Terminator Anthology (The Terminator / Terminator 2: Judgment Day / Terminator 3: Rise of the Machi

Something I've heard people ask is why the "Terminator" movies haven't been released in a box set all together. The answer used to be simple: they were owned by separate studios. No longer will I have to throw that disappointing answer out at disgruntled fans. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has taken possession of and released the 5-Disc collection "The Terminator Anthology" on Blu-ray.

"The Terminator Anthology" is everything an enthusiast of the franchise could ever want. You get the original classic in high-definition, the special edition and theatrical versions of "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines," and "Terminator Salvation's" director's cut and theatrical version. They're all presented in stunning high-definition transfers that make you feel like you're seeing the movies for the first time all over again.

I enjoy all the films with Arnold Schwarzenegger about the same. In retrospect, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" is a bit tedious at points and seems overlong and bloated. People couldn't get enough of "Liquid Metal Man" when the movie came out, so I can see how 137 minutes of different appearances by him kept an audience alert in 1991. It doesn't hold the same dazzle today that it did 21 years ago.

"Terminator Salvation" is an entertaining movie even without Schwarzenegger's presence throughout. You have Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Anton Yelchin adding star power to it. The surprise appearance of Arnie's CGI face gave fans something to smile nostalgically about.

There are plenty of special features for consumers to be excited about. They include deleted scenes, "Making of" and "Behind the Scenes" featurettes, audio commentaries, and "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" contains an introduction by Arnold Schwarzenegger and a gag reel. Maximum Movie Mode for "Terminator Salvation" provides storyboard comparisons and a Terminator Mythology Timeline. Not to sound like a car salesman, but that's not all!

"The Terminator Anthology" Blu-ray collection comes housed in a cardboard sleeve which features the metallic face of a T-800 peeking out from behind a "T" on the cover. The movies are on four different discs. The fifth disc features the special features for "Terminator Salvation." This is the ideal way for consumers to get these classic films in one handy set. For many fanatics, it's a dream finally realized thanks to Warner Bros.

I am not happy that the original Terminator has been altered in this blu-ray version. The original soundtrack theme has been changed and does not sound punchy and dramatic like the original. Almost all of the sound effects have been changed. During the truck scene just before Kyle uses the bomb to destroy the large truck the Terminator is driving, as Kyle's stolen truck tumbles over that scene is cut short and Sarah screams twice in the original version, not once as in this version.

All the gun shot sound effects have been altered. No longer are they the original BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM-BOOM but piff piff piff piff-piff. I am not a gun or violence fanatic but an original movie fanatic (perhaps nut) trying to make a point the sound effects are all a part of the original film and they create the atmosphere of what made the original film what it was.

I had purchased this set awhile ago and sat down tonight looking forward to watching "The Terminator" as I remembered it. Not so with this set. If you're looking for the original version, I would pass on this blu-ray release unless you don't mind the edits. I hope the other versions of the Terminator films have not been altered, and that there is an Easter Egg opportunity to at least view all the deleted scenes together in Terminator 2 like in Terminator 2: Extreme Edition.

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YES!!!! It's finally here! The incomparable Terminator series brought together in one well made boxset!

Being a HUGE Terminator fan, when I saw this I simply could not pass it up! Of course T2: Judgement Day will always be my favorite and is a true classic, but ALL 4 Films are very entertaining and thrilling! I was impressed with McG's take on the series with "Terminator Salvation". Well done!

I honestly hope that they don't make anymore movies because it's a wonderful series but the main story has been exhausted at this point! This excellent collection is a fine way to say farwell to the story of John Connor!

A-1 Package!!

PS: This one is NOT cheaply made this time around!

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"The Terminator Anthology" is a five-disc Blu-ray set containing seven versions of the four "Terminator" movies -the four theatrical versions, two additional "Terminator: Judgment Day" editions, and the R-rated Director's Cut of "Terminator: Salvation." The first three star Arnold Schwarzenegger, the fourth stars Christian Bale. These films were released previously on Blu-ray, but this set bundles them together with a neat collection of bonus extras.

The original 1984 feature still ranks as one of the cleverest science-fiction movies of the last 30 years. The script combines the tried-and-true sci-fi ingredient of robot-run-amok with time travel, and is well served by the solid performances of Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and Michael Biehn, cool special effects, and plenty of action. Many films over the years have tried to duplicate its success but paled by comparison.

"Terminator 2: Judgment Day," gave us the unforgettable images of an evil robot (Robert Patrick) morphing into different objects via a silvery, metallic liquid -a real eye-opener at the time. Those scenes still pack a wallop.

The fourth picture has a pretty good script and Christian Bale does an acceptable job, but Schwarzenegger is sorely missed.

Bonus material includes deleted scenes, James Cameron interviews, audio commentary, behind-the-scenes videos, and multimedia galleries.

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The Blu Ray presentation is excellent. The only thing that is not good is that the lenguage spanish is not available in the both first movies!

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Sleeping with the Enemy (2011)

"Sleeping With the Enemy" is probably my favorite of Julia Roberts' movies. This film has so much suspense that you immediately get wrapped up in the lives of all of the characters.

The story centers around a woman who is in a marriage from hell. Her husband abuses her and keeps her confined in a large beach house. His possession of her mind, body, and spirit is terrifying. She finally gets enough courage to get away from him and leave him once and for all. However, she has to fake her death to do so. She flees and starts over in a small town where her blind mother resides. All is well until her husband discovers that she's not really dead and hunts her down to reclaim her.

This is an excellent nail-biter that will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat! I highly recommend this film!

Joseph Ruben has fashioned a by-the-numbers, glossy, engrossing, if trashy and predictable, thriller. It is imminently watchable, of course, and features the mega-watt smile of our fave, Julia Roberts, who improbably dons theatrical costumes in the midst of a semi-breakdown to the tune of Brown-Eyed Girl. The men around Julia, both her over-the-top psychopathic husband and her would-be new, soft boyfriend (Patrick Bergin and Kevin Andersen, respectively) are completely dispensable, and Ruben knows this: he keeps us monumentally focused on the beguiling Ms. Roberts throughout. It is easy to forget and forgive lapses in credibility (there are many), and the opening twenty minutes have a glossy, antiseptic queasiness about them that seem to be setting up a much more deft and daring thriller. All of that vanishes, along with common sense, but it hardly matters. This movie is one you can watch over and over and over again, a bunch of chips nearby: it moves quickly, harmlessly, and gives you what you want when you just don't feel much like thinking.

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When I went to this movie I thought it was a spy movie. Nope it is not what a shock. It is about domestic violence. Many people I have spoken with think this is a very good movie. I think they like it more for the syspense factor from what I can tell. Perhaps someone can gain some compassion from this movie because it feels this way to be in an abusive relationship. They really did their research or someone knew something when directing and writing the screenplay. I know nothing about the book and am not focusing about the socioeconic status of the woman of the book vs the movie like the previous reviewer. Unless you are comparing and constrasing the 2 for a term paper forget about that. I do not think that is really important to the story as domestic violence can occur in all economic levels. When you see stress of the wife trying not to upset her husband with stupid little things like arranging the cans of food in a cabnet. This is what some abusers are really like. Anything and Nothing will set off an abuser like that. The Victim gets punished for these things as an excuse for him to get out his anger or control just like the movie. This really lets you know what it is like to be in an abusive relationship from the inside. If you let yourself you can get into the character just as a movie like (A Beautiful Mind) you can get inside a character. They are totally different movies, but they have a similar delivery style. This is a very disturbing movie and I would not recomend it for young people unless it is in the context of teaching about domestic violence or perhaps preventing it. Next to being in an abusive relationship this is the closest you can get unless they make another movie. This would be a good movie for someone counselling domestic violence victums or anyone going into the psychology field. If you are a student of one of those diciplines you might want to watch this to desinsitize yourself to what people may tell you and to familiarize yourself with abuse.

If not this is another syspense movie that is really well done and some people find it entertaining. I think it is more educational, but the delivery is entertaining to some people. I think it is just that some people seem to crave violent movies of all types and do not think about the message even when someone goes to the trouble to have a real plot and storyline.

I hope that helps.

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Julia Roberts, she of the million-dollar smile, shines in this otherwise dull, by-the-numbers thriller. Patrick Bergen glowers his way through the movie like a villian straight out of a silent melodrama. You expect him to be kicking widows and orphans out on the street, not traumatizing Julia Roberts.

Hokey dialogue, a contrived plot, and murky cinematography make this a lackluster gem in Julia's career. The movie is worth a watch, however, just to see Julia in male drag when she's trying to visit her mom in the nursing home. If Hilary Swank had been unavailable to film "Boys Don't Cry," Julia would have made one hell of a replacement!

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The husband in the movie displays the classic signs of an abuser. He tries to keep Laura under control, he must have the towels and cans arranged in a certain order, he accuses her of having eyes for a doctor who lives on the same beach as they do (even though she insists that she doesn't know him) and hits her, he wants to keep her confined to the house, and he tries to keep her from seeing friends or family (especially her mother). So-so movie, but portrayal of abusive husband is accurate.

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Paycheck (2013)

Not only a very good sci-fi movie but it also have action and a very good story. I recommend it.

I gave this movie a 5 star rating. It was loaded with action, suspense and time travel. I would recommend this movie to anyone who loves these three things.

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One Week (2008)

Ben Tyler discovers at the beginning of the film that he has a short time to live and despite the urgings of his fiancee and family to enter treatment immediately, he heads out on the road on a motorcycle. He takes photos of himself at man-made and natural landmarks, he meets people along the way who give him insights such as "if you need to ask if you are really in love, you aren't," and "I work the ranch without making enough money because there are other kinds of payments."

The other kinds of payments are hard to put into words. Things like being in contact with the wide open beauty of the land, or surfing, or enjoying the company of others.

