Project X (1987)

One day my mother came home with a film she showed her kids in school that day. I was either 4 or 5 years old. The film was "Project X", a heart warming, no so far fetched idea, melodrama starring Matthew Broderick and Helen Hunt not to mention the extremely cute and hairy chimps.

The film is about an air force pilot who is transfred to an "Experimental Pilot Preformance Project" conducted by a strict doctor. From there he meets Virgil, an extremely smart and loving chimp who ended up there by mistake. He falls for the chimp like anyone else would and tries to save him with the help of the researcher who taught and cared for Virgil in the begining.

I found this film by mistake and quickly bought it. It's only special feature is the theatrical trailer and TV Spots but the film itself is well worth the ten bucks. The film has some very emotional scenes and some harrowing. Some of the scenes were honestly hard to watch. Being an animal lover one can only imagine how bad these kinds of experiments got. However, like all family films, this one has a great and happy ending.

This is simply a great movie that kids will love as well as adults. I'm 21 and I just love it!

I saw this movie when it first came out and have always wanted it. I could not believe I found it here at Amazon at such a great low price. This movie is so funny and yet so sad. It is the best movie I have ever seen. You have to see it. It is so sad to know that this kind of testing was actually performed on chimps by the US Airforce. This movie really makes you think. It gives you a sense of respect and love for these animals. (I was rooting for the chimps all the way.)

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PROJECT X is really a movie fairy tale for adults. It is billed as a comedy, and there are truly some humorous moments, but the basic thrust of the film is to transport the audience to a world of a deep and dark forest populated and run by evil witches and warlocks. The dark forest is a United States Air Force research test center and the resident warlock is a heartless and slimy researcher whose only stated purpose is to expose chimpanzees to lethal doses of radiation. Enter Matthew Broderick as a young and innocent air force recruit whose job is to bond with these chimps and basically and unwittingly get them ready for their lethal exposures. Broderick is young and boyishly goodlooking, but he is not the star. The one who steals more than a few scenes is Virgil the chimp. Virgil learns to trust Broderick, who in turn learns that the horrors of the dark forest are masked by the antiseptic environment that kills chimps in the name of science.

Director Jonathan Kaplan clearly tries hard to infuse PROJECT X with more than just the comic interaction between a chimp that is as at least as bright as his handler. Kaplan sets up the relation between Broderick and Virgil as a dramatic focus that zeros in on the rationale that the air force doctor slimily insists is the case: namely that if and when American pilots are exposed to killing radiation during a bombing run--perhaps to Russia--then how well will they be able to continue their mission? To Kaplan's credit, he has Broderick point out that unlike their simian counterparts in a flight simulator, a human pilot will certainly know if he has been exposed, and it is this knowledge that renders the entire PROJECT X experiment rationale as unneeded at best and evil at worst. Broderick is forced to juggle duty versus conscience, never an easy task at any time. By the film's midpoint Helen Hunt enters as a simian sign language teacher who, years earlier, had taught Virgil to communicate in contextually meaningful ways, thus intensifying Broderick's dilemma about the potential destruction of a sentient being that is not only cute but smart. It is this smartness that director Kaplan uses to ease the film into the slapstick world of farce. Not only is Virgil bright enough to help Broderick defuse a melt down in a lab experiment gone haywire, but he is also savvy enough to take an airplane up and pilot it in an escape.

PROJECT X is that odd but pleasant comedy/fantasy that brings the audience into the dark world of science to force the hero and the audience to wonder where duty ends and conscience begins. PROJECT X implies that a useful starting point is to define just what it means to be human--or in Virgil's case--near human.

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I am giving the movie 4 stars because It is one of the movies I remember from my childhood that really left an impact on my views about animals and humanity. As a child, soaking in every little bit of this movie really made me feel a lot more attached to animals and more intuitive to the fact that every creature on this earth has feelings and emotions, regardless of if they can't express them like humans do.

Project X is one of the few movies that I also can't get myself to watch again to this day. It always makes me cry. I just get so overwhelmed with emotions over the chimps and the testing. It's all so sad.

James Horner is my musical epitome of a soundtrack God! I will admit though that you can identify his scores immediately because they are all very similar, but they ALWAYS evoke such strong, powerfully moving feelings during the films and it really works here with Project X.

This is a movie that has a nice, happy ending..but there is sadness to get to it, and it makes me all mushy and emotional just thinking of it!

Just had to put some thoughts about this movie up out of boredom!

Great childhood memories film. Reminds me of being a kid in the 80's.

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This movie is a poignant reminder to me of how cruel and how kind the human race can be to other animals. I know it is mostly a fictional story, but I still root for the escape of the chimps, even for grumpy Goliath. Jimmy was being manipulated, same as the subjects of the "experiment" and he comes to realize he has to stand up for himself. He won't just be the wise-cracking card player anymore.

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The 10th Victim (1965)

Ever since catching about a half hour of The 10th Victim in bleary black-and-white on television as a teenager I had been dying to see the whole film. So when Anchor Bay released it on DVD in 2001 I jumped on it and have watched it at least four times since. It's become one of my all-time favorite movies, a superbly written, directed, and designed combination of futuristic thriller, sex farce, and dark, dryly witty satire--all wrapped up in a colorful, surreal pop/op-art package--that pokes fun at a dystopian future where war has been replaced by the "sport" of legalized murder ("the Big Hunt"), comic books are regarded as "Classics," elderly parents must be turned in to the state for extermination, and advertisers sign up "hunters" to promote their products during live commercials featuring cold-blooded killings.

Ursula Andress (at the peak of her beauty and animal sensuality) and Marcello Mastroianni (the epitome of jaded cool) play hunter and victim, respectively, both vying for a million-dollar prize if one can murder the other, and each also lining up a corporate sponsor who will pay out if the killing can be timed to happen during a live commercial for their product. But love, of all things, intervenes (not to mention his ex-wife and mistress), seriously complicating their cat-and-mouse game of death. Along the way we are treated to some great futuristic pop-art set designs and decor, terrific, catchy Eurojazz soundtrack, and breezy satire of the media, society's fetishization of violence, religion, marriage and divorce, Bondian intrigue, television, and shameless, opportunistic corporate advertising. Several future fads are accurately predicted, including robotic pets and tawdry reality TV shows, and a number of elements from the film are recognizable as being "borrowed" by Mike Myers for the Austin Powers movies, most notably Andress's ballistic bikini top.

I have found that The 10th Victim actually improves with each viewing, as each time I pick up on more details or bits of dialogue that had previously escaped me. *Spoiler Alert* The only disappointing aspect of the film, in my opinion, is the "comic," slapstick ending tacked on at the insistence of American distributor Joseph E. Levine. I'm about 99% sure that the movie is really supposed to end just after Mastroianni shoots Andress, but Levine apparently considered that ending too downbeat. It's pretty obvious that the final scenes amid some ruins and on an airplane were added after the fact as they are completely at odds with the tone of the rest of the movie and attempt to provide the film with a wacky, screwball "happy ending." But other than the denouement ringing false, the film is nearly perfectly realized.

When I heard that Blue Underground was releasing this on Blu-ray I wondered if it would really be worth the price of an upgrade. Thankfully, the answer is a resounding "yes!" The brightness, color saturation and balance, sharpness, and detail are vastly improved over the Anchor Bay DVD. While the word "revelation" gets thrown around perhaps a bit too freely when describing Blu-rays in comparison with their previous DVD incarnations, in this case it is apropos. The BU transfer makes the Anchor Bay disc look positively sick in comparison--dark and muddy, with faded, poorly balanced color and mushy detail. The difference here is literally like night and day; it's astounding how much better the Blu-ray looks when compared side-by-side with the DVD. The 1080p transfer does bring out the grain a bit, but never to the point of distraction. Fleshtones are natural, detail is crisp, and the muted hues of the Anchor DVD give way to sizzling, neon-vivid greens, yellows, and fuchsias. If you are a big fan of this movie, you really need to upgrade to the Blu-ray; it's almost like seeing the film again for the first time, and easily the biggest improvement in a Blu-ray over a previous DVD release I have yet seen. (Note that Blue Underground's 2009 DVD release is merely a repackage of the Anchor Bay edition, so the Blu-ray is the only way to see the much-improved remaster.)

Blue Underground also up the ante with some enticing supplements, including a somewhat washed-out U.K. release trailer (1:47), which is the same one as on the Anchor DVD, and a superior, gorgeous-looking Italian trailer (2:31), with English subtitles, that actually gives you a much better idea of what the movie's about than the rather inscrutable U.K. trailer (both are presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen). A gallery of stills, posters, and pressbook art and a Mastroianni still gallery are also present, as well as an hour-and-a-half documentary on Mastroianni (which I haven't watched yet). But even without these extras, the far superior transfer makes this a more than worthy upgrade. If you love this film as much as I do, I guarantee you will be delighted.

Synopsis: In the future a game called "The Big Hunt" where it is legal to commit murder has been created to help facilitate mankind's growing obsession with murder.

