The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad (1958)

If you love classic films and you love special effects, then you are undoubtedly passionate about the films of legendary Ray Harryhausen, and this is one of his best. In this movie, Harryhausen uses his stop-motion technique in color for the first time (and the print here is terrific) to tell the tale of Sinbad (Kerwin Mathews) as he sails the seas, forms an uneasy alliance with an evil magician (Torin Thatcher) and battles a Cyclops, a two-headed Roc and a dragon. Other memorable effects include the genie Berani and the interior of his magic lamp, the Princess Parisa being shrunk and the servant woman who is turned into a dancing half-woman, half-snake. The action starts right away and continues throughout the film, and Bernard Herrmann's music is, as always, absolutely perfect.

DVD extras are excellent, and include: a picture of the original poster; trailers from other Harryhausen features; two interview featurettes, each 12 minutes long; a 3-minute featurette about the Dynamation process; and a one-hour feature about Ray Harryhausen. This is a great package -and for you enthusiastic polyglots out there, the film can be heard in English, Spanish or Portuguese, while subtitles are available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean or Thai!

Having small children who are becoming interested in "scary movies", I've found that the Harryhausen ouevre is a great way for them to find thrills and chills without gore, and a wonderful way for me to reconnect with my childhood joys as well. The whole family has a great time watching these terrific films. I'm really glad they're being re-released in such high quality and with such interesting dvd extras.

Superb!

This film was always a favorite of mine since the first time I saw it.

Visually the print on this DVD is extraordinary. The colors are vibrant and the images are incredibly sharp, crisp and clear.

In particular, you can really appreciate Ray Harryhausen's Special Effects that he laboriously produced for this film. They don't look blurred or out of focus as they have on previous prints. They are presented here as they were intended to be seen in their entire splendor and brilliance. It is amazing what he did with an eight-inch tall stop-motion model of a skeleton.

Ken Kolb's screenplay elevates this film beyond the boundaries of what could have been just another fantasy monster movie. He brings depth to the characters and uses dialogue to increase the suspense of the story. Along with director Nathan Juran and all the other filmmakers an epic fairytale unfolds and is preserved on film.

Bernard Herrmann's score is a showstopper and as always accentuates the images on the screen adding mood and enhancing the overall visual effect for the viewer. Herrmann went on to score three more Harryhausen films: "The Three Worlds of Gulliver," "Mysterious Island" and "Jason and the Argonauts." Bernard Herrmann's collaboration with Ray Harryhausen and producer Charles Schneer equaled that of his collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock.

Kerwin Mathews is ever so stoically heroic as Sinbad. He is very good in this role as he brings energy and conviction to the part. He is a man with mission and will not bend or be swayed until he brings it to finality. It is a shame that Mathews never went on to greater screen accomplishments.

Trained for the stage at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Shakespearean actor Torin Thatcher is the consummate evil magician, Sokurah. He too brings conviction to his role as he is dedicated to the forces of evil and darkness.

Visually this is far superior to the Laser Disc version. The Laser Disc was issued in full-frame and not quite as sharp. However, the Laser Disc version was issued with the soundtrack in stereo. I was very disappointed that this DVD was not issued in stereo. That would have made it completely satisfying.

However, the images are so spectacularly presented here it is almost a minor point. Thank the gods for Dynamation.

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Matlin's summary above is quite accurate in describing this film.

I first saw this film as a child of 10 at a drive-in theater. The memory of the imagery and the music have stayed with me over the years. I've seen the film since on tv, film festivals, and vhs. None had the clarity of image and sound of this new DVD release.

Columbia has done Harryhausen's film classic proud. The print quality has NEVER looked so good and is presented here enhanced for 16x9!. The original mono sound is also quite good and Herrmann's brilliant score moves the story right along. The extras on this disk are quite good with the lengthy "Ray Harryhausen Chronicles" being the highlight. The added trailers for other Cloumbia Harryhausen films are a treat.

Thanks to Columbia for an excellent presentation! Their DVDs are the industry standard!

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Just wanted to state this is loaded with extras.. here is a review below of the blu ray version:

The Picture

Filmed in Technicolor and framed at 1.66:1, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad arrives on Blu-ray disc in a transfer that not only shows the effects of its 50-year-old age, but also exposes some of the inherent limitations of the Technicolor format. Let me first start by saying that Sony's AVC/MPEG-4 transfer does well at capturing the source without any visible compression artifacts or processing effects such as edge enhancement and it is as sharp as it can be given the source material. There are also good shadow details, even if the blacks aren't the deepest I have seen. The Technicolor process, however, particularly in 1958, was inherently grainy and often prone to some visible variations in color contrast and density. As such, this transfer is very grainy and does display some of those variations as well as some flickering throughout. One also has to remember that the Technicolor process was known for its hyper-realistic, saturated palette that often yielded something more surreal than realistic. Therefore, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad doesn't necessarily display natural flesh tones, but something more in line with what one would expect from a Technicolor production.

In fact, most of what we see today when Technicolor films are remastered are color palettes that are toned down to be more in line with what audiences today expect to see. I'm not certain Sinbad is even as hyper-saturated as it should be, but it looks well enough reproducing the film's colorful Middle Eastern garb and bright, sunny blue skies.

The Sound

Sony continues their trend of providing multiple language tracks on their Blu-ray releases with The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. In this case there are two lossless options in the form of a newly remixed English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack and a French Dolcy TrueHD 5.1 dub as well as the original English mono soundtrack and a Thai Dolby Digital 5.1 dub. The new lossless English 5.1 mix offers a slightly more expansive soundfield that lets the score by Bernard Hermann breathe, exposing more of its intricate instrumentation. The dialogue is well balanced, if a bit harsh, and intelligible while the film's action sequences are lively with subtle use of the LFE to provide some much needed weight to the otherwise thin sound.

The original mono soundtrack is also rather good, if obviously less engulfing. It is well balanced with good dynamics, clear dialogue, and ample low frequencies. Sadly, instead of utilizing soley the center channel for a true monaural 1.0 configuration, Sony has provided the soundtrack in a Dolby 2.0 configuration. Still, it is good to have the original mix represented on this release.

The Extras

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad offers an abundance of exploratory supplemental materials that offer much insight into the work of both Ray Harryhausen and his longtime collaborator, composer Bernard Herrmann. Fans of film history, special effects and Harryhausen should be pleased by the wealth of informative extras available here.

The extras available on this release are:

Commentary with Ray Harryhausen, visual effects experts Phil Tippet and Randall William Cook, author Steven Smith, and Arnold Kunert -The men offer very detailed information on the filmmaking and stop-motion animation process as the film goes by in a very conversational manner. Ray Harryhausen, in particular, offers up many informative anecdotes about the film's production. One interesting bit of trivia that can be gleaned form the audio commentary is the fact that Harryhausen had not actually met the film's young actor Richard Eyer (The Genie) until only a couple of years ago. Because of the scheduling, all of the location filming in Spain, where Harryhausen was, used a young Spanish double in his Eyer's place, while Eyer did all of his filming on the set in the US with director Nathan Juran.

Remembering The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1.78:1/standard definition) -Ray Harryhausen reminisces on the production of Sinbad and his inspiration for doing the film. In the process, he offers up much information on the special effects techniques he employed during the filming.

The Harryhausen Legacy (1.78:1/standard definition)-John Landis and many visual effects artists speak of Harryhausen's influence on their work.

The Music of Bernard Herrmann (1.78:1/standard definition) -Music historian Steve Smith offers up an historical account of the legendary composer's music and tells of how he and Ray Harryhausen first came to collaborate.

Photo Gallery -A montage of stills from The 7th Voyage of Sinbad set to the film's score by Bernard Hermann.

"Sinbad May Have Been Bad, But He's Been Good to Me" Music Video -A promotional 45rpm recording created for the 1958 holiday season release ad campaign for Sinbad. The song is played back to a montage of promotional posters.

A Look Behind the Voyage (4:3/standard definition) -This is an archival television documentary on the career of Ray Harryhausen.

This is Dynamation (Special Effects) (4:3/standard definition) -A classic 1958 promo highlighting the film's special effects.

Ray Harryhausen -Interviewed by Director John Landis (4:3/standard definition) -John Landis interviews Ray Harryhausen in what is am ore a friendly discussion in which Landis it is obvious that Landis holds Harryhausen in very high esteem. Harryhausen once again details much of the techniques he used in the filming of The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and many of his other films.

Previews (high definition) -Promotional spots for upcoming and currently available Sony Blu-ray releases:

Casino Royale -Promo for the upcoming 2-Disc Collector's Edition

Men in Black

CJ7

The Waterhorse: Legend of the Deep

BD-Live -This disc is BD-Live enabled for users with BD-Live (Profile 2.0) capable players. The BD-Live features available on this release so far are just promos for other Blu-ray releases from Sony, and offer nothing of any real added value.

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If you're like me, you remember watching this on Saturday TV in some terrible condition but that was ok because it was quite an adventure. And adventure it was with Harryhausen artistic magic that made this fun and way ahead of its time. When I popped in this Blu-ray I was expecting a sentimental journey, not the rush of the experience I got. I remember watching this and the colors were always faded and the copy grainy at best. I was stunned at the color and for a B-Movie, the High Def comes through more than I was expecting. In all, watching the Blu-ray of this film is a joy and the best I have ever seen it. Bravo!

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Stuart Little (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1999)

I was afraid that my 2 year old would run all over the theatre. Boy, I was Wrong. She laughed just like she understood everything. The animation was superb as well as the screen play. The whole family enjoyed and I would watch it more than once.

My kids love this movie and I anticpate I put this on for them while I cook and they will be glued to the tube. As an adult I loved this film The Graphics were great and very realistic. It had drama, it had action and I just loved snowball. You should at least buy this one for the kids.

