Disclosure / Fatal Attraction (2013)

Back in the late 1980's and early 1990's, Michael Douglas' name was synonymous with sexual catastrophe; no other American male actor has ever suffered the kinds of erotic trauma onscreen as he did during the period from 1987 to 1994. During those years, his entire existence was threatened by an obsessive one night stand ("Fatal Attraction"), he became involved with a narcissistic bisexual murder suspect ("Basic Instinct"), and he was sexually harassed by a former lover who became his boss ("Disclosure"). No wonder Douglas' name on a marquee made a lot of men squirm uncomfortably during that period!

Now two of those films have been packaged together in a two disc blu-ray double feature. The best of the pair is undoubtedly "Fatal Attraction", which struck a major nerve in American culture at the time of its release. In an Oscar-nominated performance, Glenn Close plays a sexually aggressive woman who actively pursues married man Douglas. She's in control of the seduction, dominating him completely; but when their casual fling is over, she becomes a rejected predator obsessed with possessing him at any cost. She manipulates his conscience, invades his home, damages his property, and threatens to destroy his family. Two very different endings were filmed, both of which are presented on this blue ray disc, along with a series of featurettes, a commentary by director Adrian Lyne, and the original theatrical trailer. In addition to the honor accorded Glenn Close, the film received five other Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actress (Anne Archer), Original Screenplay, and Film Editing. The blu-ray presentation of this "must-see" movie is flawless. Very highly recommended.

The second feature, "Disclosure", hasn't aged very well. The core of the story, in which a man (Douglas, who else?) is sexually harassed on the job by a former lover (Demi Moore) who is now his boss, is still fairly intriguing. However, it's tied to a subplot involving a new computer technology that is dated and uninteresting. Imagine a movie that makes a big deal of receiving an email! The cast, which also includes such powerful actors as Donald Sutherland, Dennis Miller, Rosemary Forsyth, and Dylan Baker is generally outstanding. The exception is Ms. Moore, who occasionally overplays her scenes; director Barry Levinson should have reminded her that a little subtlety can add nuance and shading to a character, particularly when that character is already the center of the audience's attention. Despite these weaknesses, the film is still work a look-see, and it looks very good on blu-ray. The only extra is the film's original theatrical trailer. Recommended.

Overall, this is a great double feature offering, especially for fans of Michael Douglas and those who are curious about American sexual mores during the end of the 20th century. Worth the price for "Fatal Attraction" alone; consider "Disclosure" a nice little bonus feature.

I have liked Michael Douglas as an actor since The Streets of San Francisco, so if he is in a movie that has a

good plot I'll buy it. Romancing the Stone, Wall Street, The Star Chamber to name a few.

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Received item quickly and at a reasonable cost. These are both good movies and I was lucky enough to get them. I have them on singles also; but it's just as good to have a duplicate (sometimes).

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I haven't seen these movies in a while. Both of them kept you on the edge of your seat. I would recommend them to anyone.

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Sparkle (+UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012)

I went to see this movie because I wanted to see Whitney Houston's last performance.

Sparkle tells the story of three sisters, raised in a nice home by a strict mother, played by Whitney Houston who used to be an alcoholic, but has found the Lord and wants to keep her daughter on the narrow path.

As you watch this movie you will begin to notice this strategy has limited success.

It's also framed as a cautionary tale about the bumpy road to fame.

One daughter is a beautiful talented singer, another Sparkle is a talented songwriter who has always been in the sister's shade but prepared to sacrifice for the good of the group. The other one is simply brainy and attractive.

The pitfalls of music and life are explored as the girls form a group and the singer gets into a relationship with a tv comedian and experiences a fall from grace. The movie explores themes of drugs and violence. Will she manage to retieve herself or will tragedy ensue? Rifts occur which threaten the family itself.

I found the movie enjoyable. I loved Whitney Houston's singing solo. The quality of songs were pretty good with a mixture of gospel music and 60s motown type pieces.

After I saw this movie I watched the original Sparkle with Philip Michael Thomas of Miami Vice, Irene Cara of Fame, and Lonette McKee.

I highly recommend you check out the original. If you happen to be an Amazon Prime member as I write you can watch it for free. While the production values of the current movie are better, the original movie definitely has its moments. It features songs by Curtis Mayfield, a funk master, and I loved the singing performances of the girls with their delicate close harmonies. It also has an organised crime element. Events do differ between the two movies.

The original is set in Harlem while the remake is set in Detroit. Judging by the reviews the original seems to have achieved a cult classic status with people claiming to have seen it a hundred times. I prefer the original but you may feel differently particularly if you are a Whitney Houston or Jordin Sparks fan. It really is a vehicle for her talent.

I think most people will like it and trust this was helpful.

This Movie is a musical and a drama combined, and I could not wait until it was released. I have been a huge fan of Whitney Houston from the very beginning of her career, and watched her move up to fame. I had great respect for her, and Love all of her music. 'The Bodyguard' is one of my favorites for her music and acting. In Sparkle, her Performance was outstanding. Her own music, I will forever Treasure. In this Movie, Jordin Sparks struggles to become a star. She is troubled with issues that are tearing her and her family apart. The story portrays an affluent Detroit area as a daughter to a single mother, Whitney Houston plays the mother, must face many challenges. Sparkle tries to balance a new romance with her music manager, while dealing with the unexpected issues of her new life as she and her two sisters strive to become a dynamic singing group, during the Motown Era. The story is based on success, family relationships, and the Musician's life. I loved the movie, Acting Performance is Stunning and the memories from 'the Motown era' was delightful and Enjoyable. The music was fantastic, and the Memories of 'Motown' was mesmerizing. Her own music will live on, and all she contributed to this world. Once again, she was Amazing. My thoughts on Whitney Houston, "I Will Always Love You!"

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There is so much that many people have said about Whitney Houston through the good and the bad. When she planned on making a remake of the film Sparkle, a film that she had watched when she was a teenager, she never thought she would plan to remake the film. Sadly, she made the film and finished it shortly before she had passed away, earlier this year. No one ever thought that this would be her swan song. Nevertheless, loss was all around the film when she originally planned the film remake. The late singer Aaliyah was tapped to play the lead role in Sparkle in 2001, but because of her untimely death in a plane crash, the film was placed on the back burner for nearly a decade. The film which was released earlier this year was a somber farewell to the most important female singer in the world. With Jordin Sparks taking on the lead role, the question is could the chemistry work here. Well, it did just that.

The 2012 remake of Sparkle stands tall, telling the tale of a inspiring singer Emma, raising her 3 kids, and surprised about seeing them drive into the world of stardom. Jordin, Carmen, and the cast had a lot to learn on the film, and drive not just through Whitney Houston, but also the shadows of the people who did the original film and the music. They did it nobly well. The film showcases a inspiring mother, but also wants her children to be bigger than the wastes of life with fame. Carmen takes that lead, but sadly hides her scars well from physical abuse and drug abuse from her family. Jordin shows that she can deliver well in acting, but had more to deliver in voice. Whitney's presence in the film is the real showstopper overall. When she did her number, His Eye On The Sparrow, it really brought me to tears, and showed regardless of the personal pain Whitney Houston went through and all the years she was treated as a joke, and not looked upon as a person that she could not only still sing and act, but thrive as a beautiful swan. Jordin Sparks and the cast had to thrive in voice from the shadows of Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin and sold it to a whole new generation, but could've brought more into the songs.

Overall, I promised myself that I would go see Sparkle when it came out the opening day, even before Whitney Houston passed on, and I kept it. I am so glad she made this heartwarming film, and reintroduced it to a whole new generation that really has forgotten what voice and song has meant to film and even music. The film did put a deep tear in my eye, and a real guilty pleasure for a new era. If you have just recently heard Whitney Houston from the impact of her death, or are a die hard fan of the original Sparkle, than you'll definitely love this film.

Price: B

Remastering: B

Story: B 1/2+

Music: C+

Overall: B-

Read Best Reviews of Sparkle (+UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012) Here

I had the pleasure and opportunity to see "Sparkle" this past weekend and I loved it. I can't wait for the DVD to be released. I will probably watch it over and over...

The whole cast was magnificent. Whitney did a marvelous job with the song, His Eye is on the Sparrow, and Jordin did an excellent job with the song, One Wing.

The movie was a little bit different from the original version. I love both versions.

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There were several wonderful moments in the movie. The musical numbers were especially thrilling. But nothing and I do mean nothing can replace the original cast or movie. I'll say the same thing I told my friend when we left the theatre. "They would have been better off giving the movie a different title..." I love Whitney and think the rest of the new cast was great. But I don't even see this movie as a "tribute." It was just a rather good movie with the wrong title behind it.

I recommend purchasing both the original and the remake, forming your own opinion, and developing your own appreciation for each.

Enjoy.

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The Aviator (2007)

Martin Scorsese's stylish take on Howard Hughes' early life, is a stunningly visual treat in art direction made even more compelling by Scorsese's sure handed directorial flourishes. Scorsese is, by now, a master of the medium, always finding the interesting shot, the fitting camera angle, the flowing tracking shot, the camera movement that breathes energy into his story. It is beautifully filmed and acted, most especially by Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes.

It is a long movie, and it will be interesting to see whether a modern audience, many doubtless unfamiliar with the Hughes legend, will find it as intriguing as we who remember the Hughes of Las Vegas etc. Take the clue from the title, this is a film about the young Hughes who was a genius and a creative dynamo, and an almost overlooked pioneer of aviation. This was a young man full of ambition, dreams, energy and contradictions. The film not only presages the pitiable creature Hughes will become, a slave to his obsessive compulsive illness, but it does so with sympathy and sensitivity.

A first rate biopic done with flair and style. Another worthwhile look at an American life.

