center that propels events which finally spiral out of his control and into tragedy. But we see, clearly, that even a so-called "bad" man can be good enough to inspire genuine, deep love that, in the end, redeems both him and the person whose initial action started the long chain of events that ends with the 36 hours over which this film takes place (we discover who this is along the way, and I don't want to lessen the impact of any discoveries). Another reviewer here implied that it was Eastwood who is responsible for Costner's excellence in this film, but having seen so many interviews with his actors, it is generally understood that Eastwood casts his actors, then leaves them alone to find the character and reveal him without a great deal of interference, so it would seem that the credit is, indeed, Costner's. Sadly, he never again worked against type, perhaps because of this film's commercial failure, but this performance will always stand as testament to what he can do, and never is that performance better than in the house where Cajun music on the Victrola and senseless violence against a boy much of an age as Butch himself was when violence entered his life, combine to send him into a sort of fugue state of memory, pain, longing, rage, and ultimately, the loss of control that brings things to a terrible end.

The boy, Philip, with whom he bonds (played beautifully by the transparent T.J. Lowther) also gives us his heart laid bare, and the rapport between the two of them is completely believable. We understand the child's repeated choices to stay with Butch, and the reasons go far beyond the superficial need for a father (his is gone), and into the realm of love. It is from Haynes that he learns the lesson that exacts the price of Haynes' escape, but then it is his love for Haynes that makes it bearable, and even right, for both of them, as in the end, he becomes the protector--the man--whose job it is to help a loved-one who can no longer help himself.

When a film's characters are torn apart by the end of a film, its viewers should be, too, and we definitely are. It is a difficult, heart-breaking journey that Clint Eastwood insists we take with him, but taking it brings us to the point where we should start each day: from scratch. Red's last line is, "I don't know a da*n thing anymore," and that is exactly the point and the purpose of this story. We should never, ever think we have all the answers; to do so is fatal, as Red learns. Every day we should be willing to examine our beliefs and look back, with honesty, at what we've done, and look forward to what we're about to do with eyes wide open and with some sort of awareness of potential damage, and know, always, that there is no good "us," no bad "them," but that we're all only human beings, deeply flawed and yet filled with the capacity for love and connection, each of us doing the best we can.

This film has two of Hollywood's biggest stars Eastwood and Costner both of whom give great performances. But it's the young actor who plays the kidnapped boy who steals the show. This drama is set in Texas, early November 1963 shortly before JFK's fateful visit to Dallas. An escaped convict (Costner) kidnaps a boy and is on the run from the law (Eastwood) and each of their lives are changed forever. The film is especially touching whenever it focuses on the growing relationship between the convict & boy Costner's portrayal of the tough escapee with a kind heart is great and the boy is so natural and likeable. Under Eastwood's direction the film is controlled and avoids the pitfall of melodrama. The ending is tragic yet inevitable. I think this is one of Costner's best performances and was surprised when the film seemed to be overlooked by the media. I loved the whole feel of the movie and cared about the characters even some of the minor ones like the sharecropper family. I highly recommend this film.

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This film is one of those rare movies that manage to use the strengths of all involved. First, this is the very best of Clint Eastwood both as a director and actor. Eastwood the director learned his trade from Don Siegel, who made a bunch of no-nonsense 70's action films, many of them with Eastwood as the star. Eastwood learned his trade well from the master. He can edit the fat out of a film very effectively. Eastwood the actor really shines in this film as well in a supporting role as a Texas Ranger at the tail end of a career doing a kind of slow burn as events unfold around him.

This film is also Kevin Costner's best work ever, and one has to imagine it came because Director Eastwood sat on him hard. Whatever, Costner gives a very, very good performance, full of depth as a prisoner on the lam. He is actually tough and touching at the same time, no small feat for any actor.

Finally, Laura Dern is also at her best in this film. What happened to her, anyway? Where did she go? Anyway, the romance between the Eastwood character and Dern is understated and very moving, as each character slowly gain respect for the other. Dern is not classically beautiful, but she comes off as very real and smart, with a sense of humor and a real humanity. Hollywood needs more like her, instead of fashion models playing cops. Dern looks natural as hell in the role with a beauty, as corny as it sounds, that comes from within.

All in all, a vastly overlooked gem that is well worth owning.

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Kevin Costner turned up in his best role in years in this excellent drama of an escaped convict, serving time for a series of armed robberies who kidnaps a young boy and holds him hostage. Along the way the boy soon befriends Costner. This film remains tense and gripping throughout, holding many moments of suspense, The acting is great from a cast that also includes Clint Eastwood who also directed this movie. Its great to seee such two great actors together and its a pity they dont share any of their scenes together. There are some moments of comedy too giving this the balance it needs to be a good film. Very good scripts throughout the film and the ending is surprisingly quite moving. Highly recommended!

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this film kicked me in the gut. I don't understand how it has been so seemingly overlooked: Costner should have have been nominated for an academy award for his portrayal of Butch Haynes, a man with some good at heart but constantly teetering on the edge of violence. he isn't aware of his predelictions-he isn't trying to be good, quite the opposite. but he seems to do good in spite of himself. you must pity him as someone trapped in their own violent past, trying to rewrite it by befriending his young hostage, and still trying to move hopelessly towards an unattainable future.

the final scenes of this film are inevitable, and almost too painful to watch.

Eastwood's direction, especially that of the boy and Costner, is tremendous. also, the flat-eyed, totally irredeemable character of the FBI sharp-shooter makes for a good contrast with Butch: both kill an equal number of people in the film: one. yet which killing is the more justified?

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