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Stuart Little is one of those rare films that the entire family can watch and enjoy together. Children will be completely enthralled and adults will alternately laugh uncontrollably and wipe away the odd sentimental tear.

The basic plot revolves around the Little family, who adopt Stuart (a mouse) despite warnings to "adopt within your own species."

The computer-generated animation is flawless, and those with pet cats or rodents will share a knowing smile or two as the watch their pets' various personalities acted out on the screen.

The plot may be silly, sappy and somewhat simplistic, but your entire family will love to watch this film again and again as Stuart and his friends scamper into and sometimes across your heart. A wonderful film for everyone.

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Though it strays considerably from the classic book, Stuart Little is nonetheless a terrific children's movie, specifically young children between say, 3 and 7 or 8. Slow-moving at times for adults, I admired the filmmakers for deliberately crafting a wonderfully imagined movie that is never TOO scary or TOO loud or TOO disturbing for the youngest viewers in the audience. There are not enough of these movies today, the kind of movies that draw youngsters into the theatre to experience the joy of movie-going with an audience. The familial message is warmly relayed, and the movie's New York City is alternately delightfully whimsical and just scary enough in the nighttime Central Park scenes. The special effects simply amaze you, and the vocal antics of Nathan Lane will make you laugh out loud, regardless of your age.

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First and foremost, this is a show that's meant to be enjoyable, simple and fun and not to invoke deep thinking about why would the parents adopt a mouse when they have a boy.. Hello.. if we are to take things so logically and seriously all the time, why in the first place is this mouse talking? Some times I think a movie does not need to give a reason why-is-what but rather just tell it's story and if it flows well and is enjoyable, we have a winner.

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The Adventures of Mark Twain (Collector's Edition) (1985)

Although The Adventures of Mark Twain is a Claymation extravaganza, it shouldn't be thought of as just kids' fare--in fact, much of the subject matter is not only intelligent on an adult level but also a bit dark. The premise is that three youngsters--Tom, Huck and Becky from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer--stow away on a fantastic lighter-than-air craft piloted by Mark Twain, who was born during a year when Halley's Comet visited our atmosphere and is trying to join up with it during one of its return visits. As he puts it, the Lord noted that those two freaks of nature came in together, and they should go out together. Along the way, the kids start to question the outcome of the trip and plot to hijack the ship. They also encounter several of Twain's short stories that are dramatized as subplots, a couple of which end up revealing crucial aspects of Twain's own character. The Clamation effects are a knockout, highly imaginative, and the plot has more substance than you might think on first approaching it. You might want to view it with your youngest children, since there are some potentially frightening considerations of mortality. Overall, however, most viewers should find it highly entertaining.

I can hardly believe that I've finally found this on DVD! I could not be more pleased. I've looked and looked over the years to no avail and suddenly PRESTO! BANGO! There it is. I used to watch this with my boys when they were very young. They did not understand the symbolism or humor then but were attracted by the incredible claymation. It's neat to see them watch it again years later and sudenly the lights go on and there is something deeper to appreciate.

I can't/won't speak to the narrow minds that kept Huckleberry Finn off so many library shelves for such a long time but we all understand that Mark Twain did not necessarily write for an audience of children. This genius of an American writer gave us things to think about and consider...uncomfortable issues for the time and gauging from some of the more emotional responses/reviews, still difficult for a few today but I challenge that truly GREAT art does that.

If you are a fan of Mark Twain and don't mind entertainment that encourages exploration of the human spirit, our ideals, aspirations, disappointments, patterns of life and the conclusion of that then I HIGHLY recommend this gem. It's definitely a keeper...you know, one of those special works that you keep in the closet even after you can recite the dialog and have given away all the other older movies you've grown tired of. It is wonderfully representative of Twain so if you are not enamored of his work you may not "get" this.

I saw some reviews that found the movie choppy but I never thought this was the case. It's a film that requires your full attention but it's so entertaining that you will want to watch again and again. Over time you will pick up on things that you may have missed the first few times around and have one of those OHHHH now I get it moments....This is not Sesame Street...it's contemplative, thoughtful and BEAUTIFULLY done...enjoy...

S.Politte, Texas

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Claymation animator Will Vinton's first -and to date, only -full-length feature is based on Mark Twain's lesser-known writings, including "Tom Sawyer Abroad" and "The Mysterious Stranger." (It also owes a substantial debt to Justin Kaplan's critical biography "Mr. Clemons and Mark Twain.") The storyline is episodic and incoherent, but individual scenes -especially the "Mysterious Stranger" sequence -are as good as animation gets.

Vinton's "Adventures of Mark Twain" is probably too strange for most audiences, and its nightmarish imagery is not suitable for young children. Twain buffs, however, will be delighted.

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I remember this movie from when I was a child. With the advent of DVD I scrambled to get every movie that I recalled fondly, only to be let down. Everything that I found to be great when I was 10, I found terrible now that I am 30.

When I heard of the release of the Adventures of Mark Twain on DVD I was hesitant. I wondered if it would be as great as I remembered it.

Thankfully, it was and better than I remember.

The Adam and Eve sequence rings funnier now at 30 than when I was 10. The animation itself is enough to blow you away, but the fact that it is still a very entertaining movie, story-wise, after all these years says a lot about this film.

Great for kids and parents.

I highly reccomend this movie!

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This movie is extermemly funny and thought provoking. The claymation was ground breaking in the field and a pleasure to watch. That the script writers thought to explore the thin veil existing between a writers characters and the writer is ingenius. Then, to explore Mark Twains classic stories and build a fictional story around the interaction of Mark Twains life with the stories and characters...another shot of genius.

Top it all off with thought provoking satire in true Mark Twain style and you have a movie worthy of a place in your library.

Mark Twain would have loved it!!

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You Again (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2010)

This flick was cute in the previews and delivers even more than it promised in the full-length film.

After years of healing success and maturity post high-school, Marnie aka MOO, finds out that her brother is marrying her nastiest high-school tormentor. With no time to process the information or put on full body armor, Marnie is thrown into the situation just days before the wedding. Joanna, oddly, doesn't even remember Marnie the queen-of-geeks and has gone on to become a perfect blend of Martha Stewart and Mother Teresa. Or maybe not!

Chick-flicky, yes. But its more about friends, enemies and the painful art of growing-up. The movie contains a few cheesy moments and a few underdeveloped relationships because the cast of characters is huge. But, it's respectful of friendship, forgiveness, character and marriage. Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney Weaver are delightfully amusing and seem to enjoy every bit of working together in this film. There is a scene at the end of the movie that is hilarious and worth every bit of cheese and I can't say one more thing about it because it would be a big spoiler. The film is clean and would be a terrific pre-teen movie choice.

Comparable movies are Mean Girls, Monster-In-Law, Bride Wars, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton and Confessions of a Shopaholic. If you liked any of the above or any of the You Again cast of characters you should enjoy this film. This is one I'll be adding to my DVD collection.

I see a lot of movies and one of the movies that really surprised me the most is YOU AGAIN. It is so well written, so well acted and just left a smile on my face throughout the entire movie because it was so hilarious -yet it was also so heartfelt -these characters are really likeable people and the situations they get into is just so well done. I highly recommend this movie. Hands down the best comedy of the year -and by the way -it got a cinemascore (the people who first saw the movie) gave it an A and if you look on boxofficeguru.com, people also gave it an A.

It's superb.

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I saw "YOU Again" when it was in theaters and I have to say it was one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time. And it is not just a chick flick! I'm a guy in my 20's and me and my friends all enjoyed it. If you like physical comedy, you'll love this movie. Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney Weaver are top notch. So, if you want to laugh, buy this DVD.

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You Again, finds humor in all of the expected places and even more! The movie centers around Marni Olivia Olsen (Kristen Bell), who as a previous high school "loser" becomes a beautiful, successful VP out of school. Always antagonized by the "popular girl", aka Jo-Jo (Odette Yustman), Joanna as she now goes by; Marni has suddenly found herself thrown into an unexpected dilemma. Her brother Will is engaged to marry Joanna. As they first meet face-to-face, Joanna seems to have no recollection of Marni. But as days tick on, the obviously frustrated Marni cannot stand to see her brother fall for her act and devises a plan to show Joanna's true colors. Hilariousness ensues and with ode to the 80's, Hall & Oats and other assorted music, the event goes on without a hitch. A movie to enjoy with the whole family. Not one inappropriate situation to shield young eyes from. Loved it! Betty White, Sigourney Weaver and Jamie Lee Curtis are awesome as the older versions of high school meanness.

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After reading some of the reviews slaughtering this campy flick I had to comment. First it has such a great cast I had to see it. Sigourney Weaver's acting was the best. Jamie Lee Curtis who is normally amazing was a bit overboard but that's probably the fault of the some of the writing. Nevertheless, my young tween and teen and I had fun watching it. It speaks to the pressures of being popular and getting your self worth trampled by your peers. And, it does a decent job treating revenge, repentance and forgiveness. It was often funny and the ending scene was hilarious. It's just the sort of movie Disney used to churn out in the 60's and 70's.

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Disneynature: Chimpanzee (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (2012)

Just got back from seeing "Chimpanzee" with my girlfriend and our two young boys. They loved it, and so did I. The first viewing in a long while that received a standing O. I cannot wait till the Blu-Ray transfer.

This is the story(narrated by Tim Allen, "Toy Story", "Home Improvement")of a newly born chimp named Oscar. We watch him grow up with his Mother and the other Chimps among the clan. Freddy, the Grandfather-leader is my favorite.

You cannot watch this without thinking of how unbelievably human they are. Look at their eyes, their communication and feelings; its all on caught on film and wonderfully done. I loved the footage of their tool and decision making, so, so human. Though the story of Oscar is its focus, other stories such as Scar and his clan who are at a territorial war over food sources and the communication and the execution of hunting their prey is genius.

Wonderfully told by Tim Allen as he takes us through the story of the chimps with his comedic style.