Reviews of THE AVIATOR seem to fall into three camps. Those who hate it because it rewrites history...I'll admit right here that I don't know enough about the "true" history of Hughes to comment on the accuracy of every detail. Others hate it because they find it boring or don't find Leonard DiCaprio credible as Howard Hughes. The third group likes the movie.

That's the group I'm happily in. It is by no means the greatest epic ever made, but for me it hearkens back to the glory days of the early Cinemascope, Technicolor Hollywood epic, but with better special effects. The sets and costumes are completely luscious. No expense has been spared. You feel glamorous just watching the darn thing. The acting, while very good all around, teeters close to going "over-the-top," which is just what this sort of film needs. It is not a subtle film. It is trying to tell the epic story of an epic American who achieved epic things and endured epic personal battles. A bit of bluster and scenery chewing is in order.

For example, everyone loved Cate Blanchett as Katherine Hepburn(heck she won the Oscar). I admired her performance too...but when you watch it, you see that it is pretty unsubtle. Was Hepburn, even in quiet moments, really so full of PERSONALITY? But the film needs this to work.

Alan Alda was great...he plays slimy so well now. In my mind, he's going to totally shake off Hawkeye Pierce and emerge as a key player of political villany. In real life, he seems like a terrific, open, intelligent and easily amused person. Scary how just a tiny tweaking of those dials makes him creepy. Good stuff!! Kate Beckinsale, out of her league, does okay as Ava Gardner, but the role is generic. You never feel Ava Gardner...just some nameless starlet. Gwen Stefani got a lot of mileage out of dressing up like Jean Harlow, but she's hardly in the film. She looks great, though. Jude Law has a tiny part as Errol Flynn...how perfect that casting is!!

And finally, DiCaprio. Here's a huge role for him, one leaving him open to great failure. Yes, I know he still looks like young teenager. In GANGS OF NEW YORK, that worked against him...his anger in face of Daniel Day-Lewis was never threatening...heck, the guy could hardly grow a beard...how could he take on a master-thug? In CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, he uses that boyishness to perfection...a role he was made for naturally. In THE AVIATOR, they don't really try to make him seem older. DiCaprio is forced to make us believe he is Howard Hughes by force of his acting...not his impersonation of the man. At first, Hughes hits Hollywood with his wealth and boyish enthusiasm and starts making huge films. He's full of nervous energy and driven to succeed. That actually suits DiCaprio's natural look pretty well...so early on, we can see the boyish DiCaprio as the boyish Hughes. As Hughes ages, DiCaprio can't (and other than a few subtle lines, the makeup artists don't try to age him), but by this time, we already buy him in the role. His personality becomes more complex as his mental disorders become harder and harder for him to combat...and DiCaprio and Scorcese beautifully stage these scenes. One great moment has Hughes in a public restroom, having just obsessively washed his hands. Another patron askes Hughes to hand him a towel...but Hughes' problems simply won't let him. He knows there's no reason not to help the guy. We see DiCaprio's face racked with shame. He wants to get the towel, but can't. He groans out a "I Can't" over and over, as he's frozen in place. He can't even make himself run away...his horror at himself is too complete. This is pretty good stuff. Later, when Hughes has gone totally off the deep end, and locked himself into his offices, letting his hair grow and his hygiene become questionable (at best), his demons have totally evolved. So when he finally summons the strength to fight them down long enough to face a Senate committee (and the outcome will determine the survival of his airline), we root for him quite enthusiastically. And finally, there are the scenes where Hughes flies his experimental aircraft. First, he flies over a field and is forced to make a rough landing. His exhilaration, even as he must know at some level that he could die, is palpable. He's a kid in a candy shop...multiplied 100 fold. Later, he crashes into some fancy suburban homes. This scene is brilliantly staged, with great sound and editing, and we really feel we're in that crash with him. It's horrifying. And finally, the flight of the Spruce Goose is an emotionally climactic moment.

There's no doubt that Hughes was a "difficult" person...even without his madnesses. He wasn't much good at forging close personal relationships with women. But what Scorcese and DiCaprio have captured with THE AVIATOR is the spirit of a time in our history when great things could be done by great individuals with great ambition and drive. It's exhilarating.

To those who found the movie boring and cliché-ridden, I have no answer. People keep saying that THE AVIATOR "isn't TAXI DRIVER or RAGING BULL." So what? Spielberg's MINORITY REPORT ain't E.T. or JAWS, but each is a masterpiece on its own terms. Frankly, Jake LaMotta in RAGING BULL is so unlikeable, the film has always kept me at a bit of an emotional distance (great though it may be). At least in THE AVIATOR, I could root for Hughes and even sympathize with him. And DiCaprio, despite all his foolish, tabloid-baiting activities after TITANIC, is truly one of our most gifted actors. GILBERT GRAPE? CATCH ME IF YOU CAN? A BOY'S LIFE? And now, THE AVIATOR? He's the real deal.

Personally, I recommend this film VERY highly. It's the finest mix of old-Hollywood ambition with new-style technology.

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On one level, this is an interesting and convincing period piece about the times in which Hughes lived and his remarkable accomplishments. I didn't fully catch onto the filmmakers' ultimate intent though until I watched it a second time: that is, the gravity of obsessive-compulsive disorder in Hughes' life. I greatly enjoyed the film the first time I saw it but it wasn't until that second viewing that I realized the power and grittiness of the story they were trying to tell and, for me, the "classic" status it should/will receive. The source music really helps set the period and the score by Howard Shore is truly exceptional. My respect for DiCaprio grew tremendously as well both for his actual performance and after learning more about his passion for wanting to put this story onscreen and all the work he went to and interest he took in the project. I don't like using the word "epic" and often avoid so-called stories that are, but 'The Aviator' is a grand one that has a tone all of its own due to the focus on Hughes' determination and achievements in face of mounting external struggles and even more overwhelming internal ones.

Read Best Reviews of The Aviator (2007) Here

Here for once you have Hollywood hard at work rather than hardly working, and a present day glimpse at what "screen magic" used to be. Perhaps the placement of a story during Hollywood's golden era helped. But what a convergence of planets -writers avoiding knee-jerk political correctness despite the mammoth temptation of Howard Hughes at center, Leonardo DeCapio performing as a top-notch, intelligent actor and not a sneering boy, Martin Scorsese just being an honest tradesman. That plus mid-century 20 razzle-dazzle, an edgy sort of heroism, and the wild card of a tough lesson in obsessive-compulsive disorder adds up to a movie that will certainly last, long after Titanic has sunk again and the gratuitous sadism of Casino has been properly relegated to the smell-o-vision pile. Bravo!

See it on as big a screen as possible. You will meet, best as he can be recreated for you, a complex and driven creator named Howard Hughes who attempted to do more with his life than simply rest on the $$$ he was born with. Warts and all but funny too. As for the rest of the cast, no extras here -the recreation of Ava Garner was particularly smashing and unexpected.

Despite having lived through the era and read all the Life magazines & other news junk about Hughes' last days in my teens, the movie taught me I knew nothing at all worth knowing about him. I had sat down just expecting a typical Hollywood stroll through big sets, snazzy clothes, all that jazz. I can count on one hand films that were actually an advanced learning experience, and I have seen dumpsters full of them in 55 years. But this is not only not one of those clunkers, but also close to the top.

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This is an excellent movie that shows the brilliance and illness of a legend. The acting cannot be faulted. Everyone does their job well.

I can't say great things about the blu-ray because it really didn't enhance anything. That said, for $10.00 I won't complain. If you have the DVD, don't bother with the blu-ray. If you don't, it will be 10 bucks well spent.

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St. Elmo's Fire (1985)

The mid-80's was about conservatism, Reaganomics, Miami Vice and a time where people were not fully aware about AIDS and were thinking more about working together to bring food to Africa. This was the sign of the times and for director Joel Schumacher ("The Lost Boys", "Flatliners", "Batman Forever", "8MM", etc.), while he was working on his second film "D.C. Cab", during a short stay at Georgetown, he observed graduating college students at Georgetown University and wondered how miserable some of them maybe, of having to graduate but now become adults.

It was right there and then that Schumacher wanted to make a film based on these type of college graduates who face problems of transitioning to adulthood. In order to capture the life of a young adults graduating college, Schumacher tapped into recent college graduate, Karl Kurlander ("Saved by the Bell: The New Class" and "Malibu, CA") and together they began working on "St. Elmo's Fire". Schumacher had renowned musician and producer David Foster (who wrote major hit songs for "Karate Kid, Part II", "Sleepless in Seattle", "The Bodyguard", etc.) working on his first film as a composer and cinematographer Stephn H. Burm ("The Untouchables", "Snake Eyes", "Mystery Men", etc.).

But what the film would be known for is the cast in which David Blum of New Yorker Magazine would dub as "The Brat Pack", a title that would be synonymous with Hollywood's popular young talents: Emilio Estevez ("Breakfast Club", "The Mighty Ducks" films and "Young Guns" films), Rob Lowe ("The West Wing", "Brothers & Sisters", "About Last Night...", etc.), Andrew McCarthy ("Lipstick Jungle", "Weekend at Bernies" and "The Joy Luck Club"), Demi Moore ("Indecent Proposal", "G.I. Jane", "Ghost", etc.), Judd Nelson ("Breakfast Club", "Airheads", "Suddenly Susan", etc.), Ally Sheedy ("Kyle XY", "The Breakfast Club", "Oxford Blues", "WarGames", etc.) and Mare Winningham ("Clubhouse", "Grey's Anatomy", "Wyatt Earp", etc.).

The film revolves around seven college graduates of Georgetown University who are starting off on their own careers or trying to find a job.

