Billy Jack

Starring:Lynn Baker, Dan Barrows, Susan Foster, Ed Greenberg, Howard Hesseman, Clark Howat, Victor Izay, Teresa Kelly, John McClure, Allan Meyerson, Katy Moffatt, Stan Rice, David Roya, Debbie Schock, Gwen Smith, Susan Sosa, Richard Stahl, Delores Taylor, Julie Webb
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

The folks at Pixar can do no wrong with Monsters, Inc., the studio's fourth feature film, which stretches the computer animation format in terms of both technical complexity and emotional impact. The giant, blue-furred James P. "Sulley" Sullivan (wonderfully voiced by John Goodman) is a scare-monster extraordinaire in the hidden world of Monstropolis, where the scaring of kids is an imperative in order to keep the entire city running. Beyond the competition to be the best at the business, Sullivan and his assistant, the one-eyed Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal), discover what happens when the real world interacts with theirs in the form of a 2-year-old baby girl dubbed "Boo," who accidentally sneaks into the monster world with Sulley one night. Director Pete Doctor and codirectors David Silverman and Lee Unkrich follow the Pixar (Toy Story) blueprint with an imaginative scenario, fun characters, and ace comic timing. By the last heart-tugging shot, kids may never look at monsters the same, nor artists at what computer animation can do in the hands of magicians. --Doug Thomas

Description

From the Academy Award(R)-winning creators of TOY STORY comes the computer-animated film that captured the hearts of fans and critics everywhere. MONSTERS, INC., is "visually dazzling, action-packed, and hilarious" (Boston Herald), featuring groundbreaking animation, imaginative storytelling, and unforgettable voice talent. John Goodman stars as the lovable James P. Sullivan (Sulley) and Billy Crystal as his wisecracking best friend, Mike Wazowski. Top scarer Sulley and his enthusiastic Scare Assistant Mike work at Monsters, Inc., the largest scream-processing factory in Monstropolis. The main power source of the monster world is the collected screams of human children. Monsters believe children are dangerous and toxic, however, and they are scared silly when a little girl wanders into their world. Sulley and Mike do their best to return the girl home, but they face monstrous intrigue and some hilarious misadventures along the way. MONSTERS, INC., is "supremely clever -- fun for kids and adults alike" (CBS-TV). Treat yourself to the most entertaining movie of the year with all-new exclusive bonus features and animation for monster laughs and monster fun.

Customer Reviews:

Wish there were a sequel!.......2007-06-28

It was that good! Unfortunately they didn't leave a door open for a sequel. Great story about the Monsters all little kids fear in their bed at night, and their interaction with those kids. It gives you the persepective from the other side of your closet door where the Monsters live. The characters are very lovable. Great, great comedy sequences, you will be laughing out loud! Unique story line. "Loving" out-come. Enjoy!

WOW!! What a great movie.. This movie should live on FOREVER!!!.......2007-06-22

This movie was great and it was really enjoyable and funny. I have had this movie since it came out as I went to see it in the movie theater. This would be my favorite movie of all time. Sulley(James P. Sullivan) and Mike Wazowski (the main characters of this movie) are my favorite characters in this movie and are my two favorite characters in any movie. Randall Boggs would be my third favorite character in the movie because he makes me LAUGH!! But he gets destroyed into a trailor during my favorite part of the movie which is when Mike and Sulley are hanging or flying on doors to try to get Boo home. Boo is my least favorite character in this movie because she CRIES a lot during the movie and just not my favorite. Celia, who Mike is in love with isn't all that great too. But I think Roz is great. She makes me laugh when she tells Mike that he didn't turn in his paperwork. and Mr. Waternoose would be my 5th and last most favorite character in this movie till he gets arrested by the CDA. Also, the part where Mike and Sulley go to Himalayas is great because they're in a BLIZZARD!! The worst part of the movie is when Sulley and Mike take Boo home that's when I feel to cry. But overall, this is a really great movie which I wish I could give this 10 stars. Please get this movie but Shrek s$cked!!!
Best film of the year.

Power-ful Kiddie Entertainment.......2007-06-21

Some of the best stories for children have presented their worst fears only to have the menace brought down to size. "Jack and the Beanstalk" works that way perfectly. 'Monsters, Inc.' helps to tuck the kiddies in and give them the giggles, too. Taking near day-glow colors, the Monsters in this fluid Pixar picture are hideously cute. They live in a "green" world where the renewable resource of children's fright powers the Monster community. Looking like the sorts in (Lucas Films, Ltd. is credited here) a 'Star Wars' bar scene, the film's focus is on the power company where the employees go through magic doors, their portals to children's bedrooms where the fright factor generates their power plant.

Heading the troops is big blue "Sully" (John Goodman) a good natured monster, proud of his ability to be the equivalent of "Employee of the Month". Keeping track of his generating power, he is out to set a plant record. His green, one-eyed sidekick, Mike Wazowski, (Billy Crystal) has a Martian appearance, but his voice couldn't scare a mouse. He is smitten by one-eyed purple princess, Shroopsy with hydra hair (snake braids). They all face their competition with rascally Randall, (perfectly villainous, Steve Buscemi) the salamander-like monster with invisible capabilities. Pivotal to the plot is Mr. Waternoose, (James Coburn) a tycoon who resembles a tarantula in a three-piece suit. In the causality is 'Silkwood'-like contamination if any child or remnant remains in the Monster world. (In other words: Just like parents often say about insects or some animals: "They're more afraid of [children], than [they] are of them.") Sully and James come across "Boo" whom they find in their best interests to return to the dark realm of her own bedroom.

Formidable to the fore, 'Monsters,..." takes a premise that could have been a dumb non-starter, and provides supporting plot structures with enough heft to turn the adventure on. With Pixar animation, the movement is flowing enough to take the technological edge off the look, and Andrew Stanton and Daniel Gerson's screenplay keep the dialogue fresh and funny. Director Pete Docter gives the movie proper assembly. 'Monsters, Inc.' is therapeutically good for children's dreamscapes as well as their funny bones. (Highly recommended to rent and to own.)

Pixar Created A Classic!.......2007-06-14

Monsters Inc is a great piece that your family will love! Loveable monsters are brought to life and make you laugh a lot! Laughter is more powerful than screams you know. A loveable classic for any collection!

Great movie.......2007-06-13

Hey it's Mike,
Wow!! What a great movie this is. This is by far my favorite movie due to the presence of Mike and Sulley. There is not a lot of great movies out there, but this one is one of the very best!! Sulley, Mike, Randall, Roz, and Waternoose are all great characters and 3 of them are really funny! Boo and Celia are my two least favorite characters in the film. The best part of this movie is the Flying on Doors part where Randall gets destroyed.
The end is the saddest part of the movie when Sulley and Mike take Boo home.

Well this movie is the best as I wish that I can give this much more than 5 stars like a million stars. Please buy.

