Escape From L.A.

Starring:Kurt Russell, A.J. Langer, Steve Buscemi, Georges Corraface, Stacy Keach, Michelle Forbes, Pam Grier, Jeff Imada, Cliff Robertson, Valeria Golino, Peter Fonda, Ina Romeo, Peter Jason, Jordan Baker, Caroleen Feeney, Paul Bartel, Tom McNulty, Bruce Campbell, Breckin Meyer, Robert Carradine
Director: John Carpenter
Studio: Paramount
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Kurt Russell reprises his role as Snake Plissken, of the near-future thriller Escape from New York, in this reworking of that film's basic premise. Instead of New York being a maximum-security prison, this time it's L.A., which through the agency of earthquakes has become an island of the damned. This penal colony is where the film's future rulers, something very like the Moral Majority, send those deemed guilty of "moral crimes." But something has gone wrong in this new moral order, because the President's daughter has absconded to L.A. with a detonation device, and Snake is commandeered to retrieve it. The film's dark dystopia, with its satrical elements taking aim at our dwindling freedoms, and the eclipsing of democracy by narrow interests, are more the subject this time. As a result the action suffers, and the plot devices are sometimes weak and predictable. But just below the surface there is a coiled Snake ready to strike. Steve Buscemi's performance as a weasely hawker of L.A. tour maps is a standout, and the presence of Peter Fonda and Pam Grier adds to the fun. In fact, just the sight of Fonda surfing down the flooded corridor of Sunset Boulevard is reason enough to check this movie out. --Jim Gay

Customer Reviews:

THE REDUX.......2007-06-19

A REGRETTABLE FILM,WE NEED TO FORGET IT !AND PRETEND THIS ONE WAS A BAD DREAM.

Remake, not a sequel........2007-05-18

Although it was very entertaining seeing Russell reprise his Plissken character, the movie itself was a letdown. Same scenario: Snake captured, injected w/ life-threatening drug, forced to perform for the president, infiltrating former US metropolis that now houses the country's undesirables, escapes just in time, mission accomplished, gets last word, the end. The only thing that was different from its predecessor was the addition of cheesy special effects and campy scenes (Snake on a surfboard, anyone ? Gimme a break!) If this was meant to be some kind of parody of the first film (which is, obviously, farrrrr superior), then Carpenter and Russell succeeded. What were they thinking ??

The Snake Man Cometh............2007-01-08

Okay, the rating above is not going to be liked but I have to be truthful.

The only good thing going for this movie was the return of "Snake Plissken".

This film's plot was essentially a rehash of the original "Escape From New York"...A bit more special effects (which in fact, did not make this a better movie)...

When I go to a sequel I expect to get what I paid for a totally new adventure with the same character / characters.

Kurt Russell's character is older and even more in the know of what the rewards are before he is offered them.

Obviously the movie doesn't really know where it's going as it takes two scenes (15 minutes of the film) (1st scene - President, Commandant, and Lackey give Snake the mission) (2nd scene - Commandant and Lackey brief Snake before he leaves for the mission) to explan to the audience what's the basic conflict.

I guess either Carpenter or Russell are just getting too old to take a GREAT leap and recount either an earlier Snake Plissken adventure or an adventure well worth telling..

I also wish to comment that this disc has no special features besides a movie trailer...
"Carpenter....Russell! " Please don't tell me "money" caused you to revisit a "cult figure"!

Some redeeming qualities are the acting performances of Cliff Robertson, Stacy Keach, Steve Buscemi, and Pam Grier. Robertson, Keach, and Grier may be old but they can sure make you believe in their characters!

Sorry, Snake...."I don't love L.A."

The-Big-Green-Pointy-Eared-One!

wrong. .......2007-01-06

Peter Fonda and Kurt Russell surfing a wave down a Los Angeles reservoir is not cool, does not make this movie worth a look, good God, that scene stinks. P-U. Campy. This movie is a mess. A horribly made sequel. So bad it actually tarnishes the reputation of the original.

Time waister.......2006-07-28

Sufficient movie to waist a couple hours downtime here in Afghanistan. That's it though!

Average customer rating:

Great movie!
WOWer
inspirational
Midnight Express
What Oliver Stone wants Oliver Stone gets...

Midnight Express
Starring: Brad Davis , Irene Miracle , Bo Hopkins , Paolo Bonacelli , and Paul L. Smith
Director: Alan Parker , and William Riead
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

Papillon
Midnight Cowboy
The Deer Hunter (Universal Legacy Series)
Deliverance
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

ASIN: 0767817486
Release Date: 1998-10-27

Amazon.com

Forever embroiled in controversy, Midnight Express divides viewers into opposing camps: those who think it's one of the most intense real-life dramas ever made, and those who abhor its manipulative tactics and alteration of facts for the exploitative purpose of achieving a desired effect. That effect is powerfully achieved, regardless of how you may feel about director Alan Parker and Oscar®-winning screenwriter Oliver Stone's interpretation of the story of Billy Hayes. It was the American Hayes--played by the late Brad Davis in an unforgettable performance--who was caught smuggling two kilograms of hashish while attempting to board a flight from Istanbul, Turkey, in 1970. He was sentenced to four years in a hellish Turkish prison on a drug possession charge, but his sentence was later extended (though not by 30 years, as the film suggests), and Hayes endured unthinkable brutality and torture before his escape in 1975.

Unquestionably, this is a superbly crafted film, provoking a visceral response that's powerful enough to boil your blood. By the time Hayes erupts in an explosion of self-defensive violence, Parker and Stone have proven the power--and danger--of their skill. Their film is deeply manipulative, extremely xenophobic, and embellishes reality to heighten its calculated impact. Is that a crime? Not necessarily, and there's no doubt that Midnight Express is expertly directed and blessed with exceptional supporting performances (especially from John Hurt as a long-term prisoner). Still, it's obvious that strings are being pulled, and Parker, while applying his talent to a nefarious purpose, is a masterful puppeteer. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Great movie!.......2007-05-18

Fast shipment! This is one of my favorite movies! I was very excited to own it on DVD.

