Scarlet Street: Kino Classics Edition (1945)

The original story was filmed by the great French director Jean Renoir as "La Chienne" which means "The Bitch." The director was the son of the outstanding impressionist Pierre August Renoir; the son actually sold his father's great art masterworks to subsidize his effort to make films featuring his ambitious wife. In the end, Renoir felt deeply manipulated and divorced her. In Renoir's hands, this is a black comedy. In Fritz Lang's hands, it becomes a tense sexual thriller and the tale of the dark descent of a man who is completely destroyed by his erotic longing for a beautiful woman who never returns his love.

Edward G. Robinson plays a shy, henpecked married man who works as an unimportant bank cashier/clerk. In his spare time, he loves to paint and in fact possesses an original vision in his naive paintings. His wife humiliates him and announces the art is worthless.

The film really begins when the Robinson character believes that he has saved a gorgeous woman from being beaten up by a man in the street. (That man happens to be her pimp). Unable to take his eyes off this woman, he allows his sexual desire for her take complete control. All his normal ethics of honesty are misused in his attempt to raise money.

Let's be fair. A woman as gorgeous as Joan Bennett could demand favors from her admirer, particularly when he is so emotionally vulnerable. Obviously, she just leads him along, takes his paintings, and discovers that there is a hot market for them. But all along, she is really attracted to her pimp, who is handsome in a cheap sort of way, mean spirited, and cunning.

When the truth is discovered, needless to say, things get darker and darker.

Compared to other scratchy and dull versions which have appeared earlier on DVD copies, this Kino Classics Edition is a superb translation of the original film onto the disc. The cinematography of dark and rainy streets and confining apartments creates an exterior landscape that matches Edward G. Robinson's sexually repressed character.

As a cinematic treatment of a man's psychological descent into hell, this is one of the best film noirs that I have ever seen.

One of my favourite film noir movies and in my opinion easily among the best ever made. If you like noir and have not seen this you absolutely MUST. Don't waste time thinking about it just DO IT. Delighted to see that this has finally been salvaged from the poor quality disappointing prints making it to DVD over recent years. The Kino BluRay version is like seeing it clearly for the first time. The 1080p transfer is very good indeed but contrary to what the description says I would not go so far as to call it "immaculate". Some parts of the movie have scratches running down them... now this is no huge deal but if you are going to do a 1080p digital transfer it would seem little additional work to digitally remove these seeing as it's so easy to do... But despite this I have to give the release 5 stars for the sheer quality of the film itself, the superb acting/directing/lighting/script and the fact that we can at last see it all clearly!

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When Christopher Cross (Edward G. Robinson), a meek, middle-aged cashier, ran one rainy night to the aid of Kitty March (Joan Bennett) who was being beaten by her boy friend, Johnny Prince (Dan Duryea), he had no idea how his life would be changed. It's probably also fair to say that Robinson, Bennett, Duryea and director Fritz Lang had no idea at the time that they were making one of the great noirs, a movie so good, in fact, that in my view it transcends the noir genre.

Cross is married to a shrew. He does the dishes wearing a frilly apron. He's taken for granted by just about everyone he knows. After 25 years with the bank, he has just been given a gold watch. And he paints. He loves to paint; it's the only thing that gives him happiness. When he meets Kitty and walks her home, he sees a beautiful young woman who is friendly. He arranges to meet her again. One afternoon he tells her about his love of painting. "Nobody ever taught me how to draw," he says. "I just put a line around what I feel when I look at things. It's like falling in love, I guess." Kitty looks at him sympathetically. When he looks down at his plate, though, she can't keep a little twist of amusement from her lips. He doesn't know that in him she sees a middle-aged figure of pathetic fun. She and Johnny begin to take Chris for every penny he can make or steal. When Johnny sells his paintings and the paintings become famous, Kitty takes the credit and Johnny takes the money. Johnny may beat up Kitty but she loves him. Cross finally realizes not just how he has been used by the pair, but how Kitty has held him in contempt as a little man whose feelings are laughable. One night she screams at him, "How can a man be so dumb? I've been waiting to laugh in your face ever since I met you. You're old and ugly and I'm sick of you." The ending is violent. Kitty and Johnny both pay a price. And Chris...his ending is sad, poignant and will last as long as he lives.

Of all the movies Lang made in Hollywood, this is the one where, I think, all the components came together in a completely satisfying way. Partly, this is because of the story and the script. The tale isn't just about a meek man's descent, it also is about three individuals using each other in a strange mixture of love, contempt and amoral selfishness. It also often is wry and jaundiced. When Kitty uses Chris' words almost verbatim to describe to an art critic how she feels about painting, "like falling in love, I guess," we know she could not care less about art and is, in fact, amused by her own clever use of Chris' feelings. The effect is funny in a sick sort of way.

Most importantly, I think, is that Lang was blessed by having all first-class lead actors. Duryea made a career out of playing sleaze, but he was never better than here. Joan Bennett, in my view, is one of Hollywood's underrated actors, probably because she was so good-looking. Compare her performance here with her performance as Wendy Van Kettering, smart, lovely, sympathetic in Vogues of 1938 and with the warm, understanding mother of the bride, Ellie Banks, in Father of the Bride. Here, Bennett convinces us that Kitty is captured by Johnny and his rough love, that Kitty hasn't a moral bone in her body, that Kitty is happy to be a slob, shallow and sexy. Kitty says "Jeepers" when she wants to emphasize something. She eats grapes and spits the pits on the rug. She tosses a cigarette end onto the dirty dishes that fill the sink. She has great legs and a lazy drawl. As for Edward G. Robinson, he is the heart of the movie. His meekness draws our sympathy as well our impatience. When he finally becomes violent it is startling and satisfying. The end of the movie may be sad, but it also is ironic and strong. Chris loved Kitty, and he'll be forever hearing in his mind, "Jeepers, I love you, Johnny."

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I have this movie as part of a set I bought a while back.To be honest I thought this would be a nice period piece.That was my entire expectation.I was pleasantly surprised to find that this is a timeless story with emotions that are relevant even in today's modern society. Yes, the 30's feel and atmosphere is there(and wonderfully done), but it's more than that. A film that should be watched with an open mind. Truly a Scarlet Surprise.

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Fritz Lang's 1945 film noir classic "Scarlet Street" may be banal with its golddigger storyline but once the grisly twist hits the viewer, you have no doubt that Lang (known for classics such as "M", "Metropolis", "The Testament of Dr. Mabuse") has successfully drawn the viewer in for something unpredictable and shocking.

It's no surprise that "Scarlet Street" was considered a bleak film noir that was banned in three cities, but nearly 70-years-later, one can marvel and perhaps be amused by how well-crafted this film was for its time.

"Scarlet Street" is a film adaptation by Dudley Nichols ("Stagecoach", "Bringing Up Baby", "The Bells of St. Mary's") of the French novel and play "La Chienne" by Georges de La Fouchardiere and Andre Mouezy-Eon.

Lang would also take his three stars from the 1944 film "The Woman in the Window", Edward G. Robinson ("Double Indemity", "Key Largo", "The Ten Commandments"), Joan Bennett ("Dark Shadows", "Father's Little Dividend", "Father of the Bride") and Dan Duryea ("The Pride of the Yankees", "Peyton Place"), and cast them in "Scarlet Street".

While Fritz Lang was well-known for his films in Germany, it wasn't until decades later that many film historians and critics learned how much of an impact Lang would have in the emergence and the evolution of the film genre, film noir.

VIDEO:

"Scarlet Street" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:33:1 aspect ratio). Because Kino Lorber were able to obtain the video from the archives of the Library of Congress, what we have here is the best print available. And naturally, with it being in HD, this is simply the definitive version of the film to own.

With that being said, it's important for those new to Kino Lorber to know that the company takes a hands free approach. As restoration is quite laborious and very expensive, they present the film from the original master in HD. So, what we have here is a film that does have its fair share of white specks (not too much that it would ruin your viewing pleasure) but in terms of picture quality, clarity is the keyword when watching this film on Blu-ray.

Black levels are deep, contrast in white and gray levels are great and compared to previous version of the film, there is no blurring effect nor the interlacing.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Scarlet Street" is presented in uncompressed Linear PCM 2.0 monaural. As mentioned with video, Kino Lorber takes a hands free approach when it comes to Blu-ray releases. So, "Scarlet Street" does have its share of a few clicks and even some mild hissing. But dialogue is clear and understandable.

There are no subtitles.

SPECIAL FEATURES

"Scarlet Street" comes with the following special features:

Audio commentary Featuring a audio commentary by David Kalat (author of The Strange Case of Dr. Mabuse)

Photo Gallery Featuring images of deleted scenes and artwork for the film.

Kino Classics Trailers

JUDGMENT CALL:

"Scarlet Street" is a 1945 film which may have seem twisted, dark or grisly to movie fans during that time.

But it was also the beginning of a genre in cinema known as "film noir" that would later become appreciated by cinema fans.

What I enjoyed about this film is that at first glance, it seemed as if it was too banal. A story about an old man named Christopher Cross who doesn't get the love and appreciation from his wife and wonders if men flock to younger women for fun and a exciting life. Maybe it's what he needs because his life is absolutely dull.

And then you have the banal gold digger Kitty who is directed by her boyfriend Johnny to bilk as much money she can from him.

But of course, Fritz Lang is not your traditional Hollywood filmmaker. Even when I first watched this film and even today, I still had this grin of awe of the clever writing he was able to pull off and literally pull the seat under movie watchers because it was nontraditional movie making.