The 10th Victim was directed by Elio Petri, whose other notable films include The Lady killer of Rome, A Quiet Place in the Country and Investigation of a Citizen... Above Suspicion. The screenplay for The 10th Victim was adapted from the Robert Sheckley story titled "The Seventh Victim". The Cinematographer on The 10th Victim was Gianni Di Venanzo whose impressive filmography includes Il grido, Big Deal on Madonna Street, La note, L'eclisse, Federico Fellini's 8½ and Juliet of the Spirits. After The 10th Victim Gianni Di Venanzo would only work on one more film before his untimely death at the age of forty five. The score for The 10th Victim was composed by Piero Piccioni, whose other notable scores include Duel of the Titans, The Lady killer of Rome, La commare secca (The Grim Reaper), Contempt (The Italian and Spanish versions), The Nuns of Saint Archangel and Story of a Cloistered Nun.

The plot focuses primarily on two characters Marcello Polletti and Caroline Meredith who are both participating in "The Big Hunt". Marcello is the hunted as Caroline in the hunter in seek of her 10th victim. She soon discovers that he is not as an easy target as her previous victims as he leads her around on a series of misadventures as he tries to figure out who she is and what she wants. This cat and mouse game that evolves between these two characters is the most enjoyable part of the film.

This film takes full advantage of the Rome locations in the film. All of the sets used are all beautifully designed and realized. The film features a solid performance from Marcello Mastroianni in the role of Marcello Polletti charismatic character that in many ways resembles his own persona. Cast opposite of Marcello Mastroianni in the role of Caroline Meredith is Swedish sex icon Ursula Andress. While she is more than serviceable in the role one has to wonder if the original choice for the role Ann-Margret would have been the better suited for this role. Early on in the film there is a scene with Ursula Andress that obviously inspired the machine gun breast assassins from the Austin Powers International Man of Mystery films. Ultimately The 10th Victim is an exceptional satire that hasn't lost any of its charm or relevance.

The BluRay:

The 10th Victim comes on a 50 GB dual layer BluRay. The film is presented in a 1080 progressive anamorphic widescreen. Colors look vibrant, flesh tones look accurate, black levels look very good and details look sharp throughout. There is a healthy layer of grain and there are no problems with compression. When compared to previous North American home video releases of The 10th Victim, this brand new transfer from Blue Underground looks amazing.

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD Mono mix in English and a DTS-HD Mono mix in Italian. Both audio are in good shape as dialog is always clear and everything sounds balanced. The score benefits most from these audio mixes and the more ambient aspects of the soundtrack are well represented. This release comes with four subtitle options, English, English SDH, French and Spanish. Also the English subtitles appear to be a direct translation of the Italian audio track, while the English SDH subtitle is a direct translation of the English audio track.

Extras for this release include the U.S. theatrical release trailer (1 minute 47 seconds anamorphic widescreen), the Italian theatrical release trailer (2 minutes 31 seconds anamorphic widescreen, with English subtitles), a poster & still gallery for the film, a Marcello Mastroianni still gallery and a feature length documentary about Marcello Mastroianni titled `Marcello: A Sweet Life' (98 minutes 15 seconds 4:3 Full Frame / Letterboxed Widescreen, with English subtitles). This is a superb documentary that not only covers all the major films that Marcello Mastroianni, it also features an abundance of comments about who he was outside of cinema. All of his main collaborators make appearances in this documentary, whether it be newly recorded interviews or from archive footage, all of Marcello Mastroianni's comments come from archive footage. This documentary also features comments from his two daughters and his brother Ruggero Mastroianni, a noted film editor. Overall The 10th Victim gets an exceptional release from Blue Underground.

Written by: Michael Den Boer with thanks to Michael

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This a poignant film--touching and sad--and full of fun at the same time; a classic film, for sure; and a film only Italians could have made. The director, Elio Petri, is often quoted: "Making a movie needs a lot of madness and a lot of love for cinema. And most probably this is the most positive side of the whole matter."

The director, Petri was a lawyer turned filmmaker, a leftist, vocal member of the Communist Party, a rascal, and a man totally aware of the mission of filmmaking: it's a vehicle for entertainment first and along the way you spice it up with politics. Candy with medicine hidden inside.

The 10th Victim is a visual delight, the costumes and art design, the attractive stars--a young, blonde Marcello Mastrioinani and sex goddess Ursula Andress. Everything is done up deliciously 60s : pop-art, futuristic furniture, Sassoon haircuts, fake eyelashes, clothes with cut out backs and zippers everywhere, fantastic hats and visors. Most of the action happens in Rome and there's no tourists, in fact, the streets and sites are empty, no Vespas, no graffiti. On a stretch, the telephones and video screens in the film could still seem contemporary today. The director made a wise choice not to include close-ups of electronic gadgetry and that decision allowed the the film to age beautifully.

Quick synopsis: It's the future. War and violent impulses have been replaced by a game where one aggressive person hunts and murders another. It's a safety valve After succeeding in ten computer-generated match-ups, the last killer-survivor becomes a celebrity. In the film Marcello is the hunted and Andress is the hunter. Of course they fall in love--in a twisted futuristic way that asks, why tell the truth? Relationships are all filled with deception.

The story lampoons marriage, commitment, honesty, the media, people's hunger for fame and celebrity, and greed in an intellectual way that is as valid today as it might have been for farsighted for Petri back in 1965 when he made the film.

I was wowed not only by Rome's empty streets but also the sound of crickets in the Colosseum, the jazzy-pop soundtrack, the frequent futuristic predictions about homosexual liberation and, most surprised by the right-on appearance of the Chinese in this almost 50 year old sci-fi spoof) as being the nation who ends up with the most money. The Chinese give prize money to the winners and promote their product during broadcasts of the hunt. "Drink MIng Tea and Live Forever."

How did he figure that out about China? Petri was a genius!

Why could only an Italian make this film? Who else could make a film about the role of money, schizophrenia and the individual's destruction and make it sexy, adult and stylish?

Sad? Because there are so few people in the future, it must mean there was a terrible war and not many people survived and the ones who did stay home and watch TV shows about the hunters and hunted and drink Ming Tea.

The Virgin Knows: an art theft thriller

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I recommend this purchases for all its is worth every penny and is a timeless classic of all ages. It is a must have

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Sometime in the future (after the Fourth World War or perhaps the Sixth according to one of the trailers), humanity has decided that it must forever put an end to war. Understanding that violence is a part of human nature, society has decided to make that aggression legal with something called the Great Hunt, in which Hunter and Victim can legally do each other in. Each participant alternates being Hunter and Victim. Each can legally kill each other (though if one kills the wrong person, it's 30 years behind bars), and if one survives ten hunts, as only 15 have done well, the rewards are many.

I have an interest in comedies, futuristic films and Italian films from the `60s and `70s, so when I read about this film that fits into all three categories, I couldn't resist and the film definitely pays off! Ursula Andress and Marcello Mastroianni star respectively as Caroline Meredith, an American who has just survived her ninth hunt and is now pursuing the magic "tenth victim," and Marcello Poletti, a blond-haired Italian participant who seems to be just trying to survive his life, with a nagging mistress (the beautiful Elsa Martinelli) and an ex-wife who collects and spends his paychecks.

Director Elio Petri directs this 1965 film in tongue-in-cheek fashion, showing us a world that we would see again in movies like "Sleeper" (mechanical pets), "Logan's Run" (senior citizens must be handed over to the state), "Austin Powers" (bullet-spitting bras) and "The Running Man" (violence as entertainment).

Though mostly set in and around Rome, the film actually begins in New York City, where we see a man chasing after and shooting at a dark-haired young woman in lower Manhattan. At one point, she seems to be almost toying with him coyly, finally running into a club into which the man follows. Little does he know what fate awaits him as we see Ms. Andress do a sexy striptease, slapping all of the men in the face as they get close to her. In a later sequence, we see beautiful shots of Rome filmed from a helicopter and are reminded by the Colosseum that bloodsport is nothing new.

In this future, the survivors of the hunts are courted by the media as celebrities, with corporate sponsors setting up executions on live television to boost their products. All of this could have been handled in a serious manner, but this film is a lot of fun, with armed men brandishing guns being told by a waiter that they can't kill anybody in bars (legal in the US but illegal in Italy) and a successful hunter who just killed a victim getting a parking ticket for blocking the entrance to a building. The fashion is 1960's futuristic, but of course, the cars are not (nor is the airline, Pan American).

So, if you like your futuristic films with a comic twist, definitely give this film a try, and welcome to a world of exploding boots, ejector seats, roadside sex stops and armored skin. It will be worth it.

As for the presentation, I watched the blu-ray released by Blue Underground. The film is presented in a 1:1.78 widescreen ratio, with good colors and a sharp picture, though grain from the film is often noticeable. It includes Italian and English soundtracks, and I watched with the Italian track and English subtitles. Extras include the Italian and American trailers, with still photo galleries of the film's publicity material and of Marcello Mastroianni.

The biggest extra, however, is a feature length documentary, "A Sweet Life," about the life and career of Mr. Mastroianni. In Italian with English subtitles, it includes vintage interviews with the actor as well as people such as Sophia Loren, Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti, as well as more recent talks with the actor's two daughters and film world people like Claudia Cardinale and Anouk Aimee. It's informative and entertaining (a lot of people thought he was lazy, though he never retired from acting; he loved pasta fagioli and Claudia Cardinale; and when not actually doing filming, he was constantly on the phone), though at 98 minutes it feels a bit on the long side.