Sunset Boulevard (Special Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Sunset Boulevard
One of Hollywood's greatest films has gotten the treatment it deserves!
Ready as Ever...
If you only see one noir in your life...
Presages Mulholland Dr

Sunset Boulevard (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: William Holden , Gloria Swanson , Erich von Stroheim , Nancy Olson , and Fred Clark
Director: Billy Wilder
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00003CXCW
Release Date: 2002-11-26

Amazon.com essential video

Billy Wilder's noir-comic classic about death and decay in Hollywood remains as pungent as ever in its power to provoke shock, laughter, and gasps of astonishment. Joe Gillis (William Holden), a broke and cynical young screenwriter, is attempting to ditch a pair of repo men late one afternoon when he pulls off L.A.'s storied Sunset Boulevard and into the driveway of a seedy mansion belonging to Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), a forgotten silent movie luminary whose brilliant acting career withered with the coming of talkies. The demented old movie queen lives in the past, assisted by her devoted (but intimidating) butler, Max (played by Erich von Stroheim, the legendary director of Greed and Swanson's own lost epic, Queen Kelly). Norma dreams of making a comeback in a remake of Salome to be directed by her old colleague Cecil B. DeMille (as himself), and Joe becomes her literary and romantic gigolo. Sunset Blvd. is one of those great movies that has become a part of popular culture (the line "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up," has entered the language)--but it's no relic. Wow, does it ever hold up. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

Sunset Boulevard.......2007-06-26

One of the all-time great Tinseltown satires, Wilder's noirish tale of an opportunistic, down-and-out young writer and the nostalgic, delusional film luminary who ensnares him takes a harsh look at an industry that eats its own. Holden, whose character narrates from beyond the grave, is impeccable as the sardonic Gillis, but the show belongs to real-life silent star Swanson, an ideal choice to play the creepy, twisted Norma. Great support from Nancy Olson (playing Joe's appalled girlfriend) and Erich Von Stroheim (as Norma's protective chauffeur) round out this shocking, sordid gem.

One of Hollywood's greatest films has gotten the treatment it deserves!.......2007-05-12

This haunting, magnificent movie has never looked so good. The archivists at Paramount did a fantastic job remastering the film, and the "extras" are very informative. Highly recommended.

Ready as Ever..........2007-04-23

Directed by the incomparable Billy Wilder, this is iconic Gloria Swanson in the comeback-of-all-comeback films (even though as Norma Desmond she protests that she hates that word, it's "Return!"). From the crumbling Spanish Revival (J. P. Getty-owned) mansion to the leopard-upholstered Isotta-Fraschini (once owned by Peggy Hopkins Joyce, the inspiration for Lorelei Lee in "Gentlemen Prefer Blonds"), this is a tour-de-force of behind-the-scenes Hollywood atmosphere, the dark flipside of the other great send up of when Talkies came to Tinsletown, "Singin' in the Rain."

But first of all, dismiss the myth that this movie was a biopic of Gloria's life. Not in the least. True, Gloria had been a huge success in silents (at age 25, the first actress with a million dollar contract) but she made the transition to sound just fine, even singing in early 1930s films like "The Trespasser" ("Love Your Magic Spell is Everywhere") and "Music in the Air" (which Billy Wilder also worked on). If anything, it was her exotic look, not her voice, that made her seem passé in the darkening days of the Depression.

To create Miss Desmond, screenwriters Charles Brackett (who also scripted "Ninotchka"), D. M. Marshman Jr. and Billy Wilder threw in all of the faded film star lore they could, combining the May-December marriage and mostly pickled later life of America's Sweetheart Mary Pickford (who was offered and turned down the part) and the quick fadeout to black of the other Norma (Talmadge). Throw in the other two Talmadge sisters, Clara Bow, Mable Normand, et al; the stories you hear are true, but a compilation and the names have been changed, sort of.

Then, once she agreed to the starring role, as an additional benefit, Gloria graciously allowed all of her personal mementos, from the unreleased and von Strohiem directed "Queen Kelly" to the plethora of 8 x 10 genuine publicity stills, to give the set verisimilitude. Her Chaplin-taught imitation of himself, her collaboration with De Mille (right down to his pet name for her "Young Fella"), the quip about Valentino and the tile floor, and more, were bonuses that make the film more than just another pastiche of a long-gone era.

Swanson and Holden do yeoman's work as the ill-fated couple in a nightmarish liaison that can only end badly. The lush Franz Waxman score augments a script replete with quotable quotes about the perils of a star's decline. There are layers and layers of Hollywood goodies, like the storyline that Holden and Nancy Olson spoof about, concerning a guy and a gal who rent the same flat, one sleeping in the daytime and the other at night, sharing the apartment on a shift basis, never seeing each other; it is a real 1933 film, called "Rafter Romance" starring Ginger Rogers and Laura Hope Crewes.

The staircase finale has become a thing of legend--deftly spoofed by Carol Burnett. Gloria enjoyed Carol's sketch so much, she made a guest appearance on the Carol Burnett Show, as a result. Even so, the film's ending line is surely one of the five greatest in all Hollywood history, the others being, "Casablanca", "The Wizard of Oz", "Some Like It Hot" and "Now, Voyager".

If you only see one noir in your life..........2007-04-13

Sunset Blvd. (Billy Wilder, 1950)

Sunset Boulevard is noir at its best, a simple story of obsessive love gone wrong, but the characters. Oh, the characters. Gloria Swanson plays Norma Desmond, a silent film queen who's been abandoned by the studios as talkies have become all the rage. (Swanson-- and her circle of card-playing friends in the movie-- were, in fact, silent film stars who had been abandoned by the studios after talkies became all the rage. Among the card players is Buster Keaton.) By coincidence, a young screenwriter, Joe Gillis (William Holden, in the first of his collaborations with Billy Wilder), pulls into her garage while fleeing repo men, thinking the place is abandoned. The two meet, and Desmond convinces Gillis to do some editing on a script she's been working on. Erich von Stroheim has a star turn as Desmond's butler, a silent film director also left in the lurch. (von Stroheim was, of course, a silent film director, whose Greed is widely considered one of the best films ever made.)

With all the similarities to real life going on in this movie, it's hard to examine it without a lengthy diversion into the movie being a savage satire on Hollywood itself, but that's not what most struck me about this movie. It's Joe Gillis, possibly the least effective manipulator ever captured on a screen, a man who desperately needs to become hard-hearted to gain his independence from an ugly, overbearing relationship. It's Norma Desmond, already half-mad at the beginning of the movie, rolling the rest of the way off the cliff as she tries, just as desperately to hold on to Gillis. It's Betty Schaefer (Nancy Olson), torn between her growing love for Gillis and her engagement to his best friend, Artie Green (Jack Webb), coming under the withering gaze of Desmond's scorn. It's Max the Butler, so proud and so pathetic, who understands exactly where Gillis' road is headed, but is powerless to do anything about it. It's Cecil B. DeMille, who didn't have to do anything other than play himself. Satire can't work unless you've got the fundamentals in place. And in this case, the fundamentals are the characters and how they interact. And they're fabulous. Sure, Wilder and collaborator Charles Brackett wrote a great script, and Wilder, as was his wont, filmed the whole thing with precision and flair, and it wouldn't be as good a movie without those qualities. But you could put these characters, with these actors playing them, on a bare stage with a single lightbulb, and let them improvise till the cows came home, and I believe the audience would have still been deathly quiet and stock still. This is genius, pure and simple. *****

Presages Mulholland Dr.......2007-04-01

A crazed aged actress played with moxie by Gloria Swanson entices a struggling scriptwriter to live in her insane mansion in a film that combines satire and horror. The writer, played by a disaffected, cynical William Holden, enters the belly of the beast and makes what becomes a deal with the devil. Part Blanche Dubois, Swanson plays a faded actress, a "sleepwalker," who lives in the past. The cynical tone of the film amazingly reminds me of the dead narrator who speaks in Desperate Housewives, a technique used in the film's voice-over. It's weird seeing the same Los Angeles roads and buildings from 60 years ago, virtually unchanged today. In fact, the film is not at all dated.