It is a complex film that captures the feeling of settling for second best, of believing what people tell you about yourself, and then discovering they were wrong.

As a Canadian I identified strongly with Ben's journey. He has a romantic core, wants to instill some passion in his bored students -but fails; he is unassuming and undemanding and states that if he could read the paper and drink coffee with his fiancee at their favorite coffee shop for the rest of his life, that would be enough; and Ben's journey is realistic -the most danger he encounters is getting drowsy and skidding out of control on a squashed skunk. He wakes in the ditch with nothing broken and tries to dance and celebrate, but that is not his style. He is uncomfortable with too much outward exuberance. The real story is going on inside.

Ben is perhaps not a typical Canadian, but he is "my" kind of Canadian, and so I was cheering for him quietly, in my head, while I sipped tea and though of having a Tim Horton's donut. You see there is a kind of rebellious streak in Ben that I like, he is finding his identity after all, but his rebellion leads towards insight, not violence or crime or block busting. He takes the world as it is, noticing, accepting. Even if the giant chair or moose or giant "whatever" is less than wonderful -he smiles at them.

There is a self deprecating humour about all this, a kind of "lets not get too excited -or too disappointed" attitude that sounds boring when you say it, but works so well in the film -and in life really. Life is what it is, after all, even with cancer. So in good Canadian style Ben wakes up (literally and metaphorically) and goes home to his family.

If you like intelligent films in which each frame has a poetic thoughtfulness, this movie will hit the mark.

I am not Canadian, nor is my store in Canada, but I still thought this was a great Canadian travel film. This was one of the more realistic cancer films I have seen in a bit, and (I feel) not worthy of the hate club that campaigns against it.

Simply put, it is a film about a man who travels across his country after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Like other good travel films, we see a sampling of the beautiful country that Canada has to offer, we encounter every-day personalities of people along the way and we learn a few lessons about ourselves and what life might be about. The difference here is that we get a insightful narration by Campbell Scott (most recognized of late with his role in Phoebe in Wonderland), which in itself provided some nice laugh-out-loud moments.

I laughed at unexpected moments, saw some incredible Canadian scenery, and did not feel anything was contrived or cardboard (as most complainants have stipulated). The special features give this four-star film a five. The low-def "Making-of" contained just the right amount of logistical material on production, the commentary and interviews provide plenty of information for the followers and the remaining HD gallery, after party and trailer add just the right amount of extras to show the fun side of this film.

The Blu quality is slightly better than the DVD, but there is still plenty of grain and and (very minute) random artifact. The grandiose panoramas could have been a bit clearer, the DTS was never fully utilized, even with the plethora of songs, but the presentation was still adequate. Not a reference Blu, but the film and special features make this a higher rating.

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This was a great movie to stumble onto, thanks to Amazon's free Prime streaming. It's a great, scenic, peaceful, thought-provoking movie with good acting from the main character. And a nice motorcycle, to boot!

I found it well-written, with very little cruft, and without being overly dramatic. There is some great, understated humor altogether, it strikes me as a very Canadian film :)

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A Canadian sleeper, "One Week" is a small, quiet, and thoughtful little film that I think will be a pleasant surprise to most. A rather lightweight movie about mortality and making the most out of what we're given--the film, which might have been insufferably maudlin, is played for mostly comic affect. It's an interesting, and mostly effective, choice because it is the tone of "One Week" which makes it stand out. So low key and understated, at times, as to barely register--the piece eschews traditional big dramatic moments for a quirky introspection provided in a silky narrative by Campbell Scott. At times, the film veers into overly precious territory and I'm not sure that it doesn't want to be a comic fable. I think, however, it is more successful as an unassuming character piece as opposed to a hokey allegory.

Joshua Jackson plays a young teacher who is diagnosed with a Stage 4 cancer. With such a bleak prognosis, Jackson wants to reconnect with life before assuming the role of a patient. Leaving his family and fiancee, Jackson embarks on a motorcycle adventure across Canada. Along the way, as you might expect, Jackson learns how to live again--to embrace the side of him which had been relegated to the past in pursuit of adult responsibilities. The trip is filled with colorful and wise locals, ridiculous tourist traps, and mildly amusing scenarios that all help to identify what Jackson holds precious. As if that weren't enough, the Scott narrative observes the action and provides either a gently humorous punchline or an example of how a brief occurrence has lifelong repercussions. I love Scott--but it is in this voice-over that "One Week" becomes slightly strained and contrived.

The film is, also, a lovely tribute to the Canadian landscape. A travelogue of wilderness beauty, the movie has a lot to recommend it visually. But to anchor the scenario and keep you invested--there has to be a compelling lead. Jackson is this movie. I think that he underplays his role with precision, and his effortless likability is a huge selling point. There is something incredibly natural about the way this film unfolds which makes me forgive its less successful narrative reaches. As the film progresses, the tone becomes more serious as is appropriate. But the overuse of melancholic music starts to supplant actual plotting. Yes, it cues sadness--but it's too easy, especially for a film that has tried to establish a unique voice. All in all, though, I think people will love this film and find everything else nitpicking. So who am I to argue? About 3 1/2 stars which I'll round up for good intentions. KGHarris, 3/11.

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I strongly recommend this video for the searchers among us. We need not be aware of a life changing moment greater than the "knowing smile" of those who have survived life's challenges....

"One Week" offers a glimpse into the human condition, the ever new journey beyond each moment, each turn, each sunrise, sunset...

Besides being a great visual treat, the simplicity is easily entered into.. take a couple of hours to take stock of your life.

There are some "edgy" moments which are unfortunately part of nearly every "artistic" genre today... "One Week" is no exception... make sure you view BEFORE allowing an impressionable youth absorb some of the scenes.

Otherwise, it does a good job of depicting the minimalistic life that "a motorcycle journey" endears. Beautiful scenery in Canada!!

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Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

This is a story about a stubborn and arrogant man who needs to push his body to its absolute limits, but who dedicates very little of his energy to his soul or intellect. That's the concept the unites this film and the book on which it was based. But ultimately films owe no debt to the books or the reality on which they are based (read the book "Monster" by the late screenwriter and author John Gregory Dunne if you need to get that straight).

Brad Pitt is not unwatchable as Heinrich Harrer, but you may cringe at his Austrian accent. Just remember that this film may not have been made at all without his interest and participation, and it wouldn't have been permitted the sort of budget that gave us the amazing landscapes which dominate the movie.

I suppose once they had their big star, casting went for the very finest actors they could find regardless of their status: therefore, we have two beautifully resonant performances by David Thewlis as Pitt's climbing companion and Lhapka Tsamchoe as the Love Interest.

This movie is about Heinrich Harrer, but there is some focus on his ties to the Dalai Lama. Very little screen time is spent in the camp for enemy aliens (those were YEARS of his life) or the difficult scrabble simply to exist once he escaped. The shots of the Dalai Lama's early childhood are there not only to foreshadow the important role the Dalai Lama ultimately plays, but also to establish a link between the child who befriends Harrer and the son who Harrer does not know.

The authenticity and detail of Tibetan life, dress, buildings, and so forth is rare and overwhelming. Even if it was staged, it is a good record of a lost time.

Further praise to the screenwriter (Becky Johnston) who translated a good book into a good movie. The addition of a few good laugh lines and the general development of character were well done.

Heinrich Harrer is an interesting man and merits a movie about his life. Of course, the elements of living in Tibet and developing a friendship with the Dalai Lama are crucial to the interest. For my part I've watched the movie several times and I always get deliciously lost in the scenery.

SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET

(USA 1997)

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (Panavision)

Theatrical soundtracks: Dolby Digital / SDDS-8

The only thing more beautiful than Brad Pitt in Jean-Jacques Annaud's low-key drama SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET is the astonishing location photography (Argentina, Canada, Austria and the Himalayas standing in for Tibet), rendered in glorious Panavision widescreen by cinematographer Robert Fraisse. Pitt, every inch the blond Aryan god, plays real life explorer Heinrich Harrer (on whose book this film is based), an arrogant Nazi bully who ran from his wife's unhappy pregnancy to conquer the Himalayas toward the end of the 1930's. Stranded there by the outbreak of World War II, Harrer found his way to the forbidden city of Lhasa, where his unexpected friendship with the teenage Dalai Lama (played with great warmth and sincerity by non-actor Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk) curbed his ruthless streak and provided him with a fresh outloook on life, until he was forced to flee the country following the Chinese invasion.

Suffering from unfair comparisons with Martin Scorsese's KUNDUN (1997), which opened shortly afterward both movies were denounced by mainland Chinese officials Annaud's film evokes the splendors of a remote mountain community founded exclusively on Buddhist principles (in an amusing sequence, Pitt is asked to build a movie theater without killing the hundreds of worms uncovered by his workers' excavations). It may be a Hollywoodized vision, but it's also respectful and, in places, deeply moving ("Do you think someday people will look at Tibet on a movie screen and wonder what happened to us?" the Dalai Lama asks Pitt in one of the movie's most self-referential moments).

When Chinese troops invade the Tibetan stronghold towards the end of the film, they display all the arrogance and hostility which had typified Harrer's behavior until he was transformed by the example of his gracious hosts. Distinguished by John Williams' majestic score (so much better than the tuneless dirge he provided for SLEEPERS the previous year), the film also features David Thewlis (NAKED) as Pitt's climbing partner, Lhakpa Tsamchoe as the beautiful woman who comes between them for a while, and B.D. Wong as a lowly Tibetan official whose vanity and cowardice prompts the downfall of his own culture.

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There are so many spiritual moments in this movie. I was literally captivated from start to finish. The theme of mountain climbing was fascinating and the sheer beauty of the snow laden mountains gives the story a purity of spirit.