My kids loved it and so did I. Its nice to watch something real and educational for a change, making this a perfect family film.

Short film but very sweet and well worth it.

This review is based on the Instant View version of the film. . I don't know if it differs from the DVD sets which are available for purchase.

Please note that I DO give away some of the plot details, although this info is also included in nearly every advertisement or trailer for the film. If you haven't seen those, you may not want to read the rest of this review but I think those with young children might want to have enough information to decide if their children are ready for the film.

Before getting into the basics of this movie, I do want to note that it is probably best suited for older children since it does have some sections that could be frightening to younger ones, including the death of a baby chimp's mother (although this is not shown but rather narrated by Tim Allen).

There are also other events which involve violence, including attacks by rival groups of chimpanzees, but as with the death of the mother chimp most of the details are left to the imagination. Still, I certainly wouldn't take a young child to this movie. Just my take.

Shown in documentary form, this is the tale of a very young and adorable baby chimp named Oscar. The earlier parts of the movie revolve around Oscar's close bond with Isha, his mother. Both kids and adults who watched this with me found the early scenes to the slower part of the film. As one kid put it " There is too much talking" and I have to agree that the narration could have been edited for better impact.

Still, there was plenty of interesting info about how chimps use tools to open fruit and poke sticks in old branches on the ground to find termites and other bugs. Scenes of baby chimps playing or pretend fighting with each other brought smiles to our faces.

It takes awhile before the crucial event in this movie occurs....and Oscar's mother dies. This info has been broadly advertised in the promos for this movie but I'll leave out more explicit descriptions here. Young children probably couldn't handle even the narration of these events. I have to admit that I found it difficult to watch Oscar's mournful search for his mother and the challenges he faced without her.

In true Disney form, there is a nice abd comforting resolution and one that is likely to surprise and amaze viewers. I certainly wouldn't have predicted it.

There is also a bonus bit at the end of the film which reveals how the film was made and some of the humorous as well as frustrating experiences faced by the documentary's creators. I do wish there had been some different and more engaging music throughout the film, similar to that used during the ending scenes.

If you are the sort who detests movies or books where chimpanzees or other creatures are given human names and their feelings are described, you will probably want to avoid the film. After all, who really knows the exact details of another's mind, including human minds? But naming the baby chimp Oscar as well as imagining his possible feelings may make the film more accessible to children and perhaps help spur a lasting enthusiasm for nature. I can certainly see the advantage of this, even though I am ambivalent about it. However, the movie does have the blessing of noted chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall and part of the proceeds from the opening week went to the Jane Goodall Institute, designated to help protect chimpanzees and their habitats.

After watching the film, perhaps viewers will also consider how they might help ensure the future of chimpanzees.

Buy Disneynature: Chimpanzee (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (2012) Now

This was really a great movie! I got it for my 6 year old (he loves nature documentary type movies) and we both loved it. It was a little sad, but it was really neat to see what happens and how Oscar perceivers. I would recommend this to anyone who likes nature movies. I've read reviews putting the narration down, but I honestly liked it.

Read Best Reviews of Disneynature: Chimpanzee (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (2012) Here

When the filmmakers who brought the Disneynature feature film Chimpanzee to the movie screen, they may have expected some hazards (wait until you see the eye-popping bonus feature in which they're constantly tormented by bees), but they never expected a rare and amazing story to tell itself right before their cameras.

A young chimp, named Oscar for the film, suffers a difficult loss and a astonishing gain. Sorry if that's too much of a spoiler, but that is only one of the experiences you will share in this, perhaps the most remarkable of the Disneynature film series. Tim Allen narrates with a fine blend of warmth, concern and humor as this chimpanzee troup lives through various challenges, searches for food and has fun -like most families.

The film is so engrossing, the 78 minutes seem to fly by. Generous bonus sequences that chronicle the creation of the film, though not as plentiful for DVD users, are almost as fascinating as the film itself. If you see this on Blu-ray, prepare for a breathtaking ride. Some of the scenes are so lush and painterly, they look as if they came from a classic Disney animated feature -particularly a stunning long upward pan resembling a fantastic mulit-plane Disney sequence.

Young children may be unnerved by some of the material, and there is a disclaimer about the bee sequence -it's that intense.

it's nice to be able to watch this from a comfy chair in a climate-controlled room and be grateful to the filmmakers for going to such extreme lengths to capture all of this for all of us to experience.

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If you love animals, you'll LOVE this story about an orphaned chimpanzee. It's enough that the little guy is absolutely cuter than anything, but then the story will completely warm your heart. And if that isn't enough, you have Tim Allen giving his classic wit and cheeky narration. He makes you laugh with his inimitable style and you are sure to be entertained. And the cinematography is right on par with IMAX's Planet Earth. This is a must-watch!

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Marathon Man (2013)

I'll spare you a long talk about the movie, except that it's one of the best thrillers ever made. Enough said. Now for this new DVD. Finally we get this classic in widescreen, that alone should please many fans. (-The opening credit scene has a different letterboxing than the rest of the movie, for some reason.) The extras will make you drool !. A new documentary with most of the people involved with the movie, except Olivier, of course. Sadly, neither William Devane, Fritz Weaver, Richard Bright or the director take part. Still, it's great to hear the stories surrounding this excellent suspense movie, like why it was decided to give Olivier's character that last infamous meal !. -But it makes sense, considering what Hoffman's character went through. At one point when talking about Olivier, Hoffman is almost in tears. Touching. Strangely enough, I found the full-screen clips shown during the documentary to be sharper than the movie itself presented on this DVD. Stll, you must get this release, even if the price is a little high. There's also a very good 70s making-of featurette with interviews. Take ANY thriller made today, compare it to "Marathon Man", and "Marathon Man" will win on ALL levels. It's as simple as that.

Tom (Dustin Hoffman) studies history, partly because theories of history are so clear cut and comforting, unlike life, and partly because years earlier, his father committed suicide after having been branded a communist. As he matures, he learns that books and a love of history cannot prepare him for the real world. In MARATHON MAN, Tom learns that the real world is far more dangerous than the relatively minor razzing that a local street gang subjects him to. He learns that the people who are the closest to him are not what they appear to be. His brother Doc (Roy Scheider) is a businessman with a secret life as a CIA agent. His girlfiend Elsa (Marthe Keller) is mixed up with an escaped Nazi dentist, ex-Auschwitz Commandant Szell (Sir Lawrence Olivier). The movie starts off slowly with Tom first believing in then later finding out the truth about Doc and Elsa. He learns that all three have been looking for a hidden cache of diamonds stolen from Jews during the Holocaust.

MARATHON MAN stands out as quite different from other chase and thriller films that seek to capitalize on the genocide of the war. Here, Dustin Hoffman plays Tom as decidedly unheroic. He can run fast and far, and shows creative talent in tight situations, but he is no fist fighter. He is constantly bullied and beaten by a variety of thuggish types. He endures a brutally realistic session as a prisoner in a dentist's chair when Szell uses his dental skills to extract facts rather than molars. Yet,despite Tom's lack of martial skills, he proves every bit the equal of spy types who kill for a living. As convincing a job as Hoffman does as Tom, the real star is Olivier as the demented dentist Szell. Olivier is absolutely convincing as the former camp commandant who will stop at nothing to retrieve the stolen diamonds. While seeking to ascertain the value of his diamonds, Szell goes to the diamond district of New York, a business run by the very people he killed in massive numbers some thirty years earlier. An old woman and a diamond dealer recognize him and the tension generated by his potential exposure forces the viewer to see events from the unlikely perspective of the hunter who is now the hunted. Olivier was a deserved nominee for best supporting actor as Szell. The movie points to a climactic confrontation between Tom and Szell, and when it arrives, the sparkly diamonds serve only to throw light on the ongoing but long postponed battle between a man who thought the passing of time would excuse and justify his acts and a man who is determined that all bills, even overdue ones, must be paid in full.

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If you're a fan of this film don't buy this DVD (the Paramount "Widescreen collection" 120mins as sold in the UK). It has been clumsily edited to the point that key sequences no longer make sense. The renowned drilling scene, for instance IS NOT IN THIS DVD despite the fact that it appears in on the back cover and the inlay. Check imdb the film is supposed to be 125 minutes long not 119. A disappointing experience for me after much anticipation, and a sad end for what in its true form is an outstanding piece of film.

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One of the great suspense dramas of the 1970s, MARATHON MAN is a somewhat violent buy often stylish and sinister intrigue thriller that remains a high watermark of its genre.

Dustin Hoffman portrays the Columbia University graduate student and marathon runner who becomes caught up in a deadly game involving smuggled diamonds belonging to a Nazi fugitive (Laurence Olivier). Hoffman's brother (Roy Scheider) was one of the couriers helping to transport the diamonds, which are now in a safety deposit box in a Manhattan bank; and when Olivier kills Scheider, it is assumed by Olivier and his henchmen that Hoffman knows something about them. He is strapped to a dental chair in an abandoned warehouse, forced to undergo dental torture at the hands of the Nazi, who had been a dentist. Olivier keeps asking him numerous time, "Is It Safe?" (regarding the diamond stash). Hoffman doesn't know a thing, but this doesn't stop Olivier from performing a root canal--one of the most squeamish sequences in cinematic history.

Excellently directed by John Schlesinger and scripted by William Goldman (from his own novel), MARATHON MAN features a typically fine performance by Hoffman as the man in the middle, and Olivier, arguably the greatest actor that ever lived, as the very devious Nazi fugitive. Scheider, who was brilliant in JAWS, scores more points here, as do William Devane and Marthe Keller. The opening sequence, a vicious and somewhat hilarious car-to-car argument between an irate Jew and Olivier's brother which ends in a collision with an oil truck, sets the story's machinations off, and is deftly handled by Schlesinger in a manner Hitchcock would have admired.

