Conquest

Starring:Jorge Rivero, Andrea Occhipinti, Conrado San MartÃn, Violeta Cela, JosÃ© Gras, Gioia Scola, Sabrina Siani
Director: Lucio Fulci
Studio: Blue Underground
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Hard to rate a mixed bag, but these films are fun nevertheless
The Greatest SC-FI Saga Before Star Wars
An amazing collection at an even better price!
All the movies plus a bonus
Great Concepts, Great Characters, Classic Moments, Chilling Possibilities

Planet of the Apes - The Legacy Collection (Planet of the Apes [1968] / Beneath the / Escape from the / Conquest of the / Battle for the)
Starring: Roddy McDowall , Kim Hunter , Bradford Dillman , Natalie Trundy , and Eric Braeden
Director: Don Taylor , Ted Post , and J. Lee Thompson
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Planet of the Apes: The Complete TV Series
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ASIN: B000E6ESEY
Release Date: 2006-03-28

Description

Disk 1: *Planet of the Apes ('68)

Disk 2: *Escape from the Planet of the Apes

Disk 3: *Conquest for the Planet of the Apes

Disk 4: *Battle for the Planet of the Apes

Disk 5: *Beneath the Planet of the Apes

Disk 6: *Behind the Planet of the Apes (bonus disc) *Documentary ?Behind the Planet of the Apes? *Planet of the Apes trailer *Beneath the Planet of the Apes trailer *Escape from the Planet of the Apes trailer *Conquest of the Planet of the Apes trailer *Battle for the Planet of the Apes trailer *Planet of the Apes Cross Promotion trailer *TV Spot for Behind the Planet of the Apes *Fox Interactive Presents: Behind the Scenes of the Planet of the Apes game

Customer Reviews:

Hard to rate a mixed bag, but these films are fun nevertheless.......2007-06-07

Like the Airport Terminal Pack (Airport/Airport '75/Airport '77/Airport '79 - The Concord) the "Planet of the Apes" film series widely ranges in quality. ALL of them are fun enough to watch, however, the last two are extremely campy and very poorly made.

Back in the day when producers made sequels, prior to the VCR/DVD era, the films consistently earned less money with each sequel; therefore, less money was spent on each sequel as the expected turnout and revenues would be less. That is not the case today with the VCR/DVD generation wherein if people missed a film in the theaters, they could rent or purchase it later. This meant a larger audience for a film as it would have, in a sense, multiple releases: first would be the actual theater release, then the plain first edition on VCR/DVD within about six months, then followed by a "special edition" the next year, and then a "director's cut", and "special extended version" followed, and so on. This allows for a film to get a larger following; therefore, sequels and prequels have become big business. This means producers put more money into these films now than they did before to pull in not only the established fans of the film series, but also new fans who may have just caught up with the series by renting or purchasing the prior films.

With that having been said it should be no surprise at all that these films range widely in quality and effort as they were before the VCR/DVD era. Below are my ratings for each film and in the correct order of their release (the disk order is NOT correct in the package):

***** Planet of the Apes: An absolute classic sci-fi film with good special effects and set designs (even by today's standards) and solid performances by all, most notably Roddy McDowell who was in all the films and the short-lived TV series, Kim Hunter, and Maurice Evans who had to portray emotions with their voice, eyes and hand gestures moreso than other actors because of the heavy make-up they wear which is outstanding.

*** Beneath the Planet of the Apes: The effects and make-up are still very good and so is the acting, but the storyline is rather bizarre, convoluted, and just doesn't seem to fit with the Apes series real well.

****Escape From the Planet of the Apes: I loved this sequel which reverses the storyline by having the intelligent talking apes back in our present day rather than in their future world. Naturally, this saved the producers lots of money by only having to put make up on only two actors rather than many. The performances are top-notch by McDowell and Hunter who continue their roles from the first two ape films.

Both the "The Conquest of" and final entry "The Battle for the Planet of the Apes" are cinematic disasters for which I give them both **. The make up had been reduced to laughable rubber masks and the special effects consisted of terrible paintings, obvious minatures, and flimsy cardboard sets. Roddy McDowell's performance had become somewhat pedestrian in the title role by these two final films, but his voice and delivery was always pleasant to the ear. These two films do, however, continue the storyline which ends up explaining how Earth eventually became The Planet of the Apes. To me, that's an important part of any sequel and why I gave these films two stars and not one or zero.