In my humble opinion, this is Brad Pitt's finest movie yet. As the Austrian mountain climber, Heinrich Harrer, he brings a sexy warmth to a freezing climate. At first Heinrich is only concerned with his own existence and is quite out of touch with his spiritual self. He abruptly leaves his very pregnant wife to fend for herself as he runs off to join an expedition to climb Nanga Parbat in British India in 1939.

He seems to be on a personal journey with destiny lending a hand. While climbing, he is captured and spends time as a prisoner of war. Not even this experience breaks the chains that seems to hold his soul captive. In his case, the enemy doesn't help him to develop patience and compassion. It takes the heart of a child to show him why he should climb down from the mountain of his own pride, so he can take on a higher challenge, love.

This is a breathtakingly beautiful story of two souls who find one another under the most hostile situation. For a brief moment in time, they know true friendship, despite the age and cultural differences.

Unfortunately, mankind is rarely happy with what they have and when Tibet comes under attack, the tranquility and harmony of the Tibetan city of Lhasa is completely destroyed.

While humans have the ability to destroy one another, they also have the ultimate responsibility to love one another and nothing is more difficult when your philosophies of life clash so horribly. While peace is the ultimate goal, this movie brings the realization that evil is alive and well and that at times, evil seems to have an upper hand in many countries.

Still, the hope for peace and happiness for every human burns in some hearts like a flame for the rest of the world to see. Finding a reason to live in a difficult situation and not running from your responsibilities to friends, family and country is also emphasized.

Thoughtful and will leave you with a feeling of peace and hope.

Quotes from the Dalai Lama I found recently:

When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect towards others.

We have to take seriously our concern for all of humanity. When we focus on our individuality, humanity inevitably suffers. Whether we love humanity or not, we must realize that we are part of it. That is why being compassionate is actually in my own best interest. And a symptom of my own peace of mind that I can share comfort with others around me.

It is constructive and worthwhile to analyze our emotions, including compassion and our sense of caring, so that we can become more calm and happy. Hatred, jealousy, and fear hinder peace of mind. When you're angry or unforgiving, for example, your mental suffering is constant. It is better to forgive than to spoil your peace of mind with ill feelings.

Altruism is the best source of happiness. There is no doubt about it.

~The Rebecca Review

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In this lengthy (132 min) basically true tale, Brad Pitt portrays an egotistical, selfish, pompous, despicable, Nazi jerk (admittedly, not a pleasant combination of characteristics) whose abhorrent personality ruins his marriage and alienates all around him. While on a mountain climbing expedition, he is captured and imprisoned by the British in India. After numerous escape attempts, he finally does achieve freedom and begins a long trek to the relative safety of independent Tibet. Unfortunately, outsiders are not welcome in Tibet, and thus begins a 7+ year ordeal which culminates in his becoming a tutor and friend of the youthful Dahli Lama. Through their interaction and strongly influenced by Tibetan culture, Pitt's character achieves a complete reversal of personality, emerging an infinitely better individual. How all this happens is both believable and beautifully presented.

I found Pitt's uneven German accent to be inaccurate and highly distracting, but this is my only complaint about the production. Photography, music and settings are magnificent....successfully capturing the essence of the Himalayas and 1940's Tibetan culture. For those not familiar with the Dahli Lama's current exile to India, this movie provides a clear and honest historical review of events that made it necessary. You will come to understand why, to this day, so many people support him and his country so fervently.

I recommend the movie to all mature viewers who appreciate superb scenery, epic scope, excellent acting (accents aside), insights into history and exotic cultures, and a heart-warming character renaissance.

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The Chinese genocide of the Tibetans is one of the most disgusting and disturbing events in modern history, on par with the Nazi treatment of the Jews. This is doubled by the fact that the western powers did and are doing nothing as members of an ancient civilisation dedicated to spiritual practice are exterminated by the chinese.

There are those who will deny this fact, if you are that ignorant then do not watch this film and write pathetic, twisted comments.

If you are more of a human being then you will enjoy this film. Far from perfect, the depictions of what Lhasa once looked like before the Chinese invasion are breath taking. The film shows Tibetan Buddhist monks being shot in cold blood by Chinese soldiers. This is shocking as it should be. This is what happened to thousands of monks in 6,400 monasteries. In the words of the Dalai Lama, 1,200,000 Tibetans have died as a direct result of Chinese occupation policies.

If you view this film and enjoy it, you might want to read of the plight of Tibet by the Dalai Lama himself. 'My Land and my People,' is an excellent book.

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Tooth Fairy 2 (2012)

This is a place to review the products not express an opinion against a celebrity that a person thinks is stale. For anyone that wants to know if it's a great movie for kids, my 4 and 5 year old love it. There is nothing offensive about it. It's not going to win any Oscars but I'm pretty sure the makers didn't expect a nomination. There is no violence and it's a cute story. Nothing about it you'll have to explain to your kids later. So for parents that just want 90 mintues of peace and quiet its worth the purchase.

I judged this by the same standards I would judge an adult movie:

Did it keep my attention throughout the film?

Was the story-telling original?

Was the sequence of events credible (within the context of the fantasy)?

Was the humor original and did I laugh spontaneously?

Were the casting choices and acting good?

I consider myself a harsh but fair critic, judging a work by its merit within its own genre. I thoroughly enjoyed "Tooth Fairy 2."

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My kids loved it that the "Head Fairy" was a kid. They know Larry the Cable Guy and his redneck ways, so the farce was complete. Total turn-around from the Rock version.

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I know everyone has their own opinions on everything; here is mine:

I LOVE Larry, he is so funny. This movie is nothing like the last one, except he is the fairy. There are all different actors, and frankly it is not as funny as you would think. I am sorry Larry, but the Rock has you beat on the funny portion. This could be due to the fact that the Rock is a wrestler and actor of a different type, so to speak. And knowing Larry is in the movie you just expect it to be hilarious, I don't know. I was actually disapointed in it.

As far as the person selling this, they did a fantastic job. The items was as described, a good price, and the shipping was fast, thank you.

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Cute story and enjoyed the actress Brady Reiter who complemented Larry the Cable Guy. Great movie for the younger audience members.

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The Robber (2011)

There's a new "running" film available on DVD/Blu-ray. It's "The Robber" (aka Der Räuber), which is the Benjamin Heisenberg-directed film based on the true story of Austrian bank robber/marathoner, Johann Kastenberger. The screenplay was adapted from Martin Prinz's 2006 book, "On the Run." The film made the film festival rounds in the spring, but the DVD/Blu-ray release will be most's first exposure to the film. It's also available on Netflix Instant. The film is in German, but is sub-titled in English and is very easy to follow, as the dialogue is very deliberate.

So who was Johann Kastenberger? According to the film, and to Wikipedia, Kastenberger was a convicted bank robber, who was first arrested in 1977 for robbing an Austrian bank. He served a 7-year prison term and trained extensively while in person. Upon release, he made an instant splash in the marathon, setting an Austrian national record (the film shows 2:20, but I can't corroborate that anywhere online and haven't read Prinz's book yet). The film does show him winning the ultra difficult Kainach Mountain Marathon in a still standing record of 3:16. Not long after being released from prison the first time around, Kastenberger reverts to his bank-robbing ways and becomes known as "Shotgun Ronnie," due to his penchant for wearing a Ronald Reagan mask during his robberies. This is something that is left out of the film.

Andreas Lust does a very passable job in portraying a competitive runner. He's fit, has good form and most importantly, looks the part. There are some excellent action scenes in "The Robber," particularly one after a robbery nearly goes awry and he runs through multiple buildings being followed by a single camera, and ends up hopping on a trail to evade the police. It's a very entertaining film and is well worth 90 minutes of your time.

The Robber is loosely based on a true story of a champion marathon runner who also robbed banks in his spare time. The cinematography in this movie is fantastic the running and chasing scenes where the camera follows is as good or better than any hollywood production, overall this is well worth having a view on a quiet evening...

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Hmm, I wanted to like this film a lot more than I did by the time the credits rolled. The story of a talented marathon runner who is also a cold blooded, unfeeling bank robber/killer. As a runner with nowhere near the talent of the 'anti hero' of the film played by Andreas Lust, the scenes of him running throughout look better than any I can ever recall in a movie. As the film opens Andreas gets out of prison for bank robbery and immediately returns to the only two things he lives for--running and crime. Its unclear why he does either activity as neither one seems to bring him pleasure or meaning in his life any more than the beautiful girlfriend he resumes living with upon release. In fact the 'why' of what is driving Andreas in his life is never explored or revealed in this film. He's gifted athletically; his Parole Agent & others bend over backwards to help him; and yet he seems to be a complete, unfeeling, 'zombie' hurtling towards self destruction. 'The Robber' seems to be driven by the theme of nihilism to its quiet, near wordless conclusion. Be aware this is not a 'satisfactory ending', 'it all makes sense now'film, but it is compelling & well done.

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This movie has it's moments, but is a missed opportunity. I have never watched a film with such an interesting subject matter be so boring most of the tiime. There is virtually no character development. The chase scenes are extremely well done and that is what saves this movie from being a total disappointment. I had read many positive reviews and was expecting more. I am an American that really enjoys foreign films. I hope someone else tells this story again that is capable of really good story telling. It's clear that the film crew is very talented to do some of the things they do, but someone really needs to re-tell this story and do it justice. Definitely rent before buying. The PQ & AQ are top notch.

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Must see... Not your typical Hollywood smash & grab shoot em up style action flick. Great performances by both the main Character and supporting. Great ending.

