Missa Solemnis (2013)

I am not a big fan of films of concerts, opera being a different kettle of fish. I certainly don't buy dvds of symphonic concerts but when a large chorus is involved in a major mass with a great orchestra, soloists and conductor I will usually buy it, but I am very selective. How many films of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis do I need? Well, as it turns out two.

From having zero dvds of this piece I ordered the Thielemann concert in a beautiful concert hall from 2010 and the Fabio Luisi one from 2005 filmed at the official opening in the Frauenkirche in Dresden.

Oddly the one from the Frauenkirche is the most authentic concert of the two because it includes applause, and the one from the concert hall is very solemn, slightly pretentious in this regard, and ends with the audience standing silently in homage to the fire bombing of Dresden during WW2. The Frauenkirche might have been the more appropriate place for such reverence.

But there is nothing to complain about in the camera work in either 2005 or 2010. The Unitel from 2010 with Thielemann is fascinating to watch. It is mind-boggling to imagine the coordination of the film team to manage so many cuts and angles and close-ups in a live event without a single camera ever being visible on screen. The work for Luisi's version is equally flawless and beautiful. Thielemann's concert hall is very classical and elegant, Luisi's Frauenkirche setting is joyously baroque and heavenly to behold.. So these two films are quite different and compliment one another very nicely.

Thielemann and Luisi are two of the greatest conductors out there right now. Thielemann eschews baton and score and stands there uninhibited by any incumbrance. His masterful knowledge of the score is evident before the music begins. Luisi uses a score and baton and jumps about a little. This is apt in his performance which seems more in tune with the fundamental joy of this piece.

Their interpretations are contrasted, one may go a little quicker than the other here and there but both interpretations are beautiful, solemn when called for and full of energy and panache at times. The orchestra and choral personnel seem quite different between '06 and '10. The two teams of vocal soloists are both very fine. I prefer, slightly, Luisi's with a fuller soprano and more audible (as recorded) bass. Luisi has two beautiful female soloists, and I don't mean just their voices. Camilla Nylund and Birgit Remmert are splendid and are superbly partnered by Christian Elsner, tenor and René Pape who needs no introduction. Thielemann's team is made up of Krassimira Stoyanova, Elina Garança, Michael Schade and Franz-Josef Selig. All eight of these singers have beautiful, well-trained and controlled voices. If there is an award for the greatest singing of the eight it would go to Elina Garança's extraordinary singing.

She is a young Christa Ludwig and I would expect her to start showing up in Wagner soon, Brangäne, Fricka and Waltraute.

I am happy to have purchased both these films. If you want a Missa Solemnis that is indeed solemn then go for the glorious Thielemann, which is also full of spirit and is life enhancing, if perhaps taking itself too seriously. If you want a more joyous approach, which is also solemn when called for, and has a more natural atmosphere in the extraordinarily beautiful Dresden Frauenkirche, then don't hesitate to buy the Luisi.

Frankly I think I will be turning to the Luisi more than the Thielemann in the future.

Christian Thielemann has just given us his remarkable set of Beethoven symphonies on DVD. With his new orchestra, the Dresden Staatskapelle, a quartet of very good soloists and the outstanding Sächsischer Staatsopernchor he now presents what I see as the logical and transcendental summation of all of Beethoven's works: the Missa Solemnis. The DVD competition is stiff. There is Bernstein's inimitable 1978 rendition in still acceptable sound and film, a very special interpretation by Michael Gielen (1986, nla), my long-time favorite, Sir Gilbert Levine's deeply felt and impressive reading and, finally, Fabio Luisi's recording (both 2005) with the same orchestral and choral forces as Thielemann's. The latter two certainly invite comparison: a comparison from which I'll refrain, because I can not quite warm up to Luisi's reading for purely subjective reasons. Thieleman and his excellent ensemble shine in every respect. Tempi are deliberate, as could be expected, but never drag. Despite the very large number of musicians in attendance, Thielemann keeps the sound stage as transparent and detailed as possible: this is one of his trademarks as a conductor. Without baton, he shapes every phrase, every motif to perfection, never losing his grip on the incredibly long thematic lines and on the whole beauty of this monumental edifice. I found myself spellbound by his moving interpretation, by the cohesion of everything and by his rapt attention to the score which totally involves all concerned as well as the listener. The uncompressed sound and the video are perfect. Get this and you will be elated. Now I wish, as a counterpoint, for a Missa from Paavo Järvi and his Bremer Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie: if wishes were fishes...

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Prequel:

My thanks to a reader who has found this review wrongly listed by Amazon under the disc by Harnoncourt as well as being correctly listed under Thielemann's performance in Dresden. Unfortunately this is a common problem with listings and cannot be corrected by reviewers. Please be patient and understanding and either scroll down past this review or read it for unintentional additional interest if appropriate! Thanks Ian Giles

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Beethoven wrote this work in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars which affected Beethoven deeply. In 1823 he invited various European royal houses to subscribe to a printed edition of his Mass which is how a copy of the work with Beethoven's own autograph annotations has become a part of the holdings of the Saxon State and University library.

Every year on February 13th there is a commemorative concert held in Dresden to commemorate the destruction of Dresden towards the end of World War 2. In this case the concert also commemorated the 25th anniversary of the rebuilding of the opera house. These concerts always feature a requiem and end with a minute's silence without any applause. This end to the performance is included in this 2010 recording and is, in itself, a deeply moving conclusion.

The performance is very fine indeed and rises impressively to all climatic moments with a finely matched quartet of four star singers, committed singing from the choir and immaculate playing from the orchestra under the direction of Thielemann. The long solo violin obligato part throughout the Benedictus is particularly beautifully played by the leader, Matthias Wollong, and the Agnus Dei concludes the work with Beethoven's strong ' plea for inner and outer peace' making the strongest impact imaginable.

This is not a joyful occasion but it is a moving one. The camera work is suitably sensitive whilst being finely detailed and the sound is provided in both DTS-HD and stereo and is of the high quality that one knows now to expect from C Major.

This is a very fine recording and performance of this work and deserves to be considered seriously by purchasers interested in a high quality visual presentation of this work.

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What a great disappointment!!!! A monumental choral work is made anemic by a faulty sound track. The chorus and male soloists sound distant from the dominating sound of the orchestra. When the soloists sing in quartet, the male voices, especially the bass, are almost overpowered by the soprano and alto; not that the men don't have powerful voices. It is due to poor sound engineering. On blu-ray, the visual is sharp in detail. If only the sound were!!!!

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"I love it", BUT…... The 5 stars are strictly for the outstanding performances by singers, playing of orchestras, and sound quality of the CD. Disc is, however, wholly lacking adequate notes, there is No Synopsis And No Libretto Whatsoever.

Is this (and others noted below…) some sort of "cheapie" presentation to account for the highly appreciated low prices offered? A regrettable oversight somewhere along the production line?

I Fully expect To Receive From Amazon These Missing Essential Components shortly."I love it", BUT…... The 5 stars are strictly for the outstanding performances by singers, playing of orchestras, and sound quality of the CD. Disc is, however, wholly lacking adequate notes, there is No Synopsis And No Libretto Whatsoever, all the more outrageous since this work is not that often heard.

Is this (and others noted below…) some sort of "cheapie" presentation to account for the highly appreciated low prices offered? A regrettable oversight somewhere along the production line? I Fully Expect To Receive From Amazon These Missing Essential Components shortly..

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Pinocchio (1940)

I just saw a special engagement of this latest 70th Anniversary version of Pinnochio at Disney's El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood in advance of the DVD re-release. Though I am happy to see the movie be given public exposure on a big theatrical screen, over the years I have seen many theatrical screenings of the movie on at least 12 different occasions including an original nitrate 3-strip Technicolor studio vault print in the early 1980's (before the studio dismantled its last nitrate screening room) and non-digital film restorations and was shocked to see that this latest restored version has digitally tampered with the film's original color palette for no justifiable reason.

Some of the chosen character hues are modern day, popular color hues, but look out of place in this early animated classic including certain pinks, reds and blues which are reused so often in identical shades that to classic animation buffs it becomes distractingly noticeable. For those animation buffs who know about Pinnochio, Walt intentionally muted colors in some of the scarier or sadder scenes. In the restored version, for example, when Pinnochio gets locked in Geppetto's "birdcage" the nighttime scene is bright and garish where it should intentionally be darker and muted.

The original movie had hand inked character outlines in colors that matched the interior ink colors, none of that is apparent in this restoration. The characters, though admittedly sharper and clearer, look color-wise like they were electronically tampered with, then reinserted in front of the original backgrounds.

At this point, the damage is done and obviously this restoration was "stylistic." But in any case, it might be compared with someone redoing the Mona Lisa with more modern color hues for the purpose of improving the artwork or making it more modern day acceptable. Either two things, perhaps no one at Disney was knowledgeable enough to notice what the outside restoration company was planning to do with the film in early test segments or maybe they figured that modern day DVD audiences would not know the difference or care, but this is the first "DIGITALLY RESTORED" classic Disney film that I have ever taken issue with. What a let down since it is my very favorite Disney film of all!!!

P.S. I was the founder of the former, long time Disney employees' Animated Film Club (later referred to as the Disney Film Club) which included Disneyland and Walt Disney Studio employees. It was founded in 1976 and continued on and off for many years afterward with visits from surviving original Disney animators, screenings of rare Disney footage and more.

The one-two whammy of audience and critical indifference to "Pinocchio" and "Fantasia" killed Walt Disney's desire to experiment with the limits of animation in the 1940s. From then on, play it safe was his motto. This may be one of the greatest tragedies to beset popular American culture in the 20th century; despite the depths of pretension and kitch in "Fantasia," it was at least evidence of a spirited mind in pursuit of the unattained -but "Pinocchio" must have broken old Walt's heart. There are visual effects in this movie that remained unchallenged until the digital age, and it's worth recalling that every single one of them was drawn by hand. It has one of the most beautiful and exciting musical scores in the history of the movies (I can't hear Cliff Edwards' high, pure falsetto holding that final note of "When You Wish Upon a Star" without chills), a deeply plangent sense of emotion that never tips over into bathos, and a wealth of detail that is still staggering after 65 years. But it may be too dark a movie to attain the popularity of more cheerful Disney cartoons like "Snow White" -although even that one can frighten the tots. Now: where is the double-disc Special Platinum Edition???