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Spellbound (1945)

The video quality of Criterion's DVD version of SPELLBOUND discs look a bit sharper, more detailed, but grainier than Anchor Bay's re-pressed version from 2000 (in which the flash-of-red color shot was restored). The audio quality of Criterion's 1.0 mono soundtrack is also a little more detailed and more distinct than Anchor Bay's 2.0 mono track. The Anchor Bay disc also sounds much louder, but there are audio distortions in a few places. The soundtrack of the Criterion disc (and many DVDs) was recorded at a much lower volume level, which is usually an effort to retain as much as possible the dynamic range of the source material. The Criterion DVD booklet says the film's original overture and exit music has been included on the disc for the first time. This is simply not true, for the re-pressed Anchor Bay disc also has the overture and exit music. The initial pressing of the Anchor Bay disc, in which the red-color shot is erroneously shown in B&W, does not have the overture and exit music, however.

Although SPELLBOUND helped solidify Hitchcock's position in Hollywood, it isn't one of his best films. But Marian Keane's remarkable analytical audio commentary on the Criterion disc should heighten your appreciation of the film. Keane juxtaposes the themes in the film against the manner in which Hitchcock made his films and the manner in which we, the viewers, watch them, and suggests that they are somehow interrated. She points out that many Hitchcock films (including SPELLBOUND) are about people who take pleasure in watching and analyzing other people, which is also the very thing that we, the viewers, do when we watch such films. As in her commentary for the NOTORIOUS DVD, she injects an extra layer of significance within the film by refering to certain elements in the film as "surrogate authors," "scriptwriting sessions," and "director's assertion of his authorship." Keane single-mindedly concentrates on the interpretation, deconstruction, and theorization on the subject of Hitchcock, and the result is one of the most remarkable dissertations ever recorded on DVD. I give 4 stars to the film itself, but 5 to Keane.

I give 5 stars to the supplements on the Criterion disc as well, like I routinely do. There is a wonderful, rather detailed photo-essay segment on the making of the Dali sequence. Two film clips of the surrealist film UN CHIEN ANDALOU is included ! to show some earlier inspirations for the SPELLBOUND dream sequence. Memos from the filmmakers and production photos show how the dream sequence was re-shot several times due to logistic difficulties and artistic differences. There are also production photos of the deleted "ballroom" sub-sequence, in which Ingrid Bergman plays a statuesque figure bewildering Gregory Peck.

Other extras include about 150 production and publicity photos, a half-hour audio interview of the film's composer, a 7-minute radio program on the subject of theramin, a 1-hour radioplay version of SPELLBOUND, "story treatments" that show how the original novel was loosely adapted into a filmmable story, and other correspondences from psychoanalysts and Production Code officials who offered advices to the filmmakers. The booklet contains two very good essays; one is about the making of the film, while the other offers some artistic analyses (some of which echo Keane's comments).

Combining Hitch's fascination with Freudian symbolism, desire to work with Salvador Dali and writer Ben Hecht, "Spellbound" manages to be very entertaining even if it is a flawed Hitchcock classic. Compromise started with casting with Hitch forced to take Gregory Peck for the lead opposite his choice Ingrid Bergman. Peck does a nice job even if he is a bit stiff in the role of Dr. Edwardes--only he isn't Edwardes at all. It turns out that "John" suffers from amnesia and must rely on Dr. Constance Peterson (Berman) to discover who he is and what happened to the real Dr. Edwardes.

Blu-Ray Transfer: "Spellbound" will leave fans of the film, well, spellbound. The film receives a handsome transfer. How does this compare to the Criterion? "Spellbound" looks sleeker in a good way with nice, consistent grain (for the most part) with the only major flaw I could detect some over use of edge enhancement (resulting in some intrusive haloing). Could this look better? Probably--the use of edge enhancement was unnecessarily heavy handed but, on the whole, it bests just about every DVD presentation I've seen of the movie.

Bear in my that the bigger your screen, the higher resolution your monitor and the more noticeable the improved resolution/depth will be. It isn't a huge difference but it IS there (depth though is noticeable different on both small and large screens).

"Spellbound" had a very troubled production from conflicts between Hitchcock and Selznick's consultant on the film, to butting heads over the dream sequence (which uses a lot of Dali's concepts but was actually redesigned by William Cameron Menzies at Selznick's request)which was heavily edited for the film. Selznick had a heavier hand in this Hitchcock production compared to other films from the period (with the exception of "Rebecca" which Hitchcock always stated wasn't a "Hitchcock picture" and "The Paradine Case" about which star Gregory Peck responded he'd love to see burned when asked if he could pick one film to be destroyed from his extensive filmography).

As usual when Hitch had a conflict or couldn't quite find an angle to the material he focused his attention on certain sequences such as the last shot of the film (which briefly uses an innovative moment of color in an otherwise black and white film) and the sequence where Bergman experiences her sexual awakening.

That isn't to say that this set doesn't have some flaws. For example the lack of a main menu is a bit annoying although not a deal breaker.

The special features are solid throughout.

We get a really good commentary track featuring Thomas Schatz and Charles Ramirez Berg both film historians with some interesting observations about the movie, it's production history and the issue that Selnick had with the dream sequence (and had the bulk of it cut unfortunately).

We also get a featurette on Dali and Hitch's collaboration as well as Selznick's discomfort with the dream sequence.

"Guilt By Association: Psychoanalyzing Spellbound" is a solid featurette highlighting the narrative hook of psychoanalysis and dream interpretation. Hitch was primarily interested in Freud only as a means to tell a story.

We get a unique presentation--Hitchcock directing the radio play of "Spellbound" featuring Joseph Cotten subbing for Peck.

We also get one of Peter Bogdanovich's Hitchcock interviews.

There's also a good featurette on co-star Rhonda Fleming as well as the theatrical trailer in standard definition.

Although it isn't a flawless classic "Spellbound" has enough of Hitch's set pieces to make this interesting and Bergman is, as always, beautiful. Hitchcock's "Spellbound" receives a nice transfer to Blu-ray courtesy of MGM and, while this isn't one of Hitch's best films, it has enough moments to make it worthwhile for Hitchcock fans.

Is this the ultimate edition on Blu-ray? It's hard to tell because MGM and the company they've hired for the restoration done here has done a fine job on the film. It's possible that Criterion or another studio could do some additional work that might make this edition obsolete but, for now, THIS is the best showing of the film even with the occasional bit of noise, edge enhancement and other minor imperfections in the transfer.

Recommended for Hitchcock fans.

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SPELLBOUND was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and produced by David O. Selznick in 1945. As the story unravels it is essentially a murder plot interwoven around psychiatrists and psychoanalysis. It is actually Alfred Hitchcock's approach to the story and his collaborations with composer Miklos Rozsa and surrealist artist Salvador Dali that highlights this film. Gregory Peck plays John "J.B." Ballantine who poses as a psychiatrist while in a state of amnesia. Uncovered by Dr. Constance Peterson played by Ingrid Bergman, Ballantine must find out if he is responsible for the death of the missing psychiatrist that he posed as and simultaneously discover his own identity. Miklos Rozsa's score is both romantic yet eerie as Ballantine tries to remember what happened through analysis of his dreams. Alfred Hitchcock hired Salvador Dali to design illustrations and paintings in order to construct a crisp and vivid rendering of these dreams. Hitchcock did not want to use conventional techniques such as blurred camera shots to recreate the dreams. He wanted them to be as clear and even sharper than the rest of the film. He wanted Dali's style of using shadows, lines of convergence and the idea of infinite distance incorporated into the dream sequences. In the dream sequence we see a black stage highlighted with people at gambling tables with huge mysterious looking eyes peering over them. A man cuts away at the fabric of one eye with a giant scissors revealing another eye. In another part of the dream we see a man standing on a roof behind a chimney that has sprouted roots. The hooded man holds what looks like a deformed or eccentric wagon wheel in his hand. In the distance there is a formation of rocks and boulders, which look like they are sprouting into the shape of a man's head. Another part of the dream shows a man running down a pitched geometric plane as the shadow of a bird follows him. In the background there are geometric shapes and lines that go off into infinity. All these images must be interpreted into experiences from reality. Dali's images are unsettling and thought provoking. Eventually, the eccentric wagon wheel turns out to represent the chambers of a revolver pistol and reveals the true identity of the murderer. A surrealistic painting brings to the canvas an image from reality but puts it into a context of the unreal. I think Dali was successful in translating the realistic elements from the plot into a vision of incomprehensibility of the conscious human mind. Hitchcock and the scriptwriter Ben Hecht then had their characters translate Dali's images back into plausible reality. This is brilliant filmmaking years ahead of its time.

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This movie has several flaws, but the great performances of its stars and Hitchcock's clever direction make it a classic, and great fun, anyway! First off even though most of Hitchcock's films have aged well, this one hasn't. Its biggest problem is that the silly psychology reminds you constantly when the movie was made. Additionally, if you are a big Hitchcock fan, be forewarned that this is not as thrilling as some of his other films. Instead, it is more oriented towards romance and bad ideas about psychology.