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Brubaker (1980)

Of course, I'm biased. "Brubaker" is a fictionalized account of the real story of Tom Murton, warden of Tucker & Cummins prison, in Arkansas, in 1967-68. Tom Murton was my dad & I lived on both those prisons as a 5th grader, before we were unceremoniously kicked out of Bill Clintons state. Most of the movie's events really happened, including the electric torture--called the Tucker Telephone--the whip, the horrid food, the inmate trustees carrying guns, painting death row, & digging up some of the 200 unmarked graves, most of which remain unmarked on Tucker farm. Fictional events include the female prison board member, the black old inmate dying--his name was Reuben Gaines & he got out of prison. My dad assuredly did NOT infiltrate the prison as an inmate, but the scene w/ the old warden barricading himself in his office w/ a Thompson submachine gun was true. Like Redford's character, my dad was not PC & probably unecessarily antagonized both the corrections board, & the governor. But who could really agree to cover up 200 murdered inmates? Governor Winthrop Rockefeller fired my dad, even as the Arkansas legislature was moving to indict him for grave-robbing. We had 24 hrs to exit Arkansas. My dad went on to be a tenured professor of Criminology at the Univ. of MN, Minneapolis & passed away in 1990. The book about all this is "Accomplices to the Crime" by Tom Murton & Joe Hyams, Grove Press. Long since out of print, but available over the internet from rare booksellers for a reasonable price. My verdict on the movie: considering that it's primary purpose was to make money, it's a lot more factual than it could have been.

Brubaker is based on a true story and tells of the events of one man's attempts to reform a prison system mired in corruption, brutality, and a lack of order to any general degree.

Henry Brubaker, as stated in the movie, gained his past experience in corrections working in military prison systems. Brubaker hatches the ingenious plan to insert himself into the prison population at Wakefield Penitentiary as an inmate to experience first hand all the problems inside the facility. What he uncovers is nothing less than barbaric punishment methods, no structured management of inmates, lack of medical care, and the penitentiary itself in advance stages of disrepair.

Henry Brubaker, after revealing his status as the new warden and assuming his duties, goes on to discover that there are no state hired corrections officers on the staff. Inmate trustees, armed with weapons, are given the responsibility of manning watch towers, supervising work crews, and keeping the peace inside of the prison. Furthermore, prisoners are farmed out to local businessmen in the community for work with no pay which amounts to slave labor.

Upon deeper investigation into all the activities in and around the prison, Brubaker discovers other illegal activities including theft of prison food supplies and equipment, inmates being charged fees for almost non-existent medical care, and the revelation that there are prisoners buried on the prison property that were the victims of murder by fellow inmates.

Brubaker confronts the state prison board with these problems only to find out that the prison board is not only aware of these incidents, they think the system should reamin unchanged because it has always been this way and should remain so. You can sense their unhappiness with Brubaker as the new warden who wants to come in and upset their system rather than tow the line.

Henry Brubaker is portrayed as a man of honesty, integrity, and professionalism and in defying the prison board's message to leave well enough alone, he launches his own campaign to reform the prison and correct the wrongs he has inherited as the new warden. Unfortunately, with the power of the prison board and the governor of the state against him, he is eventually removed as the warden and fired.

In the final outcome, many inmates saw the necessity of the changes attempted by Brubaker and were dismayed at seeing him removed and the new warden not making proper progress to reform the prison. This prompted many inmates to file lawsuits against the state for inhumane prison conditions resulting in the governor not being re-elected the following year.

This movie is a fine drama with a very good plot, great acting, and poignant conclusion. I highly recommend this movie to everyone.

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There are only a handful of good prison movies from what I have seen over forty plus years. "Shawshank Redemption", "Brubaker", and "Birdman of Alcatraz" are three of the best. I don't care about Redford's personal politics and therefore my review is not political unlike one rant here. The story is based on a true event, and the acting is superb. My wife asked me the other day if I had replaced my VHS of this with the DVD. I realized I hadn't and I was long overdo to see this again. I immediately ordered it. The movie is one of Redford's best so fans of his should definitely see it. If you aren't a fan, then see it because it is a good drama about what sometimes occurs in prisons whether those that work in that environment like it or not. Corruption happens in all systems so people in law enforcement should not take this movie as an insult, but merely as good drama loosely based on what really happened at a prison many years ago.

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Robert Redford is Brubaker, an honest expert in corrections sent to clean up a trouble-plagued penitentiary. Sent to Wakefield Brubaker enters undercover, living his first few days as a prisoner. We learn that for its brutality, Wakefield was conceived along the lines of a noble experiment one that gave the prisoners unusual autonomy, and was intended to actually correct those imprisoned there. Instead, the experiment has carved a super-class of prisoners who rule over the rest of the prisoners as Trustees. Unafraid to use force, they skim off books while stealing supplies already paid for. Brubaker, once revealed as the new warden, slowly but surely turns the system upside down he can't move too quickly because those prisoners or administrators who are most guilty are also the only ones who can tell him what's wrong. Eventually discarding the old guard, Brubaker soon learns that Wakefield has an even darker secret, one whose discovery threatens the Wakefield's future.

This was a good movie, although it's hard to understand the first time around. The sophisticated system of prisoner autonomy is somewhat hard to believe unless you've already seen the movie before. The setting is interesting a dessicated prison, complete with an antique electric chair (which emerges from the shadows like the monster from "Alien" quite yet terrifying). That said, the movie has no surprises (comparisons to "Last Castle" are incorrect). Brubaker is an utterly honest and incorruptible soul. Once we see how he uncovers grafters among the prison administration and trustees, there's little more for him to do. We know that outside businessmen will be corrupt croneys and that even well meaning corrections bureaucrats will try to rein Brubaker in for the good of the system. The movie blows what should be its focus having Brubaker connect with the prisoners something he does too easily, too much so considering that his first speech reminds them that they are prisoners and that they are there for a reason. There also aren't enough really supportive roles as if Yaphet Kotto was the only reliable prisoner. Still worth a look.

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Brubaker, the movie, never mentions the fact that it is based on the book, "Accomplices To The Crime", by Tom Murton and Joe Hyams. It also doesn't mention that the movie is based on actual events that took place in Arkansas in the 60's at the Tucker State Prison Farm. Author Tom Murton, now deceased, was, in fact, "Brubaker."Professor Tom Murton, Criminologist Tom Murton, was hired by the then Governor Winthrop Rockefeller, brother to Vice-President Nelson Rockefeller, to come to Arkansas to "clean up" the prison system. Nelson Rockefeller lost the nomination as the Republican Presidential candidate largely due to his role in the September, 1971 Attica, NY prison riot that cost both NYS Dept of Corrections employees' lives and lives of inmates. Law suits for that event were recently settled in the millions of dollars payable to inmate victim survivors and the families of inmate victims. Tom Murton was fired from his job in Arkansas, and Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller was not re-elected. Both Rockefellers largely ended their political careers by mis-handling their prisons. Some sort of legal agreement was reached between the movie maker and the State of Arkansas to not mention this historical connection.

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Ben-Hur / The Ten Commandments (2013)

The sound is 5.1 on these films. Spanish/English/French;

subtitles as well.

The aspect ratio of these films is rather narrow, and

will be hard to see unless you have at least a 40" set.

Each film is presented on two discs -split at the normal

theatrical intermission points. That's four discs, total.

Enjoy!

Here we have it Two of the greatest cinematic masterpieces (starring the legendary Charlton Heston) in one blu-ray set! With rich scripting and eye popping color and definition that's razor sharp, this is a nice acquisition for those who desire to just have the films without a whole lot of bells and whistles.

Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd were perfectly cast in their roles of William Wyler's Oscar-winning film BEN-HUR as "Judah Ben-Hur" and "Massala" childhood friends who in adulthood find themselves each possessing opposing political viewpoints that will ultimately test their long standing friendship. BEN HUR is rich in scripting in it's portrayal of human attributes that encompasses just about every facet of emotion that the human spirit can feel or would be forced/challenged to deal with. This movie has it all: Prosperity, Sickness, Jealousy, Dissention, Grief, Bitterness, Anguish, Vengence, Humility, Forgiveness and ultimately Restoration. Not lost on the viewing audience is screen beauty Haya Harareet's absolutley fabulous character acting as "Esther", Ben-Hur's love interest, as she literally watches (with grief and anguish) the man she loves descend into bitterness and anger having been betrayed by his long time friend "Massala".

The second feature is, of course, Cecille B. DeMille's 1956 film of the biblical account of Moses and the parting of the Red Sea, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS starring Charlton Heston as "Moses" and Yul Brynner as "Rameses" which looks just as razor sharp in it's presentation. In the 'big picture' there is really something special here and it represents more than just a transfer to blu-ray.

It is no small secret that the film stock of tens of thousands of old Hollywood classic and vintage films has/is literally crumbling in the vaults and are in desperate need of restoration before they are lost forever. Because of this, it gives me a heart of joy and greatfulness to think that great care and effort is being given (where possible) to meticulously restore the 'classics', as well as many vintage films, so that we will have a legacy of our American film heritage that will be preserved for future generations to come. The first class restoration of these two films are beautiful examples of this process.

Enjoy these lavishly restored presentations they are a visual feast for the eyes!

Closed Captioning (via Subtitles) are included for the hearing impaired.

BEN-HUR SPECIAL FEATURES

1. Commentary by film historian T. Gene Hatcher with Charlton Heston

2. Music-only track showcasing Miklos Rozsa's Award winning score

3. Theatrical Trailers

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS SPECIAL FEATURE

1. Commentary by Kathrine Orrison, Author of "Written In Stone"

2. Making of Cecille B. DeMille's epic: The Ten Commandments

3. Newsreel: The Ten Commandments premiere in New York

4. Theatrical Trailers

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The brilliant restoration and remastering of DeMille's Epic Masterpiece THE TEN COMMANDMENTS is one of the best if not the greatest one I have seen on high definition so far for a classic film. Working with the original Vista-Vision 35mm negative source may account for that. It even surpasses BEN-HUR's remastering that tends to carry slight deficiencies in contrast levels during some dark scenes. TEN COMMANDMENTS turned out 100% perfect. Comparable to the high quality excellence that the Walt Disney Company invests in order to restore their classic animated masterpieces to look better than they ever will in high definition. TEN COMMANDMENTS is not only the most popular Biblical epic of all time, it is the highest grossing one as well in the Biblical genre. Due to the attention to details and dedication poured into the making of this time-less classic film, it should have won Best Picture and all the major award categories below that during the 1957 AMPAS ceremonies. Charlton Heston should have received his first oscar 3 years before and then get a 2nd one in 1960 for Ben-Hur. Edward G.Robinson was perfect in his portrayal of Dathan and should have received the Best Supporting Actor award for that role. I guess Academy members back then enjoyed watching Cantinflas dangling from a balloon in Around the World in 80 Days better than being moved by the finger of God writing His Ten Commandments on granite stone atop Mount Sinai. Both masterpiece Biblical epics should not be missing as part of every home entertainment film collection.