The bonus disk on looking over the "Apes" series is hosted by McDowell, who always looked great for his age, and sadly he died shortly thereafter from cancer. This special was done to re-introduce the "Ape" films to a new generation just prior to the release of the Ape films on tape/DVD and the planned release of the remake by Tim Burton (Planet of the Apes (Special Edition) which was surprisingly original and in many ways superior to the original film with Charlten Heston who has a cameo in the remake.

In any event and in spite of the wide ranging quality of these films the entire series is worth owning and the sequels do build on each other and tell a coherent story (not counting the silly second entry into the series even though the third film still builds upon it). I highly recommend this set and the remake by Burton as well.

The Greatest SC-FI Saga Before Star Wars.......2007-04-19

Planet of the Apes is a legendary SC-FI masterpiece, that made film history & was another smash hit for the legendary Charlton Heston and thats not all, it was followed by 4 sequels spanning across time of ape's place on the planet. Planet of the Apes, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes & Battle for the Planet of the Apes" all 5 classics boxed in one legacy collection to go ape over. The films star Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Linda Harrison, Ricardo Montalban, James Franciscus & Maurice Evans. If you're a SC-FI fan, this is must have collection.

An amazing collection at an even better price!.......2007-03-01

I can't believe you get all of the movies plus a behind-the-scenes documentary, all for only $25.00! The DVD quality is outstanding, and the movies are timeless. You will not be disappointed if you buy this collection.

All the movies plus a bonus.......2007-02-14

The Planet of the Apes movies were some of my favorites during the Vietnam war years; some I liked better than others, but all of them had a political statement (whether you agreed or not). Racism, the Bomb, mankind destroying itself, it was all there.

I was very happy to be able to find this set, not only for the movies, but for the sixth DVD on the background, from Pierre Boulle's 1963 novel, La planète des singes, through the making of the films, to the final movie; the last DVD is extremely informative and interesting.

I highly recommend this set.

Great Concepts, Great Characters, Classic Moments, Chilling Possibilities.......2007-01-28

I rank the original "Planet Of The Apes" series very high among the plentiful output of science fiction movies of their era. Although the special effects are not brilliant by today's standards (compensated for somewhat by the quality designs of what they were trying to capture, even if the execution seems somewhat hampered in retrospect) and the action sequences are occasionnally rather low-impact, the strengths of the series - a great, thought-provoking and memorable story that weaves through all five movies; solid and impressive characters among both human and ape; a nice job on the photography; and mind-blowing endings to most of the movies; make up for any shortcomings.

The endings have become legendary, especially the finale to the first movie (which I'm certainly not going to give away here, in case anyone reading this is among the 22 or so people on the planet who don't yet know it; they even used to have the final shot on the Cover of one of the editions of the boxed set, for crying out loud). The secrets of the conclusions to "Beneath The Planet Of The Apes" and "Escape From The Planet Of The Apes", however, aren't nearly as well-known by people who haven't seen the movies yet, which is good, because it gives one a chance to have some of the surprises unhampered by foreknowledge. The end moments of "Escape", in particular, are haunting, the kind of thing that can give one chills just remembering it.

It's hard to talk to much about the latter movies in the saga without giving away far too much. The original, "Planet Of The Apes" has Earth astronauts making an emergency crash-landing on an unknown world, where it turns out that apes, not humans, are the dominant species. Captured, the humans - indigineous to the planet but very primitive, in addition to the more scientifically advanced spacefarers - find themselves imprisoned in wooden cages (rudimentary equivelents to the barren metal cages of old, pre-'simulated natural habitat' zoos?). The apes of the world are diverse - there are some who view the human population as mindless beasts without rights, while others are sympathetic to the humans's plight. There is also considerable friction between the three races of apes - gorillas, orangitans, and chimpanzees (notice quite a few real-world parralells yet?).

The series - which continues through "Beneath...", "Escape...", "Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes" and "Battle For The Planet Of The Apes" (disc 6 in the collection is a behind-the-scenes documentary) has some recurring characters, continues to introduce new ones, introduces new concepts and layers and twists to the concept. By the 4th and 5th entries, the series is admittedly losing some steam, but judged on their own each of those is still a good movie. Great price, too. Any fan of adventure movies, science fiction, or movies that offer volumes of fodder for thought and dream, should consider picking this set of classics up.