Pretty much, Spellbound is about a icy, analytical psychologist (Ingrid Bergman) who runs off with a patient who was posing as the new director of the mental institute (Gregory Peck). As they attempt to keep away from the police, who want to arrest Peck, Bergman tries to "cure" him using psychoanalysis (it's tough not to laugh during these scenes).

Anyhow, all in all, this is great entertainment. The Salvador Dali dream sequence, which is famous, is rightly so and the music, acting, and cinematography combine to make a great atmosphere. The movie is still pretty exciting and Bergman and Peck give great performances and make a nice couple. Even though this is not Hitchcock at his typical best, it's a good movie and deserves a viewing regardless of its silly ideas.

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This review refers to the Anchor Bay release of the "Spellbound" DVD....

Anchor Bay has done it again. This 1945 classic directed by Alfred Hitchcock, was beautifully transfered onto this DVD. The black and white images are sharp, crisp, and clear. Barely a sign of this film's age. The sound remastered in Dolby Dig 2.0 is great. If you're a fan of this film, you'll be thrilled at how good it looks.

Haven't seen it yet, but love Hitch, or maybe it's been a while since you have?....Here's a little of this riveting story.....

The beautiful Ingrid Bergman plays the distant psychiatrist Dr. Constance Petersen. She treats a number of troubled patients at the Green Manors Mental Asylum, but her toughest case is yet to come. With Dr. Murchison(Leo G Carroll) being forced into retirement a new chief of staff will be arriving. It is the esteemed Dr Edwards(Gregory Peck)who takes over. It is not long before Edwards and Constance find themselves attracted to one another, and it is not long before Constance figures out that Edwards is not really who he says he is. He displays signs of paranoia and amnesia and it is possible that he murdered the real Dr. Edwards.They are on the run to try to solve the case but as the original theatrical poster says,"Will he Kiss me or Kill me?"(The DVD comes with a mini version of this poster).

You'll be awed Hitch's definitive style of camera angles, shadow and lights, romance and a unique dream sequence designed by Salavdor Dali. Not to mention all the wonderful talent that graces this film. Bergman and Peck make screen magic together, Carroll is a legend and this film shows us why.Also starring is Rhonda Flemming,Michael Chekhov, and Wallace Ford. The music by Miklos Rozsa also adds greatly to the building tension, and romantic scenes in the story.

Looking for Hitch: About :40 minutes in, you may see him if you're quick!

It never ceases to amaze me that we are lucky enough to be able to see these great classics as they were first seen and with the added treat of the origianl theatrical Overture.(I will be adding this one to my listmania of "Old Movies That Look Great on DVD") Now, if you are looking for special features, this DVD does not have any, there is another version by Criterion that offers more in the way of extras,although quite a bit more expensive.(Criterion also does great transfers)Which ever you choose, this a a must have for fans of Hitch, Bergman or Peck.

So don't worry about trying to over anaylze this one....As Hitch himself said "It's just a movie." But a GREAT one! So enjoy!......Laurie

more Hitch stuff:

Hitchcock's Notebooks: An Authorized and Illustrated Look Inside the C

Alfred Hitchcock Presents volume 2

Alfred Hitchcock Double Feature Volume One Sabotage / The Man Who Knew Too Much [VHS]

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Life is Beautiful (1998)

Put the children to bed, unplug the phone, get out the tissues and refuse to watch this movie with anybody who likes to talk during a movie. You will be blown away.

Holocaust and comedy. Two words never spoken in the same breath before "Life is Beautiful." To smiply label this movie as such, would do it injustice. Every emotion comes into play during the viewing. You soon begin to empathize with Roberto Benigni as he portrays a father trying to keep the harsh realities of a German concentration camp from his young son. Benigni protects his son with two weapons that the German's could not seize: Humor and Imagination.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and yes I cried. But I also laughed and smiled.

I recommend the Sub-title version of the movie. After five minutes the reading becomes natural and the depth to which you become involved with the movie is well worth it.

I so enjoyed the music in this movie, that I purchased "Tales of Hoffman" by Offenbach. The second playing of this piece in the movie will not allow you to maintain dry eyes.

Okay, a few folks have said they did not like this film. Fair enough, I didn't like Good Will Hunting.

But let's take a look here. If you know what this film is all about, then the first half of it will astound you. I mean, egg on faces? It comes startingly close to Benny Hill for 'want of a laugh track'.

Ahh, but the warmth grows on you, and then...

The second half.

Few scenes are as emotional as when Guido has to reassure his son that the Jews 'aren't going to be made into soap.' The film takes a turn for the harshness and doesn't let up.

Schindler's List was a phenomenal film, showing the utter horror of the holocaust, but it missed one thing: the notion of hope. No one in Spielberg's masterpiece continually believes that 'life is beautiful'. All we see is the horror, the downfall, the pain. And while that makes for a fantastic dramatic punch, it negates any humor or spirit the prisoners may have had to blanket themselves from the harshness, and this humor surely existed.

Guido knows very soon that he is going to die. But, the love for his son outweighs the need to DISPLAY hopelessness. If nothing else, he must protect his son. So he convinces him it's all a game. Simple, buffoonish...

and damn identifiable. Who here can honestly say they wouldn't do anything they could to protect their sons/daughters from knowing the biggest evil on Earth? Guido manages to keep his son involved in 'the game' while he himself knows it will most likely end according to an evil thought.

The end scene, where Guido realizes he is going to be killed, and yet does a goofy march to make his son laugh, is one of the most powerful sights to ever be associated with the trauma the Nazi's inflicted on the world.

If you didn't like this film, fine. But don't say it mocked the Holocaust. If anything, it's a tribute to the flame of life that wouldn't be blown out.

Laughter seeps into any tradegy, if the love for life is there. Anne Frank said something to the effect that 'in spite of all this, I still feel people are good in heart'. She had hope.

She knew life was beautiful.

-CS

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(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)When Roberto Benigni burst onto the Hollywood scene with this acclaimed film and his over-the-top enthusiasm, I couldn't bring myself to watch this film. Instead, I waited for the DVD. However, what I perceived as hype was truly deserved. "Life is Beautiful" is a wonderfully inventive tale that seems fresh even today, years after its first release. Part slapstick, part drama, part romantic comedy, part tragedy this story of an Italian family during the Holocaust defies categorization.

The films opens with Guido (Benigni) and his friend arriving in town on a car with no brakes and being mistaken for facist officials expected for a parade. This slapstick scene ends with Guido catching the future love of his life, Dora (Nicoletta Braschi), as she jumps from a barn window. The clownish Guido sets out to win her heart despite the odds against him. These early scenes set the stage for the rest of the movie: Guido will rely on invention, humor, and persistence to protect his loved ones despite the obstacles he faces. What begins as slapstick becomes heartbreaking later. Like all stories of the Holocaust, this film has its grim side, but Benigni relies heavily on exaggerated humor, running gags, and an early circus-like atmosphere to set up the emotional power of the time's reality. Most of the atrocities are implied, not witnessed, and the viewer's own knowledge of the time period creates an additional layer of tension.

Roberto Benigni is superb as Guido; his antics are hilarious, but during more dire moments, emotions flash across his face, revealing both the depth of his character and the reality of his position. Nicoletta Braschi is also good, and little Giorgio Cantinini as Guido?s son Joshua is adorably spunky, especially as he questions his father's stories.

I always advocate watching foreign films in the original language, with subtitles, but I understand that some viewers may not like "reading" a movie. In this case, however, the dubbed version was distracting, as Benigni provides the English track for his own character while American voices dub the rest of the cast. His Italian accent amid the American accents completely broke the illusion for me. Still, if a dubbed version is the only way you'll watch this movie, please do it.

I highly recommend "Life is Beautiful." Its offbeat approach remains unparalleled in the canon of Holocaust movies. Because of the absence of explicit violence and sex, viewers as young as thirteen should admire this extraordinary film.

Read Best Reviews of Life is Beautiful (1998) Here

First, my impression of the film-I don't think I laughed and cried so much in a long time. Buy it, own it and share it with others!

Now my input on the DVD experience. The disc contains a dubbed version of the film in English. We tried watching this version first, but found the dialogue and story were actually harder to follow than the subtitles! When we started the film over again with the English subtitles "on" we discoved we were missing Roberto's energy and punctuation. Even if you don't understand a word of Italian you need to hear the impact in the actor's voices to appreciate what is being said. Still, if you can't deal with the subtitles you have a choice. Incidently, the sections of the film which feature German dialogue are not dubbed so we still have the same experience as our characters do.

The bonus materials area on the disc features several TV spots (commercials) for the film. No real bonanza here, but there is a brief documentary, "Making Life Beautiful". It features footage from various programs where the film has won awards, etc. It also contains a mini-filmography of other Benigni films and interviews with his various costars. The documentary tone is very promotion oriented spending most of its time patting Benigni and company on the back-deservedly so.

Picture clarity is excellent (what you would expect from a new film) and sound very good as well.

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("THE")This movie is absolutely all it's cracked up to be. Hysterically funny and simultaneously a tear jerker -it's ultimately very uplifting. The cinematography is also fantastic -amazing use of color.

