The Sixth Sense (1999)

Have you ever watched a scary movie in the dark, and almost swore you saw someone moving out of the corener of your eye? I have, and after seeing this movie it happened a lot more.

"The Sixth Sense" has great performances from Bruce Willis (who plays Malcolm, an emotionally wounded psychologist)and Haley Joel Osment (who plays Cole, a little boy with a remarkable gift:he sees dead people) The screenplay is wonderful.

"They don't know they're dead," laments Cole."They think they're alive.They see what they want to see." Malcolm is determined to help him. His marriage has been failing ever since an old case that showed almost the same symtoms shot him in the side and then killed himself.Malcolm is determined not to let that happen to Cole.

This is a remarkable movie with a Hitchcokian twist at the end.Watch it, and you'll be doing double takes next time you feel that strange presence behind your back.

Writer/director M. Night Shymalan's "The Sixth Sense" is that rarest of breeds: an intelligent, well-made film that conquered the box office. Equal parts mystery, drama and bone-chilling horror, "Sense" deals with a weary, wounded child psychologist (Bruce Willis) whose latest patient (the remarkable Haley Joel Osment) has a mysterious and terrible gift: he sees ghosts.

Shymalan, ably assisted by Tak Fujimoto's brilliantly icy cinematography, wrings suspense and terror out of empty doorways, split-second glimpses of figures in the background, and unknown things lurking in the dark. But this is hardly a cheap slasher film: perhaps the most wonderful aspect of this film is its message, that fear can be conquered through understanding and compassion.

Cleverly plotted, bolstered by fine performances from Olivia Williams as Willis's melancholy wife and Toni Colette as Osment's worried mom, and graced with a twist ending worthy of Hitchcock, "The Sixth Sense" is a magnificently creepy film that will have you jumping at shadows long after it's over.

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There has never been a type of movie with more allure than the thriller series. Many have scared the socks off of their poor audience, with a paticular tip of the hat to "The Blair Witch Project," but this movie is different. The movie tells you with its story, its tone, and its color that something will happen, but you can not put your finger on it until the end. The movie supports no "cheap scares" present in movies like Scream in which a scene is not scary, just sudden and startling. This movie, "The Sixth Sense," Will make you afraid. Afraid of the dark, and afraid of being alone. The genuine surprise ending added closure to a genuine 21st century scary movie. And, with added footage, you will not want to miss "The Sixth Sense." Note: This movie is only for those who are not afraid to be truly afraid.

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Having seen and *loved* this film during its theatrical run, I pre-ordered this DVD nearly two months in advance of its earliest availability. When the disc arrived, I immediately canceled all other plans and set aside that evening's hours to watch it.

Imagine then my profound sense of disappointment when I saw the first preview come on. Instantly, I reached for the DVD remote and pressed the Menu button only to find it had been disabled.

When the second preview followed and still the Menu button was dead, I started to feel annoyed. By the time the fourth one began, I was thoroughly and completely angry and pledged never to watch any of the four movies that had been forced on me.

Yes, I will admit that once The Sixth Sense began, the experience was every bit as satisfying as I had hoped. And the extra features are a very nice bonus. I don't doubt that this disc will be played many many times before I tire of it.

However, in the end, the forced previews ruin this disc. I would have been happy to watch any previews the disc producers wanted me to watch ... so long as they gave me the freedom to choose when to watch them.

A fatal mistake. Simply brutal. This disc should be recalled and replaced with one that does not force the experience. At this point, this studio is in my doghouse. If they pull this stunt again, I will never buy another disc from them.

This is one Collector's Edition that may become a Trash Collector's edition.

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Wow what can I say? A very intelligently scripted and amazingly acted film in which Bruce Willis proves that the action stereotype is just a misconception of him while he plays a child psychologist with a real sense of character. The supporting cast offer a uniformly high standard also, and with an amazingly scripted plot, make this the best film I have seen in a long, long time. If it's action you want then stay away, whereas if it is suspense, drama and plot you want order it now!

Fantastic all round. Bet it makes you jump.....

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Spaceballs (1987)

I love the film so it was a no-brainer to get it for the store, and my slight disappointment is offset with showing what a high storage capacity can do for this product.

The package comes with both the BD and the standard def discs and included are all of the special features we know from the 2005 release. So what's changed? Nothing except for the languages: Dubbed in DTS for six languages (including Castilian, German, Italian and French) and Mono or Dolby for three others, and subtitled in nine languages (incl. Danish, Swedish and Norwegian). None of the supplements have been upgraded but that DTS always sounds awesome during the main feature. The picture has not been cleaned up from the transfer so there is plenty of artifact, hair and random film discolorations. I enjoyed watching some of the same special features again, including the John Candy memorial and the Mel Brooks conversation. The ludiricous speed is just as lame as before.

The menu is a killer if your player is not tuned up (or older). It becomes painful when trying to watch those flubs sequences as there is no play all option. It is Spaceballs, it is Mel Brooks so it makes it a worthwhile purchase if you did not already upgrade a few years ago to that special edition DVD (especially with both included here). I would normally rate this lower but there is so much here I had to go up one.

Spaceballs is perhaps the best Sci-fi spoof of all time. It has already been mentioned that it spoofs Star Wars, Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, but it really spoofs nearly every big Sci-fi movie ever. Star Wars, Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, Alien, 2001: A Space Odyssey ("...they've gone to plaid!") and many more. Some of the best sequences are the "ludicruous speed" scene, the "instant video" scene, and the whole Yogurt part. Mel Brooks plays the spoof of Star Wars' Yoda who is the guardian of the Schwartz and is also heavily into Spaceballs Merchandising, including the Spaceballs flamethrower. ("The kids love this one.") Rick Moranis, of course, is the Darth Vader spoof, and I have to congradulate the casting department, because Rick Moranis and Darth Vader have to be as close to being polar opposites as you can come. Although I have heard it called unfunny and lame by others, I think it is a very funny movie and deserves to be watched not only by Sci-fi fans, but by anybody looking for a good laugh.

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Spaceballs is one of my all time favorite films and I eagerly awaited it's bluray release and even put in my preorder months in advance. Now that the bluray is here it is still one of my all time favorite films but i must admit the transfer is not demo material.

The transfer itself is solid and without any unnecessary tampering (digital noise reduction, edge enhancement, etc) and it is the best this film will probably ever look on home video however the film itself will never wow anyone with detail.

On the audio side we get a 5.1ch track that does it's job as well as the source material allows... just like the video it's not demo material but it's still a solid track. Also included is the original dolby stereo track along with a rather large collection of languages (and subtitles as well)

The bonus features are the same as the previous DVD edition, I haven't really dug into all of them but in Fox bluray tradition features that need a play all option (in this case the film flubs) don't get that much needed option.

The included DVD is the older flipper disc with the 4:3 pan&scan on one side and the non-anamorphic 1.85:1 version on the other.

Read Best Reviews of Spaceballs (1987) Here

The movie itself is pure Mel Brooks. I really enjoy how Mel brings hilarious havoc to the sci-fi genre, spoofing movies from Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers to Star Trek and Star Wars. I am surprised that MPAA had originally given this movie a PG rating instead of a PG-13 rating since the movie is heavy on adult humor, language, and sexual innuendos not exactly what I would call a flick for the whole family. Enough about the movie; this review is about the newly released Collector's Edition (CE), especially the bonus material.

The Dolby 5.1 sound quality has been enhanced compared to the original 2000 DVD release, but I will need to confirm this. I'm glad MGM offers a DTS track on disc 1. I have not yet compared Mel's commentary on the CE to the original release. I did make some limited comparisons of the picture quality: The colors are more vibrant (perhaps too much on the red?) and the picture is clearer to my eyes; the skin tones look correct to me. Since the video presentation is not THX quality, you will see some specks and film blemishes. The aspect ratio on the CE (1.85:1 for 16x9) is the same as the original 2000 release, but on my Sony monitor (4:3) the CE widescreen version is "slightly" zoomed in more than the 2000 widescreen released version.

I am disappointed in the Special Features. Why? For one reason, it does not include Rick Moranis. He is mentioned but is not interviewed at all how can Mel not include Dark Helmet! In addition, you will not find any behind-the-scenes coverage (other than still photos) such as those found on the 2000 DVD release. Mel did not include any deleted scenes or bloopers (no, the film flubs don't count). However, there is a well-produced 29 minute documentary that includes the other main actors and crew members. You will learn that the actors and crew members had more laughs making this movie than the audience had watching it. If this is true, Mel should have included some of those comical moments in the Special Features. Also missing on this CE is a featurette about special-effects. The conversation between Mel and co-writer Thomas Meehan is rather boring, but the tribute to comical genius John Candy is commendable, touching, and about time.

The CE is a 2-disc DVD set. It is a shame that MGM and Mel could not/would not include more about this classic comedy. Overall I give the CE version a 3/5. The movie gets 4/5!

Want Spaceballs (1987) Discount?

Following the multi-million-dollar success that George Lucas enjoyed with his original "Star Wars" trilogy of films released in 1977, 1980 and 1983, comedic actor/writer/director Mel Brooks was inspired to create one of his most outlandish films in 1987 entitled "Spaceballs". The film begins on the dark planet of Spaceball, which no longer has a breathable atmosphere. There, President Skroob (Mel Brooks) wants to steal another planet's atmosphere and transport it back to planet Spaceball, so he orders Colonel Sandurz (George Wyner) and Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis spoofing "Darth Vader") to take a giant military spaceship (much much larger than any of Lucas' spaceships, except for the Deathstar) to planet Druidia to kidnap Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga spoofing "Princess Leia") and hold her for ransom. On planet Druidia, Princess Vespa is scheduled to marry the very boring Prince Valium (JM J. Bullock) as arranged by her father, King Roland (Dick Van Patten). However, when Princes Vespa has cold feet, she runs from the Druidic church with her android, Dot Matrix (voice of Joan Rivers spoofing "C3PO"), and takes off from planet Druidia in what was to be her honeymoon spaceship. In space, she is encountered by the giant Spaceball ship, but is rescued by the trader/smuggler Lone Starr (Bill Pullman spoofing "Han Solo") and his sidekick Barfolemew 'Barf' (John Candy, 1950-1994, spoofing "Chewbacca") in a space-worthy Winnebago RV. As with the constant love-hate relationship that Princess Leia and Han Solo had in Lucas' "Star Wars" trilogy, so too do Princess Vespa and Lone Starr have a similar relationship. Along the way though, Lone Starr finds out from a mysterious Yoda-like character named Yogurt (Mel Brooks again) that he's really a prince and sets out to rescue Princess Vespa who had eventually been captured by Dark Helmet. It is from Yogurt that we hear those immortal words, "May the schwartz be with you," spoofing Lucas' creation of the Force in "Star Wars".