Kirby Keger (Emilio Estevez) Studying to become a lawyer and works as a waiter at St. Elmo's Bar. He is obsessed with Dale Biberman (Andie McDowell) and will do what it takes to go out on a date with her or to at least be acknowledged by her.

Billy Hicks (Rob Lowe) A father who is trying to find ways to support his girlfriend and child. But at the same time, he's a playboy that likes to have fun, likes to drink and be with many women. He tries to have a fling with the group's virgin Wendy Beamish (Mare Winningham). A musician who plays the saxophone, he is unable to hold onto a job and is looked as a hero at his college (because of his ability to find drugs and sell them to the students). Tends to think with his penis than his head most of the time.

Kevin Dolenz (Andrew McCarthy) Lives with Kirby, a writer, always smoking and the quiet one of the group. Tend to be seen as a homosexual because he doesn't go after women publicly and even looked by his own friends as possibly a gay man who hasn't come out of the closet. Kevin is in love with someone but isn't telling. His friend Jules thinks Kevin is in love with Alec.

Jules (Demi Moore) The socialite sporting the latest fashions and always partying. The carefree friend but behind-the-scenes, things are not as rosy with her life as it would it seem.

Alec Newbary (Judd Nelson) The future politician who ran the Young Democrats in college and now works for a Republican. Dates Leslie and wants her to marry him in order for him to end his desires of sleeping with other women. The friend that others looked up to for leadership.

Leslie Hunter (Ally Sheedy) The architect who is dating Alec. The friend that is level headed but is not sure she wants to get married just yet and wants to establish her own career.

Wendy Beamish (Mare Winningham) The wealthy daughter and the virgin. She is attracted to Billy but gets upset when he keeps asking her if she's still a virgin. Her father pressures her on how to live her life and that she should marry a guy from a wealthy family for the purpose of a family/business transaction.

The film focuses on these seven friends and how they thought that after graduating college, their friendship would continue to be strong and they would be together. But all learn that as they grow older and focus on their careers, their life as a group and as friends will start to change.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"St. Elmo's Fire" gets its HD treatment via 1080p High Definition. For the most part, the positive is that the film looks much better than many 80's films that tend to receive a lot of DNR and overall look too soft and are devoid of colors. With "St. Elmo's Fire", there are lot of colors and scenes such as Jules pink and red apartment that look vibrant but at the same time, there was some banding that can be seen prominently in Jules apartment (towards the end of the film when Billy is talking to her) and some darker scenes with light emitting. Granted, if you are sitting far from your television, this won't be as noticeable. In fact, I didn't catch these until I rewatched certain scenes during my testing and saw the artifacts when I was 3-4 ft. away. But for the most part, the picture quality was satisfactory, considering this film didn't have much of a budget.

As for audio, the film is featured in English, French and Portuguese Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital) and the film is primarily a dialogue driven film. Dialogue is understandable and clear. And of course, David Foster's "Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire" and the other 80's music featured on the soundtrack comes alive during the film. There are some scenes especially at the bar that utilize the ambiance of a crowded room and is heard through the surrounds but for the most part, this film is driven by its characters and its soundtrack.

As for subtitles, English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese are included.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

St. Elmo's Fire comes with the following special features:

* Commentary with Director Joel Schumacher The commentary by Joel Schumacher at the most part is quite informative and sets up the scenes, working with talent and for the most part, Schumacher really goes in depth about the film and the people he worked with on the making of the film. A lot of the commentary is similar to what he discusses in the "Joel Schumacher Remembers St. Elmo's Fire" featurette.

* Joel Schumacher Remembers St. Elmo's Fire (14:21) The following is a Blu-ray exclusive and director Joel Schumacher talks about how the talents were cast for their roles, how the term "brat pack" started, how no studios wanted to do the film and despite the negative critic reviews, the audiences were very supportive of the film. Overall, a wonderful retrospective by Joel Schumacher. If anything, the discussion of how the talents were cast for the film, especially Demi Moore was quite interesting. Also, his disdain towards the term "brat pack".

* Original Making of Featurette (8:43) A featurette from 1985 featuring interviews with the talents and how Rob Lowe had to learn how to play the saxophone in a short amount of time for this film and interview with director Joel Schumacher.

* Music Video: John Parr "Man in Motion" (4:21) The original music video in standard definition of "Man in Motion" featuring John Parr (and the talent from "St. Elmo's Fire").

* Deleted Scenes (15:41) An exclusive for the Blu-ray release (and in standard definition with scratches and dust galore), this section features 12 deleted scenes which include: Too Young, a New Car, How About Lunch, There is No Billy the Kid, The Woman in the Fur Coat, Someone Tell Me What Happened, I'm a Loser, Secret Obsession, Just Pick a Date, A Very Well Dressed Fool, Where is the Defroster and That's My Dad. Although some deleted scenes are quite short, there are a few scenes that get into the relationship of Wendy and her father who is trying to dictate of how she should live her life.

* BD-Live This blu-ray is BD-Live enabled.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"St. Elmo's Fire" was a film not exactly well respected by critics when it first came out. But the film was part of a string of "Brat Pack" related films that would star these talents along with Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall and would define high school and young adult films in the 1980's.

The film was not well-respected because of the times. These were young adults that were quite liberal during a conservative era and most of them were not being shown in the positive light. These young adults were not perfect and they had their own personal flaws that critics saw as vane and shallow but for audiences, they saw something quite different.

For me, to have all these talents together in one film was just awesome. Ally Sheedy and Judd Nelson were just awesome in "Breakfast Club", Rob Lowe in "Oxford Blues", Emilio Estevez in "Repo Man" and "The Outsiders", Mare Winningham appeared on many shows including afterschool specials and Demi Moore was a popular soap star on "General Hospital" years earlier. And of course, for Andrew McCarthy and Andie McDowell, this film would also help put ignite their careers.

And in the 80's, who could not love David Foster's "Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire" or John Parr's "Man in Motion". These were overplayed on the radio and MTV that "St. Elmo's Fire" was literally ingrained into pop culture. And of course, the term "Brat Pack" (as many of them despised the name), for audiences... being part of that group was just the epitome of "cool".

Watching this film nearly 25 years later, it's hard to believe that so much time has passed and how different high school and young adult films are today. Director Joel Schumacher said that he wanted to create a film with young talent but make it an "A film". These issues that the seven go through, this stress and anguish of starting a career and also suffering setbacks after graduation is real. Not everyone who graduates college, is able to have a successful life, and this even rings true so much now especially during our poor economy.

For the Blu-ray release, it's great to watch this film on High Definition but it's also great to have the Blu-ray exclusive features with Joel Schumacher remembering St. Elmo's Fire and seeing the deleted scenes for the first time. Although this film is not called a "25th Anniversary" edition of the film, it's pretty close. The only thing one could hope for is a reunion of these talents to discuss the film or even if it was a few of them, to interview them today about "St. Elmo's Fire" (note: For the Blu-ray release of the 1986 film "About Last Night...", the director and Rob Lowe are brought back 23 years later to discuss their experiences on the film).

Nevertheless, I have more appreciation of "St. Elmo's Fire" as an adult compared to when I was a teenager in high school and catching the film on HBO. I can now understand the wide range of emotions that these characters are going through after graduating from college. Granted, some situations are a bit extreme but the feelings of friendship drifting part are so real.

I also realized of how well this group of talent worked together and found the group to be well-cast. This "Brat Pack" or individual talents went on to become big stars on their own but even back in 1985, it was still a remarkable feat. to have each of these seven individuals together in one film. It's not something that can be easily duplicated today, especially knowing that this film was created on a tight budget and short schedule.

I would imagine that "St. Elmo's Fire" is one of those films that people who grew up during that time will gravitate to, partly for nostalgia reasons. But watching it nearly 25-years-later, outside of nostalgia, I found that watching this film much more enjoyable now and quite entertaining! For 80's film fans or "Brat Pack" film fans, "St. Elmo's Fire" is definitely worth picking up on Blu-ray!

A forerunner to Friends and a Brat Pack movie with the most...Brat Packers, St. Elmo's Fire was a romantic comedy that bowed out to theatres in 1985. Seven of the eight stars were in the enviable "Brat Pack" group, young and precocious actors and actresses that were considered the best of the best of their generation. While St. Elmo's Fire is often considered a mellow and almost overblown teen romcom by the starchiest of critics, it's a favorite of many 1980s film lovers.

Summary in 13 words:

Seven college graduates try and struggle with real life, some succeed, some don't.

DVD Details

2.35 Anamorphic Widescreen

5.1 Dolby Digital Surround (English),

2.0 Dolby Surround (Director's Commentary)

English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Thai, Korean Subtitles

Release Date: 1999

Single-Sided Single-Layered Disc

Suggested Retail Price: $14.99

Black Amaray Keepcase

Video and Audio

The video is remarkably clean. The film was issued in the early years of DVD, when most transfers looked more like cable TV quality, but the video here is exceptional. Presented in its original widescreen is always a good thing, and the print quality is great. The colors are vibrant and accurate, and there's little to no grain or dust. One minor complaint would be the main titles, in its unsettling red font, but other than that, the video is great.

Audio is offered in English, but the subtitles are in so many languages that if you wanted, you could learn Chinese by reading the film enough times. It's pretty balanced in terms of dialogue vs. background noise/music.

Bonus Features

A commentary by Joel Schumacher is one of the many audio tracks given on this disc. He does a pretty good job talking about making the movie, including various tidbits about the actors and the story (which he wrote). The guy's pretty good with a microphone. If only he could have done a commentary for his film The Phantom of the Opera in 2004.

A faded and dirt-filled 8-minute EPK about the making of the film is also presented, made at the time the film came out. It has quick interviews with the cast and director, with a narrator talking during much of the behind the scenes footage. Is it an exhaustive documentary? No. Is it a useless 8 minutes of your life taken away? No. It's pretty rewatchable, though a longer more substantial featurette would be welcoming.