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Disney has restored this all-time classic to its original brilliance. The universal themes of love, family, friendship and good vs. evil make this educational and enjoyable. Yes, there are some quite scary scenes and evil is shown for what it is. However, just as in most fairy tales, good triumphs over evil in the end.

The story is told by Jiminy Cricket and the start of the movie is peaceful. He arrives at Geppetto's home where there are music boxes, toys, amazing clocks and a puppet who is just "all strings and joints." Geppetto is just painting on the finishing touches before he heads off to bed. The "cutest" black and white cat named Figaro adds warmth and amusement to the story. The sassy fish Cleo is a visual delight.

As the woodcarver drifts off to sleep, he says: "Wouldn't it be nice if he was a real boy?" He then sends Figaro to open the window and sees a wishing star. He makes a wish and while he sleeps, the Blue Fairy brings the Marionette Pinocchio to life. He then must learn to have a conscience, so it is decided that Jiminy Cricket will be his guide so he will know what is good and what is evil.

Pinocchio begins his journey to become a "real boy," but first he has to learn to be brave, loyal and honest. He is kidnapped after he joins a traveling show so he can become a famous actor, but escapes with the help of the Blue Fairy. She is the most beautiful animated fairy I have ever seen. Pinocchio then must learn to survive on his own. He takes a trip to Pleasure Island. This is a place where children go and they are allowed to play and never work, but the sinister truth is that they are all changed into donkeys and end up being shipped off to the salt mines. While he seems to keep making the wrong choices, once he realizes he will be turned into a donkey (his ears and tail already have grown), he goes back home. (Not unlike the prodigal son in a way, yet he is so young.)

When he arrives home, he finds cobwebs and the house has been empty for some time. A note arrives that tells him where he can find his father, so he jumps into the ocean to find Monstro the whale, where his father, Geppetto is trapped. Once under the sea, things get a bit scary and the whale is quite evil, not unlike other creatures from the sea in Disney's movies. Will he find his father? I won't give the ending away.

This is about the magical power of believing in your dreams and also will teach children to be moral and choose the good in life. I have to wonder if some politicians forgot to watch this movie as children. It teaches that lying is wrong and that a lie keeps growing and growing once it is told.

There are messages that reading is good and education is something you should strive for. The illiterate Red Fox is hilarious as he tries to read the ABC book upside down! The fox tries to tell Pinocchio that education is not good for him. I also noticed that because Pinocchio could not read (because he didn't go to school!), he could not read the note about his father and therefore, Jiminy Cricket had to read it for him. See a similar scene in "Mulan" where the lucky cricket in that movie types out the letter like a typewritter, which is also a beautifully animated movie with snow scenes similar to the wave scenes in this classic. I could see many details in this animation which have carried over into other movies.

There are many messages for adults in this movie....I doubt children will pick up on (Note the song that talks about "There are no strings on me!." This seems to be talking about our responsibility to others.)

As an adult, you will find them amusing and thought provoking. I had to laugh when I heard the Cricket say: "What does an actor want with a conscience anyway." That hit the mark! I would like to see more actors develop a conscience.

One of my favorite quotes by Jiminy Cricket is: "A cricket can't be too careful you know." It is laugh out loud funny when he says it.

The first part of the movie is hilarious, the middle is a big adventure and the ending is a wonderful surprise for children. There are a few politically incorrect items, but they are almost tongue-in-cheek and you have to think about when this movie was made!

If you have ever wished upon a star, or a falling star, this is for you! I agree, this is a masterpiece of animation....unlike anything you will find today. It is so detailed and moves at a pace where it is comfortable to watch. This is a thoughtful movie, unlike some of the more fast paced extravaganzas you see today.

~The Rebecca Review

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I am 70 yrs. old, and saw all of the great Disney movies on their original release as a child. Lest my qualifications are questioned, I have TWO PhD's, and am a retired professor who at the moment am building computers and reading at least 2 books a week. I've travelled all of the "lower" 48, and visited over 20 (again) in the last 3 years.

We have become a nation so frightened and split into groups that teach children fear and hatred. I'm afraid of what the children will become. I have a dozen grand children (at the moment) and have bought them all copies of the my fovorite Disney movies, with Snow White, Pinnocchio and (original) Fantasia at the top. Neither I, nor any of my friends my age, thought of those early movies as anything but what they were--wonderful stories. An example of the worst of our society is Eisner--a monster who takes movies off the market for years, and has stated he won't release the great folk tale "The Song of the South" because it MIGHT be "politically incorrect," an ugly concept that divides our country into "clans" walking on eggs in fear of "offending" some other group. I have watched most of the movies with each of my grand children, and SURPRISE, they loved them and are growing up to be intellegent and open minded, without fear or hate or whining. They learn their values from parents,grand parents and friends, not from movies and not from the twisted ideas of people they are pushed to associate with.

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A timeless classic that has been entertaining audiences for 70 years, Walt Disney's "Pinocchio" gets the High-Definition treatment and with Disney's classics on Blu-ray known as "reference" disc's among high-definition fans, "Pinocchio" is the second animated film from Walt Disney to hit theaters (back in 1940) and the oldest Walt Disney animated film to be released on Blu-ray. This Blu-ray disc comes with two Blu-ray discs plus a DVD disc of the film.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

So, far the Walt Disney Blu-ray disc animated (as well as theatrical) releases are among the best in picture and audio quality.

With the 2008 Blu-ray disc release of "Sleeping Beauty" (1958) which definitely benefited from the High-Definition remastering and many videophiles putting it among their top 10 of "reference" Blu-ray discs for picture quality, "Pinocchio" (1940) is a much older release, this film presented in multiplane Technicolor just looks absolutely fabulous on Blu-ray.

For nearly a year, an expert restoration team digitally scanned 380,334 frames of four and half miles of 71 year-old film negative, cleaning 126,778 frames, realigning each scene, removing dirt, scratches and dust and matching colors to the original cels and backgrounds. The clarity of "Pinocchio" is just amazing and I was just impressed how clean the animation was.

From the details of the backgrounds to the vibrant colors used, picture quality was just spectacular.

And the audio is no slouch either as the audio is featured in English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (48 kHz, 24-bit) or a restored original theatrical soundtrack. Of course, the film is primarily a dialogue based film but also a classic known for its music.

So, for those who have been enchanted with songs such as "When You Wish Upon A Star" to "I've Got No Strings", fans of Disney composer Leigh Harline, Ned Washington and Paul J. Smith are going to enjoy how beautiful the music sounds on their home theater setup. The music from "Pinocchio" earned the film two Oscars in 1941 for "Best Music, Original Score" and "Best Music, Original Song" for "When You Wish Upon a Star" which would become Disney's anthem.

For those wondering if there are any audio tracks in any other languages, unfortunately there is not. Although the bonus features do include English, French and Spanish 2.0. The same can be said for subtitles featured in English SDH (for the film) and the bonus features in English SDH, French and Spanish.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Pinocchio" is just loaded with special features. Here is what is included:

Blu-ray Disc 1:

* "When You Wish Upon a Star" An all-new music video starring Meaghan Jette Martin (Camp Rock) performing an all-new version of "When You Wish Upon A Star!" Obviously a version to bring any the younger listeners but really, nothing can beat the original version sung by Cliff Edwards.

* Pinocchio's Matter of Facts Learn fun facts about Pinocchio and other related subjects as you watch the movie.

* Optional Video/Audio Commentary An all-new audio commentary with Leonard Maltin, Eric Goldberg and J.B. Kaufman. A very informative and also enthusiastic commentary in which the three discuss their feelings of the film, what scenes touched them and also some informative facts about the film. The optional video commentary allows people to have a picture-in-picture display in which you can watch the three discuss the film and then also some interviews with the original crew involved with the film.

* Disney Song Selection This section allows the viewer to listen to the music portions from the film.

Blu-ray Disc 2:

* No Strings Attached: The Making of Pinocchio Witness the behind-the scenes magic that transformed Carlo Collodi's popular book into a classic animated film. About an hour long and very informative featurette about how the film cost Disney over $2 million to make but the film didn't do well in the box office until later as the music became a big part of Disney and people started to discover it's technical, artistic and musical merit and having become a Disney masterpiece.

* Deleted Scenes In the Disney vault, storyboards for deleted scenes and an alternate ending were found. Without spoiling any of these, the following scenes are:

The story of the Grandfather Tree Kindly Geppetto tells Pinocchio about the Great Pine Tree from which Pinocchio is descended.

In The Belly Of The Whale The most elaborate of Pinocchio's deleted scenes that remain in the Disney Archives, these recently discovered storyboards reveal a different version of Geppetto inside Monstro.

Alternate Ending A recently uncovered set of small storyboard panels reveal plans for a different version of Pinocchio becoming a real boy.

* The Sweat Box The Sweatbox was a small projection room at the Disney studio where Walt critiqued story reels, rough animation, and dailies of films in progress with his anxious artists. This piece traces the history of the Sweatbox and brings to life this important part of Walt Disney's artistic process.

* Geppettos Then And Now A look at the art of toymaking as it has evolved into the 21st Century. A fun featurette showcasing those who make toys, those who still carve wooden puppets to those who have created the Wall-E robot toy and I-Sobot.

* Live Action Reference Footage Older footage of how live action was used in the film, especially with the movements of Jimini Cricket.

* Pinocchio Art Galleries The hand-drawn conceptual art of "Pinocchio" is fantastic. Absolutely beautiful!

* Pinocchio's Puzzles Hosted by Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio's Puzzles is a multi-tiered Puzzle game that contains six unique wooden puzzles for the viewer to assemble. Each puzzle forms an image from the film that comes to life once they are complete.

* Blu-ray Exclusive Bonus Features -Includes all DVD Bonus Content (*BD-Live not available in Canada)

* Disney BD-Live Network The Disney BD-Live Network is just one of the many ways movie lovers, families, and loved ones can continue to stay connected and engage in their favorite movies.

* Movie Chat Communicate with your remote friends on-screen while in a synchronized viewing party using your remote control or any text enabled device such as a laptop,

desk top or any PDA device such as a Blackberry, iPhone or most other regular cell phones. Your chat session will appear over the movie and occur in real-time while watching the movie together.

* Movie Mail Blu-ray owners will be able to record a personalized video message of themselves, superimpose that capture onto one of many pre-selected clips of the movie, and send it off to a friend, colleague, or relative. This specific feature enables Pinocchio Blu-ray Disc owner to personalize a very special greeting as never before.