King Boxer (aka 'Five Fingers Of Death')

Average customer rating:

MASTER OF THE IRON FIST !!
A classic finally gets its due

King Boxer (aka 'Five Fingers Of Death')
Starring: Lo Lieh , and Tien Feng
Director: Cheng Chang Ho
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
The One-Armed Swordsman
My Young Auntie
Above the Law
Hard Boiled (Two-Disc Ultimate Edition)

ASIN: B000MM0LE6
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Customer Reviews:

MASTER OF THE IRON FIST !!.......2007-07-03

Kudo's to the Weinstein Company for releasing this Kung Fu classic on DVD.The audio and video restoration that went into this DVD release is absolutely incredible and Martial Arts fans won't be disappointed."King Boxer" is presented in it's Widescreen format and enhanced for 16x9 television's.The films colors are incredibly sharp and vibrant and the mono sound is clear and crisp.The video transfer of "King Boxer" is the absolute best version I have ever seen and fans of the Kung Fu genre will be amazed by the quality of this release.Sound options include original Mandarin and English dubbed version and choice of subtitles.The special features are an added bonus,specially the Trailer Gallery.This movie has it all,non-stop action,fierce fighting and plenty of blood.Watch the magnificent Lo Lieh as he masters the Iron Fist technique and exacts his revenge."King Boxer" is five star entertainment at it's very best!!

A classic finally gets its due.......2007-06-19

King Boxer (aka Five Fingers of Death) came out in 1973 and is a classic example of a Shaw Brothers kung fu film - a genre they helped pioneer and perfect with this movie being one of the finest efforts from this time period. It also has the distinction of being the first kung fu film to be released in the United States, just ahead of Bruce Lee's equally influential Enter the Dragon. In the 1980s, it inspired filmmaker John Carpenter to make Big Trouble in Little China and more recently was a huge influence on Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill movies.

The filmmakers maintain just the right level of pacing with very short lulls between action sequences. Let's face it - we're not watching King Boxer for its thoughtful characterization. That is not to say that this film is not well made or doesn't take itself seriously because it does, but it is hardly Shakespeare either. Director Cheng Chang Ho employs sudden zoom in and outs and even the occasional freeze frame during many of the film's dynamic fight scenes. This is a beautifully shot movie with expert use of the 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio with superb compositions of every frame. The use of shadows for dramatic effect in one scene, and a brief fight that takes place at sunset that looks like something right out of 1950s Technicolor era, is part of the reason why this film is so revered among kung fu film fans.

King Boxer features betrayal, torture, revenge and even some heroic style redemption thrown in for good measure - all heightened to melodramatic levels making for a very entertaining ride. Our hero has to deal with a devastating injury and his own self-doubts before he can face the bad guys and use the Iron Palm technique to save the day. You soon find yourself rooting for Chi-Hao to win the competition and the cute woman he loves as well. Even though our hero triumphs at the end, it is a terrible cost with friends, family and his mentor dead or horribly maimed all because of a petty rivalry between two martial arts schools.

There is an audio commentary by filmmaker Quentin Tarantino and film critics Elvis Mitchell and David Chute. Love or hate Tarantino, the guy knows his film history, displaying an impressive encyclopedic knowledge of kung fu cinema. For example, he not only talks about how it was the first kung fu film released in America but then rattles off 5-6 other films that came after. This is a very entertaining, information-packed track by three guys who are fans of the film and display a genuine love for the genre. Highly recommended.

"Interview with Chang-Hwa Jeong." He talks about how he got involved with the film. Initially, he found the script to be "common" and studied Chinese history and literature in order to make improvements. He talks about some of the techniques he used to make the action sequences so exciting and visceral.

"Interview with action director Lau Kar Wing." Kar Wing was the kung fu director on the movie and speaks about how he approached the many fight scenes, including the challenge of matching the actor with their stunt double seamlessly.

"Interview with film critic/scholars David Chute and Andy Klein." Chute gives the film a historical context in terms of American cinema including its shocking level of violence at the time. They point out that the soundtrack was a pastiche of music ripped off of other film and that this would often hamper its distribution because of rights issues.

Also included are two trailers and alternate opening sequence that features very crude opening credits.

Finally, there is a "Stills Gallery" with poster and promotional photographs.