With hilarious one-liners, a classic Mel Brooks storyline, good actors and reasonable special effects, "Spaceballs" is a truly funny comedic sci-fi spoof. Rick Moranis' portrayal of Dark Helmet is one of the funniest roles, especially since he can't always keep his visor open. Also funny are George Wyner and Joan Rivers. Overall, I rate "Spaceballs" with 4 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys a great spoof by Mel Brooks, sci-fi and a good laugh. Even product merchandising isn't free of being spoofed by Mel Brooks in this hilarious film.

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Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Bueller... Bueller... Edition) (1986)

Film buffs, DVD collectors, and John Hughes fans beware! The "Bueller...Bueller..." edition DVD does not include the commentary track by writer/producer/director John Hughes which was included on the original 1999/2000 DVD release. It is a great commentary and is sorely missed from this edition.

I first saw "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" in 1991, and I've LOVED it ever since. I was so thrilled to see that Paramount was giving this classic film an upgraded DVD Special Edition. Upon seeing it however, I must say that I'm pretty disappointed. The extras, although enjoyable, are sorely lacking what they could and SHOULD be. Most of the film's major stars (and sometimes even minor ones like Kristy Swanson and Richard Edson) provide some updated interviews that are fun to watch. But, the bonus material and interviews featuring Mia Sara are all from 1986! She obviously CAN'T be that busy these days, so doesn't it make sense that an updated interview with her could have been included?

Also, the shooting script for this movie contains MANY deleted scenes and dialogue, some of which were a GREAT read and are bound to have been filmed. Ferris going through the house looking for money in some STRANGE places (all while the Pink Floyd tune "Money" was playing), as well as Cameron's dad seeing his 1961 Ferarri being driven through Chicago's streets by the two parking garage employees would have been GREAT to see. However, the ONLY deleted scene we get here is a behind-the-scenes version of the waiter at Chez Qui telling the trio that the food they were eating was pancreas (which of course was referred to later by Ferris in the taxi). No true special edition DVD should be without a deleted scenes section. VERY disappointing.

Next, this edition (like the original) does NOT include a theatrical trailer. It's rare for even a bare bones DVD not to include at least one trailer, but nearly UNHEARD of for a special edition! It's bound to still exist, and I can't beleive that it's THAT hard to find that they could not have dug it up for this "special" edition.

Finally, the original DVD, while lacking a trailer, DID include a GREAT feature-length commentary track by writer/director John Hughes. However, that commentary track is NOT included here! That was either a severe oversight or a downright mean move by Paramount. How hard would it have been to reproduce it here? In effect, its omission forces anyone who bought the original DVD and wants to upgrade to the special edition to keep the original instead of selling or trading it, all because they want to retain the commentary. Paramount should have at least made it possible that owning this new DVD would provide the most complete "Ferris" experience presently possible by itself, but without the original's commentary it doesn't.

In summary, if you bought the original DVD, then I advise you to keep it and just rent this new version to give the special features a look. Save the rest of what you would otherwise spend on this to put towards something more worthwhile. If you have NOT bought the original DVD however, then this would be a worthwhile purchase to own the extras that were not present on the original. But, do rent the original to give a listen to that AWESOME commentary track by John Hughes.

Buy Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Bueller... Bueller... Edition) (1986) Now

I am a teenager. I still enjoy(?) the joys(?) of high school. And let me say that Ferris Bueller's Day Off is still pertinent, as well as enjoyable.

I've seen the ending numerous times on TV, but this very night I decided to watch the whole thing. I rented it with a friend and loved it. Tomorrow I will go out and buy the DVD.

John Hughes was one of the precursors of such great writer-directors as Kevin Smith, and this film is evidence. It may have different focuses and some might find this difficult to interpret, as some reviews have said.

I say "Bull." This film captures high school. Even if all the teachers aren't as boring, the administration is still spreading the same lies that the principal character does in the film. He tries for authority and only pulls off incompetence.

With humor, light youthful cynicism, and carefree but intelligent views on life, I can attest to Ferris's own accuracy. I may not be as successful, but I see myself as a Buellerist(even if it wasn't intended).

So what if the movie ends seriously? That's what high school is! There're good times, hilarious times. And then there's learning who you are. Coming to terms. I was moved by Ferris Bueller's Day Off. In a world where accuracy often means disgusting, hack films like American Pie, this movie captured school days masterfully. Films that take the act of growing up and make it a sick joke are insulting, in my opinion. American Pie featured the darker side of growing up. People who are self-centered and petty. What a life, to start in such a way. Ferris Bueller is shown to be human and moral as he speaks about his friends, however. His analyses are wonderful, and caring while not being sugar-coated. The film was true but tasteful, succinctly and accurately showing the trials of growing up.

It's over-the-top, but anyone who was interesting in high school(and childhood in general), I'm sure, can attest to memories that seem larger-than-life. While it may be difficult to watch Ferris Bueller run up slides and jump on trampolines all to get home with a serious eye, one must admit that when one looks back at school, some things are like that, even if only in your mind.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off works on levels that only one who is or has been young can appreciate.

Read Best Reviews of Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Bueller... Bueller... Edition) (1986) Here

Part 1: The Movie

If the measure of a film's popularity is how many times you've seen it, then Ferris Bueller's Day Off is my favorite movie. I've seen it 16 times: 13 in the theatre during its original run, once on videotape, twice on a recently purchased DVD (once each with and without the director's commentary track).

Plot: One fine day toward the end of his senior year in high school, a young man named Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) ditches school and, with best friend Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck) and girlfriend Paige Peterson (Mia Sara) heads for the big city seeking adventure. Beneath surface events, Ferris' "day off" is a last ditch rescue mission designed to save Cameron's soul. This is his last chance to help Cameron, because after this school year's over they'll go to separate colleges and, effectively, a friendship that's endured since the fifth grade will be over, Cameron will be beyond Ferris' reach and aid.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off has an elegantly simple, effective story structure, a classic example of separate plotlines that move concurrently, then tie themselves together at the end. There are two plot threads in this movie: (1) The story of what Ferris, Cameron and Paige do during the day off, and how these characters, primarily Cameron, are affected and changed by it. (2) The attempts of Ferris' sister Jean and Dean of Students Edward R. Rooney to expose Ferris. At the end of the movie, the two plotlines converge and resolve each other when Ferris, Jean and Rooney come together at last, and it's Jean, changed by the events of her own "day off," who finally saves Ferris from Rooney.

Matthew Broderick plays Ferris, for all his fast talk and con artist ways, as really the most innocent character in the movie, almost childlike in his belief he can accomplish anything. Ferris Bueller is an ultimate refutation of one of the great archetypes of comedy, The Fool.

The Fool is a person of childlike innocence, who naively believes he can accomplish anything, and our amusement comes from watching him fail. The classic example of The Fool is Charlie Brown. For decades, Lucy Van Pelt said to him, "Come on, Charlie Brown, kick the football, I won't move it." Time after time, he fell for it. When Lucy swiped the ball out of the way at the last moment and he went flying through the air to crash down on his back, we laughed and said to ourselves, "What a moron! I'd never be tricked like that." We felt good about ourselves by contrast. The thing is, our amusement at The Fool is essentially meanspirited and soul-deadening. The Fool says to us, "You can't win. The game is fixed. Any belief in yourself, that you can accomplish wonders, is false and foredoomed to failure." What Ferris Bueller says to us is, "If you believe in yourself....you can accomplish anything." Then he goes ahead and does exactly that, right before our eyes.

I first saw Ferris Bueller's Day Off in 1986 at the Ventura Boulevard Cinema in the San Fernando Valley. It played there for, like, four or five months. It was incredible. People simply didn't get tired of seeing it, thus the long engagement especially by LA standards where movies tend to be there and gone. Though Matthew Broderick's portrayal of Ferris is obviously the linchpin that holds the movie together, what really made the film for me, bringing me back to see it time and again, was Alan Ruck as Cameron Frye. Without getting into a display of emotional scars here, let's just say that while I admired Ferris, I identified strongly with Cameron. Ferris is the kid we all wished we could be. Cameron is the kid so many of us really were. When Cameron explodes all over the Ferrari, he's expressing the rage for all of us.

It's a wonderful fantasy there could be such a friend as Ferris, who could see our (Cameron's) pain, would move heaven and earth to help him, and the person would find the strength to take advantage of it. There's a bit of a messiah complex to Ferris Bueller, a desire to save those he deems worthy of salvation. I'm sure one of the reasons he's been friends with Cameron for so long is that Cameron so obviously needs help. Cameron Frye is a long running personal project for Ferris Bueller, and one of the engines driving Ferris' actions in the movie is the realization he's running out of time, if he wants to effect lasting, positive change in Cameron's life it's got to be NOW. My favorite moment of the film, really THE pivotal moment, is when Cameron says, "No. I'll take the heat." And sitting there in the theatre, I smiled and whispered, "Good for you."

Part 2: Cast and Characters

The four main characters, Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick), Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck), Paige Peterson (Mia Sara) and Edward R. Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) are perfectly cast. Really, all four actors do such marvelous work it's impossible to imagine anyone else in these roles.

Of Matthew Broderick's portrayal of Ferris Bueller, what can I say? Wonderful. Beyond that, any poor words of mine couldn't do his work here justice. For there it stands, magnificent in its own right. See the movie, you'll know what I mean.

For all the talk I've heard over the years of Ferris being "the perfect kid," he's hardly a perfect person. There are aspects to his personality that aren't particularly admirable. He's deceitful and manipulative, probably a compulsive liar. When things don't go his way he becomes aggressive and abusive, shown most extremely when he slaps Cameron. But Ferris does have many good qualities. His lies are frequently in the service of the underdog, his deceptions designed to punish those who really have it coming. While Ferris manipulates those around him in the movie, most notably Cameron, he justifies it by saying it's really for Cameron's own good. From what we see in the film, he's absolutely right.