But "Scarlet Street" was a fantastic film that I absolutely enjoyed! But for those who are not erudites to Lang's work in Hollywood, let's just say that "Scarlet Street" is just the beginning to Lang's darker films.

During that era in time, Fritz Lang was well-known for his German films and in Hollywood, suffice to say, many film critics wondered why his films from the '40s to the '50s became darker and darker. In fact, things would get even darker in the '50s with films such as "The Big Heat" and it correlated with Lang's pessimistic view towards the world and seeing how things worked in the move industry.

For Edward G. Robinson and Joan Bennett, the films they made with Fritz Lang would be in their peak as Robinson's career would be called into scrutiny a few years later as he was threatened with black listening as the government (via the House Un-American Activities Committee) was cracking down on communist sympathizers in Hollywood.

This would lead for nearly a decade of B-movie films for Robinson until Cecil B. DeMille would later cast him in the epic "The Ten Commandments" in 1956.

As for Joan Bennett, she has had a long career since the silent era but a few years after "Scarlet Street", her career would be slightly damaged when her husband Walter Wanger tried to kill her agent Jennings Lang, when Wanger suspected the two having an affair.

And as the careers of these three individuals would change after "Scarlet Street", the film still resonates strongly among fans of Fritz Lang. And it is a wonderful choice for Kino Lorber to release on Blu-ray and one can hope that more of Lang's noir films will receive the HD treatment in the near future.

As for the Blu-ray release, as mentioned earlier, this is the definitive version to own of the film at this time. Watching it on Blu-ray has more clarity and no more interlacing or blurring issues. The film looks good, granted it could look better with restoration. The audio commentary by David Kalat is very good and includes a lot of in-depth information that cineaste will enjoy listening to.

Overall, "Scarlet Street" is an enjoyable, darker noir film from Fritz Lang and one of the earlier films to help kick off the film noir genre. Definitely recommended!

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The Searchers (2006)

Even if you've never seen John Ford's THE SEARCHERS, you will have, undoubtedly, seen a film that owes it's 'style' to the film. DANCES WITH WOLVES, THE OUTLAW JOSIE WALES, UNFORGIVEN, JEREMIAH JOHNSON, and OPEN RANGE are just a few westerns that have 'borrowed' from it, but THE SEARCHERS' impact transcends the genre, itself; STAR WARS, THE ENGLISH PATIENT, THE LAST SAMURAI, even THE LORD OF THE RINGS have elements that can be traced back to Ford's 1956 'intimate' epic. When you add the fact that THE SEARCHERS also contains John Wayne's greatest performance to the film's merits, it becomes easy to see why it is on the short list of the greatest motion pictures ever made.

The plot is deceptively simple; after a Comanche raiding party massacres a family, taking the youngest daughter prisoner, her uncle, Ethan Edwards (Wayne), and adopted brother, Martin Pawley (Jeffrey Hunter), begin a long quest to try and rescue her. Over the course of years, a rich tapestry of characters and events unfold, as the nature of the pair's motives are revealed, and bigoted, bitter Edwards emerges as a twisted man bent on killing the 'tainted' white girl. Only Pawley's love of his 'sister' and determination to protect her stands in his way, making the film's climax, and Wayne's portrayal of Edwards, an unforgettable experience.

With all of Ford's unique 'touches' clearly in evidence (the doorways 'framing' the film's opening and conclusion, with a cave opening serving the same function at the film's climax; the extensive use of Monument Valley; and the nearly lurid palette of color highlighting key moments) and his reliance on his 'stock' company of players (Wayne, Ward Bond, John Qualen, Olive Carey, Harry Carey, Jr, Hank Worden, and Ken Curtis), the film marks the emergence of the 'mature' Ford, no longer deifying the innocence of the era, but dealing with it in human terms, where 'white men' were as capable of savagery as Indians, frequently with less justification.

Featuring 18-year old Natalie Wood in one of her first 'adult' roles, the sparkling Vera Miles as Pawley's love interest, Wayne's son Patrick in comic relief, and the harmonies of the Sons of the Pioneers accenting Max Steiner's rich score, THE SEARCHERS is a timeless movie experience that becomes richer with each viewing.

It is truly a masterpiece!

This is a review of the "Ultimate Collector's Edition," NOT a review of the film itself. If you're considering the purchase of a two-disc special edition, you probably already know that the film is great; you just want to know if this slick package is worth the pricetag.

In short, it's not. And let me be absolutely clear about one thing: I have known and loved this film for years. A few sequences look properly spectacular, but after watching this DVD on two separate (and high-quality) televisions, I'm amazed that all of the low-light scenes have been rendered almost completely dark. Like, too dark to tell what's even *happening*. For instance, the scene where Brad (Harry Carey, Jr.) runs off to his death, the scene where Marty's (Jeffrey Hunter's) "bride" is serving coffee along the river, and even the pre-dawn scenes leading up to the final storming of the Comanche camp, are utterly lost in the dark. By contrast, the bare-bones 1997 DVD release features noticeably richer colors in the daytime scenes and total clarity in the low-light scenes I've just mentioned. Don't waste your money on this special edition; you'll be much happier if you just shell out the $10.99 for the 1997 release.

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On this site there are over 100 fan-reviews of this movie, and many tell the plot in great detail, therefore, my reivew will be short and sweet. With the great John Ford directing, John Wayne starring, and a superb story line all this adds up to a 5-star movie if there ever was one! You cannot go wrong buying this DVD it delivers!

Now considered possibly the greatest weatern movie of all-time, "The Searchers" was panned by the critics of its day for being just another "ho-hum" John Wayne western. It took years, but modern critics and viewers now recognize it as an epic of western filmmaking that perhaps will never be topped. If I had to choose one movie that represented the best of the west, it is undoubtedly "The Searchers".

John Wayne gives his most intense acting performance as the dark and vengeful Ethan Edwards, who vows to kill the Commanche raiders that murdered his beloved sister-in-law, brother, and took captive two of their daughters. Wayne easily carries the film on his broad brooding shoulders, pursuing the Indians for over 5 years through summer and winter, ever relentless to see their chief, "Scar", dead, and his captive nieces rescued.

Director John Ford is at the height of his creative powers in directing this western masterpiece. He weaves so many different themes and levels of interpretation into the film, that one discovers something new with each viewing. It would take a small treatise to bring out all the subtle details.

Succinctly and to the point, "The Searchers" is a film that you will watch again and again, and love it each time a bit more. It is that absolute best in western filmmaking!

Jim Konedog Koenig

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"The Searchers" (1956) Anamorphic Widescreen DVD version is one of the best classic westerns ever made! Ranked in the American Film Institute's (AFI) top 100 movies of the last 100 years (1998). Having the best Western Director, John Ford partnering up with his favorite cowboy star, John Wayne can only be the beginning of a grand movie. Adding Widescreen Technicolor, the colorful Panoramic Monument Valley Utah (Ford's favorite western area to film), a fantastic musical score and top supporting cast leads us on one of the best filmed westerns ever!

Summary Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) is returning home to his only Brother & his family. After he and a posse of Texas Rangers (Lead by Ward Bond) were decoyed away by distant marauding Indians. The actual Indian raid was on remaining defenseless families left behind. Ethan's returned to find his Brothers family massacured all but his youngest niece, Debbie (played by Lana (younger)& Natalie Wood (older). His vengence takes him on a 5 year journey to recover her. Wayne is brilliant and proves he is a great actor.

"The Searchers" is a powerful 2 hour emotional rollercoaster ride. This movie will leave you with more respect of John Wayne's ability to act, Director John Ford's genius to tell a very complex story. Leaving us forever with a Great Western Classic! Enjoy.

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This HD-DVD version of The Searchers is stunning. Film quality. This transfer is so good that I am watching the movie over again beautiful frame by beautiful frame. Stunning. Stunning. Stunning. If you fancy yourself a movie buff, it's time to get your Toshiba HD-A1 and 1080p TV so you can watch this amazing movie in all its 1080p24 VistaVision glory. Stunning, I tell you!

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Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove (2010)

This movie was a real surprise, our family has watched all theh Free Willy movies from the past and decided to give this one a try. Bindi Irwin is a very talented young lady and very believeable thorughout the movie. Beau Bridges is such a wonderful character actor and he plays the gruff grandfather very well. We througly enjoyed the movie and the friendship between two young children in the movie. Steve Irwin would be so proud of his little girl.

This is the 4th in the Free Willy series, but it's not about the original Willy. It is filmed in South Africa and Jason James Richter or none of the other cast from the first 3 movies are in it, but it's based on the same story line, a Orca is caught, can't get out, an evil man wants him and in the end he reunites with his family. I won't give details but it's a great family to watch. If you are a Free Willy fan it is a must see and buy.

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The 4th movie of the Free Willy series is truly a delight. I loved every minute of it! Bindi Irwin was truly amazing as Kirra. It is so amazing how much she looks like her father, and carry's on his legacy through her knowledge of animals, and her love for them...which makes this even better, because you can tell her passion for animals is really genuine. I also thought the scenery was so beautiful, the acting by all the cast was excellent, and this movie ranks up there as being just as wonderful as the other Free Willy movies. I thought the ending was very powerful and emotional, that it made me cry. Hearing the song by Bindi Irwin while the credits were rolling were amazing, and I recoginized her voice immediately. Bindi Irwin seems so down-to-earth, like I said before a genuinly passionate person, and I hope she remains following in her father's footsteps.