Average customer rating:

Justice in a Small Room
Minus 1 star for script/believability - the other four for acting alone
A Classic !!
A good film
Excellent

12 Angry Men
Starring: Martin Balsam , John Fiedler , Lee J. Cobb , E.G. Marshall , and Jack Klugman
Director: Sidney Lumet
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Inherit the Wind
To Kill a Mockingbird (Universal Legacy Series)
The Grapes of Wrath
Judgment at Nuremberg
Witness For the Prosecution

ASIN: B000056HEC
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Amazon.com essential video

Sidney Lumet's directorial debut remains a tense, atmospheric (though slightly manipulative and stagy) courtroom thriller, in which the viewer never sees a trial and the only action is verbal. As he does in his later corruption commentaries such as Serpico or Q & A, Lumet focuses on the lonely one-man battles of a protagonist whose ethics alienate him from the rest of jaded society. As the film opens, the seemingly open-and-shut trial of a young Puerto Rican accused of murdering his father with a knife has just concluded and the 12-man jury retires to their microscopic, sweltering quarters to decide the verdict. When the votes are counted, 11 men rule guilty, while one--played by Henry Fonda, again typecast as another liberal, truth-seeking hero--doubts the obvious. Stressing the idea of "reasonable doubt," Fonda slowly chips away at the jury, who represent a microcosm of white, male society--exposing the prejudices and preconceptions that directly influence the other jurors' snap judgments. The tight script by Reginald Rose (based on his own teleplay) presents each juror vividly using detailed soliloquies, all which are expertly performed by the film's flawless cast. Still, it's Lumet's claustrophobic direction--all sweaty close-ups and cramped compositions within a one-room setting--that really transforms this contrived story into an explosive and compelling nail-biter. --Dave McCoy

Description

Eleven jurors are convinced that the defendant is guilty of murder. The twelfth has no doubt of his innocence. How can this one man steer the others toward the same conclusion? It's a case of seemingly overwhelming evidence against a teenager accused of killing his father in "one of the best pictures ever made" (The Hollywood Reporter).

Customer Reviews:

Justice in a Small Room.......2007-06-22

1957's "Twelve Angry Men" is the story of a jury confined to a small room on a hot, humid summer night to decide the fate of a young man accused of knifing his father to death. The jury's initial poll has eleven jurors for guilty, one for innocent. The ensuing drama revolves around the struggle by the dissenting juror, an architect played with characteristic understated determination by Henry Fonda, to convince the other jurors of the presence of reasonable doubt.

The outstanding cast, a collection of experienced 1950's movie and tv actors who may not be familiar to today's audiences, each bring their particular insights and prejudices to the debate. An elderly man, played by Joseph Sweeney, sides with the Henry Fonda character because he admires the younger man's grit. Lee J. Cobb has an outstanding role as an angry father who sees his estranged son in the actions attributed to the young man on trial. E.G. Marshall plays a confident businessman who gets a lesson in the limits of memory from the Henry Fonda character.

The confining atmosphere of the jury room adds to the tension. Sidney Lumet's brisk but deliberate direction allows each man a turn in the spotlight to examine his conscience as well as the case in front of the other jurors. The end result is a tense, insightful drama about the nature of man and justice.

This movie is highly recommended to viewers looking for an outstanding example of the movie art and a different slant on today's crime dramas.

Minus 1 star for script/believability - the other four for acting alone.......2007-06-13

All the stars I gave was for the acting alone- superb all around though that old man was pretty annoying at times esp with the close ups on him. But the story itself wouldnt last 10 minutes in real life. It begins with Fonda pleading the boy is only 18 (dont we send 18 years olds off to war? 18 years olds can kill?) But the surreal part is when Fonda pulls out that concealed switchblade in the jury room (gov property), sticks it in the table, and tells everyone how he went into the boys neighborhood and found a store and bought it there (AKA doing your own research); all of this HIGHLY illegal; in real life, someone would have told all of this to the bailif, got Fonda arrested and hauled off, and an alternate or a mistrail would have taken place. End of movie right there. One other thing, Fonda kept mentioning "Is it possible"; Possible is not probable, and a million possibles does not equate to one possible, much less a "Reasonable" doubt.

A Classic !!.......2007-05-27

What a great movie!! I haven't watched it in years, but for some reason i watched it tonite. Wow, as good now as ever!!

A good film.......2007-05-18

Though I did think it to be ever so slightly predictable, I found this movie to be a great murder mystery without all the blood, guts, gore, and horror.
The movie begins with a the jury trying to decide whether or not a eighteen year old boy is guilty of brutaly killing his father. they put it to a vote, and find that all but one of them feels that the boy is guilty without giving it so much as a second thought. The one that refused to say the boy is guilty doesn't necessarily think that he is innocent, he just thinks there aught to be more thought put into it. As the story progresess, you see how everyone's personal intersts, background and prejudices get intangled as they try to decipher between right and wrong.
This movie is well worth watching, and deserves to be in anyone's collection.
And I really have to add that I think Henry Fonda's preformance in this movie is great!

Excellent.......2007-05-09

12 Angry Men is an awesome example of how groups work. It is very useful in demonstrating all the points of group interaction that I teach in my Sociology class. The students liked the movie and were able to quickly tie the movie to concepts taught in class. Excellent plot and follow through in developing the story line.

Silver Spoons - The Complete First Season

Average customer rating:

"The Ricker" Returns !
Silver Spoons - Long Awaited and Still The Greatest
Silver Spoons, My All time Favorite television Show
Eighties time capsule, fun and nostalgic series
Erin Gray is worth watching

Silver Spoons - The Complete First Season
Starring: Alfonso Ribeiro , Ray Walston , Jason Bateman , Corky Pigeon , and Christine Belford
Director: Bob Lally , Jack Shea (III) , and Luis Soto
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000OVLBH6
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Amazon.com

Back in 1982, it was perfectly fine to refer to the 12-year-old star of Silver Spoons as Ricky Schroder. It wouldn't be until his young adult years, when he went on to star in such projects as Lonesome Dove, 24, and NYPD Blue that Schroder would try to distance himself from the sitcom that made him a household name and replace Ricky with Rick. But no matter how many plum roles Schroder gets, we will always have fond memories of Ricky--or the Rickster, as he was sometimes called on the show. The first season opens with millionaire man-child Edward Stratton III (Joel Higgins) learning that he is the father of a tween boy. Straight out of military school, little Ricky moves in with his dad and the two fill needs in each other's lives that they didn't realize needed filling. Schroder already had proven his dramatic acting chops in the 1979 theatrical release The Champ, for which he won a Golden Globe. With Silver Spoons--especially during the first couple seasons--he didn't have to do much else than look adorable (And look adorable he does). Playing the wise child to Higgins' somewhat immature (and emotionally stunted) dad, he's a natural whether helping his father land a date, dealing with a school bully, or making sure his father and grandfather come to terms with their complicated relationship. This three-disc box set includes all 22 episodes, which aired on NBC from 1982-1983. The guest list from the first season is impressive. Jason Bateman (Arrested Development) has a recurring role as his friend/foe Derek. And Sharon Stone, Mr. T and Joey--sorry, Joseph--Lawrence all make appearances. Silver Spoons won't go down as a serious contribution to the world of television. But like cotton candy, it's a welcome treat that's fun to indulge in on occasion. --Jae-Ha Kim

Product Description

It's a train ride of laughs in the first season of Silver Spoons, the classic `80s hit sitcom starring 12-year-old Ricky Schroder as the loveable, preppy, wise-beyond-his-years Ricky Stratton. His dad is millionaire Edward Stratton III (Joel Higgins), an overgrown kid with more interest in his toys than in business or his beautiful assistant Kate (Erin Gray). This season, Ricky realizes that Edward's relaxed attitude toward discipline doesn't mean Edward doesn't love him. Ricky gets his first taste of puppy love and learns to stand up to the school bully. Kate and Edward realize they have feelings for each other. Plus tons of guest stars including Mr. T., Sharon Stone, Joey Lawrence and Jason Bateman.