WOWer.......2007-05-13

This DVD was great to see again and came to me as promised. Very good DVD and in excellent shape. I cant say enough.

inspirational.......2007-02-22

I love this movie; it's a survivor's movie. The acting is great; I could feel the intensity of the rage and terror. Be careful, though, if you're disturbed by violence and abuse.

Midnight Express.......2007-02-03

This was a very good movie to see, even though it was made some time ago. I really enjoyed how survival became the force which gave this person the will to continue, not loose focus on his goal but to escape. If someone is looking to see a true story that will scare you straight, this might be the one to see.I hope who ever watches this movie from my review, that you enjoy this story as much as I did.

What Oliver Stone wants Oliver Stone gets..........2007-02-01

Stone won't make himself vulnerable to anyone or the facts, whether that means eliminating all JFK conspiracy theories other than his own or simplifying a story and people as he has done here in Midnight Express. Stone borrowed Billy Hayes' real story of being held in a Turkish prison for several years after being caught smuggling hashish, and hijacked it to devastating effect. [I focus on screenwriter Stone instead of director Parker because the substance of Hayes' original book was altered by Stone and Parker just created Stone's skewed vision]. Stone was successful in destroying the Turkish justice image in the minds of generations of Americans. Ask most any American [now thirty years after Stone made his movie] to picture a Turkish(or Islamic) prison or court room or justice system, and the one portrayed in Midnight Express is the one that is ingrained. Coincidence or not, it should be noted that this humiliating portrayal of Islamic justice came at a time of increased Hollywood output of negative Islamic images and favorable Israeli ones(the unprecedented and universally viewed miniseries Masada). To this day, Islam's portrayal in movies is considered horrendous by those who study it(Shaheen's 'Reel Bad Arabs').

Instead of having ANY sympathetic Muslim/Turkish characters, they ALL are beasts. It turns out the real Billy Hayes actually made friends with several Turkish inmates but accepting Stone's reality means accepting this truth as a lie. Constantly the Western inmates have more depth,..they play instruments, they sing, they constantly visibly show compassion that the Muslims lack, they even articulate in a courtroom why Western justice culture is superior to Islamic sense of justice. The Muslims in the film are stoic, opportunistic, hypocritical, and, well,..evil. They are portrayed as victims of their own culture, as the judge hangs his head down when Billy is castigating Islamic justice for its lack of mercy, and the judge seems sad when he replies that his hands are tied. There is no reaction or inquisitiveness in the faces of the Turkish prosecutor or the others - the viewer sees them as programmed by their culture. Just so the viewer isn't confused as to the root of what creates such a fiasco of justice, Stone purposefully puts Islamic prayer beads in the hands of reprehensible characters like the Turkish public defender, and makes sure that a mosque is the prominent structure occupying the frame as Billy is driven around the city by policemen. Likewise, he hangs Christian symbols on the victims in the film. The warden never attempted to rape Hayes, as the film depicts, nor did Hayes murder anyone. Stone's manufactured murder of the raping warden may have been an effort to implant the idea that the resolution the [mostly Christian] viewers should expect between their culture and the grotesque monster of Islam will take the form of a violent showdown.

The differences between the book and the film is evidence that Stone possibly used the powerful vehicle of a "true story" to instigate prejudice against Turks/Muslims. Billy Hayes, now 56 years old and living in LA, recently tried[in the Seattle Post] to correct Stone's portrayal of his book: "The message of 'Midnight Express' isn't 'Don't go to Turkey', it's 'Don't be an idiot like I was, and try to smuggle drugs." and, "I loved the movie, but I wish they'd shown some good Turks. You don't see a single one in the movie, and there were a lot of them, even in the prison. It created this impression that all Turks are like the people in 'Midnight Express.'"

Average customer rating:

A "Best in Class"
Most powerful film on forgivness that I have ever seen
Wanted to give it 5 stars...
LOVE your enemies!
Beware. Region 2 DVD Won't Play on US Players

To End All Wars
Starring: Ciarán McMenamin , Robert Carlyle , Kiefer Sutherland , Mark Strong (II) , and Yugo Saso
Director: David L. Cunningham
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

To End All Wars
Eye of the Killer
Desert Saints
The Right Temptation
Behind the Red Door

ASIN: B00021R7BM
Release Date: 2004-06-15

Amazon.com

A Japanese P.O.W. camp during World War II becomes the battleground for the souls as well as the lives of its Scottish and British prisoners. Based on a true story, To End All Wars centers around Ernest Gordon (Ciaran McMenamin), a young soldier who wants to teach philosophy. When Gordon recovers from seeming death by illness, the other prisoners agree to become Grodon's pupils, studying Plato, Shakespeare, and the Bible. Gordon's superior officer, Ian Campbell (Robert Carlyle, Trainspotting, The Full Monty), scoffs at the increasingly pacificist bent of Gordon's teachings. Jim Reardon (Kiefer Sutherland, 24, Freeway), a lone American running a black market, is equally skeptical. But under the relentless brutality of the camp, the only way for the soldiers to survive is to find what gives their lives meaning. The strong performances of To End All Wars makes this moral conflict as vivid as any gun battle. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Kiefer Sutherland and Robert Carlyle star in this explosive war film based on an amazing true story. Captured by the Japanese, a group of courageous soldiers are forced to build the infamous "Railway of Death" between Thailand and Burma during the height

Customer Reviews:

A "Best in Class".......2007-03-26

This is easily the best "prisoner of war" film I've ever seen. Indeed, it's one of the best films produced this decade in any category. To tag it as thought-provoking is an understatement (and when was the last time you watched a WWII POW camp flick that you would call thought-provoking?).