I am defintely going to buy it, and on blu-ray, so I get the highest quality, and so I can see the bonus features, because the one I rented didn't have any on there.

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Another "Free Willy" movie? Oh, brother. That was my initial reaction. When I discovered, however, that Bindi Irwin would be starring in it, I became intrigued. I grew up in Eugene, Oregon, attended the same school as Terri Irwin, and my heart has been linked to their family since Steve Irwin's early success as "The Crocodile Hunter" and the later tragedy of his death. How could I not give this movie a chance?

The story is quick-moving and fun-spirited. Bindi is a young girl from Australia whose father gets hurt in an accident. She is forced to go spend six weeks in Capetown, South Africa, with her estranged grandfather, the father of her deceased mother. Beau Bridges plays his role well, giving it a few moments of goofiness and some heartfelt scenes. He and his granddaughter do not hit it off right away. In fact, he is a gambling, unmotivated fellow who runs a downtrodden theme park. A storm brings the theme park an unexpected surprise, though, in the form of a young Orca. "Willy" becomes the catalyst for a granddaughter/grandfather relationship, as well as the source of rivalry and conflict from a bigger, better theme park.

The movie has some funny moments and some incredible scenery from the Capetown area. Beau and Bindi give the film a lot of heart. There are one or two slapstick moments, but overall it remains focused on its young female star and her desire to care for animals even while winning over her crusty, but good-natured grandpa. The only real weakness is the use of simulated underwater Orca scenes. They might work well in an aquarium presentation, but they don't do well in a film. And they seemed unnecessary, considering the very real Orca used throughout the movie.

I was pleasantly surprised by "Free Will: Escape from Pirate's Cove." It has a message about preserving nature, without getting too preachy about it. It makes good use of adorable and likable Bindi, and it shows that Beau Bridges still has some life in his acting career. My daughters and I enjoyed this together.

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knowing the orcas werent real kinda put a damp blanket on it for me. free willy was magical because of keiko.

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A Night to Remember (Criterion Collection) (1958)

Cameron's film has its moments, but in truth I only liked it for the chance it gave me to see a great old ocean liner brought to life again on screen. In "A Night To Remember", the effects are not nearly so impressive, but the story is far better. It's very much in the style of a docudrama, but its a docudrama about one of the most fascinating and enduring stories in all of history. I don't quite know why Cameron felt it necessary to tell a soap opera melodrama about two fictional lovers and use one of the most dramatic stories in all human history as nothing more than a backdrop. "A Night To Remember", based on Walter Lord's outstanding book of the same name, tells the story of the disaster itself. Kenneth More plays a heroic Second Officer Lightoller, and the film actually makes him out to look a little better than he did in reality he lowered several of the lifeboats less than half loaded, and permitted no men at all to get in, even when the boats were ready to lower and no more women were nearby to board. Still, this bit of dramatic license doesn't hurt the film.

The account of Titanic's loss has something in it to appeal to everybody. For the lovers of a great story it has incredible drama and suspense. For lovers of nostalgia it is far the best documented voyage of any ship from the golden age of the great ocean liners. For those interested in tragic irony there is the story of a great ship, regarded as unsinkable going down after ominous warnings were ignored. For those interested in stories with a moral, there is the cautionary tale of placing blind faith in any work of human hands, or thinking that the things of men are impervious to the forces of nature. For students of human nature, Titanic was a microcosm of society, with the full range of human strength and weakness on display, from acts of inspiring heroism to those of despicable cowardice. For those interested in social history, there is the huge gulf between the first class passengers with their vast wealth, and those in steerage with little more than the clothes they stood up in.

Few stories have proven so enduring and so fascinating as that of the Titanic. This movie remains the best, and most faithful film version of it to this day.

For all the special effects and color cinematography of recent years, few films in the disaster genre have been able to top this amazing film of the fateful voyage of the Titanic; it is smartly written, with extraordinary cinematography (by Geoffrey Unsworth) and brilliantly acted by a cast of mostly unknown actors, although the star, Kenneth More was famous in England. American audiences will probably only recognize David McCallum (Illya Kuryakin in the Man from U.N.C.L.E. series) who plays a radio operator, and Honor Blackman, who gained fame as the Bond Girl with the naughty name in Goldfinger, who has a small part as the wife of a brave and stoic man, and the noted British actor Laurence Naismith, who is marvelous as Captain Smith.

Even though one knows the end, the tension runs high, and we get caught up in lives of the people aboard "the floating palace", and how they handled their dreadful fate. The characterizations are beautifully developed, which is rare in this type of film.

The scenes of the inner workings of the ship are intense, and very well re-created. When compared to documentaries made about the Titanic, this film would seem to be quite accurate, in the physical aspects of the ship, and of the people who sailed her, as passengers and as crew.

I find this 1958 version far superior to the 1997 Oscar winning "Titanic", mostly because the script and acting are much more believable, making the events of that dreadful night come to life and stir the emotions in a deeper way than the newer film ever could.

Adapted for the screen by Eric Ambler from the book by Walter Lord (which I read many years ago and also found fascinating), the direction by Roy Ward Baker is superb, and the almost symphonic score by William Alwyn terrific.

"A Night to Remember" won a 1959 Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Film.

Total running time is 123 minutes.

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Unlike other film versions of the famous maritime disaster, "A Night To Remember" does not attempt to romanticize the sinking of the Titanic via fictional characters playing out a superficial and often implausible story--and demonstrates that the basic facts are far more fascinating than any soap-opera-bubble that can be imposed upon them.

As frequently noted, the film has a somewhat documentary feel that adds considerably to its tension. Less frequently noted are the remarkable performances of the ensemble cast, playing characters who fight to retain their integrity in the face of rising panic. Unlike the soapy 1950s Stanwyck version or the overblown James Cameron film of the 1990s, there are no easy endings for those who are trapped, no love recognized at the last moment or sustaining memories of brief shipboard happiness to float them forward through life: at the end there is only darkness and death--mitigated, sometimes nobly, by the human kindness and sacrifice. Powerful stuff.

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Walter Lord sadly died in May 2002 aged 85 and is justly famous for his meticulous research of the circumstances surrounding the sinking on Monday 15/4/1912 of the White Star liner,RMS Titanic and stirring the public's interest in this disaster.There are a few factual errors in this marvellous Rank Organisation 1958 film.The ship is seen to sink in one piece but this was the received wisdom in 1955 when the book was first published.The picture above the fireplace in the first class smoking room is seen to be "The Approach to the New World (by Norman Wilkinson).In fact this hung in the equivalent location on her earlier sister ship, RMS "Olympic".The correct painting should have been "Plymouth Harbour" by the same artist.Also White Star and the ship's constructors, Harland & Wolff just launched their liners at their Belfast shipyard without flowery speeches such as "....I Name this ship Titanic.May god bless her etc etc".The launching scene is actually of the "Olympic" which you can tell because of her light grey painted hull made more photogenic for the cine cameras of the day Titanic's hull was black. with white superstructure and a gold band separating these two colours.Lord admitted these understandable errors in his sequel "The Night Lives On" (1986) after Dr Robert Ballard ( of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute ,Massachussets) at last found the final resting place of the ship, 2 1/2 miles down on the Atlantic floor in 1985.

That said, this is a riveting and unforgetable docu-drama of this historical event, arguably the most infamous maritime disaster (although loss of life has been greater in other shipwrecks).The fascination lies in the "if onlys".i.e. if only she had been going a few knots slower, if only she had had enough lifeboats for all instead of the maximum laid down by the British Board of Trade in their already out of date 1894 regulations, when the maximum tonnage was deemed to be up to 10000 tons.Titanic came in at 46000 tons.If the weather had been rougher, waves would have broken over the base of the iceberg thus making it more visible.If the crow's nest crew had been given binoculars (they were removed at Southampton).If the Titanic had not been delayed in her construction (and therefore her 31/5/11 launch) by her shipworkers being transferred to the repair in September 1911 of the RMS Olympic following a collision in the Solent with HMS Hawke.If 1st officer Murdoch had steered straight at the berg instead of trying to avoid it the ship may have stayed afloat (although deaths would have occurred by the crumpling of the bow).If the "California's" captain, Stanley Lord had raised wireless operator, Cyril Furmston Evans who had just retired for the night, instead of trying to contact the mystery ship with a Morse lamp.If Alexander Carlisle, marine architect who originally planned 32 lifeboats had not been over-ruled by White Star because it made the boat deck look "cluttered".In fact RMS Titanic ended up with 16 lifeboats, the regulation number required by law, but then White Star actually exceeded the quota by the provision of an extra two Englebert collapsible sided lifeboats with a further two lashed on top of the officers' quarters.If a vital ice message from the "Caronia" sent on behalf of Capt. Barr and received by senior Titanic Marconi operator John Phillips, had gone to the bridge in good time, warning of icebergs directly in the path of the ill fated vessel.And so the "if onlys" go on.

The fascination is of a small Anglo Saxon floating town set in 1912 with all the social classes represented from the aristocratic and rich (first) class, to the professional middle (second) class down to the emigrant and poor (third/steerage) classes and "never the twain shall meet".The "gilded age", as termed by Mark Twain, had begun in about 1890 and society was marvelling at the wit of man and the many technological innovations and inventions.Perhaps Mankind could outdo Nature but a Greek tragedy was waiting in the wings to punish man for his rash hubris and arrogance.