* Disney Movie Rewards Live Pinocchio Blu-ray owners will be able to accumulate Disney Movie Reward Points by participating in many Disney BD-Live Network activities. In return, viewers can redeem points for exclusive content such as Avatars, downloadable extras and many more exciting possibilities.

* Disney View A new viewing experience for future generations of home audiences, Disney View brings classic Disney films to the modern era of widescreen high definition viewing by allowing the user to expand their viewing experience beyond the original aspect ratio of the film. Utilizing Disney Blu-ray(tm) technology, artists are able to `draw' beyond the borders of classic full frame cinema and fill the otherwise dark edges of the screen with beautiful original imagery, giving audiences a new view on their animated classic favorites. Legendary artist Toby Bluth is the first artist's work to be featured on Disney View. I hope "Disney View" is a continuous feature because instead of watching the black bars on the sides of your widescreen TV, by having these borders and have it match with the scene was well-done!

* Cine-Explore

* Pinocchio Knows Trivia Challenge 1 to 4-player trivia game that can be played locally or online with your friends. Try to be the first to shrink Pinocchio's nose by answering challenging questions while watching the film.

* Pleasure Island Carnival Games Best the Evil Coachmen at four challenging Carnival games to earn your freedom and escape Pleasure Island.

Also, included is a song that was not used in the final cut for the film and more!

Again, another Disney masterpiece that has its definitive release via High-Definition on Blu-ray. This release is absolutely wonderful!

I was awestruck by how brilliant the film looked and how clean and pristine this 70-year-old film was on Blu-ray. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment really showed us how brilliant their restored films would look on Blu-ray starting with "Sleeping Beauty" but since "Pinocchio" was a much older film, it wasn't known if it could benefit from the restoration but sure enough, this release is yet another "Grand Slam".

To have a such an important classic animated film released on Blu-ray to look this spectacular is impressive but to go back into the sealed archives of Disney and to find any video or any type of existing artwork or storyboards was just amazing. This release is just jam packed with special feature and you learn so much about the behind-the-scenes making of the film from the artistic and musical direction, to casting and even Walt Disney and his involvement as well.

Learning how Walt Disney wanted to immediately change his version of "Pinocchio" from Carlo Collodi's original 1911 story "avventure de Pinocchio" (which featured an unlikeable, wiseguy Pinocchio and dark stories about abductions and murders) to learning also how strict Walt Disney was in making sure his staff knew what he wanted and did all he can to bring the best out of them.

Now, as a parent, I did watch this film with my child. For those who are not familiar with the classic Disney films, although Disney films are rated G, Disney films from the past versus a Disney film like "Wall-E" or a modern Disney animated film that is generally fine for children will need to know that back then, Walt Disney's animated films were created for people of all ages and not just children (which was discussed on the commentary).

So, therefore Walt Disney's first film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" had dark content. Disney's second film "Pinocchio" has its share of scenes that may make some parents uncomfortable. For example, in one scene, Pinocchio follows a wiseguy who likes to smoke and thus Pinocchio starts smoking a cigar (and of course getting sick by it), scenes with beer drinking and then of course, a scene where the word "jackass" is used a few times. Some may feel the content is inappropriate for their children, so I will leave that up to your discretion.

But overall, there's really nothing negative that can be said about this Blu-ray release. It's everything that a fan of the film can ever want with a High-Definition release. Digital restoration of video and audio, informative commentary, special features and much more!

Absolutely wonderful! Highly recommended!

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (The Criterion Collection) (1983)

This marvelous film, based on my favorite novel "The Seed And The Sower" by Sir Laurence Van Der Post, is light years away from the stereotypical prisoner-of-war film. It is so because of its profound understanding of clashing cultures, the hatreds that drive them, and the love that redeems hostile nations time and time again. David Bowie is often cited as the main character, but in actuality, his is a compelling supporting role. Tom Conti has the best role of his career as Lieutenant Colonel John Lawrence, a British officer imprisoned in a camp on Java. Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto scored the film and also plays Captain Yonoi, the aristocratic, Shakespeare-quoting commandant of the camp. These two characters have a strong relationship which, nevertheless, is handicapped by the fact that Lawrence understands the Japanese better than Yonoi understands the British. Yonoi, and Bowie's character, Major Jack Celliers, are wracked with guilt over incidents in their past; Yonoi was unable to be with, and die with, his comrades, the "shining young officers" of Japan's February 1936 military coup. Celliers betrayed his deformed younger brother while attending boarding school. Lawrence is caught in the middle of these two tortured men. He is repelled by the brutality of the Japanese, even as he respects them, and their samurai code of honor. Indeed, wayward Japanese guards are dealt cruel and lightening-fast corporal punishment by their officers; and mistreatment of the prisoners is due to cultural belief, not simple sadism. The beauty of this film lies in the empathy that ostensible enemies feel for one another, and the unexpected kindnesses they show toward one another. But Yonoi's devotion to bushido, and blindness to the British sense of honor, leads to a startling climax. If the final scene doesn't make you weep, then get your heart checked, will you?

An amazing film, only slightly marred by a few botched scenes and poor editing. (Oshima rarely shot more than one take.)

I've been suckered into a few other DVD releases of this film, so I was skeptical about this one. However in selling my other two copies and taking the money from those sells and buying this one, well need I say this is the last version, but the one I'm completely satisfied with. The extras included filmed memories by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Producer JeremyThomas and Director Nagisa Oshima as well as an 1983 thirty-minute behind the scenes short. The film is beautiful and has been mastered from a new 35MM print and the haunting score by Ryuichi Sakamoto makes this DVD a treasured film for years to come.

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A highly unusual war movie with as many detractors as fans, this English-language feature directed by Nagisa Oshima (In the Realm of the Senses) stars David Bowie as a silent, ethereal POW in a Japanese camp. Protesting--via his own enigmatic rebellion--the camp's brutal conditions and treatment of prisoners, Bowie's character earns the respect of the camp commandant (Ryuichi Sakamoto). While the two seem locked in an unspoken, spiritual understanding, another prisoner (Tom Conti) engages in a more conventional resistance against a monstrous sergeant (Takeshi). The film has a way of evoking as many questions as certainties, and it is not always easy to understand the internal logic of the characters' actions. But that's generally true of Oshima's movies, in which the power of certain relationships is almost hallucinatory in self-referential intensity. The cast is outstanding, and Bowie is particularly fascinating in his alien way.

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I originally saw this movie many years ago on a cable premium movie channel, and I think that version had either English subtitles or dubbed English vocals for the Japanese dialog. Anyway, the particular VHS version offered here by Amazon has neither. Amazon's product description does not warn potential purchasers of this "missing piece." That said, I am glad that I decided to purchase this movie (VHS video) so that I could see it again. Also, for you viewers who are members of the NetFlix or Blockbuster rental video service, a Region 1 DVD is not available (as of Feb. 2007).

This movie is one of the most unique and interesting WWII movies I have ever seen. Tom Conti (Lawrence) and Davie Bowie (Celliers) give knockout performances. The Japanese actors are equally excellent. With the lack of subtitles, one has to guess what is transpiring when the characters are speaking Japanese (quite a lot of Japanese dialog). Fortunately, the Japanese actors are very good with facial expressions and body language, which provide some insight into what is going on.

Some reviewers have compared "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence" with "The Bridge On the River Kwai" (1957). The former reflects the sensibilities of a Japanese director, and the latter the sensibilities of a British director (David Lean). Therefore, IMO, a direct comparison is not really meaningful. These two films are so very different in many ways. I also think that "Merry Christmas..." is not so much a "war movie" as it is a study in the contrast of Japanese culture and values with Western ones. The plot also explores, with the Celliers' character, the tortured mind of a man who finds himself in the most desperate of circumstances.

In summary, this is a very unusual WWII movie, but well worth the time you need to invest in understanding the character development of the Allied and Japanese soldiers without benefit of English subtitles. Perhaps sometime in the near future, this movie will be released in a Region 1 DVD format with subtitles and some digital restoration of the original film. Such an effort should well reward the owners of this film financially. And, of course, the many lovers of this movie (in Region 1--USA and Canada) will benefit, too.

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Tom Conti is a British Officer who questions a Japanese officer (R Sakamoto) at the end of WW2. He asks questions about another British officer (David Bowie) who had been a prisoner of the Japanese in a camp commanded by Sakamoto. Told in flashbacks it's tells the difference in cultures between the British and Japanese. Sakakoto tries to break Bowie but in the end is taken prisoner by the British. Good story but sometime brutal and disturbing. Overall I recommend it for the 3 actors and the way the movie portrays what being a POW in a Japanese prison was like. Criterion is the best when remastering these older movies.

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The Flowers of War (2012)

I will not be a reviewer that drops the whole story on you! I really don't like that, as I think any movie should be judged by the viewer. That being said, This is a movie you must see for yourself! The story does start with a bit of the American cliche on Christian Bale's character, however, after that the story is so very good.

This movie effectively embraces and conveys so many human virtues and flaws in a way I think so many could relate to, and it is beautifully told. This movie is brutal at times and yet delves into the deepest parts of our souls.

The story itself is narrated from the viewpoint of a young Chinese girl involved in what happened. Without giving anything away the set-up is an American mortician is summoned to a Cathedral in Nanking in 1937 (the Rape of Nanking) he poses as a priest in charge of a group of convent schoolgirls, a group of Chinese prostitutes arrive, then the Japanese. No one here is perfect, nor is anyone evil, they are human and behave as such. Some die, all squabble, all want out of the city, sacrifices are made.

The acting is flawless on all parts, the story beautifully told. I guarantee, there will not be a dry eye in the house at the end!

To see a movie this good is a rare gift, embrace it!

Easily, one of the best movies I've ever seen. If you're a fan of Kurosawa, it's up there with his directing.

If you've read Iris Chang's non-fiction book "The Rape of Nanking" you have some idea of what horrors to expect. As we know, in 1937 the Japanese invaded China; after conquering Shanghai, they turned their attention to the capitol, Nanking. The result was the slaughter of over 200,000 people.

In this movie, based on the novel by Galing Yan ("Xiu Xiu, the Sent-Down Girl"), we have a fictionalized story in this chaotic setting. We are in a church compound where two groups seek shelter: the first, a dozen convent girls fleeing Japanese soldiers, and the second, a gaggle of "working girls" from a prominent brothel who throw their suitcases over the wall and demand sanctuary. A drunk but frightened Western mortician has come to prepare a priest for burial, and our story begins.....

