Crashout (1955)

A curiously compelling little movie, Crashout is a throwback to the tough prison-escape movies of the 30's. Fortunately, the producers had the good sense to hire an expert cast of B-movie veterans to enliven an otherwise shopworn plot. Writer-producer Hal Chester and director-writer Lewis Foster provide each convict with a distinct personality that holds viewer interest as tensions mount, while the audience anticipates how each character will be brought to justice. Standouts in the cast are the always subtle Arthur Kennedy, an engagingly ambivalent Marshall Thompson, and William Tallman doing his scary psycho bit, this time as a knife-throwing religious fanatic. And in a poignant bit part, cult favorite Gloria Talbott as the prospect of a normal life for the ill-fated Thompson. Though you've seen it all before, there are many nice touches that lift this otherwise generous slice of thick-ear beyond the merely routine.

Sure, we've seen the escaped convicts formula before, but this one hits home. Here is a real diversity of the six characters; each one as convincing as the next. William Bendix is his usual great gruff self, playing the heartless, cold-blooded mastermind. My personal favorite, film veteran Arthur Kennedy, excels as the counterpoint to Bendix: he excels as the white collar criminal with a brain, and ultimately, a heart. Fine dialogue, plenty of action, and even a little romance thrown in. A winner!

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CRASHOUT might come as a surprise to crime film fans or noir

enthusiasts who pick it up, expecting a routine mid-50s B movie. For

one thing, it's feature-length (89 minutes), and doesn't skimp much on

plot and character development. Director Lewis R. Foster was probably

pretty adept at action/adventure pictures, judging by titles in his

IMDb filmography. CRASHOUT was probably just another assignment to him,

but the film shows he was no hack. It's a foregone conclusion that a

Hollywood movie won't let criminals get away unpunished, but a superior

example like this makes the fate of its players more meaningful with

good actors and intelligent writing. Foster keeps things moving nicely,

once past the fairly talky first scene in the cave. The film never lags

once after that, because there is plenty of action, and characters are

given enough depth to differentiate them and keep them interesting.

Arthur Kennedy appears to be the main protagonist here. His Joe Quinn

represents the typical redeemed-too-late criminal (who had been jailed

for robbery). The actor invests Quinn with plenty of believability,

especially in his interactions with Beverly Michaels (an odd, rather

glamorous choice for a farm resident, but she is effective). William

Bendix plays another of his dumb thugs to perfection, this time never

letting up and with no redemption in sight. In Luther Adler's Mendoza

we see more evidence of this great actor's talent, making a good deal

out of what could have been a stereotyped cypher. Gene Evans, another

prolific actor, is allowed to show two sides to his Monk Collins,

intimidating one moment, and teaching card tricks to a hostage child

the next. Also interesting is Marshall Thompson--a performer who may

have never really gotten his due--as the 'nice young man gone wrong'.

Thompson really stands out in the very good sequence involving the

young woman he meets on the train. Gloria (I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM

OUTER SPACE) Talbot is nicely cast in this sequence. Last, and far from

least, is William Talman (THE HITCH-HIKER, ARMORED CAR ROBBERY), as

Remsen, a lapsed reverend, who obsessively plays the same record over

and over, as though it were a final vestige of goodness in his life.

In smaller roles we get a nice, but brief, dose of inimitable Percy

Helton, playing a country doctor called out in the middle of the night,

and who pays a hefty price for his professionalism. Also of note, Adam

Williams (memorable as Larry Gordon in THE BIG HEAT two years earlier)

in the role of Michaels's heroic date. And there's Morris Ankrum, as

the head guard in the crashout scene.

Another interesting aspect of this film is the question of its place in

the so-called 'Noir Canon'. Is this a film noir? In the strictest

terms, probably not (although the designation is more subjective than

many want to admit.) It has enough of the typical elements for some to

see it as noir. But its 'existential' qualities may be disputable. This

usually refers to a sense of isolation experienced by, typically, a

single protagonist: he or she feels trapped in an uncaring universe,

forced to proceed alone, resorting perhaps to uncharacteristic methods

for survival. The escaped convicts in CRASHOUT don't really fit this

profile. They are already immersed in crime. However, there is a strong

sense in this film of over-arching fatalism: we all know, the escapees

and the viewer, that they are trapped by their actions, that there will

be no true escape. So at this level, the film can be seen as belonging

to the 'noir universe'. Whatever category it fits into, CRASHOUT is a riveting corker of a movie not to be missed.

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They just dont make them like this anymore! I would love to see Alpha Video put this masterpiece out on DVD. Very tough crime flick from the 50's, one of the greatest!

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Scream 4 (2011)

Now a popular author of a self-help book, Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell) returns to her hometown Woodsboro for a book tour.Sydney is quickly reunited with her good friends Sheriff Dewey Riley (DavidArquette), and Gail Weather (Courtney Cox) who have now married.When a new Ghost-face killer is on the loose , Gale, who once was a reporter, is given the chance to become a reporter again, but Sheriff Dewey and his loyal Deputy Judy Hicks (Marley Shelton) are sharing as little with her about the case as they possibly can. Since she wants to solve the case with him and find the killer as a team like they used to, but he doesn't want her to get hurt. Desperate for information, Gale teams up with Charlie Walker (Rory Culkin), a film geek that seems to know a lot about scary movies and remakes.

Sydney who is now under police protection due to that the killings started when she returned and since she's always the target of the Ghost-face killer; is basically protecting herself, while protecting her cousin Jill (Emma Roberts) and her friends from the new killer. Since Jill and her friends have been getting threatening calls from the killer and are a target as well.

With Scream 4, Director, Wes Craven, and screenwriter, Kevin Williamson, have a great time entertaining as well as scaring their audience. From the start the director and writer duo offer many clever twists and turns that are impossible to see coming. But sometimes the film is too goofy for it's own good as far as the laughs go. For instance, in a surreal and hilarious murder scene where someone takes forever to die, you'll laugh while also thinking "that's pretty stupid." Then in other scenes the movie can be so violent that it's disturbing with innocent teens brutally killed. So the comedy and violence isn't as well balanced as it is in the earlier films.

Still, Scream 4 is one of the best in the series since it will make you jump and a lot of the laughs are pretty clever, especially the ones about horror remakes.

I am a big fan of the Scream trilogy!!! Scream 4 brings back Courtney Cox, Neve Campbell and David Arquette as well as some well known young actors that balance very well throughout the entire movie. If you are a fan of this trilogy, you will definitely love the fourth installment. It gives you what you come to love about the other films of this great trilogy. I could even see them making another installment, Hopefully!!! I really enjoy these films and I know other fans will as well. Can't wait for the dvd!!!

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I am a huge fan of the Scream franchise, so I have to be honest that when they announced this movie, and even as I walked into the theater to see it last night, I had my doubts that it would be any good. I was wrong! At first it seemed cheesy, but there was a reason and it turned out to be awesome! The kills were much more violent and to me that made it more intense than the previous three. The plot was the same as the the others, but they seemed to tackle it with enough action and violence to make it okay, and besides, why do we watch slasher movies? It seems to be that its our way of indulging in violence and mindless murder without actually either being in danger or going to prison. I thought this movie had the PERFECT mix of comedy and intensity that makes a movie like this great. I laughed as much as I was afraid and lets face it, that is how horror movies are today, a mix of comedy and horror and only a few movies ever balance that correctly. This one definitely did! I was surprised to find who the killers were and I think a part of that was due to the lack of character development on the new characters in the film. In the first Scream we had Billy and Stu constantly interacting with each other and in tiny places throughout the movie there were winks toward them as the killers, this film had nothing of the sort and I thought it had that going for it. Character development is important, but not necessarily in a slasher movie, and aside from that we already know who Sid, Gale, and Dewey are. The best things this movie had going for it were its comedic edge, action scenes, the killer was tougher, faster, and more psychotic, and it takes a tongue in cheek approach to today's horror blunders just as the first Scream did with the originals. In my opinion, this is one of the best in the series. I was not that impressed with Scream 2 or 3, but this one brought me back and I'm loving it. It did what Scream set out to do in 1996, make an awesome slasher movie that didn't rely on sex to push its story line along, and Scream and Scream 4 does it perfectly!!

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...and loving it.

I'm sure like many of you when I heard they were doing a fourth movie my first thought was...why?

Let the franchise rest will ya?

I was wrong and I'm REALLY glad I was wrong as this installment is the best one since the first.

Better than two or three easily.

I don't know what it was really.

It felt like an old friend had come back.

It was great to see Campbell and the whole crew back again.

The magic in most franchises simply cannot be recaptured but in this case, it feels like the magic never left.

All the horror, the jumps, the music, the snide humor is all there in all its glory.

I loved it.

I'm so sad to see this isn't doing that well in theaters. I hope positive word of mouth helps keep this movie going for a while.

Everything you wanted another Scream movie to be, this is it.

Highly recommended.