There is a companion video available called "The making of A Night To Remember" which goes behind the scenes at Pinewood studios and shows the locations used.Actual Titanic survivors were invited as advisors to the Irish producer, William MacQuity, among them were Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall, Lawrence Beesley, the science master from Dulwich College (who wrote the book "Titanic Its Story and Its Lessons, published by Houghton Mifflin 1912)a second class passenger who escaped in boat 13.Captain Edward John Smith's daughter Helen stated that the actor Lawrence Naismith who played him, was uncannily like her father as evidenced in contemporay photographs of the two men at approx. the same age.Captain Smith died aged 62, (probably on his last voyage before retirement although this can never be proved).Actor Kenneth More is seen chatting to Sylvia Lightoller the widow of Charles Herbert Lightoller who was second officer,read his biography "Titanic Voyager".The convincing creaking sound you hear as Andrews tries to sit down in the first class smoking room just before the end, was the actual sound of the hydraulic lifting gear in the studio as it progressively raised the floor.MacQuitty was very careful to ensure the accuracy of the film set angles (of the ever slanting deck as she sank by the bow and rose by the stern), were always matching the dramas recorded by witnesses, so there is a marvellous sense of continuity in the filmed sinking.The B&W photography merges seemlessly with the authentic period film and all the actors convincingly say their lines many based on actual speeches said by the principal characters as remembered by witnesses.This is a superb film.Watch Cameron's "Titanic" 1997 only for the special effects.

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Forget Cameron's TITANIC. Roy Ward Baker's A NIGHT TO REMEMBER is the real thing. Cameron definitely has the older film licked in the special effects department, and the kiddies who demand state-of-the-art visuals above all else will undoubtedly be disappointed by the model work in Baker's film. But the Titanic tragedy is hardly a "special effects story." It is a powerful human drama, and on that level, Cameron's film is much inferior to Baker's 1958 triumph.

This is not to say that Cameron's TITANIC is without emotional impact. But nearly every good scene in TITANIC was lifted in some cases almost word-for-word from the older film. To give but one example: the musicians on deck decide that enough is enough, and split up. As the others walk away, the leader begins to play a hymn. The other musicians rejoin him, and as they play, we cut to a dramatic montage. Sound familiar? Of course, the two films are telling the same story, so a certain amount of overlap is surely to be expected. But it's difficult to escape the impression that the meticulous research for which Cameron's team are praised really consisted of repeated viewings of A NIGHT TO REMEMBER.

But enough of Cameron. Suffice it to say that Baker's masterpiece stands up perfectly well next to the more recent blockbuster, and is in many ways the superior film. For one thing, we are spared the sappy love story and scenery-chewing bad guys. Based closely on Walter Lord's meticulously researched bestseller, Eric Ambler's script sticks almost totally to the known facts. Composite characters are used in some cases, to cut down on the number of faces we need to keep track of (still quite a few), but the events of the disaster are generally protrayed as they actually happened. In fact, quite a few Titanic survivors were consulted during the making of the film, and the Titanic's Fourth Officer Boxhall served as a technical adviser. Walter Lord himself was also involved, so it need scarcely surprise us that the film is more accurate than any other Titanic dramatization.

On this score, however, commentators inevitably feel obligated to point out that Baker's film shows the ship sinking in one piece, instead of breaking in two as we now know it did. As a matter of fact, we should have known it even then many witnesses reported that the ship had done just that. For some reason, however, the prevailing wisdom in the 1950s was that the ship went down in one piece. I just can't get too bothered by this inaccuracy in the film; the point is, the ship went down. The film gets the human details of the disaster largely correct, and that's really what counts, isn't it? Besides, this is one of only a very few technical elements that the filmakers didn't get right.

Speaking of getting things right, it's curious to note that while it plays an important role in A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, the Californian is not even mentioned in Cameron's film. This ship was actually within sight of the wreck, and its crew either couldn't or wouldn't realize what was happening right in front of them. Baker's film leaves no doubt in the viewer's mind that these men acted reprehensibly; the DVD commentary gives a slightly more charitable presentation of the case. By today's standards, there is no excuse for the Californian's failure to act; but then, many of our modern conventions concerning disasters at sea were brought into being precisely because of the Titanic tragedy. At the time, things were far less cut and dried. Still, it's hard to look at the scenes involving the crew of the Californian without feeling a great deal of anger.

So much for the facts what about the movie? It is full of unforgettable scenes, although many of them, unfortunately, may have been spoiled for modern viewers by Cameron's "borrowing." Ambler's script is gripping, building slowly to an intense climax. There is very little music in the film, apart from what the on-screen orchestra plays; this lends a certain verisimilitude, but more importantly, it helps the film to steer well clear of melodrama. The special effects, to no one's surprise, are fair at best though it must be added that they stand up far better than a lot of special effects work from the same period. Otherwise, the film's technical merits are outstanding. The sets are magnificent, the cinematography equally so.

Baker's direction is outstanding to his credit, the movie almost totally avoids the overheated melodrama that mars so many films from the 1950s. He has drawn understated, believeable performances from a very large cast, and nearly every note rings true. In keeping with the meticulous attention to detail that charcterized this entire project, Baker and his team employed some brilliant (and yet deceptively simple) technical tricks to achieve the realism they insisted upon. For example, their external set of the Titanic consisted only of the port side of the ship, but there were several important scenes set on the starboard side. To capture these scenes, Baker and his superb camerman, Geoffrey Unsworth, filmed them through a mirror. They had the actors salute and shake hands with their left hands, the Titanic emblem was done mirror-fashion so it would look right through the camera, the men's double-breasted coats were buttoned the wrong way round, and so on. The ruse worked quite well: even the best gaffe-spotters will have a tough time finding anything amiss in the starboard scenes!

Given the superb technical craftsmanship of the film, the DVD extras are somewhat disappointing, especially from Criterion. In addition to the usual theatrical trailer, the extras include a weak "making of" documentary consisting of the reminiscences of Walter Lord and producer William MacQuitty, along with MacQuitty's home movies from the set. Somewhat interesting, but not what it could have been; conspicuously absent is any input from director Roy Ward Baker. The commentary track (from Don Lynch and Ken Marschall, author and illustrator of "Titanic: An Illustrated History") is very informative, and sheds light on the factual basis of so much of the film's action. Here, too, however, a commentary track from Baker and members of his technical team would have been wonderful.

In fact, Baker is scarcely even mentioned in the extras. This is all the more shameful in light of the fact that this is not only his best film, but one of the best films of its time. Surely a director's commentary track would have been valuable? I suppose Baker's subsequent "decline" into the realm of Hammer horror (where, by the way, he made both some awful and some outstanding films) may have tarnished his reputation as a director, but if Criterion can find room for kitchen-sink, two-disc sets covering the oeuvre of Michael Bay, they can surely honor the work of a director who had his ups and downs, but still made a number of very fine films.

The picture quality is generally very good, though there are occasional moments (usually no more than a couple of seconds) where the print looks worn. Sound is about what you'd expect from a good print of a movie from the 1950s.

In all, A NIGHT TO REMEMBER is marvelously understated and compelling cinema. The film holds up remarkably well today but then, it should. Movies that are based on great acting and superb craftsmanship tend to wear far better than sappy romances and special-effects extravaganzas.

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Silver Linings Playbook (Two-Disc Combo Pack: Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2012)

This is why we go to movies. Silver Linings Playbook is that rare breed of movie where all the moving parts got put together in exactly the right way. The dialogue is sharp, witty, insightful, funny, and often brutally honest. It respects and holds true affection for its characters and the wonderful ensemble cast makes it look easy. The direction, editing and soundtrack are spot on. It is a future classic and the best movie of the year.

Pat is an underachieving substitute high school history teacher who has just been released from the Karel Psychiatric Facility after spending an eight month court-ordered stint for nearly beating the history teacher to death when he finds him in the shower with his wife. His doting, eternally optimistic mother brings him home hoping that the worst of his previously undiagnosed bipolar symptoms are under control. But his refusal to take his meds and an unfortunate incident concerning Earnest Hemingway and a window quickly dispels that optimism. Pat is in fact clueless, living inside a self-delusion bubble in which he reunites with the truly unattainable object of his obsession, his wife Nikki. Two more mismatched souls the world has never seen but he is the only one who doesn't realize it. He plods doggedly on in pursuit, oblivious to everything and everyone else around him. His illness has removed the normal barriers that prevent him from expressing the unfiltered truth as he sees it, making for some awkward, cringe-worthy, often humorous exchanges. Pat is hardly ready for the real world.

And he certainly is not ready for Tiffany. Pat's best friend invites him over for a homecoming dinner which turns out to be a blind date with his wife's recently widowed sister, Tiffany. Tiffany suffers from severe depression and her mood swings run the gamut volatile, bitter, vulnerable, stubborn, sexy, and sweet all thrown randomly into a mixer and blended at high speed. Everyone is a little afraid of her. Her depression results from her guilt over her husband's death which she attributes to her loss of sexual interest in him. She sleeps with everyone in her office in an attempt to anesthetize herself from her emotional pain. She is dead inside, just breathing air. And into this web steps the unsuspecting Pat.