It's interesting to note that, based on the director's commentary, I've always seen Ferris as being a much nicer person than his creator does. One of Ferris' most impressive qualities is a complete lack of snobbishness. We see from Ferris' home life his parents are solidly middle class. Cameron's family is rich. Paige, by her class and polish, was probably born with a silver spoon in her mouth, too. But Ferris can be friends with a white trash greaser like Garth Volbeck (Charlie Sheen's druggie character) as easily as a rich kid like Cameron. He simply doesn't see any reason he shouldn't. This total absence of classism is one of the things that wins Ferris such admiration among his peers. His friends at school go from the top of the social structure all the way to the bottom. When Grace, Rooney's secretary, lists all the various cliques at school that adore Ferris, and sums up, "They think he's a righteous dude," she's right. He IS a righteous dude. To paraphrase Kipling, all men count with him, but none too much. ["If" by Rudyard Kipling.] That whole "walk with kings nor lose the common touch" thing isn't an unattainable ideal with Ferris. It's who he is.

For all his prevarication, when Ferris realizes he must take responsibility for his actions, or even something not, strictly speaking, his fault, to protect a friend, he'll do it. Something else people admire about him. After the Ferrari goes though the window and into the ravine, this is the only time in the movie Ferris is scared. He knows this is bigtime. This isn't ditching school, it's the destruction of a $200,000 automobile. When he says to Cameron, "We'll tell your father I did it. I'll take the heat," he means it. When push comes to shove, when the rubber meets the road, Ferris is a stand-up guy.

Alan Ruck is amazingly good as Cameron Frye. All four leads seem chosen for their mobile, expressive features, but none more so than Ruck. I'm telling ya, the face of Plastic Man, folks. Ruck's features are so malleable he reminds me of a young Jim Carrey without the goofiness.

Mia Sara, as John Hughes says during the director's commentary, is a perfect Paige Peterson. This role required someone very pretty, very elegant, but also strong enough to tolerate and control Ferris Bueller. I would go further. Not only tolerate enjoy. There's a theory in psychology called relationship balancing, the idea we subconsciously look for a partner who's strong where we're weak. Thus these two people together form in essence one fully functional personality. Paige is stable, and quite up to keeping her cool in the face of Ferris' weirdness. When Ferris asks her, "You want to get married?" I'm sure at least part of the reason is to tweak her, to see how she reacts. She's completely unfazed, just takes it in stride. It makes sense a person with Ferris' chaotic lifestyle would be attracted to someone with her poise. But also, beneath that calm exterior, there's enough of a wild child to Paige she can truly enjoy Ferris, and pitch in wholeheartedly, a willing partner in crime to his schemes. Really, she's perfect for him.

Could anyone else on Earth have portrayed Edward R. Rooney as well as Jeffrey Jones? I think not. It's totally believable that Rooney and Ferris would loathe each other. Rooney is the sort of stupid, pompous, authoritarian control freak that a free spirit like Ferris would instantly, and correctly, recognize as a natural enemy. And vice versa.

These four actors, all arguably doing the best work of their careers, are the heart of this movie.

Part 3: The DVD

There's only one "extra" on the DVD. John Hughes' (writer and director of Ferris Bueller's Day Off) commentary track can be run with the movie. Much more so than many director tracks, there's some really good stuff here. For instance:

* Matthew Broderick and Alan Ruck worked extensively with each other on Broadway before doing Ferris Bueller's Day Off, which helps explain their easy chemistry. It's no stretch to watch these two guys react to each other, and believe they've been friends for years.

* The best bit of commentary, for my money, is when Hughes discusses the sequence set in the Art Institute of Chicago, which was a kind of sanctuary for him when he was in high school. The paintings in this scene are those that were his favorites. Hughes' tone of voice, the emotions he expresses during this scene, are really touching. Prior to Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the interior of this building had never been filmed for a movie, and it was a big deal for Hughes to go back to this place that had been so important to him, and show people how beautiful it is.

* Charlie Sheen was only brought in for one day to play Garth Volbeck during the police station scene. With little or no time to rehearse, he burned up the celluloid anyway. If I can believe the Internet, Charlie stayed awake for 48 hours before shooting to give himself the proper strung-out look. In this scene he looks so much like his Dad at the same age it's eerie.

* The parade sequence was filmed during a real parade in downtown Chicago. This wasn't a situation where the street was cordoned off and filled with extras. The Ferris crew had a float in the actual parade. No one knew who they were. The crowd didn't know, probably the city fathers didn't know. When the music for "Twist and Shout" started blasting, totally of their own accord, people from the surrounding areas were drawn in, started dancing and singing along. All the shots of individual faces from the crowd weren't actors, they were "real people," there because they wanted to be, looking like they were having fun because they were. The construction worker dancing on a scaffold, way up on that half-finished building? A real construction worker. John Hughes saw him dancing, grabbed a cameraman and said, "You've got to get this guy." Then he looked at the street, saw it absolutely packed with thousands of people, all dancing and singing along with "Ferris," totally into it, and said to the guy on the camera crane, "TELL me we got that shot." Because there's no way they could have afforded to stage it, or even imagined something that wild. It just happened. TOO cool.

* There were several sequences actually filmed but cut from the final version of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. In one, Ferris goes on a radio program and talks about wanting to be the first teenager to ride the space shuttle. This was actually included in what would have been the final cut, and a trailer went out with some of that material in it. Unfortunately, the day after the trailer was released the Challenger exploded; the studio pulled the trailer and Hughes had to recut the movie to trim the shuttle stuff. I actually remember that trailer. I saw it during the day or two it was in release. If I remember correctly, a voice asks various people, "What do you think of Ferris Bueller?" and one of the respondents, a high school kid, says, "Ferris Bueller? He's going to be the first teenager to ride the space shuttle."

* Also cut was Ferris' relationship with the Volbecks, the Charlie Sheen character's family. Garth Volbeck's father owns the tow company that hauls away Ed Rooney's car.

* Another excised bit: In the restaurant, when Ferris, Paige and Cameron are brought menus, none of them want to admit they can't read French so they order something, then start eating, having no idea what it is. Then we get to see their reactions when they find out it's pancreas. This is referred to later in the cab scene when Ferris, listing to Cameron the things they've done that day, says, "We ate pancreas."

It would have been nice to have the original trailer, revised trailer, and deleted scenes included on the DVD. While chances of seeing that level of work put into the DVD for a 20 year old movie, no matter how good, are slim (even assuming the chopped footage still exists) I can dream that maybe one day, on a future version of this DVD, it might happen. I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

While we're on the subject of wishes, why oh why was the music from Ferris Bueller's Day Off never released as a soundtrack? A crime, since it's got one of best combination of songs I've ever heard in a movie. Another "I'd buy it in a heartbeat" situation that'll probably never happen at this late date.

The later "Bueller, Bueller" edition of the film does not feature this excellent commentary track.

Want Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Bueller... Bueller... Edition) (1986) Discount?

The 5 stars is only in direct relation to what's ON this 'Bueller...Bueller..." edition and the film ITSELF. Would it have been soooooo difficult to transfer the old commentary from the bare bones edition of the film from 1999? It's a good thing i noticed before i sold it back to my local FYE for credit on the future purchase of what....maybe the THIRD release of FERRIS? Now i have to find a way to put the old dvd in the case with the new edition taking care not to scratch either. Too much time and energy on my part. THAT'S YOUR JOB, PARAMOUNT!!!!!! Where's the notoriously cut scene with the bong hit??? No out-takes?? I find that hard to believe. A great feel good film with some good bonus features leaves me hoping i don't get hit by a bus before they release the 25th anniversary edition in 2011. When PARAMOUNT will 'ONE UP' their usual DOUBLE DIPPING into fans' pockets with the DOUBLE DISC version this film originally deserved....

Okay...if you're a fan...just buy the damn thing because it's a must have for your film library and what IS included is pretty darn good...but there should've been more...and i KNOW there IS more...

C'mon...someone with brains at Paramount...SAVE FARRIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hidden Blade (2004)

I thought that director Yôji Yamada could not possibly top Twilight Samurai, but I was wrong. This is a great film for even those that are not martial arts fans. The acting is great, the screenplay is excellent and believable. Director Yamada also had great cinematographers and music.

Since the story for both Twilight Samurai and Hidden Blade were written by the same author and took place in the same part of Japan, one reviewer unfairly indicated the story was a rehash of the first. Definitely, I disagree with this assessment.

I don't want to give anything away. For those that are like me, be sure to have a box of tissues handy when you see this memorable film. I rented it and was so taken by the film (even watching it twice during the same weekend), that I purchased the DVD immediately from Amazon.

Yoji Yamada's "Twilight Samurai" was an extraordinary treat. Following in similar footsteps, "The Hidden Blade" is again a samurai tale where a lower samurai must weigh matters of principle against what is politically and financially advantageous. Shown at film festivals in Berlin & Newport Beach, the main character is Munezo Katagiri whose sister marries out of the household. Masatoshi Magase who played so romantically as the second love interest in "The Sea Is Watching" does the title role. He's very sensitive and honest, but a bit out of touch with his own emotional needs. Takako Matsu who has only made 3 films including 2006's "Suite Dreams" plays the housekeeper Kie. She works hard and lovingly takes care of Katagiri's house. Matsu's beautiful good looks and expressive face make her a charmer. Caste issues divide her from the samurai. When Kie marries, her new family abuses and fails to appreciate her. This results in her illness and rescue by Katagiri who barges into the household and rescues Kie from her own husband! Kie is nursed back to health. Meanwhile Yaichiro Hazama is from the same samurai clan and has gone to the big city of Edo where he gets caught in a plot to overthrow the Emperor. He's brought back home in a basket and imprisoned, rather than being given the dignity of hari kiri. The authorities come to Katagiri and give him the charge of dueling with Hazama, who breaks out of prison and holes up in a rural hut. The lovely Reiko Takashima plays Hazama's wife and comes to barter with the only commodity she has, her body, to try and save her husband's life. She goes to the Chief in charge (forgot his title) and makes a similar deal when Katagiri refuses her. Unfortunately, the unscrupulous Chief has no intention of freeing Hazama and fails to inform Katagiri as he has promised Mrs. Hazama he would do. Min Tanaka who played in "Twilight Samurai" is the retired martial arts instructor Toda who gave Katagiri knowledge of a special move called the Devil's Claw. Now living in a pastoral setting, he gives Katagiri a few last tips. The duel takes place with Katagiri surviving. The Chief suffers justice at Katagiri's hands with the lightning fast Devil's Claw dispatching him to the next world. Deciding to follow Toda's example, Katagiri renounces his pledge as samurai and sweetly approaches Kie who has not remarried and no longer has a caste restriction separating her from the man she obviously loves. There is a real sweetness and innocence in the story of "Hidden Blade" that shows a moral compass. The performances, direction and cinematography are first-rate. Bravo!