These were the few actors I could pick out of the cast:

* Christian Bale ("The Dark Knight") is the mortician, boozy and rude; Bale seems to enjoy playing a crude American who laughs in the face of their predicament. He first puts on a priest's robe to avoid Japanese bullets, but by the time he has to bury some of their little group, he isn't quite so blithe.

* Paul Schneider ("Water for Elephants") in a cameo as another American fleeing the massacre, is incredulous that our hero is choosing to stay and try to help his charges escape the city.

* Ni Ni in her screen debut is the lovely self-appointed leader of the prostitutes. None of the women like the "big-nosed" Occidental, but a job is a job.

* Xinyi Zhang ("Love is not Blind") becomes, by default, the leader of the convent girls. She is observant, multi-lingual and expects her father to help them escape.

Instantly, the two groups of females clash: the convent girls are horrified to think that "those women" would dare sully a church, while the prostitutes see the girls as naïve, over-indulged virgins. We see moments of heroism, experience anxiety when characters make foolish choices and hold our breath when the soldiers make their demands. This is 1937 Nanking, so expect gunfire, blood, rape, and lots of blowie uppie stuff.

Note: Because soldiers are always posted outside the church compound gates, all conversations are whispered, so unless your hearing is very, very good, wait for Amazon.com to release the DVD and see if it has closed captions.

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I am a huge Christian Bale fan and have been before his mega Blockbusters and Academy Award. To put this out there now I would classify this as a Foreign Film with a great British Actor as the focal point. To be fair this is more of a survival movie than a war movie.It also has some intense scenes with violence directed at females so if that makes you squeamish, I would still recommend the movie, however turn away from said scenes.

This story does not try to overdo itself like many American Films that blow war movies out of proportion. It is not involved with an absurd love story, however hints at it. I cannot compare it to any movie I have seen because it is unlike any other I have viewed and really tugs at your heart strings. The musical score compliments the themes and atmosphere perfectly, with children's choir music to sad traditional Chinese music. The acting in this movie is great! Like many who see this movie, they probably will not identify any of the actors/actresses other than Christian Bale and everyone balances each other out perfectly. (Meaning it isn't one great actor surrounded by bad performances.) Character development in my opinion has the perfect amount. Not delving too far into one particular character, however leaving enough for you to feel connected with the individuals to "feel" for them as individuals.

I will not spoil this movie. I will tell you it is lengthy however it did not seem lengthy while watching it. (Sign of an enjoyable movie) For those who like a good survival movie, sprinkled with different forms of love, war themes, and change of heart stories, Definitely worth the watch!

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What's it about?

Christian Bale finds refuge with a group of women in a church during Japan's rape of Nanking in 1937. Posing as a priest, he attempts to lead the women to safety.

Is it any good?

When it comes to watching films, immediately my expectation changes upon hearing the cast and the director of a film. Therefore, using that logic I expected a film with Christian Bale by Yimou Zhang to be great...and I was not disappointed. The film is primarily shot in a church compound, so don't expect grand war scenes on the scale of `Hero'. Instead, we are treated to some top-notch acting and magnificent storytelling regarding one of the most awful periods of Chinese History. The film is startling in its unrelenting and unflinching accounts of brutality, and also beautiful in the courage displayed by the women with whom the film centres around. Considering the 146 minute run time, the pacing of the film does drag at points, but those who stick with it, should find themselves engrossed from its spectacular beginning, all the way through to its emotionally charged ending.

Best bit?

Although not a war film per se, the scenes which do feature battles are as realistic and intense as they come.

Did you know?

One challenging aspect in making the film, was what Zhang called the "very slow pace" of negotiation with the Chinese censorship authorities during the editing process.

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The gruesome realities of the Japanese invasion and conquering of the city of Nanking, China in 1937 have been brought to the screen on a regular basis: In The Name of the Emperor form Christine Choi and Nancy Tang in 1998, Nanking form Bill Gutentag and Dan Sturman in 2007, City of Life and Death form Chuan Lee in 2009 and John Rabe from Florian Gallenburger in 2009, and now come THE FLOWERS OF WAR from Yimou Zhang in 2011. Though the story is based on facts, the various movie versions vary considerably on what really happened. THE FLOWERS OF WAR is based on Geling Yan's novel `13 Flowers of Nanjing,' the story gathers an improbable collection of people -Bale's freelance American mortician, a group of convent schoolgirls and the women from a local brothel -in the nominal refuge of a Catholic cathedral as the capital falls to Japan's Imperial Army. There are so many sidebar stories and characters introduced that the enormous impact the other films created is somewhat diluted here despite some quality direction from Yimou Zhang. As the LA Times critic stated, `The Flowers of War has broken new ground for China's movie industry: It's among the first domestically financed films to star a high-profile Hollywood actor (Christian Bale), and its reported budget of close to $100 million makes it the country's priciest production to date. But when it comes to storytelling, Zhang Yimou's 19th feature is decidedly backward-looking: A lavish period weepie set against the atrocities of the Nanking Massacre, "Flowers" abounds with well-worn movie archetypes and slathers on schmaltz.'

Briefly stated, in 1937 China, during the second Sino-Japanese war, a mortician, John (Christian Bale) arrives at a Catholic church in Nanjing to prepare a priest for burial. Upon arrival he finds himself the lone adult among a group of convent girl students and prostitutes from a nearby brothel. When he finds himself in the unwanted position of protector of both groups from the horrors of the invading Japanese army, he discovers the meaning of sacrifice and honor. Innocence-vs. -experience is an undeniably strong theme. The girls' tender adolescence heightens its impact, especially given the historical facts. The Nanking Massacre is also known as the Rape of Nanking, and it's more than a figurative description: The Japanese invaders committed horrendous sexual assaults against the female population. In "Flowers," the girls' safety becomes the paramount concern of the survivors holed up in the cathedral.

Christian Bale seems to struggle with this character and his performance is not particularly convincing or moving. The aspect of this film that overcomes the over-production qualities (hiring Joshua Bell to provide a violin solo seems a bit much, etc) is the story itself, a bit of history that cannot be replayed often enough to again remind us how war alters man and that survival, no matter the method, is the laudatory aspect of human caring. Grady Harp, July 12

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Find Me Guilty (2012)

"Find Me Guilty" is a comedic take on what was at the time the longest criminal trial in American history, the 1987-1988 trial of 20 members of the New Jersey Lucchese crime family on 76 charges under the RICO Act. Most of the courtroom testimony is taken from the real trial transcripts. The film focuses on Giacomo "Jackie" DiNorscio (Vin Diesel), called "Fat Jack" in real life, who, frustrated with his lawyer, insists on representing himself. Jackie is already serving a 30-year prison sentence for narcotics distribution, so the outcome of this trial is somewhat academic to him. Prosecutor Sean Kierney (Linus Roache) offers him a reduction in his current sentence in exchange for testimony at the RICO trial, but Jackie refuses to rat out his friends. Untrained in the law, Jackie's only defense is to make the jury like him more than they like the prosecutors. "A laughing jury is never a hanging jury," says defense attorney Ben Klandis (Peter Dinklage). "I'm not a gangster. I'm a gagster," says Jackie. And he puts on quite a show over the course of the 21-month trial.

"Find Me Guilty" does make light of Jackie's crimes, presenting him as a loyal, affable guy. It could hardly do otherwise, since Jackie made light of them, and he seems to have been a loyal, affable criminal. (Giacomo DiNorscio died while this movie was being filmed.) This obviously isn't a catalog of the Lucchese family's misdeeds. There were some very disreputable people on trial whose victims were not limited to their fellow Mafioso. "Find Me Guilty" is about Jackie's role in this long, remarkable trial. Vin Diesel does the best work of his career thus far. Perhaps due to his laconic, tough-guy image, Diesel can play Jackie's silliness, foolishness, and melodrama without the audience losing sight of his hoodlum toughness. He's a big presence that carries the film through courtroom testimony that might otherwise be tedious. DiNorscio is an interesting character, whose conviction that he must love his mob family, and they must love him, carried him through the trial and many years in prison. "Find Me Guilty"'s comedic approach to courtroom and mafia dramas is new and entertaining.

The DVD (20th Century Fox 2006): "A Conversation with Sidney Lumet" (5 min) is a series of snippets in which director Lumet talks about meeting the real Jackie DiNorscio, Jackie's motives, and authenticity in the film. There is a theatrical trailer (2 ½ min) and 3 television spots for the film (30 sec. each), as well as a trailer for the 1992 movie "My Cousin Vinny" (1 ½ min). Subtitles for the film are available in English and Spanish.

Fans of "The Sopranos", "Goodfellas", Mafia and courtroom flicks will enjoy this fact-based (but probably not completely factual) look at the lengthiest RICO trail in American history starring Vin Diesel and directed by octogenarian Sidney Lumet.

Diesel plays New Jersey mobster Jack DiNorscio defending himself in the longest Mafia trial in U.S. history. Diesel is effective in the role as a disruptive force in judge Ron Silver's court. Alex Rocco, a Mafioso going back to "The Godfather" and through roles he played in TV's "Kojak", is the ring leader in the trial and the main guy the feds are after. Why DiNorscio became the focus of this movie is a question looking for an answer.

In any event, the courtroom "drama" is unlike most of what you see in this kind of movie. Diesel's character is uneducated, has little or no knowledge of courtroom requirements or decorum, and shows these shortcomings regularly through his inappropriate and often unbearable behavior as a litigator.

The other gangsters on trial turn against him after they come to view him as a force out for himself. Prosecutors too see him as a hazard insofar as his comedy act seems to appeal to jurors. True or not, you've probably never seen an attorney ask these kind of questions in court!

Ironically, the film lionizes DiNorscio as a heroic figure that carries out the Mafia credo of not ratting out a brother. Throughout the film he protests his love for his Cosa Nostra brethren, even when they are working against him, and continually states his case against being a rat. This, to me, was the principal theme of the film -that this lowlife gangster was somehow a hero. The outcome of the movie seems also to support that view.

Several bit players from "The Sopranos", including Junior Soprano's lawyer and one of Tony Soprano's dead love interests, fill out the supporting cast in this New York production. This flick is probably at the level of "The Valachi Papers" but with a far different perspective. It has little of the sizzle of "Goodfellas" but is interesting in its courtroom scenes, where much of the script allegedly mimicked the real trial the went on for more than 500 days.

So fans of gangster and courtroom flicks can cast aside any doubt and go for this movie, which is probably the best characterization Vin Diesel has put on so far. He deservedly wasn't nominated for any awards for this but it shows he can do a bit more than simply play Vin Diesel on screen.