From the moment they meet sparks and barbs fly indiscriminately between them, much to the horror of their hosts who believe they are witnessing a train wreck in the making. But these two lost and damaged souls immediately connect, kindred spirits seeking respite from the storm. Pat is overwhelmed, unable to come to grips with guilt over the intensity of his attraction to Tiffany and the incident sends him into an uncontrolled manic episode. Tiffany feels the same connection and it jolts her far enough out of her stupor for her to see the possibilities. When Pat turns down her offer to sleep with her the flame sparks higher, her curiosity is piqued, and her pursuit begins in earnest. As she starts to nurture and guide Pat, she develops such a flaming torch for him that it would blister the skin off any ordinary guy. But he is oblivious, content just to follow her around like the lost puppy he is. She grabs the opportunity full throttle, dragging the perplexed, not-quite-ready-for-reality Pat along for the ride.

The cast is simply brilliant. Bradley Cooper is a revelation as the bipolar misfit whose philosophy consists of working hard and staying positive to find the silver lining in everything. He and Jennifer Lawrence have such electrifying chemistry together that you find yourself rooting for them to find a way to be together from the moment they meet. Robert DeNiro comes alive in his Oscar-nominated role as Pat's Eagles-obsessed, superstitious, OCD bookie father. Chris Tucker deserves special mention as Pat's equally optimistic fellow psychiatric inmate and friend Danny ("Black it up Pat!").

But make no doubt about it this is Jennifer Lawrence's movie. At twenty two she is the real thing. Her performance here is transcendental. Even with the marvelous supporting cast holding the bar so high the movie would not work without her. She is visceral caustic and vulnerable in the same breath. Her facial expressions hide nothing she is fearless, willing to expose Tiffany's raw emotional core to everyone around her, warts and all as she juggles staying one step ahead of both Pats obsession as well as her own. The transformational changes that occur are put into motion and propelled forward by her. She bets everything with no guarantee that he is capable of giving her what she so desperately needs, willing to run the risk of diving off the emotional cliff for a chance at the real thing. Her character is the lynchpin of the story. And Jennifer Lawrence is nowhere to be found here. The success of the movie rides on her shoulders and she is brilliantly up to the task. Her talent is embarrassing.

The film is unapologetically romantic but dismissing it as a simple romance is missing the point. It deals with family, friendship, truth, sacrifice, and love as imperfect ideals worth fighting for regardless of your place in the world. It is a brave film. Do yourself a favor, go see it. It is ultimately a joyous affirmation of life's possibilities. And who doesn't need a little of that?

David O. Russell's "Silver Linings Playbook" is a big hearted and nearly irresistible concoction that presents one of the year's most unlikely romances. I've been a huge Russell fan since his debut with "Spanking the Monkey" and "Flirting With Disaster" is one of my favorite flights of outrageousness. Russell can have an edgy cynicism about his eccentric characters, but he knows how to make an audience identify with even their most offbeat characteristics. Make no mistake, "Silver Linings Playbook" is loaded with an expected array of troubled souls. But the most remarkable thing about this film (and its screenplay) is the amount of compassion it shows to just about everyone. With a stellar cast including Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker and John Ortiz, the movie boasts easily one of the best ensembles of the year. Each of these actors is given a fully written character and each makes a huge impression in the screen time allotted. That's what impressed me most about the film. It embraces its large cast and allows every member to shine!

Cooper plays a man being released from institutionalized care after a violent episode got him into trouble. Having lost his job and his wife, he is taken in by his parents (Weaver and DeNiro) who must contend with his bipolar condition. Cooper is single-minded in his pursuit to get back together with his wife, to the point of obsession. When he meets an odd young widow (Lawrence) dealing with plenty of personal demons, the two seem like they've got a lot in common. Of course, they seem perfect for each other but Cooper remains oblivious for most of the movie. Cooper and Lawrence have a great chemistry, even in confrontation (which is most of the time), but their verbal exchanges and smart dialogue are really what distinguish this piece. On paper, "Silver Linings Playbook" sounds like it might be a bit of a disaster. It might be filled with cliches about mental illness and stock romantic subplots. But Russell travels off the beaten path. The movie speaks volumes about family and commitment with unexpected plot detours that include gambling, football, and even competitive dancing.

Every character in the movie is a mess! Really! But you still root for them to come together. Cooper shows new acting chops, while Lawrence is smart and appealing. DeNiro has one of his best supporting roles in years, he's playing an actual character and not just a caricature of himself. His estrangement with Cooper fuels much of the movie. The saintly Weaver is so good, worlds away from her Oscar nominated turn in "Animal Kingdom" as the evil matriarch. And Ortiz and Tucker really score in smaller roles. The movie might follow standard romantic comedy conventions in its primary plot, but you've never seen them orchestrated in quite this way. The big finale, in fact, has one of the most uncomfortable (and biggest) laughs of the year as our leads strut their stuff on the dance floor. This is not all comedy, nor all drama, but an appealing blend that feels both fanciful and real. Russell obviously loves these characters and I think you will too. About 4 1/2 stars. KGHarris, 12/12.

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I didn't expect to like this film since I've disliked Bradley Cooper's past roles and because the script sounded shallow and formulaic. Initially, I thought they'd included De Niro as a come-on. In fact, the only reason I saw the film was because of Jennifer Lawrence, whose sophisticated performance in WINTER'S BONE convinced me I'd seen the breakthrough of a gifted actress.

Well, I was wrong about Cooper, wrong about De Niro's inclusion, wrong about a formulaic script, and dead-on about Jennifer Lawrence. Simply stated, this quirky, brilliant story of the evolution of love between two world-worn, emotionally troubled people -against the chaotic background of family madness -was one of the most satisfying, funny and affecting movies I've seen in recent years. In terms of clarity, continuity and heart, it surpasses the book on which it was based.

Since others have described the plot on this page, I will say that millions of viewers who have not seen the film will find parts of their emotional lives in the trials of the lead characters. They will marvel at Bradley Cooper's jaw-dropping portrayal of of a man shackled by the manic phase of bipolar disorder. They will wince at those moments in which the love between the principals starts to emerge, and falters. They will discover a performance by Lawrence that is comfortably sensual, and an actress who is equally powerful whether she is mute or screaming.

The script is complex and masterfully written, with surprising outburst of pathos and hilarity. The climax of the film -and I won't enter a spoiler here -caught me by surprise. I wept at the beauty of it, the director's mastery of realism, and the restoration of originality and complexity to American comedy.

It may be that we're all fundamentally "crazy" and that these two lovers legitimize the chaos we feel inside. It may also be that the art direction, score, supporting performances (De Niro is simply wonderful) and choreography are jaw-dropping. In the end, it's the confluence of so many virtues that make this film as fine as it is. For Bradley Cooper, it's a career-defining moment For Jennifer Lawrence, it's confirmation of what the wise always believed, and hopefully she'll be spared casting in horror films in perpetuity. She is one of our very best, and her beauty, grace and innate power to inhabit the souls of her characters -are most unusual.

While I've enjoyed it once, I plan to view it again tomorrow evening, will continue to discuss it with friends, and add it to my list of favorites.

That's not bad at all.

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK is a gift. Prepare to receive it because it delivers.

Read Best Reviews of Silver Linings Playbook (Two-Disc Combo Pack: Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2012) Here

I have to be honest and say that i didn't hear very good reviews on this movie. But, because I am a movie fanatic i must always see for myself. First off, I am a huge fan of Jennifer Lawrence and that was exciting in itself. The movie was hilarious, witty, charming, crazy, confusing and in all good ways. Robert Dinero oddly made me cry of course. The overall story was amazing. Love does not always come like in fairy tales and this movie proves that. Sometimes the pain can bring two people together, and sometimes the people we need the most are right in front of us, even if we cannot see it right away. All i can say its suprizing-ly entertaining and you will not regret watching it. I suggest you watch this when you arent distracted by noise because everything that they say ,,,trust me you want to hear! I bought it the next day. GREAT movie!

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An absolutely great movie. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence have two outstanding performances for which Lawrence won the Best Actress Oscar, not too mention the supporting jobs done by Robert De Niro, Jackie Weaver, Chris Tucker and many others.

Set in Philadelphia, the movie shows Pat Solitano (Cooper) returning home from a stint in a mental institution after a domestic incident with his ex-wife highlighted his struggle with bipolar mood swings. Pat moves back in with his parents (De Niro and Weaver) as her tries to get his life back together, hoping to reunite with his ex-wife. Things get very interesting when Pat meets Tiffany (Lawrence), a young woman with issues of her own.

If nothing more, the movie shows that life is not always perfect. Things can get out of control and spiral. All the same, with family and friends in our lives, it's always worth moving forward.

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Igor (2008)

I can see why some people hated this film, because if you bought the DVD to keep your young children occupied, you didn't get your money's worth. 'Igor' is really for old horror buffs, but it tried to play both sides of the field. It's too adult for kids and not dark enough for adults.

The animation is very good and looks more than a little inspired by 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. The voice work isn't bad, but the film doesn't have enough inspired characters to keep the momentum going. Most of the comic relief comes from an immortal rabbit who wants to die!

Overall I think if you like old horror films and animated films you'll like 'Igor', but it will not keep the little ones interested. The DVD has an excellent transfer, but not a lot of extras. There is an alternate beginning that is interesting.

I have seen most of the computer generated animated movies. The Pixar ones, naturally, are the best in terms of script quality and overall likability for all ages. The non-Pixar ones are usually pretty good but not up to that quality (Shrek, Over the Hedge, Madagascar, etc.), but some are not good at all in my opinion such as Madagascar 2 and Happy Feet to name a few. It all depends on what you want out of an animated movie. I personaly look for an engaging plot and most of all the funny one-line quips that are a staple of this genre. The main thing for me with this movie was its originality. The plot is really unique and there were tons of funny one-liners that I chuckled at throughout. My kids 7 & 9 also were laughing and we watched it twice. I had never even heard of this movie and just picked it off the shelf at Blockbuster, and I am really glad I did. I would say this is one of the best non-Pixar animated movies I've seen.