If you have a fear of dentists, of course, you may want to steer clear of MARATHON MAN. But if intense suspense is your game, this is as good a film to start with.

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Made from William Goldman's novel, MARATHON MAN is a very good thriller movie, the sort of thing that the fine director John Schlesinger did very well indeed. Although the film was released almost ten years after THE GRADUATE, Dustin Hoffman in some of the scenes looks as youthful as he did in that film and sometimes he lapses into the same speech patterns as he used in THE GRADUATE. You half way expect Mrs. Robinson to walk into the room at any time. Roy Scheider and William Devane give respectable performances, but the best acting has to be that of the great Laurence Olivier who plays the Nazi Christian Szell for which he was nominated for an Academy Award.

Olivier's torture scene with the dental equipment is as chilling the third time I saw this movie as it was the first. The scene of course is a classic and not to be missed.

For this sort of movie, MARATHON MAN is about as good as they come.

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Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (15th Anniversary Edition) (1997)

Who doesn't want to go to their high school reunion, and show everyone they look better then they did then with success beyond anyone's dreams? This laugh out loud satire of course takes it to the extreme, but it is a fun movie. As the movie switches back and forth between the present and the past, we see how they were tortured in high school. Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow act well together with great screen presence. The supporting cast is priceless! Well done comedy!

Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow are Romy and Michelle, two ditzy blonde friends who live together in LA. When Romy runs into a high school classmate (Jeanne Garofalo, at her finest) the two women decide to attend their tenth high school reunion. Michelle and Romy decide to fabricate lives for themselvessuccessful careers, boyfriends, etc., to impress the people they went to high school with.

Using "like" after "like every "like" word "like," the two drive a Jaguar from LA to Arizona, reliving memories from the pastincluding old crushes and avoiding the "A" crowd of popular girls. While at the reunion, a lot of things (some of them improbable, to be sure) occur.

Although not of the highest calibre, this movie is extraordinarily funny, light comedy. It reminds us of what was good (or bad) about our high school years, while making us laugh at the same time about the foibles of the past.

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Love that quote. I actually had mono in college and lost about 10 pounds, but I wouldn't recommend it as a diet. Anyway, my college roommate and I would watch this movie when fighting stress, trying to hide from stupid people at college, and for relaxation (which means that we watched it about every other week). A most necessary escapism!

The opening scene, in which R & M are making fun of "Pretty Woman" ("As if the salesgirls there aren't bigger whores than she is"...."i get so happy when they let her shop!") is pretty much evocative of the whole movie comparing themselves with other women, shopping for jobs and men.

Another great scene is when they're at the club, looking for suitable men, and Romy gets away from one guy with the excuse, "I cut my foot before, and my shoe is filling up with blood."

A wonderful movie in general, especially for individualists who were never part of cliques, who despise people that still grade others with shallow high school hierarchy systems.

Laugh outloud funny, and Janeane Garafalo's character is a perfectly independent blend of bitterness, sarcasm, and bitchiness. "This dress exacerbates the genetic betrayal that is my legacy."

Especially enjoyed the 80s high school flashbacks. Dressing like Madonna for the prom, happily basking in their fashion skills and originality (but of course Billy had to ruin it). When one of the A-list crowd put the magnets on Romy's back, it was so tragic. As Michele said later, "You couldn't help that you had scoliosis!" Duh! Bullies who pick on people for traits that they cannot change should be dragged out into the street and shot (Garfield used to say that, I believe).

The reunion itself is both sad and a relief. The post-it notes lie was taken advantage of by the knocked-up Chrissy, who should be a laughingstock herself just for being pregnant and having a husband who's an alcoholic and manwhore (and who was never cute, in my opinion). Well, she does end up a laughingstock by the end of the movie, when the wind from the helicopter blows up her dress. Ha!

Also, Chrissy never satisfied her dreams of becoming a news anchorwoman/weatherwoman because of marrying early (which is rarely a smart idea), effectively forcing herself into a little hole unlike Romy and Michele, who have lived as they wanted to live, have had fun even though they aren't "successful" in the eyes of the world.

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Kudos to the other reviewer who mentioned why they don't attend High School reunions. I told my alma matar to put me on a do not call list but luckily I live 3000 miles away and my family left town as did I LONG AGO! The 80's flashback and songs carry this film. Romy and Michelle are an adorable duo who have lived their life on their own terms. Like many independent souls, the two were a pair of teenage girls who were desperate to fit in and only experienced social torture from the popular crowd. One very telling scene in the film was how one of their former tormentors, now a fashion editor for Vogue in New York, defended them against the former "hot girls" who still slugged them at the reunion despite being married (trapped), unhappy(of course), and pregnant (baggage). I agree, those who looked like shoe-ins for a life of success sometimes don't live up to their teenage glory.

This poignant moment reminds me of a Greek quote: "Whom the Gods adore they sent turbulence, turmoil and thunderbolts. Whom the Gods would destroy they crown with early glory"

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Almost ten years after the fact, "Romy & Michelle" endures as one of those personal Top Ten Feel-Good Movies that can be watched over and over with any kid or teen in your family, much like "Mrs. Doubtfire." When all else fails....

As a matter of fact, my college-freshman niece is receiving for Xmas this year a brand-new copy of the DVD and a stamper that says, "Let's Fold Scarves"!! R&M created traditions for us!

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Walking Tall (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (2004)

Walking Tall DVD

Walking Tall is a remake of [[ASIN:B000VDDDWI Walking Tall]. This time the Rock stars as an Army Officer who has come home to find his hometown full of vice and corruption. In this movie he finds a 4X4 versus an axe handle to use as a "helper". I think I'd prefer the axe handle. Highly recommended for fans of the Rock and for people who think Wrestling is real, but the moon landing was fake.

Gunner April, 2008

This movie is great, and full of action. I was never a fan of wrestling and knew very little about the Rock. I rented this movie last night for my boyfriend and I to watch. Since I was strictly informed not to get any chick-flicks, I figured this was the best choice. It is based on a true story about a guy named Beauford Pusser (gross name) who after comming home from the millitary notices a great deal of change in his home town. The mill he and his father once worked at is now closed and the main source of income for this small town is the casino/strip club owned by his former friend. Things turn ugly whe Chris Vaughn (The Rock) notice the casino is cheating their customers. He tries to go to the police and they are just as crooked as the casino, so the Rock takes matters into his own hands. Great movie choice for ladies wanting to please their boyfriend with a non-chickflick. But don't worry ladies even if you don't like the story line, you will still enjoy it, because the Rock is very nice to look at!! Enjoy.

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i went to see this movie and was very pleased with it. i thought the rock did an excellent job. i do not watch wrestling so i do not have my judgement clouded by whatever his character was like on tv. but in this movie i thought he gave a believeable preformance. i loved the rundown so i had to check this one out too.

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If you don't really expect anything from this movie, it's totally fine. It's entertaining, not too long, doesn't really make you think or dig for any emotional response. It's just telling a "guy stands up for what's right" story in very 80's fashion but with less craziness. Saw it in the theater, don't know why, but was totally fine with it.

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As society in general became progressively more liberal in the 1970's, an entire genre of films rose up in reaction to the trend movies in which an individual, frustrated with a legal system that seemed to be coddling criminals, took it upon himself to mete out his own brand of "frontier justice," usually involving personal vengeance and vigilante-style violence. The seminal films of this genre "Billy Jack," "Dirty Harry," "Death Wish" and "Walking Tall" all found favor with mass audiences, although critics tended to dismiss them as, at best, reactionary, and, at worst, neo-fascist in nature. Now, one of them, "Walking Tall," has been retrofitted to cater to audiences in the already far more conservative 21st Century.

The original 1973 "Walking Tall" was based on the true story of Buford Pusser, the sheriff of McNairy County, Tennessee, who won fame by single-handedly wiping out the criminal elements who had overrun his town. It was a one-man "crusade for justice" that came at great personal cost to himself and his family (his wife was murdered and Pusser died a few years later in a "mysterious" car accident). In this new version which eliminates most of the grittier elements of the story and turns it into a rock'em-sock'em, live-action cartoon Pusser`s name has been changed to Chris Vaughn and the locale has been moved from the Appalachians to the Pacific Northwest. Chris is a recently discharged soldier who, upon returning to his small hometown, discovers that the place has become a hotbed of vice and corruption, its citizenry forced to live in fear under the tyrannical control of the local casino owner and all-around meanie, Jay Hamilton (Neal McDonough). When Chris has finally had a bellyful of malfeasance and sleaze, he decides to run for sheriff, vowing to bring the criminals to their knees, and thus allowing the good folks of the town to reclaim their community.

This is a silly and shallow film whose only real purpose seems to be to give the perpetually self-righteous and outraged Vaughn an excuse to hurl endless bric-a-brac and breakaway furniture around the set while the local townsfolk look on in slack-jawed amazement. Never one to be deterred by such quaint and fusty notions as civil liberties or Miranda rights, Sheriff Vaughn chases down the bad guys one by one, smashing heads and busting bones as he goes. The plot is so underdeveloped that the final confrontation scene between Chris and his arch nemesis, Hamilton, feels like a mere afterthought. The film runs barely 75 minutes, yet boasts a 10-minute long closing credit sequence to pad it out to 85! It's as if even the filmmakers themselves had run out of interest in the project and figured they might as well just wrap things up as quickly as possible so they would be free to move on to bigger and better things.

Usually, in a film based on true life events, when the names are changed, it's to protect the innocent. In the case of "Walking Tall," it's more likely that the people who made the film were trying to protect themselves from being sued by the Pusser estate.