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Upon hearing that Scre4m got the greenlight, I was ecstatic. Scream has been my favorite movie franchise for the past 7 years or so, and needless to say my expectations for Scre4m were incredibly high. I will spare you the simple plot description has so many others have already provided. There will be some light spoilers in this review, but nothing that will ruin the movie for you. Let's start with the opening scene. Brilliant. There are three "acts" to the beginning of the movie and they do not disappoint. At least, the first two "acts" do not. That's not to say the third "act" is necessarily bad, but it's not nearly on par with the first two. I will not spoil the scene but I will say this. There is no way you can ever top the original opening scene to "Scream". The sequel did a good job at putting an interesting twist on it, while the opening scene in the third film failed to impress. The opening scene in this film is most similar to the second film, but with an interesting twist. The commentary that the now famous "opening scene girls" have about the current state of horror movies is not only absolutely hilarious, but incredibly accurate. And I will say that the scene with Kristen Bell and Anna Paquin is one of my favorite in the entire series.

On to the meat of the movie. There is an incredible balance of screen time and importance between the original cast members and the new cast. Courteney Cox is back to her Scream roots, with some excellent "one-liners." David Arquette has never been my favorite part of the series, but he brings back his Dewey charm that the series could not live without. However the real star here is Neve Campbell. Up until the fourth film, I was much more a "Gale supporter" than a "Sidney supporter." That is not to say I had anything against Sidney, but Gale was always the character that I loved to hate. Coming into this film, I was not sure where they could go with Sidney's story, as I thought it was completed nearly perfectly at the end of the original trilogy. However, seeing Sidney as a new strong character who has to deal with these attacks on her life, for the fourth time now is what made this movie. Neve's acting in this film is as perfect as can be, and as viewers, we feel her emotions when sees Ghostface back in action. The look on her face when she sees the masked killer for the first time in 10 years is incredibly heartbreaking. What I love about Sidney in this film is that this time around she is the one chasing after Ghostface. She is sick of the bulls***. I will not spoil any more of Sidney's character arc in this film, but it exceeded my expectations by far.

On to the new cast. Emma Roberts(playing Sidney's cousin Jill Roberts) does a very good job here. I will not say she was perfect, but she did a solid job, better than most thought we would get from Emma. Hayden Panittiere however is clearly the new "fan-favorite." She's funny, she's witty, she's sassy, she's hot. Say what you want about her short hair-cut, but it fits the character perfectly. I will not spoil the scene featured heavily in the previews in which she rattles off a seemingly endless list of nearly every horror remake of the past 10 years, but know this. EPIC. Hands down my favorite scene of the series. The rest of the cast does a fine job as well. My only problem being the character of Judy Hicks, the flirtatious deputy played by Marley Shelton. It has nothing to do with the acting, but everything to do with the writing of this character. Clearly this is a character that Ehren Kruger came up with in re-writes as opposed to Kevin Williamson. However as the film goes on, her dialogue and actions become less exaggerated and annoying. Many people complained about the acting of Kate Roberts(Sidney's Aunt) played by Mary McDonnell, however I thought her to be exceptional, despite the fact that many of her scenes were clearly left on the cutting room floor.

The final 30 minutes of the film are out of control. My jaw was on the floor the entire time. It is comprised of great acting, great dialogue, and an incredibly relevance to today's society. But enough of that.

My ONLY serious qualm with this film is how much was cut out. This is made clear by the fact that half of what we were shown in previews was not in the film. I do think some of the characters could have been a bit more developed with a few more scenes(the infamous cut scene of the new cast around the same fountain as the cast of the original Scream.) Hopefully, on the blu-ray there will be an option to view an "extended" cut of the movie. Overall, I rank this movie as equal to the first film, which both have a slight edge over Scream 2. As for how it compares to Scream 3, well let's just say I try to forget how horrible that movie was.

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Escaflowne: Movie (2000)

I noticed an interesting trend in the negative reviews this Movie was getting. By and large, people who found this movie slow or boring did not watch the original series. Well folks...that explains it.

Unlike most Anime movie tie-ins, I.E. Cowboy Bebop or Blue Gender, the Escaflowne movie is really a re-imagination of its progenitor. While in the series the Escaflowne armor was a royal heirloom, in this it is the embodiment of destiny and a living being. And while Hitomi was painfully innocent and upbeat in the series, here she is dark, lonely and suicidal. Best of all, Van is equally dark and has lost the heroic stoicism for apathy and a-moralism. All these things are so different from the series its like watching Alice in Wonderland then playing American Magee's Alice (which, if you haven't seen or played, you should).

I will admit that when I first bought this DVD I too was disappointed. The action was neat and all but the story dealt too much with ethereal Fate and Destiny, thing I really could care less about. But then I watched the series, which brings in these subjects a little less jarringly and I found the whole idea much more edible. And, while I was initially disgusted with the characters of this DVD, namely Hitomi and the cat girl, when I understood the origins of these characters, I loved the change. The basic story you can get from the other reviews, I hate to give stuff away. But while the series focused on Van's travel and growth into a warrior, the Movie focuses on the dark prophecy to which he is chained.

But if you really want an endorsement from me, here it is. Escaflowne the Movie is an awesome experience for the initiate to the series. Escaflowne the Movie is a sub par experience for those who are bereft of the Series. But above all else, Escaflowne the Movie is worth watching for the absolutely amazing music, which really steals the show. If nothing else, then rent this DVD and stick in a system with surround sound. Then turn off the TV and crank the volume...you will not be disappointed.

In 1996, the Sunrise Studios anime television series "The Vision of Escaflowne" aired on television and although not a tremendous hit in Japan, when the series was released on DVD in America, it became a big hit. Not just in the US but worldwide.

Despite being released on Saturday morning television on Fox Kids (albeit heavily edited), the series would receive appreciation and a lot of love by fans for the Escaflowne's characters, it's beautiful artwork and character designs, its story but most of all, it's enchanting music.

With the fanfare strong worldwide, in 2000, Sunrise and Studio BONES began on a reimagining the television series through a 95-minute film titled "Escaflowne: The Movie". The film version is very different from the television series as the film is much more darker and the protagonist, the happy and chirpy Hitomi is anything but that. In fact, she's a person who is depressed and contemplates suicide. While the character of Van, is more reserved and willing to slash and kill anyone in his way.

Needless to say, the film is quite different as it focuses on these two main characters but most importantly, the film is for those who are and aren't familiar with the television series and can enjoy it in the theaters. The film received mixed reviews with diehard fans who had a hard time seeing a different version of their characters and of course, knowing that there is only so much story from the 26-episode anime series that is going to get covered in a 95 minute film.

The film begins with Hitomi, sad and depressed, you learn that she is a person who wants to kill herself and is prepared to say goodbye to her best friend via a letter. Fortunately, her friend discovers her and the letter and tries to convince her that suicide is not a good way to go. But no matter how much she tries to cheer up Hitomi, Hitomi is resigned with herself and with life.

The film then switches to the character of Van. We see Van, who is violently slashing through many soldiers in order to find the behemoth known as Escaflowne and the Winged Goddess which he wants to use towards defeating his brother Lord Folken and his army.

Meanwhile, while Hitomi is alone and wanting to end her life, she sees an image of Lord Folken who calls her the Winged Goddess and wants her to join him. Confused and not sure what is going on, blackness starts to envelop the area and Hitomi is immediately sucked up into darkness and not knowing what is happening, by the time Hitomi awakes, she emerges out of Escaflowne and encounters Prince Van.

Van believes her to be the Winged Goddess but immediately Escaflowne disappears and then believes that she may be a spy and a fake. Because of her more modern school girl clothing, many of Van's friends believe she is the true Winged Goddess despite Van not believing in her and almost wanting to kill her.

On the other side of the battle, we learn that Lord Folken and the Black Dragons are preparing their attack Van's crew and capture Hitomi for his goal to use the power of the Winged Goddess to destroy the world.

Because of the increased attacks and attempts to capture Hitomi, Van is ordered to protect Hitomi at all costs.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"Escaflowne: The Movie" is presented in 1080p High Definition. It's important to note that the film was created in late 1999 and then released in theaters in 2000. Also, the film was produced by Sunrise but animated by Studio BONES and for the most part, a few talented animators took part in the action sequences as well as new character designs for the film. With that being said, when I first reviewed this film when it was first released on DVD, I commented on how gorgeous the film looked. It's very detailed backgrounds but also the film's awesome animation.

Here we are in 2009 and the film now making its HD debut and I still stand by that. The film looks great and although it may not look as digital and clean like today's modern anime, the film still looks incredible for an anime film nearly a decade old. But what is the primary difference between the picture quality from the DVD versus the Blu-ray? There are several segments in the film that I tested out and that was the outdoor sequence (50-54 minutes into the film) and on Blu-ray, the first thing you will notice is how vibrant the outdoor scenes look. The green and blues just pop out, especially during sunset with the red of the sun also popping out. Needless to say, the film looks quite vibrant during the outdoor scenes.

The print is not 100% clear of dust which I think I may have seen a few specs but overall, I didn't see a whole lot, nor did I see any major compression problems throughout the film. Blacks are nice and dark and there is grain present. Again, I'm a person who supports film grain and not supportive of excessive DNR (Digital Noise Reduction), so overall...I was pretty pleased with the picture quality for a film nearly 10 years old.