The film is strongly based on the true story of the Allied prisoners that were used by Japan as slave labor to build the 400 km "death railway" from Thailand to Burma. The conditions were intolerable and deadly.

Some of the prisoners reponded to their lot with hatred and bitterness. Some, and this is key to the film, sought out education and spiritual refreshment. Plato, Shakespeare, music, the Bible, and ethics are taught and learned. Oddly, neither Jesus nor the God of Christianity are ever specifically named, but the message regarding foregiveness, love and submission are overwhelmingly obvious to those familiar with the teachings of Jesus. The film characters are transformed by this philosophy, including the captors to some degree. This is not about religion, but rather how one lives one's life, especially under extreme adversity. An additional note on the "Jesus factor" . . . the character Dusty, played so well by Mark Strong, parallels the nature and circumstances of the biblical Jesus so well that during one climactic scene I realized that I was leaning forward in my seat with my jaw hanging open. Very, very powerful stuff (I won't give it away).

Do not be scared off at this point thinking that this is one of those "religious flicks". It is not. It's fairly gritty and realistic with Academy Award quality acting, directing, and all other production values. It is about war, hardship, duty and honor, good and evil, and cruelty and forgiveness, selfishness and self-sacrifice. There are violent scenes but I did not consider them gratuitous. And, unusual for an R-rated flick, the production team did not cook up some reason to include a woman without her shirt on. There is no nudity in the film (although after extended captivity, much of the POW clothing had become sparse rags).

Finally, special mention to the location and set. A very realistic look. As I mentioned above, all of the production values were top shelf.

Thoughtful, intelligent, and certainly entertaining. A great movie.

Most powerful film on forgivness that I have ever seen.......2007-01-09

After viewing a heart wrenching movie clip (or WingClips as it was watermarked) from this movie during a sermon at church, I had to see it. This movie is extremely powerful and truly a life changing experience. Excellent performance by Robert Carlyle, Kiefer Sutherland and Ciarán McMenamin.

Wanted to give it 5 stars..........2006-10-21

I wanted to give the movie version of To End All Wars 5 stars but...

There's a trend lately for faith-based entertainment to use elements such as swearing to "keep it real". Perhaps this is an effort to reach a broader audience. ...or out of defiance of what is typical of faith-based entertainment.

But once you've read Ernest Gordon's firsthand account (published under a few different names) you have proof that the same moving and powerful story can be told without the language.

For others concerned like we were as to WHICH words are used - it's basically the F word said repeatedly by one character 13+ times in a row in a moment of anger and then one time shortly after by another character. There are other words as well but never is God's name used in swearing (which is where we would've drawn the line).

Other than that, the movie is really gripping. There are some tense scenes with violence, but there are many excellent performances by the actors.

Hope this review is helpful!

LOVE your enemies! .......2006-09-29

"To End All Wars" (2001) is a very special POW movie. Rough, violent, crude, cruel are adjectives you may use to describe this film... yet it is also a hymn to compassion, love, self sacrifice, altruism and forgiveness.

The story is based on Scotsman Ernst Gordon's book "Through the Valley of the Kwai" reflecting his actual experiences as POW.
There are two precedent films that tell similar stories: "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957) is one of them; "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" (1983) is the other one. With both of them the present opus relates and differs. "To End..." is as ruthless full of cruel violence as the second but whereabouts and historical events are the same as in "The Bridge..."

The film narrates the daily life of Allies prisoners in Japanese's hands. Specifically the Argyle Regiment, since they enter the POW camp until war's end.
As in the precedent films "To End..." shows how different cultures collide and confront. The Japanese assumes British military are despicable because they have surrendered instead of continue fighting until death.
The British resent and resist the brutal treatment they receive and scorn their captors as "uncivilized barbarians".

Over this background "To End..." introduce a new vision of the conflict: how adherence to "cultural virtues" ends in abuse and senseless actions. Not only Japanese and their Bushido sense of honor and order are driven to violence; military honor and ethics drove Maj. Campbell to expose fellow inmates to authorities' fury.

The other big issue of the film is how Christian commandment "love your enemies" is put into action by people who have been subject to utmost violence.

Play acting is very good. Ciaran McMenamin as Gordon, Robert Carlyle as Maj. Campbell, James Cosmo (yes the unforgettable Scot warrior of "Braveheart") as the Colonel, Sakae Kimura as Sgt. Ito and Yugo Saso as Takashi Nagase amongst other deliver a high quality performance.

Director David Cunningham imprints a deep Christian sense to the whole film.

This is a great film, which cast a new light over these difficult relationships. If you are interested in war movies you can't miss this one!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Beware. Region 2 DVD Won't Play on US Players.......2006-06-26

Please be aware that this DVD is Region 2 encoded and will not play on most US DVD players which are Region 1. You can buy player which will ignore the region code on Amazon - just search for "multi region dvd player".