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Venus and Vegas (2010)

OK. I am going to be quick on this one. this is a very average movie. even below average at points. some chuckles. not any great laughs. mediocre story. not bad, not very good either.

the only thing that left me with a happy feeling after watching this was Eddie Kaye Thomas's acting (the guy from American Pie, the one with Stifler's mom)

he is brilliant. i think he is going to be a great comedian. he has so much more potential. just take the horse track scene. perhaps the only hilarious scene in the whole movie. and look at him in other scenes. he *can* act physically. and just look at his face movements. i really think he should be given a better chance in bigger movies.

and i can't figure out why his scenes are funny and OK, but other scenes are sometimes so boring and borderline bad.

could it be his are written by a separate writer? or others are not 100% acting their best (and they are good actors, from hilarious shows). i don't know....

to sum it up it's worth a watch. only if to watch Eddie's scenes.

Rarely (and I do mean rarely) do actor's personal vanity projects come to life in a way that audiences fully appreciate. I don't think that's so much the fault of the actor, per se; rather, I tend to believe it's because with all of the creative people involved in front of and behind the camera it's gets increasingly difficult for the actor to translate the full value of that vision into a completed project. In other words, what I find funny in my mind may not inevitably equate to big laughs when it's completed and put up on the silver screen because an awful lot of hands get to handle it before that happens. In the interim, tiny slivers of artistic intent as well as content get chipped away, and the end result probably ends up being something like the tepid VENUS & VEGAS, finally out on DVD since completion in 2010 from RLJ Entertainment.

(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and characters. If you're the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I'd encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you're accepting of a few modest hints at `things to come', then read on ...)

Three long-time Vegas friends Stu (played by Donald Faison), Alex (Eddie Kaye Thomas), and Eric (Eddie Guerra) are more than just platonic acquaintances: they're house thieves looking for their next big score. When they stumble across old-school gangster Frank Santino (Jon Polito) running a scam with counterfeit poker chips out of a rural warehouse, they believe they've found the perfect score: all they need to do is get in, steal the chips, and then cash them in at the casinos for some easy cash. But when the heist goes bad and one of their own gets caught and captured red-handed, they'll take their own hostage in hopes of eventually offering up an exchange while keeping the cash.

VENUS & VEGAS is the kind of flick that had real potential but it was never quite realized in the completed product. Demian Lichtenstein directs from a script by lead Eddie Guerra himself, and maybe the two of them were simply too close to the material to understand that the chemistry needed to pull off a `caper' flick never surfaced. Instead, the players move from one predictable set piece to another, all the while aping and mugging for the camera as though they were delivering big laughs. Instead, what audiences get are a handful of watchable sight gags along with some TV-grade acting from a wealth of recognizable faces.

To their credit, they try to make use of some bona fide talent. Jaime Pressly (from MY NAME IS EARL) does the best she can in splitting her time and relationship woes between Eric and mobster Bruno (Abraham Benrubi, who does the best he can to pull off an Italian accent). Roselyn Sanchez tries hard to muster some big-screen chemistry with Faison, but, unfortunately, her scenes are so brief and ineffectual one even wonders why she agreed to the picture. FEAR FACTOR's Joe Rogan gave his short scene all he was worth, and he manages to inject a bit of welcome irony and sarcasm into his good-friend, bad-friend relationship with Faison. Even Florence Henderson drops her BRADY BUNCH personae to play a Vegas bad-girl grandma with an insatiable sexual appetite and a desire to do bad things.

The chief problem I had with it is that Guerra's script is incredibly uneven. At times, VENUS felt like it was intended to be a piece of family entertainment, something that might air on a cable channel in relative obscurity but retain the chance (however slim) of finding a respectable TV audience. At other times, it tried to approach the bawdiness so common with other big screen films lately THE HANGOVER trilogy and BRIDESMAIDS come to mind but Guerra really missed the chief ingredient that makes those films work: chemistry. No one has any here when, at least, the men should as they've apparently been hanging together for over a decade. Their relationships felt rote, not natural but the creation of a Hollywood script, and, as such, they failed to convince this reviewer.

Alas, this one wasn't meant to be.

VENUS & VEGAS is produced by PasoFino Productions and Luis Moro Productions. DVD distribution is being handled through RLJ Entertainment. As for the technical specifications, this film looks and sounds very solid consistently. As for the special features, there's a brief `behind-the-scenes' featurette and the theatrical trailer, but that's nothing to phone mama Brady about!

(MILDLY) RECOMMENDED. Just because so much of VENUS & VEGAS wasn't for me, that doesn't mean you folks won't find it of value. Based on the trailer alone, I honestly expected more. What I took away from it makes me better understand why this one waited so long to `street' on DVD.

In the interests of fairness, I'm pleased to disclose that the fine folks at RLJ Entertainment provided me with an advance DVD copy of VENUS & VEGAS by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review.

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Ip Man (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) (2008)

In the tradition of Jet Li's "Fearless" and "Fist of Legend", comes the fourth collaboration between the Wilson Yip-Donnie Yen tag team who also brought us the phenomenal "Shah Po Lang" in 2005. "IP MAN" is based on the life of the man responsible for making the Chinese kung fu style of "Wing Chun" (invented by a woman), which is up to this day, is among China's most revered style. Yes, Ip Man is also the man who has a huge number of talented disciples--most notably, the late great Bruce Lee.

In the 1930's, the Chinese province of Fo Shan is a thriving place of martial arts schools, with various sects of different styles. Fo Shan is said to be the place where the famous Wong Fei Hung learned his art and therefore this place has a reputation. Ip Man (Donnie Yen) is a very accomplished martial artist but he keeps to himself, maintains a low profile and quietly spars with friends at home. But after an acknowledged victory over a fighter from the Northern quarter, Master Jin (Fan Siu Wong), Ip Man becomes an instant hero in Fo Shan.

Time passes and in the late 1930's, following the Japanese invasion, Ip Man's property was confiscated by the Japanese army and his family is forced to live an abject existence. One day, general Miura (Hiroyuki Ikeuchi), a fanatical practitioner in Karate, witnesses the skills of this Wing Chun master. The general becomes obsessed with Ip man, and demands that the Chinese style of Wing Chun be taught to the Japanese army. But Ip man refuses and instead challenges Miura to a duel. Ip Man has to uphold the benevolence of his art and protect Chinese dignity. The battle for national pride is about to begin....

The one thing I know for sure is that Ip Man is indeed Bruce Lee's first teacher in Hong Kong for many years, and that Ip man was indeed asked to teach the Japanese; the rest of the significant historical details in this biopic is a little questionable. Yip and screenwriter Edmond Wong does get some details right, but please keep in mind that this is an action film first and foremost--it is hardly a historical drama. The action direction by Hong Kong legend Sammo Hung is indeed amazing, and it is the film's main draw. The story has the usual elements of honor, family, loyalty and pride and offers very little that is fresh--but this doesn't mean that it made the film any less exciting.

There is very minor characterization involved. The film has three acts, and the first has Ip Man's status in the Fo Shan province. He is a business man and he doesn't teach his art, there are hints that he used to compete, but he decided to keep a low profile because of his wife, Cheng (played by Lynn Hung). His relationship with his wife and son is somewhat estranged at times because of his love for sparring--she throws a tantrum whenever he fights; Ip Man is a humble man, and shows his wife the respect due her. The second act portrays the effect of the Japanese invasion on the people of China, and on the life of Master Ip and his family--which leads to the film's min encounters. While Donnie Yen may indeed lack the necessary acting ability to portray him dramatically--he sure has the presence of a highly trained martial artist. Director Yip did the right thing in focusing more on fights than dramatic impact. There are also some touches of social commentary seeing as how some Chinese prey on their countrymen and they only look out for themselves.

As I've said, Sammo Hung's action choreography is indeed phenomenal and it sure helps when you have a cast of real-life martial arts practitioners and action-honed actors such as Yen, Louis Fan and Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, who holds a Kuro Obi in Judo in real life. Sammo Hung maintains a nice balance between finesse, realism and downright brutality--the fights are very intense and very focused. It is a mix of the usual wire-fu and occasional acrobatics. Highlights include, Ip Man taking on 10 Japanese fighters in one time, the fight between Fan Siu Wong and Yen is quick but exciting, complemented with some subtle doses of humorous cracks. The fights are exquisitely shot, with multiple camera angles in a perspective view to close ups, so you can see all the hard-hitting action. There are also times when an opponent is thrown in the camera's view and I thought this added a lot of style and intense attitude. Wilson Yip and company knows how to shoot fight sequences and their skill proves the film's showstopper.

The action encounters are nicely placed and Wilson Yip needs to be credited for maintaining an excellent pace with its balance between action and drama. While this film is historically inaccurate, for the most part, it does succeed as an action film--a very well done at that. The film does ultimately fail as a character-driven, true-to-life biopic. Donnie Yen's "Ip Man" is more about his capabilities as a fighter than who he really was as a man, which is no doubt due to fact that it wanted to maintain a China-friendly film. The film's structure more of a popcorn action film than an emotional biopic of a man who made his mark in using his fists to unite the Chinese people. It plays too fast and free to fully realize the film's potential as a "based on true events" type of deal.

Despite some flaws in the script, and the filmmakers relying too much on the audiences' good beliefs rather than developing Ip Man as a man than as a caricature of a folk hero; (no doubt an attempt to match Wong Fei Hung in "Once upon a Time in China" and Huo Yuan Jia in "Fearless") to portray him as an inspirational role model/saint. "IP MAN" is a truly exciting film which is just full of action and the energy it exudes is just so much fun to watch. I am rather very interested in seeing as to what Wilson Yip and Donnie Yen would bring "IP MAN 2", which would hopefully show more of his experiences in Hong Kong (which may include his time with Bruce Lee). Of course, by that time, I've read that Wong Kar-Wai's version of "IP MAN" will be released and will hopefully have more historical significance as well as action thrills.

Still, this film comes with a "Highly Recommended" rating from me, it does rule as martial arts action film. [4 ½ Stars]

Note: The original language in the film carries is Bi-Lingual with both Cantonese and Japanese Languages.