"Man in Motion" is the music video that uses the St. Elmo's Fire theme with lyrics. It's got a real 80s look to it, and features most of the cast as well as video clips from the film.

There are four trailers: St. Elmo's Fire, About Last Night, Groundhog Day, and Jerry Maguire. The trailers for St. Elmo's Fire and About Last Night are not the best video-quality-wise, while Jerry Maguire is not the best movie-quality-wise. Groundhog Day is okay for what it is.

There are also cast/director biographies and filmographies up until 2000.

Closing Thoughts

Perhaps the second best brat pack movie of the 80s (The Breakfast Club, of course, is THE best), St. Elmo's Fire is a wonderful "coming-of-age...now what?" kind of film that is best enjoyed in the company of your closest friends.

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I saw this movie when I was in college with a group of friends. It tells of the struggles of college life and trying to make it out alive in different ways. Sadly, one of our friends of the group could not handle life and chose a permanant way out. The music from this movie was played at his furneral. These characters do gone on and make it in different ways and when you watch this don't over look the point that no matter what life throws at you, things will work out. 15 years have gone by and this film will forever effect my/our lives.

Read Best Reviews of St. Elmo's Fire (1985) Here

St. Elmo's Fire is a coming-of-age movie that will have a certain nostalgic appeal to anyone who was a teenager or a 20-something in the mid-1980s. It will be of limited interest to anyone else, unless you are excessively interested in the pop culture of that era.

The main characters of St. Elmo's Fire are seven recent college graduates who are beginning their professional lives. As other reviewers have noted, these people aren't credible as an ensemble of friends---nor are they particularly believable on their own merits. Somewhere in this mess is a story about the transition from adolescence to adulthood; but the inconsistent characters and disjointed plotlines distract the viewer from the larger themes.

To cite just one example: Emilio Estevez's character, Kirby, develops a severe infatuation with an older woman. He acts out his obsession in ways that would disturb anyone, even threatening the woman's roommate at one point. But the woman who is the object of his desires seems to regard these antics as vaguely cute. People were not quite as sensitive about stalking and sexual harassment in the 1980s as they are today; but this behavior would have been over the top even then. No woman would have tolerated this, much less found it endearing.

Demi Moore's character, Jules, is a compulsive liar who becomes addicted to cocaine. No adequate explanation is ever given for her behavior. Throughout the movie, she moves from one unexplained crisis to the next. Nor does the partial resolution of her conflicts at the end of the movie make any sense.

I watched this DVD with high expectations. I was a teenager in 1985; and I remember that this movie was heavily hyped at the time. But after spending 108 minutes on St. Elmo's Fire, I could not help thinking that I might have gone another 22 years without this experience---and been no worse off.

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This is one of the "defining" movies of the 1980's. And with good reason. First it had almost every major 80's young star in it. If they had squeezed Molly Ringwald in there somewhere, it would have been required viewing for 80's historians.

Imagine graduating from college and then suddenly everything you have prepared for falls away, leaving you hanging onto nothing. That is St. Elmo's fire. It's a legend of sailors following lights that aren;t there. I think everyone has had that moment when you can't seem to find your way. This movie bottles it and packages it. You can put it in your DVD player and watch it like a road map when you need to figure out your life.

I am proud that I was a teen in the early 1980's. The so-called "brat pack" caught a lot of flack in the 80's, but I hold onto these films and this on in particular. I was a defining film in my life. Maybe it will be in yours too.

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Easy Virtue (2009)

Between world wars, the Whittaker's estate is sinking; only the iron will of Mrs. Whittaker staves off bankruptcy while she awaits her son John's return from the continent. To her dismay, he brings a bride: an American widow who races cars. The bride, Larita, thinks she and John will visit and then go to London, where he'll work and she'll race. But John is to the manor born, and mother is nothing if not a master at plans and manipulation. Soon it's all-out war between mother and bride, with John's father, a burnt out veteran of the Great War, in the bride's corner ineffectually. Mother has a plan to join with the neighboring estate; only Larita is in her way. Based on the original play by Noel Coward, 'Easy Virtue' encompasses sharp wit, romance and drama; and although it is set in 1920s England, it is far from the typical period drama that might be expected. Biel has a captivating presence, bringing classic Hollywood glamour to the movie. A thoroughly enjoyable British comedy.

...I know the cost is going to be a killer. To summarize quickly before a long worded review this is your typical solid Sony BD presentation of a good film, so I suppose one will have to weigh out how much they love the content.

I felt this to be a great comedy presentation of a 1920s Brit piece that came across on Blu beautifully. The English countryside estate (a lovely looking acreage and interior) is filled with a wonderful cast of snobs, naive youth, seasoned work staff, and a comic relief father played perfectly by Colin Firth. He was the strong point of the movie and I laughed almost every time he spoke. The story follows the introduction of an American wife into this mix played adequately by Jessica Biel. As the weeks progress we get to see a spattering of visuals, comedic schticks, and life lessons learned by all until the surprising end. I do not feel the criticism I have read here and elsewhere is valid since this is meant to be a light take on this sociological experiment, yet exquisitely preserved.

The overall colors were a little drab, but some of the landscape exteriors and one interior dance scene showed some vibrancy. The TrueHD was fine, and actually played best when the music was active (which is being interjected often). The supplements were thorough for a film like this, including:

* 5 minutes of 4 deleted scenes would have been fine left in the film.

* 8:30 minutes of bloopers they were actually funny and seemed appropriate for the extras inclusion since this was a humorous film.

* 6 minute New York Premiere Featurette more of an ad plug with some red carpet interviews and too many film clips.

* Commentary by the director and writer this was actually one of the better ones I have heard in some time. The director dominates the track with a plethora of great info, and the writer actually provides a solid back-up to his material; they gelled just right. Was nice to hear a team on a commentary instead of a competition or a mess of constant interruptions.

I liked the film and it plays very well in the store. The display catches a great deal of attention with the props, music and attire, plus everyone performs quite well. Four for the film and one for the extras. Did not see the original material (play, book) to compare so I think all the negative press is misplaced as a stand alone film, and Biel was not that bad she did fine for what the role was. Enjoy.

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I loved watching this movie. If you have seen some of Noel Cowards work done before (Relative Values), you'll remember the humor he brings to the plate. Stephan Elliot truly had his hands full with four great cast members! You will laugh, you will be upset, you will be astonished and that it what makes this movie such fun to watch! It's been described as "meet the very posh british parents" but I think it's much, much more. And, a great performance of the Tango done by Jessica Biel and Colin Firth!

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I am always looking for a movie that I can watch that will entertain me and sometimes, help chase away the blues. I am generally not a romance movie fan, so I nearly passed this movie by. I did watch this movie however, and boy was I glad that I did. The plot very entertaining and the scenery, the clothes, the actors were all eye candy. The music selected for the movie helped set the tone. Was it a socially important movie? No, not unless you think that bringing a smile or laugh to someone has value (which obviously I do.) This movie is what it is. You either get it...or you don't. A big thumbs up, in my book.

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I saw Easy Virtue 5 times in the theatre when it was in limited release and would have seen it more given the chance! The acting is suberb by the whole cast. Ben Barnes (of Prince Caspian fame) plays love struck young Englishman John Whittaker who marries American race car driver, Larita (an elegant, witty Jessica Biel) bringing her home to his manipulative disapproving mother (the always fabulous Kristin Scott Thomas), vacant war damaged father (Colin Firth in a beautifully natural performance), and provincial sisters Marion and Hilda. Snappy dialogue and machinations ensue on both sides in the battle for John's future.

This is often billed as a comedy and though it IS very funny, there is drama and deeper meaning, as well. Director and co-screenwriter Stephan Elliott (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) manages to find something sympathetic in each character while taking a delicious potshot at upper-crusty English society. Little is left of the Noel Coward play it's based on (thank goodness), but it's witty enough that it sounds like Coward. Elliott creates a visually rich and dynamic piece packed with fun period music (I LOVE the soundtrack!).

Marius de Vries builds a beautiful period score along with some contemporary songs made to sound like period pieces (I especially love "Sex Bomb"). Ben Barnes has a gorgeous voice and besides singing to charm everyone in the movie, provides the soundtrack with two of my favorite songs, "A Room With a View" and "I'll See You Again". Jessica Biel opens the film with a lovely "Mad About the Boy" and helps Colin Firth and Ben Barnes on "When the Going Gets Tough the Tough Get Going".

I highly recommend this gay, bittersweet romp!

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Santa Fe Trail (1940)

I was encouraged by another reviewer who gave the transfer his blessing and I want to concur. Its nowhere near the stunning work that Universal has done on its Monster collection nor some other transfers of its era on BR....but given that Warner Brothers let the project lapse from its control and what we've been dealing with for years has been very sub standard versions taken from Public Domain ....I was very pleased with the overall presentation and the sound is more robust than most BRs I have.

Now...lets place it in its proper context. This is such a gem of a movie in the classic Michael Curtiz/ Errol Flynn/ Olivia De Havilland series that to have it in even okay shape is a must for any film lover... to have it in at least very acceptable form a delight for me. Of course Van Heflin , Raymond Massey and the ever present Alan Hale Sr add greatly to the mix as does future President Ronald Reagan.

This isn't a cheap BR but if you are a fan of these actors as I am its well worth the 20 dollars... Of course I'd recommend these Errol Flynn sets first The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 1 (Captain Blood / The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex / The Sea Hawk / They Died with Their Boots On / Dodge City / The Adventures of Errol Flynn)The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 2 (The Charge of the Light Brigade / Gentleman Jim / The Adventures of Don Juan / The Dawn Patrol / Dive Bomber)TCM Spotlight: Errol Flynn Adventures (Desperate Journey / Edge of Darkness 1943 / Northern Pursuit / Uncertain Glory / Objective Burma)Errol Flynn Westerns Collection (Montana / Rocky Mountain / San Antonio / Virginia City) ...if you collect all those then you will be greatly interested in this film.