As for the audio, this is where "Escaflowne: The Movie" shines. One thing that I noticed quickly is how immersive the soundtrack was in utilizing the soundscape of each channel. The film's dialogue is front and center channel driven but sound effects from the whisping as Van flies in the air, the clanging of the swords during battle, the blasts that are being shot and the destruction in the city is well-captured on your surround channels, especially via LFE. I definitely enjoy when anime uses the subwoofer quite a bit, so it was great to hear that LFE usage. And of course, one thing that the film is noted for is the music and the music comes out nice and clear through your system.

I did notice one thing with the audio though. The Japanese lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sounds awesome but the English DolbyTrue HD 5.1 soundtrack seems a tad lower with the English dialogue. In fact, through the beginning of the film while watching it with the English lossless soundtrack, I felt that I had to increase the volume a little in order to hear the dialogue clearly and when I switched to the Japanese soundtrack, the dialogue was consistent and much louder. By no means are the two lossless soundtracks like night and day (like FUNimation Entertainment's Blu-ray release of "Origin") but overall, sound effects seem to be consistent on both soundtracks. But overall, "Escaflowne: The Movie" does have a wonderful and immersive soundtrack.

Subtitles are in English only.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Escaflowne: The Movie" comes with the following special features (in 480i Standard Definition):

* Trailers: The Girl Who Leaped Through Time and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Solid State Society

* Staff Interviews: (23:00) Featuring staff interviews which include: Director Kazuki Akane/Composer Yoko Anno, Kazuki Akane and Kelly Sheridan (Voice actress for Hitomi), Masahiko Minami (Producer/BONES), Maaya Sakamoto (Voice Actress/Singer), Masuo Ueda (Producer/Sunrise) and a performance by Yoko Kanno, Maaya Sakamoto, Kim Su Jin perform "The Ring"(Escaflowne Ending Song, Special Duet Version).

* Original 2000 Premiere: (7:20) Featuring the following segments: The line at Anime Expo 2000 in Anaheim, CA for the screening of "Escaflowne: The Movie", Minoru Takanashi (Producer/Bandai Visual) speaking to the audience before the movie and the Post-Movie Panel Highlights at Anime Expo 2000.

JUDGMENT CALL:

When it comes to "Escaflowne: The Movie", the film has received different results from fans when it first came out. Diehard fans who were not used to the change, of course, complained. And for those who treated the movie separately from the anime TV series found the film to be enjoyable, creative and musically wonderful. Needless to say, I'm part of the latter. The fact is that many anime series that get a theatrical treatment usually has a story that is not part of the TV series timeline. And there have been quite a few anime films that have been released that either try to take parts from a long series and condense it down to two hours or try to come up with something different.

With "Escaflowne: The Movie", you get something different and it's a reimagining that I was open to and at the time, I was very impressed with the results. The animation was stellar and the music, Yoko Kanno's music and the ending theme by Maaya Sakamoto was just fantastic.

So, needless to say... I was excited to hear that "Escaflowne: The Movie: was receiving its HD treatment and for the most part, I was more curious to see how a film that was created in the late 90's would look on Blu-ray. Already, Bandai Entertainment has proved to us that they can make it happen as evident with the release of "Akira" earlier this year. So, I had no doubt in my mind that Bandai Entertainment was going to release a solid product. What I was more concerned about was the lossless soundtrack. And fortunately, the soundtrack for the most part was immersive and great to hear via lossless.

If you are a fan who owns the Ultimate Edition of the DVD, you may be wondering if it's worth the double dip? Well, for one, you don't want to get rid of that "Ultimate Edition" because you get the awesome CD soundtrack and also there are special features such as the galleries that are not included on the Blu-ray. But to answer the question, yes...it's worth the double dip. This is the best looking and sounding version of the film yet. So, if you loved the film, you will definitely want to pick up this Blu-ray.

Overall, "Escaflowne: The Movie" is a solid Blu-ray release and for those who want to add to their anime on Blu-ray collection, this title is definitely recommended!

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I purchased the Escaflowne Movie (Ultimate Edition), three years ago. The first-edition packaging of this set included a relatively large, and sturdy 6 x 8 x 3 inch folding box. Stored in this box were three disks (two DVDs and one CD), and a miniature art booklet. The outside of the collectors box was a beauty to behold, as the artwork on the back and front sides were done in a glossy finish. Only 10,000 units of the first edition were ever made.

The upcoming second-edition release of this set, will include everything as the original release (except the collectors box). All three disks will be stored in a standard plastic casing.

As for the content of the disks, they are quite enjoyable. There are two DVDs, one containing the movie, and the other containing extras (music videos, cast interviews, etc.). The music CD contains a whopping 25 tracks, and includes some beautiful vocal performances from Maaya Sakamoto, and Shanti Snyder.

The Escaflowne Movie sets a much darker tone, and takes place in an alternate-universe to the TV series. For those who are new to Escaflowne, you will feel welcomed, as the movie is stand-alone from the rest of the series. All in all, the movie is an awesome experience, and I highly recommend it for anyone's anime collection.

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This is Escaflowne: The Movie Anime Legends edition. The Anime Legends is a line of anime from Bandai Entertainment that is used to re-release older anime in a cheaper package. With this edition, you supposedly get the same 3 discs from the original, more expansive Ultimate Edition but without the fancy collector's packaging. The 3 discs are the movie DVD, an extras DVD and the movie soundtrack CD.

If you don't already have the Ultimate Edition, go ahead and get this one. If you are on the fence about the movie, give this edition a try. At least you get an excellent soundtrack in the event that you don't like the movie.

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...Or were the producers?

As a bit of a disclaimer, I award this production the distinction of two stars (as opposed to one) solely for its music, and partially for its animation (it seemed to fluctuate between brilliant and mediocre, whereas the music was just brilliant).

And another disclaimer: I have no experience in the initial Escaflowne series, so this review will be focused on the movie alone.

That said ...what happened? Where were the characters? Where was the plot? Where were the motives? With all the liberal granting of wings, you'd think they'd taken a pair and flown into obscurity.

Yes, there were characters. Little bits of compiled animation cels, rather. There were two types of actual personalities: Those who had none, and those who were, shall we say, overly dynamic.

Excluding our [extremely abrasive] protagonists, nearly the entire cast falls into the former category little Grecian sculptures granted movement and tongue. Maybe I'm a critic, but I somehow fail to sympathize with a character whose most impassioned line of the entire work is: "I'd hate to spill the blood of a woman".

As for the latter category, for those who received the rare benediction of a somewhat identifiable personality, it seemed as if that benevolence was immediately betrayed. Van is an angst-riddled, introverted, scampering desperado, yes? No wait! No, he isn't! He's a kind-hearted jolly good fellow because the 'evil within [him] has been healed'. It has? Did I miss something? Wait a second ...here it is again! He has a heart of stone! He's instigating Armageddon! Oh, wait! No he isn't! He's just an innocent bystander! No, wait! No he isn't! He's counterattacking his wantonly sadistic brother! No, wait! He isn't! He loves his brother! Don't let his brother get hurt! Why is he bleeding? I love you, brother!

Don't even get me started (well, I've done that myself...) on the perils of creating an evil villain who has no viable cause for devilry other than his baby blue mullet.

Not only were the characters highly flawed, but the plot itself was fraught with cliché. In fact, I couldn't identify one iota of screenplay that in any way struck me as somehow original. Not to mention this, but whoever wrote aforementioned screenplay obviously has no knack for dramatic timing and, more imminently, character development. Give the girl a few harried seconds before she collapses build up some tensions in discourses between characters before they fall in love. Give them a reason to love one another aside from a claim to being 'kindred spirits' we are depressed and lack social capabilities and depth of personality, hence we are undeniably made for each other? Great logic, really. Fits right in.

(A few things that score a few 'good' points: Merle's tail expression, Dilandu's voice, small children of the village that was never identified, the brief 'Hyena race with barrels of gunpowder on their backs', 'forehead magic'.)

I do agree that this movie is well-fit for a good laugh that's what we got out of it, to be sure. (Especially the Mecha battle kind of like angular Pillsbury doughboys). If you enjoy henpecking, I'm sure you'll have an hour well-spent of predictable dialogue, cliched characters, struggles to define a plot which never is, and countless other confections that I have failed to mention in my review. Have a ball.

Otherwise, sample the soundtrack and leave the movie to rot amongst the scattered feathers.

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The Secret of Santa Vittoria

If you loved Anthony Quinn in "Zorba", you will adore him in "The Secret of Santa Vittoria". This gem from 1969 is a serio-comic look at the Nazi's occupation of a little mountain village in Italy during WWII.

The people of Santa Vittoria have a treasure, and it is so dear to them, they will protect it at great lengths. The treasure... well over a million bottles of the special wine, the little town of grape growers produces to deal with the "Cinzano" wine company. This business is all they have to keep their little city alive.