Average customer rating:

Hey Little Bird
Get something other than explosions and impossibly shallow writing!
Swamp Gas on The Low Side of The Road
An American classic
After Katrina, the memory of a once-existing city

Down by Law - Criterion Collection
Starring: Vernel Bagneris , Ellen Barkin , Richard Boes , Nicoletta Braschi , and L.C. Drane
Director: Jim Jarmusch
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video

All | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video

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

Mystery Train
Coffee and Cigarettes
Stranger Than Paradise
Dead Man
Fishing With John - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B00005JKFX
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Amazon.com

After creating one of the breakthrough movies of the American independent cinema, Stranger than Paradise, Jim Jarmusch stayed right in the same minimalist, oddball, black-and-white groove. Down by Law takes place in Louisiana, where two losers (musicians Tom Waits and John Lurie) find themselves stuck in a jail cell together. One day they are joined by a boisterous Italian (Roberto Benigni), and the chemistry changes--suddenly an escape attempt is on the horizon. Conventional drama is not Jarmusch's intention; one of the emotional high points of this movie is the three guys marching around their prison cell shouting, "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!" Yet the deadpan style creates its own humorous mood, underscored by melancholy (also underscored by the music of Lurie and the gravel-voiced songs of Waits). This was the first American film for Roberto Benigni, the Italian comedian (Life Is Beautiful), and he lights it up with his effervescent clowning. Jarmusch has said that Down by Law forms a loose trilogy with Stranger than Paradise and the subsequent Mystery Train, a triptych of disaffected, drifting life in the United States. Few filmmakers have ever surveyed ennui so entertainingly. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Hey Little Bird.......2007-03-23

Jarmusch's Down by Law opens with Tom Waits's seemingly nonsensical song "Jockey Full of Bourbon" playing in the background as the camera films various poor sections of New Orleans. However, while the song's lyrics might seem nothing more than a series of random phrases, it is quite fitting because they are a good representation of the absurdity of life and how chance circumstances can lead one on completely unexpected paths in life.

Filmed totally in black and white, which gives the already grim scenery an even grainier appearance, the film follows two characters, Zack (Tom Waits) and Jack (John Lurie), and the circumstances leading to their imprisonment. Both men set up by "friends" who seemingly had a bone to pick with them and while in prison they are introduced to a third fellow named Roberto who eventually helps them escape from prison.

While the above description is quite bare boned, it does sum up most of the film's "action" however, those who are familiar with Jarmusch's filmic work should be well aware that the minimalist director rarely, if ever, does anything overblown, but instead allows the humor of his films to seep through with dialogue and bantering amongst his characters. In fact much of the film takes place within the confines of a small jail cell. The music, by Tom Waits, is, as with almost every Jarmusch film, quite excellent.

While Down by Law might seem like nothing more than talking heads to some viewers, for those who enjoy simpler films that are stripped down to the bare essentials while still maintaining a great sense of humor, Down by Law is a great film to see.

Get something other than explosions and impossibly shallow writing!.......2007-02-18

This is a film that I never knew of but for the fact that at the time, I had a large satellite dish. Saw a bit of the movie on one of the hundreds of channels available. I had to see the whole thing. It's a good movie and written and directed by craftsmen not mainstream war mongering moguls. If you like this you must also get "Dead Man." One of the most brilliant pieces of cinematography that I have ever witnessed.

Swamp Gas on The Low Side of The Road.......2007-02-15

First, I 'd like to mention to the Waits fans here that the film that really charms with Tom is Cold Feet. Order immediately...it will put a big smile on your face...Tom is all over Cold Feet, charming, nuts, and real gone.
Back to Down By Law, I should preface by saying I'm completely in love in Ellen Barkin, and now that she's lightened her load, I'd be more than happy to let her throw my junk out the window. And speaking of that,, those shoes that Tom and Ellen fought over in the beginning..."No, baby, not the shoes", turned up on ebay years ago being sold by the the Starlight Childrens' Foundation...seems that they had already auctioned them and sold them, but no one picked them up, so a couple years later, they put them on ebay, and now they are under my bed. In color, they are crimson red on the inside...and size 10D. Well, they don't fit me. Down By Law is a fascinating romp, a film that lets time and place take over the plot, and characters fall in and out of their place. The DVD of this film by Criterion is the way to go...beautiful. Get Cold Feet on DVD...very cheap...very funny. Andre

An American classic.......2006-08-16

Jim Jarmusch has, up to the present date, done no wrong in his career. His films, all of which he's written himself, are on the same level of genius as Truffaut, in his ability to tell a realistic story, and Fellini, to fill said realistic story with all kinds of eccentric and memorable characters. Down By Law, his second full length film, is his undisputed masterpiece.

How I found out about this film was through being a fan of Tom Waits. Looking at his filmography on IMDB I stumbled across this film, it sounded promising, it's rating high (not that all films with great reputations are good,) so I decided to give it a shot - I was not disappointed.

Waits, Lurie and Benigni all turn in spectacular performances, full of life and subtle humor that makes the story of three escaped convicts not only highly enjoyable but fully heartwarming.

After Katrina, the memory of a once-existing city.......2005-09-06

No doubt all the wood frame structures that exist in the flooded
residential streets of New Orleans will be bulldozed over. The scenes in the first 20 minutes of this motion picture depicts some of the gritty residential streets of the city. Now just a memory. With the scenes shown on television of the aftermath of hurricane Katrina to a world-view audience, what came to mind were the characters depicted in the introductory sequences of "Down By Law". With all the radio stations and TV stations broadcasting salutatory programs with references to the city's rich musical and historical legacy, I wondered if there was going to be a TV station that was going to have the courage to broadcast this motion picture. But alas, no, it didn't happen. Too bad. It should have.