Alexander Revisited - The Final Cut (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Alexander is a Great Epic!
Comments on the Soundtrack only
Better But Not Perfect
Alexander The Great or The Gay
Finally - the WHOLE story

Alexander Revisited - The Final Cut (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Anthony Hopkins , David Bedella , Jessie Kamm , Angelina Jolie , and Val Kilmer
Director: Oliver Stone
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000MGB6NM
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Amazon.com

For better or worse (and in this case, it's mostly for better), Oliver Stone's Alexander Revisited should stand as the definitive version of Stone's much-maligned epic about the great Asian conqueror. Following the DVD release of his previous Director's Cut, Stone offers a video introduction here, explaining why he felt a third and final attempt at refining his film was necessary. Essentially, he's using this opportunity to re-create the "road show" format of the Biblical epics of the 1950s and '60s, with a three-and-a-half-hour running time (with an intermission at the two-hour mark) including 45 minutes of previously unseen footage. Stone has also significantly restructured the film, resulting in substantial (if not exactly redemptive) improvements in its narrative flow. Alexander (played in a torrent of emotions by Colin Farrell) is dying as the film opens, his final moments serving to bookend the film's epic story, which incorporates flashback sequences to flesh out the Macedonian king's back-story involving the turbulent battle of fate between his father, King Philip (Val Kilmer) and his scheming sorceress mother Olympia (Angelina Jolie, ridiculous accent and all), who insists that Alexander is literally a child of the gods.

In Stone's final cut, epic battles remain chaotic (although Alexander's strategy is somewhat easier to follow, with on-screen titles indicating left, right, and center during his army's greatest maneuvers) and the ultra-violent battles are more graphically gory than ever (hence their "unrated" status). The animalistic lovemaking of Alexander and his barbarian bride Roxana (Rosario Dawson) is slightly extended (with Dawson as ravishing as ever), and Stone's additional footage also improves the overall arc of Alexander's relationship with his closest generals and male companions, although his most intimate homosexual encounters remain mostly discreet. As Alexander Revisited makes clear, the film's weaknesses remain unavoidable, but Stone deserves credit for recognizing how a longer running time, and more disciplined narrative structure, would bring Alexander closer to the respect it never earned from critics and filmgoers alike. This is unquestionably a better film than it used to be, leaving us to wonder why it took three separate efforts to shape Alexander into its best possible presentation. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Now available is an all new and completely unrated version of Oliver Stone's incredible epic film, loaded with nearly 40 minutes of additional never-before-seen footage, that takes the film to a new level of realism and intensity. Restructured and expanded into two acts with one intermission, Oliver Stone's vision is delivered the way he originally conceived and intended. With the new, unrated and graphic battle scenes and unadulterated sensuality, it's the movie you couldn't see in theatres, now available on DVD for the very first time!

DVD Features:
Introduction
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Alexander is a Great Epic!.......2007-06-23

A great Epic, I dont see why this movie got so much bad publicity. Okay, there were a few badly filmed obscure scenes which shouldnt have even been put in this movie, but overall the movie was great. The acting by Farell and Kilmer is amazing.

I laugh at the critics who just love to use words such as BI and GAY at any chance they get, whether it's for their own namesake or out of spite. They love to focus on that sole aspect as if it were the only thing he stood for! Ha!

You actually think hundreds of thousands upon thousands of armies comprised of legions would have followed him to the edge of the world if they thought of him as just a Bi? Alexander was a Soldier's Soldier just as he was a King.

You want to know the truth about Alexander, read the books, read the Greek manuscripts, go visit or learn about the lands where Alexander and the legions travelled and changed life over there forever even to this day. Take a trip to an ancient museam in the Greek State of Makedonia/Macedonia/Macedon in Northern Greece. A GREAT Documentary/TV-Series comes to mind, History Channel's In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great which depicts almost every battle, region, etc.

Learn how some of the Ancient Wonders of the World were constructed in this time period.

I'm pretty sure Alexander was WAY more into Women than he was, if at all, into anything else. All that massive wine they drank, especially in the places over where the Ancient Greek God Dinonysys travelled as well as Herakles during his time with the Twelve Labors (or Hercules as he is most referred to), must have added to the Drama and possibly even affected campaigns.

At the Height of it's extent, The Greek Empire spanned a total of almost 25 modern day countries.