Having just learned from Fabio, the only University student from Santa Vittoria, the the Fascist regime has just fallen, the villagers now learn of a new problem..The Nazi's will be coming to occupy their little town, and more specifically, they will be confiscating the wine.

They turn to the newly appointed, and constantly drunk Mayor..Italio Bombolini(Quinn). How can these simple people outfox the Germans? Where, Mathamatically, can they hide a million bottles of wine? And how will they move it all? Watching it all come together is a captivating, moving and fun view.

Bombolini is the perect name for this bumbling fool. It is an absolute thrill to watch this performance of Quinn's, as he turns from the town clown to a hero of great esteem. His antics will have you laughing out loud, his loyalty to his people will paste a smile on your face, and his bravery as he stands alone against the Nazi's threats and retaliations will have you rooting for him and Santa Vittoria all the way. We are even treated to a bit of his wonderful dance. Quinn is not alone in making this film a must see, Anna Magnani adds her special talents as well. She is magnificent as Rosa Bombolini, the long suffering wife of the town clown. When it comes to Italio, her tounge is as sharp as her aim, as Quinn ducks the insults and the pots and pans coming his way as well. Virna Lisi adds her beauty and turns in a fabulous performance as the "Contessa" and Directed by the great Stanley Kramer, it is simply perfection. The cinematogrpahy and the music by Ernest Gold(nominated for an Oscar) also add greatly to the total feel of the story.

The comedy is wonderful, but there is also a serious side. The little town must make sacrifices, as they are also subjected to the brutalities of the war.

The film, by the way, took home a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture(Musical/Comedy). At nearly two and half hours,it's a feel good film, and I didn't want it to end. Hopefully this film will be restored and transfered to DVD soon. In the meantime, try and catch it on Turner, or look for a good deal on the VHS.

Get the pasta (or popcorn) and a glass of wine, and enjoy Italy for a while!.....Laurie

I read the book as well, and this one breaks the usual "the-book-was-better" pattern. The movie replaces the allied bomber crew member, who bailed out of his plane, with the Italian army deserter, a great improvement for the plot. Being a third generation Italian who has seen the first generation who came to the US before 1920, I can say, the director must have gone to great lengths to find a village and extras to fit the story because I have seen them and they are priceless.

PS. And in the book, the Germans were more ruthless.

Update: It has been issued on DVD, and I obtained a copy from amazon in March of 2008.

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I saw this film in the 70s and it still remains with me. It's World War II and an Italian village famous for its wine is celebrating the overthrow of Mussolini's government. Villagers arrest the local fascist officials and, in a silly mood, elect the town drunk Bombalini, played brilliantly by Anthony Quinn, to be mayor. Later the party is spoiled when German army move in to occupy the territory. The occupiers want to steal the village wine supply and send it to Germany for the enjoyment of the Nazi officer troops. Bombalini must now rise to the challenge of taking his job seriously in order to outsmart the Germans and protect the wine -his town's livelihood. This is a charming and inspiring story and telling of Italian ingenuity. Other cast members are Giancarlo Giannini and Sergio Franchi.

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This is one of the most memorable movies of the 1960's. The performances are outstanding Quin and Lisi are an excellent combination. I am watching Amazon for the release of this movie on DVD but to no avail. PLEASE make it available in dvd. It will be a trip down memory lane.

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Wine enthusiasts will enjoy this movie as will those familiar with small town politics whether in the USA or abroad. This movie features a top flight cast in a unique story. It falters only near the climax if the viewer cannot ignore the probability that real life Nazis would have been more ruthless in their pursuit of one million bottles of wine the villagers are attempting to hide. Still, it's worth the trip for the performances of Anthony Quinn, et al. A shame that this film is no longer available on VHS.

Zulu Dawn (Blu-ray / DVD Combo) (1979)

I'll leave it to others to comment on the film itself, but I do want to warn potential purchasers that the DVD transfer leaves a lot to be desired. The original film is 2.35:1; the DVD is 16:9 letter boxed (not anamorphic)so about a third of the film is missing and it is clearly obvious in quite a few scenes. The quality of the transfer itself, while not awful, is not particularly good either.

I highly recommend this movie to all war or history buffs.This movie is based on the true story of the Battle of Isandlwana in south Africa .The battle was fought on Jan. 22nd 1879 between the 24th regiment under the command of Lt.Gen. Lord Chelmsford and the Zulu nation under King Cetshwayo. To make a long story short, The Zulus crushed and wiped out the entire British regiment largely in part because they outnumbered the British 24,000 to about 1,500, but also due to British arrogance(Which is pointed out time and time again in this movie)and the lack of respect and where abouts of the enemy.An allstar cast including Peter O'toole and Burt Lancaster Star in this Classic. The only Bad thing about this movie is that it is no longer in print, which to me is a real travesty, considering all the garbage that was made that still is in print. In fact i had to buy this movie off an online auction. I hope that the Movie Company that made this Great film comes to it's senses and Redistributes this movie so that it can be enjoyed on DVD as well.

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This is one of my favorite movies of all time and I've been waiting ever since the invention of DVD for it to appear. The VHS version I had was by some two-bit Canadian company and it hissed so badly you could barely understand the dialogue. When I saw that the DVD was going to be released I jumped with joy and I had to keep myself from running to the mailbox (like the dork that I am)when it arrived.

So you can imagine my disappointment at the lack of a widescreen version the p*ss-poor extras and worse, the godawful sound and atrocious coloring. What was once an epic looks like something you'd find on late nite TV on a channel with poor reception. I know this movie was made in '79 but does it have to look like an old 8mm porno thats been wasting away in a steamer trunk for two decades?

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Many of the reviewers of this DVD like the movie but are critical of the transfer. It is terrible, and my rating is for the transfer, not the movie. There is a solution if you have a region free DVD player: Go to Amazon.fr and order the French release, titled "L'Ultime Attaque." Just turn off the French dubbed version and watch the origianal English. This transfer is pristine with an aspect ratio of 2.35.1. Compared to it, the version offered by Amazon.com is shabby, indeed, and the French transfer is like watching a different movie. Remember, the French version is region 2, so you need a region free player, and shipping makes "L'Ultime Attaque" a bit pricey. Hope this helps.

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This is a decent movie which attempts to cover its subject well. The anti-British bias of the movie hurts its accuracy. For one, the Zulu Kingdom was not some innocent, put upon people. Shaku Zulu had spend years creating a brutal tribal kingdom that was under his complete control. His seccessors were no less brutal. King Catayweo may have been marginal less dictatorial than Shaku, but only by degrees. Despite this flaw, the movie is still worthwhile. Peter O'Tool lays it on thick by making Lord Chelmsford look the arrogant fool. This was not quite the case. Burt Lancaster does a nice job as Durnsford, and Simon Ward is great as the young gent recruit in the native horse.

The battle scene at Ishlandwana is impressive, but almost totally inaccurate. For one thing the British firepower kept the Zulus pinned for quite a while. The movie shows them charging forward ever invincible. Only when the Britsh fire slackend were they able to surge forward and break the line. The movie does not show this. Also the Zulu prisoners reporting the British position back to the main Impi is pure fantasy! This never happened and is another attempt by the movie to make the British look cruel and stupid! There are some other flaws, but to me these are the most serious.

The production quality is first-rate, and the attention to the flow of historical events is well done, if a little confusing at times. Those not familar with the campaign may have problems following it. Although portrayed as one of the most serious defeats ever in British military history this is also an exaggeration. The Zulu campaign was a embarrassment in some ways for the British, and also an un-wanted conflict, but the ultimate result was a crushing British victory a few weeks later under Chelmsford. Those who want a truly crushing victory of the natives over the Europeans should check out the fate of the Italians in Ethiopia in 1896! That was a true debacle. The British endured their set-back and came back for the final win as they often did. A flawed movie, but worthwhile.

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I Am Sam

From the first moment I AM SAM began, I realized I was in for a rare movie treat. As part of a movie class I was fortunate to recently preview I AM SAM and find now, several weeks later that I am still as enthusiastic about this film as I was when I first saw it.

Sean Penn, and I cannot say enough about his performance, plays Sam, a mentally challenged adult with the mental capacity of a 7 year old. We first see him working at Starbucks while he puts out sugar packets in an obsessive manner, calling out orders over and over and endearing himself to customers in his charming Sam manner. Suddenly, Sam is called away and we watch him enter a hospital and witness the birth of his daughter. Elated and awestruck, Sam names the baby girl Lucy, after the Beatle song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Unfortunately Lucy's mother isn't intersted in either Sam or Lucy and as they leave the hospital, with Lucy in Sam's arms, simply runs away from them. Ill prepared and ill equipped to raise a child, Sam somehow managaes to bring up Lucy with the help of a kindly and eccentric neighbor played to perfection by Dianne Weist. As the years go by, we see glimpses of Lucy growing up as she plays with Sam, as they read Green Eggs and Ham together before bedtime, as Sam buys shoes with Lucy aided by his friends who are also mentally challenged and finally when Lucy begins school. And while I know realistically that Sam being capable of raising Lucy mostly on his own till she reaches grade school might be unlikely, Sean Penn as Sam is so loving and good with Lucy, that I truly wanted to believe this could happen.