Average customer rating:

Kirk Douglas plays a bad guy as does Henry Fonda
Good Early Seventies Western From Legends Douglas and Fonda
Stylish Western
I REMEMBER SEEING AND LIKING THIS MOVIE 30 YEARS AGO
Cynical, witty and murderous...a fine, jaundiced view of humanity

There Was a Crooked Man...
Starring: Kirk Douglas , Henry Fonda , Hume Cronyn , Warren Oates , and Burgess Meredith
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Operation Crossbow
The Illustrated Man
The Return of Frank James
Robert Mitchum - The Signature Collection (Angel Face / Macao / The Sundowners / Home from the Hill / The Good Guys and the Bad Guys / The Yakuza)
The Arrangement

ASIN: B000HRLWWQ
Release Date: 2006-12-19

Amazon.com

Shelved for more than a year and released as an un-holiday-like afterthought at Christmas 1970, this sardonic comedy-cum-Western-cum-prison movie immediately dropped off the radar and has scarcely been heard of since. We can understand that. By their own admission, hotshot screenwriters David Newman and Robert Benton (just off Bonnie and Clyde) and veteran director Joe Mankiewicz (more typically associated with the likes of All About Eve) never found the right focus for their mix of sociopolitical satire, frontier bawdiness, and brutal Western action. Still, the very unevenness makes for fascinating tensions, and the myriad insights and moods created by a cast comprising Kirk Douglas, Henry Fonda, Hume Cronyn, John Randolph, Warren Oates, and Burgess Meredith more than repay a visit.

Douglas plays one of those charming bastards at which he excelled--here, Paris Pittman Jr., a bandit capable of seducing virtually anyone into doing his will. Pittman has a fortune in gold stashed somewhere. Inconveniently, he himself has been stashed in the territorial penitentiary in the middle of the desert, so he begins conniving to escape. This means betraying everyone in range, including the liberal-minded warden (Fonda) who's determined to redeem him. The stellar adversaries are ideally cast, with Fonda cannily subverting his own image (as he recently had in Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West). Cronyn and Randolph are priceless as "an old married couple," and Oates is heartbreaking as a congenital loner who thinks that, in Paris Pittman, he has at last found a friend. --Richard T. Jameson

Description

Arizona Territorial Prison inmate Paris Pittman is a schemer, a charmer and quite popular among his fellow convicts - especially with $500,000 in stolen loot hidden away and a plan to escape and recover it. New Warden Woodward Lopeman has other ideas about Pittman. Each man will have the tables turned on him. Academy Award? winner* Joseph L. Mankiewicz cleverly lassoes a twisting, turning Wild West tale of brawls, chases, shootouts and wry wit, courtesy of a script by David Newman and Robert Benton (Bonnie and Clyde). Kirk Douglas as Pittman and Henry Fonda as Lopeman headline a sterling cast, with Hume Cronyn, Burgess Meredith, Warren Oates and Lee Grant among the solid support. Boisterous yet blistering, lighthearted yet lacerating, There Was a Crooked Man is, throughout all its moods, delivishly entertaining.

DVD Features:
Featurette
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Kirk Douglas plays a bad guy as does Henry Fonda.......2007-06-09

Actually I thought that this was a different movie before I viewed it.
I confused this one with the movie 'Scalawag' also starring Kirk Douglas.
It's an ok movie. so if your a Kirk Douglas or Henry Fonda fan it's worth you while.

Good Early Seventies Western From Legends Douglas and Fonda.......2007-04-04

Kirk Douglas and Henry Fonda are two of the Western genre's alltime greats, and seeing them together in a movie like this is always fascinating. Perhaps even more so in a early 70's Western with all of its characteristics, including rampant cynicism, blatant anti-heroism, and surprise endings.

There Was A Crooked Man features Douglas as a bank robber who has hidden his loot away, and then gets caught and sent to prison. In prison, he and the warden form a grudging respect for each other. The warden, played by Fonda, was a well known lawman who was wounded in the line of duty, and ended up taking a warden's job because he couldn't perform his old job anymore. Douglas begins to make friends with other inmates, including Warren Oates, who plays a convict with whom no one else wants to bother.

This film is cagey, and turns lots of traditional Western themes and philosophies on their ear. The performances are good, and the ending will please some, and infuriate others.

There Was A Crooked Man was definitely a Western for its time, and not a bad one at that.

Stylish Western.......2007-03-16

This is a quirky little western with a bevy of interesting characters and a style all it's own. Kirk Douglas is a convicted robber who tries to outwit warden Henry Fonda (and vice-versa) who knows Douglas has a large amount of money hidden in the desert.

This is one of those you love it or hate types of films. It is irreverent, slightly off center and, as I said , quirky. Even the inappropriately contemporary film score, usually out of place for a period western, seems, well, appropriate.

Odd? Yes. Enjoyable? Absolutely. Give it a try. I think you'll "love" it more than "hate" it.

I REMEMBER SEEING AND LIKING THIS MOVIE 30 YEARS AGO.......2007-01-21

So, I bought it, viewed it and realized that it was THE VILLAIN I saw/liked. This movie is
the personification of why studios shelve movies. A boring mush of wasted star power,
illogical , unfocused characterizations, plotting and irritating meaninglessness.

Now, to go buy THE VILLAIN and revisit a cynical, black-humored, hopefully funny
western of the Golden Seventies.

Cynical, witty and murderous...a fine, jaundiced view of humanity.......2007-01-04

How could someone not like a western full of genial and persuasive cynicism, full of improbable piety and stuffed with vivid characters, from the two leads, Kirk Douglas and Henry Fonda, down to just about everyone else. And look at the pedigree: Directed by Joseph Mankiewicz, who gave us All About Eve, Letter to Three Wives and that most elegant of cynical films, Five Fingers, and with a screenplay by David Newman and Robert Benton, just after their first effort, Bonnie and Clyde, made their bones for them in Hollywood. Well, the answer is, an awful lot of people didn't like it and even more ignored it...including the studio executives. There Was a Crooked Man was buried after it finally was released, with almost no marketing dollars devoted to it.

I think the studio had no idea what to do with the film. Not only is it a witty and cynical western, it has a climax which is mordantly violent and unexpectedly ruthless (especially if you weren't paying attention to a brief scene at the start of the film). Not just that, we wind up with one of the leads dead (snake bite to the throat, guaranteed to make you flinch) and the other...well, you may find yourself pondering just who is the crooked man all the fuss was about.