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I picked up IGOR at a discount, not knowing anything about it other than what was written on the back of the case. I love old horror movies and I love wacky comedy, so I figured it might be worth it. I've watched it three times now, enjoying it more each time. True, it gets off to a slow start. John Cusack's voice-over back-story opening is very weak. It's not particularly funny and he doesn't do it well. I almost gave up. But I'm nothing if not persistent. The result: It's a stitch! Once Eva, the monster who thinks she's an actress, takes stage, the movie picks up tremendously. There are funny situations, brilliant one-liners, great acting, clever animation. Okay, I admit it: when the message arrives ("We're all born with an evil bone. It's up to us whether or not we use it."), it screams: MESSAGE!!! But that's okay, because the road there is paved with such great stuff. This was an indie production, so without the Pixar-type funding, it falls somewhat short of the visual brilliance of the big-studio animation films. But it's miles and miles above BARNYARD. (Hell, ANY movie is miles and miles above BARNYARD!) I don't particularly recommend this for kids. They wouldn't get through the opening and they wouldn't get 15% of the humor. But for those of us who like ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN and YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN and DRACULA: DEAD AND LOVING IT, it's a must-see. Oh yes, there's also the wonderful voice of Jennifer Coolidge. Can't go wrong with that!

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I should start by saying that, as a fan of both classic horror films and spoofs of classic horror films, I really wanted to like Igor. I really did. But I couldn't help feeling through most of the movie that the creators _really_ should've spent more time on the script. You can see what they were going for, and you can also see how the concept should have been great. But the execution however, never quite hits the mark.

A big problem is the design. You cannot watch Igor without comparing it to The Nightmare Before Christmas, not only because of the stop-action animation similarity but because the sheer look of the film seems so clearly derivative of Nightmare Before Christmas. Eva is modelled on Sally, and I could swear that they actually reused Nightmare's Mayor action figure for Igor's King Malbert. And even if you can get past the visual derivation, there's the problem of characters seeming derivative. Brain, the classic sci-fi/horror "brain in a jar", has a personality derived from a different source: B.O.B. the Blob in Monsters Vs Aliens.

Only two characters really stand out. Igor (voiced by John Cusack) is clearly drawn and likeable and can _almost_ make you care enough to ignore the film's short-comings. And Scamper (voiced by the inimitable Steve Buscemi) is actually the best thing about the film: an acerbic, immortal rabbit who wants desperately to commit suicide. And who has all of the best lines:

Igor: [shouts] Pull the switch!

[Nothing happens. He looks over at Scamper, standing by the switch]

Scamper: Do *not* yell at me.

Igor: Oh, I-I'm sorry. I just... pull the switch?

[No response]

Igor: Please pull the switch.

Scamper: That's better.

Brain: Our work here is done.

Scamper: 'Our work'? You spent the whole time playing with a piece of ribbon.

Igor isn't a bad film. It's an okay film with occasional moments where it's actually good. But it could've been a really good film if the writers and designers had just given it one more good going-over before putting it into production. Recommended for fans of stop-action animation and of spoofs of horror films with an hour and a half to kill. And for Steve Buscemi fans.

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All Igor(voiced by John Cusack) ever wanted was to be an evil scientist, unfortunately in the kingdom of Malaria(where our tale takes place) that big ole' hunch on his back could only mean one thing, he would always be just an Igor.(If he didn't get recycled for parts first!)

One day Igor gets the chance to prove be can really be an evil scientist when his master Dr. Glickenstein(John Cleese) becomes the victim of his own experiment and Igor decides to take his only chance to fulfill his dreams of winning the evil science fair.

Igor turns to his only two friends to help him, a Brain who named himself Brian on accident(Sean Hayes) and Scamper(Steve Buscemi) who Igor accidentally made immortal and constantly tries to commit suicide. Their plan comes into motion when Igor remembers his blueprints to create life into a purely evil monster, something no evil scientist has ever done in the entire history of Malaria!

Only their plan goes awry when Igor forgets to activate their new creations evil bone, and Eva(Molly Shannon) instead becomes overly kind and instead of destroying cities or killing blind orphans dreams of becoming an actress.

Maybe an homage to Tim Burton, definitely a re-telling of Frankenstein but Igor still carries a completely fresh and poignant look at a beloved genre in the film industry; horror.

Igor is creative, witty and completely different from any animated film that I for one have seen in a very long time. The humor is sarcastic, and a little sardonic and honestly it probably flies right over 80 percent of it's viewers heads.

Maybe I'm biased seeing as how I love pretty much everything Cusak touches, but I for one wouldn't mind adding this one to my dvd collection.

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The Complete Matrix Trilogy (The Matrix / The Matrix Reloaded / The Matrix Revolutions) (2005)

This is a great trilogy for Matrix fans made more fabulous in Blu-ray. I debated between the Complete Trilogy and the Ultimate Trilogy and I am glad I didn't choose the Ultimate because while I really enjoy watching the movies, I am just not into all the background information and video game that is included in the 10 disc Ultimate. I would recommend the Complete Trilogy for the casual Matrix fan who just enjoy the movies and don't want to be overloaded with the details.

but must admit I'm not a huge Matrix worshiper!! I bought this set for $21.30US, delivered from Amazon UK. It is an all region set. This set is perfect for me as "The Ultimate" would have been total overkill for a casual fan like myself. "Complete" has a light helping of extras.

The picture and sound on the blu-rays is incredible and will make a great addition to anyone's collection to be used as a demo for how great blu-ray sound and picture are.

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I've had this set for a couple days now and have watched all three films. The picture quality is outstanding and the sound is too (though I thought the SD soundtrack was amazing too, not a discriminating ear). There are so many things I never really noticed in the original SD DVD releases. For instance in the second film when Morpheus is giving his speach at Zion. In the HD version you can see him spitting when he talks. I saw a parody of this scene at the MTV movie awards that year and didn't get it. I guess you had to of seen it at the theater.

Some other things is the skin imperfections some of the actors have. I don't care about that sort of thing, but thought it was really cool to see people the way they really are. Also, I think HD and BR are going to change the way makup is applied for films. You can definately see some lipstick and blush on the male actors in a couple scenes. To make a long review shorter, buy the Matrix in High Definition. Even if you have BR it's a matter of time before it's released there too. Pick it up! Don't let this become a format issue, review the quality of the movie. It's a big enough market for mulitple formats these days.

PS. This cheaper set comes with a free download of the Animatrix. So unless you want 10 hours of extras go with this cheaper set. Me, all I care about are the movies. I have the Lord of the Rings collectors sets and have never placed a bonus disc in my DVD player. Not the case for everyone.

Read Best Reviews of The Complete Matrix Trilogy (The Matrix / The Matrix Reloaded / The Matrix Revolutions) (2005) Here

As the high definition wars wage on the argument goes back and forth as to the future of HD-DVD and Blu-Ray (watch everyone's jaw drop when a third format comes out of left field and ends up winning). For those of us who are fortunate to have HD-DVD players, the faithful day that we get a really great movie that was MADE for HD has come. The Matrix Trilogy is a great storyline that comes equipped with killer special effects and beautiful scenery. In the HD-DVD installment, the picture is so precise and crisp that I spent half the time I was watching it trying to take in background items I was never able to see on the DVD version.

The sound is incredible and with uncompressed Dolby, the opening explosion scene of Matrix: Reloaded had my non-tech buddies giving an impressed "wow". The encoding has almost no flaws (on the discs I recieved they all played all the way through without stalling once) and the occassional grain found in 1st generation HD-DVD and Blu-Ray is non-existent on this boxed set.

Xbox 360 owners even get a free standard definition download of Animatrix, making this set definitely worth the price.

If you own HD-DVD, it's because of movies like these. Purchasing this boxed set should be a no-brainer (although I would avoid the ultimate collection on HD as only the movies are in HD, just like this boxed set).

NOTE TO XBOX 360 OWNERS: Make sure to get your system online and download the spring 07 update for your system (if you haven't already; you'll now have a "Marketplace" blade if you have) as well as the HD-DVD update patch that should download automatically once you play a newer HD-DVD (the Matrix definitely qualifies).

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I assume you've already seen the Matrix, and probably love it, and this is the hands-down best version of the trilogy ever released. The quality is simply amazing, even a better remaster than some other HD-DVDs like Serenity. The colors are way more vibrant and the detail is incredible. During the famous lobby action scene I swear you can see every single scrap of tile, speck of dust and individual bullet. You will see details in the background you never knew were there. This is the Matrix at its finest.

As a test to the quality, I had the original widescreen DVD and this new HD-DVD playing back-to-back on my Samsung 32" LCD. Quickly switching back and forth between formats I could not believe the difference. In comparison, it made the original DVD look like a bootleg VHS copy. I kid you not. Some scenes on HD-DVD look so real its like you are staring out the window. If you don't yet have an HD-DVD player, this is a great first set to pick up with the player and a great movie to show off to friends how good HD-DVD really is.