The DVD has dubbed english as an option, but I strongly recommend going with the subtitles instead so you can hear Benigni's amazing acting and passion.

Too bad the DVD doesn't include any deleted scenes. With Benigni, I think it would be particularly fun to see out-takes.



Absolutely a great movie!

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The Yule Log - Christmas by the Fireplace

The Yule Log: Christmas By The Fireplace is perfect for the holidays or whenever! The soundtrack offers 3 options: Christmas music and fire crackling, music only, or fire crackling only.

The fireplace footage is so realistic and it seems as though the fire flames are dancing along with the beat of the music. The music soundtrack is mostly instrumental with a few songs with lyrics (Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer by Ray Charles, We Wish You A Merry Christmas, etc.). The Christmas songs featured offer a well-rounded soundtrack mixed with vocals, piano, jazz, and orchestra. Top notch!

The Soundtrack Includes:

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

Away In A Manger

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Mary Had A Baby

Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring

O Holy Night

The First Noel

O Come All Ye Faithful

Ave Maria

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Medley)

Silent Night

March From "The Nutcracker"

Angels We Have Heard On High

Carol Of The Bells

We Three Kings

What Child Is This

Here We Come A Caroling

Sleigh Ride

Go Tell It On The Mountain

O Holy Night

O Come O Come Emmanuel

In The Manger

Joy To The World

O Little Town Of Bethlehem

Angels We Have Heard On High

Good King Wenceslas

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

O How Joyfully/Deck The Halls

God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman

O Tannenbaum

This is a must-buy for the holidays but you can play it after the holidays, too!

While the video quality is great the videos themselves are stupid! What were they thinking!

I was expecting to see separate looping versions of a fireplace instead you get ONE version that rolls into another version that zooms ! how unrealistic can you get !

There is even one scene where they zoom into the char of the log... how stupid , especially on a 50 inch screen....

These scenes needed to be selectable and ONE fire at a time , never cut scene into a different fire.

The authors clearly do not understand the use of these videos. I like to pick the fireplace that fits the tv and room that its playing in then loop that particular fire , because not all scenes work .. it depends on you tv and layout... this video just rolls into one scene then the next..... just horrible.

Not one scene in this video shows a fireplace from start to finish , which should take 20 minutes or so... these fires on this video last like 3 minutes then its on to the next cut scene... really useless if your trying to create a faux fireplace using your plasma or lcd in a certain setting that creates an illusion that a real fireplace is burning in a room.... the cut scenes and zoom really are lame.

This was the worst fireplace dvd I have ever bought and sadly it was the most expensive.

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I was concerned that this wouldn't be up to hi-def standards and was pleasantly suprised. The 1080i video is very good, the 5.1 Dolby TrueHD music is very good, and even the crackling of the fireplace is very good. The fireplace is so realistic that my kids and I found that we experience a strange warm sensation when we walk by the lcd tv. Go figure...

Read Best Reviews of The Yule Log - Christmas by the Fireplace Here

Image is first rate. Too bad the soundtrack didn`t follow. Song selections are too jazzy and not what I would prefer to hear for such a holiday. Also, no vocals, just instruments. This picture with a traditional Xmas soundtrack of holiday standards would have been the ultimate. There are a many beautiful tracks that will get you in the sprit and the option of the crackling fireplace sounds along with the music is a stroke of genius. Dvd is worth the cost, just dont expect the versions you grew up with. Happy Holidays.Cheers!

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I just recently updated my entire home theater. I picked up this product for the novelty of it and it has been a great buy. I play it when we're playing cards or doing some other non-TV related activity in the living room and it adds ambiance to the room.

You can turn the music off and still listen to the fireplace itself, and there is no background noise like I've seen complaints with other similar DVDs. The picture quality is very high as well! Of course this product only has limited uses but it's nice to have handy.

The Truman Show (1998)

I have never been a huge fan of Jim Carrey movies, so when The Truman Show came out, I quickly wrote it off as not one I was going to rush out to see. I shouldn't have. Fortunately, I got the chance to see it at a friend's house, and I can honestly say that it left me speechless and amazed at the brilliance of the film. First of all, Jim Carrey excells in this role. I find him to be a very funny man in real life, but his wacky roles in previous movies (Ace Ventura, Dumb & Dumber...you know them) don't appeal to me at all. BUT, in this role, he shows that he is way more than a go-to weirdo or funnyman. The emotion and the vulnerability he brings to the naive Truman Burbank only improves as the movie goes on. Watching this man crack as the only world he knows begins to slowly betray him and the intensity of his attempts to discover what else is beyond his hidden cage is moving in a way that few movies can convey successfully.

This movie is more than just about watching Truman Burbank find out the truth of his televised life, but it is a stunning portrayal of humanity. Truman's world was created by Christof (the always wonderful Ed Harris) to be what is considered "perfection." Christof is like God in the Seahaven world. He makes every choice for the world, including the weather and even Truman's fears...but Christof cannot change the one thing that noone can manipulate--Truman's thoughts. Truman is given the perfect wife, a brotherly bestfriend, a steady job, and a life in a world that exists without pain, sadness, or evil. But the world is a cage. The movie shows that stability is not perfection, ignorance is not bliss, and a life without ALL emotions--including sadness, fear, and pain--could never exist. Even without knowing that he is trapped, Truman feels the need to escape his "perfect" life and to see what else there is beyond the utopia that is Seahaven Island. It is a perfect display of our quest for the unknown, unsatisfaction with just mundane existence, and our interest in what normality really is.

When you watch this movie, you will become just like the viewers in the movie who are watching Truman. You will root for him, cry for him, and laugh with (or at) him. His is truly a reality show that I hope that never is created for real...but we ARE humans, so who knows how we'll try to play God next...

P.S. The score to the movie is absolutely gorgeous.

Before the absurd reality shows took the airwaves by storm, director Peter Weir and writer Andrew Niccol imagined the world of Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey). Adopted and placed in a soundstage build to resemble a small American town Seahaven, Truman discovers that his life is nothing more than a TV show full of product placement. Truman discovers his friends, family and the world he lives in is nothing more than a construct. The first clue occurs when a flood light used to illuminate the massive soundstage where Truman lives falls into the middle of the street. When Truman wants to leave the small town he lives in and go to Fiji the TV show that is when his life begins to fall apart. Although Weir didn't write the film it deals with a subject common to his films; an individual who literally is an outsider in his own world. It's also about deception. Truman like most of Weir's protagonist discovers a web of deceit that corrupts his own world.

A brilliant film that finds Weir ("Witness", "The Year of Living Dangerously", "Picnic At Hanging Rock") in top form, it's amazing that this Oscar nominated film didn't pick up Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Writer and Best Director it was that good. Instead, the Academy rewarded "The Truman Show" like it does any film made by a Hollywood outsider-with a few awards recognizing the brilliance of the film and then settling into sublime mediocrity for the rest of the awards. There are clever visual references to Patrick MacGoohan's "The Prisoner" TV series woven into the visual motif of the film.

Featuring a stunning anamorphic transfer, "The Truman Show" looks nearly perfect. Paramount has done a terrific job with this new edition. Colors are vibrant and bright and the image quality is amazingly sharp and crystal clear. The 5.1 sound mix makes nice use of the format with imaging placed around the speakers.

We get a two part documentary that can either be played separately or as one. Weir, Carrey, Lara Linney and Noah Emmerich appear in interviews in the documentary. Curiously, the only person missing is writer Andrew Niccol. I'm not sure why Niccol doesn't appear in the film (perhaps he wasn't happy with some of the changes that Weir did but they work brilliantly). The fact that it closely resembles elements from Philip K. Dick's "Time Out of Joint" is also not addressed as well. The two part documentary runs about 40 minutes. The first part of the documentary focuses on the genesis of the film and some of the changes that occurred before the film was shot. The second part of the film focuses on pre-production through critical reception. This includes information on the wealthy beach community Seaside, Florida that DIDN'T want them to shoot there.

We also get four deleted/extended scenes that provide additional information and background on the story. While they aren't essential, they are pretty fascinating to watch. There's also original theatrical trailers, TV spots and previews for other Paramount releases.

A terrific film that was overlooked at Oscar time for far lesser films, "The Truman Show" catches Weir and his collaborators in top form. It's ironic that 10 years later the "reality show" world that was predicted came true (although not on this scale). The transfer looks terrific and the extras are certainly superior to the previous release on DVD. Definitely worth purchasing if you are a fan of Weir's work or just this movie!

Buy The Truman Show (1998) Now

Nobody will ever accuse the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of having common sense or good taste. I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out why this film was beat out by "Shakespeare in Love", and why Jim Carey, who turned in the best performance of his career in "The Truman Show", wasn't even nominated for best actor.

The plot of this movie is simple enough-Jim Carey plays a young man whose entire life has been entertainment for the rest of the world. He dares to reach beyond the giant bubble which is his universe to see what's out there, only to be foiled.

Of particular note is the scene toward the end of the film where Truman reaches the end of the dome shaped studio and is told by Christoph (Ed Harris) about his world. This stands out as one of the most magical scenes in an extraordinary motion picture.