Customer Reviews:

"The Ricker" Returns !.......2007-06-25

It's wonderful to finally see Silver Spoons released on DVD ! It's about time ! These episodes bring back so many memories ! I can't wait for the other seasons to be released.

If you were a fan of the show... this first season is a MUST HAVE !

It makes me want a rideable train in my living room all over again !

Silver Spoons - Long Awaited and Still The Greatest .......2007-06-24

I was so happy when I heard that they were re-releasing "Silver Spoons". It was one of my favorite series growing up as a child. I watched the entire first season in one day!

In the series premiere, twelve year old Ricky Stratton unexpectedly turns up on the doorstep of his father Edward Stratton the third, who had no idea that he even had a son. It turns out that Ricky was a product of Edward's during his six day marriage to Evelyn. The mom had Ricky shipped off to military school after her second marriage. At first it looks like Edward who (according to him) doesn't know how to be a good husband, father, son etc.. is about to abandon Ricky too but he quickly realizes that having Ricky around is a lot better than NOT having him around - plus, now childlike Edward's finally got someone to play with!

Throughout the season, there are guest appearances that are made by other tv greats like Mr. T and Gary Coleman aka Arnold Jackson from Diff'rent Strokes. Ricky's friend/foe is Derek (Jason Bateman) whom I think can best be described as a wolf in sheep's clothing.

This sitcom was a true gem in TV history. I can't wait to see Season 2!

Silver Spoons, My All time Favorite television Show.......2007-05-26

This TV show IS and WILL ALWAYS be my favorite show. I have all of these episodes taped from way back when I was a kid when the generation of the VHS (recorders came out). and that was not long after 1982 when Spoons began. I had to wait until reruns so I could tape them but it was worth all the wait. Now the tapes are dragging but (NO MORE). Sony did it! I know this will make Rick,Joel,Erin,Jason,Alfonso,Corky proud that this was released. Oh, and lets not forget the sly Christine Belford (Ricks Mom)..and, If only Mr houseman were alive. He made that show as well. He was (the greatest Grandfather). the bond between Rick and his grandfather was so great. "Gotta love the learning to drive episode". There are also some great guests on the show, Including Whitney houston,Mr T,Gary Coleman,Pearl Bailey and the ever so popular Menudo. This show makes you laugh,Cry,get angry like I did when Rick told freddy Lippincottleman that he wasnt his friend lol. The hardest thing in the world to see was derek leaving the show. That episode was very emotional. I was feeling at first that it wasnt going to be the same but the show was great from start to finish. For all you new people that are going to buy this....You are in for a real treat! Rick Schroder,(Ricker) youre an awesome actor!

R.I.P for two great actors franklin seales,John Houseman

PS: For those of you that worry that you have to buy so many sets that you might lose interest in this (do not worry) This show ran from 82 to 1987 so not many sets to buy. Please buy this so that Sony will continue to release them. I promise you wont be let down. Every season is great! of course the first three seasons are my favorite and rick grows in every season but all of them have a very good story!

(ADDED NOTE) I got the DVD set today and let me tell you...Brilliant picture quality. Fine remastering. I am so pleased to toss out my first two VHS tapes that has the first season on them. I kept them because I was a little worried that they were going to edit the show's ending like they do sometime on tv for air time but sony did not butcher the show. silver spoons lovers will be very happy with what sony has presented us with this set. (Lets just hope they dont botch it up and leave people hanging for a year or so for each additional season release.

Eighties time capsule, fun and nostalgic series.......2007-05-24

Silver Spoons was one of definitive eighties time capsule. This series was pure eighties, break dancing, big hair, music, posters. Ricky Schroder shines his title role, and he surrounded many well-remembered characters. Even legendary actor John Houseman appeared and Erin Gray really made big impression with her stepmother role. But, my favorite character is probably Rick's pal played by Alfonso Ribeiro. He was funny character. Everytime He appeared, there was some kind of funny things happened. Yes, by the today's standards, it's maybe cheesy but you certainly agree it's lot of fun, and I believe eighties will never duplicated.

I had many fine memories with eighties, and Silver Spoons was certainly one of them. If you're eighties growing-up kids, you'll love this dvd set. I can't wait to see those fun adventures with Rick and family, friends again after all these years. Thanks for reading.

Erin Gray is worth watching.......2007-05-18

Like the posting below, I agree Erin Gray makes this show worth watching. I am thankful the first season is coming out and the retail price is great, making it affordable. I watched this show when I was in middle school and it hasn't aged a bit. Erin Gray is eye candy (I get to meet her in September at the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention where she is a guest) and I only hope the rest of the cast helps with commentary or an extra documentary with the DVD. By the way, Amazon.com's price is much better than their competition, so I recommend buying your complete series today.

Star Wars Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

George, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! Rated ***(**)
Good Movie
Wonderful!!!!!!!
I have a good feeling about this...
BEST MOVIE EVER

Star Wars Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Billy Dee Williams , and Anthony Daniels
Director: Irvin Kershner
Manufacturer: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Star Wars Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition)
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Star Wars - Episode II, Attack of the Clones (Widescreen Edition)
Star Wars - Episode III, Revenge of the Sith (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000FQJAJG
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Amazon.com

The 2006 limited-edition two-disc release of The Empire Strikes Back is not only the first time the movie has been officially available by itself on DVD. It marks the first-ever DVD release of Empire as it originally played in theaters in 1980. What does that mean exactly? The film is without the various "improvements" and enhancements George Lucas added for the theatrical rerelease in 1997 as well as the DVD premiere in 2004. So no more of Ian McDiarmid (the Emperor) replacing Clive Revill with slightly revised lines, or Temuera Morrison rerecording of Boba Fett's minimal dialogue.

What do you lose by watching the 1980 version? Dolby Digital 5.1 EX sound, for one thing (only 2.0 Surround here), and digital cleanup. But for home-theater owners, the biggest frustration will be from the non-anamorphic picture. On a widescreen TV, an anamorphically enhanced (16x9) picture at a 2.35:1 aspect ratio will fill the screen with the exception of small black bars on the top and bottom. The original edition of Empire, however, on a widescreen TV will have large black bars on the top, the bottom, and the sides unless you stretch the picture (and distort it in the process, especially considering the substandard picture quality). If you're watching on a standard square-shaped (4:3) TV, though, you won't notice a difference.

Yes, it's true that serious home-theater lovers who want spectacular sound and anamorphically enhanced picture can always watch the 2004 version of the movie also included in this set. But chances are good that they already picked up the trilogy edition of all three films, so their decision to buy the 2006 two-disc edition depends on how much they want the original film. The official LucasFilm stance is that this is an individual release of the 2004 version of The Empire Strikes Back, and the 1980 version of the film is merely a "bonus feature." Common speculation is that the only reason the original versions are seeing the official light of day at all is to undercut the booming black market for the laserdisc version. Star Wars fans will have to decide for themselves if that's worth the purchase. --David Horiuchi

Description

For the first time ever and for a limited time only, the enhanced versions of the Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi will be available individually on DVD. Plus, these 2-Disc DVD's will feature a bonus disc that includes, for the first time ever on DVD, the original films as seen in theaters in 1977, 1980 and 1983.

Customer Reviews:

George, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! Rated ***(**).......2007-06-08

I agree with any of a number of previous reviewers: Would somebody PLEASE take STAR WARS away from George Lucas before he ruins it completely?

Like Francis Ford Coppola, who messed with THE GODFATHER trilogy over and over again trying to "perfect" it, Lucas keeps coming back to the original STAR WARS trilogy and adding enhanced effects and formerly deleted scenes.