As a note, I bought this version over the "Ultimate" collection for a few reasons. One being that the Animatrix on the Ultimate edition (along with all the other bonus content) is only in 480p. Since I already own the original Animatrix DVD, theres not much point. The Complete Trilogy still includes a decent amount of bonus features and you can get a free download of the Animatrix if you have an Xbox360. Also, the Complete version has nice looking disc art, while the Ultimate version has blank looking 2-sided discs. If you are the kind of fan that actually wants to watch 12-hours of behind the scenes footage, get the Ultimate. But if you are like me and just want to see the movies in HD then this version is just fine.

Rocky III (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1982)

Back then when we were kids and watched this movie over and over again all I can remember is the great fighting scenes along with great soundtrack. I just watched this movie tonight again on DVD for the first time for good old times sake. I gotta tell you I really enjoyed it. Today I am 31 and when I am watching a movie I always try to get a good message out of it for me. Ofcourse that does not work always. And before watching Rocky III tonight I did not expect anything more than just a good old Sly movie. However I realized by the middle of the movie that Stallone is in fact a real Artist (in case you dont know he is also the director of the movie). A man's world can collapse if he does NOT believe in himself. And that is a fact. Most men experience that probably more than once through their lives. The fear of failing stops most men of what they have to do in order to achieve what they want. One of Stallone's messages with Rocky III is that each person in case of fear should always consider the worst scenario that can happen in case one fails the challenge. Once you think of the worst then as an human being we always think in the back of the head the of a solution to that. After picturing that a man does not have any fear to face any challenge.

On the other hand this movie does to its audience what it is supposed to do. Whenever I watch this movie I am completely motivated. Ready for any challenge. It really pumps you up for the tough world out there. Honestly, after so many years it still works for me very well.

The only reason why I cannot give this movie a 5 star review is that the DVD does not have any special features. It is obvious that they did not have any "The making of" special feature back then. However a recent interview with Stallone today would have been awesome on this DVD. At least I was hoping to watch the "Eye of the tiger" music video which was ofcourse NOT available on the DVD either. The picture quality is not that great. But you will get the widescreen and the full screen version if you flip the disc.

Other than that if you can buy this DVD for a low price (as long as they do not do a digital transfer, gosh even old Hitchcock's movies have better picture quality but why not Rocky III?)it is a great recommendation. Specially if you are a fan of Mr.T. as big bad Cluber Lang (No more Mr. Nice guy, so dont expect a friendly Mr. T like his character from "The A-Team")

By the way the paintings of Rocky in the movie and in the end credits were created by Stallone himself. I bet you did not know that.

The above 'plot synopsis' is incorrect.

"Plot Synopsis: Having defeated boxer Apollo Creed twice, Rocky now finds himself . . ."

Rocky didn't beat Creed twice. He only beat him once.

Nitpicking aside, Rocky III is a very good movie, as long as you know what to expect. This is when the Rocky franchise went from well-acted drama to vapid action movie. As long as you knew the difference before you see the movies, you won't be disappointed.

Rocky III is FULL of quotables, most of them from the perfectly casted Mr. T as Clubber Lang. As far as movies in the franchise go, this is the second in the list of must ownership, right after the original Rocky.

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Recall what it was that appealed to you about "Rocky", the original motion picture. If you are like me, it was the down and out tough guy Rocky, with a heart of pure gold, who finds true love with Adrian, and who gets a one in a million chance and makes the most of it. It is the courage and heart of Rocky that make you want to stand up and cheer for the guy. We love him because we see so much of him in all of us. Unfortunately, the side of Rocky we love so much is gone in Rocky III.

In Rocky III, Rocky loses himself to fame and glory. The guy with the heart of gold who cracks corny jokes is replaced by a successful well-dressed, well-housed, cultured man, who has transformed himself into a man-of-the-world through his successes. He is no longer the man we fell in love with in the original. He has changed. (I suspect this story is a treatise of the personal life of Sylvester Stallone, as his is a rags to riches overnight success story as well).

The theme of the movie is that success spoils (and changes) a person, as it takes away the inner drive to push forward and strive to be the best. In Rocky's case, he loses his title (to the fearsome Clubber Lang, whose personality and style resemble Mike Tyson) and manager (Mickey heart attack) in one felled swoop, and is lost in a sea of fear and indecision. Coming to the rescue is none other than Apollo Creed, the man Rocky took the title from originally. Creed takes over for the deceased Mickey Goldmill, and tries to transform Rocky from a crude slugger to a svelt polished boxer. He meets with limited success, as the real problem is that for the first time in his life, Rocky is afraid to face his opponent. A confrontation on the beach between wife Adrian and Rocky is the turning point of the film. It is very well done by the way. Talia Shire (Adrian) is often overlooked as just being Rocky's wife, but her scenes in all the films are some of the best scenes of all, and give the films the heart and soul that make the series so enjoyable. As the moral compass of his life, Adrian gets to the heart of the matter and sets her man back on the right path. This sets the stage for the rematch, where we already know what the outcome is going to be.

Rocky overcomes his fear, uses his new polished boxing skills gleaned from Apollo Creed, and trounces the feared Clubber. For me, it is too formulaic to work. The fight scenes with Clubber are pure baloney (my gosh, does either fighter know that it is legal to block a punch?). The fight is meant to demonstrate that Rocky has overcome his fear of Clubber, but the "boxing" is so contrived, it is hard to take seriously.

Hulk Hogan plays a minor role that lends some comic diversion to the story. Hogan is impressive and realistic in playing his wrestling personna.

Mr. T plays the fearsome Clubber Lang. Lang is very much like the real-life Mike Tyson we have come to despise. Stallone developed the character of Clubber Lang 3 years before Tyson came on the boxing scene, so Tyson cannot be the inspiration for the personality of Clubber. In any event, Clubber is an animal (he has the "eye of the tiger") who trains himself in primitive surroundings and will stop at nothing to

become the champion. Mr. T is to be congratulated for his over-the-top performance.

The scene where trainer Mickey dies is a tear-jerking one, and it is well-done. Where Adrian is Rocky's moral compass, Mick is Rocky's professional compass, enabling and inspiring Rocky to be more than he can be. Mick gives Rocky confidence and success because Rocky knows Mick believes in him (and he respects Mick). Burgess Meredith was the quintessential boxing trainer, all full of spit, grit, and vinegar. I will miss him.

While the film deals with a crisis of courage and heart in Rocky, (a serious theme indeed), it somewhat lacks the inspiring emotional punch that was so evident in the original film. It tries to recapture this in the training sequences with Apollo, but falls a bit short (can we seriously believe that Rocky can outrun Apollo Creed? Again, too contrived for my liking). But what the heck, this is the second sequel, so how much can we ask of a sequel?

The film is certainly entertaining, but it is not the picture of the year that "Rocky" was in 1976.

Jim "Konedog" Koenig

Read Best Reviews of Rocky III (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1982) Here

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)Rocky III may be the Rocky Sequel that time forgot, but it's not that far off from other Rocky sequels in terms of quality and emotion.

Rocky movies usually have a moral overtone, and this one is no different. Rocky get's complacent and loses his championship as a result. He also has to deal with loss in the characteristic Rocky formula when Micky dies. In the end, as usual, he trains hard and comes back to overcome his opponent.

Throw in a few appearances by Hulk Hogan and Mr. T and you have yourself an 80s movie.

It's hard to know how to feel about this movie. Then again it's hard to know how to feel about Rocky in general. On the one hand, the fight scenes are totally unrealistic. But Stallone pulls you in with his emotional and pityful character. The acting is never bad. But the writing is meant to be more soap opera than serious drama. If you were to see this movie on it's own, it's pretty cheesy. But in the context of Rocky films in general, it's actually not that bad.

Mr. T actually gives one of the best performances of this movie. He is very believable as the bitter and cruel Clubber Lang (try to ignore the ridiculous names of characters like these). Tony Burton doesn't get as much face time as "Duke" in this picture, but in my humble opinion he is the best actor out of the entire cast. As for Burgess Meredith, Carl Weathers, Burt Young, and Talia Shire, they all give their consistent decent performances.

Stallone really makes you feel for him, truly mastering the "gentle giant" character. It is heart wrenching watching him get his face beat in, even if the fighting is totally unrealistic.

Overall, this is a typical Rocky movie. Nothing compares to the raw emotion of the original Rocky, but if you like the series and you have a few hours to kill, this is an entertaining movie.

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This -THIS -is the perfect film to show someone [with a respectable level of intelligence] who find themselves dogging Stallone. Trust me -the opportunity arises around every corner, if you talk movies with any range of people. Who, then, would even imagine that 'Rocky III' is perhaps the finest cinematic accomplishment of Stallone's career, and a true testament to the fact that Stallone is actually a hugely talented man, rather than a hammy action star of B-grade flicks?

So why 'Rocky III' amidst the vast Stallone catalog? Because it's an impeccably crafted film that does just about everything right. It is perfectly paced, features great nuance, acting, and most importantly, directing. Ahhh yes, Stallone the director. Never in my life would I imagine the guy had such skill to craft something so exceptional. I mean, really, exceptional; certain films strike me as good films, some have great individual elements, technically, and others I just downright like; 'Rocky III' is one of those films that just screams "exquisite direction" to me. Funny, too, given it's Stallone the director we're talking about, huh?