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Wow! What a delight. I picked "Hidden Blade"up from the local video store on the way home from work. It was just on a whim, based mainly upon superficialities (the cover art, the interesting title, the intriguing plot summary on the back), but am I ever glad I did.

This movie is an absolute gem, packed with engaging storylines and intricate character development. There isn't a tremendous amount of action, per se, but the few scenes demonstrate excellent technique. I was glued to the set the entire movie and was saddened when the movie came to a close at the end.

Pick this up for a wonderful human story satisfy your nostalgic longing for days of love and honor.

Read Best Reviews of Hidden Blade (2004) Here

Having been thrilled by the director's movie "Twilight Samurai",

I ordered this film. By itself, it is good period drama of the

19th century Samurai period...basically the story of an honorable samurai in a dishonorable world. However, I felt that

the plot and motifs were quite similar to Twilight Samurai. Given the choice of the two films, I would recommend Twilight over this one. I didn't quite get the point of seeing two

very similar movies.

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this is a very good movie, quite different from the other samurai movies. it's quite romantic too. a real gem. a samurai with conscience and principles, a country girl with pure heart, loyalty and love. grab this one and enjoy.

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Shrek Forever After (Single-Disc Edition) (2010)

In the fourth and last installment of the Shrek franchise, Shrek (Mike Myers) finds himself becoming tired of his "domesticated" life when the routines of married life and fatherhood meet with the constant bombardment of fame and somewhat annoying friends. After storming out of his son's first birthday party Shrek runs into Rumplestiltskin (Walt Dohrn), who learns of Shrek's desires to be the ogre he once was and offers him a magical contract that would allow him to be an true ogre for a day, in exchange for one thing. In that exchange, though, Shrek gets much more than he bargained for.

When the first Shrek came out it was a brilliant anti-fairy tale fairy tale. Openly lampooning Disney movies and theme parks, Shrek was a fresh take on the animated fairy tale where the main characters didn't live happily ever after as picture perfect prince and princess, but as ogres, typically the scourge of any fairy tale. Since then two other Shrek movies have come out, and rather than embracing the counter culture of the first film, the franchise bought into it's own hype and into pop culture and lost the spirit of the original. While not bad films, they were unnecessary and even sapped some of the brilliance of the original. Now with the finale of Shrek in theaters, how does it stand up?

More-so than it's predecessors Shrek Forever After tries to come back home to more of the feeling of the first film. Even the plot of the film of Shrek's desire to go back to being a lone ogre on the outskirts of society seems to echo what the filmmakers were desiring to accomplish in picking a premise that allowed them to nearly replicate some of the situations of the first movie. That's one of the strengths of the film is that you get to re-meet the characters in a new fashion and in slightly new characterizations than previous which amps up the fun of this film compared to the previous films.

Reaching into an alternate universe has allowed the writers, and the actors, to revision the characters adding to the freshness of this installment in the series. Fiona is now a warrior, leading an ogre rebellion against the king. Donkey, while still the over talkative, funny if slightly annoying sidekick he's a little more wary and a bit brighter than he was in Shrek's real world. Puss has let himself go, and won't even chase a mouse that's sharing his milk. The real surprise here is Walt Dohrn, a writer/storyboard artist who makes his vocal film debut as the voice of the film's baddie, Rumplestiltskin. Everyone does a great job with their vocal work, but Walt and his character steal the show.

But for all the good, you can't go home, and Shrek doesn't quite go home either. Compared to the first film this one feels a little tame, sterile. First off, the premise makes this almost seem like a remake of the first film, causing it to loose some of it's freshness. On top of that there's a moral that really stands out, which is something I don't recall being aware of while watching the first three Shrek films, even though it was there.

All in all, I would highly recommend this film. Easily it's the second best of the four Shrek films. Each of the three sequels were unnecessary, but this was definitely a higher note to go out on than the last two films. If they had to go through sequels, I'm not sure they could have asked for a better film to go out on. If you've watched the last couple of Shrek films and found yourself to be disappointed give this a try, it doesn't quite capture the magic of the first film but it gets closer than the other sequels.

3.5/5

"Shrek Forever After" (if that is its real title) achieves exactly what it wanted to achieve simply by being a fun animated comedy with characters we've come to love. Still, for something so heavily promoted as being the final chapter, I'm surprised at how small and ordinary it seemed. Movies like this should end with a bang, emotionally and physically; they should not go from beginning to end on a slow and steady burn. By the end, most will feel as if they've been entertained. I felt that way. At the same time, some may feel that, in all likelihood, this movie didn't have to be made. I felt that way, too. Perhaps it's no longer a good sign that we can be so easily amused by unnecessary films. Are they no stories left to stimulate our imaginations and broaden our horizons at the same time?

In this film, Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) finds that he's dissatisfied with his new life as a domestic ogre. As a husband and father, he has absolutely no free time. Villagers no longer fear him. He can't take a mud bath without being invaded by swamp tourists. Knowing he's desperate for a change, the disgruntled Rumpelstiltskin (voiced by Walt Dohrn) offers Shrek a chance live one day as his old ogre self. The catch, as I understand it, is that one day out of his past will be erased from time give a day to get a day, according to Rumpelstiltskin. Shrek agrees and signs a contract, although he fails to specify precisely which day he'll let Rumpelstiltskin have. Bad move; he's transported to an alternate Far Far Away that's ruled by Rumpelstiltskin and has fallen into ruin.

There are other changes. At Rumpelstiltskin's bidding, ogres are hunted by wicked witches and forced into slavery. Shrek's best friend, Donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy), now a lowly cart puller, has never met Shrek and is afraid of him. Puss in Boots (voiced by Antonio Banderas) is now an obese housecat and owned by Fiona (voiced by Cameron Diaz), no longer Shrek's beloved wife and mother to his children but rather the iron-clad leader of an underground ogre resistance. Like Donkey, she has no idea who Shrek is. Stranger still, she's back under the curse that factored into the first film. In this new Far Far Away, it's as if Shrek had never been born. If he's to set everything right, he must turn to that most reliable of fairy-tale clichés: Receiving true love's kiss before the following sunrise.

What are Rumpelstiltskin's motives? I leave it to you to find out. I will say that his reasons are about as good as they can be for a fairy tale. I liked this character; big of ego and short of stature, he's villainous in a childish, sniveling sort of way, making for a great deal of fun when he loses his temper.

Many of the previous film's more memorable side characters are used far less frequently in "Shrek Forever After," making for a film that feels oddly condensed. The appearances of Pinocchio, the Three Little Pigs, and Gingy the Gingerbread Man, for example, are reduced to mere cameos, which is a missed opportunity for some great comedy. I'm especially fond of Gingy, with his iced legs and candy eyes and grating voice. In the alternate Far Far Away, he has become a battle-scarred gladiator who fights for the amusement of cheering crowds; the fact that his opponents are animal crackers and that he uses a broken lollipop as a weapon is, in my warped way of thinking, inherently funny. Maybe it's because foods of such childish innocence have become violent. Or maybe it has something to do Gingy being one tough cookie.

It seems that the film's biggest draw, aside from being the last in the series, is its release in 3-D. I've championed certain 3-D films (Disney's "A Christmas Carol," "How to Train Your Dragon," "Avatar"), but now that it's back in the mainstream, I'm coming to the realization that, generally speaking, it's an overrated marketing gimmick. For this particular film, I suggest you save your cash for a traditional (and less expensive) 2-D experience. I'm quite certain the overall quality will not be affected.

The bottom line: The story is funny and exciting and sweet, and I had a pleasant time watching it. But "Shrek Forever After" is not the grandiose finale the ads have claimed it to be, and I find that a little disappointing. My recommendation relates not to its worth as a successor to the previous "Shrek" films, or even to its status as the last in the series; it relates to the belief that audiences will enjoy it on its own terms. It's a light, good-hearted animated comedy, and as such films go, it gets the job done. I can only hope the filmmakers don't treat it like a horror franchise, some of which are known to produce sequels even after a "final chapter" has been released. At that point, I don't think there will anything good left to say about Shrek and his magical misadventures.

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I have always enjoyed watching the Shrek movies with my family. The fourth movie was no exception. The problem is that the Shrek universe it getting rather stale. The same type of jokes just don't work as well the fourth time around. The Final Chapter finds Shrek unhappy with his friends and family and wishing to go back to being a scary ogre for just one day which can be supplied by an evil Rupelstiltskin. But if you are aware of the myth of Rupelstiltskin you know that every contract has a price. Shrek gives up one day of his life to get his one day of freedom. That one day though causes the entire world to change and Shrek is stuck in an alternate universe in which he never existed. The alternate characters are fun at first, especially the chubby Puss in Boots, but they all revert quickly to the characters you know so it doesn't work all that well. The best part of the movie is the introduction of the Rupelstiltskin character who is a fun bad guy. The movie's plot however is very similar to the Christmas Special in which Shrek doesn't appreciate what he has until it is gone. I like the series, but the story is best to end now.

Read Best Reviews of Shrek Forever After (Single-Disc Edition) (2010) Here

Dreamworks continues its popular, yet waning Shrek franchise with a fourth installment. I've always been a big fan of the original Shrek. It was something different, quirky, unexpected and just downright witty. The plot was simple yet complex enough to keep me interested while poking fun at traditional fairy tales. It was an innovative and fun concept. Sadly, the franchise continued past the first film into a second and third. Each of these entries were okay, but never captured the greatness of the first Shrek film. With the fourth entry into the series, it becomes even more apparent that the franchise is getting tired. Shrek's running out of steam and just doesn't have it anymore. It's time for our dear ogre friend to retire.

Shrek Forever After semi-follows the traditional "what if I was never born" plot. When Shrek finds that he misses his days as an ogre, he makes a deal with the notorious Rumpelstiltskin to trade a day in his life for a day to be an ogre again. Rumpelstiltskin, of course, tricks Shrek and takes the day Shrek was born, thereby creating an alternate universe where he rules Far Far Away, ogres are outlaws, and Fiona was never rescued from the tower by Shrek. Shrek soon discovers his mistake and must figure out how to get things back to normal.

On one hand it was really fun to see the beloved Shrek characters in the alternate universe -Fiona is the leader of the ogre resistance against Rumpelstiltskin, Donkey works any job he can get, and Puss has become an overweight lap cat. On the other hand, the concept felt tired and much of the plot seemed like a retread of previous ideas, themes and events. Mostly, it seemed redundant to have Shrek win Fiona's love again and really showed that our poor ogre really doesn't have much plot left in him.