In what is now known as STAR WARS EPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, (let me catch my breath a minute, please), Lucas decided to "enhance" the film by inserting extra dialogue in several scenes, apparently in order to strengthen the film's connection to the prequels. He should have done it the other way around when Episodes I, II, and III were first released. This attempt at backward compatibility just proves that time travelers should never try to change the past. Fortunately, the changes aren't jarring.

Lucas also decided to expand the scenes with the Wampa Ice Creature on Hoth. These changes ARE jarring. The updated Ice Creature doesn't look anything like the original, and the quick intercuts don't hide the disparity. The fact that Lucas chose to "improve" the creature despite having to retain the original footage doesn't demonstrate his creativity, it demonstrates his hubris. Why not just replicate the original? Clearly, his desire to make the change overrode any considerations of film continuity and audience expectations.

This is the kind of thinking that brought us the ridiculous Jar-Jar Binks and his race of Rastafari amphibians in THE PHANTOM MENACE. George Lucas isn't really trying to give us a better cinematic experience, he's just totally into playing with his favorite toys. It's a form of selfishness.

The same goes for the rest of his changes. Lucas decided to make the battle scene explosions more "dramatic," do a score of other little tweaks, and clean up the print. Lucas has done this so many times over the past three decades that it's now impossible to figure out which film is the "real" THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

Of all the questionable "improvements" he's made, cleaning up the print is the only worthwhile effort. Most of the added scenes add nothing to the film, the "extra" dialogue is interesting but unnecessary, and some of the changes (like the Wampa Ice Creature) actually degrade the movie.

Fortunately, this two-disc set contains the original theatrical release with all the nicks and imperfections it was born with. The print's a bit dim, and the special effects are showing their limitations after twenty-seven years, but this is THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK that will remain THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. It is what it is, and it never needed changes. Given the immense amount of material that has grown up around STAR WARS since it was first released, Lucas would have been smarter to release one or the other or both versions as he did, but added an Extras disc with all kinds of "The Making Of.." and "The Legacy Of..." goodies. I was disappointed that this isn't that set.

I was twenty when THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK debuted in 1980. At age 20, this now-classic movie became and remains a favorite of mine. It is arguably the best of the six STAR WARS films, because it takes the STAR WARS universe completely out of the realm of pulp science fiction. The appearance of Yoda and his Zen-like philosophy of The Force changes the entire tenor of the sextology. The Force ceases to be a kind of parlor magic useful for tricking Imperial Stormtroopers and becomes a form of bushido. The Jedi become Samurai, imbued with all of that caste's Warrior Ethos.

I never became a "Jedihead" (the original tag for the STAR WARS version of a Trekkie), but I did become a student of Zen and the martial arts. My personal decision was not at all made because of STAR WARS, but the films certainly brought such concepts into the mainstream consciousness.

The STAR WARS films are not CITIZEN KANE IN OUTER SPACE. Overall, they are not "great" films, but they are true "classics." THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK in particular engages the viewer. Entertaining, exciting, and yet contemplative, the film makes you want to keep coming back for more, the true basis of success and the core of meaningfulness for any story.

The STAR WARS universe is clearly derivative. THE LORD OF THE RINGS has a "Dark Lord." STAR WARS has a "Dark Lord of the Sith." Lightsabers are yet another nod to the film's Sword & Sorcery roots. Yoda is a short green Sensei, straight out of the 1970s TV show KUNG FU. STAR WARS' "Corellians" appear in Isaac Asimov's FOUNDATION as "Korellians", and "Han Solo" is also there as "Hari Seldon." The space war elements are a mishmash of STAR TREK, FORBIDDEN PLANET, AMAZING STORIES, pulp fiction, and a hundred other sources. George Lucas was able to take these well-used pieces and combine them into something that is both very original and yet archetypal.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK carries the sci-fi retelling of the Mythos of the young Hero a step farther. Having been initiated into the Mysteries by Obi-Wan, Luke is now called upon to take up the discipline his craft requires. Immature and impatient, he ignores his Master Yoda's advice, and makes his own determination that his training is complete. However, he is unready, unready to face his external enemy (Darth Vader), and unready to face his even more potent internal enemy (his own impulses toward the Dark Side).

Classic mythic elements abound: Luke has a mysterious birth, a hidden twin, and a direct blood link to the Evil he is trying to overcome (as the son of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader). He suffers a horrific wound (the loss of his hand), is forced to face the Darkness within himself, and must decide how to confront his Enemy who is also his Dark Father.

A far more sophisticated story than the straight-ahead STAR WARS, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK is so mythic and archetypal that it suffers none of the "beginner's jitters" of A NEW HOPE. Although the first film had some really bad acting by the background characters and a few missed beats here and there, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK brings forth the best from all the cast (including even Yoda who, despite his very real humanity, is, after all, a puppet). The story sustains itself through it all.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK even survives Lucas's post-theatrical obsessive-compulsive changes to remain a modern classic.

FIVE STARS FOR "THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK", THREE STARS FOR LUCAS' "IMPROVED" VERSION.

Good Movie.......2007-05-12

I have the whole series of the Star Wars movies and I enjoy them very much.

Wonderful!!!!!!!.......2007-05-11

This is an master piece and one should watch it. The star war series is a must have. Love the story and the way the film draws your attention...Love the cast.

I have a good feeling about this..........2007-04-13

This is easily the best of all the Star Wars movies. For once we have the right balance of action, mystery, humor, romance and swash-bucklingness, if that's a word. The dialogue is crisp and smart (Han steers the ship into an asteroid field. Leia: You don't have to do this to impress me!) The acting this time is actually quite good, particularly between Ford and Fisher. The special effects are incredible, but they serve, rather than overwhelm, the story. (Oddly, there are a few moments that look fake, such as the bits with the taun-tauns, but George chose not to redo them.) This one is closest in style and content to the old-fashioned movie and radio serials, which is what the whole thing was supposed to be based on. The first ten minutes are a little wobbly, as it seems to be trying to find its tone, but things soon pick up, and the evacuation from Hoth has to be one of the best moments in the whole series, climaxing in a Millennium Falcon that won't start. ("Would it help if I got out and pushed!?") I know in the past I've said it might have been better if George had just given us one movie and been done with it, and artistically for his career it would have been, but at least, before the franchise got stale, we got this wonderful, smartly-done fairy tale directed by the very underrated Irvin Kershner.

Here, as in the other DVDs featuring before and after versions of the original trilogy, George chose to give us terrific-looking enhanced-for-widescreen-TVs redos (among the best-looking DVDs I own, if not THE best) and unenhanced original versions. Fortunately for me I have an upscaling DVD player and television, so it doesn't look *as* bad for me as it does for a lot of other people here, but still, this is just George being spiteful--there was no reason for this. The commentary track is terrific, and justifies this purchase alone if you're a big fan. We hear from most of the major creative forces, including director Kirshner, the only Star Wars director who really "got it" as far as I'm concerned. (And the one Lucas was most upset with initially, thinking he was taking too long and doing too many takes. But the quality shows. Could you imagine the love scenes between Han and Leia directed by Lucas? Actually you don't have to; just watch Attack of the Clones.)

It's hard to "recommend" or "not recommend" something like this. It has its built-in audience--it's doubtful anyone buying this has never seen the film before. It is nice to have the two versions side by side to compare what's new, however, which is why I chose to go this route.

(P.S.: George, who the heck is "Lando Clarissian"? Also, Venus isn't a gaseous giant; it's a rocky planet just like earth. You folks will have to listen to the commentary track to understand what I'm talking about.)

BEST MOVIE EVER.......2007-03-28

Best Star Wars movie! No wait, best movie EVER!!!!! Ironically GL didn't even direct it.