The quality here is less than a standard studio DVD. To be fair we must note that there has never been a good version of this film released on DVD and this low quality BD is probably the best image to date. If your a big Flynn fan you might justify the price just to have the best but this low quality should be priced at about $10. Every Warner, Flynn DVD, looks much better than this Blu-Ray.

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I bought this in hope this is Remastered and it's sort of; although, not like a really great Blu-ray with great sharpness but it's still good. The audio was pretty good and the video transfer was better than I expected, but don't expect a great job since it's by a company that hasn't done a Blu-ray before. It is in a Full frame mode, but when it's on a widescreen TV the bars are there and the have only two languages which are in English and German with no subtitles. The only special features is a slideshow and the trailer of the movie. The movie stars; Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Raymond Massey, Ronald Reagan, Alan Hale, Van Heflin, plus others and was directed by Michael Curtiz. I'll try to upload a screenshot by a video or camera since I don't have a Blu-ray drive in which I could've gotten a screenshot of the movie. Overall the quality of the Blu-ray is better than some DVDs and I would recommend this.

Read Best Reviews of Santa Fe Trail (1940) Here

It's a great story starring Errol Flynn, Ronald Reagan, Olivia de Havilland, Raymond Massey, and Alan Hale. The subplot pitting Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan competing for the affections of Olivia de Havilland is vintage Hollywood. However, even though it's a great movie, please be cautious that this movie is not historically accurate. For example, Longstreet, JEB Stuart, George Armstrong Custer did not all graduate West Point together in the class of 1854. So if you are looking for history, please be aware that only the broad sweeping theme has any resemblance to reality. The writers have taken quite a bit of creative license with history. However, if you can get beyond this, it's a great movie. The scene with the old Indian woman, when she tells their fortunes, is priceless. It's directed by Michael Curtiz who did a number of Flynn-de Havilland movies (Sea Hawk, Captain Blood, Robin Hood). It's terrific vintage 1940 Hollywood.

The video quality is very poor, The Blu-ray is no better then the DVD. It's about the same. In fact, the DVD has an added feature with the biographies of Flynn, Reagan, and de Havilland. Somebody should fully restore this terrific film. The blu-ray and DVD are both very grainny and overexposed. It's a shame. The sound is fine and it is in sync with the video.

I gave this blu-ray 3 stars because of the very poor video quality. Otherwise, I would have rated this 5 stars.

PS: It is interesting to note that in the beginning of the movie, while they are in Kansas, Flynn & Reagan are using Remington Model 1861 Army Revolvers. They did not exist yet. Also, the rifles in the crates marked "Bibles" do not appear to be Sharps Model 1853 Carbines (Beecher's Bibles). They should be. Finally, in the scene where Lee and what should be his Marines, are retaking Harpers Ferry from John Brown, Flynn is using a Colt Single Action Army revolver (which was issued in 1873). The John Brown incident at Harpers Ferry occurred in 1859. The Colt SAA was not even invented yet. For both the Kansas and Harpers Ferry scenes, they shold be using the Colt Model 1851 Navy revolver or even the Colt Dragoon.

By the way, JEB Stuart (Flynn) was graduated from West Point in 1854. George Armstrong Custer (Reagan) was graduated in 1861 (a year early due to the outbreak of the Civil War). James Longstreet was graduated in 1842. Phil Sheridan was graduated in 1853. John Bell Hood was also graduated in 1853. In 1852, Lee was appointed Superintendent of West Point and served in that capacity for three years.

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A movie good to get an escape from the modern world and to get a good laugh at how they interpreted history. Ronald Reagan as George Armstrong Custer?? This movie is not for historical purists

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FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)

I've remembered and loved this movie for years. It's got great a message for both kids and adults. Robin William's character is hilarious and unforgettable. Definetly watch. The music numbers and the final scene make it all the worthwhile.

This was the last movie that I ever watched with my father before he passed away. So this movie has alot of sentimental meaning but it's a great movie for children. I saved mine for my daughter to watch. Batty is so funny and the singing in this movie is great. Though Hexas used to scare me when I was younger I loved this movie and I'm in my 20s and I still know every word to it. For parents out there looking for a good movie with a good message, this is the movie you're looking for!

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There are very few movies that we can watch more than once. Fern Gully is one of a handful of them, and it's great for the whole family! Wonderful catchy music, beautiful and clever animation, creative characters, classic lines, great voices, and a nice, relatively subtle environmental message. There are so many ridiculous movies out there for kids that have the same predictable plots. It's refreshing to have a movie like this come along. I can't wait to get it on DVD!

Read Best Reviews of FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992) Here

I remember watching "Fern Gully" as a mere child, and being fascinated. I mean, c'mon! There were animals, cool faeries, a crazy bat, and an awesome smog guy. And not only that, it actually had a positive message.

This is probably one of the only children's films to ever have an actual POINT. (*gasp*)

The plot is simple for the younger children, but can be enjoyed by all ages. I know this, for I purchased it just a few months ago, hoping it would leave me with the same fascinated feeling. It DID.

Plot: Idiotic humans are chopping down trees in the rainforest while magical spirits are oblivious. (They don't believe in humans. :) In drops a psychotic bat (voiced by Robin Williams) whose insane antics are due to labratory testing. Trust me, the song "Batty" rap will leave any animal lover feeling cold. Take into consideration these lines: /I've been brain-fried, electrified, infected and injectified/and fed pesticide/ my face is all cut up cause my radar's all shut up/ Nurse?/ I need a check up from the neck up cause I'm BATTY./

Disturbing, no? Children probably won't heed the lyrics, but will feel sympathy for this character who obviously distursts mankind.

Meanwhile, a young human named Zach cuts down a tree. But it's not just ANY tree. It is a tree that the faeries used to capture an evil demon named Hexxus, who is the father of pollution. Hexxus starts out whispering his name like some deranged Pokemon, but soon morphs into a well-built, smokey man who belts out a great number about killing the earth. Hexxus is brought to life by Tim Curry's sinister, drawling voice. Beautiful. (Maybe a bit too sexy, though.. There are a few sublininal messages, I believedue to listening to the unedited soundtrack.. But please, I';m not trying to pull a Dobson!)

Anyway, stupid humans. Now it is up to Crysta, a cute young faerie, to save the day from Hexxus' acid rain and the destruction of Fern Gully.

SPOILER: One downfall is the fact that Pips (Crysta's boyfriend) and Zach end up finishing the fight. This stereotype should not have appeared in the filmit really does not fit.

Above all, the music is the most enjoyable thing. Tim Curry, Robin Williams, Sheena Easton, rapper Tone Loc, Johnny Clegg, Elton John, and others make up the soundtrack.

I myself found the main characters, Crysta and Zach, to be a bit vexxing but still likable. More understandable are Pips and Batty.

And Hexxus is just an excellent villain.

If you're a fan of crazy animated films, you'll love "Fern Gully."

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Fern Gully was the first film my parents ever took me to see at the movie theater. Freud said that childhood affects a person's character, and this movie really did a lot for me (living in a tropical island wich is full of rainforests, it did get me fairy searching). I have this movie when it came out on tape and I still watch it, last time being today. The characters are amazing, Crysta is so much like me and thank God, not a blonde as every animated movie heroine. Zak is totally cool cause he's not destroying the forest because he's evil, he's doing it because he doesn't care, mainly because of ignorance. Robin Williams is amazing as Batty Koda, as he is in any other role. His lines make me laugh and at the same time dig into your brain. The thing is, that when I saw this movie, I didn't know english, and yet I understood it. It really did shape my mind and character and it's made me the tree-loving, pollution-fighting, rainforest-saving, nature-nut I am proud to be today. So this movie, wether I have to buy on DVD when I have kids (I'm only 15 so that'll be a minimum of 10 years in the future) I want them to see that "all the magic of creation exists within a single, tiny seed".

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Deathship

Scorpion Releasing continues with their next exciting genre release, this time a real classic in the form of a lesser known violent ghost story at sea, Death Ship.

Featuring the always welcome George Kennedy (whom would go on to further 80s horror fare see the excellent Just Before Dawn) and the ever familiar Richard Crenna, this is a very original horror movie which tells the tale of a group of shipwrecked survivors that happen upon a rusted out old abandoned ship from the 1930's. They go aboard, as it seems like a chance for survival from the open sea, but they soon realize they are in far more danger on the Death Ship!

While low on atmosphere, this film still does have some and it's effective. The Nazi element is unsettling and gives cause to the paranormal violence that the survivors have to face. There is a quite memorable scene with the beautiful Victoria Burgoyne in the shower, when a large amount of blood ruins her day. Pretty awesome.

Filming a horror movie on the open sea is always an effective way to set up tension, as established early on with Jaws and other films ad nauseum. However, with Death Ship there is an extra sense of dread in that this time the threat is of a paranormal nature AND you cannot escape because there is still the threat of being lost at sea. In other words, where it lacks in atmosphere Death Ship makes up for in overall dread and fear. Plus, you get a decidedly dark performance from George Kennedy than you are probably used to. Overall though a really great "haunted-house-on-a-boat" spook fest that boasts some cool practical effects and decent scares. Definitely a midnight movie.

I have not seen the DVD so cannot compare I have the Blu Ray, and it looks excellent. Death Ship was a great choice for Scorpoin Releasing's first Blu Ray release.