Most everything works phenomenally. The editing is tight and pristinely timed. Conti's score hits all the right notes (his cue for the final fight is superb). The acting is passionate and naturalistic -Burgess Meredith as Mickey and Carl Weathers' Apollo Creed both stand out, amongst the consistently solid Stallone. Oh yes, Mr. T! It's funny, because people think 'Rocky III' and little more than a humored "Oh the one where he fights Mr. T" comes to mind. This is terribly unfortunate, for not only does it bypass what truly is a great film, but, surprisingly, Mr. T's performance is riveting; he is entirely consumed with his character. More than a balls-to-the-wall animal, his acting displays evocative subtleties -the entire final fight (boxing aside), his character drips of doubt amongst his facade as he realizes Rocky is prepared and as confident as he is; when he begins to get tumbled by Rocky, he reveals a near catatonic sense of emotion at the temporary defeat he's just been subjected to, seemingly unable to cope. Really, it's downright impressive.

It just feels like Stallone really injected all he had into this sequel. Not ever scene works, but most do. You've got the anxiety that goes with seeing a high-and-mighty Rocky go down in two rounds. Later on, a montage of Rocky training (to inspirational Conti greatness) packs a wallop with its perfectly trimmed self. The fight scenes themselves, while perhaps not technically accurate, are entertaining as all, with ravishing cinematography and, again, editing. The directing and editing, more than anything, give 'Rocky III' an entitled sense of rhythm that is so unique; the film dances. What a dance.

It's not perfect, but I really do find this film great. It's beautifully shot, at the very least; boxing never looked so lush. I don't care that it's the third film in a series; it doesn't destroy 'Rocky III''s sense of accomplishment one bit.

Stallone, as evidenced in this film, is a brilliant filmmaker with a slew of punches to throw out. 'Rocky IV', unfortunately, saw him revel in his own excess (and I love the movie for that very reason, despite the fact that it's a --huge-drop in quality on a --film-level), but even there it was obvious the man possessed boatloads of style. Here, style only accentuates the piercing substance, and it's a lovely thing.

Long live 'Rocky III'. Four and a half stars.

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Blu-ray SteelBook

No extended cut, no 6.1 audio, no point ! Nothing "Ultimate" here. Way to drop the ball Warner Bros.

Like many of you who purchased the first two ultimate editions at a pretty penny, i was expecting extended editions of movies 3 and 4. What a disappointment! Were the big wigs at WB thinking that their fans would triple dip editions when they bring out all films in one super ultimate collection? I already owned all of the HP on Blu, but sold them when i started buying the Ultimate editions. I will NOT be purchasing 3 and 4. Very poor on WB's part to say its ultimate, and include 8 hours of bonus materials, but not the few extra scenes that regularly show on TV. Very poor indeed.

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Unlike the first two potter films released in "Ultimate Edition" form, the second two versions do not include their extended editions. This might not be a legitimate complaint if these versions of the films didn't already exist. In the US, they are aired quite regularly on ABC Family, and are quite good.

These extended editions of the film make the price point of the first two versions palatable, but their absence makes you wonder what exactly you're paying for with both this and the ultimate edition of PoA.

Read Best Reviews of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Blu-ray SteelBook Here

****SPOILER ALERT****

Okay...the GoF book is 734 pages, and the movie adaptation is a little over 2.5 hours. Of course a lot of stuff was going to be cut. Some of the cuts I was able to deal with (e.g., Hermione and S.P.E.W.). Unfortunately, many of the characters (especially the other Triwizard champions) were severely underdeveloped as a result.

Giving Viktor Krum only two lines in the entire movie was inexcusable. So was cutting out the entire Quidditch World Cup match. The viewer isn't given enough reason to care about Krum, or why he became a potential love interest for Hermione. He simply comes across as a dumb jock. The movie should have shown a couple minutes of the World Cup match to show off his prowess, and little scene here and there of him interacting with Hermione (I was actually quite peeved that the didn't show her teaching Viktor how to pronounce her name).

The other champions were likewise poorly developed. You learn practically nothing about Cedric or Fleur Delacour (who got the least screentime out of the four champions). Fleur was simply another pretty face; they even cut the part about her being a quarter-veela (which was why the boys were swooning over her in the book). And if I didn't read the book, I probably wouldn't have cared too much about Cedric's death near the end of the movie.

Even Ron and Hermione were mainly relegated to the background. They didn't even use any kind of magic for the entire film! It would've been nice to show how exactly Hermione was helping Harry (like with the Accio spell), instead of just having her simper and worry. Ron seemed to be purely comic relief.

My other quibble was that the first task was WAY too long. The dragon chasing Harry around Hogwarts was ridiculous. They could've easily shaved off a good five minutes, and instead use that time for the World Cup match they DIDN'T show (can you tell that I was mad about that being cut out?)

Don't get me wrong. I still enjoyed the movie; it did capture the spirit of the book pretty well. And I was VERY happy to see the ferret scene (YES!)

Overall impression: Good entertainment, but read the book first. That'll help fill in the blanks. Three out of five stars.

3/16/06 UPDATE: I received the Special Edition DVD set last week. I liked the interview with the Golden Trio, but it would've been nice if they had other cast member interviews, like in the PoA DVD. The reflection of the fourth movie (which included sharing from other cast members) was a nice touch, but again, I wish they had more in-depth interviews with them. As for the deleted scenes, they weren't worth it. I'm not giving away all of the deleted scenes, but I'll just say that there was NO footage whatsoever of the Quidditch World Cup Match!

I'm also slightly puzzled at why there was a *seperate* Special Edition DVD this time around. I'm sure that confused a few people.

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Warner Bros. has shown us the dark side of the entertainment business by releasing this "Ultimate Edition" without the extended version. It's unfortunate they will still make money on these flawed editions from people who were pleased with the year one and year two sets(as was I), which included both the theatrical and extended films, who will feel compelled to keep this incomplete set (I will be returning mine). I encourage everyone who feels the same to write about it. Whether it's in these reviews, a blog or emails directly to Warner Bros., letting the powers that be know that their customers are dissatisfied is the only way they'll even consider terminating these shady business practices. The following link is to Warner Bros. Studios' online customer service:

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle / Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (Double Feature) (201

The only thing that could've made it better would be a 3pk bundle with A Very Harold & Kumar Xmas. If you're a true stoner or just a Roldy & Kumar fan buy this...buy it right now! Do it. (Insert water bong bubbling sound)

This single one sided DVD features both Harold(John Cho)and Kumar(Kal Penn)films together, "...at the White Castle"(released July/04)and "...Escape from Guantanamo Bay"(released April/08).They are a little above average films in the college-frat-type humour category.Both are staunchly un-politically correct and poke fun at a number of stereotypical situations.

The first film introduces us to the pair who live together;Harold has a dead end job at an accounting firm and Kumar,who cake walked through doctors college,puts off,again and again,following in his fathers footsteps and prefers the good times.One night they get stoned(again)and have a giant craving for some White Castle food.The films' flimsy plot is what most of the movie entails;that is the guys efforts to find a White Castle eatery in which to satisfy their cravings.They go from hang gliding to bumping into Neil Patrick Harris(Doogie Howser)to getting stoned and riding a cheetah(you have top see it to believe it!)and so many more scenarios;some funnier than others.In the end and after a huge amount of grief they finally get their men,er burgers.

The next film finds the two starting where the first film left off.Harold pined throughout the first movie for his sexy apartment neighbour that he had never the courage to ask out.She flew off to Amsterdam and Harold,with Kumar's chiding,decide to fly there in this film to meet up with her unannounced.On the flight Kumar smuggles on some weed and while in the washroom with a home made bong,an elderly lady sees him and thinks its a bomb and yells out "terrorist".In short order both are taken down and shipped to the holding center in Guantanamo Bay,Cuba.While there some real terrorists make an escape attempt which gives the guys their opportunity also.They boat back to the States with some Cuban refugees and land Florida.From here they seek out an old college bud who loans them his car and they head to Texas.It is in Texas where Kumar's old girlfriend,and the one who originally made a stoner out of him,is getting married.Her husband to be got Harold his job so he feels quite respectful of him but Kumar thinks he's less than dirt and wants to bust up the marriage and get his girl back.In the end that is exactly what happens and Kumar and Harold finally seemed bound for a happy ending in life.

Both film feature a nice cameo role by Neil Patrick Harris who plays an over-sexed,drugged up,weird moral-less kind of character.Also both films feature sequences where they run into some strange backwoods couple who help them out along their twisted journey which gives out with some nice humour.The chemistry between these two actors is tremendous which spills out through the camera to us the audience,which in turn boosts ones liking of what transpires on screen;as slim as these plots are.The first film I must say was the flimsiest of the two with little more than a mission to eat as its' main theme,whereas the second added a bit more meat to the bones.Both however are just excuses to throw in numerous sexual/frat like humourous situations.While at times it can get a little been there,done that,the films throw enough of their own original feel in it to make things work.

Technically speaking the films have been transferred nicely and look clear and crisp.They are in their original a/r of 1:78:1,but there are no desserts here people,just the meat and potatoes.

I recommend these two films as they put their own spin on the whole frat humour dynamic.Helping to achieve this are the two characters themselves Kumar and Harold who are very likable and with which we can easily empathize with;which is 90% of the battle in any film.

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both of these movies for one low price,brand new in blu ray!fn awesome!love these movies.good for a cold winter day to get blazed and watch a movie,lol

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It's cheech and chong antics for my generation. It's Harold and Kumar, a great 2 disc unrated capability on one disc. 1st side is Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle unrated then flip over for Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay unrated... but no special features on Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo bay. The original unrated disc menus are also included in look and feel.

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Wow, it came this close to being x-rated, but a lot of it was really funny. A gross version of the Felix and Oscar. Not a prude, but the sex stuff went over the top at times. The gross stuff was hilarious.

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