Donnie Yen's crowning achievement? Very possibly. I've always thought Donnie was the paragon of martial artistry on film... I've also admired how he remains relatively true to the style of the hero in question, if that is relevant (See Iron Monkey, for example.). The story of Ip Man is similar to that of Jet Li's "Fearless", but to be honest, Ip Man the movie is better.

The action scenes are works of art. Donnie portrays Wing Chun with a good degree of authenticity to the style (considering, of course, the unavoidable dramatic, cinematic flair). Donnie's technique is crisp, rapid, accurate, potent. The choreography is splendid. There is no significant wire work here, just economical, brutally efficient combat-which is what Wing Chun is about. Truly homage to the spirit of Wing Chun. As a practitioner of Wing Chun, I can truly point to this movie, show it to my friends who don't know, and say: "That's Wing Chun, that's what it's about."

The story of Ip Man works well with Donnie's acting style. Ip Man is a martial artist conflicted in his priorities-reluctant to teach, fascinated with the art, struggling to balance family responsibilities with that of friends and comrades who get in trouble. Forced by the Japanese occupation, near destitute, to feed his family and defend the honor of his friends, he finally fights and teaches to defend the honor of China, as well as uphold the spirit of kung fu.

I was a little nervous watching this film-someone has posted virtually all the fight scenes on YouTube. I was afraid that after seeing them, that this film would be a disappointment. I had already seen the fight scenes... and kung fu flicks aren't exactly award-winning drama. But Ip Man didn't disappoint. The story was still compelling, interesting. The fight scenes in context were more delicious than on YouTube (and the large widescreen, framerate and resolution upgrades didn't hurt!) Donnie shows appropriate remorse, conflict, passion, and resolve. It is understated-like Donnie really tried to be true to the historical Ip Man. It works well, and shows me that Donnie has really matured as an actor. Hey, I know Donnie is never going to win an Oscar for his acting.. but you know what? He really shows some maturity as a professional here.

This double disc edition is nice. Lots of special features-deleted scenes, interviews, production trailers, photo galleries. I got it based on other reviews that the single disc version had dubbing issues. I watched the Cantonese version (options for Mandarin also on this disc) with English subtitles... and if it was dubbed, I couldn't tell. I don't speak Chinese, so can't tell you how accurate it was, but it sounded fairly authentic, and I hear enough Chinese to be able to say that much, at least. The subtitles had one or two spelling errors, but minimal grammatical problems. It seemed fairly true to the story's intent, was easy to follow, and kept me interested.

I'm biased. I'm a Wing Chun practitioner and a Donnie Yen fan-but I must say this has superseded "Hero" as my favorite kung fu flick. It's at least in the same class as Jackie Chan's "Drunken Master" for unique, superlative martial arts. The story and acting are good-and while the storyline is a variation on a cliched theme for kung fu flicks, this one is well done. If you enjoyed "Fearless" (I would rate it three stars)-you'll like Ip Man so much better, I think. If you practice Wing Chun (2 million worldwide!)-you have to own this movie. If you like Donnie Yen-this might be his masterpiece.

Addendum: In deference to W. Kim's excellent review above, I took the liberty of renting and watching both movies "Warriors Two" and "Prodigal Son" as other movies that accurately depict Wing Chun as a martial art. Both movies are your stereotypical Hong King B-movie "Wuxi" style soap opera kung fu flick. Warriors Two is better storywise-Prodigal Son, at least via the subtitles, didn't make sense much of the time. Ah, but the reason why we watch such movies: "Prodigal Son" was the more accurate Wing Chun movie. It depicts Wing Chun through the "Wuxi" B-movie filter, but has a lot of fairly sound representation given this understanding. Prodigal Son was Wing Chun with lots of non-Wing Chun thrown in, or Wing Chun in a deep cat stance, or with some Longfist twist and things like that. Just flashy show. All in all, neither depicts Wing Chun as "Ip Man" does-Ip Man is not stylized, although it, of course, depicts Wing Chun in an idealized way-that is, the ultimate master of Wing Chun does every technique perfect and has every technique work perfectly. But "Ip Man" is the only movie I have (still) seen that I can point to as "authentic" Wing Chun.

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As a fan of Chinese cinema for over 30 years, I've seen (and own) a lot of movies. However, whilst there have been dozens of memorable ones, few stand out as masterpieces in the Wuxia genre 'Ip Man' is one such film, an instant classic that sets a new benchmark for action cinema. Wilson Yip, Sammo Hung and Donnie Yen have totally hit the mark in this outstanding motion picture, crafting a story that, although not sticking entirely to the facts (well, after all, it IS about entertainment!), works perfectly to tell the story of a real life Chinese hero, the late Grandmaster of Wing Chun Gung-fu, Ip Man. The camera work, direction and the performances of the entire crew make this a film that grabs the audience and holds them in its clutches from start to final gut-wrenching finish (all very good reasons why this film won the 'Best Picture' and "Best Action Choreography' awards in the 2009 Hong Kong Film Awards). Donnie Yen gives what I feel is his finest performance ever, whilst Sammo Hung's action choreography is briliant, showcasing the art of Wing Chun in a manner never before done so well. The soundtrack is also beautifully matched to the tone of the movie. I for one cannot wait to see 'Ip Man 2'

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A stately big budget period biopic, loaded with well choreographed, shot and edited fight scenes, of the martial artist widely credited for bringing Wing Chun kung fu from southern China to Hong Kong in the early twentieth century, and whose concepts and training ideas were adapted by his most famous student, Bruce Lee, who promoted those ideas as, "the way of the intercepting fist," in his book, "The Tao of Jeet Kun Do." The film clearly emulates the scope of the Jet Li film, "Fearless" which was about the redemption of the martial arts fighter, Hua Yuan Jia, who (at least in the heavily fictionalized "Fearless") overcame a egotistical brutality to leave behind a similarly impressive legacy in the worldwide spread of the JingWu school of martial arts and general physical education (a kind of YMCA offering kung fu training as well as other forms of physical education in several countries). The film is also noteworthy for Donnie Yen's atypically restrained performance as Ip Man, a wealthy martial artist, who lived in a town filled with good teachers, and resisted the Japanese colonial government in southern China, when they pressured him to teach japanese soldiers, resulting, ultimately in the historical Ip Man having to flee occupied China, and emigrate to Hong Kong, where he eventually began teaching to make a living (something most martial arts film fans might know going into the film).

However lacking the character arc Ronny Yu and the makers of "Fearless" imposed on the life story of Hua Yuan Jia (critics rightly point out Donnie Yen's Ip Man is nothing less than a living saint, and doesn't evolve at all as a character throughout the film) the filmmakers wisely make up for it by developing secondary characters drawn from the community Ip Man lives in before the Japanese invasion. Some are forced to become collaborators with the occupation government, others are forced into matches with Japanese martial artists, others join tongs like the Axe Gang, which preyed on chinese civilians during the long period of the occupation and the chinese civil war. All of these lives intersect with the newly dispossessed and impoverished Ip Man as he tries to survive, feed and defend his young wife and child, against the depredations forced on the southern chinese by the Japanese occupation, and eventually finds himself taking on challenge matches against japanese fighters, at first, to get food for his family, and then later, as a matter of principle.

That aside, the film is chock full of good-to-great martial arts fight scenes, including friendly (and some not so friendly) matches between members of the Fo Shan Mountain's large community of martial artists before the Japanese invasion, and increasingly desperate battles afterwards, between struggling workers and gangsters, starving martial artists and japanese soldiers, and publicized challenge matches against Japanese martial artists set up to further humiliate the oppressed population. Though I do think fight choreographer Sammo Hung, and Yen didn't quite manage to get across the efficiency and sheer finesse exhibited by real masters of the style (possibly better seen in two earlier wing chun-based films he directed, "Warriors Two] and "Prodigal Son"), Hung deserves a lot of credit for choreographing the increasingly brutal fight scenes in a way that shows how Wing Chun differs from other styles of chinese and japanese martial arts. (A much more detailed discussion of the major fight scenes is up at for those with a strong interest in the technical side of these things.) I particularly liked the performances of Yen (again, far more disciplined and restrained than usual), Louis Fan as a northern stylist, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi as a Japanese General, Xing Yu and Chen Zhihui, as Fo Shan Mountain martial artists.

"Ip Man," is definitely worth seeing, and while it it doesn't quite match the dramatic strength of "Fearless," the writers and filmmakers have crafted an interesting enough, well produced narrative to actually sit through the segments between the fight scenes, which is saying a lot these days. "Ip Man, Part I" has made pretty serious money (a sequel covering Ip Man's years in Hong Kong has been greenlit I'm already looking forward to seeing who wins the big fight over who gets to play the young Bruce Lee) and I hope, along with "Fearless" it leads to more big budget period kung fu films with (hopefully) better and more interesting narratives than the usual "theatre of revenge" fare. Judging from all the big budget period war movies (like "Red Cliff I and II," "Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon," "The Warlords," "Seven Swords," "An Empress and The Warriors," "A Battle of Wits" coming out of China these days, it's clear the Chinese are willing to spend the money ... there's a good chance we'll also get more films like "Fearless" and "Ip Man." Certainly there are no lack of candidates, (Wong Fei Hung, Yang Luchun, the Chen Family, Dong Haichuan, Yueh Fei, .. the list goes on) for cinematic canonization in the long, long history of Chinese martial arts.

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IP Man movie was great as expected. Beware buying the blu-ray version as it does NOT work on some blu-ray players. I had an issue when it would not get to the Main DVD Menu, all the trailers played but could not get to the Menu Option (Play etc.). I thought something was wrong with the DVD and returned it for replacement (great job Amazon). But when replacement had same problem I contact Panasonic as I thought it was bad but Panasonic WAS aware of th issue with that title. To get past the menu, ie, to play the movie I had to press "1" on the remote to play "2" for Special Features, etc. Otherwise movie itself is great.