In general the movie is entertaining, funny and enjoyable -great for families, but the 3-D aspect doesn't really add much. I'd suggest saving the extra money and just going for this movie in traditional 2-D. It was still fun to get another glimpse into the lives of these fun characters and into the wacky world of Far Far Away, but I think it's time to hang up your torches and pitchforks and call it a day.

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This fourth intallment of Shrek, SHREK FOREVER AFTER, is, IMHO, the best of the Shrek films. The fun is back (minus the juvenile potty humor that invaded the 2nd and 3rd films), the story is delightful, and the message is clear. My kids (13 1/2 and 5 1/2) both loved this movie, as did my husband and I.

SHREK FOREVER AFTER is based losely on the story from "It's A Wonderful Life." Here, we find that our favorite ogre is confused by his new role in the kingdom. He used to live a solitary life, scaring people and doing whatever he felt like doing; now he has a family, responsibilities, and is viewed as a folk hero. In a fit of frustration, Shrek wishes that he could be a regular ogre and live his former life, just for a day. Rumplestiltskin overhears his wish and tricks Shrek into trading his "ogre day" for the day he was born. Shrek finds that he never rescued Fiona, he never had a family, never met his friends, and that he will diappear at the end of his ogre day. But there is a way out of his contract with Rumplestiltskin. Can true love still conquer all and save the day?

SHREK FOREVER AFTER is cute, fun, and charming family entertainment. The animation is beautiful, vibrant, and vivid, the story is engaging, and all our favorite voice actors are back. The message of being happy with what you have is perfect, and is understood by children of all ages.

SHREK FOREVER AFTER has heart, and should not be missed. If this is the final installment, then SHREK FOREVER AFTER is truly the perfect way to end the franchise.

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Just Cause (2012)

There's more than the alligators lurking in the swamplands of the Everglades in this thriller. It's hard to know who to trust as a Harvard law proffessor(Sean Connery) who hasn't even had a case in 25 years, reopens one of a convicted killer(Blair Underwood) in Florida. There is evidence to support that his confession was beat out of him, and the proffessor intends to prove it.

Don't take anything for granted in this chilling mystery as the list of suspects grows. There's the tough lawman(Laurence Fishburne),the psychotic serial killer(Ed Harris) over in the next cell,and you may even suspect the alligators in the swamps for a while. There are many twists and turns that will have you wondering who done it? The prof's wife (Kate Capshaw)is even invovled. Lots of action, lots of gripping suspense to keep you glued to your seat. You wont want to miss a minute of it.

The cast listed above all do marvelous work in this film. But I must also mention that the legendary Ruby Dee makes a superb appearance, as well as Kevin Mccarthy and Hope Lang.

So let's talk about the DVD. Fabulous! Wonderful widescreen picture. The swamps never looked so clear. Colors looked perfect.Nighttime scenes were all perfectly visable. The sound in the Dolby Surround 2.0 was actually very good, probably could have been perfect in the 5.1 with all the action though. Don't look for any special features,this DVD has only the language selection of French.It's a great film to add to the thriller section of you DVD library(even without the extras)

So Look out for those alligators and enjoy.......Laurie

also recommended:Presumed Innocent

Hi..

I don't get why so many people didn't like this movie, and why is there all those negative reviews about the film ?

This film is just great, it has an interesting plot, great acting by all the stars and a good ending.

So don't you guys pay any attention to those negative reviews, this movie has it all.

I personally think that this is one of connery's best movies with an amazing performance by all especially connery !

And the scene where connery's character interviews Harris's character is one of my favourite scenes, quit memorable and thrilling !

This is a must BUY movie and is highly recommended !

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I remember the night I first watched this movie. I rented it at the Video Shop, without much enthusiasm & at the insistence of my roommate. Well, let me tell you, this Thriller is exactly that..THRILLING!! Every turn and twist imaginable is in this movie. Did he or didn't he kill that little girl? I was on the edge of my seat for most of the movie. Ed Harris is terrific as well as Sean Connery, who just keeps getting better with age. I recommend BUYING this movie. I have watched it about 4 or 5 times now and my heart races each and every time. [....]

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A bravo performance by the great Sean Connery, plus a fairly imaginative storyline, saves this one from mediocrity. The supporting cast is not bad, although you really never get to know them much. You may think that you see where this one is going, but there are surprises.

A young black man is on death row for a murder that he maintains he did not commit. Connery plays a liberal, anti-death penalty law professor who gets talked into trying for a new appeal in the case. Turns out that the convict was indeed beaten and coerced into making his confession in what was otherwise a fairly thin case against him. But all is not what it seems, and more would be telling. This one held my interest throughout. It has a somewhat strange moral message if you want to call it that.

One of the better suspense/murder films out there. This one is worth a try, especially for Sean Connery fans.

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Just Cause is one of those films that at first makes you wonder quite why it was so heavily slated when it came out nothing special but competent enough and with an excellent supporting performance from Ed Harris. Then you hit the last third and everything starts to get increasingly silly until you've got a killer with a flashlight strapped to his forehead threatening to fillet Sean Connery's wife (a typically mannered and unconvincing Kate Capshaw) and kid (a very young Scarlet Johannsen) in an alligator skinner's shack. The kind of movie that's probably best seen on a plane, and even then only once.

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My Way (2011)

South Koreans have a way with film. In the last decade, they've had a particularly good run at presenting war stories, some from the World War II era and many others exploring the Korean War. I've had the good fortune of seeing several of them each one perhaps a bit better than the last and now I can add MY WAY to the burgeoning list of accomplishments. It's a big budget critical success that opens your eyes to the plight of people who find themselves equally at odds with themselves as they do the greater world around them.

At a time when Japan ruled a smaller Korea, Kim Jung-shik (played by Jang Dong-Gun) and Japanese aristocrat Tatsuo Hasegawa (Joe Odagiri) find themselves as bitter young rivals to the upcoming Olympics. When Kim and his fellow residents rebel against the Japanese authorities after stripping the young man of a chance to represent his country, they're all conscripted into the Japanese army. Their fates collide again as Kim's regiment is assigned to Tatsuo, now serving his country as an officer. When both are seized by the Soviets in a bloody battle, they'll slowly learn to trust one another again until they're separated by the invading German army. Eventually, they're reunited at Normandy Beach, only days before the fateful invasion of the Allied Forces, when destinies collide in this epic story of survival.

And it is a truly epic film. MY WAY features some powerful performances by all of the principles as well as some fantastic filmmaking at work on all levels. Director Je-kyu Kang has produced a masterpiece that explores personal conviction and redemption against the backdrop of the international stage. War is arguably the most horrific form of conflict to explore stories of one's humanity, but the script (which he co-wrote with Byung-in Kim) gives everyone here the chance to explore who they are as individuals as well as members of a greater society. Kim and Tatsuo end up drivers of their own cruel fates as they are victims of their time, always conscripted to serve some greater enemy. Where others sell out their souls in order to secure momentary freedom, these two men remain tied to their own convictions big or small, right or wrong and they suffer the consequences of their own prejudices. However, along the way, they manage to retain as much of their dignity as the circumstances allow, and they prove once again that even in the darkest of times there is some goodness to be found in the unlikeliest of friendships.

As for the completed product? The cinematography is breathtaking, at times, and heart-breaking at others. It's the kind of visual mix reserved for blockbuster films, of which MY WAY definitely deserves to sit side by side. The director clearly went to great lengths to capture these various terrains the stark beauty of open fields, the harsh claustrophia of the Russian winters, the majestic swells on the beaches of Normandy and adapt them to the message of each sequence, and it all looks solid and impactful. The musical score is equally impressive though perhaps a bit derivative at times.

MY WAY was produced by Directors, SK Planet, and CJ Entertainment. DVD distribution is being handled through Well Go USA. The disc looks and sounds exceptional the picture is stunningly crisp, and the audio is a terrific mix for both the big and the smaller elements. As is often the case with some of these foreign releases finding distribution in the US, there aren't tons and tons of special features, but, thankfully, MY WAY has a solid few: there's a `making of' featurette along with some behind-the-scenes material, cast interviews, and a director interview. Also, there's an English-dubbed track which I found helpful given the fact that there are sequences of some rapid-fire dialogue that just doesn't give this ol' pair of eyes enough time to read all of it. It clocks in at an impressive 143 minutes, but you wouldn't know it; it never felt overlong or overwrought in the slightest, as the focus retains a personal edge throughout.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. MY WAY continues to string of terrific war-related films out of Korea. Culturally, their artists have latched on to a winning, compelling formula of delivering tales of great conflict alongside some tragic and triumphant personal narratives. Granted, there were a few sequences one tinged with fairly predictable character-based humor that `cheapened' a few moments, but they're very, very small (and completely forgivable) when compared to the epic scope of the picture. MY WAY walks that line with excellent balance it's as frightening as it is inspiring and it's easy to see why the NYC Movie Guru dubbed it the "most powerful war film since SAVING PRIVATE RYAN."

In the interests of fairness, I'm pleased to disclose that the good folks at Well Go USA provided me with a DVD screener copy of MY WAY by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review.

Riveting. Brutal. Epic. All of the above. Director Kang Je-gyu sure knows how to make films that are heartbreaking. Based on the true story of an Asian man found on the beaches at Normandy during World War II, somehow the main character ends up being forced to fight for the Japanese, the Russians, and the Germans over the course of the film. There are at least five different languages spoken in this film: Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, and German. And then the credits roll with a wonderful song from Italy's own Andrea Bocelli. Truly a multinational picture. Contains amazing scenery and a jaw-dropping, climactic recreation of the Normandy invasion. Just don't watch it if you're squeamish. Very, very graphic in places. But so powerful.

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A epic production about two friends who grow up together ,but a horrible tragedy while they were young tore them apart, the acting in this film was very compelling ,the meat of the film is the spectacular war scenes , very realistic and harsh, there are few similarities with this film and the film "the brotherhood of war" which came a few years prior to this one ,both films told a very human story around the brutal reality of war.A likeable movie but very long.

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This is the sort of film the word `epic' was coined for. It is a Korean World War II film that takes in China, Russia and Europe as its scenes for some really well done battles. It is based on `true events', and I suspected a lot of licence has been taken but have since found out that this is based on the life of a Korean captured by the Americans on D Day in a Wermacht uniform Yang Kyougjong.