The regions and peoples are beautifully depicted in the Tv-Series: Footsteps of Alexander the Great.

I havent seen the director's cut yet, the 2 disc special edition is my favorite but the Revisited edition is a must see for It's extra footage which is pretty good for the most part.

The music score by Composer Vangelis (Blade Runner, 1492 Conquest..) is just fantastic to say the least!

9/10 and 10/10 for the music score.

A King isnt born Alexander, he's forged by the Sword and Suffering!

Philip To Alexander/

Comments on the Soundtrack only.......2007-06-21

I'm a huge fan of Oliver Stone and I've seen the both the original and final cut version of his epic Alexander. I am only here to comment on the music. I have a prejudice against electronic or synthesized soundtracks for movies set in antiquity, and this is what spoiled Alexander for me - I couldn't get passed the music. I feel that the movie would have been far more successful with a soundtrack using natural instruments and the themes of Vangelis. I know that Stone loves Vangelis and so do others; but for me, I was pulled out of this ancient time in history by the artificial electronic sounds. They weren't powerful enough or heroic enough for my taste, and I tend to like Vangelis in other films. I would have much prefered a John Williams soundtrack if he'd been available, and I think the movie would have been far more successful. The soundtrack sets the tone for the entire movie, oftentimes in subtle or subconscious ways, and for me the music was unable to sufficiently support the largeness of Alexander's life events or the totality of his life as a whole. I expect no one to agree with me here, but I love the largeness of scope in what Stone attempts and I'd like to see him succeed according to the incredible efforts he makes in his films. And believe me, this was a monumental film, and I love that he gave it his all. Despite the score, there were numerous battle scenes involving elephants in warfare that were unforgettable, and the soundtrack was effective at times. Overall, I think this film was even larger in scope than JFK, and that's why I was sorry it wasn't more well received.

Better But Not Perfect.......2007-05-21

In my reviewing this third version of "Alexander," it is difficult for me not to contrast the results of Stone's efforts with what might have been had HBO carried through with their proposal to create a ten-part series about Alexander based upon Mary Renault's trilogy "Fire From Heaven," "The Persian Boy," and "Funeral Games," assuming that the producers would have chosen excellent script writers, directors, and actors. Such a docudrama, run chronologically, would have had a far better chance of covering the almost 33 years of Alexander's life in a more complete and presentable manner. Stone obviously struggeled in his attempt to produce a hybred docudrama / entertainment film that could fit into a single sitting at a movie theater. In all three versions of his film, he met with varying degrees of success or failure.

Still, Stone's production is better (the good parts are far better than many people were capable of recognizing) than many critics and too many audience members thought. There are reasons for this.

Over the years, I have conducted extensive research on Alexander. Also, my having worked as a mental-health therapist for nearly 30 years, I once engaged it what might be called a "forensic psychological analysis" of Alexander and came to some interesting conclusions. So I have been able to compare and contrast the film with the film industry's "preferred approach" to script writing, directing, and production as described to me by my friend who is a university instructor in film.

The second version "Director's Cut" was an improvement over the initial theater version. This final version has some further improvements yet suffers from the same, inevitable difficulties of the first two.

In an effort to integrate the divers elements of the film into an organic whole, Stone made the choice to move frequently forward or backward in time. A multi-part docudrama, run chronologically, would have been far easier for most of the public to follow. Some critics complained about the addition of narration throughout the film, a possibly cumbersome element for an entertainment film. The additional information was a necessary addition, however, considering the limited length of the film and also the limited historical knowledge of most movie goers.

The docudrama elements of Stone's film are historically accurate. Yet in his attempt to make an entertainment film, Stone engaged in compression of, and skewing of, events, especially in the later battle parts of the film. Those in the audience who prefer dramatic action to fact may have been more pleased; however, those members who were capable of appreciating the historically accurate parts of the film may have been a little uncomfortable with this conflict between the two approaches.

In "Alexander - Revisited," Stone finally was free to include additional dialogue and scene extensions that never should have been omitted in the first two versions, undoubtedly against Stone's wishes. The pressure on Stone to omit these segments apparently was worry about the film being "too talky" and also, frankly, from ignorance and prejudice. A therapist must attempt to promote acceptance of fact and reality over beliefs that not only defy fact and reality but also have the potential to be harmful. One of my patients was very upset and angry (along with many viewers and even some Greeks, who should know better) that Stone "forced upon the viewing public a false, made-up version of Alexander's sexual orientation." Stone's portrayal of Alexander and Hepheastion's life-long relationship is accurate, and their expressions of love for each other are done with taste and sensitivity. I have not read from those persons who were offended by the gentle kiss between Bagoas and Alexander in this third version any comments about the overtly sexual scene with Alexander and Roxanne in all three versions. Stone, therefore, should be commended for including the scenes with Alexander and Hepheastion and also the additional footage of Bagoas.