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I had the pleasure of watching this film on opening weekend in Times Square in NY. I saw the trailers but wasn't really sure what to expect from Vin Diesel in a very different role. I have to say, that after about 10 minutes, I stopped seeing Vin Diesel in make up and totally bought into his portrayal of "Fat Jack" DiNorscio. There was a good bit of crass gangster humor, but I ate it up in the same way you would a naughty secret. Peter Dinklage was wonderful as a lead attorney (and yes, his height was a non-issue, because he is such a strong actor), Ron Silver's strength and sensitivity as the judge was excellent and Linus Roache as the prosecutor was engaging (I didn't know whether to cheer for or against him and he was the "good guy"). I can't even begin to speak of the supporting actors whose mob idiosyncrisies were wonderfully played. I only wish we could have seen more of Annabella Sciorra and Vin Diesel on screen together. They were powerful and had excellent chemistry. I can't wait for the DVD if only to hope there are deleted scenes of these two! Trust me, they'd be worth the price of the DVD alone.

Read Best Reviews of Find Me Guilty (2012) Here

Vin Diesel plays Giacomo "Jackie Dee" DiNorscio, who in a strange turn of events defended himself in a Gangland Rico trial, that was the longest trial in US history. You can not tell if he is acting or joking thru is role

Sisney Lumet who directed Network, Dog Day Afternoon, The Verdict and 12 Angry Men seems weak in this drama/comedy. He has made the courtroom seem so close and tight, you feel you need a breath of air every ten minutes.

I will say Lumet stocked the deck with great stock actors like Ron Silver (as a no nonsense, by the book judge), Peter Dinklage (as a defense attorney), Alex Rocco, and (the too short a role that needed to be padded) Annabella Sciorra. I just wish the script and direction was as good as the actors

This drama/comedy is strong of humor and weak on dramatic moments. One of the worst when the Judge tells Jackie he lost his mother is so weak for the acting timbers of Diesel and Silver. Lumet seem to have lacked pacing and direction in this film. This film could have been a great film, but it was not.

I give it 3 stars for the acting, it is worth it for that

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

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Find Me Guilty obviously a vehicle for jumpstarting Vin Diesel's "serious" acting career is such an uneven film, and while it delivers up a few good laughs especially in the first act the film is profoundly short on drama and suspense, and it ultimately sinks under the weight of a leaden stodgy script, an overly long third part and an awkward, stilted performance by Diesel.

Part crime story and part-court room drama, Find Me Guilty is the real life story of New Jersey mobster named Jackie DiNorscio (Diesel) already serving time on a drug conviction, who in 1987 refused to turn state's witness against some 20 of his former associates in the Lucchese crime family.

There was obviously no love lost between Jackie and the Lucchese's, but Jackie consistently proves his loyalty and never turns against them. Fed up with his legal representation DiNorscio also chose to defend himself in what would become, at 21 months, the longest criminal trial in U.S. history.

As much of the action takes place within the courtroom the lawyers and mobsters there's a whole table of defendants all jockeying for position in an overcrowded courtroom with the ecstatically inexperienced Jackie mounting arguments based on wily good humor as he tries to win over the jury with his ribald and off-center jokes.

Directed by Sidney Lumet, Find Me Guilty is more intent to let the dialogue move the story along, using satire to present these beloved mobsters. We all know that these men are a bunch of crooks, intent to scam the system and even commit murder from time to time, but Lumet is more concerned with building their case on an amoral smugness, presenting them as a bunch of big, cuddly family men, who in the end, just want to be respected and loved.

There are some good supporting players here particularly Peter Dinklage who plays an eloquent dwarf attorney and who holds the courtroom rapt with his every utterance. And Annabella Sciorra shows up in a quick, charged turn as Jackie's former wife. The obnoxious lead government prosecutor played by Linus Roache injects some much-needed life into the proceedings, especially later on.

Ironically, the prosecutor is more insufferable and loathsome many of the mobsters. I guess that's why the jury reached the verdict they did and it also shows that the government can be just as ruthless as the people they attempt to bring to justice.

I feel a little sorry for poor Vin, he's obviously a competent actor, but in this case an overly talky script hampers him and unfortunately he has a voice that rarely rises about the monotone. He looks good with his hairpiece and you really believe he could be a mobster and there's a priceless scene involving some flatulence and car windows but the courtroom scenes prove that the role may have been just a little bit beyond him.

The script also leaves some important questions unanswered, such as the jury's verdict, and the movie always appear to be true even although much of the courtroom dialogue was taken from trial transcripts, but this doesn't mean the movie always rings true.

There are some fun moments after a heart attack, one gangster attends the rest of the trial in a hospital bed and there's lots of irreverent profanity thrown every which way, but the film, which clocks in at just over two hours comes across as overlong and stodgy a little bit like the trial itself and in the end, you really have to wonder whether these guys were as funny as the move makes them out to be. Mike Leonard June 06.

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Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962)

Another strip-down medicore presentation from Artisan....

This is a landmark brilliant film of perhaps Eugene O'Neill's great play. The directing by Sidney Lumet and the acting by Katharine Hepburn, Ralph Richardson, Jason Robards, and Dean Stockwell is nothing less than amazing. This has got to be one of the 3 all-time greatest performaces from the late Ms. Hepburn!

Simply one of the most amazing films of the 1960's.

This should have been issued on Criteron. We should have gotten a first-rate restoration job with either a good documentary/back story on the making of the film, or a commentary by the two survivors of the film, Dean Stockwell and Sidney Lumet.

Instead we get a nearly public-domain quality release.

I'm so happy to finally get this important film on DVD...but I'm utterly disappointed at the slap-dash quality one has come to expect from Artisan.

I agree with the reviews, the performances are absolutely stunning, especially Katharine Hepburn's, possibly the best of her career if not one of the best ever captured on film.

HOWEVER, this DVD release is atrocious. This is close to a three-hour film and they crammed on to one disc. That wouldn't be so bad had they done a new transfer, but this looks like the same one used for the VHS tape. Cropped for the TV screen like the video release, (this was definitely shot in widescreen, according to imdb.com), it's got the same gritty, low-res quality. You could tape this movie off of TCM or Bravo and get better quality. Rent it, tape it, but hold off on buying this until it's given a proper DVD release (if anyone from the Criterion Collection's listening, please license this movie!)

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This is a powerful film that's making its long-awaited DVD debut and what do we get -a scratchy print scaled down from widescreen to a 4X3 aspect ratio, essentially the same as its VHS presentation. The price is cheap for good reason ...this is a beauty that's been somewhat stripped of its grandeur.

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(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)This is likely Katharine Hepburn's greatest screen performance in a career that spanned over six decades. Tackling Eugene O'Neill's morphine-addicted Mary Tyrone must have been daunting at the time, but this 1962 film version of the playwright's autobiographical masterwork is a blazing showcase for not only her formidable talent but her male co-stars as well. Set right after the turn of the last century, it follows a summer day in the life of the Tyrones, as dysfunctional a family as one could possibly imagine. Ex-actor James Tyrone Sr. is the titular head of the family, a miserly alcoholic actor whose sanctimonious attitude has his family unable to cope with their feelings in constructive ways. His wife Mary is a faded beauty defiantly denying both her condition and that of her youngest son Edmund. Edmund has just returned from a few years on the seas but has contracted tuberculosis. Older son Jamie is a failed actor, a wastrel who has become an alcoholic and resentful of his father's stinginess in not being able to send Edmund to a good sanitarium.

The movie is really a series of confrontations and long recollections. As the story progresses, we learn that each of the family members, instead of bonding over Edmund's illness, is gradually retreating into private hellish worlds and that the inability to peacefully cohabitate stems from an inability to move on from events long passed. Even though they are all obviously intelligent people, they refuse to get past their disappointments, and we are left to witness the repercussions of how their choices have affected their relationships and most tragically, how their relationships have informed their choices. What makes spending three hours with this quartet worthwhile is the fact that O'Neill transcends the melodramatic aspects by honing in mercilessly on each one's strengths and frailties. He avoids the talkiness of a stage play by imbuing a sublimely lyrical use of language that captures a profound sense of beauty amid the overwhelming tragedy.

Director Sidney Lumet remains faithful to the text and emphasizes the play's substantial dramatic force by focusing very specifically on the four actors. Hepburn's head-shaking was beginning around this time, and it actually feeds effectively into the character's constant sense of loss and paranoia. She has several great moments, such as Mary's giggly remembrance of her first encounter with James and the demented stupor she displays near the end as she carries her old wedding dress around. A somewhat rigid Ralph Richardson plays James Sr. with appropriate stentorian fervor, though honestly I would have liked to have seen either Fredric March, who originated the role on Broadway, or ironically Spencer Tracy play this role, especially as the play deals heavily with Irish Catholic guilt. Jason Robards has been so inextricably connected with O'Neill in the intervening years that it is no surprise to see him superbly interpret the role of Jamie with alternate flashes of fury and poignancy. As Edmund, Dean Stockwell is a revelation as the O'Neill doppelganger, the emotional core of the play who takes the family's one positive step of forgiving his father and brother for their faults in the climax. Additional credit needs to be given to cinematographer Boris Kaufman whose fluid work here makes the camera an integral part of the experience by lending depth and range to the scenes that could not have been captured onstage. True, it can be an emotionally draining film for the uninitiated, but it is more importantly, a powerful realization of one of the undisputed classics of the American stage.

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Eugene O'Neill finished writing "Long Day's Journey Into Night" in 1940, but when he died in 1951 his will specifically stated the play was not to be produced until at least 25-years after his death. Because his widow relented and gave her permission for this "play of old sorrow written in tears and blood" we are left with this 1962 film and Katharine Hepburn's greatest acting performance. I first stumbled upon this film on late night television twenty years ago and I still remember staying up and crying throughout the emotionally devastating conclusion with the camera slowly pulling back from the family sitting around the table before a stunning series of emotional close ups of the doomed Tyrones.

This painfully autobiographical play is set on the long day and night in 1912 when the Tyrone family deals the news that young Edmund (Dean Stockwell) has tuberculosis. The tragedy is compounded by the rest of the family: a father (Ralph Richardson) who is a miser, a brother (Jason Robards, Jr., repeating his stage performance) who finds solace in drink, and a mother who retreats into her addiction to morphine before the night is over. Writing about his own family, O'Neill not only changed their last names to Tyrone but also switched Eugene with Edmund, the name of the infant brother who died. After watching this heartbreakingly painful story you know why the playwright wanted it tucked away until he was long gone.