I realize that this movie isn't for everyone (my wife, for one, didn't particularly like it), but Carey's performance alone justifies the purchase of this video. He displays a vulnerability and childlike fascination that is unlike anything I've ever seen. A very good supporting cast includes the shamefully overlooked Ed Harris, as well as Laura Linney.

"The Truman Show" is one of the most brilliant and overlooked motion pictures ever made. The ersatz "Ed TV", which followed a similar plot, doesn't begin to approach the craftsmanship of "The Truman Show". Hopefully, the Academy will make up for their slight of Jim Carey with "Man on the Moon, which appears to be his second acting tour de force.

Read Best Reviews of The Truman Show (1998) Here

When I first saw this movie in the theater, I soon came to the realization that many of the viewers could not comprehend that Jim Carrey was starring in a dramatic role. They assumed that his innocence and happiness was the common Jim Carrey-goofiness, and unfortunately they overlooked the most brilliant aspect of Carrey's acting. Truman Burbank was brought up in a perfect world, and for this reason, Carrey portrays him as happy, yet not quite satisfied with his life. Every time Carrey smiles to his neighbors, his friends, or his wife, you can see a true emptiness within his eyes that only talented actors can produce. The Truman Show also has a wonderful supporting cast with the performances of Ed Harris, Laura Linney, and Natascha Mcelhone. My personal favorite was Laura Linney, who portrayed the perky wife/obsessed actress whose job it was to live with a man whom she couldn't stand, not to mention act as an advertiser for the show's sponsors. While the performances in the movie were superb, the plot undoubtedly unveils the greatness of this film. Packed full of philosophical inquiry and the realization that no one can be sure of the assumed truth around them, this film leaves the audience thinking about their own worlds long after they have left the theater or shut off the VCR. This kind of reaction to a movie does not happen often, and when it does, it is clear that the film is a true original.

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Almost every time I mention The Truman Show as a favorite movie I endure stares of confusion followed by statements such as "how could you have LIKED this? It wasn't even FUNNY!"

Of course it wasn't funny! This is nearly the DARKEST, most paranoia-inducing concept I can imagine for a film. Truman's wife, his best friend, and the Almighty-like Christof are diabolical, cash-driven thieves of a good heart and gentle soul. They will stop at nothing to keep Truman in their sick version of "REAL".

Sure, Carrey does manage to pull a couple of wry laughs-which are truly profound statements of his growing disgust with his created world. We laugh, even as we're crying as Truman learns of the nature of his life for thirty years.

Jim Carrey is brilliant in this largely-overlooked film, and those of us who looked beyond his capabilities as Fire Marshal Bill certainly realize this. There is no one else who could have portrayed Truman Burbank so perfectly.

The musical score is also tremendous. It wrings every intended emotion out of the audience.

Was nothing real? Jim Carrey WAS real. This is a triumphant movie. I remain in stunned disbelief this film was overlooked for Oscar nomination. This movie continually fights with Shawshank for the Number One rank on my favorites list.

Dangerous Liaisons (2012) (2012)

Classics never go out of style. You can take any one of Shakespeare's great tragedies and set it, say, in the Bronx Zoo with talking animals and still preserve more than the lion's share (pun intended) of the dignity, drama, and pathos that the Bard intended so long as it's done right. You'd have to cast the right zebra to play Juliet, and you'd be a fool to settle for the most magnificent tiger for the part of Romeo. It'd definitely have to be lit well, and you'd better not be too stingy with the checkbook when it comes to bringing all of it to life. No doubt if your heart and the animals are in the right place you'll introduce a whole new generation to one splendid work of sheer genius, all on a reasonable budget, and earn kudos from the critics.

(NOTE: The following review may contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and character. 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 two paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you're accepting of a few modest hints at `things to come,' then read on ...)

Those already familiar with this story need not worry as all of the major bullet points remain fully intact. Suffice it to say that the setting has been changed to Shanghai, 1931. Told against the backdrop of the impending Japanese invasion of China (though without all that much political ballyhoo or rhetoric), this DANGEROUS LIAISONS explores the devilish machinations of the socialite Mo Jieyu (played by the lovely Cecilia Cheung) and the dashing bachelor Xie Yifan (Jang Dong-kun at his sultry best). Vying for his last chance at her heart, Xie makes a wager that should he successfully seduce his distant cousin the lovely and chaste Du Fenyu (Ziyi Zhang) Miss Mo must fully surrender to him. Should he err and, instead, find love? Then Miss Mo stands to gain a sizable share of Yifan's property.

Those of you in the know realize LIAISONS has been done before (there have been no less than three significant productions of it in the last thirty years). Sadly, there isn't all that much that differentiates this version from the others except for the fact that this one was produced in China, a country rumored to maintain some of the most stringent content requirements in all the world. For much of these theatrical affairs, you certainly wouldn't know it, though the most aggressive scene Yifan's near sexual assault of Mo once she outright rejects his advances despite having bested her in their bet is relatively pale by comparison to how other countries would probably have handled the scene.

What LIAISONS does have to distinguish itself, however, is a trio of terrific talent in the primary roles. Jang Dong-kun embodies Yifan with an almost muscular sexiness, taking great delight in merely grazing the palms of ladies he considers his `lessers.' When required, Cheung practically ignites the screen as she smolders her way (and her wiles) across any male suitor she chooses. Zhang who has been noticeably absent from the screen despite her established international appeal brings unimaginable depth to Du Fenyu, a character that in my opinion was largely a two dimensional creation (either she's cold or she's very very hot) in other filmed adaptations. Any combination of `two out of the three of them' together elevate the story well enough beyond the good looks and dynamic settings chosen for the film; individually, their moments don't work as well, and, when they're paired with others for screen time, one could even make an argument that the film slows down noticeably. Thankfully, that isn't all that often because, otherwise, this picture could've gone another direction.

Gone or, at least, lessened are the sexual conquests of the ever sparring pretenders. Instead, this LIAISONS has dished up a visual feast for the eyes one cultured from a beast fed a diet of pure steroids as every frame is lovingly saturated with impressive colors, sumptuous hues, and erotic lighting. Director Hur Jinho has spared no expense in bringing this lavish, handsome interpretation to the screen but he may've spared more skin than necessary (or that Hollywood and audiences beyond China would've liked) in order to get this version past his country's censors.

DANGEROUS LIAISONS is produced by Easternlight Films and Zonbo Media. DVD distribution (stateside) is being handled by Well Go USA. As for the technical specifications, everything looks stunning consistently throughout the presentation (there are a handful of CGI effects that might appear obvious to the trained eye, but they're fleeting); the audio levels are terrific throughout. As for the special features, there are a few, including a fifteen minute `making of' short as well as three behind-the-scene minis focusing on each of the principle characters/actors. It's a solid collection all a bit short but much appreciated. For the sake of clarity, this is a Mandarin-spoken language motion picture with English subtitles.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. While it may not go down in history as the best adaptation of the famed French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, it certainly should earn marks for being one of the best looking. So very much of it looks stunning on the silver screen, and DANGEROUS LIAISONS utilizes three exceptional talents in performances that deserve recognition. Cheung and Zhang have always been stunning to look at, and Jang Dong-kun should be no sore spot for the ladies. Excellent period detail and sparkling cinematography fill out the picture, though the film does grind to a halt when not truly focused on the main characters and the illicit passions.

In the interests of fairness, I'm pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Well Go USA provided me with an advance DVD screener of DANGEROUS LIAISONS by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review.

The 18th-century French novel "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos has had a number of interpretations within my lifetime. A brilliant tale of manipulation and sexual politics, the story basks in a gleeful unpleasantness that only hints at the possibility of moral redemption. It is a clear-eyed view of the power of gamesmanship and societal gender inequality with the two protagonists waging a war that will undermine many an innocent party. Who will be the victor? Who will be the victim? And is the ultimate prize even worth winning? The original story is as much about a time and a place, though, with its dissection of the decadence and debauchery of the French aristocracy prior to the Revolution. So, it may seem like a bold move to shift the action to Shanghai in the 1930s. But while the political climate of the era may not match up exactly, the opulence of the period more than compensates. And if you like the story, this relatively faithful adaptation has a lot to recommend it (even if it plays it a bit safe).

I, however, was more than willing to settle in for another adaptation! It's been a while since anyone has taken on the illicit tale. Still probably the best known version of "Dangerous Liaisons" is Stephen Frears' piece based on Christopher Hampton's play (which was a working of the novel). This 1988 film was a major player at the Academy Awards and was quickly followed by Milos Forman's "Valmont" in 1989 and the modernization "Cruel Intentions" in 1999. Director Hur Jin Ho doesn't veer far from the source material with this version of the film, so those familiar with the plotting will know pretty much what to expect. Those with nothing to compare it to might be a bit more engaged as the wicked interplay is always a delight. And whether or not you prefer a previous version (Glenn Close will always be my ideal Marquise de Merteuil), this film is certainly a visual splendor. The staging, sets, and costumes are impressive and memorable.