The film is the story of two men Jun-Shik (Dong-gun Jang `Brotherhood') and Tassuo (jo Odagiri `Shinobi'), the former is Korean and the latter Japanese. They are both keen runners and an early rivalry starts between them as children when Tatsuo's family move to the now conquered Korea to bring the Imperial Army jackboot down on the populace. An enmity soon grows between the two which is worsened by Japans decision to not allow Koreans to do the try outs for the Olympics.

As a result of the ensuing unrest many Koreans and press ganged or sentenced to fight in the Imperial Army, this happens to Jun-Shik and many of his friends, they are sent to China to further the war that has been raging there since 1937. They have to face Russian tanks with swords drawn and strap bombs to themselves as suicide attacks and it all kicks off. Hopelessly out numbered and out gunned they are taken prisoners of the Russians. This now begins the story of bitter struggle in the camps and the ensuing journey across Europe. To say any more would be a plot spoiler, but having said that there is rather a lot of plot so please don't think I have revealed too much already.

There are some great battle scenes and the action is all excellent as is the period detail and the languages are all authentic too, including Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, German and English; so this is obviously sub titled. There is rather a lot of CGI and it is all on the above average side, but considering the scope and ambition of this film, they could not have done it any other way.

This is from `Brotherhood' director Kang Je Kyu who has taken seven years off but made this in ten months, I just hope he doesn't need such a break this time. For location fans this was actually shot in Latvia, but I did not feel this lacked authenticity. Whilst this is unashamedly emotional as most Korean cinema is, it is still brimming with action and no on screen time is wasted, it is an edge of seat marathon with a run time of 2 hours and eighteen minutes, you get a 40 minute `making of' as an extra too. If you are a fan of the ever growing catalogue of Korean action films, then this is one you will want to add to your collection unmissable.

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Magnificent. Overpowering. A true masterpiece. "My Way" is, in my view, one of the best movies about war ever, one that you will feel and live. Well Go USA brings us again another piece of Korean-Japanese history that desperately needed to be told, and it looks outstanding in its Blu-ray edition.

Helmed by Kang Je-Kyu, who was also responsible for "Taegukgi: Brotherhood of War" (2004), the film takes us to Korea, during the Japanese occupation of that country. We immediately meet Jung-shik Kim (Dong-gun Jang), whose father works for a high-ranked Japanese army officer, as well as Tatsuo Hasegawa (Jo Odagiri), grandchild of this officer, who comes to visit. Both Jung-shik and Tatsuo are very young, and they are excellent runners. Unfortunately, a tragedy happens which separates the families, and they never develop a friendship while growing up together. In addition, at the time, some, if not most, Japanese looked at Koreans as low-class people. Once they become adults the year is 1938 --, Tatsuo, who is wealthy, is due to go to medical school (against his will; instead, he wants to become an army officer) and Jung-shik, who is poor, becomes a rickshaw driver. Tatsuo, too, is running at the Olympic Games, representing Korea, which infuriates the Korean population. As a result, Tatsuo and Jung-shik have to compete for the Olympic trials, with Jung-shik winning, but being cheated by government officials who wanted Tatsuo at any cost. But fate intervenes and Japan goes to war, with the Koreans forced to join the Japanese army as "Imperial soldiers." As expected, both Jung-shik and Tatsuo go to war, and their paths will be crossing over and over for the next years, leading us to a surprising, dramatic end.

"My Way" is a story about redemption under the worst circumstances, and the battle scenes are as realistic as they can get, with amazing cinematography by Mo-Gae Lee and production design by Geun-hyun Cho. This is one grandiose production, also ignored by Hollywood. The Blu-ray includes a making-of feature, interviews with the director and Dong-gun Jang, and more. (South Korea, 2011, 143 min plus additional materials).

Reviewed on July 30, 2012 by Eric Gonzales for Well Go USA Blu-ray.

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The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He hath loos'd the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword, His truth is marching on." Battle Hymn of the Republic.

In 1936, John Steinbeck wrote a series of articles about the migrant workers driven to California from the Midwestern states after losing their homes in the throes of the depression: inclement weather, failed crops, land mortgaged to the hilt and finally taken over by banks and large corporations when credit lines ran dry. Lured by promises of work aplenty, the Midwesterners packed their belongings and trekked westward to the Golden State, only to find themselves facing hunger, inhumane conditions, contempt and exploitation instead. "Dignity is all gone, and spirit has turned to sullen anger before it dies," Steinbeck described the result in one of his 1936 articles, collectively published as "The Harvest Gypsies;" and in another piece ("Starvation Under the Orange Trees," 1938) he asked: "Must the hunger become anger and the anger fury before anything will be done?"

By the time he wrote the latter article, Steinbeck had already published one novel addressing the agricultural laborers' struggle against corporate power ("In Dubious Battle," 1936). Shortly thereafter he began to work on "The Grapes of Wrath," which was published roughly a year later. Although the book would win the Pulitzer Prize (1940) and become a cornerstone foundation of Steinbeck's Literature Nobel Prize (1962), it was sharply criticized upon its release nowhere more so than in the Midwest and still counts among the 35 books most frequently banned from American school curricula: A raw, brutally direct, yet incredibly poetic masterpiece of fiction, it continues to touch nerves deeply rooted in modern society's fabric; including and particularly in California, where yesterday's Okies are today's undocumented Mexicans Chicano labor leader Cesar Chavez especially pointed out how well he could empathize with the Joad family, because he and his fellow workers were now living the same life they once had.

Having fought hard with his publisher to maintain the novel's uncompromising approach throughout, Steinbeck was weary to give the film rights to 20th Century Fox, headed by powerful mogul and, more importantly, known conservative Daryl F. Zanuck. Yet, Zanuck and director John Ford largely stayed true to the novel: There is that sense of desperation in farmer Muley's (John Qualen's) expression as he tells Tom and ex-preacher Casy (Henry Fonda and John Carradine) how the "cats" came and bulldozed down everybody's homes, on behalf of a corporate entity too intangible to truly hold accountable. There is Grandpa Joad (Charley Grapewin), literally clinging to his earth and dying of a stroke (or, more likely, a broken heart) when he is made to leave against his will. There is everybody's brief joy upon first seeing Bakersfield's rich plantations everybody's except Ma Joad's (Jane Darwell's), that is, who alone knows that Grandma (Zeffie Tilbury) died in her arms before they even started to cross the Californian desert the previous night. There is the privately-run labor camps' utter desolation, complete with violent guards, exploitative wages, lack of food and unsanitary conditions; contrasted with the relative security and more humane conditions of the camps run by the State. And there is Tom's crucial development from a man acting alone to one seeing the benefit of joining efforts in a group, following Casy's example, and his parting promise to Ma that she'll find him everywhere she looks wherever there is injustice, struggle, and people's joint success. In an overall outstanding cast, which also includes Dorris Bowdon (Rose of Sharon), Eddie Quillan (Rose's boyfriend Connie), Frank Darien (Uncle John) and a brief appearance by Ward Bond as a friendly policeman, Henry Fonda truly shines as Tom; despite his smashing good looks fully metamorphosized into Steinbeck's quick-tempered, lanky, reluctant hero.

Yet, in all its starkness the movie has a more optimistic slant than the novel; due to a structural change which has the Joads moving from bad to acceptable living conditions (instead of vice versa), the toning down of Steinbeck's political references most importantly, the elimination of a monologue using a land owner's description of "reds" as anybody "that wants thirty cents and hour when we're payin' twenty-five" to show that under the prevalent conditions that definition applies to virtually *every* migrant laborer and a greater emphasis on Ma Joad's pragmatic, forward-looking way of dealing with their fate; culminating in her closing "we's the people" speech (whose direction, interestingly, Ford, who would have preferred to end the movie with the image of Tom walking up a hill alone in the distance, left to Zanuck himself). Jane Darwell won a much-deserved Academy-Award for her portrayal as Ma; besides John Ford's Best Director award the movie's only winner on Oscar night none of its other five nominations scored, unfortunately including those in the Best Picture and Best Leading Actor categories, which went to Hitchcock's "Rebecca" and James Stewart ("The Philadelphia Story") instead. Still, despite its critical success also expressed in a "Best Picture" National Board of Review award and its marginally optimistic outlook, the movie engendered almost as much controversy as did Steinbeck's book. After the witch hunt setting in not even a decade later, today it stands as one of the last, greatest examples of a movie pulling no punches in the portrayal of society's ailments; a type of film regrettably rare in recent years.

"Ev'rybody might be just one big soul well it looks that-a way to me. ... Wherever men are fightin' for their rights, that's where I'm gonna be, ma. That's where I'm gonna be." Woody Guthrie, "The Ballad of Tom Joad."

"The highway is alive tonight, but nobody's kiddin' nobody about where it goes. I'm sittin' down here in the campfire light, with the ghost of old Tom Joad." Bruce Springsteen, "The Ghost of Tom Joad."

Also recommended:

John Steinbeck : Novels and Stories, 1932-1937 : The Pastures of Heaven / To a God Unknown / Tortilla Flat / In Dubious Battle / Of Mice and Men (Library of America)

John Steinbeck: The Grapes of Wrath and Other Writings 1936-1941: The Grapes of Wrath, The Harvest Gypsies, The Long Valley, The Log from the Sea of Cortez (Library of America)

Steinbeck Novels 1942-1952: The Moon Is Down / Cannery Row / The Pearl / East of Eden (Library of America)

John Steinbeck: Travels with Charley and Later Novels 1947-1962: The Wayward Bus / Burning Bright / Sweet Thursday / The Winter of Our Discontent (Library of America)

America and Americans and Selected Nonfiction (Penguin Classics)

John Steinbeck, Writer: A Biography

East of Eden (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Of Mice & Men

Viva Zapata!

The Ox-Bow Incident

This is it! This is the movie to show to your preteen children to give them an understanding of what it means to struggle for something, for the barest of necessities.

John Steinbeck and John Ford did America proud, allowing us to look inward to discover solutions for our social problems. As a country we would do well to do the same again.

Tom Joad (Henry Fonda) and Ma Joad (Jane Darwell) are the central characters of this film, but many other, richly defined, roles can be found here. The young husband who deserts his wife because he's ashamed that he can't provide for her ... the waitress whose, somewhat hardened, heart is softened by the plight of the Joads ... the Grandfather who dreams of California and eating grapes while their juice runs down his chin ... the grieving father warning the Joads of the hard times ahead in California ... and who can forget the family friend who refuses to leave Oklahoma, and slides further and further into insanity as his entire community disappears.