Hepburn received her ninth Oscar nomination for her role as Mary Tyrone (the award went to Anne Bancroft for "The Miracle Worker"), and the four actors shared the acting award for the Cannes Film Festival along with the principals of "A Taste of Hone" (no clue how they came to that strange pairing). The almost 3-hour film is the complete O'Neill script (the key selling point for Hepburn in taking the role) and was shot by director Sidney Lumet in sequence in 37 days after the cast rehearsed for three weeks. The music score is by Andre Previn and Boris Kaufman was the cinematographer of this black and white film. O'Neill is enjoying something of a revival thanks to Kevin Spacey in "The Iceman Cometh" on Broadway, but when it comes to film this is far and away the best representation of his work. Given that he wrote extremely long plays about the early part of the last century, it is likely we will never see a greater film version of O'Neill than "Long Day's Journey Into Night."

Interesting background tidbit: Hepburn tried to talk Spencer Tracy into taking the role of the father. Tracy, who was already in failing health, turned it down, claiming it was a question of salary (Hepburn received only $25,000 for her part). Some of Tracy's biographers, wondering how one of the greatest actors of the century would have done with one of the greatest plays, have suggested that Tracy was intimidated by the role. Still, it is hard not to fantasize about the "Long Day's Journey Into Night" as a Tracy-Hepburn vehicle.

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Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

It's not until you are well and truly wading through the wealth of special features on the 2-disc special edition DVD of the 1947 Christmas favorite "The Miracle on 34th Street" that one realizes that the release features not just two versions of the movie, but three.

For not only does the release feature the original black & white version shown in theaters and the circa 1980s colorized version of the same feature film, but also hidden away on the second disc is the curiously titled "20th Century Fox Hour of the Stars: The Miracle on 34th Street," which turns out to be a 46 minute 1950s remake for television that is surprisingly in incredibly good quality.

The inclusion of this feature is indicative of Fox's loving tribute to this family movie gem that is this 2-disc release. Prior to its release the studio had no idea how to market what it considered to be an "unimportant program picture" and stuck it in the middle of its summer schedule with a trailer (shown here as a 5-minute promotional short) that did not feature one single clip from the movie and went at lengths to conceal it's Yuletide theme.

The story is so well known that it hardly bears relating in this review. Suffice to say that it charts the efforts of a man (played in an Academy Award winning performance by British actor Edmund Gwenn) to be legally recognized as Santa Claus, which in fact he is and to persuade a doubting young girl (played by Natalie Wood in a star-turning performance) and a practical realist (played by Maureen O'Hara) that he is indeed Father Christmas. Picked to replace a liquor induced Santa as the Macy's Parade Santa he is a smashing success and indeed Gwenn's performance is so incredible that Natalie Wood really did believe that she was acting opposite Santa Claus.

Perhaps the best special feature in this release (in what is a tough choice given its incredible company) is the feature length audio commentary by Maureen O'Hara. Recorded at her home in Ireland this past August the DVD warns us that this is merely excerpts of that interview with frequent silent sections. But I must say that this is happily not entirely accurate. O'Hara is clearly watching the movie (discussing elements on the screen as they occur), but also is more talkative than other commentaries that I have listened to that do not have a similar warning.

In the commentary O'Hara recounts being forced to remain in the United States following the outbreak of hostilities in World War II and subsequently furious when (after being allowed to return to her native Ireland) on being ordered back to the U.S. to make this film. She tells us that other considered titles were "The Big Heart" and "It's Only Human" and how once she read the script she was determined to be involved in what she saw as a warm and affectionate movie. O'Hara also talks about the parade itself and reveals that it was the actual parade with people in the crowd not being aware that Fox was shooting a movie that day.

Also included in this release is the 22-minute "AMC Backstory" that takes us behind the scenes of the production. Including are on-camera interviews with film historian Rudy Behlmer, actress Maureen O'Hara, actor Robert Hyatt (who played Thomas Mara Jr.), actor Alvin Greenman (who played Alfred), Natalie Wood biographer Suzanne Finstad and Natalie's sister Lana Wood. The documentary traces the genesis to the movie back to a fateful trip to a Los Angeles department store by screenwriter Valentine Davies. Fighting through holiday shoppers on 1944's Christmas Eve in an effort to buy a gift for his wife, Davies wondered what Santa Claus would make of the commercialism of Christmas. After working on the screenplay for over a year the project was optioned by Fox, who evidently had no idea what they had.

In what was a huge risk the filmmakers agreed when Macy's and rival store Gimble Bros. said they would withold permission for their names to be used in the film until they had seen the finished film. Thankfully they loved it for if either store had objected Fox would have had to drastically re-cut and re-shoot major portions of the movie.

So it was that at the height of the 1946 shopping season over 100 cast and crew descended on the Macy's store in New York City to shoot interiors of the movie and when it wrapped used the likes of Rex Harrison and Anne Baxter (who were on the Fox lot shooting other pictures) to rave about the production. Fox need not have worried though because it was a critical and commercial success staying in theaters for over six months and taking home three of its nominated four Oscars. In fact its popularity is such that it has not only been remade in the included 1950s TV production, but again in a 1970s TV movie and then in a 1994 big budget production (and clips from all three are featured in the AMC Backstory).

An archival MovieTone News reel (running 1:42) covers those awards presentations and includes the famous quote from a clean shaven Gwenn when receiving his statue, "Phew. Now I know there is a Santa Claus."

But that's not all this bumper release contains. Also included is a 15:30 featurette on the history of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and in particular its pivotal role in the movie. This new documentary features on-camera interviews with Robert M. Grippo (author of a book on the parade) and John W. Straus who worked on the parade for 22 years and coordinated with the studio that the filming of the parade (with their 14 camera's positioned along the route) went off without a hitch.

The special features are rounded out with nine posters for the movie.

Audio includes English 5.1 Dolby Surround, English mono, French mono and Spanish mono. There are English and Spanish subtitles.

NOTE: Amazon in its wisdom has attached this review to a different DVD version of the movie. They have a habit of doing this unfortunately. Please consider the date of this review and the fact it was for a 2-disc release.

Delightful Christmas fantasy of a charming old man who believes he is Santa Claus, and the wonderful change he brings to the people around him. This perennial holiday classic is on many short-lists of the all time great Christmas movies. The film just oozes with warm-hearted humor. Very young Natalie Wood sparkles as Susan, who learns to stop being so grown up, and enjoy childhood, with all its wide-eyed wonder. Edmund Gwenn plays Kris Kringle, and lives the role. He totally connects with the kiddies who visit "Santa" at Macy's department store. The brief scene with the little Dutch refugee girl is a definite emotional high point in this movie. The combined reaction of relief and wonder in the child's face as she visits Santa and finds he speaks her language is memorable. Gene Lockhart as the harried judge, and William Frawley as his street-wise political advisor provide the needed comic relief to keep the court-room segments from becoming too overwhelmed by lawyers and their tactics. Even Jack Albertson shows up as an ingenious postal clerk who helps Kringle solve his legal problem. The on-location scenes filmed on the streets of New York assist the viewer in suspending disbelief. An enthusiastic cast, crisp direction by George Seaton, a sentimental holiday message, and great humor make this movie a solid holiday treat for the entire family. Multiple viewing only enriches the rewards. Beware remakes! ;-)

Buy Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Now

Since "Miracle on 34th Street" begins with the Macy's parade on Thanksgiving Day, it is the obvious movie to watch on Turkey Day to begin the Christmas season (when you watch "White Christmas," "A Christmas Carol," and "It's a Wonderful Life" is up to you). I know am not alone in my belief that Edmund Gwenn IS Kris Kringle, which means he IS Santa Claus. Of course they gave Gwenn the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 1948, but the film also won Oscars for Best Writing, Original Story (Valentine Davies) and Best Writing, Screenplay (George Seaton). Maureen O'Hara plays Doris Walker, a single mom who insists on bringing her daughter Susan, played by adorable Natalie Wood in one of the great childhood performances of all time, in a no-nonsense manner, which means no fantasy, no fairy tales and certainly no Santa Claus. Boy, is she ever wrong.

This version of this classic holiday film offers up the long trailer in which the publicity department tries to figure out how to market the film to the masses. A nice added bonus. However, the point of owning "Miracle on 34th Street" is to be able to watch it when it fits our holiday schedule and cry over our favorites scenes. The best times to cry during this movie are as follows: (1) When Susan overhears Kris talking Dutch to the little refugee girl; (2) When Mr. Macy admits under oath on the witness stand that he believes Kris to be Santa Claus; (3) When Susan writes "I believe in you too" on Susan's letter to Kris; (4) When Susan yells, "Stop, Uncle Fred! Stop!" and (5) when Fred sees the cane in the corner. Please feel free to add others to this list as you see fit. Now, excuse me, as I have to go dry my eyes and remember that some films have become holiday classics for good reasons and that remaking something in color does not mean just because it is new it is improved. Happy Turkey Day, everyone!

Read Best Reviews of Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Here

The movie itself is one of the all time classic family Christmas movies and should not be missed.

I am, however, very disappointed that Amazon has not seen fit to tell the buyer whether or not this film is restored or remastered. They continue to list these movies with minimal information, even after repeated complaints to their "help" center. Come on Amazon....provide the proper information so we can decide if this really is a "new" version or simply one that has been "repackaged".........we DESERVE more info if you expect us to spend our money.....!!!

Want Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Discount?

1947's "Miracle On 34th Street", starring the great Maureen O'Hara and Edmund Gwenn, is a motion picture that can be watched over and over again without losing one bit of its original flavor. And its flavor is quite tasty, in my opinion!

A very spunky 8-year-old Natalie Wood helps to make this movie an even bigger treat. Natalie shows an acting talent in this film that belies her tender age. She gives one of the best performances by a child actor in a film I've ever come across. "34th Street" was Natalie's 4th screen appearance, in a successful career that would eventually span 52 films before her sudden and tragic death at the age of only 43.

Miss Wood seems well-suited for her good-sized role as "Susan Walker" in this movie. She blends perfectly with the other actors, and her scenes with Gwenn (who, of course, plays the part of "Kris Kringle" to utter perfection) are highly memorable.