Here, the formidable Cecilia Cheung plays the conniving mistress of this piece. An immensely complex character, her initial goals are surprisingly straightforward and petty. A man who has wronged her has decided to take a blushing virgin as his bride. Cheung enlists a charming lothario (played by Jang Dong Gun) to arrive at the scene first and perform the deflowering. While this type of contest is just up his alley, he becomes distracted from the mission by a virtuous woman (Zhang Ziyi) who seems immune to his powers of seduction. But still he pushes forward to please Cheung which begins a cycle of mischievousness and duplicity that has long range repercussions to all involved. As love, betrayal, sport and emotions become wrapped up in a convoluted ball for the major players, the results will not be pretty.

With such a strong concept and vivid villains, "Dangerous Liaisons" never feels particularly real. Most of the characters are fairly one-dimensional. For example, as much as I love Cheung, she never shows the inherent vulnerability beneath the polished veneer (something Close nailed in scenes as simple as her removing her make-up). But still, I enjoyed watching this version with the dazzling visuals of Shanghai and the gorgeous interiors. There may sometimes be more style than substance, but what a fantastic style it is. A literary adaptation for adults, if you like period drama--I'd certainly give this a look. It doesn't stand as the definitive "Dangerous Liaisons" for me, but it's well executed and fun. KGHarris, 2/13.

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Omg!!!!!!!! This is one of her best performances

It was so worth me buying this movie... it made me fall in love and cry at the same time.

Read Best Reviews of Dangerous Liaisons (2012) (2012) Here

Tragic story. Beautiful scenes. Excellent acting. Every scene is a well thought out photograph. A very visual movie. Highly recommend it.

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In 1782, Choderlos de Lacios published his French epistolary novel "Les Liaisons dangeruses" (The Dangerous Liaisons). The novel would inspire several films including the 1959 Roger Vadim film, a 1988 Stephen Frears film titled "Dangerous Liaisons", the 1989 film "Valmont" and the 1999 Roger Kumble film "Cruel Intentions".

In Korea, the film would lead to a 2003 film titled "Untold Scandal" by E J-yong and in 2012, a Chinese film by South Korean filmmaker Hur Jin-ho.

Hur Jin-ho is known for his films about love. From his 1998 hit film "Christmas in August", his 2001 film "One Fine Spring Day", "April Snow" (2005), "Happiness" (2007) and "A Good Rain Knows" (2009). The latter film which would feature a Korean/China collaboration between their two main leads.

With his 2012 film "Dangerous Liaisons", Hur Jin-ho and screenwriter Geling Yan ("Xiu Xiu The Sent-Down Girl", "Forever Enthralled") wanted to do a film inspired by the original French novel but with the setting taking place in Shanghai during the 1930′s. And also continuing a collaboration between Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung ("The Promise", "Running on Karma", "Shaolin Soccer"), Jang Dong-Gun ("The Promise", "The Coast Guard", "The Warrior's Way", "Tae Guk Gi: Brotherhood of War") and Chinese actress Zhang Zi Yi ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "Hero", "House of Flying Daggers").

VIDEO:

"Dangerous Liaisons" is presented in 1080p High Definition (16:9 widescreen). The film looks fantastic in HD with skintones that are natural, detail on clothing, hair, vehicles that look amazing. But it's the close-ups that look stunning, thanks to the performances and style of shots that were taken. The film looks luxurious, the costume design captures 1930′s Shanghai thanks to the amount of research done for the film and the film looks amazing on Blu-ray!

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Dangerous Liaisons " is presented in Mandarin DTS-HD 5.1. For a dramatic film with a lot of dialogue, as one can expect from this film, dialogue is crystal clear from the center/front channels. Especially the music, including Chinese performances played on stage are clear. There are moments of crowd ambiance through the surround channels but this is primarily a dialogue-driven film.

Subtitles are in English and Chinese.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Dangerous Liaisons " come with the following special features:

Making of (16:55) Interviews with the cast of "Dangerous Liaisons"

Behind-the-Scenes (4:57) Behind-the-scene profiles with each of the three main talents: Cecilia Cheung, Jang Dong-gun and Zhang Ziyi.

Trailers (6:56) Theatrical trailers for "Dangerous Liaisons".

JUDGMENT CALL:

Featuring a spectacular performance by Jang Dong-gun, Cecilia Cheung and Zhang Ziyi, "Dangerous Liaisons" is a film in which we have never seen these talents take part in before.

While the film reunites "The Promise" (2005) talents Korean actor Jang Dong-gun and Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung, the two go farther than they ever have in their performance as Jang Dong-gun as Xie Yifan must make the crowd believe he is the ultimate amoral playboy that would make women's hearts swoon and eventually conquer them.

Cecilia Cheung's performance as Mo Jieyu must portray the role of a powerful woman who never will be conquered. An amoral woman who loves to control situations and also a woman who knows that she has control over Xie Yifan, the man who has always lusted for her.

And while there have been a good number of film adaptations based on Choderlos de Lacios' "Les Liaisons dangeruses", the adaptation of 1930′s Shanghai with exquisite costume design, luxurious settings is a sight to be hold. Both Jang Dong-gun and Cecilia Cheung look as if they belong in that era and they sell the audience of the characters they are portraying, even though these two speak different languages and are from different countries, they make it happen.

For actress Cecilia Cheung, known for taking on comedic, fantasy or feudal-based films, the actress goes all out in playing the vixen. Even smoking all day literally (despite quitting smoking five years ago) in order to play the role, having watched this actress for well-over a decade now, I have to say this is her finest performance yet (considering I have felt her performance on "Fly Me to Polaris" as her breakthrough drama acting role).

And as for Zhang Ziyi, she has taken on many roles in her career over the last ten years, but this role required her to be reserved and later emotional, it was a different role for her to play but she also shines in this film.

But "Dangerous Liaisons" is a fascinating film for director Hur Jin-ho to take on. Always known for his love stories, "Dangerous Liaisons" is about a man who is the ultimate playboy because he can never have the woman that he really wants, but when he engages in a bet with that woman to conquer the cautious Fenyu, he realizes that he may have discovered his one true love. But at the same time, he's a man that has long lusted after Mo Jieyu. Which will he give into... love or lust?

And in an interesting juxtaposition, Mo Jieyu is a woman who doesn't want to love, enjoys being lusted over by Xie Yifan but also not wanting to lose him to any woman. These characters are fascinating and the way that Hur Jin-ho had ended the film, different from other adaptations, is appropriate and it works quite well.

As for the Blu-ray release, the Blu-ray looks amazing. Detail of clothing, vehicles to close-ups of the characters are full of detail. Colors are vibrant and many scenes are well-lit and for the most part, cinematography by Byung-seo Kim is fantastic. Lossless soundtrack is primarily center and front-channel driven as one would expect from a dialogue driven film with ambiance of crowds being heard in the surrounds when needed. And as for special features, there are a few, including a making-of that really shows how challenging it was to make the film for the talents involved.

A wonderful Chinese adaptation of the popular French novel, Hur Jin-Ho's "Dangerous Liaisons" is sexy, captivating and a fantastic film!

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James Bond Blu-ray Collection: Volume Two (For Your Eyes Only / From Russia with Love / Thunderball

"The James Bond Gift Set" is a wonderful combination of Bond movies. The set contains "Goldfinger," "Thunderball," "Live and Let Die," "For Your Eyes Only," "Licence To Kill," "Goldeneye," and "Tommorrow Never Dies." The rest of the Bond movies will be in two different sets, the first is coming out in May 2000, the second sometime in fall 2000. For those wondering like myself before I got it there is no special intro before the movies as in for example The Star Wars Special Edition Set, but you still get exciting 007 entertainment while watching these 7 classic Bond films.

I use a PS3 as my Blu-ray player. I had no problems starting these disc, using the bonus features, nor did I have any problems while viewing the video, your results may vary. If you have problems, check your manual for instructions on updating your firmware.

This is Volume 1 and 2 wrapped together, it is nothing "special" the only thing special is the lower price.

When I ordered this, I was not expecting what I got. I thought the movies were in standard blu-ray cases and put in a box, but I was wrong.

When you get your movies, you have a nice 007 plastic slipcase, when you take that off you have the box (which you see in the image) and inside is a very nice "book" that houses your discs.

Each movie is presented on 1 disc, and each volume has 3 movies.

I own the James Bond Ultimate DVD collection. I'm going to assume you may own that version as well, and want to know if the blu-ray is worth the upgrade or not (these movies are over 40-50 years old mind you).

When I got the ultimate dvd collection last year, I was shocked at the quality of Dr NO. This is a very old movie, and it looked better than some blu-rays I owned (and this was on DVD!), the same is true for these blu-rays.

Dr No Looks better than the majority of blu-rays I own. Every scene is sharp. No scene looks soft, or bad. The restoration done on these has to be seen to be believed.

When you watch the blu-rays some of the bonus features explain the process behind the remastering (which is very interesting).

I must warn you. If you're the type who likes to watch trailers (of the film you're about to watch) prior to watching the movie, do not do so here. As they are almost all full of spoilers. Think of the trailer as a recap, and rejoice in the over the top trailers of back in the day.

Now on to rating the specifics.