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K-11 (2012)

Raymond Saxx (Goran Visnjic) finds himself in jail and needing a fix. He is charged with murder, which he is unaware (bad plot point) and through the dealings of a sadistic drug loving gay guard (D.B. Sweeney) he finds himself locked up in K-11 section of the grocery aisle with fruits and nuts. He manages to get along fairly well. There are personality differences and corruption abounds which makes for the plot, consisting mostly of interesting character interaction, but moves slow linearly.

I enjoyed watching a prison film with the diverse characters. Mousey (Kate del Castillo) was not the tough transsexual cardboard character, but was rather realistic, showing weakness as well. Butterfly (Portia Doubleday) was an interesting hermaphrodite who sometimes spoke poetically. They should have named her Swan and had her speak in rhyme all the time. The could have done so and might of added some humor to the tale.

The DVD cover makes it look like Raymond spends his whole time in a dungeon like cell. That was not the case. This is a film for those who enjoy the interactions of unique indie characters. The gay couplings, what few there were, are not graphic. No one shows off their junk.

Parental Guide: F-bomb, sex, rape, T&A nudity.

I loved the movie. It was violent at times but the evil ones got their punishment before the movie was over. All of the cast done a superb acting job. Kate Castillo made you believe she was a transvestite.Goran Visnic was great in the movie, I have loved him since he was on ER. Markus Redmond,Ralph Cole Jr and Luis Moncada were all great in the movie! Jules Stewart keep up the good work. I do wish the movie had a wider release in the theaters but I would have bought the dvd anyway.

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This film is different and its no surprise that the mediocre press don't get it. To make judgements they need something to compare it to and only thing they have are camp or exploitation films , so they do , only K-11 is neither of those. The cast includes 3 transgender's in the main cast and lots of gay men. Forgive any reviewer who doesn't know that, lots of people are going to see this film for whatever they want to see. The attacks on the director , Jules Stewart , simply because she is Kristens mom are unending as gay Hollywood loves a target. This is an amazing first film. James Camerons first film ,Piranha Part Two: The Spawning, earned a hefty 3.5 out of ten . Fascinating because Cameron wrote the screenplay under an alias :)

It's a good little film, entertaining and fast paced. Goran Visnjic, Kate del Castillo and Portia Doubleday are all superb. There are wonderful cinematic shots and filmic poetry throughout. Ignore the pedestrian musings of people hooked on formula Hollywood films. You will have fun . Kristen Stewart appears only as a voice in this film but she was to play the role of Butterfly. The producer and director decided not to cast her as the character because of the negative press they knew they would receive for it. The role was completely rewritten for Portia. There is absolutely nothing for the producer and director to feel ashamed of because for a first feature ,it's pretty amazing.

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Someone likely had a good idea in planning this film: place a straight man in a prison cell area reserved for homosexuals and all variations of gender role playing. That concept could prove interesting as an exploration of `community' among the `unwanted' of detainees. But as written by Jared Kurt and Jules Stewart and especially as directed by Jules Stewart the film loses all semblance of originality, for one reason because it casts women in the roles of transsexuals and transvestites so as not to offend the actors or the audience with same sex variations.

But that is only one reason this film sinks. The script is tepid to poor, a story is practically nonexistent, and the characters are tropes played by actors who seem embarrassed by what they are asked to do. What little story there is can be summarized as follows: a wealthy but drug addicted and alcoholic record produced named Raymond Saxx (Goran Visnjic, one of our stronger actors usually) passes out, is arrested for homicide, and thrown into LA County Jail in a unit reserved for Homosexuals and sexual deviants K-11. From there it is a power struggle run by transvestite Mousey (the first female Kate del Castillo cast as a male and it doesn't work). Cocaine and other drugs are readily available through the corruption of Ben (Jason Mewes) who works in the office of the deputy Sgt. Johnson (DB Sweeney) who is likewise drug addled and preys on the inmates for sexual favors. Bad things happen, such as the murder of child molester Detroit (Tommy 'Tiny' Lister) by transsexual Butterfly (Portia Doubleday) and Raymond finally comes out of his cloudy drug abused head and figures a way out of this very odd confinement, but not without a series of meaningless circumstances that serve only to point out the depravity of the inmates.

Yes, it is that bad. Try as you may to find a saving grace to this film is without success. Perhaps if the writers and director had had the courage to use an all male cast instead of putting female actors in the roles of men who are range from simply nelly to butch to surgically transformed (in various stages) into transsexuals the film may have had a reason for being made. As it is, it is an embarrassment for Goran Visnjic, and DB Sweeney and the rest of the actors who for some reason signed on to this poorly conceived and made project. Grady Harp, April 13

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Wonderful, i love Kate, she is an amazing actriz, i believe that you all should buy it, it was very intense, actually the reality

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The Bad Seed (2011)

I personally feel that this is one of the greatest horror movie made. Forget all of that blood and guts and popping out of the bushes to scare people. That fear only lasts for a second...This movie plays with your mind and lasts forever. Nothing is scarier than polite Miss Rhoda Penmark.

This movie contains brilliant direction and an amazing cast. Many people feel that the acting is overdone and that they act like they are still in the stage version, entertaining an audience in a theater but that is the way it was meant to be made. Making it look like a regular movie would ruin the essence of the evil, 8-year old killer. Nancy Kelly is truly amazing as Christine. Her "breakdown" scenes are heart wrenching and done very well. She is most-natural and does a wonderful job in playing a woman going through the delemma of whether or not she should hate or love her daughter. Her performance is beautiful, "She killed him! But she's my little girl...and I love her!". The highlight of her acting is when Rhoda just kills one of her victims (I won't say who) and Rhoda is playing the song she always plays on the piano faster and faster and faster. It is such and amazing scene. She deserved the Tony she won during the play and the Oscar nomination. Now, there is Patty McCormack who is definatly chilling in this role. Her perfect smile is just as scary as her evil ways. When she describes the way she killed the little boy I always shudder ,"But he told me that he was going to tell on me...SO I HIT HIM WITH MY SHOES AGAIN!! I hit him harder that time." After the scene where she confesses her murders and Christine tells Rhoda to throw her shoes down the incinerator, the shot of Rhoda's sillouette tossisng the shoes while Christine just sits in the backround and watches with fear, as Rhoda smiles, brings chills down my spine. Her acting gets an A+ and she also deserved the Oscar nomination as well as Kelly. Another, nominated for an Oscar for her role, was Eileen Heckart for the role of (which I think is one of the greatest characters in theatrical history)Mrs. Dagel..the grieving mother of one of Rhoda's vicitms. Although only appearing in two scenes, she makes just as big of an impact as Christine and Rhoda do. Heckart is brilliant in the role and it would be almost imposible to find someone who could do as good of a job as she did. Her beautiful monolougues are truly amazing and heartfelt. Other great performances are that of Henry Jones, the creepy Leroy who is the only one who realizes that Rhoda is evil, Evelyn Varden, as the housekeeper, Monica, who spoils Rhoda terribly, Miss Fern (I can't quite think of her name), as the teacher at The Fern School, and Christine's father (I can't think of his name now either), who is a former mystery writer with a big secret that he is keeping from Christine, which has to do with why Rhoda is a bad seed, something inside of Christine that she passed down to her daughter.

There is a lot of controversy over the ending curtain call and the happy spank that Christine lays on Rhoda. I feel that the curtain call and spanking gives the audience a sese of relief since the movie is so disturbing.

I reccomend this movie to everyone that can handle a plot that is different and disturbing.

Don't blame Rhoda for her murderous acts. It isn't her falt, she is just a bad seed.

Does heredity and environment play equal parts in a child's development? Or is one factor stronger than the other? That's the loaded question the film The Bad Seed (1956) brings forth, seemingly siding on the side of heredity. Personally, I would tend to lean towards environment, but until we can definitely discern the nature of the wiring of our brains, mapping the neural networks and determining the thought processing pathways, we may never know...does bad beget bad? It's possible, but if so, what choices do we have in terms of ending genetically transposed evil from traversing one generation to another? Enforced sterilization? I wouldn't touch that subject with a ten foot Lech Walesa...

The Bad Seed, directed by Mervyn LeRoy (No Time for Sergeants), is actually a film based on a play written by Maxwell Anderson, which was based on a novel written by William March...quite a circuitous path to the silver screen, but one worth waiting for, in my opinion.

As the story begins, we meet the Penmarks, Kenneth (Hopper), Christine (Kelly), and their eight year old daughter Rhoda (McCormack), replete with blue eyes, blonde hair and pigtails. The family appears very normal, except Rhoda, who seems just a little too sweet, a little too ingratiating...but whatever...soon after Kenneth, who's a colonel in the military, has to leave for an extended period of time on some army business, one of Rhoda's school mates dies mysterious drowning incident, after supposedly falling off the end of a pier (seems the boy won an award coveted by Rhoda). No one is overtly posing the theory of foul play in the boy's death, but Christine discovers evidence suggesting her daughter may not be `sugar, spice, and everything nice' (by this time the audience has already entertained the notion that the glossy, sickly sweet veneer presented by Rhoda may conceal more than any of the cast is willing to accept). Connections are made, and truths are revealed (along with a long buried secret), but how does a mother accept the possibility that her child, her own flesh and blood, may be a cold, methodical, remorseless monster, especially when nearly everyone else believes differently .