Each secondary member of the cast has something invaluable to add to the story and the standout is the great John Carradine as the disillusioned, x-preacher, Casey. It is Casey who helps Tom to recognize the injustice in their 'migrant' world, and Casey who provides the supreme sacrifice and catalyst for Tom's promised future of being "there" for the little guy.

Yes, this movie can fall victim to overt sentimentalism, but the underlying feeling of injustice is probably the main 'character' in the story. While it's overall theme can be depressing, you can't help but smile when Ma Joad says "We're the people that live."

I absolutely love this movie, I think you will too.

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It's striking how many reviewers here base their comments on a simplisitic comparison between the film version of "The Grapes of Wrath" and the Steinbeck novel on which it was based. For many such a comparison seems to function simply as an excuse to proclaim the inherent superiority of the Steinbeck original--and, by extension, the superiority of their own literary taste values-when all it really does is highlight the patent silliness of trying to pit different artforms into some sort of evaluative competition. Literature and cinema are two vastly different modes of representation each with their own strengths and limitations, so the framing question shouldn't be which version of "The Grapes of Wrath" is "better"--as if there were a universal yardstick with which to measure such things--but rather how do they perform in terms of their respective mediums? On that count, I think we are extraordinarily fortunate with both the Steinbeck and Ford versions of "The Grapes of Wrath" to have two masterworks that operate consummately at the peak of their respective artforms. What each does well, it does brilliantly. As a verbal medium that unfolds slowly, literature is good at offering rich, layered descriptions of person and place and mapping complicated narrative links and Steinbeck makes the most of this in his novel. Cinema, by contrast, is an expressive medium that works best through registers of visual and aural metaphor, allegory and performance...and it's on this ground that I think the film version of "The Grapes of Wrath" more than merits its classic status. It is a magnificently "cinematic" film that uses the expressive capacities of the medium to produce a richly layered experience that is truly moving and that lingers long afterward, sometimes for years or even a whole lifetime. I first saw "The Grapes of Wrath" on TV one rainy afternoon in my childhood and it left indelible impressions that have impelled me to go back to the film time and again: The haunted eyes of Jane Darwell's Ma Joad as she sits in the truck cabin, lit from beneath, driving into an uncertain future, the winds of history howling oustside; the terrifying collision montage as the monstrous "cats" move in to destroy the Okies' homes; the soulless gas station attendants, standing together in uniforms like corporatized automata, muttering that the Joads are too miserable to be human. It's a film dense with iconic richness and an enduring testament both to the artistry of the many workers that created it, and to the democratic spirit of popular cinema at its very best.

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This is a review of the new BD of the classic film "The Grapes of Wrath".

First off, when reading reviews of this title be aware that Amazon has a policy of grouping ALL reviews of ALL versions of a film, whether DVD, Blu-ray (and even VHS). So if you are looking for a review of the Bluray, sort reviews by date (with most current first). That should help guide you.

With that said, this is a review of the single-disc BD released on June 5, 2012.

"The Grapes of Wrath" (TGOW) is a classic film and one that everyone should see. It's re-release by Fox is timely as much of the US is still in a recession and unemployment is high. There are many folks re-locating from their homes (if they haven't been evicted already) looking for work. If you want to know more about the film and its plot, there are over 160 reviews here that will provide that info. So I'll concentrate on the BD release, it's special features and not on the film itself.

TGOW was filmed in black and white in a standard format of 1.33:1 so no matter what screen aspect your TV has the image will be virtually square. Even on an older non-flat screen TV the image does not fill the screen but has thick black border on all sides. Direct John Ford used dark images (and lots of great shadows) to tell the story and , though the BD image is brighter than previous releases, it show the graininess of the film. I also noted in the early scenes that the brightness would waiver, but I got used to it as I concentrated on the story.

The BD has, as special features, a commentary track (same as on previous DVD release) that I did not listen to, a series of short Fox Movietone newsreels about the dust bowl and the Academy Award presentation to actress Jane Darwell (who won the award for Best Actress but is not even given recognition by name on the package despite a fabulous performance) totally about 8-minutes. There is also a 25-minute piece from the Fox Legacy TV show (on Fox of course) with Tom Rothman. I tried to get into it but Rothman is frankly not a good speaker and I found a bit too pompous for my tastes. Despite playing with the Display Aspect control on my BD player, I found that the excerpts from the film that were included in Rothman's piece, were out of "ratio" and the image was "squished". I'm not sure how this plays on other TVs. The BD also gives you the option of watching the film with the "forward" included in the British release, which the producers decided was necessary to explain the economic conditions in the US to the British theater audience. A nice touch for completeness. The last bonus is an A&E episode on Producer Daryl F. Zanuck (that I haven't gotten to yet.).

Having read a few other reviews of the DVD version here, it appears that the DVD version has a sharper image than the BD, despite a few more dark spots. I can't tell if the images in the bonuses are any different as I only have the BD.

So, while I generally would turn to a BD version over the DVD version, I think in this case there is more reason to get the DVD than the BD. But, if you haven't seen this film before, with great acting by Henry Fonda and Darwell, then get it in either version. Just get it.

My rating is a bit skewed. The film gets five stars (I love it), the bonuses three stars (it's OK) and formatting between 3 and 4 stars.

I hope you found this review both informative and helpful.

Steve Ramm

"Anything Phonographic"

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Take John Steinbeck's Pulitzer-Prize-Winning Novel. Turn it into a movie and let John Ford direct it, and get Henry Fonda to star. In 1940 you could hardly find a more certain recipe for a cinema classic.

As good as the film is, it really should be a companion-piece to Steinbeck's original masterpiece, and if you haven't read it I recommend setting aside enough time to read one of the greatest pieces of American literature ever written.

That being said, the medium of the cinema allows for a visual impact that can't be matched with the written word.

The Grapes of Wrath follows the Joad family during the great depression. That period of economic hardship hit the farmers in Oklahoma a little harder than the rest of the world, at the time of the dust bowl the "Okies" were at the end of their ropes, financially speaking.

Thousands of Okies packed up the house after being foreclosed and moved out to California many winding up around Bakersfield, at the California end of old US Route 66. (Merle Haggard's family did so and the "Okie from Muscogee" wrote about it in songs like "California Cottonfields".)

Anyway, this is the historical context of the movie. The theme of the movie, and of Steinbeck's book, is the ability of the human spirit to remain intact in these worst of times. The Joads suffer terrible humiliations, one after another, most of them because of their desperate financial status. But as the story proceeds we see that they are fundamentally decent, hard-working people, and every time life knocks them down they get back up, brush the dirt off themselves, and keep moving forward. As a national characteristic, this was an important trait because this was the generation that produced the hard-working, high-minded individuals who did important things like win World War II, followed by America's greatest financial flourishing and the Baby Boom. Tom Brokaw called them "America's Greatest Generation".

The cast is picture-perfect, with Henry Fonda as the spirited Tom Joad and John Carradine as the former preacher with a new social consciousness. Jane Darwell won a well-deserved Best Supporting Actress Award as Ma Joad, and the remainder of the cast is in every way equal to the story and the film.

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Marvel Blu-ray Three-Pack (Fantastic Four / Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer / Daredevil)

The Bluray transfer of these movies are great, and its very hard to complain for the price, but the original Fantastic 4 movie is missing many of the extras included with the old DVD version and the Daredevil disc has the director's cut, but is missing the theaterical version and many of the extras from the old DVD version. Only the Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer disc offers comparable extras equivalent to the old DVD issue. If you don't care about extras or added content, and like comic book movies (even ones that aren't the greatest), this set is a great deal.

If you were looking to replace your old DVD versions with comparable extras and HD quality, you may want to hold off on getting this in hopes that a superior version will one day be released on blu-ray.

One thing is for certain, if you've never seen the Daredevil Director's Cut you're missing out on a great film. (One that's remarkably better than its theatrical release) I'm glad they didn't include a copy of the initial release on Blu-Ray. That film should be ignored. Honestly, the DD DC is one of the best comic based films regarding any origin. It's better than Batman Begins, Spider-Man and Superman. The FF films are fun and look great in HD on Blu-Ray. Too bad there wasn't more story to go along with the popcorn fun. Overall, the price is right and every Blu-Ray collection should have these movies.

Buy Marvel Blu-ray Three-Pack (Fantastic Four / Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer / Daredevil) Now

OK, these are popcorn movies. So, just have to make that point clear. For its price, this is a great value. The movies look and sound great on blu-ray. Fantastic Four might not be the best superhero movie, but it's entertaining. Especially when you just want to turn off your brain and watch the special effects.

Daredevil, on the other hand, is quite a good movie. Definitely the best in the collection.

Read Best Reviews of Marvel Blu-ray Three-Pack (Fantastic Four / Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer / Daredevil) Here

He watched it all over the holiday break and he really appreciated this gift from me. I would assume he will re-watch all of three movies again.

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If only there are more sets of such variety movies. 3 movies for a reasonable price, really worth getting it!

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The Caine Mutiny (1954)

THE CAINE MUTINY remains one of the finest films ever made about the Navy. It was also one the U.S. Navy had a complex relationship with. On the one hand, the navy provided considerable access to naval vessels. Significant scenes were shot on at least three: the destroyer-mine sweeper used to represent the Caine, a light cruiser at the very end, and the U.S.S. Kearsarge, which represented Halsey's flag ship the U.S.S. Enterprise, though he later moved to the U.S.S. Missouri. Despite this remarkable cooperation, the Navy very nearly withheld its approval for the film. It was afraid that the public might imagine that the story represented actual events or that it might be imagined that there had been a mutiny aboard some ship. Only after the filmmakers agree to begin the film with a historical disclaimer did they approve.

More than anything, despite the presence of ships, the film is mainly a showcase for great acting. The quality of the cast simply can't be exaggerated. There are a host of stellar performances, and they even have such future stars as Lee Marvin in throwaway parts. Humphrey Bogart absolutely dominates the screen with one of the finest performances of his career. Most of the fan and critic polls I have seen over the years of the greatest movie stars of all time invariably place Bogart in the number one spot, and when you see him in this role, and then realize that he has 7 or 8 roles just as great, it is easy to see why. He is such a forceful presence that one would imagine that he wouldn't have been capable of a variety of roles, yet you contrast this film with THE MALTESE FALCON and THE AFRICAN QUEEN, and you realize that he had a capacity to play a surprisingly wide range of roles. Lt. Commander Queeg lacks almost all of the qualities of Rick in CASABLANCA, and possesses a host of lamentable ones as well. The scene in which Queeg cowardly has the U.S.S. Caine quickly outrun the landing crafts it is assigned to protect and then retreat to safety as fast as possible is made all the worse by the courage his characters in other films display. Queeg's final crack up on the witness stand at Lt. Maryk's court martial is justifiably famous, and is among the great scenes in cinema. It is now impossible for any character in any film to play with a pair of steel balls and not think of Bogart.