On a side note, while not advertised on the cover this time, Death Ship is the latest film to be released under the Katarina's Nightmare Theater line of genre horror releases. It contains both the regular film and the version that she opens and closes. She is silly and charming as usual.

Great buy for 70s/80s horror enthusiasts.

DEATH SHIP is not GHOST SHIP. GHOST SHIP is a game. DEATH SHIP is real.

This is one of my favorite of the horror movies they used to show on Saturday afternoons when I was a kid. I have such fond memories of it that I bought the original movie poster a few years back. I've worn my VHS to a thin strip and I'm so glad that it now has a proper remastered DVD release, but I'm almost worried about seeing a cleaned up, sharper version! The "original", shown-on-TV copy I grew up seeing was so distorted and darkened that you could barely see the ash covered walls in the interior of the ship. Like NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, something about the poor duplications of the film seemed to make it better more seedy more disturbing. Regardless of my nostalgia, I'm sure the remastered version won't disappoint...

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i first saw deathship in a cinema back, somewhere in the late 1970's. i love haunted ship and train movies and, i have seen alot of them! deathship is hands down the BEST of them!

george kennedy prformances of the "bipolar" captains is some of the acting of his career.

sorry folks, i'm not giving away any spoilers to this damn good movie.

folow up deathship by seeing the thai movie deathtrain... you will be so overjoyed that you did so!

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This is one of my favorite movies of the 1970's/1980's horror era. It is original, has a well-known cast of good actors and is scary without all the gags, gore and dumb naked bimbos that many of today's so-called horror movies rely on. The physical appearance and atmosphere of the German death ship is enough to give you the creeps. This remastered version has a nice clear picture which is a pleasure as some of the older movies have not been offered in DVD's of decent quality. There is a bonus feature that translates the German that is spoken by the former occupants of the ship into English so you know what is being said during these scenes. I found this helpful but it sort of took away from the creepiness of having to guess what the voice is saying. You know how leaving something to the imagination can be more visceral than if it is actually presented. Either way if you like a good, old fashion horror flick than don't miss this one. I have watched this movie many times and always get something more from each viewing. Death Ship is a winner and not to be confused with the mediocre Ghost Ship from a few years back.

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Deathship is a classic example of how to use atmosphere and suspense to keep an audience on the edge of their seats. Deathship is about a ship that is haunted by it's former crew, Nazis. The movie does an excellent job of being scary and suspenseful without using a whole of F/X. Something todays movies use too much off.

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A Knight's Tale (2001)

If you're a fan of Brian Helgeland, Paul Bettany (Chaucer), or just commentary tracks in general, don't buy the extended edition. The regular DVD has every feature the "extended" edition does it just doesn't insert the deleted scenes into the movie. They're included as bonus features. This extended edition does not include the hilarious and insightful commentary track by Helgeland and Bettany, which is really the best thing about the DVD. You get more features for less money by buying the regular DVD release.

Apparently audiences couldn't quite figure out A Knight's Tale when it had its theatrical release last year. This was in all likelihood due to the combination of rock music in ancient times clashing with our knowledge of history and our delicate sensibilities. However, having both seen this at the cinema and owning it on DVD, I would like to hope that this movie will be given a second chance to win new viewers as it really is a good film and great fun!

Heath Ledger (The Patriot) displaying great charm and a winning smile throughout, plays William Thatcher, squire to a washed up champion jouster, who dies during a competition, leaving William to masquerade as his master in order to collect their winnings. Aided by his initially less than enthusiatic pals Roland (Mark Addy from Full Monty) and Wat (Alan Tudyk, 28 Days) William fakes nobility to illegally enter competitions. On their travels they encounter a naked wanderer, the future famed author, Geoffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany) who joins their `crusade' and helps to forge William's ancestral lineage, so that he can take part in the noblemen only games. Whilst competing (according to my wife who seems to like every Australian film star) the very handsome William catches the eye of a lady, Jocelyn (the very beautiful Shannyn Sossamon), and sets out to win her heart. However, standing between William and his two goals of winning the World Championships and winning the hand of Lady Jocelyn stands the dastardly Count Adhemar (brilliantly played by Rufus Sewell, Dark City).

This is a surprising change of direction for writer/Director Brian Helgelend (LA Confidential). This movie is great fun and the mixture of rock music (they sing, clap and stamp Queen's We Will Rock You before each joust) and medieval times works surprisingly well, adding to the excitement and atmosphere of each competition. Both Heath Ledger and Shannyn Sossamon shine in their lead roles and share excellent on-screen sexual chemistry. However, it is Paul Bettany who steals most scenes as the occasionally naked, always in trouble, lyrical Geoffrey Chaucer. Also watch out for James Purefoy in a relatively small role (but tipped for greater things)!

Extra features on the DVD include a light-hearted commentary from Brian Helgeland and Paul Bettany, where they reveal some of the FX tricks of the trade and hear Helgeland feign ignorance of the fact that they didn't dance to David Bowie in 1366 or play Queen's "We Will Rock You" at jousting tournaments. There is also a passable documentary and some excellent deleted scenes and a music video where Britains most popular of current musical stars Robbie Williams performs Queen's "We Are the Champions" with all the pomp and grandiosity of Freddie Mercury, outlining why he is considered natural heir to Mercury's throne as Britains Greatest Showman.

Four stars for the movie (five stars are far too often and easily dispensed), four stars for the extras. Well worth checking out.

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I can't tell you how surprised I was when I absolutely loved this movie! I didn't expect to like it at all. I figured it would be a two-dimensional MTV take on Medieval sport. Instead the producers did something dangerous -they found a script!

Sure it's predictable and there are plenty of cliched lines, but the film absolutely succeeds in what it set out to do. It plays very well by its own rules. And it is surprisingly moving at times. When the film could have sunk to schmaltz, it holds its own with good acting and sturdy writing.

What could have been another stupid teen movie actually has legs and a soul.

I'm amazed the number of people who fault it for its inventive style in incorporating contemporary music with the medieval milieu, when these same people loved Shrek for doing exactly the same thing.

I applaud the risks the film takes and how well it succeeds when it takes them. In the end, isn't Pro Wrestling or boxing the modern day equivalent of the joust? In spirit and appeal, at least, if not in grace or sophistication.

Call it a guilty pleasure, but the film is a fun and successful and worth watching again.

Don't skip the deleted scenes -wonderful stuff there, especially the extended stockade scene.

Read Best Reviews of A Knight's Tale (2001) Here

Okay, like some others here let me stress...THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE A HISTORICALLY ACCURATE MOVIE.

After reading the first 80 reviews I feel compelled to add my own 2 cents. We rented this and I have to agree that in the first few minutes I was revolted by the rock music, being a big fan of historical pieces set in the middle ages. Despite my initial feelings, I stuck it out. Too soon I found myself again annoyed by the styles worn by the Lady Jocelyn. Yuck! "What is going on", I wondered. But already I was finding myself involved in the story line and enjoying the humor, especially the interactions among the main characters. By the end I was willing to admit I'd been entertained and I was in love with all the characters with the possible exception of Jocelyn.

Then we watched all the extra bonus material and I was amazed at the thought and work that went into this movie. I just had to watch it again, having gained a new perspective on WHY things were done the way they were. What I discovered was an extremely entertaining romp.

For those of you who only saw the theatre version or are concerned about the rock and roll references in these reviews, try to see the director's point of view. Throughout history parents have strived to understand their youngsters. Or do we assume that the generations have always perfectly understood one another until it came to the 20th century? Language, music, clothes...isn't it likely that different generations differed as much in opinions then as now? If not then how did the culture ever evolve into something completely different? Notice that I have avoided the term "teens". Well, face it, back then the teens WERE adults. But there must still have been generational gaps. Did they say "wow" in historical times? No. But it's probable that there was a word that conveyed a similar meaning from a "slang" perspective. Language is not static, it is ever-changing. What we speak today would not even be understood by those who lived in England almost 700 years ago, so how can anyone complain about accents and language? Do they really think that anybody from England today would have been understood back then? Please.

Music....hello? Orchestral is better for periodic pieces why? As another reviewer mentioned...it's no more periodic than rock. The director was wanting to portray a fresh perspective and succeeded hugely. I'm sorry but when you're trying to convey a sense of excitement such as one feels at a football game (yes, that's the analogy used to try bringing jousting to a more modern perspective), chamber music isn't likely to get anyone in today's world fired-up.

And folks, that's a big part of what this whole movie is all about. Jousting was a major sporting event that was very exciting to the people of the time. How does one convey that excitement to a modern audience? The drama is easily done...but the intense emotion, the exhilaration we associate with a favorite sport? I feel that the director found an exciting new way to bring the medieval world alive for modern viewers.

As to Jocelyn. She's a bit shallow and the costumes are starting to bother me less. But her character (or lack thereof), allows for some very comedic lines that I think add to the overall fun of the movie.

I could go on but other reviewers have hit most of the other key points. The bottom line is: if you've seen it once...try it again...and watch the extra stuff. If you haven't, then get it...rent it first if you must but watch this movie. It is now one of our favorite movies and just the other night we watched it again with tremendous enjoyment and I wanted to see each and every single extra feature again. It's family-friendly and a romantic comedy that you won't mind at all having the teens and youngsters watch.

As one reviewer said, "suspend your belief from the start"...and then settle down to enjoy this story. It's fun, it still portrays a medieval "flavour", and the music ROCKS!

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A suprisingly entertaining spectacle. 'A Knight's Tale' marks Heath Ledger's coming out party. The young Aussie star is in fine form as a poor boy seeking to become a knight. The lancing tournaments are dazzling, and the comic relief is frequent. In addition, call this movie the 'un-period piece.' While the film is set in medieval times, several scenes blatantly and intentionally fuse history with present popular culture. For instance, Ledger and another knight meet in the arena as the crowd claps to Queen's 'We Will Rock You.' Later, Ledger and a young maiden dance disco-style in a medieval hall. It's a bizarre mixture that gives the movie a hip, refreshing edge. I was dragged kicking-and-screaming to this one. But I came out a fan.