Could the studio have possibly found a better choice for the part of "Kris" (Santa) in this motion picture? Well, perhaps. But ONLY if the REAL Santa Claus were to have taken a break from his duties at the North Poll and played the part himself. Oh...wait...Gwenn turns out to BE the REAL Santa, doesn't he? LOL! :)

Yes, Edmund Gwenn actually DOES become "Santa Claus" for the 97-minute running time of this movie. He's *that* believable in the role. Gwenn was so good here that he won an Oscar for his memorable performance (Best Supporting Actor).

This is a perfect movie to show your children. It must be a lot of fun watching a child's reaction to seeing Mr. Gwenn's very realistic portrayal of the portly fur-clad Christmas-time gift-giver. To a child that still does believe that Mr. Claus visits his or her house every December 24, this movie must be quite an eye-opener.

This 20th-Century Fox DVD version of "Miracle On 34th Street" brings us the film in its intended (original) screen ratio of 1.33:1 (Full Frame); and the picture looks just dandy! The film, which was shot in "glorious black-and-white", exhibits outstanding clarity on this DVD. I can't spot a bit of grain or "noise". An absolutely beautiful digital transfer. Especially considering the age of this flick.

The audio comes via an English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono soundtrack. The audio comes across nice and clean, with just a small amount of background "hiss" present. There's also a foreign-language track here, too (French). This French track (which is also 2.0 DD Mono) sounds a bit on the "muffled" side. Not nearly as clear-sounding as the English track. There are subtitles in English and Spanish.

There's not a whole lot to talk about in the way of "Special Features" for this DVD release. But there is the Original Theatrical Trailer and a short "TV Spot" advertising the movie (which is a bonus *not* shown on the DVD's packaging). Plus: there's also a small text-only area on the disc, featuring "Cast Credits".

I *must* say, however, even though we don't get many bonus extras with this title, I'm very pleased that the Trailer is included. This Theatrical Trailer is one of the very best, and most innovative, I think I've ever witnessed. It's a relatively-lengthy trailer, which features a studio executive bumping into multiple actors while on the FOX movie lot. He asks several of these actors what they thought of the just-released picture, "Miracle On 34th Street". And what he receives in return (naturally) are glowing reviews for the film.

It's a very well-done trailer, and doesn't seem overly "hokey" or staged. And it's very fun to see stars the likes of Rex Harrison and Anne Baxter pop up here, promoting "34th Street". Harrison even speaks briefly in this trailer of his then-current work on "The Ghost And Mrs. Muir", which, ironically, also featured young Miss Natalie Wood as one of Rex's co-stars. This trailer is a real treat. And it's in remarkably good shape too. Very good video quality. The audio for the trailer is in DD 2.0 Mono, and sounds just fine.

Menus .... I like a good (and simple) Menu design. And this disc has just that. The Main Menu is a "static" one, with separate links to other Sub-Menus (such as Language Selection, Chapter Listing, and Supplements). When you select any of these three items, you'll be treated to a very short (but fun and well-designed) animated transition, which then dissolves into the chosen sub-menu screen. These short "transitions" are all slightly different, with each one featuring a Christmas tune playing as "background" music as the screen fades from the Main Menu to your desired selection. This themed music seems as though it's being played over a Department Store's P.A. system (which is appropriate for this DVD, since we often hear the soft playing of Christmas tunes during the "Macy's" scenes in the film). One menu transition also features a "snowflakes falling" visual effect, along with the music. Very cleverly done, IMO.

Additional Disc Information for this title ..............................

>> Enclosures? .... Yes. There is one here. A one-page Chapter List insert is included (21 chapters), with an excellent promo picture of actors Maureen O'Hara, Natalie Wood, and John Payne on one side; and on the "Chapter" side, an image of "Kris" (Mr. Gwenn). I particularly like the fact that FOX Home Entertainment used a different picture for the insert than what we see on the front cover (normally on DVDs, the two pictures are identical). I might also add, in case one or two picky people might be interested in such trivial matters, that this insert is made out of better-quality (thicker) paper than what we usually see for such paper enclosures.

>> Region? .... This is a "Region 1" (NTSC) disc. Single-sided.

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"Miracle On 34th Street" is one of those films that deserves to be seen more than once, and not only in the month of December either (IMO). It holds up very well even in the summer months. And this clear-as-a-bell DVD from FOX Home Entertainment makes viewing this 1947 classic an even more enjoyable experience -no matter if it's in December, March, or August.

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Clannad: Complete Collection (2006)

This, to me, is one of the best that anime can offer to an American public. It has the right amount of humor, sentimentality, and honesty without leaving you with more than the other.

Tomoya Okazaki is a bitter, sarcastic, pranker in his senior year of high school, spending most of his time ridiculing his friend and fellow lethargist, Sunohara. However, it all seems to change when he meets Nagisa Furukawa, a kind-hearted, yet unsure, girl who wishes to revive the drama club.

The journey the two go through together with the friends they make along the way, is one you shouldn't miss.

The new English Dubb was rather well made and interesting. It followed almost step-by-step with the dialogue in the subtitles for the Japanese language.

The DVD casing came in pristine condition. Inside it, the disks (there are four of them) came stacked ontop of each other; They contiue to play well.

Again, I highly recommend this to anyone who's a fan of charcter-driven stories.

This series is an excellent buy. If you're unsure of it but watch a bunch of anime then I'd say to give it a try at least. I wasn't sure when I first saw it but it quickly grew on me as one of my favorites. From making you roll around laughing to inducing tears, this series is full of all kinds of emotional twists. Upon first glimpse, I thought it was just another Anime involving high school students, but the more I watched, the more I realized how much of a masterpiece this was. Definitely check it out.

UPDATE: I just purchased the blu-ray Clannad Collection and as usual with this series, I'm very pleased. It has both English and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 with this set. The audio listed on the product description with Amazon shows it as Japanese Audio and doesn't list English, but if you examine the screenshots of the back of the case, in the lower left hand part of it shows both English and Japanese. I will thoroughly enjoy watching this series again in the higher resolution and remain here hoping Sentai Filmworks re-releases After Story for blu-ray sometime soon.

Also, another thing about the blu-ray series is the case is much better than the one used for the DVD set. The blu-ray case has all 3 discs seperate instead of stacking each disc on one spindle. Much easier and safer for the disc with the blu-ray collection.

Buy Clannad: Complete Collection (2006) Now

Okay seriously people if you are considering purchasing the Blu-Ray copy of this wonderful anime... just do it already!

The box set comes in a nice consolidated case. All three disks have their own slot for minimum scratching.

The English dubbing in this show is top notch.

Music is absolutely breathtaking at times!

Beautiful art style with the greatest character development I have ever seen in an anime series!

Warning: Can make you cry...in a good way!

Read Best Reviews of Clannad: Complete Collection (2006) Here

Sentai Filmworks best ever anime in my opinion, Made by Kyoto Animation just like Kanon and Air TV. I love most animes made by Kyoto Animation, if you like drama animes you would to.

24 episodes on four disks, Widescreen 16:9, Rated TVPG so just about anyone can enjoy this anime.

Special Features: Clean Opening, & Clean Closing

Spoken Languages: English, Japanese, English subtitles.

Want Clannad: Complete Collection (2006) Discount?

Clannad illustrates life of Tomoya Okazaki, the protagonist. He is initially illustrated to be delinquent who is finding no joy to his everyday life, until he meets girl at the slope just before the main entrance of school that he attends.

Based on the game of same title, just as what I would expect after watching some of Kyoto Animation's conversion of game (such as Kanon which I also recommend) to anime, this is beautifully executed as well.

Story mostly revolves around different characters including Fuuko, the girl carving starfish sculpture for everyone in school, hoping to invite everyone to wedding of her older sister, and Kotomi a mysterious genius who Tomoya meets in the library, while centering storyline of Nagisa. (In the original game, story progressions with each character are considered to be parallel world, so the anime version has quite a bit of structural change to its overall storyline. For two other main characters Kyo and Tomoyo, they were deemed too difficult to integrated into main story line, therefore Tomoyo's parallel world was included as its own episode, which is in this DVD set, and Kyo's story is included in an episode in After Story.)

The show illustrates overall theme of the show "family" very well and 24 episodes will offer you plenty of laughs, and weeps.

While I have originally watched through this on Netflix (dub), I'm making another round of it in original Japanese track now. (Both tracks are excellent.)

Some music tracks are from original show, and some of them are arranged version of them, and they are all great.

I can say, without any doubt, that this is the show I would recommend for everyone of any age.

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Machine Girl (2008)

MACHINE GIRL (aka. One-Armed Machine Girl) is an over-the-top, campy, ultra-violent action film by Iguchi Noboru (Sukeban Boy). The film is definitely NOT for everyone but will appeal to fans of Japanese cult films with a touch of dark comedy and unrealistic ultra-bloody violence made popular by Ichi the Killer and even Tarantino's magnificent "Kill Bill". Folks will either applaud or be repulsed by this film's execution, but it is a wickedly twisted, darkly-toned entertainment that knows exactly what it's going for. The film features well-known Japanese bikini model Minase Yashiro in her first feature role, ex-AV star Asami and the beautiful Honoka as the Yakuza boss' twisted wife. Do I have your attention yet?

Plot synopsis partly derived from the back cover:

Ami (Minase Yashiro) is a tough but otherwise average high school girl, trying to lead a normal life with her younger brother. Her whole world comes crushing down when her brother and his friend are killed by ruthless bullies led by a Yakuza Boss' son. When she goes to find those responsible, she finds herself in over her head and minus her left arm. Barely surviving, Ami escapes and finds shelter from a kindly mechanic and his wife Miki (Asami) who also happen to be the parents of her brother`s friend. They take pity on Ami's plight, helping her heal, training her and fitting her with a powerful machine gun where her left arm used to be. She then teams up with the tough mother to seek vengeance and together they unleash an unholy, non-stop, over the top kill fest against the equally creative machinery of their ruthless Ninja-Yakuza enemies.

The film is a wild blend of 70's "pink violence" and 80's super-violent splatter horror that doesn't take itself seriously. The film is full of bloody sequences and oddball weird humor that will undoubtedly garner a cult following. It was quite inventive of the filmmakers to rely on "old-school" style violence to conduct the visual blood and gore. Whether this decision was made because of budget constraints or some other factor, it made the film work; from an entertainment standpoint kind of way. The exaggerated gallons of blood complements the film's action sequences; chainsaw-fu, machine gun-fu, swordplay and brassiere-fu are the film's many unorthodox style of brutality. The film is an example of an adult-Tokusatsu (Kid's TV show)with the wild blend of action, camp, humor, sci-fi and even horror that plays like a stunt/Gore show.