I own and have watched all three DVD versions of Stone's film. The second defintely is better than the first. Although I need to view the second and third versions more in order to come to a more detailed comparison, the additional film footage in "Alexander - Revisited" may tip the evaluation scales in its favor, despite the somewhat disjointed feeling resulting from its editing.

Alexander The Great or The Gay.......2007-05-17

Its one of the worst historical based movie I have ever seen. The implication that Alexander was a homosexual or bisexual does not cut it in terms of Macedonian society of the time period. There were strong friendships between men, which persist today, that have no sexual connotations. As a matter of fact men who dressed, painted themselves and acted as women were shunned by society and made fun of from Assirya in the east to Carthage in the west.The actress chosen for the part of Roxanne has no physical characteristics similar to her historical predecesor, except maybe her great body. But maybe casting a more ravishing woman in that part would have downgraded the supposedly homosexual relationship that Alexander is shown to have. The only good casting made was that of Alexander`s mother. I do not want to rehash other areas of criticism except to say that this is not a movie about Alexander The Great but rather of Alexander The Gay.
Maybe the director`s next movie will be making Richard The Lionhearted into Richard The Gayhearted, in which case he would again be sadly mistaken.

Finally - the WHOLE story.......2007-05-13

I've been a Greek history fan for years, especially Alexander - and this final verison of the movie filled in - what to me - were gaping holes.

Mind you, I'm well aware it's not all historically accurate - but it definitely had a lot more of Bagoas. I was upset the original release did not show his importance in Alexander's life - and that the 'Director's Cut' cut him even further. No doubt, in a vain attempt to satisfy the homophobes...

I was very amused at the chief eunuch's attempts to show Alexander how well he was cut. And the ending when Alexander told him how valuable he'd been. And Ptolemy's comment that he disappeared after Alexander's death.

Freeing the entire harem was not something Alexander would do, but expressing his love definitely was.

Still disappointed there was no love scene - either with Hephaistion or Bagoas - that might equal a scene from 'Queer as Folk' - but thought this final version captured the essence of the love they shared.

Oliver Stone - Thank You!

Average customer rating:

As much fun today as the day it was released
Good plot, fun characters, GREAT music
GREAT!
top notch
The Committments

The Commitments
Starring: Michael Aherne , Robert Arkins , Angeline Ball , Gerard Cassoni , and Andrea Corr
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Commitments: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
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ASIN: 6305622922
Release Date: 1999-11-02

Amazon.com

An irresistible, comic drama from director Alan Parker (Evita, Mississippi Burning), overflowing and alive with passion, humor, and music, The Commitments showcases some old R&B standards in a new light. A headstrong, fast-talking, ambitious young Dubliner (Robert Arkins) fancies himself a promoter of talent, and sets about assembling and packaging a local Irish R&B band. His group of self-absorbed, backbiting, but stunningly talented individuals begin to succeed beyond his wildest dreams, until petty jealousies and recrimination threaten to scuttle the whole deal. A moody, vivid, and soulful exploration of the Dublin club scene as well as a showcase for some wonderful unknown actors, the film (and its wonderful soundtrack) also features the actual band covering classic soul tunes from the likes of Otis Redding and Sam and Dave. It's that combination of soul and soul music that makes The Commitments a special little film. --Robert Lane

Description

Acclaimed director Alan Parker's landmark musical comedy is back for a spectacular encore in this all new widescreen collector's edition release of The Commitments. Fueled by raw talent and driven by dreams of glory, a dozen dead-enders from Dublin's gritty North side share a passion for soul music that takes their band on a wild roller-coaster ride from the streets to the stage...to superstardom! Packed with over 4 hours of extras, including audio commentary, brand new songs, and a never-before-seen retrospective documentary, this exhilarating 2-disc DVD is your backstage pass to experience the "world's hardest working band" as never before. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome once again - The Commitments!