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Fallen (2007)

I loved this show so much that I went ahead and ordered Fallen The Destiny as well. Upon recieving Fallen (Part 1 and 2), I found that Part 3 of the series is also included in this disc set, not just Parts 1 and 2 as indicated in the description. So when you buy it you don't need to spend the extra money and purchase Fallen The Destiny to have the whole series after all.

Aaron Corbett (Paul Wesley of the Vampire Diaries) is an orphan who has found a loving home. He's got a great life, supportive family, he's a jock, he's smart, basically he can write his ticket to any college he wants. Then on his 18'th birthday everything changes; hidden powers emerge and he learns the terrifying truth that he is a Nephelim. A Nephelim is a cross between a fallen angel and a human and is considered an abomination by the Powers (Gods angels). He will be hunted down and destroyed unless he accepts his destiny as the Redeemer, the prophesied Nephelim who is the savior to the fallen angels.

The movie series centers around him finding out, accepting, and surviving to fulfill his destiny. The movie is interesting and well done. While it does take liberties from the best selling book series it's still well done and will keep you interest.

The acting is excellent though at times overdone. I loved the character of Gabriel the Labrador but I wish his voice hadn't seemed so contrived. The special effects were overall well done and I especially liked that they didn't over do the flaming swords.

I didn't give this a 5 star rating because while there are shows on TV that come off feeling more like a movie this definitely has a Made-for-TV feel.

Buy Fallen (2007) Now

Fallen: the Beginning disc actually contains Fallen: the Beginning and Fallen: the Journey and this disc contains Fallen: the Destiny. I think they divided the eps wrong since The Journey and The Destiny aired together more than a year after The Beginning. Gripes out of the way, it has a pretty decent widescreen transfer. But it's a bare-bones disc with nice menus and chapter selection. No Special Features or even trailers. I'd think this show garnered a little more respect since ABC Family was showing behind-the-scenes clips on TV and online. Well, it only took 3 1/2 years to get in. At least they didn't convert it to fullscreen like they did with Haunted. Overall, it's a good movie. I really liked it. They did good things with a TV show/mini-series budget.

Read Best Reviews of Fallen (2007) Here

I Loved this "Show". It stars Paul Wesley, Who is now on the CW's Vampire Diaries, As a supposedly normal teen and orphaned at an early age when he is adopted into a very nice family that has an autistic son. On his 18th birthday when most teenagers would get a car or a great party he gets Wings, As in ANGEL Wings!

Now MY review...

I was THRILLED to see something so different on TV especially when it has religion in it. Most Networks and well EVERYONE avoid Religion and Politics even if it IS Fiction. I was really hoping that this would have been a actual SHOW and not Just a Mini-Movie. That said I WAS Really Happy with what they did in telling his story BUT they did leave a cliff-hanger. So It is possible to get MORE someday. If You have any interest in anything having to do with Angels both Good and Bad, Then this "Movie" Is for you. It has action, romance and a bit of magic.

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Based on the FALLEN books (eg. Fallen, Leviathan, Aerie & Reckoning) written by Thomas Sniegoski . . . unfortunately (as with most movies) it doesn't follow the true path in the books. Personally I found the books to be far better. The movie was good in its own way, but I like the way the book ended better than the movie.

Originally an ABC family mini-series, which was first aired in 2006 (The Time of the Redemer) and followed with additional episodes in the summer of 2007 (Mysterious Ways and All That, Someone Always Has to Die and Il Gran Rifiuto aka the Grand Refusal).

The movie introduces us to Aaron Corbett . . . a Nephilim . . . the offspring of an angel and mortal woman. Hunted by the Powers leader Verchiel (a woman in the movie), Aaron is informed by a Fallen Angel of his TRUE nature. Of course he is in denial, but events slowly unfold as his angelic powers start rising to the surface. When Verchiel goes to his home she's hell bent on anniliating him, but after blasting him into fire he walks out, his angelic nature surfaces and he battles with her. He is then forced to flee home with the angel Camael and his dog Gabriel, he leaves all his loved ones behind.

A prophecy foretold " . . . in the footsteps of his father, in the sign of Virgo, a Redeemer will be born. His hands will deliver fair judgement. Ye will know him by his markings, names on his flesh reveal his mercy. The Redeemer shall judge what the Fallen have done and bring the Fallen to ascension and glory one more. Many shall seek him. Those meaning to destroy him will guide him to his fate. Again all of the damned or Fallen shall know Paradise, once again the Fallen will have time to make right where they went wrong."

During an encounter with the Powers Camael is wounded. They search for the angel Ariel, who is a gifted healer. Aaron visits a college campus and learns more about the stories of angels and the Fallen from a professor. The professor takes Aaron to his home to show him proof . . . Aaron sees Vilma, a girl he knew in high school . . . she is a Nephilim too.

After rescuing Vilma, the Powers are hot on his trail, now lead by Mazarin they continue to hunt him down. Camael tells Aaron and Vilma to flee, and he is captured by the Powers. Another fierce Fallan warrior angel by the name of Azazel joins Aaron, Vilma and Gabriel. Azazel lies, and tells Aaron that Camael is dead. He promises to take Aaron to the Light Bringer, the oracle who wrote the prophecy and who would be able to tell Aaron WHO his angelic father is.

Unfortunately this mini series stirred up alot of controversy (not too surprising), as some folks fail to realize this is a work of FICTION and a MOVIE (not a documentary). Some religious folks are probably offended because this story does not follow the Bible . . . hello, this is "fantasy" all things go, it does NOT have to follow the Bible. Seriously, I think the movie portrayed LUCIFER as the BAD guy (as do most religious writings), if the movie had followed the BOOKS, then religious folks would REALLY be offended . . . the books are far more graphic and violent and portray the first of the Fallen, Lucifer, as a person you feel sorry for . . . anyhow, just enjoy the movie for what it IS . . . a wonderful story with nice special effects. I thought it was AWESOME! So glad it FINALLY came out on DVD, been waiting a LONG time for that!!!!!!!!!!

The Fallen Leviathan (The Fallen) The Fallen: Aerie Reckoning (The Fallen) The Fallen 1: The Fallen and Leviathan The Fallen 2: Aerie and Reckoning

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Outpost: Black Sun BD Combo

I'll start by admitting that the plot to the entirety of the "Outpost" series so far is a bit silly but I can't help but admit that the series has some really fantastic original stuff in it. Both cool and gory this series is pretty badass in a multitude of bloody ways. Both Outpost and Outpost Black Sun have been scary, gory and yes even a bit silly from time to time. I mean lets face it, this is the closest thing we are ever going to get to a "quality" nazi zombie film right?

Outpost which was released in '08 was surprisingly a scary film. There were some true moments of terror and fear in the film. Such as the dead body sneaking up behind the solider, the torture scenes and the atmospheric nazi ghosts and settings. It really did scare the shit out of me from time to time. It was an independent horror film that really stood on its own and had some action and horror all mixed up into one package. I mean I enjoyed it alot!

And then here comes Outpost Black Sun. The sequel to Outpost which I was pretty pumped for since I heard it was going into production. And yes it delivered! The budget was greater, the acting was a greater step up from the first. There was a much larger multitude of gore, action and plot introduced which I thought was a great way to give the audience something even more than what we had received the first time. Outpost Black Sun had many more layers than Outpost and to that I have to give credit for. This film had some great scary moments too. I felt the film left an impact. And I had loads of fun with it!

If its one thing this series so far has illustrated it is that its shown that it can take its self seriously but also have fun with the idea of bringing the 4th Reich back from the dead. Some of it is laughable, some of it is scary, some of it is gore filled and violent and even some of it is action-packed. But overall I have give the series a triple thumbs up for being cool, original and fun all in its own right!

It's 1945. A German scientist, by the name of Klausener, is working on a new technology that has the power to create a massive army of Zombie Nazi. Present Day, Two investigators team up with a Special Forces Unit to venture deep inside a war that's raging between the military and that massive army of Nazi Zombie Stormtroopers. Their mission? to fight their way behind enemy lines, locate the technology at the source of this growing threat and prevent the inevitable rise of the 4th Reich.

Despite the fact that the plot sounds an awful lot like The Asylum's "Nazis at the Center of the Earth", I decided to give Outpost: Black sun a chance and I'm glad I did. While it might not be as entertaining as "Nazis at the Center of the Earth"(watch that movie & you'll figure out what I'm saying), it certainly is engrossing and intense. More like a war movie than a Zombie Nazi movie. I really liked it and aim on hunting down the first movie.

One of the better zombie movies out there. I recommend it!

Buy Outpost: Black Sun BD Combo Now

Let me start out by saying how much i loved the first one.. I found out about the original Outpost whilst on a hunting trip up north with family and friends. A friend had brought his collection of foreign movies and among them was a little gem called "Outpost". Outpost had everything a good independent horror film could have-especially for its incredibly small budget. A good script, good sets, phenomenal acting, and good effects.

Flash forward a few years, and the sequel has arrived. Excited, I rip open the box I received from amazon, put it in the DVD player, and let it rip. Now, I won't go into detail about the movie for fear of spoilers, but I will say this: you really need to watch it to decide for yourself whether its a good sequel to the first. I will say that it's like "Aliens to Alien", whereas the sequel is more of survival-action than of horror. The two main problems that I only had with the movie weren't of concern with the script or story, those aspects I think they got right with. The problems I had with were the atmosphere and the "zombies" themselves. Outpost had a really gritty, Gothic look to it that made you wonder what was around the corner, and the sequel, really, quite doesn't. The other main issue were the "zombies". Although the atmosphere tied in with this a bit, the nazis weren't supernatural ghosts, but more of an invincible army that screamed as if they were traditional zombies.