The rest of the cast is hardly shamed by Bogart. Van Johnson, as the loyal, enormously capable, conscientious Lt. Maryk is superb. (This is, by the way, the only film in which the make up department didn't cover the quite large scars on his forehead that he suffered over a decade earlier in a serious car wreck, which resulted in a steel plate being placed in his forehead.) Robert Francis, who had a promising career cut short at the age of 25 in a plane crash he suffered a year after this film, is solid as the young, idealistic Ensign Keith (though the parallels between his hesitancy to stand up to his mother and marry the woman he loves and his hesitancy to stand up to his commanders isn't developed as much as it is implied) holds his own against stiff competition. Fred MacMurray, who spent his entire career bouncing between utterly lovable and absolutely reprehensible characters, here takes the latter course as the complex, spineless Lt. Keefer. His character adds a delicious degree of ambiguity to the film. Jerry Paris, who would later play Rob and Laura Petrie's friend in THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW, is excellent as the ship's other junior ensign. Tom Tully managed an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in his stellar performance as Lt. Commander DeVriess, the first commander of the Caine. Jose Ferrer (who is, by the way, George Clooney's uncle by marriage), whose screen roles never seemed to come up to the level of his talent, is outstanding in his small but memorable role as the mutineers' defense attorney.

On a minor note, I very much enjoyed the very unusual location scene in Yosemite National Park. Although we take location shots for granted today, Hollywood in the thirties, forties, and fifties was only very slowly willing to undertake location shots. It is hard today to realize how radical it was for directors like John Huston (who shot parts of THE TREASURE OF SIERRA MADRE in Mexico and THE AFRICAN QUEEN in Africa) or John Ford (who shot extensively in Arizona for his Westerns and in Ireland for THE QUIET MAN) to shoot on location. The general preference was to build sets on Hollywood backlots. It is so unusual to see location shots that no sound film was shot on location in Chicago (many films were made at the old Essanay Studios in Chicago in the teens and twenties) until the superb Jimmy Stewart CALL NORTHSIDE 777. The scenes in this one, therefore, set in Yosemite are pretty unique.

It's a tradition for television stations to show a selection of war movies over the Memorial Day holiday and it is fast becoming a tradition for the studios to release a slew of war themed DVDs to celebrate the contribution of the nation's veterans in time for the last Monday in May.

Special mention this year goes to Columbia who are releasing collector's editions of two classics that had already been afforded a release on those shiny silver discs.

First up is "The Caine Mutiny" which was first released on DVD back in late 1998. That bare bones version was widely panned for its poor transfer, which featured an overabundance of digital noise and was presented in basic stereo.

Those failings have been corrected for this most recent digitally remastered release. Here we are presented with a quite exceptional picture and soundtrack and a nice smattering of special features.

Based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Herman Wouk the film (which itself was nominated for seven Academy Awards in 1954) details the tension between the captain of a World War II era minesweeper (played superbly by Humphrey Bogart) and his crew. Bogart's character is overly paranoid and viewed by some as displaying cowardice in the face of battle.

Playing the part of the executive officer, Lt. Steve Maryk is Van Johnson who, spurred on by third in command, the spineless Lt. Keefer (Fred MacMurray), finally takes control of the ship when the safety of the ship and crew are threatened. Queeg's stubborn insistences to maintain the heading of the ship in a typhoon, flying in the face of good seamanship, forces Maryk to take action and he, along with Ensign Keith, are charged with mutiny upon return to port.

It is here that the movie truly shines. Reluctantly defending the two is the always-excellent Jose Ferrer, and the scene where he interrogates Queeg on the stand is spellbinding.

Complimenting the movie Columbia have added an interesting scene specific audio commentary by Program Director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center Richard Pena and filmmaker and producer Ken Bowser. The two detail the difficulties the filmmakers initially faced when confronted with an initially uncooperative Department of he Navy, careers of the actors involved and the context of the film in relation to a political environment that saw Hollywood filmmakers blacklisted.

Apparently the Navy has never had a mutiny onboard one of its ships (a fact which leads to the placement of a disclaimer to the beginning of the picture) and they were none too pleased with the fictitious account. However, following a change in command, they reversed their decision and offered the use of dockyards, ships, aircraft carrier and even real sailors for the movie.

Both Pena and Bowser return for the two-part documentary on the making of the movie. Running for 18:48 and 16:16 respectively they are joined by Film Critic Bob Castle.

The three begin by discussing the mood in Hollywood at the time. Apparently movie audiences declined rapidly from 1946 to 1962 with the advent of television and greater foreign competition and so a nervous industry was looking for a "sure bet." Producer Stanley Kramer had bought the film rights to "The Caine Mutiny" book before it became a bestseller for $60,000. The book was a major selling point that led to the producers being able to cast the movie with a strong ensemble. Castle mentions some of the un-credited roles to illustrate this and Bogart reportedly read the book and actively campaigned for the role of the captain.

Rounding out the special features are trailers for "Walking Tall: The Payback," "Hard Luck" and "Edison Force." None bear any thematic connection with the main feature.

Recommended

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This is truly a classic movie. Based on the novel by Herman Wouk, The Caine Mutiny is a good drama. The cast includes Van Johnson as the Exec. Is he a mutineer or did he save the ship? Fred Macmurray is cast against type. Don't look for My Three Sons here. Jose Ferrer is the defense attorney who has to save the career of Van Johnson. All of these are excellent performances but pale in comparison with Humphrey Bogart's. He is totally believeable as Captain Queeg. Was he insane or just misunderstood? Who was guilty of mutiny. Look for Lee Marvin, Jerry Paris and Claude Akins in supporting roles. This is excellent entertainment and should not be missed.

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Humphrey Bogart gives another top rated powerful performance in this classic drama with a first rate professional cast including Fred MacMurray, Van Johnson, Jose Ferrer, E.G. Marshall, Tom Tully, Lee Marvin, Robert Francis, Claude Atkins, and Arthur Franz.

Captain Phillip Queeg (Humphrey Bogart) is in command of the USS Caine. Very unpopular with the men he gradually becomes more and more paranoid and his chief officers believe he is no longer competent to be in charge of the ship. His Executive Officer Lt Steve Maryk (Van Johnson) suspects that Queeg is a very sick man and not fit to command the ship due to his wild and erratic behaviour. Lt Tom Keefer (Fred MacMurray) feels the same way but is not prepared to make a stand against the Captain. During a violent storm Queeg loses his nerve and Maryk takes over the command only to be accused by Queeg of mutiny. ("Mr Maryk, if you question my decision once more I'll order you off this bridge". Bogart to Van Johnson). Maryk does take over the ship against Queeg's wishes and when back on land charges of mutiny are brought against him. The trial that follows forms the main focus of the film (and for me it was the most interesting) with some very tense and impressively acted dramatic scenes showing Bogart at his best. Lt Barney Greenwald (Jose Ferrer) is engaged as defending counsel for Maryk who is being charged with mutiny. However, things begin to look very bad for Maryk when Tom Keefer is called to give evidence and fails to support him. Some other witnesses are also unable (or reluctant) to show that Queeg was unfit to command the ship and Greenwald appears to be losing his case. Then Captain Queeg is called to the stand and has to face some strong questioning from Greenwald leading to the dramatic climax of the film.

Some favourite lines from the film:

Humphrey Bogart (to crew): "You people think you're very clever, but you're not fooling me".

Bogart (to Van Johnson): "Mr Maryk, you may tell the crew for me there are four ways of doing things aboard my ship. The right way, the wrong way, the navy way, and my way they do things my way we'll get along".

Johnson (to Fred MacMurray): "I don't get it. Is the captain off his head or isn't he? Is this record I've kept correct or not?".

Johnson (to Bogart): "Captain, I'm sorry, but you're a sick man. I'm relieving you as captain of this ship under article 184".

Bogart (to officers): "You'll all hang for conspiracy for mutiny".

Bogart (on witness stand): "Ah .... but the strawberries! That's where I had them. They laughed at me and made jokes, but I proved beyond a shadow of a doubt, and with geometric logic, that a duplicate key to the wardroom icebox did exist".

Jose Ferrer (to the officers): "Sure, I got a guilty conscience. I defended you Steve because I thought the wrong man was on trial. So I torpedoed Queeg for you. I had to torpedo him and I feel sick about it".

"The Caine Mutiny" was directed by Edward Dmytryk who was also responsible for "Raintree County", "The Young Lions" and many other classic films. "The Caine Mutiny" was remade as a TV movie in 1988 with Eric Bogosian, Jeff Daniels, Brad Davis and Peter Gallagher. I have never seen this so I can't comment on it. However, I did see the Bogart version several times and doubt if anything else could come up to that standard. TV movies are seldom as good as the big screen originals.

Bogart was nominated for the Best Actor "Oscar" for his performance in this film but was unfortunately beaten by Marlon Brando in "On the Waterfront". The film received a nomination for Best Picture but the award again went to "On the Waterfront". Actor Tom Tully was nominated as Best Supporting Actor for his role as Captain DeVriess but the award went to Edmond O'Brien for "The Barefoot Contessa". Even though it failed to win any Academy Awards "The Caine Mutiny" remains a very important dramatic and exciting film and the acting from all the principals was excellent. Another memorable Bogart winner that should not be missed.

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While the movie is a great piece of acting with a couple of exceptions, the movie does not hold a candle to the superb book of the same name.

Some actors are poor character choices. Francis is not the right man to play the baby-faced, heavy set, Willie Keith. The actress, May Winn who uses the same name as her character appears to be a whimpy, love-struck night club singer, not at all like her level-headed counterpart in the book. Van Johnson comes through even if he is not the crew-cut, barrel-chested Maryk portrayed in the book. Bogart and McMurray are superb choices for their roles, as are Jose Ferrer, E.G Marshall, and the one who plays Captain DeVries.

The movie is entertaining and worth the purchase, but my suggestion is to see the movie first, and read the book second. That way, the movie will not disappoint.

While I found the book far superior, I recommend you proceed full speed ahead with the movie.

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