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Warner Home Video is treating 1.85:1 screen size and 16:9 (1.78:1) as equal sometimes reporting the change and at other times claiming to preserve the 1:85:1 original release ratio though they're not. This applies to at least 4 films released as 2 movie sets on March 12, 2013, but could extend to many more of their Blu-ray discs.

They're bright and they're beautiful in color and in sound, but having already purchased 3 of the four on DVD, I had my sights fixed on upgrading The Ten Commandments and Forrest Gump to HD and was lured in by the price, picking up Ben Hur and The Green Mile as movie bonuses. I started through the Hur/Commandments disks in order and so was treated to Ben Hur in its full native aspect ratio of 2.76:1. Yes that means there are black bars along the top and bottom of the screen, though less so with an HD 16:9 (1.78:1) widescreen then with an old 4:3 (1.33:1) CRT and on my large 1080P 240khz refresh, 1ms response time TV it's just wonderful.

Then I moved onto The Ten Commandments and right away I noticed that during the intro the screen was filled edge to edge and so I thought no great detriment if that short segment had been edited and I was only missing a small bit of the curtain background, but then the feature started and the screen was still filled, edge to edge.

The Ten Commandments was filmed at 1.85:1 and in all my HD purchase up until now I'd come to expect that the days of hacking up film masterpieces were long over. Not so here. I know it is a much smaller edit than it would have been for Ben Hur, but still, every time anyone watches this release, portions of the original film, to the left, to the right, or both, will always be missing. I grabbed the box and checked the back, finding that Warner had given the aspect specification for Ben Hur but omitted the specification for The Ten Commandments (no 1.85:1 callout and no warning that the content had been edited to fit a 16:9 screen)

I bought The Green Mile Forrest Gump at the same time and so I grabbed that box and saw that the Green Mile was clearly called out as 1.85:1, but just as with the Ten Commandments, Forrest Gump was only listed as having been prepared for viewing on a 1080p 16:9 set. Forrest Gump was filmed at 2.35:1, so if it had also been trimmed, that would have been a huge loss of original screen real estate.

Well, I interrupted The Ten Commandments and put on Gump and luckily it's all there, 2.35:1 with the black bars. I then pulled that one out, thinking but what about the Green Mile? If that's the same original size as the Ten Commandments, even though they've listed the unaltered aspect, could they have messed with that one too? Sure enough, hacked. The movie fills up every single pixel and is being cut of at left/right edges.

Was I judging to harshly and were other distributors starting to do the same? I grabbed newly purchased Blue-ray discs by MGM, Universal and Columbia that were also 1.85:1 originals and every one of them had the proper aspect ratio with the black top and bottom bars.

Warner had to corral other studios for the rights to package these films together so I hope they're all available from these other studios or distributors. Check the aspect ratios if you are going to buy from Warner and stay away from anything that or any other dependable reference lists as 1.85:1 unless you're a fan of pan and scan, colorizing and other after run gimmicks. I want to give the series a negative 5 stars, but 1 star is all that's allowed, sorry. I'm returning both for a refund, then maybe I'll shop for ones verified as having the proper size or just be thankful for my DVD versions.

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What can I say. Both films have been remastered for High-definition and neither have ever looked better. The 'Ben Hur' was mastered from a 70mm print and in HD you can tell! 'Ten Commandments' was sourced from a VistaVision print. VistaVision was a system that used 35mm film sidewayslike a 35mm still camera and that gave a frame twice the size of regular vertically shot cinema film. Needless to say that it too looks spectacular in HD.

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Island of Lost Souls (The Criterion Collection) (1932)

Thanks to my job I was able to get an early copy of the Criterion Blu Ray for Island of Lost Souls. There's not much to be said about the film that hasn't already been said. This adaptation of Wells "Island of Dr. Moreau" is one of the absolute pinnacles in the classic horror genre. One of the most notable things about this film is how much its tone contrasts with that of the Universal horror movies of the same era. This film is far darker in its subject matter (vivisection, rape, bestiality) and has an overt air of sexuality that Universal films tended to stay away from. But enough about that, on to the disc itself.

The transfer itself really does stand with the best that Criterion has done. Anyone expecting a transfer clean of all dirt and scratches is setting themselves up for disappointment (and I can't imagine why anyone would want this film in that "clean" of a version, regardless). But this is the most pristine I've ever seen. It is superior to every other home video release by a wide margin. I doubt the film has looked this good since its original theatrical run. Although, my guess is that this is about the best format for the film. I wonder if a lot of these older films that have been restored will hold up when we get up to bigger formats in the future. My guess is most of them won't hold at a 3K or 4K resolution. But this is absolutely gorgeous.

What really struck me was the re-mastered mono track for the audio. It is some of the clearest I've heard from the era. So many times with movies from the 30s and 40s it sounds like the actors are speaking through two tin cans connected by a string. Here, the voices and effects are clear and ever present. Even though he's almost unrecognizable behind all the hair, Bela Lugosi's unmistakable accent comes across strong when he asks, "Are we not men?" Brilliant.

The extras are always a place where Criterion shines, and this is no exception. It's important to remember that the film is from 1933, so making-of documentaries and behind-the-scenes footage aren't to be expected. That means that Criterion had to create extra content with what is available here and now. The most notable of the extras is the discussion of the movie between director John Landis (An American Werewolf in London), Rick Baker (7x Oscar Winner for visual effects makeup, Wolf Man), and Bob Burns (horror collector/historian/super fan). I've had the pleasure of working with all three of these gentleman extensively and the thing that makes me happiest to see them here isn't the status of their celebrity, it's that all three of them are super fans. Talk for 15 minutes to any one of them and you'll realize that part of what makes them so good in their respective disciplines is that they know their history. This isn't just some celebs chatting about something that ends up being a testament to how brilliant they are. These three genuinely discuss the film, disagreeing on several points, and really get to the heart of why it has endured. It is really worth taking the time to watch (more than once).

The second extra that really adds to the disc is the commentary by Greg Mank. Again, I've had the pleasure of working with Greg on several occasions. This guy is one of the most knowledgeable horror historians on planet earth. The things he knows would make your head explode. When I heard that Criterion was doing this, his was the first name that popped into my head (partially because some of the work I've done with Greg centered on Lost Souls) because there really is no one better for the gig. He's fun. He's conversational. And you're going to gain an absolute wealth of knowledge and insight from listening to what he has to say.

There's also an interview with Richard Stanley, the man who was supposed to direct the Marlon Brando/Val Kilmer version of Moreau. But, he was let go before production began (lucky him). He's very frank about how he wanted to make the film, why he didn't, and just what a disaster the filmed version turned out to be. He even has some great stories about sneaking back onto the set just to see if it was as bad as the actors were telling him. But I think what I enjoyed most was his discussion of why Moreau is such a hard piece to adapt and what it would take to do it justice.

The last piece is an interview with the founding members of the band DEVO. It turns out that a lot of what they did was based off of the film and the book. Honestly, if you're not a fan of the band it's not a very engaging piece.

The bottom line is that this is the definitive version of LOST SOULS. It incorporates not only the best, but also some missing and rare, footage, making it the most complete version. It looks and sounds gorgeous and has an absolutely fantastic wealth of extras that will appeal to even the most educated horror aficionado. The film is a classic and has earned that moniker well. This edition finally allows it to shine and let the world see why it has remained as prominent as it has. Very highly recommended.

And if you don't find this review helpful, please just leave a comment and I'll be happy to expand on it.

I've been anticipating this release for years, so I'm glad to see it finally appear. The Paramount VHS version looked pretty darned good (for tape), so I have high hopes that the Criterion DVD has a top-quality source and will do this masterpiece justice. Definitely get the Blu-Ray version.

As for the movie itself, Laughton couldn't be better. He owns Dr. Moreau the way Sean Connery owns James Bond. No one could do effete aristocratic evil better than he.

Yes, the panther woman is made up to look a little nightclubby, and Stanley Fields (the drunken captain of the ship) and Paul Hurst (the garrulous captain of the rescue ship) ham it up a bit in their character parts, but was there ever a more terrifying scene than the one in which Richard Arlen first lays eyes on the animal-men?

I haven't seen every remake of this story, but the Burt Lancaster (1977) and Marlon Brando (1996) versions aren't in the same league. In fact, even without comparison to the Laughton version, both of them are pretty bad.

I've seen this film fifty times and look forward to watching it again when the disc arrives. I'll be sure to invite my dad, who saw it when it came out (at age 7) and now (at age 85) says no other movie ever filled him with such profound fear.

Look for the theological themes. It has only been in my more recent viewings that they manifest themselves so clearly to me.

Bela Lugosi should have won an Academy Award for his portrayal of the Sayer of the Law . . . "Are we not MEN?"