All in all, I think it's really up to you, the viewer, to decide. I personally didn't regret watching it, and after watching it twice, it has sunk in better for me. If you are a fan of the original Outpost or even if you're just a fan of nazi/zombie movies, give this a shot. You might find it enjoyable.

3/5 Stars

Read Best Reviews of Outpost: Black Sun BD Combo Here

A great sequel to the original Outpost. Well scripted and acted, you will enjoy the trip back to our favorite bunker.

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I really wanted to like this movie...but whoerever caster the Helena or wathever

her name is ...really messed up. So we have this skinny little clean girl that

is investigating the Nazis and .....why bother....i really did'nt care for her

acting as it messed up the movie....she did get a bit better near the end when

finally her face got dirty..but it was too late...

Looks like the filmaker wanter a female hero to continue the series...bad move

and to add more insults....they left the end of the movie opened for another

chapter.....that ticked me off....cant they just create good movies with quality

ending instead of looking for the next mini series.

good for a view....rent it ...only pay when the movie is worth it...not this one.

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The Rocketeer: 20th Anniversary Edition (1991)

Based on Dave Stevens' graphic novel (which was inspired by "King of the Rocketmen" a movie serial from the 40's), this retro fantasy is a blast (pardon the pun). Unfortunately, the DVD transfer is not so hot. Director Joe Johnston ("October Sky", "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" and "Jurassic Park III")does a nice job with this feature film recreating the look of Hollywood in 1938.

BLU-RAY REVIEW:

Disney has given us a very nice looking Blu-ray debut for "The Rocketeer. Although the image is occasionally a bit soft the overall detail, depth and colors are far superior to every previous edition of the movie. The film looks exceptionally good for a film that is 20 years old.

We get a nice 5.1 lossless mix--it won't blow you away the way that, say, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon" audio might, but it's immersive and sounds extremely good with crisp, clear dialogue.

Special Features: Someone missed the boat at the Mouse house here--we get the theatrial trailer and really nothing else of worth. That's just wrong since there's A LOT of material out there on the making of teh film.

4 stars for the transfer which looks extremely good and 1/s star for the "special Feature".

Cliff Secord (Bill Campbell) and "Peevy" (Alan Arkin) have put together a cutting edge stunt plane. During a test flight the plane is destroyed in an accident involving the FBI and the Mob. It seems the Mob has stolen a revolutionary rocket packet designed by Howard Hughes (the great Terry O'Quinn)which the U.S. wants to use for military purposes. Unfortunately, so do the Nazi's who hired Mob kingpin Eddie Valentine (Paul Sorvino) to steal it. Secord accidently comes into possession of the rocket pack and suddenly everyone from Hollywood actor/Nazi agent Neville Sinclair (Timothy Dalton) to the FBI want to catch him and retrieve it.

ORIGINAL DVD REVIEW:

This is a fun witty film of the graphic novel. The DVD transfer looks so-so. The image is frequently too dark and there's lots of digital artifacts (aliasing, etc.) that mar the picture. Presented in widescreen, it's not enhanced for 16x9 sets and doesn't appear to be an anamorphic transfer either. Why does all that matter? Because on a widescreen TV it would have enhanced and improved the picture quality making it look sharp, vivid and alive. The original theatrical trailer is the only extra. I don't know if Disney has any immediate plans to reissue this but if you do purchase it, be aware that it doesn't look all that great on DVD because of the transfer by Disney.

I'm hoping that Disney will be reissuing this terrific movie because it certainly deserved it. Unfortunately, the film with its loopy charm and srong performances didn't get the audience it deserved and died at the box office. Disney, get off your duff and reissue this as a two DVD Special Edition as it deserves!

The Rocketeer is one of the most enjoyable action-adventure movies ever made. Everything about this film is wonderful. Director Joe Johnson perfectly captures the look and feel of Hollywood (or what Hollywood should look and feel like) during the 1930s. Great casting with Bill Campbell right on target at Cliff Secord, Jennifer Connelly as his best girl, Jenny Blake, Alan Arkin as Cliff's mentor and mechanic/inventor friend, and Timothy Dalton as the evil Nazi spy-movie star Neville Sinclair. Like Raiders of the Lost Ark, it is a homage to the film serials of the period, but with a lot more spit and polish. The special effects are great, the set decoration, costumes, makeup, all evoke the time and place perfectly. A wonderful script adapted from the graphic novel of the same name sets this movie apart from others in this genre. The dialogue is funny, fast and at sometimes furious. Campbell plays the All-American boy with a real gee whiz, almost Jimmy Stewart kind of charm. The plot about a secret plan by the Nazis to build rocket packs for an army of "Rocketeers" to take over the world is added and abetted by Dalton as the Errol Flynn-like movie star. When a prototype rocket pack accidentally ends up in the hands of Campbell and Arkin, the action, and their troubles, really start. This film is filled with dozens of wonderful characterizations. Some of the best are Paul Sorvino as gangster Eddie Valentine, Terry O'Quinn as Howard Hughes, and Tiny Ron as Lothar. The musical score by James Horner is outstanding. It's heroic, quiet and inspiring. Why this film didn't turn out to be the big blockbuster it should have been is beyond me. I love Raiders of the Lost Ark, but this film matches it in almost every category. One of my favorite modern films, I never tire of watching it. Perfect entertainment and perfect for all ages. The Rocketeer is a real winner.

Buy The Rocketeer: 20th Anniversary Edition (1991) Now

This movie is clearly a five star film. It's exciting, fun, adventurous and great for kids, but also for adults! The photography is great, sets and costumes are authentic, and the acting is first rate. HOWEVER, this has got to be the worst DVD transfer I have ever seen. It looks to me like they took a widescreen 72 mm print and projected it on a screen, then rephotographed it on 35 mm... no kidding. Nearly every letterbox film I have goes from one side of my flat panel monitor to the other. This one is well within all 4 sides of my monitor... and the color is milky and faded and there is a grainy character to the picture. The sound is clearly stereophonic and wonderful... so why Disney can put out an amateur transfer like this is beyond me. Having said that, the film is not expensive and I still recommend it.... but Disney needs to re-release a clear transfer of this wonderful film. I will be worried about the quality of future Disney and Miramax films on DVD if this is how they are going to be released.

Read Best Reviews of The Rocketeer: 20th Anniversary Edition (1991) Here

Somehow as a kid I missed watching this film, but I amended this oversight during college by acquiring the standard DVD edition of the film. "The Rocketeer" blew me away, not due to intensity of action or spectacle, but instead by a quality increasingly rare in our blockbusters... its heart. The film undeniably wears its earnestness on its sleeve, but the result is far from cheesy, manifesting into an atmosphere of excitement and wonder that hearkens back to Hollywood's Golden Age and the old 1930s serials. Aside from the better Indiana Jones films, "Rocketeer" is probably the best homage you can find to that style of storytelling. Not that the film is perfect -far from it -but "Rocketeer" uncannily manages to turn many of its flaws in its favor. They add to the charm, as does James Horner's rousing score, which ranks easily among his very best.

Yet "The Rocketeer" has never been the unqualified success it deserves to be, having had the misfortune of opening against a little indie film you may have heard of called "Terminator 2." It was unceremoniously dumped on VHS and then the aforementioned DVD -a barebones disc with a non-anamorphic, smeary mess of a transfer that, on today's HD televisions, is damn near unwatchable.

Enter this "20th Anniversary Edition" Blu-ray. Video is pretty good for a film of its budget, production methods, and vintage; not reference quality, but certainly a vast, VAST improvement on the wretched DVD. Audio is slightly disappointing with a distinct lack of LFE in the sound effects, but James Horner's score sounds wonderful.

Most disappointing is the almost complete lack of bonus material. The menu is stylish and the disc even uses BD-Java, but the only available extra outside the film is a standard-definition trailer. For a release billed as a "20th Anniversary Edition," this defies logic. Surely a retrospective featurette is called for at the very least? According to The Digital Bits, cameras were present at a 20th Anniversary screening at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood that included a Q&A with the filmmakers, so I suppose it is possible that they are saving features for a future release, but given this title's treatment in the past another, later release on Blu-ray seems unlikely.

In summary, five stars for the movie, four stars for the video, three stars for the audio, and no stars for the extras. Why, then, is the overall rating for this review five stars? Because, with today's equipment, all previous video releases of the film are unwatchable, and the quality of the upgrade from DVD to Blu-ray is easily worth five stars, especially considering the quality of the movie, and frankly we are lucky to have this Blu-ray at all considering the film's reputation as a box-office flop and as something of a stepchild for Disney. Considering that a future, feature-laden Blu-ray upgrade is highly improbable, this "20th Anniversary Edition" is highly recommended.

Want The Rocketeer: 20th Anniversary Edition (1991) Discount?

For those of you who don't know about this movie, read the other posts here. What I'm going to talk about is the poor video quality of this release.

To start, the framing has been noticably cropped from its original 2.35:1 Panavision scope aspect ratio. If you are familiar with the original widescreen/letterbox laserdisc that Disney released, you'll find that this DVD sports the exact same composite video transfer with all of its inherent problems intact. No new high definition master was created for this release.

The only thing of merrit is that the ORIGINAL 5.1 surround track was used to encode it to Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. Yup, the packaging is in error. You're in for a treat as the split surround channels are pretty darn active considering it was mixed in the early days of 5.1 digital surround equipped cinemas.

Hopefully, Disney will re-do this DVD in the near future. They created a fresh transfer for The Santa Clause SE, so why not the superior The Rocketeer??

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