The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 1 (Buck Privates / Hold That Ghost / In the Navy / Keep 'Em Flying / One Night in the Tropics / Pardon My Sarong / Ride 'Em Cowboy / Who Done It?)

Average customer rating:

Laughing all the way....
Classic comedies
Great collection
Enjoyable films, great price, questionable disc quality
The Best of Abbott and Costello, Vol. 2

The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 1 (Buck Privates / Hold That Ghost / In the Navy / Keep 'Em Flying / One Night in the Tropics / Pardon My Sarong / Ride 'Em Cowboy / Who Done It?)
Starring: Bud Abbott , Lou Costello , Dick Powell , Claire Dodd , and Patty Andrews
Director: Arthur Lubin , A. Edward Sutherland , and Erle C. Kenton
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 2 (Hit the Ice / In Society / Here Come the Co-Eds / The Naughty Nineties / Little Giant / The Time of Their Lives / Buck Privates Come Home / The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap)
The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 3 (Abbott & Costello Go to Mars / Abbott & Costello in the Foreign Legion / Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein / Abbott & Costello Meet the Invisible Man / Abbott & Costello Meet the Killer / Comin' Round the Mountain / Lost in Alaska / Mexican Hayride)
The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 4 (Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde / Abbott & Costello Meet the Keystone Cops / Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy / Abbott & Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld / Abbott & Costello Meet the Monsters / The World of Abbott & Costello)
The Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle - Volume 1
The Marx Brothers Collection (A Night at The Opera/A Day at The Races/A Night in Casablanca/Room Service/At the Circus/Go West/The Big Store)

ASIN: B0000WN0PA
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Description

Get ready for big laughs with Abbott and Costello, undeniably the most popular comedy team of all time! Now, the classic films of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are available on DVD in this hilarious collection.

The wildly popular comic duo has entertained audiences since 1931, conquering vaudeville, radio and the silver screen in nearly 40 films. Enjoy these side-splitting hits like Buck Privates and Hold That Ghost in this collection of eight full-length features. The Best of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello: Volume 1 will have you laughing out loud again and again!

One Night in the Tropics (1940)
Bud and Lou get mixed up in a "Love Insurance" scheme.

Buck Privates (1941)
The duo accidentally enlists in the U.S. Army to avoid getting arrested!

In the Navy (1941)
Bud and Lou are sailors bound for duty on the high seas in this musical comedy.

Hold that Ghost (1941)
The boys inherit a haunted house formerly owned by a mobster.

Keep `Em Flying (1941)
Bud and Lou enlist in the Army Air Corps and get caught up in a love triangle.

Ride `Em Cowboy (1942)
The duo head to the Lazy S ranch to hide after Lou accidentally proposes to an Indian girl.

Pardon My Sarong (1942)
Bud and Lou travel to the South Seas where Lou is mistaken for a legendary god!

Who Done It? (1942)
The boys are suspected of murder while being targeted by the actual killer.

Customer Reviews:

Laughing all the way...........2007-06-30

I remember some of these movies from when I was a kid (okay, I'm dating myself but I don't care). "Hold That Ghost", which is the reason I bought this collection, has some of the funniest bits EVER captured on film. No "off color" language or jokes -- just lots of laughs. The exchange after Joan Davis runs into Lou Costello and knocks him down STILL makes me laugh out loud. If you like "funny" -- this is your ticket.

Classic comedies.......2007-06-24

It may be hard to believe nowadays, but Abbott and Costello were once one of the biggest box office draws at the movies. In the early 1940s, their movies were among the tops in terms of tickets. Nowadays, they seem to be mostly forgotten except by fans of old movies, which is too bad. Their movies may not be the best comedy ever written, but they are all pretty fun. Volume 1 of The Best of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello features their first eight films.

One Night in the Tropics is their screen debut. They are actually just secondary characters who contribute little to the plot (involving some romantic mix-ups) but are brought in to lighten things up, with among other things, their "Who's on First" routine. Next up is their first starring feature and the first of their three military comedies, Buck Privates. In this one, they accidentally enlist in the army while trying to avoid a cop who later turns out to be their drill sergeant.

The next of their "service comedies" was In The Navy, in which they assist a famous singer who is trying to become a regular Joe by becoming a sailor. The final service comedy is Keep `Em Flying, which puts them in the early Air Force.

The pair inherit a supposed haunted house on Hold That Ghost. It actually used to belong to a mobster, and some of his loot is still in the place, attracting other hoodlums. In Ride `Em Cowboy, they wind up on a dude ranch. Pardon My Sarong is something of a takeoff on the Hope/Crosby Road pictures, with the two winding up on a tropical island. Finally, in Who Done It?, they are entangled in a murder mystery at a radio station.

There is a very structured approach to these movies: Universal Pictures obviously wanted these churned out quickly (some were out within a couple months of the start of shooting!) and they used plenty of contract players: for example, three movies have Shemp Howard in small parts and Dick Foran in bigger parts. All the movies are pretty short (they range from 78 to 87 minutes). They all have a romantic subplot involving other characters and (with the exception of Who Done It?), they all have several musical numbers, some featuring big names like the Andrews Sisters and Ella Fitzgerald.

At the core, however, are Abbott and Costello, more particularly Lou Costello who forms the comic heart of these stories. They are the same characters in every story: Bud is the fast-talking con man and Lou is the not-so-bright coward with an almost child-like approach to the world. There is plenty of physical comedy, but they are at their best when the two are just talking.

It'd be a bit much to call these films classics, but they are entertaining and they would probably amuse kids as well as adults. I suppose it's also technically inappropriate to call this The Best of Abbott and Costello when it actually is just their first eight movies, but at the same time it is true: this collection does show them in top form.

Great collection.......2007-06-15

Except for "One Night in the Tropics", these are some of Abbott and Costello's most entertaining films. One of my very favorite A@C films, "Ride 'em Cowboy" is marred by the dreadful dream sequence. What makes it more frustrating is to read from sources that other comedy scenes (which sound funnier) were filmed but rejected including extended bits of business with the poker sequence. The rest of "Ride 'em Cowboy" however more than makes up for the dream skit. This dvd set is a great buy for the cost.

Enjoyable films, great price, questionable disc quality.......2007-05-04

While I don't think I'll ever grow to be a *huge* A&C fan, as I've been seeing more and more of their films, I've grown to genuinely like them and to really enjoy watching them, even if I personally don't find them as consistently hilarious and personally endearing as some of the other great comedians of the era. But for this price, and for this many films in one collection, how could anyone go wrong?

'One Night in the Tropics' (1940) is actually a star vehicle for Allan Jones (best-known for his roles in the Marx Brothers' first two MGM films), Nancy Kelly, Robert Cummings, Peggy Moran, and a few other secondary characters. It's an enjoyable movie, but nothing really classic or memorable. A&C are actually the most interesting characters and steal the show, even though their comedy routines are detached from the plot and they're just trotted out as periodic comic relief. They're also not really playing very sympathetic characters in this one. It seems like one of those films that's watched more for the historical interest than for genuine entertainment value.

'Buck Privates' (1941), their first starring vehicle, is considered a classic, though here too they often seem to be relegated to supporting comedians and pushed to the back burner in favor of the romantic subplot. The same holds true in their other two service comedies, 'In the Navy' and 'Keep 'Em Flying' (also from 1941). While all three of their service comedies are genuinely enjoyable and funny, they would have been even stronger and funnier if all of the superfluous musical numbers and the romantic subplots with boring characters we don't really care about had been cut out. They were funny and talented enough to carry a film on their own without being forced to play second-fiddle to secondary characters! The weakest of these three is 'Keep 'Em Flying'; overall it just seems disjointed and inconsistent, and like they'd run out of top-notch material to mine after already doing their first two service comedies. (These service comedies also feel, in hindsight, like subtle propaganda just in case the U.S. really did enter WWII, what with the "Isn't the Army/Navy/Air Force great and fun?" theme.)