While it isn't firmly established how Sam and Lucy manage to evade child welfare agencies all of this time, eventually these beauracratic agencies do become aware of Lucy's situation and challenge Sam's ability to care for her. Sam now must fight for Lucy as he never has had to do before. Confused and heartbroken, Sam initially finds a high powered lawyer played by Michelle Pfeiffer. But she wants no part of the case. Beset by a career which takes over her life, Michelle Pfeiffer's character has a sullen young son at home and little to say to her husband. Eventually, though, she does take the case, is almost shamed into it by other lawyers in her firm. But in a remarkable twist of fate and and while helping Sam, she learns a great deal from him about parenting and unconditional love. What happens to Sam and Lucy as they are separated and the case is argued in court are memorable scenes filled with tremendous poignancy and deep emotions. For after all, who is truly fit to be a parent. Is love enough? Who does make a good parent? And most of all, what is in the best interest of Sam's daughter, Lucy

As an addition and complementing the tremendous perfomances of Sean Penn, Michelle Pfeiffer,Dianne Weist and Laura Dern Lucy played by Dakota Fanning, the movie inclues as background music many of the songs of the Beatles. And at various times the screenplay includes relevant lines and quotes which are fitting to the scenes. It was particualrly eerie watching this movie a few days after the death of George Harrison to hear Sam talk about the success of Harrison's song, "Here Comes the Sun," from the Abbey Road album. But what an appropriate comment I thought as the sun shined down on both Lucy and Sam as Sam ran around the soccer field with Lucy in his arms.

I cannot praise this movie enough. While at times one couldn't help but think of the movies Rainman and Kramer vs. Kramer, I AM SAM stands on its own as being a truly wonderful movie. I fully expect that Sean Penn will be nominated for many awards for his magnificent performance. I certainly hope he is acknowledged for this, a performance of a lifetime. If not I am confident that viewers like myself will never forget Sean Penn as Sam or this finely drawn character.

This film is phenomenal. Let me tell you why, in the best way I know how:

**Personal Preface: My brother Christopher has autism. He was diagnosed with autism when he was four, and is now twenty-four. In age, he is my older brother; in mentality I have been his older brother since I was 5.

Growing up with Christopher has taught me many things about life-perspective and how some people see many things differently. I am deeply saddened by the other reviews here slandering the film on the grounds that "it takes much more than love to get a girl through adolescence, and anything else in life."

The Greeks labeled three kinds of love, Eros: passionate or sensual love, Phileao: love shared between close friends and family, and Agape: A transcendent, selfless love that neither wavers nor grows dim. Unfortunately some people have never experienced all three of these types of love, nor do they know how to measure their efficacy.

To my brother Christopher, all he does need is love, and literally as a high functioning person with autism, all he gives is love. It's all he knows. He loves life, cheeseburgers, music, church: simple things.

As a certified assistant psychotherapist for the Lovaas firm of autism research, I also know that love, even as the popular definition as our culture knows it, is the most effective tool in helping both children and those with autism develop as functional human beings.

My mother works with the career resource exchange in Colorado Springs. In her case load has more than 30 different people with mental disabilities that she helps on a bi-weekly basis. Even having an autistic child, she did not recognize Sean Penn until the movie was over. Here's the kicker, Sean Penn is her favorite actor. That is what kind of performance he gives.

To both Roger Ebert, and the individual that quoted him: Ebert, everyone knew you as the bitter weird tub next to Siskel, grow up, and figure out that nobody like your pious pretension and aesthetic retardation. In response to the pessimistic young man who quoted R.E. Mystery Log: befriend someone with downs, or Aspurgers, and figure out how their minds work, how their hearts talk, and then critique movies that you know nothing about.

***Movie Review: Honestly Sean Penn's performance eclipses Dustin Hoffman's in Rain man, both for believability and accuracy. You know how the Academy Awards operate; he was being rewarded for this performance this year. Sean Penn's performance is nothing short of a cinematic miracle of epic proportions. His behaviorisms, tics, antics, voice inflection, deliveries, the list just goes on and on.

Two of the four actors that played his friends actually had the disabilities they were portraying, making authenticity something not to be questioned.

The film raises a series on controversial questions about guardianship and family; the most controversial here being how certain demanding vocations can corrode your life, and your relationship with your family. Michelle Pfeifer does an incredible job portraying the overworked mother, whose stresses at a six figure job causes dilapidations in her home life as well as work relations.

The other amount of controversy can be attributed to the antagonizing of the state's District Attorney. In most cases the state does do its job of properly assessing the abilities of caretakers of those mentally disabled, but there have been many cases where the state was incapable of demonstrating these abilities. By no means does this movie mean to prove that this is unequivocally the lot of the courthouse, but it does illuminate infractions that are not unheard of in the courtroom.

This film has made me cry every time I see it. I have seen it about eight times. I don't cry because I am sad, or because I am over emotional, or because I am happy that small voices are being heard, I cry because I see the characters going through the same struggles I go through in my life, and overcome them with love and things we often forget. This film is in my top 25 incredible movies list. Five stars, highest recommendations.

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I was shown the film I am Sam in a class that i just finished down in LA. First off, the soundtrack is a definite must buy, as many recording artists cover beatles songs in a very tasteful manner. The film itself delivers high calibur performances from all of the leads and the supporting cast. I would be very surprised if sean penn doesn't get an acadamy award nomination. Michelle pfieffer was also very good in the film, as was laura dern. This movie went straight for the heart and it was able to balance the serious moments with some light hearted moments. The young actress who played lucy was amazing in the film as well. I recommend this to anyone who wants to see a movie that will make you think. Think about what it means to be a good parent, and about the strength and spirit of love and how it transcends any handicap that we are born with or that we inflict upon ourselves. I can't say enough great things about this movie, so go see it!

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I Am Sam DVD

I Am Sam stars Sean Penn as a mentally challenged young man seeking custody of his daughter when it is obvious that he is not mentally capable of being a custodial parent. He bases his plea on the Beatles song "All you need is Love".

Caution, a real tear jerker. Recommended for a mature audience.

Gunner April, 2008

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"I am Sam" is replete with a jerky handheld finish, self-conscious art direction, the angst of the specially challenged, lots of opportunities to laugh and cry, terrific acting, and a marvelous Beatles-Plus soundtrack. The love that the entire cast and crew put into the project radiates from the scene and generates enough goodwill to forgive the occasionally languid pacing.

Sean Penn's nomination was absolutely well-deserved, and Dakota Fleming does a great job of Sam's daughter. Some magnificent supporting turns by Laura Dern, Diane Wiest, Stanley DeSantis, and two actually mentally handicapped actors, help carry the somewhat airy/sappy script through some of its less credible moments.

If you're a heartless scrimp by nature and want action in your movies, you may want to skip it, but everyone else should have a decent feel-good time with this stirring drama.

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Super (2011)

Forget about Batman. The Crimson Bolt is now my hero. This movie was so great and they did such a great job for the limited budget they had. The story was touching and heartbreaking. I also enjoyed the amount of dark humor and comedy that came out too. Not to mention the violence that added to the point that you "Don't butt!" Rainn Wilson's character Frank D'Arbo touched my heart as well. So far the best character he has played in a long time. Also Ellen was fantastic as Libby. I loved her awkward, psychotic demeanor, it was a perfect collaboration. I wish I could give it an extra 5 stars.

As a fan of both excellent, bad, and trashy cinema (Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind, Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead, and Hudson Hawk are all proudly on the same shelf), I am naturally a fan of James Gunn. Like John Waters before him, Gunn's list of films and internet contributions offer a little bit of all three, blended in different doses: Slither, Scooby Doo, Tromeo & Juliet, PG Porn, Humanzee, etc.

Naturally, I was looking forward to Super, Gunn's take on the D.I.Y. superhero a la Kick Ass and the Watchmen graphic novel (the film took liberties with the abilities of what were supposed to be normal people + 1 superbeing). Even with high expectations, the film blew me away. Unable to see it in the theater due to my market, I was nonetheless allowed the privilege of seeing it through IFC OnDemand's "In Theaters" category, and was not disappointed. Gunn's trademark profanity laced insanity is certainly present -Ellen Page's psychopathic sidekick Libby would fit into any one of Gunn's films -but also present is the heart of his more sophisticated works like Slither. Sophisticated is an odd word to use when talking about films that feature tentacle rape scenes or holy roller superhero hallucination scenes, but there it is. What's special about Super is that on this outing, the gratuitous insanity or sexual issues are turned down (while still present) and the heart gets turned up, as well as the emotional resonance. Even the arguably craziest scene in the film, where Rain Wilson's Frank experiences a tentacular brain rape from God, is powerful and moving in a disturbing sort of way. This is no doubt in some part due to Gunn being a sufferer of a rare and real condition whereby he has experienced strange visions at random intervals all his life. The violence is over-the-top to be sure, but serves an emotional purpose as well as a comedic one. By the end of the film, you will find yourself rooting for a man who has been driven to a violent, clearly insane depth in his life, despite the fact that you would never want to meet him. Super may just be James Gunn's masterpiece: violent, trashy, crazy, hilarious, sad, real, and triumphant.