Customer Reviews:

As much fun today as the day it was released.......2007-06-11

I recently saw the extraordinary independent film ONCE, which like THE COMMITMENTS is about music and Dublin. And both feature the amazing talents of Glen Hansard, leader of the band the Frames, which he formed about the same time that he appeared in THE COMMITMENTS as their guitarist Outspan Foster. I mainly wanted to refresh myself on precisely what he did in this film and was surprised and pleased to be reminded that he played a pretty significant role indeed. What surprised me even more was how delightful this film has remained since its original debut. I can honestly say that I enjoyed the film as much this time through as I did when it originally came out.

Director Alan Parker has enjoyed a long but relatively unprolific career, but among his projects have been a large number of films in which music played a major role. So it isn't surprising that he decided to make a film version of the novel by Roddy Doyle. The idea of young working class (even if not all of them are actually working) Dubliners coming together to form a band to perform covers of American soul classics, especially of the Stax variety, is a compelling one. Performers in Britain as well as Ireland have long found black American music a source of inspiration. Part of the point of the film, in fact, is to demonstrate the universal appeal of music to those who have been shunted aside by society at large.

The plot is amazingly simple. Two talented but unsuccessful musicians (one of whom is played by the aforementioned Glen Hansard) ask a friend, Jimmy Rabbitte, to be their manager. He agrees and immediately begins finding musicians to perform in a soul cover band. Much of what follows is predictable, as the band collects an unlikely group of performers that nonetheless coalesce into an absolutely first rate band, before falling apart almost before they began because of interpersonal conflicts. But it is all done with such energy and enthusiasm that it feels fresh and original.

The cast consisted almost entirely of unknowns, the lone exception being Colm Meaney, familiar to most in the US from his work on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, as well as a host of other films and television series. All of the cast members were auditioned for their musical ability first and their acting ability second. The result was a wonderful and endearing cast. The one surprising thing has been that almost none of the performers, with the exception of the three female back up singers (all of whom have gone on to perform in a number of projects--Maria Doyle Kennedy, for instance, the girl with the long dark hair, is currently appearing in THE TUDORS as Catherine of Aragon). And though several of the cast members have remained active musically, many of them touring as The Commitments, the only one to achieve anything approaching stardom has been Hansard (who interestingly, despite having a voice better than anyone in the movie, including Andrew Strong who played Deco, does not sing in the film--anyone doubting his skills as a vocalist need only see him in his current film ONCE and all doubts will evaporate), whose band the Frames is one of the most highly regarded and successful bands ever to come out of Ireland. So for most of the cast members this was a one shot stab at fame. Luckily they left us with a movie that is still funny, entertaining, and utterly delightful. (One exception to the ongoing success was the Corrs, who performed in the tryouts as the rather arty band, and one of whom, Andrea Corr, played Jimmy Rabbitte's sister.)

If you saw this year's ago and loved it, see it again. It has held up amazingly well and feels as fresh as ever. And for fans of ONCE this has to be seen for Glen Hansard's only other film appearance. And if you've never seen either THE COMMITMENTS or ONCE, you just need to see this because it is a great movie.

Good plot, fun characters, GREAT music.......2007-06-10

One of my top 5 all-time favorite movies. The quirky characters are developed well and are a blast to follow through their journey to fame & fortune. Unless you're from Ireland or somewhere in Great Britain you may want to use your "closed caption" feature on your TV so you don't miss any of the hilarious dialog with which we Yanks are unfamiliar. BTW, you may as well go ahead and purchase the soundtrack b/c you'll want it after you've seen the movie.

GREAT!.......2007-03-24

The movie is just the best. The acting. The music. The story. I laughed, cried and got angry.....just wonderful! I highly recommend this DVD to anyone.

top notch.......2007-03-09

excellent movie for people that appreciate music, or for young folks that play music or are thinking about playing an instrument or starting a band. Hilarous.

The Committments.......2007-01-10

The film is inspirational to anyone wanting to go for it in the music business, or, for anyone who enjoys foreign films at all. Its fun, the music is great, a great upbeat movie.

The Commitments (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

As much fun today as the day it was released
Good plot, fun characters, GREAT music
GREAT!
top notch
The Committments

The Commitments (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Michael Aherne , Robert Arkins , Angeline Ball , Gerard Cassoni , and Andrea Corr
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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