Buy Island of Lost Souls (The Criterion Collection) (1932) Now

Several years ago, when I started to purchase DVD's, I decided that my VHS collection of 700 or so titles did not need to be replaced, and I would only buy DVD editions of films that I hadn't yet acquired. Right. A dozen years later, I have since replaced every VHS tape I had, with the exception of 40 or so films that have not yet made their way on to DVD. Of all the films I have left in my VHS collection, I have wished for the DVD release of none more than Island of Lost Souls. That this classic is finally being released by Criterion in a deluxe edition just makes my mouth water more in anticipation.

In 1932, Paramount Pictures made one of their few horror titles, Island of Lost Souls, based on the H. G. Wells classic, The Island of Dr. Moreau. Even today, the film emerges as an intelligent and extremely creepy exercise in unspeakable horror. One of Hollywood's sadly forgotten leading men, Richard Arlen, plays Edward Parker, a hapless traveler set adrift, who is rescued by a freighter delivering supplies to an island ruled by Dr. Moreau (Charles Laughton). After an argument with the ship's captain, Parker is stranded on the island, and the terror unfolds.

More of the plot should not be revealed to the uninitiated; let's just say that Bela Lugosi will surprise you with his amazing performance as Keeper of the Law and Charles Laughton, one of my favorite actors, was rarely better. When you learn the full secret of the island, the concept of the House of Pain and Lugosi's chant, "What is the Law?" will cause chills to run down your spine. The answers to Lugosi's chant, "Not to spill blood" and "Are we not men" are as downright creepy as films from this period get, especially in light of Dr. Moreau's unholy experiments.

The novel was filmed twice again in 1977 and 1996, both under the original title of The Island of Dr. Moreau. Many critics and horror fans agree that the 1932 version, with a screenplay by Science Fiction legend Philip Wylie (When Worlds Collide), still stands out as the clear choice, although I believe that both later versions had their merits, and were unfairly labeled as complete failures, in part because of the effectiveness of the original. In the genres of horror and science fiction, the original film has rarely been equaled in terms of atmosphere and sheer horror, and I am thrilled that it has finally made its way to a digital release.

Highly recommended.

Read Best Reviews of Island of Lost Souls (The Criterion Collection) (1932) Here

Over the years, I've seen this 1932 horror classic many times. I've also read the book, and am familiar with the remakes. For the record, my comments aren't about the film itself, but about Gozillaflix's DVD presentation. Here's what you get for $12.95 (Amazon) or $9.95 (directly from Gozilla) plus $2.95 postage: When you hit play, you're presented with a series of Gozillaflix promo blurbs that you can fast forward through, but can't skip over to go directly to the movie's opening credits. (There is a total of three chapter divisions, and no subtitle options or special features of any kind.) The film print, obviously unrestored, is decent enough (I've seen worse), and the sound is fairly good, but at three points during play, an intrusively distracting colored Gozilla logo briefly appears. This film deserves better treatment than this but until that happens, Gozillaflix's entry is the only game in town. Five stars for the movie itself, three-and-a-half stars for the Gozillaflix presentation (although Amazon offers the reviewer no half-star option).

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"Island of Lost Souls," the 1932 adaptation of H. G. Wells' "Island of Dr. Moreau," features Charles Laughton in one of the best mad scientist performances you are going to find. This is not the ranting mad genius personified by Colin Clive in "Frankenstein," but a much more tempered madman who provides less obvious hints as to his insanity. The story begins with Edward Parker (Richard Arlen) being rescued from the sea by the ship Covena, which is delivering animals in cages to Dr. Moreau's Island. After a fight with the ship's captain, Parker ends up on the island, where the good doctor takes his visitor into his home, after using his whip to scare away man-like creatures in the jungle. On his island retreat, Moreau has been experimenting with turning animals into creatures capable of speaking. With Parker on the island Moreau can find out if Lota (Kathleen Burke), who has been evolved from a panther, can bear a child. But when Parker discovers Moreau in his "house of pain," doing vivisection, the horrible truth of what is happening on the island comes out. Meanwhile, Parker's fiancé, Ruth (Leila Hyams), arrives looking for her beloved.

One of the most fascinating parts of this nightmarish film is how Moreau plays god with not only the bodies but also the minds of his creation. He has taught them "the law," which is not to walk on all fours and not to spill blood. As Bela Lugosi, playing the Sayer of the Law solemnly asks: "Are we not men?" It is when the animal-men come to a different answer to that question that "Island of Lost Souls" proves itself to be one of the best horror films of the 1930s. Director Erle C. Kenton does the most with the atmospheric setting, giving Laughton a perfect stage for his mad experiments. You will never recognize them, but both Buster Crabbe and Alan Ladd appear as beast men (yes, Randolph Scott is in the film, but he has a bit part as a "real" human). This story has been remade, as both uncredited versions (1959's "Terror Is a Man" and 1972's "The Twilight People") as well as under the novel's title in 1977, with Burt Lancaster as the title doctor, and again in 1996 with Marlon Brando. But with all things considered, "Island of Lost Souls" remains the best of the bunch, even though it offended the author. In fact, it was banned in England and parts of the United States (I assume because of the implied bestiality), which is always a strong recommendation that a horror film deserves to be checked out at least once.

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Léon Morin, Priest (The Criterion Collection) (1961)

Belmando is at his best in this beautiful movie as a young priest who faces women with all kinds of troubles in his parish. This is classic Melville with Henri Decae's excellent camera work. A rare gem of it's own kind.

Jean-Pierre Melville will be known by many as an "Auteur" filmmaker.

One of the few men who were a major influence on Nouvelle Vague (French New Wave), Melville was known for films that were tragic, minimalist film noir. From films such as "Les Enfants terribles" (1950), Bob Le Flambeur (1955), "Le Doulos" (1962), "Le Samorai" (1967) and "Le Circle Rouge" (1969), there was a time when he wanted to escape from it.

To no longer be known as an "Auteur maudit" and when given the opportunity to make a big-budget film, he went for it!

In 1961, he had his chance with "Léon Morin, Priest". The film is an adaptation of Beatrix Beck's 1952 novel and it would be the film that gave Melville the chance to have the money to film expensive shots and yet incorporating style from the New Wave. Attracting audiences were the inclusion of popular talents Jean-Paul Belondo ("Two Women", "Breathless", "A Woman is a Woman", "Le Doulos") and Emmanuelle Riva ("Hiroshima Mon Amour", "Kapo") but also to earn Melville a different type of recognition for his film that he had never had before.

The film would receive rave reviews from the right because of its Catholic/religious theme (note: Melville was an atheist) and receive rave reviews from religious to non-religious film critics. But it also helped that Beck's original novel was highly popular and you had a popular filmmaker such as Melville and his name attached to it.

VIDEO:

"Léon Morin, Priest" is presented in black and white 1080p High Definition (1:66:1 aspect ratio). Previously, the film was only available via DVD through the BFI (British Film Institute). The biggest difference in HD is that there is more detail and clarity. Especially outdoors where Barny is walking around town. You can make out buildings in the distance much more clearly, especially the cobblestone road and overall environment much more.

The contrast of the film is actually quite magnificent with blacks levels which are nice and deep. White and grays that look very good but most of all, none of the blurry type of imaging that was seen on the BFI DVD. You can see the faces in the distance. You can see the strands of hair of the female employees at Barny's job, the picture quality definitely looks very good in HD and there is no doubt that this is the best looking version of "Léon Morin, Priest" by far!

Cinematography by Henri Decae ("The 400 Blows", "Elevator to the Gallows", "Le Samourai") is fantastic and because of the bigger budget, it allowed for more creativity from Melville and Decae for the various shots included in the film, especially the crane shot as we see Barny going up the stairs to visit the priest.

According to the Criterion Collection, this high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit 4K Datacine from a 35 mm fine-grain master positive. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using MTI's DRS system and Pixel Farm's PFClean system, while Digital Vision's DVNR system was used for small dirt, grain and noise reduction.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Léon Morin, Priest" is presented in lossless LPCM monaural. The dialogue is very clear coming through the center channel. I personally chose to watch the film with stereo on all channels set on my receiver for a more immersive soundscape but testing the monaural lossless soundtrack, dialogue is quite clear, especially the music by Martial Solal.

According to the Criterion Collection, "Léon Morin, Priest" was remastered at 24-bit from 35 mm optical track print. Clicks, thumps, hiss and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube's integrated workstation.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Léon Morin, Priest The Criterion Collection #572' on Blu-ray comes with the following special features:

Jean-Pierre Melville and Jean-Paul Belmondo (4:45) A French television interview excerpt from JHT 19HI5, Sept. 1961 with director Jean-Pierre Melville and actor Jean-Paul Belmondo. Belmondo talks about being cast as the priest and Belmondo talks about the film.

Selected-scene commentary by film scholar Ginette Vincendeau Ginette Vinecendeau talks about Melville's larger budget, how the film was quite risky at the time, how the Catholics loved the film and how the film did well during debut.

Deleted Scenes Melville's original film was over 3 hours long but he ended up trimming quite a bit from the film. Of those deleted scenes, two are featured on this Blu-ray release.

Original theatrical trailer (3:10) The original theatrical trailer for ""Léon Morin, Priest".

EXTRAS:

"Léon Morin, Priest The Criterion Collection #572' comes with a 30-page booklet which includes the following essays "Life During Wartime" by Gary Indiana and "Melville on Leon Morin, Priest" (from Rui Nogueira's "Melville on Melville").

JUDGMENT CALL:

Poetic, risky and intelligent. "Léon Morin, Priest" is a film that Melville had wanted to create for nearly a decade. A film that would separate him from his other fellow filmmakers who were known as "auteur maudit".

And although not a noir film which many tend to associate with Jean-Pierre Melville, the film's efficacy is due to how Melville was able to bring his French New Wave style to a bigger budget picture but also bring in two popular talents, the priest Jean-Paul Belmondo and the main actress Emanuelle Rivera.