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If you think this is just a Kick-Ass Rip Off then you are terribly wrong.

Super is really well executed and delivers a fresh experience.

I think there is some Troma Spirit in it...if you are into that this is a Must See.

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It's a movie about a sad loser who decides to become a vigilante, because his wife left him to become some drug slut. The violence in this is intentionally designed to make you feel uncomfortable. Therefore, this movie is great. Yeah that's all I'm going to say about it.

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Super is very different from your usual superhero movie. It is a dark comedy and extremely violent. Frank D'Arbo (Rainn Wilson) is essentially a below average human being, who turns himself into a superhero in order to fight crime. However, his methods are questionable to say the least and that is where the violence comes into play. Frank gets overly violent for petty crimes, but it is his moral belief that he is doing good. This is where the film shines because it is what makes Frank an interesting and complex character. You could say Super is a character study in a sense. You actually sympathize with Frank because you understand that he is somebody who has a very tough life and his fuse has blown. This added with lots of hilarious bits is what makes the film great. The humor isn't so much dark humor as it is just humor surrounded by violence and a somewhat dark theme. So I think the comedy will appeal to a wide audience. Like most indie films, Super is like a breath of fresh air. Definite recommend.

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The Magnificent Seven (1960)

Yul Brynner, back in the late 1950's, wanted to direct an American version of the SEVEN SAMURAI, as an western. So he bought up the movie rights. He wanted to cast Anthony Quinn in the lead, as Chris. Brynner had been directed by Quinn in the remake of THE BUCCANEER. Quinn would have been great as Chris, the leader of the Seven; and what a different film it would have been. But, alas, Brynner himself took the part, and put his own stamp of individuality on it. He walked like a cross between a panther and a ballet dancer; light on the balls of his feet. Ironically, as an actor, he was slow on the draw, and not used to Westerns. But artistically, this was never apparent in the finished film.

Many of the Seven's actors had seen the Kurosawa film, and they were very excited about transferring it to the American West. Eli Wallach, as Calvera, in just a few short scenes, found both the humor and the cruelty in the bandit chieftan. His accent and speech pattern were fairly authentic; more so certainly than the young German actor, Horst Buchholz, endeavoring to find a southwestern/Texan/Mexican drawl. Director, John Sturges, had great hopes for Horst; the camera loved him. But it was the trio of studs, Steve McQueen as Vin, Charles Bronson as O'Reilly, and James Coburn as Britt, that dominated the frame.

Steve McQueen, wearing skin-tight leather stovepipe chaps, spent a lot of time finding ways to upstage Yul Brynner. There was a rumor that he would have preferred playing Chico, the Buchholz character. McQueen's manic physical performance, lightning fast with a pistol and a quip, seemed to work well for him, and it gave him more than his share of focus. His Vin emerged as lethal, lean, and hungry; yet weary of the gunfighter's plight, and envious of the simplicity and the honor of the peasants fighting for their families and their homes.

James Coburn, as Britt, was laconic and dangerous, and living on the edge of his blade; competing mostly with himself for the next big thrill. Coburn got the part he wanted, and though he was given minimal dialogue, his deliveries were classic. This set the mold for his future career.

Charles Bronson as Bernardo O'Reilly, half-Irish, half Mexican, was solid as a rock; an experienced stone killer, and yet still a soft touch for the children of the village. His death scene touched us. He found the pulse of his character, and he was both dangerous and decent.

Robert Vaughn, as Lee, seemed uncomfortable and lost. His part had been rewritten, and expanded for him. Yet he seemed ill-suited for the part, and the genre. Even his costume seemed ill-fitting. Part of the problem was that his characters' inability to participate in the first couple of firefights left us with little sympathy for him. Later then, in his scene with the peasants, in which he admitted his fear, the emotions seemed forced and poorly conceived. His last moment heroics and death did little to balance the scales.

Brad Dexter was nearly invisible. He is the one actor in trivia games no one can remember. His character, Harry Luck, with twice the dialogue as Coburn, paled in comparison. Part of it was Dexter himself. He was a bland, middle-of-the-road, B-Movie heavy, and it was odd to cast him, and thrust him in amongst all of those young turks. He did a credible job, but he was completely outshined by the future super stars.

Vladimir Sokoloff, as the village's "old man", gave such a wonderful and touching performance, one did not realize the actor was not Latino. Like Eli Wallach, his talent as an actor transcended ethnic boundaries.

John Sturges, a veteran director of westerns, found just the right balance of action and character. Mexican farmers substituted fine for the original Japanese farmers. And brigands, or bandits, are cut from the same nasty mold no matter what the era, or geography. Kurosawa's classic runs like 3 hours in length, and it gave us much more in-depth character development; so that when these samurai began to die, we cared about them. In 1959, when SEVEN was filmed, three hour westerns were a non-existant species. Elmer Bernstein's musical score was revolutionary, and its pounding stacatto beat has become one of the most recognized pieces of music ever created for film.

This western, always listed in the top 50 best westerns, is a must-see. And the DVD version, in widescreen, is crisp and clear and colorful, and it helps us to recapture that magical feeling we had the first time we saw this film in a movie theatre.

MGM has just released the DVD of "The Magnificent Seven", perhaps the very last of an epoch of classic westerns. Poignant and sad, yet thrilling and action-filled, this cinema classic became a model for 100 action flicks to come. It's an early peek at the emerging movie anti-hero of the 60's and the 70's. An embattled farming village in Northern Mexico hires an unemployed gunslinger from Dodge City. Chris, played by Yul Brynner, recruits six more guns and takes a bloody stand against forty invading banditos. The film opened in 1960 to mild reviews. It was sent off to Europe, where it exploded with positive response. "The Seven" returned to the U.S. to wide acclaim, and as co-star James Coburn says in the documentary, "It's been playing ever since..." John Sturges filmed "Bad Day at Black Rock", "Gunfight at the OK Corral", and "The Great Escape", but history confirms that the meticulous out-door director achieved his artistic peak with this star-studded spectacle, featuring Elmer Bernstein's now classic theme. The film was followed by 3 sequels and a TV show that ran for 2 years. The DVD sound dialogue is a bit muted. The anamorphic 16:9 picture is perhaps the clearest ever, though you'll see some grain fallout during the lap dissolves. An audio commentary track with producer Walter Mirisch and several actors comes with 2 trailers and photos from the actual shoot and cast party. The real jewel of this new DVD is a brand new 46-minute documentary featuring interviews with all the major surviving stars, except Charles Bronson, who just turned 80. Charles Coburn, Eli Wallach, and Robert Vaughn re-live the adventures of filming this epic on location in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Amusing tales of future super-star Steve McQueen are revealed by his ex-wife. McQueen intentionally crashed his sports car to leave his TV series, "Wanted Dead or Alive", and join the cast of "Seven". Yul Brynner so enjoyed his all-black gunfighter attire that he repeated the same exact outfit in at least 4 more movies. Yul Brynner died of lung cancer in 1985. Steve McQueen died of cancer in 1980. Thanks to this timeless and valuable DVD, "The Magnificent Seven" may never die. After the raging battle ends, Brynner's character looks down on newly dug graves for the brave villagers. "We didn't do it.."he says. "Only the farmers win. We never win..."

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This review refers to the MGM Special Edition of this film....

In this time when we are looking for heroes to fight off terrorists, this is the perfect movie to watch.

Based on the Japaneese classic "The Seven Samurai", this story is set in a small farming village south of the border. A band of outlaws, lead by the ruthless Calvera(Eli Wallach), are terrorizing the town, taking the food and supplies of the hard working but meek farmers. They go the the elder of the town seeking advice. He tells them to buy guns and fight back. But guns are expensive and hard to come by. They gather up the little money they have and hire seven gunmen to help stave off the mauraders.The men accept, for little pay,mostly because they are broke,but we come to see they are moralistic and believe in the cause.

The gunmen are tough but each with his own special charisma.

These are not heartless anti-heroes(although at times some may seem that way), they bond with the townspeople, share food with them, teach them how to defend themselves. There are some touching scenes of them working together (one even forms a fatherly relationship with some of the children), and there's even a touch of romantic comedy.

The standoffs with the outlaws ensue, the gunmen and the farmers fight shoulder to shoulder.Although some of our heroes are lost, good does triumph over evil. This is a the definitive film for western lovers.

Not just a great western story, the cast is also magnificent.All these legends in one film, Yul Brenner, Steve McQueen,Charles Bronson,James Colburn, Robert Vaughn, and with Brad Dexter and Horst Buchholz. The musical score by Elmer Bernstein is a huge part of the film, just try to get it out of your head afterwards, you know the one, used to be the theme song for the "Marlboro Man". Director John Sturges gives a real western feeling and the cinematography to go with it.

Already know you love this film and wondering about the DVD?