The film also has some campy ideas that will make you say; "What the heck" as the film makes fun of certain anime-inspired names such as "Super Mourner Gang" and "Junior high Shuriken gang" seem attempts to somewhat tone down all the violence and brutality displayed. There are also twisted touches of oddball humor with the "sushi fingers" and "tempura arm". I've always wondered how Hellraiser's "Pinhead" got that look; Miki and Ami were very obliged to demonstrate how that sinister look can come about in a human being.

Sexy Minase Yashiro plays the lead, I'm a little undecided as to how well her first starring performance is. She has the right school girl look and she has a lot of charisma, but at times she looks a little awkward with the action sequences. Asami plays Miki and she looks a little young and definitely too cool to be the mother of a teenager. Nude model Honoka adds a lot of eye-candy as the wife of Yakuza boss Kimura. The woman is twisted in her own way, she has that no-nonsense appeal further accentuated by Honoka's sheer sexiness. She is seductively, yet creepily appealing as she displays her "Drill Brassiere" as an added campy display of villainy. Shimazu Kentaro is the Yakuza Boss who seemed to have been based on "Heihachi Yashima" from the "tekken" video game. The whirling and hurling flying razor sharp "bucket" adds more to the film's twistedly, campy appeal. Boss Kimura an intimidating villain although he isn't an originally fresh concept.

With Ami's Sailor Moon-inspired outfit, sentai/tokusatsu heroism, references to ninja and Yakuza elements, the film is definitely aimed at anime fan boys and those very initiated with Japanese cinema. The film's enjoyment requires a very large suspension of disbelief for its entirety. Take two cups of "Shoot `Em Up", three tablespoons of "Darkman" and even "Planet Terror" to two gallons of "Ichi The Killer" and stir vigorously, then you will have an accurate idea just how this film plays out. The film doesn't take itself seriously and if "Machine Girl" is any indication of the filmmakers take on twisted entertainment, then I'm sold to see "Tokyo Gore Police".

Recommended for fans of J-cinema and Pink violence [3 ½ ++ Stars]

If arterial spray was a sexual fetish, "The Machine Girl" would be hardcore porn. If cinematic cheese were real cheese, it could open it's own pizza parlor. If an ultraviolent anime came to life, it would be this film. I haven't seen a display like this since Riki-Oh. And at least that one had the restraint to refrain from drill-bra versus chainsaw duels and Power Ranger-esque ninja death squads. But make no mistake, this is one of the most hysterically good times a gorehound can have with a single DVD.

Blood covers the screen, the heroines, the villains, the floor, and everything else in this film, sometimes to the point where it's all you can see. Fingers are made into sushi, an arm is battered and deep-fried, a woman discovers her son's head in her soup and then vomits as she is stabbed through the mouth from behind, her blood mixing with the extra-chunky puke to pour enticingly onto her son's disembodied head in the bowl in front of her (OWNED!), and that's before the giant machine-gun arm comes in! Have I given everything away? Not by a long shot. By this time you're either in or out, but I'll give you one more teaser. The Flying Guillotine: corniest martial-arts weapon EVER! Love it.

Get ready to laugh yourself sick...or maybe just get sick. Either way, this is one of the giddiest, most profanely violent, and cheesiest grindhouse films I've ever seen. It even comes complete with a score that could have come straight out of a 70's exploitation flick. Consider my faith in Japanese cinema officially restored. This is what I want to see when I pick up a movie with a DVD cover like this one's: a Japanese schoolgirl with a ridiculous machine gun arm blow a hole in a guy and then stick the gun through the hole she just shot in the guy to shoot a hole in another guy's face. Is that too much to ask? Director Iguchi Noboru says "HELL NO!". And God bless him for that.

4 1/2 stars rounded down for some poor special effects.

Buy Machine Girl (2008) Now

Just to throw this out there Tokyo Shock either needs to step it up, or get out of the Blu-Ray business.

Their latest effort, Machine Girl, hits Blu-Ray with a number of problems.

Let me start off by saying I really like the movie. It's an over-the-top, low-budget, Japanese action/comedy film. Similar to movies like Riki-Oh, Vampire girl vs. Frankenstein girl, Tokyo Gore Police, Mutant Girls' Squad and a number of other titles). Very gory, but very entertaining! The other reviews should give you an idea of what to expect or just pull up the trailer. You should be able to tell if it's "for you" or not. My 3 star-rating is for the BLU-RAY, not the movie.

Anyways, I bought the original DVD: The Machine Girl

...Then a couple months later they released a 2-disc DVD: The Machine Girl Remix -I bought that too!

A few months after that, they had the nerve to release a 3-disc DVD: Ultimate Machine Girl: Collectors Tin (3pc) (Ws) I even bought that one.

4 days later, they announce the Blu-Ray.

Being a sucker for the movie, and having already bought it 3 times (what harm is a 4th time??) I bit.

A little back information here in addition to Tokyo Shock's need to re-release movies multiple times with little differences (in the above cases, the 2 disc set was the same as the original Disc 1, but with an added short film (20 minutes) on disc 2. The 3 disc set were the previous 2 discs and a 3rd with some extras), they put very little effort into their blu-rays (see: Ichi the Killer [Blu-ray] and Tokyo Gore Police [Blu-ray] ).

Knowing this, I decided to give them a chance.

Problem #1:

The case states "2X DISC SET" much like with the Tokyo Gore Police Blu-Ray, this is just an error (?) as there is only 1 disc inside. Don't get excited thinking they put all the extras onto 1 disc either, as you'd be mistaken.

The back of the case lists:

* Special features DVD with interviews and promo events

* Machine Girl Lite feature

* Behind the scenes of Machine Girl

* Original Trailer

The "Special features DVD with interviews and promo events" is what's missing. This sounds like the 3rd DVD from the 'Ultimate Machine Girl' set above. No big deal for me since I own it, but it would have definitely bumped up my review (as this Blu-Ray is 1/3rd the price of the Ultimate DVD).

On the bright side, it does have the Machine Girl Lite short film (~20 minutes). All the extras are in 480i, not HD.

Audio is in either DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 or 5.1 (and English or Japanese) I can't comment on it as I don't have a DTS-HD MA system, but the bitrates appear to be around 1.2 1.6 mbps throughout. Don't expect much though.

The video is probably one of the worst looking Blu-Rays out there. Not faulting Tokyo Shock completely on this one (as these are generally low-budget films), but it doesn't even seem High-Definition. There are jagged lines through (aliasing problems), terrible video noise, banding, and it's all noticeable from a distance away (I saw about 8 feet from a 50" TV and could easily see it). The flickering during motion scenes was the worst. The video was also uneven, looking good in some scenes, horrible in others. Probably an issue with brightness (indoors/outdoors).

In the end, this is basically the MACHINE GIRL DVD + MACHINE GIRL REMIX DVD, on a Blu-Ray disc. This Blu-Ray is (currently..) cheaper than the regular DVDs, and for that it's probably worth buying. It can regularly be found for 10-12 dollars, which isn't bad. I wouldn't pay much more though.

Long story short -

If you own a previous DVD, PASS on this one.

If you don't own it, but are interested, go for the Blu-Ray.

If the missing extras (and nice Steelbook case) are important to you, go for the (very expensive) Ultimate Edition 3-disc DVD.

Read Best Reviews of Machine Girl (2008) Here

Dear Machine Girl,

I was so happy when I finally found you;

the blood-soaked girl of my dreams.

I think you're gatling gun arm was just super.

You were so bloody I could bathe in your torrents of gore.

And I loved that some of the color in your scenes were washed out.

Your were so pretty that night, with your plots of vengeance.

Remember when you severed that punks hand with a sickle,

or kicked a pipe through that other punks mouth, and out the back of his head.

That was just lovely.

You really made my night with that one.

Or the time you busted a hole in that red-ninja,

and then aimed through it and mowed another hole in his buddies skull.

Don't you remember all we've been through together,

the decaptations, the horizontal & vertical mutilations,

the showers of blood together.

We had so many romantic dinners, like the fried arm, and the finger sushi.

Remember that knife through that womans mouth,

oh what a joy to see her vomit blood on her sons decapitated head.

We had some good times didn't we??

Don't get me wrong every special effect we had was as corny as "he who walks behind the rows".

But they were fun weren't they.

Don't you recall??

Pounding nails in our enemies face,

the chainsaw leg, the flying guillotine, and the motorized drill bra.

I can't believe our bloody, slow-mo, skull-swapping conclusion.

It was all to sudden.

Come back to me Machine Girl,

I love you,

I need to feel your waves of blood on my face again.

You fill my world with gore.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

blood, Blood, BLOOD!!!!!!!!

Want Machine Girl (2008) Discount?

After her brother is murdered by a ninja-yakuza clan, a teenage girl seeks vengeance with her gatling gun. First and foremost, this movie has enough blood spray to fill Lake Erie. The death scenes are numerous, highly inventive, and extremely entertaining. The pacing is just about perfect, with the action scenes positioned within the running time in such a way that avoids any dullness. One surprising positive is the camera-work, which shows blood sprays for incredibly long periods of time. This is definitely a movie that soaks itself in excess. The story itself plays out rather seriously, but the black humor is laid on thick during the fights, so some laugh-out-loud moments are almost guaranteed along the way. This is a very satisfying action gore-fest because of its impressively long finale.

I've already heard some artsy snobs complaining about this movie in terms of character development. I'm just wondering why these tards even decided to watch this movie to begin with. They should have known exactly what they were going to get. You don't see the name Tsai Ming-liang on the DVD case, do you?

This really was my summer blockbuster popcorn flick of 2008. Everyone else can have their little CGI prairie dogs, animated monkeys, and space aliens. You can have your superheros, sequels, and remakes (can Hollywood think of anything new?). The fact remains that THIS movie should be playing on 3,000 screens! That will never happen in the USA though with it's dumb-as-dirt moviegoers who flock like sheep to see the most derivative tripe dished out by those Californian bloodsuckers. Do you people have ANY standards whatsoever?

On a positive note, that's 2-for-2 this year in terms of my most highly anticipated films. "Chocolate" (a Thai action flick) and "The Machine Girl" were both insanely entertaining. I have full confidence that "Tokyo Gore Police" will be something really, really special. And maybe "High School Girl Rika: Zombie Hunter", "Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge", and "Onechanbara" can round out a great 2008 for Japanese Horror.

You don't get great stuff like this out of the States. Man, is there any reason to watch American movies anymore?

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