Belmondo who was the hot actor at the time, especially for the films "Breathless", "Two Women" and "A Woman is a Woman", was skeptical himself about playing the role of a priest. But through the direction of Melville, Belmondo transforms himself to the man of faith and showing that the actor can play more than bad boy roles.

With Rivera, playing the main role of Barny is quite intriguing because she looks so wholesome.

But once you start to hear the thoughts in her mind, her attraction to her boss Sabine and then her attraction to the priest, you can sense the sexual frustration through her performance.

In one scene, Léon Morin, who knows that Barny is trying to flirt with him, tells her to find a husband. Her response is why need a husband when she can do it with a stick. He responds to her by concern of how dangerous it is but she responds that she is not "fragile".

One thing that Melville made sure not to do is focus too much on the religion. We know through the conversations of Barny with the priest, that she has problems not only with the Catholicism but that there is a sense of pessimism within her. She wants to provoke the priest, to see him anger but he does not.

She goes to see him a good number of times but each time she goes to provoke him, he is prepared to answer her questions about religion, to show that even though he is a priest, he is not perfect. And its the fact that he is no honest to her but to everyone else and even if one wants to provoke him, he does not push them away. He is interested in talking with them, discussing whatever issue they may have and showing them that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

While some may feel the film is pro-Catholicism and its goal is to push people towards the religion, Melville is the first to say that this is not a religious film. And while the film is very much loved by Catholics at the time, the film is primarily about forbidden love and a good illustration of how faith can change a person's life.

Because of Melville's involvement, the film is presented ala Mis-en-scene. Shots are done in location and at a studio setting but the efficacy "Léon Morin, Priest" is its cinematography and editing combined with a storyline that is intellectual which lends to a poetic feel through its imagery.

As for the Blu-ray release, "Léon Morin, Priest" does not have a plethora of special features that Criterion Collection is known for but you do get a classic interview with Melville and Belmondo about the film. And for those who have a hard time of picturing Belmondo as a priest, Melville does answer the question of why he was cast. We also get a pretty good selected scene commentary by Ginette Vincendeau who does have a good amount of things to say about Melville and two deleted scenes and the original theatrical trailer plus the booklet.

While its easy to recommend this to Melville viewers and those who enjoy films that are intellectual and enjoyable, those who are stuck with the thought of enjoying noir-ish Melville may find "Léon Morin, Priest" and its focus on conversations of faith and its theme of forbidden love to not be their cup of tea as it lacks any gunshots or any gangster-type characters. In other words, a very different Melville type of film and while it may appease theologists, cineaste who appreciate intellectual cinema, "Léon Morin, Priest" is not for everyone.

Personally, I love the fact that Melville wanted to distinguish himself from his fellow filmmakers and do something different. It's unfortunate that we may not see the full three hour and 13 minute cut of "Léon Morin, Priest"

that Melville had originally shot, because watching the two deleted scenes, we get to see more of the thought process of Barny, especially in regards of what was happening in her village during German occupation. Still, I'm grateful for the Criterion Collection for releasing a Melville film on Blu-ray and DVD.

Overall, "Léon Morin, Priest" will no doubt attract those who love films with intelligent conversation such as Eric Rohmer's "My Night at Maud's", not necessarily pedantic but clever and enjoyable.

The performances by Jean-Paul Belmondo and Emmanuelle Riva are wonderful and the direction and cinematography were tastefully done, poetic and pleasing to watch.

Buy Léon Morin, Priest (The Criterion Collection) (1961) Now

The Second World War profoundly affected so many millions of lives in so many places around the globe, that it has provided an inexhaustible supply of stories over the years. Jean-Pierre Melville's LEON MORIN, PRIEST, based on an autobiographical novel by Beatrix Beck, presents one woman's account of life in occupied France and her relationship with a local priest in her village. Under Melville's astute direction, the film shows us a unique facet in the endless World War II mosaic.

Widely regarded as the father of the French New Wave in the 1960's, Jean-Pierre Melville (LE SAMOURAI, ARMY OF SHADOWS) was a master producer and director whose influence on his filmmaking progeny Truffaut, Godard, Resnais, Rohmer, etc. was profound. Born Jean-Pierre Grumbach to a Jewish family, he became obsessed with film at an early age. His own moviemaking explorations were interrupted, however, by induction into the French army in the late 1930's. With the Nazi invasion of France in 1940, he changed his name to Melville and joined the underground French resistance, eventually taking part in the Allied liberation of Europe.

Heavily influenced by American culture and movies, Melville started his own production company after the war. The films he turned out in the fifties (BOB LE FLAMBEUR) provided a clear stylistic break from the work of classic French directors like Jean Renoir and Rene Clair. After a few box office flops, though, Melville decided to tackle more commercial fare. Working with producer Carlo Ponti, he took on the relatively big-budget adaptation of Beck's bestselling book.

Set in an occupied village mostly during the war years, LEON MORIN, PRIEST centers on the relationship between single mother, Barny (Emmanuelle Riva) and Leon Morin (Jean-Paul Belmondo). Barny initially ventures into the confessional of the local Catholic church intent on mocking a cleric and his tenets. But she doesn't count on her chosen priest being the challenging and charismatic Morin. By casting magnetic New Wave actors Riva (HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR) and Belmondo (BREATHLESS), Melville smartly gives his film a will they/won't they frisson which sparks the religious and spiritual dialogues the characters engage in. Barny isn't the only single woman in the village to find the ascetic priest alluring, and the supporting cast, playing characters with varying allegiances, is as consistently compelling as the two leads.

Though Melville clearly knows the world he depicts, he chooses to keep the elements of the Nazi occupation largely in the background. The invading German forces are always felt, and the ramifications of their presence are inescapable, but the director chooses to focus more on the unrequited love story, making it the center of the film. These are complex, fascinating characters, and Melville brings out the multi-dimensions of their lives and dilemmas. For anyone with an interest in cinema, LEON MORIN, PRIEST is essential viewing.

Read Best Reviews of Léon Morin, Priest (The Criterion Collection) (1961) Here

This will apparently be the first review of this Russian-inspired Atrium DVD of one of the three greatest religious movies I have seen, the other two being MONSIEUR VINCENT, and THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. An Editorial Review, two consumer reviews of the Criterion version, both useless, and an endless vituperative series of COMMENTS, mostly by correspondents who have NOT seen the film, are all the prospective buyer has to go on. One reviewer waxes enthusiastic (5-stars) without exactly saying why; the other savages Melville's mid-period masterpiece because he got bored, gave up, and thought that Jean-Paul Belmondo was too much of a hoodlum to play the role of a priest. Well, let me tell him and you that his casting in this part is inspirational (as of all the other parts), and his performance is one of the most rivettingly charismatic in the entire annals of the cinema. By the same misguided reasoning, he should never have played STAVITSKY, or the sight-impaired student in TWO WOMEN either, in both of which he was superb. The movie, set in a small town in wartime France, pits the young priest working out of a run-down parish against a range of randy females who seek his services for purposes other than pure religion. With the patience and self-control of a saint, the wit of a Moliere, and a profound personal philosophy based on true (asexual) love for his fellow-man-and woman as expounded with brilliant insightful dialogue drawn from scriptures and religious writings, Belmondo and his director lead us on an odyssey that could serve as a modern rendering of The Last Temptation of Christ. The main female role is taken by Emmanuelle Riva, as sadly incandescent as in HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR, the one female parishioner to whom he comes closest and the one most likely to divert him from his true purpose. There are some interesting, amusing, and heart-rending side-plots involving the various ladies who work at the same boring office in the town, that reveal something of the tensions and dangers of life in France under Nazi occupation. The battle between the two principle protagonists -abstinence versus temptation and belief versus atheism - takes place through words, thoughts and ideas. It is what you expect from a film based upon a Prix Goncourt-winning novel, THE PASSIONATE HEART. Anyone lacking the intellectual apparatus for this artistic approach will very likely get bored, quit, and write a damning review. For the rest, it is potentially one of the most provocative, moving and spiritual experiences that they will ever see on celluloid, and the ending when it comes is like the aftermath of an explosion. I am glad to report that this version, much less expensive than the Criterion product when I bought it, has English subtitles and looks quite beautiful in its cool black-and-white tones. As someone who knows Melville's work quite thoroughly, I did not mind the absence of extras. You "pays" your money and you "takes" your choice. We all should live within our means!

Want Léon Morin, Priest (The Criterion Collection) (1961) Discount?

John-Pierre Melville's 1961 exploration of the friction between faith and desire stars John-Paul Belmondo in a cassock. There's something very cool -certainly intentional -about Belmondo's look that only further fuels the sexual tension he evokes among the women encounters on his life's path. But there are many factors at work here beyond the repressed sexuality inherent in a vow of celibacy. Looming over everything are the shifting values of a post war France recovering from the war. There's an aura of ambiguity and uncertainty in the world of this story, themes to which Melville would return and to which he was personally attracted.

Belmondo's priest is the spiritual guardian of a small French village during the Nazi occupation. He believes that anyone can be saved. So when he encounters Barny (Emmanuella Riva), a sexually frustrated widow and communist militant who barges into his church and tears his religion apart, he reacts with compassion. Thus an unexpected relationship is begun that is the core of the film's dramatic tensions and pleasures.

A Jewish atheist, director Melville surprises us with a movie seemingly filled with religion. But a closer look reveals only the frightening distortions created between lonely people caught in prisons of their newly discovered existential freedom. Or, in other words, the paradoxical dilemma of the traps imposed by our free-will choices.

Melville once glibly said the main idea of the film was none of the kind, but only to "show this amorous priest who likes to excite girls but doesn't sleep with them." But I think Melville knew better. One thing's for sure: It's impossible to imagine this film with a star other than Belmondo. His rumpled charisma and physicality, even in a liturgical frock, are astonishing. That face!