Me, I like the movie a lot. It's not perfect; it's too long; there are a couple of sub-themes that could have been established faster. Still, for an amusing, sardonic look at human nature, There Was a Crooked Man is hard to beat.

Paris Pitman, and don't forget the Jr., please (Kirk Douglas), is a charming, eye-glass wearing rogue. He could talk a coyote out of a chicken, one character says. He's a natural leader, smart and calculating. He's also a robber and a killer. He stole a whole lot of money and, we begin to notice, his gang one by one doesn't make it far. Paris does, but eventually is caught because of his fondness for easy women. Woodward Lopeman (Henry Fonda) is an upright lawman who doesn't drink, take bribes or, as far as we can tell, consort with easy women. The two meet at a desolate territorial prison set in the middle of nothing but desert scrub and blistering heat. Pitman is doing time for the robbery. However, he hid his loot before he was captured and he plans to find a way to escape. Lopeman is the new warden, determined to rehabilitate the prisoners when he can, and at least be fair to them when he can't. Before long Pitman has recruited his cellmates on a carefully organized breakout. They're an odd bunch, but Pitman has a role for each one. The Missouri Kid (Burgess Meredith) is an aged coot who a long time ago was a skilled bank robber. Dudley Whinner (Hume Cronyn) and Cyrus McNutt (John Randolph) are failed con artists, just a bickering old married couple with Whinner the shrewd one. Floyd Moon (Warren Oates) is a backstabber from way back who has never had a friend. He begins to think Paris is one. Coy Cavendish (Michael Blodgett) is a dumb but eager teen-ager who is scheduled to hang for inadvertently killing the father of the girl he was about to know too well. Ah-Ping (C. K. Yang) is a big, tough, silent Chinese who decides to follow Pitman.

We spend a lot of time in that sweltering prison observing how Lopeman tries to improve things and how Pitman step by step organizes the breakout. There will be explosions, misdirection, food fights with fried chicken and mashed potatoes, stolen dynamite...and deliberate killings, cold-blooded and murderous set-ups, and sacrifices those doing the sacrificing hadn't planned on. You can't help grinning at the cynicism or being a little revolted at some of the cold-blooded murders.

Pitman, of course, escapes and heads for the place he hid his loot, a natural cave with an opening just small enough to reach down and snag the bags stuffed with cash. Did I mentioned, Pitman chose the place because it was a nesting ground for rattlers. After we have experienced the cold-blooded cynicism of one of the two leads, it's nice to report that the movie ends with a satisfyingly bit of good-natured cynicism on the part of the other.

The DVD transfer looks just fine. There are a couple of extras with little interest. One is a featurette named On Location With There Was a Crooked Man. It seems to have been made at the time of the movie as a puff-piece promoting Michael Blodgett.

If you're a jaundiced observer of human nature, I think you'll enjoy this movie.

Average customer rating:

Boring
Only to be watched on MST3000!
Subterranean world below our feet...
Another time, Another place
One of the Top B-Movies

Alien from L.A.
Starring: Kathy Ireland , William R. Moses , Richard Haines , Don Michael Paul , and Thom Mathews
Director: Albert Pyun
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

Jules Verne's the Fabulous Journey to the Center of the Earth (1978) A.K.A. Where Time Began
Gwendoline - Unrated Director's Cut (aka - The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik Yak)
Grand Tour - Disaster in Time
The Martian Chronicles
My Science Project

ASIN: B0000AM6IV
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Description

Supermodel Kathy Ireland stars in this wild and sexy fantasy-adventure as an L.A. loner stranded inthe underground'the real underground! A fast-paced and funny visual feast, this spoof of Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth is a nonstop trip to fun and excitement! Social misfit Wanda (Ireland) is devastated when her boyfriend dumps her because she "lacks a sense of adventure." To prove him wrong, she goes in search of her missing father and, before long, finds herself in a bizarre underground world where crazy subterranean creatures think she's a spy and want her dead! Thwarting them at every turn, Wanda discovers an inner strength she never knew she had. But if the denizens of the underground have their way, she'll never find her fatheror see the light of day in sunny Malibuagain!

Customer Reviews:

Boring.......2006-05-13

I remembered seeing this on Mystery Science Theater 3000 a long time ago, so I thought it might be interesting to get the original movie and see how it stands up.

It doesn't.

We start with Kathy hanging out on Malibu Beach (wearing a big oversized T-shirt), getting dumped by her boyfriend. Then she gets a letter informing her that her father (who she hasn't seen in 10 years) has been killed. He was an archaeologist working in Africa. He had a theory that Atlantis was a giant spaceship that sunk to the center of the Earth after a volcanic eruption. So, Kathy goes to Africa and ends up falling down the same bottomless pit her father fell into. (It's about 30 feet deep, all the way to the center of the Earth!). Anyhow, she finds Atlantis and the government puts a price on her head - they don't like "aliens" from the surface. So various people chase her around while a couple of guys she meets defend her.

Overall, this movie is just silly and boring. Imagine "Space Hunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone", except instead of being done for a teen audience it's done for an audience of nine year old kids. You can't take any of the action the least bit seriously because it's all done in such a silly way. Really, this would make a great double-bill with "The Goonies". What the heck is the point in hiring a supermodel to star in a film for little kids?

Overall, very disappointing. If you wanna see Kathy, but one of her exercise videos instead. They're much sexier than this silly thing.

Only to be watched on MST3000!.......2004-07-19

Awful awful movie, but Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans will recognize it fondly. Pass this disc up, and go for the MST3k treatment of it!!