'Hold That Ghost' (1941) is also somewhat bogged down by musical numbers and a romantic subplot, but at least here those elements don't take up as much time as in a lot of their other early films. The plotline about spending a night in a haunted house and all of the hair-raising things that happen seems a bit cliché today, and the script seems a little weak, but overall there are enough funny moments and interesting twists and turns in the plot to make it worthwhile.

'Who Done It?" (1942), which mixes comedy and a murder mystery, has a very strong script and a supporting cast. What makes this film so funny and tight is that it focuses almost entirely on A&C instead of being cluttered up by some boring romantic subplot and superfluous song and dance numbers. 'Pardon My Sarong' (1942), made in imitation of the popular Hope and Crosby 'Road' pictures of the time, finds them on a tropical island. Although it does feature musical numbers and a romantic subplot, at least the comedy routines are seamlessly worked into the picture instead of seeming more detached from the plotline, and the subplot seems more interesting than usual. 'Ride 'Em Cowboy' (1942) is enjoyable entertainment and has a good script, though unfortunately has the same formulaic feel that a lot of these other films do--musical numbers and a dull romantic subplot that really slow down the story and relegate A&C to supporting characters. Normally I find Westerns boring and dated at best and offensive at worst, but since this is a comedy Western, I liked it. Even the stereotypical depictions of the Native Americans weren't as bad and offensive as they often are in these kinds of films.

Overall, while A&C aren't my top favorite comedians, I do enjoy watching them, and these early films are no exception. And while the songs and romantic subplots slow the pictures down, the boys are great when they're front and center instead of being relegated to supporting players. However, while this may seem like a great price for 8 films, it's not entirely a great deal. Since these are double-sided discs, they're more prone to scratching and malfunctioning. While the first disc played fine for me, I had to go through a number of different copies before finally getting a second disc that didn't freeze up or skip at any point. Would it have taken that much effort for Universal to ensure more quality control on this classic catalogue? And while the extras (trailers and production notes) are much appreciated, these films and this comedy team are famous and respected enough to have merited something more, like audio commentaries or photo galleries. Still, at least they're represented on DVD now, inferior technical quality or not.

The Best of Abbott and Costello, Vol. 2.......2007-04-02

Abbott and Costello's humor is outstanding and timeless. This collection of some of their movies will have you laughing uproariously, and you will watch these movies over and over again, and keep on laughing even after you've watched them so many times that you know what is going to happen next.

Double Indemnity (Universal Legacy Series)

Average customer rating:

Double Indemnity
Classic film noir from the great Billy Wilder
It doesn't get any better than this blistering jewel
a great example of the early days of film noir.......
Lust and Greed Lead to Murder

Double Indemnity (Universal Legacy Series)
Starring: Fred MacMurray , Barbara Stanwyck , Edward G. Robinson , Porter Hall , and Jean Heather
Director: Billy Wilder , and Jack Smight
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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Film Noir | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00005JNG5
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Amazon.com essential video

Director Billy Wilder (Sunset Boulevard) and writer Raymond Chandler (The Big Sleep) adapted James M. Cain's hard-boiled novel into this wildly thrilling story of insurance man Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray), who schemes the perfect murder with the beautiful dame Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck): kill Dietrichson's husband and make off with the insurance money. But, of course, in these plots things never quite go as planned, and Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) is the wily insurance investigator who must sort things out. From the opening scene you know Neff is doomed, as the story is told in flashback; yet, to the film's credit, this doesn't diminish any of the tension of the movie. This early film noir flick is wonderfully campy by today's standards, and the dialogue is snappy ("I thought you were smarter than the rest, Walter. But I was wrong. You're not smarter, just a little taller"), filled with lots of "dame"s and "baby"s. Stanwyck is the ultimate femme fatale, and MacMurray, despite a career largely defined by roles as a softy (notably in the TV series My Three Sons and the movie The Shaggy Dog), is convincingly cast against type as the hapless, love-struck sap. --Jenny Brown

Customer Reviews:

Double Indemnity.......2007-06-21

One of the quintessential noir films, Billy Wilder's "Double Indemnity" is a masterpiece of stark atmosphere and carefully stylized suspense. The talented Barbara Stanwyck, a familiar face in the 1940s noir universe, assumes her role with feline deviousness, while "My Three Sons" TV dad Fred MacMurray--narrating the film via flashback--brilliantly plays against type. Raymond Chandler's screenplay sizzles with hard-boiled repartee and the great Edward G. Robinson is aces as always as the dogged investigator hot on the lovers' trail. Sinister, tense, and cynical, Wilder's "Indemnity" is riveting film suspense.

Classic film noir from the great Billy Wilder.......2007-06-10

"Double Indemnity" is one of the first films of the genre that would come to be known as "Film Noir".

The plot is classic film noir - a smug, womanising insurance salesman Walter Neff (played by Fred MacMurray) gets in over his head with a conniving femme fatale Phyllis Diedrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) who wants rid of her boorish husband. Neff must also be wary of a suspicious claims manager at his insurance company Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson).

Naturally the story has some dated elements (it was made in 1943) but it still holds up pretty well as entertainment for a modern audience.

MacMurray is excellent in his role as a heel making a change from his usual nice guy roles. He helps make the character sympathetic whereas Stanwycks role has few redeeming features - she really is "rotten". Her turnabout at the end is also somewhat unconvincing. The great Edward G. Robinson steals every scene he's in as the tenacious investigator who has a soft spot for Neff.

The DVD includes a good commentary by Lem Dobbs and Nick Redman with useful insights on the film but it also continually laments the decline of Hollywood, which I think is a trifle unfair.

Like most Billy Wilder films "Double Indemnity" doesn't really have a message - it just provides great entertainment aimed at adults. It also marks a growing shift in the 1940s towards more maturity in Hollywood film-making.

It doesn't get any better than this blistering jewel.......2007-05-30

What else remains to be said about one of the true classics of noir? Fred Macmurry is just right as the sap who thinks he's a lot smarter & sharper than he really is; Edward G. Robinson shines as a dedicated & inexorable seeker of the truth, even as his concern & disappointment for his fallen friend shows clearly; and Barbara Stanwyck scalds the screen as the trashy, blatantly sexy femme fatale with the morals of an alley cat & an icy ruthlessness that stops at nothing -- just look at that cover art! Wrap these characters in moody, bleakly beautiful black & white cinematography, give them a witty, scathing script by Raymond Chandler, and you've got a sordid masterpiece about small-timers whose greedy, self-centered dreams are much larger than their shriveled souls. I can't recommend this film highly enough!

a great example of the early days of film noir..............2007-05-20

DOUBLE INDEMNITY, a 1944 film by Billy Wilder, is one of the most definitive and beautiful examples of early film noir (literally, "black film") at its best. For those of you unfamiliar with the genre of film noir, this was a type of film made popular in the 1940s and 1950s, features very dark cinematography (plenty of shadows intermixed with light), as well as equally dark subject matter. Common themes are murders, affairs and grizzly illegal activity. DOUBLE INDEMNITY is a great example of this style at its best.

Fred MacMurray plays wily insurance man Walter Neff, who finds himself drawn to a beautiful, married woman, Phyllis Dietrichsen, played by the lovely Barbara Stanwyck. Together, they cook a plot to murder her husband, so Walter can make off with the policy money. Of course, things don't go quite according to plan. Enter Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), an investigator who gets wind that "something is rotting in Denmark." Keyes knows that there is something decidedly un-kosher about the whole arrangement between Neff and Dietrichsen, and he is determined to find out where that feeling is coming from.