The DVD lives up to the name of "The Magnificent Seven" The transfer is one of the better ones of a film from this era(1960), I think I saw one glitch(But I was looking for them)that was so fast, hardly worth mentioning, The colors are glorious, The widescreen is in the original theatrical format, and it's perfect,The Sound is in 5.1 Surround and also in the original mono, take your choice,the score is Magnificent,and dialouge crisp and clear,The Picture is bright, even the night time scenes are easily distinguishable,Nice Packaging (A nice case with booklet inside), and the "Extras" will keep you busy all day, there's a documentary making of, still photos(Lots),Trailers, and Audio Commentary which runs through the whole movie if you want to watch it that way, and more.

"The meek shall inherit....." with the help of "The Magnificent Seven" Enjoy....Laurie

also recommended:

Great Hollywood Westerns: Man Without A Star

The Wild Bunch (Special Widescreen Original Director's Cut)

The Greatest Western Themes

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Enough has been said in the past about this fantastically entertaining movie, so I won't bore you with anything more. My comments concern the DVD, it's nicely presented, with an interesting documentary and feature commentary, certainly a bargain given the incredibly low price tag.

The 5.1 sound remix is excellent, but I have to say that the very obvious grain and print damage on the movie itself knocked my assessment of the DVD down from a 5 star rating to 4 stars. I realise that the movie is over 40 years old but some of the print damage in very noticeable, and given modern cleaning techniques I think it is difficult to believe that at least some effort could have been made to clean things up a bit. Having said that this DVD is still greatly superior to any VHS copy I've seen and well worth the money despite its flaws.

Want The Magnificent Seven (1960) Discount?

I am a huge fan of Steve McQueen and as such purchasing The Magnificent Seven on Blu Ray was a no brainer for me, a true must purchase item.

This movie is a classic and set a very high standard for all Westerns to come. With that said, this review is going to deal with the actual Blu Ray transfer , both video and audio , and not the plot or performances contained in it.

This being another 'quickie' catalog release from MGM, a studio in bankruptcy, I was not expecting too much here and afraid the technicians would just slather the image with tons of DNR, Edge Enhancement and call it a day. Luckily for me and all fans of this film I was wrong! Phew!

Here is the good news: This film has not been DNR'd to death at all. I can't see any actually, and as for edge enhancement, I just don't see that either. GREAT! A pretty natural looking image, nothing spectacular, but solid color and an almost fully stable image. There are a few very short instances of 'image/telecine wobble' but nothing too severe and only a few times. Chances are most folks won't even notice it.

Generally the image is pleasing,. Although there are SOME soft shots, a few horrible looking grainy shots, a bit of mosquito noise on certain blue sky shots and a grainy blurriness every single time the picture dissolves/fades into another scene, rather than a clean cut. I watched this carefully and noticed that most of the video problems occur in the first 50 minutes of the film, with the remaining hour and 18 minutes being just about issue free and VERY nice to look at for a 1960 film. Seriously, unless you are picking it apart, you will just notice a few soft grainy shots and everything else should look pretty good to you, bordering on very good.

Note that this transfer is not anywhere near a reference catalog title and stands no chance of winning Blu Ray release of the year or anything like that. I absolutely think most video reviews on name brand reviewer sites have inflated the video quality of this transfer. It was no where near as good as I was expecting, but then again no where near as bad either! Did I enjoy watching it? YOU BET! I can honestly say this is the very best this film has looked in home release format. EVER! Period!

The sound fares better than the picture I think. A decent DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 track is your only option. Basically this film is front heavy and center heavy. Every now and then you might get a gunshot or ricochet in a surround speaker, but most all the action and sound takes place up front and in the center channel. On the other hand, there is more LFE for your Sub than you would expect. Only a few lines of dialogue here and there were hard for me to hear, even with my surround system cranked up a bit. Most of it is clear as a bell with both music and sound effects sounding fine. I ran into a small segment towards the end where the audio/video sync was off. It was not my system and I could duplicate it multiple times with the problem always occurring in the same spot. When Charles Bronson paddles the kids behind, you see it, then hear the whack whack whack! Since the mouths are moving BEFORE the sound, the delay adjustment on your receiver will be useless. Fortunately, this disappears in a few minutes as if it had never happened and mouths and words match up once again. I have only ran into an actual disc/audio problem once before and that was on the last Dirty Harry movie, The Dead Pool. I am convinced that both discs have some sort of authoring problem that causes this.

**If you see the same sequence and the sound IS in synch please write a comment on my review so I know it is my gear and not the disc. Thanks.

There is a pretty nice selection of extras on this disc. Most come directly ported over from the 2 DVD collectors set. The audio commentary is particularly good, with stars James Coburn and Eli Wallach, plus the producer and assistant director. Not bad and at times quite entertaining and informative. When I really love a movie I tend to eat this stuff up and this was no exception. Also included is a very nice 46 minute 'making of' type documentary that offers lots of good stories and trivia. Another 15 minute documentary on composer Elmer Bernstein's score, and yet another shorter 'making of' piece called 'The linen Book'. Add to all of that two trailers and you can see this is a pretty hefty offering for bonus features.

The Magnificent Seven was a big hit, first in Europe and then in America. It is still revered today by both classic film buffs and Western genre fans. I love it because it launched Steve McQueen into stardom. It has a lot of appeal that works on many different levels. The score in particular is as rousing and inspirational as has ever been heard in a Western and all by itself it is an American Icon. You immediately conjure visions of the Old West and wide open spaces when you hear this music. Add an all star cast and great direction from John Sturges and you get one heck of a Western and one heck of a movie, period! Highly recommended!

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The Last Metro (The Criterion Collection) (1980)

One of Truffaut's and Deneuve's best pictures. It has warmth, history, a sense of the absurd, excellent pacing, and a bit of suspense. It's also has more a linear storyline then many French films. All of the performances are excellent.

Two Warnings:

1. Avoid dubbed versions (Deneuve's sense of humor is in her voice, not on her face, resulting in a mirthless character when dubbed).

2. The new Fox version changed the sub-titles and wrecked some of the best lines.

I was first drawn to this film when I read a news article that this film had been considered by many French critics to be the best French film of the 80's. I couldn't have agreed more with that judgment when I saw it. Truffaut goes beyond telling a story of love and tragedy in Nazi-occupied France, it shows how intensely he feels about art and theater and how inseparable they are from human life. Theater is a big part in the lives of the central characters and hence a key ingredient of this film as well. Truffaut uses that fictional theater and interweaves that with real lives so seamlessly that it sometimes blows your mind away. I think in many ways it is an extension of 'Day for Night'. A terrific achievement, to say the least.

Buy The Last Metro (The Criterion Collection) (1980) Now

Truffaut follows in the tradition of Jean-Pierre Melville by adapting a popular genre as a serious allegory for the darkest period in French history: the Nazi Occupation. Just as Melville used the gangster film to examine notions of legality, legitimacy, authority and criminality in a period when the Resistance were outlaws and the police were rounding up Jews for the death camps, so Truffaut takes the beloved putting-on-a-show warhorse, and uses it as a metaphor for the conditions of life in Occupied France: the need to act, adapt and continually discard roles. When Depardieu's character leaves to fight for the Resistance, he puns about exchanging his make-up (maquillage) for the maquis. What Truffaut is most interested in, as in all his films, is the effect this need for constant dissembling has on individual identity and relationships.

This wonderful romantic comedy plays like a mature update of 'Casablanca', richly stylised, bravely open-ended, with Truffaut's moving camera wrenching spirit from claustrophobic confines.

Read Best Reviews of The Last Metro (The Criterion Collection) (1980) Here

This is a first-class romantic, suspensful and humane movie. The Germans have occupied Paris and there are informers everywhere. Marion Steiner (Catherine Deneuve), a famous actress, has taken over the management of the theater her husband, Lucas Steiner, an equally famous director, has left. Steiner is a Jew and disappeared shortly after the Germans took over. For the next production Marion Steiner hires a young actor, Bernard Granger (Gerard Depardieu), who loves women and who gradually comes to love Marion.

There are secrets everywhere. Lucas Steiner is hiding and living in the basement of the theater, protected by his wife. He directs the new play through notes to his wife and discussions in the late evening when she visits him. Granger is an member of the resistance who could bring disaster to the theater if he is caught. Marion Steiner is devoted to her husband, but feelings for Granger slowly begin to appear, and are not unnoticed by her husband. All the while life in Paris under the Nazis goes on, the play is prepared and rehearsed, Jewish members of the company are protected or caught or flee. An odious, collaborating journalist and theater reviewer uses his contacts and influence to try to arrange a relationship with Marion. Eventually Bernard leaves the theater for active fighting.

This is something of a romantic movie of choices. At the end of the movie, the Germans are fleeing Paris. Bernard has returned and a new play starring Marion and Bernard is a great success. Lucas is spotted by the audience at the rear of a box and they stand to applaud him. Bernard and Marion bring him to the stage to join them in receiving the ovation for the play. Then Marion moves between the two men, holds their hands, and the three of them stand smiling while the applause roars on. And that's the end. This is, in my view, a very satisfying movie of theater life, of the occupation, and of three people who manage to find their way.