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French Connection 2 (1975)

Entertaining, gritty and taking the character of "Popeye" Doyle to new lows. Excellent performance by Gene Hackman, it may not have the shocking action and the famous chase scene but on its own, "FRENCH CONNECTION II" is a good film and very entertaining.

Four years since the original "THE FRENCH CONNECTION", in 1975, the sequel would be released. Where the first film was based on real events on the lives of Eddie Egan and Sonny Grosso, the sequel is more fictional.

This time around, Doyle goes to France to go after Charnier. Being in a new country, Doyle is a fish out of water and knows that what he was used to New York, it's not going to fly in France, especially with the gendarmes.

But unbeknownst to him, after he's spotted by Charnier, Doyle is kidnapped and the hard-nosed cop that we saw in the first film will be fighting for his life and be broken down severely.

A riveting film, it may not be at the same caliber as the first but it's still a very entertaining film.

If there was one thing that "FRENCH CONNECTION II" was very fortunate to have and that was the return of Gene Hackman reprising his role as Doyle and most importantly having a talented director, John Frankenheimer known for his work in "The Manchurian Candidate" and many other films (a side note: Car chase scenes have a "FRENCH CONNECTION" tie-in with the producer of that film also producing "BULLIT" and Frankenheimer who worked on "FRENCH CONNECTION II" creating one of more popular modern car chase scenes in his film "RONIN" in 1998).

VIDEO & AUDIO:

The picture quality for "FRENCH CONNECTION II" is actually pretty good. Where "THE FRENCH CONNECTION" focused more on the grittiness of New York City with its shades of blues and use of blacks and director William Friedkin making sure that the Blu-ray disc showcases the film as he wanted, "FRENCH CONNECTION II" was filmed in France and featured the beauty of France with good sunlight and vibrant colors during the outdoor scenes. But also managing to capture the gritty and grimy areas of France.

Similar to the first film, there is a good amount of grain but with the film shot in Marseilles, France and a lot of sunshine and really interesting locations in France, considering how old this film is, overall it looked pretty good.

As for the audio, the audio is featured in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. Similar to the first film, the film is dialogue-driven and also showcases the music of Don Ellis. Dialogue and music is quite clear and the film does feature more gunshots. But overall, the film is mainly dialogue and music driven.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"FRENCH CONNECTION II" comes with a good number of special features.

* A Conversation with Gene Hackman Gene Hackman expresses his feelings of working on a sequel and also knowing that perhaps director Frankenheimer may not be so happy doing a sequel but nevertheless did a good job but also felt the film was underappreciated because of the success of the first film.

* Commentary by Gene Hackman and Producer Robert Rosen This commentary features both men (not at the same time). You mostly hear Robert Rosen talk and his commentary is more on the challenges. Especially working with Frankenheimer who was not so thrilled of working on the sequel and Rosen reveals a lot. From the difficulty of getting Mickey Mantle to give permission to use the "Mickey Mantle sucks" line to how the scene in France with Doyle running around looking for Charnier. An informative commentary but quite a few dead air. Hackman chimes in at certain key parts of the commentary but it seems the two were together but I think that Hackman was recorded at a separate time.

* Commentary by Director John Frankenheimer The original DVD release was back in 2001, Frankenheimer passed away in 2002. So, this commentary is actually quite treasured as its one of the few DVD's to feature commentary by Frankenheimer. For filmmakers, Frankenheimer's commentary was technical and thus you learn quite a bit about certain takes. Of course, he credits Gene Hackman making it easy for him. Overall, a well done commentary!

* Frankenheimer: In Focus This lengthy featurette is actually pretty awesome. A celebration of Frankenheimer's career as a filmmaker and television director. You get to learn a lot about him through his wife, his daughter and those who have worked with him.

* Isolated Score Track (DTS MA) For those who love Don Ellis's music in the film, you can strictly isolate the score if needed.

* Enhances for D-Box Motion Control Systems For those who have D-Box Motion Control capability.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"FRENCH CONNECTION II" was a tough sequel for everyone involved to make and I can understand why director John Frankenheimer felt "intimidated" of taking on the role as director for the sequel (since he was a big fan of the first film) must have been on taking on the directorial responsibility.

Frankenheimer was a big fan of the first and what Friedkin was able to accomplish, so he tried his best to keep that in mind but most of all, because of his familiarity with France and the whole film taking place in France, the them of Doyle as a fish out of the water in a city where he can't be the way he wants and live the way he wants, definitely made the hard-nosed character vulnerable.

But you have to give a lot of credit to Gene Hackman. In the first film, "Popeye" Doyle was easily despicable but yet you rooted for him as he was going to take down the criminals his way and his style. But with this second film, there is a good amount of time dedicated on the breakdown of Doyle and making him a junkie and then having to go through major withdrawals as they try to make him well. Hackman did a wonderful job!

As for the Blu-ray disc release, it's great to have one of the final commentaries of one of the most talented director's of all time and it was a well-done commentary. The tribute to Frankenheimer with a special featurette on his career was another major plus that I was proud of.

Overall, "FRENCH CONNECTION II" was an enjoyable film. Although not following the lives of Egan and Grosso like the first film, I feel that a story on Doyle and seeing how he's broken down by the criminals but then seeing him re-emerge to exact revenge right back at them was great.

If there was one thing that I wished was done, that is subtitling on the French. Sure, it's not really needed but with a good ample of French being spoken, it would have been nice to see subtitles for that.

But overall, it was an enjoyable film and a pretty cool Blu-ray disc transfer with a good amount of special features .

Hopefully we may see the return of "Popeye" Doyle or a passing of a torch for a third film over three decades later.

Considering the enigmatic ending of the Oscar-winning "The French Connection," a sequel seemed obligatory. But four years later, it's likely that no one was expecting the harrowing twist that came with the follow-up's plot.

This time directed by John Frankenheimer, gruff, foul-mouthed, brute narcotics officer Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle (Gene Hackman) travels to Marseilles, determined to stop the elusive drug kingpin Alain "Frog One" Charnier (Fernando Rey), whom he failed to stop in New York City. Once in France, Popeye is met by Inspector Henri Barthelemi (Bernard Fresson), who resents the former's rude and crude crimefighting demeanor. Doyle finds himself as a fish out of water in France, where he is matched with a language he can't understand, eliminating one of his most useful weapons--his mouth. Determined to find Frog One on his own (and unaware he is being used by Barthelemi to lure Charnier into the open), Popeye escapes his French escorts. Now here comes the unexpected; in an ironic twist of fate, Doyle is kidnapped by Frog One's henchmen and forced to take heroin in an attempt to steal information from the narcotics agent. Left abused and humiliated by Charnier, Doyle is forced to go through a long, agonizing cold-turkey withdrawal from the heroin forced upon him. Now determined more than ever to stop his nemesis, we follow Popeye as "French Connection II" unfolds in a satisfying manner, like a crime drama should.

Filmed with a grainy cinematography, matching the mood of the story, this sequel is just as engaging as the original, while Hackman's performance--especially during the grizzly-to-view withdrawal sequences--is uncompromising and breathtaking, though no Oscar nomination went his way (though a Golden Globe nod did suffice). The script allows for surprisingly deep insight to the seeminly two-dimensional character of Popeye Doyle, while Frankenheimer's directing is tight and effectual. "French Connection II" is just as great as the original (though not as well-received), if not more intriguing, and in some aspects, much more harrowing and down-right gritty...a word always associated with the "French Connection" films.

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That the sequel was made at all was no certainty although the original left an obvious opportunity to chart the conclusion to Doyles mission in bringing Frog One (Fernando Rey) to justice.

Hackman gives an even better acting performance in this effort if that were possible but lost out in the Oscar accolades probably due to his earlier success. This time he is on his own with no Cloudy to back him up and stuck with the sometimes dubious support of the French Police.The french acting in this movie is par excellance and perfectly cast which is saying something since this was essentially an American production. We see Fernando Rey carry on his good work from the original movie this time in a more familiar setting namely his home town Marseille. The casting of Rey in both part 1 and part 2 is almost as inspired as that of Hackman himself and also worthy of acting plaudits which sadly did not materialise.Connection part 2 is a worthy sequel to the earlier offering and although not factually correct it does give a believable ending to Doyles mission. Sequels, sadly, often do not stand up to the original production for a variety of reasons. This one is an exception for many reasons, the brilliant acting of Hackman and Rey coupled with casting and cinematography seldom equalled in a production of this type. The film going public were not disappointed in their wait for this effort. What they finally got to see will live long in the collective memories of dedicated filmlovers who cheris great acting along with a liberal dose of classic directing and casting. One cannot ask for much more.

Read Best Reviews of French Connection 2 (1975) Here

I had to get this because I have the 1st. Its a good movie but its not the 1st one. The transfer is good and the price was great plus the fact that I have never seen this in a store it was a no brainer for me. Worth the money.

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After the thoroughly depressing print on the Blu Ray reissue of "French Connection 1" (see separate review) it's a pleasure to say that FC2 is an entirely different kettle of fish.

From the moment Gene Hackman steps out of the taxi by the closed gates of the beleaguered French cop shop in Marseilles you notice the clarity his dapper white shirt the fish stalls the painted railings.... Then he pops on his trademark Popeye Doyle porkpie hat and again the colour is gorgeous and it stays that way even in the dark night scenes fully restored from start to finish. There's little or no scratches, although there is some wobbling of the camera hand-held scenes deliberately filmed that way I imagine (like the 1st movie).

And as everyone also knows, this is one of those sequels that equals if not tops the original. A fantastic stand alone film although you do miss the presence of Roy Schreider as a sidekick. And that addiction scene is as harrowing now as it was back then...

The extras are the same as the DVD I bought a few years ago, but the colour on this 1080 print is just so sweet to look at fans will have to own it.

Recommended especially after the depressing experience of seeing the masterful first instalment more Blur Ray than Blu Ray.

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