Subterranean world below our feet..........2003-10-21

I really like Alien From L.A. Maybe It's because I like Kathy Ireland's sweet little voice? They used to show this often on HBO/Cinemax & Showtime in the early 1990's. It was a fun way to waste 90 minutes on a summer afternoon.

Sure, Alien From L.A. is a complete fantasy and way over the top but it has a certain charm to it that I really love. It often has that Roger Corman B-Movie "cult atmosphere" going for it. Personally I wouldn't change a thing about this movie. It is so much better than similar types of films released in the last few years.

Most people probably don't like this film because it seems so unrealistic and cheesy. I think that it was really meant to be satirical comedy, and only a limited percentage of viewers will actually "get" it. You don't have to really believe the things happening in the story could really happen...after all, it is only a fantasy movie!

As for the new DVD from MGM...They've done yet another admirable job on this release. It is in full-screen format, but that may possibly be it's original format. This is actually the way many movies are shot, some are later "matted" for theaters. The Picture quality and Dolby 2.0 Surround track are just about as good as could be hoped for on the DVD format. It is vastly superior to the old VHS video I used to have of Alien From L.A. THANK YOU MGM!!!!!!

Another time, Another place.......2002-01-19

Considering the high pitched voice of Kathy Ireland and a B-class plot line, this movie ranks amoung the top in my cheesey B-class movie collection. In another time, another place this was a great movie.

One of the Top B-Movies.......2001-12-16

If you like B-Movies, like Kathy Ireland or both then you will like this movie. Except for Wanda's (Kathy Ireland) high pitched voice, I thought it was kind of cute. It is a funny, science fiction adventure with a little romance thrown in.

Average customer rating:

man from beyond not so good.
A Curiosity
This is the complete film (it was never a serial)
Charisma Outweighs Clunky
Interesting film, interesting star

The Man From Beyond
Starring: Luis Alberni , Erwin Connelly , Harry Houdini , Frank Montgomery , and Nita Naldi
Director: Burton King
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero
Harry Houdini (DK Biography)
Mystic Circle Murder
Houdini on Magic
The Secrets of Houdini

ASIN: B000G8P1LY
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Customer Reviews:

man from beyond not so good........2007-03-22

I bought this because it has houdini in it. Watching it, it's clear why
Houdini's production company folded quickly. I give it 3 stars for
it's historic value only. There is not any rewatch potential here,
and unless you are very interested in houdini, you will have a tough
time getting through even one viewing.

A Curiosity.......2007-02-10

This DVD is a good way to see what Houdini looked like. That's it for the positive side of this review. The story is ridiculous, Houdini does no magic and only one escape. That escape is so poorly photographed, however, that it appears as he is doing nothing more than rolling about on the ground to escape the "wet sheet" tie that was used in insane asylums at the time. This film flopped at the theatres, and it seems obvious why - this is a vanity piece, ignoring the magic and escapes that made Houdini famous.

This is the complete film (it was never a serial).......2006-11-25

I'd like to respectfully correct the reviewer who complained that this film is a truncated version of a serial. I'm afraid the reviewer is confusing this film with The Master Mystery, which was Houdini's first film and his only serial. The Master Mystery was released on VHS in the '90s--but even that was not a complete version (which has yet to be discovered).

This film, The Man From Beyond, was indeed a feature film and the print on this release is the complete movie (although it is missing the original title card). As to quality...unfortunately, without major restoration, this print is as good gets.

As to the film itself...it's a pity this is the only Houdini movie out on DVD, because it is not really one of the better ones. Being the first film Houdini produced himself, it's filled with his obsessions about life after death, etc (he even slips his birthday in here--try to spot it), but it only features one escape. His earlier films, while not being masterpieces, feature many of the escapes that we've come to associate with Houdini.

I would love to see Alpha release The Master Mystery (the serial), which is my favorite of all Houdini's movies.

Charisma Outweighs Clunky.......2006-09-26

Edit: I had previously mistakenly identified this as a feature edit of a serial.

The print quality is watchable, but rather poor, just what you might expect from this budget company (Alpha). This is not a restored or digitally improved print by any means.
Houdini has a lot of charisma and is obviously doing MOST of the action work himself. He's fun to watch, but ultimately, if you are someone who wants to see this at all, you'd probably prefer to see a better print, if one exists.

Assuming we have most of the film here, the pacing/editing is clunky and the acting style is more like 1908 than 1922. OK, I'm exaggerating....somewhat.

Still, Houdini is worth it in the long run, for curiosity's sake if nothing else. Hopefully, better prints of his surviving film work will make it to DVD.

Interesting film, interesting star.......2006-09-25

Most people are familiar with the name Harry Houdini, and immediately think of him as one of the greatest magicians or escape artists, perhaps in the way he was portrayed in the 1953 movie starring Tony Curtis. But most people might be surprised to learn that he was also involved in films in the 1920s, acting in 6 films and also having a try at directing, producing and writing. "The Man From Beyond" is the film he wrote himself and starred in, and the theme fits perfectly to the subject he was also famed for, namely spirituality and the quest to find the answers as to whether there is life after death. In "The Man From Beyond", as the title implies, Houdini plays a man frozen in time for 100 years in the Arctic until a couple of survivors from a 1922 expedition find him inside a block of ice, free him and revive him back to life. The only thing he remembers, however, is his love for Felice and his last memories of her before he was frozen in suspended animation, as it were. The plot is very busy and fast-moving, and in just 60 minutes Houdini finds a modern-day Felice whom he believes is a reincarnation of his lost love, then finds himself in a strait-jacket in a padded cell (from which he easily escapes, of course) helps solve the mystery of Felice's missing father and catches the criminal who is really responsible. In some short but good action scenes Houdini demonstrates some of his physical strength and skills, and they are somewhat reminiscent of early Douglas Fairbanks Sr's films, but may still be disappointing to anyone expecting to see a legendary magician/escape artist in action. Also slightly disappointing are other aspects of the film, such as picture quality on this DVD being a little poor and too light at times, and the flow of the film in general being a bit jerky at times (due to a few missing frames here and there), but the piano accompaniment is very good, and the story itself not too bad either, although one has to pay close attention to keep up with it. No doubt "The Man From Beyond" was popular in its time due to the fame of its star, (and perhaps also the short appearance of actress Nita Naldi, famed for her roles as a vamp or a woman of questionable reputation, which she plays in this film too) and maybe Houdini found immortality after all, since his name is still remembered many decades later today, and here is a chance to see the man himself in his own film!