While I did enjoy this movie, it does have its' faults. As others have mentioned, the film appears much like that of a staged play (not necessarily good for a film). The theater and film are two very different mediums, and what's good for one may not be good for the other. The theatrics within some of the characters (especially that of Ms. Kelly), while necessary for the stage, didn't always jibe on the screen. I do think all the actors did really well, even if a few of the performances tended to be over the top, but for the sake of the film, I think director LeRoy could have provided a stronger production coaxing a bit more subtly from certain cast members. Also, I have to say I found it a little hard to swallow at times that nearly everyone should except Rhoda's sweet, sweet act so whole-heartedly, as she tended to pour it on so very thick. Are, or were, adults ever this gullible? I could understand a certain amount of denial, as we like to think children are basically pure, unadulterated little lumps of clay, waiting to be fashioned into beings better than ourselves, but it seemed everyone (well, except for the handyman Leroy, played by Jones) was so very patently blind to her rather transparent act. Maybe I complain too much...the film did have an incredibly eerie quality throughout, and Patty McCormack did a wonderful job presenting her character, often giving me a major case of the creeps with a side order of the willies. Two performances that really stand out are that of Eileen Heckart and Henry Jones. Heckart plays the mother of the boy who died, drowning herself in the drink, trying to come to terms with what happened, knowing there is more to what happened than nearly everyone believes. Jones performance as Leroy, the creepy, borderline pedophilic handyman is probably the best, as he believes, while Rhoda has most everyone else fooled, he can see right through her act she puts on for the other adults, and takes some kind of perverse pleasure in teasing and taunting her, that is until he comes to the realization that Rhoda might not be just a spoiled, bratty child but something much more...something truly evil... The scenes with Jones and McCormack are chilling, partly because McCormack's character tends to drop the sweet, charming, adorable act knowing it won't work on Leroy, but also secure in the knowledge no one would believe him. The film runs surprisingly just a tad over two hours, but I felt the time was used well. Some have commented on the ending, and the difference between the film and the play, but one should keep in mind the ending used complied with The Motion Picture Production Code which had specific requirements with regards to criminal activity portrayed on the screen. It may have felt `tacked on', but it sure was satisfying (divine retribution, perhaps?)

The full screen (original aspect ratio) picture on this DVD looks really good, and the audio is clear and sharp. Special features include an original trailer, an interview piece with McCormack titled Enfant Terrible, and a commentary track featuring Patricia McCormack and everyone's favorite cross-dressing actor/playwright and Bette Davis enthusiast Charles Busch

Cookieman108

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Cool-as-a-cucumber Rhoda Penmark is not at all what she appears to be. Hiding underneath that sweet, perfect exterior exists an unspeakable evil. Patty McCormack is superb as Rhoda, the pig-tailed murderess. The whole cast, in fact, is first-rate here. Some chilling moments await the viewer of this film, including a classic ending! A very good music score accompanies the action, as well.

This film was originally a stage play, and this "stagy" feel somewhat comes through in the movie version as well. But the film's convincing and effectively-told story cannot be denied. I would have loved, however, to have been able to see the stage play version, which starred the same group of actors we see in the motion picture.

Patty McCormack was 10 years old when "The Bad Seed" was made in 1956. Patty was so good here, she received an Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She lost the Oscar to Dorothy Malone, however.

Two other "Bad Seed" actresses were also nominated for Oscars -Nancy Kelly and Eileen Heckart. Heckart was heart-breakingly good in this movie, playing the mother of one of Rhoda's victims.

In my opinion, Henry Jones (as handyman "LeRoy") could very easily have been yet *another* Oscar nominee that year. Jones was wonderfully "offbeat" in "The Bad Seed", delivering lines with a relish that simply *must* be replayed multiple times when watching this DVD. They are just too good and humorous to only view once. Such as his witty warning to little Rhoda: "They've got a little blue [electric] chair for little boys; and a little pink chair for little gals!"

This DVD retains the originally-shown "actors taking a bow" ending, which (in a way) dilutes the fabulous conclusion of the story. But, I like having the original ending included here nevertheless. You can always turn it off before you get to the last few minutes, so that you'll be left with that great ending "on the pier".

Original poster art adorns the cover of this DVD. And while I really like the diabolical look on Rhoda's face on this package, I'm perplexed (for the most part) by the written passages that are shown. They don't seem to quite "fit" this movie, IMO. Most curious I thought. Well, anyway, at least Warner Brothers has given us some original artwork for the cover (which is nice).

DVD Specs ...... Video is the OAR (Original Aspect Ratio) as seen in theaters in late 1956 -Full Frame (1.33:1). This actually kind of surprised me a tad bit. Because I thought this film just *might* have been shot in a Widescreen format (which was, by 1956, becoming commonplace among movie studios). But, obviously, I was mistaken. The Full Frame format is correct for this movie. .... Audio: 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono soundtrack (English only). The audio for the Commentary Track is in rich-sounding 2.0 DD Stereo, with excellent channel separation between the two channels. .... Subtitles: English, French, and Spanish.

The video quality on this disc is absolutely superb! Just perfect from what I can see. This B&W film has never looked better on your TV screen. Just a terrific DVD transfer.

DVD Special Features include an Audio Commentary Track and a 15-minute "Making Of" documentary ("A Conversation With Patty McCormack"). McCormack, who was 58 years of age when this DVD was produced, provides some interesting observations about the making of the film during the documentary and she also participates in the Audio Commentary Track as well. The Original Theatrical Trailer is also included on this disc. This trailer, which has a run time of 3:19, is in very good shape (picture quality-wise), and is of particular interest to me for the many "alternate takes" that are shown of various scenes from the film. Nearly every scene that is previewed in this trailer is a slightly different variant from what ended up in the final cut of the movie.

This 1956 suspense-filled treasure looks mighty fine on DVD. Pick up a copy of this Grade-A thriller and let little Rhoda come into your home any time of the day or night. Just make sure you don't kick the DVD around carelessly -because Rhoda wouldn't like that. And when Rhoda is displeased, she gets slightly cranky. :-)

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Over the years, there have been so many female villains, it's easy to lose track. Anne Baxter(ALL ABOUT EVE), Ann Blyth(MILDRED PIERCE), Joan Bennett(SCARLET STREET), Bette Davis(THE LITTLE FOXES to name one of many), Gene Tierney(LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN), the list goes on. But I think they all would have been more a little unnerved to get in the way of Rhoda Penmark. This movie is one that is so impish in it's own delight, it's impossible not to smile & go along for the ride. Originally a play, the film does tend to lose it's strength with all the psychobabble & it does occasionally get caught up in it's own pretentiousness, but fear not. For any & every minute that Rhoda(played to the absolute hilt by Patty McCormack)is on the screen, you BAD SEED virgins out there will wonder how this film is unknown to you.

Nancy Kelly delivers what would have to be one of the most over-the-top performances in the history of cinema as Rhoda's unsuspecting mother & Evelyn Varden's overbearing landlady, Monica, chews enough scenery to last a lifetime. But it's all about Rhoda. Evil, ruthless, determined, selfish, sweet, & yes, at times, loving. The sheer joy of watching this film is being secure in the knowledge that no matter how sweet this girl is to those around her, unlike us, & eventually her Mother, she's got them fooled.

Nancy Kelly was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her work here & both Miss McCormack & Eileen Eckhart(as the mother of one of Rhoda's victims)scored Supporting nods. Nobody makes films like this anymore..and why? Nobody could.......

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This is yet another one of those late night classics I "sneaked in" when I was eight, (when I was actually supposed to be in bed). THE BAD SEED still packed quite a wallop, even then. Now, nearly a half-century since its release, the staid, somewhat static presentation certainly belies its stage play origins, and some of the acting borders on MST3K campiness. But it still retains much of its original ghoulish charm, and those only familiar with the noxious TV movie remake should definitely check out the original.

Christine Penmark has a great life with a handsome, successful husband in the military, (PERRY MASON'S William Hopper) and the cutest daughter anyone could be lucky enough to have, Rhoda. With blonde pigtails and fetching freckles, Rhoda is precocious, charming, polite, gregarious, outgoing, vicious, vindictive, manipulative, calculating, homicidal...She's 'DENNIS THE MENACE' with a sex change on a 'roid rage bender; Damien Thorn's demonic sibling in a pretty summer frock.

She easily dispatches several of the cast members with the same kind of shrug and smile she would use to ask for milk and cookies, and Christine begins a little intuitive detective work, searching her own troubled past for the clues to why, as Rhoda's crimes and her darker nature become more and more horrifyingly apparent...

Controversial in its day, I wish I could've been in the audience who attended its premiere. And the morality code be damned, I never accepted why they tacked on the "shocking" ending, though the times being what they were, I do understand why it was unavoidable. All I knew is that at the young age I was when I saw it, the concept of a little girl evil enough to make GOD strike her dead, scared the absolute Hershey squirts out of me!

Most of the cast is from the original Broadway production, and though the acting seems more geared for the stage than screen and therefore appears to be overdone, I thought Nancy Kelly was fine as the emotionally disintegrating Christine. Considering what she discovers about Rhoda, as well as what she learns about herself, it's a wonder she wasn't MORE freaked out! And what more can be said about the jaw-droppingly awesome performance by Patty McCormack? We can trace a line of child-acting evolution from her turn as Rhoda directly to outstanding screen tykes like Dakota Fanning, but we have yet to see a turn from any of our younger thespians that will give you nightmares the way Patty's has done for countless adult moviegoers. (Okay, there was Harvey Stephens as the adorable little devil who had this problem with churches...)

Henry Jones as Leroy should've damn well been honored with a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the very least. He made such an impression on me, that for years afterward, I always thought of him as "toasted Leroy." And Eileen Heckart balanced humor and histrionics with tightrope precision as Mrs. Daigle, the mother of the little boy who becomes Rhoda's first victim. Though you can't help but laugh at her at some points, your sympathy for her pain is always palpable.

It would be hard to do a bad movie with all these veterans around, and Mervyn LeRoy knew that. It's only too bad he didn't attempt to open things up a bit more to let the movie out of its "playhouse" cage. Still, it remains a classic, in spite of the fact that with what we now know about kids today and what they are capable of, in places with tragic histories like Santee and Columbine, the subject matter is sadly enough, no longer sensational or unique. Which is a lot more chilling realization than this movie could achieve for today's audiences.

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