Video Quality

5/5 Easy. Top Notch. Each scene is so vibrant, so sharp, you will be soo furious with other blu-rays sitting on your shelf, because they wont look half as good as Dr No. (even modern movies shot last year)

Audio Quality

4/5. This is tough to rate really, some of the movies were filmed in mono (and we get the mono track, which as with the dvds, I much prefer), but here we also have a surround mix to go along with it. Obviously this is not going to be as good as any modern movie soundtrack, but it is as good as the movies have ever sounded. Also I must comment, the only part of these movies that make you aware that the movie was indeed shot back in the 60's is the audio. The gun shots and other special effects are.... weak by today's standards, but it is faithful to the source, and that's all that matters.

Supplements

5/5 When the ultimate collection was made, we got the movie, then a disc full of extras. Thanks to the power of blu-ray, we have all those extras and the movie on the same disc. All this is seamless.

Packaging

5/5. If you read some of my reviews on other "sets" I really hound studios. I have wasted 100's of dollars on "gift sets" that are rendered useless when they arrive due to scratching, broke discs, stuff falling out, luckily that is NOT the case here.

The design that houses the discs are similar to the way they are presented on Battlestar Galatica Season 1 (on HD-DVD) (only these actually work, and have none of the issues that set did). Meaning you open up the wonderful book (vibrant, and full of color, I will be posting pictures tomorrow) and the discs look as though they are floating on the case. The best way to get them off is to "twist them".

I really like the packing, its like a really fancy case, it exudes style. I personally love Volume 1 more, the blue is soo suave.

Value

4/5

Ok, I can understand a LOT of work went into making these videos. But the hardwork was already done when you remastered the video from the negatives to make the ultimate dvd sets a few years back. Those videos came with 5 movies, with the bonuses, and now you can buy 2 of those volumes for the price of one of these (which only contains 3 movies per box). Or all 4 for the price of these 2 volumes (20 movies versus 6) all of which are basically the same.

Now, I'll admit, the quality is better, and the packaging is amazing. But you have to ask yourself. Would you prefer having the whole set on DVD or 6 movies on Blu-Ray. (as it amounts to the same price)

At this rate the price for the whole set will run you around 350 dollars (with amazons VERY LOW price) not retail, retail would be 550 and that's for 18 total. I guess you can guess they will triple dip Casino Royale, and make the set a close 700 dollars. I hope they start either dropping the price, or adding a movie or 2 per set.

With all that said, would I buy this set again? Sadly, yes. They are just too good. And the packaging is something that has to be seen to be believed.

If you're choosing, should I buy the single blu-ray releases, or get the box sets. I would say buy the box sets (and save yourself some serious money and buy this "collection" on amazon) The boxes are amazing, and the quality is very high, and it is cheaper to buy 1 volume than 3 discs (though I'm sure there might be some movies you do not want, but if you want the whole collection, its cheaper to just buy them all now)

Last, but NOT least, you get another bonus, that is not advertised, free tickets to the new Bond movie (actually each box has 2 tickets, so you get 4 if you buy this set) that's 40 dollars in value there.

If you own the DVD's and want to know, should I buy the blu-rays, or just keep watching my ultimate series upconverted, that's harder to say, if the money is no problem, you will enjoy the new set. If you're buying this for your boyfriend or husband, he will love the packaging (I do) as it looks very nice.

When volume 3, and 4 come out on blu-ray will I buy them? Without hesitation. Just be sure to give me Goldeneye.

Oh, if the only versions of Bond you own, are not from the Ultimate Collection DVD sets, these blu-rays are going to be night and day for you, as they have been painstakingly remastered from the original negatives (the film that was actually used in the camera) and all flaws have been removed, making these movies as good or better than the latest big budget blockbuster.

If you're new to Bond, and not sure if you want to invest in this series, be sure to take a look at Casino Royale (Two-Disc Collector's Edition + BD Live) [Blu-ray], It is one of my favorite movies by far, and easily a favorite bond film. (also highly recommended prior to watching the new QOS movie, which you get tickets for when you buy this set)

Buy James Bond Blu-ray Collection: Volume Two (For Your Eyes Only / From Russia with Love / Thunderball Now

About half of the reviews I've read here at amazon.com have complained that MGM seems to have selected the movies for this set at random. I must disagree with this. They obviously wanted a variety of films, so they chose from across the board. They went with two of the most popular Sean Connery vehicles ("Goldfinger" and "Thunderball"), Roger Moore's first ("Live and Let Die") and his most widely acclaimed ("For Your Eyes Only"), Timothy Dalton's better outing ("License to Kill") and Pierce Brosnan's two films: "Goldneye" and "Tomorrow Never Dies." (They excluded the recently released "The World Is Not Enough" for obvious reasons.) Although I must admit that I would rather own a set that had gone in chronological order and contained all 6 Connery outings and George Lazenby's very good (though underrated) "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," I am very happy with the set that MGM did come up with. "Goldfinger" is the best of the Bond flicks, and I truly enjoy "Thunderball," "For Your Eyes Only," and "Goldeneye." (I haven't yet seen "Live and Let Die.") I can't figure out why "Goldeneye" has received so much criticism while it's greatly inferior, semi-plotless predecessor ("Tomorrow Never Dies") is hailed as the best Brosnan film. In any case, other than "TND," this is a great set. Buy it and get the others that follow. Sean Connery enthusiasts should be pleased to learn that the final set contains three of his films, including "From Russia with Love." Enjoy this set, and many thanks to MGM for putting it out there for us.

Read Best Reviews of James Bond Blu-ray Collection: Volume Two (For Your Eyes Only / From Russia with Love / Thunderball Here

This is a god set for collectors with an attractive box and good variety of Bond films. The only thing it lacks is George Lazernby. This set has all of the Bonds except him. All of the movies have their own flavor and level of action. The Bonds are all diferent as well. Sean Connery being the rough and cool secret agent with all the right moves. Roger Moore being the more romantic and wittier. Timothy Daulton being the roughest of the Bonds with a more ruthless edge. Pierce Brosnan possibly being the best Bond with the ruggedness of Connery and the witt of Moore. All of the Bonds are great, but it still could have had George Lazernby.

Want James Bond Blu-ray Collection: Volume Two (For Your Eyes Only / From Russia with Love / Thunderball Discount?

I hope that everyone who had problems playing the first 2 Bond collections had them addressed by now because Volume 3's layout and features is consistent with the previous two. All players that received firmware upgrades after October 2008 should be able to play this set.

Here is my evaluation of the current Bond Blu-ray collection (a work in progress as I'm not fully done with the viewing) and it's not unlike my impression of the first 2.

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THE GOOD:

Incredible video quality, most likely better than what the audience saw on release date on some of the older movies.

Lots of extras, most of them worth watching or listening to.

Beautiful, innovative packaging.

THE NOT SO GOOD:

The sound restoration not as good as the video on the early Bonds.

Some of the 'extras' sections would benefit from a 'play all' option.

The boxes could be a bit slimmer.

May require upgrades on certain players if they haven't been upgraded since September-October 2008.

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The overall impression is of quality, inside and out. The box could be a little smaller but the packaging is exquisite. There's a transparent plastic slide cover over a solid cardboard box holding a small binder on which the individual movie disks are attached to pages. Each movie comes on one disc holding the movie itself and in incredible amount of extras.

The menu interface is well organized and there's even some humor in labeling. For example, the option that plays the movie is labeled 'The Mission' while the historic promotional material is found under 'The Propaganda'. Depending on which section you may be, menu options branch into further sub-menus.

The extras are numerous and, for the most part interesting. There are features on the restoration process and we get to learn who did what, why and how. Then, we see contemporary documentaries on the making of the movie and so on. The Goldfinger disc, for example, includes actual radio interviews with Sean Connery, 2 major documentaries on 'the making of' and 'the world of' Goldfinger, about 30 minutes each, original trailers, screen tests, an interview with Honor Blackman (Pussy Galore), even a feature on Bond's Aston Martin. And, amazingly, it all fits on one disc.

The area where some of the older installments show their age is the sound. The audio options include the original sound track which, in the older releases is 'mono' but all movies come with DTS-HD Master Audio 24-bit 5.1 surround as the default. The sound wasn't upgraded and improved to the degree that the picture was but, it's understandable. Going from mono to 5.1 surround is the equivalent of upgrading from black and white to full-color 3-D in the world of images. Commentary sound tracks featuring the director and the cast and crew are also included.

When it comes to the video quality, the best that I can say is that you've got to see it to believe it. The restoration of the older movies started with the actual original negative, which is the one reference copy that's almost never touched. Once the copy was digitized as a 4000 lines resolution digital copy (Bluray is 1080) every frame was reprocessed to eliminate any possible defects from 'dirty optics', such as the proverbial hair that we sometimes see on the older movies to scratches, bad exposure, color brilliance. The restorers' goal for the end result, and this concerns the video only, not the sound quality, was to deliver what would appear to be a contemporary movie with a 60's or 70's theme rather than a 60's or 70's movies. In my view, they succeeded and, surprisingly, the 1964 Goldfinger looks as good as the 1979 Moonraker.

My overall rating is a solid five-stars. Just about everything in this release is superlative: the physical packaging, the interface design, the extras, the video quality. The sound is not so good on the older movies but, given the state of sound restoration technologies, I did not feel compelled to remove a star because the old movies sounded more or less like they did on release date or better.