This film is beautifully acted, directed with great zest, and very, very engaging. Even though some of the dialogue is (delightfully) dated, you are still going to have a great time watching DOUBLE INDEMNITY. There is no question that this is an example of filmmaking, at its best.

Lust and Greed Lead to Murder.......2007-05-15

Late at night a man enters an office building. Mr. Walter Neff is working overtime. Dozens of desks for the clerical workers are void of life. In his office he begins to speak into his Dictaphone about the Diedrickson claim. It all started when Neff went to see about an auto insurance renewal. Mr. Diedrickson wasn't home, but his wife Phyllis was. [The dialogue between them shows Raymond Chandler's skills.] Claims manager Mr. Barton Keyes is skilled in sniffing out false claims. Neff returns to Diedrickson for the auto insurance renewal. Phyllis asks about an accident policy for her husband. Could she get one without her husband's knowledge? Neff explains why she could never get away with it. But Phyllis visits Neff to better explain her wants, and there is a meeting of their minds. [Use your imagination.] Phyllis doesn't like her stepdaughter Lola, and Lola doesn't like her stepmother (there is a reason for this).

Neff explains how insurance companies know all the tricks used to make a murder look like an accident. But Neff impulsively decides to help Phyllis remove an inconvenient husband. [Is this plausible? Like the rain in Los Angeles.] Mr. Diedrickson is concerned about Lola's activities. Neff explains to Phyllis why Mr. Diedrickson must travel by train. Lola also has problems with her boyfriend. Neff plans their surreptitious meeting where they can plot the crime. The film show how they could then check if a doorbell of telephone rang. The murder is cold-blooded and horrible, but off scene. [Did they leave fingerprints on those crutches?]

The actuarial tables are cited to show the encyclopedic knowledge of insurance companies. But Keyes has noticed a discrepancy in this case, and begins to question the apparent facts. Then there is another glitch, something that wasn't foreseen. Daughter Lola meets Neff and tells him some old facts, and some new ones! Keyes surmises how this accident was concocted. There is now great danger for Phyllis and Neff. More surprising complications arise in this story until the shocking ending. [Could a person who murders another be implicitly suicidal?]

One important part of this story is the background of life in 1944 Los Angeles. How much was changed in just twenty years! [There was no mention of war-time rationing or shortages in that grocery supermarket.]

The Untouchables (Special Collector's Edition) [HD DVD]

Average customer rating:

The Untouchables (Special Collector's Edition) [HD DVD]
Starring: Peter Aylward , Mike Bacarella , Patrick Billingsley , Richard Bradford , and Larry Brandenburg
Director: Brian De Palma
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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Action & Adventure | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

General | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

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Mystery & Suspense | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Bourne Identity [HD DVD]
The Road Warrior [HD DVD]
The Big Lebowski [HD DVD]
The Frighteners: Peter Jackson's Director's Cut [HD DVD]
The Warriors (The Ultimate Director's Cut) [HD DVD]

ASIN: B000OONQBC
Release Date: 2007-07-03

Amazon.com

As noted critic Pauline Kael wrote, the 1987 box-office hit The Untouchables is "like an attempt to visualize the public's collective dream of Chicago gangsters." In other words, this lavish reworking of the vintage TV series is a rousing potboiler from a bygone era, so beautifully designed and photographed--and so craftily directed by Brian De Palma--that the historical reality of Prohibition-era Chicago could only pale in comparison. From a script by David Mamet, the movie pits four underdog heroes (the maverick lawmen known as the Untouchables) against a singular villain in Al Capone, played by Robert De Niro as a dapper caesar holding court (and a baseball bat) against any and all challengers. Kevin Costner is the naive federal agent Eliot Ness, whose lack of experience is tempered by the streetwise alliance of a seasoned Chicago cop (Sean Connery, in an Oscar-winning performance), a rookie marksman (Andy Garcia), and an accountant (Charles Martin Smith) who holds the key to Capone's potential downfall. The movie approaches greatness on the strength of its set pieces, such as the siege near the Canadian border, the venal ambush at Connery's apartment, and the train-station shootout partially modeled after the "Odessa steps" sequences of the Russian classic Battleship Potemkin. It's thrilling stuff, fueled by Ennio Morricone's dynamic score, but it's also manipulative and obvious. If you're inclined to be critical, the movie gives you reason to complain. If you'd rather sit back and enjoy a first-rate production with an all-star cast, The Untouchables may very well strike you as a classic. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

The critics and public agree. Brian De Palma's The Untouchables is a must-see masterpiece - glorious, fierce, larger-than-life depiction of the mob warlord who ruled Prohibition-era Chicago... and the law enforcer who vowed to bring him down. This classic confrontation between good and evil and stars Kevin Costner as federal agent Eliot Ness, Robert De Niro as gangland kingpin Al Capone and Sean Connery as Malone, the cop who teaches Ness how to beat the mob: shoot fast and shoot first.

Open Season (Widescreen Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Plenty of fun and laughs for the entire family
Kids love it!
BETTER THAN I EXPECTED! FUNNY!
Ok, ok.....
Don't forget your family.

Open Season (Widescreen Special Edition)
Starring: Martin Lawrence , Ashton Kutcher , Gary Sinise , Jon Favreau , and Jane Krakowski
Director: Anthony Stacchi , Jill Culton , and Roger Allers
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000L22SG6
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Amazon.com

Growing up can be a confusing journey fraught with difficult choices. Boog (Martin Lawrence) is a domesticated Grizzly Bear who leads a perfectly happy life inside of Park Ranger Beth's (Debra Messing) garage, but a chance meeting with an overly energetic mule deer named Elliot (Ashton Kutcher) quickly changes everything and lands Boog high in the forest a few days before the opening of hunting season. Devoid of even the most basic survival skills, Boog and Elliot stumble through the woods and find themselves at the mercy of every forest animal from skunks to chipmunks as well as an evil hunter named Shaw (Gary Sinise). After unintentionally inciting and endangering an entire forest full of clever animals, Boog and Elliot come to the realization that only by banding together do the forest animals stand a chance of outsmarting the hunters and ensuring their own survival.

This first animated film from Sony Pictures Animation takes its inspiration from cartoonist Steve Moore (In the Bleachers) and features animals with human-like intelligence, a vibrant color palate, and skilled animation that makes everything from the wind blowing Boo's fur to the animals' wild trip down the falls simply breathtaking. While it doesn't quite live up to Over the Hedge, Open Season is an entertaining production that explores the difficult process of maturation, the universal need for acceptance, and the true value of friendship. Special features include a 15-minute featurette about the animation process at Sony Pictures Animation and Image Works, a 7-minute look at the recording sessions featuring the voices behind the characters, two deleted scenes, three short animated cartoon strips, a short "Boog and Elliot's Midnight Bun Run" that's an extension of the trailer scene in the movie, art gallery, beat boards, humorous commentary from the animals' point of views, and a full length commentary by Producer Michelle Murdocca, Directors Roger Allers and Jill Culton, and others. Activities include a "Voice-A-Rama" where viewers can hear specific lines spoken by alternate voices and a trivia "Wheel of Fortune--Forest Edition" as well as a DVD-ROM link to more online fun. (Ages 3 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

Meet the Critters of Open Season (click for larger image)

Boog (aka Martin Lawrence),
hear Martin Lawrence, "On Boog":
high bandwidth

Elliot (aka Ashton Kutcher),
hear Ashton Kutcher, "On being Elliot":
high bandwidth

Shaw (aka Gary Sinise),
hear Gary Sinise, "On Shaw":
high bandwidth

Stills from Open Season (click for larger image)