Average customer rating:

Great Movie:-)
Boring. Slow. Silly. Full Of Holes.
SLOW MOVING AND PREDICTABLE
Rent don't buy. Movie about an anti-abortion serial killer
5 stars for madsen

Sacrifice
Starring: Michael Madsen , Bokeem Woodbine , Jamie Luner , Diane Farr , and Deborah Shelton
Director: Mark L. Lester
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

Luck of the Draw
Primal Instinct
Gwendoline - Unrated Director's Cut (aka - The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik Yak)
The Sweeper
Trouble Bound

ASIN: B00004WGBY
Release Date: 2000-11-28

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie:-).......2006-04-24

I have this movie both on VHS & DVD & I must tell you it is darn good...I don't know what these other viewers are complaining for, because this movie follows true to the book on these actually killings...I personally love Michael Madsen & this movie just goes to show you that he can play any role given to him...A must buy for any Michael Madsen fan & even if your not, it's still a GREAT MOVIE:0)...

Boring. Slow. Silly. Full Of Holes........2005-10-29

A bad story idea poorly executed. I do not know how the director managed to coax such a reasonable cast into performing in this inconsistency-laden yawn-fest but one may only assume that hard cash dollars were involved :) The story is so full of holes as to lead you to wonder what the hell is going on.. How does Jamie Luner's character, Naomi, manage to spend so much time with the escaped con, Tyler Pierce (played in lacklustre-style by Michael Madsen) when her other half has threatened to kill Pierce and has seen Pierce and Naomi plotting behind his back? Why does the Naomi character leave herself open to attack by the clinic nurse who is obviously involved in the killings? Why did none of the psychotic nurse's colleagues spot that it was obviously her local patients who were being killed? As shallow as a woodland grave, I'd steer well clear if I were you.

SLOW MOVING AND PREDICTABLE.......2004-12-11

SACRIFICE is another entry in the cache of director Mark L. Lester. Michael Madsen once again tries his Bruce Willis imitation, and although he's a little more effective than usual, his weak performance drags the film down a good bit. Bokeem Woodbine offers little in his role as the frustrated FBI agent; Jamie Luner is luminous but does some pretty stupid things in the movie; Deborah Shelton (Body Double, Dallas) portrays Masden's ex-wife and though I've always enjoyed both her beauty and skill, neither is evident in this whiny role. The movie is slow moving and little suspense is introduced or maintained. It could have a lot more impact with better performances and direction.

Rent don't buy. Movie about an anti-abortion serial killer.......2004-12-08

Jamie Luner sublimely transcends another bad movie. Otherwise,
there's nothing to recommend it. Summaries you may read are
inaccurate. For example: "The daughter of an ex-con
becomes the latest victim to a serial killer eluding the FBI. Her
father and boyfriend join together to track the killer." Wrong,
the boyfriend is hardly involved.
The story takes place entirely against the background
of abortion. There's some bad acting (the drug dealer in
particular) and characters act in unlikely ways. Why doesn't
Naomi yell out when she has the chance? Why does Namoi have so much free time?
Also, abortion clinics are usually very careful whom they
employ.

5 stars for madsen.......2000-12-15

This is flick is alright for two reasons: mr. madsen and the fact that it was filmed in my hometown.The film does strike an erie tone at the end when the killer tells (his or her) reasons for killing the victims, but it could have been better.The movie looks better than it should, but it needed a stronger story.not a bad film if you like the star.

Charlie Rose with Kurt Russell; Woody Harrelson; Val Kilmer (December 5, 1996)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Kurt Russell; Woody Harrelson; Val Kilmer (December 5, 1996)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Description

First, Kurt Russell talks about his new film Escape from L. A. the sequel to 1981's Escape from New York Then, Woody Harrelson discusses his efforts to legalize industrial hemp and his newest comedy about bowling, Kingpin. Finally, Val Kilmer speaks about his newest thriller, a film entitled The Ghost in the Darkness.

Charlie Rose with Kurt Russell; Dan Rather; George Stephanopoulos; Bill Bradley (August 27, 1996)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Kurt Russell; Dan Rather; George Stephanopoulos; Bill Bradley (August 27, 1996)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Description

First actor Kurt Russell talks about his new movie Escape from L. A. , the long awaited sequel to 1981's Escape from New York. Then, from the CBS News anchor booth in Chicago, anchorman Dan Rather shares his thoughts on the second day of the Democratic National Convention. Then, George Stephanopoulos, senior advisor to President Clinton, speaks to Charlie live from the Democratic National Convention about Hillary Clinton's speech and the White House Convention Goals. Finally, Senator Bill Bradley of New Jersey, also live from Chicago, shares his thoughts and opinions on the Democratic Party and the ongoing Democratic National Convention.

DVD:

DVD List

DVD

DVD

Flatliners

FA Cup Final 1971 - Arsenal vs Liverpool : DVD

Robobox: Robocop [3 Discs] [1988] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: The Net

Lovejoy - Complete Series 4