I think the DVD looks great, with many of the scenes having a dark, warm look about them.

Want The Last Metro (The Criterion Collection) (1980) Discount?

A romantic and beautiful film from one of the founders of the French new wave of films, iconic director Francois Truffaut's award winning film "THE LAST METRO" is given THE CRITERION COLLECTION treatment showcasing the well-thought and well-planned script of Truffaut but also the beautiful cinematography by Nestor Almendros. But the film is much more beautiful thanks to the outstanding performances by Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu.

"THE LAST METRO" showcases Deneuve and Depardieu's great chemistry and acting. Both talents were just magnificent in the way they portrayed their characters. Deneuve moreso, as the emotions on her face shows us strength, compassion but also elegance and sexiness. This in combination with the variety of the characters but the way the film was written and how the film was shot. Everything came together as Francois Truffaut pays his homage to the theatre but showing how things were at that time in France during the occupation.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"THE LAST METRO" is a film that has been digitally remastered for "THE CRITERION COLLECTION" release. The film is now 30-years-old is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1:66:1. The high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit Datacine from a 35 mm interpositive from the original negative. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris and scratches were removed using the MTI Digital Restoration System.

As Truffaut was an iconic director for his well-planned ideas up to its overall execution, his partnership with cinematographer Nestor Almendros brought beautiful imagery. "THE LAST METRO" featured a monochrome red. In fact, the film does not utilize so many colors. It was Almendros who knew what he wanted on camera, indoors to focus on monochrome reds, lighting to be natural, thus trying to capture the flame of candle reflecting on a person's face. The colors are vibrant for a 1980 film. Some parts with grain but nothing to be alarmed about it. The film looks absolutely gorgeous in the Blu-ray release.

As for the audio, the soundtrack was mastered at 24-bit from a 35 mm magnetic soundtrack. The audio is an uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Audio restoration helped reduce the amount of clicks, pops, hiss and crackle. Audio is primarily dialogue but overall audio is clear.

The film also features a new and improved English subtitle translation.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

For the special features included in the Blu-ray disc version for "THE LAST METRO THE CRITERION COLLECTION" are:

* TWO AUDIO COMMENTARY TRACKS The new 2008 audio commentary by Annette Insdorf (author of "Francois Truffaut") is a very good commentary. Insdorf comments on each scene with no pausing and literally knowing what she is talking about. Informative and definitely giving the viewer a chance to see things through the eyes of Truffaut. A wonderful commentary track. The second commentary track features by actor Gerard Depardieu, historian Jean-Pierre Azema and Truffaut biographer Serge Troubiana. Another wonderful commentary track. Another informative and wonderful commentary track as we are able to get some good insight through Depardieu but also get a Truffaut perspective from Troubiana but also the occupation of France through historian Jean-Pierre Azema.

* Deleted Scene The sole deleted scene included on this Blu-ray features a five minute scene with Valentin. The scene was cut because it made the film too long but it goes into Valentin wanting Marion to be in his final film since he is dying. But because her obligation to the play, the crew and also her husband (trying to hide him), as much as she would like to be part of his film, she can not.

* Les Nouveaux Rendez-vous A near 11-minute interview from a French television show "Les Nouveaux Rendez-vous" with Francois Truffaut, Catherine Deneuve, Gerard Depardieu. A very interesting featurette as Depardieu talked and smoked and just feeling great to be part of a film that would depict theatre of that time. Very informative.

* Passez Donc Me Voir A six minute featurette featuring Francois Truffaut and Jean Poiret excerpted from the television show "Passez Donc Me Voir". Another informative film, more-so for Jean Poiret and him working with Truffaut.

* Performing "THE LAST METRO" A 15-minute featurette that features actors Andrea Ferreol, Sabine Haudepin and Paulette Dubost along with second assistant director Alain Tasma (who played the character of Marc). The talent talk about working with Truffaut and being part of his past films and how wonderful it was to work with him and the freedom they had to be their character for the film. Also, how Ferreol helped cast Heinz Bennent (who played Lucas Steiner) for the film by recommending him to Truffaut. Tasma talked about how he tried out for Jean-Loup's character but he was too short. Sabine gave good insight since she was in several Truffaut films.

* Visualizing "THE LAST METRO" A near 10-minute featurette with interviews with camera assistants Forent Bazin and Tessa Racine in which they discuss working on the film especially working with cinematographer Nestor Almendros. What was interesting is that with all the color and beauty of the film, when Nestor was filming, he lost his contacts several times and was essentially blind. Without using a light meter, his staff was just amazed how he was able to get the lighting right in the final cut. A very informative featurette.

* Working with Truffaut: Nestor Almendros A near half-hour featurette that was filmed for Rainier Gansera's 1986 documentary "Arbeiten mit Francois Truffaut". Truffaut expert Robert Fischer pieced together all elements from the actual interview by Gansera into one featurette for THE CRITERION COLLECTION. This featurette is about how Nestor Almendros became friends with Truffaut, why he moved to France. Almendros talked about Truffaut's style which includes his concern of shooting the film a certain way because he knew his International fans watch his films with subtitles, so Truffaut and Almendros worked together in making sure the background below where the subtitles would be shown can be readable. But what is more special is how Almendros enjoyed working with Truffaut from the beginning and to be there for Truffaut who died in 1984. Informative and just a very special insight to Truffaut and being a cinematographer for several of his films. A wonderful featurette!

* Une Histoire d'Eau "The Story of Water", a 1958 short film (almost 13 minutes) co-directed by Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. An enjoyable B&W short about a woman who wants to get to France but because the place has been flooded, she has quite an adventure in getting from her home to Paris and get near the Eiffel Tower.

* Theatrical Trailer The trailer for the film

And similar to other releases from "THE CRITERION COLLECTION", a booklet including an essay by critic Armond White is included. White's essay on "THE LAST METRO" is well-written and a great addition to the release.

JUDGEMENT CALL:

"THE LAST METRO" is among the several award-winning films from Francois Truffaut. The film meant to be a trilogy of paying homage to theatre is literally a beautiful film capturing the occupation of France and the secrets held by the various characters involved in the play.

The term "Last Metro" is about the 11:00 p.m. curfew that French had to abide during the German occupation and for those who went to watch a film or watch a play at the theatre, they needed to get to the final boarding of the train (metro) during the curfew or else...

Catherine Deneuve was simply stunning as Marion Steiner. Her performance was just magnificent as body language and facial expressions really made her character seem real. As for Gerard Depardieu, despite being a man who wants to have some fun with the women, he's able to showcase himself in a variety of levels as an actor. Both had magnificent performances that really carried the film quite far.

Truffaut films...early to few of his later works are just wonderful. "THE LAST METRO"is all about the layers of the characters, small complexities and details are included and you have to credit his partnership with cinematographer Nestor Almendros for successfully achieving the transition of Truffaut's perspective into film.

From the use of colors of the monochrome red for the interiors to the bluish hues outdoors, the use of natural lighting and keeping things dark to make sure that the film shared that sense of ambiance as people who were living during the occupation can probably relate to.

Despite the bombshell dropped at the ending of the film (something that I was not really expecting), as I watched the film again, especially listening to both commentaries, it helped give me an understanding of the characters. Lucas and his love for the theatre. Was his love for Marion genuine, could he see beyond her being just a well-known actress who is now running his theatre or was it because she is epitomizes the female actress who lives for the theatre (who is essentially doing it for him). I started to see how both characters have grown lonely.

But the bombshell of the film is just one layer to "THE LAST METRO". The storyline is about secrets but also people living during a time where it was important for them to entertain because "World War II" and occupation by Nazi Germans and having to worry about air raids and being accused of being German or something anti-Nazi at that time. These people lived for the theatre, lived for entertaining and Truffaut wanted to celebrate that in this film and eventually succeeds.

"THE LAST METRO" is a beautiful French film that deserved THE CRITERION COLLECTION treatment. It's beauty as a well-told and well shot film has won plenty of awards but now with the CRITERION treatment, giving cinema fans a chance to discover one of the treasures of Francois Truffaut.

This Blu-ray release of "THE LAST METRO" looks absolutely magnificent and overall, this film is highly recommended!

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Bonjour Tristesse (1958) (1958)

There are a lot of tears in the great Saul Bass opening credits and you find out why later in the film....the story is a little strange: David Niven plays a smooth talking father who cannot be faithful to any woman he is with--his teenage daughter calls him by his first name and seems to have no problem with what he is doing....very interesting film.... The video on the blu-ray is very good--mostly in color, with black and white thrown in here and there....the b/w sections of the film were supposedly filmed on color stock and then had the color removed, so these sections of the film look different from the usual b/w....the audio is very clear, and overall, a very good film....beautiful scenery, great score.... Excellent....except for David Niven's short shorts....and the girlie way he wears some of his shirts....

Classic movie and well done as a blu ray in general. A must for Niven and/or Kerr fans. 4.5 rounded down to 4

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